Posted on 08/09/2016 9:31:13 PM PDT by Salvation
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The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary:
Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word.
And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.
Amen. "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you" (Lk 1:28) "Blessed are you among women, |
John | |||
English: Douay-Rheims | Latin: Vulgata Clementina | Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000) | |
John 12 |
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24. | Amen, amen I say to you, unless the grain of wheat falling into the ground die, | Amen, amen dico vobis, nisi granum frumenti cadens in terram, mortuum fuerit, | αμην αμην λεγω υμιν εαν μη ο κοκκος του σιτου πεσων εις την γην αποθανη αυτος μονος μενει εαν δε αποθανη πολυν καρπον φερει |
25. | Itself remaineth alone. But if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world, keepeth it unto life eternal. | ipsum solum manet : si autem mortuum fuerit, multum fructum affert. Qui amat animam suam, perdet eam ; et qui odit animam suam in hoc mundo, in vitam æternam custodit eam. | ο φιλων την ψυχην αυτου απολεσει αυτην και ο μισων την ψυχην αυτου εν τω κοσμω τουτω εις ζωην αιωνιον φυλαξει αυτην |
26. | If any man minister to me, let him follow me; and where I am, there also shall my minister be. If any man minister to me, him will my Father honour. | Si quis mihi ministrat, me sequatur, et ubi sum ego, illic et minister meus erit. Si quis mihi ministraverit, honorificabit eum Pater meus. | εαν εμοι διακονη τις εμοι ακολουθειτω και οπου ειμι εγω εκει και ο διακονος ο εμος εσται και εαν τις εμοι διακονη τιμησει αυτον ο πατηρ |
(*) "αυτος μονος μενει εαν δε αποθανη πολυν καρπον φερει" went to verse 25 in the translations.
Saint Lawrence, Deacon & Martyr
Feast Day
August 10th
FRA ANGELICO
St Sixtus Ordains St Lawrence
1447-49
Fresco, 271 x 197 cm
Cappella Niccolina, Palazzi Pontifici, Vatican
(+258) A Roman deacon, he died four days after Pope Sixtus II, during the persecution of Valerian. Arrested by the prefect and called on to deliver up the property of the Church, his answer was a to point to a crowd of poor people. "Here are the true treasures of the Church," he said. He was burned to death on a gridiron.
Source: Daily Roman Missal, Edited by Rev. James Socías, Midwest Theological Forum, Chicago, Illinois ©2003
Collect:
O God, giver of that ardor of love for you
by which Saint Lawrence was outstandingly faithful in service
and glorious in martyrdom,
grant that we may love what he loved
and put into practice what he taught.
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: 2 Corinthians 9:6-10
The point is this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that you may always have enough of everything and may provide in abundance for every good work. As it is written, "He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures for ever."
He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your resources and increase the harvest of your righteousness.Gospel Reading: John 12:24-26
Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If any one serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there shall my servant be also; if any one serves me, the Father will honor him.
BartolomeoVivarini
St Lawrence the Martyr
Panel
Church of S. Stefano, Venice
Feast Day: August 10
Born: 225, Osca, Hispania (now modern-day Spain)
Died: August 10, 258, Rome
Major Shrine: Basilica di San Lorenzo fuori le Mura in Rome
Patron of: Rome, comedians, librarians, students, tanners, chefs
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Wednesday
August 10, 2016
Eternal Life
We cannot keep to ourselves the words of eternal life given to us in our encounter with Jesus Christ: they are meant for every man and every woman. It is our responsibility to pass on what, by God’s grace, we ourselves have received. — Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI
Year of Mercy Calendar for Today: “Act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8
Wednesday, August 10
Liturgical Color: Red
The Church dedicates August to
the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Devotion to Marys Immaculate
Heart began in the 11th century.
It reminds us of her love for God
and offers us a model as we
work to increase our own
holiness.
Old Calendar: St. Lawrence
Lawrence was chief among the seven deacons who served the Roman Church during the mid-third century. The young cleric held a position of great trust, caring for the goods of the Church and distributing its alms among the poor. He was arrested under the Emperor Valerian in 258, laid upon a gridiron and slowly roasted to death. Lawrence rejoiced in his awful martyrdom and died praying for the conversion of the city of Rome, in the hope that from it the faith of Christ might spread throughout the world. From that time idolatry began to decline in Rome.
St. Lawrence
This young deacon and heroic martyr is numbered among those saints who were most highly venerated by the ancient Roman Church. Next to the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, that of St. Lawrence ranked highest in the Roman sanctoral cycle. "From the rising of the sun unto its setting," says St. Leo, "whenever the glory of Levites beams forth in splendor, Rome is deemed no less illustrious because of Lawrence than Jerusalem because of Stephen."
Even though we have no genuine account of St. Lawrence's martyrdom, we do possess considerable evidence from most ancient times regarding the particulars of his passion. Legendary Acts tell how Lawrence was a disciple of Pope Sixtus II (257-258), who dearly loved him because of his special talents, but principally because of his innocence; in spite of his youth, the Pope numbered him among the seven deacons of Rome and raised him to the position of archdeacon. As such, Lawrence had the immediate care of the altar and was at the side of the saintly Pope whenever he offered the holy Sacrifice; to him also was confided the administration of the goods of the Church and the responsibility of caring for the poor.
During the persecution of Emperor Valerian (253-260), Sixtus II and his four deacons were martyred. Very ardently Lawrence desired to die with his spiritual father and therefore said to him: "Father, where are you going without your son? Where are you hastening, O priest, without your deacon? Never before did you offer the holy Sacrifice without assistants. In what way have I displeased you? In what way have you found me unfaithful in my office? Oh, try me again and prove to yourself whether you have chosen an unworthy minister for the service of the Church. So far you have been trusting me with distributing the Blood of the Lord."
This loving complaint of joyous self-oblation Sixtus answered with words of prophecy: "I am not forsaking you, my son; a severer trial is awaiting you for your faith in Christ. The Lord is considerate toward me because I am a weak old man. But for you a most glorious triumph is in store. Cease to weep, for already after three days you will follow me". After these comforting words he admonished him to distribute all the remaining Church goods allocated to the poor. While Lawrence was dispersing these items in the house of a certain Narcissus, a blind man named Crescentius asked for healing help by the imposition of hands. The holy deacon made the Sign of the Cross over him and the man began to see.
From his relations with Pope Sixtus, it was known that he acted as the steward over the Church's property. He was arrested therefore and placed under the watch of a certain Hippolytus. There in prison Lawrence cured the blind Lucillus and several other blind persons; impressed thereby, Hippolytus embraced the faith and died a martyr. Ordered by the authorities to surrender the treasures of the Church, Lawrence asked for two days time during which to gather them. The request was granted and he brought together in the house of Hippolytus the poor and the sick whom he had supported. These he led to the judge. "Here are the treasures of the Church!"
Lawrence was tortured, scourged, and scorched with glowing plates. In the midst of excruciating pain he prayed: "Lord Jesus Christ, God from God, have mercy on Your servant!" And he besought the grace of faith for the bystanders. At a certain point the soldier Romanus exclaimed: "I see before you an incomparably beautiful youth. Hasten and baptize me." He had observed how an angel dried the wounds of Lawrence with a linen cloth during his passion.
Again during the night he was dragged before the judge and threatened with immediate death. But he replied: "My God I honor and Him alone I serve. Therefore I do not fear your torments; this night shall become as brightest day and as light without any darkness." When placed upon the glowing gridiron, he jested with his executioners and the cruel tyrant. "Now you may turn me over, my body is roasted enough on this side." Shortly after this had been done, he cried again: "At last I am finished; you may now take from me and eat." Then turning to God in prayer: "I thank You, O Lord, that I am permitted to enter Your portals." To comfort him during his torments God said to him: "My servant, do not be afraid. I am with you." He was put to death upon the Viminal Hill and buried on the Tiburtinian Way.
Such the passion and death of this Christian hero, a story that in the Roman Breviary is told by the antiphons and responsories. Already in Constantine's time there was erected over his grave a church that belonged to the seven major basilicas of Rome, St. Lawrence Outside the Walls.
Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch
Patron: Archives; archivists; armories; armourers; brewers; butchers; Ceylon; comedians; comediennes; comics; confectioners; cooks; cutlers; deacons; fire; glaziers; laundry workers; librarians; libraries; lumbago; paupers; poor people; restauranteurs; Rome; schoolchildren; seminarians; Sri Lanka; stained glass workers; students; tanners; vine growers; vintners; wine makers.
Symbols: Dalmatic; thurible; gridiron, dish or money; palm and crucifix; censer; processional cross; cross and book of Gospels; money purse.
Often Portrayed As: Deacon holding a gridiron; deacon holding a book; deacon holding a bag of money.
Things to Do:
Saint Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr (Feast)
God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8)
Zucchini bread. Zucchini pizza. Chocolate zucchini cake.
One mistake common to many beginning gardeners is to underestimate the zucchini they plant. They dont appreciate just how fruitful these seeds can be. Just one seed, for example, can produce up to nine pounds of food. So planting just a couple of seeds can quickly result in a zucchini avalanche that leaves a gardener scrambling for clever recipes.
Perhaps this idea of a few seeds yielding an overwhelmingly large harvest is an appropriate way to celebrate todays feast of St. Lawrence. This third-century Roman deacon was known for his care for the poor and his courage and good humor in a time of intense persecution. According to tradition, when he was martyred by being roasted alive, he called out, Turn me over; Im done on this side.
News of Lawrences courage and faith led many people in Rome to turn to the Lord despite the persecution. Even after his death, his miracles continued to prove that every good work that we sow in the name of the Lord reaps huge dividends. For example, St. Gregory of Tours tells the story of a large group of workers who ran out of food as they were rebuilding a church dedicated to St. Lawrence. When they prayed to their patron, the one loaf of bread that remained in their basket multiplied to feed all of the workers for ten days.
Gods abundant grace and mercy can lead us to reap so much more than we can sow. Every prayer of intercession, every act of kindness, every decision to forgive—they can all produce baskets of blessings for the people around us. So dont shy away from the opportunities that will present themselves to you today. Remember St. Lawrence. Remember the miracles. Remember the zucchini! Then go ahead, and sow your seed.
Lord, I believe that any seed of good I plant will be multiplied by your abundant grace. Give me the courage to continue to plant seeds and rejoice in your harvest.
Psalm 112:1-2, 5-9
John 12:24-26
Daily Marriage Tip for August 10, 2016:
As long as the summer months are still here, embrace the warm weather! Drive to a local state park and go for a hike or long walk with your spouse.
Remember to watch for the “tears of St. Lawrence” over the next few days in the night sky (perseids).
I’m not into astrology, but I will look.
Nothing whatever to do with astrology...
John 12:24-26
Jesus said to his disciples: Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.
Introductory Prayer: Lord, today you give me the example of St Lawrence. He gave his life so that your name would be honored and loved by all people. I would like to have the courage to follow his example of courageous love and die to myself so that I will merit graces for the many souls in need.
Petition: Lord, help me to forget myself and put your interests before mine.
1. Christs Love: Christ would never demand something of us that he has not already lived himself. There is no deity worshiped by men, other than Jesus Christ, who has sacrificed his life out of love for his believers. It is Christs sacrificial love which has the power to multiply love in our lives. Christs act of selfless love gives birth to other acts of the same kind.
2. St Lawrence: St Lawrence was a deacon of the early Church in the middle of the third century. He died a martyr by being roasted slowly on a grill. When he had been grilled for some time he asked his murderers to turn him over so as to grill the other side! Lawrences faith and courageous love are fruits of Christs sacrifice. Although we may not be called to such heroism, Christ won the same grace for us to bear our crosses and live a life of selfless love and generosity.
3. Fruit of Fidelity: When we reflect on the lives of the saints we are inspired by their faithful service to Christ and his Church. Their fidelity is a fruit of Christs fidelity. Our own acts of fidelity will give life and courage to others to do the same. Constant fidelity is above all the fruit of the grace of God, and our cooperation with it. Constant fidelity until death is the fruit of the fruits of this grace combined with our response. God is the one who creates in a soul the indispensable greatness needed for fidelity. Above all, he grants us the daily gift of his fortitude to persevere in it.
Dialogue with Christ: Lord, help me to be more generous in my daily commitments to you. Although you may not be calling me to be a martyr like St Lawrence, please allow me to offer small sacrifices each day for the Church and the salvation of souls.
Resolution: I will offer a sacrifice of fidelity to my prayer or apostolic commitments today for the souls in purgatory.
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