'Do we not see priests who, in church, at the altar, in the confessional, and even when vested for Mass, not only raise their eyes, but turn them round in all directions and fix them on people as if they wished to study them, and who are so uneasy and restive, craning their necks and moving hands and feet, that they show plainly that they cannot control themselves? How is it possible for the people to be edified at such a sight and learn to respect the house of God, and stand with reverence and composure?

On one occasion it happened that a layman came into a church looking for a priest to hear his confession. As soon as he entered he saw a confessor who, having dispatched a penitent from one side of the confessional before turning to the other, had a good look round the church, and not content with that, leaned out straining his eyes in order to get a better view of everything. At such a sight the man took his hat and went out saying that such a confessor would hardly suit him.'

St. Joseph Cafasso, 'The Priest, The Man Of God, His Dignity and Duties'

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).

Catholic Culture

Lent: April 9th

Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Lent

MASS READINGS

April 09, 2019 (Readings on USCCB website)

COLLECT PRAYER

Grant us, we pray, O Lord, perseverance in obeying your will, that in our days the people dedicated to your service may grow in both merit and number. 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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Old Calendar: St. Mary of Cleophas (Hist); St. Gaucherius (Hist)

Historically today is the feast of St. Mary of Clophas, Mother of St. James the Less and Joseph, wife of Cleophas (or Clopas or Alpheus). She was one of the "Three Marys" who served Jesus and was present at the Crucifixion , and accompanied Mary Magdalen to the tomb of Christ. Tradition reports that she went to Spain as a missionary. Mary reportedly died at Ciudad Rodrigo. Another tradition states that she went to France with St. Lazarus and his sisters.

Also St. Gaucherius' feast is historically celebrated today. He was also know as Walter, abbot-founder and friend of St. Stephen of Grandmont. He founded St. John's Monastery at Aureilfor and a convent for women.

St. Mary of Clophas
"And there were standing by the cross of Jesus His mother and His mother's sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalen." How should we understand "His mother's sister," literally, as in having the same parents, or in the same sense that Jesus's "brothers" are to be understood as close relatives?

The short answer is that Mary of Cleophas is probably the Blessed Virgin's sister-in-law. Mary of Cleophas may have had a previous husband named Alpheus, or this Alpheus may have been Cleophas. The Blessed Virgin Mary, of course, only had one husband (Joseph) and remained a virgin. The long answer may be found here.

St. Gaucherius
Born in Meulan-sur-Seine to the northwest of Paris, he received a classical education and became a priest. However he felt a deep longing for solitude and a life more radically centered on God. He thereupon devoted his life God as a hermit and began with his friend, Germond, to reside in the area of Limoges. Alone and forgotten by the world, Gaucherius and Germond grew in holiness. Their example attracted others who built hermitages near to theirs. Finally Gaucherius decided to build a monastery at Aureil and to establish two communities, one for men, the other for women, both under the rule of St. Augustine. The passage of an eremitical settlement into the canonical life was one of the principal ways through which the canons regular grew in the 11th and 12th Century. The community of Aureil is typical of these kinds of Ordo Novus canons regular. Thereafter he lived with his companions, being for all a model of sanctity. His companions and disciples include St. Lambert of Angouleme and St. Faucherus as well as the founder of Grandmont monastery, St. Stephen Muret. He died 80 years old in 1140 and was canonized in 1194.

Excerted from the Canons Regular of St. Augustine

Tuesday of the 5th Week of Lent, Station with Santa Maria in via Lata al Corso (Our Lady at Via Lata)

The Station in Rome was formerly the church of the martyr St. Cyriacus, and as such it is still given in the Roman missal; but this holy sanctuary having been destroyed, and the relics of the holy deacon translated to the church of St. Mary in Via lata, it is here that the Station is now held.

The Word Among Us

Meditation: John 8:21-30

5th Week of Lent

When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I am. (John 8:28)

When Moses lifted up the bronze serpent, the people who gazed on it saw two things. First, they got a graphic look at their own sins. Grumbling, blaming, and complaining are as deadly as serpents. They slither their way between people and interfere with God’s ability to take care of them. Second, they got a look at God’s mercy. Whoever looked at the bronze serpent was instantly healed.

In the same way, when we gaze at Jesus lifted up on the cross, we see ourselves and Jesus more clearly.

Looking at the cross, we can see ourselves as capable of wounding people by our indifference, our selfishness, and our pride. We see that we can be like Pilate as we wash our hands of responsibility for the needy. We are the soldiers mistreating the people we don’t respect. We are the mob, easily swayed by the fad or feeling of the moment, rejecting anyone who seems out of step. We are the would-be followers running away at the first sign of trouble. We are the faithful friends, helpless and disconsolate, immobilized by fear. We see how our own actions have caused the pain that Jesus is experiencing as he hangs on the cross, suffering for our sins.

But that’s not all. Gazing at the cross, we also see a God who became man because he loves us. We see Jesus looking at each of us with great tenderness and compassion. We hear him promising forgiveness and eternal life to anyone who turns to him in repentance. We see a Messiah who loves us unconditionally, who loves us enough to endure and conquer not only our sins but death itself.

Spend some time in front of a crucifix today, either at home or in church. Don’t worry about whether you have anything to say to Jesus. Just kneel there, and gaze at him in wonder and gratitude. Have the courage to look at whatever he reveals about yourself, but don’t stop there. Keep on gazing until you feel his love driving out your sin and bringing you into the presence of Jesus, your brother and Redeemer.

“Thank you, Lord, for loving me enough to be lifted up on the cross.”

Numbers 21:4-9
Psalm 102:2-3, 16-21

Daily Gospel Commentary

Saint Bernard (1091-1153)
Cistercian monk and doctor of the Church
Selected sermons, no. 22

"When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I AM"

You owe your entire life to Christ Jesus since he gave his life for yours, and he bore bitter torments so that you would not bear eternal torment. What could be difficult or frightening for you when you call to mind that he, whose condition was divine, on the day of his eternity, before the daystar, in the splendor of the saints; he, the splendor and very imprint of God's being, came into your prison, sinking to his neck, as it is written, to the depths of your mire. (Phil 2:6; Ps 109[110]:3; Heb 1:3; Ps 68[69]:3)

Who would not seem gentle in your eyes when you have taken to heart all your Lord's bitter pains, first of all remembering the restrictions of his childhood and then the fatigue of his preaching, the temptations of his fasting, his watching in prayer, tears of compassion and the traps set against him… then, too, the insults, spitting, slaps and whipping, the derision, mockery, nails and everything he bore for our salvation?

What undeserved compassion, what a free love proved in this way, what unexpected esteem, what amazing gentleness, what unassailable goodness! The king of glory (Ps 23[24]) crucified as a contemptible slave! Who has ever heard of such a thing? Who has ever seen anything like it? For "only with difficulty does one die for a just person" (Rm 5:7). But he, he died for his enemies and the unjust, choosing to leave heaven in order to restore us to heaven; he, the sweet friend, the wise counselor, the steady help. How can I repay the Lord for all he has done for me? (Ps 116:12).

Regnum Christi

April 9, 2019 – A Life Pleasing to God

09 Apr 2019

Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Lent

John 8:21-30

Jesus said to the Pharisees: “I am going away, and you will look for me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going you cannot come.” So, the Jews said, “He is not going to kill himself, is he, because he said, ‘Where I am going you cannot come’?” He said to them, “You belong to what is below, I belong to what is above. You belong to this world, but I do not belong to this world. That is why I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins.” So, they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “What I told you from the beginning. I have much to say about you in condemnation. But the one who sent me is true, and what I heard from him I tell the world.” They did not realize that he was speaking to them of the Father. So, Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I AM, and that I do nothing on my own, but I say only what the Father taught me. The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what is pleasing to him.” Because he spoke this way, many came to believe in him.

Introductory Prayer: Lord, by doing your holy will the Church grows and becomes more faithful in your service. You are life and truth and goodness. You are also peace and mercy. How grateful I am to have this moment to turn to you. Without you I can do nothing good. In fact, when I do good, it is you working through me, despite my failings. Thank you, Lord. Here I am ready to love you more.

Petition: Lord, help me to please you in what I think, say and do.

In the World but not OF the World: We profess in the Creed that Jesus Christ came down from heaven “for us and our salvation.” This truth colors everything about the Savior. He comes into the world without being of the world. His doctrine appeals to our highest and most noble aspirations. His way, his lifestyle, clashes with the way and lifestyle of the children of this world and therefore is never without resistance. In my innermost thoughts, in my words and deeds, am I striving to belong to “what is above”?

Lovingly Telling the Truth: When we truly love someone, we tell that someone the truth about the things that really matter, even when the truth could be perceived as inconvenient, painful or demanding. God the Son has loved us from all eternity. His love compels him to tell us the truth about the Father, which is a message of infinite mercy and love. His love compels him to tell us the truth about our relationship with that merciful Father: how it should be filled with gratitude and loving obedience and devoid of anything that could separate us from him. In order to belong to Jesus and to what is above, I must strive to open my heart and mind to his truth, especially in those areas of my life where he is asking for change and conversion.

Seeking to Please the Beloved: Love transforms our intentions and desires. When we love someone, we want to please that person in everything. Jesus loves the Father, and therefore he does what is pleasing to him, even though the Father’s will leads Jesus to embrace suffering, rejection, and death. He endures this agony so as to bring us the gift of resurrection and eternal life. If I love Christ, then I necessarily wish to do what is pleasing to him. And what pleases Christ? My faith, hope and love; My obedience and my humility; So also my selfless service to him in those who are materially, morally or spiritually needful of my attention and support.

Conversation with Christ:

I will love all my brothers, Lord.

The small ones, lowering myself to their abyss;

the clean of heart, becoming as they;

the naked, clothing them;

the sick, consoling them;

the imprisoned, visiting them,

my brothers of every tribe, language, and race,

spilling my sweetness as a gentle perfume

because kindness in love

is the strongest of all chains.

Resolution: I will strive to please Christ today in all my thoughts, words and deeds.

Homily of the Day

April 9, 2019

There is some difficulty for people when it comes to understanding one another. The message tends to get a bit skewed due to personal biases or interpretations. What’s shared doesn’t necessarily mean that it gets understood.

Jesus probably had those same challenges when he told the Jews that he was going away and they couldn’t follow. They were assuming among themselves that he was going to kill himself because they wouldn’t be able to end up where he was going. Little did they realize that he was talking about another plane of existence.

The preaching of Jesus challenged those who heard him that he was speaking with authority from the Father. They would probably comprehend later on when he was to be lifted up on the cross because that would be the supreme sign of his faithfulness that comes from the Father’s unending mercy.. Thankfully, even if others found it difficult to believe, many of those who listened were filled with the grace to find their faith in him.

May we continue to ask God the Father to guide us in truly knowing His Son. As Jesus strives to remain faithful to what his Father wishes, let us pray to be that consistent, persistent, and filled with zeal to serve Our Lord. At first, it can be quite a chore to really get into the mindset of Christ, but the grace of divine revelation is only a prayer away.

One Bread, One Body

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All Issues > Volume 35, Issue 3

<< Tuesday, April 9, 2019 >>

Numbers 21:4-9
View Readings

Psalm 102:2-3, 16-21

John 8:21-30
Similar Reflections

BAD BLOOD

"Moses accordingly made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole, and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent looked at the bronze serpent, he recovered." �Numbers 21:9

The Israelites had already been poisoned before being bitten by the saraph serpents. The poison of grumbling, rebellion, and discontent was flowing through their veins long before the poisonous venom of the serpent bites was introduced into their bloodstream. God's merciful antidote to the poison of the serpent bites was to have Moses make a bronze serpent, mount it on a wooden pole, "and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent looked at the bronze serpent, he recovered" (Nm 21:9).

Today we likewise are threatened by poisonous venom. Grumbling, rebellion, and discontent flows through the secular culture surrounding us. Satan injects this poison into the bloodstream of many. Yet God has sent a most powerful Antidote: Jesus lifted up on the wood of the cross. "Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that all who believe may have eternal life in Him" (Jn 3:14-15). Jesus, lifted up on the cross, draws humanity to Himself (Jn 12:32), and brings healing (Jn 3:14ff) to all who gaze on Him in faith (Heb 3:1), and teaches us that He is God, I AM (Ex 3:14; Jn 8:28).

"Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus" (Heb 12:2). We have bad blood, poisoned by the venom of the culture of death. Let Jesus give you a Eucharistic blood transfusion, with His own pure and precious Blood. Repent of focusing on the "wretched food" of the world (Nm 21:5), which leads to grumbling. Eat the new food of the Eucharist, which leads to eternal life (Jn 6:54-56).

Prayer: Father, how can I make a return to You for all the good You have done for me? (Ps 116:12)

Promise: "When you lift up the Son of Man, you will come to realize that I AM and that I do nothing by Myself." —Jn 8:28

Praise: Thomas fasts from midnight till after each Mass he serves to be a holy vessel for the Savior.

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April, 2019

The Holy Father's Prayer Intention

Doctors and their Collaborators in War Zones, For doctors and their humanitarian collaborators in war zones, who risk their lives to save the lives of others.

Lent: April 9th

Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Lent

MASS READINGS

COLLECT PRAYER

Recipes (2)

Activities (2)

Prayers (5)

Library (0)

Meditation: John 8:21-30

April 9, 2019 – A Life Pleasing to God

One Bread, One Body

BAD BLOOD