Easter: April 8th

Friday of the Second Week of Easter

MASS READINGS

April 08, 2016 (Readings on USCCB website)

COLLECT PRAYER

O God, hope and light of the sincere, we humbly entreat you to dispose our hearts to offer you worthy prayer and ever to extol you by dutiful proclamation of your praise. 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.

show

Recipes (1)

Lenten Eggs Benedict

show

Activities (2)

show

Prayers (4)

Easter Season II Table Blessing 3
Easter Prayers
Prayer Cards for Easter Grace at Meals
Novena to St. Bernadette
Old Calendar: St. Julie Billiart, religious (Trad./ some places)
According to the 1962 Missal of St. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, in some places today is the feast of St. Julie Billiart, a French religious who founded, and was the first Superior General of, the Congregation of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur.

St. Julie Billiart
Saint Julie was a woman completely immersed in God’s love and goodness, even in the midst of great suffering. She was a woman of vision who responded to the needs of the suffering world around her.
Born in Cuvilly, France, on July 12, 1751, Julie lived a humble life in a loving family. She was a woman of serenity, despite the great personal suffering she endured. The Billiart family survived many hardships, including the deaths of several children. When Julie was 16, she went to work to help support her family. At the age of 23 she became paralyzed by the trauma of a shooting that was aimed at her father. She spent more than 20 years confined to her bed, unable to care for even her most basic needs.
Besides her physical pain, Julie suffered religious persecution, lived in hiding as a refugee. Throughout her suffering, she steadfastly trusted in God’s goodness. At the age of 53, Julie and her very good friend, Françoise Blin de Bourdon, along with two other women, made their vows as Sisters of Notre Dame in Amiens, France. A variety of difficult circumstances caused her to move her congregation to Namur, Belgium, several years later. Today these sisters are known as the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. Julie’s spirit and charism also influenced the Sisters of Notre Dame of Amersfoort, The Netherlands, as well as our own congregation of the Sisters of Notre Dame, which began in Coesfeld, Germany.
Julie reached out to the poor and forgotten, she brought comfort and hope to those around her, she encouraged faith in the seeking and the lost. More than anything else, she was a witness to the deep, loving goodness of God. Her motto and mantra was: “Oh, how good God is!” In 1969 Julie was named a saint by the Catholic Church. The impact that Saint Julie had on the world continues through the life and ministry of the sisters who share in her heritage.
Excerpted from The Sisters of Notre Dame

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Acts 5:34-42

2nd Week of Easter

They left the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name. (Acts 5:41)

It’s easy to imagine superheroes winning battles using their superhuman strength and speed, but can you imagine beating your opponents with superhuman joy?

This is the situation in today’s readings. Members of the Sanhedrin were frustrated by how unstoppable the apostles seemed. They had them thrown in jail, but an angel released them, and they went right back to preaching at the Temple. When they were brought once more before the council, the elders were wringing their hands: how do you stop a group of people who seem genuinely happy, no matter what happens to them? Not even a flogging could defeat their spirits!

The apostles rejoiced that they could suffer in imitation of their Master, and then they continued preaching—even in the Temple. Again!

Where did this joy come from? And even more to the point, how can we get some of it? Here is a three-step process that may help.

First of all, try your best to be as courageous as the apostles were. As you do, you’ll find the Holy Spirit giving you a new energy and excitement. That’s the beginning of joy.

Second, keep your mission in the forefront of your mind. Even when you’re washing dishes at home or building a spreadsheet at work, remember that you are here to witness to Jesus. The more you keep this perspective, the more you’ll rise above minor distractions and road bumps.

Finally, don’t let hardship get you down. Keep moving forward, remembering that Christ is in you, no matter what happens. Even if fulfilling your mission causes you some suffering, he is still there to give you all that you need to put one foot ahead of the other.

Superhuman joy may seem unattainable, but remember the apostles’ story. You can be just as joyful if you work toward the goal. Flex your “joy muscles” a little more every day so that you can grow stronger and stronger. Before you know it, you’ll be smiling even in the midst of the greatest of challenges!

“Lord, help me find the path to joy. Help me stay focused on you so that I can learn to rejoice in all things.”

Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14
John 6:1-15