Reading 1 Is 8:23—9:3

First the Lord degraded the land of Zebulun
and the land of Naphtali;
but in the end he has glorified the seaward road,
the land west of the Jordan,
the District of the Gentiles.

Anguish has taken wing, dispelled is darkness:
for there is no gloom where but now there was distress.
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom
a light has shone.
You have brought them abundant joy
and great rejoicing,
as they rejoice before you as at the harvest,
as people make merry when dividing spoils.
For the yoke that burdened them,
the pole on their shoulder,
and the rod of their taskmaster
you have smashed, as on the day of Midian.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 27:1, 4, 13-14

R. (1a) The Lord is my light and my salvation.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life's refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
One thing I ask of the LORD;
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.

Reading 2 1 Cor 1:10-13, 17

I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that all of you agree in what you say,
and that there be no divisions among you,
but that you be united in the same mind and in the same purpose.
For it has been reported to me about you, my brothers and sisters,
by Chloe's people, that there are rivalries among you.
I mean that each of you is saying,
"I belong to Paul," or "I belong to Apollos,"
or "I belong to Cephas," or "I belong to Christ."
Is Christ divided?
Was Paul crucified for you?
Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel,
and not with the wisdom of human eloquence,
so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning.

Alleluia Mt 4:23

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of the kingdom
and cured every disease among the people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MT 4:12-23

When Jesus heard that John had been arrested,
he withdrew to Galilee.
He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea,
in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,
that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet
might be fulfilled:
Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles,
the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light,
on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death
light has arisen.
From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say,
"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers,
Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew,
casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen.
He said to them,
"Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men."
At once they left their nets and followed him.
He walked along from there and saw two other brothers,
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets.
He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father
and followed him.
He went around all of Galilee,
teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom,
and curing every disease and illness among the people.

or Mt 4:12-17

From: Isaiah 9:1-4 — RSVCE (8:23 - 9:3 — NAB)

The Prince of Peace

[1] But there will be no gloom for her that was in anguish. In the former time he
brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the
latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the nations.

[2] The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness
on them has light shined.
[3] Thou hast multiplied the nation,
thou hast increased its joy;
they rejoice before thee
as with joy at the harvest,
as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
[4] For the yoke of his burden,
and the staff for his shoulder,
the rod of his oppressor,
thou hast broken as on the day of Midian.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

9:1-7. At this point, though not yet very clearly, we begin to see the figure of King
Hezekiah, who, unlike his father Ahaz, was a pious man who put all his trust in
the Lord. After Galilee was laid waste by Tiglath-pileser III of Assyria, and its po-
pulation subsequently deported (cf. 8:21-22), Hezekiah of Judah would reconquer
that region, which would recover its splendour for a period. All this gave grounds
for hope again.

This oracle may have a connexion with the Immanuel prophecy (7:1-17), and the
child with messianic prerogatives that has been born (cf. 9:6-7) could be the child
that Isaiah prophesied about (cf. 7:14). For this reason, 9:1-7 is seen as the se-
cond oracle of the Immanuel cycle. This “child” that is born, the son given to us,
is a gift from God (9:6), because it is a sign that God is present among his peo-
ple. The Hebrew text attributes four qualities to the child which seem to embrace
all the typical features of Israel’s illustrious forebears — the wisdom of Solomon
(cf. 1 Kings 3: “Wonderful Counsellor”), the prowess of David (cf. 1 Sam 7: “Migh-
ty God”), the administrative skills of Moses (cf. Ex 18:13-26) as liberator, guide
and father of the people (cf. Deut 34:10-12), (”Everlasting Father”), and the virtues
of the early patriarchs, who made peace pacts (cf. Gen 21:22-34; 26:15-35; 23:
6), (”Prince of peace”). In the old Latin Vulgate, the translation gave six features
(”Admirabilis, Consiliarius, Deus, Fortis, Pater future saeculi, Princeps pacis”);
these have found their way into the liturgy. The New Vulgate has reverted to the
Hebrew text. Either way, what we have here are titles that Semite nations ap-
plied to the reigning monarch; but, taken together, they go far beyond what be-
fitted Hezekiah or any other king of Judah. Therefore, Christian tradition has in-
terpreted them as being appropriate only for Jesus. St Bernard, for example, ex-
plains the justification for these names as follows: “He is Wonderful in his birth,
Counsellor in his preaching, God in his works, Mighty in the Passion, Everlas-
ting Father in the resurrection, and Prince of Peace in eternal happiness” (”Ser-
mones de diversis”, 53, 1).

Because these names are applied to Jesus, the short-term conquest of Galilee
by Hezekiah is seen as being only an announcement of the definitive salvation
brought about by Christ. In the Gospels we find echoes of this oracle in a num-
ber of passages that refer to Jesus. When Luke narrates the Annunciation by
the angel to Mary (Lk 1:31-33) we hear that the son that she will conceive and
give birth to will receive “the throne of his father David and he will reign over the
house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end” (Lk 1:32b-33;
cf. Is 9:7). And in the account about the shepherds of Bethlehem, they are told
that “to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord
…” (Lk 2:11-12; cf. Is 9:6). St Matthew sees the beginning of Jesus’ ministry in
Galilee (Mt 4:12-17) as the fulfillment of this Isaian oracle (cf. Is 9:1): the lands
that in the prophet’s time were laid waste and saw ethnic cleansing and trans-
plantation were the first to receive the light of salvation from the Messiah.

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

From: 1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17

An Appeal for Unity

[10] I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of
you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united
in the same mind and the same judgment. [11] For it has been reported to me
by Chloe’s people that there is quarrelling among you, my brethren. [12] What
I mean is that each of you says “I belong to Paul” or, “I belong to Apollos,” or
“I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” [13] Is Christ divided? Was Paul
crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? [17] For Christ did
not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom,
lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

10-17. St Paul takes the Corinthians to task for the strife in their community —
not, it seems, quarrels over matters of doctrine, but minor disagreements due to
preferences for certain teachers. Even so, the Apostle is very much against fac-
tions, and he starts his letter by stressing that unity is essential to the Church.

He makes four points, as it were — an appeal (v. 10); a description of the state
of affairs in Corinth (vv. 11-12); a doctrinal reflection: Christ cannot be divided (v.
13); and a summary of his (Paul’s) ministry (vv. 14-17).

His appeal is virtually a warning: “I appeal to you by the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ.” The Apostle only calls on the name of our Lord when he has very serious
counsel to offer (cf. 1 Thess 4:1; 2 Thess 3:6); he makes it clear that it is a very
grave matter to put the unity of the Church at risk. Each of these groups in Co-
rinth is appealing to whichever authority it prefers — without Paul, Apollos or Ce-
phas having any say in the matter. Christ cannot be divided and therefore neither
can the Church, Christ’s body (cf. 1 Cor 12:12-31).

Finally, St Paul points out their feeble grounds for basing divisions on personal
relationships: very few of them can claim to have been baptized by him, because
his concentration has been on evangelization.

This entire passage is a defense of Church unity. Throughout the centuries the
Church has confessed this truth of faith — from the Apostles’ Creed (”I believe in
the Holy Catholic Church”) right down to the “Creed of the People of God” of Paul
VI: “We believe that the Church which Christ founded and for which he prayed is
indefectibly one in faith and in worship, and one in the communion of a single
hierarchy” (no.21 ).

10. “That you all agree...in the same mind and the same judgment”: St Paul is
not calling for mere external unity or just living peaceably or being sure to come
together for certain liturgical ceremonies. He wants something that goes much
deeper than that: the concord that should reign among them should stem from
their being of one mind, from feeling the same way about things. In saying this
he obviously does not mean to restrict the freedom every Christian enjoys as far
as earthly affairs are concerned: it is the unity “of the Church” that Paul is dis-
cussing, and in that area there is no room for factions among Christians (cf. v.
11). Differences, diversity, which do not affect the unity of the Church are some-
thing lawful and positively good.

One basic dimension of Church unity is unity of faith. That is why the Fathers
and the Magisterium have borrowed from what St Paul says here, to show that
genuine progress in understanding the content of truths of faith must always
keep in line with earlier understanding of the same: “any meaning of the sacred
dogmas that has once been declared by holy Mother Church must always be re-
tained; and there must never be any deviation from that meaning on the specious
grounds of a more profound understanding. ‘Therefore, let there be growth [...]
and all possible progress in understanding, knowledge, and wisdom whether in
single individuals or in the whole body, in each man as well as in the entire
Church, according to the stage of their development but only within proper limits,
that is, in the same doctrine, in the same meaning, and in the same purport [”eo-
dem sensu eademque sententia”]’ (St Vincent of Lerins, “Commonitorium”, 28)’.
(Vatican I, “Dei Filius”, chap. 4).

11-12. St Paul now goes on to discuss the dissensions (v .10) which “Chloe’s
people” have told him about. We must presume that Chloe was a woman well
known in the church at Corinth; and obviously there is no question of secret de-
nunciations but of a well-intentioned effort to bring to Paul’s attention a problem
requiring solution. Chloe’s people might have been members of her family or ser-
vants of hers who had visited the Apostle in Ephesus (cf. 1 Cor 16:15-17).

Although St Paul does not go into much detail, we can see that a number of
groupings had grown up among the Corinthians. They each claimed to follow a
prominent Christian (clearly without any encouragement from their “heroes”),
and a certain rivalry had developed which could easily undermine the unity of
faith. The group who claimed Apollos — a Jewish convert from Alexandria (Egypt),
a man of eloquence, well versed in the Scriptures (cf. Acts 18:24-28) — would
have emerged after Apollos spent some time preaching in Corinth shortly after
Paul left there (cf. Acts 19:1).

“I belong to Cephas”: the Peter group may have consisted of people who knew
him to be the leader of the Apostles (cf. 3:21-23; 9:4-5; 15:5); St Peter may have
passed through Corinth at some point, but there is no evidence of a visit and it
is more likely that some of his disciples or converts had come to the city.

“I belong to Christ”: this can be interpreted as a reference either to a fourth group
very attached to certain preachers from Jerusalem, of a Judaizing tendency — and
therefore very attached to Jewish traditions and very disinclined to acknowledge
the newness of Christ’s message; or else to some Christians who were disgusted
at the petty quarrelling of the other groups and, therefore, would naturally claim to
belong to Christ and only to Christ. It is possible, however, that this is a personal
statement of St Paul’s, designed to show how foolish these groups are: You may
say that you belong to Paul, to Apollos or to Peter: but I belong to Christ.

What the Apostle says here should lead us to avoid narrow-mindedness: each of
us has his own job to do, where God put him, but he should also make his own
the sentiments and concerns of the universal Church.

13-16. Crispus was, or had been, the ruler of the synagogue at Corinth and had
become a Christian through Paul’s preaching (cf. Acts 18:8). Gaius was another
convert of Paul’s and the Apostle had stayed with him when he was in Corinth (cf.
Rom 16:2). Stephanas’ family had been the first to be converted in the province
of Achaia; and Stephanas himself was now with St Paul in Ephesus (cf. 1 Cor
16:15-17).

There is no excuse for divisions, the Apostle tells them: unity is not dependent
on which teacher you had or who baptized you; it is something based on Christ
— whom all the preachers preach; Christ was the one who was crucified for every-
one, and his is the name they were baptized in. And there is only one Christ;
therefore they all belong to him.

It is through Baptism, the door of the Christian life, that a Christian becomes part
of the one body of Christ; there the merits gained by Christ on the cross are ap-
plied to him, and the baptized person is configured to his dead and risen Lord:
“Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were
baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death,
so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father we too might
walk in newness of life” (Rom 6:3-4). And the Second Vatican Council states that:
“by the sacrament of Baptism [...] man becomes truly incorporated into the cruci-
fied and glorified Christ and is reborn to a sharing of the divine life, as the Apostle
says: ‘for you were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with
him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead’ (Col 2:12)”
(”Unitatis Redintegratio”, 22).

17. In the first part of this verse St Paul is giving the reasons for his actions as
described in the preceding verses. The second part he uses to broach a new sub-
ject — the huge difference between this world’s wisdom and the wisdom of God.

“Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the Gospel”: this is a reminder
that preaching is St Paul’s main task, as it is of the other Apostles (cf. Mk 3:14).
This does not imply a belittling of Baptism: in his mandate to the Apostles to go
out into the whole world (cf. Mt 28:19-20), our Lord charged them to baptize as
well as to preach, and we know that St Paul did administer Baptism. But Bap-
tism — the sacrament of faith — presupposes preaching: “faith comes from what
is heard” (Rom 10:17). St Paul concentrates on preaching, leaving it to others to
baptize and gather the fruit — a further sign of his detachment and upright inten-
tion.

In Christian catechesis, evangelization and the sacraments are interdependent.
Preaching can help people to receive the sacraments with better dispositions,
and it can make them more aware of what the sacraments are; and the graces
which the sacraments bring help them to understand the preaching they hear
and to be more docile to it. “Evangelization thus exercises its full capacity when
it achieves the most intimate relationship, or better still a permanent and unbro-
ken intercommunication, between the Word and the Sacraments. In a certain
sense it is a mistake to make a contrast between evangelization and sacramen-
talization, as is sometimes done. It is indeed true that a certain way of admini-
stering the Sacraments, without the solid support of catechesis regarding these
same Sacraments and a global catechesis, could end up by depriving them of
their effectiveness to a great extent. The role of evangelization is precisely to
educate people in the faith so as to lead each individual Christian to live the Sa-
craments as true Sacraments of faith — and not to receive them passively or
apathetically” (Paul VI, “Evangelii Nuntiandi”, 47).

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

From: Matthew 4:12-23

Preaching in Galilee. The First Disciples are Called

[12] Now when he (Jesus) heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into
Galilee; [13] and leaving Nazareth he went and dwelt in Capernaum by the sea,
in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, [14] that what was spoken by the
prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

[15] “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, toward the sea, across the
Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—[16] the people who sat in darkness have seen
a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has
dawned.” [17] From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

[18] As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is
called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were
fishermen. [19] And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of
men.” [20] Immediately they left their nets and followed him. [21] And going on
from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his
brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called
them. [22] Immediately, they left the boat and their father, and followed him.

[23] And he went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching
the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity among
the people.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

15-16. Here St Matthew quotes the prophecy of Isaiah 8:23- 9:1. The territory
referred to (Zebulun, Naphtali, the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan),
was invaded by the Assyrians in the period 734-721 B.C., especially during the
reign of Tilgathpilneser III. A portion of the Jewish population was deported and
sizeable numbers of foreigners were planted in the region to colonize it. For this
reason it is referred to in the Bible henceforward as the “Galilee of the Gentiles”.

The evangelist, inspired by God, sees Jesus’ coming to Galilee as the fulfillment
of Isaiah’s prophecy. This land, devastated and abused in Isaiah’s time, will be
the first to receive the light of Christ’s life and preaching. The messianic meaning
of the prophecy is, therefore, clear.

17. See the note on Mt 3:4. This verse indicates the outstanding importance of
the first step in Jesus’ public ministry, begun by proclaiming the imminence of
the Kingdom of God. Jesus’ words echo John the Baptist’s proclamation: the se-
cond part of this verse is the same, word for word, as Matthew 3:2. This under-
lines the role played by St John the Baptist as prophet and precursor of Jesus.
Both St John and our Lord demand repentance, penance, as a prerequisite to
receiving the Kingdom of God, now beginning. God’s rule over mankind is a main
theme in Christ’s Revelation, just as it was central to the whole Old Testament.
However, in the latter, the Kingdom of God had an element of theocracy about
it: God reigned over Israel in both spiritual and temporal affairs and it was through
him that Israel subjected other nations to her rule. Little by little, Jesus will unfold
the new-style Kingdom of God, now arrived at its fullness. He will show it to be a
Kingdom of love and holiness, thereby purifying it of the nationalistic misconcep-
tions of the people of his time.

The King invites everyone without exception to this Kingdom (cf. Mt 22:1-14). The
Banquet of the Kingdom is held on this earth and has certain entry requirements
which must be preached by the proponents of the Kingdom: “Therefore the eucha-
ristic celebration is the center of the assembly of the faithful over which the priest
presides. Hence priests teach the faithful to offer the divine Victim to God the Fa-
ther in the sacrifice of the Mass, and with the Victim to make an offering of their
whole lives. In the spirit of Christ the pastor, they instruct them to submit their
sins to the Church with a contrite heart in the sacrament of Penance, so that
they may be daily more and more converted to the Lord, remembering his words:
‘Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand”’ (Vatican II, “Presbyterorum Ordi-
nis”, 5).

18-22. These four disciples had already met our Lord (John 1:35-42), and their
brief meeting with Him seems to have had a powerful effect on their souls. In this
way Christ prepared their vocation, a fully effective vocation which moved them to
leave everything behind so as to follow him and be his disciples. Standing out
above their human defects (which the Gospels never conceal), we can see the
exemplary generosity and promptness of the Apostles in answering God’s call.

The thoughtful reader cannot fail to be struck by the delightful simplicity with
which the evangelists describe the calling of these men in the midst of their dai-
ly work.

“God draws us from the shadows of our ignorance, our groping through history,
and, no matter what our occupation in the world, he calls us in a loud voice, as
he once called Peter and Andrew” ([Blessed] J. Escriva, “Christ Is Passing By,”
45).

“This divine and human dialogue completely changed the lives of John and An-
drew, and Peter and James and so many others. It prepared their hearts to lis-
ten to the authoritative teaching which Jesus gave them beside the Sea of Ga-
lilee” (”ibid”., 108).

We should notice the words of Sacred Scripture used to describe the alacrity
with which the Apostles follow our Lord. Peter and Andrew “immediately” left
their nets and followed him. Similarly, James and John “immediately” left the
boats and their father and followed him. God passes by and calls us. If we do
not answer him “immediately”, he may continue on his way and we could lose
sight of him. When God passes by, he may do so rapidly; it would be sad if
we were to fall behind because we wanted to follow him while still carrying
many things that are only a dead weight and a nuisance.

23. “Synagogue”: this word comes from the Greek and designates the building
where the Jews assembled for religious ceremonies on the sabbath and other
feast days. Such ceremonies were non-sacrificial in character (sacrifices could
be performed only in the temple of Jerusalem). The synagogue was also the
place where the Jews received their religious training. The word was also used
to designate local Jewish communities within and without Palestine.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

Pray a Rosary each day for our nation.

1. Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

2. The Apostles Creed: I BELIEVE in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

3. The Lord's Prayer: OUR Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

4. (3) Hail Mary: HAIL Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen. (Three times)

5. Glory Be: GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

6. Fatima Prayer: Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of your mercy.

Announce each mystery, then say 1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, 1 Glory Be and 1 Fatima prayer. Repeat the process with each mystery.

End with the Hail Holy Queen:
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve! To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears! Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus!

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Final step -- The Sign of the Cross

The Mysteries of the Rosary By tradition, Catholics meditate on these Mysteries during prayers of the Rosary. The biblical references follow each of the Mysteries below.

The Glorious Mysteries
(Wednesdays and Sundays)
1.The Resurrection (Matthew 28:1-8, Mark 16:1-18, Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1-29) [Spiritual fruit - Faith]
2. The Ascension (Mark 16:19-20, Luke 24:50-53, Acts 1:6-11) [Spiritual fruit - Christian Hope]
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-13) [Spiritual fruit - Gifts of the Holy Spirit]
4. The Assumption [Spiritual fruit - To Jesus through Mary]
5. The Coronation [Spiritual fruit - Grace of Final Perseverance]

Feast of
the Holy Name of Jesus

Luke 2:21 "...Et vocatum est Nomen eius IESUS"
("And His Name was called JESUS")

Psalm 90:14 "Because he hoped in me I will deliver him:
I will protect him because he hath known My Name."

Zacharias 10:12 "I will strengthen them in the Lord,
and they shall walk in His Name, saith the Lord."

Apocalypse 3:8 "I know thy works. Behold, I have given before thee a door opened, which no man can shut: because thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied My Name."

Apocalypse 15:4 "Who shall not fear Thee, O Lord, and magnify Thy Name?..."

Blessed be the most holy Name of Jesus without end!

January Devotion: The Holy Name of Jesus

The month of January is traditionally dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus. This feast is also celebrated on January 3. Here is an explanation of the devotion.

Since the 16th century Catholic piety has associated entire months to special devotions. The devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus has been traditionally associated with the month of January, due to its celebration on January 3. The name Jesus was given to the Holy Child at God's command (Luke 1:31). The Holy Name is all-powerful because of the Person who bears it; we honor it because of the command of Christ, that we should pray in His Name and because it reminds us of all the blessings we receive through our Holy Redeemer. Hence St. Paul was able to write to the Philippians: ". . . at the name of Jesus every knee should bend of those in heaven, on earth, and under the earth" (Phil. 2:10). By means of this devotion we also make amends for improper use of the Holy Name.

Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954

Prayer/Hymn in Honor of the Most Holy Name of Jesus - Iesu, Dulcis Memoria

Iesu, Dulcis Memoria is a celebrated 12th century hymn attributed to St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153), Doctor Mellifluus. The entire hymn has some 42 to 53 stanzas depending upon the manuscript. Parts of this hymn were used for the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus, which was formerly celebrated on the Sunday between the Circumcision and Epiphany, or failing such a Sunday, on January 2. The part below was used at Vespers. In the liturgical revisions of Vatican II, the feast was deleted, though a votive Mass to the Holy Name of Jesus had been retained for devotional use. With the release of the revised Roman Missal in March 2002, the feast was restored as an optional memorial on January 3.

Jesus, the very thought of Thee
With sweetness fills the breast!
Yet sweeter far Thy face to see
And in Thy presence rest.

No voice can sing, no heart can frame,
Nor can the memory find,
A sweeter sound than Jesus' name,
The Savior of mankind.

O hope of every contrite heart!
0 joy of all the meek!
To those who fall, how kind Thou art!
How good to those who seek!

But what to those who find? Ah! this
Nor tongue nor pen can show
The love of Jesus, what it is,
None but His loved ones know.

Jesus! our only hope be Thou,
As Thou our prize shalt be;
In Thee be all our glory now,
And through eternity. Amen.

---Roman Breviary

Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954

O Divine Jesus, Thou hast promised that anything we ask of the Eternal Father in Thy name shall be granted.

O Eternal Father. In the name of Jesus, for the love of Jesus, in fulfillment of this promise, and because Jesus has said it, grant us our petitions for the sake of Jesus, Thy Divine Son. Amen.

Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954

That at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Phil:2:10-11

The Most Holy Name
The Power of Jesus’ Name
What does IHS stand for? The meaning of the Holy Name of Jesus [Catholic Caucus]
Litany Of The Holy Name of Jesus
Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus
Jesus, The Name above all Names
Devotion to the Holy Name (of Jesus) [Catholic Caucus]
Lessons In Iconography : The Chi Rho - Christ
St. Francis de Sales on the Most Holy Name of Jesus (Excerpt from a Sermon) (Catholic Caucus)
St. Francis de Sales on the Most Holy Name of Jesus (Catholic/Orthodox Caucus)

St. Bernard on the Most Holy Name of Jesus [Ecumenical]
Saving the day in His Holy Name: St. Genevieve gets a reprieve [Catholic Caucus]
The Holy Name of Jesus
Holy Name of Jesus [San Bernadino of Siena] Ecumenical
The Holy Name of Jesus
Devotion to the Holy Name [of Jesus]
The Name of Jesus: Its Power in Our Lives
The Holy Name of Jesus
Devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus
The Holy Name of Jesus

Philippians 2
9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

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January 22, 2017

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 Is 8:23—9:3

Responsorial Psalm Ps 27:1, 4, 13-14

Reading 2 1 Cor 1:10-13, 17

Alleluia Mt 4:23

Gospel MT 4:12-23

or Mt 4:12-17

Feast of
the Holy Name of Jesus

January 2017

Pope's Intentions

Universal: That those from diverse religious traditions and all people of good will may work together for peace.

Evangelization: That in this year dedicated to consecrated life, religious men and women may rediscover the joy of following Christ and strive to serve the poor with zeal.

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time