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From: 1 John 5:5-13

Everyone Who Believes in Jesus Overcomes the World (Continuation)

[5] Who is it that overcomes the world but he who believes that Jesus is the
Son of God?

Testimony Borne to Christ

[6] This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water on-
ly but with the water and the blood. [7] And the Spirit is the witness, because the
Spirit is the truth. [8] There are three witnesses, the Spirit, the water, and the
blood; and these three agree. [9] If we receive the testimony of men, the testimo-
ny of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne witness to
his Son. [10] He who believes in the son of God has the testimony in himself. He
who does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in
the testimony that God has borne to his Son. [11] And this is the testimony, that
God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. [12] He who has the Son has
life; he who has not the Son of God has not life.

Epilogue

[13] I write this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may
know that you have eternal life.

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

6. The “water” and the “blood” have been interpreted in different ways, depending
on whether they apply (following the more literal meaning) to events in the life of
Christ, or are regarded as symbols of particular sacraments. The water, if refer-
red to the life of Christ, would be an allusion to our Lord’s baptism (cf. Mt 3:13-
17 and par.), where the Father and the Holy Spirit bore witness to Christ’s divini-
ty; the blood would refer to the Cross, where Christ, God and true man, shed his
blood to bring Redemption. According to this interpretation, St John is answering
the Gnostics, who said that Jesus of Nazareth became the Son of God through
baptism and ceased to be the Son of God prior to his passion: therefore, only
the man Jesus, devoid of divinity, died on the Cross; which would be a denial of
the redemptive value of Christ’s death.

Understood as symbols of the sacraments, the water would refer to Baptism (cf.
In 3:5), where we receive the Holy Spirit and the life of grace (cf. Jn 7:37-39); the
blood would apply to the Eucharist, where we partake of the blood of Christ in or-
der to have life in us (cf. Jn 6:53, 55, 56). Jesus came on earth to give his life for
men (cf. Jn 10:10); we obtain that life in the first instance by means of the living
water of Baptism (cf. Jn 4:14; 7:37ff); and also by the application of the blood of
Christ, which cleanses us from all sin (cf. 1 Jn 1:7; 2:2; 4:10).

The two interpretations are compatible with one another, given that sacraments
are sensible signs of the supernatural effects of Christ’s redemptive death. Re-
ferring to Baptism, Tertullian wrote: “We have also a second laving, and it too is
unique — the baptism with blood. The Lord spoke of this when he said, ‘I have a
baptism to be baptized with’ (Lk 12:50), having had already been baptized once.
So, he did come ‘by water and blood’ (1 In 5:6), as John writes, in order to be
bathed by the water and glorified by the blood, in order to make us (who are
called by water) chosen ones through blood. These two baptisms spring from
the wound in his pierced side; so it is that those who believed in his blood would
be washed by the water; those who were washed in the water would also drink
of the blood” (”De Baptismo”, XVI).

7-8. The Sistine-Clementine edition of the Vulgate included an addition which left
the text reading as follows: “There are three who give witness [in heaven: the Fa-
ther, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. And there are three
who give witness on earth]: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three
agree.” The words shown in bracketed italics (known as the Johannine “comma”
or addition) were the subject of heated debate (around the end of the nineteenth
century) as to their authenticity. The Holy Office (as was) left theologians free to
research the matter (cf. “Declaration”, 2 June 1927) and in fact it has been shown
that the “comma” was introduced in Spain around the fourth century AD in a text
attributed to Priscillian, and therefore does not belong to the original inspired text.
The “comma” makes express mention of the Blessed Trinity; however, even with-
out it the text proclaims that mystery of faith fairly clearly: it makes mention of
Jesus Christ, the Son of God (vv. 5-6), and of the Holy Spirit (v. 7) and of the Fa-
ther, both of whom bear witness to the Son (v. 9).

According to the legal prescriptions of the Old Testament, the testimony of one
witness was insufficient at trials (Deut 17:6; cf. Jn 8:17). St John points to three
witnesses (the Holy Spirit, water and blood), thereby refuting the Gnostic tea-
ching; he is saying that the water and the blood, that is, Christ’s baptism and
his death on the Cross, are a manifestation of his divinity. Clearly the word “wi-
tness” is used here in a broad sense: namely, in the sense that at those two
important moments in his life, Christ makes known to us that he is true God.

The Fathers who interpreted these words as referring to the sacraments usually
comment on the fact that in the sacraments the grace of God is communicated
internally and is signaled externally. St Bede writes along those lines: “The Holy
Spirit makes us adoptive sons of God; the water of the sacred fount cleanses us;
the blood of the Lord redeems us: the spiritual sacrament gives us a dual wit-
ness, one visible, one invisible” (”In I Epist. S. Ioannis, ad loc.”).

9-12. In his characteristic style St John strings together a series of short phrases
(and their opposites, as contrasts) which are full of meaning. In a very few words,
he enunciates three important truths, which he expects Christians to be very fa-
miliar with: 1) God the Father has borne witness to his Son (v. 9); 2) this witness
brings an obligation with it; if one does not believe one is making God out to be a
liar (v. 10); 3) God has given us life in Christ (vv. 11-12).

Earlier the Apostle pointed out that faith in Jesus can be the object of reason be-
cause it is based on external proofs, and that its fruit is supernatural life (cf. 1 Jn
1 :1-5). Now he adds that in addition to the aforementioned witnesses — the Spirit,
the water and the blood (vv. 6-8) — God the Father bears witness. Although John
does not expressly say so, it is clear that God bore witness to Jesus throughout
his earthly life: Jesus’ words, miracles, passion and death, and his resurrection
are evidence God has supplied of Christ’s divinity. The believer “has the testimo-
ny [of God] in him” (v. 10), within him, insofar as he accepts and makes the
Christian message (Revelation) his own, convinced that it comes from God, who
cannot deceive or be deceived. In his turn, he who believes in Jesus Christ mani-
fests his faith to others, passing on to them the conviction that Jesus is true God.

Faith produces the fruit of supernatural life, which is the seed and first-fruit of eter-
nal life (cf. 11-12); that life can be given us only by Jesus Christ, our Savior. “To
those of us who are still making our pilgrim way in this life has been given the
hope of eternal life, which we shall only receive in its full form in heaven when we
reach Him” (”In I Epist. S. Ioannis, ad loc.”).

13-21. St John’s words in v. 13 are evocative of the first epilogue to his Gospel,
where he explains why he wrote that book: “that you may believe that Jesus is
the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name”
(Jn 20:31). In this verse of the letter, the Apostle stresses the efficacy of faith,
which is already an anticipation of eternal life (cf. notes on 1 Jn 3:2; 5:9-12).

His final counsels are designed to strengthen our confidence in prayer and to
urge the need for prayer on behalf of sinners (vv. 14-17); they also stress the
conviction and confidence that faith in the Son of God gives the believer (vv.
18-21).

*********************************************************************************************
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 5:12-16

The Cure of a Leper

[12] While he (Jesus) was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy;
and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and besought him, “Lord, if you will,
you can make me clean.” [13] And he stretched out his hand, and touched him,
saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him. [14] And he
charged him to tell no one; but “go and show yourself to the priest, and make
an offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, for a proof to the people.”
[15] But so much the more the report went abroad concerning him; and great
multitudes gathered to hear and to be healed of their infirmities. [16] But he with-
drew to the wilderness and prayed.

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

12. The words of the leper are a model prayer. First, they show his faith. “He did
not say, ‘If you ask God for it...’, but ‘If you will”’ (Chrysostom, “Hom. on St Mat-
thew”, 25). He rounds this off by saying, “You can” — an open confession of
Christ’s omnipotence. The psalmist expressed this same faith: “Whatever the
Lord pleases he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and in the deep” (Ps
135:6). Along with this faith he shows confidence in God’s mercy. “God is merci-
ful; there is no need therefore to ask him; all we have to do is show him our need”
(St Thomas Aquinas, “Commentary on St Matthew”, 8, 1). And St John Chrysos-
tom concludes: “Prayer is perfect when it is joined to faith and confession; the
leper showed his faith and confessed his need out loud” (”Hom. on St Matthew”,
25).

“’Domine! — Lord — “si vis, potes me mundare” — if thou wilt, thou canst make me
clean.’ What a beautiful prayer for you to say often, with the faith of the poor leper,
when there happens to you what God and you and I know! You will not have to
wait long to hear the Master’s reply: ‘”Volo, mundare!” I will: be thou made clean!”’
(St. J. Escriva, “The Way”, 142).

13. Jesus listens to the leper’s petition and cures him of his disease. All of us
suffer from spiritual ailments and our Lord is waiting for us to approach him: “He
is our physician, and he heals our selfishness if we let his grace penetrate to the
depths of our soul. Jesus has taught us that the worst sickness is hypocrisy, the
pride that leads us to hide our own sins. We have to be totally sincere with him.
We have to tell the whole truth, and then we have to say, ‘Lord, if you will’ — and
you are always willing — ‘you can make me clean’ (Mt 8:2). You know my weak-
nesses; I feel these symptoms; I suffer these failings. We show him the wound,
with simplicity, and if the wound is festering, we show the pus too. Lord, you
have cured so many souls; help me to recognize you as the divine physician
when I have you in my heart or when I contemplate your presence in the taber-
nacle” (St. J. Escriva, “Christ Is Passing By”, 93).

16. The Third Gospel frequently draws attention to Jesus going off, alone, to pray
(cf. 6:12; 9:18; 11:1). By doing this Jesus teaches us the need for personal pra-
yer in all the various situations in which we find ourselves.

“Forgive me if I insist, but it is very important to note carefully what the Mes-
siah did, because he came to show us the path that leads to the Father. With
our Lord we will discover how to give a supernatural dimension to all our actions,
even those that seem least important. We will learn to live every moment of our
lives with a lively awareness of eternity, and we will understand more deeply man’s
need for periods of intimate conversation with his God, so as to get to know him,
to invoke him, to praise him, to break out into acts of thanksgiving, to listen to
him or, quite simply, to be with him” (St. J. Escriva, “Friends of God”, 239).

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

Readings at Mass

First reading

1 John 4:11-18 ©

My dear people,

since God has loved us so much,

we too should love one another.

No one has ever seen God;

but as long as we love one another

God will live in us

and his love will be complete in us.

We can know that we are living in him

and he is living in us

because he lets us share his Spirit.

We ourselves saw and we testify

that the Father sent his Son

as saviour of the world.

If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,

God lives in him, and he in God.

We ourselves have known and put our faith in

God’s love towards ourselves.

God is love

and anyone who lives in love lives in God,

and God lives in him.

Love will come to its perfection in us

when we can face the day of Judgement without fear;

because even in this world

we have become as he is.

In love there can be no fear,

but fear is driven out by perfect love:

because to fear is to expect punishment,

and anyone who is afraid is still imperfect in love.

Psalm

Psalm 71:1-2,10-13 ©

All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.

O God, give your judgement to the king,

to a king’s son your justice,

that he may judge your people in justice

and your poor in right judgement.

All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.

The kings of Tarshish and the sea coasts

shall pay him tribute.

The kings of Sheba and Seba

shall bring him gifts.

Before him all kings shall fall prostrate,

all nations shall serve him.

All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.

For he shall save the poor when they cry

and the needy who are helpless.

He will have pity on the weak

and save the lives of the poor.

All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.

Gospel Acclamation

Lk4:17

Alleluia, alleluia!

The Lord has sent me to bring the good news to the poor,

to proclaim liberty to captives.

Alleluia!

Or	cf.1Tim3:16

Alleluia, alleluia!

Glory to you, O Christ,

proclaimed to the pagans;

glory to you, O Christ,

believed in by the world.

Alleluia!

Or	Mt4:16

Alleluia, alleluia!

The people that lived in darkness

has seen a great light;

on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death

a light has dawned.

Alleluia!

Or	cf.Mt4:23

Alleluia, alleluia!

Jesus proclaimed the Good News of the kingdom

and cured all kinds of diseases among the people.

Alleluia!

Or	Lk7:16

Alleluia, alleluia!

A great prophet has appeared among us;

God has visited his people.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Mark 6:45-52 ©

After the five thousand had eaten and were filled, Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to Bethsaida, while he himself sent the crowd away. After saying goodbye to them he went off into the hills to pray. When evening came, the boat was far out on the lake, and he was alone on the land. He could see they were worn out with rowing, for the wind was against them; and about the fourth watch of the night he came towards them, walking on the lake. He was going to pass them by, but when they saw him walking on the lake they thought it was a ghost and cried out; for they had all seen him and were terrified. But he at once spoke to them, and said, ‘Courage! It is I! Do not be afraid.’ Then he got into the boat with them, and the wind dropped. They were utterly and completely dumbfounded, because they had not seen what the miracle of the loaves meant; their minds were closed.

Perpetual Novena for the Nation (Ecumenical)

Prayers for The Religion Forum (Ecumenical)

7 Powerful Ways to Pray for Christians Suffering in the Middle East

Jesus, High Priest

We thank you, God our Father, for those who have responded to your call to priestly ministry.

Accept this prayer we offer on their behalf: Fill your priests with the sure knowledge of your love.

Open their hearts to the power and consolation of the Holy Spirit.

Lead them to new depths of union with your Son.

Increase in them profound faith in the Sacraments they celebrate as they nourish, strengthen and heal us.

Lord Jesus Christ, grant that these, your priests, may inspire us to strive for holiness by the power of their example, as men of prayer who ponder your word and follow your will.

O Mary, Mother of Christ and our mother, guard with your maternal care these chosen ones, so dear to the Heart of your Son.

Intercede for our priests, that offering the Sacrifice of your Son, they may be conformed more each day to the image of your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Saint John Vianney, universal patron of priests, pray for us and our priests

This icon shows Jesus Christ, our eternal high priest.

The gold pelican over His heart represents self-sacrifice.

The border contains an altar and grapevines, representing the Mass, and icons of Melchizedek and St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney.

Melchizedek: king of righteousness (left icon) was priest and king of Jerusalem. He blessed Abraham and has been considered an ideal priest-king.

St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney is the patron saint of parish priests.

Pray a Rosary each day for our nation.

Pray the Rosary

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

2. The Apostles Creed: II BELIEVE in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from there 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.

3. 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.

4. (3) 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)

5. 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 ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Fatima Prayer: Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of your mercy.

Announce each mystery, then say 1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, 1 Glory Be and 1 Fatima prayer. Repeat the process with each mystery.

End with the Hail Holy Queen:

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve! To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears! Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus!

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Final step -- The Sign of the Cross

The Mysteries of the Rosary

By tradition, Catholics meditate on these Mysteries during prayers of the Rosary.
The biblical references follow each of the Mysteries below.

The Sorrowful Mysteries
(Tuesdays and Fridays)
1. The Agony in the Garden (Matthew 26:36-46, Luke 22:39-46) [Spiritual fruit - God's will be done]
2. The Scourging at the Pillar (Matthew 27:26, Mark 15:15, John 19:1) [Spiritual fruit - Mortification of the senses]
3. The Crowning with Thorns (Matthew 27:27-30, Mark 15:16-20, John 19:2) [Spiritual fruit - Reign of Christ in our heart]
4. The Carrying of the Cross (Matthew 27:31-32, Mark 15:21, Luke 23:26-32, John 19:17) [Spiritual fruit - Patient bearing of trials]
5. The Crucifixion (Matthew 27:33-56, Mark 15:22-39, Luke 23:33-49, John 19:17-37) [Spiritual fruit - Pardoning of Injuries]

~ PRAYER ~

St. Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle
Be our protection against the wickedness
and snares of the devil;
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God,
Cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits
who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen
+

A Prayer for our Free Nation Under God
God Save Our Country web site (prayer warriors)
Prayer Chain Request for the United States of America
Pray for Nancy Pelosi
Prayer and fasting will help defeat health care reform (Freeper Prayer Thread)
Prayer Campaign Started to Convert Pro-Abortion Catholic Politicians to Pro-Life
[Catholic Caucus] One Million Rosaries
Non-stop Rosary vigil to defeat ObamaCare

From an Obama bumper sticker on a car:

"Pray for Obama. Psalm 109:8"

PLEASE JOIN US -

Evening Prayer
Someone has said that if people really understood the full extent of the power we have available through prayer, we might be speechless.
Did you know that during WWII there was an advisor to Churchill who organized a group of people who dropped what they were doing every day at a prescribed hour for one minute to collectively pray for the safety of England, its people and peace?

There is now a group of people organizing the same thing here in America. If you would like to participate: Every evening at 9:00 PM Eastern Time (8:00 PM Central) (7:00 PM Mountain) (6:00 PM Pacific), stop whatever you are doing and spend one minute praying for the safety of the United States, our troops, our citizens, and for a return to a Godly nation. If you know anyone else who would like to participate, please pass this along. Our prayers are the most powerful asset we have. Please forward this to your praying friends.

Feast of
the Holy Name of Jesus

Luke 2:21 "...Et vocatum est Nomen eius IESUS"
("And His Name was called JESUS")

Psalm 90:14 "Because he hoped in me I will deliver him:
I will protect him because he hath known My Name."

Zacharias 10:12 "I will strengthen them in the Lord,
and they shall walk in His Name, saith the Lord."

Apocalypse 3:8 "I know thy works. Behold, I have given before thee a door opened, which no man can shut: because thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied My Name."

Apocalypse 15:4 "Who shall not fear Thee, O Lord, and magnify Thy Name?..."

Blessed be the most holy Name of Jesus without end!

January Devotion: The Holy Name of Jesus

The month of January is traditionally dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus. This feast is also celebrated on January 3. Here is an explanation of the devotion.

Since the 16th century Catholic piety has associated entire months to special devotions. The devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus has been traditionally associated with the month of January, due to its celebration on January 3. The name Jesus was given to the Holy Child at God's command (Luke 1:31). The Holy Name is all-powerful because of the Person who bears it; we honor it because of the command of Christ, that we should pray in His Name and because it reminds us of all the blessings we receive through our Holy Redeemer. Hence St. Paul was able to write to the Philippians: ". . . at the name of Jesus every knee should bend of those in heaven, on earth, and under the earth" (Phil. 2:10). By means of this devotion we also make amends for improper use of the Holy Name.

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

Prayer/Hymn in Honor of the Most Holy Name of Jesus - Iesu, Dulcis Memoria

Iesu, Dulcis Memoria is a celebrated 12th century hymn attributed to St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153), Doctor Mellifluus. The entire hymn has some 42 to 53 stanzas depending upon the manuscript. Parts of this hymn were used for the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus, which was formerly celebrated on the Sunday between the Circumcision and Epiphany, or failing such a Sunday, on January 2. The part below was used at Vespers. In the liturgical revisions of Vatican II, the feast was deleted, though a votive Mass to the Holy Name of Jesus had been retained for devotional use. With the release of the revised Roman Missal in March 2002, the feast was restored as an optional memorial on January 3.

Jesus, the very thought of Thee
With sweetness fills the breast!
Yet sweeter far Thy face to see
And in Thy presence rest.

No voice can sing, no heart can frame,
Nor can the memory find,
A sweeter sound than Jesus' name,
The Savior of mankind.

O hope of every contrite heart!
0 joy of all the meek!
To those who fall, how kind Thou art!
How good to those who seek!

But what to those who find? Ah! this
Nor tongue nor pen can show
The love of Jesus, what it is,
None but His loved ones know.

Jesus! our only hope be Thou,
As Thou our prize shalt be;
In Thee be all our glory now,
And through eternity. Amen.

---Roman Breviary

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

O Divine Jesus, Thou hast promised that anything we ask of the Eternal Father in Thy name shall be granted.

O Eternal Father. In the name of Jesus, for the love of Jesus, in fulfillment of this promise, and because Jesus has said it, grant us our petitions for the sake of Jesus, Thy Divine Son. Amen.

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

That at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Phil:2:10-11

The Most Holy Name
The Power of Jesus’ Name
What does IHS stand for? The meaning of the Holy Name of Jesus [Catholic Caucus]
Litany Of The Holy Name of Jesus
Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus
Jesus, The Name above all Names
Devotion to the Holy Name (of Jesus) [Catholic Caucus]
Lessons In Iconography : The Chi Rho - Christ
St. Francis de Sales on the Most Holy Name of Jesus (Excerpt from a Sermon) (Catholic Caucus)
St. Francis de Sales on the Most Holy Name of Jesus (Catholic/Orthodox Caucus)

St. Bernard on the Most Holy Name of Jesus [Ecumenical]
Saving the day in His Holy Name: St. Genevieve gets a reprieve [Catholic Caucus]
The Holy Name of Jesus
Holy Name of Jesus [San Bernadino of Siena] Ecumenical
The Holy Name of Jesus
Devotion to the Holy Name [of Jesus]
The Name of Jesus: Its Power in Our Lives
The Holy Name of Jesus
Devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus
The Holy Name of Jesus

Philippians 2
9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

January 2015

Pope's Intentions

Universal: Peace -- That those from diverse religious traditions and all people of good will may work together for peace.

Evangelization: Consecrated life -- That in this year dedicated to consecrated life, religious men and women may rediscover the joy of following Christ and strive to serve the poor with zeal.

Daily Gospel Commentary

Friday after Epiphany

Commentary of the day
Saint Anthony of Padua (c.1195-1231), Franciscan, Doctor of the Church
Sermons for Sundays and Feasts of the Saints

"Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, 'I do will it. Be made clean'"

Oh! How I marvel at that hand! That “hand of my Beloved, of gold adorned with chrysolites” (Wsd 5,14). That hand whose touch loosened the tongue of the dumb man, raised the daughter of Jairus (Mk 7,33; 5,41) and cleansed lepers. That hand of which the prophet Isaiah said: “My hand made all these things!” (Is 66,2).

To stretch out one's hand is to present a gift. O Lord, stretch out your hand – that hand which the executioner stretched out on the cross. Touch the leprous man and grant him your favor. Everything your hand touches will be cleansed and healed. “He touched Malchus' ear” Saint Luke says, “and healed him” (22,51). He stretched out his hand to grant the gift of healing to the leper. He said: “I do will it. Be made clean” and the leprosy left him immediately. “Whatever he wills, he does” (Ps 115[113B),3). In him nothing divides the will from the deed.

Now, God works this kind of instantaneous healing daily in the sinner's soul through the ministry of the priest. Priests have a threefold office: to extend the hand, that is to say to pray for the sinner and have mercy on him; to touch him, comfort him, assure him of forgiveness; to will this forgiveness and grant it by absolution. This was the threefold pastoral ministry the Lord entrusted to Peter when he said to him three times: “Feed my lambs” (Jn 21,15f.).

If the Father (Father Kim, i.e., Saint Andrew Kim Taegon) is imprisoned, I wish to follow his example, even if I have to give myself up voluntarily, so do not expect to keep me long in this world.

-- Saint Teresa Kim Im I to her sister. Saint Teresa was housemaid to Saint Andrew Kim Taegon

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The Angelus

The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary:
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word.

Hail Mary . . .

And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary . . .

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:

Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord.

Amen.

Information: St. Adrian of Canterbury

Feast Day: January 9

Born: 635 in North Africa

Died: 9 January 710

Interactive Saints for Kids

St. Julian and St. Basilissa

Feast Day: January 09

St. Julian and St. Basilissa lived in the latter part of the third century. They were husband and wife who took vows of chastity when they got married.

Their love for their Catholic faith led them to do something heroic: they turned their home into a hospital that could house up to 1000 sick people. This way, they could take care of the sick and the poor who had no one to help them.

St. Julian took care of the men, and St. Basilissa cared for the women. The couple found Jesus in the people they served. And they did what they did because of love, not for money or any kind of reward.

St. Basilissa died after suffering great persecutions for the faith. Julian lived much longer. He continued his generous service to sick people even after Basilissa had died. In the year 302, Julian too died a martyr in the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian.

Basilissa and Julian spent their whole lives helping others and serving God. They planted the seed of faith by living in a holy way. They watered that faith and made it grow with the blood they finally shed by giving their lives for Jesus crucified.