Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 06-01-11, Memorial, St. Justin, Martyr

USCCB.org/New American Bible ^ | 06-01-11 | New American Bibl

[Salvation]

June 1, 2011

Memorial of Saint Justin, Martyr

 

Reading 1
Responsorial Psalm
Gospel

Reading 1

Acts 17:15, 22—18:1
After Paul’s escorts had taken him to Athens,
they came away with instructions for Silas and Timothy
to join him as soon as possible.

Then Paul stood up at the Areopagus and said:
“You Athenians, I see that in every respect
you are very religious.
For as I walked around looking carefully at your shrines,
I even discovered an altar inscribed, ‘To an Unknown God.’
What therefore you unknowingly worship, I proclaim to you.
The God who made the world and all that is in it,
the Lord of heaven and earth,
does not dwell in sanctuaries made by human hands,
nor is he served by human hands because he needs anything.
Rather it is he who gives to everyone life and breath and everything.
He made from one the whole human race
to dwell on the entire surface of the earth,
and he fixed the ordered seasons and the boundaries of their regions,
so that people might seek God,
even perhaps grope for him and find him,
though indeed he is not far from any one of us.
For ‘In him we live and move and have our being,’
as even some of your poets have said,
‘For we too are his offspring.’
Since therefore we are the offspring of God,
we ought not to think that the divinity is like an image
fashioned from gold, silver, or stone by human art and imagination.
God has overlooked the times of ignorance,
but now he demands that all people everywhere repent
because he has established a day on which he will ‘judge the world
with justice’ through a man he has appointed,
and he has provided confirmation for all
by raising him from the dead.”

When they heard about resurrection of the dead,
some began to scoff, but others said,
“We should like to hear you on this some other time.”
And so Paul left them.
But some did join him, and became believers.
Among them were Dionysius,
a member of the Court of the Areopagus,
a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

After this he left Athens and went to Corinth.

 

---

148:1-2, 11-12, 13, 14

Responsorial Psalm

R. Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Praise the LORD from the heavens;
praise him in the heights.
Praise him, all you his angels;
praise him, all you his hosts.
R. Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let the kings of the earth and all peoples,
the princes and all the judges of the earth,
Young men too, and maidens,
old men and boys.
R. Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Praise the name of the LORD,
for his name alone is exalted;
His majesty is above earth and heaven.
R. Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He has lifted up the horn of his people;
Be this his praise from all his faithful ones,
from the children of Israel, the people close to him.
Alleluia.
R. Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.

 

---

Jn 16:12-15

Gospel

Jesus said to his disciples:
“I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.
But when he comes, the Spirit of truth,
he will guide you to all truth.
He will not speak on his own,
but he will speak what he hears,
and will declare to you the things that are coming.
He will glorify me,
because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.
Everything that the Father has is mine;
for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine
and declare it to you.”

[Salvation]

Scripture readings taken from the Jerusalem Bible, published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd

[Salvation]

Scripture readings taken from the Jerusalem Bible, published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd

Mass Readings

---

First reading	Acts 17:15,22-18:1 ©

Paul’s escort took him as far as Athens, and went back with instructions for Silas and Timothy to rejoin Paul as soon as they could.

  So Paul stood before the whole Council of the Areopagus and made this speech:

  ‘Men of Athens, I have seen for myself how extremely scrupulous you are in all religious matters, because I noticed, as I strolled round admiring your sacred monuments, that you had an altar inscribed: To An Unknown God. Well, the God whom I proclaim is in fact the one whom you already worship without knowing it.

  ‘Since the God who made the world and everything in it is himself Lord of heaven and earth, he does not make his home in shrines made by human hands. Nor is he dependent on anything that human hands can do for him, since he can never be in need of anything; on the contrary, it is he who gives everything – including life and breath – to everyone. From one single stock he not only created the whole human race so that they could occupy the entire earth, but he decreed how long each nation should flourish and what the boundaries of its territory should be. And he did this so that all nations might seek the deity and, by feeling their way towards him, succeed in finding him. Yet in fact he is not far from any of us, since it is in him that we live, and move, and exist, as indeed some of your own writers have said:

“We are all his children.”

‘Since we are the children of God, we have no excuse for thinking that the deity looks like anything in gold, silver or stone that has been carved and designed by a man.

  ‘God overlooked that sort of thing when men were ignorant, but now he is telling everyone everywhere that they must repent, because he has fixed a day when the whole world will be judged, and judged in righteousness, and he has appointed a man to be the judge. And God has publicly proved this by raising this man from the dead.’

  At this mention of rising from the dead, some of them burst out laughing; others said, ‘We would like to hear you talk about this again.’ After that Paul left them, but there were some who attached themselves to him and became believers, among them Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman called Damaris, and others besides.

  After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.

---

Psalm	Psalm 148:1-2,11-14

---

Gospel	John 16:12-15 ©

Jesus said:

‘I still have many things to say to you

but they would be too much for you now.

But when the Spirit of truth comes

he will lead you to the complete truth,

since he will not be speaking as from himself

but will say only what he has learnt;

and he will tell you of the things to come.

He will glorify me,

since all he tells you

will be taken from what is mine.

Everything the Father has is mine;

that is why I said:

All he tells you

will be taken from what is mine.’

[Salvation]

Wednesday, June 01, 2011
St. Justin, Martyr (Memorial)

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

Acts 17:15, 22 -- 18:1 Psalm 148:1-2, 11-14 John 16:12-15 In giving birth you kept your virginity; in your Dormition you did not leave the world, O Mother of God, but were joined to the source of Life. You conceived the living God and, by your prayers, will deliver our souls from death. -- Byzantine Liturgy, Troparion, Feast of the Dormition, August 15th

[Salvation]

This prayer,  which dates from the twelfth century, is substituted for the Angelus during Easter Season.

 

The Regina Coeli 

 

In Latin

In English

Regina coeli, laetare, alleluia: Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia. Resurrexit sicut dixit, alleluia. Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia. V. Gaude et laetare, Virgo Maria, Alleluia, R. Quia surrexit Dominus vere, alleluia. Oremus: Deus qui per resurrectionem Filii tui, Domini nostri Iesu Christi, mundum laetificare dignatus es: praesta, quaesumus, ut per eius Genetricem Virginem Mariam, perpetuae capiamus gaudia vitae. Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum. R. Amen.

Queen of Heaven rejoice, alleluia: For He whom you merited to bear, alleluia, Has risen as He said, alleluia. Pray for us to God, alleluia. V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia. R. Because the Lord is truly risen, alleluia. Let us pray: O God, who by the Resurrection of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, granted joy to the whole world: grant we beseech Thee, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may lay hold of the joys of eternal life. Through the same Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

[Salvation]

For every mother-to-be or father-to-be approaching the doors of the abortion clinic -- here is a prayer for you.

 

 

"Mary, Mother of Jesus be a mother to be now, make me better."

 

--prayer from Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

[Salvation]

Office of Readings and Invitatory Psalm

Office of Readings

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

---

Introduction

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.

---

Hymn

O thou, the heavens’ eternal King,

Creator, unto thee we sing,

With God the Father ever One,

Coequal, coeternal Son.

Thy hand, when first the world began,

Made in thine own pure image man,

And yoked to fleshly form of earth

A living form of heavenly birth.

And when the envy of the foe

Had marred thy noblest work below,

Clothed in our flesh, thou didst restore

The image thou hadst made before.

Once wast thou born of Mary’s womb;

And now, newborn from out the tomb,

O Christ, thou bid’st us rise with thee

From death to immortality.

Redeemer, thou for us didst deign

To hang upon the Cross of pain,

And give to us the lavish price

Of thine own Blood in sacrifice.

Grant, Lord, in thee each faithful mind

Unceasing Paschal joy may find;

And from the death of sin set free

Souls newly born to life by thee.

To thee, once dead, who now dost live,

All glory, Lord, thy people give,

Whom, with the Father, we adore,

And Holy Spirit forevermore.

---

Psalm 38 (39)
A prayer in sickness

We groan inwardly and await the redemption of our bodies.

I said, “I will watch my ways,

  I will try not to sin in my speech.

I will set a guard on my mouth,

  for as long as my enemies are standing against me.”

I stayed quiet and dumb, spoke neither evil nor good,

  but my pain was renewed.

My heart grew hot within me,

  and fire blazed in my thoughts.

Then I spoke out loud:

  “Lord, make me know my end.

Let me know the number of my days,

  so that I know how short my life is to be.”

All the length of my days is a handsbreadth or two,

  the expanse of my life is as nothing before you.

For in your sight all men are nothingness:

  man passes away, like a shadow.

Nothingness, although he is busy:

  he builds up treasure, but who will collect it?

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.

We groan inwardly and await the redemption of our bodies.

---

Psalm 38 (39)

Lord, hear my prayer: do not be deaf to my tears.

What, now, can I look forward to, Lord?

  My hope is in you.

Rescue me from all my sins,

  do not make me a thing for fools to laugh at.

I have sworn to be dumb, I will not open my mouth:

  for it is at your hands that I am suffering.

Aim your blows away from me,

  for I am crushed by the weight of your hand.

You rebuke and chastise us for our sins.

Like the moth you consume all we desire

 – for all men are nothingness.

Listen, Lord, to my prayer:

  turn your ear to my cries.

Do not be deaf to my weeping,

  for I come as a stranger before you,

  a wanderer like my fathers before me.

Turn away from me, give me respite,

  before I leave this world,

  before I am no more.

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.

Lord, hear my prayer: do not be deaf to my tears.

---

Psalm 51 (52)
Against calumny

I trust in the goodness of God for ever and ever. Alleluia.

Why do you take pride in your malice,

  you expert in evil-doing?

All day long you plan your traps,

  your tongue is sharp as a razor –

  you master of deceit!

You have chosen malice over kindness;

  you speak lies rather than the truth;

  your tongue is in love with every deceit.

For all this, in the end God will destroy you.

  He will tear you out and expel you from your dwelling,

  uproot you from the land of the living.

The upright will see and be struck with awe:

  they will deride the evil-doer.

“Here is the man who did not make God his refuge,

  but put his hope in the abundance of his riches

  and in the power of his stratagems.”

But I flourish like an olive in the palace of God.

  I hope in the kindness of God,

  for ever, and through all ages.

I shall praise you for all time for what you have done.

  I shall put my hope in your name and in its goodness

  in the sight of your chosen ones.

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.

I trust in the goodness of God for ever and ever. Alleluia.

---

God raised Christ from the dead, alleluia,

– so that our faith and hope would be in God, alleluia.

---

Reading	1 John 2:18-29 ©

Children, these are the last days;

you were told that an Antichrist must come,

and now several antichrists have already appeared;

we know from this that these are the last days.

Those rivals of Christ came out of our own number, but they had never really belonged;

if they had belonged, they would have stayed with us;

but they left us, to prove that not one of them

ever belonged to us.

But you have been anointed by the Holy One,

and have all received the knowledge.

It is not because you do not know the truth that I am writing to you

but rather because you know it already

and know that no lie can come from the truth.

The man who denies that Jesus is the Christ –

he is the liar,

he is Antichrist;

and he is denying the Father as well as the Son,

because no one who has the Father can deny the Son,

and to acknowledge the Son is to have the Father as well.

Keep alive in yourselves what you were taught in the beginning:

as long as what you were taught in the beginning is alive in you,

you will live in the Son

and in the Father;

and what is promised to you by his own promise

is eternal life.

This is all that I am writing to you about the people who are trying to lead you astray.

But you have not lost the anointing that he gave you,

and you do not need anyone to teach you;

the anointing he gave teaches you everything;

you are anointed with truth, not with a lie,

and as it has taught you, so you must stay in him.

Live in Christ, then, my children,

so that if he appears, we may have full confidence,

and not turn from him in shame

at his coming.

You know that God is righteous –

then you must recognise that everyone whose life is righteous

has been begotten by him.

Responsory

You have not lost the anointing God gave you: you do not need anyone else to teach you, since in the anointing he teaches you everything, alleluia.

Be glad, rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given you a teacher of justice: you do not need anyone else to teach you, since in the anointing he teaches you everything, alleluia.

---

Reading	From the Acts of the martyrdom of Saint Justin and his companion saints

I have accepted the true doctrines of the Christians

The saints were seized and brought before the prefect of Rome, whose name was Rusticus. As they stood before the judgement seat, Rusticus the prefect said to Justin: “Above all, have faith in the gods and obey the emperors.” Justin said: “We cannot be accused or condemned for obeying the commands of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.”

  Rusticus said: “What system of teaching do you profess?” Justin said: “I have tried to learn about every system, but I have accepted the true doctrines of the Christians, though these are not approved by those who are held fast by error.”

  The prefect Rusticus said: “Are those doctrines approved by you, wretch that you are?” Justin said: “Yes, for I follow them with their correct teaching.”

  The prefect Rusticus said: “What sort of teaching is that?” Justin said: “Worship the God of the Christians. We hold him to be from the beginning the one creator and maker of the whole creation, of things seen and things unseen. We worship also the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He was foretold by the prophets as the future herald of salvation for the human race and the teacher of distinguished disciples. For myself, since I am a human being, I consider that what I say is insignificant in comparison with his infinite godhead. I acknowledge the existence of a prophetic power, for the one I have just spoken of as the Son of God was the subject of prophecy. I know that the prophets were inspired from above when they spoke of his coming among men.”

  Rusticus said: “You are a Christian, then?” Justin said: “Yes, I am a Christian.”

  The prefect said to Justin: “You are called a learned man and think that you know what is true teaching. Listen: if you were scourged and beheaded, are you convinced that you would go up to heaven?” Justin said: “I hope that I shall enter God’s house if I suffer that way. For I know that God’s favour is stored up until the end of the whole world for all who have lived good lives.”

  The prefect Rusticus said: “Do you have an idea that you will go up to heaven to receive some suitable rewards?” Justin said: “It is not an idea that I have; it is something I know well and hold to be most certain.”

  The prefect Rusticus said: “Now let us come to the point at issue, which is necessary and urgent. Gather round then and with one accord offer sacrifice to the gods.” Justin said: “No one who is right thinking stoops from true worship to false worship.”

  The prefect Rusticus said: “If you do not do as you are commanded you will be tortured without mercy.” Justin said: “We hope to suffer torment for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, and so be saved. For this will bring us salvation and confidence as we stand before the more terrible and universal judgement-seat of our Lord and Saviour.”

  In the same way the other martyrs also said: “Do what you will. We are Christians; we do not offer sacrifice to idols.”

  The prefect Rusticus pronounced sentence, saying: “Let those who have refused to sacrifice to the gods and to obey the command of the emperor be scourged and led away to suffer capital punishment according to the ruling of the laws.” Glorifying God, the holy martyrs went out to the accustomed place. They were beheaded, and so fulfilled their witness of martyrdom in confessing their faith in their Saviour.

Responsory

I have testified to the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and now I care nothing for any danger. I do not count my life precious compared with my work, which is to finish the course I run, the task of preaching which the Lord Jesus has given me, in proclaiming the good news of God’s grace, alleluia.

I am not ashamed of this gospel. It is an instrument of God’s power, that brings salvation to all who believe in it, Jew first and then Greek. I do not count my life precious compared with my work, which is to finish the course I run, the task of preaching which the Lord Jesus has given me, in proclaiming the good news of God’s grace, alleluia.

---

Let us pray.

Lord God, in a wonderful way, through the folly of the cross, you taught your martyr Saint Justin the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ.

  Heed his prayer for us: dispel every deceiving error, and ground us firmly in our faith.

[We make our prayer] 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.

[Salvation]

Divine Intimacy Devotional

The Way of the Cross

Presence of God

O Holy Spirit, teach me the value of suffering, so that I may esteem it and love it as a means of sanctification.

Meditation

1. We must be thoroughly convinced that if the Holy Spirit works in our souls to assimilate us to Christ, He can do so only by opening to us the way of the Cross. Jesus is Jesus Crucified; therefore, there can be no conformity to Him except by the Cross, and we shall never enter into the depths of the spiritual life except by entering into the mystery of the Cross. St Teresa of Jesus teaches us that even the highest contemplative graces are given to souls only in order to enable them to carry the Cross. "His Majesty" says the Saint, "can do nothing greater for us than to grant us a life which is an imitation of that lived by His beloved Son. I feel certain, therefore, that these favours are given to us to strengthen our weakness, so that we may be able to imitate Him in His great sufferings" (Interior Castle VII, 4). Yes, conformity to Jesus Crucified has more value and importance than all mystical graces! The whole spiritual life is dominated by the Cross and, as the Cross is the central point in the history of the world, so it is the central point in the history of every soul. The Cross gave us life; it will imprint upon our souls the traits of the most perfect resemblance to Jesus; the more we share in His Cross, the more shall we resemble Him and co-operate in the work of Redemption.

In order to attain sanctity, it is evident that we need the Cross. To accept God's will always and in every circumstance implies the renunciation of one's own will; it is impossible to be conformed to Jesus in everything, "who in this life has no other pleasure, nor desired any, than to do the will of His Father" (St John of the Cross, Ascent of Mt Carmel, I, 13, 4), without renouncing one's own selfish pleasures. And all this means: detachment, crosses, sacrifice, self-denial. It means setting out steadfastly on the way indicated by Jesus Himself: "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me" (Matthew 16, 24). This is the path which the Holy Spirit urges and invites us to follow. Whenever we find ourselves looking for things that are easier, more commodious, or more honourable; whenever we notice that we are satisfying our self-love, our pride or see that we are attached to our own will, let us remind ourselves that all this is far removed from the inspirations of the Holy Spirit and, what is worse, it is an obstacle to His action in us.

2. By courageously practising self-denial, we begin the way of conformity to Jesus Crucified; but here, too, our initiatives are disproportionate to the end to be attained; the acts of mortification and self-denial which we make are wholly insufficient to strip us of the old man and clothe us with Christ, with Christ Crucified. That is why the Holy Spirit, after setting us on the road of the Cross by His inspirations — which tend to make us accept, for the love of God, all that is hard and painful to nature — takes it upon Himself to complete our purification. He does this by sending us trials, both exterior and interior. "We must know" says St John of the Cross, "that the divine fire of love … is wounding the soul and destroying and consuming in it the imperfections of its bad habits; this is the operation of the Holy Spirit wherein He prepares it for divine union and the transformation of love in God." (Living Flame of Love, 1, 19). Therefore, we must not imagine that the Holy Spirit's action will always be consoling — quite the contrary! Suffering is necessary for our purification and, flowing from this, our participation in the redemptive work of Jesus. The farther we advance along the road of the Cross, the more we shall be sanctified and the more fruitful the apostolate we shall exercise in the Church. It is evident then, that in order to sanctify us the Holy Spirit cannot lead us by any way other than that of the Cross. It is for us to second His action, primarily by willingly accepting everything hard and painful that comes to us in our daily life. Often we neglect the Cross of daily trials and prefer one that is far away, and which perhaps may never be sent to us. We must not seek the Cross in these extraordinary sufferings, seldom, if ever, encountered; we must look for it in the duties, the life, the difficulties and the sacrifices of each day and each moment. Here we shall find unfathomable treasures, recognizing them by the light of faith, by the aid of the Holy Spirit who urges us to embrace these daily crosses, not merely endure them — to accept them and offer them willingly, saying with all our heart: "Yes, I want this, even though it seems to crush me!"

Colloquy

"O Spirit of truth, make me know Your Word; teach me to remember all He has said; enlighten me, guide me, make me conformable to Jesus as an 'alter Christus', another Christ, by giving me His virtues, especially His patience, humility and obedience; let me take part in His redemptive work by making me understand and love the Cross.

"O Holy Spirit, I come before You like a little green fruit which will ripen in the sun, like a bit of straw which is to be burned, like a drop of dew to be absorbed by the sun, like an ignorant child who must be taught. O Holy Spirit, giving Yourself to little souls, poor and humble, I present myself to You as one of these, and in this disposition I invoke You: 'Veni, Sancte Spiritus, sanctifica me!' Come, Holy Spirit, sanctify me! My desire for holiness is so great! Sanctify me Yourself; make haste to make me holy and a great saint, without my knowing it, in the self-effacement of my daily life.

"I wish to cast myself into You, O Holy Spirit, divine Fire, so that You will complete my purification, destroy my miserable self-love and transform me wholly into love. It is for this that I beseech You to come upon me and direct me according to Your good pleasure. 'Dirige actos nostros in benplacito tuo.' Direct our actions according to Your good pleasure.

"O consuming Fire, divine Love in person, inflame me, burn me, consume me, destroy all self-love in me, transform me entirely into love, bring me to the 'nothing' that I may possess the 'All'; bring me to the summit of the 'mountain' where dwells only the honour and glory of God, where all is 'peace and joy' in You, O Holy Spirit! Grant that here below — through suffering and loving contemplation — I may arrive at the most intimate union with the Blessed Three, until I go to contemplate Them in the face-to-face vision of heaven, in the peace, joy and security of the 'perpetual banquet'." (Sr Carmela of the Holy Spirit OCD)

[Salvation]

Saint Justin, Martyr

Saint Justin, Martyr
Memorial
June 1st

Justin Martyr
André Thevet, Les Vrais Pourtraits et Vies Hommes Illustres,
1584 edition supplied by the Special Collections Library, University of Michigan and http://www.earlychurch.org.uk/justin.html

 

History:

Christian apologist, born at Flavia Neapolis, about A.D. 100, converted to Christianity about A.D. 130, taught and defended the Christian religion in Asia Minor and at Rome, where he suffered martyrdom about the year 165. "Apologies" bearing his name and his "Dialogue with the Jew Tryphon" have come down to us.

(Principal source - Catholic Encyclopedia - 1913 edition)

 

Collect:
Father,
through the folly of the cross
You taught Saint Justin the sublime wisdom of Jesus Christ.
May we too reject falsehood
and remain loyal to the faith.
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

First Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25
For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will thwart." Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Gospel Reading: Matthew 5:13-19
"You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trodden under foot by men.

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

"Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them. For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

---

Related Page on the Vatican Website: Benedict XVI, General Audience, St Peter's Square, Wednesday, March 21, 2007, St Justin, Philosopher and Martyr (c. 100-165)

Links to New Advent - The Fathers of the Church

Justin Martyr [SAINT]
  - First Apology
  - Second Apology
  - Dialogue with Trypho
  - Hortatory Address to the Greeks
  - On the Sole Government of God
  - Fragments of the Lost Work on the Resurrection
  - Miscellaneous Fragments from Lost Writings
  - Martyrdom of Justin, Chariton, and other Roman Martyrs
  - Discourse to the Greeks

[Salvation]

Prayer of the Week:

ACT OF HOPE

O MY GOD, relying on Thy almighty power and infinite mercy and promises, I hope to obtain pardon of my sins, the help of Thy grace, and Life Everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer.  Amen
                                                         ~~~~~~

 

[Salvation]

Catholic

Almanac:

Wednesday, June 1
Liturgical Color: Red
Bl. John Storey died in 1571. He was a lawyer and a member of the British Parliament. John was imprisoned several times for opposing anti-Catholic legislation brought to Parliament by the king. He was convicted on false charges and martyred.

[Salvation]

Catholic Culture

Daily Readings for: June 01, 2011
(Readings on USCCB website)

Collect: Father, through the folly of the cross you taught St. Justin the sublime wisdom of Jesus Christ. May we too reject falsehood and remain loyal to the faith. 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.

ACTIVITIES

• Namedays
• Religion in the Home for Preschool: June
• What is a Nameday?

PRAYERS

• June Devotion: The Sacred Heart

LIBRARY

• Hortatory Address To The Greeks | St. Justin Martyr

1st

  Memorial of St. Justin, martyr Old Calendar: St. Angela Merici, virgin

St. Justin, apologist and martyr, was one of the most important Christian writers of the second century. He himself tells how his study of all the schools of philosophy led him to Christianity, and how he dedicated his life to the defense of the Christian faith as "the one certain and profitable philosophy."

St. Justin is particularly celebrated for the two Apologies which he was courageous enough to address in succession to the persecuting emperors Antoninus and Marcus Aurelius. One of them contains a description of the rites of baptism and the ceremonies of Mass, thus constituting the most valuable evidence that we possess on the Roman liturgy of his day. He was beheaded in Rome in 165. Justin is also referred to as "the Philosopher."

According to the 1962 Missal of Bl. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is the feast of St. Angela Merici. Her feast is now celebrated on January 27. St. Justin's feast was celebrated on April 14.

---

St. Justin
Justin, the son of Priscus, was a Greek by race, and was born at Nablus in Palestine. He passed his youth in the study of letters. When he grew to manhood he was so taken with the love of philosophy and the desire of truth, that he became a student of philosphy and examined the teaching of all the philosophers. He found in them only deceitful wisdom and error. He received the light of heaven from a venerable old man, who was a stranger to him, and embraced the philosophy of the true Christian faith. Henceforth he had the books of Holy Scripture in his hands by day and night, and his soul was filled with the divine fire enkindled by his meditations. Having thus acquired the excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ, he devoted his learning to the composition of many books explaining and propagating the Christian faith.

Among the most famous of the works of Justin are his two Apologies or Defenses of the Christian faith. These he offered in the Senate to the Emperor Antoninus Pius and his sons, together with Marcus Antoninus Verus and Lucius Aurelius Commodus, who were cruelly persecuting the followers of Christ. By these Apologies and his vigorous disputations in defense of the faith he obtained a public edict from the government to stay the slaughter of the Christians. But Justin himself did not escape. He had blamed the wicked life led by Crescens the Cynic, who caused him to be accused and arrested. He was brought before Rusticus, the Prefect of Rome, and questioned concerning the doctrine of the Christians. Whereupon he made this good confession in the presence of many witnesses: "The right doctrine which we Christian men do keep with godliness is this: that we believe that there is one God, the maker and creator of all things, both those which are seen and those which bodily eyes do not see; and that we confess the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was of old foretold by the Prophets, and who is to come to judge all mankind."

In his first Apology Justin had given, in order to rebut the slanders of the heathen, an open account of the Christian assemblies and of the holy Mysteries there celebrated. The prefect asked him in what place he and Christ's other faithful servants in the city were accustomed to meet. But Justin, fearing to betray the holy mysteries and his brethren, mentioned only his own dwelling near the famous church in the house of Pudens, where he lived and taught his disciples. The prefect then bade him choose whether he would sacrifice to the gods or suffer a cruel scourging. The unconquered champion of the faith answered that he had always desired to suffer for the Lord Jesus Christ, from whom he hoped to receive a great reward in heaven. The prefect thereupon sentenced him to death, and thus this excellent philosopher, giving praise to God, suffered the pain of scourging, and then shed his blood for Christ, and was crowned with martyrdom. Some of the faithful stole away his body and buried it in a fitting place.

Excerpted from The Liturgical Year, Abbot Gueranger O.S.B.

Patron: Apologists; lecturers; orators; philosophers; speakers.

Symbols: Ox; pen; sword; red-hot helmet.

Things to Do:

• St. Justin was a prolific writer, and one of the first Christians to write about the Eucharistic liturgy of the early church. Read some of Justin Martyr's writings.

• Read this account of St. Justin's life and another account from the Church Fathers of his martyrdom.

• The Catholic Encyclopedia has an excellent entry on St. Justin. Their summary: "The role of St. Justin may be summed up in one word: it is that of a witness. We behold in him one of the highest and purest pagan souls of his time in contact with Christianity, compelled to accept its irrefragable truth, its pure moral teaching, and to admire its superhuman constancy. He is also a witness of the second-century Church which he describes for us in its faith, its life, its worship, at a time when Christianity yet lacked the firm organization that it was soon to develop, but the larger outlines of whose constitution and doctrine are already luminously drawn by Justin. Finally, Justin was a witness for Christ unto death."

[Salvation]

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.

---

Introduction

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.

---

Hymn

Light’s glittering morn bedecks the sky,

Heav’n thunders forth its victor cry:

The glad earth shouts her triumph high,

And groaning hell makes wild reply.

While he, the King of sovereign might,

Treads down death’s strength in death’s despite,

And trampling hell by victor’s right,

Brings forth his sleeping saints to light.

Fast barred beneath the stone of late,

In watch and ward where soldiers wait,

Now shining in triumphant state,

He rises victor from death’s gate.

Hell’s pains are loosed and tears are fled:

Captivity is captive led:

The angel, crowned with light, hath said:

‘The Lord is risen from the dead.’

Author of all, be thou our guide

In this our joy of Eastertide;

Whene’er assaults of death impend,

Thy people strengthen and defend.

To thee who, dead, again dost live,

All glory, Lord, thy people give:

All glory, as is ever meet,

To Father and to Paraclete.

---

Psalm 76 (77)
Remembering the works of the Lord

The waters saw you, O God: you led your people through the sea. Alleluia.

I cried out loud to the Lord,

  cried out to God, and he turned to me.

In my time of trouble I sought for God,

  my hands stretched out all night long,

  tireless in supplication.

My soul will not be consoled:

  I think of God, and I sigh;

  I meditate, and my spirit fails.

You have kept me awake, my eyes open;

  in my distress, I did not speak.

I pondered on the days of old,

  thought through the immemorial years.

In the night I meditated in my heart.

  I was troubled, and I asked my soul:

Will God reject you for ever,

  will he never again take you into his favour?

Has his kindness ended for ever,

  his word come to an end for all generations?

Will God forget to show mercy,

  will he lock up his mercies in his anger?

And I said, “I am wounded indeed,

  that the Most High has changed.”

I will remember the works of the Lord.

  I will remember your wonders, from the beginning.

I will ponder on all you have done,

  think deeply through all your great deeds.

O God, your ways are holy:

  what god is as great as our God?

You are God, you work wonders,

  you made known your strength to your people.

By your own action you redeemed your people,

  the children of Jacob and of Joseph.

The waters saw you, O God,

  the waters saw you and writhed,

  stirred up even to their depths.

The clouds poured down water,

  the clouds sounded their voice,

  your arrows shot forth.

Your voice thundered in the whirlwind,

  your lightnings lit up the world,

  the earth trembled and shook.

Your way led through the sea,

  your paths through the great waters,

  your steps left no trace behind them.

You led your people like a flock,

  by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

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.

The waters saw you, O God: you led your people through the sea. Alleluia.

---

Canticle	1 Samuel 2

The song of Hannah, mother of Samuel

The Lord gives death and he gives life. Alleluia.

My heart rejoices in the Lord,

  my strength is raised up in the name of my God.

I cry out in triumph over my enemies

  as I rejoice in your deliverance.

No-one is like the Lord, for he is holy;

  no-one is like our God, for he is strong.

Do not pile boasting upon boasting:

  keep proud words far from your mouth,

for the Lord is the God of all knowledge

  and the judge of all actions.

The bow of the mighty is broken,

  and the weak are clothed in strength.

Those who fed well must hire themselves out, for bread;

  but the hungry are hungry no longer.

The barren woman has given birth to many;

  but she who had many sons is left desolate.

The Lord brings death and brings life;

  he leads down to the underworld and rescues from it.

The Lord makes poor and makes rich;

  he lays low and raises up.

He lifts the needy from the dust and the poor from the dunghill

  to sit among princes

  to sit on the throne of glory.

To the Lord belong the poles of the earth;

  from them he has suspended the world.

He will keep safe the feet of his chosen,

  but the impious will be silent in the darkness

 – for it is not by his own strength that a man becomes strong.

The Lord grinds down his enemies:

  he will thunder on them from the heavens.

The Lord will judge the ends of the earth,

  give dominion to his king,

  and raise up the standard of his anointed one.

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.

The Lord gives death and he gives life. Alleluia.

---

Psalm 96 (97)
The glory of God in his judgements

Light shines forth for the just, and joy for the upright of heart. Alleluia.

The Lord reigns! Let the earth rejoice,

  let the many islands be glad.

Clouds and dark mist surround him,

  his throne is founded on law and justice.

Fire precedes him,

  burning up his enemies all around.

His lightnings light up the globe;

  the earth sees and trembles.

The mountains flow like wax at the sight of the Lord,

  at the sight of the Lord the earth dissolves.

The heavens proclaim his justice

  and all peoples see his glory.

Let them be dismayed, who worship carved things,

  who take pride in the images they make.

All his angels, worship him.

Zion heard and was glad,

  the daughters of Judah rejoiced

  because of your judgements, O Lord.

For you are the Lord, the Most High over all the earth,

  far above all other gods.

You who love the Lord, hate evil!

The Lord protects the lives of his consecrated ones:

  he will free them from the hands of sinners.

A light has arisen for the just,

  and gladness for the upright in heart.

Rejoice, you just, in the Lord

  and proclaim his holiness.

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.

Light shines forth for the just, and joy for the upright of heart. Alleluia.

---

Short reading	Romans 6:8-11 ©

We believe that having died with Christ we shall return to life with him: Christ, as we know, having been raised from the dead will never die again. Death has no power over him any more. When he died, he died, once for all, to sin, so his life now is life with God; and in that way, you too must consider yourselves to be dead to sin but alive for God in Christ Jesus.

---

Short Responsory

The Lord has risen from the tomb, alleluia, alleluia.

– The Lord has risen from the tomb, alleluia, alleluia.

He who hung on the tree for our sake, alleluia, alleluia.

– The Lord has risen from the tomb, alleluia, alleluia.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

– The Lord has risen from the tomb, alleluia, alleluia.

---

Canticle	Benedictus

The Messiah and his forerunner

Whenever we offer anything up, we give praise to the Creator of all things through his Son Jesus Christ and through the Holy Spirit. Alleluia.

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.

Whenever we offer anything up, we give praise to the Creator of all things through his Son Jesus Christ and through the Holy Spirit. Alleluia.

---

Prayers and Intercessions

It was by God’s gift that the risen Christ appeared to the Apostles. Therefore let us address our prayers to God:

– Lord, make us shine with the glory of Christ.

O God, Father of all light, we praise you today with thankful hearts, for you have called us into your glory and light

  to receive your loving kindness.

– Lord, make us shine with the glory of Christ.

As the whole family of man strives for a more worthwhile life,

  strengthen and purify their efforts by the power of your Spirit.

– Lord, make us shine with the glory of Christ.

Dedicate us to the service of mankind,

  so that the human race becomes an acceptable offering to you.

– Lord, make us shine with the glory of Christ.

As this day begins, fill us with your loving kindness,

  so that we spend the whole day praising you in triumph and delight.

– Lord, make us shine with the glory of Christ.

---

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.

---

Lord God, in a wonderful way, through the folly of the cross, you taught your martyr Saint Justin the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ.

  Heed his prayer for us: dispel every deceiving error, and ground us firmly in our faith.

[We make our prayer] 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.

AMEN

[Salvation]

The Word Among Us

Meditation: John 16:12-15

Pentecost is only twelve days away, and to help us get ready, we want to focus the upcoming meditations on the Holy Spirit and his work in our hearts.

And today’s Gospel reading is a great place to start. At the Last Supper, Jesus told his followers that there was so “much more” he wanted to teach them, but they weren’t ready for it yet. So he promised that the

Holy Spirit would soon come and reveal it to them.

So what was this “much more” that Jesus wanted to teach the disciples— and us? Here are just a few things:

Through the Spirit, the apostles learned that Gentiles were just as worthy of salvation as Jews (Acts 10). There is no distinction in Christ. Everyone—male or female, slave or free, rich or poor, black or white or yellow or brown—has equal dignity and value in God’s kingdom (Galatians 3:28).

Through the Spirit, they also learned that Jesus was not just Israel’s Messiah (Colossians 1:15-20). He is the eternal Son of God, Lord of heaven and earth! And that knowledge led them to bow down in worship. It led them to profess: “Jesus Christ is Lord” and to dedicate their lives to proclaiming Christ to everyone (Philippians 2:11).

Through the Spirit, they learned that nothing could ever separate them from God’s love (Romans 8:35-39). We are completely safe in God’s hands. He will never abandon us or disown us. He is full of mercy and love for us—all the time!

How about you? What is the “much more” that Jesus wants to give you? Perhaps there are unanswered questions about Jesus and his cross. Maybe he wants to give you more courage in sharing your faith. Maybe he wants to teach you how to bring healing to a friend or family member. Jesus has already given you the Holy Spirit. Now is the time to let the Spirit’s gifts unfold!

“Holy Spirit, widen my heart and open my mind. I want to receive more of you this Pentecost.”

Acts 17:15,22–18:1; Psalm 148:1-2,11-14

[Salvation]

 

Marriage = One Man and One Woman

Daily Marriage Tip for June 1, 2011:

(Reader’s Tip) Sharing household chores can reduce the burden. “I made the breakfast and he opted to do the dishes.”

[Salvation]

Secret Harbor ~ Portus Secretioris

01 June 2011

Vigil of the Ascension

The Lord, the Only-begotten and coeternal with the Father, could in the form of a servant and out of the form of a servant, if such were needful, pray in silence; but in this other way He wished to show Himself as One Who prayed to the Father, that He might remember that He was still our Teacher. Accordingly, the prayer which He offered for us, He made also known to us; seeing that it is not only the delivering of discourses to them by so great a Master, but also the praying for them to the Father, that is a means of edification to disciples. And if so to those who were present to hear what was said, it is certainly so also to us who were to have the reading of it when written.

Wherefore in saying this, Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, He showed that all time, and every occasion when He did anything or suffered anything to be done, were arranged by Him Who was subject to no time: since those things, which were individually future in point of time, have their efficient causes in the Wisdom of God, wherein there are no distinctions of time. Let it not, then, be supposed that this hour came through any urgency of fate, but rather by the divine appointment. It was no necessary law of the heavenly bodies that tied to its time the Passion of Christ; for we may well shrink from the thought that the stars should compel their own Maker to die.

The glorification of the Son by the Father is understood by some to consist in this: that He spared Him not, but delivered Him up for us all. But if we say that He was glorified by His Passion, how much more was He so by His Resurrection? For in His passion our attention is directed more to His humility than to His glory, in accordance with the testimony of the apostle, who says, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross: and then he goes on to say of His glorification: Wherefore God also has highly exalted Him, and given Him a Name which is above every name: that in the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father. This is the glorification of our Lord Jesus Christ: that took its commencement from His resurrection.

~ Saint Augustine ~

 

Posted by Jeffrey S. J. Allan at 09:31

[annalex]

John
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	John 16
12.	I have yet many things to say to you: but you cannot bear them now.	Adhuc multa habeo vobis dicere, sed non potestis portare modo.	ετι πολλα εχω λεγειν υμιν αλλ ου δυνασθε βασταζειν αρτι
13.	But when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will teach you all truth. For he shall not speak of himself; but what things soever he shall hear, he shall speak; and the things that are to come, he shall shew you.	Cum autem venerit ille Spiritus veritatis, docebit vos omnem veritatem : non enim loquetur a semetipso, sed quæcumque audiet loquetur, et quæ ventura sunt annuntiabit vobis.	οταν δε ελθη εκεινος το πνευμα της αληθειας οδηγησει υμας εις πασαν την αληθειαν ου γαρ λαλησει αφ εαυτου αλλ οσα αν ακουση λαλησει και τα ερχομενα αναγγελει υμιν
14.	He shall glorify me; because he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it to you.	Ille me clarificabit, quia de meo accipiet, et annuntiabit vobis.	εκεινος εμε δοξασει οτι εκ του εμου ληψεται και αναγγελει υμιν
15.	All things whatsoever the Father hath, are mine. Therefore I said, that he shall receive of mine, and shew it to you.	Omnia quæcumque habet Pater, mea sunt. Propterea dixi : quia de meo accipiet, et annuntiabit vobis.	παντα οσα εχει ο πατηρ εμα εστιν δια τουτο ειπον οτι εκ του εμου λαμβανει και αναγγελει υμιν

[annalex]

12. I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.
13. However when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth; for he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak; and he will show you things to come.
14. He shall glorify me; for he shall receive of mine and shall show it to you.
15. All things that the Father has are mine; therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall show it to you.

THEOPHYL. Our Lord having said above, It is expedient for you that I go away, He enlarges now upon it: I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.

AUG. All heretics, when their fables are rejected for their extravagance by the common sense of mankind, try to defend themselves by this text; as if these were the things which the disciples could not at this time bear, or as if the Holy Spirit could teach things, which even the unclean spirit is ashamed openly to teach and preach.

But bad doctrines such as even natural shame cannot bear are one thing, good doctrines such as our poor natural understanding cannot bear are another. The one are allied to the shameless body, the other lie far beyond the body. But what are these things which they could not bear; I cannot mention them for this very reason; for who of us dare call himself able to receive what they could not? Some one will say indeed that many, now that the Holy Ghost has been sent, can do what Peter could not then, as earn the crown of martyrdom.

But do we therefore know what those things were, which He was unwilling to communicate; for it seems most absurd to suppose that the disciples were not able to bear then the great doctrines, that we find in the Apostolic Epistles, which were written afterwards, which our Lord is not said to have spoken to them. For why could they not bear then what every one now reads and bears in their writings, even though he may not understand? Men of perverse sects indeed cannot bear what is found in Holy Scripture concerning the Catholic faith, as we cannot bear their sacrilegious vanities; for not to bear means not to acquiesce in.

But what believer or even catechumen before he has been baptized and received the Holy Ghost, does not acquiesce in and listen to, even if he does not understand, all that was written after our Lord's ascension; But some one will say, Do spiritual men never hold doctrines which they do not communicate to carnal men, but do to spiritual?

There is no necessity why any doctrines should be kept secret from the babes and revealed to the grown up believers. Spiritual men ought not altogether to withhold spiritual doctrines from the carnal, seeing the Catholic faith ought to be preached to all; nor at the same time should they lower them in order to accommodate them to the understanding of persons who cannot receive them, and so make their own preaching contemptible, rather than the truth intelligible.

So then we are not to understand these words of our Lord to refer to certain secret doctrines which if the teacher revealed, the disciple would not be able to bear, but to those very things in religious doctrine which are within the apprehension of all of us. If Christ chose to communicate these to us, in the same way in which He does to the Angels, what men, yea what spiritual men, which the Apostles were not now, could bear them? For indeed every thing which can be known of the creature is inferior to the Creator; and yet who is silent about Him?

While in the body we cannot know all the truth, as the Apostle says, We know in part (1 Cor 13); but the Holy Spirit sanctifying us fits us for enjoying that fullness of which the same Apostle says, Then face to face. Our Lord's promise, But when He the Spirit of truth shall come, He shall teach you all truth, or shall lead you into all truth, does not refer to this life only, but to the life to come, for which this complete fullness is reserved. The Holy Spirit both teaches believers now all the spiritual things which they are capable of receiving, and also kindles in their hearts a desire to know more.

DIDYMUS. Or He means that His hearers had not yet attained to all those things which for His name's sake they were able to bear; so, revealing lesser things, He puts off the greater for a future time, such things as they could not understand till the Cross itself of their crucified Head had been their instruction. As yet they were slaves to the types, and shadows, and images of the Law, and could not bear the truth of which the Law was the shadow. But when the Holy Ghost came, He would lead them by His teaching and discipline into all truth, transferring them from the dead letter to the quickening Spirit, in Whom alone all Scripture truth resides.

CHRYS. Having said then, you cannot bear them now, but then you shall be able, and, The Holy Spirit shall lead you into all truth; lest this should make them suppose that the Holy Spirit was the superior, He adds, For He shall not speak of Himself, but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak.

AUG. This is like what He said of Himself above, i.e., I can of My own Self do nothing; as I hear I judge. But that may be understood of Hi m as man; how must we understand this of the Holy Ghost, Who never became a creature by assuming a creature? As meaning that He is not from Himself: The Son is born of the Father, and the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father. In what the difference consists between proceeding and being born, it would require a long time to discuss, and would be rash to define.

But to hear is with Him to know, to know to be. As then He is not from Himself, but from Him from Whom He proceeds, from Whom His being is, from the same is His knowledge. From the same therefore His hearing. The Holy Ghost then always hears, because He always knows; and He has heard, hears, and will hear from Him from Whom He is.

DIDYMUS. He shall not speak of Himself, i.e., not without Me, and Mine and the Father's will: because He is not of Himself, but from the Father and Me. That He exists, and that He speaks, He has from the Father and Me. I speak the truth; i.e., I inspire as well as speak by Him, since He is the Spirit of Truth. To say and to speak in the Trinity must not be understood according to our usage, but according to the usage of incorporeal natures, and especially the Trinity, which implants Its will in the hearts of believers, all of those who are worthy to hear It.

For the Father then to speak, and the Son to hear, is a mode of expressing the identity of their nature, and their agreement. Again, the Holy Spirit, Who is the Spirit of truth, and the Spirit of wisdom, cannot hear from the Son what He does not know, seeing He is the very thing which is produced from the Son, i.e. truth proceeding from truth, Comforter from Comforter, God from God. Lastly, lest any one should separate Him from the will and society of the Father and the Son, it is written, Whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak.

AUG. But it does not follow from hence that the Holy Spirit is inferior; for it is only signified that He proceeds from the Father.

AUG. Nor let the use of the future tense perplex you; that hearing is eternal, because the knowledge is eternal. To that which is eternal, without beginning, and without end, a verb of any tense may be applied. For though an unchangeable nature does not admit of was and shall be, but only is, yet it is allowable to say of It, was and is and shall be: was, because It never began; shall be, because It never shall end; is, because It always is.

DIDYMUS. By the Spirit of truth too the knowledge of future events has been granted to holy men. Prophets filled with this Spirit foretold and saw things to come, as if they were present: And He will show you things to come.

BEDE. It is certain that many filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit have foreknown future events. But as many gifted saints have never had this power, the words, He will show you things to come, may be taken to mean, bring back to your minds the Joys of your heavenly country. He did however inform the Apostles of what was to come, viz. of the evils that they would have to suffer for Christ's sake, and the good things they would receive in recompense.

CHRYS. In this way then He raised their spirits; for there is nothing for which mankind so long, as the knowledge of the future. He relieves them from all anxiety on this account, by showing that dangers would not fall upon them unawares. Then to show that He could have told them all the truth into which the Holy Spirit would lead them, He adds, He shall glorify Me.

AUG. By pouring love into the hearts of believers, and making them spiritual, and so able to see that the Son Whom they had known before only according to the flesh, and thought a man like themselves, was equal to the Father. Or certainly because that love filling them with boldness, and casting out fear, they proclaimed Christ to men, and so spread His fame throughout the whole world. For what they were going to do in the power of the Holy Ghost, this the Holy Ghost says He does Himself.

CHRYS. And because He had said, You have one Master, even Christ (Matt 23:8), that they might not be prevented by this from admitting the Holy Ghost as well, He adds, For He shall receive of Mine, and shall show it to you.

DIDYMUS. To receive must be taken here in a sense agreeable to the Divine Nature. As the Son in giving is not deprived of what He gives, nor imparts to others with any loss of His own, so too the Holy Ghost does not receive what before He had not; for if He received what before He had not, the gift being transferred to another, the giver would be thereby a loser.

We must understand then that the Holy Ghost receives from the Son that which belonged to His nature, and that there are not two substances implied, one giving and the other receiving, but one substance only. In like manner the Son too is said to receive from the Father that wherein He Himself subsists. For neither is the Son any thing but what is given Him by the Father, nor the Holy Ghost any substance but that which is given Him by the Son.

AUG. But it is not true, as some heretics have thought, that because the Son receives from the Father, the Holy Ghost from the Son, as if by gradation, that therefore the Holy Ghost is inferior to the Son. He Himself solves this difficulty, and explains His own words: All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore said I, that He shall take of Mine, and shall show it to you.

DIDYMUS. As if He said, Although the Spirit of truth proceeds from the Father, yet all things that the Father has are Mine, and even the Spirit of the Father is Mine, and receives of Mine. But beware, when you hear this, that you think not it is a thing or possession which the Father and the Son have. That which the Father has according to His substance, i.e. His eternity, immutability, goodness, it is this which the Son has also.

Away with the evils of logicians who say, therefore the Father is the Son. Had He said indeed, All that God has are Mine, impiety might have taken occasion to raise its head; but when He said, All things that the Father has are Mine, by using the name of the Father, He declares Himself the Son, and being the Son, He usurps not the Paternity, though by the grace of adoption He is the Father of many saints.

HILARY. Our Lord therefore has not left it uncertain whether the Paraclete be from the Father, or from the Son; for He is sent by the Son, and proceeds from the Father; both these He receives from the Son. You ask whether to receive from the Son and to proceed from the Father be the same thing.

Certainly, to receive from the Son must be thought one and the same thing with receiving from the Father; for when He says, All things that the Father has are Mine, therefore said I, that He shall receive of Mine, He shows herein that the things are received from Him, because all things which the Father has are His, but that they are received from the Father also. This unity has no diversity; nor does it matter from whom the thing is received; since that which is given by the Father is counted also as given by the Son.

Catena Aurea John 16

[annalex]

The Sermon of St Stephen

Vittore Carpaccio

1514
Tempera on canvas, 152 x 195 cm
Musée du Louvre, Paris

[Salvation]

Vespers -- Evening Prayer

Vespers (Evening Prayer)

---

Introduction

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.

---

Hymn

Sing we triumphant hymns of praise,

New hymns to heaven exulting raise:

Christ, by a road before untrod,

Ascendeth to the throne of God.

The holy Apostolic band

Upon the Mount of Olives stand,

And with the Virgin Mother see

Jesu’s resplendent majesty.

O grant us thitherward to tend,

And with unwearied hearts ascend

Toward thy kingdom’s throne, where thou

(As is our faith) art seated now.

All glory, Lord, to thee we pay,

Ascending o’er the stars to-day;

All glory, as is ever meet,

To Father and to Paraclete.

---

Psalm 112 (113)
Praise of the Lord's name

I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I leave the world to go to the Father. Alleluia.

Praise, servants of the Lord,

  praise the name of the Lord.

Let the Lord’s name be blessed,

  now and for ever.

From the sun’s rising to its setting,

  the Lord’s name is to be praised.

The Lord is high over all peoples,

  his glory is above the heavens.

Who is like the Lord our God, who lives on high,

  who bends down to watch over heaven and earth?

He raises the weak from the ground,

  the poor from the dunghill,

raises them among the princes,

  the princes of his people.

He gives the barren woman a household,

  makes her the happy mother of children.

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.

I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I leave the world to go to the Father. Alleluia.

---

Psalm 116 (117)
Praise of the merciful Lord

After he had spoken to his disciples, the Lord Jesus ascended into heaven, where he is seated at the right hand of the Father. Alleluia.

Praise the Lord, all nations; all peoples, praise him.

For his mercy is strong over us and his faithfulness is 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.

After he had spoken to his disciples, the Lord Jesus ascended into heaven, where he is seated at the right hand of the Father. Alleluia.

---

Canticle	Apocalypse 11

The Judgement

No-one has gone up to heaven except the one who came down from heaven, the Son of Man who is in heaven. Alleluia.

We thank you,

  Lord God Almighty,

who are and who were,

  that you have taken up your great power and begun to reign.

The nations were angered,

  but your anger came, the time for the dead to be judged,

the time to reward the prophets and saints, your servants,

  and those who feared your name, both great and small.

Now have come the salvation and might and kingdom of our God,

  and the power of his Anointed,

for the accuser of our brethren has been brought down,

  who accused them day and night in the sight of God.

But they vanquished him through the blood of the Lamb

  and through their own witness.

They did not cling to life,

  even in the face of death.

Therefore rejoice, heavens,

  and you who dwell in them.

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.

No-one has gone up to heaven except the one who came down from heaven, the Son of Man who is in heaven. Alleluia.

---

Short reading	Ephesians 2:4-6 ©

God loved us with so much love that he was generous with his mercy: when we were dead through our sins, he brought us to life with Christ – it is through grace that you have been saved – and raised us up with him and gave us a place with him in heaven, in Christ Jesus.

---

Short Responsory

God ascends amid shouts of joy. Alleluia, alleluia.

– God ascends amid shouts of joy. Alleluia, alleluia.

The Lord goes up to the sound of trumpets.

– God ascends amid shouts of joy. Alleluia, alleluia.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

– God ascends amid shouts of joy. Alleluia, alleluia.

---

Canticle	Magnificat

My soul rejoices in the Lord

Father, I have made your name known to the men you gave me. Now I pray for them rather than for the world, for I am coming to you. Alleluia.

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.

Father, I have made your name known to the men you gave me. Now I pray for them rather than for the world, for I am coming to you. Alleluia.

---

Prayers and Intercessions

Let us rejoice as we pray to Christ, who is seated at the right hand of the Father:

– You, Christ, are the king of glory.

King of glory, you have taken our mortal flesh in all its fragility and lifted it up to the heights:

  free it from the corruption of ancient sin and restore our nature to its created purity.

– You, Christ, are the king of glory.

Following the path of love, you came down to live among us:

  following the path of love, may we ascend to join you.

– You, Christ, are the king of glory.

You promised to draw all men to yourself:

  do not let anyone be separated from your mystical body.

– You, Christ, are the king of glory.

May our hearts and minds follow your lead

  to where you have ascended in glory.

– You, Christ, are the king of glory.

Now we await your coming as God in judgement:

  may we one day, together with the dead, behold you as Lord in all the majesty of your loving kindness.

– You, Christ, are the king of glory.

---

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.

---

Almighty God,

  fill us with a holy joy;

  teach us how to thank you with reverence and love

  on account of the ascension of Christ your Son.

You have raised us up with him:

  where he, the head, has preceded us in glory,

  there we, the body, are called in hope.

[We make our prayer] 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.

AMEN

[Salvation]

Regnum Christi

Nothing But the Truth

INTERNATIONAL | SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY

Memorial of Saint Justin, Martyr (June 1, 2011)

June 1, 2011
Memorial of Saint Justin, Martyr
Father John Doyle, LC

John 16:12-15
Jesus said to his disciples: "I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you."

Introductory Prayer: Lord, as I begin this prayer I offer you my whole self: my thoughts, desires, decisions, actions, hopes, fears, weaknesses, failures and petty successes. I open my entire being to you, aware that you know everything already. I’m certain of your mercy and of the purifying power of your penetrating, loving gaze.

Petition: Lord, allow me to be sincerely and truthfully yours.

1. My Truth Before God: Jesus tells his apostles he has many more things to tell them, but it seems that they are not yet ready to accept the truth. They were not ready, for one thing, to acknowledge the fact that in a few short hours all of them would flee before the prospect of the Cross, leaving Christ quite alone. I, too, may find it hard to see, or to accept, a realistic picture of my relationship with Christ or my state of soul. I may justify myself or my indifference with any number of psychological consolations. I might convince myself that I am not quite as bad off as so-and-so. Perhaps I put up an excellent external show, living all the motions, but with little true conviction and sincerity.

2. Cheap Deceptions: In our consumer-oriented world, first impressions often seem to count more than the goodness or evil of a thing. Opinion polls appear to set the standard for right and wrong, and a false idea of tolerance is a highly held ideal. Truth can be seen as bluntly offensive, and so it is repackaged in a more appealing way. However, none of these attempts by the “spirit of the world” can ever succeed in the end, just as no amount of darkness can ever stop the smallest beam of light. The Holy Spirit is at work in the world declaring the truth loud and clear in the depths of the human soul. Only the truth -- which comes from Christ -- has the power to bring true peace and joy to the human heart when all illusions are shown up as such.

3. Living in the Truth: As Christians we must be on guard against the spirit of insincerity. No one who lives outside the truth can claim to be a disciple of Christ. Little falsehoods in our lives are utterly destructive to the action of the “Spirit of Truth” in our souls. Our Savior never spoke out so strongly against anything as he did against the pretended righteousness of the leaders of his time. How many things have I done recently just to be praised by others? How many good things have I done which are known to God alone? Am I capable of standing firm to my convictions in the face of misunderstanding or ridicule?

Conversation with Christ: Jesus, the example of your life and death is one of complete honesty. Empower me through the “Spirit of Truth” to be sincere in all that I do before God and others.

Resolution: I will ask forgiveness in the sacrament of reconciliation at the first available opportunity for any insincerity in my life.