One Minute Reflection – 7 February – Friday of the Fourth Week of Ordinary Time, Year A, Readings: Sirach 47:2-11 (2-13), Psalm 18:31, 47, 50-51, Mark 6:14-29 and the Memorial of Bl Alfredo Cremonesi PIME (1902-1953) Priest and Martyr
“He brought in the head on a platter and gave it to the girl. The girl in turn gave it to her mother.” … Mark 6:28
REFLECTION – “In what way, then, was this just man harmed by this demise, this violent death, these chains, this imprisonment? Who are those he did not set back on their feet — provided they had a penitent disposition — because of what he spoke, because of what he suffered, because of what he still proclaims in our own day — the same message he preached while he was living. Therefore, do not say: “Why was John allowed to die?” For what occurred was not a death but a crown, not an end but the beginning of a greater life.
Learn to think and live like a Christian. You will not only remain unharmed by these events but will reap the greatest benefits.” … St John Chrysostom (347-407) Father & Doctor – On the Providence of God, 22.
PRAYER – Father of mercy, You chose Blessed Alfredo Cremonesi to be a father to orphans in their need. Grant that through his prayer, we may keep faithfully the spirit of sonship, by which we are not only called but really are Your children. Help us to imitate his love and faith, manifesting by our commitment to Your commandments, our true faith. May we be filled with strength and grace as we face persecution and animosity in Your service. We make our prayer through Jesus, our Lord in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen
Quote/s of the Day – 6 February – Thursday of the Fourth Week of Ordinary Time, Year A, Readings: 1 Kings 2:1-4, 10-12, Responsorial psalm 1 Chronicles 29:10-12, Mark 6:7-13
Speaking of: Discipleship
“He charged them to take nothing for their journey, except a staff…”
Mark 6:8
“Go your way, behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.”
Luke 10:3
“Heretics are to be converted by an example of humility and other virtues far more readily, than by any external display or verbal battles. So let us arm ourselves with devout prayers and set off, showing signs of genuine humility and go barefooted to combat Goliath.”
St Dominic (1170-1221)
“He will be with you also, all the way, that faithful God. Every morning when you awaken to the old and tolerable pain, at every mile of the hot uphill dusty road of tiring duty, on to the judgement seat, the same Christ there as ever, still loving you, still sufficient for you, even then. And then, on through all eternity.”
Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471)
“Go forth and set the world on fire.”
St Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556)
“Christ has no body on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours. Yours are the eyes, through which, the compassion of Christ, looks out to the world. Yours are the feet, with which, He is to go about doing good. Yours are the hands, with which, He is to bless others now.
St Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)
Doctor of the Church
“Let us remain unafraid in all dangers, trusting calmly, in the Divine Providence, that watches over us day and night.”
St Joseph Freinademetz (1852-1908)
“Fu Shenfu” – Lucky Priest
“We are apostles! We are apostles and we wander far and wide, we work generously, only for the sake of souls, only for the Church, only for heaven!”
Blessed Paolo Manna (1872-1952)
“If everyone does something, then we can do a lot.”
“Each of us feels an inclination, a charism within ourselves. A project, which makes each of us unique, irreplaceable. This call, this vocation, is the sign of the Holy Spirit in us. Only by listening to this voice can we make sense of our lives.”
Blessed Giuseppe “Pino” Puglisi (1937-1993) Priest, Martyr
“Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.”
One Minute Reflection – 6 February – Thursday of the Fourth Week of Ordinary Time, Year A, Readings: 1 Kings 2:1-4, 10-12, Responsorial psalm 1 Chronicles 29:10-12, Mark 6:7-13 and the Memorial of St Francesco Spinelli (1853-1913)
He charged them to take nothing for their journey...Mark 6:8
REFLECTION – The Lord commands us in the Gospel: “Watch, be on your guard against all malice and greed” (cf. Lk 12:15). “Guard yourselves against the preoccupations of this world and the cares of this life” (cf. Mt 6:25; Lk 21:34). Therefore, none of the brothers, wherever he may be, or wherever he goes, should in any way carry, receive, or have received either money or coins, whether for clothing or books or payment for any work-indeed, for no reason-unless it is for the evident need of the sick brothers, for we must not suppose that money or coins have any greater value than stones. And the devil would like to blind those who desire it or consider it better than stones. Therefore, let us who have left all things behind, take care, that we do not lose the kingdom of heaven for so little (cf. Mt 19:27; Mk 10:24.28). And if we were to find coins in any place, let us give them no more thought than the dust which we crush with our feet, for all this is “vanity of vanities and all is vanity” (Eccl 1:2).
All the brothers should strive to follow the humility and the poverty of our Lord Jesus Christ (…). And they must rejoice when they live among people who are considered to be of little worth and who are looked down upon, among the poor and the powerless, the sick and the lepers and the beggars by the wayside. And when it may be necessary, let them go for alms. And they should not be ashamed but rather, recall that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the living and all-powerful God (…) was a poor man and a transient and lived on alms, He and the Blessed Virgin and His disciples.” … St Francis of Assisi (1182-1226) – Founder of the Friars Minor – Earlier Rule, §8-9
PRAYER – Grant us Lord, a true knowledge of salvation so that, freed from fear and from the power of our foes, we may serve You, unhampered by any worldly ties, trusting only in Your loving and guiding hand. Help us to give our hearts, minds, bodies, our all to You, serving faithfully all the days of our life. May the prayers of St Francesco Spinelli, Your faithful servant, give us strength. We make our prayer, through our Lord Jesus with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.
Quote/s of the Day – 5 February – The Memorial of St Philip of Jesus (1572-1597) Martyr, Patron of Mexico City
“But to bear with insult, patiently undergo humiliation, pray for those who persecute us (Mt 5,39.44) – that is the Lord’s cup, that is the Lord’s feast.“
Saint Augustine (354-430) Father & Doctor of the Church
“O happy ship! O happy galleon for Philip, lost for my gain! Loss—no loss for me but the greatest of all gain!”
St Philip of Jesus (1572-1597) Martyr,
Patron of Mexico City
“So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father, who is in heaven…”
One Minute Reflection – 5 February – Wednesday of the Fourth week in Ordinary Time, Year A, Readings: 2 Samuel 24:2, 9-17, Psalm 32:1-2, 5-7, Mark 6:1-6 and the Memorial of St Philip of Jesus (1572-1597) Martyr
“Is not this the carpenter?”…Mark 6:3
REFLECTION – “According to the people of Nazareth, God is too great to humble Himself to speak through such a simple man! It is the scandal of the Incarnation – the unsettling event of a God made flesh, who thinks with the mind of a man, works and acts with the hands of a man, loves with a human heart, a God who struggles, eats and sleeps like one of us.
The Son of God overturns every human framework – it is not the disciples who washed the feet of the Lord but, it is the Lord who washed the feet of the disciples (cf. Jn 13:1-20). This is a reason for scandal and incredulity, not only in that period but in all ages, even today.”…Pope Francis – Angelus, 8 July 2018
PRAYER – Lord God, source of strength and grace, grant us eyes to see and ears to hear and hearts to love the Word of Your Son. Make us recognise Your Son in our daily lives and be generous in sharing our faith to all we meet. Grant, we pray, that the prayers of St Philip of Jesus, may help us to manifest zeal and courage. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, in unity with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.
Quote/s of the Day – 4 February – Tuesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, Readings: 2 Samuel 18:9-10, 14, 24-25, 30–19:3, Psalm 86:1-6, Mark 5:21-43
”I say to you, arise.”
Mark 5:41
“May Jesus touch us, too and at once we shall walk. We may well be paralysed, our deeds may be evil and we may be unable to walk, we may be lying on the bed of our sins… but if Jesus touches us, then we shall immediately be healed. Peter’s mother-in-law was suffering with fever – Jesus touched her hand and she arose and immediately served Him (Mk 1:31)…”
“Lord, I beseech you, touch our hands as we, too, lie prostrate. Make us rise from our bed of sins and enable us to walk. And when we have walked, make them give us something to eat. We cannot eat when we are lying down – unless we are standing, we shall not be able to receive the Body of Christ.”
One Minute Reflection – 4 February – Tuesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, Readings: 2 Samuel 18:9-10, 14, 24-25, 30–19:3, Psalm 86:1-6, Mark 5:21-43 and the Memorial of St John de Britto SJ (1647-1693) Martyr
“The child is not dead but asleep” … Mark 5:39
REFLECTION -“My dear young people, the future depends on you, the completion of this millennium and beginning of another depend on you. So do not be passive, assume your responsibilities in every area that opens itself up to you in this world. (…) Take up your responsibilities! Inspired by faith in the Lord “always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope” (1 Pet 3:15) (…) What is the reason for your confidence? Your faith, recognition and acceptance of the tremendous love God is constantly showing towards humankind.(…) Jesus Christ, “the same today, yesterday and forever” (Heb 13:8), continues to show to all young people the same love the Gospel describes when he met up with a young man or woman.
So we can contemplate the raising of Jairus’ daughter who “was twelve years old” (…) Jairus frankly exposes his anguish to the Master, he earnestly beseeches his heart: “My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay hands on her that she may get well and live”. “Jesus went off with him”. The heart of Christ, which is moved before this man and his daughter’s human suffering, cannot remain heedless before our suffering. Christ always hears us but He asks us to turn to Him with faith (…). The Lord’s every gesture and word express this love.
I would like especially to pause over the words drawn from Jesus’ own lips: “The child is not dead but asleep”. These words that are so deeply illuminating, prompt me to think of the mysterious presence, of the Lord of life, in a world that appears to have succumbed to the shameless promptings of hate, violence and injustice. Yet, no, this world of yours is not dead but sleeps. In your hearts, dear young people, we perceive the strong beat of life and the love of God. Youth is not dead when it is close to the Master. Yes, when it is close to Jesus, you are all close to Jesus. Listen to all His words, every word, each one. Young people, love Jesus, seek Jesus, meet Jesus.” … Saint John Paul II (1920-2005), Pope from 1978 to 2005 – Speech to the youth of Chile, 02/04/1987
PRAYER – Increase in us, O Lord, the gift of faith, so that we may arise and offer our praise to You and by Your grace, yield fruit from heaven, for the glory of Your Kingdom. Lord God, may St John de Britto, who became precious in Your sight through his pure life and valiant martyrdom, plead for our forgiveness. Through Jesus Christ, Your divine Son, in unity with the Spirit, one God forever. St John de Britto, pray for us, amen.
One Minute Reflection – 2 February – The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, Readings: Malachi 3:1-4, Psalm 24:7-10, Hebrew 2:14-18, Luke 2:22-40 and the World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life
And inspired by the Spirit he came into the temple and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God ..… Luke 2:27-28
REFLECTION – “Your lamps must be burning in your hands” (Lk 12:35). By this outward sign let us remind ourselves of the joy of Simeon carrying the Light in his hands (…) We must be burning with love and radiant with good deeds and so take up Christ in our hands with Simeon (…) Let us discuss this charming custom of the Church of bearing lights aloft on this feast day (…) Could anyone hold up a lighted candle in his hands on this day, without at once remembering that old man, who on this same day, took up in his arms Jesus, God’s Word, clothed in flesh like a candle-flame clothed in wax and affirmed Him to be “the Light which would be a beacon for the Gentiles.” Surely he was that “burning and radiant lamp” (Jn 5:35; 1,7) which bore witness to the light. For this purpose he came in the Spirit, who had filled him, into the temple that he might “receive, O God, your loving-kindness in the midst of your temple” (Ps 48[47]:10) and declare him to be loving-kindness indeed and the light of your own people.
Truly, O holy Simeon, in the quiet contentment of old age you carried this light not simply in your hands but in the very dispositions of your heart. You were like a lamp-standard, seeing so clearly how much the Gentiles would one day be lit up, while reflecting (…) the bright rays of our faith. Old, yet still sincere, you can now be happy, in that, you really see what once you but foresaw. Gone is the world’s gloom, “the Gentiles bask in this light of yours,” “the whole earth is full of his glory” (Is 60:3; 6:3).” … Blessed Guerric of Igny O.Cist. (c 1080-1157) Cistercian abbot
PRAYER – May the Lord renew in you and in all consecrated people each day the joyful response to His freely given and faithful love. Dear brothers and sisters, like lighted candles, always and everywhere shine with the love of Christ, Light of the world. May Mary Most Holy, the consecrated Woman, help you to live to the full, your special vocation and mission in the Church for the world’s salvation. And may we all follow our Lord in obedience. Amen! … Pope Francis
One Minute Reflection – 1 February – Saturday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time, Year A , Readings: 2 Sm 12:1-7A, 10-17, Psalm 51(50),12-13.14-15.16-17, Mk 4:35-41 and the Memorial of Blessed Luigi Variara SDB (1875-1923)
And a great storm of wind arose, and the waves beat into the boat so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion … Mark 4:37-38
REFLECTION – “With the Lord’s grace, I am going to talk to you about today’s gospel. With God’s help, I also want to encourage you not to let faith sleep in your hearts in the midst of the storms and swells of this world. Without any doubt, the Lord Jesus Christ exercised His power over sleep, no less than over death and, when He was sailing on the lake, the Almighty could not succumb to sleep, if He did not want to do so. If you think He did not have this power, it is because Christ is asleep in you. If on the contrary, Christ is awake in you, your faith is also awake. The apostle Paul said: “May Christ dwell in your hearts through faith.” (Eph 3:17)
So Christ’s sleep is the sign of a mystery. The people in the boat represent the souls that go through the life of this world on the wood of the cross. Furthermore, the boat is a figure of the Church. Yes, truly, all the faithful are temples where God dwells and the heart of each one of them, is a boat sailing on the sea. It cannot go down if the mind maintains good thoughts. You have been insulted, it is the wind that is whipping you. You became angry, it is the rising tide. Thus, when the wind is whistling and the tide is rising, the boat is in danger. Your heart is in danger, it is shaken by the waves. The insult aroused in you, the desire for vengeance. And you took vengeance, thus giving way to the fault of another and you were shipwrecked. Why? Because Christ went to sleep in you, that is to say, you forgot Christ. So awaken Christ, remember Christ, may Christ awaken in you. Think of Him.” … St Augustine (354-430) Bishop of Hippo and Father & Doctor of the Church – Sermon 63, 1-3
PRAYER – Waken us holy Lord, to Your presence in us, with us, now and forever. Open our eyes to see Your presence and our ears to hear Your voice. Teach us that You are always with us and Your presence is all we need to survive the storms and the winds of this world. For You, just You, are our rock and our foundation, our ship and our harbour. Grant that the prayers of Blessed Luigi Variara and all Your saints may serve to remind us of Your love and power. Through Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.
One Minute Reflection – 31 January – Friday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, Readings: 2 Samuel 11:1-10, 13-17, Psalm 51:3-7, 10-11, Mark 4:26-34 and the Memorial of Saint Francis Xavier Bianchi CRSP (1743-1815) “Apostle of Naples” and St John Bosco (1815-1888)
“To what shall we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable can we use for it? It is like a mustard seed…” … Mark 4:30-31
REFLECTION – “The Word of God is like a grain of mustard seed, before cultivation it looks extremely small. But when it is cultivated in the right way, it grows so large, that the highest principles of both sensible and intelligible creation, come like birds to revive themselves in it. For the principles – or inner essences of all things, are embraced by the Word but the Word is not embraced by anything. Hence, the Lord has said, that whoever has faith like a grain of mustard seed, can move a mountain by a word of command (cf. Mt 17:20), that is, he can destroy the devil’s dominion over us and remove it from its foundation.
The grain of mustard seed is the Lord, who by faith is sown spiritually in the hearts of those who accept Him. Whoever diligently cultivates the seed by practising the virtues, moves the mountain of earthbound pride and, through the power thus gained, expels the obdurate habit of sin. In this way, the activity of the principles and qualities, or divine powers, present in the commandments, is revived as though they were birds. (…) Those who seek the Lord should not look for him outside themselves. On the contrary, they must seek Him, within themselves, through faith made manifest in action.
For it is written, “The word is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart” (Rm 10:8), that is, the word of faith, Christ, being Himself, the word that is sought.” … Saint Maximus the Confessor (c 580-662) Monk and Theologian – Second Century on Theology, nos. 10-11, 35
PRAYER – Almighty Father, we bless You Lord of life, through whom all living things tend. You are the source of all, our first beginning and our end! Grant holy Father, that we may allow the Word to enter our hearts and grow by Your grace, so that we may always live for Your glory. May the intercession of St Francis Xavier Bianchi and St John Bosco, who consistently tended Your seed, grant us strength and zeal. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.
One Minute Reflection – 30 January – Thursday of the Third week in Ordinary Time, Year A, Readings: 2 Samuel 7:18-19, 24-29, Psalm 132:1-5, 11-14, Mark 4:21-25 and the Memorial of Blessed Sebastian Valfrè CO (1629-1710)
He said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand?” … Mark 4:21
REFLECTION – “A well, when pumped regularly, produces purer water. If neglected, and no-one uses it, it changes into a source of pollution. Use, keeps metal brighter but disuse produces rust. For, in a word, exercise produces a healthy condition both in souls and bodies. So “No-one lights a candle and puts it under a bowl but upon a candlestick, that it may give light.” For of what use is wisdom, if it fails to make those who hear it wise.” … St Clement of Alexandria (150-215) Father of the Doctor
PRAYER – Lord God, in Your wisdom You created us, by Your providence You rule us, You have planted us, penetrate our inmost being Your holy Light, so that our way of life may always be one of faithful service to You. Grant us the grace and love to walk in Your ways and to radiate Your Light by our lives. May the prayers of all the angels and saints and of Blessed Sebastian Valfrè be unfailing assistance to us. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, with You and the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.
Quote/s of the Day – 29 January – Wednesday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time, Year A – Readings: 2 Samuel 7:4-17, Psalm 89:4-5, 27-30, Mark 4:1-20
“The sower sows the word. … And others are the ones sown among thorns, they are those who hear the word but the cares of the world and the delight in riches and the desire for other things, enter in and choke the word and it proves unfruitful.”
Mark 4:14,18-19
“Dear brothers and sisters, Jesus invites us today to look inside ourselves – to give thanks for our good soil and to tend the soil that is not yet good. Let us ask ourselves, if our heart is open to welcome the seed of the Word of God with faith. Let us ask ourselves, if our rocks of laziness are still numerous and large, let us identify our thorns of vice and call them by name… Let us find the courage to reclaim the soil, to effect a new conversion of our heart, bringing to the Lord in Confession and in prayer our rocks and our thorns. In doing this, Jesus, the Good Sower, will be glad to carry out an additional task – to purify our hearts, by removing the rocks and the thorns which choke His Word.”
One Minute Reflection – 29 January – Wednesday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time, Year A – Readings: 2 Samuel 7:4-17, Psalm 89:4-5, 27-30, Mark 4:1-20
And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God but for those outside, everything is in parables…” … Mark 4:11
REFLECTION – “… This Gospel also puts the accent on Jesus’ preaching “method”, that is, on His use of parables. “Why do you speak to them in parables?”, his disciples ask (Mt 13:10). And Jesus answers distinguishing between them and the crowd – to His disciples, namely to those who have already decided for Him, He can speak openly about the Kingdom of God, to others, instead, He must proclaim it in parables, precisely to encourage their decision, conversion of the heart, indeed, by their very nature parables demand the effort of interpretation, they not only challenge the mind but also freedom. St John Chrysostom explained: “And this He [Jesus] says to draw them unto Him and to provoke them and to signify that if they would convert, He would heal them” (cf. Homily on the Gospel of Matthew, 45, 1-2).
Basically, God’s true “Parable” is Jesus Himself, His Person who, in the sign of humanity, hides and at the same time, reveals, His divinity. In this manner, God does not force us to believe in Him but attracts us to Him with the truth and goodness of His incarnate Son – love, in fact, always respects freedom.” … Pope Benedict XVI – Angelus, Sunday, 10 July 2011
PRAYER – Lord God, in Your wisdom You created us, by Your providence You rule us, You have planted us, penetrate our inmost being Your holy Light, so that our way of life may always be one of faithful service to You. May we never hesitate to run to Your all-forgiving arms of mercy, when we allow the rocks and thorns of this life to prevent our growth and our steps as we return home to You. May the prayers of the Blessed Virgin, our Mother, all the angels and saints be unfailing assistance to us. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, with You and the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.
Thought for the Day – 28 January – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Blessed are the Merciful
If we want God to show mercy to us, we must be merciful to those who are in material or spiritual distress.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Mt 5:7)
Let us recall the Gospel parable about the king who was making out the accounts of all his servants. One man was brought before him who owed him the enormous sum of ten thousand talents. He had no means of paying the debt. In order to obtain at least some compensation, the king ordered that this servant should be sold, together with his wife and children. But the servant wept and implored, so that the king was moved with pity and pardoned him completely. When the servant had left the king’s presence, he met a fellow servant who owed him a small sum, namely, one hundred pieces of silver. He threw himself angrily upon him immediately. The unfortunate fellow began begging for mercy with tears in his eyes but, it was no use. He was flung into prison and condemned to forced labour until such time as the debt would be paid. Soon afterwards, the king came to hear of this incident. He was furious with the cruel servant and ordered him to be put in prison and severely punished (Mt 18:23-25).
This parable refers to all of us. What debts we have contracted before God! Nevertheless, He is prepared to forgive us everything, provided that we are also merciful towards our fellowmen. This should be a comforting assurance.
One Minute Reflection – 28 January – Tuesday of the Third week in Ordinary Time, Year A, Readings: 2 Samuel 6:12-15, 17-19, Psalm 24:7-10, Mark 3:31-35 and the Memorial of Joseph Freinademetz SVD (1852-1908) “Fu Shenfu” – Lucky Priest-
“Here are my mother and my brethren! Whoever does the will of God, is my brother, and sister and mother.”…Mark 34-35
REFLECTION – “Grace is thicker than blood – As mother, Mary made significant appearances in the life of Jesus. She followed Him in His ministry.
In today’s short Gospel text, she is outside with the relatives of Jesus asking for Him.
Notice the delicacy of Mary. She neither interrupts the ministry of Jesus nor enters the room where Jesus is ministering. She waits outside.
The response of Jesus to the one who brought the message seems like a rebuff.
In fact, it is a tribute to Mary.
She was His mother, not merely because she gave Him birth but even more, because she did the will of God.
Blood is thicker than water no doubt – but Grace is thicker than blood.
She conceived Jesus in faith, even before she conceived him in her womb.” … Msgr Alex Rebello – Diocese of Wrexham, Wales – Daily Reflections, Year A
PRAYER – Loving Father, You gave us Your only-begotten Son to teach us, to make us Your adopted children by His adoption of ourselves as His siblings. What grace, what mercy, what love, is this! We give You our gratitude and our love. Mary, holy and blessed Virgin, Mother of God, pray for us. St Joseph Freinademetz, you survived solely on faith in a strange land and brought Christ to those who spoke another language by the language of Grace, please pray for us. Through Jesus, our brother and our Saviour, who gave us His mother to guide and protect us, we pray, with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.
Thought for the Day – 27 January – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Rich
Sacred Scripture has some very severe and terrible things to say to the rich. “Woe to you rich! for you are now having your comfort” (Lk 6:24). “Amen, I say to you, with difficulty will a rich man enter the kingdom of heaven. And further, I say to you, it is easier for a camel top pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 19:23-24, CF Mk 10:24-25, Lk 18:24-25). St James adds: “Come now, you rich, weep and howl over your miseries which will come upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten. Your gold and silver are rusted and their rust will be a witness against you and will devour your flesh as fire does. You have laid up treasure in the last days. Behold, the wages of the labourers who reaped your fields, which have been kept back by you unjustly, cry out and their cry has entered into the ears of the Lord of Hosts. You have feasted upon earth and you have nourished your hearts on dissipation in the days of slaughter” (Js 5:1-5).
These passages are not concerned with the rich as such, for men like Abraham, Job and St Louis, the King of France, were wealthy. They are directed against those who have become absorbed in their wealth (Mk 10:24) and have grown deaf to the rightful promptings of justice and charity.
Nevertheless, it is not only the wealthy and unjust who should reflect seriously on these stern words but also, those who have more than they need in life and are never moved by compassion for their less fortunate fellowmen. Can we be counted amongst these?
One Minute Reflection – 27 January – Monday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time, Year A – Readings: 2 Samuel 5:1-7, 10, Psalm 89:20-22, 25-26, Mark 3:22-30 and the Memorial of Blessed George Matulaitis MIC (1871-1927)
And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebub and by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.”...Mark 3:22
REFLECTION – “It is characteristic of evildoers, stirred by envy, to shut their eyes as much as they can, to other people’s merits and when, overcome by the evidence, they cannot do so any longer, to depreciate or undervalue it. Thus, when the crowd rejoiced in devotion and marvelled at the sight of Christ’s works, the scribes and Pharisees either closed their eyes to what they knew to be true, or minimised what is great, or undervalued what is good. Once, for example, feigning ignorance, they said to Him who had worked so many wonderful signs: “What sign can you do that we may believe in you?” (Jn 6:30). In this case, unable to blatantly deny the facts, they wickedly depreciate them… and they devalue them by saying: “It is by Beelzebub, the prince of devils, that he casts out devils.”
Now this, dear brethren, is the blasphemy against the Spirit that binds all those he has seized with the bonds of an eternal sin. This is not to say that it would be impossible for the repentant to gain forgiveness for it all if they “produce fruit as evidence of their repentance” (Lk 3:8). The only thing is that, crushed beneath such a weight of malice, they lack the strength to aspire to that praiseworthy repentance worthy of forgiveness… Those who, perceiving the proofs of grace and the Holy Spirit at work in a brother…, are not afraid to undermine and calumniate and brashly ascribe to the evil spirit what they clearly know to be of the Holy Spirit, such as these have been so forsaken by this Spirit of grace, that they no longer even desire the repentance that would obtain pardon. They are completely in the dark, blinded by their own malice. Indeed, what could be more serious than to dare, out of envy for a brother one had been commanded to love as oneself (Mt 19:19), to blaspheme God’s goodness… and insult His majesty by wanting to discredit another?”…Isaac of Stella (c 1100-c.1171) O.Cist. Cistercian monk
PRAYER – Lord, our God, keep us free from envy of others, for this is a poison that can destroy all community and love. Help us to know that to each You have given gifts and all are Your wonder and made to honour You alone. Help us to appreciate our neighbour’s talents and understand that we are all one in the Mystical Body of Your Son. Grant that by the prayers of Bl George Matulaitis, we may grow in love and sanctity. We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.
Thought for the Day – 26 January – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Blessed are the Poor
“Blessed are the rich.” This, is the judgement of the world. But Jesus says: “Blessed are you poor” (Lk 6:20). Whom are we to believe? Naturally, we must believe Jesus. A certain amount of confusion could arise, however, in our understanding of this maxim. It becomes clear from the context of St Luke and still clearer in the words of St Matthew, who writes: “Blessed are the poor in spirit” (Mt 5:3). It is necessary, therefore, as St Jerome and others have commented, to be poor in our detachment from our possessions.
If a poor man longs for riches and envies and hates the wealthy because of their possessions, he is NOT poor in spirit. Therefore, he cannot receive the blessing of which Our Lord spoke. In the same way, a rich man may be attached to his great wealth. Perhaps, he aims at nothing else but to increase it and, because he is thinking of it all the time, neglects his duty to God and to his neighbour. Above all, love of riches may causes him to be lacking in justice and charity. The behaviour of such a man is contrary to the law of God. Meditate carefully on this point and do not neglect to make, whatever resolutions, seem necessary.”
Quote of the Day – 26 January – Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A “Sunday of the Word of God”
“In giving us His Son, His only Word, He spoke everything to us at once in this sole Word – and He has no more to say… because what He spoke before to the prophets in parts, He has now spoken, all at once, by giving us the ALL, Who is His Son.”
St John of the Cross (1542-1591)
Doctor of the Church
One Minute Reflection – 26 January – Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – Readings: Isaiah 8:1-4 (8, 23–9:3), Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14, 1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17, Matthew 4:12-23
“…the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light and for those, who sat in the region and shadow of death, light has dawned.”…Matthew 4:16
REFLECTION – “All these things we know to have taken place ever since the three wise men, aroused in their far-off land, were led by a star to recognise and worship the King of heaven and earth. The responsiveness of that star exhorts us to imitate it’s obedience and, as much as we can, to make ourselves servants of that grace which invites us all to Christ. For, whoever lives religiously and chastely in the Church and “sets his mind on the things which are above, not on the things that are upon the earth” (Col 3:2) resembles that heavenly light in a certain sense. So long as he maintains in himself, the brightness of a holy life, he points out to many, like a star, the way that leads to God. All having this concern, dearly-beloved… you will shine in the Kingdom like children of light.”…St Pope Leo the Great (400-461) Father & Doctor of the Church
PRAYER – Lord, may the radiance of Your glory, light up our hearts and bring us through the shadows of this world, until we reach our homeland of everlasting light. Grant we pray, that by the intercession of Your holy Mother and ours, our way may be smoothed and our troubles eased. We ask this through Jesus, our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 26 January – Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A “Sunday of the Word of God”
O Christ, Deign to Kindle our Lamps By St Columbanus (543-615) Excerpt from the 12th Spiritual Instruction, 2-3
“O Christ, deign to kindle our lamps,
our most sweet Saviour,
that they may shine continually in Your temple
and receive perpetual light from You,
light perpetual,
so that our darkness may be enlightened
and the world’s darkness
may be driven from us.
Thus enrich my lantern with Your light,
I pray You, Jesus mine,
so that by it’s light there may be disclosed to me,
those holy places of the holy,
which hold You, the eternal priest of the eternal things,
entering there the courts
of that great temple of yours,
that I may constantly see,
observe, desire You only
and loving You alone,
may behold You,
so that before You
my lamp may ever shine and burn.
I beg You, most loving Saviour,
to reveal Yourself to us who beseech You,
so that knowing You,
we may love You only,
love You alone,
desire You alone,
contemplate You alone,
by day and night
and ever hold You in our thoughts.
Amen
Sunday of the Word of God – 26 January
Making the Scriptures
Part of our Everyday Lives
What is the Word of God?
We often identify the Bible as the Word of God. This is not wrong but God speaks to our hearts in many different ways. For instance, He speaks to us in prayer and through our conscience and often through other people. Hence, the Word of God covers much more than a printed book. Nevertheless, the Bible is the privileged collection of communications between God and His people. These stories and poems have nourished the lives of the people of Israel and the Christian Church, right through the centuries and they continue to nourish us today. They tell the story of God’s love and our salvation from ancient times onwards. The scriptural texts offer us both challenge and encouragement for our lives and are especially valuable to us through the hope they offer us at dark moments.
The Holy Spirit and the Scriptures
The Holy Spirit was at work in the whole process of the formation of the Scriptures. This is why, even though many people across different times and places contributed to the writing, we believe that the Scriptures are divinely inspired. But the Holy Spirit’s work does not come to an end with the writing of the text. The Holy Spirit, who dwells in us by virtue of our baptism, is also at work in us as we listen to the text. Therefore, through the Spirit’s inspiration, the words of Scripture can become a living Word of the Lord to us here and now.
Opening the Law and the Prophets (see Luke 4:17) – On Reading the Old Testament as Christians
When Saint Luke, in his Gospel, portrays the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, he does so in the following way:
“Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up; and he went to the synagogue, as his custom was, on the Sabbath day. And he stood up to read; and there was given to him the book of the prophet Isaiah. He opened the book and found the place where it was written: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”(4:16–18).
St Jerome
For Luke, the one in whom Christians place their trust as their Lord and Saviour, who is—in the words of the Nicene Creed—God from God, Light from Light and who sits at the right hand of the Father, was, is and remains, a Jewish male from Galilee. Our Saviour is a Jew from Galilee. To lose sight of His essential and enduring Jewishness is to distort Jesus, it is to divorce Him from His people, and to blind us to the reality and power of the Word made flesh (see John 1:14).
Jesus, the Galilean Jew, began His “public” life with words from His Scriptures. His life ended with word from His Scriptures—in His anguish of the cross, He prays the beginning of Psalm 21 (22): “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” To express what He’s about and to say who He is, Jesus proclaims His Scriptures—what Christians call the Old Testament. Today also, truly to understand what God is doing in Christ (see 2 Cor 5:19), the followers of Christ are called to read and pray the Old Testament so that we may come to a sense of the mysteries that are veiled in all our lives and revealed in Christ (see St Augustine, On the Spirit and the Letter § 27).
Because the Old Testament communicates the mysteries of God’s life and ours, to come to know God’s word in the Old Testament is to know the power of God. This is why St Jerome famously says that ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ: – it is not that we gain “information” about Christ that is otherwise inaccessible, rather, to have one’s heart opened by the word of God is to come to know the one in whom the “the power and wisdom of God” has taken flesh. It is to know “Christ—the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor 1:24).
This means that Christians are called to read the Old Testament like Christ read it – in a way that opens the heart, that recognises the faithfulness of God to His people and to the everlasting covenant made with them, that sees in the words of the Law, the Prophets and the writings, the threshold of the Word of God.
To read like Christ is to see the Law not as a burden but as the revelation of God’s will. To read like Christ is to see in the Psalms the most wonderful school of prayer. To read like Christ is to submit oneself to the prophets’ call to justice and their witness to the power of God. To read like Christ is to read as one who is “last of all and servant of all” (Mark 9:35), who avoids all haughtiness and refuses to put the other in the wrong.
Such a person resists the distortions of history which have caused so much suffering to God’s chosen people, the brothers and sisters of our Lord.
Portrait of Rembrandt’s mother reading a lectionary, ca. 1630 (Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam). The painting has more recently been attributed to Gerrit Dou.
…The Proclaimed Word is a Word not just in the past but a Word here and now, given to this liturgical assembly to shape, challenge and sustain their ongoing following of the Lord. Every time a Christian community gathers, it is making a bold statement about where they have come from, who they are and where they hope one day to be. The Scriptures nourish the boldness of the community, once more today, we are urged to allow the Word of God to nourish us as both individuals and communities.
Jesus also calls to Himself a group of disciples in today’s gospel account. He invites them to come and walk in His ways. Through their response, they set out on a path of discipleship leaving all behind them, it is a way that will lead some of His followers to martyrdom and others to betrayal: words of fidelity and words of treachery. The Scriptures nurture the path of the disciples in their following of Jesus and walking in His ways, by taking the word and allowing it to shape and mould our identity as Christians. The Word proclaimed every Sunday in our Eucharistic celebration, the Word heard in the very ordinary circumstances of our daily lives, the words that we speak every moment, let all of them be, for us, moments of salvation and gifts to others….Catholic Bishops of Ireland
Official logo for the Sunday of the Word of God unveiled at Vatican
An icon of the encounter with Jesus on the road to Emmaus was chosen as the official logo for the worldwide celebration of the Sunday of the Word of God.
The colourful logo is based on an icon written by the late-Benedictine Sr Marie-Paul Farran, a member of the Our Lady of Calvary Congregation, who lived and worked at its monastery on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem.
The logo was presented to the press at a Vatican news conference on 17th January, ahead of the newly established Sunday of the Word of God, which is being celebrated on 26th January this year.
The logo was presented to the press at a Vatican news conference on 17th January, ahead of the newly established Sunday of the Word of God, which is being celebrated on 26th January this year.
The logo shows the Resurrected Christ holding in his left hand a scroll, which is “the sacred Scripture that found its fulfilment in his person,” Archbishop Rino Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization, told reporters.
By his side are two disciples: Clopas and his wife, Mary. They both fix their gaze on Christ while Clopas holds a stick to indicate “a pilgrimage,” the archbishop said.
Mary is holding one hand upward and with her other hand seems to be touching the Lord, reaffirming that he has fulfilled the ancient promises and is the living Word that must be proclaimed to the world, he said.
Holding the stick in one hand, Clopas’ free hand is pointing the road ahead, which all disciples are called to take in order to bring the Good News to everyone, Archbishop Fisichella said.
There is a star overhead symbolising evangelisation and the “permanent light” that guides their journey and shows them the way, he added.
It is also important, he said, to notice the feet of all three are depicted as being in motion, representing that the proclamation of the Risen Christ cannot be accomplished by “tired or lazy disciples” but only by those who are “dynamic” and ready to find new ways to speak so that sacred Scripture may become the living guide of the life of the church and its people.
Quote/s of the Day – 25 January – Feast of the Conversion of St Paul
“I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness, of what you have seen and what you will be shown. I shall deliver you from this people and from the Gentile,s to whom I send you, to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may obtain forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those, who have been consecrated by faith in me.”
Acts 26:16-18
“Paul, more than anyone else, has shown us, what man really is and in what our nobility consists and of what virtue this particular animal is capable. Each day he aimed ever higher, each day he rose up with greater ardour and faced with new eagerness, the dangers that threatened him. He summed up his attitude in the words: “I forget what is behind me and push on to what lies ahead”… The most important thing of all to him, however, was that he knew himself to be loved by Christ. Enjoying this love, he considered himself happier than anyone else.”
St John Chrysostom (347-407)
Father & Doctor of the Church
“When Paul is blinded, he gets his vision. God has mysterious ways of entering our life. With Paul, God seemingly gate-crashed. With us, God might need a little more time!”
One Minute Reflection – 25 January – Feast of the Conversion of St Paul, Reading: Acts 22:3-16, Psalm 117:1-2, Mark 16:15-18
And he said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation.” … Mark 16:15
REFLECTION – “Paul’s encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus literally revolutionised his life (…) Thus, it is important to realise what a deep effect Jesus Christ can have on a person’s life, hence, also on our own lives (…) how does a human being’s encounter with Christ occur? And of what does the relationship that stems from it consist? (…) Paul helps us to understand the absolutely basic and irreplaceable value of faith. This is what he wrote in his Letter to the Romans: “We hold that a man is justified by faith apart from works of law” (3:28). This is what he also wrote in his Letter to the Galatians: “[M]an is not justified by works of the law but only through faith in Jesus Christ” (2:16) (…) “Being justified” means being made righteous, that is, being accepted by God’s merciful justice to enter into communion with Him and, consequently, to be able to establish a far more genuine relationship with all our brethren and this takes place on the basis of the complete forgiveness of our sins. Well, Paul states with absolute clarity that this condition of life does not depend on our possible good works but on the pure grace of God – “[We] are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus” (Rom 3:24).
With these words St Paul expressed the fundamental content of his conversion, the new direction his life took as a result of his encounter with the Risen Christ. Before his conversion, Paul had not been a man distant from God and from his Law. On the contrary, he had been observant, with an observance, faithful to the point of fanaticism. In the light of the encounter with Christ, however, he understood that with this, he had sought to build up himself and his own justice and that with all this justice, he had lived for himself. He realised that a new approach in his life was absolutely essential. And we find this new approach expressed in his words: “The life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal 2:20).
Paul, therefore, no longer lives for himself, for his own justice. He lives for Christ and with Christ.” … Pope Benedict XVI – General audience of 08/11/06
PRAYER – Today Lord, we celebrate the conversion of St Paul, Your chosen vessel for carrying Your name to the whole world. Help us to make our way towards You by following in his footsteps and by being Your disciples before the men and women of our day. Grant that by the prayers of St Paul, we too may say, “Yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me; insofar as I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who has loved me and given himself up for me.” (Galatians 2:20) Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, in union with the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever, amen.
Thought for the Day – 24 January – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971) – Friday of the Second week in Ordinary Time, Year A
Following Jesus
“When we have renounced ourselves and have embraced our cross with resignation and love, we must follow Jesus.
We must follow Him in a special way as the infallible Teacher of truth.
The teachings of men cannot satisfy our intellects.
Still less, can they satisfy our hearts.
What they teach is either incomplete or false.
This is proved by the fact that the doctrines of mean have succeeded and replaced one another, down through the centuries while “the word of the Lord endures forever” (1 Peter 1:25).
The teaching of Christ produces an extraordinary renovation in the individual, in the family and in society.
It is this renewal which we call Christianity and Christian civilisation.
There is a wide chasm between paganism and Christianity.
This gulf would be even wider, only for the fact that Christianity has not yet been fully put into practice throughout the universe.
There is only one reform necessary.
This is to realise the Christian ideal everywhere.
We must begin by carrying it out ourselves.
Let us follow Jesus, Who is saying to us: “I am the way and the truth and the life” (Jn 14:6). “He who follows Me does not walk in darkness” (Jn 8:12).
Let us follow our divine Master and we shall be sure that we are travelling towards Heaven!”
One Minute Reflection – 24 January – Friday of the Second week in Ordinary Time, Year A and the Memorial of St Francis De Sales OFM Cap (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church ” – Readings: 1 Samuel 24:2-20 (3-21), Psalm 57:2-4, 6, 11, Mark 3:13-19
He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles, that they might be with him … Mark 3:14
REFLECTION – “Jesus calls those he wanted. Jesus chooses. They come to him. He calls the Twelve to be with Him. While they are with Him, listening to Him teach, witnessing the miracles He works, living with Him, the Twelve get to know Him, first hand.
They KNOWJesus, not just about Jesus.
Jesus consecrates them as He takes them apart – forming them to carry on and continue His work.
Having consecrated them – he commissions them, as He sends them forth to preach the good news.
Jesus chooses.
Jesus consecrates.
Jesus commissions.
This explains the dynamics of genuine discipleship.
The disciple must learn TO BE WITH Jesus, before he attempts TO DO ANYTHING FORJesus.
We can be Apostles – only – if we have first been disciples WITH Him.” … Msgr Alex Rebello CMF (Diocese Wrexham, Wales) Claretian Priest
PRAYER – “O my God and my Father, may I know You and make You know, love You and make You loved, serve You and make Your served, praise You and make all creatures, praise You.” [St Anthony Mary Claret CMF (1807-1870)] Lord God, true light and creator of light, grant us the grace to see clearly by the light who is Light, Your only Son. Lead us in His path and send us Your Spirit. Grant us the strength to grow in holiness so that our struggle against the powers of darkness may we a victory over temptation. May the intercession of the master of spirituality, St Francis de Sales, help us and protect us. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for all eternity, amen.
One Minute Reflection – 23 January – Thursday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, Readings: 1 Samuel 18:6-9; 19:1-7, Psalm 56:2-3, 9-13, Mark 3:7-12 and the Memorial of Blessed Benedetta Bianchi Porro (1936-1964) “The White Winter Rose” An Extraordinary Love
… For he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed upon him to touch him…. Mark 3:10
REFLECTION – “And so long as we are in this life, whenever, we in our folly, revert to the contemplation of those who are damned, our Lord tenderly teaches us and blessedly calls us, saying in our souls: “Leave it alone, my beloved child, attend to me. I am enough for you and rejoice in your Saviour and in your salvation.” And I am sure that this is our Lord working in us. The soul which is pierced with this, by grace, will see it and feel it. And even though this deed may truly be accepted as done for men in general, still this does not exclude particular men. (…)
And furthermore, He gave special understanding and teaching about the working and revelation of miracles, thus: “It is known that I have performed miracles in time past, many, most great and wonderful, glorious and splendid and what I have done I always go on doing and I shall in times to come.” It is known, that before miracles, come sorrows and anguish and trouble and that, because we ought to know our own weakness and the harm that we have fallen into through sin, to humble us and make us cry to God for help and grace.
And afterwards great miracles come and that is from God’s great power and wisdom and goodness, showing His might and the joys of heaven, so much as this may be in this passing life and that is for the strengthening of our faith and as this may increase our hope in love. Therefore, it pleases Him to be known and worshipped in miracles. Then this is His intention, He wishes us not to be oppressed because of the sorrows and travails which come to us, for it has always been so, before the coming of miracles!” … Julian of Norwich (1342-after 1416) – Revelations of divine love, ch. 36
PRAYER – Lord God, true light and creator of light, grant us the grace to see clearly by the light who is Light, Your only Son. Lead us in His path and send us Your Spirit. Grant us the strength to grow in holiness so that our struggle against the powers of darkness may we a victory over temptation. May the intercession of the extraordinary fortitude and love of Blessed Benedetta Porro, help us and protect us. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for all eternity, amen.
One Minute Reflection – 22 January – Wednesday of the Second week in Ordinary Time, Year A, Readings: 1 Samuel 17:32-33, 37, 40-51, Psalm 144:1-2, 9-10, Mark 3:1-6 and the Memorial of Blessed William Joseph Chaminade SM (1761-1850), Founder of the Marianists
“Looking around at them with anger and grieved at their hardness of heart, he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out and his hand was restored.” … Mark 3:5
REFLECTION – “But Jesus, deeply grieved in heart at the hardness of their hearts, said in effect: “Let the ones who see continue to see. Let the ones who refuse to hear, do what they want to do. Let the ones who are hard in heart become stone. But let your right hand become full and tender. Rise, beg no longer.”
In effect Jesus was saying: “Do not continue to beg because of having a withered hand but after you finally have received it healthy and whole and have begun to work, stretch out your hand to the poor. Rise up and stand in their midst. Become a marvel to those who see. In you the struggle concerning the sabbath is finally being contested. Stand in their midst, so that the ones who are lame in their legs might stand . Stretch out your hand. I am not touching you so that they may not bring a charge against me. I am speaking with a speech so that they may not think that touching is an act of work. God did not say, ‘Do not speak on the sabbath.’ But if speech becomes an act of work, let the one who has spoken be an object of amazement. Stretch out your hand.”
While the withered hand was restored, the withered minds of the onlookers were not. For they went out and immediately, according to the reading, were debating what they would do to Jesus.
Are you debating what you will do? Worship Him as God. Worship the Wonder-worker. Worship One who worked good things on behalf of another. He did not add plasters, He was not tenderising with lotions. He did not apply medical ointments. He did this work openly, standing in their midst and not in a hidden way, so that some might retort: “He applied a plant, He added a plaster.”… St Athansius Bishop of Alexandria (297-373) Father and Doctor of the Church – Homilies, 28
PRAYER – Shed Your clear light on our hearts, Lord, keep us in Your Way, that we too may stretch out our hands and love to those who come our way. May Your law be our light and Your love our only way. Hear the prayers of Blessed William Joseph Chaminade and lead us to eternal life. We make our prayer through Christ, our Lord with the Holy Spirit, God now and forever, amen.
Thought for the Day – 21 January – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Humility
“Humility is the most difficult of all the virtues, because it requires us to deny ourselves. Jesus warns us, that anyone who wishes to follow Him, must deny himself. “If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself” (Mt 16:24).
Humility is necessary if we wish to go straight to Jesus, Who was the first to humble Himself by becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the Cross (Phil 2:8). The Imitation of Christ contains some profound remarks upon this subject. “Seldom do we find anyone so spiritual as to be stripped of all things… If a man gives his whole substance, still it is nothing. And if he do great penance, it is but little. And if he attain to all knowledge, he is far off still. And if he have great virtue and very fervent devotions, there is still much wanting to him, namely, the one thing which is supremely necessary for him. What is that? That having left all things else, he leave also himself and wholly go out of himself and retain nothing of self-love.” (Bk II c 2:4).
When he has done all this, remember, he has only given God all that he received from Him. He has given nothing which was really his. He has only fulfilled an obligation of restitution. When he has arrived at this stage of humility, therefore, he should repeat the words of Jesus. “When you have done everything that was commanded you, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants, we have done what it was our duty to do'” (Lk 17:10).
This is genuine humility, as preached in the Gospel.”
Quote/s of the Day – 21 January – Tuesday of the Second week in Ordinary Time, Year A and the Memorial of St Agnes (c 291- c 304) – Virgin Martyr
Jesus said in reply, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?” They said to him, “We can.”
Matthew 20:28
“You may stain your sword with my blood but you will never profane my body that I have consecrated to Christ.”
St Agnes (c 291- c 304) Virgin and Martyr
“The tyrant dies and his rule is over, the martyr dies and his rule begins.”
Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855)
The Journals of Kierkegaard
“Deceitful are the ephemeral pleasures and joys of this world. Our supreme comfort in this life, is to die to the world that we may live with Jesus crucified. Let others seek gold and other earthly treasures. I already possess the immortal treasure of holy poverty on the Cross of Jesus crucified. The angelic virtue, growing like a pure, fragrant lily in the hidden beauteous garden of the cloister, adorns the forehead with heavenly tints, for it has roots in the Cross of Jesus crucified. A third crown completes my oblation, it is the seal of glory, whereby the obedient, spotless Lamb gained victory. Obedience is the secure science of living with Jesus crucified. With this triple treasure, I can hope to pass beyond the fleeting confines of mortal man, by living poor on this earth and rich in heaven, united with Jesus crucified.”
Blessed Miguel Agustin Pro (1891-1927)
Priest and Martyr
“One doesn’t suffer when one suffers for Christ.”
Bl Jerzy Popiełuszko (1947-1984) Priest and Martyr
AnaStpaul 
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