Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 02-08-17, OM, St. Jerome Emiliani, St. Josephine Bakhita
USCCB.org/RNAB ^ | 02-08-17 | Revised New American Bible

Posted on 02/07/2017 9:11:06 PM PST by Salvation

February 8, 2017

Wednesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 Gn 2:4b-9, 15-17

At the time when the LORD God made the earth and the heavens—
while as yet there was no field shrub on earth
and no grass of the field had sprouted,
for the LORD God had sent no rain upon the earth
and there was no man to till the soil,
but a stream was welling up out of the earth
and was watering all the surface of the ground—
the LORD God formed man out of the clay of the ground
and blew into his nostrils the breath of life,
and so man became a living being.

Then the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east,
and he placed there the man whom he had formed.
Out of the ground the LORD God made various trees grow
that were delightful to look at and good for food,
with the tree of life in the middle of the garden
and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

The LORD God then took the man
and settled him in the garden of Eden,
to cultivate and care for it.
The LORD God gave man this order:
"You are free to eat from any of the trees of the garden
except the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
From that tree you shall not eat;
the moment you eat from it you are surely doomed to die."

Responsorial Psalm Ps 104:1-2a, 27-28, 29bc-30

R. (1a) O bless the Lord, my soul!
Bless the LORD, O my soul!
O LORD, my God, you are great indeed!
You are clothed with majesty and glory,
robed in light as with a cloak.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul!
All creatures look to you
to give them food in due time.
When you give it to them, they gather it;
when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul!
If you take away their breath, they perish
and return to their dust.
When you send forth your spirit, they are created,
and you renew the face of the earth.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul!

Alleluia SEE Jn 17:17b, 17a

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Your word, O Lord, is truth:
consecrate us in the truth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mk 7:14-23

Jesus summoned the crowd again and said to them,
"Hear me, all of you, and understand.
Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person;
but the things that come out from within are what defile."

When he got home away from the crowd
his disciples questioned him about the parable.
He said to them,
"Are even you likewise without understanding?
Do you not realize that everything
that goes into a person from outside cannot defile,
since it enters not the heart but the stomach
and passes out into the latrine?"
(Thus he declared all foods clean.)
"But what comes out of the man, that is what defiles him.
From within the man, from his heart,
come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder,
adultery, greed, malice, deceit,
licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly.
All these evils come from within and they defile."


TOPICS: Catholic; General Discusssion; Prayer; Worship
KEYWORDS: catholic; mk7; ordinarytime; prayer; saints
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-37 next last
For your reading, reflection, faith-sharing, comments, questions, discussion.

1 posted on 02/07/2017 9:11:06 PM PST by Salvation
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: All

KEYWORDS: catholic; mk7; ordinarytime; prayer; saints;


2 posted on 02/07/2017 9:12:22 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: nickcarraway; NYer; ELS; Pyro7480; livius; ArrogantBustard; Catholicguy; RobbyS; marshmallow; ...
Alleluia Ping

Please FReepmail me to get on/off the Alleluia Ping List.


3 posted on 02/07/2017 9:13:48 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: All

From: Genesis 2:4b-9; 15-17

The Creation of Adam


[4] In the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, [5] when no
plant of the field was yet in the earth and no herb of the field had yet sprung up—
for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no man
to till the ground; [6] but a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole
face of the ground—[7] then the Lord God formed man of dust from, the ground,
and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

Man in Paradise


[8] And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east; and there he put the
man whom he had formed. [9] And out of the ground the Lord God made to grow
every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in
the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

[15] The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and
keep it. [16] And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may freely
eat of every tree of the garden; [17] but of the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.”

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

2:5-6. These verses are designed to show that the first and most important thing
on earth is man, on whose behalf all other things were made. The text does not
discuss whether any other types of vegetative or animal life existed on the pla-
net prior to man’s appearance on the scene—much less whether any type of
evolution into higher forms could have taken place.

Giving due weight to the data of faith and to scientific discoveries about the evo-
lution of species, Catholic theology is not opposed to the idea that God could
have infused a soul into an already-existing being, having previously prepared a
body to suit it, thereby making it a man . This way of explaining things is called
“moderate evolutionism”. In this connection, John Paul II, in his 22 October 1996
message to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, after recalling the teachings of
Pius XlI’s 1950 encyclical “Humani Generis”, pointed out that recent advances in
scholarship “lead one no longer to regard the theory of evolution as a mere hypo-
thesis”. But at the same time he said that there is not just one “theory of evolu-
tion” but a number of such theories, and he indicated which ones are contrary to
faith: “The theories of evolution which, in line with the philosophies which inspire
them, regard the spirit as something that emerges from the forces of living matter
or as a mere epiphenomenon of that matter, are incompatible with the truth about
man” (ibid.).

So, it is not only “a question of knowing when and how the universe arose physi-
cally, or when man appeared, but rather of discovering the meaning of such an
origin: is the universe governed by chance, blind fate, anonymous necessity, or
by a transcendent, intelligent and good Being called ‘God’?” (”Catechism of the
Catholic Church”, 284).

2:7. As far as his body is concerned, man belongs to the earth. To affirm this,
the sacred writer must have been always conscious of the fact that when a person
dies, his/her body will turn into dust, as Genesis 3:19 will in due course tell us. Or
it may be that this sort of account (a special one like the literary genre of all these
chapters) is based on the similarity between the word “adam”, which means man
in general, and “adamah”, which means “reddish soil”; and given that the words
look alike, the sacred writer may have drawn the conclusion that there is in fact
a connection between the two very things (unsophisticated etymology goes in for
this sort of thing). But the fact that man belongs to the earth is not his most cha-
racteristic feature: as the author sees it, animals too are made up of the stuff of
the earth. What makes man different is the fact that he receives his life from God.
Life is depicted here in terms of breathing, because only living animals breathe.
The fact that God infuses life into man in this way means that although man on
account of his corporeal nature is material, his existence as a living being comes
directly from God, that is, it is animated by a vital principle—the soul or the spirit—
which does not derive from the earth. This principle of life received from God also
endows man’s body with its own dignity and puts it on a higher level than that of
animals.

God is portrayed as a potter who models man’s body in clay; this means that
man is supposed to live in accordance with a source of life that is higher than
that deriving from matter. The image of God as a potter shows that man (all of
him) is in God’s hands just like clay in a potter’s hands; he should not resist or
oppose God’s will (cf. Is 29:16; Jer 18:6; Rom 9:20-21).

2:8-15. Here we have a scenario in which God and man are friends; there is no
such thing as evil or death. The garden is described as being a leafy oasis, with
the special feature of having two trees in the center, the tree of life and the tree
of the knowledge of good and evil—symbolizing the power to give life, and the ulti-
mate reference-point for man’s moral behavior. Out of the garden flow the four
rivers the author is most familiar with; these water the entire earth and make it
fertile. What the Bible is teaching here is that man was created to be happy, to
enjoy the life and goodness which flow from God. “The Church interpreting the
symbolism of biblical language in an authentic way, in the light of the New Tes-
tament and Tradition teaches that our first parents, Adam and Eve, were consti-
tuted in an original ‘state of holiness and justice’ (Council of Trent, “De Peccato
Originali”). This grace of original holiness was ‘to share in...divine life’ (”Lumen
Gentium”, 2)” (”Catechism the Catholic Church”, 375).

From the outset, man is charged with cultivating the garden—working it, protec-
ting it and making it bear fruit. Here again we can see that work is a commission
that God gives man from the start. “From the beginning of creation man has had
to work,” St J. Escriva said. ‘This is not something that I have invented. It is
enough to turn to the opening pages of the Bible. There you can read that, before
sin entered the world, and in its wake death, punishment and misery (cf. Rom 5:
12). God made Adam from the clay of the earth, and created for him and his de-
scendants this beautiful world we live in, “ut operaretur et custodiret illum” (Gen
2:15), so that we might cultivate it and look after it” (”Friends of God”, 57). But
man needs to recognize God’s mastery over creation and over himself by obey-
ing the commandment God gives him as a kind of covenant, telling him not to
eat the forbidden fruit. If man lost the original happiness he was created to enjoy
(the writer will later explain), it was because he broke that covenant.

2:16-17. The fact that man had access to the “tree of the knowledge of good and
evil” means that God left the way open to the possibility of evil in order to ensure
a greater good—the freedom which is man’s endowment. By using his reason and
following his conscience, man is able to discern what is good and what is evil; but
he himself cannot “make” something good or evil. So, God’s command to our first
parents implies that they have a duty to recognize that they are creatures and
have a duty to reverence and respect goodness, as reflected in the laws of crea-
tion and in the dignity proper to man as a person. Were man to want to decide
on good and evil for himself, ignoring the goodness God impressed on things
when he created them, it would mean man wanted to be like God. Man is always
being tempted towards absolute moral autonomy—and he gives in to that tempta-
tion when he forgets that there exists a God who is the Creator and Lord of all,
man included.

“The tree of the knowledge of good and evil,” John Paul II comments, “was to ex-
press and constantly remind man of the ‘limit’ impassable for a created being”
(”Dominum Et Vivificantem”, 36).

*********************************************************************************************
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.


4 posted on 02/07/2017 9:17:50 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: All

From: Mark 7:14-23

What Defiles a Man


[14] And [Jesus] called the people to meet Him, and said to them, “Hear Me, all
of you, and understand: [15] there is nothing outside a man which by going into
him can defile him; but the things that come out of a man are what defile him.”
[17] And when He had entered the house, and left the people, His disciples asked
Him about the parable. [18] And He said to them, “Then are you also without un-
derstanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a man from outside cannot
defile him, [19] since it enters, not his heart but his stomach, and so passes on?”
(Thus He declared all foods clean.) [20] And He said, “What comes out of a man
is what defiles a man. [21] For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil
thoughts, fornication, theft, murder, adultery, [22] coveting, wickedness, deceit,
licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. [23] All these evil things come
from within, and they defile a man.

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

15. Some important codices add here: “If any man has ears to hear, let him
hear,” which would form verse 16.

18-19. We know from Tradition that St. Mark was the interpreter of St. Peter and
that, in writing his Gospel under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he gathered up
the Roman catechesis of the head of the Apostles.

The vision which St. Peter had in Joppa (Acts 10:10-16) showed him the full
depth of what Jesus teaches here about food. When he returns to Jerusalem, St.
Peter himself tells us this in his report on the conversion of Cornelius: “I remem-
bered the word of the Lord” (Acts 11:16). The now non-obligatory character of
such prescriptions laid down by God in the Old Testament (cf. Leviticus 11)
would have been something St. Peter included in his preaching. For interpreta-
tion of this text cf. also note on Matthew 15:10-20.

[Note on Matthew 15:10-20 states:

10-20. Our Lord proclaims the true meaning of moral precepts and makes it
clear that man has to answer to God for his actions. The scribes’ mistake con-
sisted in concentrating on externals and not giving pride of place to interior puri-
ty of heart. For example they saw prayer in terms of exact recital of fixed forms
of words rather than as a raising of the soul to God (cf. Matthew 6:5-6). The
same thing happened in the case of dietary regulations.

Jesus avails Himself of the particular cases dealt with in this passage to teach
us where to find the true center of moral action: it lies in man’s personal deci-
sion, good or evil, a decision which is shaped in his heart and which then is ex-
pressed in the form of action. For example, the sins which our Lord lists are
sins committed in the human heart prior to being acted out. In the Sermon on
the Mount He already said this: “Every one who looks at a woman lustfully has
already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28).]

20-23. “In order to help us understand divine things, Scripture uses the expres-
sion ‘heart’ in its full meaning, as the summary and source, expression and ulti-
mate basis, of one’s thoughts, words and actions” (St. J. Escriva, “Christ Is
Passing By”, 164).

The goodness or malice, the moral quality, of our actions does not depend on
their spontaneous, instinctive character. The Lord Himself tells us that sinful ac-
tions can come from the human heart.

We can understand how this can happen if we realize that, after original sin, man
“was changed for the worse” in both body and soul and was, therefore, prone to
evil (cf. Council of Trent, “De Peccato Originali”). Our Lord here restores morality
in all its purity and intensity.

*********************************************************************************************
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.


5 posted on 02/07/2017 9:20:53 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: All
Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible by Darton, Longman & Todd

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: Green.


First reading
Genesis 2:4-9,15-17 ©
At the time when the Lord God made earth and heaven there was as yet no wild bush on the earth nor had any wild plant yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth, nor was there any man to till the soil. However, a flood was rising from the earth and watering all the surface of the soil. The Lord God fashioned man of dust from the soil. Then he breathed into his nostrils a breath of life, and thus man became a living being.
  The Lord God planted a garden in Eden which is in the east, and there he put the man he had fashioned. The Lord God caused to spring up from the soil every kind of tree, enticing to look at and good to eat, with the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the middle of the garden. The Lord God took the man and settled him in the garden of Eden to cultivate and take care of it. Then the Lord God gave the man this admonition, ‘You may eat indeed of all the trees in the garden. Nevertheless of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you are not to eat, for on the day you eat of it you shall most surely die.’

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 103(104):1-2,27-30 ©
Bless the Lord, my soul!
Bless the Lord, my soul!
  Lord God, how great you are,
clothed in majesty and glory,
  wrapped in light as in a robe!
Bless the Lord, my soul!
All of these look to you
  to give them their food in due season.
You give it, they gather it up:
  you open your hand, they have their fill.
Bless the Lord, my soul!
You take back your spirit, they die,
  returning to the dust from which they came.
You send forth your spirit, they are created;
  and you renew the face of the earth.
Bless the Lord, my soul!

Gospel Acclamation cf.2Tim1:10
Alleluia, alleluia!
Our Saviour Jesus Christ abolished death
and he has proclaimed life through the Good News.
Alleluia!
Or Jn17:17
Alleluia, alleluia!
Your word is truth, O Lord:
consecrate us in the truth.
Alleluia!

Gospel Mark 7:14-23 ©
Jesus called the people to him and said, ‘Listen to me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that goes into a man from outside can make him unclean; it is the things that come out of a man that make him unclean. If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen to this.’
  When he had gone back into the house, away from the crowd, his disciples questioned him about the parable. He said to them, ‘Do you not understand either? Can you not see that whatever goes into a man from outside cannot make him unclean, because it does not go into his heart but through his stomach and passes out into the sewer?’ (Thus he pronounced all foods clean.) And he went on, ‘It is what comes out of a man that makes him unclean. For it is from within, from men’s hearts, that evil intentions emerge: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, malice, deceit, indecency, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within and make a man unclean.’

6 posted on 02/07/2017 9:24:40 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: All

Pray for Pope Francis.


7 posted on 02/07/2017 9:25:27 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: All
It's time to kneel down and pray for our nation (Sacramental Marriage)
8 posted on 02/07/2017 9:25:54 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: All
Perpetual Novena for the Nation (Ecumenical)
9 posted on 02/07/2017 9:27:13 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: All
Prayers for The Religion Forum (Ecumenical)
10 posted on 02/07/2017 9:27:49 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: All
7 Powerful Ways to Pray for Christians Suffering in the Middle East
11 posted on 02/07/2017 9:28:13 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: All
Pray the Rosary!

Is This Bishop Right about the Rosary Conquering Boko Haram? [Catholic Caucus]
Why Boko Haram and ISIS Target Women
Report reveals scale of Boko Haram violence inflicted on Nigerian Catholics
Military evacuating girls, women rescued from Boko Haram
Echos of Lepanto Nigerian bishop says rosary will bring down Boko Harm
After vision of Christ, Nigerian bishop says rosary will bring down Boko Haram (Catholic Caucus)
Nigerian Bishop Says Christ Showed Him How to Beat Islamic Terror Group

12 posted on 02/07/2017 9:29:34 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: All

 
Jesus, High Priest
 

We thank you, God our Father, for those who have responded to your call to priestly ministry.

Accept this prayer we offer on their behalf: Fill your priests with the sure knowledge of your love.

Open their hearts to the power and consolation of the Holy Spirit.

Lead them to new depths of union with your Son.

Increase in them profound faith in the Sacraments they celebrate as they nourish, strengthen and heal us.

Lord Jesus Christ, grant that these, your priests, may inspire us to strive for holiness by the power of their example, as men of prayer who ponder your word and follow your will.

O Mary, Mother of Christ and our mother, guard with your maternal care these chosen ones, so dear to the Heart of your Son.

Intercede for our priests, that offering the Sacrifice of your Son, they may be conformed more each day to the image of your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Saint John Vianney, universal patron of priests, pray for us and our priests

This icon shows Jesus Christ, our eternal high priest.

The gold pelican over His heart represents self-sacrifice.

The border contains an altar and grapevines, representing the Mass, and icons of Melchizedek and St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney.

Melchizedek: king of righteousness (left icon) was priest and king of Jerusalem.  He blessed Abraham and has been considered an ideal priest-king.

St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney is the patron saint of parish priests.

13 posted on 02/07/2017 9:30:58 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: All
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]

14 posted on 02/07/2017 9:31:43 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: All

St. Michael the Archangel

~ PRAYER ~

St. Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle
Be our protection against the wickedness
and snares of the devil;
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God,
Cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits
who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen
+

15 posted on 02/07/2017 9:32:16 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: All

St. Michael the Archangel

~ PRAYER ~

St. Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle
Be our protection against the wickedness
and snares of the devil;
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God,
Cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits
who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen
+

16 posted on 02/07/2017 9:32:37 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: All

February Devotion: The Holy Family

Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. The month of February has been primarily asociated with the Holy Family, probably due to the feast of Our Lord's presentation at the temple, celebrated on February 2. At the very outset of Christ's work on earth, God showed the world a family in which, as Pope Leo XIII teaches, "all men might behold a perfect model of domestic life, and of all virtue and holiness." The harmony, unity, and holiness which characterized this holy Family make it the model for all Christian families.

INVOCATION
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph most kind, Bless us now and in death's agony.

FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE HOLY FAMILY
Grant unto us, Lord Jesus, ever to follow the example of Thy holy Family, that in the hour of our death Thy glorious Virgin Mother together with blessed Joseph may come to meet us and we may be worthily received by Thee into everlasting dwellings: who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.
Roman Missal

CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY FAMILY
O Jesus, our most loving Redeemer, who having come to enlighten the world with Thy teaching and example, didst will to pass the greater part of Thy life in humility and subjection to Mary and Joseph in the poor home of Nazareth, thus sanctifying the Family that was to be an example for all Christian families, graciously receive our family as it dedicates and consecrates itself to Thee this day. Do Thou defend us, guard us and establish amongst us Thy holy fear, true peace, and concord in Christian love: in order that, by conforming ourselves to the divine pattern of Thy family, we may be able, all of us without exception, to attain to eternal happiness.

Mary, dear Mother of Jesus and Mother of us, by thy kindly intercession make this our humble offering acceptable in the sight of Jesus, and obtain for us His graces and blessings.

O Saint Joseph, most holy guardian of Jesus and Mary, assist us by thy prayers in all our spiritual and temporal necessities; that so we may be enabled to praise our divine Savior Jesus, together with Mary and thee, for all eternity.

Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be, three times.

IN HONOR OF THE HOLY FAMILY
O God, heavenly Father, it was part of Thine eternal decree that Thine only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, should form a holy family with Mary, His blessed mother, and His foster father, Saint Joseph. In Nazareth home life was sanctified, and a perfect example was given to every Christian family. Grant, we beseech Thee, that we may fully comprehend and faithfully imitate the virtues of the Holy Family so that we may be united with them one day in their heavenly glory. Through the same Christ our Lord. 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

Holy Family Chaplet

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I give you my heart.
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, be with me in my last hour.
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, may I breathe forth my soul
in peace with you.

Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true man.
Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most holy.
Blessed be St. Joseph, her most chaste spouse. Amen.

Say 3 Our Father's, 3 Hail Mary's, and 3 Glory be's.

The Holy Family Icon by Nicholas Markell

PRAYER TO
THE HOLY FAMILY
===================================================================== ================

GOD our Heavenly Father, You call all peoples to be united as one family in worshipping You as the one and true God. You willed that Your Son become man, giving Him a virgin mother and a foster father to form the Holy Family of Nazareth.

WE pray: may the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, image and model of every human family unit walk in the spirit of Nazareth and grow in the understanding of its particular mission in society and the Church. May our families be living cells of love, faithfulness and unity, thus reflecting God's covenant with humanity and Christ's redeeming love for His Church.

JESUS, Mary and Joseph protect our families from all evil; keep us, who are away from home, one in love with our dear ones.

Parent's Prayer

Jesus, Son of God, Son of Man, and Son of Mary, I thank you for the gift of life you have entrusted to my care. Help me be a parent both tender and wise, both loving and forgiving.

Mary, Holy Mother of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and our Motherly Queen of Heaven, nourish our family with your heavenly grace. Help us to remain faithful to The Most Holy Trinity, in all our sorrows and joys.

Joseph, Earthly father to our Lord God, guardian and spouse of Mary, keep our family safe from harm. Help us in all times of discouragement or anxiety.

Holy Family of Nazareth, help our family to walk in your footsteps. May we be peace-loving and peace-giving.
Amen.
 

Imitating the Holy Family: Four Traits that Make It Possible
[Catholic Caucus] On the Holy Family [Angelus]
Biblical Teachings on Marriage and Family. A Homily for the Feast of the Holy Family
Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph
Recovering God's Plan for Marriage and Family: A Sermon on the Feast of the Holy Family

"Why were you looking for me?" (On the Feast of The Holy Family)
U.S. Postal Service Issues Holy Family Forever Stamp
On Prayer in the Life of the Holy Family
The Holy Family - held together by Love through all their problems [Ecumenical]
Feast of the Holy Family: The Christian Family is a Domestic Church
Chesterton on "The Human Family and the Holy Family"
Joseph, Mary and Jesus: A Model Family
ADVICE TO PARENTS by Saint Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
The Holy Family
St. Joseph as Head of the Holy Family (Catholic/Orthodox Caucus)

Feast of the Holy Family
Feast of the Holy Family (Dom Guéranger OSB)
The Feast of the Holy Family
The Holy Family vs. The Holy Innocents: A Christmas season reflection [Catholic Caucus]
Vatican creche to place Holy Family in Joseph's carpentry workshop
The Redemption and Protection of the Family [Feast of the Holy Family]
Study Backs Tradition of Loreto House - Stones in Altar Match Those in Nazareth, It Says
Unraveling Jesus' mystery years in Egypt
Gaudi's Church of the Holy Family to be ready for worship in 2008
Imitating the Holy Family; Four Traits that Make It Possible
Lots of Graphics: Post your favorite image of the St. Mary and Child, the Holy Family...

17 posted on 02/07/2017 9:33:06 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: All

February2017

Pope's Intention

Universal: Comfort for the Afflicted, That all those who are afflicted, especially the poor, refugees, and marginalized, may find welcome and comfort in our communities.


18 posted on 02/07/2017 9:34:26 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: All
Daily Gospel Commentary

Wednesday of the Fifth week in Ordinary Time
Commentary of the day
Isaac the Syrian (7th century), monk near Mosul
Spiritual Discourses, 1st series, no. 21

“A clean heart create for me, O God” (Ps 51:12)

It is said that only God’s help saves. When a person knows that there is no other help, he prays a lot. And the more he prays, the more his heart becomes humble, for it is not possible to pray and make requests without being humble. “A heart contrite and humble, O God, you will not spurn.” (Ps 51:19) So long as the heart has not become humble, it is impossible for it to escape being scattered; humility gathers the heart together.

When a person has become humble, compassion immediately surrounds him and his heart then feels God’s help. He discovers a strength rising up within him, the strength of trust. When a person thus feels God’s help, when he feels that God is there and that he comes to his aid, immediately his heart is filled with faith and he then understands that prayer is the source of our help, the source of salvation, the treasure of our trust, the port that has been freed of the storm, the light of those who are in darkness, the support of the weak, shelter in time of trial, help at the crisis point of illness, shield that saves in combat, arrow sent out against the enemy. In a word, a multitude of good enters into him by means of prayer. So from then on, he finds his delight in the prayer of faith. His heart glows with trust.

19 posted on 02/07/2017 9:36:54 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: All
'It is surprising that most Christians look upon decorum and politeness as merely human and worldly qualities and do not think of raising their minds to any higher views by considering them as virtues that have reference to God, to their neighbor, and to themselves. This illustrates very well how little true Christianity is found in the world and how few among those who live in the world are guided by the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Still, it is this Spirit alone which ought to inspire all our actions, making them holy and agreeable to God.'

St. Jean Baptiste de la Salle

20 posted on 02/07/2017 9:40:29 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-37 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson