The Holy Innocents, Martyrs

Feast of the Holy Innocents, Martyrs

December 28, Christmas Season

Who are the holy innocents?

Every December 28, during the Christmas season, a Eucharistic feast is celebrated in honor of the Holy Innocents. These were the infant boys who were ordered to be slain by King Herod. The gospel passage of the feast is found in Matthew 2:13-18: "When the magi had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, 'Rise, take the child [Jesus] and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him." Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt...When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi, he became furious. He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi."

A feast to remind us of protecting the unborn

In some areas of the world, modern society has evolved without respect and protection to the life being nurtured in a mother's womb. The feast of the Holy Innocents reminds us how important life is, especially those who are innocent or powerless, like the unborn in a mother's womb. The massacre of the infant boys is a gruesome story of how power can be abused and misused by men like Herod. We do not know the exact number of infant boys massacred by Herod. But according to estimates of bible scholars, if Bethlehem during the time of Jesus had a population of about one thousand people, then the infant boys who are two years and younger may have numbered about twenty. These were the ones killed and murdered, and whom the prophet Jeremiah spoke about:

A voice was heard in Ramah,
sobbing and loud lamentation;
Rachel weeping for her children,
and she would not be consoled,
since they were no more.

Patrons of choirboys and martyrs

The Holy Innocents are also honored as patrons of choirboys. They were given the title Martyrs by the early Fathers of the Church like St. Augustine and St. Irenaeus. They bore witness to the Messiah not by words but by their death. These innocent infant boy martyrs triumphed over the world and won their crown without experiencing the evils of the world and the devil.

A parallel to the story of Moses

The story of the Holy Innocents can be found only in the gospel of Matthew. It is not found in the other three gospels. When we look to the Old Testament for a parallel story, perhaps their (the Holy Innocents) story can look backward to the birth of Moses. In the Old Testament story of Moses, when Moses was born, he was hid by his mother and sister in a basket and made to float on a river. They did this because there was a law in ancient Egypt that Jewish boys are to be killed. Pharoah, the king of the Egyptians, had ordered the massacre of all Hebrew boys (cf. Exodus
1:16). Moses however survived, because he was discovered by Pharoah's daughter, who found him floating inside a basket on the river. She decided to adopt the baby Moses and made him to live and grow in the Egyptian royal court.

A feast to remind us to pray also for those innocently killed in war

This feast of the Holy Innocents reminds us also to pray for all those innocently killed in war. In the many wars that human history has recorded, there are recorded statistics of people who have died - millions of civilians and those who are not involved in war, like medical personnel and clerical members of various Christian denominations. They have been victimized by ethnic cleansing, wars from border disputes, and religious wars. There are many killings from wars recorded in the history of human civilization, but one that is still near to the memories of older generations is the holocaust of World War II. Those who have lived during the War (especially the Japanese) know that the destruction of both lives and property with the bomb dropped at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, should not be repeated. It is a direction to extreme destruction and self-destruction. As we enter into the new year, we can intensify our efforts to influence others to prayer in general, and to pray specifically for peace for all. For "a world at prayer, is a world at peace". St. John Paul II intensified these efforts with the World Day of Peace celebrated every January 1.

St. Peter Canisius, priest and Jesuit

St. Peter Canisius, Priest and Doctor of the Church: 1521-1597 A.D.

Feast day, December 21

Birth, family and education

St. Peter Canisius, whose Dutch name was Petris Kanijs, was born on May 8, 1521, in the city of Nijmegen, Holland. He was the son of a wealthy Dutchman, the nine-times-elected burgomaster of Nijmegen. His mother, Aegidia van Houwenigen, died shortly after his birth. Peter was reared by a step-mother. When Peter was fifteen, he was sent by his father to the University of Cologne to study literature and law, with the objective of making Peter a lawyer. Peter received his master of arts degree from the University of Cologne university when he was only nineteen.

Entering the Jesuit Order

While at the Cologne university, Peter came under the influence of some pious men and decided not to be a lawyer. This spoiled his father's plans who wanted him not only to be a lawyer but to also marry a wealthy young lady. Peter wanted to devote his life to serving God in the Church. In 1543 A.D., while Peter Faber (part of the original companions of St. Ignatius) was preaching in Mainz, Germany, Peter Canisius made St. Ignatius of Loyola's "Spiritual Exercises" under Peter Faber's spiritual direction. As a result, Peter Canisius made the decision to become a Jesuit. He was received into the Society of Jesus on May 8, 1543. Continuing his studies in the University of Cologne, Peter Canisius opened the first Jesuit house in Germany. He was ordained a priest in June of 1546 A.D.

Worked successfully for the revival of Catholicism

Peter Canisius gave his inheritance to the poor and became noted for his preaching. He attended two sessions of the Council of Trent and was sent to teach at the Jesuits' first school at Messina by St. Ignatius of Loyola. In 1549 A.D. he went to Ingolstadt at the request of Duke William IV of Bavaria to combat Protestantism and revive the faith of Catholics. Peter served as rector and then as vice chancellor of the university at Ingolstadt, effected a religious revival among the people. In 1552 A.D., he was sent on a similar mission to Vienna at the request of King Ferdinand.

The Second Apostle of Germany

In 1555 A.D., St. Peter Canisius published the first edition of his Catechism. It was enormously successful, with hundreds of printings in some fifteen languages. He was sent to Prague in 1556 A.D. to help found a new college. While in Prague, he was appointed provincial of a new province of the Jesuits consisting of southern Germany, Bohemia, and Austria. These were parts of the beginnings of a work that would lead Pope Leo XIII to call St. Peter Canisius the Second Apostle of Germany - with St. Boniface being the first. Peter Canisius continued in his mission, teaching and preaching at Augsburg from 1559-1566 A.D., and at Innsbruck and Munich from 1571 to 1577 A.D. He established Jesuit colleges at Munich, Innsbruck, Augsburg, Vienna, Wurzburg, and Dillingen. St. Peter Canisius' influence was felt throughout the German Empire, even in places where he did not appear personally.

A prolific writer-saint and Doctor of the Church

In 1580 A.D., St. Peter Canisius founded a college at Fribourg. His preaching and work made the college a university and kept the Fribourg college Catholic. Even when he suffered a stroke in 1591 A.D., he continued his work by dictating his writing until his death at Fribourg on December 21. Peter Canisius was a prolific writer, editing the works of St. Cyril of Alexandria and St. Leo the Great. He created an edition of St. Jerome's letters, a martyrology, a revision of the breviary, and a Manual of Catholics. It was mainly due to St. Peter Canisius' works that the Counter-Reformation was successful in southern Germany. He was canonized in 1925 A.D. and at the same time declared a Doctor of the Church.

References of this article

• Dictionary of Saints, by John J. Delaney
• The Doctors of the Church vol 2, by John F.
  Fink
• A Year With the Saints, by Don Bosco Press,
  Inc.

4th Sunday of Advent (A)

Sunday reflections for liturgical years 2014 (A), 2015 (B), and 2016 (C)

December 22, 2013
Liturgical readings

Isaiah 7:10-14
Psalm 24
Romans 1:1-7
Matthew 1:18-24

"Joseph received Mary into his home as his wife."

Last Gaudete Sunday, the spirit of joy and anticipation filled all Eucharistic celebrations - signaling that Christmas is near. The symbol that represents that joyful anticipation is the third Advent candle, which was lit and colored rose or pink. And that joy was expressed in the gospel: 'the blind see, cripples walk, lepers are cured, the deaf hear, dead men live again, and the poor receive the Good News. Now, that joy of Gaudete Sunday magnifies as we listen to the readings of this fourth Sunday of Advent. The Lord Jesus, the Word made flesh, will enter our lives and our work again. As we thank God for the blessings of the Season, we are encouraged to love God more, be kind to others (and to ourselves), and to see justly with the eyes of Christ. For He is to come for all humanity.

This 4th Sunday of Advent brings us nearer to the image of the Nativity, as we listen to the story of Mary and Joseph. Joseph wanted to initially to divorce Mary quietly when he found her with child. Joseph was a just and righteous man. But when an angel revealed to him in a dream that Mary's Child would be the Savior of his people, Joseph heeded what the angel of God told him in that dream. He did God's will through the message God sent. Joseph did not pursue his intention to divorce but received Mary into his home. So the word of the prophet Isaiah has been fulfilled: Isaiah 7:14, 'the birth of Immanuel' -meaning 'God-with-us' or 'God-is-with-us' is to be born of Mary and under the guardianship of St. Joseph. The God we believe in is a God who will be with Mary and Joseph, and also with us in our journey as a people.

Never in the history of human civilization has man been privileged to be visited by a God who took human flesh. Although God was incarnated in the Jewish ancestry and culture, He really is meant for all. Whatever the angels revealed to Mary and to Joseph truly changed the direction of human civilization. The "yes" of both Mary and Joseph to God's will has began the process of saving - the saving plan of God that both Mary and Joseph understood through the unfolding events written in the gospel. If you read "Life of Christ" by Bishop Fulton Sheen, he writes that history is full of men who claim to have come from God (Buddha, Mohammed, Confucius, Lao-tze, and many others). But only Christ's birth was pre-announced: by the Jewish prophets; Tacitus of ancient Rome; Chinese chroniclers; the Greek Aeschylus; Cicero; Suetonius; and Virgil. Even the gospel attests to this by mentioning the Magi of the East. We have to admit the greatness of Mary's and Joseph's faith and obedience to God's will. It is to their intercession that we also owe our Christian faith and obedience.

Scripture quotes for reflection:
The Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child (Isaiah 7)
He whose heart is clean shall receive a blessing from the Lord (Psalm 24)
Jesus Christ our Lord was descended from David according to the flesh but was made Son of God in power, according to the spirit of holiness (Romans 1)
Joseph, son of David, it is by the Holy Spirit that Mary has conceived this child (Matthew 1)

3rd Sunday of Advent (A)

Sunday reflections for liturgical years 2014 (A), 2015 (B), and 2016 (C)
 
December 15, 2013
Liturgical readings
Isaiah 35:1-6, 10
Psalm 146
James 5:7-10
Matthew 11:2-11

"Go back and report to John what you hear and see."

St. John the Baptist and Jesus the Messiah. Both of them prophets. Both were martyred. John prepared the way for Christ. And Christ prepared and continues to prepare the Way for us through the Church.  After John finished his mission to baptize in the river Jordan, he now decreases in stature; and it is Christ's mission which is in the forefront - to build the Kingdom of God by healing and preaching. As Jesus enters the forefront, He commends John the Baptist for his great role in preparing the people Israel in salvation history.  Two great men in their own right. They call us to follow in their footsteps. We too are called to bring others back to God by the witness of our work and life.

Christ began His mission by performing many healing miracles and by preaching the Good News to the poor. He continues the prophetic mission of John the Baptist. The baptisms performed by John and our own baptism in the name of Christ makes us share in the prophetic mission of John and Jesus. How are we to understand our prophetic vocation as Christians?  A prophet is one who speaks in behalf of God to the people. He announces the Good News. And he denounces the evil of his times. nbsp;This was what John the Baptist and Christ did. We know that both their announcement of God's Kingdom and the denouncement of the evil of their times have cost them their life. We may not be called to be martyrs like John and Christ, but we have a responsibility to be the "salt of the earth and the light of the world".

How can we specifically be "salt of the earth and the light of the world"?  Like John the Baptist and Christ, we can witness to what they stood for: Life in all its fullness as a right of all persons, whatever their political stature or socio-economic level. Prophetic witness can be as simple as opting to follow the stance of the Church with regard to the culture of life. This culture of life was emphasized and made clear to everyone in the world during the pontificate of Pope John Paul II.  By simply respecting life in all its stages (from womb to tomb), we stand with Christ and the Church in the mission to value life as sacred, a gift from God, and a responsibility to defend and protect in the very secular contexts of family life, work, and charitable works in the parish or neighborhood.


Verses from this Sunday readings:
Say to those whose hearts are frightened; be strong fear not! (Isaiah 35)
The Lord gives food to the hungry; He sets captives free (Psalm 146)
Steady your hearts because the coming of the Lord is at hand (James 5)
History has not known man born of woman greater than John the Baptizer (Matthew 11)

2nd Sunday of Advent (A)

Reflections for liturgical years 2014 (A), 2015 (B), and 2016 (C)

December 8, 2013 (edited for 12/7/2025)
Liturgical readings
Isaiah 11:1-10
Psalm 72
Romans 15:4-9
Matthew 3:1-12

"I baptize you in water. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire."

John the Baptist, the last of the Old Testament prophets, and the one that acts as a bridge to the New Testament, prepared the way for the coming of Christ. He called the people Israel to be baptized in the Jordan river. His prophetic message is a message meant also for our present age: to prepare for the coming of our Saviour Jesus Christ into our the life of all our relationships, and even to our work. John the Baptist calls us to look more deeply into how we relate with God, with others, and with ourselves in our work and life with the intention of seeking repentance and amendment of manners and behaviour - that God's light may shine brilliantly upon each of our souls. God's light will help us follow the right path under the guidance of His Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit that can help us see how we can unlearn bad habits and do what is right in the eyes of both God and man. Through our reverence of Christ Jesus, we can see what is essential: God Himself, His love for us, and the commandments to follow that we may not be led astray. This second Sunday of Advent is another opportunity to reflect well on the message of John the Baptist.

Three centuries after John the Baptist baptized the people Israel in the Jordan, St. Augustine of Hippo, a bishop and doctor of the Church, also wrote in his Advent sermon that the baptism given by John was meant to prepare God's people for the Savior. But that was John the Baptist's baptism. This 2nd Sunday of Advent, we are called to see that John was also preparing the people for the baptism which Christ will give. Unlike John's baptism, Christ will baptize in the Holy Spirit and fire. It is in Christ's baptism that we receive "a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, a spirit of counsel and of strength, and a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the Lord". In this baptism, we are called to share in the Church's mission to build God's Kingdom in the very circumstances of work and life.

This Sunday's message on the theme of baptism can help us to reflect also on the meaning of our own baptism. The baptism the faithful received gifted each one with membership in the many communities of the Church - beginning in the family. As members of the Church, baptismal commitment asks each one to fulfill a task and a responsibility: to continue the mission of Jesus for this generation and for future generations. All of the baptized are commissioned to make their baptismal consecration bear fidelity and joy in their lives and to share the light and joy of the gospel also in the lives of others. This can be done one day at a time. And Advent is the liturgical season to remind each one of this vocation. Advent reroots everyone's work and life in the context of their initial commitment to Christ. In this rerooting, everyone can be reminded to slow down, pause, and reflect: "What have I done for Christ?" "What am I doing for Christ?" "What can I do for Christ?"

Quotes from the Sunday readings:
The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him (Isaiah 11)
For he shall rescue the poor man when he cries out, and the afflicted when he has no one to help him (Psalm 72)
God the source of all patience and encouragement enables us to live in the spirit of Christ Jesus (Romans 15)
A herald's voice in the desert: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.' (Matthew 3)

1st Sunday of Advent (A)

Solemnity of Christ the King (C): Colossians 1:12-20

Sunday Readings for Your Reflection: Liturgical Years 2011 (A), 2012 (B), and 2013 (C)

Christ the King, November 24, 2013

Liturgical readings
2 Samuel 5:1-3
Psalm 122
Colossians 1:12-20
Luke 23:35-43

"In the Lord, all were created through him, and for him."


Give thanks to the Father
for having made you worthy
to share the lot of the saints


        in light.


He rescued us from the power of darkness
and brought us into
the kingdom of his beloved Son.


Through him we have redemption,
the forgiveness of sins.


He is the image of the invisible God,
the first-born of all creatures.

In him everything in heaven
and on earth was created,


        things visible
        and invisible,


        whether thrones
        or dominations,
        principalities
        or powers;


all were created through him,


        and for him.


He is before all else that is.


In him everything continues in being.


It is he who is head of the body,
        the church;


he who is the beginning,
the first-born from the dead,


so that primacy may be his in everything.


It pleased God to make absolute fullness
reside in him and,


by means of him,


to reconcile everything in his person,


        everything,


I say,


        both on earth
        and in the heavens,



making peace
through the blood of his cross.



Verses from the Sunday readings:
"David shall shepherd his people and shall be commander of Israel." (2 Samuel)
"To Jerusalem the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord." (Psalm 122)
"God has rescued us from the power of darkness and brought us into His kingdom." (Colossians)
"Lord, remember us when you enter upon your reign." (Luke 23)

Solemnity of Christ the King (C)

Gospel Text for Your Reflection: Liturgical Years 2011 (A), 2012 (B), and 2013 (C)

Christ the King, November 24, 2013

Liturgical readings
2 Samuel 5:1-3
Psalm 122
Colossians 1:12-20
Luke 23:35-43

"In the Lord, all were created through him, and for him."


Give thanks to the Father
for having made you worthy
to share the lot of the saints


        in light.


He rescued us from the power of darkness
and brought us into
the kingdom of his beloved Son.


Through him we have redemption,
the forgiveness of sins.


He is the image of the invisible God,
the first-born of all creatures.

In him everything in heaven
and on earth was created,


        things visible
        and invisible,


        whether thrones
        or dominations,
        principalities
        or powers;


all were created through him,


        and for him.


He is before all else that is.


In him everything continues in being.


It is he who is head of the body,
        the church;


he who is the beginning,
the first-born from the dead,


so that primacy may be his in everything.


It pleased God to make absolute fullness
reside in him and,


by means of him,


to reconcile everything in his person,


        everything,


I say,


        both on earth
        and in the heavens,



making peace
through the blood of his cross.



Verses from the Sunday readings:
"David shall shepherd his people and shall be commander of Israel." (2 Samuel)
"To Jerusalem the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord." (Psalm 122)
"God has rescued us from the power of darkness and brought us into His kingdom." (Colossians)
"Lord, remember us when you enter upon your reign." (Luke 23)

33rd Sunday of the Year (C): 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12

Sunday Readings for Your Reflection: Liturgical Years 2011 (A), 2012 (B), and 2013 (C)

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Liturgical readings
Malachi 3:19-20
Psalm 98
2 Thessalonians 3:7-12
Luke 21:5-19

"Paul and his brethren present themselves as an example for us to imitate".


You know how you ought
to imitate us.


We did not live lives
of disorder
when we were among you,


nor depend on anyone for food.


Rather,


we worked day and night,


laboring to the point of exhaustion


so as not to impose
on any of you.


Not that we have no claim
on you,


but that we might
present ourselves
as an example for you to imitate.


Indeed,
when we were with you
we used to lay down
the rule that


anyone who would not work
should not eat.


We hear that some of you
are unruly,


not keeping busy
but acting like busybodies.


We enjoin all such,
and we urge them strongly
in the Lord Jesus Christ


to earn the food that they eat
by working quietly.



Verses from the Sunday readings:
"There will arise the sun of justice with its healing rays." (Malachi 3)
"The Lord will rule the world with justice and the peoples with equity." (Psalm 98)
"Paul exhorts his brethren in Christ Jesus to earn the food they eat by working quietly." (2 Thessalonians)
"The Lord says: 'I will give you words and a wisdom which your adversaries cannot contradict.'" (Luke 20)

33rd Sunday of the Year (C)

32nd Sunday of the Year (C): 2 Thes 2:16 - 3:5

Sunday Readings for Liturgical Years 2011 (A), 2012 (B), and 2013 (C)

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Liturgical readings
2 Maccabees 7:1-2, 9-14
Psalm 17
2 Thessalonians 2:16 - 3:5
Luke 20:27-38


"Not everyone has faith; but the Lord, however, keeps faith."



May our Lord Jesus Christ himself,


may God our Father


who loved us
and in his mercy


gave us eternal consolation


and hope,


console your hearts
and strengthen them


for every good work
and word.


For the rest, brothers,


pray for us


that the word of the Lord
may make progress
and be hailed by many others,


even as it has been by you.


Pray that we may be delivered


from confused
and evil men.


For not everyone
        has faith;


but the Lord,
however,


        keeps faith;


he it is
who will strengthen you
and guard you against
the evil one.


In the Lord
we are confident
that you are doing
and will continue
to do whatever we enjoin.


May the Lord rule your hearts
in the love of God
and the constancy of Christ.



Verses for reflection:
"The king and his attendants marveled at the young man's courage." (2 Maccabees)
"Hide me in the shadow of your wings." (Psalm 17)
"Paul prays: 'May our Lord console your hearts and strengthen them for every good work and word." (2 Thessalonians)
"The Lord says: 'God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.'" (Luke 20)

32nd Sunday of the Year (C)

Sunday Readings for Your Reflection: Liturgical Years 2011 (A), 2012 (B), and 2013 (C)

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Liturgical readings
2 Maccabees 7:1-2, 9-14
Psalm 17
2 Thessalonians 2:16 - 3:5
Luke 20:27-38

The Lord: the God of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob.



Some Sadducees came forward


(the ones who claim
there is no resurrection)


to pose this problem
to Jesus:


"Master,
Moses prescribed
that if a man's brother dies
leaving a wife and no child,
the brother should marry the widow
and raise posterity to his brother.


Now there were seven brothers.


The first one married
and died childless.


Next,
the second brother
married the widow,


then the third,


and so on.


All seven died
without leaving her
any children.


Finally
the widow herself died.


At the resurrection,
whose wife will she be?


Remember,
seven married her."


Jesus said to them:


"The children of this age marry
and are given in marriage,


but those judged worthy of a place
in the age to come
and of resurrection from the dead
do not.


They become like angels
and are no longer liable to death.


Sons of the resurrection,
they are sons of God.


Moses in the passage about the bush
showed that the dead rise again
when he called the Lord


        the God of Abraham,
        and the God of Isaac,
        and the God of Jacob.


God is not the God of the dead
but of the living.


All are alive for him."

Verses from the Sunday Readings:
"The king and his attendants marveled at the young man's courage." (2 Maccabees)
"Hide me in the shadow of your wings." (Psalm 17)
"Paul prays: 'May our Lord console your hearts and strengthen them for every good work and word." (2 Thessalonians)
"The Lord says: 'God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.'" (Luke 20)

Reading the Lives of the Saints

St. Martin de Porres (feast November 3) and Other Missionary-Saints to the Americas

Introduction

This blog post features five missionary saints to the New World: St. Martin de Porres and St. Turibius de Mogrovejo in Lima, Peru; St. Peter Claver in Colombia; St. Marguerite Bourgeoys in Montreal, Canada; and St. John Neumann in the United States of America.

St. Martin de Porres

Canonized by Pope John XXIII in 1962, St. Martin de Porres was a humble black Dominican lay brother born in Lima, Peru, on November 9, 1579. He was the illegitimate son of John de Porres, a Spanish knight, and Anna Velasquez, a freed black slave from Panama.

At fifteen years of age, Martin became a Dominican tertiary, and then nine years later, he took the vows of a Dominican lay brother at the Convent of the Rosary. After his vows, Martin embarked on an incredible mission of charity to the poor in Lima, Peru. Thousands thronged to him for spiritual counseling and prayer. Miracles, visions, and penitential practices were attributed to him. He is reputed to have been gifted with many supernatural gifts: bilocation and aerial flights. Stories also abound that he was so kind even to rats. When Martin de Porres died at Rosary Convent on November 3, 1639, the people already acclaimed him a saint. His formal canonization, however, took place centuries later. He is known as the patron saint of interracial justice.

St. Turibius of Mogrovejo

St. Turibius was the first archbishop of Lima, Peru. Born at Mayorga in Spain, he died in Peru on March 23, 1605, and was canonized in 1726. Turibius was a lay professor of law at the University of Salamanca. It was quite unusual at the time that he was appointed first a principal judge of the Court of the Inquisition at Granada, and then named archbishop of Lima. Despite his objections, and the fact that he was a layman, he was ordained and consecrated, and sent to Peru in 1581.


St. Turibius was also called the "Bishop on Horseback". It is estimated that he baptized five hundred thousand and confirmed eight hundred thousand people. His twenty-five years as archbishop were full of many accomplishments: numerous churches built, religious houses founded, schools, hospitals, and roads built during his administration. In 1591, he also founded the first seminary in the New World.


After many years of unremitting missionary work, St. Turibius fell ill at Pacasmayo. When he knew he would soon die, he wrote his will, gave his personal belongings to his servants, and the rest of his property he distributed to the poor. He died at the age of sixty-eight.

St. Peter Claver, SJ

Peter Claver was born at Verdu in Catalonia, Spain, in 1580. After studying in Barcelona, he took his vows as a Jesuit in 1600 at Tarragona. After being sent to the Jesuit College in Parma at Majorca, he began to doubt his vocation. However, the saintly old hall-porter of the College, St. Alphonsus Rodriguez, gave him wise counsel and helped him overcome his nervousness at being a priest. St. Alphonsus spoke to him of the need for missionaries in the New World.


In 1610, St. Peter Claver was sent to Cartagena, a seaport in what is now Colombia. Ordained a priest in 1616, he began a thirty-three year heroic career of caring for the spiritual life of the black slaves. These slaves suffered incredible cruelties and indignation from the profitable slave trade that exploited them. But Peter Claver would distract those who exploited them, made them stand back, as he bustled among the slaves with fruit, bandages, medicine, and brandy. He would do this for many years: waiting for the slave-ships to come into port, attend to the needs of the slaves, baptize the dying, and wash and feed the sick.


By 1650, St. Peter Claver had become old. There was a plague that ravaged Havana and the nearby areas. Peter and the other Jesuits helped many who were struck down. Unfortunately, Peter also caught the disease. Though he recovered, he was weakened by the effects of the illness. After four years of physical deterioriation, Peter Claver died on September 8, 1654, the feast of Mary's birth, in Cartagena. He was canonized in 1888 and named the official patron of those who bring the Gospel to the black race.

St. Marguerite Bourgeoys

St. Marguerite Bourgeoys was canonized in October 31, 1982 by Pope John Paul II. She was the foundress of the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame of Montreal. Born in 1620 in the Champagne district of France, Marguerite was first a member of a congregation of women who taught poor children in Troyes. However, one day, at a direct invitation of the governor, she migrated to Montreal, Canada on June 20, 1653. After arriving in Montreal, she founded a few houses and a fort to guard the colonists against the Iroquois Indians. Her work led to the establishment of a school system that eventually extended to the whole country. She also organized a group of women who taught in the colony and formed it into the Congregation of the Sisters of Notre Dame in 1653.


There is a story that tells how St. Marguerite passed away. On the night of December 31, 1699, the sisters of her congregation were called to pray at the deathbed of a young mistress of novices. Marguerite was said to have uttered a prayer: "Lord, why not take me instead of this poor sister who can still do great things for you?" That night, St. Marguerite became critically ill with a high fever. Twelve days later, she died. The young mistress of novices, who was on the verge of death, however survived.

St. John Neumann

St. John Neumann was born in Bohemia, the Czech Republic, in 1811. He earnestly desired to dedicate himself to the missions in America, and so was sent to the United States while still a seminarian. It was in New York in the year 1836 where he was ordained a priest. He worked for four years among the German immigrants in the area near Buffalo. In 1840, he entered the Redemptorist Congregation and became a travelling preacher. He was also appointed Bishop of Philadelphia - establishing new seminaries, churches, and schools. Each year, he visited the parishes and mission stations of his diocese, expressing well his pastoral concern for the spiritual welfare of his people.


St. John Neumann is the first North American male saint. He ministered to the sick, was kind to the poor, became a friend to sinners, and known to symbolize well the love for the poor mentioned in the Beatitudes. At first, after examining his candidacy for sainthood, his cause was put on hold in 1912. Many doubted his "heroic virtue": he was "too ordinary" to be a saint. But in 1921 Pope Benedict XV and a board of cardinals listened again to the pleas for his elevation to sainthood. And a story tells that before this meeting of the pope and the cardinals, the main opponent to Neumann's candidacy to sainthood collapsed and died in a barber's chair.


This case of St. John Neumann set a precedent for the future judgment of possible saints. Pope Benedict XV said: "Even the most simple works, performed with constant perfection in the midst of inevitable difficulties, spell heroism in any servant of God."

31st Sunday of the Year (C): Wisdom 11:22 - 12:1

Sunday Readings for Your Reflection: Liturgical Years 2011 (A), 2012 (B), and 2013 (C)

Sunday, November 3, 2013

Liturgical readings
Wisdom 11:22 - 12:1
Psalm 145
2 Thessalonians 1:11 - 2:2
Luke 19:1-10

"The Lord spares all things, because they are His."



Before the Lord
the whole universe
is as a grain from a balance


or a drop of morning dew
come down upon the earth.


But you have mercy on all,
because you can do all things;


and you overlook the sins of men
that they may repent.


For you love all things that are
and loathe nothing
that you have made;


for what you hated,
you would not have fashioned.


And how could a thing remain,
unless you willed it;


or be preserved
had it not been called forth by you?


But you spare all things,
because they are yours,
O Lord and lover of souls,


for your imperishable spirit
is in all things!



Verses from the Sunday readings:
"The Lord overlooks the sins of men that they may repent." (Wisdom 11)
"The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness." (Psalm 145)
"Paul exhorts his brethren not to be easily agitated or terrified by a rumor that the day of the Lord is here." (2 Thessalonians)
"Salvation has come to Zacchaeus' house for the he had done what it means to be a son of Abraham." (Luke 19)

31st Sunday of the Year (C): 2 Thessalonians 1:11 - 2:2

Sunday Readings for Your Reflection: Liturgical Years 2011 (A), 2012 (B), and 2013 (C)

Sunday, November 3, 2013

Liturgical readings
Wisdom 11:22 - 12:1
Psalm 145
2 Thessalonians 1:11 - 2:2
Luke 19:1-10

"Paul prays that the Lord God may fulfill by his power every honest intention and work of faith."


We pray for you always
that our God may make you
        worthy of his call,


and fulfill by his power
every honest intention
and work of faith.


In this way
the name of our Lord Jesus
may be glorified in you
and you in him,


in accord
with the gracious gift


of our God
and of the Lord Jesus Christ


and our being gathered
to him,


we beg you,


brothers,


not to be so easily agitated


or terrified,


whether by an oracular utterance


or rumor


or a letter
alleged to be ours,


into believing
that the day of the Lord is here.



Verses from the Sunday readings:
"The Lord overlooks the sins of men that they may repent." (Wisdom 11)
"The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness." (Psalm 145)
"Paul exhorts his brethren not to be easily agitated or terrified by a rumor that the day of the Lord is here." (2 Thessalonians)
"Salvation has come to Zacchaeus' house for the he had done what it means to be a son of Abraham." (Luke 19)

31st Sunday of the Year (C)

Sunday Readings for Your Reflection: Liturgical Years 2011 (A), 2012 (B), and 2013 (C)

Sunday, November 3, 2013

Liturgical readings
Wisdom 11:22 - 12:1
Psalm 145
2 Thessalonians 1:11 - 2:2
Luke 19:1-10

"Zacchaeus descended from the tree and welcomed the Lord to his house."



Jesus
upon entering Jericho,


passed through the city.


There was a man there
        named Zacchaeus,


        the chief tax collector

        and a wealthy man.


        He was trying to see
        what Jesus was like,


        but being small of stature,
        was unable to do so
        because of the crowd.


        He first ran on in front,
        then climbed a sycamore tree
        which was along Jesus' route,
        in order to see him.


When Jesus
came to the spot


he looked up and said,


"Zacchaeus,


hurry down.


I mean to stay
at your house today."


        He quickly descended,
        and welcomed him with delight.


When this was observed,
everyone began to murmur,


"He has gone
to a sinner's house
as a guest."


        Zacchaeus stood his ground
        and said to the Lord:


        "I give half my belongings, Lord,
        to the poor.


        If I have defrauded anyone
        in the least,
        I pay him back fourfold."


Jesus said to him:


"Today
salvation has come to this house,


for this is what it means
to be a son of Abraham.


The Son of Man has come
to search out
and save what was lost."


Verses from the Sunday readings:
"The Lord overlooks the sins of men that they may repent." (Wisdom 11)
"The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness." (Psalm 145)
"Paul exhorts his brethren not to be easily agitated or terrified by a rumor that the day of the Lord is here." (2 Thessalonians)
"Salvation has come to Zacchaeus' house for the he had done what it means to be a son of Abraham." (Luke 19)

30th Sunday of the Year (C): Ecclesiasticus 35:12-14, 16-18

Sunday Readings for Your Reflection: Liturgical Years 2011 (A), 2012 (B), and 2013 (C)

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Liturgical readings
Ecclesiasticus 35:12-14, 16-18
Psalm 34
2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18
Luke 18:9-14

"The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds."


The Lord is a God of justice.


who knows no favorites.


Though not unduly partial toward the weak,


yet he hears
the cry of the oppressed.


He is not deaf
        to the wail of the orphan,


        nor to the widow
        when she pours out her complaint.


He who serves God willingly


is heard;


his petition reaches the heavens.


The prayer of the lowly
pierces the clouds;


it does not rest
till it reaches the goal,


Nor will it withdraw
till the Most High
        responds,
        judges justly
        and affirms the right.


Verses from the Sunday readings:
"He who serves God willingly is heard; his petition reaches the heavens." (Ecclesiasticus 35)
"From all distress the Lord rescues the just." (Psalm 34)
"Paul fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith." (2 Timothy)
"O God, be merciful to me, a sinner." (Luke 18)

Reform in Benedictine Spirituality: Cluny and the Cistercians

The spirit of reform

It was a spirit of reform that inspired the monastic revival at the Benedictine monastery at Cluny, France. We will see that this spirit of reform continued even among the members of Cluny as it grew into a very influential force in Europe. After the abbacy of its fifth abbot, St. Odilo, St. Hugh succeeded him. He expanded Cluny even more throughout the rest of Europe. But maybe because of Cluny's connections with the secular world, a number of monks in Cluny wanted to follow a stricter observance of Benedictine poverty.

St. Hugh, sixth abbot of Cluny

St. Hugh was only fifteen when he entered Cluny. At 20 years he was ordained, was made prior shortly after, and then at 25, succeeded St. Odilo as abbot of Cluny. It was at this time that all monasteries of Europe were under the central authority of the motherhouse at Cluny. St. Hugh had a lot of involvement in the politics of Europe at the time - both in the secular matters and in the Church. He was able to continue his close relations with the Holy See when Hildebrand, a monk at Cluny, was elected Pope, and came to be known as Pope Gregory VII. Because he was abbot of Cluny for sixty years, St. Hugh served nine Popes, was adviser of Emperors, Kings, bishops, and religious superiors. St. Hugh died at Cluny in 1109 A.D. and was canonized by Pope Callistus III in 1120 A.D.

The Cistercians

The Cistercians started as a group of monks who wanted more spiritual fervor in Cluny (since Cluny became more involved in the politics of Europe). So St. Robert, the abbot of Molesmes, received the inspiration to lead this group of monks that was in favor of renewed fervor in the Benedictine monastic spirit. Together with Prior St. Alberic, Subprior St. Stephen Harding, and four other monks, they obtained permission from Archbishop Hugh of Lyons, to leave Molesmes and renew the spiritual fervor of poverty in their group. They were able to gather other monks until they founded the community at Citeaux in 1098 A.D. It was only under the leadership of St. Stephen Harding when the Cistercian Order at Citeaux was fully founded and established.

Blessed Peter the Venerable

Peter the Venerable was from a noble Auvergne family. He was educated at Sauxillanges, one of the monasteries under the central authority of Cluny. He was 20 years old when he was elected and made prior of Vézeley. At 30, he was elected abbot of Cluny in 1122 A.D. In 1125 A.D., he was faced with an armed force, when Pontius, who took over Cluny while Peter was away, wanted to seize control of Cluny from him. Both Peter and Pontius were summoned to Rome where Pope Honorius II reprimanded Pontius and restored Cluny's leadership to Peter the Venerable. Peter led Cluny for 34 years. He died at Cluny on December 25, 1156 A.D. and is venerated in the diocese of Arras on December 29.

Conclusion

This study reveals that the spirit of reform in Benedictinism did not end with the great abbots of Cluny. It continued on, and produced the Cistercian Order. The Cistercians however acknowledge their spiritual roots in Cluny. Both Benedictines and Cistercians share in the celebration of Cluny's five abbots - Sts. Odo, Majolus, Odilo, Hugh and Blessed Peter the Venerable on May 11. Pope Benedict XVI mentioned Peter the Venerable in one of his addresses from the Vatican. Peter the Venerable's contribution to the revival of Benedictinism was his addition of studies to the traditional elements of prayer and manual labor ("ora et labora").

Sources of these blog posts

• A History of the Church, by Franzen and Dolan
• A Concise History of the Catholic Church, by Thomas
  Bokenkotter
• Lives of the Saints, by Richard P. McBrien
• Dictionary of Saints, by John J. Delaney

30th Sunday of the Year (C)

Sunday Readings for Your Reflection: Liturgical Years 2011 (A), 2012 (B), and 2013 (C)

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Liturgical readings
Ecclesiasticus 35:12-14, 16-18
Psalm 34
2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18
Luke 18:9-14

The Lord humbles the exalted and exalts the humble.



Jesus spoke this parable


addressed to those who believed
in their own self-righteousness
while holding everyone else
in contempt:


"Two men
went up to the temple


to pray;


one was a Pharisee,


the other a tax collector.


The Pharisee
        with head unbowed
        prayed in this fashion:


'I give you thanks,
O God,
that I am not like
the rest of men


        - grasping,
        crooked,
        adulterous


        - or even
        like this tax collector.


I fast twice a week.
I pay tithes on all I possess.'


The other man,
however,


kept his distance,


not even daring
to raise his eyes to heaven.


All he did
was beat his breast
and say,


        'O God,
        be merciful to me,
        a sinner.'


Believe me,
this man went home
from the temple justified


but the other
did not.


For everyone
who exalts himself
shall be humbled


        while he
        who humbles himself
        shall be exalted."


Scripture verses from the Sunday readings:
"He who serves God willingly is heard; his petition reaches the heavens." (Ecclesiasticus 35)
"From all distress the Lord rescues the just." (Psalm 34)
"Paul fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith." (2 Timothy)
"O God, be merciful to me, a sinner." (Luke 18)

St. Majolus, St. Odilo, and St. Hugh: Benedictine Abbots of Cluny

Overwhelming influence of the Benedictine tradition

In the history of the Church, the monastic movement at Cluny owed its brilliant rise and overwhelming influence to both its dynamism and its internal stability. Free from the control of secular magnates, their monastic life was able to develop depth. The monks were much known in the Western community for their emphasis on prayer. Common prayers with other monasteries and concern for all of Christianity contributed to their overwhelming influence. This concern for all Christians gave the monks of Cluny a certain openness towards the world. They pursued scientific studies, were interested in political developments, and maintained contacts with emperors and kings. St. Majolus, the fourth abbot of Cluny was highly esteemed by Otto I.

St. Majolus

Also known as Mayeul, Majolus was born at Avignon, France. Because of the marauding Saracens, he fled to his relatives at Mâcon, Burgundy. He studied under abbot Antony of L'Isle Barbe, then was named archdeacon upon returning to Mâcon. Later on he was named bishop of Besançon. He did not want this post, so he went to Cluny to be one of its monks. In 965 A.D., he was elected Cluny's fourth abbot. The monasteries of Germany were entrusted to him by Emperor Otto I. St. Majolus was noted for his scholarship and was held in great esteem by other rulers of the time. He appointed St. Odilo as his coadjutor in 991 A.D. and devoted himself to prayer and penance. He died on May 11.

St. Odilo

St. Odilo succeeded St. Majolus, and under his leadership, Cluny became the most important abbey in Western Europe. It was he who instituted the feast of All Souls (November 2). He practiced great austerities and sold much of Cluny's treasures to feed the poor during a famine in 1006 A.D. He increased the number of abbeys under Cluny, and together with Abbot Richard of Saint-Vanne was responsible for the rule guaranteeing sanctuary to those seeking refuge in a church. St. Odilo led Cluny for more than fifty years. During the last five years of his life, he became ill and passed away on January 1, 1048 A.D.

A stricter observance

The next abbot to succeed Odilo was Hugh. We will learn that under St. Hugh's abbacy, the prestige of Cluny reached its highest point, as new houses were opened all over Europe. Because of this, the Cluny monks acquired extensive tracts of land. Towards the end of St. Hugh's abbacy, a more fervent idealism arose within some monks of the order (those who wanted to follow a stricter observance of poverty). This group moved out of Cluny and went to Citeaux. This marked the beginning of a new monastic order, the Cistercians. Their third abbot, St. Stephen Harding drew up the rule for the Order. St. Stephen combined his exceptional gifts of administration with his passionate love of poverty.

Sources of these blog posts

• A History of the Church, by Franzen and Dolan
• A Concise History of the Catholic Church, by Thomas Bokenkotter
• Lives of the Saints, by Richard P. McBrien
• Dictionary of Saints, by John J. Delaney

A Deeper Prayer Tradition from the Monastic Movement in Europe

A Deeper Life of Prayer and Work

Becoming too active in work and life can make us miss the balance that is needed to obtain both health of body and soul. This is where the practice of meditation and contemplation can help restore that balance. Meditation is simply reading the Scriptures. The Sunday or weekday readings are the best as you can also integrate the homilies given by the priest-presiders at the Mass. After meditation, all that is needed is to stay before an image you are devoted to: the Sacred Heart, our Mother of Perpetual Help, or the best - the Blessed Sacrament in the parish. Meditation and contemplation can restore that balance we need from the activities that involve us in the world. It will help us see "through Heaven's eyes", and ground our souls back in God. If one has opportunity to read the lives of Benedictine saints and their writings, these can also help in understanding how to meditate and contemplate. Foremost among these Benedictines are the abbots of the Benedictine Monastery at Cluny.

The Great Abbots of the Monastery of Cluny

Monasticism began in the early centuries of the Church. These monasteries championed a way of life based on prayer - especially meditation and contemplation. But as with all things that exist in the world, sometimes secular influences can dilute, so to speak, the purity of the monastic spirituality. So, everytime this happens in monasticism there is always a return to the original spirit of St. Benedict. When many monasteries in Europe began to lose their autonomy and started to be controlled by powerful secular leaders, certain leaders, both secular and religious usually come to the forefront to restore the purity of the monastic spirit. One of these leaders was Duke William of Aquitaine. William of Aquitaine founded a monastery at Cluny, France. This monastery became the beginning of the reform movement in monasticism. Through Cluny and its spiritual influence, monasteries regained their autonomy and independence from influential secular rulers. Cluny's spirit of reform was led by seven great saintly abbots who also acted as peacemakers and negotiators in the politics of Europe at the time. The first three of these saintly abbots were St. Berno, St. Odo and St. Aymard.

Sts. Berno, Odo and Aymard, Benedictine Abbots of Cluny

St. Berno

After Duke William of Aquitaine founded the monastery of Cluny in ca. 908-910 A.D., he chose St. Berno to be its first abbot. St. Berno came from a wealthy family. Born in Burgundy, he joined the Benedictines at Martin's, Autun, and then became abbot of Baume-les-Messiers. He reformed Baume-les-Messiers and then founded a monastery at Gigny. As Duke William established St. Berno as Cluny's first abbot, Berno led the monastery well from ca. 909-927 A.D.

St. Odo

St. Odo was known as a reformer and was widely respected throughout Europe. He succeeded St. Berno as the second abbot of Cluny. Born near Le Mans, France, he was raised in the household of Duke William of Aquitaine. He received his tonsure at age 19, a canonry at St. Martin's at Tours, and then spent several years studying in Paris. St. Odo was a monk under St. Berno at Baume-les-Messiers. When St. Berno was transferred to Cluny, St. Odo was named director of the Baume MOnastery school. Odo eventually became abbot of Baume in 924 A.D. When St. Berno passed away, St. Odo succeeded him at Cluny. He continued St. Berno's work of reformation and was also authorized by Pope John XI to reform the monasteries of northern France and Italy. St. Odo was a peacemaker and negotiator in the politics of his time. After successfully persuading secular rulers to let monasteries be independent, he died at Tours on November 18, 942. St. Odo had written hymns, treatises, and a biographical sketch on the life of St. Gerard of Aurillac - a count who built a church and abbey at Aurillac.

St. Aymard

St. Aymard succeeded St. Odo and became the third abbot of Cluny. He worked to continue St. Odo's reforms. In 954 A.D., St. Aymard became blind and took Majolus as his coadjutor. St. Aymard eventually resigned because of his blindness and spent the last years of his life in Cluny until his death in October 5, 965 A.D.

Sources of this blog posts

• A History of the Church, by Franzen and Dolan
• A Concise History of the Catholic Church, by Thomas Bokenkotter
• Lives of the Saints, by Richard P. McBrien
• Dictionary of Saints, by John J. Delaney

29th Sunday of the Year (C): 2 Timothy 3:14 - 4:12

Sunday Readings for Your Reflection: Liturgical Years 2011 (A), 2012 (B), and 2013 (C)

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Liturgical readings
Exodus 17:8-13
Psalm 121
2 Timothy 3:14 - 4:12
Luke 18:1-8

"Sacred Scripture, the source of wisdom"


You must remain faithful
to what you have learned
        and believed
because you know
who your teachers were.


Likewise,
from your infancy
you have known the Sacred Scriptures,


        the source of wisdom
        which through faith in Jesus Christ
        leads to salvation.


All Scripture is inspired of God


and


is useful for teaching
        - for reproof,
        correction,
        and training in holiness


so that the man of God
may be fully competent
and equipped for every good work


In the presence of God
and of Christ Jesus,


who is coming to judge
the living and the dead,


and by his appearing
and his kingly power,


I charge you to preach the word,


to stay with this task


whether convenient
or inconvenient


- correcting,
reproving,
appealing


- constantly teaching
and never losing patience.




Scripture verses for reflection:
"The Lord is your guardian...he is beside you at your right hand." (Psalm 121)
"Timothy must remain faithful to what he has learned and believed." (2 Timothy)
"All Scripture is useful for correction and training in holiness." (2 Timothy)

29th Sunday of the Year (C)

28th Sunday of the Year (C): 2 Timothy 2:8-13

Sunday Readings for Your Reflection: Liturgical Years 2011 (A), 2012 (B), and 2013 (C)

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Liturgical readings
2 Kings 5:14-17
Psalm 98
2 Timothy 2:8-13
Luke 17:11-19

If we have died with Christ, we shall also live with him.


Remember that Jesus Christ,
a descendant of David,
was raised from the dead.


This is the gospel I preach;
in preaching it
I suffer as a criminal,


even to the point
of being thrown into chains


- but there is no chaining
the word of God!


Therefore
I bear with all of this
for the sake of those
whom God has chosen,


in order that they may obtain
the salvation to be found
in Christ Jesus
and with it eternal glory.


You can depend on this:


If we have died with him
we shall also live with him;


If we hold out to the end
we shall also reign with him.


But if we deny him
he will deny us.


If we are unfaithful
he will still remain faithful,


for he cannot deny himself.



Scripture verses from the readings:
"Naaman's flesh became again like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean of his leprosy." (2 Kings 5)
"He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel." (Psalm 98)
"If we hold out to the end we shall also reign with him." (2 Timothy 2)

28th Sunday of the Year (C): 2 Kings 5:14-17

Sunday Readings for Your Reflection: Liturgical Years 2011 (A), 2012 (B), and 2013 (C)

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Liturgical readings
2 Kings 5:14-17
Psalm 98
2 Timothy 2:8-13
Luke 17:11-19

The Samaritan came back praising God in a loud voice.



On his journey to Jerusalem
Jesus passed along the borders
of Samaria and Galilee.


As he was entering a village,
ten lepers met him.


Keeping their distance,
they raised their voices


and said,


"Jesus, Master, have pity on us!"


When he saw them,
he responded,


"Go and show yourselves to the priests."


On their way there
they were cured.


One of them,
realizing that he had been cured,
came back praising God in a loud voice.


He threw himself on his face
at the feet of Jesus
and spoke his praises.


This man was a Samaritan.


Jesus took the occasion to say,


"Were not all ten made whole?
Where are the other nine?
Was there no one to return and give thanks to God
except this foreigner?"


He said to the man,


"Stand up
and go your way;
your faith has been your salvation."

Scripture verses from the readings:
"Naaman's flesh became again like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean of his leprosy." (2 Kings 5)
"He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel." (Psalm 98)
"If we hold out to the end we shall also reign with him." (2 Timothy 2)

27th Sunday of the Year (C)

27th Sunday of the Year (C): Hebrews 1:2-3, 2:2-4

Sunday Readings for Your Reflection: Liturgical Years 2011 (A), 2012 (B), and 2013 (C)

Sunday, October 6, 2013

Liturgical readings
Hebrews 1:2-3; 2:2-4
Psalm 95
2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14
Luke 17:5-10

"The vision still has its time and will not disappoint...wait for it."



How long, O Lord?


I cry for help
but you do not listen!


I cry out to you,
"Violence!"
but you do not intervene.


Why do you let me see ruin;
why must I look at misery?


Destruction and violence
are before me;
there is strife,
and clamorous discord.


Then the Lord answered me
and said:


Write down the vision
clearly upon the tablets,
so that one can read it readily,


For the vision still has its time,
presses on to fulfillment,
and will not disappoint;


If it delays, wait for it,
it will surely come,
it will not be late.


The rash man has not integrity;
but the just man,
because of his faith,
shall live.


Scripture quotes from the readings:
"Let us kneel before the Lord who made us...for he is our God." (Psalm 95)
"With the strength which comes from God bear your share of the hardship which the gospel entails." (2 Timothy)
"The just man, because of his faith, shall live." (Hebrews 1)

27th Sunday of the Year (C): 2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14

Sunday Readings for Your Reflection: Liturgical Years 2011 (A), 2012 (B), and 2013 (C)

Sunday, October 6, 2013

Liturgical readings
Hebrews 1:2-3; 2:2-4
Psalm 95
2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14
Luke 17:5-10

"The Spirit God has given us is...a strong, loving and wise spirit."


I remind you to stir into flame
the gift of God bestowed
when my hands were laid on you.


The Spirit God has given us
is no cowardly spirit,


but


rather one that makes us


strong,
loving
and wise.


Therefore,
never be ashamed
of your testimony to our Lord,


nor of me,


a prisoner for his sake;


but with the strength
which comes from God


bear your share of the hardship
which the gospel entails.


Take as model of sound teaching
what you have heard me say,
in faith and love in Christ Jesus.


Guard the rich deposit of faith
with the help of the Holy Spirit
who dwells within us.




Scripture verses from the readings:
"Let us kneel before the Lord who made us...for he is our God." (Psalm 95)
"With the strength which comes from God bear your share of the hardship which the gospel entails." (2 Timothy)
"The just man, because of his faith, shall live." (Hebrews 1)

26th Sunday of the Year (C)

25th Sunday of the Year (C): 1 Timothy 2:1-8

25th Sunday of the Year (C), September 22, 2013

Liturgical readings
Amos 8:4-7
Psalm 113
1 Timothy 2:1-8
Luke 16:1-13

"Prayer of this kind is good."


I urge that petitions,
        prayers,
        intercessions,
        and thanksgivings


be offered for all men,
        especially for kings
        and those in authority,


that we may be able to lead
        undisturbed
        and tranquil lives
        in perfect piety
        and dignity.


Prayer of this kind is good,
and God our savior is pleased with it,
for


he wants all men to be saved
and come to know the truth.


And the truth is this:


"God is one.


One also is the mediator between God and men,


the man Christ Jesus,


who gave himself as a ransom for all."


This truth was attended at the fitting time.


I have been made its herald and apostle,


(believe me
I am not lying
but speak the truth)


the teacher of the nations in the true faith.


I is my wish, then,
that in every place
the men shall offer prayers
with blameless hands held aloft,
and be free


from anger


and dissension.


Scripture quotes from the readings:
"High above all nations is the Lord; above the heavens is his glory." (Psalm 113)
"God wants all men to be saved and come to know the truth." (1 Timothy)
"Petitions, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings be offered for all men, especially for kings and those in authority." (1 Timothy)

25th Sunday of the Year (C)

24th Sunday of the Year (C): 1 Timothy 1:12-17

Sunday Readings for Your Reflection: for Liturgical Years 2011 (A), 2012 (B), and 2013 (C)

24th Sunday of the Year (C), September 15, 2013

Liturgical readings
Exodus 32:7-11, 13-14
Psalm 51
1 Timothy 1:12-17
Luke 15:1-32 (short form Luke 15:1-10)

"Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners."


I thank Christ Jesus our Lord,


        who has strengthened me,


        that he has made me
          his servant
          and judged me faithful


I was once
        a blasphemer,
        a persecutor,
        a man filled with arrogance;


but


because I did not know
what I was doing in my unbelief


I have been treated
        mercifully,


        and the grace of our Lord
        has been granted me
        in overflowing measure,


        along with the faith
        and love
        which are in Christ Jesus.


You can depend on this
as worthy of full acceptance;


that Christ Jesus
came into the world


to save sinners.


Of these
I myself am the worst.


But


on that very account
I was dealt with mercifully,


so that in me,
as an extreme case,
Jesus Christ might display
        all his patience,


and that I might become


an example


to those who would later
have faith in him
and gain
everlasting life.


To the King of ages,
        the immortal,
        the invisible,
        the only God,


be honor and glory


forever and ever!


Amen.



Scripture verses from the Readings:
"So the Lord relented in the punishment he had threatened to inflict on his people." (Exodus 32)
"A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn." (Psalm 51)
"God has treated Paul mercifully, and the grace of our Lord has been granted him in
overflowing measure." (1 Timothy)

24th Sunday of the Year (C): Exodus 32:7-11, 13-14

Sunday Readings for Your Reflection: for Liturgical Years 2011 (A), 2012 (B), and 2013 (C)

24th Sunday of the Year (C), September 15, 2013

Liturgical readings
Exodus 32:7-11, 13-14
Psalm 51
1 Timothy 1:12-17
Luke 15:1-32 (short form Luke 15:1-10)

"Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel."


The Lord said to Moses,


"Go down at once to your people,
whom you brought
        out of the land of Egypt,


for they have become depraved.


They have soon turned aside
from the way
        I pointed out to them,


making for themselves
        a molten calf
        and worshipping it,


        sacrificing to it
        and crying out,


        'This is your God
        O Israel,
        who brought you out
        of the land of Egypt!'


I see how stiff-necked
this people is,"


continued the Lord to Moses.


"Let me alone, then,
that my wrath may blaze up
        against them
        to consume them.


Then I will make of you
a great nation."


But Moses implored the Lord, his God,


saying,


"Why, O Lord,
should your wrath blaze up
against your own people,


whom you brought
        out of the land of Egypt


with such great power
and with so strong a hand?


Remember your servants
        Abraham,
        Isaac,
        and Israel,


and how you swore to them
by your own self,


saying,


'I will make your descendants
as numerous as the stars in the sky,


and all this land
that I promised,


I will give your descendants
as their perpetual heritage,'"


So the Lord relented
in the punishment
he had threatened
to inflict on his people.


Scripture quotes from the Sunday readings:
"So the Lord relented in the punishment he had threatened to inflict on his people." (Exodus 32)
"A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn." (Psalm 51)
"God has treated Paul mercifully, and the grace of our Lord has been granted him in overflowing measure." (1 Timothy)

24th Sunday of the Year (C)

Sunday Readings for Your Reflection: Liturgical Years 2011 (A), 2012 (B), and 2013 (C)

24th Sunday of the Year (C), September 15, 2013

Liturgical readings
Exodus 32:7-11, 13-14
Psalm 51
1 Timothy 1:12-17
Luke 15:1-32 (short form Luke 15:1-10)

"When the Shepherd finds his lost sheep, he puts it on his shoulders in jubilation."


The tax collectors
and sinners


were all gathering around
to hear Jesus,


at which the Pharisees
and the scribes
        murmured,


"This man welcomes sinners
and eats with them."


Then he addressed
this parable to them:


"Who among you,


if he has a hundred sheep
and loses one of them,
does not leave the ninety-nine
in the wasteland
and follow the lost one
        until he finds it?


And when he finds it,
he puts it on his shoulders
in jubilation.


Once arrived home,
he invites friends
and neighbors in
        and says to them,


'Rejoice with me
because I have found
        my lost sheep.'


I tell you,


there will likewise
be more joy in heaven
over one repentant sinner
than over ninety-nine righteous people
who have no need to repent."


"What woman,


if she has ten silver pieces
and loses one
does not light a lamp
and sweep the house
in a diligent search
until she has retrieved
        what she lost?


And when she finds it,
she calls in her friends
and neighbors
        to say,


'Rejoice with me!
I have found the silver piece
        I lost.'


I tell you,
there will be the same kind of joy
before the angels of God
over one repentant sinner."



Scripture quotes from the Sunday readings:
"So the Lord relented in the punishment he had threatened to inflict on his people." (Exodus 32)
"A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn." (Psalm 51)
"God has treated Paul mercifully, and the grace of our Lord has been granted him in overflowing measure." (1 Timothy)

23rd Sunday of the Year (C): Wisdom 9:13-18

Sunday Readings for Your Reflection: Liturgical Years 2011 (A), 2012 (B), and 2013 (C)

23rd Sunday of the Year (C), September 8, 2013

Liturgical readings
Wisdom 9:13-18
Psalm 90
Philemon 9-10, 12-17
Luke 14:25-33

"Who ever knew your counsel, except you had given Wisdom"


For what man knows God's counsel,


or who can conceive what the Lord intends?


For the deliberation of mortals are timid,
and unsure are our plans.


For the corruptible body
burdens the soul


and the earthly shelter
weighs down the mind that has many concerns.


And scarce do we guess
the things on earth,


and what is within our grasp
we find with difficulty;


but when things are in heaven,
who can search them out?


Or who ever knew your counsel,
except you had given Wisdom


and sent your Holy Spirit from on high?


And thus were the paths
of those on earth made straight.


Scripture quotes from the readings:
"In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge." (Psalm 90)
"Teach us to number our days aright, that we may know wisdom of heart." (Psalm 90)
"And may the gracious care of the Lord our God be ours." (Psalm 90)

23rd Sunday of the Year (C): Philemon 9-10, 12-17

Sunday Readings for Your Reflection: Liturgical Years 2011 (A), 2012 (B), and 2013 (C)

23rd Sunday of the Year (C), September 8, 2013

Liturgical readings
Wisdom 9:13-18
Psalm 90
Philemon 9-10, 12-17
Luke 14:25-33

"Paul appeals for his child whom he has begotten during his imprisonment."


I,
Paul,
ambassador for Christ


and now a prisoner
for him,


appeal to you for my child,


whom I have begotten
during my imprisonment.


It is he I am sending to you


-- and that means
I am sending my heart!


I had wanted to keep him with me,
that he might serve me in your place


while I am in prison for the gospel;


but I did not want to do anything
without your consent,


that kindness might not be forced on you


but freely bestowed.


Perhaps he was separated from you
for a while for this reason:


that you might possess him forever,


no longer as a slave
but as more than a slave,


a beloved brother,


especially dear to me;


and how much more than a brother to you,


since now you will know him both
as a man
and in the Lord.


If then you regard me as a partner,
welcome him as you would me.


Scripture quotes from the readings:
"In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge." (Psalm 90)
"Teach us to number our days aright, that we may know wisdom of heart." (Psalm 90)
"And may the gracious care of the Lord our God be ours." (Psalm 90)

23rd Sunday of the Year (C)

Sunday Readings for Your Reflection: Liturgical Years 2011 (A), 2012 (B), and 2013 (C)

23rd Sunday of the Year (C), September 8, 2013

Liturgical readings
Wisdom 9:13-18
Psalm 90
Philemon 9-10, 12-17
Luke 14:25-33

"...He will send a delegation...asking for terms of peace."


On one occasion
when a great crowd was with Jesus,


he turned to them and said,


"If anyone comes to me
without turning his back
        on his father
        and mother,
        his wife
        and his children,
        his brothers
        and sisters,
        indeed his very self,


he cannot be my follower.


Anyone who does not take up his cross
and follow me
cannot be my disciple.


If one of you
decides to build a tower,


will he not first sit down
and calculate the outlay


to see if he has enough money
to complete the project?


He will do that
for fear of laying the foundation
and then not being able
to complete the work;


at which all who saw it
would then jeer at him,


saying,


'That man began to build
what he could not finish.'"


"Or


if a king
is about to march
on another king


to do battle with him,


will he not sit down first
and consider


whether,


with ten thousand men,
he can withstand an enemy
coming against him with twenty thousand?


If he cannot,


he will send a delegation
while the enemy is still at a distance,
asking for terms of peace.


In the same way,


none of you can be my disciple


if he does not renounce
all his possessions."

Scripture quotes from the readings:
"In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge." (Psalm 90)
"Teach us to number our days aright, that we may know wisdom of heart." (Psalm 90)
"And may the gracious care of the Lord our God be ours." (Psalm 90)

Early Christianity and the Dark Ages: The Age of Pioneers

Introduction

Before the Roman Catholic Church had experienced division, it was a unified whole. There was centralization of belief, conduct and forms of worship. This began in Nicaea (325 A.D.), and continued until the ninth century, through many leaders who championed the faith from its roots in the person of Christ, Scripture, and early liturgical forms. It was a very difficult time for Christendom because the Church had to conquer those who opposed her orthodoxy, and at the same time defend herself from many barbarian invasions during the Dark Ages (a time described as one filled with widespread illiteracy, low levels of cultural activity, and towards eventual disintegration of the Roman Empire). In the midst of all this 'darkness', many pioneers championed the Light of Christ by inducing religious fervor and an intellectual spirit.

Learning from the wisdom of the past

There is a lot of wisdom to be gained from the study of how the early Christian faith had to organize and unify herself. Scholars may discover insights needed for present day missions to work for Christian unity and ecumenism.
Below is a list of important persons and events that shaped the early direction of Christianity (those who kept the Light of Christ aflame):

• Nicaea (325 A.D.) and St. Athanasius
• Constantinople (381 A.D.), St. Basil the Great, St. Gregory Nazianzen, and St. Gregory of Nyssa
• Pioneers of the monastic movement: St. Anthony of Egypt, Pachomius, St. Paul the Hermit, St. Hilarion, St. Martin of Tours
• The early Fathers of the Church: St. Ambrose, St. Augustine of Hippo, and St. Jerome
• Chalcedon (451 A.D.), Pope St. Leo the Great, and St. Cyril of Alexandria
• St. Benedict and his monastic movement
• The Irish monastic movement: St. Columba of Iona, St. Brigid of Kildare, St. Ita of Killeedy, and St. Columban
• St. Gregory the Great: Benedictine Pope-Monk
• The missions to Britain (597 A.D.) and St. Augustine of Canterbury
• Scholars, monks and bishops who preserved Catholicism: St. Isidore of Seville, St. Benedict Biscop, and St. Cuthbert
• The missions to the Germans (ca. 719 A.D.): St. Boniface, St. Chrodegang of Metz, and St. Walburga
• Nicaea (ca. 787 A.D.), Venerable Bede, and St. John Damascene

This is just a sample list of Christianity's leaders and important Church events from 325 A.D. to 787 A.D. As you search and research online, more names, and other important events will show and reveal how rich and influential Christ and His message meant to all in the world at that time.

St. John Chrysostom, Patron Saint of Preachers (feast September 13)

St. John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor: c. 347-407 A.D.

Feast day, September 13

Birth, education, and baptism

St. John was born about the year 347 A.D. in Antioch, Syria, the only son of Secundus, an imperial military officer. Anthusa, St. John's mother, was left a widow when she was only twenty. However, Anthusa was left with sufficient means to have St. John receive the best education available. And so, St. John studied law and rhetoric under the famous pagan rhetorician, Libanius, and took special studies in theology under the Antiochean priest Diodorus of Tarsus. John was then baptized by Bishop Meletius about 369 A.D.

Hermit, deacon and then priest

In 374 A.D., after Anthusa's death, St. John became a hermit under St. Basil and Theodore of Mopsuestia. He joined one of the communities of monks in the mountains to the south of Antioch. For four years, John led an austere life of fasting, prayer and study. The next two years he lived as a hermit in a cave. However, he overdid his austerity and weakened his health, thereby forcing him to return to the city in 381 A.D. He was ordained a deacon by Meletius in about the same year. Serving five years as deacon, he was then ordained a priest in 386 A.D. by Bishop Flavian of Antioch, whom he assisted for the next twelve years.

Chrysostom (golden-mouthed)

St. John became popular for his preaching and earned him the title Chrysostom or Golden-Mouth - on account of his eloquence. More than seven hundred of his preached sermons have come down to us, and it was mainly because of them that he was declared a Doctor of the Church. He preached a series of homilies on books of the New Testament (including eighty-eight on John, ninety on Matthew, and thirty-two on Romans). He is also called Doctor of the Eucharist for his beautiful witness to the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

Patriarch of Constantinople

Declared Bishop of Constantinople

In 398 A.D., against his wishes, St. John was named Patriarch of Constantinople and at once began to reform the Church there. His first move was to cut down all the unnecessary expenses of his predecessors and to give the money to the poor. He also took to task the reformation of the clergy by his words and example.

First exile

St. John's preaching and Christian practice gained him many enemies, both in the imperial court (the empress Eudoxia) and among less worthy bishops. In 403 A.D., Theophilus, Archbishop of Alexandria (and John's rival to the see of Constantinople), came to Constantinople to convene a council of thirty-six bishops. Here, a list of false charges was drawn up against John and handed over to the emperor, who then ordered St. John to be exiled.

Return from exile

Civil war threatened Constantinople and when an earthquake shook the city, the empress Eudoxia (whom St. John criticized for her vanity, lack of charity, and dress) revoked the banishment order - imploring the emperor to return St. John to his see. Once again returning to the see, St. John denounced the excesses of the public games held to celebrate the building of a silver statue of Eudoxia. This renewed Eudoxia's enmity against John.

Further exile and death

On June 24, 404 A.D., Emperor Arcadius ordered John into exile at Cucusus, Armenia, despite the support of the people of Constantinople, Pope Innocent I, and the whole western Church. From Cucusus, John wrote at least 238 letters that are still extant. John was then further exiled to a more distant location, Pityus, at the far end of the Black Sea, and died on the way at Comana, Pontus, on September 14 from exhaustion from the forced marches on foot in the stifling heat and inclement weather.

Doctor of the Church

St. John Chrysostom is the fourth of the four men - along with Saints Athanasius, Basil and Gregory Nazianzen - who were considered the great Doctors of the Church from the East until more were added in the sixteenth century. He was declared a Doctor of the Universal Church at the Council of Chalcedon in 451 A.D. and was named patron of preachers by Pope Pius X. His feast day is September 13.

References of this article

• Dictionary of Saints, by John J. Delaney
• Saints for Our Time, by Ed Ransom
• The Doctors of the Church vol 1, by John F. Fink
• A Year With the Saints, by Don Bosco Press, Inc.

22nd Sunday of the Year (C): Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24

Sunday Readings for Your Reflection: Liturgical Years 2011 (A), 2012 (B), and 2013 (C)

22nd Sunday of the Year (C), September 1, 2013

Liturgical readings
Ecclesiasticus 3:17-18, 20, 28-29
Psalm 68
Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24
Luke 14:1, 7-14

"You have drawn near to the Lord."



You have not drawn near
        to an untouchable mountain
        and a blazing fire,
        and gloomy darkness
        and storm
        and trumpet blast
        and a voice speaking words


such that those who heard
begged that they be not addressed to them.


No,


you have drawn near
       to Mount Zion
       and the city of the living God,
       the heavenly Jerusalem,
       to myriads of angels in festal gathering,
       to the assembly of the first-born enrolled in heaven,
       to God the judge of all,
       to the spirits of just men made perfect,
       to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant.


Scripture quotes from the readings:
"An attentive ear is the wise man's joy." (Ecclesiasticus 3)
"What is to sublime for you, seek not, into things beyond your strength, search not." (Ecclesiasticus 3)
"God is the father of orphans and the defender of widows." (Psalm 68)
"You have drawn near to Mount Zion and the city of the living God." (Hebrews 12)
"Be pleased that the poor cannot repay you, for you will be repaid in the resurrection of the just." (Luke 14)