'Men go abroad to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motions of the stars, and they pass by themselves without wondering.'

St. Augustine

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).

Luke
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Luke 18
1.	AND he spoke also a parable to them, that we ought always to pray, and not to faint,	Dicebat autem et parabolam ad illos, quoniam oportet semper orare et non deficere,	ελεγεν δε και παραβολην αυτοις προς το δειν παντοτε προσευχεσθαι και μη εκκακειν
2.	Saying: There was a judge in a certain city, who feared not God, nor regarded man.	dicens : Judex quidam erat in quadam civitate, qui Deum non timebat, et hominem non reverebatur.	λεγων κριτης τις ην εν τινι πολει τον θεον μη φοβουμενος και ανθρωπον μη εντρεπομενος
3.	And there was a certain widow in that city, and she came to him, saying: Avenge me of my adversary.	Vidua autem quædam erat in civitate illa, et veniebat ad eum, dicens : Vindica me de adversario meo.	χηρα δε ην εν τη πολει εκεινη και ηρχετο προς αυτον λεγουσα εκδικησον με απο του αντιδικου μου
4.	And he would not for a long time. But afterwards he said within himself: Although I fear not God, nor regard man,	Et nolebat per multum tempus. Post hæc autem dixit intra se : Etsi Deum non timeo, nec hominem revereor :	και ουκ ηθελησεν επι χρονον μετα δε ταυτα ειπεν εν εαυτω ει και τον θεον ου φοβουμαι και ανθρωπον ουκ εντρεπομαι
5.	Yet because this widow is troublesome to me, I will avenge her, lest continually coming she weary me.	tamen quia molesta est mihi hæc vidua, vindicabo illam, ne in novissimo veniens sugillet me.	δια γε το παρεχειν μοι κοπον την χηραν ταυτην εκδικησω αυτην ινα μη εις τελος ερχομενη υποπιαζη με
6.	And the Lord said: Hear what the unjust judge saith.	Ait autem Dominus : Audite quid judex iniquitatis dicit :	ειπεν δε ο κυριος ακουσατε τι ο κριτης της αδικιας λεγει
7.	And will not God revenge his elect who cry to him day and night: and will he have patience in their regard?	Deus autem non faciet vindictam electorum suorum clamantium ad se die ac nocte, et patientiam habebit in illis ?	ο δε θεος ου μη ποιηση την εκδικησιν των εκλεκτων αυτου των βοωντων προς αυτον ημερας και νυκτος και μακροθυμων επ αυτοις
8.	I say to you, that he will quickly revenge them. But yet the Son of man, when he cometh, shall he find, think you, faith on earth?	Dico vobis quia cito faciet vindictam illorum. Verumtamen Filius hominis veniens, putas, inveniet fidem in terra ?	λεγω υμιν οτι ποιησει την εκδικησιν αυτων εν ταχει πλην ο υιος του ανθρωπου ελθων αρα ευρησει την πιστιν επι της γης

1. And he spoke a parable to them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
2. Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
3. And there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
4. And he would not for a while: but afterwards he said within himself; Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
5. Yet because this widow troubles me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
6. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge said.
7. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night to him, though he bear long with them?
8. I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man comes, shall he find faith on the earth?

THEOPHYL. Our Lord having spoken of the trials and dangers which were coming, adds immediately afterward their remedy, namely, constant and earnest prayer.

CHRYS. He who has redeemed you, has shown you what He would have you do. He would have you be instant in prayer, He would have you ponder in your heart the blessings you are praying for, He would have you ask and receive what His goodness is longing to impart. He never refuses His blessings to them that pray, but rather stirs men up by His mercy not to faint in praying. Gladly accept the Lord's encouragement: be willing to do what He commands, not to do what He forbids. Lastly, consider what a blessed privilege is granted you, to talk with God in your prayers, and make known to Him all your wants, while He though not in words, yet by His mercy, answers you, for He despises not petitions, He tires not but when you are silent.

BEDE; We should say that he is always praying, and faints not, who never fails to pray at the canonical hours. Or all things which the righteous man does and says towards God, are to be counted as praying.

AUG. Our Lord utters His parables, either for the sake of the comparison, as in the instance of the creditor, who when forgiving his two debtors all that they owed him was most loved by him who owed him most; or on account of the contrast, from which he draws his conclusion; as, for example, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith. So also here when he brings forward the case of the unjust judge.

THEOPHYL. We may observe, that irreverence towards man is a token of a greater degree of wickedness. For as many as fear not God, yet are restrained by their shame before men, are so far the less sinful; but when a man becomes reckless also of other men, the burden of his sins is greatly increased.

It follows, And there was a widow in that city.

AUG. The widow may be said to resemble the Church, which appears desolate until the Lord shall come, who now secretly watches over her. But in the following words, And she came to him, saying, Avenge me, &c. we are told the reason why the elect of God pray that they may be avenged; which we find also said of the martyrs in the Revelations of St. John, though at the same time we are very plainly reminded to pray for our enemies and persecutors. This avenging of the righteous then we must understand to be, that the wicked may perish. And they perish in two ways, either by conversion to righteousness, or by punishment having lost the opportunity of conversion. Although, if all men were converted to God, there would still remain the devil to be condemned at the end of the world. And since the righteous are longing for this end to come, they are not unreasonably said to desire vengeance.

CYRIL; Or else; Whenever men inflict injury upon us, we must then think it a noble thing to be forgetful of the evil; but when they offend against the glory of God by taking up arms against the ministers of God's ordinance, we then approach God imploring His help, and loudly rebuking them who impugn His glory.

AUG. If then with the most unjust judge, the perseverance of the suppliant at length prevailed even to the fulfillment of her desire, how much more confident ought they to feel who cease not to pray to God, the Fountain of justice and mercy?

And so it follows. And the Lord said, Hear what, &c.

THEOPHYL. As if He said, If perseverance could melt a judge defiled with every sin, how much more shall our prayers incline to mercy God the Father of all mercies! But some have given a more subtle meaning to the parable, saying, that the widow is a soul that has put off the old man, (that is, the devil,) who is her adversary, because she approaches God, the righteous Judge, who neither fears (because He is God alone) nor regards man, for with God there is no respect of persons. Upon the widow then, or soul ever supplicating Him against the devil, God shows mercy, and is softened by her importunity.

After having taught us that we must in the last days resort to prayer because of the dangers that are coming, our Lord adds, Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, shall he find faith on the earth?

AUG. Our Lord speaks this of perfect faith, which is seldom found on earth. See how full the Church of God is; were there no faith, who would enter it? Were there perfect faith, who would not move mountains?

BEDE; When the Almighty Creator shall appear in the form of the Son of man, so scarce will the elect be, that not so much the cries of the faithful as the torpor of the others will hasten the world's fall. Our Lord speaks then as it were doubtfully, not that He really is in doubt, but to reprove us; just as we sometimes, in a matter of certainty, might use the words of doubt, as, for instance, in chiding a servant, "Remember, am I not your master?"

AUG. Our Lord adds this to show, that when faith fails, prayer dies. In order to pray then, we must have faith, and that our faith fail not, we must pray. Faith pours forth prayer, and the pouring forth of the heart in prayer gives steadfastness to faith.

Catena Aurea Luke 18

My Soul Gives Glory to God

31 x 25.5 cm
Private collection
20c, after the style of the first half of 17c, Russia

Information: St. Josaphat

Feast Day: November 12

Born: 1580 at Volodymyr, Lithuania (modern Ukraine)

Died: 12 November 1623 at Vitebsk, Belarus

Canonized: 1876

Patron of: Ukraine

Holy Spirit Interactive Kids: A Saint a Day

St. Josaphat

Feast Day: November 12
Born: 1580 :: Died: 1623

Josaphat was born in Lithuania, Ukraine and baptized John in 1580. His father was a municipal counselor and his mother a pious woman. A merchant at Vilna trained him to do business. Later the merchant offered to make John his partner and asked him to marry his daughter.

But John felt that God was calling him to serve and he respectfully refused both the offers. He became a monk in the order of St. Basil and chose the name Josaphat.

He was a self-sacrificing, brave man and because of his many natural qualities, he was chosen to lead the people.

Josaphat became an apostle of ecumenism and preached unity among the Christian churches of the Ukraine. There were three main categories of Christians: the Latin Church united with the pope, the Orthodox Greek Church and the Greek Catholic Church.

Josaphat became the bishop of Polotsk in 1617. He spent the next ten years helping the people know and love their Catholic faith better. He organized celebrations of prayer and religion classes.

He called clergy meetings and worked with the priests to put into effect rules that helped the people live closer to Jesus. Archbishop Josaphat had a very good influence on people. He was a dynamic leader, which is why some people feared him.

People who were against the unity of the Churches formed a big mob and came to attack him. Josaphat tried to make sure his servants were all safe before fleeing himself but was not able to get out in time. He was killed and his body was thrown into a local river. Josaphat died on November 12, 1623.

Saturday

November 12, 2016

The Memorare

This is a powerful prayer attributed to St. Bernard of Clairvaux. Take a moment to recite it today.

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary,

that never was it known

that anyone who fled to your protection,

implored your help and sought your intercession

was left unaided,

Inspired by this confidence,

I hasten to you, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother!

To you I come, before You I stand, sinful and sorrowful.

O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions

but in your mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

Year of Mercy Calendar for Today: “Observe the Lord’s Day, beginning tonight. Invite someone to attend Mass with you.”

CATHOLIC ALMANAC

Saturday, November 12

Liturgical Color: Red

Today is the Memorial of St.
Josaphat Kuncevyc, bishop. In
1623, he was martyred by a
mob objecting to his efforts to
unite the Orthodox churches with
Rome. His death calmed the
dispute and ensured the
Church's presence in the
country.

Catholic Culture

Ordinary Time: November 12th

Memorial of St. Josaphat, bishop and martyr

MASS READINGS

November 12, 2016 (Readings on USCCB website)

COLLECT PRAYER

Stir up in your Church, we pray, O Lord, the Spirit that filled Saint Josaphat as he laid down his life for the sheep, so that through his intercession we, too, may be strengthened by the same Spirit and not be afraid to lay down our life for others. 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.

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Old Calendar: St. Martin I, pope and martyr

Today the Church celebrates the memorial of St. Josaphat, a Catholic of the Ruthenian rite. Born in the then Polish region of Lithuania of Orthodox parents, he became a Catholic and a Ukrainian Basilian monk. Chosen bishop, he worked faithfully for the unity of the Church until he suffered martyrdom at the hands of an angry mob in Russia. His feastday in the Extraordinary Rite is celebrated on November 14.

According to the 1962 Missal of St. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is the feast of St. Martin I who was pope from 649 to 654. He was a courageous defender of the faith against heresy. He held a council at Rome which condemned the Monothelite heresy which taught that Christ had no human but only a divine will. The heretical emperor, Constans II, had him treacherously arrested and taken to Constantinople. After many sufferings and humiliations, he was exiled to Cherson in the Crimea where he died of exhaustion in 654.

St. Josaphat
Josaphat Kuncewitcz was born about the year 1580 at Vladimir, Volhynia, [part of the Polish province of Lithuania at the time] and given the name John at baptism. While being instructed as a child on the sufferings of our Savior, his heart is said to have been wounded by an arrow from the sacred side of the Crucified. In 1604 he joined the Ukrainian Order of Saint Basil (Basilians), lived as a monk in a very mortified life, went barefoot even in winter, refrained from the use of wine and flesh-meat, and always wore a penitential garb. In 1614 he was appointed archimandrite of Vilna, Russia and four years later archbishop of Polotzk; in this position he worked untiringly for Church reunion. He was a great friend of the poor, once even pledged his archepiscopal omophorion (pallium) to support a poor widow. The foes of union decided to assassinate him. In a sermon, he himself spoke of his death as imminent. When he visited Vitebsk (now in Russia), his enemies attacked his lodging and murdered a number of his companions. Meekly the man of God hastened toward the mob and, full of love, cried, "My children, what are you doing? If you have something against me, see, here I am." With furious cries of "Kill the papist!", they rushed upon him with gun and sword. Josaphat's body was thrown into the river but emerged, surrounded by rays of light, and was recovered. His murderers, when sentenced to death, repented their crime and became Catholics.

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

Patron: Ukraine.

Things to Do:

Pray to St. Josaphat for the reunion of the separated Eastern Churches.
Read Pope John Paul II's Apostolic Letter on the Eastern Churches, Orientale Lumen.
Read more about St. Josaphat from
Read Pius XI's Encyclical Ecclesiam Dei on St. Josaphat and Pius XII's encyclical Orientales Omnes Ecclesias (On The Reunion Of The Ruthenian Chuch With Rome) .
Learn more about the different Eastern Rites which are in union with the Pope.
Josaphat is the patron saint of Ukraine, but his life has Russian, Polish and Lithuanian influences. The recipes section has several highlighted recipes from these different regions.

St. Martin I
Pope Martin I (649-654) was outstanding for virtue and knowledge. He was selected by divine Providence to be the supreme defender of the doctrine that in Christ there are two wills, a divine and a human, against the monothelite teaching of one will, favored at Constantinople. Immediately after ascending the papal throne, he convoked a synod at the Lateran which put the true teaching in its proper light and condemned the opposing error. Emperor Constans II supported the monothelite patriarch of Constantinople and commissioned the Exarch Olympios to assassinate the Pope. The Exarch entrusted the task to a lictor to murder Martin during Mass in the church of St. Mary of the Crib. The lictor could not accomplish the mission because he was suddenly struck blind. From that moment many misfortunes befell the Emperor, but no change in attitude resulted. Instead he sent the Exarch Theodor Kalliopes to Rome with orders to arrest the Pope.

Martin was carried to Constantinople to begin a tedious martrydom. He was given over to the scoffing of the rabble as he lay ill on the ship. For three months he languished in prison. Called before a tribunal, he was condemned, robbed of his episcopal garments and put into chains. Finally he was banished to Kherson in the Crimea and died there due to inhuman privations. Two letters written before his death give evidence of how he suffered under the dreadful treatment.

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

Symbols: Ball of fire; church and crosier; three geese; prison bars;
Often Portrayed As: Pope holding money; pope with geese around him; pope in a prison cell.

Things to Do: Learn more about the monothelite heresy.

The Word Among Us

Meditation: 3 John 5-8

Saint Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr (Memorial)

We ought to support such persons, so that we may be co-workers in the truth. (3 John 8)

It may seem puzzling that such a short personal letter as 3 John is included in the New Testament. But this letter’s message can help all of us: John wanted to recognize and encourage the support his friend Gaius was giving to missionaries.

John goes so far as to say that helping missionaries actually makes us “co-workers” with them (3 John 8). It may be hard to see how relatively passive support can be equivalent to preaching the gospel in foreign lands. But any missionary will tell you that they can’t do their work alone.

So what kind of support can we give these brave souls?

Give financially. This is probably the first thing we think of. We can donate to reputable missionary organizations, helping to take on the expenses of travel so that they can be free to focus on their work.

Pray. This is probably the second thing you think of, and rightly so. Spending time interceding for the missions can have a big impact. Think of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, a cloistered nun who was named patroness of missions. She never left her convent, but many missionaries credited their success to her acts of intercession.

Show hospitality. Think about the missionaries close to home. Invite your pastor, deacon, or youth minister to dinner. Develop a friendship with them, and show them they’re not alone. You’ll also develop a missionary mind-set within your family.

Shift your perspective. You are a missionary too! You don’t have to travel to foreign lands to preach the gospel. Every time you reach out to your neighbor, every time you choose to love instead of condemn, every time you turn to the Lord in repentance, you’re preaching the gospel. Your actions and choices can change your own heart, which, in turn, changes your environment. And that changes the entire Church.

Each of us is called to be a co-worker in the truth. Each of us is essential to the spread of God’s kingdom in the world.

“Heavenly Father, I want to do all I can to support the spread of your kingdom in the world!”

Psalm 112:1-6
Luke 18:1-8

Regnum Christi

November 12, 2016 – Pray With Faith

12 Nov 2016

Memorial of Saint Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr

Father Edward Hopkins, LC

Luke 18:1-8

Then Jesus told them a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. He said, “There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor respected any human being. And a widow in that town used to come to him and say, ‘Render a just decision for me against my adversary.’ For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought, ‘While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being, because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.'” The Lord said, “Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says. Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them? I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

Introductory Prayer: I believe in you, Lord, for you are mine and have proved your love for me. I trust you, for you have never let me down and know what is best for my life. I love you Lord for all your gifts. I desire to love and to do your will.

Petition: Teach me to pray always, Lord.

1. Becoming Weary: We can become weary in prayer when we don’t see results. This happens because either we have a distorted idea of prayer, or we have taken on worldly views that undermine our appreciation for its true value, or simply because we experience what seems to be failure in prayer (Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, nos. 2726-2728). Prayer is a gift and comes from the Holy Spirit. It is neither a machine nor a magic formula. It requires effort on our part, for it is an act of love, self-giving. Prayer works if I persevere and allow God to act. Sometimes I will not see its effects. To continue to seek God in prayer is already the best fruit of prayer. Do I depend on him?

2. The Judge: If prayer is about giving myself and depending more on God, then it becomes a question of how I understand God. I depend only on those I trust, and I trust only those who have proven their love and ability to support me. Do I really believe God is all good, all-loving and all-powerful? Do I believe he cares about me? God for us is a judge, but so much more. He is first of all a loving father and a dedicated, unconditional savior and lover. As a loving Father he wants our trusting dependence. He wants us to believe.

3. The Chosen Ones: Who are we for God? We are more than simple creatures, more than worthless slaves. We are beloved children, for whom he died and to whom he gives everything. We are the frustrated scholars and broken lovers that he desires to raise up to share his infinite truth and love. We are chosen ones, chosen for him, for happiness, forever. Out of the darkness and slavery of sin, he frees us so that his glory will shine in us. Now, if we are all this and more for God, why do we doubt in prayer? Let us place all our confidence in him.

Conversation with Christ: Dear Lord Jesus, increase my knowledge of your love for me. Help me to trust you in my everyday life. Open my heart to persevere in prayer. Grant me the humility to see how I need to pray, always and in so many ways. Teach me what prayer is and how to do it well for love of you.

Resolution: Throughout the day, I will dedicate myself to simple, small invocations and prayers that express my love, gratitude and trust in God.

One Bread, One Body

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All Issues > Volume 32, Issue 6

<< Saturday, November 12, 2016 >>

St. Josaphat

3 John 5-8
View Readings

Psalm 112:1-6

Luke 18:1-8
Similar Reflections

TOUGH LOVE

"We owe it to such men to support them and thus to have our share in the work of truth." —3 John 8

St. John told Gaius to "demonstrate fidelity" (3 Jn 5) and love by helping and supporting the missionaries John had sent to Gaius' church (3 Jn 6, 8). To do this would cost Gaius not only time and money but also his reputation (see 3 Jn 10) and his membership in his local church. This is because Diotrephes, the leader of Gaius' church, threatened to excommunicate anyone who accepted John's missionaries (3 Jn 10).

To obey the Lord, to remain faithful and loving, to love the Church (Eph 5:25), and to support our brothers and sisters in Christ and the mission work of the Church sometimes results in our being persecuted, slandered, and rejected. Are we so committed to our brothers and sisters in Christ that we will suffer anything rather than be unfaithful to that commitment? Do we love each other so much that we will lay down our lives for one another? (1 Jn 3:16; Jn 15:13) Let us love and suffer as Jesus loved and suffered.

Prayer: Father, may I love without counting the cost.

Promise: Jesus told His disciples "a parable on the necessity of praying always and not losing heart." —Lk 18:1

Praise: St. Josaphat was martyred for trying to unite Catholic and Orthodox Christians.