Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 08-05-16, OM, Ded. Basilica of St. Mary Major

USCCB.org/RNAB ^ | 08-05-16 | Revised New American Bible

[Salvation]

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).

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Matthew
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Matthew 16
24.	Then Jesus said to his disciples: If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.	Tunc Jesus dixit discipulis suis : Si quis vult post me venire, abneget semetipsum, et tollat crucem suam, et sequatur me.	τοτε ο ιησους ειπεν τοις μαθηταις αυτου ει τις θελει οπισω μου ελθειν απαρνησασθω εαυτον και αρατω τον σταυρον αυτου και ακολουθειτω μοι
25.	For he that will save his life, shall lose it: and he that shall lose his life for my sake, shall find it.	Qui enim voluerit animam suam salvam facere, perdet eam : qui autem perdiderit animam suam propter me, inveniet eam.	ος γαρ αν θελη την ψυχην αυτου σωσαι απολεσει αυτην ος δ αν απολεση την ψυχην αυτου ενεκεν εμου ευρησει αυτην
26.	For what doth it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and suffer the loss of his own soul? Or what exchange shall a man give for his soul?	Quid enim prodest homini, si mundum universum lucretur, animæ vero suæ detrimentum patiatur ? aut quam dabit homo commutationem pro anima sua ?	τι γαρ ωφελειται ανθρωπος εαν τον κοσμον ολον κερδηση την δε ψυχην αυτου ζημιωθη η τι δωσει ανθρωπος ανταλλαγμα της ψυχης αυτου
27.	For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels: and then will he render to every man according to his works.	Filius enim hominis venturus est in gloria Patris sui cum angelis suis : et tunc reddet unicuique secundum opera ejus.	μελλει γαρ ο υιος του ανθρωπου ερχεσθαι εν τη δοξη του πατρος αυτου μετα των αγγελων αυτου και τοτε αποδωσει εκαστω κατα την πραξιν αυτου
28.	Amen I say to you, there are some of them that stand here, that shall not taste death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.	Amen dico vobis, sunt quidam de hic stantibus, qui non gustabunt mortem, donec videant Filium hominis venientem in regno suo.	αμην λεγω υμιν εισιν τινες ωδε εστωτες οιτινες ου μη γευσωνται θανατου εως αν ιδωσιν τον υιον του ανθρωπου ερχομενον εν τη βασιλεια αυτου

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24. Then said Jesus to his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me
25. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

CHRYS; Peter had said, Be it far from you, Lord; this shall not be to you; and had been answered, Get you behind, me, Satan; but the Lord was not satisfied with this rebuke, but over and above desired to show the impropriety of those things which Peter had said, and the fruit of His own passion; whence it is added, Then said Jesus to his disciples, If any man will to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me; as much as to say, You say to me, Be it far from you; but I say to you, that not only is it harmful for you to hinder Me from My Passion, but yourself will not be able to be saved unless you suffer and die, and renounce your life always.

And note, that He does not speak of it as compulsory, for He does not say, though you will not yet must you suffer this, but, If any man will. By saying this He rather attracted them ; for he who leaves his auditor at liberty, attracts him the more; whereas he that uses violence oftentimes hinders him. And He proposes this doctrine, not to His disciples only, but in common to the whole world, saying, any man will that is, if woman, if man, if king, if free, if slave; there are three things mentioned; let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.

GREGORY; For unless a man departs from himself, he does not draw near to Him who is above him. But if we leave ourselves, whither shall we go out of ourselves? Or if we have forsaken ourselves, who is it then that goes? indeed, we are one thing when fallen by sin, another thing as we were made by nature. It is therefore then that we leave and deny ourselves, when we avoid that which w e were of old, and strive towards that to which we are called in newness.

ID; He denies himself whosoever is changed for the better, and begins to be what he was not, and ceases to be what he was.

ID; He also denies himself, who having bode under foot the rising of pride, shows himself in the eyes of God to be estranged from himself.

ORIGEN; But though, a man may seem to keep from sin, yet if he does not believe in the cross of Christ, he cannot be said to be crucified with Christ; whence it follows, And take up his cross.

CHRYS; Otherwise; He that disowns another, whether a brother, or a servant, or whosoever it be, he may see him beaten, or suffering ought else, and neither succors nor befriends him; thus it is He would have us deny our body, and whether it be beaten or afflicted in any other way, not to spare it. For this is to spare. So parents do then most spare their children when they hand them over to tutors, bidding them not to spare them. And that you should not think that this denial of self extends only to words or affronts, he shows to what degree we should deny ourselves, namely, to death the most shameful, even that of the cross; this He signifies when He says, And take up his cross, and follow me.

HILARY; We are to follow our Lord by taking up the cross of His passion; and if not in deed, yet in will, bear Him company.

CHRYS; And because malefactors often suffer grievous things, that you should not suppose that simply to suffer evil is enough, He adds the reason of suffering, when He says, And follow me. For His sake you are to endure all, and to learn His other virtues; for this is to follow Christ aright, to be diligent in the practice of virtues, and to suffer all things for His sake.

GREG; There are two ways of taking our cross; when the body is afflicted by abstinence, or when the heart is pained by compassion for another. Forasmuch as our very virtues are beset with faults, we must declare that vainglory sometimes attends abstinence of flesh, for the emaciated body and pale countenance betray this high virtue to the praise of the world. Compassion again is sometimes attended by a false affection which is hereby led to be consenting to sin; to shut out these, He adds, and follow me.

JEROME; Otherwise; He takes up his cross who is crucified to the world; and he to whom the world is crucified, follows his crucified Lord.

CHRYS; And then because this seemed severe, He softens it by showing the abundant rewards of our pains, and the punishment of evil, He that will save his life shall lose it.

ORIGEN; This may be understood in two ways. First thus; if any lover of this present life spares his life, fearing to die, and supposing that his life is ended with this death; he seeking in this way to save his life, shall lose it, estranging it from life eternal. But if any, despising the present life, shall contend for the truth to death, he shall lose his life as far as this present life is concerned, but forasmuch as he loses it for Christ, he shall the more save it for life eternal.

Otherwise thus; if any understand what is true salvation, and desire to obtain it for the salvation of his own life, he by denying himself loses his life as to the enjoyments of the flesh, but saves it by works of piety. He shows by saying, For he that will, that this passage must be connected in sense with that which went before. If then we understand the first, Let him deny himself, of the death of the body, we must take this that follows of death only; but if we understand the first of mortifying the propensities of the flesh, then, to lose life, signifies to give up carnal pleasures.

26. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
27. For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
28. I say to you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.

CHRYS; Because He had said, Who will save, shall lose and who will lose shall save, opposing saving to losing, that none should hence conclude that there was any equality between the losing on one side, and the saving on the other, He adds, What does it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, but suffer the loss of his soul? As though He had said, Say not that he who escapes the dangers which threaten him for Christ's sake, saves his soul, that is, his temporal life, but acid to his temporal life the whole world, and what of all these things will profit a man if his soul perishes for ever? Suppose you should see all your servants in joy, and yourself placed in the greatest evils, what profit would you reap from being their master? Think over this within your own soul, when by the indulgence of the flesh that soul looks for its own destruction.

ORIGEN; I suppose also that he gains the world who does not deny himself, nor loses his own life as to carnal pleasures, and thence suffers the loss of his soul. These two things being set before us, we must rather choose to lose the world, and gain our souls.

CHRYS; But if you should reign over the whole world, you would not be able to buy your soul; whence it follows, Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? As much as to say, if you lose goods, you may have it in your power to give other goods to recover them; but if you lose your soul, you can neither give another soul, nor any thing else in ransom for it. And what marvel is it if this happen in the soul, when we see the same happen in the body; for if you should surround a body afflicted with an incurable disease with ten thousand diadems, they would not heal it.

ORIGEN; And at first sight indeed the ransom of the soul might be supposed to be in his substance, that a man should give his substance to the poor, and so should save his soul. But I suppose that a man has nothing that giving as a ransom for his soul he should deliver it from death. God gave the ransom for the souls of men, namely the precious blood of His Son.

GREG; Or the connection may be thus; The Holy Church has a period of persecution, and a period of peace; and our Redeemer accordingly distinguishes between these periods in His commands; in time of persecution the life is to be laid down; but in time of peace, those earthly lusts which might gain too great power over us are to be broken through; whence He says, What does it profit a man?

JEROME; Having thus called upon His disciples to deny themselves and take up their cross, the hearers were filled with great terror, therefore these severe tidings are followed by more joyful; For the Son of Man shall come in the glory of his Father with the holy Angels. Do you fear death? Hear the glory of the triumph. Do you dread the cross? Hear the attendance of the Angels.

ORIGEN; As much as to say; The Son of Man is now come, but not in glory; for He ought not to have been ordained in His glory to bear our sins; but then He shall come in His glory, when He shall first have made ready His disciples, being made as they are, that He might make them as He is Himself, in the likeness of His glory.

CHRYS. He said not in such glory as is that of the Father, that you might not suppose a difference of glory, but He says, The glory of the Father, that it might be shown to be the same glory. But if the glory is one, it is evident that the substance is one. What then fear you, Peter, hearing of death? For then shall you see Me in glory. But if I be in glory, so also shall you be. But in making mention of His glory, He mingles there with things terrible, bringing forward the judgment, as it follows, And then shall he render to each man according to his works.

JEROME; For there is no difference of Jew or Gentile, man or woman, poor or rich, where not persons but works are accepted.

CHRYS; This He said to call to their minds not only the punishment of sinners, but the prizes and crowns of the righteous.

JEROME; But the secret thought of the Apostles might have suffered an offense of this sort; The killings and deaths you speak of as to be now, but the promise of your coming in glory is put off to a long distant time. He that knows secret things therefore, seeing that they might object this, requites a present fear with a present reward, saying, I say to you, There be some of those standing here that shall not taste death until the Son of Man come in his is kingdom.

CHRYS; Willing to show what is that glory in which He shall come hereafter, He revealed it to them in this present life, so far as it was possible for them to receive it, that they might not have sorrow in their Lord's death.

REMIG; What is here said, therefore, was fulfilled in the three disciples to whom the Lord, when transfigured in the mount, showed the joys of the eternal inheritance; these saw Him coming in His kingdom that is, shining in His effulgent radiance, in which, after the judgment passed, He shall be beheld by all the saints.

CHRYS; Therefore He does not reveal the names of those who should ascend into the mount, because the rest would be very desirous to accompany them whither they might look upon the pattern of His glory, and would be grieved as though they were passed over.

GREG; Or, by the kingdom of God is meant the present Church, and because some I of His disciples were to live so long in the body as to behold the Church of God built up and raised against the glory of this world, this comfortable promise is given them, there be some of them standing here.

ORIGEN; Morally; To those who are nearly brought to the faith, the Word of God wears the form of a servant; but to those that are perfect, He comes in the glory of the Father. His angels are the words of the Prophets, which it is not possible to comprehend spiritually, until the word of Christ has been first spiritually comprehended, and then will their words be seen in like majesty with His. Then will He give of His own glory to every man according to his deeds; for the better each man is in his deeds, so much the more spiritually does he understand Christ and His Prophets. They that stand where Jesus stands, are they that have the foundations of their souls rested upon Jesus; of whom such as stood firmest are said not to taste death till they see the Word of God; which comes in His kingdom when they see that excellence of God which they cannot see while they are involved in divers sins, which is to taste death, forasmuch as the soul that sins, dies. For as life, and the living bread, is He that came down from heaven, so His enemy death is the bread of death. And of these breads there are some that eat but a little, just tasting them, while some eat more abundantly. They that sin neither often, nor greatly, these only taste death; they that have partaken more perfectly of spiritual virtue do not taste it only, but feed ever on the living bread. That He says, Until they see, does not fix any time at which shall be done what had not been done before, but mentions just what is necessary; for he that once sees Him in His glory, shall after that by no means taste death.

RABAN; It is of the saints He speaks as tasting death, by whom the death of the body is tasted just as it were sipping, while the life of the soul is held fast in possession.

Catena Aurea Matthew 16

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Carrying the Cross

Hans Memling

Oil on oak, 58,2 x 27,5 cm
Szépmûvészeti Múzeum, Budapest

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Prayers up.

[Salvation]

Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome

Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome

Optional Memorial
August 5th

 

After the dogma that Mary is the Mother of God was defined by the Council of Ephesus in the year 431, Pope Sixtus III dedicated this basilica in Rome to the Mother of God. Later it became known as "Saint Mary Major". It is believed to be the oldest church in the West dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Source: Daily Roman Missal, Edited by Rev. James Socías, Midwest Theological Forum, Chicago, Illinois ©2003

Collect:
Pardon the faults of your servants, we pray, O Lord,
that we, who cannot please you by our own deeds,
may be saved through the intercession of the Mother
of your Son and our Lord.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. +Amen.

First Reading: Revelation 21:1-5a
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband; and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away."

And he who sat upon the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." Also he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true."

Gospel Reading: Luke 11:27-28
As Jesus said this, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, "Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that you sucked!" But He said, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"

[Salvation]

Making Music at St. Mary Major; the Becket Battle
Miracle of the Snow to Be Commemorated at St. Mary Major
The Historical Mass of St. Mary Major
Dedication Of Saint Mary Major

[Salvation]

Information: Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome

Feast Day: August 5

[Salvation]

Holy Spirit Interactive Kids: A Saint a Day

Blessed Frederic Janssoone

Feast Day: August 5
Born: 1838 :: Died: 1916

Blessed Frederic Janssoone was born in Flanders in Belgium and lived a very interesting life. Frederic had rich parents who owned a farm and he was the youngest of thirteen children.

But when he was only nine years old his father died, so he left school to work and help support his mother. He soon realized that he was very good at selling things to people. He enjoyed meeting new people and he knew how to explain about the things he sold.

Then Frederic's mother died when he was twenty-three years old and he began to think about what he could do with his life. He wanted very much to become a Franciscan priest, so he joined the seminary where he studied to become a priest. After he became a priest he was first asked to serve in the military taking care of the spiritual needs of soldiers.

A few years later, he was sent to the Holy Land where he preached the Gospel in the places made holy by Jesus himself. He used his skills to help different groups of Christians come together and look after two sacred churches. He also built another church in Bethlehem.

Blessed Frederic is also remembered for starting again an old forgotten custom of having pilgrims make the Stations of the Cross throughout the streets of Jerusalem.

Father Frederic's ministry (work) in Canada began when he was sent there to collect money for charity. Because he was so talented and had such a joyful spirit of self- giving the people there loved him immediately. In his sermons and talks he told them many interesting stories about the Holy Land. He looked into the faces and hearts of the people and prayed that they would come close to God and their love for Him would grow strong.

In 1888, he returned to Canada to stay and spent the rest of his life there.

Besides being an interesting person, Father Janssoone was also a very good writer. He wrote several articles and life stories of saints. They remind us of the delight that filled his soul and reflect the joy of Jesus that he so willingly shared with others.

Father Frederic died on August 4, 1916 in Canada.

[Salvation]

Friday

August 5, 2016

Fortitude

“The person with fortitude is the one who perseveres in doing what his conscience tells him he ought to do. He does not measure the value of a task exclusively by the benefit he derives from it, but rather by the service he renders to others.” — St. Josemaría Escrivá

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Year of Mercy Calendar for Today: “Donate part of this month’s paycheck to Mary’s meals.”

[Salvation]

CATHOLIC ALMANAC

Friday, August 5

Liturgical Color: Green

Today is the optional memorial
of the Dedication of the Basilica
of St. Mary Major in Rome. In
358 A.D., Pope Liberius
received a vision of Our Lady
requesting a church be built in
her honor. It's the oldest church
dedicated to Our Lady in the
West.

[Salvation]

Catholic Culture

Ordinary Time: August 5th

Optional Memorial of the Dedication of St. Mary Major

MASS READINGS

August 05, 2016 (Readings on USCCB website)

COLLECT PRAYER

Pardon the faults of your servants, we pray, O Lord, that we, who cannot please you by our own deeds, may be saved through the intercession of the Mother of your Son and our Lord. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

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Recipes (1)

• Orange Gingerbread

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Activities (1)

• Marian Hymn: Lourdes Hymn or Immaculate Mary

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Prayers (2)

• The Immaculate Heart
• Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Litany of Loretto)

Library (0)

» Enjoy our Liturgical Seasons series of e-books!

Old Calendar: Dedication of the Church of Our Lady of the Snow (St. Mary Major); St. Oswald (Hist); St. Emygdius, bishop & martyr (Hist)

We celebrate today the dedication of one of the four most illustrious churches of Rome. While each diocese and parish keeps its own dedication anniversary, the Church universal commemorates the consecration of the four great Roman basilicas, the mother churches, we may call them, of Christendom, viz., St. John Lateran, St. Peter, St. Paul Outside the Walls, and St. Mary Major. By means of these feasts the Church seeks to link all Christians with the Holy See.

This feast commemorates the miracle of the snowfall that occurred during the night of August 4-5 in the year 358 on the site where the basilica now stands. According to tradition, the Virgin Mary appeared in a dream to two faithful Roman Christians, the patrician John and his wife, as well as to Pope Liberius (352-366), asking that a church be built in her honor on the site where snow would fall on the night of August 4-5. Pope Liberius traced the outlines of the church in the snow and the first basilica was built on that site. It was completed about a century later by Pope Sixtus III (432-440), after the Council of Ephesus in 431 during which Mary was declared to be the Mother of God.

In Rome the Basilica of St. Mary Major will hold its traditional triduum from August 1 to 3 and two days of celebration on August 4 and 5. During the pontifical Mass and the second vespers, the traditional shower of flower petals will descend from the ceiling of the basilica to commemorate the August snowfall in 358.

St. Oswald, king, is mentioned in the Roman Martyrology. St. Bede the Venerable commemorates his deeds. He was sometimes portrayed as a martyr, since he died in battle against the pagan Welsh invaders.

Historically it is also the feast of St. Emygdius who lived in the 3rd and 4th century and was a Christian bishop in Ascoli Piceno in Italy. He converted many people to Christianity with his displays of miracles.

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Dedication of St. Mary Major
St. Mary Major is important to Christendom for three reasons:

(a) It stands as a venerable monument to the Council of Ephesus (431), at which the dogma of Mary's divine Motherhood was solemnly defined; the definition of the Council occasioned a most notable increase in the veneration paid to Mary.

(b) The basilica is Rome's "church of the crib," a kind of Bethlehem within the Eternal City; it also is a celebrated station church, serving, for instance, as the center for Rome's liturgy for the first Mass on Christmas. In some measure every picture of Mary with the divine Child is traceable to this church.

(c) St. Mary Major is Christendom's first Marian shrine for pilgrims. It set the precedent for the countless shrines where pilgrims gather to honor our Blessed Mother throughout the world. Here was introduced an authentic expression of popular piety that has been the source of untold blessings and graces for Christianity in the past as in the present.

The beginnings of St. Mary Major date to the Constantinian period. Originally it was called the Sicinini Basilica; it was the palace of a patrician family by that name before its transformation into a church by Pope Liberius. The story of its origin is legendary, dating from the Middle Ages. The Breviary gives this version: "Liberius was on the chair of Peter (352-366) when the Roman patrician John and his wife, who was of like nobility, vowed to bequeath their estate to the most holy Virgin and Mother of God, for they had no children to whom their property could go. The couple gave themselves to assiduous prayer, beseeching Mary to make known to them in some way what pious work they should subsidize in her honor.

"Mary answered their petition and confirmed her reply by means of the following miracle. On the fifth of August — a time when it is unbearably hot in the city of Rome — a portion of the Esquiline would be covered with snow during the night. During that same night the Mother of God directed John and his wife in separate dreams to build a church to be dedicated to the Virgin Mary on the site where they would see snow lying. For it was in this manner that she wanted her inheritance to be used.

"John immediately reported the whole matter to Pope Liberius, and he declared that a similar dream had come to him. Accompanied by clergy and people, Liberius proceeded on the following morning in solemn procession to the snow-covered hill and there marked off the area on which the church in Mary's honor was to be constructed."

Under Pope Sixtus III (432-440) the basilica was rebuilt, and upon the occasion of the definition of Mary's divine Motherhood by the Council of Ephesus, consecrated to her honor (432). He decorated the apse and walls with mosaics from the lives of Christ and His blessed Mother, which even to this day beautify the church and belong to the oldest we possess. As early as the end of the fourth century a replica of the Bethlehem nativity grotto had been added; on this account the edifice became known as "St. Mary of the Crib." To the Christian at Rome this church is Bethlehem. Other names for the basilica are: Liberian Basilica, because it dates to the time of Pope Liberius; St. Mary Major (being the largest church in Mary's honor in Rome); Our Lady of the Snow, because of the miracle that supposedly occasioned its erection.

We could point out how the divine Motherhood mystery dominates all Marian liturgy; for the Theotokos doctrine has kept Mariology Christo-centric in the Church's worship. Although recent popular devotion to Mary has become to a certain extent soft and sentimental and has, one may say, erected its own sanctuary around Mary as the center, devotion to our Blessed Mother in the liturgy has always remained oriented to Christ. In the liturgy the divine Motherhood has always been the bridge from Mary to Jesus. One need only examine Matins in honor of Mary or the Masses from her Common to be reassured. Everywhere Christ takes the central position, and Mary is the Christbearer.

Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch.

Things to Do:

• Pray that your devotion to Mary remain solidly constructed upon dogma that is Christo-centric. For such is the fruit of a living faith in Mary's divine Motherhood.

• Read this article from the Catholic Culture Library on Our Lady of the Snows.

• From A Treasure Chest of Traditions For Catholic Families by Monica McConkey:
  Remember the February 5th Feast of St. Agatha when we celebrate this saint who is invoked against fires? Occurring 6 months after this feast, August 5 provides another excellent opportunity to check fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors! Appreciate the summer warmth as you host your SEMI-ANNUAL FAMILY FIRE DRILL!

  Celebrate a successful FAMILY FIRE DRILL with plenty of cold drinks and a BAR-B-Q ... roasting marshmallows on a BON FIRE (if it is safe to do so in your area).

  Create a MINIATURE BON FIRE in a large coffee can (1 kg size). Before building the fire, stabilize the can by pushing it into sand or dig a small pit (the size of the can). Arrange rocks around the can perimeter. Use small pieces of dry wood and scrunched up paper pushed between branches.

  Drench the can with water when you are finished enjoying the MINIATURE BON FIRE (and all the marshmallows are gone!)

  Used with permission. Write to [email protected]/* */ for more information about this great book. Treasure Chest is filled with unique ideas for activities, crafts and recipes to help families celebrate the various Seasons and Feast Days of the year.

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St. Emygdius
Emygdius was born in Treves [Germany] of a noble Frank family. In his twenty-third year he embraced the faith of Christ in spite of opposition of his parents who were idolaters, and this faith he steadfastly professed. He lived with three disciples, Euplus, Germanus and Valentinus. He scorned human pleasures, and thus he applied himself the more entirely to divine things. Fired with a burning love of the neighbor, he journeyed to Rome in order to bring about the salvation to many souls, and he was there received as a guest, in the Island of the Tiber, where he cured, by baptism, the daughter of his host, who had been ill for five years of an incurable disease. A little later he opened the eyes of a blind man, in the presence of the people by the sign of the Cross. Thereupon the crowd, thinking that he was the son of Apollo, carried him off by force to the Temple of Aesculapius. he there declared himself the servant of Christ, and by calling upon Christ's name he restored to health a great number of sick persons, who were vainly beseeching the help of the idol. Emygdius tore down the altars, and having broken in pieces the statue of Aesculapius, he cast it into the Tiber. These acts, and the conversion of thirteen hundred of the heathen, which followed, together with that of the priests of Aesculapius, enraged Posthumius Titanus, the Prefect of City. Emygdius, by the counsel of an angel, escaped from his threats, and betook himself to the Pontiff, Saint Marcellus, by whom he was consecrated Bishop, and sent to Ascoli.

On his way thither Emygdius converted a multitude of persons to Christ by the many miracles which he wrought. The demons, whose wailing issued from the idols and filled the temples upon his arrival at Ascoli, declared a traveler to be the cause of their distress. The people were aroused, and sought to slay him, whereupon Polymius, the Governor, who was brought out by the tumult, called Emygdius to him, and in a long fruitless discourse he urged him to worship Jupiter and the goddess Angaria, the patroness of Ascoli. He even promised him as a reward the hand of his daughter Polisia, whom Emygdius converted to Christ and baptized on the spot. Her baptism was followed by that of sixteen hundred men, the Saint having drawn, by a miracle, an abundance of water from the rock. Thrown into fury by these events, Polymius cut off the head of the holy Bishop, whereupon the body, wonderful to relate, stood erect, and bearing in its hands the head which had been cast upon the ground, carried it to the Oratory, a distance of three hundred feet. it was removed thence to the principal church, where it is honored by the people of Ascoli, as well as by a multitude of people from other parts of [Italy]. The blessed death of Emygdius took place during the persecution of Diocletian.

Excerpted from Saints of Carmel - Proper Offices of the Saints Granted to the Barefoot Carmelites' 1896 edition, Carmelite Spirituality Blog

Patron: Against earthquakes.

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St. Oswald
Forced to flee from Northumbria to Scotland when his father, Aethelfrith, was defeated and killed by Raedwald in 617, Oswald was converted to Christianity at Iona while he was in Scotland. When his uncle, King St. Edwin of Northumbria, was killed in battle against pagan King Penda of Mercia and Welsh King Cadwallon in 633, Oswald assembled an army and in 634 defeated a superior force under Cadwallon, who was killed in a battle near Hexham, and Oswald became King of Northumbria. He attributed his victory to a vision he had had of St. Columba promising him victory and to a huge cross he had erected the night before the battle. He brought St. Aidan to his kingdom to preach Christianity, gave him the island of Lindisfarne for his see, and acted as his interpreter. He built churches and monasteries, brought in monks from Scotland to bring his people back to Christianity, and was known for his personal piety and charity. He married Cyneburga, daughter of Cynegils, first Christian king of Wessex, and died a few years later, on August 5, while fighting against the superior forces of Penda at Maserfield. He was only thirty-seven at his death.

Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch.

Symbols: Scepter and crown; large wooden cross; ciborium; raven carrying ring or oil stock; letter and box of ointment; horn; silver dish; dove; sword; palm branch.
Often Portrayed As: king in crown, carrying sceptre and orb; king with palm-branch, and/or with his raven.

Things to Do:

• Read the Catholic Encyclopedia's account of St. Oswald and/or this one called Oswald of Northumbria.

• Read about the ancient rush-bearing ceremonies held on the feast of St. Oswald.

[Salvation]

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Matthew 16:24-28

The Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major (Optional Memorial)

Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. (Matthew 16:24)

How far could you walk with a three-hundred-pound weight on your shoulders?

Some historians believe that Jesus’ cross could have weighed about three hundred pounds. This is why, they surmise, the Romans often had the condemned carry only the crossbeam—which still weighed more than one hundred pounds.

When we consider this kind of weight—not to mention the spiritual and emotional weight that the cross also entailed—we can appreciate the Bible telling us that Jesus understands our own suffering and challenges. He shared the same sorrows, pains, and weight of the crosses that we bear in our lives. This means that Jesus doesn’t just empathize with us. He suffers with us as well. That’s how much he loves us. He is willing to walk the same paths that we walk and help us along the way.

In the light of such love, we can see that Jesus’ call to take up our crosses and follow him is not a callous command to pick up our burdens and march. It’s an invitation to join him and to find our strength in his companionship.

Jesus knows that suffering can make us want to run and hide. But he also knows that if we try to follow him, he will make our yoke easier and our burden lighter.

This is the depth of Jesus’ love for you. He wants to help you carry your cross, just as Simon of Cyrene agreed to help carry Jesus’. He wants to wipe your face, just as Veronica wiped his. Most important, he wants to promise you, “Today you will be with me in Paradise,” just as he promised the good thief (Luke 23:43). Why wouldn’t we want to be united with him?

Times of suffering can bring us closer to God, or they can push us further away from him. It’s our choice. It may not be easy at the start, but staying close to Jesus in the midst of difficulties can bring us peace and comfort. All we need to do is take that first step.

“Lord, thank you for continuing to come to me when I need help. Thank you for walking alongside me and making my burdens lighter.”

Nahum 2:1, 3; 3:1-3, 6-7
(Psalm) Deuteronomy 32:35-36, 39, 41

[Salvation]

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

Daily Marriage Tip for August 5, 2016:

Looking to get away for the weekend? Consider taking a quick vacation with your spouse to “recharge” before the summer ends. Search “best weekend getaways near me” for ideas!

[Salvation]

Regnum Christi

Daily Meditation

August 5, 2016 – Selling Your Soul

05 Aug 2016

Friday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Matthew 16:24-28

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay everyone according to his conduct. Amen, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.”

Introductory Prayer:

Heavenly Father, help me to seek the things that are above. Help me to seek the things that last forever, so that all the things that I do may give you glory and help my brothers and sisters to grow closer to you, who live and reign with Christ, your Son, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

Petition:

Father, give me the courage to take up my cross and follow in the footsteps of your Son.

1. Friends of the Cross:

There are many Christians that are willing to be friends with Jesus in good times. However, there are very few Christians that are true friends of Jesus, who embrace the cross at all times, even in the bad. Of course, it is never easy to be a friend of the cross, but who wants to be a fair-weather fan of Jesus and his Gospel? Our Christian lives are a constant battle. We should never forget that. We all are tempted to escape from the reality of our situation from time to time. Nevertheless, whoever perseveres until the end will be saved and have a fruitful life. We can’t expect to have a glorious eternity full of celebration and joy if we don’t shed some blood, sweat and tears here on earth for the sake of Christ and the good of our brothers and sisters.

2. Money Can’t Buy You Love:

“What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life?” In other words, Jesus is saying that it doesn’t matter how much money you make, or what kind of car you drive, or what kind of clothes you wear, or what kind of degree you have. You might spend your whole life trying to earn millions of dollars and amass all sorts of luxuries and securities, but you will have done all this in vain. You will have missed out on the true meaning of life and the true treasure of love. Don’t make the mistake of constantly trying to make life easier and more comfortable for yourself. You will only end up being hopelessly miserable and extremely lonely.

3. Paybacks Are Tough:

“For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay everyone according to his conduct.” It is clear that Jesus will not let us into heaven just because we say we believe in him. He also makes this clear in other teachings throughout the Gospels. Faith alone is not sufficient to be saved. Even Satan and his devils believe — and shudder (cf. James 2:19). Let us reflect on the words of Saint James for further insight: “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,’ and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead” (James 2:14-17).

Conversation with Christ:

I pledge allegiance to the cross and to the holy, Catholic Church; and to the Kingdom for which it stands: One Body in Jesus Christ, everlasting life, with forgiveness and freedom from sin.

Resolution:

I will perform some corporal work of mercy today. (“The corporal works of mercy consist especially in feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, and burying the dead. Among all these, giving alms to the poor is one of the chief witnesses to fraternal charity: it is also a work of justice pleasing to God” [Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2447]).

[Salvation]

One Bread, One Body

One Bread, One Body

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All Issues > Volume 32, Issue 5

<< Friday, August 5, 2016 >>

Dedication of St. Mary Major

Nahum 2:1, 3; 3:1-3, 6-7
View Readings

Deuteronomy 32:35-36, 39, 41

Matthew 16:24-28
Similar Reflections

MARY MAJOR

"If a man wishes to come after Me, he must deny his very self, take up his cross, and begin to follow in My footsteps." —Matthew 16:24

To be disciples of Jesus, we must deny ourselves and take up His cross daily (Lk 9:23). In effect, we must lose our lives (Mt 16:25). We no longer operate independently, but obediently. We don't do our thing, but His thing. We have been crucified with Christ and the lives we live are no longer our own (Gal 2:19-20).

Although the cost of discipleship is so high, deep down we sense that only by losing our lives as disciples of Jesus will we find the meaning and fulfillment of life (Mt 16:25). At the same time, we are hesitant to make the great act of faith necessary to be Jesus' disciple. Jesus is aware of our problem. As He was hanging on the cross, He provided Mary as our mother and major discipler (see Jn 19:26-27). She will intercede for us and prophesy to us (see Acts 1:14, 2:4) so that we will decide to pay the cost of discipleship. She will lead us to obey her Son (see Jn 2:5).

However, Jesus does not force us to accept His mother as our mother. We must decide. Traditionally, we accept another's help in discipleship by putting on that person's cloak (see 1 Kgs 19:19). That is the meaning of the scapular. It represents Mary's cloak. Wearing it means we accept Jesus' plan for discipleship and will pay the cost of discipleship. Wear your scapular and live its meaning.

Prayer: Father, may I let Mary influence me as she influenced Jesus.

Promise: "See, upon the mountains there advances the bearer of good news, announcing peace!" —Na 2:1

Praise: Joe loved Jesus with his whole heart, but had closed his heart to Mary. Then he realized that he had been snubbing His Lord's mother. He asked Jesus and Mary for forgiveness, and now prays the rosary with his children.

[Salvation]