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October Devotion: The Holy Rosary

Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. Pope Leo XIII personally started the practice of devoting October to the Rosary devotion. In a letter of September 1, 1883, mindful of the Rosary's power to strengthen faith and foster a life of virtue, he outlined the triumphs of the Rosary in past times and admonished the faithful to dedicate the month of October to the Blessed Virgin through the daily recitation of her Rosary in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, in order to obtain through her intercession the grace that God would console and defend His Church in her sufferings.

We highly recommend that you read Pope John Paul II's Apostolic Letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae, or "On the Most Holy Rosary." It explains even further this wonderful devotion, and introduces the optional mysteries of light, or Luminous mysteries.

INVOCATION
Queen of the most holy Rosary, pray for us.

TO THE QUEEN OF THE HOLY ROSARY
Queen of the most holy Rosary, in these times of such brazen impiety, manifest thy power with the signs of thine ancient victories, and from thy throne, whence thou dost dispense pardon and graces, mercifully regard the Church of thy Son, His Vicar on earth, and every order of clergy and laity, who are sore oppressed in the mighty conflict. Do thou, who art the powerful vanquisher of all heresies, hasten the hour of mercy, even though the hour of God's justice is every day provoked by the countless sins of men. For me who am the least of men, kneeling before thee in supplication, do thou obtain the grace I need to live righteously upon earth and to reign among the just in heaven, the while in company with all faithful Christians throughout the world, I salute thee and acclaim thee as Queen of the most holy Rosary:

Queen of the most holy Rosary, pray for us.

TO OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY
O Virgin Mary, grant that the recitation of thy Rosary may be for me each day, in the midst of my manifold duties, a bond of unity in my actions, a tribute of filial piety, a sweet refreshment, an encouragement to walk joyfully along the path of duty. Grant, above all, O Virgin Mary, that the study of thy fifteen mysteries may form in my soul, little by little, a luminous atmosphere, pure, strengthening, and fragrant, which may penetrate my understanding, my will, my heart, my memory, my imagination, my whole being. So shall I acquire the habit of praying while I work, without the aid of formal prayers, by interior acts of admiration and of supplication, or by aspirations of love. I ask this of thee, O Queen of the holy Rosary, through Saint Dominic, thy son of predilection, the renowned preacher of thy mysteries, and the faithful imitator of thy virtues. Amen.

FOR THE CRUSADE OF THE FAMILY ROSARY
The Family Rosary Crusade, organized and directed by Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C., sought to revive the practice of families reciting the Rosary daily within their homes. The Crusade has the encouragement and support of Pope Pius XII and it is succeeding admirably in realizing the desire of the Pope that no family would allow a day to pass without the recitation of the Rosary. This prayer was composed by Cardinal Spellman when the Crusade visited his Archdiocese.

O Queen of the most holy Rosary: with hearts full of confidence we earnestly beseech you to bless the Crusade of the Family Rosary. From you came the grace to begin it. >From you must come the grace to win souls to it. We beg you to bless this Crusade so that from every home the incense of this prayer will daily rise before you, O admirable Mother.

O Queen of Homes: by the power of the Rosary we beseech you to embrace all the members of our family in the love of your Immaculate Heart. May you abide with us and we with you, praying to you while you pray for us. May you preside in our homes as once you did at Nazareth with Jesus and Joseph, filling them with the holiness of your presence and inspiration.

O Queen of Peace: it is you who have placed the Rosary in our hands. It is you who bid us to recite it daily. By the power of the Family Rosary we beseech you to obtain peace for uspeace within our hearts, our homes, our country and throughout the world. Through the daily recitation of the Family Rosary we beg you to keep sin from our souls, enmities from our hearts and war from our shores. By the graces received from the devotion of the Family Rosary we pray to be made helpful to one another in following the paths of virtue so that we may be found worthy to be called children of your family, children of your home. Amen.

Cardinal Spellman

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

Pray the Rosary

Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Apostles Creed: I BELIEVE in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day He rose again. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty. >From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

The Lord's Prayer: 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 who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Hail Mary: HAIL Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen. (Three times)

Glory Be: GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Tips on Praying a Family Rosary

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Pray the Rosary

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Protestants and the rosary

Estimated 50,000 recite rosary in event at Rose Bowl

The Rosary and Orthodoxy

Father Benedict Groeschel on the Rosary

THE HOLY ROSARY

Catholic Caucus: The Holy Rosary

The Power of the Rosary - A Weapon Against Terrorism

Rosary May Contribute to Unity Says Protestant Theologian

Papal Address on the Rosary as a Weapon of Peace

Very simple guide to praying/learning the Rosary

October: Month of the Holy Rosary

HOW TO PRAY THE ROSARY

Petition to Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii

Remember Lepanto!

Rosary

John Paul II Makes a Rosary Appeal [Our Lady of the Rosary]

October: Month of the Holy Rosary

Archbishop Sheen Today! -- Praying the Rosary

THE ORIGIN OF THE ROSARY _______________________________

Tradition has long connected Saint Dominic and his Order with the preaching of the Rosary. Dominic’s followers have been called the “Friars of Mary.” The fifteen-decade Rosary adorns their habit with the frequent reminder that they are united to the Son of God in the living presence of our Blessed Mother.

Mass Readings

First reading	Habakkuk 1:2 - 2:4 ©
How long, O Lord, am I to cry for help while you will not listen; to cry ‘Oppression!’ in your ear and you will not save? Why do you set injustice before me, why do you look on where there is tyranny? Outrage and violence, this is all I see, all is contention, and discord flourishes. Then the Lord answered and said, ‘Write the vision down, inscribe it on tablets to be easily read, since this vision is for its own time only: eager for its own fulfilment, it does not deceive; if it comes slowly, wait, for come it will, without fail. ‘See how he flags, he whose soul is not at rights, but the upright man will live by his faithfulness.’

First reading

Habakkuk 1:2 - 2:4 ©

How long, O Lord, am I to cry for help
while you will not listen;
to cry ‘Oppression!’ in your ear
and you will not save?

Why do you set injustice before me,
why do you look on where there is tyranny?
Outrage and violence, this is all I see,
all is contention, and discord flourishes.

Then the Lord answered and said,
‘Write the vision down,
inscribe it on tablets
to be easily read,
since this vision is for its own time only:
eager for its own fulfilment, it does not deceive;
if it comes slowly, wait,
for come it will, without fail.

‘See how he flags, he whose soul is not at rights,
but the upright man will live by his faithfulness.’

Psalm or canticle: Psalm 94

Second reading	©
I am reminding you now to fan into a flame the gift that God gave you when I laid my hands on you. God’s gift was not a spirit of timidity, but the Spirit of power, and love, and self-control. So you are never to be ashamed of witnessing to the Lord, or ashamed of me for being his prisoner; but with me, bear the hardships for the sake of the Good News, relying on the power of God Keep as your pattern the sound teaching you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. You have been trusted to look after something precious; guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

Second reading

©

I am reminding you now to fan into a flame the gift that God gave you when I laid my hands on you. God’s gift was not a spirit of timidity, but the Spirit of power, and love, and self-control. So you are never to be ashamed of witnessing to the Lord, or ashamed of me for being his prisoner; but with me, bear the hardships for the sake of the Good News, relying on the power of God Keep as your pattern the sound teaching you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. You have been trusted to look after something precious; guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

Gospel	Luke 17:5 - 10 ©
The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith’. The Lord replied, ‘Were your faith the size of a mustard seed you could say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea”, and it would obey you. ‘Which of you, with a servant ploughing or minding sheep, would say to him when he returned from the fields, “Come and have your meal immediately”? Would he not be more likely to say, “Get my supper laid; make yourself tidy and wait on me while I eat and drink. You can eat and drink yourself afterwards”? Must he be grateful to the servant for doing what he was told? So with you: when you have done all you have been told to do, say, “We are merely servants: we have done no more than our duty”.’

Gospel

Luke 17:5 - 10 ©

The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith’. The Lord replied, ‘Were your faith the size of a mustard seed you could say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea”, and it would obey you.
‘Which of you, with a servant ploughing or minding sheep, would say to him when he returned from the fields, “Come and have your meal immediately”? Would he not be more likely to say, “Get my supper laid; make yourself tidy and wait on me while I eat and drink. You can eat and drink yourself afterwards”? Must he be grateful to the servant for doing what he was told? So with you: when you have done all you have been told to do, say, “We are merely servants: we have done no more than our duty”.’

The Seed of Faith

Fr. Paul Scalia

Other Articles by Fr. Paul Scalia
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The Seed of Faith

October 5, 2007

"The apostles said to the Lord, 'Increase our faith'" (Lk 17:5). Now we cannot improve on that prayer. Its three words express a simple, profound and urgent need of every human heart. It is a wonderful prayer to make our own. Its brevity enables us to say it quickly and therefore frequently. And as we say it, we should recall the brief catechesis on faith that our Lord gives in response to the prayer. His description of faith the size of a mustard seed ("as a grain" or "like unto a grain" of mustard seed, in some translations) reveals both the humility and the power of faith.

First, the humility. A seed is a small, fragile thing. Without the proper attention and care it can die quickly or be snatched away (as the parable of the sower and seeds makes clear; cf. Mk 4:1-20). And a seed desires to be hidden. It does not call attention to itself. It prefers falling to the earth, into the earth and growing where none can see. From its hiding place, it produces first the shoot, then the plant fully grown and finally the fruit. But the seed itself remains unseen. At the same time, however, a seed possesses tremendous power. It has within itself the principle of life and growth. It need only find the proper soil and nourishment in order to produce great fruit. Even the smallest seeds can produce enormous plants.

This humble power (and powerful humility) of the seed we find also in the theological virtue of faith. First, like the seed, faith has a humble and hidden quality. It is fragile and must be guarded from the world's many threats. If we neglect our faith or, worse, expose to it danger, then we will soon find ourselves without any faith at all. Further, by faith we acknowledge our smallness, poverty and ignorance. Instead of relying on ourselves we look to God for instruction and rely on him for strength. Faith is also hidden within us, "buried" in our souls at baptism, so as to bear fruit on the outside. It is the plant fully grown — the Catholic life bearing fruit in works of charity — that people see.

This humble quality of faith helps explain what may seem to be a rebuke from our Lord. He tells the apostles that, after a life of faithful service, they should humbly say, "We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do" (Lk 17:10). Obviously, our Lord uses hyperbole here, not meaning (as we know from other passages; cf. Lk 12:37) that a Christian rises to no higher status than an unprofitable servant. Nonetheless, He wants the apostles, who were somewhat prone to competition and self-promotion (cf. Mk 9:34), to understand that a faithful man seeks not his own glory but only to be true to the one who has called him.

Again like a seed, humble faith still carries a tremendous power — the principle of Christian life and growth. The apostles already sense this, for which reason they ask for an increase. This growth of faith is precisely what we so often neglect. How many Catholics are content with a faith that has not grown since childhood (perhaps since infancy), like a seed that has produced neither plant nor fruit? Without our constant care and nourishment, the seed of faith within us grows not at all, bears no fruit and remains practically dead. Precisely because faith can grow, we should nourish it with our prayers and water it with repentance. We should ask often for its increase.

Our Lord describes faith's power in dramatic terms: it can uproot a mulberry tree and plant it in the sea (cf. Lk 17:6). Now most of us, even if we could identify a mulberry tree, would have little interest in relocating it into the water. But we do have plenty of vices to uproot from our souls and virtues to plant. This is the kind of uprooting and planting faith brings us. By faith we have union with God and access to His grace. By trusting in His grace we can uproot our vices — the resentment, envy, lust and pride so deep-rooted in our souls. If we trust in Him by faith, then we will find virtues — humility, courage, hope and love — planted, growing and flourishing where we never thought possible, within our own souls.

The Work of God

Year C

- 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

And the apostles said to the Lord: Increase our faith.

Luke 17:5-10

5 And the apostles said to the Lord: Increase our faith.
6 And the Lord said: If you had faith like to a grain of mustard seed, you might say to this mulberry tree, be rooted up, and be transplanted into the sea: and it would obey you.
7 But which of you having a servant ploughing, or feeding cattle, will say to him, when he has come from the field: Immediately go, sit down to eat:
8 And will not rather say to him: Make ready my supper, and gird yourself, and serve me, while I eat and drink, and afterwards you shall eat and drink?
9 Does he thank that servant, for doing the things that he commanded him?
10 I think not. So you also, when you shall have done all these things that are commanded you, say: We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which we ought to do.

Inspiration of the Holy Spirit - From the Sacred Heart of Jesus

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time - And the apostles said to the Lord: Increase our faith.

Nothing is impossible for those who have faith. The reason is that they put all their trust in me and I listen to them. But faith is not just the act of believing that I will respond a prayer with a miraculous answer, it is a combination of humility that makes a soul feel small in my presence and trust that I will answer.

Take the story of the Centurion that said that he was not worthy for me to come into his house, but that I could give the order and his servant would be healed. This man had humility and showed great respect for me, he himself gave orders to others and they obeyed him, so he acknowledged that I was the Christ, the Master of creation, the one with the power to perform miracles, and he totally believed that I could heal. His petition was granted.

To have faith in me, you must start with humility. It is necessary to accept that I am not just another man; I am the Son of the Living God. Being the Son of God, I have always been the Word of God, the creative word that brought everything to existence out of nothing.

Becoming like any other ordinary man, I have taught humility by lowering myself from my divinity to my humanity. I have called you all to learn from me because I am meek and humble of heart. Those who appreciate who I really am, feel profound humility of heart because they understand who they are in comparison to me. They can only approach me with deep remorse for their sins just as Peter realized who I was and said: ?stay away from me Lord, because I am a sinful man.?

This is the beginning of true faith, accepting me as the Son of God with utter humility; once you put your trust in me, your faith can be rewarded.

In the parable above, I also speak about the duties of the servants with their Master. It would be very wise for everyone to do everything for the love of God who is the Master of creation, to know him, love Him and server Him. There is no immediate reward for that, except for peace in your hearts and the knowledge that trusting in me will grant you a share in my everlasting glory.

Author: Joseph of Jesus and Mary

Catholic homilies - gospel inspirations - list

Many have forgotten how Our Lady of the Rosary saved Europe at one time. She will also save the United States in a similar manner.

Lepanto, 1571: The Battle That Saved Europe

Celebrating the Battle of Lepanto

Clash of civilizations: Battle of Lepanto revisited

Lepanto, Bertone e Battesimo, Oh My!

Lepanto Sunday

Our Lady of the Rosary of La Naval (A Mini-Lepanto in the Philippines)

Swiss Guards at the Battle of Lepanto, 7 October 1571

Battle of Lepanto

LEPANTO, 7 OCTOBER 1571: The Defense of Europe

Battle of Lepanto

Remember Lepanto!

The Battle of Lepanto

On This Day In History, The Battle of Lepanto

The Battle of Lepanto

Chesterton's Lepanto

The Miracle At Lepanto...

Lepanto

The Naval Battle of Lepanto

The Battle of Lepanto

Call to Prayer 12:00 EST 17 November: This Lepanto Moment [Read only]

A Call To Prayer: This Lepanto Moment[Read only]

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 144 (145)
The greatness and goodness of God
I will praise you to the heights, O God, my king – I will bless your name for ever and for all time. I will bless you, O God, day after day – I will praise your name for ever and all time. The Lord is great, to him all praise is due – he is great beyond measuring. Generation will pass to generation the praise of your deeds, and tell the wonders you have done. They will tell of your overwhelming power, and pass on the tale of your greatness. They will cry out the story of your great kindness, they will celebrate your judgements. The Lord takes pity, his heart is merciful, he is patient and endlessly kind. The Lord is gentle to all – he shows his kindness to all his creation. 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 144 (145)

The greatness and goodness of God

I will praise you to the heights, O God, my king –
I will bless your name for ever and for all time.
I will bless you, O God, day after day –
I will praise your name for ever and all time.

The Lord is great, to him all praise is due –
he is great beyond measuring.
Generation will pass to generation the praise of your deeds,
and tell the wonders you have done.
They will tell of your overwhelming power,
and pass on the tale of your greatness.
They will cry out the story of your great kindness,
they will celebrate your judgements.
The Lord takes pity, his heart is merciful,
he is patient and endlessly kind.
The Lord is gentle to all –
he shows his kindness to all his creation.

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 144 (145)
Let all your creatures proclaim you, O Lord, let your chosen ones bless you. Let them tell of the glory of your reign, let them speak of your power – so that the children of men may know what you can do, see the glory of your kingdom and its greatness. Your kingdom stands firm for all ages, your rule lasts for ever and ever. 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 144 (145)

Let all your creatures proclaim you, O Lord,
let your chosen ones bless you.
Let them tell of the glory of your reign,
let them speak of your power –
so that the children of men may know what you can do,
see the glory of your kingdom and its greatness.
Your kingdom stands firm for all ages,
your rule lasts for ever and ever.

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 144 (145)
The Lord is faithful in all his words, the Lord is holy in all his deeds. The Lord supports all who are falling, the Lord lifts up all who are oppressed. All look to you for help, and you give them their food in due season. In your goodness you open your hand, and give every creature its fill. The Lord is just in all his ways, the Lord is kind in all that he does. The Lord is near to those who call on him, to all those who call on him in truth. For those that honour him, he does what they ask, he hears all their prayers, and he keeps them safe. The Lord keeps safe all who love him, but he dooms all the wicked to destruction. My mouth shall tell the praises of the Lord. Let all flesh bless his holy name, for ever and ever. 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 144 (145)

The Lord is faithful in all his words,
the Lord is holy in all his deeds.
The Lord supports all who are falling,
the Lord lifts up all who are oppressed.
All look to you for help,
and you give them their food in due season.
In your goodness you open your hand,
and give every creature its fill.

The Lord is just in all his ways,
the Lord is kind in all that he does.
The Lord is near to those who call on him,
to all those who call on him in truth.
For those that honour him,
he does what they ask,
he hears all their prayers,
and he keeps them safe.
The Lord keeps safe all who love him,
but he dooms all the wicked to destruction.

My mouth shall tell the praises of the Lord.
Let all flesh bless his holy name,
for ever and ever.

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	1 Timothy 1:1 - 20 ©
From Paul, apostle of Christ Jesus appointed by the command of God our saviour and of Christ Jesus our hope, to Timothy, true child of mine in the faith; wishing you grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Lord. As I asked you when I was leaving for Macedonia, please stay at Ephesus, to insist that certain people stop teaching strange doctrines and taking notice of myths and endless genealogies; these things are only likely to raise irrelevant doubts instead of furthering the designs of God which are revealed in faith. The only purpose of this instruction is that there should be love, coming out of a pure heart, a clear conscience and a sincere faith. There are some people who have gone off the straight course and taken a road that leads to empty speculation; they claim to be doctors of the Law but they understand neither the arguments they are using nor the opinions they are upholding We know, of course, that the Law is good, but only provided it is treated like any law, in the understanding that laws are not framed for people who are good. On the contrary, they are for criminals and revolutionaries, for the irreligious and the wicked, for the sacrilegious and the irreverent; they are for people who kill their fathers or mothers and for murderers, for those who are immoral with women or with boys or with men, for liars and for perjurers – and for everything else that is contrary to the sound teaching that goes with the Good News of the glory of the blessed God, the gospel that was entrusted to me. I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, and who judged me faithful enough to call me into his service even though I used to be a blasphemer and did all I could to injure and discredit the faith. Mercy, however, was shown me, because until I became a believer I had been acting in ignorance; and the grace of our Lord filled me with faith and with the love that is in Christ Jesus. Here is a saying that you can rely on and nobody should doubt: that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. I myself am the greatest of them; and if mercy has been shown to me, it is because Jesus Christ meant to make me the greatest evidence of his inexhaustible patience for all the other people who would later have to trust in him to come to eternal life. To the eternal King, the undying, invisible and only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. Timothy, my son, these are the instructions that I am giving you: I ask you to remember the words once spoken over you by the prophets, and taking them to heart to fight like a good soldier with faith and a good conscience for your weapons. Some people have put conscience aside and wrecked their faith in consequence. I mean men like Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to teach them not to be blasphemous.

Reading

1 Timothy 1:1 - 20 ©

From Paul, apostle of Christ Jesus appointed by the command of God our saviour and of Christ Jesus our hope, to Timothy, true child of mine in the faith; wishing you grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Lord.
As I asked you when I was leaving for Macedonia, please stay at Ephesus, to insist that certain people stop teaching strange doctrines and taking notice of myths and endless genealogies; these things are only likely to raise irrelevant doubts instead of furthering the designs of God which are revealed in faith. The only purpose of this instruction is that there should be love, coming out of a pure heart, a clear conscience and a sincere faith. There are some people who have gone off the straight course and taken a road that leads to empty speculation; they claim to be doctors of the Law but they understand neither the arguments they are using nor the opinions they are upholding
We know, of course, that the Law is good, but only provided it is treated like any law, in the understanding that laws are not framed for people who are good. On the contrary, they are for criminals and revolutionaries, for the irreligious and the wicked, for the sacrilegious and the irreverent; they are for people who kill their fathers or mothers and for murderers, for those who are immoral with women or with boys or with men, for liars and for perjurers – and for everything else that is contrary to the sound teaching that goes with the Good News of the glory of the blessed God, the gospel that was entrusted to me.
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, and who judged me faithful enough to call me into his service even though I used to be a blasphemer and did all I could to injure and discredit the faith. Mercy, however, was shown me, because until I became a believer I had been acting in ignorance; and the grace of our Lord filled me with faith and with the love that is in Christ Jesus. Here is a saying that you can rely on and nobody should doubt: that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. I myself am the greatest of them; and if mercy has been shown to me, it is because Jesus Christ meant to make me the greatest evidence of his inexhaustible patience for all the other people who would later have to trust in him to come to eternal life. To the eternal King, the undying, invisible and only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Timothy, my son, these are the instructions that I am giving you: I ask you to remember the words once spoken over you by the prophets, and taking them to heart to fight like a good soldier with faith and a good conscience for your weapons. Some people have put conscience aside and wrecked their faith in consequence. I mean men like Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to teach them not to be blasphemous.

Reading	The Pastoral Guide, by Pope St Gregory the Great
Let the pastor be discreetly silent, and to the point when he speaks
A spiritual guide should be silent when discretion requires and speak when words are of service. Otherwise he may say what he should not or be silent when he should speak. Indiscreet speech may lead men into error and an imprudent silence may leave in error those who could have been taught. Pastors who lack foresight hesitate to say openly what is right because they fear losing the favour of men. As the voice of truth tells us, such leaders are not zealous pastors who protect their flocks, rather they are like mercenaries who flee by taking refuge in silence when the wolf appears. The Lord reproaches them through the prophet: They are dumb dogs that cannot bark. On another occasion he complains: You did not advance against the foe or set up a wall in front of the house of Israel, so that you might stand fast in battle on the day of the Lord. To advance against the foe involves a bold resistance to the powers of this world in defence of the flock. To stand fast in battle on the day of the Lord means to oppose the wicked enemy out of love for what is right. When a pastor has been afraid to assert what is right, has he not turned his back and fled by remaining silent? Whereas if he intervenes on behalf of the flock, he sets up a wall against the enemy in front of the house of Israel. Therefore, the Lord again says to his unfaithful people: Your prophets saw false and foolish visions and did not point out your wickedness, that you might repent of your sins. The name of the prophet is sometimes given in the sacred writings to teachers who both declare the present to be fleeting and reveal what is to come. The word of God accuses them of seeing false visions because they are afraid to reproach men for their faults and thereby lull the evildoer with an empty promise of safety. Because they fear reproach, they keep silent and fail to point out the sinner’s wrongdoing. The word of reproach is a key that unlocks a door, because reproach reveals a fault of which the evildoer is himself often unaware. That is why Paul says of the bishop: He must be able to encourage men in sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. For the same reason God tells us through Malachi: The lips of the priest are to preserve knowledge, and men shall look to him for the law, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. Finally, that is also the reason why the Lord warns us through Isaiah: Cry out and be not still; raise your voice in a trumpet call. Anyone ordained a priest undertakes the task of preaching, so that with a loud cry he may go on ahead of the terrible judge who follows. If, then, a priest does not know how to preach, what kind of cry can such a dumb herald utter? It was to bring this home that the Holy Spirit descended in the form of tongues on the first pastors, for he causes those whom he has filled, to speak out spontaneously.

Reading

The Pastoral Guide, by Pope St Gregory the Great

Let the pastor be discreetly silent, and to the point when he speaks

A spiritual guide should be silent when discretion requires and speak when words are of service. Otherwise he may say what he should not or be silent when he should speak. Indiscreet speech may lead men into error and an imprudent silence may leave in error those who could have been taught. Pastors who lack foresight hesitate to say openly what is right because they fear losing the favour of men. As the voice of truth tells us, such leaders are not zealous pastors who protect their flocks, rather they are like mercenaries who flee by taking refuge in silence when the wolf appears.
The Lord reproaches them through the prophet: They are dumb dogs that cannot bark. On another occasion he complains: You did not advance against the foe or set up a wall in front of the house of Israel, so that you might stand fast in battle on the day of the Lord. To advance against the foe involves a bold resistance to the powers of this world in defence of the flock. To stand fast in battle on the day of the Lord means to oppose the wicked enemy out of love for what is right.
When a pastor has been afraid to assert what is right, has he not turned his back and fled by remaining silent? Whereas if he intervenes on behalf of the flock, he sets up a wall against the enemy in front of the house of Israel. Therefore, the Lord again says to his unfaithful people: Your prophets saw false and foolish visions and did not point out your wickedness, that you might repent of your sins. The name of the prophet is sometimes given in the sacred writings to teachers who both declare the present to be fleeting and reveal what is to come. The word of God accuses them of seeing false visions because they are afraid to reproach men for their faults and thereby lull the evildoer with an empty promise of safety. Because they fear reproach, they keep silent and fail to point out the sinner’s wrongdoing.
The word of reproach is a key that unlocks a door, because reproach reveals a fault of which the evildoer is himself often unaware. That is why Paul says of the bishop: He must be able to encourage men in sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. For the same reason God tells us through Malachi: The lips of the priest are to preserve knowledge, and men shall look to him for the law, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. Finally, that is also the reason why the Lord warns us through Isaiah: Cry out and be not still; raise your voice in a trumpet call.
Anyone ordained a priest undertakes the task of preaching, so that with a loud cry he may go on ahead of the terrible judge who follows. If, then, a priest does not know how to preach, what kind of cry can such a dumb herald utter? It was to bring this home that the Holy Spirit descended in the form of tongues on the first pastors, for he causes those whom he has filled, to speak out spontaneously.

Hymn	Te Deum
God, we praise you; Lord, we proclaim you! You, the Father, the eternal – all the earth venerates you. All the angels, all the heavens, every power – The cherubim, the seraphim – unceasingly, they cry: “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts: heaven and earth are full of the majesty of your glory!” The glorious choir of Apostles – The noble ranks of prophets – The shining army of martyrs – all praise you. Throughout the world your holy Church proclaims you. – Father of immeasurable majesty, – True Son, only-begotten, worthy of worship, – Holy Spirit, our Advocate. You, Christ: – You are the king of glory. – You are the Father’s eternal Son. – You, to free mankind, did not disdain a Virgin’s womb. – You defeated the sharp spear of Death, and opened the kingdom of heaven to those who believe in you. – You sit at God’s right hand, in the glory of the Father. – You will come, so we believe, as our Judge. And so we ask of you: give help to your servants, whom you set free at the price of your precious blood. Number them among your chosen ones in eternal glory. Bring your people to safety, Lord, and bless those who are your inheritance. Rule them and lift them high for ever. Day by day we bless you, Lord: we praise you for ever and for ever. Of your goodness, Lord, keep us without sin for today. Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us. Let your pity, Lord, be upon us, as much as we trust in you. In you, Lord, I trust: let me never be put to shame. 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.

Hymn

Te Deum

God, we praise you; Lord, we proclaim you!
You, the Father, the eternal –
all the earth venerates you.
All the angels, all the heavens, every power –
The cherubim, the seraphim –
unceasingly, they cry:
“Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts:
heaven and earth are full of the majesty of your glory!”

The glorious choir of Apostles –
The noble ranks of prophets –
The shining army of martyrs –
all praise you.
Throughout the world your holy Church proclaims you.
– Father of immeasurable majesty,
– True Son, only-begotten, worthy of worship,
– Holy Spirit, our Advocate.

You, Christ:
– You are the king of glory.
– You are the Father’s eternal Son.
– You, to free mankind, did not disdain a Virgin’s womb.
– You defeated the sharp spear of Death, and opened the kingdom of heaven to those who believe in you.
– You sit at God’s right hand, in the glory of the Father.
– You will come, so we believe, as our Judge.

And so we ask of you: give help to your servants, whom you set free at the price of your precious blood.
Number them among your chosen ones in eternal glory.
Bring your people to safety, Lord, and bless those who are your inheritance.
Rule them and lift them high for ever.

Day by day we bless you, Lord: we praise you for ever and for ever.
Of your goodness, Lord, keep us without sin for today.
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us.
Let your pity, Lord, be upon us, as much as we trust in you.
In you, Lord, I trust: let me never be put to shame.

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.

Concluding Prayer
Almighty and ever-living God, your generosity exceeds what we deserve and even what we ask for in prayer. Pour out your compassion on us: forgive whatever is weighing on our consciences, and grant us gifts that we would not even dare to pray for. 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.

Catholic Culture

Daily Readings (on USCCB site):
» October 07, 2007
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Collect: Father, your love for us surpasses all our hopes and desires. Forgive our failings, keep us in your peace and lead us in the way of salvation. 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.

« October 07, 2007 »

Twenty-Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time
Old Calendar: Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost

RECIPES
- » Granny Smith Apple Cobbler
  » Summer Squash with Onions
  » Sunday Chicken Casserole
  » Tender Dinner Knots
ACTIVITIES
- » Parents are the First Teachers

"If one of you had a servant plowing or herding sheep and he came in from the fields, would you say to him, 'Come and sit down at table'? Would you not rather say, 'Prepare my supper. Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink. You can eat and drink afterward'? Would he be grateful to the servant who was only carrying out his orders? It is quite the same with you who hear me. When you have done all you have been commanded to do, say, 'We are useless servants. We have done no more than our duty (Lk 17:7-10).'"

The feast of Our Lady of the Rosary is superseded by the Sunday liturgy.

Sunday Readings
The first reading is taken from the the Prophecy of Habakkuk, 1:2-3, 2:2-4. This prophet wrote about 600 B.C. shortly before the Babylonian invasion of Judah and the capture of the city of Jerusalem. Political intrigue and idolatry were widespread in Judah and Jerusalem at the time. The prophet is arguing with God about this state of affairs—why should God allow these things to happen? God tells him, he has prepared a severe punishment for Judah and its wicked inhabitants but the just will be saved.

The second reading is from the second letter of Paul to Timothy, 1:6-8, 13-14. This second letter to Timothy, Bishop of Ephesus, was written by St. Paul from his Roman prison where he was spending his second and last term. It was written about 66/67 A.D. and in it Paul is most anxious that Timothy should come to him in Rome. He does not forget to urge on his beloved convert the need to continue preaching and preserving the faith which he had learned from his father-in-Christ.

The Gospel is from St. Luke, 17:5-10. Although Christ was speaking to the Apostles, His words apply to all of us, each in his own station in life. Following the example of the Apostles, we must all pray for greater trust in God. Most of us are inclined to forget God and his providence when our earthly affairs are going well. How often do we thank Him when we are enjoying good health, and when our home-life and business are going smoothly? How many of us Catholics make a novena of thanksgiving for all the gifts we have received and are receiving daily from God's providence. How many, rather, pat ourselves on the back for what we claim as our own successes? It is only when a storm arises in our lives that we think of Him. Remember that storm on the Lake of Gennesaret. The Apostles were rowing cheerfully across the lake. They were probably telling tall yarns about the size and the number of fish they had caught there in their day. They may have been striving against one another to show who was the strongest oarsman. They did not seem to notice that Jesus was sleeping soundly in the bow of the boat. They thought of Him only when the storm arose, and then when they realized that they were in danger they shouted to Him for help (Mk. 5 : 37). They didn't realize that both the calm and the storm were under His province.

Too many of us also, forget God and fail to give Him the thanks and the credit for our well-being which we owe him. We rush to Him only when trouble strikes. In His infinite goodness He often answers such panic prayers. If, however, we had thought of Him every day and realized His place in our lives with how much more confidence would we then approach Him in our hour of special need? If our own personal lives were stronger how much more readily would we accept the adversities and the trials that He sends us or allows to befall us for our eternal good? We can all ask God today to "increase our faith."

As regards our work for God's kingdom and for the salvation of ourselves and of our neighbor we are, like the Apostles, servants of God, and we should be proud of our status. We should be glad, that is, that He allows us to cooperate with Him in the building of His heavenly kingdom. Are we really dutiful servants in this regard? Let us ask ourselves seriously today: What have I done up to now to help to make God known to my neighbor who is ignorant of God and never thinks of what will happen him after death? I may not be able to put in words very clearly what I know and believe about God and the future life, but I can speak to Him far more convincingly by my way of living, by my daily actions.

The sincere Christian can find many ways to help to make Christ known to his neighbor without going on the foreign missions. There are pagans and unbelievers, often such through no fault of their own, and there are many lax Christians all around us. We should, and we can, have an effective influence on them and on their eternal future, if we ourselves live our Christian lives as Christ expects us to do. A quiet word, a charitable gesture, a truly unselfish interest in a neighbor's troubles, coming from a sincere layman can do more good than a series of sermons given by a renowned theologian in the parish church.

Look around you today. Think of your fellow-workers and those living in your own street. Many of them need help and need it badly. You can help them, God expects you to help them. It is His plan for getting you to help yourself to get to heaven. If you fail to cooperate with God by helping to bring His stray children back to Him, you may find that you will be a straying child on your day of reckoning. God forbid.

— Excerpted from The Sunday Readings Cycle C, Fr. Kevin O' Sullivan, O.F.M.

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 92 (93)
The magnificence of the Creator
The Lord reigns! He is robed in splendour, clothed in glory and wrapped round in might. He set the earth on its foundations: it will not be shaken. Your throne is secure from the beginning; from the beginning of time, Lord, you are. The rivers have raised, O Lord, the rivers have raised their voices. The rivers have raised their clamour. Over the voices of many waters, over the powerful swell of the sea, you are the Lord, powerful on high. All your promises are to be trusted: and holy is your habitation, O Lord, to the end of time. 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 92 (93)

The magnificence of the Creator

The Lord reigns! He is robed in splendour,
clothed in glory and wrapped round in might.
He set the earth on its foundations:
it will not be shaken.
Your throne is secure from the beginning;
from the beginning of time, Lord, you are.

The rivers have raised, O Lord,
the rivers have raised their voices.
The rivers have raised their clamour.
Over the voices of many waters,
over the powerful swell of the sea,
you are the Lord, powerful on high.

All your promises are to be trusted:
and holy is your habitation,
O Lord, to the end of time.

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	Daniel 3
All creatures, bless the Lord
Bless the Lord, all his works, praise and exalt him for ever. Bless the Lord, you heavens; all his angels, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, you waters above the heavens; all his powers, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, sun and moon; all stars of the sky, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, rain and dew; all you winds, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, fire and heat; cold and warmth, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, dew and frost; ice and cold, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, ice and snow; day and night, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, light and darkness; lightning and storm-clouds, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, all the earth, praise and exalt him for ever. Bless the Lord, mountains and hills; all growing things, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, seas and rivers; springs and fountains, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, whales and fish; birds of the air, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, wild beasts and tame; sons of men, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, O Israel, praise and exalt him for ever. Bless the Lord, his priests; all his servants, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, spirits of the just; all who are holy and humble, bless the Lord. Ananias, Azarias, Mishael, bless the Lord, praise and exalt him for ever. Let us bless Father, Son and Holy Spirit, praise and exalt them for ever. Bless the Lord in the firmament of heaven, praise and glorify him for ever.

Canticle

Daniel 3

All creatures, bless the Lord

Bless the Lord, all his works, praise and exalt him for ever.

Bless the Lord, you heavens; all his angels, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, you waters above the heavens; all his powers, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, sun and moon; all stars of the sky, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, rain and dew; all you winds, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, fire and heat; cold and warmth, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, dew and frost; ice and cold, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, ice and snow; day and night, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, light and darkness; lightning and storm-clouds, bless the Lord.

Bless the Lord, all the earth, praise and exalt him for ever.

Bless the Lord, mountains and hills; all growing things, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, seas and rivers; springs and fountains, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, whales and fish; birds of the air, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, wild beasts and tame; sons of men, bless the Lord.

Bless the Lord, O Israel, praise and exalt him for ever.

Bless the Lord, his priests; all his servants, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, spirits of the just; all who are holy and humble, bless the Lord.

Ananias, Azarias, Mishael, bless the Lord, praise and exalt him for ever.

Let us bless Father, Son and Holy Spirit, praise and exalt them for ever.
Bless the Lord in the firmament of heaven, praise and glorify him for ever.

Psalm 148
An anthem to the Lord, the Creator
Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise him in the highest heavens. Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his powers. Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all stars that shine. Praise him, waters of the heavens, and all the waters above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded and they were made. He set them firm for all ages, he made a decree that will last for ever. Praise the Lord from the earth, sea-serpents and depths of the sea, fire, hail, snow and fog, storms and gales that obey his word, mountains and hills, fruit-trees and cedars, wild beasts and tame, serpents and birds. Kings of the earth, all peoples, all leaders and judges of the earth, young men and women, old people with the young – praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted. His splendour is above heaven and earth, he has raised up the strength of his people. This song is for all his chosen ones, the children of Israel, the people close to him. 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 148

An anthem to the Lord, the Creator

Praise the Lord from the heavens,
praise him in the highest heavens.
Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his powers.

Praise him, sun and moon,
praise him, all stars that shine.
Praise him, waters of the heavens,
and all the waters above the heavens.

Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for he commanded and they were made.
He set them firm for all ages,
he made a decree that will last for ever.

Praise the Lord from the earth,
sea-serpents and depths of the sea,
fire, hail, snow and fog,
storms and gales that obey his word,
mountains and hills,
fruit-trees and cedars,
wild beasts and tame,
serpents and birds.

Kings of the earth, all peoples,
all leaders and judges of the earth,
young men and women,
old people with the young –
praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted.

His splendour is above heaven and earth,
he has raised up the strength of his people.
This song is for all his chosen ones,
the children of Israel, the people close to him.

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	Ezekiel 37:12 - 14 ©
The Lord says this: I am now going to open your graves; I mean to raise you from your graves, my people, and lead you back to the soil of Israel. And you will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and raise you from your graves, my people. And I shall put my spirit in you, and you will live, and I shall resettle you on your own soil; and you will know that I, the Lord, have said and done this – it is the Lord who speaks.

Short reading

Ezekiel 37:12 - 14 ©

The Lord says this: I am now going to open your graves; I mean to raise you from your graves, my people, and lead you back to the soil of Israel. And you will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and raise you from your graves, my people. And I shall put my spirit in you, and you will live, and I shall resettle you on your own soil; and you will know that I, the Lord, have said and done this – it is the Lord who speaks.

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

?

Let us pray to God, who sent the Holy Spirit to be a light shining in every heart: - Lord, be our light.
Blessed are you, God our light:: for the sake of your glory you have brought us to this new day.
By the incarnation of your Son you sent light into this world:: through your Church, spread that light to all mankind.
You enlightened your Son’s disciples by your Spirit:: send your Spirit into the Church and keep her faithful to you.
Light of the nations, remember those who dawdle in the shadows:: open their eyes and their hearts, so that they see you are the one true God.

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 ever-living God, your generosity exceeds what we deserve and even what we ask for in prayer.
Pour out your compassion on us:
forgive whatever is weighing on our consciences,
and grant us gifts that we would not even dare to pray for.

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

A Mustard Seed Size Faith
October 7, 2007

Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Father Christopher Scroggin, LC

Luke 17: 5-10
The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" The Lord replied, "If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ´Be uprooted and planted in the sea,´ and it would obey you.”Who among you would say to your slave who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field ´Come here at once and take your place at the table´? Would you not rather say to him, ´Prepare supper for me, put on your apron and serve me while I eat and drink; later you may eat and drink´? Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, ´We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!´"

Introductory Prayer: Father in Heaven, I too ask you for an increase of faith today. I want my faith to be the guiding principle in my life as it was for the holy men and women of old. I trust in you and know that you will grant me all that I need because you love me.
Petition: Lord Jesus, grant me the faith of an apostle to believe and trust in you throughout all my life
1. Supersize it!    We live in a “supersize” mentality. Everything has to be big: our food orders at McDonalds, our houses, cars etc. I need to “supersize” my faith in Jesus. He has the power of doing that for me if I request it with all sincerity and humility. At the same time, I need to exercise the faith I have, especially when the temptation to doubt God increases. My faith deepens in the measure in which I apply it in all the different circumstances of my life.
2. Believing    As Jesus states, we often want praise or thanks from others because we have done our duty. Yet, we were only doing what we ought to have done. No praise or thanks is needed since we having done nothing more than what was expected. Rather than look for recognition, praise, or thanks, we should see ourselves as humble servants in search of greater faith everyday.
3. Worthless Slaves, …Us?    No one wants to feel worthless. We all seek to be valued and esteemed, to be needed in some way by others. We strive hard to achieve this esteem from family and friends. However, in our relationship with God our Father, things are often different. We do the minimum in order to get by spiritually. With God’s grace we need to strive to go beyond the minimum, giving ourselves with love and without reservation or fear. It is not that God will somehow value us more; in fact, he already loves us incredibly deeply. Our efforts in the spiritual life are simply a response to God’s love. Paradoxically, the more we humbly seek to respond to God’s love, by doing his Will in our lives, the more we experience the greatness of that love.
Conversation with Christ: Jesus help me to place all my trust and faith in you. I don’t always trust, and this is when my fears and anxieties take over. I want to put these aside and place myself in your hands. In doing this I will be able to serve you better.
Resolution: Today I will put more effort in doing the ordinary things of the day in an extraordinary way out of love for Jesus.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/search?m=all;o=time;s=life%20chain

Life Chain Sunday will be this Sunday, October 7, 2007. Be there!

Let the candidates see how much we support the issue of life from conception to natural death!

Hard to believe, no, it’s not. I cannot find one smidgeon of coverage in the local papers online about the Rosary Bowl that was held yesterday in Oregon!

There were approcimately 1000 in attendance!

Not bad for Oregon, huh?

I hope other areas follow suit. It was beautiful with Joyful Mysteries in Filipino, Polish, English, Vietnamese and Spanish. All thriving language communities within the State of Oregon.

**”The fundamental essentials are at stake: human dignity, human life, the institution of the family and the equity of the social order (in other words the fundamental rights of man), no law made by men and women can subvert the norm written by the Creator in man’s heart without society itself being dramatically struck ... at its very core.”**

- Pope Benedict XVI

Vespers -- Evening Prayer

Vespers (Evening Prayer)

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 109 (110)
The Messiah, king and priest
The Lord has said to my lord: “Sit at my right hand while I make your enemies into your footstool”. From Sion the Lord will give you a sceptre, and you will rule in the midst of your foes. Royal power is yours in the day of your strength, glorious and holy; from the time of your birth, before the dawn. The Lord has sworn, and he will not repent: “You are a priest for ever, a priest of the priesthood of Melchisedech”. The Lord is at your right hand, and on the day of his anger he will shatter kings. He will judge the nations, he will pile high their skulls; he will drink from the stream as he goes – he will hold his head high. 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 109 (110)

The Messiah, king and priest

The Lord has said to my lord: “Sit at my right hand while I make your enemies into your footstool”.

From Sion the Lord will give you a sceptre, and you will rule in the midst of your foes.
Royal power is yours in the day of your strength, glorious and holy; from the time of your birth, before the dawn.

The Lord has sworn, and he will not repent: “You are a priest for ever, a priest of the priesthood of Melchisedech”.
The Lord is at your right hand, and on the day of his anger he will shatter kings.

He will judge the nations, he will pile high their skulls;
he will drink from the stream as he goes – he will hold his head high.

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 110 (111)
Great are the works of the Lord
I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart in the council of the upright and the assembly. Great are the works of the Lord, to be studied by all who delight in them. His works are splendour and majesty, his righteousness lasts for ever and ever. He gives us a record of the wonders he has worked, the Lord, the kind and compassionate. He gives food to those who fear him: for all ages he will remember his covenant. He has shown to his people the power of his deeds, he has given them the inheritance of the nations. Steadfastness and justice are the works of the Lord. All his precepts are to be trusted, they stand firm for ever and ever: they were laid down in faithfulness and justice. He has sent deliverance to his people; he has set up his covenant for ever. Holy is his name, and much to be feared. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. To those who fear him comes true understanding, and his praise endures for ever and ever. 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 110 (111)

Great are the works of the Lord

I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart
in the council of the upright and the assembly.

Great are the works of the Lord,
to be studied by all who delight in them.
His works are splendour and majesty,
his righteousness lasts for ever and ever.

He gives us a record of the wonders he has worked,
the Lord, the kind and compassionate.
He gives food to those who fear him:
for all ages he will remember his covenant.

He has shown to his people the power of his deeds,
he has given them the inheritance of the nations.
Steadfastness and justice
are the works of the Lord.
All his precepts are to be trusted,
they stand firm for ever and ever:
they were laid down in faithfulness and justice.
He has sent deliverance to his people;
he has set up his covenant for ever.

Holy is his name, and much to be feared.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
To those who fear him comes true understanding,
and his praise endures for ever and ever.

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	(Apocalypse 19)
The wedding of the Lamb
Alleluia. Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, because his judgements are true and just. Alleluia. Alleluia. Praise our God, all his servants, and you who fear him, small and great. Alleluia. Alleluia. For the Lord reigns, our God, the Almighty: let us rejoice and exult and give him glory. Alleluia. Alleluia. The marriage of the Lamb has come, and his spouse has made herself ready. Alleluia. 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

(Apocalypse 19)

The wedding of the Lamb

Alleluia.
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, because his judgements are true and just.
Alleluia.

Alleluia.
Praise our God, all his servants, and you who fear him, small and great.
Alleluia.

Alleluia.
For the Lord reigns, our God, the Almighty: let us rejoice and exult and give him glory.
Alleluia.

Alleluia.
The marriage of the Lamb has come, and his spouse has made herself ready.
Alleluia.

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	1 Peter 1:3 - 5 ©
Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy has given us a new birth as his sons, by raising Jesus Christ from the dead, so that we have a sure hope and the promise of an inheritance that can never be spoilt or soiled and never fade away, because it is being kept for you in the heavens. Through your faith, God’s power will guard you until the salvation which has been prepared is revealed at the end of time.

Short reading

1 Peter 1:3 - 5 ©

Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy has given us a new birth as his sons, by raising Jesus Christ from the dead, so that we have a sure hope and the promise of an inheritance that can never be spoilt or soiled and never fade away, because it is being kept for you in the heavens. Through your faith, God’s power will guard you until the salvation which has been prepared is revealed at the end of time.

Canticle	Magnificat
My soul rejoices in the Lord
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation. For he has shown me such favour – me, his lowly handmaiden. Now all generations will call me blessed, because the mighty one has done great things for me. His name is holy, his mercy lasts for generation after generation for those who revere him. He has put forth his strength: he has scattered the proud and conceited, torn princes from their thrones; but lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel, he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever. 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

Magnificat

My soul rejoices in the Lord

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation.
For he has shown me such favour –
me, his lowly handmaiden.
Now all generations will call me blessed,
because the mighty one has done great things for me.
His name is holy,
his mercy lasts for generation after generation
for those who revere him.

He has put forth his strength:
he has scattered the proud and conceited,
torn princes from their thrones;
but lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things;
the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel,
he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.

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

?

God, creator of the world, re-created it through the Redemption and renews it daily through his love. With joy we pray: - Lord, renew the wonders of your love.
O God, we thank you for your power, revealed in the whole of your creation;: and for your providence, revealed day by day in the world.
Through your Son, proclaimer of peace and victor on the Cross,: free us from pointless fears and from despair.
To all who love and work for justice,: give the gift of working together in openness and trust, building up the world in true peace.
Support the oppressed, give freedom to captives, console those who mourn:: let the victory of the Cross transform everything.
After your Son was dead and buried you miraculously raised him into glory:: grant that all the dead may come to share eternal life with him.

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 ever-living God, your generosity exceeds what we deserve and even what we ask for in prayer.
Pour out your compassion on us:
forgive whatever is weighing on our consciences,
and grant us gifts that we would not even dare to pray for.

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

The Word Among Us

Sunday, October 07, 2007

Meditation
2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14

"Stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands." (2 Timothy 1:6)

What is this “gift of God” that Paul urged Timothy to stir into flame? None other than the Holy Spirit himself. Paul had experienced the Spirit after he met Jesus on the road to Damascus. That’s when he was changed from a persecutor of Christians to an apostle and evangelist. He knew that Timothy needed the same Spirit to follow in his footsteps, so he laid hands on him and passed on the blessing he had received. Now, he was calling Timothy to recall that blessing and to stir up his trust in the Spirit’s power once more.

As believers, we have probably received many blessings in our lives. We can recall parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles asking God to bless us before we went to sleep, began our first day of school, or prepared for an important event in our lives. How comforting and encouraging these memories can be! And, how powerful! Did you know that you too are called to share the gift of the Spirit with other people? You may know how much you need him as your comforter and counselor, but do you know that his gift is meant to spill out of you to the people around you as well?

If you are not already doing so, start blessing members of your family by laying your hands on them and saying a simple prayer over them. It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate—it doesn’t even have to be spoken aloud! Just ask God to give them his protection and guidance. Ask him to release his Spirit in a more powerful way. By doing this, you’re not just flipping some supernatural light switch: You’re helping that person become more open to God’s work in their lives. And in turn, you are receiving a blessing by cooperating in his plan to redeem the world, one soul at a time!

“Holy Spirit, stir up the fire of your love within my family and friends! Send them your mighty power so they may live in your freedom and grace!”

Habakkuk1:2-3; 2:2-4; Psalm 95:1-2,6-9; Luke 17:5-10

One Bread, One Body

<< Sunday, October 7, 2007 >>

27th Sunday Ordinary Time

Habakkuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4
2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14

Psalm 95
Luke 17:5-10

View Readings

"HOW LONG, O LORD?" (Hb 1:2)

"I cry for help but You do not listen! I cry out to You, 'Violence!' but You do not intervene." —Habakkuk 1:2

Many of you have been praying for a long time and as far as you can tell God hasn't done anything. In fact, things may have gotten worse. Ruin, misery, destruction, violence, "strife, and clamorous discord" (Hb 1:3) are your daily menu. You're ready to quit or maybe you already have. You're making one last gasp in prayer, hoping against hope that God may move in your life and have mercy.

The Lord's answer to you is: "Write down the vision clearly upon the tablets, so that one can read it readily. For the vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint" (Hb 2:2-3). No matter how long it takes, wait in faith, "it will surely come, it will not be late" (Hb 2:3).

"Stir into flame the gift of God" bestowed when "hands were laid on you" (2 Tm 1:6). "Beloved, grow strong in your holy faith through prayer in the Holy Spirit" (Jude 20). Be confirmed in the Holy Spirit. "For there is One greater in you than there is in the world" (1 Jn 4:4). Jesus may not come when you want Him, but He's always right on time.

Prayer: Heavenly Father and crucified Jesus, send the Holy Spirit to "increase our faith" (Lk 17:5).

Promise: "If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this sycamore, 'Be uprooted and transplanted into the sea,' and it would obey you." —Lk 17:6

Praise: Praise the risen Jesus, Who restored and renewed our vision of His glory. Alleluia to our glorified Redeemer!

Archbishiop of Portland, OR, John Vlazny's Column. Catholic Sentinel

Columns

Print Edition: 10/05/2007

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us

By Archbishop John Vlazny

Every October, perhaps more than at any other time of the year, Catholics the world over often repeat that prayer, “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.” October is the month of the rosary, the special prayer which invites us to follow the example of Mary in bonding ourselves all the more closely with her Son’s birth, ministry, passion and glorious resurrection.

Oct. 7 is the traditional feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. This year the liturgical celebration will be of the Sunday but, as I mentioned in last week’s column, hopefully many of us will be praying the rosary on that day for the success of our Respect Life program in the Catholic community of the United States. But when this issue of the Catholic Sentinel goes to press, I shall be in Rome for the ordination of Mr. Theodore Lange, one of our seminarians at Rome’s North American College, on Oct. 4. It will be my privilege to celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving with him, his family, friends and other visitors on the following day. Coincidentally, Theodore was the delivery man of the beautiful image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a gift from some sisters in Mexico whom he befriended, which now adorns the west wall of St. Mary’s Cathedral in Portland. Our Lady must be pleased and hopefully so will our many Catholics who have a great devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe.

The very same weekend, on Oct. 6, the local “Rosary Bowl” is taking place at the Keizer Volcanoes Stadium off I-5. I am grateful to all the organizers who are encouraging our people to pray the rosary this month in order to strengthen family and community ties, as well as to grant peace to the world. Father Gary Zerr, pastor of St. Edward’s Church in Keizer, serves as spiritual director for the event and Auxiliary Bishop Kenneth Steiner will represent all of us in the archdiocese who are unable to attend the event in Keizer that afternoon. It will be nightfall in Rome when they gather, but I hope to be able to be with them in spirit by praying the rosary before retiring that evening.

We all remember the Year of the Rosary back in 2002. I know that this special observance renewed in the hearts of many Catholics the practice of praying the rosary, if not daily, at least with greater frequency. Pope John Paul II at that time also gave us the gift of a new set of meditations entitled the luminous mysteries, based on the Lord’s public life and ministry. He recommended that we meditate on those mysteries every Thursday, as I have done ever since. The joyful, sorrowful and glorious mysteries continue to be an inspirational source of prayerful reflection and grace-filled encounters with Mary’s Son, our Savior and Brother.

One of my most vivid memories of the archdiocesan pilgrimage to Fatima in 2002 was joining the rosary procession at that renowned shrine on the night before Pope John Paul II died. It was a truly sacred moment because that holy ground was so precious to him. It was there that he returned to thank God for sparing him the attempt on his life back in May of 1981.

Visits to shrines of Mary always renew devotion to Mary in the hearts of pilgrims. Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, also seems to take special delight in visiting shrines of Mary. During August he visited the sanctuary of Mary at Loreto in Italy, where, according to medieval stories, angels miraculously relocated her home in Nazareth. Pope Benedict traveled there in order to spend some time with a large gathering of Italian young people at an evening prayer vigil and a Sunday morning Mass. Our Lady of Loreto has become patroness now of construction, house-hunting and aviation!

Then in early September Pope Benedict headed to Austria for a three-day pastoral visit to the town of Mariazell to mark the 850th anniversary of that country’s most famous Marian shrine. There, as was reported in the Sept. 14 issue of the Catholic Sentinel, the Holy Father made a strong pro-life appeal, speaking candidly about the problems of abortion and euthanasia. He also expressed his concerns about the low birth rate and rapidly aging population of Europe. This month in our prayers we, too, pray for a change of heart in the lives of the many young spouses who look upon children as an unnecessary burden and a distraction from their careers.

Your archbishop also enjoys visiting shrines of Mary. This coming spring I plan to lead an archdiocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes in southern France, where the Blessed Mother appeared to St. Bernadette Soubirous on Feb. 11, 1858. The Year of Jubilee commemorating the sesquicentennial of that apparition will begin on Dec. 8, the feast of the Immaculate Conception, and conclude the following December. The choice of that feast day to inaugurate the Jubilee Year is not surprising. It was at Lourdes, four years after the infallible pronouncement of Pope Pius IX, that Mary was indeed immaculately conceived, that she identified herself to St. Bernadette as the “Immaculate Conception.”

Lourdes is the Marian Shrine most frequently identified with the church’s prayers for healing and reconciliation. Many sick people come to Lourdes and bathe in the waters of the shrine with the hope of a cure, physical, spiritual or both. Undoubtedly some of the pilgrims from the archdiocese will also want to share in that experience. We are all in need of healing and reconciliation.

The principal intention of all of us pilgrims will be the healing and reconciliation needed here in our own local church as we attempt to recover from the scandal which plagued us as a result of so much child sexual abuse by some of our own clergy. Many victims and their families are still grieving, others are alienated from the church and the rest of us have been diminished in our resources, enthusiasm and energy as we try to carry out the church’s evangelizing mission. Lourdes is a natural place to turn for the help we need to recover our wits, our faith and our strength. During our pilgrimage we shall also visit Lisieux, the home of St. Therese; Ars, the home of St. John Vianney; Paray-le-Monial, the home of St. Margaret Mary to whom the Sacred Heart appeared; and many of the magnificent cathedrals of France, including Notre Dame of Paris.

Every October we Catholics join Mary in prayer through the rosary. We look to her as a model for our lives as faithful disciples in mission together. She witnessed, as the rosary reminds us, the beginnings of the Incarnation, the public ministry of her Son, his suffering and death and his glorious resurrection.

Through her we join ourselves more closely to Jesus, Mary’s Son, in this month of October. With Catholics the world over we pray, “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.”

Compline -- Night Prayer

Compline (Night Prayer)

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.

This is an excellent moment for an examination of conscience. In a communal celebration of Compline, one of the penitential acts given in the Missal may be recited.

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 90 (91)
The protection of the Most High
He will shade you with his wings; you will not fear the terror of the night.
He who lives under the protection of the Most High dwells under the shade of the Almighty. He will say to the Lord: “You are my shelter and my strength, my God, in whom I trust”. For he will free you from the hunter’s snare, from the voice of the slanderer. He will shade you with his wings, you will hide underneath his wings. His faithfulness will be your armour and your shield. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day; nor the plague that walks in the shadows, nor the death that lays waste at noon. A thousand will fall at your side, at your right hand ten thousand will fall, but you it will never come near. You will look with your eyes and see the reward of sinners. For the Lord is your shelter and refuge; you have made the Most High your dwelling-place. Evil will not reach you, harm cannot approach your tent; for he has set his angels to guard you and keep you safe in all your ways. They will carry you in their arms in case you hurt your foot on a stone. You walk on the viper and cobra, you will tread on the lion and the serpent. Because he clung to me, I shall free him: I shall lift him up because he knows my name. He will call upon me and for my part, I will hear him: I am with him in his time of trouble. I shall rescue him and lead him to glory. I shall fill him with length of days and show him my salvation. 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.
He will shade you with his wings; you will not fear the terror of the night.

Reading	Apocalypse 22:4-5
They will see the face of the Lord, and his name will be marked on their foreheads. There will be no more night: they will not need sunlight or lamp-light, because the Lord God himself will shine upon them. And they will reign for ever and ever.

Short Responsory	?
Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. You have redeemed us, Lord, God of faithfulness. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

Canticle	Nunc Dimittis
Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace.
Now, Master, you let your servant go in peace. You have fulfilled your promise. My own eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all peoples. A light to bring the Gentiles from darkness; the glory of your people Israel. 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.
Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace.

Prayer
Let us pray. Today we have celebrated the mystery of the Christ’s resurrection, and so now we humbly ask you, Lord, that we may rest in your peace, far from all harm, and rise rejoicing and giving praise to you. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

May the almighty Lord grant us a quiet night and a perfect end.

A M E N

An antiphon to Our Lady should be recited here.

Lk 17:5-10
#	Douay-Rheims	Vulgate
5	And the apostles said to the Lord: Increase our faith.	et dixerunt apostoli Domino adauge nobis fidem
6	And the Lord said: If you had faith like to a grain of mustard seed, you might say to this mulberry tree: Be thou rooted up and be thou transplanted into the sea. And it would obey you.	dixit autem Dominus si haberetis fidem sicut granum sinapis diceretis huic arbori moro eradicare et transplantare in mare et oboediret vobis
7	But which of you, having a servant ploughing or feeding cattle, will say to him, when he is come from the field: Immediately go. Sit down to meat.	quis autem vestrum habens servum arantem aut pascentem qui regresso de agro dicet illi statim transi recumbe
8	And will not rather say to him: Make ready my supper and gird thyself and serve me, whilst I eat and drink; and afterwards thou shalt eat and drink?	et non dicet ei para quod cenem et praecinge te et ministra mihi donec manducem et bibam et post haec tu manducabis et bibes
9	Doth he thank that servant for doing the things which he commanded him?	numquid gratiam habet servo illi quia fecit quae sibi imperaverat non puto
10	I think not. So you also, when you shall have done all these things that are commanded you, say: We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which we ought to do.	sic et vos cum feceritis omnia quae praecepta sunt vobis dicite servi inutiles sumus quod debuimus facere fecimus

(*) "I think not" belongs to v. 9 in Vulgate

Altarpiece

Michael Erhart

1493-94
Wood
Benedictine Abbey Church, Blaubeuren

In the chancel of the church of the former Benedictine abbey of Blaubeuren stands an altarpiece almost 12 meters high, created by the Ulm sculptors Michel and Gregor Erhart.

Supported by a predella of the same width as the altar table, the Blaubeuren altarpiece takes the form of a polyptych with two side wings that can be opened. Both the outer and the inner sides of these wings and the predella are decorated with paintings. Only when both the wings were opened was the sculptural decoration fully revealed.

On the predella are half-length figures of Christ and the Apostles, while in the central section the Virgin stands with the Child on the sickle moon. She is accompanied, on her right by St John the Baptist, the saint to whom the church was dedicated, and St Benedict, the founder of the order, and on her left by St John the Evangelist and St Scholastica, the founder of the order's female branch. The left-hand wing has a relief showing the birth of Christ while the right-hand one depicts the Adoration of the Magi. In the central section of the filigree superstructure that towers over the altarpiece Christ is depicted as the Man of Sorrows. At the sides of the superstructure stand the Virgin and St John. Below each of them are three busts of saints and Church Fathers.

The Blaubeuren Altarpiece is regarded as a work in the distinctive style of the Erhart workshop. Yet it is Michel Erhart himself who is now regarded by most experts as the master chiefly responsible for this altarpiece.

Source

Mustard Seed Faith

Marcellino D'Ambrosio, Ph.D.

Other Articles by Marcellino D'Ambrosio, Ph.D.
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Mustard Seed Faith

October 7, 2007

We all admire the heroes of faith like St. Francis (feast day, October 4). Absolutely nothing stopped him in his pursuit of God's glory. When, during the Crusades, he was captured by the Saracens, St. Francis challenged the imams to a duel to prove which was the true religion. "Light a bonfire," Francis said to the Sultan, "and have your imam enter the fire along with me. Whoever emerges from the flames unhurt, his God is the true God." The Sultan thought it was a good idea. His imam did not. But from that moment on, the Sultan gave Francis and his friars safe passage passes to travel anywhere in Muslim territories unhindered, so much was he moved by Francis' faith.

So how about us? We identify more with the apostles' request in this Sunday's gospel: "Lord, increase our faith!" (Lk 17:5).

You might think the Lord would comfort the disciples when they made this request. "There, there, now. Don't feel too bad about yourselves. Having faith is hard!" No, that's not how He handled it. His answer appears even a bit harsh: "If your faith was even the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this sycamore tree 'be rooted up and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you."

Jesus' sharpest rebukes, throughout Scripture, are in response to lack of faith. And His most repeated command in the Gospels is "do not be afraid", which is better translated "stop fearing!"

Why can Jesus be so emphatic about faith and fear? Is it really our fault if we feel shaky inside before the Goliaths in our lives? No, feeling shaky is not our fault. Feelings cannot be commanded. But faith is not a feeling. And the fear that Jesus rebukes is not a feeling. From the biblical accounts of the agony of the Garden, the Lord trembled with fear and dread at the ordeal that was soon to begin. But notice how He responded. He did not flee over the top of the Mount of Olives and disappear in the wilderness of Judea. He stood his ground as darkness approached. I bet Peter felt a few butterflies as he stepped out of the boat to walk on the water. He may have faltered later, but at least, unlike the others, he stepped out of the boat. He refused to be paralyzed by fear.

The Church teaches that faith is one of the theological virtues. And a virtue, says St. Thomas Aquinas, is a habit, a power or capacity that gets stronger when it is exercised and atrophies when it is not. So faith is like a spiritual muscle. We were born with muscles. Some people choose to develop them, and some do not. The way you develop them is to exercise them regularly and to do so against ever increasing resistance. More weight on the bar may mean pain and strain, but it ultimately leads to stronger muscles.

In our new birth from above, through Baptism, we are all given the gift of supernatural faith. Some Christians choose to develop this muscle and some do not. You exercise it by making acts of faith both in prayer and in action. Before each Mass, I try to make an act of faith in the Lord's true presence in His people, in His ordained minister, in the Word of God, and most especially in the Sacrament of His Precious Body and Blood. When faced with trials, I try to get a hold of my dismay and fear, and make an act of faith in God, Who has always brought me through troubled waters. When faced with intimidating problems, I try to walk forward despite the feeling that I may not do as well as David did facing his Goliath.

The only way faith grows is to be challenged. So it is okay to pray for an increase of faith. But if you ask for faith, know that this means giving the Lord permission to put more weight on the bar. When He does, you've got to be willing to take a deep breath and lift. For, as St. Paul says, "God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power and love and self-control" (2 Tim 1:8).

Dr. D'Ambrosio studied under Avery Cardinal Dulles for his Ph.D. in historical theology and taught for many years at the University of Dallas. He now directs www.crossroadsinitiative.com, which offers Catholic resources for RCIA and adult and teen faith formation, with a special emphasis on the Year of the Eucharist, the Theology of the Body, the early Church Fathers, and the Sacrament of Confirmation.

(This article originally appeared in Our Sunday Visitor and is used by permission of the author.)

October 7 is also the Anniversary of the Battle of Lepanto and celebrated as the feast of the Most Holy Rosary of Our Lady.

Question: I know that the Pope and many of the faithful prayed the rosary the day of the battle.

I thought I had read at one time that the sailors/soldiers were instructed (on the Christian ships in the battle) to pray the Rosary as they went into battle.

But I have had trouble finding this anywhere.

I believe the Pope prayed the rosary at Saint Mary Major Basilica that day...

Here are the Lepanto links I have.

Lepanto, 1571: The Battle That Saved Europe

Celebrating the Battle of Lepanto

Clash of civilizations: Battle of Lepanto revisited

Lepanto, Bertone e Battesimo, Oh My!

Lepanto Sunday

Our Lady of the Rosary of La Naval (A Mini-Lepanto in the Philippines)

Swiss Guards at the Battle of Lepanto, 7 October 1571

Battle of Lepanto

LEPANTO, 7 OCTOBER 1571: The Defense of Europe

Battle of Lepanto

Remember Lepanto!

The Battle of Lepanto

On This Day In History, The Battle of Lepanto

The Battle of Lepanto

Chesterton's Lepanto

The Miracle At Lepanto...

Lepanto

The Naval Battle of Lepanto

The Battle of Lepanto

Call to Prayer 12:00 EST 17 November: This Lepanto Moment [Read only]

A Call To Prayer: This Lepanto Moment[Read only]

This is the answer I was looking for (found in one of the links you posted):

The Battle Begins The Turks had an estimated 328 ships, of which 208 were galleys, the rest being smaller supporting craft. Aboard them were nearly 77,000 men, including 10,000 Janissaries, but also 50,000 oarsmen, many of them Christian slaves. At Don Juan’s command were 206 galleys, along with 40,000 oarsmen and sailors, and more than 28,000 soldiers, knights, and gentleman adventurers. He also had the blessings of the pope and the papal banner; the ministrations of Jesuits, Dominicans, Franciscans, and Capuchins who accompanied the fleet; the prayers of the faithful; and the rosaries that were pressed into the hands of every Christian oarsman.

In short, every Christian oarsman had a rosary for the battle. Additionally, there were a number of priests (and perhaps deacons and brothers) of various Religous orders -- Jesuits, Dominicans, Franciscans, and Capuchins. They accompanied the fleet.

But Pope Pius V asked all the Faithful (throughout Europe) for victory against the Turks...

Thanks...

It’s such an amazing story. Look at those numbers:

77,000 men for the Turks

40,000 oarsmen and sailors,
28,000 soldiers

The Catholics were definitely outnumbered. Pray the Rosary — hold up someone else’s hands in prayer, just as Aaron and Hur held up Moses’ hands in the First Reading this week.

God bless!

That is why I am hopeful of the 40 Days for Life movement. Ironically, because of not having any money, I was not fasting out of necessity just before that started.

So the combination of fasting and prayer can be a powerful spiritual act!

It may be that the movie Bella will benefit from the 40 Days of Life going on during its release, and this movie might change the hearts of many people... Via the power of prayer.

But it is also why I was so down on Father Frank Pavone -- he did not push The 40 Days for Life that much.

If he had worked with other groups to promote it, I am certain that The 40 Days for Life would have been even more successful.

But I saw that many at Priests for Life enjoyed a lifestyle that was not as prayerful a lifestyle as it should be.

That is why I was so critical of PFL when Father Frank made the Press Release about The 40 Days of Life opening day. One of my comments was that it was the start of 40 days of steak dinners for PFL. From my perspective, I found too much truth in my sarcasm.

But I am in a solid Catholic area, and I intend to form a pro-life group (Acadiana Pro-Life) to make sure that the 40 Days for Life happens in 2008 in all the major cities/Universities of Louisiana, if I can. It is worth a try...

God bless...

And the formation of a pro-life group was the why of my question -- I was going to use Lepanto as the inspiration.

From: 2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14

Response to grace

[6] Hence I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the
laying on of my hands; [7] for God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of
power and love and self control.

St Paul, herald of the Gospel

[8] Do not be ashamed then of testifying to our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but
take your share of suffering for the gospel in the power of God.

[13] Follow the pattern of the sound words which you have heard from me, in the
faith and love which are in Christ Jesus; [14] guard the truth that has been entrus-
ted to you by the holy Spirit who dwells within us.

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

6. “The gift of God” is the priestly character which Timothy received on the day of
his ordination. St Paul is using very graphic and precise language; by the sacra-
ment of Order a divine gift is conferred on the priest; it is like an ember which
needs to be revived from time to time in order to make it glow and give forth the
warmth it contains. St Thomas Aquinas comments that “the grace of God is like a
fire, which does not glow when it is covered by ashes; the same thing happens
when grace is covered over in a person by sluggishness or natural fear” (Com-
mentary on 2 Tim, ad loc.).

The gifts which God confers on the priest “are not transitory or temporary in him,
but stable and permanent, attached as they are to an indelible character, impres-
sed on his soul, by which he is made a priest forever (cf. Ps 109:4), in the like-
ness of Him in whose priesthood he has been made to share” (Pius XI, Ad
catholici sacerdotii, 17).

“The laying on of my hands”: see the note on 1 Tim 4:14.

Note from 1 Tim 4:14: The “laying on of hands” is another technical expression.
Jesus used this gesture many times (cf. Mt 9:18-19; 19:15; Mk 6:5; 7:32; 8:23-25;
16:8; Lk 4:40; 13:13); the Apostles used it as a rite for bringing down the Holy
Spirit (Acts 8:17; 19:6). Here, as elsewhere in these letters, the laying on of
hands is the rite of priestly ordination (cf. 1 Tim 5:22; 2 Tim 1:6), whereby the
mission and powers of the person performing the rite are passed on, thereby
ensuring continuity of priesthood. In 2 Timothy 1:6, a parallel text, it says
“through the laying on of my hands”; whereas here it says “when the elders laid
their hands on you”. The participles “through” and “when” imply that the action of
imposition of hands is an essential part of the sacrament.

The Church has preserved intact the essential elements of the sacrament of
Order – the laying on of hands and the consecrating words of the bishop (cf. Paul
VI, Apost. Const. Pontificalis Romani recognition, 18 July 1968).

7. The gift of God, received in the sacrament of Order by the laying on of hands,
includes sanctifying grace and sacramental grace, and the actual graces needed
for performing ministerial functions in a worthy manner. The Council of Trent
uses this text (vv. 6-7) when it solemnly defines that Priestly Order is a sacrament
instituted by Jesus Christ (cf. De Sacram. Ordinis, chap. 3).

The minister, then, must be courageous in performing his office: he should
preach the truth unambiguously even if it clashes with the surroundings; he
should do so with love, and be open to everyone despite their faults; with sobriety
and moderation, always seeing the good of souls, not his own advantage. Since
the days of the Fathers the Church has urged priests to develop these virtues:
“Priests should be compassionate”, St Polycarp warns; “they should show mercy
to all; they should try to reclaim those who go astray, visit the sick, and care for
the poor, the orphan and the widow. They should be concerned always to do
what is honourable in the sight of God and men. They should avoid any show of
anger, any partiality or trace of greed. They should not be over-ready to believe
ill of anyone, not too severe in their censure, being well aware that we all owe the
debt of sin” (Letter to the Philippians, chap. 6).

13-14, In guarding that has been entrusted to him (cf. notes on 1 Tim 6:20 and
2 Tim 1:12), Timothy, like all the pastors of the Church, receives the supernatural
help of the Holy Spirit. “Guiding the Church in the way of all truth (cf. Jn 16:13)
and unifying her in communion and in the works of ministry, (the Spirit) bestows
upon her varied hierarchic and charismatic gifts, and in this way directs her; and
he adorns her with his fruits (cf. Eph 4:11-12; 1 Cor 12:4; Gal 5:22)” (Vatican II,
Lumen gentium, 4).

The Holy Spirit has been with the Church since the day of Pentecost, ever-active
in the sanctification of all believers. His action includes guaranteeing the faithful
transmission of the entire body of teaching revealed by God, ensuring that it be
unchanged in any way. The First Vatican Council teaches that the Holy Spirit
“was not promised to the successors of St Peter so that they by their own revela-
tion might make known some new teaching; he was promised so that by means
of his help they might reverently guard and faithfully expound the revelation trans-
mitted by the Apostles, that is, the deposit of faith” (Pastor aeternus, chap. 4).

*********************************************************************************************
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: Luke 17:5-10

The Power of Faith

[5] The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith! [6] And the Lord said,
“If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this sycamore
tree, `Be rooted up, and be planted in the sea’, and it would obey you.

Humble Service

[7] “Will any of you, who has a servant ploughing or keeping sheep, say to
him when he has come in from the field, `Come at once and sit down at table’?
[8] Will he not rather say to him, `Prepare supper for me, and gird yourself and
serve me, till I eat and drink; and afterward you shall eat and drink’? [9] Does
he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? [10] So you also,
when you have done all that is commanded you, say, `We are unworthy servants;
we have only done what was our duty.’”

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

1-3. Our Lord condemns scandal, that is, “any saying, action or omission which
constitute for another an occasion of sin” (”St. Pius X Catechism”, 417). Jesus is
teaching two things here: the first is that scandal will “in fact” happen; the second,
that it is a grave sin, as shown by the punishment it earns.

The reason why it is so serious a sin is that it “tends to destroy God’s greatest work,
that of Redemption, through souls being lost; it kills one’s neighbor’s soul by taking
away the life of grace, which is more precious than the life of the body, and it is the
cause of a multitude of sins. This is why God threatens with the most severe
punishment those who cause others to stumble” (”ibid”., 418). See [the notes on]
Matthew 18:6-7; 18-8; 18:10.

“Take heed to yourselves”: a serious warning, meaning that we should not be a
cause of scandal to others nor should we be influenced by the bad example others
give us.

People who enjoy authority of any kind (parents, teachers, politicians, writers,
artists, etc.) can more easily be a cause of scandal. We need to be on the alert
in this respect in view of our Lord’s warning, “Take heed to yourselves.”

2. Millstones were circular in shape with a large hole in the center. Our Lord’s
description, therefore, was very graphic: it meant that the person’s head just
fitted through the hole and then he could not get the stone off.

3-4. In order to be a Christian one must always, genuinely, forgive others. Also,
one has to correct an erring brother to help him change his behavior. But fraternal
correction should always be done in a very refined way, full of charity; otherwise
we would humiliate the person who has committed the fault, whereas we should
not humiliate him but help him to be better.

Forgiving offenses—which is something we should always do—should not be
confused with giving up rights which have been justly violated. One can claim
rights without any kind of hatred being implied; and sometimes charity and
justice require us to exercise our rights. “Let’s not confuse the rights of the office
you hold with your rights as a person. The former can never be waived” ([St]
Escriva, “The Way”, 407).

Sincere forgiveness leads us to forget the particular offense and to extend the
hand of friendship, which in turn helps the offender to repent.

The Christian vocation is a calling to holiness, but one of its essential require-
ments is that we show apostolic concern for the spiritual welfare of others:
Christianity cannot be practiced in an isolated, selfish way. Thus, “if any one
among you wanders from the truth and some one brings him back, let him know
that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from
death and will cover a multitude of sins” (James 5:20).

5. “Increase our faith!”: a good ejaculatory prayer for every Christian. “Omnia
possibilia sunt credenti”. Everything is possible for anyone who has faith.’ The
words are Christ’s. How is it that you don’t say to Him with the Apostles:
`”adauge nobis fidem”! increase my faith!’?” (”The Way”, 588).

6. “I’m not one for miracles. I have told you that in the Holy Gospel I can find
more than enough to confirm my faith. But I can’t help pitying those Christians
—pious people, `apostles’ many of them—who smile at the idea of extraordinary
ways, of supernatural events. I feel the urge to tell them: Yes, this is still the
age of miracles: we too would work them if we had faith!” (”The Way”, 583).

7-10. Jesus is not approving this master’s abusive and arbitrary behavior: He
is using an example very familiar to His audience to show the attitude a person
should have towards his Creator: everything, from our very existence to the
eternal happiness promised us, is one huge gift from God. Man is always in
debt to God; no matter what service he renders Him he can never adequately
repay the gifts God has given him. There is no sense in a creature adopting a
proud attitude towards God. What Jesus teaches us here we see being put into
practice by our Lady, who replied to God’s messenger (the Archangel Gabriel),
“Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord” (Luke 1:38).

*********************************************************************************************
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.