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.

'Do to me, whatever God permits. You can have no power over me except in so far as it is pleasing to the Divine will.'

St. John of Capistrano, (to the devil)

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/f-religion/3718984/posts

Saint of the Day — Saint Gregory Nyssa

Information: St. William of Bourges

Feast Day: January 10

Born: 12th century in Nevers, France

Died: 10 January 1209 at Bourges, France

Canonized: 17 May 1217 by Pope Honorius III

CATHOLIC ALMANAC

Thursday, January 10

Liturgical Color: Green

On this day in 1969, Pope Paul VI issued
a letter on Eucharistic Adoration. He
stated adoration outside of Mass is
important because it brings down many
special graces to help the faithful grow in
their faith and become closer to Christ.

Catholic Culture

Christmas: January 10th

Thursday Christmas Weekday

MASS READINGS

January 10, 2019 (Readings on USCCB website)

COLLECT PRAYER

O God, who through your Son raised up your eternal light for all nations, grant that your people may come to acknowledge the full splendor of their Redeemer, that, bathed ever more in his radiance, they may reach everlasting glory. 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)

Coq au Vin

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Activities (1)

Day Seventeen ~ Activities for the Seventeenth Day of Christmas

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Prayers (2)

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» Enjoy our Liturgical Seasons series of e-books!

Old Calendar: St. William of Bourges (Hist)

Historically today is the feast of St. William of Bourges, Cistercian bishop who distinguished himself by his austerities, concern for the poor, the defense of the rights of the Church against the French crown, and his success in converting many members of the Albigensian heresy.

Christmas Weekday - Day Seventeen
Every country in the world has its own Christmas customs. Christmas in Australia is often very hot. Whereas the northern hemisphere is in the middle of winter, Australians are baking in summer heat. It is not unusual to have Christmas Day well into the mid 30 degrees Celsius, or near 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

A traditional meal includes a turkey dinner, with ham, and pork. A flaming Christmas plum pudding is added for dessert. In the Australian gold rushes, Christmas puddings often contained a gold nugget. Today a small favor is baked inside. Whoever finds this knows that they will enjoy good luck. Another treat is Mince Pies.

It is Father Christmas who brings the presents to the Australian children on Christmas Eve. Homes and gardens are decorated with greenery, Christmas tree and fairy lights. Seasonal plants are the Christmas bush and the Christmas bell.

Day Seventeen activity (Candles by Candlelight)
Day Seventeen recipe (Australian Christmas Pudding)

St. William of Bourges
William Berruyer, of the illustrious family of the ancient Counts of Nevers, was educated by Peter the Hermit, Archdeacon of Soissons, his uncle by the mother's side.

From his infancy William learned to despise the folly and emptiness of the world, to abhor its pleasures, and to tremble at its dangers. His only delight was in exercises of piety and in his studies, in which he employed his whole time with indefatigable application. He was made canon, first of Soissons, and afterwards of Paris; but he soon resolved to abandon the world, and retired into the solitude of Grandmont, where he lived with great regularity in that austere Order until finally he joined the Cistercians, then in wonderful odor of sanctity. After some time he was chosen prior of the Abbey of Pontigny, and afterwards became Abbot of Chaalis.

On the death of Henri de Sully, Archbishop of Bourges, William was chosen to succeed him. The announcement of this new dignity which had fallen on him overwhelmed him with grief, and he would not have accepted the office had not the Pope and his general, the Abbot of Citeaux, commanded him to do so. His first care in his new position was to conform his life to the most perfect rules of sanctity. He redoubled all his austerities, saying it was incumbent on him now to do penance for others as well as for himself. He always wore a hair-shirt under his religious habit, and never added to his clothing in winter or diminished it in summer; he never ate any flesh-meat, though he had it at his table for strangers.

When he drew near his end, he was, at his request, laid on ashes in his hair-cloth, and in this posture expired on the l0th of January, 1209. His body was interred in his cathedral, and being honored by many miracles, was taken up in 1217, and in the year following, William was canonized by Pope Honorius III.

Things to Do:

Learn more about St. William of Bourges here and learn more about St. William of Bourges here.

The Word Among Us

Meditation: 1 John 4:19–5:4

Christmas Weekday

We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19)

Tim was struggling. His wife had been battling an illness for a couple of years, and the two of them had grown distant because of it. Tim was finding it harder and harder to treat her with the love he knew he should have. He did his best, but he often felt discouraged and frustrated.

In Confession, he told the priest, “Sometimes I don’t even want to come home because of how tense and depressing the situation is. What’s worse, when she needs my help, I get impatient and lose my temper. I feel terrible. I know this isn’t how I should treat my own wife. Can God forgive me? Can he help me change?”

“Of course he forgives you,” the priest said, “and he will help you change.”

As soon as Tim received absolution, he felt as if his burden was already becoming lighter. For his penance, the priest told Tim to choose a trusted friend. He was to share his struggles with this man and ask him to pray with him each week, either in person or over the phone. Together they asked God to show Tim how much Jesus loved him and to help him love his wife the way that Jesus loved him.

Little by little, Tim’s frustration diminished. He didn’t feel tempted to avoid coming home as often. He felt more compassion for his wife, and his angry outbursts grew less frequent. Over time, because of Tim’s kindness, his wife was able to admit how angry and bitter she was over her illness. They began to pray together, and that led them to feel God’s love and forgiveness more deeply.

Today, their home is far more peaceful. They have good days and bad days, but Tim and his wife have tasted God’s love, and that love changed their marriage. They are living proof that we can grow in love as we soften our hearts to God’s love. As St. John tells us in today’s first reading, we can love because God first loved us. We can forgive because God has first forgiven us. And we can care for each other because God never stops caring for us.

“Lord, let your love fill me today. Help me to love as fully as you love.”

Psalm 72:1-2, 14-15, 17
Luke 4:14-22

Daily Gospel Commentary

Ritual of Confirmation
Prayer at the laying on of hands

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me”

All-powerful God,
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Look at these baptized members on whom we lay our hands:
Through baptism, you freed them from sin,
And by water and the Holy Spirit you gave them new life (Jn 3:4).
Send your Holy Spirit upon them now
As you promised.
Give them in fullness
The Spirit that rested upon your Son Jesus:
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of strength,
the Spirit of knowledge and of fear of the Lord (Is 11:2).

Fill them with the spirit of wonder and awe in your presence.
We ask this through Jesus Christ, our Savior,
Who lives forever and ever.

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

Daily Marriage Tip for January 10, 2019:

Courtesy goes a long way in marriage. Pope Francis calls “May I?” one of the three “magic words” of family life. Being polite and kind to your family members is always a good idea.

Regnum Christi

January 10, 2019 – The Awesome Presence

10 Jan 2019

Thursday after the Epiphany

Luke 4:14-22

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news of him spread throughout the whole region. He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all. He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the sabbath day. He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.” Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. He said to them, “Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.

Introductory Prayer: Lord, welcome into the temple of my soul. I know that you will root up and tear down, heal and sanctify, making there a holy and righteous place that has always been intended for you. Only you have the power to unlock the sanctuary of my heart; only you build what will last forever. I trustfully open my entire self to you now, so that your words can shape my thoughts, so that your love can penetrate my heart, so that no disorder of soul may remain in me.

Petition: Lord, grant me a greater reverence for you.

1. He Returned in the Power of the Spirit: The Spirit appears in the world to unite heaven’s plan to that of earth, and it does so here with every move of Christ. Christ’s whole mission is nothing other than the fulfillment of the passage he reads. Our vocation in life is nothing other than fulfilling our baptismal commission by the Holy Spirit. Our Lord shows himself, therefore, to be no one-man show. He, the Son, is sent and works in communion with the Father and the Holy Spirit, and from here all his fruitfulness and power flows. Our mission must truly make us feel “sent.” It compels us to bear fruit through acts of obedience and love. Heaven seeks to deliver its plan to me in this prayer. May I be attentive to all that the Holy Spirit prompts me to do.

2. He Unrolled the Scroll… Today This Passage Is Fulfilled in Your Hearing: Man is given a response to the eternal question found in Revelation 5:2: “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” Contemplate this solemn moment when the Word reveals himself among men: Many could read from the scroll, but only one was worthy to unlock its salvific power. Many could recite the texts, but only one could set them ablaze in their hearts. Many could preach with fascination, but only one could satisfy their hunger for the fullness of truth. Our words are an empty breath without Christ’s voice; our labors are to no end, if our actions are not Christ’s. Only one person by right can change the human heart, and we in truth can only be apostles when Christ is the one who moves our hand.

3. All Were Amazed at the Words That Came from His Mouth: The precise nature of these words is not revealed to us here, as if to mean that the person of Christ himself is the revelation. Christ, in the totality of his person, comes to lighten our burdens and lift our spirits in a way no teaching, no miraculous event, no cure left to itself ever could. Divine providence has secured for us many goods in life, but all goods fail us if they do not come with Christ in all the power and intimacy that is God-among-us.

Conversation with Christ: Lord, I seek to revere you and honor you as the center of my life. I work now with a holy ambition to ensure your throne is firmly established in my heart. Teach me to let nothing usurp what belongs to you in my life. Let me not build a life of empty self-sufficiency, lest I lose the experiences of your power and grace I could have.

Resolution: I will visit our Lord in the Eucharist today for the sake of honoring him for his greatness and thanking him for his active presence in my life.

Homily of the Day

January 10, 2019

Jesus’ religious life revolved around the Word of God. Throughout his childhood and adolescence, Joseph must have brought him to the synagogue aside from talking to him daily about the God of the Old Testament. He learned the Scriptures by heart as evidenced in the numerous times he quoted the Scriptures. In the Gospel, he is invited by the director of the synagogue to read a passage from the book of Isaiah and to expound on it. This he does gracefully and effortlessly, thereby gaining the approval of his listeners.

Why did Jesus find it easy to expound on the Word of God? Because all his life he was told about the Father by his parents Joseph and Mary. For them, to transmit their faith in Yahweh God to Jesus was of utmost importance. Most parents nowadays do the opposite. They hardly mention the name of God and instead talk to their children about work, money, success, practicality, etc. They even transmit beliefs that are contrary to the Gospel. Some of them live immoral lives thereby providing bad examples to their children. No wonder a culture of death – abortion, corruption, cheating, immorality, etc. – pervades our society right now. If the parents have no faith, what will happen to their children?

We are called to be like Jesus and proclaim the Word of God. But we must first study it from our youth and truly make it our priority in life. In the first reading, St. John says that in order to overcome the world with all its temptations and deceptions, we must have faith and love. And the best way to attain them is by reading and listening to God’s Word.

One Bread, One Body

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All Issues > Volume 35, Issue 1

<< Thursday, January 10, 2019 >>

1 John 4:19�5:4
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Psalm 72:1-2, 14-15, 17

Luke 4:14-22
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PERPETUAL JUBILARIANS

"Announce a year of favor from the Lord." �Luke 4:19

Eighteen years ago Pope St. John Paul II closed the holy door and concluded the Great Jubilee. This did not mean that we are no longer jubilarians. Rather, it means that the greatest of all jubilees was over, and we should accept the grace for our lives to be perpetual jubilees. Jesus promised us this grace when He began His public ministry. The Spirit of the Lord was upon Him "to proclaim liberty to captives" and "to announce a year of favor from the Lord" (Lk 4:18, 19). Baptized into Christ, we are perpetual jubilarians.

Each Christmas we sing: "Angels we have heard on high" and ask the question: "Shepherds why this jubilee?" As we continue the jubilation of the Christmas season, let us rejoice in a new Pentecost in which the Holy Spirit frees us and renews the face of the earth (Ps 104:30). "With joy" let us "draw water at the fountain of salvation" (Is 12:3). Let us join Mary, magnifying the greatness of the Lord and rejoicing in God our Savior (Lk 1:46-47). May the jubilation of Christmas launch us into a jubilee year of freedom, justice, salvation, reconciliation, and restoration. Be a perpetual jubilarian in Christ.

Prayer: Father, by Your love, fill me with jubilation forever.

Promise: "We, for our part, love because He first loved us." —1 Jn 4:19

Praise: Marcia stayed away from Mass for years. Her cousin gave her a video about Mary, the mother of Jesus. Marcia watched it and was so touched that she gave her life to Jesus and returned to the Church.