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Saint Joseph Calasanctius, Founder of the Piarist Order[Saint Joseph Calasanz]

August Devotion: The Immaculate Heart

Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. The month of August is traditionally dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The physical heart of Mary is venerated (and not adored as the Sacred Heart of Jesus is) because it is united to her person: and as the seat of her love (especially for her divine Son), virtue, and inner life. Such devotion is an incentive to a similar love and virtue.

This devotion has received new emphasis in this century from the visions given to Lucy Dos Santos, oldest of the visionaries of Fatima, in her convent in Tuy, in Spain, in 1925 and 1926. In the visions Our Lady asked for the practice of the Five First Saturdays to help make amends for the offenses given to her heart by the blasphemies and ingratitude of men. The practice parallels the devotion of the Nine First Fridays in honor of the Sacred Heart.

On October 31, 1942, Pope Pius XII made a solemn Act of Consecration of the Church and the whole world to the Immaculate Heart. Let us remember this devotion year-round, but particularly through the month of August.

INVOCATIONS

O heart most pure of the Blessed Virgin Mary, obtain for me from Jesus a pure and humble heart.

Sweet heart of Mary, be my salvation.

ACT OF CONSECRATION
Queen of the most holy Rosary, help of Christians, refuge of the human race, victorious in all the battles of God, we prostrate ourselves in supplication before thy throne, in the sure hope of obtaining mercy and of receiving grace and timely aid in our present calamities, not through any merits of our own, on which we do not rely, but only through the immense goodness of thy mother's heart. In thee and in thy Immaculate Heart, at this grave hour of human history, do we put our trust; to thee we consecrate ourselves, not only with all of Holy Church, which is the mystical body of thy Son Jesus, and which is suffering in so many of her members, being subjected to manifold tribulations and persecutions, but also with the whole world, torn by discords, agitated with hatred, the victim of its own iniquities. Be thou moved by the sight of such material and moral degradation, such sorrows, such anguish, so many tormented souls in danger of eternal loss! Do thou, O Mother of mercy, obtain for us from God a Christ-like reconciliation of the nations, as well as those graces which can convert the souls of men in an instant, those graces which prepare the way and make certain the long desired coming of peace on earth. O Queen of peace, pray for us, and grant peace unto the world in the truth, the justice, and the charity of Christ.

Above all, give us peace in our hearts, so that the kingdom of God may spread its borders in the tranquillity of order. Accord thy protection to unbelievers and to all those who lie within the shadow of death; cause the Sun of Truth to rise upon them; may they be enabled to join with us in repeating before the Savior of the world: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will."

Give peace to the nations that are separated from us by error or discord, and in a special manner to those peoples who profess a singular devotion toward thee; bring them back to Christ's one fold, under the one true Shepherd. Obtain full freedom for the holy Church of God; defend her from her enemies; check the ever-increasing torrent of immorality; arouse in the faithful a love of purity, a practical Christian life, and an apostolic zeal, so that the multitude of those who serve God may increase in merit and in number.

Finally, even as the Church and all mankind were once consecrated to the Heart of thy Son Jesus, because He was for all those who put their hope in Him an inexhaustible source of victory and salvation, so in like manner do we consecrate ourselves forever to thee also and to thy Immaculate Heart, O Mother of us and Queen of the world; may thy love and patronage hasten the day when the kingdom of God shall be victorious and all the nations, at peace with God .and with one another, shall call thee blessed and intone with thee, from the rising of the sun to its going down, the everlasting "Magnificat" of glory, of love, of gratitude to the Heart of Jesus, in which alone we can find truth, life, and peace. — Pope Pius XII

IN HONOR OF THE IMMACULATE HEART
O heart of Mary, mother of God, and our mother; heart most worthy of love, in which the adorable Trinity is ever well-pleased, worthy of the veneration and love of all the angels and of all men; heart most like to the Heart of Jesus, of which thou art the perfect image; heart, full of goodness, ever compassionate toward our miseries; deign to melt our icy hearts and grant that they may be wholly changed into the likeness of the Heart of Jesus, our divine Savior. Pour into them the love of thy virtues, enkindle in them that divine fire with which thou thyself dost ever burn. In thee let Holy Church find a safe shelter; protect her and be her dearest refuge, her tower of strength, impregnable against every assault of her enemies. Be thou the way which leads to Jesus, and the channel, through which we receive all the graces needful for our salvation. Be our refuge in time of trouble, our solace in the midst of trial, our strength against temptation, our haven in persecution, our present help in every danger, and especially) at the hour of death, when all hell shall let loose against u its legions to snatch away our souls, at that dread moment; that hour so full of fear, whereon our eternity depends. An,; then most tender virgin, make us to feel the sweetness of thy motherly heart, and the might of thine intercession with Jesus, and open to us a safe refuge in that very fountain of mercy, whence we may come to praise Him with thee in paradise, world without end. Amen.

Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954

Sacred Heart Of Jesus

Sacred Heart Of Jesus image

Immaculate Heart of Mary

Immaculate Heart of Mary image

Blessed be the Most Loving Heart and Sweet Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the most glorious Virgin Mary, His Mother, in eternity and forever. Amen.

....Only the Heart of Christ who knows the depths of his Father's love could reveal to us the abyss of his mercy in so simple and beautiful a way ----From the Catechism. P:1439

From the depth of my nothingness, I prostrate myself before Thee, O Most Sacred, Divine and Adorable Heart of Jesus, to pay Thee all the homage of love, praise and adoration in my power.
Amen. - - St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

The prayer of the Church venerates and honors the Heart of Jesus just as it invokes his most holy name. It adores the incarnate Word and his Heart which, out of love for men, he allowed to be pierced by our sins. Christian prayer loves to follow the way of the cross in the Savior's steps.-- >From the Catechism. P: 2669

The Salutation to the Heart of Jesus and Mary

An Offering of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary

Novena Prayer to Sacred Heart of Jesus

Prayer to the Wounded Heart of Jesus

Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart

Meditation & Novena Prayer on the Sacred Heart

Beads to the Sacred Heart

Novena Prayer to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

A Solemn Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

The Daily Offering to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Exaltation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Prayer to the Blessed Virgin

The Holy Heart of Mary Is, After the Heart of Jesus, the Most Exalted Throne of Divine Love
Let us recollect that God has given us the feast of the most pure Heart of the Blessed Virgin so that we may render on that day all the respect, honor and praise that we possibly can. To enkindle this spirit within us let us consider our motivating obligations.

The first is that we ought to love and honor whatever God loves and honors, and that by which He is loved and glorified. Now, after the adorable Heart of Jesus there has never been either in heaven or on earth, nor ever will be, a heart which has been so loved and honored by God, or which has given Him so much glory as that of Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Never has there been, nor will there ever be a more exalted throne of divine love. In that Heart divine love possesses its fullest empire, for it ever reigns without hindrance or interruption, and with it reign likewise all the laws of God, all the Gospel maxims and every Christian virtue.

This incomparable Heart of the Mother of our Redeemer is a glorious heaven, a Paradise of delights for the Most Holy Trinity. According to St. Paul, the hearts of the faithful are the dwelling place of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ Himself assures us that the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost take up Their abode in the hearts of those who love God. Who, therefore, can doubt that the Most Holy Trinity has always made His home and established the reign of His glory in an admirable and ineffable manner in the virginal Heart of her who is the Daughter of the Father, the Mother of the Son, the Spouse of the Holy Ghost, who herself loves God more than all other creatures together?

How much then are we not obliged to love this exalted and most lovable Heart?

— St. John Eudes

The History of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Catholic Caucus)

Homilies preached by Father Robert Altier on the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Marian Associations Unite to Celebrate Immaculate Heart

Solemnity Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary

FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY, AUGUST 22ND

Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

From: Ruth 2:1-3, 8-11; 4:13-17

Ruth is well received by Boaz

[1] Now Naomi had a kinsman of her husband’s, a man of wealth, of the family of
Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. [2] And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi,
“Let me go to the field, and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose
sight I shall find favour.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter. [3] So she set
forth and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers; and she happened to
come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of
Elimelech.

[8] Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Now, listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in
another field or leave this one, but keep close to my maidens. [9] Let your eyes
be upon the field which they are reaping, and go after them. Have I not charged
the young men not to molest you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels
and drink what the young men have drawn.” [10] Then she fell on her face, bow-
ing to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favour in your eyes, that
you should take notice of me, when I am a foreigner?” [11] But Boaz answered
her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your hus-
band has been fully told me, and how you left your father and mother and your
native land and came to a people that you did not know before.

Marriage of Boaz and Ruth

[13] So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife; and he went into to her, and the
Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son. [14] Then the women said to
Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without next of kin, and
may his name be renowned in Israel! [15] He shall be to you a restorer of life and
a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more
to you than seven sons, has borne him.” [16] Then Naomi took the child and laid
him in her bosom, and became his nurse. [17] And the women of the neighbour-
hood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named
him Obed; he was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

2:1-17. The Lord richly rewards Ruth. These pages speak of the providence of
God who, very discreetly, as if everything happened naturally, was disposing
events to ensure that Naomi and Ruth would have everything they needed. “The
witness of Scripture is unanimous that the solicitude of divine providence is con-
crete and immediate; God cares for all, from the least things to the great events
of the world and its history. The sacred books powerfully affirm God’s absolute
sovereignty over the course of events: ‘Our God is in the heavens; he does what-
ever he pleases’ (Ps 115:3). And so it is with Christ, ‘who opens and no one shall
shut, who shuts and no one opens’ (Rev 3:7). As the book of Proverbs states:
‘Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that
will be established’ (Prov 19:21)” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 303).

The Law laid down that once a field was reaped, it should not be gone back over
to gather grain that had fallen or been missed by the reapers; this would allow
needy people to pick up any grains that still lay on the ground (cf. Lev 19:9-10
and Deut 24:19). Ruth avails herself of this humanitarian stipulation and follows
the reapers in search of food; this takes her into Boaz’ field. When visiting his
men, Boaz notices Ruth and is kind to her when he hears who she is.

This kindness is a sign of the protection given her by “the Lord, the God of
Israel, under whose wing you have come to take refuge” (2:12), as Boaz will tell
her. The idea of having recourse to the Lord in order to shelter under his wings
occurs often in the Bible (cf. Deut 32:10-11; Ps 17:8; 36:8; 61:5; 63:8; and 91:4);
it is a very poetic way of describing the tenderness with which God takes care of
those who have recourse to him. Our Lord Jesus Christ uses the image to show
how much he loves the Holy City, and yet his love is not returned: “How often
would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under
her wings, and you would not!” (Mt 23:37).

4:13-22. Ruth has benefitted from the redemption performed by Boaz has be-
come a member of the people of God. God blessed their union with a son, Obed,
who in time would be the grandfather of David the king. And so it happened that
this Moabite woman who left her family and country out of faithfulness to the God
of her first husband, was generously rewarded by that God: he made her one of
the great women who played leading roles in salvation history (cf. 4:11-12). Ruth
became a forebear of David (vv. 18-22; cf. 1 Chron 2:5-15).

In St. Matthew’s Gospel the name of Ruth appears as a direct forebear of Jesus
Christ (Mt 1:5). “It is only right that St Matthew should record in his Gospel that
the Lord, who came to call Gentiles to form part of the Church, became man in a
lineage which included foreigners” (St Ambrose, Expositio Evangelium secundum
Lucam, 3, 33).

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

From: Matthew 23:1-12

Vices of the Scribes and Pharisees

[1] Then said Jesus to the crowds and to His disciples, [2] “The
scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; [3] so practice and
observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do; for they preach,
but do not practice. [4] They bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and
lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them
with their finger. [5] They do all their deeds to be seen by men; for
they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, [6] and they
love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues,
[7] and salutations in the market places, and being called rabbi by
men. [8] But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher,
and you are all brethren. [9] And call no man your father on earth,
for you have one Father, who is in Heaven. [10] Neither be called
masters, for you have one master, the Christ. [11] He who is greatest
among you shall be your servant; [12] whoever exalts himself will be
humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

1-39. Throughout this chapter Jesus severely criticizes the scribes and
Pharisees and demonstrates the sorrow and compassion He feels to-
wards the ordinary mass of the people, who have been ill-used, “har-
assed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36).
His address may be divided into three parts: in the first (verses 1-12) He
identifies their principal vices and corrupt practices; in the second (verses
13-36) He confronts them and speaks His famous “woes”, which in effect
are the reverse of the Beatitudes He preached in Chapter 5: no one can
enter the Kingdom of Heaven—no one can escape condemnation to the
flames—unless he changes his attitude and behavior; in the third part
(verses 37-39) He weeps over Jerusalem, so grieved is He by the evils
into which the blind pride and hardheartedness of the scribes and
Pharisees have misled the people.

2-3. Moses passed on to the people the Law received from God. The
scribes, who for the most part sided with the Pharisees, had the function
of educating the people in the Law of Moses; that is why they were said
to “sit on Moses’ seat”. Our Lord recognized that the scribes and Phari-
sees did have authority to teach the Law; but He warns the people and
His disciples to be sure to distinguish the Law as read out and taught in
the synagogues from the practical interpretations of the Law to be seen
in their leaders’ lifestyles. Some years later, St. Paul—a Pharisee like
his father before him—faced his former colleagues with exactly the same
kind of accusations as Jesus makes here: “You then who teach others,
ill you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you
steal? You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit
adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in
the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? For, as it is written,
`The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you’”
(Romans 2:21-24).

5. “Phylacteries”: belts or bands carrying quotations from sacred Scrip-
ture which the Jews used to wear fastened to their arms or foreheads.
To mark themselves out as more religiously observant than others, the
Pharisees used to wear broader phylacteries. The fringes were light-blue
stripes on the hems of cloaks; the Pharisees ostentatiously wore broader
fringes.

8-10. Jesus comes to teach the truth; in fact, He is the Truth (John 14:6).
As a teacher, therefore, He is absolutely unique and unparalleled. “The
whole of Christ’s life was a continual teaching: His silences, His miracles,
His gestures, His prayer, His love for people, His special affection for the
little and the poor, His acceptance of the total sacrifice on the cross for
the redemption of the world, and His resurrection are the actualization of
His word and the fulfillment of revelation. Hence for Christians the crucifix
is one of the most sublime and popular images of Christ the Teacher.

“These considerations are in line with the great traditions of the Church
and they all strengthen our fervor with regard to Christ, the Teacher who
reveals God to man and man to himself, the Teacher who saves, sancti-
fies and guides, who lives, who speaks, rouses, moves, redresses,
judges, forgives, and goes with us day by day on the path of history, the
Teacher who comes and will come in glory” (John Paul II, “Catechesi
Tradendae”, 9).

11. The Pharisees were greedy for honor and recognition: our Lord insists
that every form of authority, particularly in the context of religion, should
be exercised as a form of service to others; it must not be used to indulge
personal vanity or greed. “He who is the greatest among you shall be
your servant”.

12. A spirit of pride and ambition is incompatible with being a disciple
of Christ. Here our Lord stresses the need for true humility, for anyone
who is to follow Him. The verbs “will be humbled”, “will be exalted” have
“God” as their active agent. Along the same lines, St. James preaches
that “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6).
And in the “Magnificat”, the Blessed Virgin explains that the Lord “has
put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted those of low degree
[the humble]” (Luke 1:52).

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

Mass Readings

First reading	Ruth 2:1 - 4:17 ©
Now Naomi had a kinsman on her husband’s side, well-to-do and of Elimelech’s clan. His name was Boaz. Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, ‘Let me go into the fields and glean among the ears of corn in the footsteps of some man who will look on me with favour’. And she said to her, ‘Go, my daughter’. So she set out and went to glean in the fields after the reapers. And it chanced that she came to that part of the fields which belonged to Boaz of Elimelech’s clan. Boaz said to Ruth, ‘Listen, my daughter, and understand this. You are not to glean in any other field, do not leave here but stay with my servants. Keep your eyes on whatever part of the field they are reaping and follow behind. I have ordered my servants not to molest you. And if you are thirsty, go to the pitchers and drink what the servants have drawn.’ Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground. And she said to him, ‘How have I so earned your favour that you take notice of me, even though I am a foreigner?’ And Boaz answered her, I have been told all you have done for your mother-in-law since your husband’s death, and how you left your own father and mother and the land where you were born to come among a people whom you knew nothing about before you came here.’ So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. And when they came together, the Lord made her conceive and she bore a son. And the women said to Naomi, ‘Blessed be the Lord who has not left the dead man without next of kin this day to perpetuate his name in Israel. The child will be a comfort to you and the prop of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you and is more to you than seven sons has given him birth.’ And Naomi took the child to her own bosom and she became his nurse. And the women of the neighbourhood gave him a name. ‘A son has been born for Naomi’ they said; and they named him Obed. This was the father of David’s father, Jesse.

First reading

Ruth 2:1 - 4:17 ©

Now Naomi had a kinsman on her husband’s side, well-to-do and of Elimelech’s clan. His name was Boaz.
Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, ‘Let me go into the fields and glean among the ears of corn in the footsteps of some man who will look on me with favour’. And she said to her, ‘Go, my daughter’. So she set out and went to glean in the fields after the reapers. And it chanced that she came to that part of the fields which belonged to Boaz of Elimelech’s clan.
Boaz said to Ruth, ‘Listen, my daughter, and understand this. You are not to glean in any other field, do not leave here but stay with my servants. Keep your eyes on whatever part of the field they are reaping and follow behind. I have ordered my servants not to molest you. And if you are thirsty, go to the pitchers and drink what the servants have drawn.’ Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground. And she said to him, ‘How have I so earned your favour that you take notice of me, even though I am a foreigner?’ And Boaz answered her, I have been told all you have done for your mother-in-law since your husband’s death, and how you left your own father and mother and the land where you were born to come among a people whom you knew nothing about before you came here.’
So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. And when they came together, the Lord made her conceive and she bore a son. And the women said to Naomi, ‘Blessed be the Lord who has not left the dead man without next of kin this day to perpetuate his name in Israel. The child will be a comfort to you and the prop of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you and is more to you than seven sons has given him birth.’ And Naomi took the child to her own bosom and she became his nurse.
And the women of the neighbourhood gave him a name. ‘A son has been born for Naomi’ they said; and they named him Obed. This was the father of David’s father, Jesse.

Psalm or canticle: Psalm 127

Gospel	Matthew 23:1 - 12 ©
Then addressing the people and his disciples Jesus said, ‘The scribes and the Pharisees occupy the chair of Moses. You must therefore do what they tell you and listen to what they say; but do not be guided by what they do: since they do not practise what they preach. They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but will they lift a finger to move them? Not they! Everything they do is done to attract attention, like wearing broader phylacteries and longer tassels, like wanting to take the place of honour at banquets and the front seats in the synagogues, being greeted obsequiously in the market squares and having people call them Rabbi. ‘You, however, must not allow yourselves to be called Rabbi, since you have only one master, and you are all brothers. You must call no one on earth your father, since you have only one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor must you allow yourselves to be called teachers, for you have only one Teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Anyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and anyone who humbles himself will exalted.

Gospel

Matthew 23:1 - 12 ©

Then addressing the people and his disciples Jesus said, ‘The scribes and the Pharisees occupy the chair of Moses. You must therefore do what they tell you and listen to what they say; but do not be guided by what they do: since they do not practise what they preach. They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but will they lift a finger to move them? Not they! Everything they do is done to attract attention, like wearing broader phylacteries and longer tassels, like wanting to take the place of honour at banquets and the front seats in the synagogues, being greeted obsequiously in the market squares and having people call them Rabbi.
‘You, however, must not allow yourselves to be called Rabbi, since you have only one master, and you are all brothers. You must call no one on earth your father, since you have only one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor must you allow yourselves to be called teachers, for you have only one Teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Anyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and anyone who humbles himself will exalted.

Office of Readings and Invitatory Prayer

Office of Readings

If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.

O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 49 (50)
True reverence for the Lord
The Lord, the God of gods has spoken; he has summoned the whole earth, from east to west. God has shone forth from Sion in her great beauty. Our God will come, and he will not be silent. Before him, a devouring fire; around him, a tempest rages. He will call upon the heavens above, and on the earth, to judge his people. “Bring together before me my chosen ones, who have sealed my covenant with sacrifice”. The heavens will proclaim his justice; for God is the true judge. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 49 (50)

True reverence for the Lord

The Lord, the God of gods has spoken;
he has summoned the whole earth, from east to west.
God has shone forth from Sion in her great beauty.
Our God will come, and he will not be silent.
Before him, a devouring fire;
around him, a tempest rages.

He will call upon the heavens above, and on the earth, to judge his people.
“Bring together before me my chosen ones, who have sealed my covenant with sacrifice”.
The heavens will proclaim his justice; for God is the true judge.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Psalm 49 (50)
Listen, my people, and I will speak; Israel, I will testify against you. I am God, your God. I will not reproach you with your sacrifices, for your burnt offerings are always before me. But I will not accept calves from your houses, nor goats from your flocks. For all the beasts of the forests are mine, and in the hills, a thousand animals. All the birds of the air – I know them. Whatever moves in the fields – it is mine. If I am hungry, I will not tell you; for the whole world is mine, and all that is in it. Am I to eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? Offer a sacrifice to God – a sacrifice of praise; to the Most High, fulfil your vows. Then you may call upon me in the time of trouble: I will rescue you, and you will honour me. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 49 (50)

Listen, my people, and I will speak;
Israel, I will testify against you.
I am God, your God.
I will not reproach you with your sacrifices,
for your burnt offerings are always before me.
But I will not accept calves from your houses,
nor goats from your flocks.

For all the beasts of the forests are mine,
and in the hills, a thousand animals.
All the birds of the air – I know them.
Whatever moves in the fields – it is mine.

If I am hungry, I will not tell you;
for the whole world is mine, and all that is in it.
Am I to eat the flesh of bulls,
or drink the blood of goats?

Offer a sacrifice to God – a sacrifice of praise;
to the Most High, fulfil your vows.
Then you may call upon me in the time of trouble:
I will rescue you, and you will honour me.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Psalm 49 (50)
To the sinner, God has said this: Why do you recite my statutes? Why do you dare to speak my covenant? For you hate what I teach you, and reject what I tell you. The moment you saw a thief, you joined him; you threw in your lot with adulterers. You spoke evil with your mouth, and your tongue made plans to deceive. Solemnly seated, you denounced your own brother; you poured forth hatred against your own mother’s son. All this you did, and I was silent; so you thought that I was just like you. But I will reprove you – I will confront you with all you have done. Understand this, you who forget God; lest I tear you apart, with no-one there to save you. Whoever offers up a sacrifice of praise gives me true honour; whoever follows a sinless path in life will be shown the salvation of God. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 49 (50)

To the sinner, God has said this:

Why do you recite my statutes?
Why do you dare to speak my covenant?
For you hate what I teach you,
and reject what I tell you.

The moment you saw a thief, you joined him;
you threw in your lot with adulterers.
You spoke evil with your mouth,
and your tongue made plans to deceive.
Solemnly seated, you denounced your own brother;
you poured forth hatred against your own mother’s son.

All this you did, and I was silent;
so you thought that I was just like you.
But I will reprove you –
I will confront you with all you have done.

Understand this, you who forget God;
lest I tear you apart, with no-one there to save you.
Whoever offers up a sacrifice of praise gives me true honour;
whoever follows a sinless path in life will be shown the salvation of God.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Reading	Isaiah 37:21 - 35 ©
Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah. ‘This’ he said ‘is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says in answer to the prayer you have addressed to me about Sennacherib king of Assyria. Here is the oracle that the Lord has pronounced against him: “She despises you, she scorns you, the virgin, daughter of Zion; she tosses her head behind you, the daughter of Jerusalem. Whom have you insulted, whom did you blaspheme? Against whom raised your voice and lifted your insolent eyes? Against the Holy One of Israel. Through your minions you have insulted the Lord; you have said: With my many chariots I have climbed the tops of mountains, the utmost peaks of Lebanon. I have felled its tall forest of cedars, its finest cypresses. I have reached its furthest recesses, its forest garden. Yes I have dug wells and drunk of alien waters; I have put down my feet, and have dried up all the rivers of Egypt. “Do you hear? Long ago I planned for it, from days of old I designed it, now I carry it out. Your part was to bring down in heaps of ruins fortified cities. Their inhabitants, hands feeble, dismayed, discomfited, were like plants of the field, like tender grass, like grass of housetop and meadow, under the east wind. I know whenever you rise and whenever you sit, your going out, your coming in. Because you have raved against me and your insolence has come to my ears, I will put my ring through your nostrils, my bit between your lips, to make you return by the road on which you came. “This shall be the sign for you: This year will be eaten the self-sown grain, next year what sprouts in the fallow, but in the third year sow and reap, plant vineyards and eat their fruit. The surviving remnant of the House of Judah shall bring forth new roots below and fruits above. For a remnant shall go out from Jerusalem, and survivors from Mount Zion. The jealous love of the Lord of Hosts will accomplish this. ‘This, then, is what the Lord says about the king of Assyria: “He will not enter this city, he will let fly no arrow against it, confront it with no shield, throw up no earthwork against it. By the road that he came on he will return; he shall not enter this city. It is the Lord who speaks. I will protect this city and save it for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David.”’

Reading

Isaiah 37:21 - 35 ©

Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah. ‘This’ he said ‘is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says in answer to the prayer you have addressed to me about Sennacherib king of Assyria. Here is the oracle that the Lord has pronounced against him:
“She despises you, she scorns you,
the virgin, daughter of Zion;
she tosses her head behind you,
the daughter of Jerusalem.
Whom have you insulted, whom did you blaspheme?
Against whom raised your voice
and lifted your insolent eyes?
Against the Holy One of Israel.
Through your minions you have insulted the Lord;
you have said: With my many chariots
I have climbed the tops of mountains,
the utmost peaks of Lebanon.
I have felled its tall forest of cedars,
its finest cypresses.
I have reached its furthest recesses,
its forest garden.
Yes I have dug wells and drunk
of alien waters;
I have put down my feet, and have dried up
all the rivers of Egypt.

“Do you hear? Long ago
I planned for it,
from days of old I designed it,
now I carry it out.
Your part was to bring down in heaps of ruins
fortified cities.
Their inhabitants, hands feeble,
dismayed, discomfited,
were like plants of the field,
like tender grass,
like grass of housetop and meadow,
under the east wind.
I know whenever you rise and whenever you sit,
your going out, your coming in.
Because you have raved against me
and your insolence has come to my ears,
I will put my ring through your nostrils,
my bit between your lips,
to make you return by the road
on which you came.

“This shall be the sign for you:
This year will be eaten the self-sown grain,
next year what sprouts in the fallow,
but in the third year sow and reap,
plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
The surviving remnant of the House of Judah shall bring forth
new roots below and fruits above.
For a remnant shall go out from Jerusalem,
and survivors from Mount Zion.
The jealous love of the Lord of Hosts will accomplish this.

‘This, then, is what the Lord says about the king of Assyria:
“He will not enter this city,
he will let fly no arrow against it,
confront it with no shield,
throw up no earthwork against it.
By the road that he came on he will return;
he shall not enter this city. It is the Lord who speaks.
I will protect this city and save it
for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David.”’

Reading	St Ambrose on Psalm 48
Through his blood Christ reconciled the world to God
When Christ reconciled the world to God he himself was certainly not in need of reconciliation. What sin could he do penance for, when he had no sin in him? Moreover, when the Jews were asking for the half-shekel, the offering given for sin according to the Law, he said to Peter: ‘Simon, what is your opinion? From whom do the kings of the earth take toll or tribute? From their sons or from foreigners?’ And when Peter replied, ‘From foreigners’, Jesus said, ‘Well then, the sons are exempt. However, so as not to offend these people, go to the lake and cast a hook; take the first fish that bites, open its mouth and there you will find a shekel; take it and give it to them for me and for you.’ He showed that he does not owe an offering for any sin of his own, for he was not a slave of sin: the Son of God was free from all fault. For the son gives freedom; it is the slave who is guilty. So Jesus is completely free, and he does not make payment to redeem his soul. The price of his blood was more than enough to redeem all the sins of the entire world. It is right that he who owes nothing for himself should be able to give freedom to others. Let me say more. Christ owes nothing for his own redemption and owes nothing as propitiation for sin. But more than that, if you consider any one of us then you will see that none of us owes anything as a propitiatory offering, because Christ himself is that offering, the offering for all and the redemption of all. What man’s blood now has the power to redeem him, when Christ has shed his own blood for the redemption of all? Is there anyone whose blood could be compared to Christ’s? Or what man is so powerful that his could make an offering of propitiation greater than the offering that Christ made of himself when he alone reconciled the world to God by his blood? What greater sacrificial victim can there be, what superior sacrifice, what better advocate could there be than Christ, who became the atonement for the sins of all, who gave his life for our redemption? Individual propitiation, individual redemption is not needed, because the blood of Christ is the price of all. By that blood the Lord Jesus redeemed us, and he alone has reconciled us to the Father. He laboured at this to the end, for he took our own burdens on himself when he said, Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest.

Reading

St Ambrose on Psalm 48

Through his blood Christ reconciled the world to God

When Christ reconciled the world to God he himself was certainly not in need of reconciliation. What sin could he do penance for, when he had no sin in him? Moreover, when the Jews were asking for the half-shekel, the offering given for sin according to the Law, he said to Peter: ‘Simon, what is your opinion? From whom do the kings of the earth take toll or tribute? From their sons or from foreigners?’ And when Peter replied, ‘From foreigners’, Jesus said, ‘Well then, the sons are exempt. However, so as not to offend these people, go to the lake and cast a hook; take the first fish that bites, open its mouth and there you will find a shekel; take it and give it to them for me and for you.’
He showed that he does not owe an offering for any sin of his own, for he was not a slave of sin: the Son of God was free from all fault. For the son gives freedom; it is the slave who is guilty. So Jesus is completely free, and he does not make payment to redeem his soul. The price of his blood was more than enough to redeem all the sins of the entire world. It is right that he who owes nothing for himself should be able to give freedom to others.
Let me say more. Christ owes nothing for his own redemption and owes nothing as propitiation for sin. But more than that, if you consider any one of us then you will see that none of us owes anything as a propitiatory offering, because Christ himself is that offering, the offering for all and the redemption of all.
What man’s blood now has the power to redeem him, when Christ has shed his own blood for the redemption of all? Is there anyone whose blood could be compared to Christ’s? Or what man is so powerful that his could make an offering of propitiation greater than the offering that Christ made of himself when he alone reconciled the world to God by his blood? What greater sacrificial victim can there be, what superior sacrifice, what better advocate could there be than Christ, who became the atonement for the sins of all, who gave his life for our redemption?
Individual propitiation, individual redemption is not needed, because the blood of Christ is the price of all. By that blood the Lord Jesus redeemed us, and he alone has reconciled us to the Father. He laboured at this to the end, for he took our own burdens on himself when he said, Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest.

Concluding Prayer
O God, no-one has ever seen gifts like those you have prepared for your loving servants. Fill our hearts with your love; may we love and serve you in all things and above all things, and receive from you gifts that surpass all our desires. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.

American Catholic’s Saint of the Day

August 25, 2007

St. Louis of France

(1226-1270)

At his coronation as king of France, Louis bound himself by oath to behave as God’s anointed, as the father of his people and feudal lord of the King of Peace. Other kings had done the same, of course. Louis was different in that he actually interpreted his kingly duties in the light of faith. After the violence of two previous reigns, he brought peace and justice.

He was crowned king at 12, at his father’s death. His mother, Blanche of Castile, ruled during his minority. When he was 19, (and his bride 12) he was married to Marguerite of Provence. It was a loving marriage, though was not without challenge. They had 10 children.

Louis “took the cross” for a Crusade when he was 30. His army took Damietta on the Nile but not long after, weakened by dysentery and without support, they were surrounded and captured. Louis obtained the release of the army by giving up the city of Damietta in addition to paying a ransom. He stayed in Syria four years.

He deserves credit for extending justice in civil administration. He drew up regulations for his officials which became the first of a series of reform laws. He replaced trial by battle with a form of examination of witnesses and encouraged the beginning of using written records in court.

Louis was always respectful of the papacy, but defended royal interests against the popes and refused to acknowledge Innocent IV’s sentence against Emperor Frederick II.

Louis was devoted to his people, founding hospitals, visiting the sick and, like his patron St. Francis, caring even for people with leprosy. (He is one of the patrons of the Secular Franciscan Order.) Louis united France—lords and townsfolk, peasants and priests and knights—by the force of his personality and holiness. For many years the nation was at peace.

Every day Louis had 13 special guests from among the poor to eat with him, and a large number of poor were served meals near his palace. During Advent and Lent, all who presented themselves were given a meal, and Louis often served them in person. He kept lists of needy people, whom he regularly relieved, in every province of his dominion.

Disturbed by new Muslim advances in Syria, he led another crusade in 1267, at the age of 41. His crusade was diverted to Tunis for his brother’s sake. The army was decimated by disease within a month, and Louis himself died on foreign soil at the age of 44. He was canonized 27 years later.

Comment:

Louis was strong-willed, strong-minded. His word was trusted utterly, and his courage in action was remarkable. What is most remarkable was his sense of respect for anyone with whom he dealt, especially the “humble folk of the Lord.” To care for his people he built cathedrals, churches, libraries, hospitals and orphanages. He dealt with princes honestly and equitably. He hoped to be treated the same way by the King of Kings, to whom he gave his life, his family and his country.

Women of Faith and Family

Saint Louis, King of France
Optional Memorial
August 25th

Saint Louis - Basilica of St. Louis King of France [Photo by Phyllis Mees]

History:
St. Louis IX, King of France, son of Louis VIII and Blanche of Castile, born at Poissy, April 25, 1215.
He was eleven years of age when the death of Louis VIII made him king, and nineteen when he married Marguerite of Provence by whom he had eleven children.
It was one of St. Louis's chief characteristics to carry on abreast his administration as national sovereign and the performance of his duties towards Christendom.
St. Louis was a patron of architecture. The Sainte Chappelle, an architectural gem, was constructed in his reign, and it was under his patronage that Robert of Sorbonne founded the "Collège de la Sorbonne," which became the seat of the theological faculty of Paris.
He was renowned for his charity. The peace and blessings of the realm come to us through the poor he would say. Beggars were fed from his table, he ate their leavings, washed their feet, ministered to the wants of the lepers, and daily fed over one hundred poor. He founded many hospitals and houses: the House of the Felles-Dieu for reformed prostitutes; the Quinze-Vingt for 300 blind men (1254), hospitals at Pontoise, Vernon, Compiégne.
He died near Tunis, August 25, 1270.
St. Louis's canonization was proclaimed at Orvieto in 1297, by Boniface VIII. Of the inquiries in view of canonization, carried on from 1273 till 1297, we have only fragmentary reports published by Delaborde ("Mémoires de la société de l'histoire de Paris et de l'Ilea de France," XXIII, 1896) and a series of extracts compiled by Guillaume de St. Pathus, Queen Marguerite's confessor, under the title of "Vie Monseigneur Saint Loys" (Paris, 1899).
(Principal source - Catholic Encyclopedia - 1913 edition )

American Catholic’s Saint of the Day

August 25, 2007

St. Joseph Calasanz

(1556-1648)

From Aragon, where he was born in 1556, to Rome, where he died 92 years later, fortune alternately smiled and frowned on the work of Joseph Calasanz. A priest with university training in canon law and theology, respected for his wisdom and administrative expertise, he put aside his career because he was deeply concerned with the need for education of poor children. When he was unable to get other institutes to undertake this apostolate at Rome, he and several companions personally provided a free school for deprived children. So overwhelming was the response that there was a constant need for larger facilities to house their effort. Soon Pope Clement VIII gave support to the school, and this aid continued under Pope Paul V. Other schools were opened; other men were attracted to the work and in 1621 the community (for so the teachers lived) was recognized as a religious community, the Clerks Regular of Religious Schools (Piarists or Scolopi). Not long after, Joseph was appointed superior for life.

A combination of various prejudices and political ambition and maneuvering caused the institute much turmoil. Some did not favor educating the poor, for education would leave the poor dissatisfied with their lowly tasks for society! Others were shocked that some of the Piarists were sent for instruction to Galileo (a friend of Joseph) as superior, thus dividing the members into opposite camps. Repeatedly investigated by papal commissions, Joseph was demoted; when the struggle within the institute persisted, the Piarists were suppressed. Only after Joseph’s death were they formally recognized as a religious community.

Comment:

No one knew better than Joseph the need for the work he was doing; no one knew better than he how baseless were the charges brought against him. Yet if he were to work within the Church, he realized that he must submit to its authority, that he must accept a setback if he was unable to convince authorized investigators. While the prejudice, the scheming, and the ignorance of men often keep the truth from emerging for a long period of time, Joseph was convinced, even under suppression, that his institute would again be recognized and authorized. With this trust he joined exceptional patience and a genuine spirit of forgiveness.

Quote:

Even in the days after his own demotion, Joseph protected his persecutors against his enraged partisans; and when the community was suppressed, he stated with Job, to whom he was often compared: “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; /blessed be the name of the Lord!” (Job 1:21b).

Women of Faith and Family

Saint Joseph Calasanz, Priest
Optional Memorial
August 25th

Francisco de Goya -1819
The Last Communion of Saint Jose de Calasanz
Oil on canvas, 250 x 180 cm.
Church of the Escuelas Pias de San Antón, Madrid, Spain.

Called in religion "a Matre Dei", founder of the Piarists, born September 11, 1556, at the castle of Calasanza near Petralta de la Sal in Aragon; died August 25, 1648, at Rome. His parents, Don Pedro Calasanza and Donna Maria Gastonia, gave Joseph, the youngest of five children, a good education at home and then at the school of Petralta. After his classical studies at Estadilla he took up philosophy and jurisprudence at Lerida and merited the degree of Doctor of Laws, and then with honors completed his theological course at Valencia and Alcalá de Henares. He was ordained priest December 17, 1583, by Hugo Ambrose de Moncada, Bishop of Urgel. Joseph began his labors as priest in the Diocese of Albarracin, where Bishop della Figuera appointed him his theologian and confessor, synodal examiner, and procurator, and when the bishop was transferred to Lerida his theologian followed him to the new diocese. In 1586 della Figuera was sent as Apostolic visitator to the Abbey of Montserrat, and Joseph accompanied him as secretary. The bishop died the following year and Joseph left, though urgently requested to remain. He hurried to Calasanza only to be present at the death of his father. He was then called by his Bishop of Urgel to act as vicar-general for the district of Trempe. In 1592 he embarked for Rome, where he found a protector in Cardinal Marcantonio Colonna who chose him as his theologian and instructor to his nephew.
Rome offered a splendid field for works of charity, especially for the instruction of neglected and homeless children, many of whom had lost their parents. Joseph joined a Confraternity of Christian Doctrine and gathered the boys and girls from the streets and brought them to school. The teachers, being poorly paid, refused to accept the additional labor without remuneration. The pastor of St. Dorotea, Anthony Brendani, offered him two rooms and promised assistance in teaching, and when two other priests promised similar help, Joseph, in November, 1597, opened the first public free school in Europe. Pope Clement VIII gave an annual contribution and many others shared in the good work, so that in a short time Joseph had about a thousand children under his charge. In 1602 he rented a house at S. Andrea della Valle and commenced a community life with his assistants and laid the foundation of the Order of Piarists. Much envy and opposition arose against him and his new institute, but all were overcome in time. In 1612 the school was transferred to the Torres palace adjoining S. Pantaleone. Here Joseph spent the remaining years of his life in his chosen calling. He lived and died a faithful son of the church, a true friend of forsaken children. His body rests in S. Paltaleone. His beatification was solemnized on August 7., 1748, and his canonization by Clement XIII, July 16, 1767.

(Principal source - Catholic Encyclopedia - 1913 edition )

Saturday, August 25, 2007
St. Louis IX of France, King, Patron of the Third Order (Memorial)

First Reading:
Psalm:
Gospel:

Isaiah 58:6-11
Psalm 112:1-9
Matthew 22:34-40

The devil is only permitted to tempt thee as much as it is profitable for thy exercise and trial, and in order that thou, who did not know thyself, may find out what thou art.

-- St. Augustine

Catholic Culture

Daily Readings (on USCCB site):
» August 25, 2007
(will open a new window)

Collect: Lord, you blessed Saint Joseph Calasanz with such charity and patience that he dedicated himself to the formation of Christian youth. As we honor this teacher of wisdom may we follow his example in working for truth. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

« August 25, 2007 »

Optional Memorials of St. Louis of France and St. Joseph Calasanz, priest

St. Louis IX, (1215-1270) who became King of France at the age of twelve, had been religiously brought up by his mother, Blanche of Castile. Throughout his life he remained deeply devout and as a king his conduct was that of a real saint. He devoted himself to the affairs of his kingdom and to those of Christendom and was a great peacemaker — kings and princes constantly sought his aid in settling disputes. He was humble and upright, helpful to the needy and in person nursed lepers and the sick. St. Louis gave to all the example of a life overflowing with charity and sovereign justice. He was a Franciscan Tertiary. He died near Tunis, lying on a bed of ashes, during a crusade for the deliverance of the Holy Land.

St. Joseph Calasanz (1556-1648) was born in Petralta, Aragon, and died in Rome. He studied law and theology and was ordained a priest in 1583. He always showed a great interest in the religious instruction of children, especially of those who were poor and neglected. He journeyed to Rome, became a member of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, and opened a free school for the education of homeless children. In 1602 he founded the Order of Piarists who were to continue this charitable work among youth. Before the reform of the General Roman Calendar St. Joseph's feast was celebrated on August 27.

St. Louis of France

Reigning from 1226 to 1270, Louis IX showed how a saint would act on the throne of France. A lovable personality, a kind husband, a father of eleven children, and at the same time a strict ascetic.

To an energetic and prudent rule Louis added love and zeal for the practice of piety and the reception of the holy sacraments. Brave in battle, polished at feasts, addicted to fasting and mortification. His politics were grounded upon strict justice, unshatterable fidelity, and untiring effort toward peace. Nevertheless, his was not a weakly rule but one that left its impress upon following generations. He was a great friend of religious Orders, a generous benefactor of the Church.

The Breviary says of him: "He had already been king for twenty years when he fell victim to a severe illness. That afforded the occasion for making a vow to undertake a crusade for the liberation of the Holy Land. Immediately upon recovery he received the crusader's cross from the hand of the bishop of Paris, and, followed by an immense army, he crossed the sea in 1248. On the field of battle Louis routed the Saracens; yet when the plague had taken large numbers of his soldiery, he was attacked and taken captive (1250). The king was forced to make peace with the Saracens; upon the payment of a huge ransom, he and his army were again set at liberty." While on a second crusade he died of the plague, with these words from the psalm upon his lips: "I will enter Thy house; I will worship in Thy holy temple and sing praises to Thy Name!" (Ps. 5).

Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch.

It was his mother's supreme desire that her son should become a kind, pious and just ruler. She was wont to say to him: "Never forget that sin is the only great evil in the world. No mother could love her son more than I love you. But I would rather see you lying dead at my feet than know that you had offended God by one mortal sin." These words remained indelibly impressed upon his mind.

St. Louis was a member of the Third Order of St. Francis and so is included in the family of Franciscan saints.

Patron: barbers; builders; button makers; construction workers; Crusaders; death of children; difficult marriages; distillers; embroiderers; French monarchs; grooms; haberdashers; hairdressers; hair stylists; kings; masons; needle workers; parenthood; parents of large families; prisoners; sculptors; sick people; soldiers; stone masons; stonecutters; tertiaries; Archdiocese of Saint Louis, Missouri.

Symbols: Crown and scepter tipped with a Manus Dei; crown of thorns; fleurs-de-lys; three nails; banner with fleurs-de-lys; three crowns at his feet; king holding a cross or crown of thorns.

Things to Do:

From the Catholic Culture library, St. Louis, King of France
Learn about the origin and meaning of the Fleur-de-lis.

St. Joseph Calasanz

St. Joseph is the founder of the Poor Clerks Regular (Piarists), a community devoted to the task of educating youth. At an early age Joseph loved to care for children; he gathered them together, conducted religion classes in boyish fashion, and taught them how to pray. After a time of severe illness he was ordained a priest. His zeal found expression as he organized the Order of the Poor Clerks Regular of the Mother of God of the Pious Schools and directed the members in the instruction and rearing of children from poor parents.

While residing in Rome, Joseph endeavored to visit the seven principal churches of that city almost every evening, as also to honor the graves of the Roman martyrs. During one of the city's repeated plagues a holy rivalry existed between him and St. Camillus in aiding the sick and in personally carrying away for burial the bodies of those who had been stricken. On account of his heroic patience and fortitude in the midst of trouble and persecution, he was called a marvel of Christian courage, a second Job. When eighty years old, he was led as a criminal through the streets of Rome by the Inquisition. His life is a consoling example of how God permits misunderstandings and opposition, even from ecclesiastics, to harass noble undertakings. At the time of his death his Order had almost been destroyed. Then, however, it again began to flourish.

Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch.

Patron: Colleges; schoolchildren; schools; schools for the poor; students; universities.

Things to Do:

Learn more about St. Joseph here and about the order he founded.

Lauds -- Morning Prayer

Morning Prayer (Lauds)

If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.

O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 91 (92)
Praise of God, the Creator
It is good to praise the Lord, and to sing psalms to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your mercy in the morning and your faithfulness by night; on the ten-stringed lyre and the harp, with songs upon the lyre. For you give me joy, Lord, in your creation: I rejoice in the work of your hands. How great are your works, O Lord, how immeasurably deep your thoughts. The fool does not hear, the slow-witted do not understand. When the wicked sprout up like grass, and the doers of evil are in full bloom, it will come to nothing, for they will perish for ever and ever; but you, Lord, are the Highest eternally. For behold, Lord, your enemies, how your enemies will perish, how wrongdoers will be scattered. You will give me strength as the wild oxen have; I have been anointed with the purest oil. I will look down upon my enemies, and hear the plans of those who plot evil against me. The just will flourish like the palm tree, grow tall like the cedar of Lebanon. They will be planted in the house of the Lord; in the courts of our God they will flourish. They will bear fruit even when old, fresh and luxuriant through all their days. They will proclaim how just is the Lord, my refuge, for in him there is no unrighteousness. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 91 (92)

Praise of God, the Creator

It is good to praise the Lord, and to sing psalms to your name, O Most High,
to proclaim your mercy in the morning and your faithfulness by night;
on the ten-stringed lyre and the harp, with songs upon the lyre.

For you give me joy, Lord, in your creation: I rejoice in the work of your hands.
How great are your works, O Lord, how immeasurably deep your thoughts.
The fool does not hear, the slow-witted do not understand.
When the wicked sprout up like grass, and the doers of evil are in full bloom,
it will come to nothing, for they will perish for ever and ever; but you, Lord, are the Highest eternally.

For behold, Lord, your enemies, how your enemies will perish, how wrongdoers will be scattered.
You will give me strength as the wild oxen have; I have been anointed with the purest oil.
I will look down upon my enemies, and hear the plans of those who plot evil against me.

The just will flourish like the palm tree, grow tall like the cedar of Lebanon.
They will be planted in the house of the Lord; in the courts of our God they will flourish.
They will bear fruit even when old, fresh and luxuriant through all their days.
They will proclaim how just is the Lord, my refuge, for in him there is no unrighteousness.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Canticle	Ezekiel 36
The Lord will renew his people
I will take you from among the Gentiles, I will bring you together from all the earth, I will lead you into your own land. I will pour clean water on you, and you will be cleansed from your filth: from all your worship of idols I will cleanse you. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you. I will take the stone heart from your breast and put a heart of flesh in its place. I will put my spirit among you, so that you will walk in the paths of my law, keep my judgements and obey them. You shall live in the land I gave to your fathers. You shall be a people for me, and I will be your God. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Canticle

Ezekiel 36

The Lord will renew his people

I will take you from among the Gentiles,
I will bring you together from all the earth,
I will lead you into your own land.

I will pour clean water on you,
and you will be cleansed from your filth:
from all your worship of idols I will cleanse you.

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you.
I will take the stone heart from your breast and put a heart of flesh in its place.
I will put my spirit among you,
so that you will walk in the paths of my law,
keep my judgements and obey them.

You shall live in the land I gave to your fathers.
You shall be a people for me, and I will be your God.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Psalm 8
The greatness of God, the dignity of man
How wonderful is your name over all the earth, O Lord, our Lord! How exalted is your glory above the sky! Out of the mouths of children and infants you have brought praise, to confound your enemies, to destroy your vengeful foes. When I see the heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and stars, which you set in their place – what is man, that you should take thought for him? what is the son of man, that you should look after him? You have made him but one step lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honour; you have set him over the works of your hands. You have put everything beneath his feet, cattle and sheep and the beasts of the field, the birds in the air and the fish in the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the waters. How wonderful is your name above all the earth, O Lord, our Lord! Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 8

The greatness of God, the dignity of man

How wonderful is your name over all the earth, O Lord, our Lord!
How exalted is your glory above the sky!

Out of the mouths of children and infants you have brought praise, to confound your enemies, to destroy your vengeful foes.

When I see the heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and stars, which you set in their place –
what is man, that you should take thought for him? what is the son of man, that you should look after him?

You have made him but one step lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honour; you have set him over the works of your hands.

You have put everything beneath his feet, cattle and sheep and the beasts of the field,
the birds in the air and the fish in the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the waters.

How wonderful is your name above all the earth, O Lord, our Lord!

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Short reading	2 Peter 3:13 - 15 ©
What we are waiting for is what he promised: the new heavens and new earth, the place where righteousness will be at home. So then, my friends, while you are waiting, do your best to live lives without spot or stain so that he will find you at peace. Think of our Lord’s patience as your opportunity to be saved.

Canticle	Benedictus
The Messiah and his forerunner
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and brought about their redemption. He has raised up the sign of salvation in the house of his servant David, as he promised through the mouth of the holy ones, his prophets through the ages: to rescue us from our enemies and all who hate us, to take pity on our fathers, to remember his holy covenant and the oath he swore to Abraham our father, that he would give himself to us, that we could serve him without fear – freed from the hands of our enemies – in uprightness and holiness before him, for all of our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High: for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his path, to let his people know their salvation, so that their sins may be forgiven. Through the bottomless mercy of our God, one born on high will visit us to give light to those who walk in darkness, who live in the shadow of death; to lead our feet in the path of peace. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Canticle

Benedictus

The Messiah and his forerunner

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and brought about their redemption.
He has raised up the sign of salvation in the house of his servant David,
as he promised through the mouth of the holy ones, his prophets through the ages:
to rescue us from our enemies and all who hate us, to take pity on our fathers,
to remember his holy covenant and the oath he swore to Abraham our father,
that he would give himself to us, that we could serve him without fear – freed from the hands of our enemies –
in uprightness and holiness before him, for all of our days.

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High: for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his path,
to let his people know their salvation, so that their sins may be forgiven.
Through the bottomless mercy of our God, one born on high will visit us
to give light to those who walk in darkness, who live in the shadow of death;
to lead our feet in the path of peace.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Prayers and Intercessions

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Let us worship God, who gave the world hope and life through his Son. Let us humbly pray: - Lord, hear us.
Lord and Father of all, you have brought us through the night to this new day:: make us live with Christ, to your greater glory.
You have infused faith, hope and love into our hearts:: may they remain there always.
Lord, may our eyes always be raised to you,: so that when you call, we may respond at once.
Keep us clear of the snares and lures of evil:: guide our steps far from transgression.

Our Father, who art in Heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those that trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

Almighty and eternal God, you are true light and never-ending day.
As morning comes round once more,
may the glory of your coming shatter the night of sin
and fill our minds with light.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.
Amen.

May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life.

A M E N

Regnum Christi

The Secret of Growing Closer to God
August 25, 2007

Saturday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
Father Jason Brooks, LC

Matthew 23: 1-12
Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people´s shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them. All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ´Rabbi.´ As for you, do not be called ´Rabbi.´ You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called ´Master´; you have but one master, the Messiah. The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Introductory Prayer: Heavenly Father and God of mercy, we no longer look for Jesus among the dead, for he is alive and has become the Lord of life. From the waters of death you raise us with him and renew your gift of life within us. Increase in our minds and hearts the risen life we share with Christ, and help us to grow as your people toward the fullness of eternal life with you. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Petition: Lord Jesus, help me to be a true servant of my brothers and sisters and to take pride in helping them grow closer to you through my words and example.

1. All Their Works Are Performed to be Seen. The fact that the scribes and Pharisees were such hypocrites really upset Jesus. They were turning people away from God. Have you ever turned somebody away from God because you were being too zealous? Have you loaded up heavy burdens on others and neglected to help them bear their burden? Do you practice what you preach? Do you love to be seen by others at Church or at school? Why do you do what you do? These are all good questions to keep in mind. God knows the intentions of our hearts. He is looking for us to be humble servants of each other. He wants us to place greater importance on the way we treat others than on the way that others perceive or judge our actions.

2. Call No One on Earth Your Father. What is Jesus trying to say here? He is not saying that you should not refer to priests or pastors as “father.” St. Paul himself wrote to the Corinthians, “Indeed, in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel” (1 Cor 4:15). You have to take into consideration the context of this dissertation. Jesus is reprimanding the scribes and Pharisees, who were seeking this kind of adulation and esteem. Jesus was reminding the rank-and-file faithful that they owe their allegiance to their heavenly Father and not to any man or institution. Nevertheless, if any man or woman righteously represents Christ and is a member of his Mystical Body, then they can be considered as a brother or a sister in Christ. Moreover, if that man or woman has been entrusted with some kind of authority in the Church, they can be referred to as a father or a mother in Christ.

3. The Almighty Has Done Great Things for Me. The greatest among you must be your servant. This is a tall order and reminds those in authority that they are meant to be servants of the truth and imitators of Christ, who came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. Furthermore, if you want to grow closer to God and experience the bliss of loving him more, then you have to humble yourself and acknowledge the fact that everything you have comes from God. If you try to exalt yourself or try to tell God how good you have been and how much you deserve to have your prayers answered, then you are setting yourself up for a great fall. We can all learn a great lesson from the Blessed Mother, who said, “The Almighty has done great things for me and holy is his name” (Luke 1:49).

Conversation with Christ: Christ Jesus, thank you for the great example that you have given us. Help me to imitate your example and to remember that I have been called to love others as you loved me. Make my heart more like yours so that I can be a humble servant of the gospel and an authentic witness of your goodness to my brothers and sisters.

Resolution: I will perform some hidden act of charity for a loved one.

Vultus Christi

Et Deus tuus Deus meus

Saturday of the Twentieth Week of the Year I

Ruth 2:1-3, 8-11; 4:13-17
Psalm 127: 1-5
Matthew 23:1-12

A Virtuous Woman

The book of Ruth is one of the most charming in all of Sacred Scripture. Its tone is quiet and reflective. Ruth, the book’s heroine, is possessed of a gentle charm. Although she is a Moabitess and not an Israelite, Ruth has all the virtues of a woman pleasing to God. She is humble, tender, faithful, and courageous. When her mother-in-law Naomi was not only widowed, but also left bereft of her two sons, and this in a foreign land, Ruth was moved to compassion and chose to remain united to her mother-in-law, and to return from Moab to Bethlehem with her.

Thy God My God

Ruth’s words to Naomi are among the most beautiful expressions of friendship in the Bible. “Be not against me, to desire that I should leave thee and depart: for whithersoever thou shalt go, I will go: and where thou shalt dwell, I also will dwell. Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God. The land that shall receive thee dying, in the same will I die: and there will I be buried.” (Ruth 1:16-17).

Boaz Marries Ruth

In today’s reading, the two women have arrived in Naomi’s country of origin where Ruth asks leave of Naomi to go and glean in the field of Boaz. Boaz is smitten by the young widowed Moabitess and takes her as his wife. The child born of this union is Obed, the father of Jesse, and the grandfather of David.

The Genealogy

The names recalled in today’s reading are familiar to us from the genealogy of Our Lord Jesus Christ given by Saint Matthew (Mt 1:1-17). This is the genealogy that the Church reads on December 17, the first day of the Great O Antiphons, and again at the solemn Night Office that precedes the Mass of Christmas during the night. The Church’s musical tradition has graced this text with a chant melody that renders the long list of names strangely moving and memorable.

The Great-grandmother of David

Ruth, the great-grandmother of David, while not an Israelite by birth, is numbered among the ancestors of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is through Naomi that she is brought mysteriously to confess and to cling to the Lord, the God of Israel. Again, it is through mysterious circumstances that she meets Boaz and, through him, takes her place among the ancestors of the Messiah. In all of this we see Ruth’s true vocation unfold.

The Humility of Ruth

Why was God able to do with Ruth according to His will and pleasure? She was simply and profoundly humble, so humble that God was able to lead her, step by step, into the perfection of His plan. In her humility, Ruth, the ancestress of Jesus, resembles His Virgin Mother. We see here just how closely humility and faith are intertwined. Ruth’s religion was not even that of Israel; she was a Moabitess, a pagan, but her humility won for her the gift of Israel’s precious faith. Because she was humble, she was able to receive God’s gift of faith. Only the humble can let go of the things they cherish in order to receive even better things from the hand of God. Ruth let go of her native country, her customs, her gods, and her people in order to go with Naomi into something strange and unknown. Ruth humbled herself, and God rewarded her magnificently by making her an ancestress of David’s son, the Christ. This was her exalted vocation.

Prayer

Our Lord teaches us in the Holy Gospel that we have but one teacher, and that we are all brethren. We have but one Father, our Father in heaven. We have but one Master, the Anointed One, the Christ. It is to Him that we must address the words of the humble Ruth today:

Entreat me not to leave Thee, O Jesus,
or to return from following Thee (Ruth 1:16),
for to whom shall we go?
Thou hast the words of eternal life;
and we have believed, and have come to know
that you Thou art the Christ, the Son of God (Jn 6:68-69).
Where Thou shalt dwell, I also will dwell (Ruth 1:16)
for in your Father’s house are many rooms (Jn 14:2).
Thy people—those who follow the Lamb wherever He goes (Rev 14:4)—
shall be my people,
and Thy God my God (Ruth 1:16).

Hosanna to the Son of David

In Holy Mass, our prayer is answered, our desires wonderfully fulfilled. In the Eucharist, David’s royal Son draws us after Himself. The proud are scattered in the imagination of their hearts; those of low degree are lifted up (Lk 1:51-52). We leave behind the land of Moab and pass over, like Ruth, to Bethlehem, to the “House of Bread.” There we need not glean in the field of one unknown to us for its pleases the Father to give us “the true bread from heaven” (Jn 6:32). There, made one body by the Holy Spirit, we are the one Bride of whom Rachel, Leah, and Ruth were figures and shadows. “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” (Mt 21:9).

Posted by Father Mark on August 25, 2007 4:51 AM | Permalink

Faith-sharing bump.

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