Friday of the Twenty-eighth week in Ordinary Time

Commentary of the day
Saint John Eudes (1601-1680), priest, preacher, founder of religious institutes
The Kingdom of Jesus, 2nd part., 30.

"Even the hairs of your head have all been counted. Do not be afraid"

In several places in Holy Scripture our most loving Savior assures us he is in constant care and watchfulness on our account; that he himself carries, and will always carry us in his breast, his heart, his inmost being…

Let us take great care not to place our trust on the power or favor of our friends, nor on our goods, nor our mind, our knowledge, our strength, nor on our good desires and resolutions, nor our prayers, nor even on the trust we feel ourselves to have in God, nor on human means nor any created thing but only on God’s mercy, It’s not that we shouldn’t employ the above mentioned things and contribute, on our part, all we can to overcome vice, to practise virtue, to carry out and fulfil the business God has set to hand and to perform the obligations attached to our situation in life. But we have to renounce any support and confidence we might have in such things and rely on the pure goodness of our Lord. In such a way that we are to take as much care and to work on our part as though we did not expect anything from God and, nevertheless, not rely on our own care and work either, as though we were not doing anything at all, but expecting everything from God’s mercy alone.

21 posted on 10/16/2015 9:32:49 AM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

Leave sadness to those in the world. We who work for God should be lighthearted.

St. Leonard of Port Maurice

22 posted on 10/16/2015 9:36:36 AM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

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.

"Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you" (Lk 1:28)

"Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb"
(Lk 1:42).

23 posted on 10/16/2015 9:39:35 AM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

Saint Hedwig of Silesia, Religious

Saint Hedwig of Silesia, Religious
Optional Memorial
October 16th
(October 17^th until 1969)

Saint Hedwig of Silesia with donors, Duke Ludwig and Duchess Agnes of Legnicia & Breig, – manuscript illumination, Poland, ca 1353 (artist unknown)
J Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles.
Patroness of Silesia
Hedwig, Duchess of Silesia (1174-1243) was one of eight children born to Berthold IV, Count of Andechs and Duke of Croatia and Dalmatia. Of her four brothers, two became bishops. Her sister Gertrude married King Andrew II of Hungary and their daughter was Saint Elizabeth of Hungary.
Hedwig was married at an early age to Henry, Duke of Silesia. They had seven children, including Gertrude, who would become abbess of a Cistercian monastery founded in 1202 by her parents, the first convent of religious women in Silesia. Three of their children died at an early age. Hedwig and Henry were great benefactors who endowed Cistercian, Augustinian and Dominican monasteries, and a hospital. They also consecrated themselves to lives of great austerity, piety and self-sacrifice.
After her husband’s death in 1241, Duchess Hedwig assumed the habit and life of a Cistercian at the Abbey of Treblinz, though she did not enter as a religious in order that she could retain her ability to donate to charities. She was known for her great generosity, her care for the poor and sick, and for her piety and gentleness.
When she died in 1243 (October 12 or 15), Hedwig was buried in the church attached to the Cistercian monastery in Treblinz. She was canonized by Pope Clement IV on March 26, 1267, and in August of the same year her remains were raised to the honors of the altar (that is, interred beneath an altar).
Images of Saint Hedwig often show her with a church, referring to the monasteries she endowed. In the image above, she is holding an image of the Blessed Virgin, a prayerbook and rosary, and with her boots folded over her right arm, which refers to her penitential practice of going barefoot.

Principle source Catholic Encyclopedia

***

Collect:
Grant, we pray, almighty God,
that the revered intercession of Saint Hedwig
may bring us heavenly aid,
just as her wonderful life
is an example of humility for all.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. +Amen.
First Reading: Sirach 26: 1-4, 16-21 [13-16 in RSV]
Happy is the husband of a good wife; the number of his days will be doubled. A loyal wife rejoices her husband, and he will complete his years in peace. A good wife is a great blessing; she will be granted among the blessings of the man who fears the Lord. Whether rich or poor, his heart is glad, and at all times his face is cheerful. A wife's charm delights her husband, and her skill puts fat on his bones. A silent wife is a gift of the Lord, and there is nothing so precious as a disciplined soul. A modest wife adds charm to charm, and no balance can weigh the value of a chaste soul. Like the sun rising in the heights of the Lord, so is the beauty of a good wife in her well-ordered home.
Gospel Reading: Mark 3: 31-35
Jesus' mother and His brethren came; and standing outside they sent to Him and called Him. And a crowd was sitting about Him; and they said to Him, "Your mother and Your brethren are outside, asking for You." And He replied, "Who are My mother and My brethren?" And looking around on those who sat about him, He said, "Here are My mother and My brethren! Whoever does the will of God is My brother, and sister, and mother."

***
NOVENA TO ST HEDWIG, PROTECTOR OF THE POOR AND THOSE IN DEBT

(A novena – a prayer recited every day for nine days – may be made any time of the year.)
O St Hedwig, in this world you rejected the honors of the Court, its pomp, luxury and pleasures, and went to be with the poor to help them in the destitution and misery of life. There in Heaven, cast a kind look on us poor mortals, and obtain for us the grace (mention your request) and that of living in the peace and friendship of God. Amen.
V. Pray for us, St Hedwig!
R. So that we may be worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray:
O God, You taught Blessed Hedwig to prefer, with all her heart, the humble road of Your Cross to the pomp of the world. Through her merits and example, grant that we may learn to reject the ephemeral delights of the world, and, embracing Your Cross, may we overcome the adversities to come. You who live and reign, One God, forever and ever.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
…if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.” (Ps 62:10b)

24 posted on 10/16/2015 12:51:07 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, Virgin

Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, Virgin
Optional Memorial
October 17th

Saint Margaret Mary's Vision of the Sacred Heart
from a tradional prayer card

(1647-1690) St. Margaret was born in France and entered the Visitation convent at Paray-le-Monial in 1671. Beginning in 1673, she had many mystical revelations concerning devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. She endeavored to propagate this devotion to the whole Church.
Source: Daily Roman Missal, Edited by Rev. James Socías, Midwest Theological Forum, Chicago, Illinois ©2003
Collect:
Pour out on us, we pray, O Lord,
the spirit with which you so remarkably endowed
Saint Margaret Mary,
so that we may come to know
that love of Christ which surpasses all understanding
and be utterly filled with your fullness.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. +Amen.
First Reading: Ephesians 3:14-19
So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with might through his Spirit in the inner man, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have power to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fulness of God.

Gospel Reading: Matthew 11:25-30
At that time Jesus declared, "I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yea, Father, for such was thy gracious will. All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

25 posted on 10/16/2015 12:57:39 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

26 posted on 10/16/2015 4:09:00 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

27 posted on 10/16/2015 4:10:59 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

Holy Spirit Interactive Kids: A Saint a Day

St. Margaret Mary

Feast Day: October 16
Born:1647 :: Died:1690

Margaret Mary was born in Burgundy in France. As a child, she was a happy little girl who loved the nuns at school. But when she was eleven, she became very sick.

It was four years before she was well again after she saw a vision of the Virgin Mary. Her father had died, and an aunt had moved into their home.

This aunt and her husband made Margaret Mary and her mother suffer very much. Almost every day, Margaret would hide in the garden to cry and pray. What hurt her most was seeing her mother get hurt.

Her mother wanted her to marry and so did her relatives. They were worried about her, especially when she brought beggar children into the garden to try to teach them.

Margaret Mary hesitated a while, neither marrying nor entering the convent. At last she decided on the convent and joined the Visitation sisters. She was kind and humble but often made others impatient since she was slow and clumsy.

But she was dear to Jesus. Jesus appeared to St. Margaret Mary and showed her his sacred heart. His heart was encircled by a crown of thorns that was a symbol of his great sacrifice. Jesus told her how much he loves each one of us and wanted her to spread devotion to his Sacred Heart.

It was a very hard thing to do as not many people believed she had really seen Jesus. Some were angry with her for trying to spread the new devotion.

This brought her lots of suffering. Yet she did her best to carry out the Lord's wish. Jesus blessed her hard work and pain. Today, this wonderful devotion to the Sacred Heart is practiced all over the world.

Our Lord made twelve great promises to St. Margaret Mary for those who are devoted to his most Sacred Heart. They are:

I will give them all the graces they need in life.
I will create peace in their families.
I will comfort them in all their troubles.
They shall surely find in My Heart protection during life and especially at the hour of their death.
I will shower them with blessings in everything that they do.
Sinners shall find in My Heart the source of an infinite ocean of mercy.
Weak souls shall become fervent.
Fervent souls shall speedily rise to great perfection.
I will bless the homes where an image of My Heart shall be exposed and honored.
I will give to priests the power of touching the most hardened hearts.
Those who spread this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart, never to be erased.
The all-powerful love of My Heart will grant to all those who shall receive Communion on the First Friday of nine continuous months the grace of final repentance; they shall not die under my displeasure, nor without receiving their Sacraments; My heart shall surely be their protection at that last hour.

From St. Margaret Mary we can learn to trust in the Heart of Jesus, which - as she wrote - is filled with "love to meet our every need."

28 posted on 10/16/2015 4:17:55 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

CATHOLIC ALMANAC

Friday, October 16

Liturgical Color: Green

Bl. Anicet Koplinski died on this day in
1941. He was one of the 108 Polish
Martyrs of World War II. Mostly Catholic
priests and religious, they were killed in
the Nazi death camps (1939-1945)
because of their Catholic faith.

29 posted on 10/16/2015 4:49:06 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

Day 289 - Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet (Part I)

Today’s Reading: John 13:1-11
1 Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 And during supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, 4 rose from supper, laid aside his garments, and tied a towel around himself. 5 Then he poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter; and Peter said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not know now, but afterward you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part in me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “He who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but he is clean all over; and you are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “You are not all clean.”

Today’s Commentary:
feast of the Passover: The original meaning of this feast, celebrating the passing of the angel of death over the Israelites and their escape from Egypt (Ex 12:13), is being reshaped by the works and words of Christ, who will “pass over” to the Father through the upcoming events of his Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension. This saving work of Jesus will inaugurate a new Exodus, liberating the human family from sin, selfishness, and Satan (1:29; 8:34-36).

30 posted on 10/16/2015 4:57:17 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

Catholic Culture

Ordinary Time: October 16th

Optional Memorial of St. Hedwig, religious; St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, virgin

Daily Readings for: October 16, 2015
(Readings on USCCB website)

Collect: Grant, we pray, almighty God, that the revered intercession of Saint Hedwig may bring us heavenly aid, just as her wonderful life is an example of humility for all. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Pour out on us, we pray, O Lord, the spirit with which you so remarkably endowed Saint Margaret Mary, so that we may come to know that love of Christ which surpasses all understanding and be utterly filled with your fullness. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

RECIPES

ACTIVITIES

PRAYERS

LIBRARY

Old Calendar: St. Hedwig, widow; St. Gerard Majella (Hist) ; Other Titles: Jadwiga; Eduviges; Eduvijes; Margarita Mary Alacoque; Margherita Mary Alacoque; Marguerite Mary Alacoque

Hedwig (1174-1243), the aunt of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, was married at an early age to Henry, Duke of Silesia. After their six children had been born, they both strove to advance in sanctity and to enrich Silesia and Poland with monasteries, hospitals, and leper asylums. When Henry died in 1238, Hedwig took the habit of the Cistercian nuns at Trebnitz (where one of her daughters was the abbess), but retained the administration of her property so that she could give personal relief to the suffering.

After a girlhood marked by painful illness and even more painful family discord, Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690) entered the Visitation convent of Paray-le-Monial, France, at the age of 22. She was ignorant, sickly, and clumsy, but she had great charity and humility. Our Lord chose her to spread devotion to his Sacred Heart, at a time when rebellion without (Protestantism) and heresy within (Jansenism) were doing their best to separate Catholics from their faith and their God.

According to the 1962 Missal of St. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, the feast of St. Margaret Mary is celebrated on October 17. St. Gerard Majella, listed in the Roman Martyrology, was a native of Muro in southern Italy. He was apprenticed to a tailor before asking to be received by the Redemptorists as a lay-brother. He continued his trade in the monastery, where he soon attracted the attention of St. Alphonsus de Liguori, who shortened his novitiate. His wonderful and well authenticated life was a series of supernatural phenomena — bilocations, reading of consciences, prophecies, multiplying of food, etc. He was canonized in 1904 and is the patron of expectant mothers and unborn children.

St. Hedwig
Hedwig was born in 1174 in Bavaria, the daughter of the Duke of Croatia. She was the maternal aunt of St. Elizabeth of Hungary. She married Duke Henry of Silesia and raised seven children, with the boys being quite a handful. She outlived all but one of her children, Gertrude. Hedwig persuaded her husband to use her dowry to found a Cisterian monastery for nuns at Trebnitz. Their daughter Gertrude later became abbess of the monastery.

Hedwig led a life of piety and solicitude for the sick and poor, including their religious education. She lived a life of poverty and humility, despite her prominent position. Every day, even in winter, she would walk barefooted, so her feet were in bad shape. A story tells us her husband sent her a pair of shoes, insisting that she not be without them — so she kept them under her arm. After the death of her husband Hedwig completely renounced the world and entered the monastery of Trebnitz which she had founded. She died on October 15, 1243 and is venerated as patroness of Poland. She is not to be confused with St. Hedwig, Queen of Poland (1371-1399), canonized by John Paul II. (Her feast day is February 28.)

Patron: Bavaria; brides; duchesses; death of children; marital problems; Silesia; victims of jealousy; widows.

Symbols: noble lady holding statue of Virgin and Child; noble lady holding a church (symbol of monastery); lady holding pair of shoes under arm.

Things to Do:

On this feast in Poland, there is a bread called Hedwigsohlen (Shoe Soles of St. Hedwig) that used to be distributed to the poor of Trebnitz on her feast day. The shoe soles remind us of her generosity to the poor, and the fact that she sacrificed her own comfortable shoes in walking to church. A recipe can be found in Cooking with the Saints by Ernest Schuegraf, but any recipe for a bread that can be formed into a specific shape can be used. Form them into soles of shoes.
One of the great Eastern Europe/Slovakian (including Polish) traditions is the colored Easter eggs, or pisanki (pysanky — multiple-colored eggs) and krashanki (single colored eggs). These eggs seem to have been associated with burial customs and the oldest written knowledge connects St. Hedwig with this custom. After her canonization in 1267 this miracle was attributed to Hedwig:
When the son of a prominent judge was still unable to walk at eight years of age, his mother brought the boy to the grave of St. Hedwig in her arms and was praying to St. Hedwig to heal him when, lo!, a miracle happened. In the presence of the priest who baptized him and the abbess of the monastery, the boy suddenly stood up, took an egg that lay before him and walked around the saint's grave. The abbess took other decorated eggs and threw them at the feet of the young boy, compelling him to walk further from the tomb. This miracle is said to have happened near Easter between 1274 and 1287 (p. 107, Polish Customs, Traditions, & Folklore by Sophie Hodorowicz Knab).
Find out more about these Easter eggs, and try your hand at making these works of art.
October is harvest time all over the world, but especially in Poland. Late September usually brings frost, so usually only the root crops, like cabbage, turnips, beets and carrots are remaining to be harvested. Old Polish legends talk about harvesting these late root crops and sowing of winter wheat on or just after October 15 which is St. Hedwig’s Day or Sw. Jadwiga in Poland. It is said that she sweetens these crops if they are left till then. See Polish Customs, Traditions, & Folklore by Sophie Hodorowicz Knab for more details.

St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
A self-effacing nun in the Visitation Convent at Paray-le-Monial, France, was inspired by the Lord Jesus to establish the devotion of the Holy Hour. Her name was St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, and from the age of seven, when she received her first Holy Communion, she had always manifested an intense love of the Most Blessed Sacrament. Our Lord appeared to her often, usually as the Crucified Christ. Her simplicity caused her to feel that these apparitions were also granted to others who had recourse to Jesus in the sacrament of His love. Once the Master appeared to the young girl as she was returning from a dance and reproached her for not espousing Him.

When twenty-four years of age, Margaret entered the cloister, choosing the most menial tasks. Gifted with intelligence and common sense, she made great progress in holiness. Our Lord entrusted to her the mission of establishing the reign of the Sacred Heart among the children of men. Criticism did not hamper her zeal, and her charity toward her opponents won them over to the cause of the Master.

In the first revelation of the Sacred Heart to the nun, Our Lord made known His burning desire to be loved by all men, and His design of manifesting to them His Sacred Heart with its treasures of mercy. Margaret Mary communicated Our Lord's wish that the faithful receive Holy Communion on the first Friday of each month and observe the Feast of the Sacred Heart on the Friday after the octave of Corpus Christi.

After nineteen years in the convent, St. Margaret Mary died October 17, 1690. Many pilgrims to her tomb have sought and obtained favors. Through her apostolate of devotion to the Sacred Heart many sinners have repented and found grace with God.

Patron: against polio; devotees of the Sacred Heart; loss of parents; polio patients.

Symbols: nun in habit of the Order of the Visitation and holding a flaming heart; nun in habit of the Order of the Visitation and kneeling before Jesus exposing His heart to her; Sacred Heart; heart.

Things to Do:

Find out more about the Jansenist heresy.
Read the Twelve Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus; Strive to fulfill the obligation for the Nine First Fridays.
Find out more about the Enthronement of the Sacred Heart, and establish this practice in your home. A book to read on this is Enthronement of the Sacred Heart by Francis Larkin, SS.CC. Find out more information from Congregation of the Sacred Hearts Online.

St. Gerard Majella
St. Gerard was born in southern Italy on April 6, 1726. His father died while Gerard was still young, forcing him to be apprenticed to a tailor. His frail health, quiet disposition, and gentle ways led him to being bullied by fellow workers and by his employers.

He was refused admission to the Capuchin Order on account of his youth, so he lived for a time as a hermit. His great love for Jesus crucified caused him to lead a very ascetical lifestyle. Getting to know the Redemptorists, he applied to them but was initially rejected because of his poor health. On his insisting, however, he was reluctantly accepted and sent to the novitiate with a note saying: "I am sending you a useless lay brother."

Gerard was professed in July 1752, and quickly disproved the prediction of his uselessness by his excellent service as porter, tailor, and sacristan. His prayerfulness and dedication began to be too great to overlook and so he gained a reputation for sanctity. This brought a large number of persons to him for guidance in the spiritual life. He readily responded, revealing a remarkable gift for sensing the deep interior reality of a person. Because of this genius, of his ability to bring relief to the sick, and of his care for women in childbirth, many miracles were attributed to him and he gained the nickname "The Wonderworker."

His popularity eventually led to accusations of sexual misconduct, which he bore patiently until they were proven false.

He died on October 16, 1755, worn out by his austerities and by tuberculosis. Very many Catholics throughout the world honor him as the special patron of new mothers and of families, and his reputation as "The Wonderworker" continues to our day. — The Redemptorists

Patron: Childbirth; children; expectant mothers; falsely accused people; good confessions; lay brothers; motherhood; mothers; pregnant women; pro-life movement; unborn children.

Things to Do:

Read this longer life of St. Gerard at Ligouri Publications. They also have books and devotional items available for purchase.
If you live close to Trenton, NJ make a pilgrimage to the National Shrine of St. Gerard where an annual procession is held on his feast day or you can pay a virtual visit to the website.

31 posted on 10/16/2015 5:29:18 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Romans 4:1-8

Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, Virgin (Optional Memorial)

Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. (Romans 4:3)

A new word was added to the Oxford English Dictionary a couple of years ago: selfie. It’s a digital picture you take of yourself that often includes a background of where you are or the people who are with you. While taking a selfie can be a fun way to capture a special moment, the word conveys the sense of focusing on yourself and making yourself the center of attention. And what often happens when we look at a picture of ourselves? We focus on the flaws. “Do I really look like that?” “Wow! My teeth are more crooked than I thought!”

Contrast this with God’s calling for Abraham. He had called this wealthy Chaldean to pick up everything and move, and Abraham obeyed. Now, many years later, God tells him to look at the nighttime sky. He promises to make Abraham’s offspring as numerous as the stars in the heavens. And Abraham focuses on God and believes him. He trusts that God is who he says he is and that he will do what he says he will do. He looks away from himself and looks at the Lord instead. As Paul says later on in this chapter, Abraham “did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body as [already] dead (for he was almost a hundred years old)” (Romans 4:19). He didn’t focus on his flaws or shortcomings, but only on God’s promise. And for this, God considered him righteous.

God wants us to focus on him—not because he is self-absorbed, but because he knows how much it will help us. He wants us to know what it’s like to be loved completely and unconditionally—warts and all! That way, we won’t focus on our weaknesses and flaws and feel helpless. Rather, we’ll focus on his mercy and acceptance, drawing from his love the strength and confidence we need for our daily lives.

So be like Abraham today, and believe in God. Focus on him, not yourself, and see where he leads you.

“Father, you created the stars in the heavens, and you call each one by name. I believe that you hold all of creation in the palms of your hands. I believe that you have called me by name and that you are faithful to every promise you have made.”

Psalm 32:1-2, 5, 11
Luke 12:1-7

32 posted on 10/16/2015 5:44:24 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

Marriage = One Man and One Woman Until Death Do Us Part

Daily Marriage Tip for October 16, 2015:

Traditional advice to newlyweds: Never go to a place you wouldn’t take your wife. Don’t go to bed angry. Always part and greet with a kiss. What advice would you give a newly married couple?

33 posted on 10/16/2015 5:48:02 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

Regnum Chriisti

Into the Lion’s Mouth

U. S. A. | SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY

October 16, 2015. Friday of the Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

By Father Daniel Ray, LC

Luke 12: 1-7

At that time: So many people were crowding together that they were trampling one another underfoot. He began to speak, first to his disciples, "Beware of the leaven-- that is, the hypocrisy-- of the Pharisees. There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed on the housetops. I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body but after that can do no more. I shall show you whom to fear. Be afraid of the one who after killing has the power to cast into Gehenna; yes, I tell you, be afraid of that one. Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins? Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of God. Even the hairs of your head have all been counted. Do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows."

Introductory Prayer: Lord, I believe that you are present here as I turn to you in prayer. I trust and have confidence in your desire to give me every grace I need to receive today. Thank you for your love, thank you for your immense generosity toward me. I give you my life and my love in return.

Petition: Lord, give me courage to keep following you even in the face of temptation.

1. Lion Food: St. Ignatius, bishop of Antioch, was arrested and then transported to Rome, where death by lions awaited him. In a letter, he urges the Romans to do him no “untimely charity” of interceding with the emperor to spare him from execution. He writes to them, “I beseech of you not to show an unseasonable goodwill towards me. Suffer me to become food for the wild beasts, through whose instrumentality it will be granted me to attain to God” (Letter to the Romans). When Christ speaks of having no fear of those who kill the body but after that can do no more, he means it quite literally. If we encounter a situation in which we must either be faithful to Christ or cave in to pressure and abandon the path of the Lord, we should never hesitate. Follow Christ. Do not fear those who might “kill” by their criticism or disapproval of our rectitude of conscience. Do not be afraid.

2. Becoming Eucharist: St. Ignatius continues, “I am the wheat of God, and am ground by the teeth of the wild beasts, that I may be found the pure bread of God” (Letter to the Romans). He is drawing a connection between his own coming martyrdom—wheat ground by the teeth of wild beasts—and the Eucharist—the pure bread of God. These words are not just grisly yet pious analogy; rather, they touch on the most profound meaning of the mystery of the Eucharist and our participation in it. The Eucharist is the most complete worship given to God the Father: It is the Incarnation of God among us, it is Christ’s sacrifice of his body on the Cross, and it is his Resurrection from death to eternal life. Through the Eucharist we become an acceptable sacrifice to the Lord. We need to offer the struggles and challenges of each day in order to remain united with Christ in the Eucharist.

3. More than Birds: In our daily life we take many small things for granted because they seem to have little import in the grand scheme of things. “What were the high and low temperatures a year ago today?” “What does it matter now?” we might as well respond. “Where will the four sparrows I saw in the park two weeks ago get food to eat?” It’s not even a question that occurs to us. We have many other things of immediate importance that require our attention and action. Yet such a question is important enough to occur to God. Christ tells us in Luke 12:24, “They do not sow or reap; they have no storehouses and no barns; yet God feeds them.” He continues, “And how much more are you worth than the birds!” If God would make time to think about something so insignificant among all the goings-on in the world, how much more will he be taking care of our needs!

Conversation with Christ: Lord, when I look at the difficulties and rough spots I know I will be facing today, I worry about the sacrifices I’ll have to make. Maybe events won’t turn out as I hope. Help me to have confidence and trust in you like St. Ignatius. Help me realize that you have taken care of every minute detail of all that will occur today.

Resolution: When faced with any worry today I will pray, “Jesus, I trust in you.”

34 posted on 10/16/2015 6:25:16 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

Homily of the Day

October 16, 2015

For the Life to Come

It is clear that the life we live today is temporary. We are not to fear the earthly death, but rather the eternal death. That is why we should not just pay attention to the earthly life, but rather also to the eternal life.Because eternal life lasts forever. Forever is a word we find hard to relate with because all things here do not last. Warranties are limited and guarantees have a lifespan of its own, no matter the assurances we get. All things, no matter how durable get broken. Even this world is passing away slowly. And whatever we do, especially those hidden, are seen by God. All our actions will be uncovered and exposed at the end of time. Nothing will escape God’s sight. Have you ever tried to count the hair on your eyebrow? It’s impossible to count them, what more the hair on our head? But scripture illustrates that all the hairs have a particular number and that they stay or fall upon God’s intervention. God has an accounting and inventory of everything on earth and heaven. It means to say that God is in control. God has authority over all. What consoles us is the love God has for us, that we are precious in his eyes. We are the creatures He created in His image and He loves us dearly and wants us to receive this love for all eternity. Let us then start working then for the things of Heaven, rather than just fix our eyes always and only on tangible earthly concerns. Heaven exists. Forever is real!

35 posted on 10/16/2015 6:29:51 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

One Bread, One Body

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All Issues > Volume 31, Issue 6

<< Friday, October 16, 2015 >>

St. Hedwig
St. Margaret Mary Alocoque

Romans 4:1-8
View Readings

Psalm 32:1-2, 5, 11

Luke 12:1-7
Similar Reflections

FAITH FORMING THE FUTURE

"Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as justice." —Romans 4:3

In the year 2000, the Church celebrated the Year of the Great Jubilee. "The primary objective" of the Great Jubilee was to be "the strengthening of faith" (Towards the Third Millennium, 42). The year 2012-2013 was declared the Year of Faith. If we had let the Lord Jesus prepare us in both the Great Jubilee year and the Year of Faith, we should be seeing an ever-increasing faith in the Lord.

By faith, we will be able to restore justice to our society and live in the great freedom of the Great Jubilee (see Lv 25:8ff). By faith, we will see debts forgiven, especially the debt of sin. By faith, we will set free the hundreds of millions of people enslaved by addictions, compulsions, anxieties, fears, and self-hatred. By faith, our culture of death will be replaced with a civilization of love and life. Our culture will be permeated with the Gospel of Jesus (Catechism, 899).

"Who, then, is conqueror of the world? The one who has faith that Jesus is the Son of God" (1 Jn 5:5, our transl). "The power that has conquered the world is this faith of ours" (1 Jn 5:4). Believe and receive the heritage of faith.

Prayer: Jesus, "I have faith. Help my lack of faith" (Mk 9:24, our transl).

Promise: "Fear nothing." —Lk 12:7

Praise: Although described by fellow nuns as simple and slow, it was to St. Margaret Mary Alocoque that God chose to reveal His Sacred Heart.

36 posted on 10/16/2015 6:32:47 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

37 posted on 10/16/2015 6:37:38 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

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Friday of the Twenty-eighth week in Ordinary Time

St. Margaret Mary

Ordinary Time: October 16th

Optional Memorial of St. Hedwig, religious; St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, virgin

Daily Readings for: October 16, 2015(Readings on USCCB website)

RECIPES

ACTIVITIES

PRAYERS

LIBRARY

Meditation: Romans 4:1-8

For the Life to Come

One Bread, One Body

FAITH FORMING THE FUTURE

Daily Readings for: October 16, 2015
(Readings on USCCB website)