January, 2019

The Holy Father's Prayer Intention

Evangelization – Religious Minorities in Asia, That Christians and other religious minorities in Asian countries, may be able to practice their faith in full freedom.

'Have great diffidence of yourself. "Without Me," your Saviour tells you, "you can do nothing." (John xv. 5.) And the apostle St. James: "Every perfect gift is from above." (James i. 17)'

St. Paul of the Cross

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).

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/3718142/posts

Saint of the Day — Saint Raymond of Penyafort

SAINT RAYMOND OF PENAFORT Confessor, 1175-1275 [Catholic Caucus]
St. Raymond of Penafort [Penyafort], priest

CATHOLIC ALMANAC

Monday, January 7

Liturgical Color: White

Pope Pius V was elected pope on this day in 1566.
During his reign, Pope Pius implemented the decrees
of the Council of Trent. These decrees continued the
reformation of the Church after the rise of ______________.

Catholic Culture

Christmas: January 7th

Optional Memorial of St. Raymond of Penafort, priest; St. Andre Bessette, religious (Can)

MASS READINGS

January 07, 2019 (Readings on USCCB website)

COLLECT PRAYER

O God, who adorned the Priest Saint Raymond with the virtue of outstanding mercy and compassion for sinners and for captives, grant us, through his intercession, that, released from slavery to sin, we may carry out in freedom of spirit what is pleasing to you. 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 (4)

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Prayers (8)

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Library (1)

Doctrines of Dominican Theology | J. A. McHugh O.P., S.T.M., Litt.,D.

» Enjoy our Liturgical Seasons series of e-books!

Old Calendar: Feria

Born in Barcelona, Spain, St. Raymond of Penafort was the third Superior-General of the Domincan Order. He is famous for his work in the freeing of slaves. He wrote five books of Decretals which are now a valuable part of the Canon Law of the Church. The Summa Casuum, which is about the correct and fruitful administration of the Sacrament of Penance, is the most notable of his works. In the 1962 Extraordinary Form Calendar, St. Raymond's feast is January 23.

The Church in Canada celebrates the feast of St. Andre Bessette today rather than on January 6 as in the United States.

St. Raymond of Penafort - Day Fourteen
St. Raymond devoted much of his life to helping the poor. The famous incident which is recounted in the story of Raymond's life took place when he went with King James to Majorca. The King dismissed Raymond's request to return home. Relying on his faith and love of God, Raymond walked on the waves to his ship, spread his cloak to make a sail, made the sign of the cross then sailed to the distant harbor of Barcelona.

For St. Raymond's feast we should remember that, "carolling and story telling belong to the whole Christmas season. Hospitality and giving to others also must continue if true Christmas joy is to remain. An outing to which friends are invited or a party that includes a round of carolling become perhaps even more appropriate with the approach of Epiphany." — Excerpted from The Twelve Days of Christmas

Day Fourteen activity (Legend of the Little Girl)
Day Fourteen recipe (Christstollen)

St. Raymond of Penafort
The blessed Raymond was born at Barcelona, of the noble family of Penafort. Having been imbued with the rudiments of the Christian faith, the admirable gifts he had received, both of mind and body, were such that even when quite a boy he seemed to promise great things in his later life.

Whilst still young, he taught humanities in Barcelona. Later on, he went to Bologna, where he applied himself with much diligence to the exercises of a virtuous life, and to the study of canon and civil law. He there received the Doctor's cap, and interpreted the sacred canons so ably that he was the admiration of his hearers. The holiness of his life becoming known far and wide, Berengarius, the Bishop of Barcelona, when returning to his diocese from Rome, visited Bologna in order to see him; and after most earnest entreaties, induced Raymond to accompany him to Barcelona. He was shortly after made Canon and Provost of that Church, and became a model to the clergy and people by his uprightness, modesty, learning and meekness. His tender devotion to the Holy Mother of God was extraordinary, and he never neglected an opportunity of zealously promoting the devotion and honor which are due to her.

When he was about forty-five years of age, he made his solemn profession in the Order of the Friars Preachers. He then, as a soldier but just entered into service, devoted himself to the exercise of every virtue, but above all to charity to the poor, and this mainly to the captives who had been taken by the infidels. It was by his exhortation that St Peter Nolasco (who was his penitent) was induced to devote all his riches to this work of most meritorious charity. The Blessed Virgin appeared to Peter, as also to blessed Raymond and to James the First, King of Aragon, telling them that it would be exceedingly pleasing to herself and her divine Child, if an Order of Religious men were instituted whose mission it should be to deliver captives from the tyranny of infidels. Whereupon, after deliberating together, they founded the Order of our Lady of Mercy for the Ransom of Captives; and blessed Raymond drew up certain rules of life, which were admirably adapted to the spirit and vocation of the said Order. Some years after, he obtained their approbation from Gregory the Ninth, and made St Peter Nolasco, to whom he gave the habit with his own hands, first General of the Order.

Raymond was called to Rome by the same Pope, who appointed him to be his Chaplain, Penitentiary, and Confessor. It was by Gregory's order that he collected together, in the volume called the Decretals, the Decrees of the Roman Pontiffs, which were to be found separately in the various Councils and Letters. He was most resolute in refusing the Archbishopric of Tarragona, which the same Pontiff offered to him, and, of his own accord resigned the Generalship of the Dominican Order, which office he had discharged in a most holy manner for the space of two years. He persuaded James the King of Aragon to establish in his dominions the Holy Office of the Inquisition. He worked many miracles; among which is that most celebrated one of his having, when returning to Barcelona from the island of Majorca, spread his cloak upon the sea, and sailed upon it, in the space of six hours, the distance of a hundred and sixty miles, and having reached his convent, entered it through the closed doors. At length, when he had almost reached the hundredth year of his age, and was full of virtue and merit, he slept in the Lord, in the year of the Incarnation 1275. He was canonized by Pope Clement the Eighth.

Patron: Attorneys; barristers; canonists; lawyers; medical record librarians.

Things to Do:

St. Raymond diligently studied Canon Law. Spend some time learning what are the obligations and rights of the laity under Church law.
Learn more about the Spanish Inquistion.
St. Raymond contributed much to the understanding of the Sacrament of Penance. Make sure your family knows the Act of Contrition and says it every day.

The Word Among Us

Meditation: 1 John 3:22–4:6

Saint Raymond of Penyafort, Priest (Optional Memorial)

We should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ. (1 John 3:23)

In a recent study, researchers interviewed American Christian youth, both Catholic and non-Catholic. The data indicated that although they called themselves Christians, many of the young people didn’t really grasp the essential truths of Christianity. They believed that God exists, but that he is far off and removed from their daily lives. They believed that God exists mainly to help them to become “better people.” In short, their answers revealed great confusion about their faith—almost like a cloud over their minds.

The First Letter of John was written in a time of a similar lack of clarity. Christians from many different backgrounds held different views about the identity of Jesus. Many disputed whether he could be both fully human and fully divine. Some wanted to place more of an emphasis on Jesus’ spiritual nature, hoping to avoid having to change the way they lived in this physical world. The author of 1 John wrote this letter to address these disagreements. He reminded them of the simple heart of Christianity: to believe that Jesus, the Son of God, became man for our salvation.

Similar to the first-century Christians, young people today can find themselves adrift. They may have gotten out of the habit of going to Sunday Mass. They may feel disillusioned and doubt that there is a place for them in the Church. Or perhaps their pursuit of career or family crowds out time for God. Still, God loves them, and he is always ready to welcome them and embrace them. But who will be his ambassadors?

Maybe it’s you. Every one of us can help, even if it’s in just a small way. You can point your children or grandchildren toward Jesus by the way you love and care for your family. You can help make arrangements for your children or grandchildren to attend Vacation Bible School. Maybe there’s a teenager you know who needs a listening ear and a guiding voice. Even if you don’t have much interaction with young people, you can still help. Never underestimate the power of intercessory prayer.

Who knows? You just may be the one whose prayers help part the clouds of confusion and encourage someone to take a step closer to Jesus!

“Lord, pour out your grace on all young people.”

Psalm 2:7-8, 10-12
Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25

Daily Gospel Commentary

Saint Leo the Great (?-c.461)
Pope and Doctor of the Church
3rd sermon for the Epiphany, XXXIII, §5; SC 22 bis

"The people who dwelt in darkness have seen a great light"

Taught then, dearly-beloved, by these mysteries of Divine grace, let us rejoice with spiritual joy in the day of our first-fruits and the first calling of the nations to faith, giving thanks to the merciful God "who made us fit," as the apostle Paul says, "to share in the inheritance of the holy ones in light. He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son" (Col 1:12-13). For, as Isaiah prophesied: "the people of the nations who sat in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who lived in a land of gloom a light has shone" (Is 9:1)…

"Abraham saw this day and was glad" (Jn 8:56) when he understood that the sons of his faith would be blessed in his descendant, that is in Christ, and foresaw that by believing he should be the father of all nations, "giving glory to God and being fully convinced that what he had promised, he was also able to do" (Gal 3:16; Rm 4:18 - 21). This is the day David sang of in the psalms saying: "all the nations you have made shall come to bow before you, Lord and give honor to your name" (Ps 85[86]:9) and again: "The Lord has made his victory known: he has revealed his triumph in the sight of the nations" (Ps 97[98]:2).

All these things we know to have taken place ever since the three wise men, aroused in their far-off land, were led by a star to recognize and worship the King of heaven and earth. The responsiveness of that star exhorts us to imitate its obedience and, as much as we can, to make ourselves servants of that grace which invites us all to Christ. For whoever lives religiously and chastely in the Church and "sets his mind on the things which are above, not on the things that are upon the earth" (Col 3:2) resembles that heavenly light in a certain sense. So long as he maintains in himself the brightness of a holy life, he points out to many, like a star, the way that leads to God. All having this concern, dearly-beloved… you will shine in the Kingdom like children of light (Mt 13:43; Eph 5:8).

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

Daily Marriage Tip for January 7, 2019:

One practical way to help the poor this month: keep in your car or purse some small toiletries and snacks to give to a homeless person you may encounter. A smile and word of kindness are great gifts, too.

Regnum Christi

January 7, 2019 – The Passing of the Torch

Monday after the Epiphany

Matthew 4: 12-17; 23-25

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.” 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. His fame spread to all of Syria, and they brought to him all who were sick with various diseases and racked with pain, those who were possessed, lunatics, and paralytics, and he cured them. And great crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan followed him.

Introductory Prayer: My heavenly Father, you made me out of your infinite love. Even though I have failed to love you as a good child should, still you send me gift upon gift. You sent your Son to redeem me and to make me one with you, in and through your Son. You and your only beloved Son sent your Spirit of love and truth, the Holy Spirit, to dwell in me. Thank you for bringing me into the intimacy of your Triune love. In return, I offer you my own heart and my desire to respond generously to whatever you ask of me.

Petition: Jesus, help me to open my heart to you.

1. The True Light Is Here: John the Baptist did all that the Father had asked. Through it all he remained humble. The people thought he was the Christ; however, he would not allow the winds of pride to extinguish the light of truth, so he proclaimed that he was not the Christ. The world rewarded John the Baptist with silence and death. On the contrary, what treasure did God bestow upon him for his fidelity? Acclaim – “Welcome my good and faithful servant” – and eternal life. John was merely the voice calling people to repent and convert. Now the Word himself proclaims these words. John was a voice in the wilderness. Now the Word who is light and life itself enters the public scene. May the light of truth open our hearts to the true and everlasting Kingdom. Am I able to distinguish between what is gold in God’s eyes and what glistens so attractively yet is merely “fool’s gold”? Is this capacity consistent with what I preach by my word and example?

2. Jesus Preaches with More Than Words: Our Lord Jesus went about doing only good: healing the sick, comforting the lonely, forgiving sinners, and preaching the Gospel. Our faith tells us this, and we can visualize it as we read the Gospel. But do we really encounter our Lord like those who crossed his path 2,000 years ago? I can answer this question by looking at my life: Do I live more and more like Christ, or not? Do I appreciate and thank Christ for all the good he has done in my life? Do I want with all of my heart to be with Christ forever, on earth and in heaven? Where my heart is, there is my treasure. Like Christ, I am called to preach with more than words.

3. People Respond to the Truth: A disciple of Christ can never be discouraged, because people do respond to the truth, to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We see this throughout the Gospels and throughout the history of the Church. When our efforts to evangelize seem to fall on hard ground, we need to examine how we will react. Christ commanded us to preach his gospel in word and deed. He demanded that we produce fruit. Christ also said we would do greater things than he did. We also know that Christ has defeated sin and death. Knowing all this, how can we be discouraged by the lack of fruit in our efforts to evangelize? We do the work, and Christ takes care of the rest. It’s that simple.

Conversation with Christ: Lord, you came to save sinners; enter into my life anew on this new day. Remove all fear that I have of you, Lord Jesus. Teach me that you are a God of compassion and that you are meek and humble of heart.

Resolution: I will develop a simple plan to help my parish in its efforts to evangelize.

Homily of the Day

January 7, 2019

During Jesus’ public ministry, He attracted great crowds like flecks of iron drawn to a magnet. Under the blazing heat of the sun, people waited for hours just to catch a glimpse of Him. They marveled at His deeds and clamored for His attention. Why? Was it because of His dazzling charisma and enigmatic presence? Or was it simply because He just had the right kind of things to say that always left His listeners astounded?

Maybe not. More than His undeniable appeal and commanding voice, Jesus was a man of the people. Even in the direst of circumstances, he traveled widely to help those in need, ministered publicly to give hope, and healed the sick relentlessly to ease their sufferings. His words were always accompanied by acts of caring and deep sense of compassion for others. There were no personal agenda, no hidden charges but pure and genuine service. He touched and transformed human hearts like no other. In so doing, people were drawn to His healing love and presence. In the darkness of their lives, they had seen and experienced the Great Light. The brilliance of Christ’s love had dawned on them and broke the yoke that weighed them down.

Jesus calls us every single day to do right, not just say the right words. If we want to be a people builder, we must walk the miles with a spirit of a true servant. Jesus left us a wonderful example to follow. Let us be the Light, shining radiantly for others.

One Bread, One Body

Language: English | Espanol

All Issues > Volume 35, Issue 1

<< Monday, January 7, 2019 >>

St. Raymond of Pe�afort

1 John 3:22�4:6
View Readings

Psalm 2:7-8, 10-12

Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25
Similar Reflections

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THE GREATEST DAY OF CHRISTMAS?

"A people living in darkness has seen a great light." �Matthew 4:16

Throughout much of the world, the highlight of the Christmas season is the feast of the Epiphany. The purpose of each person's life is to follow the star, find Jesus, give Him the gift of our life, worship Him, and manifest the light of Christ to the ends of the earth (see Mt 2:10ff). Then the prophecy will be fulfilled: "A people living in darkness has seen a great light. On those who inhabit a land overshadowed by death, light has arisen" (Mt 4:16).

Therefore, let us follow:

the star of repentance, for "the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Mt 4:17),
the star of prayer "and receive at His hands whatever we ask" (1 Jn 3:22), and
the star of service. "Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice before Him; with trembling pay homage to Him, lest He be angry and you perish from the way, when His anger blazes suddenly. Happy are all who take refuge in Him!" (Ps 2:11)

In effect, let us follow the star of obedience. Only by strict and careful obedience will we find Jesus. Those who obey Him will find Him and remain in Him, and He will remain in them (1 Jn 3:24).

In these last six days of Christmas, may we be wise enough to give ourselves totally to Christ, let Him break new ground in our lives, and take us where we've never been before. Let us plunge ever more deeply into the infinite love of the triune God. Let us be consumed by the fire of His love (see Heb 12:29).

Prayer: Father, give me Your kind of Christmas.

Promise: "This is how we know that He remains in us: from the Spirit that He gave us." —1 Jn 3:24

Praise: St. Raymond was a philosophy teacher, doctor of law, confessor to the Pope, author, archbishop, and head of the Dominican order. He sought to improve both minds and hearts of his students.