MORE DAILY REFLECTIONS
Scripture for today...
John 12:44-50
Believe in Me – That You May Not Remain in Darkness
What kind of darkness does Jesus warn us to avoid? It is the darkness of unbelief and rejection – not only of the Son who came into the world to save it – but rejection of the Father who offers us healing and reconciliation through his Son, Jesus Christ.
In Jesus’ last public discourse before his death and resurrection (according to John’s Gospel), Jesus speaks of himself as the light of the world. In the Scriptures light is associated with God’s truth and life. Psalm 27 exclaims, The Lord is my light and my salvation.The light of Christ removes the darkness and reveals the goodness of God to usJust as natural light exposes the darkness and reveals what is hidden, so God’s word enables those with eyes of faith to perceive the hidden truths of God’s kingdom. Our universe could not exist without light – and no living thing could be sustained without it.
Just as natural light produces warmth and energy – enabling seed to sprout and living things to grow – in like manner, God’s light and truth enables us to grow in the abundant life which only he can offer us. Jesus’ words produce life – the very life of God – within those who receive it with faith.To see Jesus, the Word of God who became flesh for our sake (John 1), is to see God in visible form. To hear the words of Jesus is to hear the voice of God. He is the very light of God that has power to overcome the darkness of sin, ignorance, and unbelief.
God’s light and truth brings healing, pardon, and transformation. This light is not only for the chosen people of Israel, but for the whole world as well. Jesus warns that if we refuse to listen to his word, if we choose to ignore it or to take it very lightly, then we choose to remain in spiritual darkness. The Word of God has power to set us free from sin, doubt, and deceptionJesus made it clear that he did not come to condemn us, but rather to bring us abundant life and freedom from the oppression of sin, Satan, and a world in opposition to God’s truth and goodness.
We condemn ourselves when we reject God’s word of truth, life, and wisdom. It is one thing to live in ignorance due to lack of knowledge and understanding, but another thing to disdain the very source of truth who is Christ Jesus, the Word of God sent from the Father.
Jesus says that his word – which comes from the Father and which produces eternal life in us – will be our judge. Do you believe that God’s word has power to set you free from sin and ignorance and to transform your life in his way of holiness? Saint Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) summed up our need for God’s help in the following prayer he wrote: “God our Father, we find it difficult to come to you, because our knowledge of you is imperfect.
In our ignorance we have imagined you to be our enemy; we have wrongly thought that you take pleasure in punishing our sins; and we have foolishly conceived you to be a tyrant over human life. But since Jesus came among us, he has shown that you are loving, and that our resentment against you was groundless.” The Holy Spirit opens our minds to understand the truth and wisdom of God’s wordGod does not wish to leave us in spiritual darkness – in our ignorance and unbelief. He is always ready to give his light, wisdom, and truth to all who seek him and who hunger for his word.
Through the gift of the Holy Spirit he helps us to grow each and every day in faith, knowledge, and understanding of his life-giving word. Do you want to know more of God and grow in his transforming love? Look to Jesus, the Light of God,and in his truth you will find joy, freedom, and wholeness of body, mind, heart, and soul.
🙏🏻Prayer🙏🏻
“Lord Jesus, in your word I find life, truth, and freedom. May I never doubt your word nor forget your commandments. Increase my love for your truth that I may embrace it fully and live according to it.” Amen
🟡The Story for the Reflection🟡
Saint Fidelis of Sigmaringen
1577 – April 24, 1622
If a poor man needed some clothing, Fidelis would often give the man the clothes right off his back. Complete generosity to others characterized this saint’s life.
Born in 1577, Mark Rey became a lawyer who constantly upheld the causes of the poor and oppressed people. Nicknamed “the poor man’s lawyer,” Rey soon grew disgusted with the corruption and injustice he saw among his colleagues.
He left his law career to become a priest, joining his brother George as a member of the Capuchin Order. Fidelis was his religious name. His wealth was divided between needy seminarians and the poor.
As a follower of Saint Francis of Assisi, Fidelis continued his devotion to the weak and needy. During a severe epidemic in a city where he was guardian of a friary, Fidelis cared for and cured many sick soldiers.
He was appointed head of a group of Capuchins sent to preach against the Calvinists and Zwinglians in Switzerland. Almost certain violence threatened. Those who observed the mission felt that success was more attributable to the prayer of Fidelis during the night than to his sermons and instructions.
He was accused of opposing the peasants’ national aspirations for independence from Austria. While he was preaching at Seewis, to which he had gone against the advice of his friends, a gun was fired at him, but he escaped unharmed.
A Protestant offered to shelter Fidelis, but he declined, saying his life was in God’s hands. On the road back, he was set upon by a group of armed men and killed. Fidelis was canonized in 1746. Fifteen years later he was recognized as a martyr.
Reflection
Fidelis’ constant prayer was that he be kept completely faithful to God and not give in to any lukewarmness or apathy. He was often heard to exclaim, “Woe to me if I should prove myself but a halfhearted soldier in the service of my thorn-crowned Captain.”
His prayer against apathy, and his concern for the poor and weak make him a saint whose example is valuable today. The modern Church is calling us to follow the example of “the poor man’s lawyer” by sharing ourselves and our talents with those less fortunate and by working for justice in the world.
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
John 10:22-30
My Sheep Hear My Voice
How secure is your faith and trust in God? Scripture describes God’s word as a “lamp for our feet and a light for our steps”(Psalm 119:105). The Jewish Feast of the Dedication is also called the Festival of Lights or Hanakkuh.
This feast was held in late December, near the time when Christians celebrate the feast of Christmas. This is the time of year when the day is shortest and the night longest. Jesus used this occasion to declare that he is the true light of the world (John 8:12). In his light we can see who God truly is and we can find the true path to heaven. Our true and lasting security rests in Jesus aloneJesus speaks of the tremendous trust he has in God his Father and the tremendous trust we ought to have in him because he is our good shepherd (John 10:11).
Sheep without a shepherd are defenseless against prey, such as wolves, and often get lost and bewildered without a guide. That is why shepherds literally live with their sheep out in the open field and mountain sides. The shepherd guards his sheep from the dangers of storms, floods, and beasts of prey.
The shepherd leads his sheep to the best places for feeding and the best streams for drinking. He finds the best place for their rest and safety at night. The sheep recognize the voice of their shepherd and heed his call when he leads them to safe pasture and rest. Listen to the Good Shepherd and you will not go astrayWe are very much like sheep who stray, we become easy prey to forces which can destroy us – sin, Satan, and a world in opposition to God and his people.
The Lord Jesus came not only to free us from Satan’s snares and the grip of sin, he came to personally lead us to the best of places where we can feed on his “word of life” and drink from the “living waters” of his Holy Spirit. The sheep who heed the voice of Jesus, the good shepherd, have no fear. He leads them to the best of places – everlasting peace, joy, and fellowship with God and his people. In this present life we will encounter trials, difficulties, and persecution. We can face them alone or we can follow Jesus, the true shepherd, who will bring us safely through every difficulty to the place of peace and security with God. Do you listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd and heed his commands?
Lord Jesus, you are the Good Shepherd who secures what is best for us. I place all my hope and trust in you. Open my ears to hear your voice today and to follow your commands.
Prayer
“Lord Jesus, you are the Good Shepherd who secures what is best for us. I place all my hope and trust in you. Open my ears to hear your voice today and to follow your commands.” Amen
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
I Am the Bread of Life
Do you hunger for the bread of life? The Jews had always regarded the manna in the wilderness as the bread of God (Psalm 78:24, Exodus 16:15). There was a strong Rabbinic belief that when the Messiah came he would give manna from heaven. This was the supreme work of Moses.
Now the Jewish leaders were demanding that Jesus produce manna from heaven as proof to his claim to be the Messiah. Jesus responds by telling them that it was not Moses who gave the manna, but God. And the manna given to Moses and the people was not the real bread from heaven, but only a symbol of the bread to come. Jesus then makes the claim which only God can make: I am the bread of life. The bread which Jesus offers is none else than the very life of God.
This is the true bread which can truly satisfy the hunger in our hearts. The manna from heaven prefigured the superabundance of the unique bread of the Eucharist or Lord’s Supper which Jesus gave to his disciples on the eve of his sacrifice.
The manna in the wilderness sustained the Israelites on their journey to the Promised Land. It could not produce eternal life for the Israelites. The bread which Jesus offers his disciples sustains us not only on our journey to the heavenly paradise, it gives us the abundant supernatural life of God which sustains us both now and for all eternity.
When we receive from the Lord’s table we unite ourselves to Jesus Christ, who makes us sharers in his body and blood and partakers of his divine life. Ignatius of Antioch (35-107 A.D.) calls it the “one bread that provides the medicine of immortality, the antidote for death, and the food that makes us live for ever in Jesus Christ” (Ad Eph. 20,2).
This supernatural food is healing for both body and soul and strength for our journey heavenward. Do you hunger for God and for the food which produces everlasting life?
🙏🏻Prayer🙏🏻
“Lord Jesus Christ, you are the bread of life. You alone can satisfy the hunger in my heart. May I always find in you, the true bread from heaven, the source of life and nourishment I need to sustain me on my journey to the promised land of heaven.” Amen
The Story for the Reflection
Saint Bernadette Soubirous
Jan7, 1844 – Apr 16, 1879
Bernadette Soubirous was born in 1844, the first child of an extremely poor miller in the town of Lourdes in southern France. The family was living in the basement of a dilapidated building when on February 11, 1858, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Bernadette in a cave above the banks of the Gave River near Lourdes.
Bernadette, 14 years old, was known as a virtuous girl though a dull student who had not even made her first Holy Communion. In poor health, she had suffered from asthma from an early age.
There were 18 appearances in all, the final one occurring on the feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, July 16. Although Bernadette’s initial reports provoked skepticism, her daily visions of “the Lady” brought great crowds of the curious.
The Lady, Bernadette explained, had instructed her to have a chapel built on the spot of the visions. There, the people were to come to wash in and drink of the water of the spring that had welled up from the very spot where Bernadette had been instructed to dig.
According to Bernadette, the Lady of her visions was a girl of 16 or 17 who wore a white robe with a blue sash. Yellow roses covered her feet, a large rosary was on her right arm. In the vision on March 25 she told Bernadette, “I am the Immaculate Conception.” It was only when the words were explained to her that Bernadette came to realize who the Lady was.
Few visions have ever undergone the scrutiny that these appearances of the Immaculate Virgin were subject to. Lourdes became one of the most popular Marian shrines in the world, attracting millions of visitors. Miracles were reported at the shrine and in the waters of the spring. After thorough investigation, Church authorities confirmed the authenticity of the apparitions in 1862.
During her life, Bernadette suffered much. She was hounded by the public as well as by civic officials until at last she was protected in a convent of nuns. Five years later, she petitioned to enter the Sisters of Notre Dame of Nevers. After a period of illness she was able to make the journey from Lourdes and enter the novitiate.
But within four months of her arrival she was given the last rites of the Church and allowed to profess her vows. She recovered enough to become infirmarian and then sacristan, but chronic health problems persisted. She died on April 16, 1879, at the age of 35. Bernadette Soubirous was canonized in 1933.
Reflection
Millions of people have come to the spring Bernadette uncovered for healing of body and spirit, but she found no relief from ill health there. Bernadette moved through life, guided only by blind faith in things she did not understand—as we all must do from time to time.
54 Days Novena to Holy Rosary
28th Day
Sign of the Cross
Hail Mary
Petition Prayer (first 27 days)
Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, my Mother Mary, hail! At thy feet, I humbly kneel to offer thee
a Crown of Roses, snow-white buds to remind thee of thy joys. Each bud recalling to thee a holy
mystery. Each ten bound together with my petition for a particular grace.
O Holy Queen, dispenser of God’s graces, and Mother of all who invoke thee! Thou canst not look
upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my petition.
From thy bounty thou wilt give me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly seek. I despair of nothing
that I ask of thee. Show thyself my Mother!
Thanksgiving Prayer (final 27 days)
Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, my Mother Mary, hail! At thy feet, I gratefully kneel to offer
thee a Crown of Roses, snow-white buds to remind thee of thy joys. Each bud recalling to thee a holy
mystery. Each ten bound together with my petition for a particular grace.
O Holy Queen, dispenser of God’s graces, and Mother of all who invoke thee! Thou canst not look
upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my thanksgiving. From thy bounty thou hast given me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly sought. I
despaired not of what I asked of thee. Thou hast truly shown thyself my Mother.
The Apostles’ Creed
Our Father
3 Hail Marys
Glory Be
The Sorrowful Mysteries Continued
– The Agony in the Garden
– The Scourging at the Pillar
– The Crowning with Thorns
– Jesus Carries His Cross
– The Crucifixion
Pray after every decade:
I bind these blood-red roses with a petition for the virtue of patience in adversity and humbly lay
this bouquet at thy feet.
Concluding Prayer
Hail, Holy Queen….Amen
In Petition (first 27 days)
Sweet Mother Mary, I offer thee this Spiritual Communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place
upon thy brow. O my Mother! Look with favor upon my gift, and in thy love obtain for me (specify request)
In Thanksgiving (final 27 days)
Sweet Mother Mary, I offer thee this spiritual communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place
upon thy brow in thanksgiving for (specify request) which thou in thy love hast obtained for me.
Hail Mary – Sign of the Cross
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Luke 24:35-48
Labor for the Food Which Endures to Eternal Life
What do you most hunger for – wealth, peace, health, love, the good life? Jesus addressed this issue with those who sought him after the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves. Were they simply hungry for things which satisfy the body or for that which satisfies the heart and soul?
Jesus echoes the question posed by the prophet Isaiah: “Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy” (Isaiah 55:2)?There are two kinds of hunger – physical and spiritual. Only God can satisfy the hunger in our heart and soul – the hunger for truth, for life, and for love. Jesus also spoke about the works of God and what we must do to be doing the works of God, namely to believe in God’ Son whom he has sent into the world.
Jesus offers a new relationship with God which issues in a new kind of life: A life of love and service, and the forgiveness of others which corresponds to God’s mercy and kindness; a life of holiness and purity which corresponds to God’s holiness; and a life of submission and trust which corresponds to the wisdom of God.
This is the work which Jesus directs us to and enables us to perform in the power of the Holy Spirit. Do you hunger for the bread which comes down from heaven and thirst for the words of everlasting life?
Prayer
“Lord Jesus, you alone can satisfy the deepest longing and hunger in our hearts. May I always hunger for the imperishable bread, that I may be satisfied in you alone as the True Bread of Heaven. Nourish and strengthen me that I may serve you with great joy, generosity, and zeal all the days of my life” Amen
The Story for the Reflection
Saint Caesar de Bus
Feb 3, 1544 – Apr 15, 1607
Like so many of us, Caesar de Bus struggled with the decision about what to do with his life. After completing his Jesuit education he had difficulty settling between a military and a literary career. He wrote some plays but ultimately settled for life in the army and at court.
For a time, life was going rather smoothly for the engaging, well-to-do young Frenchman. He was confident he had made the right choice. That was until he saw firsthand the realities of battle, including the Saint Bartholomew’s Day massacres of French Protestants in 1572.
He fell seriously ill and found himself reviewing his priorities, including his spiritual life.
By the time he had recovered, Caesar had resolved to become a priest. Following his ordination in 1582, he undertook special pastoral work: teaching the catechism to ordinary people living in neglected, rural, out-of-the-way places. His efforts were badly needed and well received.
Working with his cousin, Caesar developed a program of family catechesis. The goal—to ward off heresy among the people—met the approval of local bishops. Out of these efforts grew a new religious congregation: the Fathers of Christian Doctrine.
One of Caesar’s works, Instructions for the Family on the Four Parts of the Roman Catechism, was published 60 years after his death. He was beatified in 1975 and canonized in 2022.
Reflection
“Family catechesis” is a familiar term in parish life today. Grounded in the certainty that children learn their faith first from their parents, programs that deepen parental involvement in religious education multiply everywhere.
There were no such programs in Caesar’s day until he saw a need and created them. Other needs abound in our parishes, and it’s up to us to respond by finding ways to fill them or by joining in already established efforts.
54 Days Novena to Holy Rosary
27th Day
Sign of the Cross
Hail Mary
Petition Prayer (first 27 days)
Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, my Mother Mary, hail! At thy feet, I humbly kneel to offer thee
a Crown of Roses, snow-white buds to remind thee of thy joys. Each bud recalling to thee a holy
mystery. Each ten bound together with my petition for a particular grace.
O Holy Queen, dispenser of God’s graces, and Mother of all who invoke thee! Thou canst not look
upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my petition.
From thy bounty thou wilt give me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly seek. I despair of nothing
that I ask of thee. Show thyself my Mother!
Thanksgiving Prayer (final 27 days)
Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, my Mother Mary, hail! At thy feet, I gratefully kneel to offer
thee a Crown of Roses, snow-white buds to remind thee of thy joys. Each bud recalling to thee a holy
mystery. Each ten bound together with my petition for a particular grace.
O Holy Queen, dispenser of God’s graces, and Mother of all who invoke thee! Thou canst not look
upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my thanksgiving. From thy bounty thou hast given me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly sought. I
despaired not of what I asked of thee. Thou hast truly shown thyself my Mother.
The Apostles’ Creed
Our Father
3 Hail Marys
Glory Be
The Joyful Mysteries Continued
– The Annunciation
– The Visitation
– The Nativity
– The Presentation
– Finding the Child Jesus in the Temple
Pray after every decade:
I bind these blood-red roses with a petition for the virtue of patience in adversity and humbly lay
this bouquet at thy feet.
Concluding Prayer
Hail, Holy Queen….Amen
In Petition (first 27 days)
Sweet Mother Mary, I offer thee this Spiritual Communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place
upon thy brow. O my Mother! Look with favor upon my gift, and in thy love obtain for me (specify request)
In Thanksgiving (final 27 days)
Sweet Mother Mary, I offer thee this spiritual communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place
upon thy brow in thanksgiving for (specify request) which thou in thy love hast obtained for me.
Hail Mary – Sign of the Cross
Blessings from
Fr Showri R Narra
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Luke 24:35-48
Jesus Opened Their Minds to Understand the Scriptures
The first reading, taken from the Acts of the Apostles, gives us Peter’s second sermon addressing the Jewish assembly at the Portico of Solomon in Jerusalem.
Peter forcefully shows how the messianic prophecies have been fulfilled in the crucified and risen Jesus and challenges the Jews to repent and turn toward God so that their sins may be wiped away.
In the second reading, John answers doubts raised by the heretics of his time, asserting the fundamental Christian doctrine that Jesus’ death was a sacrifice offered as expiation for our sins.
Today’s Gospel describes Jesus’ appearance on the evening of His Resurrection to his apostles who were in the locked Upper Room, the Cenacle. We see Jesus remove the doubts of his apostles about his Resurrection by inviting them to touch him and by eating a piece of cooked fish.
Jesus explains how the prophecies have been fulfilled in him. Then he commissions them to bear witness to him and preach “repentance and forgiveness of sins in his name” after receiving the Holy Spirit.
This story was told and retold and recorded by Luke for at least three reasons:
(1) Jesus’ death and Resurrection fit God’s purpose as revealed in Scripture;
(2) the risen Jesus is present in the breaking of bread; and
(3) the risen Jesus is also physically absent from the disciples.
The facts emphasized: 1) The reality of Christ’s Resurrection. By inviting his apostles to look closely at him and touch him, Jesus removed any fear that they were seeing a ghost. He instilled confidence in them that he loved them by greeting them: “Peace be with you.” By eating a piece of broiled fish before their eyes, he convinced them that they were not dreaming or having a mere vision or hallucination.
Jesus wanted them to be authentic witnesses to the reality of his life as their risen Lord with his glorified soul and body. “The resurrection community that had experienced Jesus’ dying now experienced his risen presence. And it was, quite insistently, an embodied one.
This is a Jesus of sight and sound, of memories and relationships, of love and tenderness. He would take food and allow himself to be touched. Even his wounds could be examined. It was a recognizable and identifiable Jesus, a realization of his bodied existence.” (Fr. John Kavanaugh; Center for Liturgy).
2) The necessity of the cross: Jesus explained that his death on the cross had not been the result of a failed plan. Instead, it was part of God’s eternal plan to show His love for His people by subjecting His Son to willing, sacrificial, suffering and death.
3) The Resurrection of Jesus gives meaning to the Old Testament prophecies. Bible scholars cite 324 Messianic prophecies scattered throughout the Old Testament, especially in the prophets and in Psalms. Jesus explained to his disciples how these prophecies had been fulfilled in him so that they might become witnesses to their risen Lord in Jerusalem and to all the nations.
4) The commissioning of the disciples with the missionary task of preaching the Good News of salvation through repentance and Faith in Jesus. Jesus told the disciples what they were to preach
a) that the Son of God was crucified and died on the cross as expiation for our sins;
b) that he rose from the dead and conquered death; and
c) that all people must repent of their sins and obtain forgiveness in his name. In this Gospel passage, Jesus also commanded His disciples to remain in Jerusalem, waiting and praying for the coming of the Holy Spirit.
Prayer
“Lord Jesus, open our minds to understand the Scriptures that we may fully comprehend the truth of your word. Anoint us with your power and give us joy and boldness to proclaim the Gospel in word and deed.” Amen
The Story for the Reflection
The ghost story! There is a true story in Ripley’s Believe It or Not about a judge in Yugoslavia who had an unfortunate accident. He was “electrocuted” when he reached up to turn on the light while standing in the bathtub. His wife found his body sprawled on the bathroom floor.
She called for help. Friends and neighbors, police–everyone showed up. He was pronounced dead and taken to the funeral home. The local radio picked up the story and broadcast it all over the air. In the middle of the night, the judge regained consciousness.
When he realized where he was, he rushed over to alert the night watchman, who promptly ran off, terrified. The first thought of the judge was to phone his wife and reassure her, using the funeral home phone. But he got no further than, “Hello darling, it’s me,” when she screamed and fainted.
He tried calling a couple of the neighbors, but they all thought it was some sort of a sick prank. He even went so far as to go to the homes of several friends, but they were all sure he was a ghost and slammed the door in his face. Finally, he was able to call a friend in the next town who hadn’t heard of his death.
This friend was able to convince his family and other friends that he really was alive. — Today’s Gospel tells us that Jesus had to convince the disciples that he wasn’t a ghost. He had to dispel their doubts and their fears. He showed them his hands and his feet.
He invited them to touch him and see that he was real. And he even ate a piece of cooked fish with them — all to prove that he was alive and not a ghost or spirit. He stood there before them, as real and alive as he had been over the past three years.
54 Days Novena to Holy Rosary
26th Day
Sign of the Cross
Hail Mary
Petition Prayer (first 27 days)
Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, my Mother Mary, hail! At thy feet, I humbly kneel to offer thee
a Crown of Roses, snow-white buds to remind thee of thy joys. Each bud recalling to thee a holy
mystery. Each ten bound together with my petition for a particular grace.
O Holy Queen, dispenser of God’s graces, and Mother of all who invoke thee! Thou canst not look
upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my petition.
From thy bounty thou wilt give me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly seek. I despair of nothing
that I ask of thee. Show thyself my Mother!
Thanksgiving Prayer (final 27 days)
Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, my Mother Mary, hail! At thy feet, I gratefully kneel to offer
thee a Crown of Roses, snow-white buds to remind thee of thy joys. Each bud recalling to thee a holy
mystery. Each ten bound together with my petition for a particular grace.
O Holy Queen, dispenser of God’s graces, and Mother of all who invoke thee! Thou canst not look
upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my thanksgiving. From thy bounty thou hast given me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly sought. I
despaired not of what I asked of thee. Thou hast truly shown thyself my Mother.
The Apostles’ Creed
Our Father
3 Hail Marys
Glory Be
The Glorious Mysteries Continued
– The Resurrection of Jesus
– The Ascension of Jesus
– The Descent of the Holy Spirit
– The Assumption of Mary
– The Coronation of the Blessed Mother
Pray after every decade:
I bind these blood-red roses with a petition for the virtue of patience in adversity and humbly lay
this bouquet at thy feet.
Concluding Prayer
Hail, Holy Queen….Amen
In Petition (first 27 days)
Sweet Mother Mary, I offer thee this Spiritual Communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place
upon thy brow. O my Mother! Look with favor upon my gift, and in thy love obtain for me (specify request)
In Thanksgiving (final 27 days)
Sweet Mother Mary, I offer thee this spiritual communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place
upon thy brow in thanksgiving for (specify request) which thou in thy love hast obtained for me.
Hail Mary – Sign of the Cross
Blessings from
Fr Showri R Narra
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
John 6:16-21
Jesus Said: “It Is I – Do Not Be Afraid”
Does the Lord Jesus ever seem distant to you? When John recounted the scene of the apostles being alone at sea in a storm he described the situation as “dark” (John 6:17). It was dark not only physically but spiritually as well. Although they were experienced fishermen, they were fearful for their lives.
The Lord’s sudden presence – and his supernatural ability to walk towards them on top of the rough waves of the sea – only made them more fearful! John says they were frightened. And Jesus had to calm them with a reassuring command: “Do not be afraid because I am here with you!” The Lord Jesus is a very present help in troubleAren’t we like the apostles when we experience moments of darkness, fear, and trials? While the Lord may at times seem absent or very distant to us, he, nonetheless, is always present and close-by.
The Scriptures remind us that the Lord is “a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). Whatever storms may beset us, he promises to “bring us to our desired haven” and place of calm rest and safety (Psalm 107:29-30).
The Lord keeps watch over us at all times, and especially in our moments of temptation and difficulty. Do you rely on the Lord for his strength and help? Jesus assures us that we have no need of fear if we put our trust in him and in his great love and care for us. When calamities or trials threaten to overwhelm you, how do you respond? With faith and hope in God’s love, personal care, and presence with you?
🐣🐣🙏🏻Prayer🙏🏻🐣🐣
“Lord Jesus, may I never doubt your saving help and your watchful presence in my life, especially in times of trouble. Fortify my faith with courage and give me enduring hope that I may never waver in my trust in you.” Amen
The Life Story of the Saint
Saint Martin I
d. September 16, 655
When Martin I became pope in 649, Constantinople was the capital of the Byzantine empire and the patriarch of Constantinople was the most influential Church leader in the eastern Christian world. The struggles that existed within the Church at that time were magnified by the close cooperation of emperor and patriarch.
A teaching, strongly supported in the East, held that Christ had no human will. Twice, emperors had officially favored this position: Heraclius by publishing a formula of faith, and Constans II by silencing the issue of one or two wills in Christ.
Shortly after assuming the office of the papacy—which he did without first being confirmed by the emperor—Martin held a council at the Lateran in which the imperial documents were censured, and in which the patriarch of Constantinople and two of his predecessors were condemned. In response, Constans II first tried to turn bishops and people against the pope.
Failing in this and in an attempt to kill the pope, the emperor sent troops to Rome to seize Martin and to bring him back to Constantinople. Already in poor health, Martin offered no resistance, returned with Calliopas, the exarch of Constantinople, and was then submitted to various imprisonments, tortures, and hardships.
Although condemned to death and with some of the imposed torture already carried out, Martin was saved from execution by the pleas of a repentant Paul, patriarch of Constantinople, who was himself gravely ill.
Tortures and cruel treatment having taken their toll, Martin died shortly thereafter. He is the last of the early popes to be venerated as a martyr.
Reflection
The real significance of the word martyr comes not from the dying but from the witnessing, which the word means in its derivation. People who are willing to give up everything, their most precious possessions, their very lives, put a supreme value on the cause or belief for which they sacrifice.
Martyrdom, dying for the faith, is an incidental extreme to which some have had to go to manifest their belief in Christ. A living faith, a life that exemplifies Christ’s teaching throughout, and that in spite of difficulties, is required of all Christians. Martin refused to cut corners as a way of easing his lot, to make some accommodations with the civil rulers.
54 Days Novena to Holy Rosary
25th Day
Sign of the Cross
Hail Mary
Petition Prayer (first 27 days)
Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, my Mother Mary, hail! At thy feet, I humbly kneel to offer thee
a Crown of Roses, snow-white buds to remind thee of thy joys. Each bud recalling to thee a holy
mystery. Each ten bound together with my petition for a particular grace.
O Holy Queen, dispenser of God’s graces, and Mother of all who invoke thee! Thou canst not look
upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my petition.
From thy bounty thou wilt give me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly seek. I despair of nothing
that I ask of thee. Show thyself my Mother!
Thanksgiving Prayer (final 27 days)
Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, my Mother Mary, hail! At thy feet, I gratefully kneel to offer
thee a Crown of Roses, snow-white buds to remind thee of thy joys. Each bud recalling to thee a holy
mystery. Each ten bound together with my petition for a particular grace.
O Holy Queen, dispenser of God’s graces, and Mother of all who invoke thee! Thou canst not look
upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my thanksgiving. From thy bounty thou hast given me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly sought. I
despaired not of what I asked of thee. Thou hast truly shown thyself my Mother.
The Apostles’ Creed
Our Father
3 Hail Marys
Glory Be
The Sorrowful Mysteries Continued
– The Agony in the Garden
– The Scourging at the Pillar
– The Crowning with Thorns
– Jesus Carries His Cross
– The Crucifixion
Pray after every decade:
I bind these blood-red roses with a petition for the virtue of patience in adversity and humbly lay
this bouquet at thy feet.
Concluding Prayer
Hail, Holy Queen….Amen
In Petition (first 27 days)
Sweet Mother Mary, I offer thee this Spiritual Communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place
upon thy brow. O my Mother! Look with favor upon my gift, and in thy love obtain for me (specify request)
In Thanksgiving (final 27 days)
Sweet Mother Mary, I offer thee this spiritual communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place
upon thy brow in thanksgiving for (specify request) which thou in thy love hast obtained for me.
Hail Mary – Sign of the Cross
Blessings from
Fr Showri R Narra
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
John 6:1-15
The Miraculous Sign of Jesus
Can anything on this earth truly satisfy the deepest longing and hunger we experience for God? A great multitude had gathered to hear Jesus, no doubt because they were hungry for the word of life. Jesus’ disciples wanted to send them away at the end of the day because they did not have the resources to feed them.
They even complained how much money it would take to feed such a large crowd – at least six month’s wages! Jesus, the Bread of Life, took the little they had – five loaves and two fish – and giving thanks to his heavenly Father, distributed to all until they were satisfied of their hunger. Jesus is the true bread from heaven that gives us abundant lifeThe people of Israel had been waiting for the prophet whom Moses had promised: The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brethren – him shall you heed (Deuteronomy 18:15).
The signs which Jesus did, including the miraculous feeding of the five thousand signified that God has indeed sent him as the anointed Prophet and King. Jesus’ feeding of the five thousand is the only miracle that is repeated in all four Gospel accounts. What is the significance of this particular miracle?
The miraculous feeding of such a great multitude pointed to God’s provision of manna in the wilderness for the people of Israel under Moses’ leadership (Exodus 16). This daily provision of food in the barren wilderness foreshadowed the true heavenly bread which Jesus would offer his followers. The food that makes us live for ever in Jesus ChristJesus makes a claim which only God can make: He is the true bread of heaven that can satisfy the deepest hunger we experience.
The sign of the multiplication of the loaves when the Lord says the blessing, breaks, and distributes through his disciples prefigures the superabundance of the unique bread of his Eucharist or Lord’s Supper. When we receive from the Lord’s table we unite ourselves to Jesus Christ, who makes us sharers in his body and blood. Ignatius of Antioch (35-107 A.D.)
calls it the “one bread that provides the medicine of immortality, the antidote for death, and the food that makes us live for ever in Jesus Christ” (Ad Eph. 20,2). This supernatural food is healing for both body and soul and strength for our journey heavenward. When you approach the Table of the Lord, what do you expect to receive? Healing, pardon, comfort, and rest for your soul? The Lord has much more for us, more than we can ask or imagine. The principal fruit of receiving the Eucharist at the Lord’s Table is an intimate union with Jesus Christ, our Divine Healer and Savior.
As bodily nourishment restores lost strength, so the Eucharist strengthens us in charity and enables us to break with disordered attachments to creatures and to be more firmly rooted in the love of Christ. Do you hunger for the “bread of life”? The Lord alone can satisfy the deepest longing of our heartThe feeding of the five thousand shows the remarkable generosity of God and his great kindness towards us. When God gives, he gives abundantly.
He gives more than we need for ourselves so that we may have something to share with others, especially those who lack what they need. God takes the little we have and multiplies it for the good of others. Do you trust in God’s provision for you and do you share freely with others, especially those who are in need?
🐣🐣🙏🏻Prayer🙏🏻🐣🐣
“Lord Jesus, you satisfy the deepest longing of our heart and you feed us with the finest of wheat (Psalm 81:16). Fill me with gratitude and give me a generous heart that I may freely share with others what you have given to me.”
Amen
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🟡The Life Story of the Saint🟡
Saint Teresa of Los Andes
July 13, 1900 – April 12, 1920
One needn’t live a long life to leave a deep imprint. Teresa of Los Andes is proof of that.
As a young girl growing up in the early 1900’s in Santiago, Chile, Juana Fernandez read an autobiography of a French-born saint—Thérèse, popularly known as the Little Flower. The experience deepened her desire to serve God and clarified the path she would follow. At age 19 Juana became a Carmelite nun, taking the name of Teresa.
The convent offered the simple lifestyle Teresa desired and the joy of living in a community of women completely devoted to God. She focused her days on prayer and sacrifice. “I am God’s,” she wrote in her diary. “He created me and is my beginning and my end.”
Toward the end of her short life, Teresa began an apostolate of letter-writing, sharing her thoughts on the spiritual life with many people. At age 20 she contracted typhus and quickly took her final vows.
She died a short time later, during Holy Week.
Known as the “Flower of the Andes,” Teresa remains popular with the estimated 100,000 pilgrims who visit her shrine in Los Andes each year. Canonized in 1993 by Pope John Paul II, she is Chile’s first saint.
Reflection
The special graces given Saint Teresa reflect the mysterious wisdom of God at work in individuals whether young or old. It appears God has his own logic when it comes to who gets what in the realm of grace. All we can say is; “Praised be the Lord.”
54 Days Novena to Holy Rosary
24rth Day
Sign of the Cross
Hail Mary
Petition Prayer (first 27 days)
Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, my Mother Mary, hail! At thy feet, I humbly kneel to offer thee
a Crown of Roses, snow-white buds to remind thee of thy joys. Each bud recalling to thee a holy
mystery. Each ten bound together with my petition for a particular grace.
O Holy Queen, dispenser of God’s graces, and Mother of all who invoke thee! Thou canst not look
upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my petition.
From thy bounty thou wilt give me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly seek. I despair of nothing
that I ask of thee. Show thyself my Mother!
Thanksgiving Prayer (final 27 days)
Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, my Mother Mary, hail! At thy feet, I gratefully kneel to offer
thee a Crown of Roses, snow-white buds to remind thee of thy joys. Each bud recalling to thee a holy
mystery. Each ten bound together with my petition for a particular grace.
O Holy Queen, dispenser of God’s graces, and Mother of all who invoke thee! Thou canst not look
upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my thanksgiving. From thy bounty thou hast given me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly sought. I
despaired not of what I asked of thee. Thou hast truly shown thyself my Mother.
The Apostles’ Creed
Our Father
3 Hail Marys
Glory Be
The Joyful Mysteries Continued
– The Annunciation
– The Visitation
– The Nativity
– The Presentation
– Finding the Child Jesus in the Temple
Pray after every decade:
I bind these blood-red roses with a petition for the virtue of patience in adversity and humbly lay
this bouquet at thy feet.
Concluding Prayer
Hail, Holy Queen….Amen
In Petition (first 27 days)
Sweet Mother Mary, I offer thee this Spiritual Communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place
upon thy brow. O my Mother! Look with favor upon my gift, and in thy love obtain for me (specify request)
In Thanksgiving (final 27 days)
Sweet Mother Mary, I offer thee this spiritual communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place
upon thy brow in thanksgiving for (specify request) which thou in thy love hast obtained for me.
Hail Mary – Sign of the Cross
Blessings from
Fr Showri R Narra
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
John 3:31-36
He Who Believes in the Son Has Eternal Life
Do you hunger for the true and abundant life which God offers through the gift of his Holy Spirit? The Jews understood that God gave a certain portion of his Spirit to his prophets.
When Elijah was about to depart for heaven, his servant Elisha asked for a double portion of the Spirit which Elijah had received from God (2 Kings 2:9). The Holy Spirit opens our minds to understand God’s word of truth Jesus tells his disciples that they can believe the words he speaks because God the Father has anointed him by pouring out his Spirit on him in full measure, without keeping anything back.
The function of the Holy Spirit is to reveal God’s truth to us. Jesus declared that “when the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth” (John 16:13). When we receive the Holy Spirit he opens our hearts and minds to recognize and understand God’s word of truth. Saint Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) said, “I believe in order to understand; and I understand the better to believe.” Faith opens our minds and hearts to receive God’s word of truth and to obey it willingly. Do you believe God’s word and receive it as if your life depended on it? God gives us the freedom to accept or reject what he says is true. But with that freedom also comes a responsibility to recognize the consequences of the choice we make – either to believe what he has spoken to us through his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, or to ignore, reject, and chose our own way apart from God. Our choices will either lead us on the path of abundant life and union with God, or the path that leads to spiritual death and separation from God.Love the Lord, cling to him, and you will have lifeGod issued a choice and a challenge to the people of the Old Covenant: “See I have set before you this day life and good, death and evil. …
I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore choose life, that you may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice, and cleaving to him” (Deuteronomy 30:15-20).
And God issues the same challenge to the people of the New Covenant today. Do you weigh the consequences of your choices? Do the choices you make lead you towards life or death – blessing or cursing? If you choose to obey God’s voice and to do his will, then you will know and experience that abundant life which comes from God himself. If you choose to follow your own way apart from God and his will, then you choose for death – a spiritual death which poisons and kills the heart and soul until there is nothing left but an empty person devoid of love, truth, goodness, purity, peace, and joy. Do your choices lead you towards God or away from God?
Prayer“Lord Jesus Christ, let your Holy Spirit fill me and transform my heart and mind that I may choose life – the abundant life you offer to those who trust in you. Give me courage to always choose what is good, true, and just and to reject whatever is false, foolish, and contrary to your holy will.”
Amen
Saint Stanislaus
July 26, 1030 – April 11, 1079
Anyone who reads the history of Eastern Europe cannot help but chance on the name of Stanislaus, the saintly but tragic bishop of Kraków, patron of Poland. He is remembered with Saints Thomas More and Thomas Becket for vigorous opposition to the evils of an unjust government.
Born in Szczepanow near Kraków on July 26, 1030, he was ordained a priest after being educated in the cathedral schools of Gniezno, then capital of Poland, and at Paris. He was appointed preacher and archdeacon to the bishop of Kraków, where his eloquence and example brought about real conversion in many of his penitents, both clergy and laity.
He became bishop of Kraków in 1072.
During an expedition against the Grand Duchy of Kiev, Stanislaus became involved in the political situation of Poland. Known for his outspokenness, he aimed his attacks at the evils of the peasantry and the king, especially the unjust wars and immoral acts of King Boleslaus II.
The king first excused himself, then made a show of penance, then relapsed into his old ways. Stanislaus continued his open opposition in spite of charges of treason and threats of death, finally excommunicating the king.
Enraged, the latter ordered soldiers to kill the bishop. When they refused, the king killed Stanislaus with his own hands. Forced to flee to Hungary, Boleslaus supposedly spent the rest of his life as a penitent in the Benedictine abbey in Osiak.
Reflection
Saints John the Baptist, Thomas Becket, Thomas More, and Stanislaus are a few of the prophets who dared to denounce corruption in high places. They followed in the footsteps of Jesus himself, who pointed out the moral corruption in the religious leadership of his day. It is a risky business.
Saint Stanislaus is the Patron Saint of:
Poland
54 Days Novena to Holy Rosary
23rd Day
Sign of the Cross
Hail Mary
Petition Prayer (first 27 days)
Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, my Mother Mary, hail! At thy feet, I humbly kneel to offer thee
a Crown of Roses, snow-white buds to remind thee of thy joys. Each bud recalling to thee a holy
mystery. Each ten bound together with my petition for a particular grace.
O Holy Queen, dispenser of God’s graces, and Mother of all who invoke thee! Thou canst not look
upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my petition.
From thy bounty thou wilt give me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly seek. I despair of nothing
that I ask of thee. Show thyself my Mother!
Thanksgiving Prayer (final 27 days)
Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, my Mother Mary, hail! At thy feet, I gratefully kneel to offer
thee a Crown of Roses, snow-white buds to remind thee of thy joys. Each bud recalling to thee a holy
mystery. Each ten bound together with my petition for a particular grace.
O Holy Queen, dispenser of God’s graces, and Mother of all who invoke thee! Thou canst not look
upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my thanksgiving. From thy bounty thou hast given me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly sought. I
despaired not of what I asked of thee. Thou hast truly shown thyself my Mother.
The Apostles’ Creed
Our Father
3 Hail Marys
Glory Be
The Glorious Mysteries Continued
– The Resurrection of Jesus
– The Ascension of Jesus
– The Descent of the Holy Spirit
– The Assumption of Mary
– The Coronation of the Blessed Mother
Pray after every decade:
I bind these blood-red roses with a petition for the virtue of patience in adversity and humbly lay
this bouquet at thy feet.
Concluding Prayer
Hail, Holy Queen….Amen
In Petition (first 27 days)
Sweet Mother Mary, I offer thee this Spiritual Communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place
upon thy brow. O my Mother! Look with favor upon my gift, and in thy love obtain for me (specify request)
In Thanksgiving (final 27 days)
Sweet Mother Mary, I offer thee this spiritual communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place
upon thy brow in thanksgiving for (specify request) which thou in thy love hast obtained for me.
Hail Mary – Sign of the Cross
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
John 20:19-31
Unless I see – I will not believe
Do you know the joy of the resurrection?
The Risen Lord Jesus revealed the glory of his resurrection to his disciples gradually and over a period of time. Even after the apostles saw the empty tomb and heard the reports of Jesus’ appearance to the women, they were still weak in faith and fearful of being arrested by the Jewish authorities.
When Jesus appeared to them he offered proofs of his resurrection by showing them the wounds of his passion, his pierced hands and side. He calmed their fears and brought them peace, the peace which reconciles sinners and makes us friends of God.
Live and proclaim the Gospel of mercy in the power of the Holy Spirit
Jesus did something which only love and trust can do. He commissioned his weak and timid apostles to bring the good news of the Gospel to the ends of the earth.
This sending out of the disciples is parallel to the sending out of Jesus by his heavenly Father. Jesus fulfilled his mission through his perfect love and obedience to the will of his Father. He called his first disciples and he now calls each one of us to do the same.
Just as he gave his first disciples the gift of the Holy Spirit, so he breathes on each of us the same Holy Spirit who equips us with new life, power, joy, and courage to live each day as followers of the Risen Lord.
The last apostle to meet the resurrected Lord was the first to go with him to Jerusalem at Passover time.
The apostle Thomas was a natural pessimist. When Jesus proposed that they visit Lazarus after receiving news of his illness, Thomas said to the disciples: “Let us also go, that we may die with him” (John 11:16). While Thomas deeply loved the Lord, he lacked the courage to stand with Jesus in his passion and crucifixion.
After Jesus’ death, Thomas made the mistake of withdrawing from the other apostles. He sought loneliness rather than fellowship in his time of trial and adversity. He doubted the women who saw the resurrected Jesus and he doubted his own fellow apostles.
Through the gift of faith we recognize the Risen Lord and receive new life
When Thomas finally had the courage to rejoin the other apostles, the Lord Jesus made his presence known to him and reassured him that he had indeed overcome death and risen again.
When Thomas recognized his Master, he believed and exclaimed that Jesus was truly Lord and truly God! Through the gift of faith we, too, proclaim that Jesus is our personal Lord and our God. He died and rose that we, too, might have new life in him.
The Lord offers each of us new life in his Holy Spirit that we may know him personally and walk in this new way of life through the power of his resurrection. Do you believe in the good news of the Gospel and in the power of the Holy Spirit to bring you new life, hope, and joy?
🐣🐣🙏🏻Prayer🙏🏻🐣🐣
“Lord Jesus Christ, through your victory over sin and death you have overcome all the powers of sin and darkness. Help me to draw near to you and to trust in your life-giving word. Fill me with your Holy Spirit and strengthen my faith in your promises and my hope in the power of your resurrection.”
Amen
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❣️Divine Mercy Sunday❣️
A Whole Ocean of Graces
Saint Faustina reports in her Diary what Jesus told her about Divine Mercy Sunday:
“My daughter, tell the whole world about My inconceivable mercy. I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy.
The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day are open all the divine floodgates through which graces flow” (Diary #699).
That day is today! It is the Feast of Divine Mercy! Today’s feast is among the newer feasts in our Church. Though Jesus’ desire that this feast be celebrated on the eighth day of Easter was spoken to Sister Maria Faustina Kowolska back in 1931, it was not solemnly instituted until the year 2000.
On April 30 of that year, Saint Pope John Paul II canonized Saint Faustina and inaugurated the Feast of Divine Mercy as a universal feast within the Church. Because this Feast is so recent within the Church, we can be certain that we still have much to learn about the message of this Solemnity as well as the numerous messages about God’s mercy revealed in Saint Faustina’s Diary.
Among the many messages contained within her Diary, Jesus revealed to us that this Sunday, the eighth and final day of the Octave of Easter, is a day like none other.
Though grace and mercy are continuously poured out from Heaven upon us, Jesus is very clear that today is unique. Today, “a whole ocean of graces” is poured forth upon souls who approach the font of His mercy. Sit with that image for a time. “A whole ocean of graces.” What does that mean?
Symbolically speaking, a whole ocean is meant to depict the infinite. Try to imagine what it would be like to have the entire ocean poured upon you—it’s beyond comprehension! Thus, God is saying that the infinity of grace is given today.
The question for us all to ponder is this: How receptive am I to those infinite graces?
By analogy, imagine that your life was like a thimble, and an ocean of water was poured upon you. As a thimble, you could not contain all that was given.
Therefore, we should realize that God wants to stretch our capacity to receive His mercy more abundantly by widening our capacity for mercy. What if your soul were like a large pond? Still, the waters of the ocean could not be contained within that pond. What is it that is capable of receiving an entire ocean of mercy?
Only an ocean can contain an ocean. For that reason, God desires to first prepare our souls to receive an infinity of mercy by transforming us into vessels of infinite capacity.
Saint Teresa of Ávila, in her spiritual classic, “Interior Castles,” teaches us that the soul is, indeed, capable of infinite capacity for the simple fact that God dwells within.
The soul is like an interior castle with many interlinked dwelling places through which we must pass so as to arrive at the central chamber. She teaches that the goal of the spiritual life is to travel through these various dwelling places to the center of our souls where the infinite God dwells so that we can be present to Him there.
Therefore, we must understand that our souls are indeed capable of receiving the infinite waters of mercy, because God created us with this ability when He chose to live within us. The key to being able to fully receive this fullness of mercy is to seek out the infinite God, dwelling within. How is this done?
The heart of the path laid out in the Diary of Saint Faustina is as follows: Go to Confession and receive Holy Communion so as to obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment.
However, as many of the great spiritual writers explain, such as Saint Teresa of Ávila, there are many levels we must pass on our spiritual journey so as to be able to encounter God in His fullness. This, of course, includes encountering God’s mercy given to us in Holy Communion and Confession.
Those who receive these Sacraments while dwelling only in the first dwelling places, for example, will never benefit from them to the extent that those who dwell in the seventh and central mansion where the King dwells in fullness.
Thus, mercy is given in its fullness but unless we make the transforming journey to God through conversion and purification of our souls, we will never be able to receive the ocean of graces God bestows.
Reflect, today, upon this ocean being poured forth upon you. How much of this mercy are you able to receive right now in your life? As you humbly admit your limited openness to God’s grace, know that God patiently waits for you, dwelling in His fullness deep within you, waiting for you to make the journey to Him.
Commit yourself to this journey by prayer, fasting, penance, the reading of Scripture, the celebration of the Sacraments and spiritual reading. There is an ocean of the fullness of life waiting for you. Dive in and allow His mercy to deepen your capacity to receive Him most fully.
My Lord, You are The Divine Mercy, the source of all grace and the Bestower of this grace in superabundance. I thank You for the infinity of Your generosity and pray that my soul will be more fully disposed to receive You. Please stretch the capacity of my soul through my ongoing journey of purification and conversion so that I will receive all that You wish to bestow.
Jesus, I trust in You.
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🟡The Story for the reflection 🟡
The news is filled with illustrations of mercy—or the need for mercy—in our world. One of the most moving stories came to us on October 6, 2006, when an armed man entered an Amish schoolhouse in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania.
He chased out the little boys and lined up the 10 little girls in front of the blackboard. He shot all of them and then killed himself. Five of the girls died.
After the medics and police left, the families of the fallen came and carried their slain children home. They removed their bloody clothes and washed the bodies. They sat for a time and mourned their beloved children.
After a while they walked to the home of the man who killed their children. They told his widow they forgave her husband for what he had done, and they consoled her for the loss of her spouse. They buried their anger before they buried their children.
— Amish Christians teach us that forgiveness is central. They believe in a real sense that God’s forgiveness of themselves depends on their extending forgiveness to other people. That’s what the mercy of God is all about.
That mercy is why we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday. (Rev. Alfred McBride, O.Praem: Catholic Update – March 2008)
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❤️❤️The Divine Mercy ❤️❤️
The Divine Mercy Message
The message of The Divine Mercy is simple. It is that God loves us – all of us. And, He wants us to recognize that His mercy is greater than our sins, so that we will call upon Him with trust, receive His mercy, and let it flow through us to others. Thus, all will come to share His joy.
A – Ask for His Mercy. God wants us to approach Him in prayer constantly, repenting of our sins and asking Him to pour His mercy out upon us and upon the whole world.
B – Be merciful. God wants us to receive His mercy and let it flow through us to others. He wants us to extend love and forgiveness to others just as He does to us.
C – Completely trust in Jesus. God wants us to know that all the graces of His mercy can only be received by our trust. The more we open the door of our hearts and lives to Him with trust, the more we can receive.
This message and devotion to Jesus as The Divine Mercy is based on the writings of Saint Faustina Kowalska, an uneducated Polish nun who, in obedience to her spiritual director, wrote a diary of about 600 pages recording the revelations she received about God’s mercy.
Even before her death in 1938, the devotion to The Divine Mercy had begun to spread.
The message and devotional practices proposed in the Diary of Saint Faustina and set forth in this web site and other publications of the Marians of the Immaculate Conception are completely in accordance with the teachings of Church and are firmly rooted in the Gospel message of our Merciful Savior. Properly understood and implemented, they will help us grow as genuine followers of Christ.
Spend time to learn more about the mercy of God, learn to trust in Jesus, and live your life as merciful to others, as Christ is merciful to you.
♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️
❣️❣️❣️Plenary Indulgence ❣️❣️
What do a certain Polish nun and a certain Polish pope have in common? They both became saints and they were both instrumental in the institution of Divine Mercy Sunday, which offers many graces to the faithful.
Be sure to thank St. John Paul II and St. Maria Faustina Kowalska this April 16 because as Divine Mercy Sunday rolls around again this year, the faithful have the opportunity to take refuge in the depths of Christ’s mercy by receiving either a plenary or partial indulgence.
Here are some facts about Divine Mercy Sunday, including the Church’s guidance on how to receive indulgences on the day:
What is Divine Mercy Sunday?
Divine Mercy Sunday is the Sunday after Easter each year. Divine Mercy Sunday was first announced in an April 2000 homily given by John Paul II for the Mass celebrating the canonization of Maria Faustina Kowalska.
St. Faustina Kowalska was a Polish nun who received prophetic messages from Christ. These messages included revelations about the infinite mercy of God — coined the “divine mercy” — and her obligation to spread the message to the world as recorded in her diary, “Divine Mercy in My Soul.”
The late pope said in his homily that “the light of divine mercy, which the Lord in a way wished to return to the world through Sr. Faustina’s charism, will illumine the way for the men and women of the third millennium.”
John Paul II granted plenary and partial indulgences to the faithful who observed certain pious practices on Divine Mercy Sunday each year in a June 2002 decree He did this in order to inspire the faithful in devotion to the Divine Mercy.
What is an indulgence?
An indulgence is the remission of the temporal punishment due to sins that have already been forgiven, and it can be plenary or partial.
Plenary indulgence
A plenary indulgence can be obtained by going to a church on Divine Mercy Sunday “in a spirit that is completely detached from the affection for a sin, even a venial sin,” and participating in the prayers held in honor of Divine Mercy, the 2002 decree says.
Those practices could consist of devotions such as the divine mercy chaplet, eucharistic adoration, and the sacrament of confession.
The faithful could also visit the Blessed Sacrament either exposed or in the tabernacle and recite the Our Father, the Nicene Creed, and a devout prayer to Christ. The example of a devout prayer that is given in the decree is “Merciful Jesus, I trust in you!”
In order to receive the indulgence, the three usual conditions of going to confession, receiving holy Communion, and praying for the intentions of the Holy Father must also be met.
While it is appropriate that the two sacraments be received on the same day, the Church permits them to be received up to about 20 days before or after the day the indulgenced work is performed.
Can’t make it to a church?
Be not afraid
For the sick or others who are unable to make it to church that day, a plenary indulgence may still be obtained.
One must intend to make a confession, receive holy Communion, and pray for the intentions of the Holy Father as soon as possible, while praying one Our Father and the Nicene Creed before an image of Jesus. In addition, one also must pray “a devout invocation” to Christ such as “Merciful Jesus, I trust in you.”
For those faithful who cannot fulfill those obligations either, it is still possible to earn a plenary indulgence.
If “with a spiritual intention” people unite themselves to all the faithful hoping to obtain the indulgence through the prescribed prayers and they offer a prayer and their sufferings to Christ, then they are able to obtain the plenary indulgence.
They also must intend to go to
confession, receive holy Communion, and pray for the pope as soon as possible.
Partial indulgence
A partial indulgence is granted to the faithful who on that day pray “a legitimately approved invocation” with a contrite heart. As is written in the decree, this invocation could be “Merciful Jesus, I trust in you!”
This story was first published on CNA on April 21, 2022, and was updated April 13, 2023.
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Luke 24:13-35
Did not our hearts burn while he opened to us the Scriptures
Why was it difficult for the disciples to recognize the risen Lord? Jesus’ death scattered his disciples and shattered their hopes and dreams. They had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.
They saw the cross as defeat and could not comprehend the empty tomb until the Lord Jesus appeared to them and gave them understanding. Do you doubt the good news that Jesus rose to give you new life? Jesus chided the disciples on the road to Emmaus for their slowness of heart to believe what the Scriptures had said concerning the Messiah.
They did not recognize the risen Jesus until he had broken bread with them. Do you recognize the Lord in his word and in the breaking of the bread? St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) reflects on the dimness of their perception:
“They were so disturbed when they saw him hanging on the cross that they forgot his teaching, did not look for his resurrection, and failed to keep his promises in mind” (Sermon 235.1).
“Their eyes were obstructed, that they should not recognize him until the breaking of the bread. And thus, in accordance with the state of their minds, which was still ignorant of the truth – that the Christ would die and rise again, their eyes were similarly hindered. It was not that the truth himself was misleading them, but rather that they were themselves unable to perceive the truth.” (From The Harmony of the Gospels, 3.25.72)
How often do we fail to recognize the Lord when he speaks to our hearts and opens his mind to us? The Risen Lord is ever ready to speak his word to us and to give us understanding of his ways. Do you listen attentively to the Word of God and allow his word to change and transform you?
Prayer
“Lord Jesus Christ, open the eyes of my heart to recognize your presence with me and to understand the truth of your saving word. Nourish me with your life-giving word and with the bread of life.”
Amen
Wednesday in Easter Octave
The Word of God Burning Within
And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them.
With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?” Luke 24:30–31
Two of Jesus’ disciples had been discussing the events of the past week as they walked the seven-mile journey along the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus.
They previously had hoped that Jesus was the one Who would redeem Israel—but then He was killed. And three days later, there were rumors of His Resurrection, which only left them confused. As they journeyed, Jesus appeared to the two disciples, but they did not recognize Him at first. His identity was hidden from their eyes.
Jesus listened to them and expressed sorrow at their lack of understanding, so He explained to them the teachings of Moses and the prophets and that the Messiah needed to suffer, die and rise on the third day. As Jesus spoke, the disciples began to understand, and their hearts burned within them.
Finally, in the gift of the Holy Eucharist, in the breaking of the Bread, their eyes were opened to see that it was Jesus with them.
Why did Jesus hide His risen presence from these disciples?
It appears that He did so because they lacked faith. They said, “…we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel.” But the Crucifixion was too much for them to handle. They could not comprehend why the Redeemer had to suffer as Jesus did, so they began to doubt.
Too often we are like these disciples who are confused about matters of faith and who struggle with doubts. For that reason, we must see ourselves in the persons of these disciples as they walked the road to Emmaus. Jesus offered these disciples a wonderful gift of mercy by helping them to understand His saving act.
He explained to them all that was taught in Scripture regarding Him. And as these disciples listened to Jesus teach them, they slowly came to believe.
We, too, must allow Jesus to teach us about the transforming power of His death and Resurrection.
We must listen attentively and allow our hearts to burn within us as we listen to His holy Word. Only in this way will we come to the level of faith we need to more fully comprehend and accept the transforming power of the Paschal Mystery.
Reflect, today, upon these disciples and their need to reflect upon the Word of God so as to understand, believe and have their eyes opened. Know that you need this same grace.
You need to spend time with our Lord, immersed in His Word, listening to His voice, so that you will come to believe more fully. Allow the message of Jesus’ death and Resurrection to burn within you so that you, too, will come to believe.
My resurrected Lord, You appeared to these disciples who lacked faith and understanding and gave them the gift of Your holy teaching. Teach me, dear Lord, all that I must come to understand and know about You, Your death, Resurrection and glorious gift of new life. May Your Word burn within me and lead me to a transformation of my life.
Jesus, I trust in You.
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🟡The Life Story of the Saint🟡
Saint Teresa of Los Andes
July 13, 1900 – April 12, 1920
One needn’t live a long life to leave a deep imprint. Teresa of Los Andes is proof of that.
As a young girl growing up in the early 1900’s in Santiago, Chile, Juana Fernandez read an autobiography of a French-born saint—Thérèse, popularly known as the Little Flower.
The experience deepened her desire to serve God and clarified the path she would follow. At age 19 Juana became a Carmelite nun, taking the name of Teresa.
The convent offered the simple lifestyle Teresa desired and the joy of living in a community of women completely devoted to God. She focused her days on prayer and sacrifice. “I am God’s,” she wrote in her diary. “He created me and is my beginning and my end.”
Toward the end of her short life, Teresa began an apostolate of letter-writing, sharing her thoughts on the spiritual life with many people. At age 20 she contracted typhus and quickly took her final vows.
She died a short time later, during Holy Week.
Known as the “Flower of the Andes,” Teresa remains popular with the estimated 100,000 pilgrims who visit her shrine in Los Andes each year. Canonized in 1993 by Pope John Paul II, she is Chile’s first saint.
Reflection
The special graces given Saint Teresa reflect the mysterious wisdom of God at work in individuals whether young or old. It appears God has his own logic when it comes to who gets what in the realm of grace. All we can say is; “Praised be the Lord.”
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❤️❤️The Divine Mercy Novena of Chaplets❤️❤️
Sixth Day
Today bring to Me THE MEEK AND HUMBLE SOULS AND THE SOULS OF LITTLE CHILDREN, and immerse them in My mercy. These souls most closely resemble My Heart. They strengthened Me during My bitter agony. I saw them as earthly Angels, who will keep vigil at My altars.
I pour out upon them whole torrents of grace. Only the humble soul is capable of receiving My grace. I favor humble souls with My confidence.Most Merciful Jesus, You yourself have said, “Learn from Me for I am meek and humble of heart.”
Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart all meek and humble souls and the souls of little children. These souls send all heaven into ecstasy and they are the heavenly Father’s favorites.
They are a sweet-smelling bouquet before the throne of God; God Himself takes delight in their fragrance. These souls have a permanent abode in Your Most Compassionate Heart, O Jesus, and they unceasingly sing out a hymn of love and mercy.Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon meek souls, upon humble souls, and upon little children who are enfolded in the abode which is the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. These souls bear the closest resemblance to Your Son.
Their fragrance rises from the earth and reaches Your very throne. Father of mercy and of all goodness, I beg You by the love You bear these souls and by the delight You take in them: Bless the whole world, that all souls together may sing out the praises of Your mercy for endless ages. Amen.
♦️♦️❣️♦️♦️❣️♦️♦️❣️
Prayer
Asking for His Mercy
Through the passion and death of Jesus, an infinite ocean of mercy was made available for all of us. But God, who created us free, will not force anything on us, not even His mercy. He must wait for us to turn from our sinfulness and ask: “Ask and it will be given to you … for everyone who asks receives” (Mt 7:7, 8).
The Scriptures are filled with examples of how to trust in God and ask for His mercy: the psalms; the faith of Abraham and Moses who pleaded and “bargained” with God; the man who persuaded his friend to get up in the middle of the night to lend him some bread; the persistent widow who secured justice from the unjust judge; the Canaanite woman who “argued” with Jesus about her right to His mercy; and the witness of Mary, whose appeal for mercy at Cana led Jesus to perform His first public miracle, thus acknowledging that His time had indeed come.
Pope John Paul II echoes this scriptural message with a new urgency for our own times: “At no time… especially at a moment as critical as our own — can the Church forget the prayer that is a cry for the mercy of God… The Church has the right and the duty to appeal to the God of mercy ‘with loud cries’ ” (Rich in Mercy, 15).
To St. Faustina, Jesus revealed this same message once again. He gave her three new ways to ask for mercy on the strength of His passion: the Chaplet, the Novena, and prayer at three o’clock; and He taught her to transform her daily life into a continuous prayer for mercy.
Through her, He calls us all to ask for His mercy:
Souls that make an appeal to My mercy delight Me. To such souls I grant even more graces than they ask. I cannot punish even the greatest sinner if he makes an appeal to My compassion (Diary, 1146). Beg for mercy for the whole world (570). No soul that has called upon My mercy has ever been disappointed (1541).
🙏Prayer to be Merciful to Others🙏
This prayer gives us a true measure of our mercy, a mirror in which we observe ourselves as merciful Christs. We can make it our morning invocation and our evening examination of conscience.
O Most Holy Trinity! As many times as I breathe, as many times as my heart beats, as many times as my blood pulsates through my body, so many thousand times do I want to glorify Your mercy.
I want to be completely transformed into Your mercy and to be Your living reflection, O Lord. May the greatest of all divine attributes, that of Your unfathomable mercy, pass through my heart and soul to my neighbor.
Help me, O Lord, that my eyes may be merciful, so that I may never suspect or judge from appearances, but look for what is beautiful in my neighbors’ souls and come to their rescue.
Help me, that my ears may be merciful, so that I may give heed to my neighbors’ needs and not be indifferent to their pains and moanings.
Help me, O Lord, that my tongue may be merciful, so that I should never speak negatively of my neighbor, but have a word of comfort and forgiveness for all.
Help me, O Lord, that my hands may be merciful and filled with good deeds, so that I may do only good to my neighbors and take upon myself the more difficult and toilsome tasks.
Help me, that my feet may be merciful, so that I may hurry to assist my neighbor, overcoming my own fatigue and weariness. My true rest is in the service of my neighbor.
Help me, O Lord, that my heart may be merciful so that I myself may feel all the sufferings of my neighbor. I will refuse my heart to no one. I will be sincere even with those who, I know, will abuse my kindness. And I will lock myself up in the most merciful Heart of Jesus. I will bear my own suffering in silence. May Your mercy, O Lord, rest upon me.
You Yourself command me to exercise the three degrees of mercy.
The first: the act of mercy, of whatever kind.
The second: the word of mercy — if I cannot carry out a work of mercy, I will assist by my words.
The third: prayer — if I cannot show mercy by deeds or words, I can always do so by prayer.
My prayer reaches out even there where I cannot reach out physically.
O my Jesus, transform me into Yourself, for You can do all things.
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Matthew 28:1-10
Why do you seek the living among the dead?
Today, of course, is the most important day for us in the year. It is the celebration of the rising of Jesus from the dead. It is the beginning of a whole new way of looking at life and we, as Christians, look upon life no longer through our eyes, but through the eyes of the One who broke through the terror of death and into a new way of being.
So briefly, today, there are just two things to learn.
The first one, of course, is that God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, and His Son so loved his Father and the world that he suffered such a grievous and terrible ordeal as he passed through death into new life.
And we must remember that: that nowhere in the world can we say of God that He is short of love. For Jesus, on the cross, at the moment when his whole world collapsed, when everything that he believed in and trusted seemed to fall about his ears, when he said to his Father, “Father, why have you forsaken me?” as that happened, he turned to the screaming mob in front of him and he said, “Father, forgive them.”
This is when he becomes our Messiah, not when he does all the wonders, all the healing, all the things that he said, the beautiful things that he has said. It only comes when everything is taken away from him and he is on the edges of despair, and he turns to his Father and says, “I do this for you. I have only one request: that you hold back your arm of justice and, from now on, only forgiveness.”
And that’s the first great lesson of today, because he is asking us to do the same thing. If we are followers of Jesus, we must hold back justice and offer forgiveness. And, in this way, the world turns around. It is no longer eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, what is right and what is wrong. There is only love, forgiveness, caring. And this is how we enter into the new life, following in the footsteps of Jesus, our Lord.
When the disciples went to the tomb, they didn’t find anything. The tomb was empty, completely gone, an empty tomb. And what are we to think of that?
We are to think, “Where is Jesus?” They didn’t take him away. We know that that was impossible. Did his disciples hide him? They were there. They were amazed. They saw the cloth neatly folded. Where did he go? Did he hide?
And, of course, we know the answer. He passed from death into new life. And he did not do it, for Jesus never did anything for himself, he did it for us.
And so when he faces the ordeal of his life, with all its difficulties, he accepts them, and forgiving those who have made such an outrage possible.
On the other hand, he passes through death not alone but with us, every last one of us. He passes through death and gives us a share in the new life that he himself now lives.
This is the reason why we sit here.
At the Last Supper, he took bread, knowing that they would never see him again the way he had been with them, and he said, “This is my body which is offered up for you, take this. This is my blood which is poured out for you, take this.”
And in the gift of himself in this form, he said once again, “Whenever you come together, whenever you touch these things, remember it is I. It is I who am with you and I will be with you all days, even to the consummation of the world.”
The question then, of course, is, if we enter into the tomb, have we really died? For now we are in another way of being.
We’re not talking about physical death. We are talking about what Jesus died for. When we pass through the death of Jesus, we pass through and turn our backs on selfishness, on hurting others, on judging, on making the place that God has created to be a place of great wonder and joy and happiness into a place where many people do not have enough to eat, where many people feel their hopes are dashed each day by the injustices that they have to confront, where many people forget that they were created to walk in this life as children, children free and full of joy.
And so it is when we enter into the tomb, we, as Christians, are asked to leave all these things behind and, in the process, we are learning how to love. Not our love. Our love is not worth anything.
To love, one with Jesus, the way Jesus loved: to forgive, to care, to reach out to all those around us. And then we, too, experience what Jesus says. He has given us new life. The new life is his life. In his life, there is only forgiveness. And so we must take that with us on our journey.
This gift of yourself was given when you were a child and someone brought you here and they gave you someone to answer for you. And, of course, it was your baptism. And the meaning of baptism is to pass through the water of death and rise to new life, and to become one with God and one with Jesus, bound together in the Spirit.
And so now we will, once again, take those vows that our godparents took for us many years ago. And we will rise up, and we will take these same words and say to God, “Yes, I do.”
The response to the questions are: “I do.” Very simple: I do. Will you do this? I do. Do you accept this? I do. And it’s a wedding. Do you take this man to be your husband?
Do you take this woman to be your wife? I do. And because both are a covenant, first the covenant between a man and a woman marrying is a binding together, the covenant of God Himself, is God and us binding ourselves together in a unity that will last for all our days.
So now we ask you to rise and we will renew those promises that we made long ago and we will say with a full heart, “I do.”
Prayer
“Lord Jesus, you died that I might live forever in your kingdom of peace and righteousness. Strengthen my faith that I may I know the power of your resurrection and live in the hope of seeing you face to face for ever.”
Amen
Easter Sunday-Holy Triduum
The Resurrection of the Body
On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. John 20:1–3
Happy Easter! Our Lord has risen, He has overcome death and He has opened the gates of Heaven to all who believe and receive the gift of salvation. Alleluia! What a glorious day we celebrate!
Today’s Gospel concludes by saying, “For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead.” This is evident by the initial reaction of Mary of Magdala, Simon Peter and the Apostle John.
Mary first thought that someone had taken the body of Jesus and moved it from the tomb. Peter was confused and ran to see for himself. John also went and when he saw the empty tomb, he believed. Eventually, all of the Apostles would come to understand and believe. The initial reaction to the empty tomb teaches us an important lesson.
Though the Resurrection of Christ is clearly known to us today, our knowledge of this glorious event must continually deepen. This is evidenced by the fact that the disciples of Jesus came to understand the Resurrection over time. They did not comprehend His Resurrection when Jesus first taught them about it.
They did not fully understand it when they saw the empty tomb. They did not even fully comprehend it when they saw the risen Lord. It was only after they were given the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost that their minds were open to this incredible mystery of faith so that they could begin to penetrate and comprehend this mystery more clearly.
The Resurrection of Christ was a real historical event. But it is also an event that transcends time. It’s an event that must permeate all time and transform every moment of our lives. When Jesus rose from the dead, it was much different than a simple return to life. He did not simply come back to the life He lived before He died.
Instead, His resurrected state was a new beginning. He was now different. He was transformed. His body would now never age. It could not die. It could pass through closed doors. This resurrected body of our Lord, which is perfectly united to His divine soul, will remain with Him forever.
The resurrected body of our Lord also made it possible for us to share in His resurrected state. We now have hope that, if we share in His suffering and death, we will also share in His Resurrection. But what does that mean? Saint Thomas Aquinas believed that our resurrected bodies will be glorious beyond imagination.
We will never age, require no food, never experience illness, be free from all disorders and will live this way forever. Somehow, through our bodies, we will also be able to share ourselves with others in a pure and holy way, communicating to others the love of God alive within our souls.
We will have the gift of agility, being able to move from place to place with immediacy simply by thinking it. Our new glorified bodies will manifest the ways that we loved and served God in this world. For example, Jesus’ resurrected body had wounds in His hands, feet and side. But now those wounds radiate His glory and forever testify to His act of perfect love.
Reflect, today, upon the Resurrection of the Savior of the World. As you do, reflect also upon His invitation to share in this new life. Though much of our understanding of the Resurrection of Jesus, as well as our hope of sharing in this resurrected state, will only be understood when we share in it, it is important to place these ideas in our minds so that we have something to anticipate.
At the very least, we must know and understand that our sharing in the resurrected state of Jesus is glorious beyond what we can imagine. This is what we celebrate today. And this celebration must fill us with hopeful anticipation of our participation in this glorious new life to come.
My resurrected Lord, Your sacred body and soul are forever united as one in a new and glorified state. You now invite all of us to share in Your suffering and death in this life so that we can share in Your Resurrection.
Please fill my mind with understanding of this gift in order to fill me with hope so that I will work tirelessly for that day on which I hope to share in Your Resurrection.
Jesus, I trust in You.
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🟡🔸Story for the Reflection🔸🟡
He is not here
The Egyptian pyramids are world-famous as one of the “seven Wonders” of the ancient world. But they are actually gigantic tombs containing the mummified bodies of Egyptian Pharaohs. Westminster Abby is famous, and thousands visit it, because the dead bodies of famous writers, philosophers, and politicians are entombed there.
But there is a Shrine of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, and pilgrims from all over the world visit a tomb there which is empty with a note at its entrance which says, “He is not here.” It is famous because Jesus Christ, Who was once buried there, rose from the dead, leaving an empty tomb, as He had told his disciples he would. Thus, Jesus worked the most important miracle in His life, defying the laws of nature and proving that He is God.
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❤️❤️The Divine Mercy Novena of Chaplets❤️❤️
Third Day:
Today bring to Me ALL DEVOUT AND FAITHFUL SOULS, and immerse them in the ocean of My mercy. The souls brought Me consolation on the Way of the Cross. They were that drop of consolation in the midst of an ocean of bitterness.
Most Merciful Jesus, from the treasury of Your mercy, You impart Your graces in great abundance to each and all. Receive us into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart and never let us escape from It. We beg this grace of You by that most wonderous love for the heavenly Father with which Your Heart burns so fiercely.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon faithful souls, as upon the inheritance of Your Son. For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, grant them Your blessing and surround them with Your constant protection. Thus may they never fail in love or lose the treasure of the holy faith, but rather, with all the hosts of Angels and Saints, may they glorify Your boundless mercy for endless ages. Amen.
——-
Prayer
Asking for His Mercy
Through the passion and death of Jesus, an infinite ocean of mercy was made available for all of us. But God, who created us free, will not force anything on us, not even His mercy. He must wait for us to turn from our sinfulness and ask: “Ask and it will be given to you … for everyone who asks receives” (Mt 7:7, 8).
The Scriptures are filled with examples of how to trust in God and ask for His mercy: the psalms; the faith of Abraham and Moses who pleaded and “bargained” with God; the man who persuaded his friend to get up in the middle of the night to lend him some bread; the persistent widow who secured justice from the unjust judge; the Canaanite woman who “argued” with Jesus about her right to His mercy; and the witness of Mary, whose appeal for mercy at Cana led Jesus to perform His first public miracle, thus acknowledging that His time had indeed come.
Pope John Paul II echoes this scriptural message with a new urgency for our own times: “At no time… especially at a moment as critical as our own — can the Church forget the prayer that is a cry for the mercy of God… The Church has the right and the duty to appeal to the God of mercy ‘with loud cries’ ” (Rich in Mercy, 15).
To St. Faustina, Jesus revealed this same message once again. He gave her three new ways to ask for mercy on the strength of His passion: the Chaplet, the Novena, and prayer at three o’clock; and He taught her to transform her daily life into a continuous prayer for mercy.
Through her, He calls us all to ask for His mercy:
Souls that make an appeal to My mercy delight Me. To such souls I grant even more graces than they ask. I cannot punish even the greatest sinner if he makes an appeal to My compassion (Diary, 1146). Beg for mercy for the whole world (570). No soul that has called upon My mercy has ever been disappointed (1541).
🙏Prayer to be Merciful to Others🙏
This prayer gives us a true measure of our mercy, a mirror in which we observe ourselves as merciful Christs. We can make it our morning invocation and our evening examination of conscience.
O Most Holy Trinity! As many times as I breathe, as many times as my heart beats, as many times as my blood pulsates through my body, so many thousand times do I want to glorify Your mercy.
I want to be completely transformed into Your mercy and to be Your living reflection, O Lord. May the greatest of all divine attributes, that of Your unfathomable mercy, pass through my heart and soul to my neighbor.
Help me, O Lord, that my eyes may be merciful, so that I may never suspect or judge from appearances, but look for what is beautiful in my neighbors’ souls and come to their rescue.
Help me, that my ears may be merciful, so that I may give heed to my neighbors’ needs and not be indifferent to their pains and moanings.
Help me, O Lord, that my tongue may be merciful, so that I should never speak negatively of my neighbor, but have a word of comfort and forgiveness for all.
Help me, O Lord, that my hands may be merciful and filled with good deeds, so that I may do only good to my neighbors and take upon myself the more difficult and toilsome tasks.
Help me, that my feet may be merciful, so that I may hurry to assist my neighbor, overcoming my own fatigue and weariness. My true rest is in the service of my neighbor.
Help me, O Lord, that my heart may be merciful so that I myself may feel all the sufferings of my neighbor. I will refuse my heart to no one. I will be sincere even with those who, I know, will abuse my kindness. And I will lock myself up in the most merciful Heart of Jesus. I will bear my own suffering in silence. May Your mercy, O Lord, rest upon me.
You Yourself command me to exercise the three degrees of mercy.
The first: the act of mercy, of whatever kind.
The second: the word of mercy — if I cannot carry out a work of mercy, I will assist by my words.
The third: prayer — if I cannot show mercy by deeds or words, I can always do so by prayer.
My prayer reaches out even there where I cannot reach out physically.
O my Jesus, transform me into Yourself, for You can do all things.
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Luke 23:50-56
They laid him in a rock-hewn tomb
Jesus not only died for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3); he also, by the grace of God, tasted death for every one (Hebrews 2:9). It was a real death that put an end to his earthly human existence. Jesus died in mid afternoon and the Sabbath began at 6:00 pm.
Since the Jewish law permitted no work on the Sabbath, the body had to be buried quickly. Someone brave enough would have to get permission from the Roman authorities to take the body and bury it. The bodies of executed criminals were usually left unburied as carrion (dead flesh) for the vultures and dogs. Jesus was spared this indignity through the gracious intervention of Joseph of Arimethea.
Isaiah foretold that the Messiah would be buried in a rich man’s tomb – but no tomb could contain him for long
Who was this admirer and secret disciple of Jesus? Luke tells us that Joseph was a member of the Sanhedrin, the supreme Jewish council that condemned Jesus. We are told that he did not agree with their verdict. He was either absent from their meeting or silent when they tried Jesus.
What kind of man was Joseph? Luke tells us that he was “good and righteous” and “looking for the kingdom of God”. Although he did not stand up for Jesus at his trial, he nonetheless, sought to honor him in his death by giving him a proper burial.
This was to fulfill what the prophet Isaiah had foretold: “He was cut off out of the land of the living ..and they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth” (Isaiah 53:8-9).
The power of God kept Jesus’ body from corruption so he could rise victorious on the third day
In the Book of Revelation, the Lord Jesus speaks: “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one: I died, and behold I am alive for evermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades” (Revelation 1:17-18).
No tomb in the world could contain the Lord Jesus for long. His death on the cross purchased our redemption and his triumph over the grave on Easter morning defeated death. What preserved the Lord Jesus from corruption? He was kept from decay and he rose from the dead by divine power. “My flesh will dwell in hope. For you will not let your Holy One see corruption” (Psalm 16:9-10).
The mystery of Christ’s lying in the tomb on the sabbath reveals the great sabbath rest of God after the fulfillment of our salvation which brings peace to the whole world (Colossians 1:18-20). Is your hope in this life only, or is it well founded in the resurrection of Christ and his promise that those who believe in him will live forever?
♥️♥️🙏🏻Prayer🙏🏻♥️♥️
“Lord Jesus, you died that I might live forever in your kingdom of peace and righteousness. Strengthen my faith that I may I know the power of your resurrection and live in the hope of seeing you face to face for ever.”
Amen
Holy Saturday-Holy Triduum
Holy Saturday with Mother Mary
The Savior of the World died a cruel death upon the Cross. His broken body was laid in the tomb. His disciples scattered and were fearful that they would be next. But our Blessed Mother kept vigil in the perfect hope that her Son would soon rise.
Traditionally, Saturdays within the Church year are dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. This ancient tradition developed in part due to the belief that, as others were filled with fear and confusion, Mother Mary kept vigil on Holy Saturday in prayerful anticipation of Jesus’ resurrection. She knew her Son would rise. She had hope beyond hope. Her faith was certain. Her love kept her vigilant as she awaited the return of her Son.
For many centuries, it has been suggested that the first person to whom Jesus appeared after His Resurrection was His own mother. Pope Saint John Paul II believed this. Saint Ignatius of Loyola believed it. And many others throughout the centuries shared this belief.
For these reasons, Holy Saturday is an ideal day to ponder the pondering heart of our Blessed Mother.
There are several times in Sacred Scripture where we are told that Mother Mary pondered the mysteries of her Son’s life in her heart. She was one of the few who stood by Him in His agony and death. She stood before the Cross and prayerfully pondered His perfect sacrifice. The Blessed Mother held His dead body in her arms and pondered where His spirit had gone. And today she keeps vigil, pondering His imminent return to her.
Ponder her pondering heart. Try to unite your own heart with hers. Try to understand what she was thinking and hoping. Try to feel what she felt this sorrowful day. Try to experience her faith, her trust and her joyful expectation.
So many people in this world walk in despair and confusion. So many have lost hope in the new life that awaits them. So many have their own form of interior death without allowing God to draw them into His Resurrection. So many people today need the hope that was so alive in the heart of our Blessed Mother that first Holy Saturday.
Ponder the reality of Holy Saturday in silence this day and allow the glorious heart of our Blessed Mother to inspire you and draw you more deeply into her life of faith, hope and love.
Dearest Mother Mary, on that first Holy Saturday, you kept vigil for your Son. You allowed the divine gift of hope to grow within you, and you allowed that hope to be your strength in the midst of the horror of the Cross. Pray for me that I may ponder your beautiful heart this day so that I, too, may be filled with hope as I endure the challenges of this earthly life. Give me a heart of joyful anticipation as I await the grace of new life our Lord so deeply desires to bestow upon me. Mother Mary, pray for me.
Jesus, I trust in You.
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
John 19:17-30
It is finished
Who can bear to look upon the bloodied cross where Jesus hung without shame or sorrowful grief, disbelief or reverent awe? The cross brings us face to face with Jesus’ suffering. He was alone – all his disciples had deserted him except for his mother and three women along with John, the beloved disciple. And his death was agonizing and humiliating.
Normally a crucified man could last for several days on a cross. Jesus’ had already been scourged, beaten with rods, and a crown of thorns pressed into his skull. It is no wonder that he died mid-afternoon. Pilate publicly heralded Jesus “The King of the Jews” as he died upon the cross, no doubt to irritate and annoy the chief priests and Pharisees (John 19:19).
The King who ransoms us with his own life
Jesus was crucified for his claim to be King. The Jews had understood that the Messiah would come as their king to establish God’s reign for them. They wanted a king who would free them from tyranny and foreign domination.
Many had high hopes that Jesus would be the Messianic king. Little did they understand what kind of kingship Jesus claimed to have. Jesus came to conquer hearts and souls for an imperishable kingdom, rather than to conquer perishable lands and entitlements.
Jesus’ death on the cross defeated sin and death for us
We can find no greater proof of God’s love for us than the willing sacrifice of his Son on the cross.
Jesus’ parting words, “It is finished!” express triumph rather than defeat. Jesus bowed his head and gave up his spirit knowing that the strife was now over and the battle was won.
Even on the cross Jesus knew the joy of victory. What the Father sent him into the world to do has now been accomplished. Christ offered himself without blemish to God and he put away sin by the sacrifice of himself see Hebrews 9:24-26
As we gaze on his wounds – we touch the scars of his resurrection
While the close company of Jesus’ disciples – his apostles – had deserted him and hid out of fear from the Jewish authorities, Jesus’ mother and some of the women who were close to Jesus stood close to him while he hung upon the cross.
Augustine of Hippo (354-430 A.D) in his sermon on John’s passion account focuses on the gaze of the women who witnessed the shedding of his blood and the offering of his life as the atoning sacrifice for the sin of the world.
“As they were looking on, so we too gaze on his wounds as he hangs. We see his blood as he dies. We see the price offered by the redeemer, touch the scars of his resurrection. He bows his head, as if to kiss you. His heart is made bare open, as it were, in love to you.
His arms are extended that he may embrace you. His whole body is displayed for your redemption. Ponder how great these things are. Let all this be rightly weighed in your mind: as he was once fixed to the cross in every part of his body for you, so he may now be fixed in every part of your soul.” (GMI 248)
Augustine invites us to present ourselves before Jesus crucified who took our sins upon himself and nailed them to the cross. Through the eyes of faith we, too, gaze upon the bloodied body of our Redeemer who paid the price for our sins – and we touch the scars of his resurrection who defeated death for our sake so that we may know the victory of his cross and resurrection and receive the promise of everlasting life and glory with him in his kingdom.
The miracle of my salvation
In the cross of Christ we see the triumph of Jesus over his enemies – sin, Satan, and death. Many Christians down through the centuries have sung the praises of the Cross of Christ. Paul the Apostle exclaimed, “But far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians 6:14).
Hear what Gregory Nazianzen (329-389 AD), an early church father and bishop of Constantinople, wrote about the triumph of Christ’s exaltation on the cross:
“Many indeed are the wondrous happenings of that time: God hanging from a cross, the sun made dark and again flaming out (Luke 23:44, Mark 15:33); for it was fitting that creation should mourn with its creator.
The temple veil rent (Matthew 27:51), blood and water flowing from his side (John 19:34): the one as from a man, the other as from what was above man; the earth shaken, the rocks shattered because of the rock (Matthew 27:51); the dead risen to bear witness to the final and universal resurrection of the dead (Matthew 27:52).
The happenings at the sepulcher and after the sepulcher, who can fittingly recount them? Yet no one of them can be compared to the miracle of my salvation. A few drops of blood renew the whole world, and do for all men what the rennet does for the milk: joining us and binding us together. (On the Holy Pasch, Oration 45.1)
Rupert of Deutz (1075-1129), a Benedictine abbot and theologian, wrote:
“The cross of Christ is the door to heaven, the key to paradise, the downfall of the devil, the uplifting of mankind, the consolation of our imprisonment, the prize for our freedom.”
The throne of love and sign of God’s mercy
The Cross of Christ is the safeguard of our faith, the assurance of our hope, and the throne of love. It is also the sign of God’s mercy and the proof of forgiveness. By his cross Jesus Christ has pardoned us and set us free from the tyranny of sin. He paid the price for us when he made atonement for our sins.
The way to peace, joy, and righteousness in the kingdom of God and the way to victory over sin and corruption, fear and defeat, despair and death is through the cross of Jesus Christ. Do you follow the Lord Jesus in his way of the cross with joy, hope, and confidence?
♥️♥️🙏🏻Prayer🙏🏻♥️♥️
“Lord Jesus Christ, by your death on the cross you have won pardon for us and freedom from the tyranny of sin and death. May I l
ive in the joy and freedom of your victory over sin and death.”
Amen
Good Friday-Holy Triduum
The Greatest Act of Love Unfolds
Then he handed him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, and, carrying the cross himself, he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull, in Hebrew, Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus in the middle. John 19:16–18
The Passion of our Lord begins. Our Gospel narrative today begins with Jesus going out to a garden with His disciples after the celebration of the Passover meal. It’s shocking to consider that the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity permitted such injustice to befall Him. Though perfect in every way, He allowed Himself to be treated as a criminal, to suffer at the hands of sinners, and to die an agonizing death.
One of the first shocking events to take place in the Garden where Jesus was arrested was the sheer number of soldiers sent to arrest Him. A “band of soldiers” could mean that as many as 600 soldiers were sent to accomplish this deed. Going out with “lanterns, torches and weapons” reveals that it was dark.
The symbolism of darkness is significant in John’s Gospel, portraying the spiritual darkness that permeated that night. Within that darkness, one of Jesus’ own Apostles betrayed Him, leading this massive number of soldiers to arrest Him.
Upon Jesus’ arrest, Peter, the soon-to-be leader of the Apostles, denies, for the first time, that he even knows Jesus. This happens while Jesus is interrogated by Annas, a respected former High Priest.
The fact that a High Priest was the first to question Jesus shows that even those who are “religious” can, at times, be brutal instruments of attacks upon the faith. After Annas, Jesus is brought to Caiaphas, then acting as High Priest. During that interrogation, Peter denied our Lord a second time and then a third.
These religious leaders concluded that Jesus must die. Recall that Caiaphas had previously argued that “it is better for you that one man should die instead of the people” (John 11:50). In fact, those words of Caiaphas were an unintended prophecy, predicting the death of our Lord for all the people.
Since the Jewish authorities did not have the power to crucify someone, they relied on the Roman governor Pilate. Although Pilate shows little interest in meeting their request, He does so out of fear of an uprising and reprisals from Caesar.
Pilate also humiliates Jesus, scourging Him and permitting his soldiers to mock Him. Little did they know that the purple cloak with which they covered Jesus and the crown of thorns they placed on His head were symbols of Jesus’ true Kingship, exercised by His defeat of death itself in the battle for the salvation of souls.
When Jesus was crucified, He hung on the Cross between two thieves. As He agonized for three hours, He permitted His mother to stand by Him, entrusted her to the disciple John and John to her, drank of the wine to quench His thirst, spoke His final words, “It is finished,” and then He bowed His sacred head and handed over His spirit.
John’s Gospel relates to us that after Jesus was dead, a soldier pierced His side with a lance, and blood and water flowed out.
This final gift from our Lord has been understood as a symbol of the Sacraments of Baptism and the Eucharist. It was truly finished. The King had won the battle. Death was defeated, and the means by which we are to share in that victory was given by the institution of the Sacraments.
Reflect, today, upon this most sacred scene. There is no end to the depth and breadth of the meaning of every action that took place that holy day. Every detail reveals the love of God. Every symbol points to the reality of what took place. Every word our Lord spoke is for us to hear, to receive and to believe.
The meaning of Good Friday is beyond our human comprehension. Nonetheless, on this holy day we are called to prayerfully penetrate the meaning of this perfect act of love, so that we will more fully share in the grace given to us by our Lord.
My crucified Lord, from the perspective of human beings, Your death was horrific. But from the perspective of Your Father in Heaven, Your death was the glorious fulfillment of His will. Through Your Passion and death, You exercised Your Kingship by taking authority over sin and death and commanding it to cease. May I stand w
ith Your dear mother this day, dear Lord, and gaze with gratitude and awe on what You have done for me.
Jesus, I trust in You.
7 words of Jesus
There were three crosses on Golgotha. On the right and on the left were two robbers being crucified for rebellion and murder. On the central cross, Jesus died for our sins. On one side of Jesus hung a criminal who taunted Jesus in disbelief; he died in sin. On the other side of Jesus, however, hung a criminal who believed in Jesus.
He scolded the mocker and begged, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom.” He died to sin and, Jesus promised this thief would be with him in Paradise that very day. On the central cross (with its mocking title, “Jesus the Nazarene king of the Jews,” in three languages) hung a sinless Sufferer!
He was dying for the sins of the world. Hanging on that cross, Jesus spoke seven times during the closing moments of his earthly life. It has been an age-old practice in the Church to reflect on these last words of Jesus from the cross as an integral part of the Good Friday observances so that we may repent of our sins and resolve to renew our lives and thus participate fully in the joy of Jesus’ Resurrection.
1. The word of Forgiveness:
“Then said Jesus, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do’” (Lk 23:34). While the crucified convicts would shriek and curse and spit at the spectators, Jesus, innocent of any crime against God or humanity, betrayed, arrested, scourged, and condemned, did not. Now, from the cross, Jesus’ thoughts reached above his pain and rejection.
Instead of being consumed by his own pain and misery, Jesus asked forgiveness for those responsible for the evil done to him – and by extension, for all who ignorantly go the way of sin and death. Jesus prayed for those who condemned him, mocked him, and nailed him to the Cross – and for those who from all the nations and down through the years would crucify him by their sins. Jesus was practicing what He preached – unconditional, forgiving love.
One day Jesus preached on the mountain, “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that spitefully use you and persecute you” (Mt 5:44). Jesus reminded Peter that there should not be any limit to forgiveness. He sadly addressed Judas, leading the soldiers to arrest him, as friend. It is this model which the first Martyr Stephen followed (Acts 7:60).
Archbishop Oscar Romero, the outspoken champion of the oppressed, said the same first word of Jesus from the cross, as he was shot dead at the altar.
St. Cyprian gave gold coins as his farewell gift to his executioner, and St. Thomas More hugged and kissed his executioner. It was Christ’s unconditional forgiveness, with the darkness at noon and the earthquake, which prompted the centurion in charge of Jesus’ crucifixion to proclaim, “Truly he was the Son of God.”
2. The word of Assurance:
“Then [the criminal who had scolded his fellow criminal for mocking Jesus] said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ He replied to him, ‘Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’ (Lk 23:42-43). On either side of Jesus, on their crosses were two thieves. These two were guilty men who deserved death. When sunlight falls on wax it melts, but the same heat hardens clay.
The waxy heart of the thief on the right (traditionally called Dismas), literally melted with repentance at the sight of Jesus crucified, prompting him to address Jesus humbly and devoutly, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus said, “Today you shall be with me in Paradise.” Dismas did not have to confess all his sins to Jesus –
Jesus forgave and forgot them all… and at once! But the hard-hearted, unrepentant sinner on the left remained that way in spite of Jesus’ presence and exemplary, heroic death right before his eyes. Judas committed the same folly as the thief on the left, hardening his heart with unbridled love for money, in spite of his three years of close association with Jesus and active participation in his healing and preaching ministry.
The same thing happened to Cardinal Woolsey of England who sided with the emperor Henry VIII in creating a heretical Christian denomination and died in despair, while Henry’s Vice Chancellor, Sir Thomas More bravely courted martyrdom for his Faith and died a martyr’s death.
3. The word of Comfort:
“When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold your son.’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his home” (Jn 19:26-27).
Jesus’ disciples had deserted him; his friends had forsaken him; his nation had rejected him; and his enemies cried out for his blood. But his faithful mother stood there sorrowing at the foot of the Cross.
Who can grasp the grief of Mary watching her son suffer – the grief of a mother watching her son die as a criminal on a cross? And who can grasp the grief of the son – the son who must see his mother’s heart pierced by a sword as prophesied by Simeon, when Jesus as a baby was presented in the Temple?
Jesus announces from the cross that he is going to give us the most valuable and the last gift: “Here is your mother.” Here is the one I love, for you to love, and for her to love you – the one who taught me, the one who fed me, the one who wiped away my tears, the one who hugged me, the one who will be with you and pray for you.
“Woman”: That’s how Jesus called her mother. Jesus is calling his mother by the most glorious word at that moment, “woman,” reminding us that his mother is the “woman” of Gn 3:15, the one who will crush the head of the serpent, Satan, with the Blood of Christ which Jesus poured out for us to the last drop.
He had nothing else left but his Mother, and he gave her to us, too. His own Mother was to be our spiritual Mother in his Church, his Mystical Body, of which he is the head, and the Christians the members. And, as in any other body, the Mother of the Head is also the Mother of the members of the Body, the Mother of each one of us (Col.1:18, Eph.4:5-6).
Mary is the Mother of Sorrows, because at the foot of the Cross she suffered in spirit all Jesus suffered in the flesh and, so doing, gave birth to us in Christ. She is indeed our Mother.
4. The word of Desolation:
“From noon onward, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at about three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?’ which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’” (Mt 27:45-46).
This fourth and central Word of Jesus on the Cross is another prayer, from the Psalms. All during his ministry Jesus had known what it meant to be forsaken. Early, the members of his own family forsook him. Nazareth, his hometown, had forsaken him. The nation he came to save rejected him.
But in every such instance he could always steal away to the tender healing fellowship of his Heavenly Father and find his purpose and strength in His presence. But now, even God seems to have turned away from him, permitting him to experience the ultimate intensity of rejection and loneliness in human life. Hence, Jesus quoted the first portion of Psalm 22:1, a prophecy of the Messiah’s suffering and exaltation.
5. The word of Suffering:
“After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, ‘I thirst’” (Jn 19:28). “Zhena” – “I thirst,” the fifth word of Jesus from the cross, is the shortest of the seven, reminding us of Psalm 22:15: “My throat is as dry as dust, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.” While Jesus was dying on the Cross, he had developed an agonizing thirst. Death by Crucifixion is one of the most painful modes of torture ever devised by man.
The draining away of blood from the body brings on intensive thirst. The physical agony of thirst is terrible beyond the power of words to describe. The whole body cries out for water – water to moisten a parched mouth, water to free a swollen tongue, water to open a rasping throat that cannot gasp enough air, water to keep life alive just a few moments longer.
The psalmist prayed (Psalm 63:2): “O God, you are my God — for you I long! For you my body yearns; for you my soul thirsts, like a land parched, lifeless, and without water.”
Jesus expressed this thirst for souls in his encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well, offering her the water of everlasting life.
Jesus thirsts for souls. He is dying to save our souls from sin and from Satan, souls who will live performing the glorious duty of doing the will of God, souls who will burn with the fire of the love of God, souls who will love their neighbor, because whatever they do to their neighbor they are doing it to Christ (Mt 25:31-46).
The chapels of the houses of Mother Teresa of Calcutta have the word, “I thirst” at the side of every Tabernacle. Jesus was thirsty for souls who love, who live this life saved by Christ doing good, feeding the hungry, helping the sick and the needy, and visiting those in prison.
All the great missionaries from St. Paul to Pope St. John Paul II have been keenly aware of this great Christian mission. St. Francis Xavier’s prayer was, “give me souls and take away everything else from me.”
6. The word of Triumph:
“When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, ‘It is finished’” (Jn 19:30). The Savior was about to die. It was for this cause that Jesus had come into the world and, now that His mission was accomplished, He declared definitively, “It is finished!” meaning that the work of salvation entrusted to him as the Messiah of God is now “accomplished, fulfilled, achieved.”
Jesus lived only half the normal span of human life in his century. During that time, he was criticized and despised and rejected. He was captured in the Garden of Gethsemane, led to the Judgment Hall, and condemned to die. Now his suffering has ended. The ordeal is finished, and nothing remains but the blessed peace of the absence of all sensation.
Furthermore, all that was prophesied and prefigured in the Old Testament concerning His death has been fulfilled. And finally, the work of redemption planned by God the Father from all eternity has been completed. But Jesus’ declaration is more than just welcoming the ending of pain, and it is more than joy at the deliverance death brings.
He does not merely say, “It is over;” he says, “It is accomplished, fulfilled, achieved.” Scholars got more insight into the meaning of this expression a few years ago after some archaeologists dug up in the Holy Land a tax collector’s office that was almost intact, with all the tax records and everything.
There were two stacks of tax records and one of them had the word, tetelestai, on the top. In other words, “paid in full.” These people don’t owe anything anymore. So, when Jesus said, “It is finished,” what is finished? It is the debt we owe God by our sins. It has been paid in full! This is a declaration of victory. It echoes the statements of completion in Genesis (2:1) and Revelation (16:17).
The words “It is finished” are also a declaration of victory in the sense that Jesus has completed, accomplished, what God had sent him to do in this world. This victory is like that of the athlete who enters a marathon race with the single-minded intention of both reaching the finishing line and coming in first. It is like that of the student who is finally reaching the goal after years of study, namely, graduation and a degree.
It is like that of the author or artist, who after years of research and struggle finally completes his masterpiece, his most significant and enduring work. It is like that of the person who has undergone major surgery and has recuperated completely.
For John the words of Jesus, “It is finished,” are the epitome of Christ’s life and ministry; the words are spoken by the King of kings on his throne, which is the cross. Jesus has won the victory over sin, evil, and death by willingly, and lovingly, allowing himself to submit to these powers. In so doing, he has defeated them.
7. The word of Committal:
“Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Father, into your hands I commend my spirit’; and when he had said this he breathed his last”(Lk 23:46). Jesus was always submitting himself to God, and when he died, he died just as he had lived. Jesus entrusted his spirit — his life — and all that had given it meaning to God his Father in Faith. Even at the point of his own abandonment, when the good seemed so very far away, he proclaimed his Faith in God which the darkness could not overcome: “Father, into your hands, I commend my spirit.”
🔅🔅🔅🔅♦️♦️♦️♦️🔅🔅🔅🔅
❤️❤️The Divine Mercy Novena of Chaplets❤️❤️
Second Day:
Today bring to Me THE SOULS OF PRIESTS AND RELIGIOUS, and immerse them in My unfathomable mercy. It was they who gave Me strength to endure My bitter Passion. Through them as through channels My mercy flows out upon mankind.
Most Merciful Jesus, from whom comes all that is good, increase Your grace in men and women consecrated to Your service,* that they may perform worthy works of mercy; and that all who see them may glorify the Father of Mercy who is in heaven.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the company of chosen ones in Your vineyard—upon the souls of priests and religious; and endow them with the strength of Your blessing. For the love of the Heart of Your Son in which they are enfolded, impart to them Your power and light, that they may be able to guide others in the way of salvation and with one voice sing praise to Your boundless mercy for ages without end. Amen
——-
Prayer
Asking for His Mercy
Through the passion and death of Jesus, an infinite ocean of mercy was made available for all of us. But God, who created us free, will not force anything on us, not even His mercy. He must wait for us to turn from our sinfulness and ask: “Ask and it will be given to you … for everyone who asks receives” (Mt 7:7, 8).
The Scriptures are filled with examples of how to trust in God and ask for His mercy: the psalms; the faith of Abraham and Moses who pleaded and “bargained” with God; the man who persuaded his friend to get up in the middle of the night to lend him some bread; the persistent widow who secured justice from the unjust judge; the Canaanite woman who “argued” with Jesus about her right to His mercy; and the witness of Mary, whose appeal for mercy at Cana led Jesus to perform His first public miracle, thus acknowledging that His time had indeed come.
Pope John Paul II echoes this scriptural message with a new urgency for our own times: “At no time… especially at a moment as critical as our own — can the Church forget the prayer that is a cry for the mercy of God… The Church has the right and the duty to appeal to the God of mercy ‘with loud cries’ ” (Rich in Mercy, 15).
To St. Faustina, Jesus revealed this same message once again. He gave her three new ways to ask for mercy on the strength of His passion: the Chaplet, the Novena, and prayer at three o’clock; and He taught her to transform her daily life into a continuous prayer for mercy.
Through her, He calls us all to ask for His mercy:
Souls that make an appeal to My mercy delight Me. To such souls I grant even more graces than they ask. I cannot punish even the greatest sinner if he makes an appeal to My compassion (Diary, 1146). Beg for mercy for the whole world (570). No soul that has called upon My mercy has ever been disappointed (1541).
🙏Prayer to be Merciful to Others🙏
This prayer gives us a true measure of our mercy, a mirror in which we observe ourselves as merciful Christs. We can make it our morning invocation and our evening examination of conscience.
O Most Holy Trinity! As many times as I breathe, as many times as my heart beats, as many times as my blood pulsates through my body, so many thousand times do I want to glorify Your mercy.
I want to be completely transformed into Your mercy and to be Your living reflection, O Lord. May the greatest of all divine attributes, that of Your unfathomable mercy, pass through my heart and soul to my neighbor.
Help me, O Lord, that my eyes may be merciful, so that I may never suspect or judge from appearances, but look for what is beautiful in my neighbors’ souls and come to their rescue.
Help me, that my ears may be merciful, so that I may give heed to my neighbors’ needs and not be indifferent to their pains and moanings.
Help me, O Lord, that my tongue may be merciful, so that I should never speak negatively of my neighbor, but have a word of comfort and forgiveness for all.
Help me, O Lord, that my hands may be merciful and filled with good deeds, so that I may do only good to my neighbors and take upon myself the more difficult and toilsome tasks.
Help me, that my feet may be merciful, so that I may hurry to assist my neighbor, overcoming my own fatigue and weariness. My true rest is in the service of my neighbor.
Help me, O Lord, that my heart may be merciful so that I myself may feel all the sufferings of my neighbor. I will refuse my heart to no one. I will be sincere even with those who, I know, will abuse my kindness. And I will lock myself up in the most merciful Heart of Jesus. I will bear my own suffering in silence. May Your mercy, O Lord, rest upon me.
You Yourself command me to exercise the three degrees of mercy.
The first: the act of mercy, of whatever kind.
The second: the word of mercy — if I cannot carry out a work of mercy, I will assist by my words.
The third: prayer — if I cannot show mercy by deeds or words, I can always do so by prayer.
My prayer reaches out even there where I cannot reach out physically.
O my Jesus, transform me into Yourself, for You can do all things.
Blessings from
Fr Showri R Narra
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
John 13:1-15
Jesus’ supreme humility and unfailing love
Does your love waver when you encounter bitter disappointments and injury from others? As Jesus’ hour of humiliation draws near he reveals to his disciples the supreme humility which shaped the love he had for them. He stoops to perform a menial task reserved for servants – the washing of smelly, dirty feet.
In stooping to serve his disciples Jesus knew he would be betrayed by one of them and that the rest would abandon him through fear and disloyalty. Such knowledge could have easily led to bitterness or hatred. Jesus met the injury of betrayal and disloyalty with the greatest humility and supreme love.
Let the love of Christ rule in your heart and actions
Jesus loved his disciples to the very end, even when they failed him and forsook him. The Lord loves each of us freely and unconditionally. His love has power to set us free to love and serve others with Christ-like compassion and humility.
Paul the Apostle tells us that Christ’s gift of love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us (Romans 5:5 and 8:35-39). Does the love of Christ rule in your heart, thoughts, intentions and actions?
The love of Christ conquers all and never fails
Saint Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) in his sermon for Holy Thursday wrote:
“He had the power of laying down his life; we by contrast cannot choose the length of our lives, and we die even if it is against our will. He, by dying, destroyed death in himself; we are freed from death only in his death.
His body did not see corruption; our body will see corruption and only then be clothed through him in incorruption at the end of the world. He needed no help from us in saving us; without him we can do nothing. He gave himself to us as the vine to the branches; apart from him we cannot have life.
Finally, even if brothers die for brothers, yet no martyr by shedding his blood brings forgiveness for the sins of his brothers, as Christ brought forgiveness to us. In this he gave us, not an example to imitate but a reason for rejoicing.
Inasmuch, then, as they shed their blood for their brothers, the martyrs provided “the same kind of meal” as they had received at the Lord’s table. Let us then love one another as Christ also loved us and gave himself up for us.”
🌿🌿🙏🏻Prayer🙏🏻🌿🌿
“Lord Jesus, your love conquers all and never fails. Help me to love others freely, with heart-felt compassion, kindness and goodness. Where there is injury, may I sow peace rather than strife.”
Amen
We celebrate three anniversaries on Holy Thursday:
1) the anniversary of the first Holy Mass;
2) the anniversary of the institution of ministerial priesthood in order to perpetuate the Holy Mass, to convey God’s forgiveness to repentant sinners, and to preach the Good News of salvation;
3) the anniversary of Jesus’ promulgation of his new commandment of love: “Love one another as I have loved you” (Jn 13:34).
First, we remember how Jesus transformed the Jewish Passover into the New Testament Passover. The Jewish Passover was, in fact, a joint celebration of two ancient thanksgiving celebrations.
The descendants of Abel, who were shepherds, used to lead their sheep from the winter pastures to the summer pastures after the sacrificial offering of a lamb to God. They called this celebration the “Pass over.” The descendants of Cain, who were farmers, held a harvest festival called the Massoth in which they offered unleavened bread to God as an act of thanksgiving.
The Passover feast of the Israelites (Ex 12:26-37) harmoniously combined these two feasts in a ritual meal instituted by God, to be celebrated yearly, thanking Him for His miraculous liberation of their ancestors from Egyptian slavery, their exodus from Egypt, and their final arrival in the Promised Land. (A homily starter anecdote may be given)
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
John 13:21-33,36-38
The Tragedy of the Betrayal
Why did Judas betray his Master? Was his treachery motivated by greed, bitter disappointment with Jesus, or hatred because of disillusionment? It may be that Judas never intended for his Master to die.
Maybe he thought Jesus was proceeding too slowly and not acting aggressively enough in setting up his messianic kingdom. Perhaps Judas wanted to force Jesus’ hand by compelling him to act. Nonetheless, his tragedy was his refusal to accept Jesus as he was. The power of greed can only be overcome with the power of Christ’s love poured out for usOrigen (185-254 AD), a bible scholar and early church father, comments on Judas’ betrayal:
“Let us consider what Judas said to the Jewish priests: What will you give me if I hand him over to you? He was willing to take money in exchange for handing over the Word of God.
They do the same thing who accept sensual or worldly goods in exchange for handing over and casting out from their souls the Savior and Word of truth who came to dwell with them. Indeed, it would be fitting to apply Judas’s example to all who show contempt for the Word of God and betray him, as it were, by committing sin for the sake of money or for any selfish motive.
People who behave in this way appear openly to be calling out to the powers of the enemy who offer worldly gain in return for the sin of betraying God’s Word, saying, What will you give me if I hand him over to you? And they gave him thirty pieces of silver.
The number of coins they gave Judas was equivalent to the number of years the Savior had sojourned in this world.
For at the age of thirty, he was baptized and began to preach the gospel, like Joseph was thirty years old when he began to gather grain for his brothers (Genesis 41:46).
Just as at that time the grain was prepared by God for the sons of Israel but given also to the Egyptians, so also the gospel was prepared for the saints but preached also to the unfaithful and wicked.” (Commentary on Matthew 78.)
The Lord will test our hearts to show us where we need his love and strength to do his willJesus knew beforehand what would befall him. As Jesus ate his last supper meal with his twelve apostles he put them under trial and suspicion (one of you will betray me) to teach them to examine themselves rightly, lest they be high-minded and think themselves more strong than they were.
We, also must examine ourselves in the light of God’s truth and grace and ask him to strengthen us in faith, hope, and love that we may not fail him or forsake him when we are tempted. Do you pray with confidence in the words Jesus gave us to pray: Do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil (Matthew 6:13)?
Prayer
“Give me, O Lord, a steadfast heart which no unworthy thought can drag downwards; an unconquered heart which no tribulation can wear out; an upright heart which no unworthy purpose may tempt aside.
Bestow upon me also, O Lord my God, understanding to know you, diligence to seek you, wisdom to find you, and a faithfulness that may finally embrace you; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. (Prayer of Thomas Aquinas)” Amen
The Spy Wednesday
What Is the Meaning of Holy Wednesday Being Called “Spy Wednesday”?
As discussed before, Spy Wednesday signifies when Judas agreed to betray Jesus to the Sanhedrin, the religious leaders. Let’s take a look at the text to see how this went down.
Matthew 26:14-16 “Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of sil
ver. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.”
Luke 22:1-6 “Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people.
Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. They were delighted and agreed to give him money. He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.”
Judas had gotten frustrated.
The savior who would topple Rome, in his imagination, had not appeared. Perhaps he wanted to give Jesus the final push to finally invoke an insurrection. After all, we later see him regret his actions when he realizes the religious leader’s plan to put Jesus to death.
No matter what his reasons, Satan enters him during his period of bitterness and gives Judas an extra nudge to finally betray the man he’d followed for three years.
Why Was Judas Iscariot Important?
Believe it or not, Judas fulfills an Old Testament prophecy.
Let’s take a look.
Zechariah 11:12-13 “I told them, “If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.” So they paid me thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the handsome price at which they valued me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter at the house of the Lord.”
This verse, predicted hundreds of years before, shows even the exact amount by which the religious leaders would pay Judas to betray Jesus. It gets even more interesting when we look at the place in which Judas hangs himself on Good Friday. Let’s take a look at that verse.
Matthew 27:1-10 “Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people made their plans how to have Jesus executed. So they bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate the governor.
When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.” “What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.”
So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself. The chief priests picked up the coins and said, “It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.”
So they decided to use the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price set on him by the people of Israel, and they used them to buy the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.”
A Prayer for Wednesday of Holy Week
Jesus, help me to love like you.There are so many obstacles that get in the way of loving like you: my selfishness and insecurities; my pride and unwillingness to forgive; my anger and envy; my greed and laziness.
Fill me with the grace to pray more than ever before in my life, and cast these obstacles aside so that each day I can love more and more like you.
I pray in a special way today for anyone who has been unjustly accused and punished for something they didn’t do. Raise them above these painful circumstances and somehow keep their hearts from hardening with anger and resentment.Amen.
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Luke 2:22-40
The Favor of God Was upon Him
Do you know the favor of the Lord? After Jesus’ birth, Mary fulfills the Jewish rite of purification after childbirth. Since she could not afford the customary offering of a lamb, she gives instead two pigeons as an offering of the poor. This rite, along with circumcision and the redemption of the first-born point to the fact that children are gifts from God. Jesus was born in an ordinary home where there were no luxuries.
Like all godly parents, Mary and Joseph raised their son in the fear and wisdom of God. He, in turn, was obedient to them and grew in wisdom and grace. The Lord’s favor is with those who listen to his word with trust and obedience. Do you know the joy of submission to God? And do you seek to pass on the faith and to help the young grow in wisdom and maturity? The Holy Spirit reveals the presence of the Savior of the world What is the significance of Simeon’s encounter with the baby Jesus and his mother in the temple? Simeon was a just and devout man who was very much in tune with the Holy Spirit. He believed that the Lord would return to his temple and renew his chosen people.
The Holy Spirit also revealed to him that the Messiah and King of Israel would also bring salvation to the Gentile nations. When Joseph and Mary presented the baby Jesus in the temple, Simeon immediately recognized this humble child of Bethlehem as the fulfillment of all the messianic prophecies, hopes, and prayers.
Inspired by the Holy Spirit he prophesied that Jesus was to be “a revealing light to the Gentiles”. The Holy Spirit reveals the presence of the Lord to those who are receptive and eager to receive him. Do you recognize the indwelling presence of the Lord with you? The ‘new temple’ of God’s presence in the world. Jesus is the new temple (John 1:14; 2:19-22). In the Old Testament God manifested his presence in the “pillar of cloud” by day and the “pillar of fire” by night as he led them through the wilderness. God’s glory visibly came to dwell over the ark and the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34-38). When the first temple was built in Jerusalem God’s glory came to rest there (1 Kings 8).
After the first temple was destroyed, Ezekiel saw God’s glory leave it (Ezekiel 10). But God promised one day to fill it with even greater glory (Haggai 2:1-9; Zechariah 8-9). That promise is fulfilled when the “King of Glory” himself comes to his temple (Psalm 24:7-10; Malachi 3:1).
Through Jesus’ coming in the flesh and through his saving death, resurrection, and ascension we are made living temples of his Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16-17). Ask the Lord to renew your faith in the indwelling presence of his Spirit within you. And give him thanks and praise for coming to make his home with you. Mary receives both a crown of joy and a cross of sorrowSimeon blessed Mary and Joseph and he prophesied to Mary about the destiny of this child and the suffering she would undergo for his sake.
There is a certain paradox for those blessed by the Lord. Mary was given the blessedness of being the mother of the Son of God. That blessedness also would become a sword which pierced her heart as her Son died upon the cross. She received both a crown of joy and a cross of sorrow.
But her joy was not diminished by her sorrow because it was fueled by her faith, hope, and trust in God and his promises. Jesus promised his disciples that “no one will take your joy from you” (John 16:22). The Lord gives us a supernatural joy which enables us to bear any sorrow or pain and which neither life nor death can take way. Do you know the peace and joy of a life surrendered to God with faith and trust? The Holy Spirit renews our hope in the promise of God. Simeon was not alone in recognizing the Lord’s presence in the temple. Anna, too, was filled with the Holy Spirit. She was found daily in the temple, attending to the Lord in prayer and speaking prophetically to others about God’s promise to send a redeemer.
Supernatural hope grows with prayer and age! Anna was pre-eminently a woman of great hope and expectation that God would fulfill all his promises. She is a model of godliness to all believers as we advance in age. Advancing age and the disappointments of life can easily make us cynical and hopeless if we do not have our hope rightly placed. Anna’s hope in God and his promises grew with age. She never ceased to worship God in faith and to pray with hope. Her hope and faith in God’s promises fueled her indomitable zeal and fervor in prayer and service of God’s people. Our hope is anchored in God’s everlasting kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joyWhat do you hope for? The hope which God places in our heart is the desire for the kingdom of heaven and everlasting life and happiness with our heavenly Father. The Lord Jesus has won for us a kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17).
The Holy Spirit gives hope to all who place their trust in the promises of God. God never fails because his promises are true and he is faithful. The hope which God places within us through the gift of the Spirit enables us to persevere with confident trust in God even in the face of trials, setbacks, and challenges that may come our way. Is there anything holding you back from giving God your unqualified trust and submission to his will for your life? Allow the Lord Jesus to flood your heart with his peace, joy, and love.
And offer to God everything you have and desire – your life, family, friends, health, honor, wealth, and future. If you seek his kingdom first he will give you everything you need to know, love, and serve him now and enjoy him forever.
Prayer
“Lord Jesus, you are my hope and my life. May I never cease to place all my trust in you. Fill me with the joy and strength of the Holy Spirit that I may boldly point others to your saving presence and words of eternal life.”
Amen
The Story of the Presentation of the Lord
At the end of the fourth century, a woman named Etheria made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Her journal, discovered in 1887, gives an unprecedented glimpse of liturgical life there.
Among the celebrations she describes is the Epiphany, the observance of Christ’s birth, and the gala procession in honor of his Presentation in the Temple 40 days later. Under the Mosaic Law, a woman was ritually “unclean” for 40 days after childbirth, when she was to present herself to the priests and offer sacrifice—her “purification.”
Contact with anyone who had brushed against mystery—birth or death—excluded a person from Jewish worship. This feast emphasizes Jesus’ first appearance in the Temple more than Mary’s purification.
The observance spread throughout the Western Church in the fifth and sixth centuries. Because the Church in the West celebrated Jesus’ birth on December 25, the Presentation was moved to February 2, 40 days after Christmas.
At the beginning of the eighth century, Pope Sergius inaugurated a candlelight procession; at the end of the same century the blessing and distribution of candles which continues to this day became part of the celebration, giving the feast its popular name: Candlemas.
Reflection
In Luke’s account, Jesus was welcomed in the temple by two elderly people, Simeon and the widow Anna. They embody Israel in their patient expectation; they acknowledge the infant Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah. Early references to the Roman feast dub it the feast of Saint Simeon, the old man who burst into a song of joy which the Church still sings at day’s end.
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Mark 6:7-13
Jesus Gave Them Authority over Sickness and Unclean Spirits
What kind of authority and power does the Lord want you to exercise on his behalf? Jesus gave his apostles both the power and the authority to speak and to act in his name.
He commanded them to do the works which he did – to heal the sick. to cast out evil spirits, and to speak the word of God – the good news of the gospel which they received from Jesus.
When Jesus spoke of power and authority he did something unheard of. He wedded power and authority with self-sacrificing love and humility. The “world” and the “flesh” seek power for selfish gain. Jesus teaches us to use it for the good of our neighbor. The Lord Jesus wants to work in and through each of us for his gloryWhy does Jesus tell the apostles to “travel light” with little or no provision? “Poverty of spirit” frees us from greed and preoccupation with our possessions and makes ample room for God’s provision.
The Lord wants his disciples to be dependent on him and not on themselves. He wills to work in and through each of us for his glory. Are you ready to use the spiritual authority and power which God wishes you to exercise on his behalf? The Lord entrusts us with his gifts and talents.
Are you eager to place yourself at his service, to do whatever he bids you, and to witness his truth and saving power to whomever he sends you?
Prayer
“Lord Jesus, make me a channel of your healing power and merciful love that others may find abundant life and freedom in you. Free me from all other attachments that I may joyfully pursue the treasure of your heavenly kingdom. May I witness the joy of the Gospel both in word and deed.”
Amen
Saint Ansgar
801 – Feb 3, 865
The “apostle of the north” (Scandinavia) had enough frustrations to become a saint—and he did.
He became a Benedictine at Corbie, France, where he had been educated. Three years later, when the king of Denmark became a convert, Ansgar went to that country for three years of missionary work, without noticeable success.
Sweden asked for Christian missionaries, and he went there, suffering capture by pirates and other hardships on the way. Fewer than two years later, he was recalled, to become abbot of New Corbie (Corvey) and bishop of Hamburg.
The pope made him legate for the Scandinavian missions. Funds for the northern apostolate stopped with Emperor Louis’s death. After 13 years’ work in Hamburg, Ansgar saw it burned to the ground by invading Northmen; Sweden and Denmark returned to paganism.
He directed new apostolic activities in the North, traveling to Denmark and being instrumental in the conversion of another king. By the strange device of casting lots, the king of Sweden allowed the Christian missionaries to return.
Ansgar’s biographers remark that he was an extraordinary preacher, a humble and ascetical priest. He was devoted to the poor and the sick, imitating the Lord in washing their feet and waiting on them at table. He died peacefully at Bremen, Germany, without achieving his wish to be a martyr.
Sweden became pagan again after his death, and remained so until the coming of missionaries two centuries later. St. Ansgar shares the celebration of his liturgical feast with St. Blase on February 3.
Reflection
History records what people do, rather than what they are. Yet the courage and perseverance of men and women like Ansgar can only come from a solid base of union with the original courageous and persevering Missionary.
Ansgar’s life is another reminder that God writes straight with crooked lines. Christ takes care of the effects of the apostolate in his own way; he is first concerned about the purity of the apostles themselves.
Saint Ansgar is the Patron Saint of:
Denmark
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Mark 6:1-6
Jesus Marveled because of Their Unbelief
Are you critical towards others, especially those who may be close to you? The most severe critics are often people very familiar to us, a member of our family, a relative, or neighbor or co-worker we rub shoulders with on a regular basis. Jesus faced a severe testing when he returned to his home town, not simply as the carpenter’s son, but now as a rabbi with disciples.
It would have been customary for Jesus to go to the synagogue each week during the Sabbath, and when his turn came, to read from the scriptures during the Sabbath service. His hometown folks listened with rapt attention on this occasion because they had heard about the miracles he had performed in other towns. What sign would he do in his hometown? Look upon your neighbor with the eyes of Christ who comes to heal and restore usJesus startled his familiar audience with a seeming rebuke that no prophet or servant of God can receive honor among his own people.
The people of Nazareth took offense at Jesus and refused to listen to what he had to say. They despised his preaching because he was a mere workman, a carpenter, and a layman who had no formal training by a scholar or teacher.
They also despised him because of his undistinguished family background. How familiarity can breed contempt. Jesus could do no mighty works in their midst because they were closed-minded and unbelieving towards him.
If people have come together to hate and to refuse to understand, then they will see no other point of view than their own and they will refuse to love and accept others. How do you treat those who seem disagreeable to you? The word “gospel” literally means “good news”. Isaiah had prophesied that the Messiah would come in the power of the Holy Spirit to bring freedom to the afflicted who suffered from physical, mental, or spiritual oppression (see Isaiah 61:1-2).
Jesus came to set people free – not only from their physical, mental, and spiritual infirmities – but also from the worst affliction of all – the tyranny of slavery to sin, Satan, and the fear of losing one’s life.
God’s power alone can save us from hopelessness, dejection, and emptiness of life. The Gospel of salvation is “good news” for everyone who will receive it. Do you know the joy and freedom of the Gospel?
Prayer
“Lord Jesus, you are the fulfillment of all our hopes and desires. Your Spirit brings grace, truth, freedom, and abundant life. Set my heart on fire with your love and truth.”
Amen
Saint John Bosco
Aug 16, 1815 – Jan 31, 1888
John Bosco’s theory of education could well be used in today’s schools. It was a preventive system, rejecting corporal punishment and placing students in surroundings removed from the likelihood of committing sin.
He advocated frequent reception of the sacraments of Penance and Holy Communion. He combined catechetical training and fatherly guidance, seeking to unite the spiritual life with one’s work, study and play.
Encouraged during his youth in Turin to become a priest so he could work with young boys, John was ordained in 1841. His service to young people started when he met a poor orphan in Turin, and instructed him in preparation for receiving Holy Communion. He then gathered young apprentices and taught them catechism.
After serving as chaplain in a hospice for working girls, Don Bosco opened the Oratory of St. Francis de Sales for boys. Several wealthy and powerful patrons contributed money, enabling him to provide two workshops for the boys, shoemaking and tailoring.
By 1856, the institution had grown to 150 boys and had added a printing press for publication of religious and catechetical pamphlets. John’s interest in vocational education and publishing justify him as patron of young apprentices and Catholic publishers.
John’s preaching fame spread and by 1850 he had trained his own helpers because of difficulties in retaining young priests. In 1854, he and his followers informally banded together, inspired by Saint Francis de Sales.
With Pope Pius IX’s encouragement, John gathered 17 men and founded the Salesians in 1859. Their activity concentrated on education and mission work. Later, he organized a group of Salesian Sisters to assist girls.
Reflection
John Bosco educated the whole person—body and soul united. He believed that Christ’s love and our faith in that love should pervade everything we do—work, study, play. For John Bosco, being a Christian was a full-time effort, not a once-a-week, Mass-on-Sunday experience.
It is searching and finding God and Jesus in everything we do, letting their love lead us. Yet, because John realized the importance of job-training and the self-worth and pride that come with talent and ability, he trained his students in the trade crafts, too.
Saint John Bosco is a Patron Saint of:
BoysEditorsEducators/TeachersYouth
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Mark 5:21-43
The Woman Who Took Heart in Jesus.
Do you approach the Lord Jesus with expectant faith or with skeptical doubt? People in desperate or helpless circumstances were not disappointed when they sought Jesus out. What drew them to Jesus? Was it hope for a miracle or a word of comfort in their affliction? What did the elderly woman who had suffered miserably for twelve years expect Jesus to do for her?
And what did a grieving father expect Jesus to do for his beloved daughter who was at the point of death? Jesus gave hope where there seemed to be no human cause for it because his hope was directed to God. He spoke words of hope to the woman (Take heart, daughter!) to ignite the spark of faith in her (your faith has made you well!). Expectant faith believes in Jesus’ power to act in our lives todayEphrem the Syrian (306-373 AD), an early church Scripture scholar and author of hymns and commentaries, reflected on the miracle of the woman who was healed of her flow of blood:
“Glory to you, hidden Son of God, because your healing power is proclaimed through the hidden suffering of the afflicted woman.
Through this woman whom they could see, the witnesses were enabled to behold the divinity that cannot be seen. Through the Son’s own healing power his divinity became known. Through the afflicted women’s being healed her faith was made manifest.
She caused him to be proclaimed, and indeed was honored with him. For truth was being proclaimed together with its heralds. If she was a witness to his divinity, he in turn was a witness to her faith… He saw through to her hidden faith, and gave her a visible healing.”
The Lord Jesus will touch each of us with his healing hands of love and mercyJesus also gave supernatural hope to a father who had just lost a beloved child. It took considerable courage and risk for the ruler of a synagogue to openly go to Jesus and to invite the scorn of his neighbors and kin. Even the hired mourners laughed scornfully at Jesus. Their grief was devoid of any hope. Nonetheless, Jesus took the girl by the hand and delivered her from the grasp of death.
Peter Chrysologus (400-450 AD), an early church father who was renowned for his preaching at Ravena, comments on this miracle:
“This man was a ruler of the synagogue, and versed in the law. He had surely read that while God created all other things by his word, man had been created by the hand of God.
He trusted therefore in God that his daughter would be recreated, and restored to life by that same hand which, he knew, had created her… He [Jesus] who laid hands on her to form her from nothing, once more lays hands upon her to reform her from what had perished.”
In both instances we see Jesus’ personal concern for the needs of others and his readiness to heal and restore life. In Jesus we see the infinite love of God extending to each and every individual as he gives freely and wholly of himself to each person he meets. Do you approach the Lord with confident expectation that he will hear your request and act?
Prayer
“Lord Jesus, you love each of us individually with a unique and personal love. Touch my life with your saving power, heal and restore me to fullness of life. Help me to give wholly of myself in loving service to others.”
Amen
Blessed Mary Angela Truszkowska
May 16, 1825 – Oct 10, 1899
Today we honor a woman who submitted to God’s will throughout her life—a life filled with pain and suffering.
Born in 1825 in central Poland and baptized Sophia, she contracted tuberculosis as a young girl.
The forced period of convalescence gave her ample time for reflection. Sophia felt called to serve God by working with the poor, including street children and the elderly homeless in Warsaw’s slums. In time, her cousin joined her in the work.
In 1855, the two women made private vows and consecrated themselves to the Blessed Mother. New followers joined them. Within two years, they formed a new congregation, which came to be known as the Felician Sisters. As their numbers grew, so did their work, and so did the pressures on Mother Angela (the new name Sophia took in religious life).
Mother Angela served as superior for many years until ill health forced her to resign at the age of 44. She watched the order grow and expand, including missions to the United States among the sons and daughters of Polish immigrants.
Pope John Paul II beatified Mother Angela in 1993. Her liturgical feast is celebrated on October 10.
Reflection
Like Saints Francis of Assisi and Ignatius of Loyola, Blessed Mary Angela experienced a conversion while convalescing from an illness. The Lord can use sickness as well as other situations to speak to the heart of an individual. This does not imply that God caused the illness; just that he used the opportunity to speak to Mother Angela’s heart.
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Mark 5:1-20
Tell Them How Much the Lord Has Done for You
Do you ever feel driven by forces beyond your strength? A man driven mad by the evil force of a legion found refuge in the one person who could set him free. A legion is no small force – but an army more than 5,000 strong! For the people in the time of Jesus’ ministry, hemmed in by occupied forces, a legion, whether spiritual or human, struck terror!
Legions at their wildest committed unmentionable atrocities.Our age has also witnessed untold crimes and mass destruction at the hands of possessed rulers and their armies. Jesus has power to free us from every evil spirit of oppressionWhat is more remarkable – the destructive force of this driven and possessed man – or the bended knee at Jesus’ feet imploring mercy and release?
God’s word reminds us that no destructive force can keep anyone from the peace and safety which God offers to those who seek his help. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand; but it will not come near you. ..Because you have made the Lord your refuge, the Most High your habitation (Psalm 91:7,9). Jesus took pity on the man who was overtaken by a legion of evil spirits. The destructive force of these demons is evident for all who can see as they flee and destroy a herd of swine. After Jesus freed the demoniac the whole city came out to meet him.
No one had demonstrated such power and authority against the forces of Satan as Jesus did. They feared Jesus as a result and begged him to leave them. Why would they not want Jesus to stay?
Perhaps the price for such liberation from the power of evil and sin was more than they wanted to pay. Jesus is ready and willing to free us from anything that binds us and that keeps us from the love of God. Are you willing to part with anything that might keep you from his love and saving grace?
Prayer
“Lord Jesus, unbind me that I may love you wholly and walk in the freedom of your way of life and holiness. May there be nothing which keeps me from the joy of living in your presence.”
Amen
Servant of God Brother Juniper
d. 1258
“Would to God, my brothers, I had a whole forest of such Junipers,” said Francis of this holy friar.
We don’t know much about Juniper before he joined the friars in 1210. Francis sent him to establish “places” for the friars in Gualdo Tadino and Viterbo. When Saint Clare was dying, Juniper consoled her. He was devoted to the passion of Jesus and was known for his simplicity.
Several stories about Juniper in the Little Flowers of St. Francis illustrate his exasperating generosity. Once Juniper was taking care of a sick man who had a craving to eat pig’s feet. This helpful friar went to a nearby field, captured a pig and cut off one foot, and then served this meal to the sick man.
The owner of the pig was furious and immediately went to Juniper’s superior. When Juniper saw his mistake, he apologized profusely. He also ended up talking this angry man into donating the rest of the pig to the friars!
Another time Juniper had been commanded to quit giving part of his clothing to the half-naked people he met on the road. Desiring to obey his superior, Juniper once told a man in need that he couldn’t give the man his tunic, but he wouldn’t prevent the man from taking it either. In time, the friars learned not to leave anything lying around, for Juniper would probably give it away.
He died in 1258 and is buried at Ara Coeli Church in Rome.
Reflection
What can we make of Juniper? He certainly seems to be the first of many Franciscan “characters.” No doubt some of the stories about him have improved considerably in the retelling. Although the stories about Juniper may seem a little quaint, his virtues were not. He was humble because he knew the truth about God, himself, and others. He was patient because he was willing to suffer in his following of Jesus.
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Mark 1:21-28
Jesus Taught with Authority
The common theme of today’s readings is Divine authority, as exercised in this world by the prophets of the Old Testament in their messages, by the apostles (including St. Paul), in their writings and teaching in the New Testament, and by Jesus in his teaching and healing ministry. The readings remind us that we should have a “listening heart” (Gospel), instead of a “hardened heart” (Responsorial Psalm) or “divided heart” (Second reading) to welcome the authoritative word of God
The authority of Jesus: Today’s Gospel passage begins and ends with comments about Jesus’ authority as a teacher (1:21-22 and 1:27-28). He spoke like Moses, telling people directly what God had to say.
In between is an exorcism (1:23-26), pointing out a connection between Jesus’ teachings and his supernatural authority. The dramatic healing of the demoniac by an authoritative word is a demonstration of God’s reign and Power in their midst. And the people recognize it as such.
Moreover, this is the first miracle in Jesus’ ministry as Mark recounts it. The episode appears immediately following the call of the disciples. Jesus’ authority is also the main theme in the collection of stories (2:1–-3:6), which support the authority of Jesus when he teaches people about God’s compassion in forgiving their sins.
In his Gospel, Mark repeatedly returns to the theme that Jesus’ teaching with authority brought followers, and Jesus’ healing with Divine power liberated people from illness and demonic possession. The Catholic and Apostolic Church derives her teaching authority from her founder Jesus, the Christ.
Teaching with authority: There was a local synagogue in every Jewish settlement of more than ten families.
The synagogue was a place of instruction and Sabbath prayers. The synagogue service consisted of three parts – prayer, the reading of God’s word, and the exposition of it made by anyone who wished to do so. In this chapter Mark tells us that in the local synagogue Jesus taught with authority. This means that Jesus explained the Scriptures with complete confidence, and when questioned by people he answered with authority.
Jesus spoke relying on no one beyond himself; he cited no supporting human authorities or experts. Mark also records the impact Jesus had on those who heard him. We are told how amazed people were at the authority with which he preached. Jesus also showed his power and authority by curing the sick and granting forgiveness to people for their sins.
Exorcising with Divine authority: In the synagogue, there was a man who was troubled by an unclean spirit. Everyone in the ancient Biblical world feared evil spirits and believed in demonic possession. People believed that demons or “unclean spirits” living inside the people caused leprosy, lameness, paralysis, etc.
Even in the twenty-first century, we still believe in the existence of unclean spirits. How else can we explain the sudden explosions of anger that occur, the suicidal impulses, the intense jealousies, wild sexual fantasies, or overwhelming feelings of depression? We, as human beings, are keenly aware of these unclean spirits.
We often wonder where the “unclean thoughts” come from and why we can’t rid ourselves of them. Victory over the unclean spirit, as the devil is usually described, is a clear sign that God’s salvation has come: by overcoming the Evil One, Jesus shows that He is the Messiah, the Savior, more powerful than the demons.
The demoniac cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? “ What does Jesus have to do with these unclean spirits that live in each one of us? The answer we find in the Gospel is equally true today: Jesus came to dispossess the unclean spirits living inside of us and send them away.
That is one of the reasons why Jesus came to earth in the first place and one of the reasons why he continues his presence in our lives. Jesus came to drive out those unclean spirits within us, to wash them away, to cleanse our lives of them. Let us put ourselves under his authority and he will liberate us.
The evil spirit in today’s Gospel recognized Jesus as the Messiah and acknowledged him as such. Jesus commanded the evil spirit harshly, using strong words and tones: “Be quiet! Come out of him!” Instantly, the spirit obeyed. This was one of the reasons why Jesus developed a reputation for speaking with authority.
Today, we are challenged to believe that Jesus continues to exercise the power to rout evil in all of its ugly disguises and manifestations, viz., in poverty, sickness, greed, hatred, indifference, over-indulgence, etc., using us and our ministry as His instruments.
Messages for our Life
1) We need to approach Jesus for liberation: Jesus did not use his authority and Divine power to rule and control people, but to set them free. Hence, let us approach Jesus with trusting Faith so that he may free us from the evil spirits that keep us from praying and that prevent us from loving others and sharing our blessings with them.
Jesus also frees us from all the “evil spirits” of fear, jealousy, anger, envy, addictions, compulsions, selfishness, resentment, and hostility. May God free us from all those spirits which make us deaf, dumb, blind, lame, and paralyzed, physically and spiritually.
2) We need to use our God-given authority to build up lives. So many people with authority have made a lasting impression on our lives either for good or ill.
Perhaps it was a grandparent, an uncle, or a parent, who loved us and cared for us. Perhaps it was a Sunday school teacher who encouraged us in our Faith and exerted a positive impact on our lives.
Perhaps we remember the kindness as well as the firm discipline that a schoolteacher gave us. Teachers are powerful because they change and mold lives. Hence, let us all becomes good teachers like Jesus and use our authority to mold young lives in the right way.
Prayer
“Lord Jesus, your word is power and life. May I never doubt your love and mercy, and the power of your word that sets us free, and brings healing and restoration to body, mind, heart, and spirit.”
Amen
Jesus, the exorcist with authority: In the 1970 the movie The Exorcist was breaking box office records. It concerned a young person who was possessed by an evil spirit, not unlike the one in today’s Gospel.
The movie was based on an actual case of a 14-year-old boy who lived in Mt. Rainier, Maryland, in 1949. Newsweek described the case this way. “Pictures, chairs and the boy’s bed would suddenly move about. At night, the boy could rarely sleep.
After he was admitted to Georgetown University Hospital…the boy began to mouth fierce curses in ancient languages and at one point, while strapped helplessly in his bed, long red scathes appeared on his body.” The boy eventually survived an exorcism and started living in the Washington, DC area.
An old priest involved in the boy’s exorcism has taken a vow not to discuss it. He does say, however, that the experience dramatically changed his life for the better. — The deeper meaning behind Jesus’ exorcisms is that the kingdom of Satan which had enslaved people since Adam’s sin, was now giving way to the kingdom of God.
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Mark 4:35-41 Why Are You Afraid?
How can we fight fear with faith? Jesus’ sleeping presence on the storm-tossed sea reveals the sleeping faith of his disciples. They feared for their lives even though their Lord and Master was with them in the boat. They were asleep to Christ while he was present to them in their hour of need.
The Lord is ever present to us. And in our time of testing he asks the same question: Why are you afraid? Have you no faith? Do you recognize the Lord’s presence with you, especially when you meet the storms of adversity, sorrow, and temptation? Whenever we encounter trouble, the Lord is there with the same reassuring message: “It is I, do not be afraid.” Faith must be nourished with the Word of GodWhat are the characteristics of faith and how can we grow in it? Faith is an entirely free gift that God makes to us. Believing is only possible by grace and the help of the Holy Spirit, who moves the heart and who opens the eyes of the mind to understand and accept the truth which God has revealed to us.
Faith enables us to relate to God rightly and confidently, with trust and reliance, by believing and adhering to his word, because he is utterly reliable and trustworthy. If we want to live, grow, and persevere in faith, then it must be nourished with the word of God. Christ’s love and truth strengthen us in faith and trust. Fear does not need to cripple us from taking right action or rob us of our trust and reliance on God. Courage working with faith enables us to embrace God’s word of truth and love with confidence and to act on it with firm hope in God’s promises.
The love of God strengthens us in our faith and trust in him and enables us to act with justice and kindness towards our neighbor even in the face of opposition or harm. Do you allow the love of Christ to rule in your heart and mind, and to move your will to choose what is good in accordance with his will?
Prayer
“Lord Jesus, increase my faith in your redeeming love and power that I may always recognize your abiding presence with me. And give me courage to do your will in all circumstances.”
Amen
Saint Angela Merici
Mar 21, 1474 – Jan 27, 1540
Angela Merici has the double distinction of founding the first of what are now called “secular institutes” and the first teaching order of women in the Church.
Born in Desenzano, Italy, she was orphaned in her teens. As a young woman, with her heart centered on Christ, Angela joined the Third Order of St. Francis and embraced austerity. In a visionary experience, she felt called to found a “company” of women.
Angela was invited to become a live-in companion for a widow in the nearby town of Brescia. There she became the spiritual advisor of a group of men and women with ideals of spiritual renewal and service to those in need.
While on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1524, Angela was struck with blindness. She proceeded to visit the sacred shrines, seeing them with her spirit. On the way back while praying before a crucifix, Angela’s sight was restored.
At age 60, Angela and 12 other women began the Company of St. Ursula, named for a patroness of medieval universities and venerated as a leader of women. This constituted a new way of life: single women consecrated to Christ and living in the world rather than in a monastery.
With Angela as their “mother and mistress,” Company members did not live in community, wore no special clothing, and made no formal vows.
Angela Merici died in Brescia, Italy, in 1540. Clothed in the habit of a Franciscan tertiary, her body was interred in Brescia’s Church of Saint’ Afra.
Four years later the Company’s Rule that Angela had composed, prescribing the practices of chastity, poverty and obedience, was approved by the pope.
In the early 1600s, Companies that had expanded into France were re-organized into the religious Order of St. Ursula, to teach girls.
Angela’s words continue to inspire the Ursuline nuns’ mission of education, a mission that spread worldwide. The Company of St. Ursula also continued to exist and is federated worldwide today with members in 30 countries. Angela Merici was canonized by Pope Pius VII in 1807.
Reflection
As with so many saints, history is mostly concerned with their activities. But deep Christian faith and love sustain one whose courage lasts a lifetime, and who can take bold new steps when human need demands.
Saint Angela Merici is a Patron Saint of: Educators/Teachers
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Mark 4:26-34
What the Kingdom of God Is Like
What can mustard seeds teach us about the kingdom of God? The tiny mustard seed literally grew to be a tree which attracted numerous birds because they loved the little black mustard seed it produced. God’s kingdom works in a similar fashion.
It starts from the smallest beginnings in the hearts of men and women who are receptive to God’s word. And it works unseen and causes a transformation from within. Just as a seed has no power to change itself until it is planted in the ground, so we cannot change our lives to be like God until God gives us the power of his Holy Spirit. The transforming power of the Word of GodThe Lord of the Universe is ever ready to transform us by the power of his Spirit. Are you ready to let God change you by his life-giving Word and Spirit? The kingdom of God produces a transformation in those who receive the new life which Jesus Christ offers.
When we yield to the Lord Jesus and allow his word to take root in us, our lives are transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. Paul the Apostle says, “we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us” (2 Corinthians 4:7). Do you believe in the transforming power of the Holy Spirit? The cross of Jesus is the Tree of LifePeter Chrysologous (400-450 AD), an early church father, explained how the ” tree of the cross” spread its branches throughout the world and grew into a worldwide community of faith offering its fruit to the whole world:
It is up to us to sow this mustard seed in our minds and let it grow within us into a great tree of understanding reaching up to heaven and elevating all our faculties; then it will spread out branches of knowledge, the pungent savor of its fruit will make our mouths burn, its fiery kernel will kindle a blaze within us inflaming our hearts, and the taste of it will dispel our unenlightened repugnance. Yes, it is true: a mustard seed is indeed an image of the kingdom of God.
Christ is the kingdom of heaven. Sown like a mustard seed in the garden of the virgin’s womb, he grew up into the tree of the cross whose branches stretch across the world. Crushed in the mortar of the passion, its fruit has produced seasoning enough for the flavoring and preservation of every living creature with which it comes in contact.
As long as a mustard seed remains intact, its properties lie dormant; but when it is crushed they are exceedingly evident. So it was with Christ; he chose to have his body crushed, because he would not have his power concealed….
Christ became all things in order to restore all of us in himself. The man Christ received the mustard seed which represents the kingdom of God; as man he received it, though as God he had always possessed it. He sowed it in his garden, that is in his bride, the Church.
The Church is a garden extending over the whole world, tilled by the plough of the gospel, fenced in by stakes of doctrine and discipline, cleared of every harmful weed by the labor of the apostles, fragrant and lovely with perennial flowers: virgins’ lilies and martyrs’ roses set amid the pleasant verdure of all who bear witness to Christ and the tender plants of all who have faith in him.
Such then is the mustard seed which Christ sowed in his garden. When he promised a kingdom to the patriarchs, the seed took root in them; with the prophets it sprang up; with the apostles it grew tall; in the Church it became a great tree putting forth innumerable branches laden with gifts.
And now you too must take the wings of the psalmist’s dove, gleaming gold in the rays of divine sunlight, and fly to rest for ever among those sturdy, fruitful branches. No snares are set to trap you there; fly off, then, with confidence and dwell securely in its shelter. (SERMON 98)
Do you allow the seed of God’s word to take deep root in your life and transform you into a fruit-bearing disciple of Jesus Christ?
Prayer
“Lord Jesus, fill me with your Holy Spirit and transform me into the Christ-like holiness you desire. Increase my zeal for your kingdom and instill in me a holy desire to live for your greater glory.”
Amen
Saints Timothy and Titus
d. c. 95
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. 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 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 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.
Reflection
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.”
Saints Timothy and Titus are the Patron Saints of:
Relief from Stomach Disorders
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Mark 1:40-45
Many Sinners Were Sitting with Jesus
What draws us to the throne of God’s mercy and grace? Mark tells us that many people were drawn to Jesus, including the unwanted and the unlovable, such as the lame, the blind, and the lepers, as well as the homeless such as widows and orphans.
But public sinners, like the town prostitutes and corrupt tax collectors, were also drawn to Jesus. In calling Levi, who was also named Matthew (see Matthew 9:9) to be one of his disciples, Jesus picked one of the unlikeliest of men – a tax collector who by profession was despised by the people.Why did the religious leaders find fault with Jesus for making friends with sinners and tax collectors like Levi? The orthodox Jews had a habit of dividing everyone into two groups – those who rigidly kept the law of Moses and its minute regulations and those who did not. They latter were treated like second class citizens.
The orthodox scrupulously avoided their company, refused to do business with them, refused to give or receive anything from them, refused to intermarry, and avoided any form of entertainment with them, including table fellowship. Jesus’ association with sinners shocked the sensibilities of these orthodox Jews. When the Pharisees challenged his unorthodox behavior in eating with public sinners, Jesus’ defense was quite simple. A doctor doesn’t need to visit healthy people; instead he goes to those who are sick.
Jesus likewise sought out those in the greatest need. A true physician seeks healing of the whole person – body, mind, and spirit. Jesus came as the divine physician and good shepherd to care for his people and to restore them to wholeness of life.
The orthodox Jews were so preoccupied with their own practice of religion that they neglected to help the very people who needed care. Their religion was selfish because they didn’t want to have anything to do with people not like themselves. Jesus stated his mission in unequivocal terms: I came not to call the righteous, but to call sinners. Ironically the orthodox were as needy as those they despised. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).
The Lord fills us with his grace and mercy. And he wants us, in turn, to seek the good of our neighbors, including the unlikeable and the trouble-maker by showing them the same kindness and mercy which we have received. Do you thank the Lord for the great kindness and mercy he has shown to you?
Prayer
“Lord Jesus, our Savior, let us now come to you: Our hearts are cold; Lord, warm them with your selfless love. Our hearts are sinful; cleanse them with your precious blood. Our hearts are weak; strengthen them with your joyous Spirit. Our hearts are empty; fill them with your divine presence. Lord Jesus, our hearts are yours; possess them always and only for yourself.”
Amen
Saint Hilary of Poitiers
c. 315 – c. 368
This staunch defender of the divinity of Christ was a gentle and courteous man, devoted to writing some of the greatest theology on the Trinity, and was like his Master in being labeled a “disturber of the peace.”
In a very troubled period in the Church, his holiness was lived out in both scholarship and controversy. He was bishop of Poitiers in France.
Raised a pagan, he was converted to Christianity when he met his God of nature in the Scriptures. His wife was still living when he was chosen, against his will, to be the bishop of Poitiers in France. He was soon taken up with battling what became the scourge of the fourth century, Arianism, which denied the divinity of Christ.
The heresy spread rapidly. Saint Jerome said “The world groaned and marveled to find that it was Arian.” When Emperor Constantius ordered all the bishops of the West to sign a condemnation of Athanasius, the great defender of the faith in the East, Hilary refused and was banished from France to far off Phrygia.
Eventually he was called the “Athanasius of the West.”
While writing in exile, he was invited by some semi-Arians (hoping for reconciliation) to a council the emperor called to counteract the Council of Nicea.
But Hilary predictably defended the Church, and when he sought public debate with the heretical bishop who had exiled him, the Arians, dreading the meeting and its outcome, pleaded with the emperor to send this troublemaker back home. Hilary was welcomed by his people.
Reflection
Christ said his coming would bring not peace but a sword (see Matthew 10:34). The Gospels offer no support for us if we fantasize about a sunlit holiness that knows no problems. Christ did not escape at the last moment, though he did live happily ever after—after a life of controversy, problems, pain and frustration. Hilary, like all saints, simply had more of the same.
Infant Jesus of Prague Novena
Day 9
Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
O Jesus, Who has said, “Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened,” through the intercession of Mary, Your Most Holy Mother, I knock, I seek, I ask that my prayer be granted.
(Mention your request here…)
O Jesus, Who has said,“All that you ask of the Father in My Name, He will grant you,” through the intercession of Mary Your Most Holy Mother, I humbly and urgently ask your Father in your name that my prayer will be granted.
(Mention your request here…)
O Jesus, Who has said,“Heaven and earth shall pass away but My word shall not pass away,” through the intercession of Mary Your Most Holy Mother, I feel confident that my prayer will be granted.
(Mention your request here…)
Say 1: Our Father… Say 1: Hail Mary… Say 1: Glory Be…
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Mark 1:40-45
We Never Saw Anything like This!
Do you know the healing power of forgiveness and compassion? Jesus’ treatment of sinners upset the religious teachers of the day. When a cripple was brought to Jesus because of the faith of his friends, Jesus did the unthinkable.
He first forgave the man his sins. The scribes regarded this as blasphemy because they understood that only God had authority to forgive sins and to unbind a man or woman from their burden of guilt.Jesus claimed an authority which only God could rightfully give. Jesus not only proved that his authority came from God, he showed the great power of God’s redeeming love and mercy by healing the cripple of his physical ailment.
This man had been crippled not only physically, but spiritually as well. Jesus freed him from his burden of guilt and restored his body as well. The Lord is every ready to bring us healing of body, mind, and spirit. Is there any area in your life that cripples you from walking in the freedom of Christ’s transforming love and forgiveness? Bishop Ambrose of Milan (339-397 AD), an early church father, explains how the healing of the paralytic points not only to Christ’s power to heal the whole person, but also to raise the body to everlasting life as well:
But the Lord, wanting to save sinners, shows himself to be God both by his knowledge of secrets and by the wonder of his actions. He adds, “Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you'” or to say, ‘Rise and walk?'” In this passage he shows the full likeness of the resurrection.
Alongside of healing the wounds of body and mind, he also forgives the sins of the spirit, removes the weakness of the flesh, and thus heals the whole person. It is a great thing to forgive people’s sins – who can forgive sins, but God alone?
For God also forgives through those to whom he has given the power of forgiveness. Yet it is far more divine to give resurrection to bodies, since the Lord himself is the resurrection. (excerpt from EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 5.12-13.5)
Do you believe in the healing transforming power of Christ’s forgiveness and merciful love? Ask him to set you free and transform your mind and heart to be like his heart.
Prayer
“Lord Jesus, through your merciful love and forgiveness you bring healing and restoration to body, soul, and mind. May your healing power and love touch every area of my life – my innermost thoughts, feelings, attitudes, and memories. Pardon my offenses and transform me in the power of your Holy Spirit that I may walk confidently in your love, truth, and righteousness.”
Amen
Day 8
Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
O Jesus, Who has said, “Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened,” through the intercession of Mary, Your Most Holy Mother, I knock, I seek, I ask that my prayer be granted.
(Mention your request here…)
O Jesus, Who has said,“All that you ask of the Father in My Name, He will grant you,” through the intercession of Mary Your Most Holy Mother, I humbly and urgently ask your Father in your name that my prayer will be granted.
(Mention your request here…)
O Jesus, Who has said,“Heaven and earth shall pass away but My word shall not pass away,” through the intercession of Mary Your Most Holy Mother, I feel confident that my prayer will be granted.
(Mention your request here…)
Say 1: Our Father… Say 1: Hail Mary… Say 1: Glory Be…
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Mark 1:40-45
We Never Saw Anything like This!
Do you know the healing power of forgiveness and compassion? Jesus’ treatment of sinners upset the religious teachers of the day. When a cripple was brought to Jesus because of the faith of his friends, Jesus did the unthinkable.
He first forgave the man his sins. The scribes regarded this as blasphemy because they understood that only God had authority to forgive sins and to unbind a man or woman from their burden of guilt.Jesus claimed an authority which only God could rightfully give. Jesus not only proved that his authority came from God, he showed the great power of God’s redeeming love and mercy by healing the cripple of his physical ailment.
This man had been crippled not only physically, but spiritually as well. Jesus freed him from his burden of guilt and restored his body as well. The Lord is every ready to bring us healing of body, mind, and spirit. Is there any area in your life that cripples you from walking in the freedom of Christ’s transforming love and forgiveness? Bishop Ambrose of Milan (339-397 AD), an early church father, explains how the healing of the paralytic points not only to Christ’s power to heal the whole person, but also to raise the body to everlasting life as well:
But the Lord, wanting to save sinners, shows himself to be God both by his knowledge of secrets and by the wonder of his actions. He adds, “Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you'” or to say, ‘Rise and walk?'” In this passage he shows the full likeness of the resurrection.
Alongside of healing the wounds of body and mind, he also forgives the sins of the spirit, removes the weakness of the flesh, and thus heals the whole person. It is a great thing to forgive people’s sins – who can forgive sins, but God alone?
For God also forgives through those to whom he has given the power of forgiveness. Yet it is far more divine to give resurrection to bodies, since the Lord himself is the resurrection. (excerpt from EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 5.12-13.5)
Do you believe in the healing transforming power of Christ’s forgiveness and merciful love? Ask him to set you free and transform your mind and heart to be like his heart.
Prayer
“Lord Jesus, through your merciful love and forgiveness you bring healing and restoration to body, soul, and mind. May your healing power and love touch every area of my life – my innermost thoughts, feelings, attitudes, and memories. Pardon my offenses and transform me in the power of your Holy Spirit that I may walk confidently in your love, truth, and righteousness.”
Amen
Day 8
Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
O Jesus, Who has said, “Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened,” through the intercession of Mary, Your Most Holy Mother, I knock, I seek, I ask that my prayer be granted.
(Mention your request here…)
O Jesus, Who has said,“All that you ask of the Father in My Name, He will grant you,” through the intercession of Mary Your Most Holy Mother, I humbly and urgently ask your Father in your name that my prayer will be granted.
(Mention your request here…)
O Jesus, Who has said,“Heaven and earth shall pass away but My word shall not pass away,” through the intercession of Mary Your Most Holy Mother, I feel confident that my prayer will be granted.
(Mention your request here…)
Say 1: Our Father… Say 1: Hail Mary… Say 1: Glory Be…
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Mark 1:40-45
The Lord Jesus Can Make Me Clean
Do you seek the Lord Jesus with expectant faith? No one who sought Jesus out was refused his help. Even the untouchables and the outcasts of Jewish society found help in him.
Unlike the people of Jesus’ time who fled at the sight of a leper, Jesus touched the leper who approached him and he made him whole and clean. Why was this so remarkable? Lepers were outcasts of society. They were driven from their homes and communities and left to fend for themselves.
Their physical condition was terrible as they slowly lost the use of their limbs and withered away. They were not only shunned but regarded as “already dead” even by their relatives. The Jewish law forbade anyone from touching or approaching a leper, lest ritual defilement occur. This leper did something quite remarkable. He approached Jesus confidently and humbly, expecting that Jesus could and would heal him. Normally a leper would be stoned or at least warded off if he tried to come near a rabbi.
Jesus not only grants the man his request, but he demonstrates the personal love, compassion, and tenderness of God in his physical touch. The medical knowledge of his day would have regarded such contact as grave risk for incurring infection.
Jesus met the man’s misery with compassion and tender kindness. He communicated the love and mercy of God in a sign that spoke more eloquently than words. He touched the man and made him clean – not only physically but spiritually as well. How do you approach those who are difficult to love, or who are shunned by others because they are deformed or have some defect? Do you show them kindness and offer them mercy and help as Jesus did? The Lord is always ready to show us his mercy and to free us from whatever makes us unclean, unapproachable, or unloving towards others.
Prayer
“Lord Jesus, inflame my heart with your love and make me clean and whole in body, mind, and spirit. May I never doubt your love nor cease to tell others of your mercy and compassion.”
Amen
Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys
Apr 17, 1620 – Jan 12, 1700
“God closes a door and then opens a window,” people sometimes say when dealing with their own disappointment or someone else’s.
That was certainly true in Marguerite’s case. Children from European as well as Native American backgrounds in 17th-century Canada benefited from her great zeal and unshakable trust in God’s providence.
Born the sixth of 12 children in Troyes, France, Marguerite at the age of 20 believed that she was called to religious life. Her applications to the Carmelites and Poor Clares were unsuccessful. A priest friend suggested that perhaps God had other plans for her.
In 1654, the governor of the French settlement in Canada visited his sister, an Augustinian canoness in Troyes. Marguerite belonged to a sodality connected to that convent.
The governor invited her to come to Canada and start a school in Ville-Marie (eventually the city of Montreal). When she arrived, the colony numbered 200 people with a hospital and a Jesuit mission chapel.
Soon after starting a school, she realized her need for coworkers. Returning to Troyes, she recruited a friend, Catherine Crolo, and two other young women. In 1667, they added classes at their school for Indian children.
A second trip to France three years later resulted in six more young women and a letter from King Louis XIV, authorizing the school. The Congregation of Notre Dame was established in 1676 but its members did not make formal religious profession until 1698 when their Rule and constitutions were approved.
Marguerite established a school for Indian girls in Montreal. At the age of 69, she walked from Montreal to Quebec in response to the bishop’s request to establish a community of her sisters in that city. By the time she died, she was referred to as the “Mother of the Colony.” Marguerite was canonized in 1982.
Reflection
It’s easy to become discouraged when plans that we think that God must endorse are frustrated. Marguerite was called not to be a cloistered nun but to be a foundress and an educator. God had not ignored her after all.
Infant Jesus of Prague Novena
Day 7
Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
O Jesus, Who has said, “Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened,” through the intercession of Mary, Your Most Holy Mother, I knock, I seek, I ask that my prayer be granted.
(Mention your request here…)
O Jesus, Who has said,“All that you ask of the Father in My Name, He will grant you,” through the intercession of Mary Your Most Holy Mother, I humbly and urgently ask your Father in your name that my prayer will be granted.
(Mention your request here…)
O Jesus, Who has said,“Heaven and earth shall pass away but My word shall not pass away,” through the intercession of Mary Your Most Holy Mother, I feel confident that my prayer will be granted.
(Mention your request here…)
Say 1: Our Father… Say 1: Hail Mary… Say 1: Glory Be…
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
John 1:35-42
We Have Found the Messiah!
Who is Jesus for you? John calls Jesus the Lamb of God and thus signifies Jesus’ mission as the One who redeems us from our sins.
The blood of the Passover Lamb (Exodus 12) delivered the Israelites from their oppression in Egypt and from the plague of death. The Lord Jesus freely offered up his life for us on the cross as the atoning sacrifice for our sins (1 Corinthians 5:7).
The blood which he poured out for us on the cross cleanses, heals, and frees us from our slavery to sin, and from the “wages of sin which is death” (Romans 6:23) and the “destruction of both body and soul in hell” (Matthew 10:28). It is significant that John was the son of the priest, Zachariah, who participated in the daily sacrifice of a lamb in the temple for the sins of the people (Exodus 29). In Jesus John saw the true and only sacrifice which could deliver us from bondage to sin, death, and the powers of hell.
How did John know the true identity of Jesus, as the Son of God and Savior of the world (John 1:29)? The Holy Spirit revealed to John Jesus’ true nature, such that John bore witness that this is the Son of God. How can we be certain that Jesus is truly the Christ, the Son of the living God?
The Holy Spirit makes the Lord Jesus Christ known to us through the gift of faith. God gives us freely of his Spirit that we may comprehend – with enlightened minds and eyes of faith – the great mystery and plan of God to unite all things in his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. “What do you seek?” John in his characteristic humility was eager to point beyond himself to the Christ (means Anointed One and Messiah). He did not hesitate to direct his own disciples to the Lord Jesus. When two of John’s disciples began to seek Jesus out, Jesus took the initiative to invite them into his company. He did not wait for them to get his attention.
Instead he met them halfway. He asked them one of the most fundamental questions of life: “What are you looking for?” Jesus asks each one of us the same question:”What are you searching for? Do you know the meaning and purpose for your life?”
Only God, the Father and Author of life, can answer that question and make our purpose fully known to us. That is why the Lord Jesus invites each one of us to draw near to himself. He wants us to know him personally – to know what he came to do for us and what he wants to offer us.”Come and see” “Come and see” is the Lord’s invitation for each one of us to discover the joy of friendship and communion with the One who made us in love for love.
Saint Augustine of Hippo reminds us that it is God, our Creator and Redeemer, who seeks us out, even when we are not looking for him: “If you hadn’t been called by God, what could you have done to turn back?
Didn’t the very One who called you when you were opposed to Him make it possible for you to turn back?” It is God who initiates and who draws us to himself. Without his mercy and help we could not find him on our own. When we find something of great value it’s natural to want to share the good news of our discovery with our family, friends, and neighbors. When Andrew met Jesus and discovered that he was truly the Messiah, he immediately went to his brother Simon and told him the good news. Andrew brought his brother to meet Jesus so he could “come and see” for himself.
When Jesus saw Simon approaching he immediately reached out to Simon in the same way he had done for Andrew earlier. Jesus looked at Simon and revealed that he knew who Simon was and where he came from even before Simon had set his eyes on Jesus.
Jesus gave Simon a new name which signified that God had a personal call and mission for him. Jesus gave Simon the name “Cephas” which is the Aramaic word for “rock”. Cephas is translated as Peter (Petros in Greek and Petrus in Latin) which also literally means “rock”. To call someone a “rock” was one of the greatest compliments in the ancient world. The rabbis had a saying that when God saw Abraham, he exclaimed: “I have discovered a rock to found the world upon.” Through Abraham God established a nation for himself.
Through faith Peter grasped who Jesus truly was – the Anointed One (Messiah and Christ) and the only begotten Son of God. The New Testament describes the church as a spiritual house or temple with each member joined together as living stones (see 1 Peter 2:5).
Faith in Jesus Christ makes us into rocks or spiritual stones. The Holy Spirit gives us the gift of faith to know the Lord Jesus personally, power to live the gospel faithfully, and courage to witness the truth and joy of the Gospel to others. The Lord Jesus is ever ready to draw us to himself. Do you seek to grow in the knowledge and love of the Lord Jesus Christ?
Prayer
“Lord Jesus Christ, fill me with the power of your Holy Spirit that I may grow in the knowledge of your great love and truth. Let your Spirit be aflame in my heart that I may joyfully seek to do your will in all things.”
Amen
The Most Holy Name of Jesus
Everything about our divine Lord is holy, including His Name.
It was the Archangel Gabriel who first spoke the name of Jesus to His mother, “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus” (Luke 1:31 call). The Archangel was only a messenger, so the name of Jesus was given to Him by the Father in Heaven.
Saint Peter was one of the first Apostles to speak with authority in the Holy Name of Jesus when he healed a crippled man saying, “I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk” (Acts3:6)
Saint Paul also exalted the holy name of Jesus when he said, “…at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9–10).
Saint Paul preached with power in the name of Jesus so often that even some itinerant Jewish exorcists tried to imitate him by commanding demons, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches” (Acts 19:13).
Throughout the history of the Church, Jesus’ name has been invoked as an instrument of personal faith in the Son of God, especially to command demons or simply to pray to Jesus in a repetitive and personal way.
The liturgical Feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus has been celebrated by the Church for many centuries, especially within various religious orders. In the fifteenth century, Saint Bernardine of Siena, a Franciscan friar, went on a preaching mission promoting devotion to the Most Holy Name.
He encouraged people to revere Jesus’ name by placing the first three Greek letters of His name on their doors: IHS. Today, this Greek monogram of Jesus’ name is commonly seen in churches on tabernacles, altars, and in stained glass windows.
In the sixteenth century, Saint Ignatius of Loyola had such a strong devotion to the Most Holy Name of Jesus that he adopted it as his seal as general of his newly founded order of the Jesuits; that monogram remains the Jesuits’ official seal today.
There is great power in the spoken name of Jesus. Repeating His name prayerfully or speaking it aloud brings Him close and gives you strength, provided you recite His name in faith.
The name of Jesus casts out fear, arouses trust, and unites your heart to His. Sadly, the Most Holy Name of Jesus is so holy that the evil one often tempts people to invoke it as a curse when angry, without even considering what they are doing.
As we celebrate this holy memorial today, ponder the prayer below that is attributed to Saint Bernardine of Sienna, the Franciscan who spoke so fervently of Jesus’ name.
Also, take time to close your eyes and prayerfully repeat His name over and over. As you go about your day, anytime you feel anxious or fearful, speak the name of Jesus. Know and believe that the divine name of our Lord brings Him close to you and bestows His grace in abundance.
Prayer: Jesus, Name full of glory, grace, love, and strength! You are the refuge of those who repent, our banner of warfare in this life, the medicine of souls, the comfort of those who mourn, the delight of those who believe, the light of those who preach the true faith, the wages of those who toil, the healing of the sick.
To You our devotion aspires; by You our prayers are received; we delight in contemplating You. O Name of Jesus, You are the glory of all the saints for eternity. Amen.
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton
Aug 28, 1774 – Jan 4, 1821
Mother Seton is one of the keystones of the American Catholic Church. She founded the first American religious community for women, the Sisters of Charity. She opened the first American parish school and established the first American Catholic orphanage. All this she did in the span of 46 years while raising her five children.
Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton is a true daughter of the American Revolution, born August 28, 1774, just two years before the Declaration of Independence. By birth and marriage, she was linked to the first families of New York and enjoyed the fruits of high society.
Reared a staunch Episcopalian, she learned the value of prayer, Scripture and a nightly examination of conscience. Her father, Dr. Richard Bayley, did not have much use for churches but was a great humanitarian, teaching his daughter to love and serve others.
The early deaths of her mother in 1777 and her baby sister in 1778 gave Elizabeth a feel for eternity and the temporariness of the pilgrim life on earth. Far from being brooding and sullen, she faced each new “holocaust,” as she put it, with hopeful cheerfulness.
At 19, Elizabeth was the belle of New York and married a handsome, wealthy businessman, William Magee Seton. They had five children before his business failed and he died of tuberculosis. At 30, Elizabeth was widowed and penniless, with five small children to support. While in Italy with her dying husband, Elizabeth witnessed Catholicity in action through family friends.
Three basic points led her to become a Catholic: belief in the Real Presence, devotion to the Blessed Mother and conviction that the Catholic Church led back to the apostles and to Christ. Many of her family and friends rejected her when she became a Catholic in March 1805.
To support her children, she opened a school in Baltimore. From the beginning, her group followed the lines of a religious community, which was officially founded in 1809.
The thousand or more letters of Mother Seton reveal the development of her spiritual life from ordinary goodness to heroic sanctity.
She suffered great trials of sickness, misunderstanding, the death of loved ones (her husband and two young daughters) and the heartache of a wayward son. She died January 4, 1821, and became the first American-born citizen to be beatified (1963) and then canonized (1975). She is buried in Emmitsburg, Maryland.
Reflection
Elizabeth Ann Seton had no extraordinary gifts. She was not a mystic or stigmatic. She did not prophesy or speak in tongues. She had two great devotions: abandonment to the will of God and an ardent love for the Blessed Sacrament.
She wrote to a friend, Julia Scott, that she would prefer to exchange the world for a “cave or a desert.” “But God has given me a great deal to do, and I have always and hope always to prefer his will to every wish of my own.” Her brand of sanctity is open to everyone if we love God and do his will.
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton is a Patron Saint of:
Catholic SchoolsEducators/TeachersLoss of ParentsWidows
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
John 1:29-34
Behold the Lamb of God!
John calls Jesus the Lamb of God and thus signifies Jesus’ mission as the One who redeems us from our sins. The blood of the Passover Lamb (Exodus 12) delivered the Israelites in Egypt from slavery and death.
The Lord Jesus freely offered up his life for us on the cross as the atoning sacrifice for our sins (1 Corinthians 5:7). The blood which he poured out for us on the cross cleanses, heals, and frees us from our slavery to sin, and from the “wages of sin which is death” (Romans 6:23) and the “destruction of both body and soul in hell” (Matthew 10:28). John points to Jesus’ saving mission – to offer up his life as the atoning sacrifice for our sins It is significant that John was the son of Zachariah, a priest of Israel who participated in the daily sacrifice of a lamb in the temple for the sins of the people (Exodus 29).
John recognized that Jesus was the perfect unblemished lamb offered by the Father in heaven as the one and only sacrifice that could cancel the debt of sin, and free us from death and the destruction of body and soul in hell. The Holy Spirit reveals who Jesus truly is – the Son of God and Savior of the world When John says he did not know Jesus (John 1:31,33) he was referring to the hidden reality of Jesus’ divinity. But the Holy Spirit in that hour revealed to John Jesus’ true nature, such that John bore witness that this is the Son of God. How can we be certain that Jesus is truly the Christ, the Son of the living God?
The Holy Spirit makes the Lord Jesus Christ known to us through the gift of faith. God gives us his Spirit as our helper and guide who opens our hearts and minds to receive and comprehend the great mystery and plan of God – to unite all things in his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:10). Do you want to grow in the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ? Ask the Lord to pour his Holy Spirit upon you to deepen your faith, hope, and love for God and for the plan he has for your life.
Prayer
“Lord Jesus Christ, fill me with the power of your Holy Spirit and let me grow in the knowledge of your great love and truth. Let your Spirit be aflame in my heart that I may know and love you more fervently and strive to do your will in all things.”
Amen
The Most Holy Name of Jesus
Everything about our divine Lord is holy, including His Name.
It was the Archangel Gabriel who first spoke the name of Jesus to His mother, “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus” (Luke 1:31 call). The Archangel was only a messenger, so the name of Jesus was given to Him by the Father in Heaven.
Saint Peter was one of the first Apostles to speak with authority in the Holy Name of Jesus when he healed a crippled man saying, “I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk” (Acts3:6)
Saint Paul also exalted the holy name of Jesus when he said, “…at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9–10).
Saint Paul preached with power in the name of Jesus so often that even some itinerant Jewish exorcists tried to imitate him by commanding demons, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches” (Acts 19:13).
Throughout the history of the Church, Jesus’ name has been invoked as an instrument of personal faith in the Son of God, especially to command demons or simply to pray to Jesus in a repetitive and personal way.
The liturgical Feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus has been celebrated by the Church for many centuries, especially within various religious orders. In the fifteenth century, Saint Bernardine of Siena, a Franciscan friar, went on a preaching mission promoting devotion to the Most Holy Name.
He encouraged people to revere Jesus’ name by placing the first three Greek letters of His name on their doors: IHS. Today, this Greek monogram of Jesus’ name is commonly seen in churches on tabernacles, altars, and in stained glass windows.
In the sixteenth century, Saint Ignatius of Loyola had such a strong devotion to the Most Holy Name of Jesus that he adopted it as his seal as general of his newly founded order of the Jesuits; that monogram remains the Jesuits’ official seal today.
There is great power in the spoken name of Jesus. Repeating His name prayerfully or speaking it aloud brings Him close and gives you strength, provided you recite His name in faith.
The name of Jesus casts out fear, arouses trust, and unites your heart to His. Sadly, the Most Holy Name of Jesus is so holy that the evil one often tempts people to invoke it as a curse when angry, without even considering what they are doing.
As we celebrate this holy memorial today, ponder the prayer below that is attributed to Saint Bernardine of Sienna, the Franciscan who spoke so fervently of Jesus’ name.
Also, take time to close your eyes and prayerfully repeat His name over and over. As you go about your day, anytime you feel anxious or fearful, speak the name of Jesus. Know and believe that the divine name of our Lord brings Him close to you and bestows His grace in abundance.
Prayer: Jesus, Name full of glory, grace, love, and strength! You are the refuge of those who repent, our banner of warfare in this life, the medicine of souls, the comfort of those who mourn, the delight of those who believe, the light of those who preach the true faith, the wages of those who toil, the healing of the sick.
To You our devotion aspires; by You our prayers are received; we delight in contemplating You. O Name of Jesus, You are the glory of all the saints for eternity. Amen.
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Matthew 10:17-22
John Saw the Word of God Made Flesh and Believed
What was it like for those who encountered the only begotten Son of God in human form? John, the beloved disciple of Jesus, wrote his Gospel as an eye-witness of the Word of God who became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:1,14), and who died and rose for our salvation.
John was the first apostle to reach the tomb of Jesus on Easter Sunday morning. Like the other disciples, he was not ready to see an empty tomb and to hear the angel’s message, Why do you seek the living among the dead (Luke 24:5)? The Lord Jesus came to set us free from sin and death and give us everlasting lifeWhat did John see in the tomb that led him to believe in the resurrection of Jesus? It was certainly not a dead body. The dead body of Jesus would have dis-proven the resurrection and made his death a tragic conclusion to a glorious career as a great teacher and miracle worker.
When John saw the empty tomb he must have recalled Jesus’ prophecy that he would rise again after three days. Through the gift of faith John realized that no tomb on earth could contain the Lord and giver of life. Jesus is the eternal Son of the Father and the Savior who died and rose for us John in his first epistle testifies: What we have seen, heard, and touched we proclaim as the word of life which existed “from the beginning” (1 John 1:1-4). John bears witness to what has existed from all eternity.
This “Word of Life” is Jesus the Word Incarnate, but also Jesus as the word announced by the prophets and Jesus the word now preached throughout the Christian churches for all ages to come.
One thing is certain, if Jesus had not risen from the dead and appeared to his disciples, we would never have heard of him. Nothing else could have changed sad and despairing men and women into people radiant with joy and courage. The reality of the resurrection is the central fact of the Christian faith. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Lord gives us “eyes of faith” to know him and the power of his resurrection. The greatest joy we can have is to encounter the living Jesus Christ and to know him personally as our Savior and Lord.
Prayer
“Lord Jesus Christ, you have triumphed over the grave and you have won new life for us. Give me the eyes of faith to see you in your glory. Help me to draw near to you and to grow in the knowledge of your great love and power that sets us free to love and serve you now and forever in your everlasting kingdom.”
Amen
Saint John the Evangelist
Saint John the Apostle stands out from the other Apostles in many ways. He is believed to be the author of the Gospel of Saint John, three letters in the New Testament—John 1, 2, 3— and the Book of Revelation.
In the Gospel attributed to him, he refers to himself not as “John,” but as “the one whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23). Tradition holds that he outlived the other Apostles, dying around the year 101. He is the only Apostle who died of natural causes rather than martyrdom.
His writing style is mystical, reflective, and contemplative, and he includes rich symbolism. His Gospel and letters focus upon divine love and the intimacy to which we are called to love and be loved by God. Little is known about John’s background other than what is mentioned in the Gospels. He was most likely from either Capernaum or Bethsaida, just north of the Sea of Galilee.
He was a fisherman, along with his father, Zebedee, and his brother, James. He was a friend and fishing companion with Simon and Andrew. John’s mother was Salome, who might have been a sister to the Blessed Virgin Mary, making John and James cousins of Jesus.
John was likely a disciple of Jesus’ other cousin, John the Baptist, and it was the Baptist who pointed John and Andrew to Jesus: “The next day John was there again with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God.’ The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus” (John 1:35–37). A few verses later we read, “Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus.”
The other disciple is not named, but most scholars believe that it was John, Andrew’s friend. The Gospels of Matthew and Mark share a similar version of John’s calling. In both versions, Jesus encounters Simon and Andrew casting their net into the sea.
He calls them and they immediately follow. Jesus then walks a little farther, sees James and John mending their nets with their father Zebedee, calls them, and they leave their father and follow Jesus immediately. Luke’s version adds more detail and differs slightly. Jesus gets into Simon’s boat and tells him to lower his net for a catch.
He does so, despite not catching anything all night, and catches so many fish that Simon and the men in the boat have to call their friends—James, John, and Zebedee—to help them. After that, Andrew, Simon, James, and John become Jesus’ followers.
Once Jesus had called all of His Apostles, he named James and John as “Boanerges, that is, sons of thunder” (Mark 3:17). This designation might have been because they were excessively zealous.
For example, they asked Jesus whether they should call down fire from heaven to consume a Samaritan town that would not welcome them (Luke 9:54), and they, along with their mother, asked to sit at Jesus’ right and left in His Kingdom (Matthew 20:20–23). Though the Twelve Apostles accompany Jesus throughout His public ministry, Peter, James, and John emerge as His closest companions.
Notably, Jesus brings only these three disciples with Him during important moments in His life and ministry: when He raises Jarius’ daughter from the dead, is transfigured in glory, and during the Agony in the Garden. Mark 13:3 also relates that Peter, Andrew, James, and John had a private conversation with Jesus about the signs of the end times.
After John and Andrew become Jesus’ followers, John is not mentioned again in his Gospel until the Last Supper when he leans on Jesus’ breast (John 13:23–25), an act that symbolizes John’s profound love of Christ. John then enters the Garden of Gethsemane with Peter and James while Jesus prays in agony.
After witnessing Jesus’ arrest and trial, John is the only Apostle who stands before the Crucifix with Jesus’ mother. The others fled in fear. It was there that Jesus entrusted His mother to John’s care, “Woman, behold, your son” and “Behold, your mother” (John 19:26–27)).
After the Resurrection, John ran to the tomb ahead of Peter when Mary of Magdala informed the two of them that she had seen the risen Lord. John waited for Peter and permitted him to enter the tomb first (John 20:2–8). Finally, John is present at the miraculous catch of fish after the Resurrection (21:7, 20–24).
It was at that resurrection appearance that Peter specifically asked Jesus about what would happen to John. Jesus replies, “What if I want him to remain until I come? What concern is it of yours? You follow me.” This reply led the disciples to believe that John would not die.
After Jesus’ Ascension, John is among those gathered in the upper room who receive the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 1:13), John and Peter perform a miraculous healing of a lame man at the temple, leading to Peter’s powerful sermon to the crowd.
In Acts 4, the priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees detain John and Peter for a night in prison. The next day, the two boldly testify about Jesus before the high priests, asserting their duty to obey God over human orders.
The authorities then released them for fear of the crowds. In Acts 8:14, just after the martyrdom of Stephen, Peter and John are sent to Samaria to pray for new believers to receive the Holy Spirit. This is the last mention of John in the Acts of the Apostles.
Though there is no reliable documentation about where John traveled and ministered after Samaria, most scholars believe that he and the Blessed Virgin Mary moved to Ephesus, in modern-day Turkey, and John spent the rest of his life caring for her and ministering throughout Asia Minor, which made up what is today western Turkey. This belief is especially based on the letters mentioned in the Book of Revelation that were written to seven churches he most likely helped establish: Ephesus.
Walking to each of these cities, one after another, was about a 400-mile journey encircling western Asia Minor.
One tradition states that during the reign of Emperor Domitian (81–96), John was arrested and dropped in a boiling cauldron of oil. After he was miraculously unharmed, many witnesses converted to the faith.
The emperor then exiled him to the Island of Patmos for a year, which is believed to be where he had mystical visions and wrote those visions down in the Book of Revelation, “I, John, your brother, who share with you the distress, the kingdom, and the endurance we have in Jesus, found myself on the island called Patmos because I proclaimed God’s word and gave testimony to Jesus” (Revelation 1:9).
The Book of Revelation is an apocalyptic text filled with complex and vivid symbolic visions depicting the ultimate battle between good and evil and the triumph of God. It offers messages to seven churches in Asia Minor, presenting prophecies about the end times, the Second Coming of Christ, and the establishment of the New Heavens and New Earth, providing a hopeful and triumphant conclusion to the Christian biblical message.
The three letters attributed to John—1 John, 2 John, and 3 John—focus upon love, truth, and Christian fellowship. John describes God as Love and exhorts the reader to good Christian living. He warns against following false teachers, stresses the importance of following Christ’s teachings, and encourages the work of itinerant preachers and the responsibility of the communities to welcome them.
Today, near Ephesus, there is a pilgrim site called “Meryem Ana Evi” (House of Mary), which is believed to be the house in which John and the Blessed Virgin Mary lived and from which the Mother of God was assumed into Heaven.
Another tradition states she was assumed into Heaven near Jerusalem. John lived to an old age, died of natural causes, and was buried near Ephesus in what are today the ruins of Saint John’s Basilica, Selçuk.
John was truly the beloved disciple of Christ, remained so throughout his long earthly life, and will be so forever in Heaven. An ancient story from shortly after Saint John’s death states that at the end of his life, Saint John continuously repeated to his flock, “My little children, love one another.”
John’s life can be summed up with love. God is love. We must love God, and we must love one another. Love is everything. Ponder this love that Saint John had for his Lord and pray to him, asking him to intercede for you so that your love of God and others will greatly increase.
Prayer
Saint John the Apostle, at a young age you heard Jesus’ call to follow Him, and you willingly accepted. During His ministry, you grew in a profound and mystical love of your Lord, and that love increased throughout your life.
Please pray for me, that this pure and holy love will increase in my life so that I can share that love with others. Saint John the Apostle, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Luke 2:15-20
The Shepherds Glorified God for All They Had Seen
Have you read the news today – the “good news” of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and son of Mary who was born for us and for our salvation. The word gospel literally means good news! Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem fulfilled the prophecy that the Messiah would descend from David and be born in David’s city, Bethlehem (Isaiah 9:6-7, 11:1-2; Micah 5:2-4). The first to hear the good news of the savior’s birth were not the rulers and religious leaders of Israel who were robed in riches and power. The angels first came to those who were humble and ready to receive the newborn king who was born in poverty and was now lying in a manger made for animals.
Just as God had chosen and anointed David, a lowly shepherd of Bethlehem to become the shepherd king of Israel, so Jesus, likewise chose the path of humility and lowliness in coming to Israel as the good shepherd king who would lay down his life for their sake and salvation. After the angels had sung their hymn of glory in the presence of the shepherds, the shepherds made haste to adore the newborn king and sing their hymn of glory as well. Many of the early church fathers have written hymns and homilies in praise of the Incarnation. John the Monk, an 8th century writer, in his Hymn of the Nativity, sings of the great exchange in the mystery and wonder of the Incarnation – God becoming man in order to bring man to heaven:
Heaven and earth are united today, for Christ is born! Today God has come upon earth, and humankind gone up to heaven. Today, for the sake of humankind, the invisible one is seen in the flesh.
Therefore let us glorify him and cry aloud: glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace bestowed by your coming, Savior: glory to you! Today in Bethlehem, I hear the angels: glory to God in the highest! Glory to him whose good pleasure it was that there be peace on earth! The Virgin is now more spacious than the heavens.
Light has shone on those in darkness, exalting the lowly who sing like the angels: Glory to God in the highest! Beholding him [Adam] who was in God’s image and likeness fallen through transgression, Jesus bowed the heavens and came down, without change taking up his dwelling in a virgin womb, that he might refashion Adam fallen in corruption, and crying out: glory to your epiphany, my Savior and my God! [Stichera (hymn) of the Nativity of the Lord]
Why was it necessary for the Word of God to become flesh? We needed a savior who could reconcile us with God. Throughout the ages Christians have professed the ancient Nicene Creed: “He became man for our sake and for the sake of our salvation.”
The eternal Word became flesh for us so he could offer his life as an atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world through the shedding of his blood on the cross. The Word became flesh to show us the infinite love and tender mercy of God for us sinners. In the feast of Christmas we celebrate present realities – Jesus Christ our redeemer who reigns in heaven and who also lives and reigns in our hearts through the gift and working of the Holy Spirit. And we commemorate past events – the birth of the newborn Messiah King and his manifestation to Israel and to the gentile nations.
We thank and bless God for the way in which he has saved us from the power of sin and the curse of death and destruction by sending his son to ransom us and give us pardon and abundant life through the gift and working of the Holy Spirit. Today we celebrate the birthday of our King and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. God wants to fill our hearts anew with joy and gratitude for the greatest gift he could possibly give us – his beloved Son Jesus. What can we give thanks for in this great feast of the Incarnation?
We can praise and thank God our Father for the fact that the Son of God freely and joyfully assumed a human nature in order to accomplish our salvation in it. Jesus came to release the captives from slavery to sin and to open the gates of paradise once again.
This day the Holy Spirit invites us to make haste – as the shepherds of Bethlehem did – to adore Jesus our King and Messiah. The Lord Jesus Christ is our eternal good shepherd who guides and cares for us unceasingly and who gives us abundant everlasting life and union with the triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This day the whole community of heaven joins with all believers of good will on earth in a jubilant song of praise for the good news proclaimed by the angels on Christmas eve: Behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people, for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:10-11). The joy of Christmas is not for a day or a season. It is an eternal joy, a joy that no one can take from us because it is the joy of Jesus Christ himself made present in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who dwells within us (see Romans 5:2-5).
The Lord gives us a supernatural joy which no pain nor sorrow can diminish, and which neither life nor death can take away. Do you know the joy of your salvation in Jesus Christ?
🟠🟠🙏🏻Prayer🙏🏻🟠🟠
“Lord our God, with the birth of your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, your glory breaks on the world. As we celebrate his first coming, give us a foretaste of the joy that you will grant us when the fulness of his glory has filled the earth.”
Amen
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Luke 2:15-20
The Shepherds Glorified God for All They Had Seen
Have you read the news today – the “good news” of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and son of Mary who was born for us and for our salvation. The word gospel literally means good news! Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem fulfilled the prophecy that the Messiah would descend from David and be born in David’s city, Bethlehem (Isaiah 9:6-7, 11:1-2; Micah 5:2-4). The first to hear the good news of the savior’s birth were not the rulers and religious leaders of Israel who were robed in riches and power. The angels first came to those who were humble and ready to receive the newborn king who was born in poverty and was now lying in a manger made for animals.
Just as God had chosen and anointed David, a lowly shepherd of Bethlehem to become the shepherd king of Israel, so Jesus, likewise chose the path of humility and lowliness in coming to Israel as the good shepherd king who would lay down his life for their sake and salvation. After the angels had sung their hymn of glory in the presence of the shepherds, the shepherds made haste to adore the newborn king and sing their hymn of glory as well. Many of the early church fathers have written hymns and homilies in praise of the Incarnation. John the Monk, an 8th century writer, in his Hymn of the Nativity, sings of the great exchange in the mystery and wonder of the Incarnation – God becoming man in order to bring man to heaven:
Heaven and earth are united today, for Christ is born! Today God has come upon earth, and humankind gone up to heaven. Today, for the sake of humankind, the invisible one is seen in the flesh.
Therefore let us glorify him and cry aloud: glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace bestowed by your coming, Savior: glory to you! Today in Bethlehem, I hear the angels: glory to God in the highest! Glory to him whose good pleasure it was that there be peace on earth! The Virgin is now more spacious than the heavens.
Light has shone on those in darkness, exalting the lowly who sing like the angels: Glory to God in the highest! Beholding him [Adam] who was in God’s image and likeness fallen through transgression, Jesus bowed the heavens and came down, without change taking up his dwelling in a virgin womb, that he might refashion Adam fallen in corruption, and crying out: glory to your epiphany, my Savior and my God! [Stichera (hymn) of the Nativity of the Lord]
Why was it necessary for the Word of God to become flesh? We needed a savior who could reconcile us with God. Throughout the ages Christians have professed the ancient Nicene Creed: “He became man for our sake and for the sake of our salvation.”
The eternal Word became flesh for us so he could offer his life as an atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world through the shedding of his blood on the cross. The Word became flesh to show us the infinite love and tender mercy of God for us sinners. In the feast of Christmas we celebrate present realities – Jesus Christ our redeemer who reigns in heaven and who also lives and reigns in our hearts through the gift and working of the Holy Spirit. And we commemorate past events – the birth of the newborn Messiah King and his manifestation to Israel and to the gentile nations.
We thank and bless God for the way in which he has saved us from the power of sin and the curse of death and destruction by sending his son to ransom us and give us pardon and abundant life through the gift and working of the Holy Spirit. Today we celebrate the birthday of our King and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. God wants to fill our hearts anew with joy and gratitude for the greatest gift he could possibly give us – his beloved Son Jesus. What can we give thanks for in this great feast of the Incarnation?
We can praise and thank God our Father for the fact that the Son of God freely and joyfully assumed a human nature in order to accomplish our salvation in it. Jesus came to release the captives from slavery to sin and to open the gates of paradise once again.
This day the Holy Spirit invites us to make haste – as the shepherds of Bethlehem did – to adore Jesus our King and Messiah. The Lord Jesus Christ is our eternal good shepherd who guides and cares for us unceasingly and who gives us abundant everlasting life and union with the triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This day the whole community of heaven joins with all believers of good will on earth in a jubilant song of praise for the good news proclaimed by the angels on Christmas eve: Behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people, for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:10-11). The joy of Christmas is not for a day or a season. It is an eternal joy, a joy that no one can take from us because it is the joy of Jesus Christ himself made present in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who dwells within us (see Romans 5:2-5).
The Lord gives us a supernatural joy which no pain nor sorrow can diminish, and which neither life nor death can take away. Do you know the joy of your salvation in Jesus Christ?
🟠🟠🙏🏻Prayer🙏🏻🟠🟠
“Lord our God, with the birth of your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, your glory breaks on the world. As we celebrate his first coming, give us a foretaste of the joy that you will grant us when the fulness of his glory has filled the earth.”
Amen
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Luke 2:15-20
The Shepherds Glorified God for All They Had Seen
Have you read the news today – the “good news” of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and son of Mary who was born for us and for our salvation. The word gospel literally means good news! Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem fulfilled the prophecy that the Messiah would descend from David and be born in David’s city, Bethlehem (Isaiah 9:6-7, 11:1-2; Micah 5:2-4). The first to hear the good news of the savior’s birth were not the rulers and religious leaders of Israel who were robed in riches and power. The angels first came to those who were humble and ready to receive the newborn king who was born in poverty and was now lying in a manger made for animals.
Just as God had chosen and anointed David, a lowly shepherd of Bethlehem to become the shepherd king of Israel, so Jesus, likewise chose the path of humility and lowliness in coming to Israel as the good shepherd king who would lay down his life for their sake and salvation. After the angels had sung their hymn of glory in the presence of the shepherds, the shepherds made haste to adore the newborn king and sing their hymn of glory as well. Many of the early church fathers have written hymns and homilies in praise of the Incarnation. John the Monk, an 8th century writer, in his Hymn of the Nativity, sings of the great exchange in the mystery and wonder of the Incarnation – God becoming man in order to bring man to heaven:
Heaven and earth are united today, for Christ is born! Today God has come upon earth, and humankind gone up to heaven. Today, for the sake of humankind, the invisible one is seen in the flesh.
Therefore let us glorify him and cry aloud: glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace bestowed by your coming, Savior: glory to you! Today in Bethlehem, I hear the angels: glory to God in the highest! Glory to him whose good pleasure it was that there be peace on earth! The Virgin is now more spacious than the heavens.
Light has shone on those in darkness, exalting the lowly who sing like the angels: Glory to God in the highest! Beholding him [Adam] who was in God’s image and likeness fallen through transgression, Jesus bowed the heavens and came down, without change taking up his dwelling in a virgin womb, that he might refashion Adam fallen in corruption, and crying out: glory to your epiphany, my Savior and my God! [Stichera (hymn) of the Nativity of the Lord]
Why was it necessary for the Word of God to become flesh? We needed a savior who could reconcile us with God. Throughout the ages Christians have professed the ancient Nicene Creed: “He became man for our sake and for the sake of our salvation.”
The eternal Word became flesh for us so he could offer his life as an atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world through the shedding of his blood on the cross. The Word became flesh to show us the infinite love and tender mercy of God for us sinners. In the feast of Christmas we celebrate present realities – Jesus Christ our redeemer who reigns in heaven and who also lives and reigns in our hearts through the gift and working of the Holy Spirit. And we commemorate past events – the birth of the newborn Messiah King and his manifestation to Israel and to the gentile nations.
We thank and bless God for the way in which he has saved us from the power of sin and the curse of death and destruction by sending his son to ransom us and give us pardon and abundant life through the gift and working of the Holy Spirit. Today we celebrate the birthday of our King and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. God wants to fill our hearts anew with joy and gratitude for the greatest gift he could possibly give us – his beloved Son Jesus. What can we give thanks for in this great feast of the Incarnation?
We can praise and thank God our Father for the fact that the Son of God freely and joyfully assumed a human nature in order to accomplish our salvation in it. Jesus came to release the captives from slavery to sin and to open the gates of paradise once again.
This day the Holy Spirit invites us to make haste – as the shepherds of Bethlehem did – to adore Jesus our King and Messiah. The Lord Jesus Christ is our eternal good shepherd who guides and cares for us unceasingly and who gives us abundant everlasting life and union with the triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This day the whole community of heaven joins with all believers of good will on earth in a jubilant song of praise for the good news proclaimed by the angels on Christmas eve: Behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people, for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:10-11). The joy of Christmas is not for a day or a season. It is an eternal joy, a joy that no one can take from us because it is the joy of Jesus Christ himself made present in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who dwells within us (see Romans 5:2-5).
The Lord gives us a supernatural joy which no pain nor sorrow can diminish, and which neither life nor death can take away. Do you know the joy of your salvation in Jesus Christ?
🟠🟠🙏🏻Prayer🙏🏻🟠🟠
“Lord our God, with the birth of your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, your glory breaks on the world. As we celebrate his first coming, give us a foretaste of the joy that you will grant us when the fulness of his glory has filled the earth.”
Amen
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Matthew 17:9a,10-13
Elijah Must First Come
God gives signs to show what he is about to do. John the Baptist is one such sign, who pointed to Jesus and prepared the way for his coming.
John fulfilled the essential task of all the prophets: to be fingers pointing to Jesus Christ. John is the last and greatest prophet of the old kingdom, the old covenant.
The Jews expected that when the Messiah would come, Elijah would appear to announce his presence. John fills the role of Elijah and prepares the way for the coming of Jesus Christ by preaching a baptism of repentance and renewal. As watchful servants, we, too must prepare for the Lord’s coming again by turning away from sin and from everything that would keep us from pursuing his will. Are you eager to do God’s will and are you prepared to meet the Lord Jesus when he returns in glory?
Prayer
“Lord Jesus, stir my zeal for your righteousness and for your kingdom. Free me from complacency and from compromising with the ways of sin and worldliness that I may be wholeheartedly devoted to you and to your kingdom.”
Amen
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Luke 1:26-38
For with God Nothing Will Be Impossible
Do you want to live a grace-filled life? The angel Gabriel salutes Mary as “full of grace”. To become the mother of the Savior, Mary was enriched by God with gifts to enable her to assume this awesome role.
There is a venerable tradition among many Christians, dating back to the early church, for honoring Mary as the spotless virgin who bore the Son of God in her womb. A number of early church fathers link Mary’s obedience to this singular grace of God. “Being obedient she became the cause of salvation for herself and for the whole human race…
The knot of Eve’s disobedience was untied by Mary’s obedience: what the virgin Eve bound through her disbelief, Mary loosened by her faith” (from Adv. haeres 3.22.4, by Irenaeus, bishop of Lyons, 130-200 AD). Faith is the key that unlock’s the power of God’s kingdom in our lives What is the key that can unlock the power and grace of God’s kingdom in our personal lives? Faith and obedience for sure! When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they immediately experienced the consequence of their action – separation from the God who loved them.
God in his mercy promised them a Redeemer who would pay the price for their sin and the sin of the world. We see the marvelous unfolding of God’s plan of redemption in the events leading up to the Incarnation, the birth of the Messiah. Mary’s prompt response of “yes” to the divine message is a model of faith for all believers.
Mary believed God’s promises even when they seemed impossible. She was full of grace because she trusted that what God said was true and would be fulfilled. She was willing and eager to do God’s will, even if it seemed difficult or costly. God gives us the grace to say “yes” to his will and to his transforming work in our lives
God gives us grace and he expects us to respond with the same willingness, obedience, and heart-felt trust as Mary did. When God commands he also gives the grace, strength, and means to respond. We can either yield to his grace or resist and go our own way. Do you believe in God’s promises and do you yield to his grace?
Prayer
“Heavenly Father, you offer us abundant grace, mercy, and forgiveness through your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Help me to live a grace-filled life as Mary did by believing in your promises and by giving you my unqualified “yes” to your will and to your plan for my life.”
Amen
The Story of Our Lady of Guadalupe
The feast in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe goes back to the 16th century. Chronicles of that period tell us the story.
A poor Indian named Cuauhtlatohuac was baptized and given the name Juan Diego. He was a 57-year-old widower, and lived in a small village near Mexico City. On Saturday morning December 9, 1531, he was on his way to a nearby barrio to attend Mass in honor of Our Lad
Juan was walking by a hill called Tepeyac when he heard beautiful music like the warbling of birds. A radiant cloud appeared, and within it stood an Indian maiden dressed like an Aztec princess.
The lady spoke to him in his own language and sent him to the bishop of Mexico, a Franciscan named Juan de Zumarraga. The bishop was to build a chapel in the place where the lady appeared.
Eventually the bishop told Juan to have the lady give him a sign. About this same time Juan’s uncle became seriously ill. This led poor Juan to try to avoid the lady. Nevertheless the lady found Juan, assured him that his uncle would recover, and provided roses for Juan to carry to the bishop in his cape or tilma.
On December 12, when Juan Diego opened his tilma in the bishop’s presence, the roses fell to the ground, and the bishop sank to his knees. On the tilma where the roses had been appeared an image of Mary exactly as she had appeared at the hill of Tepeyac.
Reflection
Mary’s appearance to Juan Diego as one of his people is a powerful reminder that Mary—and the God who sent her—accept all peoples. In the context of the sometimes rude and cruel treatment of the Indians by the Spaniards, the apparition was a rebuke to the Spaniards and an event of vast significance for the indigenous population.
While a number of them had converted before this incident, they now came in droves. According to a contemporary chronicler, nine million Indians became Catholic in a very short time. In these days when we hear so much about God’s preferential option for the poor, Our Lady of Guadalupe cries out to us that God’s love for and identification with the poor is an age-old truth that stems from the Gospel itself.
Our Lady of Guadalupe is the Patron Saint of:
The AmericasMexico
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Luke 5:17-26
Your God Will Come and Save You
Is there anything in your life that keeps you from receiving the blessings of God’s kingdom? The prophets foretold that when the Messiah came to usher in God’s kingdom the blind would see, the deaf hear, and the lame walk (Isaiah 35:5-6).
Jesus not only brought physical healing, but healing of mind, heart, and soul as well. Jesus came to bring us the abundant life of God’s kingdom (John 10:10).
But that new life and transformation can be stifled by unbelief, indifference, and sinful pride. Sin cripples us far more than any physical ailment can. Sin is the work of the kingdom of darkness and it holds us in eternal bondage. There is only one solution and that is the healing, cleansing power of Jesus’ forgiveness. The coming of God’s kingdom restores, heals, and brings pardon and new life Jesus’ treatment of sinners upset the religious teachers of the day. When a cripple was brought to Jesus because of the faith of his friends, Jesus did the unthinkable. He first forgave the man his sins.
The scribes regarded this as blasphemy because they understood that only God had authority to forgive sins and to unbind a man or woman from their burden of guilt. Jesus claimed an authority which only God could rightfully give.
Jesus not only proved that his authority came from God, he showed the great power of God’s redeeming love and mercy by healing the cripple of his physical ailment. This man had been crippled not only physically, but spiritually as well. Jesus freed him from his burden of guilt and restored his body as well. The Lord Jesus sets us free from slavery to sin and makes us wholeThe Lord Jesus is ever ready to bring us healing of body, mind, and soul. His grace brings us freedom from the power of sin and from bondage to harmful desires and addictions. Do you allow anything to keep you from Jesus’ healing power?
Prayer
“Lord Jesus, through your merciful love and forgiveness you bring healing and restoration to body, soul, and mind. May your healing power and love touch every area of my life – my innermost thoughts, feelings, attitudes, and memories. Pardon my offenses and transform me in the power of your Holy Spirit that I may walk confidently in your truth and righteousness.”
Amen
Saint Damasus I
304 – Dec 11, 384
To his secretary Saint Jerome, Damasus was “an incomparable person, learned in the Scriptures, a virgin doctor of the virgin Church, who loved chastity and heard its praises with pleasure.”
Damasus seldom heard such unrestrained praise. Internal political struggles, doctrinal heresies, uneasy relations with his fellow bishops and those of the Eastern Church marred the peace of his pontificate.
The son of a Roman priest, possibly of Spanish extraction, Damasus started as a deacon in his father’s church, and served as a priest in what later became the basilica of San Lorenzo in Rome.
He served Pope Liberius (352-366) and followed him into exile.
When Liberius died, Damasus was elected bishop of Rome; but a minority elected and consecrated another deacon, Ursinus, as pope.
The controversy between Damasus and the antipope resulted in violent battles in two basilicas, scandalizing the bishops of Italy. At the synod that Damasus called on the occasion of his birthday, he asked them to approve his actions.
The bishops’ reply was curt: “We assembled for a birthday, not to condemn a man unheard.” Supporters of the antipope even managed to get Damasus accused of a grave crime—probably sexual—as late as A.D. 378. He had to clear himself before both a civil court and a Church synod.
As pope, his lifestyle was simple in contrast to other ecclesiastics of Rome, and he was fierce in his denunciation of Arianism and other heresies. A misunderstanding of the Trinitarian terminology used by Rome threatened amicable relations with the Eastern Church, and Damasus was only moderately successful in dealing with that challenge.
During his pontificate, Christianity was declared the official religion of the Roman state, and Latin became the principal liturgical language as part of the pope’s reforms.
His encouragement of Saint Jerome’s biblical studies led to the Vulgate, the Latin translation of Scripture which 12 centuries later the Council of Trent declared to be “authentic in public readings, disputations, preaching.”
Reflection
The history of the papacy and the Church is inextricably mixed with the personal biography of Damasus. In a troubled and pivotal period of Church history, he stands forth as a zealous defender of the faith who knew when to be progressive and when to entrench.
Damasus makes us aware of two qualities of good leadership: alertness to the promptings of the Spirit, and service. His struggles are a reminder that Jesus never promised his Rock protection from hurricane winds nor his followers immunity from difficulties. His only guarantee is final victory.
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Luke 10:21-24
Blessed Are the Eyes Which See What You See!
How does God bring his kingdom to us? Jesus remarked that many prophets and kings before him longed to see and understand God’s plan for establishing his kingdom.
When King David’s throne was overthrown and vacant for centuries, God promised, nonetheless, to raise up a new king from the stump of Jesse, the father of David. This messianic king would rule forever because the Spirit of God would rest upon him and remain with him (Isaiah 11:1). The Messiah King is anointed with divine wisdom and gifts of the SpiritIsaiah prophesied that the Messiah would be equipped with the gifts of the Spirit – with wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and fear of the Lord (Isaiah 11:2 – for an explanation of the gifts see this helpful article.
This king would establish the kingdom of God, not by force of human will and military power, but by offering his life as the atoning sacrifice for the sin of the world. Through his death on the cross, Jesus, the true Messiah King, would defeat Satan, overcome death, and win pardon and reconciliation for sinners.
God’s plan of redemption included not only the Jewish people but all the nations of the earth as well. Through his death and resurrection Jesus makes us citizens of heaven and friends of God. The Lord Jesus wants us to live in joyful hope and confident expectation that he will come again to fully establish his kingdom of righteousness and peace. What does Jesus’ prayer (Luke 10:21-22) tell us about God and about ourselves? First, it tells us that God is both Father and Lord of earth as well as heaven.
He is both Creator and Author of all that he has made, the first origin of everything and transcendent authority, and at the same time, goodness and loving care for all his children. All fatherhood and motherhood are derived from him (Ephesians 3:14-15). Jesus’ prayer also contains a warning that pride can keep us from the love and knowledge of God. The Lord opposes the proud but gives wisdom and understanding to the humblePride closes the mind to God’s truth and wisdom for our lives. Jesus contrasts pride with child-like simplicity and humility.
The simple of heart are like “babes” in the sense that they see purely without pretense and acknowledge their dependence and trust in God who is the source of all wisdom and strength. They seek one thing – the “summum bonum” or “greatest good” which is God himself. Simplicity of heart is wedded with humility, the queen of virtues, because humility inclines the heart towards grace and truth. Just as pride is the root of every sin and evil we can conceive, so humility is the only soil in which the grace of God can take root.
It alone takes the right attitude before God and allows him as God to do all. “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (Prov. 3:34, James 4:6).
The grace of Christ-like humility inclines us towards God and disposes us to receive God’s wisdom, grace, and help. Nothing can give us greater joy than the knowledge that we are God’s beloved and that our names are written in heaven (Luke 10:20). Do you seek God’s wisdom and grace with humility and trust? Through Christ we can personally know the Father and be united with himJesus makes a claim which no one would have dared to make: He is the perfect revelation of God. Our knowledge of God is not simply limited to knowing something about God – who he is and what he is like.
We can know God personally and be united with him in a relationship of love, trust, and friendship. Jesus makes it possible for each of us to personally know God as our Father.
To see Jesus is to see what God is like. In Jesus we see the perfect love of God – a God who cares intensely and who yearns over men and women, loving them to the point of laying down his life for them upon the cross. Do you pray to your Father in heaven with joy and confidence in his love and care for you?
🟣🟣🙏🏻Prayer🙏🏻🟣🟣
“Lord Jesus, give me the child-like simplicity and purity of faith to gaze upon your face with joy and confidence in your all-merciful love. Remove every doubt, fear, and proud thought which would hinder me from
receiving your word with trust and humble submission..”
Amen
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Matthew 8:5-11
Many Will Sit at Table in the Kingdom of God
Are you ready to feast at the Lord’s banquet table? God’s gracious invitation extends to all – Jew and Gentile alike – who will turn to him with faith and obedience.
Jesus used many images or pictures to convey what the kingdom of God is like. One such image is a great banquet feast given at the King’s table (Matthew 8:11 and Luke 13:29). Jesus promised that everyone who believed in him would come and feast at the heavenly banquet table of his Father.
Jesus told this parable in response to the dramatic request made by a Roman centurion, a person despised by many because he was an outsider, not one of the “chosen ones” of Israel. In Jesus’ time the Jews hated the Romans because they represented everything they stood against – including foreign domination and pagan beliefs and practices. The power to command with trust and respect Why did Jesus not only warmly receive a Roman centurion but praise him as a model of faith and confidence in God? In the Roman world the position of centurion was very important. He was an officer in charge of a hundred soldiers. In a certain sense, he was the backbone of the Roman army, the cement which held the army together.
Polybius, an ancient writer, describes what a centurion should be: “They must not be so much venturesome seekers after danger as men who can command, steady in action, and reliable; they ought not to be over-anxious to rush into the fight, but when hard pressed, they must be ready to hold their ground, and die at their posts.” Faith in Jesus’ authority and power to heal The centurion who approached Jesus was not only courageous, but faith-filled as well. He risked the ridicule of his cronies as well as mockery from the Jews by seeking help from a traveling preacher from Galilee.
Nonetheless, the centurion approached Jesus with great confidence and humility. He was an extraordinary man because he loved his slave. In the Roman world slaves were treated like animals – something to be used for work and pleasure and for bartering and trade.
This centurion was a man of great compassion and extraordinary faith. He wanted Jesus to heal his beloved slave. Jesus commends him for his faith and immediately grants him his request. Are you willing to suffer ridicule in the practice of your faith? And when you need help, do you approach the Lord Jesus with expectant faith? Christ comes to establish God’s kingdom of peace where all peoples can feast at his table
The prophet Isaiah foretold a time of restoration for the holy city Jerusalem and for its remnants (see Isaiah 4:2-6) and also a time of universal peace when all nations would come to Jerusalem to “the mountain of the Lord and to the house of the God of Jacob” and “beat their swords into plowshares” (Isaiah 2:2-4).
Jesus fulfills this prophecy first by restoring both Jew and Gentile to friendship with God through the victory he won for us on the cross. When he comes again he will fully establish his universal rule of peace and righteousness (moral goodness) and unite all things in himself (Ephesians 1:10).
His promise extends to all generations who believe in him that we, too, might feast at the heavenly banquet table with the patriarchs of the Old Covenant (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) who believed but did not yet see the promised Messiah. Do you believe in God’s promises and do you seek his kingdom first in your life? The season of Advent reminds us that the Lord Jesus wants us to actively seek him and the coming of his kingdom in our lives.
The Lord will surely reward those who seek his will for their lives. We can approach the Lord Jesus with expectant faith, like the centurion in today’s Gospel reading (Matthew 8:5-11), knowing that he will show us his mercy and give us his help.
🟣🟣🙏🏻Prayer🙏🏻🟣🟣
“Lord Jesus, you feed us daily with your life-giving word and you sustain us on our journey to our true homeland with you and the Father in heaven. May I never lose hope in your promises nor lag in zeal for your kingdom of righteousness and peace.”
Amen
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Mark 13:33-37
Watch Expectantly Today – Your Master Is Coming!
Most every evening since March: ft Mayor Nirenburg, Judge Wolfe and other local government officials do a press conference here in San Antonio concerning the latest developments in the corona virus pandemic for our community.
Almost always the message is the same: “Be vigilant! Be careful! Watch out! Keep your eyes open! You can help slow the spread. Wear your mask, keep your distance, don’t congregate” We hear those and similar words over and over. It is urgent.
The leaders are warning us to be aware of our actions, of where we go, and how we interact with others. What you do today will have consequences on yourself and others tomorrow. The virus numbers are now surging all over the nation.
They are surging in San Antonio. It is a difficult time, especially as we enter the holiday season. If you are not vigilant, it could cost you your health or even worse, your life, or the life of a loved one. It affects many others, even our whole community.
At the same time we get these strong warnings, we are also experiencing a virus fatigue. This has been going on for almost ten months. We have done many of these measures, masks, social distance, avoiding large crowds, and it still seems things are very bad. We are worn out and worn down.
The gospel is Good News.
That is what “gospel” means. There is good news! Help is on the way. There is hope in the midst of such darkness and fear. At the same time we are being warned so strongly of the disaster around us, there are constant notices of the vaccines that will help end this nightmare.
They are coming, we are assured. We can’t wait! The other good news is the fact that so many medical personnel, first responders, and people in essential services have not given up. They are there for us every day. They are showing us what it means to care and put yourself on the line for others. That is truly good!
In the gospel today we hear similar words from Jesus, the last ones before he begins his Passion: “Keep awake!” This phrase is very important as it is repeated three times. These days we hear it repeated constantly as we try to contain the virus. Jesus’ words were not about a virus but they were nevertheless about how we live life and care for others.
Today we begin the season of Advent and the beginning of a new liturgical year for the Church. Advent is a time of expectation and waiting, but it is a totally positive type of watchfulness and hope, unlike the pandemic problems we anticipate coming on us over the next weeks. Advent offers only hope. It points to the three comings of Christ. We remember the first coming of Christ that was highly anticipated by the Jews in the long-awaited Messiah.
We Christians look forward to the second coming of Christ at the end of time with confidence. And in between, Advent calls us to be alert to the Master coming among us at any time, right here, right now. That needs to be our focus as we enter Advent, especially this year.
The parable in the gospel a few weeks ago, with the three servants who received different amounts of talents tells us that waiting for the Master’s return is an active process. The patron/client model then was the dominant model of employment.
It was more familial than employees and employer today. The patron protected but was usually absent. So, there is a sense of both the now and the not yet. We are feeling that today
This story becomes a farewell discourse by Jesus before his death. It is an inspiration and a warning to live every moment as if Christ were coming then. The warning is to be vigilant at night, which was when the passion began and when the body lay in the tomb.
The warning not to be caught sleeping is related to the disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane the night Jesus is arrested. They not only fell asleep when he needed them the most, but they fled and Peter betrayed Jesus a few hours later.
Not to be vigilant is directly related to a disastrous response on the part of the disciples. They did not understand the call to the cross, where Jesus had clearly told them if they wanted to be a disciple, they would need to carry a cross and follow him
Can we understand our cross today? Our call is part of what we are going through now with the pandemic. We must pick up our cross and do our part in following Jesus. The sacrifices we are being called upon to do are part of what it means to be awake and vigilant. They are mostly not a huge ask, but accepting them is responding to those in need and to the wider community.
It is being ready to meet the Lord however he presents himself.
I just celebrated a Mass for former Congressman Henry B. Gonzalez on the 20th anniversary of his passing. Henry B, as he was known to people in San Antonio was a congressman for many years representing our area.
He had broken many barriers as a person of Hispanic origin in the political field, beginning with the local level then state and finally national. He was known for his fierce support of social justice for the poor, especially the Mexican and Mexican Americans of South Texas. He was not afraid to speak out even when this would upset many powerful people.
Henry B.’s funeral card had this quote: “What I care about is what you care about…decency, justice and an abhorrence for what is wrong…” He was proud when attacked for fighting segregation and unprincipled privilege. He was always alert to how the vulnerable were being treated in society.
I was at the congressman’s hospital bed with the family the moment he died. We prayed for him and just stayed close around his bed as he gave his last breath. I remember so clearly seeing that he had expired, yet his eyes were fully open.
As I think now about that moment I realize how appropriate it was that he went back to his creator with his eyes wide open, alert, always looking out for those who struggled, those discriminated against, those who only wanted a decent and fair chance at a good life. Maybe that is the message of today’s gospel for all of us.
Never stop being vigilant, looking for Jesus who comes in others, especially those on the margins of society.
The work is urgent! Stay awake. Life is fragile, especially in the face of such a terrible virus. Anything can happen which will change your world. We have certainly learned that this year.
Inaction is not an option for the follower of Jesus. Mark does not want Christians just to endure or put up with whatever was happening at the time. Rather he wants an active presence, active working, doing the Lord’s will, never letting down your guard, never stopping.
The gospel message is clear. It is not for you to know when Jesus will return, you just need to continue to be faithful. Look at everything with the eyes of faith, not the eyes of the world.
If you do, you will see signs all around of hope breaking though, of Jesus in others. You will see Jesus in people, especially the vulnerable, the sick and the poor. You will see Jesus in those who daily are serving others, risking their own lives, going the extra mile. He comes to us through them.
The only thing that is always true is God.
God is always faithful. We do not know a lot of things! Even though many people are fearful this year with all the pandemic, the Christian is never without hope. The Christian must proclaim that hope that says Jesus is among us, Jesus comes now, Jesus is in our brother and sister. This world needs the message of hope, especially this year.
Keep awake! Keep vigilant! You are that hope!
Prayer
“Lord Jesus, awaken my heart and mind to receive your word and to prepare for your coming again. Free me from complacency, from the grip of sin and worldliness, and from attachments to things which pass away. May I always be eager to receive your word and be ready to meet you when you come again.”
Amen
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Luke 19:45-48
All the People Hung upon His Words
Why did Jesus drive out the money changers in the temple at Jerusalem? Was he upset with their greediness? This is the only incident in the Gospels where we see Jesus using physical force.
Jesus went to Jerusalem, knowing he would meet certain death on the cross, but victory as well for our sake. His act of judgment in the temple is meant to be a prophetic sign and warning to the people that God takes our worship very seriously. Jesus honors the Father’s house of prayer by cleansing it of unholy practicesIn this incident we see Jesus’ startling and swift action in cleansing the temple of those who were using it to exploit the worshipers of God.
The money changers took advantage of the poor and forced them to pay many times more than was right – in the house of God no less! Their robbery of the poor was not only dishonoring to God but unjust toward their neighbor. The people were hungry for the word of GodIn justification for his audacious action Jesus quotes from the prophets Isaiah (Isaiah 56:7) and Jeremiah (Jeremiah 7:11). His act of judgment aims to purify the worship of God’s people and to discipline their erring ways.
Despite the objections of the religious leaders, no doubt because Jesus was usurping their authority in the house of God, the people who listened to Jesus teaching daily in the temple regarded him with great awe and respect. Luke tells us that “they hung upon Jesus’ words”(Luke 19:48). How hungry are you for God’s word? The Lord wants to share his holiness with usIf we approach God’s word with a humble attentive heart and with a willingness to be taught by the Lord, then we are in a good place to allow God’s word to change and transform us in the likeness of Christ.
The Lord wants to teach us his ways so that we may grow in holiness. The Lord both instructs and disciplines us in love to lead us from the error of our sinful ways to his truth and justice.
“God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness”
(Hebrews 12:10). The Lord calls us to be a holy people who worship him with reverence and gratitude for his great mercy and kindness towards us. Do you allow God’s word to transform you in his way of love and holiness?
Prayer
“Lord Jesus, you open wide the door of your house and you bid us to enter confidently that we may worship you in spirit and truth. Help me to draw near to you with gratitude and joy for your great mercy. May I always revere your word and give you acceptable praise and worship.”
Amen
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
John 1:45-51
Come and See
How can we know with certainty that Jesus is truly who he claims to be – the Son of God and Savior of the world? Philip was eager to tell his friend Nathaniel (who is also known as Bartholomew in Matthew 10:3 and Luke 6:14) about his decision to be a disciple of Jesus. Philip tried to convince his friend that Jesus was the Messiah, whom Moses and the prophets had foretold would come.
Nathanial was very skeptical because he didn’t think it was possible for the Messiah to come from Nazareth, a town in Galilee. Nathaniel not only disliked the town of Nazareth, he despised its residents as unworthy Jews. “How could anything good come from such a place?” Nazareth was at the crossroads of the ancient world where people from different cultures and religions would pass through. Perhaps Nathaniel thought its religious teachers were not orthodox enough in their understanding and interpretation of the law of Moses.
Besides, how could the Messiah come from Galilee when the prophets said he would come from Bethlehem of Judaea? Aren’t we all a bit like Nathaniel? We are skeptical when someone tries to convince us of the truth until we can comprehend it for ourselves. A skeptical but earnest search for God’s truthSo what kind of proof did Philip offer to Nathanael? Rather than argue with his friend, Philip took the wiser strategy of inviting Nathanael to “come and see” for himself who this Jesus claimed to be. Clever arguments rarely win people to the Gospel – but an encounter with the person of Jesus Christ can change one’s life forever.
When people are receptive to the word of Christ and when they see his love in action, the Lord Jesus himself, through the power of the Holy Spirit, touches their hearts and opens their minds to recognize that he truly is the Son of God who reveals the Father’s love and truth to us. When Philip brought Nathanael to Jesus, Jesus did something which only God could do! He opened Nathanael’s heart and his innermost thoughts and desires to God’s revelation. Jesus called Nathanael a true “Israelite in whom there is no guile.”
God had chosen Jacob, who was given the name Israel, over his twin brother Essau, because Jacob was a man of faith, without guile or cunning like Essau (Genesis 25:27).
Nathanael, like Jacob, hungered for God and believed in God’s promises. Nathanael knew the Scriptures. He had read the law and the prophets. And like Jacob he was waiting for the fulfillment of God’s promises to his people Israel.
Nathanael was an earnest seeker of God. He not only sought to grow in understanding of God’s word, but he sought an intimate personal relationship with God as well. That is why he was willing to meet Jesus, to see if perhaps this miracle worker from Galilee might be the long-awaited Messiah and Savior. God’s word brings blessing and refreshment for those who receive itWhat is the significance of Jesus’ revelation of seeing Nathanael “under the fig tree”? For the people of Israel, the fig tree was a symbol of God’s peace and blessing (1 Kings 4:24b-25, Micah 4:4). It provided shade from the midday sun and a cool refreshing place to retreat, pray, and reflect on God’s word.
Rabbis often gathered their disciples under the shade of the fig tree to teach them the wisdom and revelation of God’s word in the Scriptures. The rabbis had an expression for comparing the fig tree to being nourished with God’s word in Scripture, “He who tends the fig tree will eat its fruit.”Jesus offers the greatest gift possible – peace and friendship with GodIt is very likely that Nathanael had been thinking about God’s word while sitting “under his fig tree” and reflecting on God’s promise to send a Messiah King who would free his people from sin and oppression and usher in God’s kingdom of righteousness and peace for the whole world.
Perhaps Nathanael dozed off for a midday nap and dreamt of God’s kingdom like Jacob had dreamt when God gave him a vision of a great ladder which united earth with heaven (see Genesis 28:12-17).
Through the gift of revelation Nathanael recognized that Jesus was truly the Messiah, the everlasting “Son of God and King of Israel” (John 1:49). The Lord Jesus offered Nathanael the greatest gift of all – the gift of friendship with God and the offer of free access to God’s throne in heaven. Jesus promises that we will dwell with the living GodWhat does Jesus mean when he says “you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man”? One of the most remarkable revelations recorded in the Bible is the dream of Jacob (Genesis 28:12-17).
God had opened a door for Jacob that brought him and his people into a new relationship with the living God. In Jacob’s dream God revealed his angelic host and showed him the very throne of heaven and promised Jacob that he and his descendants would dwell with the living God. Jesus, the Son of God, unites earth and heaven in himself Jesus’ response to Nathanael’s new faith in accepting Jesus as the Messiah is the promise that Jesus himself will open the way for free access to the very throne of God in heaven.
Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promise to Jacob and his descendants – he is the way to the Father in heaven and the true “ladder (or stairway) which unites earth with heaven.”
In Jesus’ incarnation, the divine Son of God taking on human flesh for our sake, we see the union of heaven and earth – God making his dwelling with us and bringing us into the heavenly reality of his kingdom through his Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus gives us free access to God’s presenceJesus’ death on the cross, where he defeated sin and won new life for us through his resurrection, opens the way for each of us to come into a new relationship with God as his adopted sons and daughters. The Lord Jesus opens the way for each one of us to “ascend to heaven” and to bring “heaven to earth” in the daily circumstances of our lives.
God’s kingdom is present in those who seek him and who strive to do his will. Through the gift of faith God opens a door for each one of us to the heavenly reality of his kingdom. Do you see with the “eyes of faith” what the Lord Jesus has done for us?
🪀🪀🙏🏻Prayer🙏🏻🪀🪀
“Heavenly Father, through your Son Jesus Christ, you have opened the way to heaven for each one of us. As you personally revealed yourself to your beloved patriarchs and apostles, so reveal yourself to me that I may recognize your presence with me and know the power of your kingdom at work in my life. May I always find joy and peace in your presence and never lose sight of your everlasting kingdom.”
Amén
Saint Bartholomew
c. 1st century
In the New Testament, Bartholomew is mentioned only in the lists of the apostles. Some scholars identify him with Nathanael, a man of Cana in Galilee who was summoned to Jesus by Philip.
Jesus paid him a great compliment: “Here is a true Israelite. There is no duplicity in him” (John 1:47b). When Nathanael asked how Jesus knew him, Jesus said, “I saw you under the fig tree” (John 1:48b).
Whatever amazing revelation this involved, it brought Nathanael to exclaim, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel” (John 1:49b). But Jesus countered with, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this” (John 1:50b).
Nathanael did see greater things. He was one of those to whom Jesus appeared on the shore of the Sea of Tiberias after his resurrection (see John 21:1-14).
They had been fishing all night without success. In the morning, they saw someone standing on the shore though no one knew it was Jesus. He told them to cast their net again, and they made so great a catch that they could not haul the net in. Then John cried out to Peter, “It is the Lord.”
When they brought the boat to shore, they found a fire burning, with some fish laid on it and some bread. Jesus asked them to bring some of the fish they had caught, and invited them to come and eat their meal.
John relates that although they knew it was Jesus, none of the apostles presumed to inquire who he was. This, John notes, was the third time Jesus appeared to the apostles.
Reflection
Bartholomew or Nathanael? We are confronted again with the fact that we know almost nothing about most of the apostles. Yet the unknown ones were also foundation stones, the 12 pillars of the new Israel whose 12 tribes now encompass the whole earth.
Their personalities were secondary—without thereby being demeaned—to their great office of bearing tradition from their firsthand experience, speaking in the name of Jesus, putting the Word Made Flesh into human words for the enlightenment of the world.
Their holiness was not an introverted contemplation of their status before God. It was a gift that they had to share with others. The Good News was that all are called to the holiness of being Christ’s members, by the gracious gift of God.
The simple fact is that humanity is totally meaningless unless God is its total concern. Then humanity, made holy with God’s own holiness, becomes the most precious creation of God.
Saint Bartholomew is the Patron Saint of: Plasterers
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Matthew 13:10-17
Many longed to hear what you hear
Do you want to grow in your knowledge of God? Saint Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) once said: “I believe, in order to understand; and I understand, the better to believe.”
Both faith and understanding are gifts of the Holy Spirit that enable us to hear God’s word with clarity so we can know God better and grow in the knowledge of his love and truth. Jesus, however, had to warn his disciples that not everyone would understand his teaching. Closed hearts – prejudiced minds The prophet Isaiah had warned that some would hear God’s word, but not believe, some would see God’s actions and miracles, and remain unconvinced. Ironically some of the greatest skeptics of Jesus’ teaching and miracles were the learned scribes and Pharisees who prided themselves on their knowledge of Scripture, especially on the law of Moses.
They heard Jesus’ parables and saw the great signs and miracles which he performed, but they refused to accept both Jesus and his message. How could they “hear and never understand” and “see but never perceive”?
They were spiritually blind and deaf because their hearts were closed and their minds were blocked by pride and prejudice. How could a man from Galilee, the supposed son of a carpenter, know more about God and his word, than these experts who devoted their lives to the study and teaching of the law of Moses? The humble of heart receive understanding There is only one thing that can open a closed, confused, and divided mind – a broken heart and humble spirit! The worddisciple means one who is willing to learn and ready to submit to the wisdom and truth which comes from God.
Psalm 119 expresses the joy and delight of a disciple who loves God’s word and who embraces it with trust and obedience. “Oh, how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day. Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation.” (Psalm 119:97-99) Listen with reverence and faith God can only reveal the secrets of his kingdom to the humble and trusting person who acknowledges their need for God and for his truth.
The parables of Jesus will enlighten us if we approach them with an open mind and heart, ready to let them challenge us. If we approach God’s word with indifference, skepticism, and disbelief, then we, too, may “hear but not understand” and “see but not perceive.”
God’s word can only take root in a receptive heart that is ready to believe and willing to submit. If we want to hear and to understand God’s word, we must listen with reverence and faith. Do you believe God’s word and do you submit to it with trust and reverence? Jerome, an early church bible scholar who lived between 342-419 AD, wrote: “You are reading [the Scriptures]? No.Your betrothed is talking to you. It is your betrothed, that is, Christ, who is united with you. He tears you away from the solitude of the desert and brings you into his home, saying to you, ‘Enter into the joy of your Master.'”
🪀🪀🙏🏻Prayer🙏🏻🪀🪀
“Holy Spirit, be my teacher and guide. Open my ears to hear God’s word and open my eyes to understand God’s action in my life. May my heart never grow dull and may my ears never tire of listening to the voice of Christ. “
Amén
Saint Titus Brandsma
Feb 23, 1881-July 26, 1942
Given the birth name Anno, Brandsma and his siblings grew up on their parents’ dairy farm in rural Frisia. As devout Catholics, the family was in the minority among their Calvinist neighbors.
From age 11 Anno was educated at a preparatory school for boys who were studying for the priesthood. He joined the Carmelite novitiate in 1898, taking the name Titus in honor of his father.
In the years following his 1905 ordination, Brandsma received a doctorate in philosophy and initiated a project to translate the works of Saint Teresa of Avila into Dutch.
One of the founders of the Catholic University of Nijmegen, he served as a professor of philosophy and the history of mysticism at the school. While there Brandsma was known more for his availability to faculty and students than for his academic achievements.
Working as a journalist Brandsma served as ecclesiastical advisor to Catholic journalists. His long-standing opposition to Nazi ideology came to the attention of the Nazis when they invaded the Netherlands in 1940.
In direct opposition to the Third Reich, the Conference of Dutch Bishops sent a letter ordering Catholic newspaper editors not to print Nazi propaganda. Fr. Brandsma was arrested while hand delivering the letter in January 1942. After being imprisoned in several other facilities, in June he was taken to the Dachau camp in Germany.
During his brief time at Dachau Fr. Brandsma was well-known for his kindness and spiritual support of other prisoners. His death on July 26, 1942 was a result of the Reich’s program of medical experimentation on prisoners.
He gave a wooden rosary to the nurse who administered the fatal injection; she later became Catholic and testified to his holiness. In recent years Brandsma has been honored by both the cities of Nijmegen and Dachau. Titus Brandsma was beatified in 1985, and canonized in 2022.
Reflection
Conscience often creates martyrs. That was the case for Titus Brandsma. Many people “go along to get along,” not realizing that by doing so they are destroying themselves internally. In his homily at the canonization Mass Pope Francis said, “Holiness does not consist of a few heroic gestures, but of many small acts of daily love.”
Saint Titus Brandsma is a patron saint of:
Catholic journalistsFrieslandInternational Union of Catholic EsperantistsTobacconists
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Luke 6:20-26 Blessed are you poor – yours is the kingdom of God
When you encounter misfortune, grief, or tragic loss, how do you respond? With fear or faith? With passive resignation or with patient hope and trust in God? We know from experience that no one can escape all of the inevitable trials of life – pain, suffering, sickness, and death.
When Jesus began to teach his disciples he gave them a “way of happiness” that transcends every difficulty and trouble that can weigh us down with grief and despair. Jesus began his sermon on the mount by addressing the issue of where true happiness can be found.
The word beatitude literally means happiness or blessedness. Jesus’ way of happiness, however, demands a transformation from within – a conversion of heart and mind which can only come about through the gift and working of the Holy Spirit.
True happiness can only be fulfilled in God
How can one possibly find happiness in poverty, hunger, mourning, and persecution? If we want to be filled with the joy and happiness of heaven, then we must empty ourselves of all that would shut God out of our hearts. Poverty of spirit finds ample room and joy in possessing God alone as the greatest treasure possible.
Hunger of the spirit seeks nourishment and strength in God’s word and Spirit. Sorrow and mourning over wasted life and sin leads to joyful freedom from the burden of guilt and oppression.
The beatitudes strengthen us in virtue and excellence
Ambrose (339-397 A.D), an early church father and bishop of Milan, links the beatitudes with the four cardinal virtues which strengthen us in living a life of moral excellence.
He writes: “Let us see how St. Luke encompassed the eight blessings in the four. We know that there are four cardinal virtues: temperance, justice, prudence and fortitude. One who is poor in spirit is not greedy.
One who weeps is not proud but is submissive and tranquil. One who mourns is humble. One who is just does not deny what he knows is given jointly to all for us. One who is merciful gives away his own goods. One who bestows his own goods does not seek another’s, nor does he contrive a trap for his neighbor.
These virtues are interwoven and interlinked, so that one who has one may be seen to have several, and a single virtue befits the saints. Where virtue abounds, the reward too abounds… Thus temperance has purity of heart and spirit, justice has compassion, patience has peace, and endurance has gentleness.” (EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 5.62-63, 68). No one can live without joy God reveals to the humble of heart the true source of abundant life and happiness. Jesus promises his disciples that the joys of heaven will more than compensate for the troubles and hardships they can expect in this world.
Thomas Aquinas said: “No person can live without joy. That is why someone deprived of spiritual joy goes after carnal pleasures.” Do you know the joy and happiness of hungering and thirsting for God alone?
🙏🏻Prayer🙏🏻
“Lord Jesus, increase my hunger for you and show me the way that leads to everlasting happiness and peace. May I desire you above all else and find perfect joy in doing your will.” Amen
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Lk 18:9-14, God, be merciful to me a sinner!
How can we know if our prayer is pleasing to God or not? The prophet Hosea, who spoke in God’s name, said: “I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice” (Hosea 6:6). The prayers and sacrifices we make to God mean nothing to him if they do not spring from a heart of love for God and for one’s neighbor.
How can we expect God to hear our prayers if we do not approach him with humility and with a contrite heart that seeks mercy and forgiveness? We stand in constant need of God’s grace and help. That is why Scripture tells us that “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6; Proverbs 3:34). Jesus reinforced this warning with a vivid story of two people at prayer. Why did the Lord accept one person’s prayer and reject the other’s prayer? Luke gives us a hint: despising one’s neighbor closes the door to God’s heart.
Expressing disdain and contempt for others is more than being mean-minded. It springs from the assumption that one is qualified to sit in the seat of judgment and to publicly shame those who do not conform to our standards and religious practices.
Jesus’ story caused offense to the religious-minded Pharisees who regarded “tax collectors” as unworthy of God’s grace and favor. How could Jesus put down a “religious person” and raise up a “public sinner”? Jesus’ parable speaks about the nature of prayer and our relationship with God. It does this by contrasting two very different attitudes towards prayer.
The Pharisee, who represented those who take pride in their religious practices, exalted himself at the expense of others. Absorbed with his own sense of self-satisfaction and self-congratulation, his boastful prayer was centered on his good religious practices rather than on God’s goodness, grace, and pardon.
Rather than humbling himself before God and asking for God’s mercy and help, this man praised himself while despising those he thought less worthy. The Pharisee tried to justify himself before God and before those he despised; but only God can justify us.
The tax collector, who represented those despised by religious-minded people, humbled himself before God and begged for mercy. His prayer was heard by God because he had true sorrow for his sins. He sought God with humility rather than with pride. This parable presents both an opportunity and a warning. Pride leads to self-deception and spiritual blindness. True humility helps us to see ourselves as we really are in God’s eyes and it inclines us to seek God’s help and mercy. God dwells with the humble of heart who recognize their own sinfulness and who acknowledge God’s mercy and saving grace.
I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and humble spirit (Isaiah 57:15). God cannot hear us if we boast in ourselves and despise others. Do you humbly seek God’s mercy and do you show mercy to others, especially those you find difficult to love and to forgive?
Additional Reflection
The main theme of today’s Gospel is that true humility must be the hallmark of our prayers. However, the central focus of today’s parable is not prayer, but rather pride, humility, and the role of grace in our salvation.
The parable was mainly intended to convict the Pharisees who proudly claimed they obeyed all the rules and regulations of the Jewish law, while they actually ignored the Mosaic precepts of mercy and compassion.
Through this parable of Jesus, Luke was reminding his Gentile listeners that God values the prayer of any humble and contrite heart.
In the parable, Jesus tells us about two men who went to pray, a Pharisee and a tax-collector.
The Pharisee stood in the very front of the Temple, distancing himself from his inferiors, and explained to God his meticulous observance of the Mosaic Law, at the same time despising the publican.
But the tax-collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to Heaven but beat his breast, saying, “God, be merciful to me a sinner!” Jesus declared that only the humble tax-collector went home justified in the eyes of God.
Messages for our Life
1) We need to evict the Pharisee and revive the publican in each one of us. There is a big dose of the Pharisee’s pride in us and a small dose of the tax-collector’s humility. Hence, we have to make a pilgrimage from pride to humility, realizing the truth that if we are not sensitive to other people, we are not sensitive to God.
2) Let us have the correct approach in our prayer life. For most of us, prayer means asking God for something when we are in need. We conveniently forget the more important aspects of prayer: adoration, praise, contrition, and thanksgiving.
If we have forgotten God through our years of prosperity, how can we expect Him to take notice of us when something goes wrong? Yet, even there His mercy welcomes us. Our day’s work and our day’s recreation, if offered for the honor and glory of God, are prayers pleasing in His sight.
“Lord Jesus, may your love and truth transform my life – my inner thoughts, intentions, and attitudes, and my outward behavior, speech, and actions. Where I lack charity, kindness, and forbearance, help me to embrace your merciful love and to seek the good of my neighbor, even those who cause me ill-favor or offense. May I always love as you have loved and forgive others as you have forgiven.”, Amen.
Saint Catherine of Genoa
Going to confession one day was the turning point of Catherine’s life.
When Catherine was born, many Italian nobles were supporting Renaissance artists and writers.
The needs of the poor and the sick were often overshadowed by a hunger for luxury and self-indulgence. Catherine’s parents were members of the nobility in Genoa.
At 13, she attempted to become a nun but failed because of her age.
At 16, she married Julian, a nobleman who turned out to be selfish and unfaithful. For a while she tried to numb her disappointment by a life of selfish pleasure.
One day in confession she had a new sense of her own sins and how much God loved her. She reformed her life and gave good example to Julian, who soon turned from his self-centered life of distraction. Julian’s spending, however, had ruined them financially.
He and Catherine decided to live in the Pammatone, a large hospital in Genoa, and to dedicate themselves to works of charity there. After Julian’s death in 1497, Catherine took over management of the hospital.
She wrote about purgatory which, she said, begins on earth for souls open to God. Life with God in heaven is a continuation and perfection of the life with God begun on earth.
Exhausted by her life of self-sacrifice, Catherine died September 15, 1510, and was canonized in 1737. The liturgical feast of Saint Catherine of Genoa is celebrated on September 15.
Reflection
Regular confession and frequent Communion can help us see the direction–or drift–of our life with God. People who have a realistic sense of their own sinfulness and of the greatness of God are often the ones who are most ready to meet the needs of their neighbors.
Saint Catherine began her hospital work with enthusiasm and was faithful to it through difficult times because she was inspired by the love of God, a love which was renewed in her by the Scriptures and the sacraments.
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Lk 1:26-38, You Have Found Favor with God
How does God reveal his favor to us? In the psalms we pray, “Lord, show me a sign of your favor” (Psalm 86:17).
In the Old Testament God performed many signs and miracles to demonstrate his love and mercy for his people, such as their deliverance from slavery in Egypt and the miraculous crossing of the Red sea on dry land (Psalm 78:43-53).
When Ahaz, king of Judah and heir to the throne of David (735 B.C.) was surrounded by forces that threatened to destroy him and his people, God offered him a sign to reassure him that God would not abandon the promise he made to David and his descendants.
King Ahaz, however, had lost hope in God and refused to ask for a sign of favor. God, nonetheless, gave a sign to assure his people that he would indeed give them a Savior who would rule with peace and righteousness (Isaiah 7:11ff).
God’s unfolding plan of redemption
We see the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy and the unfolding of God’s plan of redemption in the events leading up to the Incarnation, the birth of the Messiah King. The new era of salvation begins with the miraculous conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary.
This child to be born is conceived by the gracious action of the Holy Spirit upon Mary, who finds favor with God (Luke 1:28). As Eve was the mother of all humanity doomed to sin, now Mary becomes the mother of the new Adam who will father a new humanity by his grace (Romans 5:12-21).
This child to be conceived in her womb is the fulfillment of all God’s promises. He will be “great” and “Son of the Most High” and “King” and his name shall be called “Jesus” (Luke 1:31-32), which means “the Lord saves.” “He will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).
The angel repeats to Mary, the daughter of the house of David, the promise made to King David: “The Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end” (2 Samuel 7:12-16, Isaiah 9:6-7, Luke 1:32-33). How does Mary respond to the word of God delivered by the angel Gabriel? She knows she is hearing something beyond human capability. It will surely take a miracle which surpasses all that God has done previously.
Her question, “how shall this be, since I have no husband” is not prompted by doubt or skepticism, but by wonderment! She is a true hearer of the Word and she immediately responds with faith and trust. Mary’s prompt response of “yes” to the divine message is a model of faith for all believers.
Mary believed God’s promises even when they seemed impossible. She was full of grace because she trusted that what God said was true and would be fulfilled. She was willing and eager to do God’s will, even if it seemed difficult or costly. Mary is the “mother of God” because God becomes incarnate when he takes on flesh in her womb.
When we pray the ancient creed (Nicene Creed) we state our confession of faith in this great mystery: “For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven; by the power of the Holy Spirit, he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and was made man.” Trust and yield to God’s grace God gives us grace and he expects us to respond with the same willingness, obedience, and heartfelt trust as Mary did.
When God commands he also gives the help, strength, and means to respond. We can either yield to his grace or resist and go our own way. Do you believe in God’s promises and do you yield to his grace?
“Heavenly Father, you offer us abundant grace, mercy, and forgiveness through your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Help me to live a grace-filled life as Mary did by believing in your promises and by giving you my unqualified ‘yes’ to your will and plan for my life.” Amen.
Feast of the Announciation, The Story of the Annunciation of the Lord
The feast of the Annunciation, now recognized as a solemnity, was first celebrated in the fourth or fifth century.
Its central focus is the Incarnation: God has become one of us. From all eternity God had decided that the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity should become human. Now, as Luke 1:26-38 tells us, the decision is being realized.
The God-Man embraces all humanity, indeed all creation, to bring it to God in one great act of love. Because human beings have rejected God, Jesus will accept a life of suffering and an agonizing death: “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13).
Mary has an important role to play in God’s plan. From all eternity, God destined her to be the mother of Jesus and closely related to him in the creation and redemption of the world.
We could say that God’s decrees of creation and redemption are joined in the decree of Incarnation. Because Mary is God’s instrument in the Incarnation, she has a role to play with Jesus in creation and redemption.
It is a God-given role. It is God’s grace from beginning to end. Mary becomes the eminent figure she is only by God’s grace. She is the empty space where God could act. Everything she is she owes to the Trinity.
Mary is the virgin-mother who fulfills Isaiah 7:14 in a way that Isaiah could not have imagined. She is united with her son in carrying out the will of God (Psalm 40:8-9; Hebrews 10:7-9; Luke 1:38).
Together with Jesus, the privileged and graced Mary is the link between heaven and earth.
She is the human being who best, after Jesus, exemplifies the possibilities of human existence. She received into her lowliness the infinite love of God. She shows how an ordinary human being can reflect God in the ordinary circumstances of life.
She exemplifies what the Church and every member of the Church is meant to become. She is the ultimate product of the creative and redemptive power of God. She manifests what the Incarnation is meant to accomplish for all of us.
Reflection
Sometimes spiritual writers are accused of putting Mary on a pedestal and thereby, discouraging ordinary humans from imitating her. Perhaps such an observation is misguided. God did put Mary on a pedestal and has put all human beings on a pedestal.
We have scarcely begun to realize the magnificence of divine grace, the wonder of God’s freely given love. The marvel of Mary—even in the midst of her very ordinary life—is God’s shout to us to wake up to the marvelous creatures that we all are by divine design.
The context of the Readings
Today’s Gospel tells us the story of the Annunciation, explaining how God began to keep the promise He had made, first to Adam and Eve that He woud send a redeemer from among their descendants, who would crush the head of the serpent, the evil one who had tempted them to sin (Gn 3:15), and next to King David through the prophet Nathan, that David’s descendant would rule the world in an everlasting Kingdom (II Sm 7:12-16).
Venerable Bede remarks: “Today’s reading of the Gospel calls to mind the beginning of our redemption, for the passage tells us how God sent an angel from Heaven to a virgin to proclaim the new birth, the Incarnation of God’s Son, Who would take away our age-old guilt; through Him it would be possible for us to be made new and numbered among the children of God.”
Confronting his lack of trust in the Lord, the prophet Isaiah declares to King Ahaz in the first reading (Is 7:10-14; 8:10): “The Lord Himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel.” The annunciation to Mary is the fulfillment of all three of these prophecies.
The second reading (Heb 10:4-10) explains the reason for God’s Incarnation, i.e., the Son of God became man to do God’s will (“Behold I come to do your will) so that he might replace animal sacrifices and pay the price of our redemption by his death and resurrection.
The angel’s salutation to Mary: “Hail, full of grace,” reminds us of God’s words to Moses at the burning bush (Ex 3:12), and the angel’s salutation to Gideon, (Jgs 6:12). Mary is described as “full of grace,” filled with God’s favor and graciousness. She is the new Ark, a tent (Tabernacle), and Temple.
God is literally and physically in her, and, thus, she is the greater House of God promised to David. Mary’s question, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” is natural. That is why the angel reminds Mary, “Nothing is impossible with God.” The Lord God will “empower” her (“the Spirit will come upon you“), and “protect” her (“overshadow you“).
In Luke’s narrative, Gabriel points out that the Child would not only be a distant grandson of David — he would be God’s own Son: “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David.” Mary does not require confirmation but responds in Faith.
She agrees to carry out the Word Gabriel has addressed to her. Since Mary is really a true hearer and doer of the Word of God, she immediately makes a response with Faith and trust. Mary thus became the virgin-mother who fulfills Is 7:14 in a way that Isaiah could not have imagined. She is united with her son in carrying out the will of God (Ps 40:8-9; Heb 10:7-9; Lk 1:38).
The Annunciation touches both the Good News that God has become one like us “in every respect tempted as we are, yet without sinning” (Hb 4:15), so that we might become as God is, and the greater news that God, in the person of Jesus, has “paid the price” for achieving this end.
When we pray the “Angelus” prayer three times a day, we gratefully remember the great gift of God’s Incarnation. When we pray the Rosary, we refer to the Incarnation fifty-three times — each time we pray the “Hail Mary” — and the first of the “Joyful Mysteries” is the Annunciation, the Incarnation of Our Lord.
Messages for our Life
1) We need to be humble instruments in the hand of God, trusting in His power and goodness, and Mary shows how an ordinary human being can reflect God in the ordinary circumstances of life. St. Augustine reminds us that God who created us without our permission can not save us without our active cooperation. Hence, let us cooperate in the fulfillment of God’s plan for us, by doing His will with Mary’s trusting Faith and humility, through which she brought Jesus into the world, giving him flesh and blood. Can we also bring Jesus to others in our day-to-day lives?
Like Mary who brought God to us as Jesus our Savior, it is our duty to carry Jesus and bring him to the lives of others around us in love, mercy, forgiveness, and service. “Let the soul of Mary be in each one of you to magnify the Lord. Let the spirit of Mary be in each one to exult in Christ.” (attributed to St. Ambrose).
2) We need to say a courageous and generous “yes” to God in our everyday chices: True obedience comes from a free choice made in the light of what is true and good. Such a self-surrender often requires a great deal of courage because it can involve going against the tide of social expectations. True obedience also aims at putting oneself at the service of Someone/something that is greater than oneself, accepting what God clearly wants us to do or what He wants to do through us.
It is by saying, with Jesus and Mary, a wholehearted and totally unconditional “Yes” – “Fiat! May it be done in me,” to Jesus that he will be re-born in each of us, or maybe even born in me for the first time. By my saying “Yes,” Jesus will be born or re-born in others, too.
3) We need to try to learn God’s plan for our lives: The Good News in today’s Scripture message is not only that God is making provision for the salvation of His people, but also that He has a plan for each individual person. In many cases, our work for God seems rather ordinary, but each ordinary task which we carry out fits into God’s plan in ways that we cannot yet understand. God desires not only the skill of our hands and talents but the love of our hearts.
The Babe in the Manger reminds us of what God has done and is still doing for us. What are we doing for Him in return? Let us show our gratitude to God by living as true followers of Christ: “Behold, here I am, Lord! I come to do Your will.”
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Lk 11:14-23 – God’s kingdom has come upon you
What is the best protection which brings lasting security to our lives? Scripture tells us that true peace and security come to those who trust in God and obey his word. “Obey my voice and walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you” (Jeremiah 7:23).
The struggle between choosing to do good or evil, yielding to my will or God’s will, God’s way or my way, cannot be won by human strength or will-power alone.
Our enemy, the devil, conspires with the “world” (whatever is opposed to God and his truth and righteousness) and our “flesh” (whatever inclines us to yield to hurtful desires and wrongdoing), to draw us away from the peace, joy, and security which God provides for those who put their trust in him.
Peter the Apostles tells us, Our adversary, the devil prowls the earth seeking the ruin of souls (1 Peter 5:8-9). The devil is opposed to God and he seeks to draw us away from God’s plan and will for our lives.
God offers us grace (his merciful help and strength) and protection (from Satan’s lies and deception) if we are willing to obey his word and resist the devil’s lies and temptations.
Because you have made the Lord your refuge, the Most High your habitation, no evil shall befall you, no scourge come near your tent. For he will give his angels charge of you to guard you in all your ways (Psalm 91:9-11). The Lord offers us the peace and security of his kingdom which lasts forever and which no other power can overcome.
God’s kingdom brings healing and freedom from the destructive forces of sin and Satan
Jesus’ numerous exorcisms brought freedom to many who were troubled and oppressed by the work of evil spirits.
Jesus himself encountered personal opposition and battled with Satan when he was put to the test in the wilderness just before his public ministry (Luke 4:1-13).
He overcame the evil one through his obedience to the will of his Father. Some of the Jewish leaders reacted vehemently to Jesus’ healings and exorcisms and they opposed him with malicious slander.
How could he get the power and authority to release individuals from Satan’s power? They assumed that he had to be in league with Satan. They attributed his power to Satan rather than to God.
Jesus answers their charge with two arguments. There were many exorcists among the Jews in Jesus’ time. So Jesus retorted by saying that they also incriminate their own kin who cast out demons. If they condemn Jesus they also condemn themselves.
In his second argument he asserts that no kingdom divided against itself can survive for long? We have witnessed enough civil wars in our own time to prove the destructive force at work here for the annihilation of whole peoples and their land.
If Satan lends his power against his own forces then he is finished. How can a strong person be defeated except by someone who is stronger? Jesus asserted his power and authority to cast out demons as a clear demonstration of the reign of God.
Jesus’ reference to the finger of God points back to Moses’ confrontation with Pharoah and his magicians who represented Satan and the kingdom of darkness (see Exodus 8:19).
Jesus claims to be carrying on the tradition of Moses whose miracles freed the Israelites from bondage by the finger of God. God’s power is clearly at work in the exorcisms which Jesus performed and they give evidence that God’s kingdom has come.
Is Jesus the Master of your life?
Jesus makes it clear that there are no neutral parties. We are either for Jesus or against him, for the kingdom of God or against it.
There are two kingdoms in opposition to one another – the kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness under the rule of Satan. If we disobey God’s word, we open to door to the power of sin and Satan in our lives.
If you want to live in freedom from sin and Satan, then your “house” – your life and possessions (all that you rely upon for livelihood, peace, and security) – must be occupied by Jesus where he is enthroned as Lord and Savior. Is the Lord Jesus the Master of your home, heart, mind, and will?
“O Lord, our God, grant us, we beseech you, patience in troubles, humility in comforts, constancy in temptations, and victory over all our spiritual foes. Grant us sorrow for our sins, thankfulness for your benefits, fear of your judgment, love of your mercies, and mindfulness of your presence; now and for ever. (by John Cosin) ” Amen.
Saint Oscar Romero
The night before he was murdered while celebrating Mass, Archbishop Oscar Romero of San Salvador said on the radio: “I would like to appeal in a special way to the men of the army, and in particular to the troops of the National Guard, the police, and the garrisons.
Brothers, you belong to our own people. You kill your own brother peasants; and in the face of an order to kill that is given by a man, the law of God that says ‘Do not kill!’ should prevail.
“No soldier is obliged to obey an order counter to the law of God. No one has to comply with an immoral law. It is the time now that you recover your conscience and obey its dictates rather than the command of sin. . . .
Therefore, in the name of God, and in the name of this long-suffering people, whose laments rise to heaven every day more tumultuous, I beseech you, I beg you, I command you! In the name of God: ‘Cease the repression!’”
Simultaneously, Romero had eloquently upheld the gospel and effectively signed his own death warrant.
When he was appointed archbishop of San Salvador in 1977, Bishop Romero was considered a very “safe” choice. He had served as auxiliary bishop there for four years before his three years as bishop of Santiago de Maria.
Oscar’s father wanted him to be a carpenter—a trade for which he demonstrated some talent. Seminary classes in El Salvador preceded his studies at Rome’s Gregorian University and his ordination in 1942. After earning a doctorate in ascetical theology, he returned home and became a parish priest and later rector of an interdiocesan seminary.
Three weeks after his appointment as archbishop, Romero was shaken by the murder of his good friend Jesuit Father Rutilio Grande, a vigorous defender of the rights of the poor. Five more priests were assassinated in the Archdiocese of San Salvador during Romero’s years as its shepherd.
When a military junta seized control of the national government in 1979, Archbishop Romero publicly criticized the US government for backing the junta. His weekly radio sermons, broadcast throughout the country, were regarded by many as the most trustworthy source of news available.
Romero’s funeral was celebrated in the plaza outside the cathedral and drew an estimated 250,000 mourners.
His tomb in the cathedral crypt soon drew thousands of visitors each year. On February 3, 2015, Pope Francis authorized a decree recognizing Oscar Romero as a martyr for the faith.
His beatification took place in San Salvador on May 23, 2015, and he was canonized on October 14, 2018.
Reflection
Oscar Romero and many other Latin American martyrs for the faith were falsely accused of advocating a Marxist-inspired “theology of liberation.” Following Jesus always requires choices. Romero’s fiercest critics conveniently dismissed his choices as politically inspired. An incarnational faith must be expressed publicly.
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Mt 5:17-19 – Whoever relaxes one of the commandments
Do you view God’s law negatively or positively? Jesus’ attitude towards the law of God can be summed up in the great prayer of Psalm 119: “Oh, how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.”
For the people of Israel the “law” could refer to the ten commandments or to the five Books of Moses, called the Pentateuch, which explain the commandments and ordinances of God for his people.
The “law” also referred to the whole teaching or way of life which God gave to his people. The Jews in Jesus’ time also used it as a description of the oral or scribal law. Needless to say, the scribes added many more things to the law than God intended.
That is why Jesus often condemned the scribal law. It placed burdens on people which God had not intended. Jesus, however, made it very clear that the essence of God’s law – his commandments and way of life, must be fulfilled. Jesus taught reverence for God’s law – reverence for God himself, for the Lord’s Day, reverence or respect for parents, respect for life, for property, for another person’s good name, respect for oneself and for one’s neighbor lest wrong or hurtful desires master us.
Reverence and respect for God’s commandments teach us the way of love – love of God and love of neighbor. The transforming work of the Holy Spirit
What is impossible to men and women is possible to God and those who put their faith and trust in God. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit the Lord transforms us and makes us like himself.
We are a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17) because “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us” (Romans 5:5). God gives us the grace to love as he loves, to forgive as he forgives, to think as he thinks, and to act as he acts. The Lord loves justice and goodness and he hates every form of wickedness and sin. He wants to set us free from our unruly desires and sinful habits, so that we can choose to live each day in the peace, joy, and righteousness of his Holy Spirit (Romans 14: 17).
To renounce sin is to turn away from what is harmful and destructive for our minds and hearts, and our very lives. As his followers we must love and respect his commandments and hate every form of sin. Do you love and revere the commands of the Lord?
“Lord Jesus, grant this day, to direct and sanctify, to rule and govern our hearts and bodies, so that all our thoughts, words and deeds may be according to your Father’s law and thus may we be saved and protected through your mighty help.” Amen.
Saint Turibius of Mogrovejo
Together with Rose of Lima, Turibius is the first known saint of the New World, serving the Lord in Peru, South America, for 26 years.
Born in Spain and educated for the law, he became so brilliant a scholar that he was made professor of law at the University of Salamanca and eventually became chief judge of the Inquisition at Granada. He succeeded too well. But he was not sharp enough a lawyer to prevent a surprising sequence of events.
When the archdiocese of Lima in Peru required a new leader, Turibius was chosen to fill the post: He was the one person with the strength of character and holiness of spirit to heal the scandals that had infected that area.
He cited all the canons that forbade giving laymen ecclesiastical dignities, but he was overruled. Turibius was ordained priest and bishop and sent to Peru, where he found colonialism at its worst.
The Spanish conquerors were guilty of every sort of oppression of the native population. Abuses among the clergy were flagrant, and he devoted his energies and suffering to this area first.
He began the long and arduous visitation of an immense archdiocese, studying the language, staying two or three days in each place, often with neither bed nor food. Turibius confessed every morning to his chaplain, and celebrated Mass with intense fervor.
Among those to whom he gave the Sacrament of Confirmation was the future Saint Rose of Lima, and possibly the future Saint Martin de Porres. After 1590, he had the help of another great missionary, Francis Solanus, now also a saint.
Though very poor his people were sensitive, dreading to accept public charity from others. Turibius solved the problem by helping them anonymously.
Reflection
The Lord indeed writes straight with crooked lines. Against his will, and from the unlikely springboard of an Inquisition tribunal, this man became the Christlike shepherd of a poor and oppressed people. God gave him the gift of loving others as they needed it.
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Mt 18:21-35 – How often shall I forgive?
Who doesn’t have debts they need to pay off! And who wouldn’t be grateful to have someone release them from their debts? But can we really expect mercy and pardon when we owe someone a great deal?
When the people of Israel sinned and rebelled against God, God left them to their own devices until they repented and cried out to him for mercy. The Book of Daniel in the Old Testament recounts the story of Daniel and his three young friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, who were sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.
When the King of Babylon threw Daniel’s three friends into the fiery furnace, they cried out to God to have mercy not only on themselves, but to have mercy upon all his people. “Do not put us to shame, but deal with us in your forbearance and in your abundant mercy” (Daniel 3:19-43).
The prophet Jeremiah reminds us that God’s “mercies never come to an end – they are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:22-23). God gives grace to the humble and he shows mercy to those who turn to him for healing and pardon.
We owe God a debt we could never repay
God’s mercy towards each one of us shows us the way that God wants each one of us to be merciful towards one another. When Peter posed the question of forgiveness and showing mercy to one’s neighbor, he characteristically offered an answer he thought Jesus would be pleased with.
Why not forgive your neighbor seven times! How unthinkable for Jesus to counter with the proposition that one must forgive seventy times that. Jesus made it clear that there is no reckonable limit to mercy and pardon.
And he drove the lesson home with a parable about two very different kinds of debts. The first man owed an enormous sum of money – millions in our currency. In Jesus’ time this amount was greater than the total revenue of a province – more than it would cost to ransom a king!
The man who was forgiven such an incredible debt could not, however bring himself to forgive his neighbor a very small debt which was about one- hundred-thousandth of his own debt. The contrast could not have been greater!
Jesus paid the price in full for our guilt and condemnation
Paul the Apostle tells us that “the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
There is no way we could repay God the debt we owed him because of our sins and offenses. Only his mercy and pardon could free us from such a debt. There is no offense our neighbor can do to us that can compare with our debt to God! If God has forgiven each of us our own debt, which was very great, we, too must forgive others the debt they owe us.
Jesus ransomed us from slavery to sin and eternal death
Through Jesus’ atoning sacrifice for our sins on the cross, we have been forgiven a debt beyond all reckoning. It cost God his very own Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to ransom us with the price of his blood.
Jesus paid the price for us and won for us pardon for our sins and freedom from slavery to our unruly desires and sinful habits. God in his mercy offers us the grace and help of his Holy Spirit so we can love as he loves, pardon as he pardons, and treat others with the same mercy and kindness which he has shown to us.
True peace with God
God has made his peace with us. Have you made your peace with God? If you believe and accept God’s love and and pardon for you, then you likewise must choose to be merciful towards those who are in debt to you. Are you ready to forgive and to make peace with your neighbor as God has made peace with you?
“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury let me sow pardon. Where there is doubt let me sow faith. Where there is despair let me give hope. Where there is darkness let me give light. Where there is sadness let me give joy. (Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi, 1181-1226) ” Amen
Saint Nicholas Owen
Nicholas, familiarly known as “Little John,” was small in stature but big in the esteem of his fellow Jesuits.
Born at Oxford, this humble artisan saved the lives of many priests and laypersons in England during the penal times (1559-1829), when a series of statutes punished Catholics for the practice of their faith.
Over a period of about 20 years, Nicholas used his skills to build secret hiding places for priests throughout the country.
His work, which he did completely by himself as both architect and builder, was so good that time and time again priests in hiding were undetected by raiding parties.
Nicholas was a genius at finding and creating places of safety: subterranean passages, small spaces between walls, impenetrable recesses.
At one point he was even able to mastermind the escape of two Jesuits from the Tower of London.
Whenever Nicholas set out to design such hiding places, he began by receiving the holy Eucharist, and he would turn to God in prayer throughout the long, dangerous construction process.
After many years at his unusual task, Nicholas entered the Society of Jesus and served as a lay brother, although—for very good reasons—his connection with the Jesuits was kept secret.
After a number of narrow escapes, he himself was finally caught in 1594. Despite protracted torture, Nicholas refused to disclose the names of other Catholics. After being released following the payment of a ransom, “Little John” went back to his work.
He was arrested again in 1606. This time he was subjected to horrible tortures, suffering an agonizing death. The jailers tried suggesting that he had confessed and committed suicide, but his heroism and sufferings soon were widely known.
Nicholas Owen was canonized in 1970 as one of the 40 Martyrs of England and Wales.
Reflection
Nicholas was a clever builder and architect who used his skills to protect endangered priests. Without his help, hundreds of English Catholics would have been deprived of the sacraments. His gift for spotting unlikely places to hide priests was impressive, but more impressive was his habit of seeking support for his work in prayer and the Eucharist. If we follow his example, we may also discover surprising ways to put our skills to God’s service.
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Luke 4:24-30, Jesus’ power to heal and cleanse
Do you believe that God wants to act with power in your life today? Power to set you free from sin and hurtful desires, fear and oppression. Throughout the Scriptures we see God performing mighty acts to save his people from death and destruction – from Noah’s ark that spared his family from the flood of wickedness that had spread across the land to Moses and the Israelites who crossed through the parting waters of the Red Sea as they fled the armies of Pharoah their slave Master and oppressor.
Throughout the Gospel accounts Jesus praised individuals who put their faith in God as they remembered the great and wonderful deeds he had performed time and again. Jesus even praised outsiders – non-Jews and pagans from other lands who had heard about the mighty deeds of the God of Israel.
One example Jesus mentioned was Naaman the pagan army commander from Syria who was afflicted with leprosy – a debilitating skin disease that slowly ate away the flesh (2 Kings 5:1-15). Naaman’s slave-girl was a young Jewish woman who had faith in God and compassion for Naaman her master. She urged him to seek healing from Elisha, the great prophet of Israel.
When Naaman went to the land of Israel to seek a cure for his leprosy, the prophet Elisha instructed him to bathe seven times in the Jordan river. Namaan was indignant at first, but then repented and followed the prophet’s instructions. In doing so he was immediately restored in body and spirit.
Healing the leprosy of soul and body
What is the significance of Naaman’s healing for us? Ephrem the Syrian (306-373 AD), an early Christian teacher from Edessa, tells us that Naaman’s miraculous healing at the River Jordan, prefigures the mystery of the healing which is freely granted to all nations of the earth by our Lord Jesus through the regenerating waters of baptism and renewal in the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5).
“Therefore Naaman was sent to the Jordan as to the remedy capable to heal a human being. Indeed, sin is the leprosy of the soul, which is not perceived by the senses, but intelligence has the proof of it, and human nature must be delivered from this disease by Christ’s power which is hidden in baptism.
It was necessary that Naaman, in order to be purified from two diseases, that of the soul and that of the body, might represent in his own person the purification of all the nations through the bath of regeneration, whose beginning was in the river Jordan, the mother and originator of baptism.” (commentary ON THE SECOND BOOK OF KINGS 5.10-1)
Jesus told Nicodemus, “unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). The Lord Jesus wants to renew in each one of us the gift of faith and the regenerating power of baptism and the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5) which cleanses us of the leprosy of sin and makes us “newborn” sons and daughters of God.
Confronting the sin of indifference and unbelief
When Jesus first proclaimed the good news of God’s kingdom to his own townspeople at Nazareth (Luke 4:23-27), he did not hesitate to confront them with their sin of indifference and unbelief.
He startled his listeners in the synagogue at Nazareth with a seeming rebuke that no prophet or servant of God could receive honor among his own people. He then angered them when he complimented Gentiles who had shown more faith in God than the “chosen ones” of Israel. Some who despised the Gentiles (non-Jews) even spoke of them as “fuel for the fires of hell.”
Jesus’ praise for “outsiders” offended the ears of his own people because they were blind-sighted to God’s merciful plan of redemption for all the nations. The word of rebuke spoken by Jesus was met with indignation and hostility. The Nazarenes forcibly threw him out of their town and would have done him physical harm had he not stopped them.
The Lord brings healing and pardon to all who humbly seek him with faith and trust
We all stand in need of God’s grace and merciful help every day and every moment of our lives. Scripture tells us that “the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:22-23). God gives grace to the humble who seek him with expectant faith and with a repentant heart that wants to be made whole and clean again.
The Lord Jesus will set us free from every sinful habit and every harmful way of relating to our neighbor, if we allow him to cleanse and heal us. If we want to walk in freedom and grow in love and holiness, then we must humbly renounce our sinful ways and submit to Christ’s instruction and healing discipline in our lives.
Scripture tells us that the Lord disciplines us for our good that we may share his holiness (Hebrews 12:10). Do you want the Lord Jesus to set you free and make you whole again? Ask him to show you the way to walk in his healing love and truth.
“Lord Jesus, teach me to love your ways that I may be quick to renounce sin and wilfulness in my life. Make me whole and clean again that I may delight to do your will.” R De, Amen
Blessed John of Parma
The seventh general minister of the Franciscan Order, John was known for his attempts to bring back the earlier spirit of the Order after the death of Saint Francis of Assisi.
He was born in Parma, Italy, in 1209. It was when he was a young philosophy professor known for his piety and learning that God called him to bid good-bye to the world he was used to and enter the new world of the Franciscan Order.
After his profession, John was sent to Paris to complete his theological studies. Ordained to the priesthood, he was appointed to teach theology at Bologna, then Naples, and finally Rome.
In 1245, Pope Innocent IV called a general council in the city of Lyons, France. Crescentius, the Franciscan minister general at the time, was ailing and unable to attend. In his place he sent Friar John, who made a deep impression on the Church leaders gathered there. Two years later, when the same pope presided at the election of a minister general of the Franciscans, he remembered Friar John well and held him up as the man best qualified for the office.
And so in 1247, John of Parma was elected to be minister general. The surviving disciples of St. Francis rejoiced in his election, expecting a return to the spirit of poverty and humility of the early days of the Order.
And they were not disappointed. As general of the Order, John traveled on foot, accompanied by one or two companions, to practically all of the Franciscan convents in existence. Sometimes he would arrive and not be recognized, remaining there for a number of days to test the true spirit of the brothers.
The pope called on John to serve as legate to Constantinople, where he was most successful in winning back the schismatic Greeks. Upon his return, he asked that someone else take his place to govern the Order.
At John’s urging, Saint Bonaventure was chosen to succeed him. John took up a life of prayer in the hermitage at Greccio.
Many years later, John learned that the Greeks who had been reconciled with the Church for a time, had relapsed into schism.
Though 80 years old by then, John received permission from Pope Nicholas IV to return to the East in an effort to restore unity once again. On his way, John fell sick and died. He was beatified in 1781. The liturgical feast of Blessed John of Parma is celebrated on March 20.
Reflection
In the 13th century, people in their 30s were middle-aged; hardly anyone lived to the ripe old age of 80. John did, but he didn’t ease into retirement. Instead he was on his way to try to heal a schism in the Church when he died. Our society today boasts a lot of folks in their later decades. Like John, many of them lead active lives. But some aren’t so fortunate. Weakness or ill health keeps them confined and lonely—waiting to hear from us.
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Luke 13:1-9 – Unless you repent you will perish
All three of today’s readings speak of God’s mercy and compassion in disciplining His children by occasional punishment, while giving them many “second chances” despite their repeated sins.
Although God’s love for us is constant and consistent, He will not save us without our co-operation. That is why He invites us during Lent to repent of our sins and to renew our lives by producing fruits
1️⃣The first reading tells us how God shows His mercy to His chosen people by giving them Moses as their leader and liberator. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (v 6) reveals Himself to Moses from the burning bush and assures Moses of His Divine presence with His people and of His awareness of their sufferings in Egypt.
He declares His intention of using Moses as the leader who will rescue His enslaved people. Then He renews the promise He made to the patriarchs (v 8), to give them a “land flowing with milk and honey.”
In the Responsorial Psalm (Ps 103) the Psalmist reminds us of God’s mercy: “He pardons all your iniquities; He heals all your ills. He redeems your life from destruction; He crowns you with kindness and compassion…. Merciful and gracious is the Lord, slow to anger and abounding in kindness.”
2️⃣The second reading warns us that our merciful God is also a disciplining God. Paul reminds the Christians of Corinth that they must learn from the sad experience of the Israelites who were punished for their sins by a merciful and just God.
The merciful and gracious God is also just and demanding, and, hence, they must be free from sexual sins and idolatry.
3️⃣Today’s Gospel reading emphasizes the Christian call to metanoia, which means conversion, repentance, and inner change, and heartens us with the reality of God’s patient mercy. It explains how God disciplines His people, invites them to repent of their sins, to renew their lives, and to produce the fruits of the Holy Spirit.
Citing two tragic events, Jesus exhorts the Jews to repent and reform their lives. With the parable of the barren fig tree, he also warns them that the merciful God will not put up with them indefinitely. Although God patiently waits for sinners to repent, giving them grace to do so, He will not wait forever.
Time may run out; therefore, timely repentance is necessary. Hence one can say, “A Lent missed is a year lost from the spiritual life.”
A parable of Divine patience
On the one hand, Jesus informs us that those who do not repent will perish. On the other hand, Jesus tells us a parable about the patience of God.
The fig tree in His parable is a familiar Old Testament symbol for Israel (see Jer 8:3; 24:1-10, Hos 9:10; Mi 7:1). As the fig tree is given one last season to produce fruit before it is cut down, so Jesus is giving Israel one final opportunity to bear good fruits as evidence of its repentance (see Lk 3:8).
This metaphorical story of the fig tree planted in the vineyard reminds us of the parable of the vineyard in Is 5:1-7. The fig tree is considered as a symbol of the People of Israel (see also Hos 9:10; Mi 7:1; Jer 8:13, 24:1-10), and this parable is perhaps meant to indicate that Jesus will work on the Jews for a little while longer, before cutting them off as a lost case and opening the Kingdom wholeheartedly to the Gentiles.
Through this parable, believers are reminded of the patience of a God Who is willing to give sinners chance after chance to reform their lives and to seek reconciliation. Even when sinners waste or refuse those chances, God, in His mercy, allows still more opportunities for them to repent.
And, just as the farmer tended the barren fig tree with special care, so God affords sinners whatever graces they need to leave their sinful ways behind and return to God’s love and embrace.
Divine grace is expressed as justice with compassion, and judgment with mercy. But we cannot continue to draw strength and sustenance from God without producing fruit. God does not tolerate this type of “spiritual barrenness.” The “fruit” God wants consists of acts of self-giving love done for others.
These are the spiritual and the corporal works of mercy that we’re called to do out of love for God and others. Jesus warns that the Galileans died “by the malice of some human being” and the eighteen died by chance, but the fig tree “will die expressly because of inactivity and unproductiveness.”
However, the gardener is asking mercy for the disobedient fig tree. Is that what Jesus is doing when he warns us we will perish if we don’t repent? Our life-giving fertilizer consists of repentance, confession, and a firm commitment to change our life.
This is, in effect, removing our sandals in the presence of our God as we admit our guilt and plead for his mercy. We then trust in God’s mercy and ask Him for the grace we need to redirect our energies into more productive endeavors.
💕We need to live lives of repentance,
(a) because we 👎 know when we will meet a tragedy of our own.Let us repent while we have the chance.Let us turn to Christ, acknowledge our faults and failings, and receive from him mercy, forgiveness, and the promise of eternal life.
There is no better way to take these words of Jesus to heart than to go to sacramental confession, and there is no better time to go to confession than during Lent. We are unable to predict when a tragic accident may happen to us. Our end may come swiftly – without warning and without giving us an opportunity to repent;
(b) because repentance helps us in life and in death. It helps us to live as forgiven people and helps us to face death without fear. When we repent, we are saying: “I’ve been going in the wrong direction – I must turn my life around.” Repentance begins with an admission of our sin and inadequacy.
We cannot see Jesus in all his fullness unless we look at him through the lens of repentance. Scripture says repentance results in forgiveness, renewal, and redirection. Repentance is a statement of regret for the inner condition of our souls, with a determination to have that condition changed.
💕We need to be fruitful trees in God’s orchard:
Lent is an ideal time “to dig around and manure” the tree of our life so that it may bring forth fruits.
💕We need to make the best use of the “second chances” God gives us.
Our merciful Father always gives us a second chance. The prodigal son, returning to the father, was welcomed as a son, not treated as a slave. The repentant Peter was made the head of the Church.
The persecutor Saul was made Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles. During Lent, we, too, are given another chance to repent and return to our Heavenly Father’s love. We are also expected to give others another chance when they ask our forgiveness.
God would like to use each one of us as the “gardener” in the parable to help Him cultivate our families and communities and enrich them with grace. Let us thank God for using others to help us bear fruit. Grace is everywhere. Let us always cooperate with grace, especially during Lent.
“Lord Jesus, increase my hunger for you that I may grow in righteousness and holiness. May I not squander the grace of the present moment to say “yes” to you and to your will and plan for my life.” – Amen.
Natural tragedies: We have experienced devastating natural tragedies.
There were the earthquakes in Haiti and Chile in 2010 and Hurricane Katrina in the U.S. in 2005.
The earthquake in Haiti occurred at 4:00 PM on January 12th. It was less strong but more devastating than the later one in Chile.
The earthquake in Haiti killed 230,000 people, injured 300,000 and left a million people homeless as it destroyed 250,000 residences and 30,000 commercial buildings.
The earthquake in Chile occurred at 3:34 AM on February 27th; it measured 8.8 on the Richter scale, killed 279 people, damaged 500,000 homes in six cities and caused 8.5’ tsunami flooding nearby islands and coastal areas.
Hurricane Katrina, occurring in the U. S in late August 2005, was the costliest hurricane and the greatest natural disaster in the history of the United States. At least 1,836 people lost their lives in the actual hurricane and in the subsequent floods.
The storm caused severe destruction along the Gulf Coast from central Florida to Texas, much of it due to the storm surge. The most severe loss of life and damages to property occurred in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Flood waters inundated 80% of the city and covered large tracts of neighboring parishes remaining in place for weeks. Hurricane Katrina caused damages totaling $100 billion, outstripping by many times the damage caused by Hurricane Andrew in 1992 (Adapted from Wikipedia). —
Citing two tragic local incidents in today’s Gospel, Jesus exhorts the Jews to repent of their sins and reform their lives so that they may not face the greatest human tragedy — eternal damnation.
Such natural tragedies also show us our human limitations, demonstrated in our inability to understand why a merciful God allows such tragic events to occur. Are they His means of disciplining His children?
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Mt 21:33-46 – Joseph Did as the Angel Commanded Him – We have the description of St. Joseph only in the Gospels of Mathew and Luke. They present him as Joseph, the just man, the dreamer, and the silent saint who was the custodian and protector of Jesus and Mary, always doing the will of God.
(A) Joseph, the just man: (Matthew. 1:19).
In the Biblical sense, a just man is one who faithfully does his duties to God, to lawful authorities, and to his fellow human beings.
(1) Joseph did his duties to God faithfully by obeying His laws revealed through Moses, through his king, and through his foster-son Jesus.
1
He obeyed the Mosaic laws:
He obeyed the Mosaic laws: i) by circumcising and naming Jesus on the 8th day,
ii) by presenting Mary with her child in the Temple for the purification ceremony,
iii) by making Jesus “son of the Law,” bringing him to the Temple of Jerusalem for the feast of Passover at the age of twelve.
2 He obeyed his King’s law by taking his pregnant wife Mary to Bethlehem for the census ordered by the emperor.
3He obeyed Jesusby respecting his desires and opinion. (Lk.2: 49)
He obeyed Jesusby respecting his desires and opinion. (Lk.2: 49)(2) Joseph did his duties to others faithfully:
1 to his wifeby giving her loving protection in spite of his previous suspicion about her miraculous pregnancy. He could have divorced her. Pope St. John Paul II: St. Joseph protects Mary “discreetly, humbly, and silently, but with an unfailing presence and utter fidelity, even when he finds it hard to understand.”
2 to Jesusby training him in his trade, in the Law of Moses and in good conduct (Lk. 2:52).
3 to his neighborsby being an ideal carpenter and good neighbor.
(B) Joseph, the dreamer (like Joseph in the O.T.) received answers to his fervent prayers as dreams. Joseph raised his heart and mind to God in all his needs and dangerous situations in life, besides praising and thanking Him.
Dreaming in the Old Testament was one way God used to communicate His will to men. Joseph received instructions from God through four dreams:
i) “Do not be afraid to take Mary to be your wife” (Mt.1:20);
ii) “Get up, take the Child and his mother and escape to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you to leave” (Mt. 2:13);
iii) “Get up, take the Child and his mother, and go back to the land of Israel” (Mt.5:20);
iv) as a confirmation of Joseph’s prudent thought of taking Mary and Jesus out of Jerusalem (where a worse ruler might endanger them), and back to Nazareth, a small, out of the way village in the country.
(C) As a silent saint, Joseph always did the will of God and protected and provided for Jesus and Mary. Hence, he continues to protect the mystical body of Christ, the Church.
How did Joseph provide this protection and provision?
By his unfailing presence and committed fidelity. He did it silently, justly and doing the will of God. He is a silent saint in our noisy world, giving himself to others. He continues to protect those who protect and take care of elderly parents, the aged and the sick in nursing homes.
He courageously fulfilled his protective role, starting with his receiving his wife into his home at the angel’s command in a dream and continuing through the flight to Egypt with Mary and the Child and their sojourn there, all the way to Nazareth and their life there, where, at some point, he died peacefully in their presence.
“Lord Jesus, you came to free us from the power of sin, fear, and death, and to heal and restore us to wholeness of life. May I always trust in your saving help, guidance, wisdom, and plan for my life. Amen.
Saint Joseph’s Story
The Bible pays Joseph the highest compliment: he was a “just” man. The quality meant a lot more than faithfulness in paying debts.
When the Bible speaks of God “justifying” someone, it means that God, the all-holy or “righteous” one, so transforms a person that the individual shares somehow in God’s own holiness, and hence it is really “right” for God to love him or her.
In other words, God is not playing games, acting as if we were lovable when we are not.
By saying Joseph was “just,” the Bible means that he was one who was completely open to all that God wanted to do for him. He became holy by opening himself totally to God.
The rest we can easily surmise. Think of the kind of love with which he wooed and won Mary, and the depth of the love they shared during their marriage.
It is no contradiction of Joseph’s manly holiness that he decided to divorce Mary when she was found to be with child. The important words of the Bible are that he planned to do this “quietly” because he was “a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame” (Matthew 1:19).
The just man was simply, joyfully, wholeheartedly obedient to God—in marrying Mary, in naming Jesus, in shepherding the precious pair to Egypt, in bringing them to Nazareth, in the undetermined number of years of quiet faith and courage.
🔔Reflection 🔔
Are you prepared to obey the Lord in everything? Faith in God’s word and obedience to his commands go hand in hand. Joseph, like Mary, is a model of faith and justice. Matthew tells us that Joseph was a “just man”.
John Chrysostom (347-407 AD), a gifted preacher and bishop of Constantinople, comments on the great virtue we see in Joseph which qualified him to be a worthy guardian and foster father for the child Jesus:
“The concept of ‘just’ here signifies the man who possesses all the virtues. By ‘justice’ one at times understands only one virtue in particular, as in the phrase: the one who is not avaricious (greedy) is just.
But ‘justice’ also refers to virtue in general. And it is in this sense, above all, that scripture uses the word ‘justice’. For example, it refers to: a just man and true (cf. Job 1:1), or the two were just (cf. Luke 1:6). Joseph, then, being just, that is to say good and charitable…”
Joseph believed and obeyed God’s instruction Joseph’s faith was put to the test when he discovered that his espoused wife Mary was pregnant. Joseph, being a just and God-fearing man, did not wish to embarrass, punish, or expose Mary to harm.
To all outward appearances it looked as if she had broken their solemn pledge to be chaste and faithful to one another. Joseph, no doubt took this troubling matter to God in prayer. He was not hasty to judge or to react with hurt or anger. God rewarded him not only with guidance and consolation, but with the divine assurance that he had indeed called Joseph to be the husband of Mary and to assume a mission that would require the utmost faith, confidence, and trust in Almighty God.
Joseph believed in the divine message to take Mary as his wife and to accept the child in her womb as the promised Messiah, who is both the only begotten Son of God and son of Mary conceived by the Holy Spirit. Joseph is a man of faith and fatherly careJoseph was a worthy successor to the great patriarchs of the old covenant – Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Joseph followed the call of God through the mysterious circumstances that surrounded the coming of Jesus, the long-awaited Messiah who fulfilled all the promises made to Abraham and his offspring.
God entrusted this silent, humble man with the unique privilege of raising, protecting, teaching, and training Jesus as a growing child. Joseph accepted his role of fatherly care with faith, trust, and obedience to the will of God.
He is a model for all who are entrusted with the care, instruction, and protection of the young. Joseph is a faithful witness and servant of God’s unfolding plan of redemption. The Lord guides and strengthens all who trust in himAre you ready to put your trust in the Lord to give you his help and guidance in fulfilling your responsibilities? God gives strength and guidance to those who seek his help, especially when we face trials, doubts, fears, perplexing circumstances, and what seems like insurmountable problems and challenges in our personal lives.
God our heavenly Father has not left us alone, but has given us his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to be our savior, teacher, lord, and healer. Where do you need God’s help, strength, and guidance? Ask the Lord to increase your faith and trust in his promises and in his guiding hand in your life.
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Mt 21:33-46 – The stone which the builders rejected
Do you ever feel cut off or separated from God? Joseph was violently rejected by his brothers and sold into slavery in Egypt. His betrayal and suffering, however, resulted in redemption and reconciliation for his brothers.
“Fear not, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today” (Genesis 50:19-20).
Joseph prefigures Jesus who was betrayed by one of his own disciples and put to death on the cross for our redemption. Jesus came to reconcile us with an all-just and all-merciful God. His parables point to the mission he came to accomplish – to bring us the kingdom of God. Parable of the vineyard What is the message of the parable of the vineyard? Jesus’ story about an absentee landlord and his not-so-good tenants would have made sense to his audience.
The hills of Galilee were lined with numerous vineyards, and it was quite common for the owners to let out their estates to tenants. Many did it for the sole purpose of collecting rent.Why did Jesus’ story about wicked tenants cause offense to the scribes and Pharisees?
It contained both a prophetic message and a warning. Isaiah had spoken of the house of Israel as “the vineyard of the Lord” (Isaiah 5:7). Jesus’ listeners would have likely understood this parable as referring to God’s dealing with a stubborn and rebellious people. This parable speaks to us today as well. It richly conveys some important truths about God and the way he deals with his people. First, it tells us of God’s generosity and trust. The vineyard is well equipped with everything the tenants need. The owner went away and left the vineyard in the hands of the tenants.
God, likewise trusts us enough to give us freedom to run life as we choose. This parable also tells us of God’s patience and justice. Not once, but many times he forgives the tenants their debts. But while the tenants take advantage of the owner’s patience, his judgment and justice prevail in the end. Gift of the kingdom Jesus foretold both his death on the cross and his ultimate triumph. He knew he would be rejected and put to death, but he also knew that would not be the end. After rejection would come glory – the glory of his resurrection from the grave and his ascension to the right hand of the Father in heaven.
The Lord blesses his people today with the gift of his kingdom – a kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. And he promises that we will bear much fruit if we abide in him (see John 15:1-11).
He entrusts his gifts and grace (unmerited favor and blessing) to each of us and he gives us work to do in his vineyard – the body of Christ in our midst today. He promises that our labor for him will not be in vain if we persevere with faith to the end (see 1 Corinthians 15:58).
We can expect trials and even persecution. But in the end we will see triumph. Do you follow and serve the Lord Jesus with joyful hope and confidence in the victory he has won for you and the gift of abundant new life in the Holy Spirit?
“Thank you, Lord Jesus Christ, for all the benefits which you have given us – for all the pains and insults which you have borne for us. O most merciful redeemer, friend, and brother, may we know you more clearly, love you more dearly, and follow you more nearly, for your own sake. (prayer of St. Richard of Chichester, 13th century) “
Saint Cyril of Jerusalem (March 18) The crises that the Church faces today may seem minor when compared with the threat posed by the Arian heresy, which denied the divinity of Christ and almost overcame Christianity in the fourth century.
Cyril was to be caught up in the controversy, accused of Arianism by Saint Jerome, and ultimately vindicated both by the men of his own time and by being declared a Doctor of the Church in 1822.
Raised in Jerusalem and well-educated, especially in the Scriptures, he was ordained a priest by the bishop of Jerusalem and given the task during Lent of catechizing those preparing for Baptism and catechizing the newly baptized during the Easter season. His Catecheses remain valuable as examples of the ritual and theology of the Church in the mid-fourth century.
There are conflicting reports about the circumstances of his becoming bishop of Jerusalem. It is certain that he was validly consecrated by bishops of the province. Since one of them was an Arian, Acacius, it may have been expected that his “cooperation” would follow. Conflict soon rose between Cyril and Acacius, bishop of the rival nearby see of Caesarea.
Cyril was summoned to a council, accused of insubordination and of selling Church property to relieve the poor. Probably, however, a theological difference was also involved. He was condemned, driven from Jerusalem, and later vindicated, not without some association with and help from Semi-Arians.
Half his episcopate was spent in exile; his first experience was repeated twice. He finally returned to find Jerusalem torn with heresy, schism and strife, and wracked with crime. Even Saint Gregory of Nyssa, who was sent to help, left in despair.
They both went to the Council of Constantinople, where the amended form of the Nicene Creed was promulgated in 381. Cyril accepted the word consubstantial—that is, Christ is of the same substance or nature as the Father.
Some said it was an act of repentance, but the bishops of the Council praised him as a champion of orthodoxy against the Arians. Though not friendly with the greatest defender of orthodoxy against the Arians, Cyril may be counted among those whom Athanasius called “brothers, who mean what we mean, and differ only about the word consubstantial.”
Reflection
Those who imagine that the lives of saints are simple and placid, untouched by the vulgar breath of controversy, are rudely shocked by history. Yet, it should be no surprise that saints, indeed all Christians, will experience the same difficulties as their Master.
The definition of truth is an endless, complex pursuit, and good men and women have suffered the pain of both controversy and error. Intellectual, emotional, and political roadblocks may slow up people like Cyril for a time. But their lives taken as a whole are monuments to honesty and courage.
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Luke 16:19-31 – Lazarus was carried to Abraham’s bosom
What sustains you when trials and affliction come your way? The prophet Jeremiah tells us that whoever relies on God will not be disappointed or be in want when everything around them dries up or disappears (Jeremiah 17:7-8). God will not only be their consolation, but their inexhaustible source of hope and joy as well. We lose what we hold on to – we gain what we give awayJesus’ parable about the afflictions of the poor man Lazarus brings home a similar point. In this story Jesus paints a dramatic scene of contrasts – riches and poverty, heaven and hell, compassion and indifference, inclusion and exclusion.
We also see an abrupt and dramatic reversal of fortune. Lazarus was not only poor, but sick and unable to fend for himself. He was “laid” at the gates of the rich man’s house.
The dogs which licked his sores probably also stole the little bread he got for himself. Dogs in the ancient world symbolized contempt. Enduring the torment of these savage dogs only added to the poor man’s miseries and sufferings. The rich man treated the beggar with contempt and indifference, until he found his fortunes reversed at the end of his life! In God’s economy, those who hold on possessively to what they have, lose it all in the end, while those who share generously receive back many times more than they gave away. Do not lose hope – God rewards those who trust in himThe name Lazarus means God is my help. Despite a life of misfortune and suffering, Lazarus did not lose hope in God. His eyes were set on a treasure stored up for him in heaven.
The rich man, however, could not see beyond his material wealth and possessions. He not only had every thing he needed, he selfishly spent all he had on himself.
He was too absorbed in what he possessed to notice the needs of those around him. He lost sight of God and the treasure of heaven because he was preoccupied with seeking happiness in material things. He served wealth rather than God. In the end the rich man became a beggar! Do you know the joy and freedom of possessing God as your true and lasting treasure? Those who put their hope and security in heaven will not be disappointed (see Hebrews 6:19).
“Lord Jesus, you are my joy and my treasure. Make me rich in the things of heaven and give me a generous heart that I may freely share with others the spiritual and material treasures you have given to me.” – Amen.
The life story for the Saints- Saint Patrick – Legends about Patrick abound; but truth is best served by our seeing two solid qualities in him: He was humble and he was courageous. The determination to accept suffering and success with equal indifference guided the life of God’s instrument for winning most of Ireland for Christ.
Details of his life are uncertain. Current research places his dates of birth and death a little later than earlier accounts. Patrick may have been born in Dunbarton, Scotland, Cumberland, England, or in northern Wales. He called himself both a Roman and a Briton.
At 16, he and a large number of his father’s slaves and vassals were captured by Irish raiders and sold as slaves in Ireland. Forced to work as a shepherd, he suffered greatly from hunger and cold.
After six years Patrick escaped, probably to France, and later returned to Britain at the age of 22. His captivity had meant spiritual conversion.
He may have studied at Lerins, off the French coast; he spent years at Auxerre, France, and was consecrated bishop at the age of 43. His great desire was to proclaim the good news to the Irish.
In a dream vision it seemed “all the children of Ireland from their mothers’ wombs were stretching out their hands” to him.
He understood the vision to be a call to do mission work in pagan Ireland. Despite opposition from those who felt his education had been defective, he was sent to carry out the task. He went to the west and north–where the faith had never been preached–obtained the protection of local kings, and made numerous converts.
Because of the island’s pagan background, Patrick was emphatic in encouraging widows to remain chaste and young women to consecrate their virginity to Christ. He ordained many priests, divided the country into dioceses, held Church councils, founded several monasteries and continually urged his people to greater holiness in Christ.
He suffered much opposition from pagan druids and was criticized in both England and Ireland for the way he conducted his mission. In a relatively short time, the island had experienced deeply the Christian spirit, and was prepared to send out missionaries whose efforts were greatly responsible for Christianizing Europe.
Patrick was a man of action, with little inclination toward learning. He had a rock-like belief in his vocation, in the cause he had espoused. One of the few certainly authentic writings is his Confessio, above all an act of homage to God for having called Patrick, unworthy sinner, to the apostolate.
There is hope rather than irony in the fact that his burial place is said to be in County Down in Northern Ireland, long the scene of strife and violence.
Reflection
What distinguishes Patrick is the durability of his efforts. When one considers the state of Ireland when he began his mission work, the vast extent of his labors, and how the seeds he planted continued to grow and flourish, one can only admire the kind of man Patrick must have been. The holiness of a person is known only by the fruits of his or her work.
Saint Patrick is the Patron Saint of: EngineersIrelandNigeria
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Mt 20:17-28 – Can you drink Christ’s cup?
Who or what takes first place in your life? You and what you want to do with your life or God and what he desires for you? When personal goals and ambitions are at odds with God’s will, whose will prevails? The prophet Jeremiah spoke a word that was at odds with what the people wanted.
The word which Jeremiah spoke was not his personal opinion but the divinely inspired word which God commanded him to speak. Jeremiah met stiff opposition and even threats to his life for speaking God’s word. Jeremiah pleaded with God when others plotted to not only silence him but to destroy him as well.
Jesus also met stiff opposition from those who opposed his authority to speak and act in God’s name. Jesus prophesied that he would be rejected by the religious authorities in Jerusalem and be condemned to death by crucifixion – the most painful and humiliating death the Romans had devised for enemies who opposed their authority.
Jesus called himself the “Son of Man” (Matthew 20:17) – a prophetic title for the Messiah which came from the Book of Daniel. Daniel was given a prophetic vision of a “Son of Man” who is given great authority and power to rule over the earth on behalf of God. But if Jesus is the Messiah and “Son of Man” prophesied by Daniel, why must he be rejected and killed?
Did not God promise that his Anointed One would deliver his people from their oppression and establish a kingdom of peace and justice? The prophet Isaiah had foretold that it was God’s will that the “Suffering Servant” who is “God’s Chosen One” (Isaiah 42:1) must first make atonement for sins through his suffering and death (Isaiah 53:5-12) and then be raised to establish justice on the earth (Isaiah 42:4).
Jesus paid the price for our redemption with his own blood. Jesus’ life did not end with death on the cross – he triumphed over the grave when he rose victorious on the third day. If we want to share in the Lord’s victory over sin and death then we will need to follow his way of the cross by renouncing my will for his will, and my way for his way of self-sacrificing love and holiness.
Seeking privilege and power
Right after Jesus had prophesied his impending death on the cross, the mother of James and John brought her sons before Jesus privately for a special request. She asked on their behalf for Jesus to grant them a special status among the disciples, namely to be placed in the highest position of privilege and power. Rulers placed their second-in-command at their right and left side. James and John were asking Jesus to place them above their fellow disciples.
Don’t we often do the same? We want to get ahead and get the best position where we can be served first. Jesus responds by telling James and John that they do not understand what they are really asking for.
The only way one can advance in God’s kingdom is by submitting one’s whole life in faith and obedience to God. Jesus surrendered his will to the will of his Father – he willingly chose the Father’s path to glory – a path that would lead to suffering and death, redemption and new life.
When the other ten disciples heard what James and John had done, they were very resentful and angry. How unfair for James and John to seek first place for themselves. Jesus called the twelve together and showed them the true and rightful purpose for seeking power and position –
to serve the good of others with love and righteousness. Authority without love, a love that is oriented towards the good of others, easily becomes self-serving and brutish.
Jesus does the unthinkable – he reverses the order and values of the world’s way of thinking. If you want to be great then become a servant for others. If you want to be first, then became a slave rather than a master. How shocking and contradictory these words must have rang in the disciples ears and in our own ears as well!
Power and position are tools that can be used to serve and advance one’s own interests or to serve the interests of others. In the ancient world servants and slaves had no personal choice – they were compelled to serve the interests of their masters and do whatever they were commanded.
Freedom and servanthood
The model of servanthood which Jesus presents to his disciples is based on personal choice and freedom – the decision to put others first in my care and concern and the freedom to serve them with love and compassion rather than with fear or desire for reward.
That is why the Apostle Paul summed up Jesus’ teaching on freedom and love with the exhortation, “For freedom Christ has set us free… only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh [for indulging in sinful and selfish desires], but through love be servants of one another” (Galatians 5:1,13).
Jesus, the Lord and Master, sets himself as the example. He told his disciples that he “came not to be served but to serve” (Matthew 20:28). True servanthood is neither demeaning nor oppressive because its motivating force is love rather than pride or fear.
The Lord Jesus summed up his mission by telling his disciples that he came “to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). The shedding of his blood on the cross was the payment for our sins – a ransom that sets us free from slavery to wrong and hurtful desires and addictions. Jesus laid down his life for us. This death to self is the key that sets us free to offer our lives as a sacrifice of thanksgiving and love for the Lord and for the people he calls us to serve.
Can you drink my cup?
The Lord Jesus asks each of us the same question he asked of James and John, “Can you drink the cup that I am to drink”? The cup he had in mind was a cup of sacrificial service and death to self – even death on a cross.
What kind of cup might the Lord Jesus have in mind for each one of us who are his followers? For some disciples such a cup will entail physical suffering and the painful struggle of martyrdom – the readiness to die for one’s faith in Christ.
But for many followers of Jesus Christ, it entails the long routine of the Christian life, with all its daily sacrifices, disappointments, set-backs, struggles, and temptations. A disciple must be ready to lay down his or her life in martyrdom for Christ and be ready to lay it down each and every day in the little and big sacrifices required as well.
An early church father summed up Jesus’ teaching with the expression “to serve is to reign with Christ”. We share in God’s reign by laying down our lives in humble service of one another as Jesus did for our sake. Are you ready to lay down your life and to serve others as Jesus did?
“Lord Jesus, make me a servant of love for your kingdom, that I may seek to serve rather than be served. Inflame my heart with your love that I may give generously and serve others joyfully for your sake.” – Amen.
The life story for the Saints- Saint Clement Mary Hofbauer
Clement Mary might be called the second founder of the Redemptorists, as it was he who carried the congregation of Saint Alphonsus Liguori to the people north of the Alps.
John, the name given him at Baptism, was born in Moravia into a poor family, the ninth of 12 children. Although he longed to be a priest, there was no money for studies, and he was apprenticed to a baker.
But God guided the young man’s fortunes. He found work in the bakery of a monastery where he was allowed to attend classes in its Latin school. After the abbot there died, John tried the life of a hermit, but when Emperor Joseph II abolished hermitages, John again returned to Vienna and to baking.
One day after serving Mass at the Cathedral of St. Stephen, he called a carriage for two ladies waiting there in the rain. In their conversation they learned that he could not pursue his priestly studies because of a lack of funds. They generously offered to support both John and his friend Thaddeus, in their seminary studies.
The two went to Rome, where they were drawn to Saint Alphonsus’ vision of religious life and to the Redemptorists. The two young men were ordained together in 1785.
Newly professed at age 34, Clement Mary, as he was now called, and Thaddeus were sent back to Vienna.
But the religious difficulties there caused them to leave and continue north to Warsaw, Poland. There they encountered numerous German-speaking Catholics who had been left priestless by the suppression of the Jesuits. At first they had to live in great poverty and preach outdoor sermons.
Eventually they were given the church of St. Benno, and for the next nine years they preached five sermons a day, two in German and three in Polish, converting many to the faith. They were active in social work among the poor, founding an orphanage and then a school for boys.
Drawing candidates to the congregation, they were able to send missionaries to Poland, Germany, and Switzerland.
All of these foundations eventually had to be abandoned because of the political and religious tensions of the times. After 20 years of difficult work, Clement Mary himself was imprisoned and expelled from the country. Only after another arrest was he able to reach Vienna, where he was to live and work the final 12 years of his life.
He quickly became “the apostle of Vienna,” hearing the confessions of the rich and the poor, visiting the sick, acting as a counselor to the powerful, sharing his holiness with all in the city. His crowning work was the establishment of a Catholic college in his beloved city.
Persecution followed Clement Mary, and there were those in authority who were able for a while to stop him from preaching. An attempt was made at the highest levels to have him banished.
But his holiness and fame protected him and prompted the growth of the Redemptorists. Due to his efforts, the congregation was firmly established north of the Alps by the time of his death in 1820.
Clement Mary Hofbauer was canonized in 1909. His liturgical feast is celebrated on March 15.
Reflection
Clement Mary saw his life’s work meet with disaster. Religious and political tensions forced him and his brothers to abandon their ministries in Germany, Poland, and Switzerland. Clement Mary himself was exiled from Poland and had to start all over again.
Someone once pointed out that the followers of the crucified Jesus should see only new possibilities opening up whenever they meet failure. Clement Mary encourages us to follow his example, trusting in the Lord to guide us.
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Mt 23:1-12 Whoever humbles oneself will be exalted
Who doesn’t desire the praise and respect of others? We want others to see us at our best with all of our strengths and achievements – rather than at our worst with all of our faults and shortcomings. God sees us as we truly are – sinners and beggars always in need of his mercy, help, and guidance.
The prophet Isaiah warned both the rulers and the people of Sodom and Gomorrah to humbly listen and submit to God’s teaching so they could learn to do good and to cease from evil (Isaiah 110,17).
Jesus warned the scribes and Pharisees, the teachers and rulers of Israel, to teach and serve their people with humility and sincerity rather than with pride and self-promotion. They went to great lengths to draw attention to their religious status and practices. In a way they wanted to be good models of observant Jews.
“See how well we observe all the ritual rules and regulations of our religion!” In their misguided zeal for religion they sought recognition and honor for themselves rather than for God. They made the practice of their faith a burden rather than a joy for the people they were supposed to serve.
True respect for God inclines us to humble ourselves and to submit to his wisdom and guidance. We cannot be taught by God unless we first learn to listen to his word and then obey his instruction. One Father and Teacher
Was Jesus against calling anyone a rabbi, the Jewish title for a teacher of God’s word (Matthew 23:7-8), or a father? The law of Moses in Scripture specifically instructed all fathers to be teachers and instructors for their children to help them understand and obey God’s instructions (Deuteronomy 6:7)?
Why did Jesus rebuke the scribes and Pharisees, the religious authorities of the Jewish people, in the presence of his disciples? Jesus wanted to warn both his own disciples and the religious leaders about the temptation to seek honors and titles that draw attention to ourselves in place of God and his word. Pride tempts us to put ourselves first above others. The Scriptures give ample warning about the danger of self-seeking pride: Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall (Proverbs 16:18). God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6; Proverbs 3:24). Origen (185-254 AD), an early Christian teacher and bible scholar, reminds those who teach and lead to remember that they are first and foremost “disciples” and “servants” who sit at the feet of their Master and Teacher the Lord Jesus Christ:
“You have one teacher, and you are all brothers to each other…Whoever ministers with the divine word does not put himself forward to be called teacher, for he knows that when he performs well it is Christ who is within him. He should only call himself servant according to the command of Christ, saying, Whoever is greater among you, let him be the servant of all.”
True humility
Respect for God and for his ways inclines us to humility and to simplicity of heart – the willing readiness to seek the one true good who is God himself. What is the nature of true humility and why should we embrace it as essential for our lives?
We can easily mistake humility as something demeaning or harmful to our sense of well-being and feeling good about ourselves. True humility is not feeling bad about yourself, or having a low opinion of yourself, or thinking of yourself as inferior to all others.
True humility frees us from preoccupation with ourselves, whereas a low self-opinion tends to focus our attention on ourselves. Humility is truth in self-understanding and truth in action. Viewing ourselves honestly, with sober judgment, means seeing ourselves the way God sees us (Psalm 139:1-4).
A humble person makes a realistic assessment of oneself without illusion or pretense to be something one is not. A truly humble person regards oneself neither smaller nor larger than one truly is. True humility frees us to be ourselves as God regards us and to avoid falling into despair and pride.
A humble person does not want to wear a mask or put on a facade in order to look good to others. Such a person is not swayed by accidentals, such as fame, reputation, success, or failure. Do you know the joy of Christ-like humility and simplicity of heart? Humility is the queen or foundation of all the other virtues because it enables us to see and judge correctly, the way God sees. Humility helps us to be teachable so we can acquire true knowledge, wisdom, and an honest view of reality.
It directs our energy, zeal, and will to give ourselves to something greater than ourselves. Humility frees us to love and serve others willingly and selflessly, for their own sake, rather than for our own.
Paul the Apostle gives us the greatest example and model of humility in the person of Jesus Christ, who emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, and… who humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2:7-8). Do you want to be a servant as Jesus loved and served others? The Lord Jesus gives us his heart – the heart of a servant who seeks the good of others and puts their interests first in his care and concern for them.
“Lord Jesus, you became a servant for my sake to set me free from the tyranny of selfish pride and self-concern. Teach me to be humble as you are humble and to love others generously with selfless service and kindness. Amen.
The life story for the Saints-Saint Louise de Marillac
Born near Meux, France, Louise lost her mother when she was still a child, her beloved father when she was but 15. Her desire to become a nun was discouraged by her confessor, and a marriage was arranged. One son was born of this union. But Louise soon found herself nursing her beloved husband through a long illness that finally led to his death.
Louise was fortunate to have a wise and sympathetic counselor, Francis de Sales, and then his friend, the bishop of Belley, France. Both of these men were available to her only periodically.
But from an interior illumination she understood that she was to undertake a great work under the guidance of another person she had not yet met. This was the holy priest Monsieur Vincent, later to be known as Saint Vincent de Paul.
At first, he was reluctant to be her confessor, busy as he was with his “Confraternities of Charity.” Members were aristocratic ladies of charity who were helping him nurse the poor and look after neglected children, a real need of the day.
But the ladies were busy with many of their own concerns and duties. His work needed many more helpers, especially ones who were peasants themselves and therefore, close to the poor and able to win their hearts. He also needed someone who could teach them and organize them.
Only over a long period of time, as Vincent de Paul became more acquainted with Louise, did he come to realize that she was the answer to his prayers. She was intelligent, self-effacing, and had physical strength and endurance that belied her continuing feeble health. The missions he sent her on eventually led to four simple young women joining her. Her rented home in Paris became the training center for those accepted for the service of the sick and poor.
Growth was rapid and soon there was the need for a so-called “rule of life,” which Louise herself, under the guidance of Vincent, drew up for the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul.
Monsieur Vincent had always been slow and prudent in his dealings with Louise and the new group. He said that he had never had any idea of starting a new community, that it was God who did everything.
“Your convent,” he said, “will be the house of the sick; your cell, a hired room; your chapel, the parish church; your cloister, the streets of the city or the wards of the hospital.” Their dress was to be that of the peasant women. It was not until years later that Vincent de Paul would finally permit four of the women to take annual vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.
It was still more years before the company would be formally approved by Rome and placed under the direction of Vincent’s own congregation of priests.
Many of the young women were illiterate. Still it was with reluctance that the new community undertook the care of neglected children. Louise was busy helping wherever needed despite her poor health.
She traveled throughout France, establishing her community members in hospitals, orphanages and other institutions. At her death on March 15, 1660, the congregation had more than 40 houses in France. Six months later Vincent de Paul followed her in death.
Louise de Marillac was canonized in 1934 and declared patroness of social workers in 1960.
Reflection
In Louise’s day, serving the needs of the poor was usually a luxury only fine ladies could afford. Her mentor, Saint Vincent de Paul, wisely realized that women of peasant stock could reach poor people more effectively, and the Daughters of Charity were born under her leadership.
Today, that order—along with the Sisters of Charity—continues to nurse the sick and aging and provide refuge for orphans. Many of its members are social workers toiling under Louise’s patronage. The rest of us must share her concern for the disadvantaged.
Saint Louise de Marillac is the Patron Saint of:
Social workers
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Luke 6:36-38 Be merciful as your Father is merciful
Do you know and experience the mercy God has for you through the blood of Jesus Christ that was shed for you and for your sins upon the cross? The Lord Jesus took our sins upon himself and nailed them to the cross so that we could receive pardon rather than condemnation, freedom rather than slavery to sin, and healing for the wounds caused by sin, injustice, and evil. God’s mercy knows no limitsGod the Father never tires of showing his steadfast love and mercy to those who seek him. Scripture tells us that his mercies never cease.
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (The Lamentations of Jeremiah 3:22-23). What can hold us back from receiving God’s mercy and pardon?
Anger, resentment, an unwillingness to forgive or to ask for pardon can hold us back from the healing power and merciful love that has power to wash away guilt and condemnation, fear and anger, pride and resentment. The Lord Jesus offers us freedom to walk in his way of love and forgiveness, mercy and goodness. Imitate God the Father’s mercyWe are called to be merciful towards one another just as our heavenly Father has been merciful towards each one of us. Do you quickly forgive those who wrong you or cause you grief or pain, or do you allow ill-will and resentment to grow in your heart? Do you pray for those who have lost sight of God’s mercy, pardon, truth, and justice? In the Old Testament we see the example of Daniel, a man of great faith in God’s mercy and just ways, who prayed daily, not only for himself, but for his own people, and for his persecutors as well.
Daniel was ‘shamefaced’ before God because he recognized that his own people who had been called and chosen by God as the people of Israel, were now suffering in exile due to their sins and unfaithfulness to the covenant God had made with them (see Daniel 9:4-10).
Daniel did not sit in judgment over the failings and sins of his own people, instead he pleaded with God for compassion, pardon, and restoration. Our shame will turn to joy and hope if we confess our sins and ask for God’s healing love and mercy.. Do not judge Why does Jesus tell his followers to “not judge lest they be judged”? Jesus knew the human heart all too well. We judge too quickly or unfairly with mixed motives, impure hearts, and prejudiced minds. The heart must be cleansed first in order to discern right judgment with grace and mercy rather than with ill will and vengeance. Ephrem the Syrian (306-373 AD), a wise early Christian teacher and writer, comments on Jesus’ exhortation to not condemn:
Do not judge, that is, unjustly, so that you may not be judged, with regard to injustice. With the judgment that you judge shall you be judged.
This is like the phrase “Forgive, and it will be forgiven you.” For once someone has judged in accordance with justice, he should forgive in accordance with grace, so that when he himself is judged in accordance with justice, he may be worthy of forgiveness through grace.
Alternatively, it was on account of the judges, those who seek vengeance for themselves, that he said, “Do not condemn.” That is, do not seek vengeance for yourselves. Or, do not judge from appearances and opinion and then condemn, but admonish and advise. (COMMENTARY ON TATIAN’S DIATESSARON 6.18B.)
Grace and mercy What makes true disciples of Jesus Christ different from those who do not know the Lord Jesus and what makes Christianity distinct from any other religion? It is grace – treating others not as they deserve, but as God wishes them to be treated – with forbearance, mercy, and loving-kindness. God shows his goodness to the unjust as well as to the just. His love embraces saint and sinner alike.
God always seeks what is best for each one of us and he teaches us to seek the greatest good of others, even those who hate and abuse us. Our love for others, even those who are ungrateful and unkind towards us, must be marked by the same kindness and mercy which God has shown to us.
It is easier to show kindness and mercy when we can expect to benefit from doing so. How much harder when we can expect nothing in return. Our prayer for those who do us ill both breaks the power of revenge and releases the power of love to do good in the face of evil. Overcome evil with mercy and goodnessHow can we possibly love those who cause us grief, harm, or ill-will? With God all things are possible. He gives power and grace to those who trust in his love and who seek his wisdom and help.
The Lord is ready to work in and through us by his Holy Spirit, both to purify our minds and hearts and to help us do what is right, good, and loving in all circumstances. Paul the Apostle reminds us that “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us” (Romans 5:5)
God’s love conquers all, even our hurts, injuries, fears, and prejudices. Only the cross of Jesus Christ and his victory over sin can free us from the tyranny of malice, hatred, revenge, and resentment, and give us the courage to overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21).
Such love and grace has power to heal, restore, and transform us into the image of Christ. Do you know the power of Christ’s redeeming love and mercy?
“Lord Jesus, your love brings freedom, pardon, and joy. Transform my heart with your love that nothing may make me lose my temper, ruffle my peace, take away my joy, or make me bitter towards anyone.” Amen.
☦️The life story for the Saints☦️ Saint Maximilian (274 – March 12, 295)
We have an early, almost unembellished account of the martyrdom of Saint Maximilian in modern-day Algeria.
Brought before the proconsul Dion, Maximilian refused enlistment in the Roman army saying, “I cannot serve, I cannot do evil. I am a Christian.”
Dion replied: “You must serve or die.”
Maximilian: “I will never serve. You can cut off my head, but I will not be a soldier of this world, for I am a soldier of Christ. My army is the army of God, and I cannot fight for this world. I tell you I am a Christian.”
Dion: “There are Christian soldiers serving our rulers Diocletian and Maximian, Constantius and Galerius.”
Maximilian: “That is their business. I also am a Christian, and I cannot serve.”
Dion: “But what harm do soldiers do?”
Maximilian: “You know well enough.”
Dion: “If you will not do your service I shall condemn you to death for contempt of the army.”
Maximilian: “I shall not die. If I go from this earth, my soul will live with Christ my Lord.”
Maximilian was 21 years old when he gladly offered his life to God. His father went home from the execution site joyful, thanking God that he had been able to offer heaven such a gift. St. Maximilian’s liturgical feast is celebrated on March 12.
Reflection
In this celebration we find one inspirational son and one incredible father. Both men were filled with strong faith and hope. Let’s ask them to help us in our struggle to remain faithful.
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Luke 9:28-36 Jesus transfigured in glory
The common theme of today’s readings is metamorphosis or transformation. The readings invite us to work with the Holy Spirit to transform our lives by renewing them during Lent so that they radiate the glory and grace of the transfigured Lord to all around us by our Spirit-filled lives. (An anecdote may be added here as a homily starter)
The first reading describes the transformation of Abram, a pagan patriarch, into a believer in the one God (Who would later “transform” Abram’s name to Abraham), and the first covenant of God with Abraham’s family as a reward for Abraham’s Faith and obedience to God. The Responsorial Psalm (Ps 27) declares that Faith, singing, “I believe that I shall see the bounty of the Lord in the land of the living.”
In the second reading,
St. Paul argues that it is not observance of the Mosaic Law and circumcision that transforms people into Christians, and hence, that Gentiles need not become Jews to become Christians. St. Paul urges us to stand firm in our Faith and to live a life of discipleship with Jesus now, so that we may share in a glorious future later.
In the Transfiguration account in today’s Gospel,
Jesus is revealed as a glorious figure, superior to Moses and Elijah. The primary purpose of Jesus’ Transfiguration was to allow Him to consult his Heavenly Father in order to ascertain His plan for His Son’s suffering, death, and Resurrection.
The secondary aim was to make Jesus’ chosen disciples aware of his Divine glory, so that they might discard their worldly ambitions and dreams of a conquering political Messiah and might be strengthened in their time of trial.
On the mountain, Jesus is identified by the Heavenly Voice as the Son of God. Thus, the Transfiguration experience is a Christophany, that is, a manifestation or revelation of Who Jesus really is. Describing Jesus’ Transfiguration, the Gospel gives us a glimpse of the Heavenly glory awaiting those who do God’s will by putting their trusting Faith in Him.
Message for our Life
(1) The “transfiguration” in the Holy Mass is the source of our strength:
In each Holy Mass, the bread and wine we offer on the altar become “transfigured” or transformed (transubstanted) into the living Body and Blood soul and Divinity of the crucified, risen, and glorified Jesus. Just as Jesus’ Transfiguration was meant to strengthen the apostles in their time of trial, each holy Mass should be our source of Heavenly strength against temptations, and for our Lenten renewal.
(2) Each time we receive one of the Sacraments, we are transformed:
For example, Baptism transforms us into sons and daughters of God and heirs of heaven. Confirmation makes us temples of the Holy Spirit and warriors of God. By the Sacrament of Reconciliation, God brings back the sinner to the path of holiness.
(3) The Transfiguration of Jesus offers us a message of encouragement and hope:
In moments of doubt and during our dark moments of despair and hopelessness, the thought of our own transfiguration in Heaven will help us to reach out to God and to listen to His consoling words to Jesus: “This is my beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased — listen to Him!” and so share the glory of His transfiguration.
4) We need “mountain-top experiences” in our lives:
We share the mountain-top experience of Peter, James, and John when we spend extra time in prayer during Lent. Fasting for one day can help the body to store up spiritual energy. This spiritual energy can help us have thoughts that are far higher and nobler than our usual mundane thinking.
“Lord Jesus, keep me always alert to you, to your presence in my life, and to your life-giving word that nourishes me daily. Let me see your glory.” Amen.
☦️ The story for the reflection☦️
The transforming vision of Elisha’s servant:
There is a mysterious story in II Kings that can help us understand what is happening in the Transfiguration. Israel is at war with Aram, and Elisha, the man of God, is using his prophetic powers to reveal to the Israelites the strategic plans of the Aramean army.
At first the King of Aram thinks that one of his officers is playing the spy. But when he learns the truth, he dispatches troops to go and capture Elisha who is residing in Dothan.
The Aramean troops move in under cover of darkness and surround the city. In the morning Elisha’s servant is the first to discover that they are trapped, and he fears for his master’s safety.
He runs to Elisha and says, “Oh, my lord, what shall we do?” The prophet answers “Don’t be afraid. Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” But who would believe that when the surrounding mountainside is covered with advancing enemy troops?
So Elisha prays, “O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.“ Then the Lord opens the servant’s eyes, and he looks and sees the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha (2 Kings 6:8-23).
This vision was all that Elisha’s disciple needed to reassure him. At the end of the story, not only was the prophet of God safe, but the invading army was totally humiliated. —
The Transfiguration scene described in today’s Gospel was intended to have a similar effect on Peter and the other apostles who were really afraid for their master’s safety in the context of the growing hatred against and opposition to Jesus.
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Mt 5:43-48 Love and pray for your enemies
Do you know the love that conquers every fear, sin, and selfish desire? God renews his love for us each and every day. His love has the power to free us from every form of evil – selfishness, greed, anger, hatred, jealously and envy.
In Jesus’ teaching on the law he does something quite remarkable and unheard of. He transforms the old law of justice and mercy with grace (favor) and loving-kindness.
Grace and loving-kindness
God is good to the unjust as well as the just. His love embraces saint and sinner alike. God seeks our highest good and teaches us to seek the greatest good of others, even those who hate or cause ill-will. Our love for others, including those who are ungrateful or selfish towards us, must be marked by the same kindness and mercy which God has shown to us.
It is easier to show kindness and mercy when we can expect to benefit from doing so. How much harder when we can expect nothing in return. Our prayer for those who do us ill both breaks the power of revenge and releases the power of love to do good in the face of evil.
How can we possibly love as God loves and overcome evil with good? With God all things are possible. He gives power and grace to those who believe and accept the gift of the Holy Spirit. His love conquers all, even our hurts, fears, prejudices and griefs.
Only the cross of Jesus Christ can free us from the tyranny of malice, hatred, revenge, and resentment and gives us the courage to return evil with good. Such love and grace has power to heal and to save from destruction. Do you know the power of Christ’s redeeming love and mercy?
Perfect – made whole
Was Jesus exaggerating when he said we must be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48)? Jesus’ command seems to parallel two passages from the Old Testament Scriptures.
The first is where God instructed Abraham to “be perfect” or “blameless” before God (Genesis 17:1). The original meaning of “perfect” in Hebrew and the Aramaic dialect is “completeness” or “wholeness” – “not lacking in what is essential.”
The second passage that seems to parallel Jesus’ expression, “be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect” is the command that God gave to Moses and the people of Israel to “be holy, for I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44,45; 19:2). God made each of us in his image and likeness (Genesis 1:26,27).
That is why he calls us to grow in maturity and wholeness so we can truly be like him – a people who love as he loves and who choose to do what is good and to reject what is evil and contrary to his will (Ephesians 4:13-16).
God knows our sinfulness and weaknesses better than we do – and he assures us of his love, mercy, and help. That is why he freely gives us his power, strength, and gifts so that we may not lack anything we need to do his will and to live as his sons and daughters (2 Peter 1:3).
Do you want to grow in your love for God and for your neighbor? Ask the Holy Spirit to purify and transform you in the image of the Father that you may walk in the joy and freedom of the Gospel.
“Lord Jesus, your love brings freedom and pardon. Fill me with your Holy Spirit and set my heart ablaze with your love that nothing may make me lose my temper, ruffle my peace, take away my joy, nor make me bitter towards anyone.” Amen
Blessed Angela Salawa
Angela served Christ and Christ’s little ones with all her strength.
Born in Siepraw, near Kraków, Poland, she was the 11th child of Bartlomiej and Ewa Salawa. In 1897, she moved to Kraków where her older sister Therese lived.
Angela immediately began to gather together and instruct young women domestic workers. During World War I, she helped prisoners of war without regard for their nationality or religion. The writings of Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross were a great comfort to her.
Angela gave great service in caring for soldiers wounded in World War I. After 1918, her health did not permit her to exercise her customary apostolate. Addressing herself to Christ, she wrote in her diary, “I want you to be adored as much as you were destroyed.” In another place, she wrote, “Lord, I live by your will. I shall die when you desire; save me because you can.”
At her 1991 beatification in Kraków, Pope John Paul II said: “It is in this city that she worked, that she suffered and that her holiness came to maturity. While connected to the spirituality of Saint Francis, she showed an extraordinary responsiveness to the action of the Holy Spirit” (L’Osservatore Romano, volume 34, number 4, 1991).
Reflection
Humility should never be mistaken for lack of conviction, insight or energy. Angela brought the Good News and material assistance to some of Christ’s “least ones.” Her self-sacrifice inspired others to do the same.
Blessed Angela Salawa is a Patron Saint of:
Domestic workers
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Mt 5:20-26 Do not be angry, be reconciled
Do you allow sin or anger to master your life? The first person to hate his brother was Cain. God warned Cain: ‘Why are you angry? ..Sin in couching at the door; it’s desire is for you, but you must master it (Genesis 4:6-7). As Sin doesn’t just happen; it first grows as a seed in one’s heart. Unless it is mastered, by God’s grace, it grows like a weed and chokes the life out of us. Do not allow the seed of anger and evil to grow in your heartJesus addressed the issue of keeping the commandments with his disciples. The scribes and Pharisees equated righteousness with satisfying the demands of the law. Jesus showed them how short they had come.
Jesus points to the heart as the seat of desire, choice, and intention. Unless forbidden and evil desires are uprooted and cut-out, the heart will be poisoned and the body become a slave to sin and passion. Jesus illustrates his point with the example of the commandment to not kill. Murder first starts in the heart as the seed of forbidden anger that grows within until it springs into words and actions against one’s brother or neighbor.
This is a selfish anger that broods and is long-lived, that nurses a grudge and keeps wrath warm, and that refuses to die. Anger in the heart as well as anger in speech or action are equally forbidden. The Lord Jesus commands by grace – take away the anger in your heart and there will be no murder. Only God’s purifying love and mercy can free us from bitterness and angerWhat is the antidote for overcoming anger and rage? Mercy, forbearance, and kindness spring from a heart full of love and forgiveness.
God has forgiven us and he calls us to extend mercy and forgiveness towards those who cause us grief or harm. In the cross of Jesus we see the supreme example of love and the power for overcoming evil. Only God’s love and grace can set our hearts and minds free from the tyranny of wounded pride and spiteful revenge.
Do you harbor any anger towards another person? And are you quick to be reconciled when a rupture has been caused in your relationships? Ask God to set you free and to fill your heart and mind with his love and truth. Eusebius, a 3rd century church father, offered the following prayer as instruction for his fellow Christians:
“May I be no man’s enemy, and may I be the friend of that which is eternal and abides. May I never quarrel with those nearest me: and if I do, may I be reconciled quickly. May I love, seek, and attain only that which is good. May I wish for all men’s happiness and envy none.
May I never rejoice in the ill-fortune of one who has wronged me. When I have done or said what is wrong, may I never wait for the rebuke of others, but always rebuke myself until I make amends. May I win no victory that harms either me or my opponent. May I reconcile friends who are angry with one another.
May I never fail a friend who is in danger. When visiting those in grief may I be able by gentle and healing words to soften their pain. May I respect myself. May I always keep tame that which rages within me. May I accustom myself to be gentle, and never be angry with people because of circumstances.
May I never discuss who is wicked and what wicked things he has done, but know good men and follow in their footsteps.”
Do you seek to live peaceably and charitably with all?
“Lord Jesus, my heart is cold. Make it warm, compassionate, and forgiving towards all, even those who do me harm. May I only think and say what is pleasing to you and be of kind service to all I meet.” Amen.
Saint John Ogilvie
John Ogilvie’s noble Scottish family was partly Catholic and partly Presbyterian. His father raised him as a Calvinist, sending him to the continent to be educated. There, John became interested in the popular debates going on between Catholic and Calvinist scholars. Confused by the arguments of Catholic scholars whom he sought out, he turned to Scripture.
Two texts particularly struck him: “God wills all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth,” and “Come to me all you who are weary and find life burdensome, and I will refresh you.”
Slowly, John came to see that the Catholic Church could embrace all kinds of people. Among these, he noted, were many martyrs. He decided to become Catholic and was received into the Church at Louvain, Belgium, in 1596 at the age of 17.
John continued his studies, first with the Benedictines, then as a student at the Jesuit College at Olmutz. He joined the Jesuits and for the next 10 years underwent their rigorous intellectual and spiritual training. At his ordination to the priesthood in France in 1610, John met two Jesuits who had just returned from Scotland after suffering arrest and imprisonment.
They saw little hope for any successful work there in view of the tightening of the penal laws. But a fire had been lit within John. For the next two and a half years he pleaded to be placed there as a missionary.
Sent by his superiors, he secretly entered Scotland posing as a horse trader or a soldier returning from the wars in Europe. Unable to do significant work among the relatively few Catholics in Scotland, John made his way back to Paris to consult his superiors.
Rebuked for having left his assignment in Scotland, he was sent back. He warmed to the task before him and had some success in making converts and in secretly serving Scottish Catholics. But he was soon betrayed, arrested, and brought before the court.
His trial dragged on until he had been without food for 26 hours. He was imprisoned and deprived of sleep. For eight days and nights he was dragged around, prodded with sharp sticks, his hair pulled out.
Still, he refused to reveal the names of Catholics or to acknowledge the jurisdiction of the king in spiritual affairs. He underwent a second and third trial but held firm.
At his final trial, he assured his judges: “In all that concerns the king, I will be slavishly obedient; if any attack his temporal power, I will shed my last drop of blood for him.
But in the things of spiritual jurisdiction which a king unjustly seizes I cannot and must not obey.”
Condemned to death as a traitor, he was faithful to the end, even when on the scaffold he was offered his freedom and a fine living if he would deny his faith.
His courage in prison and in his martyrdom was reported throughout Scotland.
John Ogilvie was canonized in 1976, becoming the first Scottish saint since 1250. His liturgical feast is celebrated on March 10.
Reflection
John came of age when neither Catholics nor Protestants were willing to tolerate one another. Turning to Scripture, he found words that enlarged his vision. Although he became a Catholic and died for his faith, he understood the meaning of “small-c catholic,” the wide range of believers who embrace Christianity. Even now he undoubtedly rejoices in the ecumenical spirit fostered by the Second Vatican Council and joins us in our prayer for unity with all believers.
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Mt 7:7-12 Ask and you will receive from your Father in heaven
Do you expect God to hear your prayers? Esther’s prayer on behalf of her people is a model for us (Esther 14). She prayed for help according to God’s promise to be faithful to his people. God wants us to remember his promises and to count on his help when we pray. Your Father in heaven gives good things to those who ask with expectant faithJesus wanted to raise the expectations of his disciples when he taught them how to pray. Jesus’ parable of the father feeding his son illustrates the unthinkable! How could a loving father refuse to give his son what is good; or worse, to give him what is harmful? In conclusion Jesus makes a startling claim: How much more will the heavenly Father give what is good to those who ask! Our heavenly Father graciously gives beyond our expectations. Jesus taught his disciples to pray with confidence because the heavenly Father in his goodness always answers prayers. That is why we can boldly pray: Give us this day our daily bread. The power of prayer to those who believeThose who know God and trust in God’s love, pray with great boldness. Listen to what John Chrysostom (347-407 AD), a gifted preacher and bishop of Constantinople, had to say about the power of prayer:
“Prayer is an all-efficient panoply [i.e. ‘a full suit of armor’ or ‘splendid array’], a treasure undiminished, a mine never exhausted, a sky unobstructed by clouds, a haven unruffled by storm. It is the root, the fountain, and the mother of a thousand blessings. It exceeds a monarch’s power…
I speak not of the prayer which is cold and feeble and devoid of zeal. I speak of that which proceeds from a mind outstretched, the child of a contrite spirit, the offspring of a soul converted – this is the prayer which mounts to heaven…
The power of prayer has subdued the strength of fire, bridled the rage of lions, silenced anarchy, extinguished wars, appeased the elements, expelled demons, burst the chains of death, enlarged the gates of heaven, relieved diseases, averted frauds, rescued cities from destruction, stayed the sun in its course, and arrested the progress of the thunderbolt. In sum prayer has power to destroy whatever is at enmity with the good.”
Allow God’s love to purify your mind, heart, and speechPrayer flows from the love of God; and the personal love we show to our neighbor is fueled by the love that God has poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). Jesus concludes his discourse on prayer with the reminder that we must treat our neighbor in the same way we wish to be treated by God.
We must not just avoid doing harm to our neighbor, we must actively seek his or her welfare. In doing so, we fulfill the scriptural teaching from the “law and the prophets,” namely what God requires of us – loving God with all that we have and are and loving our neighbor as ourselves.
The Holy Spirit is ever ready to change our hearts and transform our lives in Jesus’ way of love and merciful kindness towards all. Do you thirst for holiness and for the fire of God’s purifying love?
“”Let me love you, my Lord and my God, and see myself as I really am – a pilgrim in this world, a Christian called to respect and love all whose lives I touch, those in authority over me or those under my authority, my friends and my enemies. Help me to conquer anger with gentleness, greed by generosity, apathy by fervor. Help me to forget myself and reach out towards others. (Prayer attributed to Clement XI of Rome, 1721) ” Amen.
Saint Dominic Savio
So many holy persons seem to die young. Among them was Dominic Savio, the patron of choirboys.
Born into a peasant family at Riva, Italy, young Dominic joined Saint John Bosco as a student at the Oratory in Turin at the age of 12. He impressed Don Bosco with his desire to be a priest and to help him in his work with neglected boys.
A peacemaker and an organizer, young Dominic founded a group he called the Company of the Immaculate Conception which, besides being devotional, aided John Bosco with the boys and with manual work.
All the members save one, Dominic, would, in 1859, join Don Bosco in the beginnings of his Salesian congregation. By that time, Dominic had been called home to heaven.
As a youth, Dominic spent hours rapt in prayer. His raptures he called “my distractions.” Even in play, he said that at times, “It seems heaven is opening just above me. I am afraid I may say or do something that will make the other boys laugh.” Dominic would say, “I can’t do big things. But I want all I do, even the smallest thing, to be for the greater glory of God.”
Dominic’s health, always frail, led to lung problems and he was sent home to recuperate. As was the custom of the day, he was bled in the thought that this would help, but it only worsened his condition. He died on March 9, 1857, after receiving the Last Sacraments. Saint John Bosco himself wrote the account of his life.
Some thought that Dominic was too young to be considered a saint. Saint Pius X declared that just the opposite was true, and went ahead with his cause. Dominic was canonized in 1954. His liturgical feast is celebrated on March 9.
Reflection
Like many a youngster, Dominic was painfully aware that he was different from his peers. He tried to keep his piety from his friends lest he have to endure their laughter.
Even after his death, his youth marked him as a misfit among the saints and some argued that he was too young to be canonized. Pope Pius X wisely disagreed. For no one is too young—or too old or too anything else—to achieve the holiness to which we all are called.
Saint Dominic Savio is the Patron Saint of:
ChoirboysJuvenile delinquents
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Mt 6:7-15 Your heavenly Father knows what you need
Do you believe that God’s word has power to change and transform your life today? Isaiah says that God’s word is like the rain and melting snow which makes the barren ground spring to life and become abundantly fertile (Isaiah 55:10-11).
God’s word has power to penetrate our dry barren hearts and make them springs of new life. If we let God’s word take root in our heart it will transform us into the likeness of God himself and empower us to walk in his way of love and holiness. Let God’s word guide and shape the way you judge and actGod wants his word to guide and shape the way we think, act, and pray. Ambrose (339-397 AD), an early church father and bishop of Milan, wrote that the reason we should devote time for reading Scripture is to hear Christ speak to us. “Are you not occupied with Christ? Why do you not talk with him? By reading the Scriptures, we listen to Christ.” We can approach God our Father with confidenceWe can approach God confidently because he is waiting with arms wide open to receive his prodigal sons and daughters. That is why Jesus gave his disciples the perfect prayer that dares to call God, Our Father.
This prayer teaches us how to ask God for the things we really need, the things that matter not only for the present but for eternity as well. We can approach God our Father with confidence and boldness because the Lord Jesus has opened the way to heaven for us through his death and resurrection. When we ask God for help, he fortunately does not give us what we deserve. Instead, God responds with grace, mercy, and loving-kindness. He is good and forgiving towards us, and he expects us to treat our neighbor the same. God has poured his love into our hearts through the gift of the Holy Spirit who has been given to us (Romans 5:5).
And that love is like a refining fire – it purifies and burns away all prejudice, hatred, resentment, vengeance, and bitterness until there is nothing left but goodness and forgiveness towards those who cause us grief or harm. The Lord’s Pray teaches us how to prayConsider what John Cassian (360-435 AD), an early church father who lived for several years with the monks in Bethlehem and Egypt before founding a monastery in southern Gaul, wrote about the Lord’s Prayer and the necessity of forgiving one another from the heart:
“The mercy of God is beyond description. While he is offering us a model prayer he is teaching us a way of life whereby we can be pleasing in his sight. But that is not all. In this same prayer he gives us an easy method for attracting an indulgent and merciful judgment on our lives.
He gives us the possibility of ourselves mitigating the sentence hanging over us and of compelling him to pardon us. What else could he do in the face of our generosity when we ask him to forgive us as we have forgiven our neighbor?
If we are faithful in this prayer, each of us will ask forgiveness for our own failings after we have forgiven the sins of those who have sinned against us, not only those who have sinned against our Master.
There is, in fact, in some of us a very bad habit. We treat our sins against God, however appalling, with gentle indulgence – but when by contrast it is a matter of sins against us ourselves, albeit very tiny ones, we exact reparation with ruthless severity.
Anyone who has not forgiven from the bottom of the heart the brother or sister who has done him wrong will only obtain from this prayer his own condemnation, rather than any mercy.”
Do you treat others as you think they deserve to be treated, or do you treat them as the Lord has treated you – with mercy, steadfast love, and kindness?
“Father in heaven, you have given me a mind to know you, a will to serve you, and a heart to love you. Give me today the grace and strength to embrace your holy will and fill my heart and mind with your truth and love that all my intentions and actions may be pleasing to you. Help me to be kind and forgiving towards my neighbor as you have been towards me. ” Amen.
Saint John of God
Having given up active Christian belief while a soldier, John was 40 before the depth of his sinfulness began to dawn on him. He decided to give the rest of his life to God’s service, and headed at once for Africa where he hoped to free captive Christians and, possibly, be martyred.
He was soon advised that his desire for martyrdom was not spiritually well based, and returned to Spain and the relatively prosaic activity of a religious goods store.
Yet he was still not settled. Moved initially by a sermon of Saint John of Avila, he one day engaged in a public beating of himself, begging mercy and wildly repenting for his past life.
Committed to a mental hospital for these actions, John was visited by Saint John, who advised him to be more actively involved in tending to the needs of others rather than in enduring personal hardships. John gained peace of heart, and shortly after left the hospital to begin work among the poor.
He established a house where he wisely tended to the needs of the sick poor, at first doing his own begging. But, excited by the saint’s great work and inspired by his devotion, many people began to back him up with money and provisions. Among them were the archbishop and marquis of Tarifa.
Behind John’s outward acts of total concern and love for Christ’s sick poor was a deep interior prayer life which was reflected in his spirit of humility. These qualities attracted helpers who, 20 years after John’s death, formed the Brothers Hospitallers, now a worldwide religious order.
John became ill after 10 years of service, but tried to disguise his ill health. He began to put the hospital’s administrative work into order and appointed a leader for his helpers. He died under the care of a spiritual friend and admirer, Lady Ana Ossorio.
Reflection
The utter humility of John of God, which led to a totally selfless dedication to others, is most impressive. Here is a man who realized his nothingness in the face of God.
The Lord blessed him with the gifts of prudence, patience, courage, enthusiasm, and the ability to influence and inspire others. He saw that in his early life he had turned away from the Lord, and, moved to receive his mercy, John began his new commitment to love others in openness to God’s love.
Saint John of God is the Patron Saint of: Booksellers # Firefighters # Heart Patients # Hospitals # Nurses # Printers # Sick
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Mt 25:31-46 Eternal life versus eternal punishment
Do you allow the love of God to rule in your heart? Augustine of Hippo (354-430 A.D.) said, “Essentially, there are two kinds of people, because there are two kinds of love. One is holy, the other is selfish. One is subject to God; the other endeavors to equal Him.” Jesus came not only to fulfill the law of righteousness (Leviticus 19), but to transform it through his unconditional love and mercy towards us.
The Lord Jesus proved his love for us by offering up his life on the cross as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. His death brings freedom and life for us – freedom from fear, selfishness, and greed – and new abundant life in the Holy Spirit who fills our hearts with the love of God (Romans 5:5). Do you allow God’s love to purify your heart and transform your mind to think, act, and love others as the Lord Jesus has taught through word and example?
The lesson of separating goats and sheep at the end of the day
Jesus’ description of the “Son of Man”, a Messianic title which points to the coming of God’s anointed Ruler and Judge over the earth (John 5:26-29, Daniel 7:13ff), and his parable about the separation of goats and sheep must have startled his audience.
What does the separation of goats and sheep have to do with the Day of God’s Judgement over the earth? In arid dry lands such as Palestine, goats and sheep often grazed together during the day because green pasture was sparse. At nightfall, when the shepherd brought the sheep and goats to their place of rest, he separated them into two groups.
Goats by temperament are aggressive, domineering, restless, and territorial. They butt heads with their horns whenever they think someone is intruding on their space.
Goats came to symbolize evil and the expression “scape-goat” become a common expression for someone bearing blame or guilt for others. (See Leviticus 16:20-22 for a description of the ritual expulsion of a sin-bearing goat on the Day of Atonement.)
Jesus took our guilt and sins upon himself and nailed them to the cross. He payed the price to set us free from sin and death. Our choice is either to follow and obey him as our Lord and Savior or to be our own master and go our own separate way apart from God’s way of truth and righteousness (moral goodness).
We cannot remain neutral or indifferent to the commands of Christ. If we do not repent of our wrongdoing (our sins and offenses against God and neighbor) and obey the Gospel we cannot be disciples of the Lord Jesus nor inherit his kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy.
Separation of the good from the bad is inevitable because one way leads to sin, rebellion, and death and the other way leads to purification, peace, and everlasting life with God.
Love of God frees us from inordinate love of self
The parable of the goats and sheep has a similar endpoint as the parable of the rich man who refused to give any help to the poor man Lazarus who begged daily at the rich man’s doorstep (Luke 16:19-31).
Although Lazarus was poor and lacked what he needed, he nonetheless put his hope in God and the promise of everlasting life in God’s kingdom. The rich man was a lover of wealth rather than a lover of God and neighbor. When Lazarus died he was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom to receive his reward in heaven.
When the rich man died his fortunes were reversed and he was cast into the unquenchable fires of hell to receive his just desserts. The parable emphasizes the great chasm and wall of separation between the former rich man held now bound as a poor and miserable prisoner in hell and Lazarus clothed in royal garments feasting at God’s banquet table in the kingdom of heaven.
The day of God’s righteous judgment will disclose which kind of love we chose in this present life – a holy unselfish love directed to God and to the welfare of our neighbor or a disordered and selfish love that puts oneself above God and the good of our neighbor.
When Martin of Tours (316-397 AD), a young Roman soldier who had been reluctant to fully commit his life to Christ and be baptized as a Christian, met a poor beggar on the road who had no clothes to warm himself in the freezing cold, Martin took pity on him.
He immediately got off his horse and cut his cloak in two and then gave half to the stranger. That night Martin dreamt he saw a vision of Jesus in heaven robed in a torn cloak just like the one he gave away that day to the beggar.
One of the angels next to Jesus asked, “Master, why do you wear that battered cloak?” Jesus replied, “My servant Martin gave it to me.” Martin’s disciple and biographer Sulpicius Severus states that as a consequence of this vision “Martin flew to be baptized” to give his life fully to Christ as a member of his people – the body of Christ on earth and the communion of saints and angels in heaven.
Augustine of Hippo (354-430 A.D.) wrote, “Christ is at once above and below – above in Himself, below in his people. Fear Christ above, and recognize him below. Here he is poor, with and in the poor; there he is rich, with and in God. Have Christ above bestowing his bounty; recognize him here in his need” (excerpt from Sermon 123, 44).
On the day of judgment Jesus will ask “whom did you love”?
When the Lord Jesus comes again as Judge and Ruler over all, he will call each one of us to stand before his seat of judgment to answer the question – who did you love and put first in this life?
Inordinate love of self crowds out love of God and love of neighbor. Those who put their faith in Jesus Christ and follow his way of love and righteousness will not be disappointed. They will receive the just reward – life and peace with God in his everlasting kingdom.
If we entrust our lives to the Lord Jesus today, and allow his Holy Spirit to purify our hearts and minds, then he will give us the grace, strength, and freedom to walk and live each day in the power of his merciful love and goodness. Let us entrust our lives into the hands of the merciful Savior who gave his life for us. And let us ask the Lord Jesus to increase our faith, strengthen our hope, and enkindle in us the fire of his merciful love and compassion for all.
“Lord Jesus, be the Master and Ruler of my life. May your love rule in my heart that I may only think, act, and speak with charity and good will for all.” Amen.
☦️ The Life story of the Saint ☦️
Saints Perpetua and Felicity’s Story
“When my father in his affection for me was trying to turn me from my purpose by arguments and thus weaken my faith, I said to him, ‘Do you see this vessel—water pot or whatever it may be? Can it be called by any other name than what it is?’ ‘No,’ he replied.
‘So also I cannot call myself by any other name than what I am—a Christian.’”
So writes Perpetua: young, beautiful, well-educated, a noblewoman of Carthage in North Africa, mother of an infant son and chronicler of the persecution of the Christians by Emperor Septimius Severus.
Perpetua’s mother was a Christian and her father a pagan. He continually pleaded with her to deny her faith. She refused and was imprisoned at 22.
In her diary, Perpetua describes her period of captivity: “What a day of horror! Terrible heat, owing to the crowds! Rough treatment by the soldiers!
To crown all, I was tormented with anxiety for my baby…. Such anxieties I suffered for many days, but I obtained leave for my baby to remain in the prison with me, and being relieved of my trouble and anxiety for him, I at once recovered my health, and my prison became a palace to me and I would rather have been there than anywhere else.”
Despite threats of persecution and death, Perpetua, Felicity–a slavewoman and expectant mother–and three companions, Revocatus, Secundulus and Saturninus, refused to renounce their Christian faith.
For their unwillingness, all were sent to the public games in the amphitheater. There Perpetua and Felicity were beheaded, and the others killed by beasts.
Felicity gave birth to a daughter a few days before the games commenced.
Perpetua’s record of her trial and imprisonment ends the day before the games. “Of what was done in the games themselves, let him write who will.” The diary was finished by an eyewitness.
Reflection
Persecution for religious beliefs is not confined to Christians in ancient times. Consider Anne Frank, the Jewish girl who with her family, was forced into hiding and later died in Bergen-Belsen, one of Hitler’s death camps during World War II. Anne, like Perpetua and Felicity, endured hardship and suffering and finally death because she committed herself to God.
In her diary, Anne writes, “It’s twice as hard for us young ones to hold our ground, and maintain our opinions, in a time when all ideals are being shattered and destroyed, when people are showing their worst side, and do not know whether to believe in truth and right and God.”
Saint Perpetua is the
Patron Saint of: Widows & Mothers of Deceased Sons
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Luke 4:1-13 Jesus fasted forty days and was tempted by the devil.
Are you ready to follow the Lord Jesus wherever he wishes to lead you? After Jesus’ was baptized by John the Baptist at the River Jordan, he withdrew into the wilderness of Judea – a vast and mostly uninhabitable wilderness full of danger.
Danger from scorching heat by day and extreme cold at night, danger from wild animals and scorpions, plus the deprivation of food and the scarcity of water. Why did the Holy Spirit lead Jesus into such a lonely place – right after Jesus was anointed and confirmed by the Father for his mission as Messiah and Savior? Jesus was following the pattern which God had set for Moses and for Elijah – both were led on a forty day journey of prayer and fasting to meet with God on his holy mountain (Exodus 24:18 and 1 Kings 19:8).
God tested Moses and Elijah to prepare them for a prophetic mission – to speak God’s word (Exodus 33:11; Deuteronomy 18:15; 34:10) and to lead God’s people into the way of holiness and righteousness, a way marked by love of God and love of neighbor. While Moses and Elijah each prayed and fasted in the desert wilderness of Sinai, God fed them with his life-giving word.
Their time of solitude with God enabled them to be renewed in faith, hope, and love for the call God had given them. Jesus likewise went into the wilderness to prepare himself for the mission entrusted to him by spending forty days and nights in solitude and prayer to his Father in heaven.
Jesus tempted by the devil Luke tells us that at the end of Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness one visitor came out to tempt him. Luke describes this tempter as the devil (Luke 4:1), who is also called the father of lies (John 8:44), Satan (Luke 10:18), and the spiritual ruler and god of this world (John 12:31; 2 Corinthians 4:4).
He is the same deceiver who tempted Adam and Eve in the Garden of Paradise (Genesis 3). Why did Satan tempt Jesus at the end of his lengthy period of fasting? Satan knew that Jesus was embarking on an important spiritual mission for the kingdom of God.
Perhaps Satan saw an opportunity to strike while Jesus appeared more vulnerable in his physically and emotionally weakened condition due to his prolonged fasting and inner struggle over his particular call and mission.
Satan undoubtedly thought he could persuade Jesus to choose his own path rather than the path his Father had chosen – a path that required self-renunciation, humility, and obedience to his Father’s will.
Jesus had to struggle with temptation, especially the temptation to choose his own way and to push aside the way his Father wanted him to go. This is the fundamental temptation which confronts each one of us as well. My way or God’s way, my will or God’s will. 📛Satan’s first temptation📛
appealed to Jesus’ physical desires and hunger. Jesus was very hungry and physically weak at the same time – he hadn’t eaten anything for forty days. Did the Spirit lead him into the wilderness to die? When the people of Israel were led into the wilderness for forty years without any natural source of food, they complained to Moses that he was punishing them with starvation – a very painful way to suffer and die.
Moses took the matter to God in prayer. And God intervened by sending them manna ” bread from heaven ” for their daily provision. Should not Jesus do the same to revive his weakened condition? Satan tried to get Jesus to turn stones into bread, both to prove his supernatural power over nature and to satisfy his own personal hunger.
Jesus knew that he had been anointed with extraordinary power for performing great signs and wonders, just as Moses and Elijah had performed great signs and miracles in the name of God. But Jesus had chosen to fast from food and to pray for a lengthy period in order to prepare himself for the mission his Father was entrusting to him.
Jesus wanted to do his Father’s will, even though it might cost him great sacrifice, suffering, and even the loss of his own life. He hungered for his Father’s word and made his life dependent on what the Father wanted him to do, rather than what he might have preferred for himself. Jesus chose to use his power and gifts to serve his Father rather than to serve himself.
Jesus defeated Satan’s snare with the words of Scripture from the Book of Deuteronomy in which Moses warned the people of Israel to never forget God nor his word: “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Deuteronomy 8:3; Matthew 4:4). 📛Jesus’ second temptation📛
Satan tempted Jesus a second time by presenting him with the best the world could offer – great riches, privileges, glory and fame, and the power to rule over all the kingdoms of the world – Jesus could claim title and possession to everything he desired.
Jesus quickly saw through the trap of placing the world’s glory, wealth, and power above the honor, glory, and service that is due to God alone. Jesus saw how easily one’s heart can be swayed and even overpowered by what it most treasures.
The heart cannot serve two masters – only one will prevail. Allowing fame, glory, and wealth to master one’s heart is a form of idolatry – the worship of false gods. Jesus chose to honor his Father and to serve his Father’s kingdom above all else.
He chose to make his Father’s will alone as his personal treasure and delight. Jesus again defeated Satan with the words of Scripture which Moses wrote in the Book of Deuteronomy: “It is written, `You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve'” (Deuteronomy 6:13). 📛Jesus’ third temptation📛
Satan’s last temptation was to convince Jesus that he should position himself at the pinnacle of the temple in Jerusalem, the holiest place on earth where God dwelt in a special way with his people, and there perform a spectacular sign that would prove beyond a doubt that he was the Messiah, God’s anointed Son.
Why would this be a real temptation for Jesus? It might be helpful to note that the devil is a Bible expert! He accurately quotes from Psalm 91:11-12, “He will give his angels charge of you, to guard you,” and “on their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.”
This psalm is connected with the temple which was regarded as a place of refuge and protection for those who put their trust in God and his dwelling place. The devil wanted Jesus to perform a death-defying sign by throwing himself off the tallest point of the temple to prove that he was who he claimed to be, the divinely appointed Messiah and Son of God.
The temple pinnacle which Satan was referring to was very likely the highest structural corner in the construction of Herod’s great temple. This high corner of the temple served as the “king’s porch” on the edge of a precipice which dropped some 700 feet into the valley below. Jesus refused to perform any sign that might put God to the test. When the people of Israel almost died of thirst in the wilderness, they rebelled against Moses and they put God to the test by saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?” (Exodus 17:7).
Jesus refused Satan’s test to prove his divine claim as the Messiah. Jesus quoted once again from the words of Scripture in the Book of Deuteronomy: “It is said, `You shall not put the Lord your God to the test'”(Deuteronomy 6:16).
Jesus knew that he would first have to cleanse the temple (John 2:13-22; Luke 19:45-46) and then offer his body as the atoning sacrifice for the sin of the world (John 1:29; Hebrews 10:5-14). Only after he would be lifted up on the cross and be raised from the tomb on the third day, would people recognize that the Father had sent his Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but to save it (John 3:17). Spiritual preparation in the forty days of lent What lesson can we learn from Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness? How can we hope to fight temptation and overcome sin in our own personal lives? When Jesus went out into the wilderness to fight temptation by the devil, he was led by the Holy Spirit.
Jesus did not rely on his own human strength and will-power for overcoming temptation. He relied on the Holy Spirit to give him strength, wisdom, courage, and self-control.
The Lord Jesus knows that we cannot fight temptation on our own. We need the strength and guidance of the Holy Spirit to help us. The Lord Jesus gives us his Holy Spirit to help us in our weakness (Romans 8:26) and to be our guide and strength in times of testing (1 Corinthians 10:13).
The Lord gives grace to those who humbly acknowledge their dependence on him (James 4:6) and he helps us to stand firm against the attacks of Satan who seeks to destroy us (1 Peter 5:8-10; Ephesians 6:10-18).
The Lord Jesus is ever ready to pour out his Spirit upon us that we may have the courage we need to repent of our sins and to turn away from them, and to reject the lies and deceits of Satan.
God wants us to “fight the good fight of the faith” (1 Timothy 6:12) with the strength and help which comes from the Holy Spirit. Do you seek God’s wisdom and guidance for overcoming sin and avoiding the near occasions of sin? The forty days of Lent is the annual retreat of the people of God in imitation of Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness. We are called to journey with the Lord in a special season of prayer, fasting, almsgiving, repentance, and renewal as we prepare to celebrate the feast of Easter, the Christian Passover.
The Lord gives us spiritual food and supernatural strength to seek his face and to prepare ourselves for spiritual combat and testing. We, too, must follow in the way of the cross in order to share in the victory of Christ’s death and resurrection.
As we begin this holy season of preparation and renewal, let’s ask the Lord for a fresh outpouring of his Holy Spirit that we may grow in faith, hope, and love, and embrace his will more fully in our lives.
“Lord Jesus, your word is life and joy for me. Fill me with your Holy Spirit that I may have the strength and courage to embrace your will in all things and to renounce whatever is contrary to it.” Amen.
Novena to Saints Perpetua and Felicity Prayer Day-9
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Saints Perpetua and Felicity, you lived in a pagan society but chose to become Christians and to follow Christ. This choice to follow Christ came at a great cost, because the Christian faith was not allowed in your society.
Despite this cost, you did not waver in your faith. Imprisonment, mockery, and threats did nothing to keep you from serving Christ. You remained faithful to Christ and His Church through great sufferings, until you finally gave up your life for Him.
Pray that I may also choose to be as steadfast in my own faith against the influences of the world as you were, no matter what it may cost me.
Please also pray for (mention I hope booyour intention here).
Lord God, grant that I may love and serve You as faithfully as Your martyrs Saints Perpetua and Felicity, so that I may someday join them to praise You in Heaven. Amen.
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Luke 5:27-32 Jesus calls sinners to follow him
When your neighbor stumbles through sin or ignorance, do you point the finger to criticize or do you lend a helping hand to lift him or her up? The prophet Isaiah tells us that God repays each in kind. When we bless others, especially those who need spiritual as well as physical and material help, God in turn blesses us.
Who do you point the finger at?When Jesus called a despised tax collector to be his disciple he surprised everyone including Levi (also known as Matthew). The religious leaders were especially upset with Jesus’ behavior towards public sinners like Levi. The Jewish people were roughly divided into two groups: the orthodox Jews who rigidly kept the law and all its petty regulations, and the rest who didn’t keep all the minute regulations.
The orthodox treated the latter like second class citizens. They scrupulously avoided their company, refused to do business with them, refused to give or receive anything from them, refused to intermarry, and avoided any form of friendship with them, including table fellowship. Jesus’ association with the latter, especially with tax collectors and public sinners, shocked the sensibilities of these orthodox Jews.
A true physician of body, mind, and soulWhen the Pharisees challenged Jesus unorthodox behavior in eating with public sinners, Jesus’ defense was quite simple. A doctor doesn’t need to treat healthy people – instead he goes to those who are sick. Jesus likewise sought out those in the greatest need. A true physician seeks healing of the whole person – body, mind, and spirit.
Jesus came as the divine physician and good shepherd to care for his people and to restore them to wholeness of life. The orthodox were so preoccupied with their own practice of religion that they neglected to help the very people who needed the greatest care. Their religion was selfish because they didn’t want to have anything to do with people not like themselves.
Jesus stated his mission in unequivocal terms: I came not to call the righteous, but to call sinners. Ironically the orthodox were as needy as those they despised. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Do you thank the Lord for the great mercy he has shown to you? And do you seek the good of all your neighbors and show them mercy and kindness?
Leave all and follow ChristWhat does it mean to “leave all and follow the Lord”? Bede the Venerable (673-735 AD), an Anglo-Saxon monk who wrote numerous commentaries on the Scriptures, explains what it meant for Matthew and for us to “follow” as disciples of the Lord Jesus:
“By ‘follow’ he meant not so much the movement of feet as of the heart, the carrying out of a way of life.
For one who says that he lives in Christ ought himself to walk just as he walked, not to aim at earthly things, not to pursue perishable gains, but to flee base praise, to embrace willingly the contempt of all that is worldly for the sake of heavenly glory, to do good to all, to inflict injuries upon no one in bitterness, to suffer patiently those injuries that come to oneself, to ask God’s forgiveness for those who oppress, never to seek one’s own glory but always God’s, and to uphold whatever helps one love heavenly things.
This is what is meant by following Christ. In this way, disregarding earthly gains, Matthew attached himself to the band of followers of One who had no riches. For the Lord himself, who outwardly called Matthew by a word, inwardly bestowed upon him the gift of an invisible impulse so that he was able to follow.”
Are you ready to forsake all for the Lord Jesus Christ?
“Lord Jesus, our Savior, let us now come to you: Our hearts are cold; Lord, warm them with your selfless love. Our hearts are sinful; cleanse them with your precious blood. Our hearts are weak; strengthen them with your joyous Spirit. Our hearts are empty; fill them with your divine presence. Lord Jesus, our hearts are yours; possess them always and only for yourself.” Amen.
Novena to Saints Perpetua and Felicity Prayers Day-8
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Saints Perpetua and Felicity, you lived in a pagan society but chose to become Christians and to follow Christ. This choice to follow Christ came at a great cost, because the Christian faith was not allowed in your society.
Despite this cost, you did not waver in your faith. Imprisonment, mockery, and threats did nothing to keep you from serving Christ. You remained faithful to Christ and His Church through great sufferings, until you finally gave up your life for Him.
Pray that I may also choose to be as steadfast in my own faith against the influences of the world as you were, no matter what it may cost me.
Please also pray for (mention I hope booyour intention here).
Lord God, grant that I may love and serve You as faithfully as Your martyrs Saints Perpetua and Felicity, so that I may someday join them to praise You in Heaven. Amen.
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Mt 9:14-15 – Fasting for the kingdom of God
Are you hungry for God? Hungering for God and fasting for his kingdom go hand in hand. When asked why he and his disciples did not fast Jesus used the vivid picture of a wedding celebration. In Jesus’ time the newly wed celebrated their honeymoon at home for a whole week with all the guests!
This was a time of great feasting and celebrating. Jesus points to himself as the bridegroom and his disciples as the bridegroom’s friends. He alludes to the fact that God takes delight in his people as a groom delights in his bride (Isaiah 62:5). Humble yourself before the Lord your GodTo be in God’s presence is pure delight and happiness. But Jesus also reminds his followers that there is a time for fasting and for humbling oneself in preparation for the coming of God’s kingdom and for the return of the Messianic King. The Lord’s disciples must also bear the cross of affliction and purification.
For the disciple there is both a time for rejoicing in the Lord’s presence and celebrating his goodness and a time for seeking the Lord with humility, fasting, and mourning for sin. If we hunger for the Lord, he will not disappoint us. His grace draws us to his throne of mercy and favor. Do you seek the Lord with confident trust and allow his Holy Spirit to transform your life with his power and grace? Fast and hunger for more of God and his righteousnessWhat kind of fasting is pleasing to God? Fasting can be done for a variety of reasons – to gain freedom from some bad habit, addiction, or vice, to share in the suffering of those who go without, or to grow in our hunger for God and for the things of heaven.
Basil the Great wrote: “Take heed that you do not make fasting to consists only in abstinence from meats.
True fasting is to refrain from vice. Shred to pieces all your unjust contracts. Pardon your neighbors. Forgive them their trespasses.” Do you hunger to know God more, to grow in his holiness, and to live the abundant life of grace he offers you?
“Come Lord, work upon us, set us on fire and clasp us close, be fragrant to us, draw us to your loveliness, let us love, let us ru n to you.” (Prayer of St. Augustine) . Amen.
Novena to Saints Perpetua and Felicity Prayers Day-7
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Saints Perpetua and Felicity, you lived in a pagan society but chose to become Christians and to follow Christ. This choice to follow Christ came at a great cost, because the Christian faith was not allowed in your society.
Despite this cost, you did not waver in your faith. Imprisonment, mockery, and threats did nothing to keep you from serving Christ. You remained faithful to Christ and His Church through great sufferings, until you finally gave up your life for Him.
Pray that I may also choose to be as steadfast in my own faith against the influences of the world as you were, no matter what it may cost me.
Please also pray for (mention I hope booyour intention here).
Lord God, grant that I may love and serve You as faithfully as Your martyrs Saints Perpetua and Felicity, so that I may someday join them to praise You in Heaven.
Amen.
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Luke 9:22-25
Take up your cross daily and follow Christ
Do you know the healing, transforming power of the cross? When Jesus predicted his passion his disciples were dismayed. Rejection and crucifixion meant defeat and condemnation, not victory and freedom. How could Jesus’ self-denial, suffering and death lead to victory and life?
Through his obedience to his Father’s will, Jesus reversed the curse of Adam’s disobedience. His death on the cross won pardon for the guilty, freedom for the oppressed, healing for the afflicted, and new life for those condemned to death. His death makes possible our freedom to live as sons and daughters of God.
Surrender to God and he will fill you with his Spirit
There’s a certain paradox in God’s economy. We lose what we gain, and we gain what we lose. When we try to run our life our own way, we end up losing it to futility. Only God can free us from our ignorance and sinful ways. When we surrender our lives to God, he gives us new life in his Spirit and the pledge of everlasting life with God.
God wants us to be spiritually fit to love and serve him at all times and seasons. When the body is very weak or ill, we make every effort to nurse it back to health. How much more effort and attention should we give to the spiritual health of our mind, heart, and will!
The great exchange – my life for His victorious life
What will you give to God in exchange for freedom and eternal life? Are you ready to part with anything that might keep you from following him and his perfect plan for your life?
Jesus poses these questions to challenge our assumptions about what is most profitable and worthwhile in life. In every decision of life we are making ourselves a certain kind of person. It is possible that some can gain all the things they set their heart on, only to wake up suddenly and discover that they missed the most important thing of all.
A true disciple is ready to give up all that he or she has in exchange for true happiness, life, and peace with God. The life which God offers us is abundant, everlasting life. And the joy which God places in our hearts no sadness or loss can diminish.
The cross of Christ brings freedom and victory over sin
The cross of Jesus Christ leads to freedom and victory over sin and death. What is the cross which Christ commands me to take up each day as his disciple? When my will crosses with his will, then his will must be done.
The way of the cross involves sacrifice, the sacrifice of laying down my life each and every day for Jesus’ sake. What makes such sacrifice possible and “sweet” is the love of God poured out for us in the blood of Jesus Christ.
Paul the Apostle reminds us that “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit” (Romans 5:5). We can never outmatch God. He always gives us more than we can expect or imagine. Are you ready to lose all for Christ in order to gain all with Christ?
“Lord Jesus, I give you my hands to do your work. I give you my feet to go your way. I give you my eyes to see as you do. I give you my tongue to speak your words. I give you my mind that you may think in me. I give you my spirit that you may pray in me. Above all, I give you my heart that you may love in me, your Father, and all mankind. I give you my whole self that you may grow in me, so that it is you, Lord Jesus, who live and work and pray in me.”
Amen.
Novena to Saints Perpetua and Felicity Prayer Day-6
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Saints Perpetua and Felicity, you lived in a pagan society but chose to become Christians and to follow Christ. This choice to follow Christ came at a great cost, because the Christian faith was not allowed in your society.
Despite this cost, you did not waver in your faith. Imprisonment, mockery, and threats did nothing to keep you from serving Christ. You remained faithful to Christ and His Church through great sufferings, until you finally gave up your life for Him.
Pray that I may also choose to be as steadfast in my own faith against the influences of the world as you were, no matter what it may cost me.
Please also pray for (mention I hope booyour intention here).
Lord God, grant that I may love and serve You as faithfully as Your martyrs Saints Perpetua and Felicity, so that I may someday join them to praise You in Heaven.
Amen.
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18
When you pray, fast, and give alms
Are you hungry for God and do you thirst for his holiness? God wants to set our hearts ablaze with the fire of his Holy Spirit that we may share in his holiness and radiate the joy of the Gospel to those around us.
St. Augustine of Hippo tells us that there are two kinds of people and two kinds of love: “One is holy, the other is selfish. One is subject to God; the other endeavors to equal Him.” We are what we love.
God wants to free our hearts from all that would keep us captive to selfishness and sin. “Rend your hearts and not your garments” says the prophet Joel (Joel 2:12). The Holy Spirit is ever ready to transform our hearts and to lead us further in God’s way of truth and holiness. Devoting our lives to GodWhy did Jesus single out prayer, fasting, and almsgiving for his disciples? The Jews considered these three as the cardinal works of the religious life. These were seen as the key signs of a pious (godly) person, the three great pillars on which the good life was based. Jesus pointed to the heart of the matter. Why do you pray, fast, and give alms?
To draw attention to yourself so that others may notice and think highly of you? Or to give glory to God? The Lord warns his disciples of self-seeking glory – the preoccupation with looking good and seeking praise from others. True piety is something more than feeling good or looking holy.
True piety is loving devotion to God. It is an attitude of awe, reverence, worship and obedience. It is a gift and working of the Holy Spirit that enables us to devote our lives to God with a holy desire to please him in all things (Isaiah 11:1-2). Fulness of life with God our FatherWhat is the sure reward which Jesus points out to his disciples? It is communion with God our Father. In him alone we find the fulness of life, happiness, and truth.
May the prayer of Augustine of Hippo, recorded in his Confessions, be our prayer this Lent: When I am completely united to you, there will be no more sorrows or trials; entirely full of you, my life will be complete.
The Lord wants to renew us each day and give us new hearts of love and compassion. Do you want to grow in your love for God and for your neighbor? Seek him expectantly in prayer, with fasting, and in generous giving to those in need. In the wilderness of prayer and fasting with JesusThe forty days of Lent is the annual retreat of the people of God in imitation of Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness. Forty is a significant number in the Scriptures.
Moses went to the mountain to seek the face of God for forty days in prayer and fasting. The people of Israel were in the wilderness for forty years in preparation for their entry into the promised land. Elijah fasted for forty days as he journeyed in the wilderness to the mountain of God.
We are called to journey with the Lord in a special season of prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and penitence (expressing true sorrow for sin and wrongdoing) as we prepare to celebrate the feast of Easter, the Christian Passover of Jesus’ victory over sin, Satan, and death. Growing in lively faith, firm hope, and fervent charityThe Lord Jesus gives us spiritual food and supernatural strength (faith, hope, and love) to seek his face and to prepare ourselves for spiritual combat and testing. We, too, must follow in the way of the cross in order to share in the victory of Christ’s death and resurrection.
As you begin this holy season of testing and preparation, ask the Lord Jesus for a fresh outpouring of his Holy Spirit so that you may grow in faith, hope, and love and embrace his will more fully in your life.
“Lord Jesus, give me a lively faith, a firm hope, a fervent charity, and a great love of you. Take from me all lukewarmness in the meditation of your word, and dullness in prayer. Give me fervor and delight in thinking of you and your grace, and fill me with compassion for others, especially those in need, that I may respond with generosity.”
Amen.
Novena to Saints Perpetua and Felicity Prayers Day-5
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Saints Perpetua and Felicity, you lived in a pagan society but chose to become Christians and to follow Christ. This choice to follow Christ came at a great cost, because the Christian faith was not allowed in your society.
Despite this cost, you did not waver in your faith. Imprisonment, mockery, and threats did nothing to keep you from serving Christ. You remained faithful to Christ and His Church through great sufferings, until you finally gave up your life for Him.
Pray that I may also choose to be as steadfast in my own faith against the influences of the world as you were, no matter what it may cost me.
Please also pray for (mention I hope booyour intention here).
Lord God, grant that I may love and serve You as faithfully as Your martyrs Saints Perpetua and Felicity, so that I may someday join them to praise You in Heaven.
Amen.
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Mark 10:28-31
We have left everything and followed you
What’s the best investment you can make with your life? The gospel presents us with a paradox: we lose what we keep, and we gain what we give away. When we lose our lives for Jesus Christ, we gain a priceless treasure and an inheritance which lasts forever.
Whatever we give to God comes back a hundredfold. Generosity flows from a heart full of gratitude for the abundant mercy and grace which God grants. Do you give freely and generously? And why do you give, for reward or for love? The Lord Jesus rewards those who follow himRight after a wealthy young man refused to follow Jesus, Peter, somewhat crudely wanted to know what he and the other disciples would get out of it since they had freely accepted Jesus’ offer to follow him unconditionally.
Jesus spoke with utter honesty: Those who left all for him would receive a hundred times more now, even in this life, as well as unending life in the age to come. Jesus’ disciples can expect opposition and persecution from those who are opposed to Jesus Christ and his Gospel. The joy and treasure of God’s everlasting kingdom Should we be surprised if we lose favor and experience ridicule, intimidation, and injury when we take a stand for truth and righteousness?
In place of material wealth, Jesus promised his disciples the blessing and joy of rich fellowship with the community of believers.
No earthly good or possession can rival the joy and bliss of knowing God and the peace and unity he grants to his disciples. The Lord Jesus wants to fill our hearts with the vision of the heavenly kingdom – a kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17).
Do you know the joy of following the Lord Jesus and serving him? Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you with the joy and peace of God which does not pass away and with the assurance of his personal love for you which never fails.
“Lord Jesus, I want to follow you as your disciple and to love you wholeheartedly with all that I have. Fill my heart with faith, hope, and love that I may always find peace and joy in your presence.”
Amen.
Novena to Saints Perpetua and Felicity Prayers
Day-4
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Saints Perpetua and Felicity, you lived in a pagan society but chose to become Christians and to follow Christ. This choice to follow Christ came at a great cost, because the Christian faith was not allowed in your society.
Despite this cost, you did not waver in your faith. Imprisonment, mockery, and threats did nothing to keep you from serving Christ. You remained faithful to Christ and His Church through great sufferings, until you finally gave up your life for Him.
Pray that I may also choose to be as steadfast in my own faith against the influences of the world as you were, no matter what it may cost me.
Please also pray for (mention I hope booyour intention here).
Lord God, grant that I may love and serve You as faithfully as Your martyrs Saints Perpetua and Felicity, so that I may someday join them to praise You in Heaven.
Amen.
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Mark 10:17-27
Give – and you will have treasure in heaven
What gives hope and satisfaction to our desire for happiness and security? A young man who had the best the world could offer – wealth and security – came to Jesus because he lacked one thing. He wanted the kind of lasting peace and happiness which money could not buy him. The answer he got, however, was not what he was looking for. He protested that he kept all the commandments – but Jesus spoke to the trouble in his heart.
One thing kept him from giving himself whole-heartedly to God. While he lacked nothing in material goods, he was nonetheless possessive of what he had. He placed his hope and security in what he possessed. So when Jesus challenged him to make God his one true possession and treasure, he became sad. Misplaced hope and treasureWhy did he go away from Jesus with great sorrow and sadness rather than with joy? His treasure and his hope for happiness were misplaced. Jesus challenged the young man because his heart was possessive.
He was afraid to give to others for fear that he would lose what he had gained. He sought happiness and security in what he possessed rather than in who he could love and serve and give himself in undivided devotion. The greatest joy possibleWhy does Jesus tell his disciples to “sell all” for the treasure of his kingdom? Treasure has a special connection to the heart, the place of desire and longing, the place of will and focus.
The thing we most set our heart on is our highest treasure. The Lord himself is the greatest treasure we can have. Giving up everything else to have the Lord as our treasure is not sorrowful, but the greatest joy. [See Jesus’ parable about the treasure hidden in a field in Matthew 13:44.]
Selling all that we have could mean many different things – letting go of attachments, friendships, influences, jobs, entertainments, styles of life – really anything that might stand in the way of our loving God first and foremost in our lives and giving him the best we can with our time, resources, gifts, and service. The priceless treasure of God’s kingdomThose who are generous towards God and towards their neighbor find that they cannot outmatch God in his generosity towards us. God blesses us with the priceless treasures of his kingdom – freedom from fear and the griping power of sin, selfishness and pride which block his love and grace in our lives; freedom from loneliness, isolation and rejection which keep his children from living together in love, peace, and unity.
and freedom from hopelessness, despair, and disillusionment which blind our vision of God’s power to heal every hurt, bind every wound, and remove every blemish which mar the image of God within us.
God offers us treasure which money cannot buy. He alone can truly satisfy the deepest longing and desires of our heart. Are you willing to part with anything that might keep you from seeking true joy with Jesus? Why does Jesus issue such a strong warning to the rich (as well as to the rest of us who desire to be rich)? Was he really against wealth? We know that Jesus was not opposed to wealth per se, nor was he opposed to the wealthy.
He had many friends who were well-to-do, including some notorious tax collectors! One even became an apostle! Jesus’ warning reiterated the teaching of the Old Testament wisdom: Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is perverse in his ways (Proverbs 28:6; see also Psalm 37:16). Do not wear yourself out to get rich; be wise enough to desist (Proverbs 23:4).Where do we find true security?Jesus seems to say that it is nearly impossible for the rich to live as citizens of God’s kingdom. The camel was regarded as the largest animal in Palestine.
The “eye of the needle” could be interpreted quite literally or it could figuratively describe the narrow and low gate of the city walls which was used by travelers when the larger public gate was locked after dark. A normal sized man had to “lower” himself to enter that gate. A camel would literally have to kneel and crawl through it. Why is Jesus so cautious about wealth? Wealth can make us falsely independent. The church at Laodicea was warned about their attitude towards wealth and a false sense of security: “For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing” (Revelation 3:17).
Wealth can also lead us into hurtful desires and selfishness (see 1 Timothy 6:9-10). Look at the lesson Jesus gave about the rich man and his sons who refused to aid the poor man Lazarus (see Luke 16:19ff). They also neglected to serve God. We lose what we keep – we gain what we give awayThe Scriptures give us a paradox: we lose what we keep and we gain what we give away. Generosity will be amply repaid, both in this life and in eternity (Proverbs 3:9-10, Luke 6:38).
Jesus offers us an incomparable treasure which no money can buy and no thief can steal. The thing we most set our heart on is our highest treasure. Material wealth will shackle us to this earth unless we guard our hearts and set our treasure on God and his everlasting kingdom. Where is your treasure?
“Lord Jesus, you have captured our hearts and opened to us the treasures of heaven. May you always be my treasure and delight and may nothing else keep me from giving you my all.”
Amen.
Novena to Saints Perpetua and Felicity Prayers
Day-3
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Saints Perpetua and Felicity, you lived in a pagan society but chose to become Christians and to follow Christ. This choice to follow Christ came at a great cost, because the Christian faith was not allowed in your society.
Despite this cost, you did not waver in your faith. Imprisonment, mockery, and threats did nothing to keep you from serving Christ. You remained faithful to Christ and His Church through great sufferings, until you finally gave up your life for Him.
Pray that I may also choose to be as steadfast in my own faith against the influences of the world as you were, no matter what it may cost me.
Please also pray for (mention I hope booyour intention here).
Lord God, grant that I may love and serve You as faithfully as Your martyrs Saints Perpetua and Felicity, so that I may someday join them to praise You in Heaven.
Amen.
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Luke 6:39-45
Do you not see the log in your own eye?
Luke may have collected together sayings of Jesus which were spoken on different occasions, thus giving us a kind of compendium of rules for life and living. We may be able to trace four pieces of advice from today’s Gospel passage.
1) Advice for students & teachers of Scripture: The Christian disciples are called upon to be both guides and teachers. Since a teacher cannot lead his students beyond what he himself has been taught, he must learn from the best teacher and then continue to learn Scripture from all available sources, the best being the Holy Spirit Who inspired Holy Scripture. Then, the learner must apply what he has learned to his own life before trying to teach others. Our goal in the Christian life must be to become like our Teacher, Jesus, in our thoughts, words, and actions.
2) We should not be blind guides: In order to lead a blind person, one must be sighted; in order to teach, one must be knowledgeable; otherwise, the blind person and the student will be lost.
The sight and the knowledge specified here are the insights that come through Faith and the Holy Spirit, and the knowledge that comes from a Faith-filled relationship with the Lord. The point of this image of the blind leading the blind is that we must be careful when choosing whom to follow, lest we stumble into a pit alongside our blind guide. A corollary is that we have no business trying to guide others unless we ourselves can see clearly.
This is an important message in a day when so many self-appointed gurus vie for control of our spiritual affairs, our financial affairs, our medical affairs, our romantic affairs, our family affairs. Some are blind, but others see our vulnerabilities—see where they can take advantage of us. When choosing a guide—particularly a spiritual guide—it pays to be very, very careful.
Therefore it is most important to go in for regular “eye exams.” Every day, Christians should go to God, our spiritual Eye Doctor, to ask Him to check our vision. As we get into the Word, as we pray, He corrects our sight, and He shows us what to watch out for. It is vitally important that we have this regular “eye exam,” because we are not alone in the car.
There are people who trust us to lead them to safety. It may be our children, or our spouse. It may be a friend. It may be people in the Church or community who are following where we lead. If we lead them off a cliff because of poor vision, God will hold us accountable. Listen to the words of Paul in Romans 2:19-23.
“ If you are confident that you are a guide for the blind and a light for those in darkness, that you are a trainer of the foolish and teacher of the simple, because in the law you have the formulation of knowledge and truth, then you who teach another, are you failing to teach yourself?
You who preach against stealing, do you steal? You who forbid adultery, do you commit adultery? You who detest idols, do you rob temples? You who boast of the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law?”
3) We have no right to criticize and judge others: The first reason Jesus gives us is that we have no right to criticize unless we ourselves are free of faults.
That simply means that we have no right to criticize at all, because “there is so much bad in the best of us and so much good in the worst of us that it ill becomes any of us to find fault with the rest of us.” Jesus clarifies his point by presenting the humorous simile of a man with a log stuck in his own eye trying to extract a speck of dust from someone else’s eye.
The task of fraternal correction (removing specks, etc.), should not be attempted, then, without prior self-examination, though the disciple need not be completely without imperfections before the process can begin.
What did Jesus mean when he said not to judge others?
Jimmy Akins:
1) Not a cover for immoral behavior in general. It’s clear that Jesus did not intend his words to be used as a cover for immoral behavior.
2) Not even a cover for sexual misbehavior [Mt 5:27-28].
3) Not a prohibition on admonishing others. Jesus also did not intend his words to be used to stop others from admonishing others when they are committing sinful behavior [Mt 28:19-20].
4) Not an endorsement of moral relativism. Taking Jesus’ teaching out of context, one might try to use it as a pretext for moral relativism—the idea that all moral judgments regarding the conduct of others are to be suspended and each person is to be allowed to define what is morally good for himself.
5)Then what did Jesus actually say? In both Matthew and Luke, the statements that follow the prohibition on judging indicate that it is an elaboration of the Golden Rule—the idea that we should treat others the way that we, ourselves, want to be treated.
6) When Jesus says, “Judge not, lest ye be judged,” he means: “Don’t judge or God will judge you.” What Jesus means is that God will judge us. He’s made that perfectly clear in the Bible, and in the teaching of Jesus in particular. There will be a Last Judgment at the end of the world, as well as a particular judgment at the end of our earthly lives.
So, it isn’t a question of escaping God’s judgment. It’s a question of how we will be judged. The right approach is to ask: Given that you will be judged for what you have done, what kind of judgment do you want? If we are in our right minds, we want a judgment done with mercy, compassion, and forgiveness.
And that’s the way Jesus wants us to treat others: He wants us to be merciful, compassionate, and forgiving to them. In this context, what he means by “judging” is the opposite of doing those things—being unmerciful, uncompassionate, and unforgiving. In addition to “not judging” involving being merciful, compassionate, and forgiving to others, it can include other things, such as: Giving others the benefit of the doubt.
Leaving the ultimate judgment of others to God instead of simply concluding that someone is (or should be) damned.
4) We must be good at heart to be good at our deeds: In order to distinguish the good tree from the bad tree we need to look at the fruit the tree produces (deeds) and not at its foliage (words). “The treasure of the heart is the same as the root of the tree,” St Bede explains.
“A person who has a treasure of patience and of perfect charity in his heart yields excellent fruit; he loves his neighbor and has all the other qualities Jesus teaches; he loves his enemies, does good to him who hates him, blesses him who curses him, prays for him who calumniates him, does not react against him who attacks him or robs him; he gives to those who ask, does not claim what they have stolen from him, wishes not to judge and does not condemn, corrects patiently and affectionately those who err.
But the person who has in his heart the treasure of evil does exactly the opposite: he hates his friends, speaks evil of him who loves him and does all the other things condemned by the Lord” (In Lucae Evangelium Expositio, II,
6). In verse 46, Jesus asks us to act in a way consistent with being Christians and not to make any separation between the Faith we profess and the way we live: “What matters is not whether or not we wear a religious habit; it is whether we try to practice the virtues and surrender our will to God and order our lives as His Majesty ordains, and not want to do our will but His” (St. Teresa of Avila, Interior Castle, II, 6).
“Lord Jesus, may we never hinder our youth from coming to you to receive your blessing, help, and abundant life. Make our youth strong in faith, hope, and love that they may find true joy and fulfillment in following you as their Lord and Savior. And as we grow with age, may we never lose that child-like simplicity and humility which draws us ever deeper into your loving presence.”
Amen.
Novena to Saints Perpetua and Felicity Prayers Day-2
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Saints Perpetua and Felicity, you lived in a pagan society but chose to become Christians and to follow Christ. This choice to follow Christ came at a great cost, because the Christian faith was not allowed in your society.
Despite this cost, you did not waver in your faith. Imprisonment, mockery, and threats did nothing to keep you from serving Christ. You remained faithful to Christ and His Church through great sufferings, until you finally gave up your life for Him.
Pray that I may also choose to be as steadfast in my own faith against the influences of the world as you were, no matter what it may cost me.
Please also pray for (mention I hope booyour intention here).
Lord God, grant that I may love and serve You as faithfully as Your martyrs Saints Perpetua and Felicity, so that I may someday join them to praise You in Heaven.
Amen.
Our Father..
Hail Mary..
Glory be..Amen
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Mark 10:13-16
Receive the kingdom of God like a child
Do you seek to help others draw near to the Lord Jesus? The parents who brought their children to Jesus wanted Jesus to lay his hands upon them. They knew of the healing power, both physical and spiritual, which came from Jesus’ touch.
Jesus, in turn, rebuked his disciples for hindering the children from coming. No doubt the disciples wanted to shield Jesus from the nuisance of noisy children. But Jesus delighted in the children and demonstrated that God’s love has ample room for everyone.
Pray for the young to grow strong in faith
No one is unimportant to God. He comes to each person individually that he might touch them with his healing love and power. Do you show kindness, interest, and care for the youth you encounter in your neighborhood, home, and church?
And do you pray for young people that they may come to know the love of Jesus Christ and grow in wisdom and maturity as his disciples?
Why does Jesus say that we must receive the kingdom of God like a child (Mark 10:15)? In the ancient world children were at the bottom of the social ladder. They had no rights or privileges of their own and they had no means or resources to care for themselves.
They were totally dependent on their parents for everything they needed. Scripture teaches us that we are totally dependent on God as our eternal Father and Provider.
We owe our very existence to him because he is the Creator, Author, and Sustainer of life. We could not find our way to God if he did not first seek us out and draw us to himself. That is why the Father in heaven sent his only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus, to show us the way to the Father.
The Lord Jesus came to set us free from slavery to sin, Satan, and death, and to adopt us as children of God – his beloved sons and daughters. Jesus taught his disciples to not only honor and respect God as our eternal Father, but to trust in him with great confidence for everything we need – just as children naturally trust in their parents for all that they need.
God gives generously to those who put their trust in him, who approach him with child-like simplicity and humility, and with expectant faith that he will treat them as a loving and merciful Father rather than a cold and stern judge or tyrant. Do you trust your heavenly Father to give you what you need to live as his son or daughter?
Do you seek to help others draw near to the Lord?
Our great privilege and responsibility is to live as true and faithful sons and daughters of God and as loyal citizens and ambassadors of his heavenly kingdom.
And our chief responsibility is to pass on the faith, wisdom, and gifts which we have received from God to our young people and to those who do not yet know God that they may find true joy and everlasting life in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Are you ready and eager to pass on your faith and experience of God’s action in your life to others, especially to the young who need guidance, encouragement, and the godly example and witness of those who have discovered the true source of happiness in knowing, loving, and serving God?
“Lord Jesus, may we never hinder our youth from coming to you to receive your blessing, help, and abundant life. Make our youth strong in faith, hope, and love that they may find true joy and fulfillment in following you as their Lord and Savior. And as we grow with age, may we never lose that child-like simplicity and humility which draws us ever deeper into your loving presence.”
Amen.
NOVENA TO SAINT GABRIEL OF OUR LADY OF SORROWS
Day 9
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Come to my aid, O God. O Lord, make haste to help me.
Almighty God, Father of mercies and giver of all good gifts, I come before Thee to honor Thee in Thy Saints and to ask their help in my many needs .
Thou hast promised those who ask, would receive, those who seek, would find, those who knock, would have doors opened to them. Hear the prayers of Thy Church, grant my requests, and pardon my sins. Amen.
Prayer to St. Gabriel
O Good Saint Gabriel, God inspired thee to see the Passion of Jesus as it was reflected in the Heart of Mary, His mother. By her side, thou didst stand beneath the Cross of Jesus, gazing on Him as she did and learning the meaning of love.
O St. Gabriel, we wish, like thee, to grow in love for God and all His faithful. Remember us in our trials; remember especially those who are young.
(Here mention your request)
Support us by thy prayers all our days. And when this life is done, may we join thee in Heaven in the joyful company of Jesus and Mary. We ask for the grace of a happy death. Amen.
O St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows, obtain for our young people the grace of following Jesus with generosity.
May they place the gospel at the very heart of their lives. May they desire to love God wholeheartedly as thou didst.
May they especially obtain a true devotion to the Immaculate and Sorrowful Heart of Mary, and, following thy example may we all increase in grace; pray for us that we will be Saints, so we will know the peace and joy of eternal life in Heaven. Amen.
Our Father..
Hail Mary..
Glory be..Amen
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Mark 10:1-12
What God has joined together
What is God’s intention for our state in life, whether married or single? Jesus deals with the issue of divorce by taking his hearers back to the beginning of creation and to God’s plan for the human race.
In Genesis 2:23-24 we see God’s intention and ideal that two people who marry should become so indissolubly one that they are one flesh.
That ideal is found in the unbreakable union of Adam and Eve. They were created for each other and for no one else. They are the pattern and symbol for all who were to come. We belong to God and not to ourselvesJesus explains that Moses permitted divorce as a concession in view of a lost ideal. Jesus sets the high ideal of the married state before those who are willing to accept his commands.
Jesus, likewise sets the high ideal for those who freely renounce marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 19:11-12).
Both marriage and celibacy are calls from God to live a consecrated life, that is to live as married couples or as singles who belong not to themselves but to God. Our lives are not our own – they belong to God (1 Corinthians 6:19b,20; Romans 14:7-8). The Lord Jesus through the gift of the Holy Spirit gives the grace and the power to those who seek to follow his way of holiness in their state of life. His grace and power bring freedom, discipline, and strength to live a life of love, joy, and holiness. Do you seek the Lord and his grace (his strength and power) in your state of life?
“Lord Jesus Christ, your call to holiness extends to all in every state of life. Sanctify our lives – as married couples and as singles – that we may live as men and women who are consecrated to you. Make us leaven in a society that disdains life-long marriage fidelity, chastity, and living single for the Lord” Amen.
NOVENA TO SAINT GABRIEL OF OUR LADY OF SORROWS
Day 8
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Come to my aid, O God. O Lord, make haste to help me.
Almighty God, Father of mercies and giver of all good gifts, I come before Thee to honor Thee in Thy Saints and to ask their help in my many needs .
Thou hast promised those who ask, would receive, those who seek, would find, those who knock, would have doors opened to them. Hear the prayers of Thy Church, grant my requests, and pardon my sins. Amen.
Prayer to St. Gabriel O Good Saint Gabriel, God inspired thee to see the Passion of Jesus as it was reflected in the Heart of Mary, His mother. By her side, thou didst stand beneath the Cross of Jesus, gazing on Him as she did and learning the meaning of love.
O St. Gabriel, we wish, like thee, to grow in love for God and all His faithful. Remember us in our trials; remember especially those who are young.
(Here mention your request)
Support us by thy prayers all our days. And when this life is done, may we join thee in Heaven in the joyful company of Jesus and Mary. We ask for the grace of a happy death. Amen.
O St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows, obtain for our young people the grace of following Jesus with generosity.
May they place the gospel at the very heart of their lives. May they desire to love God wholeheartedly as thou didst.
May they especially obtain a true devotion to the Immaculate and Sorrowful Heart of Mary, and, following thy example may we all increase in grace; pray for us that we will be Saints, so we will know the peace and joy of eternal life in Heaven. Amen.
Our Father..
Hail Mary..
Glory be..Amen
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Mark 9:41-50
If your hand or eye causes you to sin
Who in their right mind would want to lose their reward and then be deprived of joy in the end? We have been given the greatest of rewards – God himself who is perfect love and source of abundant life and unending happiness.
Paul the Apostle tells us that “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit” (Romans 5:5).
God’s love purifies our hearts and compels us to express kindness and charity towards our neighbor who is created in the image and likeness of God. We were created in love for love. The charity we show to our neighbors in their need expresses the gratitude we have for the abundant goodness and kindness of God towards us.
Jesus declared that any kindness shown and any help given to the people of Christ will not lose its reward. Jesus never refused to give to anyone in need who asked for his help. As his disciples we are called to be kind and generous as he is.
Gregory of Nyssa (330-395 AD), an early church father wrote:
“God never asks his servants to do what is impossible. The love and goodness of his Godhead is revealed as richly available. It is poured out like water upon all. God furnishes to each person according to his will the ability to do something good.
None of those seeking to be saved will be lacking in this ability, given by the one who said: ‘whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ, will by no means lose his reward'” (ON THE CHRISTIAN MODE OF LIFE 8.1)
Do you allow the love of Christ to transform your heart that you may treat your neighbor with loving-kindness and mercy?
Avoiding evil and the near occasion of sin
Was Jesus’ exaggerating when he urged his followers to use drastic measures to avoid evil and its harmful consequences (Mark 9:42-47? Jesus set before his disciples the one supreme goal in life that is worth any sacrifice, and that goal is God himself and his will for our lives which leads to everlasting peace and happiness.
Just as a doctor might remove a limb or some part of the body in order to preserve the life of the whole body, so we must be ready to part with anything that causes us to sin and which leads to spiritual death.
Jesus warns his disciples of the terrible responsibility that they must set no stumbling block in the way of another, that is, not give offense or bad example that might lead another to sin.
The Greek word for temptation (scandalon) is exactly the same as the English word scandal. The original meaning of scandal is a trap or a stumbling block which causes one to trip and fall. The Jews held that it was an unforgivable sin to teach another to sin.
If we teach another to sin, he or she in turn may teach still another, until a train of sin is set in motion with no foreseeable end. The young in faith are especially vulnerable to the bad example of those who should be passing on the faith. Do you set a good example for others to follow, especially the young?
Salt and fire
What does Jesus mean when he says “have salt in yourselves” (Mark 9:50)? Salt served a very useful purpose in hot climates before the invention of electricity and refrigeration. Salt not only gave food flavor, it also preserved meat from spoiling. Salt was used as a symbol of fellowship and the sharing of a common meal with one’s friends.
The near-Eastern expression to betray the salt meant to betray one’s Lord or Master or one’s friends. Leonardo da Vinci in his painting of the Last Supper depicts Judas in the act of tipping over the salt shaker, thus symbolically indentifying himself as the betrayer of his Master the Lord Jesus.
Jesus used the image of salt to describe how his disciples are to live in the world. As salt purifies, preserves, and produces rich flavor for food, so the disciple of Christ must be salt in the world of human society to purify, preserve, and bring the flavor of God’s kingdom of righteousness, peace, joy, and mercy.
What did Jesus mean by the expression “salted with fire” and “salt losing its saltiness”? Salt in the ancient world was often put in ovens to intensify the heat. When the salt was burned off and no longer useful it was thrown out on the foot path where it would easily get trodden upon (Matthew 5:13).
Perhaps Jesus wanted to contrast useful salt and salt which lost its ability to prevent corruption to encourage his disciples to bring the rich flavor of Christ’s love, holiness, and righteousness to a world dominated by greed, selfish ambition, and neglect for the weak, poor, and defenseless.
Paul the Apostle reminds us that we are called to be “the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life” (2 Corinthians 2:15-16 ).
The Lord Jesus wants the fragrance of his love and righteousness to permeate our lives, thoughts, speech, and actions. Do you allow the fragrance of Christ’s love and truth to permeate your relationships and circle of influence, especially among your family, friends, and neighbors?
“Lord Jesus, fill me with the fragrance of your love and truth that I may radiate the joy and peace of the Gospel wherever I go and with whomever I meet.”
Amen.
NOVENA TO SAINT GABRIEL OF OUR LADY OF SORROWS
Day 7
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Come to my aid, O God. O Lord, make haste to help me.
Almighty God, Father of mercies and giver of all good gifts, I come before Thee to honor Thee in Thy Saints and to ask their help in my many needs .
Thou hast promised those who ask, would receive, those who seek, would find, those who knock, would have doors opened to them. Hear the prayers of Thy Church, grant my requests, and pardon my sins. Amen.
Prayer to St. Gabriel
O Good Saint Gabriel, God inspired thee to see the Passion of Jesus as it was reflected in the Heart of Mary, His mother. By her side, thou didst stand beneath the Cross of Jesus, gazing on Him as she did and learning the meaning of love.
O St. Gabriel, we wish, like thee, to grow in love for God and all His faithful. Remember us in our trials; remember especially those who are young.
(Here mention your request)
Support us by thy prayers all our days. And when this life is done, may we join thee in Heaven in the joyful company of Jesus and Mary. We ask for the grace of a happy death. Amen.
O St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows, obtain for our young people the grace of following Jesus with generosity.
May they place the gospel at the very heart of their lives. May they desire to love God wholeheartedly as thou didst.
May they especially obtain a true devotion to the Immaculate and Sorrowful Heart of Mary, and, following thy example may we all increase in grace; pray for us that we will be Saints, so we will know the peace and joy of eternal life in Heaven. Amen.
Our Father..
Hail Mary..
Glory be… Amen
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Mark 9:38-40
Any one who does a mighty work in my name
Do you rejoice in the good that others do? Jesus reprimands his disciples for their jealousy and suspicion. They were upset that someone who was not of their company was performing a good work in the name of Jesus. They even “forbade” the man “because he was not following us”.
Jesus’ reply is filled with wisdom: “No one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon after to speak evil of me.” Are we not like the disciples when we get upset at the good deeds of others who seem to shine more than us? Paul says that “love is not jealous… but rejoices in the right” (1 Corinthians 13:4,6).
Love does not envy othersEnvy and jealousy, its counterpart, are sinful because they lead us to sorrow over what should make us rejoice – namely, our neighbor’s good. The reason we may grieve over our another’s good is that somehow we see that good as lessening our own value or excellence.
Envy forms when we believe that the other person’s advantage or possession diminishes or brings disgrace on us. Envy is contrary to love. Both the object of love and the object of envy is our neighbor’s good, but by contrary movements, since love rejoices in our neighbor’s good, while envy grieves over it.
The love of God frees us from envy and jealousyHow can we overcome envy? With the love that God has put into our hearts through the gift of the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). The Holy Spirit purifies our heart and frees us from our disordered passions, such as envy, jealously, greed, and bitterness.
God’s love is a generous and selfless love which is wholly oriented towards our good. The love that God places in our hearts seeks the highest good of our neighbor. God’s love purifies and frees us from all envy and jealousy – and it compels us to give generously, especially to those who lack what they need.
Love gives freely and generously in kind deedsEvery one in need has a claim on us because they are dear to God who created them in his own image and likeness (Genesis 1:26-27). God created us in love for love. We are most free and happy when we love as he loves.
The love and charitable help we show to our neighbor also expresses the gratitude we have for the abundant mercy and kindness of God towards us. Jesus declared that any kindness shown and any help given to those in need would not lose its reward. Jesus never refused to give to anyone in need who asked for his help.
As his disciples we are called to be kind and generous as he is. Are you grateful for God’s mercy and kindness towards you and are you ready to show that same kindness and generosity towards your neighbor? Gregory of Nyssa, an early church father (330-395 AD), comments on this passage: “God never asks his servants to do what is impossible.
The love and goodness of his Godhead is revealed as richly available. It is poured out like water upon all. God furnished to each person according to his will the ability to do something good.
None of those seeking to be saved will be lacking in this ability, given by the one who said: ‘whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ, will by no means lose his reward'” (Mark 9:41). Ask the Lord Jesus to increase your generosity in doing good for others.”
“Lord Jesus, fill me with your Holy Spirit that I may radiate the joy of the Gospel to others. May your light and truth shine through me that others may find new life and joy in you, and freedom from sin and oppression.”
Amen.
NOVENA TO SAINT GABRIEL OF OUR LADY OF SORROWS
Day 6
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Come to my aid, O God. O Lord, make haste to help me.
Almighty God, Father of mercies and giver of all good gifts, I come before Thee to honor Thee in Thy Saints and to ask their help in my many needs .
Thou hast promised those who ask, would receive, those who seek, would find, those who knock, would have doors opened to them. Hear the prayers of Thy Church, grant my requests, and pardon my sins. Amen.
Prayer to St. Gabriel O Good Saint Gabriel, God inspired thee to see the Passion of Jesus as it was reflected in the Heart of Mary, His mother. By her side, thou didst stand beneath the Cross of Jesus, gazing on Him as she did and learning the meaning of love.
O St. Gabriel, we wish, like thee, to grow in love for God and all His faithful. Remember us in our trials; remember especially those who are young.
(Here mention your request)
Support us by thy prayers all our days. And when this life is done, may we join thee in Heaven in the joyful company of Jesus and Mary. We ask for the grace of a happy death. Amen.
O St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows, obtain for our young people the grace of following Jesus with generosity.
May they place the gospel at the very heart of their lives. May they desire to love God wholeheartedly as thou didst.
May they especially obtain a true devotion to the Immaculate and Sorrowful Heart of Mary, and, following thy example may we all increase in grace; pray for us that we will be Saints, so we will know the peace and joy of eternal life in Heaven. Amen.
Our Father..
Hail Mary..
Glory be…Amen
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Mt 16:13-19
Who Is the Greatest in God’s Kingdom?
Whose glory do you seek? There can be no share in God’s glory without the cross. When Jesus prophesied his own betrayal and crucifixion, it did not make any sense to his disciples because it did not fit their understanding of what the Messiah came to do.
And they were afraid to ask further questions! Like a person who might receive a bad verdict from the doctor and then refuse to ask further questions, they, too, didn’t want to know any more. How often do we reject what we do not wish to see?
We have heard the good news of God’s word and we know the consequences of accepting it or rejecting it. But do we give it our full allegiance and mold our lives according to it? Ask the Lord to fill you with his Holy Spirit and to inspire within you a reverence for his word and a readiness to obey it.
Do you compare yourself with others?
How ashamed the disciples must have been when Jesus overheard them arguing about who among them was the greatest! But aren’t we like the disciples? We compare ourselves with others and desire their praise.
The appetite for glory and greatness seems to be inbred in us. Who doesn’t cherish the ambition to be “somebody” whom others admire rather than a “nobody”? Even the psalms speak about the glory God has destined for us. You have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor (Psalm 8:5).
Jesus made a dramatic gesture by embracing a child to show his disciples who really is the greatest in the kingdom of God. What can a little child possibly teach us about greatness?
Children in the ancient world had no rights, position, or privileges of their own. They were socially at the “bottom of the rung” and at the service of their parents, much like the household staff and domestic servants.
Who is the greatest in God’s kingdom?
What is the significance of Jesus’ gesture? Jesus elevated a little child in the presence of his disciples by placing the child in a privileged position of honor. It is customary, even today, to seat the guest of honor at the right side of the host.
Who is the greatest in God’s kingdom? The one who is humble and lowly of heart – who instead of asserting their rights willingly empty themselves of pride and self-seeking glory by taking the lowly position of a servant or child.
Jesus, himself, is our model. He came not to be served, but to serve (Matthew 20:28). Paul the Apostle states that Jesus emptied himself and took the form of a servant (Philippians 2:7).
Jesus lowered himself (he whose place is at the right hand of God the Father) and took on our lowly nature that he might raise us up and clothe us in his divine nature.
God wants to fill us with his own glory
God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). If we want to be filled with God’s life and power, then we need to empty ourselves of everything which stands in the way – pride, self-seeking glory, vanity, etc.
God wants empty vessels so he can fill them with his own glory, power, and love (2 Corinthians 4:7). Are you ready to humble yourself and to serve as Jesus did?
“Lord Jesus, by your cross you have redeemed the world and revealed your glory and triumph over sin and death. May I never fail to see your glory and victory in the cross. Help me to conform my life to your will and to follow in your way of holiness.”
Amen.
NOVENA TO SAINT GABRIEL OF OUR LADY OF SORROWS
Day 5
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Come to my aid, O God. O Lord, make haste to help me.
Almighty God, Father of mercies and giver of all good gifts, I come before Thee to honor Thee in Thy Saints and to ask their help in my many needs .
Thou hast promised those who ask, would receive, those who seek, would find, those who knock, would have doors opened to them. Hear the prayers of Thy Church, grant my requests, and pardon my sins. Amen.
Prayer to St. Gabriel
O Good Saint Gabriel, God inspired thee to see the Passion of Jesus as it was reflected in the Heart of Mary, His mother. By her side, thou didst stand beneath the Cross of Jesus, gazing on Him as she did and learning the meaning of love.
O St. Gabriel, we wish, like thee, to grow in love for God and all His faithful. Remember us in our trials; remember especially those who are young.
(Here mention your request)
Support us by thy prayers all our days. And when this life is done, may we join thee in Heaven in the joyful company of Jesus and Mary. We ask for the grace of a happy death. Amen.
O St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows, obtain for our young people the grace of following Jesus with generosity.
May they place the gospel at the very heart of their lives. May they desire to love God wholeheartedly as thou didst.
May they especially obtain a true devotion to the Immaculate and Sorrowful Heart of Mary, and, following thy example may we all increase in grace; pray for us that we will be Saints, so we will know the peace and joy of eternal life in Heaven. Amen.
Our Father..
Hail Mary..
Glory be… Amen
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!
Scripture for today...
Mark 9:14-29
All things are possible to him who believes
What kind of faith does the Lord Jesus expect of us, especially when we meet challenges and difficulties? Inevitably there will be times when each of us cause disappointment to others. In this Gospel incident the disciples of Jesus brought disappointment to a pleading father because they failed to heal his epileptic son. Jesus’ response seemed stern; but it was really tempered with love and compassion.
We see at once both Jesus’ dismay with the disciples’ lack of faith and his concern to meet the need of this troubled boy and his anguished father. Jesus recognized the weakness of the father’s faith and at the same time challenged him to pray boldly with expectant faith: “All things are possible to him who believes!” Prayer and faith go togetherAugustine of Hippo (354-430 AD), in his commentary on this passage, reminds us that prayer and faith go together: “Where faith fails, prayer perishes.
For who prays for that in which he does not believe? ..So then in order that we may pray, let us believe, and let us pray that this same faith by which we pray may not falter.”
The Lord gives us his Holy Spirit that we may have the confidence and boldness we need to ask our heavenly Father for his help and grace. Do you trust in God’s love and care for you and pray with expectant faith that he will give you what you need? When Jesus rebuked the evil spirit, the boy at first seemed to get worse rather than better as he went into a fit of convulsion. Peter Chrysologus (400-450 AD), a renowned preacher and bishop of Ravena, reflects on this incident:
“Though it was the boy who fell on the ground, it was the devil in him who was in anguish.
The possessed boy was merely convulsed, while the usurping spirit was being convicted by the awesome judge. The captive was detained, but the captor was punished. Through the wrenching of the human body, the punishment of the devil was made manifest.”
God promises each one of us freedom from oppression, especially from the oppression of sin and the evil one who tries to rob us of faith, hope, and peace with God. The Lord Jesus invites us, as he did this boy’s father, to pray with expectant faith. Do you trust in God’s unfailing love and mercy? Faith and trust in God’s unfailing love and mercyThe mighty works and signs which Jesus did demonstrate that the kingdom of God is present in him. These signs attest that the Father has sent him as the promised Messiah.
They invite belief in Jesus as the Son of God and Savior of the world. The coming of God’s kingdom means defeat of Satan’s kingdom. Jesus’ exorcisms anticipate his great victory over “the ruler of this world” (John 12:31).
While Satan may act in the world out of hatred for God and his kingdom in Christ Jesus, and may cause grave injuries of a spiritual nature, and indirectly even of a physical nature, his power is nonetheless limited and permitted by divine providence (Romans 8:28).
Jesus offers freedom from bondage to sin and Satan. There is no affliction he cannot deliver us from. Do you make full use of the protection and help he offers to those who seek him with faith and trust in his mercy?
“Lord Jesus, help my unbelief! Increase my faith and trust in your saving power. Give me confidence and perseverance, especially in prayer. And help me to bring your healing love and truth to those I meet”
Amen.
NOVENA TO SAINT GABRIEL OF OUR LADY OF SORROWS
Day 4
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Come to my aid, O God. O Lord, make haste to help me.
Almighty God, Father of mercies and giver of all good gifts, I come before Thee to honor Thee in Thy Saints and to ask their help in my many needs .
Thou hast promised those who ask, would receive, those who seek, would find, those who knock, would have doors opened to them. Hear the prayers of Thy Church, grant my requests, and pardon my sins. Amen.
Prayer to St. Gabriel O Good Saint Gabriel, God inspired thee to see the Passion of Jesus as it was reflected in the Heart of Mary, His mother. By her side, thou didst stand beneath the Cross of Jesus, gazing on Him as she did and learning the meaning of love.
O St. Gabriel, we wish, like thee, to grow in love for God and all His faithful. Remember us in our trials; remember especially those who are young.
(Here mention your request)
Support us by thy prayers all our days. And when this life is done, may we join thee in Heaven in the joyful company of Jesus and Mary. We ask for the grace of a happy death. Amen.
O St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows, obtain for our young people the grace of following Jesus with generosity.
May they place the gospel at the very heart of their lives. May they desire to love God wholeheartedly as thou didst.
May they especially obtain a true devotion to the Immaculate and Sorrowful Heart of Mary, and, following thy example may we all increase in grace; pray for us that we will be Saints, so we will know the peace and joy of eternal life in Heaven. Amen.
Our Father..
Hail Mary..
Glory be…Amen