June, 2017

Pope's Intention

National Leaders, That national leaders may firmly commit themselves to ending the arms trade, which victimizes so many innocent people.

Thursday of the Tenth week in Ordinary Time

Commentary of the day
Saint Francis de Sales (1567-1622), Bishop of Geneva and Doctor of the Church
Introduction to the devout life, III, 8

"The wrath of man does not accomplish the righteousness of God."(Jas 1:20)

When the holy and illustrious patriarch Joseph sent back his brethren from Egypt to his father’s house, he gave them this sole advice: “Be not angry in the way” (Gn 45:24). I say the same to you: this wretched life is but a journey to the happy life to come. Let us not be angry with one another on the way, but rather let us march on with the band of our brethren and companions, meekly, peaceably, and lovingly. I say to you, absolutely and without exception, do not be angry at all, if it be possible. Admit no pretext whatsoever to open the gate of your heart to anger, for St. James tells us positively and without reservation: "The wrath of man does not accomplish the righteousness of God."(1:20)

We must indeed, constantly and courageously, but with meekness and compassion, resist evil and restrain the vices of those that are under our charge… We do not set so much value to the correction which proceeds from passion, even though it be accompanied with reason, as to that which proceeds from reason alone... If it can but once gain the night on us and if “the sun sets on our anger” (Eph 4:26), it turns into a hatred from which we have scarce any means to rid ourselves. It nourishes itself under a thousand false pretexts, for there was never an angry man that thought his anger unjust.

It is better, then, to attempt to find the way to live without anger, than to pretend to make a moderate and discreet use of it. When we find ourselves surprised into anger through our imperfections and frailty, it is better to drive it away speedily than to enter into a discussion with it.

'Do not shun poverty and afflictions, these wings of buoyant prayer.'

St. Nilus of Sinai

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).

Saint Marguerite d’Youville

Fr. Don Miller, OFM

<em>Portrait of Mère Marguerite d'Youville (1701-1771)</em> | James Duncan

Image: Portrait of Mère Marguerite d’Youville (1701-1771) | James Duncan

Saint Marguerite d’Youville

Saint of the Day for June 15

(October 15, 1701 – December 23, 1771)

Saint Marguerite d’Youville’s Story

We learn compassion from allowing our lives to be influenced by compassionate people, by seeing life from their perspectives, and reconsidering our own values.

Born in Varennes, Canada, Marie Marguerite Dufrost de Lajemmerais had to interrupt her schooling at the age of 12 to help her widowed mother. Eight years later she married Francois d’Youville; they had six children, four of whom died young. Despite the fact that her husband gambled, sold liquor illegally to Native Americans, and treated her indifferently, she cared for him compassionately until his death in 1730.

Even though she was caring for two small children and running a store to help pay off her husband’s debts, Marguerite still helped the poor. Once her children were grown, she and several companions rescued a Quebec hospital that was in danger of failing. She called her community the Institute of the Sisters of Charity of Montreal; the people called them the “Grey Nuns” because of the color of their habits. In time, a proverb arose among the poor people of Montreal, “Go to the Grey Nuns; they never refuse to serve.” In time, five other religious communities traced their roots to the Grey Nuns.

The General Hospital in Montreal became known as the Hotel Dieu (House of God) and set a standard for medical care and Christian compassion. When the hospital was destroyed by fire in 1766, Mère Marguerite knelt in the ashes, led the Te Deum–a hymn to God’s providence in all circumstances–and began the rebuilding process. She fought the attempts of government officials to restrain her charity, and established the first foundling home in North America.

Pope Saint John XXIII, who beatified Mère Marguerite in 1959, called her the “Mother of Universal Charity.” She was canonized in 1990.

Reflection

Saints deal with plenty of discouragement, plenty of reasons to say, “Life isn’t fair” and wonder where God is in the rubble of their lives. We honor saints like Marguerite because they show us that with God’s grace and our cooperation, suffering can lead to compassion rather than bitterness.

The Liturgical Feast of Saint Marguerite d’Youville is October 16.

Other Saints of the Day for June 15 are Servant of God Orlando Catanii and Saint Vitus.

Information: St. Vitus

Feast Day: June 15

Born: 290, Sicily

Died: 303, Lucania, modern-day Basilicata, Italy

Patron of: actors; comedians; Czechoslovakia; dancers; dogs; epilepsy; Mazara del Vallo, Sicily; Forio, Ischia; oversleeping; Prague, Czech Republic; rheumatic chorea (Saint Vitus Dance); snake bites; storms; Vacha, Germany; Zeven, Lower Saxony

Information: St. Germaine Cousin

Feast Day: June 15

Born: 1579, Pibrac, France

Died: 1601, Pibrac, France

Canonized: 29 June 1867 by Pope Pius IX

Patron of: abandoned people; abuse victims; against poverty; bodily ills; child abuse victims; disabled people; girls from rural areas; handicapped people; illness; impoverishment; loss of parents; peasant girls; physically challenged people; poverty; shepherdesses; sick people; sickness; unattractive people; victims of abuse; victims of child abuse; young country girls

Catholic Culture

Ordinary Time: June 15th

Thursday of the Tenth Week of Ordinary Time

MASS READINGS

June 15, 2017 (Readings on USCCB website)

COLLECT PRAYER

O God, from whom all good things come, grant that we, who call on you in our need, may at your prompting discern what is right, and by your guidance do it. 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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Recipes (1)

Old-Fashioned St. Germain and Lemon Bundt Cake

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Activities (3)

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Prayers (2)

June Devotion: The Sacred Heart
Litany of the Fourteen Holy Helpers
Old Calendar: Corpus Christi; Saints Vitus, Modestus, and Crescentia, martyrs; St. Germaine Cousin (Hist)
According to the 1962 Missal of St. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is the feast of Corpus Christi which traditionally is celebrated on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday. In the Ordinary Rite the Solemnity is celebrated on the Sunday after Trinity Sunday. Also, today is the feast of Sts. Vitus, Modestus and Crescentia. Very little is known of these saints. St. Vitus was martyred in Lucania in South Italy. He is invoked for the cure of epilepsy (St. Vitus' dance).
Historically today is the feast of St. Germain Cousin who was born in Pibrac, France. She was abused as a child and spent her short life as a shepherdess.

Sts. Vitus, Modestus, and Crescentia
The relics of St. Vitus (also known as St. Guy) were transferred to various places -- an arm is in St. Vitus Cathedral, Prague. According to legendary Acts, the boy Vitus was baptized without the knowledge of his father. Having found out about it, his father had him beaten with rods by the magistrate. While his parent was considering more cruel punishments, Vitus, his teacher Modestus, and his nurse Crescentia fled to Sicily upon the command of an angel. But there, too, they were persecuted because of the faith. When thrown into a cauldron of burning oil, they, like the three youths, sang hymns of praise. And wild beasts would not harm them. It is related that they were then quartered. Vitus is one of the "Fourteen Holy Helpers" (he is invoked against epilepsy and St. Vitus' dance).
Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch
Patron: Vitus: actors; against animal attacks; against dog bites; against lightning; against oversleeping; against storms; against wild beasts; comedians; Czechoslovakia; dancers; dog bites; dogs; epilepsy; Forio, Italy; lightning; oversleeping; Prague, Czech Republic; rheumatic chorea; Saint Vitus Dance; snake bites; storms.
Symbols: Vitus: Wolf or lion; cockatrice on a book; fire; cock; chained dog; cauldron of boiling oil; palm and cauldron; palm and dog; chalice and dog; sword and dog; sword and rooster;
Often Portrayed as: Boy with a rooster and a cauldron; With Modestus and Crescentia as they refuse to worship idols; being put into an oven; young prince with a palm and sceptre.
Crescentia: Boat piloted by an angel; cauldron of oil; sword.

St. Germaine Cousin
Saint Germaine Cousin was born in 1579 in Pibrac, a small village not far from Toulouse, France. From her earliest years she was a frail, sickly child, and throughout her life was afflicted with scrofula, a tubercular condition affecting particularly the glands of the neck. In addition, her right arm and hand were deformed and partially paralyzed. In spite of her many afflictions, the emaciated child possessed a charming, sweet disposition. Germaine endured not only bodily sufferings, but harsh, cruel treatment from her stepmother, who had a deep aversion for the little girl. The child was almost starved to death and obliged to sleep in the barn on a pile of leaves and twigs under the stairway. At break of day, summer and winter, she would drive the sheep into the fields to graze, then watch them until evening. She had to spin during this time, and if the allotted wool was not spun, she was severely punished.
The village children, not sharing the hostility of the adults toward this forlorn child, loved to listen to her speak about the goodness and love of God while she guarded her flock. The only instruction Germaine ever received was the catechism taught after Sunday Mass in the village church, which she attended with joy. During the long hours of solitude she spent in the fields and in the stable at night, she remained in sweet communion with God, and never complained of her hard life.
Every morning she was at Mass, and afterwards went to kneel before Our Lady’s shrine. To reach the church she had to cross what was ordinarily a small stream; but after a heavy rain it would become a raging torrent. Several times at those moments, the villagers were amazed to see the rushing waters separate when Germaine approached, and then to watch her cross on dry land. When she left her sheep to go to church, she would place her staff upright in the ground, and the sheep never went far from it. One day the stepmother was seen pursuing Germaine as she drove the sheep down the road. She was accusing the girl of having stolen some bread and concealing it in her apron. When Germaine unfolded her apron, fragrant flowers, foreign to that region, fell to the ground.
Germaine died one night in the year 1601, at the age of twenty-one, and was buried as was the custom in those days, in the village church. Forty-three years later, when a relative was to be buried near her and the stones were removed, the grave-digger found to his amazement, the body of a beautiful young girl in a state of perfect preservation. His pick had struck her nose, and the wound was bleeding. Some of the older residents identified the girl as Germaine Cousin. Miracle after miracle occurred, and in 1867 the neglected little waif of Pibrac was inscribed in the list of Saints by Pope Pius IX. Annually thousands of pilgrims visit the church of Pibrac, where the relics of Saint Germaine are enshrined.
Excerpted from Heavenly Friends: a Saint for each Day, by Rosalie Marie Levy
Patron: Victims of; abuse and child abuse, of abandoned people, people with disabilities, against poverty, illness and loss of parents. She is also the patron of girls from rural areas.
Symbols:With a shepherd's crook or with a distaff; with a watchdog, or a sheep; or with flowers in her apron.
Things to Do:Read more about the life of St. Germaine Cousin here.

The Word Among Us

Meditation: 2 Corinthians 3:15–4:1, 3-6

10th Week in Ordinary Time

Whenever a person turns to the Lord the veil is removed. (2 Corinthians 3:16)

Every spring, fresh, green leaves sprout on bare limbs. Flowering plants poke through the ground, and dry brown grass begins to come back to life. Winter’s cold, dark “veil” is pushed back by the light and warmth of the sun. This beautiful image is one way to understand what can happen in us every time we turn to the Lord. It’s as if a veil is lifted, and the darkness of fear, sin, or confusion is dispelled. Our cold hearts are warmed by God’s love and compassion, and the light of Christ shines in all its brightness.

Do you know what else happens? Scripture comes alive. Words, phrases, and entire verses stand out; it’s as if they were bold-faced or highlighted. You think, “Those words were written just for me!” You begin to see some connection between the words you read and your situation. “God does have a plan for my life,” you say, or “I know God will take care of me.” Hope, comfort, and even excitement rise up in you. Sometimes you become convinced of a truth of the faith: “I am being changed into Christ’s likeness.” Other times, you feel the need to change: “That veil of resentment I’ve been carrying against my son-in-law needs to be lifted from my heart.”

When this happens, hold on to that verse or that phrase or that word. Ask the Holy Spirit to plant it deep within you. That’s his purpose anyway: to take what comes from Jesus and make it your own (John 16:14). Or to use Paul’s words from today’s reading, the Spirit is in you to make the light of Christ shine in your heart.

All Scripture bears God’s inspiration. It pulsates with the power to sustain you, change you, and energize you. If you lack understanding or humility or expectancy or anything at all, take up and read! Ask the Holy Spirit to enliven it for you. Jot down or underline passages that stand out to you, and reread them frequently. Read in joyful expectation that as you keep turning to the Lord, he will continue to remove the “veils” in your life.

“Come, Lord, and speak your word to me. Let your light shine so that I can be filled with your new life.”

Psalm 85:9-14
Matthew 5:20-26

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

Daily Marriage Tip for June 15, 2017:

(Reader’s Tip) I look at my husband’s body language and can tell whether he’s tense or feeling “beat up” after a long day at work. I usually give him a neck and head massage. How can you be responsive to the needs of your spouse today?

Regnum Christi

June 15, 2017 – Keep Your Words Short and Sweet

15 Jun 2017

Thursday of the Tenth Week of Ordinary Time

Father Shawn Aaron, LC

Matthew 5:20-26

Jesus said to his disciples: “For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire. So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison.”

Introductory Prayer: Father of love, source of all blessings, you have led me throughout my life, and you lead me still. Thank you for your paternal care. Jesus, Son of God, you died for me on the cross to pay for my sins and manifest your unconditional love for me. Thank you for showing me the way home to the Father. Holy Spirit, sweet guest of the soul, you heal me and strengthen me and set me on fire from the most intimate depths of my soul. Thank you for your loving presence within me.

Petition: Jesus meek and humble of heart, make my heart more like yours.

1. Anger in Our Hearts: Jesus is speaking here in particular about anger, that is, a desire for revenge or an attitude that simply refuses to forgive. Jesus always brings us back to the human heart. Actions flow from decisions made in the heart, even if not immediately evident. When we cultivate a sentiment in our heart – be it good or evil – it will eventually find ways of coming to fruition. “If you are angry do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger or you will give the devil a chance” (Ephesians 4:26). Any unwillingness to forgive leads to resentment in the heart and ultimately destroys lives and relationships. “What does it mean to forgive, if not to appeal to a good that is greater than any evil?” (Pope Saint John Paul II, Memory and Identity, p. 15).

2. Insults Are Grave Matters: “Sticks and stones may break my bones…” Each one of us knows firsthand the penetrating power of words. With them one may edify or destroy, enhance or tarnish, heal or wound. It is rather striking that Jesus refers to insults towards “a brother or sister:” in other words, insulting those closest to us, especially those closest to our heart. It is no revelation that those we love the most are also the ones most capable of wounding us deeply, and vice versa. What dagger could ever penetrate more than an unkind word from a loved one? The true revelation is that God takes each word we speak seriously. In fact, he will hold us accountable for them because the words are an outward manifestation of what we have in our hearts. The power of words reveals the weight of words.

3. Hold No Grudges: “If you remember that your brother or sister has something against you…” This phrase makes us shift a little in our seats. Jesus gives us a tremendous view into God’s heart. God’s very essence is a unity of love – three persons, one nature. We are made in God’s image, and we are made to live forever in union with God. But so too are my brothers and sisters. If we have done anything to wound the union of love with those around us, then we must repair the breach. In fact, it is so important to God (and so important for us) that God will not accept our “offering” if we have consciously wounded the unity with those around us. Bring those particularly difficult relationships to prayer, and draw the strength from God to love as we should. He will not ask for some virtue and then refuse his grace.

Conversation with Christ: Lord, teach me to love and help me to be a saint. You have created me and called me to the Catholic faith. Help me to live that faith generously, living the primacy of love in my daily life. Mother Most Pure, make my heart only for Jesus.

Resolution: Today I will do three hidden acts of charity.

Homily of the Day

June 15, 2017

In our own lives, how many times have we let our temper and anger get the better of us? How many times have we gotten into arguments where our ears were closed to all reason, though the other side may have had valid points? How often have we insisted on having the last word in an argument or disagreement because of our pride and stubbornness?

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus teaches us to always take the higher ground. He teaches us to listen and to look the other with eyes of love and understanding. No argument is really won if it does not end in a reconciliation.

And so, if up to now you still harbor ill feelings towards someone, go and make the first move to make peace with him/her. We hope that we are willing to say “sorry” even if the other side has refused to apologize. Indeed life is not about proving we are always right.

Oftentimes we need to reach out and dialogue, even if it means we swallow our pride. Only when we let love and humility prevail will we arrive at lasting peace and reconciliation.

Be ready to throw out pride and grudges out of the window if we wish to be true disciples of Christ. We will find out that this is truly liberating.

One Bread, One Body

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All Issues > Volume 33, Issue 4

<< Thursday, June 15, 2017 >>

2 Corinthians 3:15�4:1, 3-6
View Readings

Psalm 85:9-14

Matthew 5:20-26
Similar Reflections

ONE GOOD TURN

"Whenever he turns to the Lord, the veil will be removed." �2 Corinthians 3:16

Because of our sinful nature, a veil obstructs our understanding of the Bible. Only by turning to Jesus and the Holy Spirit is this veil removed (2 Cor 3:14-17). If we turn to the Lord, we will gaze on His glory with unveiled faces and be "transformed from glory to glory into His very image by the Lord Who is the Spirit" (2 Cor 3:18).

If we don't turn to the Lord, we will falsely accuse others of "veiling" the Gospel, although the veil is actually due to our lack of understanding (see 2 Cor 4:3). Eventually, our minds will not only be veiled but "blinded by the god of the present age" (2 Cor 4:4). We will be "headed toward destruction" (2 Cor 4:3).

We are eventually either unveiled or blinded. We are either transformed from glory to glory or deformed by our sins to destruction and damnation. We must turn to the Lord by turning our lives over to Him. This is the only true meaning of life. This is our only hope for the future. The Lord commands: "Turn to Me and be safe, all you ends of the earth, for I am God; there is no other!" (Is 45:22)

Prayer: Father, thank You for freeing me of blindness. By Your power, may I give "sight to the blind" (see Lk 4:18).

Promise: "If you bring your gift to the altar and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift at the altar, go first to be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift." �Mt 5:23-24

Praise: Brenda prays a rosary each day after Mass for the conversion of her husband and children.