Quote of the Day – 11 January
“Good works are links that form a chain of love. ”
St Mother Teresa
Quote of the Day – 11 January
Quote of the Day – 11 January
“Good works are links that form a chain of love. ”
St Mother Teresa
Year: 2017
One Minute Reflection – 11 January
One Minute Reflection – 11 January
If you lavish your food on the hungry and satisfy the afflicted; then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom shall become like midday; then the LORD will guide you always and satisfy your thirst in parched places, HE will give strength to your bones and you shall be like a watered garden, like a flowing spring whose waters never fail…….Isaiah 58:10-11
REFLECTION – “Love is the bond of life, the mother of the poor and the teacher of the rich.
It is the nurse of orphans, the attendant of the elderly, the treasure of the indigent and the common port of all the afflicted.”……..St Gregory of Nyssa.
PRAYER – O God, whose blessed Son became poor that we through His poverty might be rich, deliver us from an inordinate love of this world, that we, inspired, by the devotion of Your servant St Theodosius the Cenobiarch, may serve You with singleness of heart and attain to the riches of the age to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. St Theodosius the Cenobiarch. Pray for us! Amen
Our Morning Offering – 11 January
Our Morning Offering – 11 January
Grant that my soul may hunger after You,
the Bread of Angels,
the refreshment of holy souls,
our daily and super substantial bread,
having all sweetness and savor
and every delightful taste.
May it ever seek You, find You, run to You,
come up to You, meditate on You,
speak of You
and do all for the praise and glory of Your name,
with humility and discretion, with love and delight,
with ease and affection,
with perseverance to the end
and be You alone ever my hope,
my entire confidence,
my riches, my delight, my pleasure,
my joy, my rest and tranquility, my peace,
my sweetness, my food, my refreshment,
my refuge, my help, my wisdom, my portion,
my possession, my treasure;
in Whom may my mind and my heart be ever fixed
and firm and rooted immovably, amen.
EXCERPT FROM A PRAYER BY ST BONAVENTURE
Saint of the Day – 11 January – St Theodosius the Cenobiarch (423-529)
Saint of the Day – 11 January – St Theodosius the Cenobiarch (423-529) died aged 106), Hermit/ AbboT/Founder of the Cenobitical Communities. Roughly translated, cenobitical means “people who have a life in common,” and refers to the monks who joined Saint Theodosius’ community. These monks, of many nationalities, devoted themselves to the Lord, but did not remain in seclusion. Rather, they socialized and interacted with the outside world, which was a new approach to monasticism at that time!
Theodosius was born to pious parents in Mogarissos, Cappadocia (modern Turkey). Attracted to the academic life, he began his studies at an early age, impressing all with his intellect and mind and became a lector while still young. Even as a child, he felt a desire to imitate Abraham by leaving his parents, friends, relatives and everything else for the love of God. Acting upon his calling, Theodosius left home and set out for Jerusalem at the time of the Holy Fourth Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon held in 451. After visiting the holy places, he decided to lead a life of prayer. He asked the guidance of a holy man named Abbot Longinus. Soon people realized how holy Theodosius himself was. Many men asked to join him. To escape the steady stream of pilgrims, Theodosius withdrew further into the wilderness, settling on a mountaintop, residing in a cave that tradition tells us is the same cave that the three Magi spent the night in following their paying homage to Jesus.
Theodosius built a large monastery at Cathismus, near Bethlehem. Before long, it was filled with monks from Greece, Armenia, Arabia, Persia and the Slavic countries. Eventually, it grew into a “little city.” One building was for sick people, one for the elderly and one for the poor and homeless.
Theodosius was always generous. He fed an endless stream of poor people. Sometimes it seemed like there would not be enough food for the monks. But Theodosius had great trust in God. He never turned travelers away, even when food was scarce. The monastery was a very peaceful place. The monks lived in silence and prayer. It was going so well that the patriarch of Jerusalem appointed Theodosius head of all the monks in the east.
Theodosius died in 529 at the age of 106. The patriarch of Jerusalem and many people attended his funeral. Theodosius was buried where he had first lived as a monk.
Saints for 11 January
St Alexander of Fermo
St Anastasius of Suppentonia
Bl Anna Maria Janer Anglarill
St Boadin of Ireland
St Breandan of Ireland
St Eithne
St Fedelemia
Bl Francis Rogaczewski
St Francisca Salesia Aviat
St Honorata of Pavia
St Hyginus, Pope
St Leucius of Alexandria
St Leucius of Brindisi
St Liberata of Pavia
St Lucius the Soldier
St Luminosa of Pavia
St Mark the Soldier
St Michael of Klopsk
St Palaemon
St Paldo
St Peter Balsam
St Peter of Alexandria
St Peter of Anea
St Peter the Soldier
St Salvius of Amiens
St Severus of Alexandria
St Speciosa of Pavia
St Taso
St Theodosius the Soldier
St Theodosius of Antioch
St Theodosius the Cenobiarch
St Tipasio of Tigava
St Tommaso da Cori
St Vitalis of Gaza
Bl William Carter
Announcement of Novenas
Announcement of Novenas
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to ST FRANCIS de SALES – begins 15 January. St. Francis de Sales is the Patron of Devotion so if there’s a Saint who might know what a Devout Heart is, it’s going to be him. St. Alphonsus Liguori said that the most useful practice of a Novena is to make up our minds at the beginning of the Novena to correct some fault we have been accustomed to commit. Let us ask St. Francis de Sales to stir our hearts toward greater devotion and love for God.
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to ST PAUL – begins 16 January – MOST NEGLECTED IN PRAYER by Catholics – come on folks let us pray for zeal, for courage, for perseverence, for strength, for LOVE of God and neighbour, in fact we can pray to ST PAUL FOR ALL our needs!
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to ST JOHN BOSCO – begins 22 January. St John Bosco is the Patron of Christian apprentices, editors, publishers, schoolchildren, young people, magicians, juvenile delinquents. Choose ALL young people or your own children. Or simply Pray the 9 days for your own growth in faith.
Don’t forget to pray Novenas each day for nine straight days…
Thought for the Day – 10 January
Thought for the Day – 10 January
Like St. Thomas More, St. Peter Orseolo took his success very lightly and had a secret hunger in his heart for closeness to God. He was somehow touched by the wonder of God, as are all great solitaries and that wonder drove him into the wilderness where he could be alone with God. His example said a great deal to the people of his age and very much to this current time, pointing the way to the reality of God and the magnitude of eternal life and the complete worthlessness of worldly achievements.
St Peter Orseolo, Pray for us!
Quote of the Day – 10 January
Quote of the Day – 10 January
“I am well aware, almighty God and Father, that in my life I owe You a most particular duty. It is to make my every thought and word speak of You.”
~~~~~ St Hilary of Poitiers
One Minute Reflection – 10 January
One Minute Reflection – 10 January
And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it…John 14:13-14
REFLECTION – The Holy Name of Jesus is, first of all, an all-powerful prayer. Our Lord Himself solemnly promises that whatever we ask the Father in His Name we shall receive. God never fails to keep His word.
Each time we say “Jesus,” it is an act of perfect love, for we offer to God the infinite love of Jesus………….st Alphonsus Liguori
PRAYER – Lord God, grant me the courage to confess my faith in the Name above all names and proclaim each moment the Holy Name of Your Son, thus giving You honour and glory. Jesus Name above all Names, be my standard and my beacon! Amen
Our Morning Offering – 10 January
Our Morning Offering – 10 January
Prayer to the Holy Name – St. Alphonsus Liguori
O my Jesus, You are the Saviour
who has given Your blood and Your life for me,
I pray You to write Your adorable name on my poor heart;
so that having it always imprinted in my heart by love,
I may also have it ever on my lips,
by invoking it in all my necessities.
If the devil tempts me,
Your name will give me strength to resist him;
if I lose confidence, Your name will animate me to hope;
if I am in affliction, Your name will comfort me,
by reminding me of all You have endured for me.
If I find myself cold in Your love,
Your name will inflame me by reminding me
of the love You have shown me.
I have fallen into so many sins
because I did not call on You;
from henceforth Your name shall be
my defense,
my refuge,
my hope,
my only consolation,
my only love.
Thus do I hope to live and so do I hope to die,
having Your name always on my lips.
Amen
Saint of the Day -10 January: St Peter Orseolo
Saint of the Day -10 January: St Peter Orseolo – Pietro I Orseolo, O.S.B. Cam. (Peter Urseolus) (928–987) Doge and Monk – was the Doge of Venice from 976 until 978. He abdicated his office and left in the middle of the night to become a monk. He later entered the Camaldolese Order.
Peter Orseolo’s life reads like a novel of adventure and intrigue, ending in the solitary wilds of the Pyrenees. He was a Venetian nobleman and at the age of twenty became the commander of the Venetian fleet, conducting successful campaigns against the pirates who preyed on ships in the Adriatic. He was married at eighteen and had one son. In 976, there was a popular uprising in Venice; the doge (or chief magistrate), Peter Candiani IV, was murdered and a large part of the city was destroyed by fire. St. Peter Orseolo was chosen to replace the murdered doge and showed himself a remarkable statesman, one of the greatest to ever rule Venice.
He not only restored the city but began reconstruction of the cathedral of St. Mark, promoted peace, built hospitals and created social programs to help widows, orphans and pilgrims. He built a new palace for the doge and settled accounts with the murdered doge’s widow, whose suit against the city threatened to destroy it financially.
With these tasks completed, on the night of September 1, 978, he secretly left Venice and took refuge in the Benedictine monastery of Cuxa, on the borders of France and Spain. For a long time, not even his wife and son knew his whereabouts. He cut himself off entirely from his former life and placed himself under the direction of the abbot of the monastery. Later, at the suggestion of St. Romuald, founder of the Camaldoli monks, whom he had met at Cuxa, he retired into even greater solitude, after providing for and with the permission of his family. For all his brilliant success, Peter seems to have thought about the move for over ten years and he spent the rest of his life in total solitude with God.
His break with the world was the sensation of the age and was the talk of Venice for decades. He died in 987 and his tomb became a place of pilgrimage
.
Saints for 10 January
Saints for 10 January
St Aldo of Carbonari
St Agatho, Pope
Bl Anna of the Angels Monteagudo
St Arcontius of Viviers
Bl Benincasa of Cava
St Dermot of Inis Clothrann
St Domitian of Melitene
Bl Giles of Lorenzana
St Marcian of Constantinople
Bl Maria Dolores Rodríguez Sopeña y Ortega
St Maurilius of Cahors
St Nicanor of Cyprus
St Paul the Hermit
St Peter Orseolo
St Petronius of Die
Bl Raymond de Fosso
St Saethryth of Faremoutier
St Thecla of Lentini
St Thomian of Armagh
St Valerius of Limoges
St William of Bourges
Goodbye Christmastide: 9 January 2017 The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord
Goodbye Christmastide: 9 January 2017 The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord
“Dearly Beloved, each word and deed of Our Saviour Jesus Christ is for us a lesson in virtue and piety. For this end also did He assumed our nature, so that every man and every woman, contemplating as in a picture the practice of all virtue and piety, might strive with all their hearts to imitate His example. For this He bore our body, so that as far as we could we might repeat within us the manner of His life. And so, therefore, when you hear mention of some word or deed of His, take care not to receive it simply as something that incidentally happened but raise your mind upwards towards the sublimity of what He is teaching and strive to see what has been mystically handed down to us”
St Basil the Great
Thought for the Day – 9 January
Thought for the Day – 9 January
The same Spirit, that descended on the water of the River Jordan wafted over the waters during the first creation (Gen 1:2). Therefore, the Baptism in the Jordan presents yet another truth: that Jesus has started a new creation. He is the second man (1 Cor 15:47) or the last Adam (1 Cor 15:45), that comes to repair the first Adam’s guilt. He does this as the Lamb of God that takes away our sins.
‘Looking at the events in light of the Cross and Resurrection, the Christian people realised what happened: Jesus loaded the burden of all mankind’s guilt upon His shoulders; He bore it down into the depths of the Jordan. He inaugurated His public activity by stepping into the place of sinners’ (Joseph Ratzinger, Jesus of Nazareth, Bloomsbury 2007, p 18).
Quote of the Day – 9 January
Quote of the Day – 9 January
“O Lord, wishing to fulfill all things
that You ordained before the ages,
You received the servants of Your mystery,
from among the Angels, Gabriel,
from among Men, the Virgin,
from among the Heavens, the Star
and from among the Waters, the Jordan,
in which You washed away the sin of the world,
O our Saviour, glory to You.”
St. John of Damascus
One Minute Reflection – 9 January
One Minute Reflection – 9 January
“You are my beloved Son”……….Luke 3: 22
REFLECTION – “Jesus entered into contact with the Father, Heaven opened above Him. At this moment we can think that Heaven has also opened here, above these children of ours who, through the Sacrament of Baptism, come into contact with Jesus. Heaven opens above us in the Sacrament. The more we live in contact with Jesus in the reality of our Baptism, the more Heaven will open above us.”.Pope Benedict XVI (Feast of the Baptism of the Lord – 7 January 2007)
PRAYER – Heavenly Father, I pray to live each day in Your shadow, living out my Baptismal Vows and following Your Son on my journey home to You. Mary, Help of Christians, pray for us, that we may faithfully live as true Christians each moment of our lives, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 9 January
Our Morning Offering – 9 January
With great devotion and new depth of feeling,
I hope and beg, O God, that it finally be given to me
to be the servant of Christ the Consoler,
the servant of Christ the Redeemer,
the servant of Christ the Healer,
the Liberator, the Enricher, the Strengthener.
To be able through You to help many–
to console, liberate and give them courage;
to bring them light not only for their spirit
but also for their bodies,
and bring as well other helps to the soul and body
of each and every one of my neighbours.
I ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
-Blessed Peter Faber, S.J., adapted from his Memoriale
Feast of the Day – 9 January – The Baptism of the Lord
Feast of the Day – 9 January – The Baptism of the Lord
Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Baptism of Our Lord. This brings to an end the season of Christmas. The Church recalls Our Lord’s second manifestation or epiphany which occurred on the occasion of His baptism in the Jordan. Jesus descended into the River to sanctify its waters and to give them the power to beget sons of God. The event takes on the importance of a second creation in which the entire Trinity intervenes.
Many of the incidents which accompanied Christ’s baptism are symbolical of what happened at our Baptism. At Christ’s baptism the Holy Spirit descended upon Him; at our Baptism the Trinity took its abode in our soul. At His baptism Christ was proclaimed the “Beloved Son” of the Father; at our Baptism we become the adopted sons of God. At Christ’s baptism the heavens were opened; at our Baptism heaven was opened to us. At His baptism Jesus prayed; after our Baptism we must pray to avoid actual sin. ( Excerpted from Msgr. Rudolph G. Bandas)
At first glance, the Baptism of the Lord might seem an odd feast. Since the Catholic Church teaches that the Sacrament of Baptism is necessary for the remission of sins, particularly Original Sin, why was Christ baptised? After all, He was born without Original Sin, and He lived His entire life without sinning. Therefore, He had no need of the sacrament, as we do. In submitting Himself humbly to the baptism of St. John the Baptist, however, Christ provided the example for the rest of us. If even He should be baptised, though He had no need of it, how much more should the rest of us be thankful for this sacrament, which frees us from the darkness of sin and incorporates us into the Church, the life of Christ on earth! His Baptism, therefore, was necessary–not for Him, but for us. Many of the Fathers of the Church, as well as the medieval Scholastics, saw Christ’s Baptism as the institution of the sacrament.
The Baptism in the Jordan returns to the great Christmas theme of ‘Christification,’ Jesus of Nazareth’s spiritual anointing, His presentation as the Anointed One par excellence, the Messiah or the One sent by the Father for the salvation of mankind. The Spirit that descended on Jesus shows and seals in an incontrovertible way the ‘Christification’ of Jesus’ humanity that the Word had already fulfilled from the first moment of His miraculous conception by Mary. Jesus, from the very beginning, was always the Lord’s Christ, He was always God. Yet, His one, true humanity, that which is perfect in every way, as the Gospel records, constantly grew in natural and supernatural perfection. ‘And Jesus increased in wisdom, in stature, and in favour with God and with men’ (Lk2:52). In Israel at 30 years of age, one reached full maturity and therefore could become a master. Jesus came of age and the Spirit, descending and remaining on Him, definitively consecrated His whole being as the Christ. (Excerpted from the Congregation for the Clergy)
Saints, Feasts and Solemnities 9 January
Baptism of the Lord (Feast)
Black Nazarene
—
St Adrian of Canterbury
Bl Alix le Clerc
St Agatha Yi
Bl Antony Fatati
St Brithwald of Canterbury
St Eustratius of Olympus
Bl Franciscus Yi Bo-Hyeon
St Honorius of Buzancais
Bl Józef Pawlowski
Bl Kazimierz Grelewski
St Marcellinus of Ancona
St Marciana
Bl Martinus In Eon-min
St Maurontius
St Nearchus
St Paschasia of Dijon
St Peter of Sebaste
St Philip Berruyer
St Polyeucte
St Teresa Kim
St Waningus of Fécamp
—
Martyrs of Africa – 21 saints
Martyrs of Antioch – 6 saints
Martyrs of Smyrna
Celebrating the CHRISTMAS SEASON The Third Week: SOLEMNITY of EPHIPHANY – 8 January 2017
Celebrating the
CHRISTMAS SEASON
The Third Week
SOLEMNITY of EPHIPHANY
8 January 2017
“Lord, open my lips,and my mouth shall declare your praise.”
Daily Meditation:
Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one another. …
There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear
because fear has to do with punishment,
and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love. 1 John 4
“Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!”
He got into the boat with them and the wind died down. They were (completely) astounded.
They had not understood the incident of the loaves. On the contrary, their hearts were hardened. Mark 6
How often fear takes away our ability to love!
But, love drives out fear.
It appears that the key is to “understand the incident of the loaves.”
If Jesus has power, then it is foolish for us to fear.
If we won’t let Jesus have power in our lives,
then our hearts are still hardened.
Let us surrender our hearts to the Lord,
that we might let him love us
and take away all our fears,
that we might love more courageously, more completely.
Closing Prayer:
Lord.give me the joy of lasting peace
and fill my heart with so much love
that there is no more room for the worry and dread.
Teach me too, to follow Your Star and thus to become a shining star in the world.
May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
Thought for the Day – Epiphany
Thought for the Day – Epiphany
“These men who set out towards the unknown were, in any event, men with a restless heart. Men driven by a restless quest for God and the salvation of the world. They were filled with expectation, not satisfied with their secure income and their respectable place in society. They were looking for something greater. They were no doubt learned men, quite knowledgeable about the heavens and probably possessed of a fine philosophical formation. But they desired more than simply knowledge about things. They wanted above all else to know what is essential. They wanted to know how we succeed in being human. And therefore they wanted to know if God exists and where and how he exists. Whether he is concerned about us and how we can encounter him. Nor did they want just to know. They wanted to understand the truth about ourselves and about God and the world. Their outward pilgrimage was an expression of their inward journey, the inner pilgrimage of their hearts. They were men who sought God and were ultimately on the way towards him. They were seekers after God.
The Wise Men followed the star and thus came to Jesus, to the great Light which enlightens everyone coming into this world (cf. Jn 1:9). As pilgrims of faith, the Wise Men themselves became stars shining in the firmament of history and they show us the way. The saints are God’s true constellations, which light up the nights of this world, serving as our guides. Saint Paul, in his Letter to the Philippians, told his faithful that they must shine like stars in the world (cf. 2:15).”
Extract from the HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI – Vatican Basilica
Sunday, 6 January 2013
One Minute Reflection – 8 January
One Minute Reflection – 8 January
…..and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. …………..Mt 2:11
REFLECTION – If we approach with faith, we too will see Jesus….; for the Eucharistic table takes the place of the crib.
Here the Body of the Lord is present, wrapped not in swaddling clothes but in the rays of the Holy Spirit……………..St John Chrysostum
PRAYER – Lord, God, teach me to see the living presence of Your Divine Son in the Eucharist. Make my faith so vivid that I will gladly come to encounter Jesus in every Mass.
Holy Christ Child, intercede for us, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 8 January EPIPHANY
Our Morning Offering – 8 January EPIPHANY
Lord Jesus
may Your light shine our way,
as once it guided the steps of the Magi:
that we too may be led into Your presence
and worship You,
the Child of Mary,
Mother of God,
the Word of the Father,
the King of nations,
the Saviour of mankind;
in union with Your heavenly Father
and the Holy Spirit, You are One God
forever and ever, amen.
Blessing of a Home at Epiphany
Blessing of a Home at Epiphany
Priest: Peace be to this house.
All: And to all who live here.
Priest: Bless, O Lord, Almighty God,
this home, that in it there may be health,
chastity, strength of victory, humility,
goodness, and industry,
a fullness of law and the action of graces
through God the Father and the Son
and the Holy Spirit and that this blessing
may remain on this home
and on those who frequent it.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen..
After the blessing,
the initials of the Magi
(traditional names: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar)
are written with chalk over the main door way of the house, like this:
20 + C + M + B + 17
(the + is a cross; the “17” stands for 2017;
change the year accordingly).
SOLEMNITY of the Epiphany of the Lord
Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Epiphany. “The Lord and ruler is coming; kingship is his, and government and power.” With these words the Church proclaims that today’s feast brings to a perfect fulfillment all the purposes of Advent. Epiphany, therefore, marks the liturgical zenith of the Advent-Christmas season. — Pius Parsch
The Solemnity of the Epiphany is celebrated either on January 6 or, according to the decision of the episcopal conference, on the Sunday between January 2 and January 8. The young Messiah is revealed as the light of the nations. Yet, as the antiphon for the Magnificat at Second Vespers reminds us, three mysteries are encompassed in this solemnity: the adoration of the Christ Child by the Magi, the Baptism of Christ and the wedding feast at Cana. Extra candles and/or lamps may be placed around the sanctuary and in other parts of the church to honor Christ revealed as the Light of the Gentiles (Ceremonial of Bishops). It is customary to replace the images of the shepherds at the crib with the three Magi and their gifts. — Ceremonies of the Liturgical Year, Msgr. Peter J. Elliott, Ignatius Press.
The feast of the Epiphany, which was kept in the East and in certain Western Churches before being observed in Rome, seems to have been originally a feast of the nativity; January 6, for those churches where it was kept, was the equivalent of Christmas (December 25) in the Roman Church. The feast was introduced at Rome in the second half of the sixth century and became the complement and, so to say, the crown of the Christmas festival.
Epiphany means manifestation. What the Church celebrates today is the manifestation of our Lord to the whole world; after being made known to the shepherds of Bethlehem He is revealed to the Magi who have come from the East to adore Him. Christian tradition has ever seen in the Magi the first fruits of the Gentiles; they lead in their wake all the peoples of the earth and thus the Epiphany is an affirmation of universal salvation. St. Leo brings out this point admirably in a sermon, read at Matins, in which he shows in the adoration of the Magi the beginnings of Christian faith, the time when the great mass of the heathen sets off to follow the star which summons it to seek its Saviour.
Traditions for the Solemnity of the Lord’s Epiphany
Many traditions and genuine manifestations of popular piety have been developed in relation to the Solemnity of the Lord’s Epiphany, which is of ancient origin and rich in spiritual content. Among such forms of popular piety, mention may be made of:
- the solemn proclamation of Easter and the principal dominical feasts; its revival in many places would be opportune since it served to make the connection between the Epiphany and Easter, and orientate all feasts towards the greatest Christian solemnity;
- the exchange of “Epiphany gifts”, which derives from the gifts offered to Jesus by the three kings (cf. Mt 2,11) and more radically from the gift made to mankind by God in the birth of Emmanuel amongst us (cf. Is 7, 14; 9, 16; Mt 1, 23). It is important, however, to ensure that the exchange of gifts on the solemnity of the Epiphany retain a Christian character, indicating that its meaning is evangelical: hence the gifts offered should be a genuine expression of popular piety and free from extravagance, luxury, and waste, all of which are extraneous to the Christian origins of this practice;
- the blessing of homes, on whose lintels are inscribed the Cross of salvation, together with the indication of the year and the initials of the three wise men (C+M+B), which can also be interpreted to mean Christus Mansionem Benedicat, written in blessed chalk; this custom, often accompanied by processions of children accompanied by their parents, expresses the blessing of Christ through the intercession of the three wise men and is an occasion for gathering offerings for charitable and missionary purposes;
- initiatives in solidarity with those who come from afar; whether Christian or not, popular piety has encouraged a sense of solidarity and openness;
assistance to the work of evangelisation; the strong missionary character of the Epiphany has been well understood by popular piety and many initiatives in support of the missions flourish on 6 January, especially the “Missionary work of the Holy Child”, promoted by the Apostolic See; - the assignation of Patrons; in many religious communities and confraternities, patron saints are assigned to the members for the coming year.
— Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy
Saints and Feasts – 8 January
SOLEMNITY of the Epiphany of the Lord
—
St Abo of Tblisi
St Albert of Cashel
St Apollinaris the Apologist
St Athelm of Canterbury
St Atticus of Constantinople
St Carterius of Caesarea
Bl Edward Waterson
St Ergnad of Ulster
St Erhard of Regensburg
St Eugenian of Autun
Bl Eurosia Fabris
St Garibaldus of Regensburg
St Gudule of Brussels
St Helladius
St Julian of Beauvais
St Lawrence Giustiniani
St Lucian of Beauvais
St Maximian of Beauvais
St Maximus of Pavia
Bl Nathalan of Aberdeen
St Patiens of Metz
St Pega of Peakirk
St Severinus of Noricum
St Theophilus the Martyr
St Thorfinn
St Wulsin of Sherborne
—
Martyrs of Greece – 9 saints
Martyrs of Terni – 4 saints
Celebrating the CHRISTMAS SEASON:The Second Week – Saturday 7 January 2017
Celebrating the
CHRISTMAS SEASON
The Second Week
Saturday 7 January 2017
“Lord, open my lips,and my mouth shall declare your praise.”
Daily Meditation:
In this is love: not that we have loved God,
but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins. 1 John 4
O God, give your judgment to the king; your justice to the son of kings;
That he may govern your people with justice, your oppressed with right judgment, …
That he may defend the oppressed among the people, save the poor and crush the oppressor. Psalm 72
His heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd;
and he began to teach them many things.
They all ate and were satisfied. Mark 4
Jesus is full of compassion for us in His unconditional love for us.
Even when it seems impossible, He still shows us the way
and nourishes us with His love.
May we be grateful for His love for us
May we be like Him in our love for one another.
Closing Prayer:
Jesus, You became one of us on this earth.
What I want now is to be more like You:
more compassionate and patient,
more guided by Your Holy Spirit.
‘In this is love.’ It is impossible to believe
in the kind of love You have for me.
If only I believed it – how different my life would be!
It seems impossible that You could love me as You do
and yet You are the very centre of that impossible love.
Help me to be more grateful for all You have given me
so that my response might be one of generosity
to You and those You have placed in my life..
May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
Quote of the Day – 7 January
Quote of the Day – 7 January
Extract from a letter of St Raymond of Peñafort
“The preacher of God’s truth has told us that all who want to live righteously in Christ will suffer persecution. . . . the only exception to this general statement is, I think, the person who either neglects, or does not know how, to live temperately, justly and righteously in this world. May you never be numbered among those whose house is peaceful, quiet and free from care; those on whom the Lord’s chastisement does not descend; those who live out their days in prosperity and in the twinkling of an eye will go down to hell. Your purity of life, your devotion, deserve and call for a reward; because you are acceptable and pleasing to God your purity of life must be made purer still, by frequent buffetings, until you attain perfect sincerity of heart. If from time to time you feel the sword falling on you with double or treble force, this also should be seen as sheer joy and the mark of love. The two-edged sword consists in conflict without, fears within. It falls with double or treble force within, when the cunning spirit troubles the depths of your heart with guile and enticements. . . .The sword falls with double and treble force externally when, without cause, persecution breaks out from within the church, where wounds are more serious, especially when inflicted by friends. This is that enviable and blessed cross of Christ . . . the cross in which alone we must make our boast, as Paul, God’s chosen instrument, has told us.”
Thought for the Day – 7 January
Thought for the Day – 7 January
Raymond was a lawyer, a canonist. Legalism can suck the life out of genuine religion if it becomes too great a preoccupation with the letter of the law to the neglect of the spirit and purpose of the law. The law can become an end in itself, so that the value the law was intended to promote is overlooked. But we must guard against going to the opposite extreme and seeing law as useless or something to be lightly regarded. Laws ideally state those things that are for the best interests of everyone and make sure the rights of all are safeguarded. From Raymond, we can learn a respect for law as a means of serving the common good.
St Raymond Pray for us!
One Minute Reflection – 7 January
One Minute Reflection – 7 January
…….while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of our faith.
For the sake of the joy that lay before him he endured the cross, despising its shame
and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God………..Heb 12:2
REFLECTION – “Look then on Jesus, the author and preserver of faith: in complete sinlessness He suffered, and at the hands of those who were His own, and was numbered among the wicked. As you drink the cup of the Lord Jesus (how glorious it is!), give thanks to the Lord, the iver of all blessings.”………….St Raymond of Peñafort
PRAYER – O Lord, help me always to keep my eyes on You. Teach me too to endure and offer You all the sufferings and hardships of this earthly life, for Your greater Glory. St Raymond, your life is an example to us all of the practise of keeping our eyes on the Lord. Please pray for us, amen!
AnaStpaul 
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