Reading 1 Jer 20:10-13

Jeremiah said:
"I hear the whisperings of many:
'Terror on every side!
Denounce! let us denounce him!'
All those who were my friends
are on the watch for any misstep of mine.
'Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail,
and take our vengeance on him.'
But the LORD is with me, like a mighty champion:
my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph.
In their failure they will be put to utter shame,
to lasting, unforgettable confusion.
O LORD of hosts, you who test the just,
who probe mind and heart,
let me witness the vengeance you take on them,
for to you I have entrusted my cause.
Sing to the LORD,
praise the LORD,
for he has rescued the life of the poor
from the power of the wicked!"

Responsorial Psalm Ps 69:8-10, 14, 17, 33-35

R. (14c) Lord, in your great love, answer me.
For your sake I bear insult,
and shame covers my face.
I have become an outcast to my brothers,
a stranger to my children,
Because zeal for your house consumes me,
and the insults of those who blaspheme you fall upon me.
R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.
I pray to you, O LORD,
for the time of your favor, O God!
In your great kindness answer me
with your constant help.
Answer me, O LORD, for bounteous is your kindness;
in your great mercy turn toward me.
R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.
"See, you lowly ones, and be glad;
you who seek God, may your hearts revive!
For the LORD hears the poor,
and his own who are in bonds he spurns not.
Let the heavens and the earth praise him,
the seas and whatever moves in them!''
R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.

Reading 2 Rom 5:12-15

Brothers and sisters:
Through one man sin entered the world,
and through sin, death,
and thus death came to all men, inasmuch as all sinned—
for up to the time of the law, sin was in the world,
though sin is not accounted when there is no law.
But death reigned from Adam to Moses,
even over those who did not sin
after the pattern of the trespass of Adam,
who is the type of the one who was to come.

But the gift is not like the transgression.
For if by the transgression of the one the many died,
how much more did the grace of God
and the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ
overflow for the many.

Alleluia Jn 15:26b, 27a

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Spirit of truth will testify to me, says the Lord;
and you also will testify.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mt 10:26-33

Jesus said to the Twelve:
"Fear no one.
Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed,
nor secret that will not be known.
What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light;
what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.
And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul;
rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy
both soul and body in Gehenna.
Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin?
Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father's knowledge.
Even all the hairs of your head are counted.
So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Everyone who acknowledges me before others
I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father.
But whoever denies me before others,
I will deny before my heavenly Father."

Jeremiah’s fifth “confession”

[10] For I hear many whispering.
Terror is on every side!
“Denounce him! Let us denounce him!”
say all my familiar friends,
watching for my fall.
“Perhaps he will be deceived,
then we can overcome him,
and take our revenge on him.”
[11] But the Lord is with me as a dread warrior;
therefore my persecutors will stumble,
they will not overcome me.
They will be greatly shamed,
for they will not succeed.
Their eternal dishonour
will never be forgotten.
[12] O Lord of hosts, who triest the righteous,
who seest the heart and the mind,
let me see thy vengeance upon them,
for to thee have I committed my cause.

[13] Sing to the Lord;
praise the Lord!
For he has delivered the life of the needy
from the hand of evildoers.

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Commentary:

20:7-18. This last, very dramatic “confession” is one of the most impressive pas-
sages in prophetical literature. It (especially vv. 14-18) has features in common
with Job 3:1-10. It could have been uttered around 605-604 BC when Jeremiah
was being persecuted by King Jehoiakim. Despite all his efforts, Jeremiah feels
that he has failed; he believes in God – but could it be that he never received a
special call? It is a time of inner crisis for Jeremiah. He laments his vocation, for
it has led to his persecution (vv. 7-9); then he makes an act of trust in God despite
the harassment he is suffering (vv. 10-13); the passage ends with a series of im-
precations (vv. 14-18).

The prophet confides his feelings to God and complains about his calling (v. 7a).
It looks as if God has misled him (v. 7b): the prophet has made enemies on every
side. When he proclaims the word of God no one listens: reproach and derision
are the only response he gets (v. 10). He would like to walk away. Yet he cannot,
or God is like a “burning fire” in his heart (v. 9). Despite all his difficulties, his
zeal for the Lord wins the day: it only goes to prove that those who have expe-
rienced desire to make him known to others – to those who once knew him and
have forgotten him, and to those who have never heard of him. That is the mes-
sage that Theodoret of Cyrus takes from this passage, recalling the example of St.
Paul: “The same happened to St. Paul as he stood in silence in Athens. His soul
burned within him when he saw the terrible idolatry that was practiced in that city
(cf. Acts 17:16). The prophet had the same experience” (Interpretatio in Jeremiam,
20, 9). And when Origen reads this passage and asks himself whether God could
ever deceive someone, he explains: “We are little children, and we must be trea-
ted as little children. God, therefore, entrances us in order to form us, although
we may not be aware of this captivation before the appropriate time comes. God
does not deal with us as people who have already left childhood, who can no lon-
ger be led by sweet words but only by deeds” (Homiliae in Jeremiam, 19, 15).

In spite of everything, Jeremiah is sure that God will never forsake him (v. 11).
From what he says, we can see that there is an inner tension between his expe-
rience of all kinds of sufferings (vv. 14-18) and the conviction that God will never
leave him (vv. 12-13). What he says in v. 18 could suggest that he is utterly de-
pressed, but what he is doing is baring his soul to someone whom he loves and
trusts entirely, even in the midst of total darkness and a sense of powerlessness.
Events will show this to be the case: Jeremiah did not give up his ministry but
persevered in it to the end of his life. He admits his limitations but he stays true
to God: this bears out what the Lord will tell St. Paul when he feels the situation
is beyond him: “My power is made perfect in your weakness” (2 Cor 12:9).

Meditating on this “confession” of Jeremiah, St. John of the Cross concludes that
sometimes God’s purposes are impossible to understand: “It is very difficult to at-
tempt to understand fully the words and deeds of God, or even to decide what
they may be, without falling often into error or becoming very confused. The pro-
phets who were entrusted with the word of God knew this well; their task of pro-
phesying to the people was a daunting one, for the people could not always see
what was spoken coming to pass. Therefore, they mocked and laughed at the
prophets, as Jeremiah says: I have become a laughingstock all the day; every
one mocks me (20:7). Although the prophet speaks as though resigned to his
fate, in the voice of a weak man who is unable to bear any longer the vicissitudes
of God, he makes clear the difference between the prophecy and its fulfillment
and the common sense that the divine sayings contain, because he knows that
the prophets were often taken as mischief-makers” (Ascent of Mount Carmel, 2,
20, 6).

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

From: Romans 5:12-15

Adam’s Original Sin

[12] Therefore as sin came into the world through one man and death through sin,
and so death spread to all men because all men sinned — [13] sinned indeed was
in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law.
[14] Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not
like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one to come.

[15] But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s
trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of that
one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.

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Commentary:

12-14. This passage can be elaborated on as follows: just as sin entered the
world through the action of a single individual man, so righteousness is attained
for us by one man — Jesus Christ. Adam, the first man, is a type of the “new Adam”:
Adam contained within himself all mankind, his offspring; the “new Adam” is “the
first-born of all creation” and “the head of the body, the Church” (Colossians 1:15,
18) because He is the redeeming Word Incarnate. To Adam we are linked by flesh
and blood, to Christ by faith and the Sacraments.

When, in His infinite goodness, He raised Adam to share in the divine life, God al-
so decreed that our First Parent would pass on to us his human nature and with it
all the various gifts that perfected it and the grace that sanctified it. But Adam
committed a sin by breaking God’s commandment and as a result he immediately
lost the holiness and righteousness in which he had been installed, and because
of this disloyalty he incurred God’s wrath and indignation and, as consequence,
death — as God had warned him. By becoming mortal and falling under the power
of the devil, Adam “was changed for the worse”, in both body and soul (cf. Council
of Trent, “De Peccato Originali”, Canon 1). From then on Adam and his descen-
dants pass on a human nature deprived of supernatural gifts, and men are in a
state of enmity with God, which means that they cannot attain eternal beatitude.

The fact of Original Sin is a truth of faith. This has been stated once again solemn-
ly by [Pope] Paul VI: “We believe that in Adam all have sinned. From this it follows
that, on account of the original offense committed by him, human nature, which is
common to all men, is reduced to that condition in which it must suffer the conse-
quences of that Fall [...]. Consequently, fallen human nature is deprived of the eco-
nomy of grace which it formerly enjoyed. It is wounded in its natural powers and
subjected to the dominion of death which is transmitted to all men. It is in this
sense that every man is born in sin. We hold, therefore, in accordance with the
Council of Trent, that Original Sin is transmitted along with human nature, “not by
imitation but by propagation”, and is, therefore, incurred by each person individual-
ly” (”Creed of the People of God”, 16).

Our own experience bears out what divine Revelation tells us: when we examine
our conscience we realize that we have this inclination towards evil and we are
conscious of being enmeshed in evils which cannot have their source in our holy
Creator (cf. Vatican II, “Gaudium Et Spes”, 13). The obvious presence of evil in the
world and in ourselves convince us of the profound truth contained in Revelation
and moves us to fight against sin.

“So much wretchedness! So many offenses! Mine, yours, those of all mankind
....

“Et in peccatis concepit me mater mea!” In sin did my mother conceive me! (Psalm
51:5). I, like all men, came into the world stained with the guilt of our First Parents.
And then...my own sins: rebellions, thought about, desired, committed....

“To purify us of this rottenness, Jesus chose to humble Himself and take on the
form of a slave (cf. Philippians 2:7), becoming incarnate in the spotless womb of
our Lady, His Mother, who is also your Mother and mine. He spent thirty years in
obscurity, working like everyone else, at Joseph’s side. He preached. He worked
miracles.... And we repaid Him with a cross.

“Do you need more motives for contrition?” (St. J. Escriva, “The Way of the Cross,
IV, 2).

13-14. Both the commandment imposed by God on Adam, and the Mosaic Law,
threatened the transgressor with death; but the same cannot be said of the period
between Adam and Moses. In that period also people did sin against the natural
law written on every person’s heart (cf. 2:12ff). However, their sins “were not like
the transgression of Adam”, because the natural law did not explicitly bind under
pain of death. If, nevertheless, they in fact had to die, this proves, the Apostle con-
cludes, that death is due not to personal sins but to original sin. It is also proved,
the Fathers of the Church usually add, by the fact that some people die before
reaching the use of reason, that is, before they are capable of sinning.

Death is a consequence of original sin, because that sin brought with it the loss
of the “preternatural” gift of immortality (cf. Gen 2:17; 3:19). Adam incurred this
loss when, through a personal act of his, he broke an explicit, specific command
of God. Later, under the Mosaic Law, there were also certain precepts which in-
volved the death penalty if broken (cf., for example, Exod 21:12ff; Lev 24:16). In
the period from Adam to Moses there was no law which stated: If you sin, you
shall die. However, people in that period were all subject to death, even those
who committed no sin “like the transgression of Adam”, that is, what is termed
“actual sin”.

Therefore, death is due to a sin—original sin—which attaches to each man, woman
and child, yet which is not an “actual sin”. This original sin is the cause of death,
and the fact that everyone dies is the proof that everyone is affected by original
sin. The Second Vatican Council sums up this teaching as follows: “The Church,
taught by divine Revelation, declares that God has created man in view of a
blessed destiny that lies beyond the limits of his sad state on earth. Moreover,
the Christian faith teaches that bodily death, from which man would have been
immune had he not sinned (cf. Wis 1:13; 2:23-24; Rom 5:21; 6:23; Jas 1: 15), will
be overcome when that wholeness which he lost through his own fault will be gi-
ven once again to him by the almighty and merciful Savior. For God has called
man, and still calls him, to cleave with all his being to him in sharing for ever a
life that is divine and free from all decay” (”Gaudium Et Spes”, 18).

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

From: Matthew 10:26-33

Jesus’ Instructions to the Apostles (Continuation)

(Jesus said to His disciples,) [26] “So have no fear of them; for nothing is co-
vered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. [27] What I tell
you in the dark, utter in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim upon
the housetops. [28] And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the
soul; rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. [29] Are not
two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground with-
out your Father’s will. [30] But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.
[31] Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. [32] So
every one who acknowledges Me before men, I also will acknowledge before My
Father who is in heaven; [33] but whoever denies Me before men, I also will deny
before My Father who is in heaven.”

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Commentary:

26-27. Jesus tells His disciples not to be afraid of calumny and detraction. A
day will come when everyone will come to know the whole truth about everyone
else, their real intentions, the true dispositions of their souls. In the meantime,
those who belong to God may be misrepresented by those who resort to lies,
out of malice or passion. These are the hidden things which will be made known.

Christ also tells the Apostles to speak out clearly. Jesus’ divine teaching me-
thod led Him to speak to the crowds in parables so that they came to discover
His true personality by easy stages. After the coming of the Holy Spirit (cf.
Acts 1:8), the Apostles would have to preach from the rooftops about what
Jesus had taught them.

We too have to make Christ’s doctrine known in its entirety, without any ambi-
guity, without being influenced by false prudence or fear of the consequences.

28. Using this and other Gospel texts (Matthew 5:22, 29; 18:9; Mark 9:43, 45,
47; Luke 12:5), the Church teaches that hell exists; there those who die in mor-
tal sin suffer eternal punishment (cf. “St. Pius V Catechism”, I, 6, 3), in a man-
ner not known to us in this life (cf. St. Teresa of Avila, “Life”, Chapter 32). See
notes on Luke 16:19-31.

Therefore, our Lord warns His disciples against false fear. We should not fear
those who can only kill the body. Only God can cast body and soul into hell.
Therefore God is the only one we should fear and respect; He is our Prince and
Supreme Judge—not men. The martyrs have obeyed this precept of the Lord in
the fullest way, well aware that eternal life is worth much more than earthly life.

29-31. An “as” (translated here as “penny”) was a small coin of very little value.
Christ uses it to illustrate how much God loves His creatures. As St. Jerome
says (”Comm. in Matth.”, 10:29-31): “If little birds, which are of such little value,
still come under the providence and care of God, how is it that you, who, given
the nature of your soul, are immortal, can fear that you are not looked after care-
fully by Him whom you respect as your Father?” Jesus again teaches us about
the fatherly providence of God, which He spoke about at length in the Sermon
on the Mount (cf. Matthew 6:19-34).

32-33. Here Jesus tells us that public confession of our faith in Him—whatever
the consequences—is an indispensable condition for eternal salvation. After the
Judgment, Christ will welcome those who have given testimony of their faith and
condemn those whom fear caused to be ashamed of Him (cf. Matthew 7:23; 25:
41; Revelation 21:8). The Church honors as “confessors” those Saints who have
not undergone physical martyrdom but whose lives bore witness to the Catholic
faith. Although every Christian should be ready to die for his faith, most Christians
are called to be confessors of the faith.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

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

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: Green.

First reading
Jeremiah 20:10-13 ©

Jeremiah said:

I hear so many disparaging me,

‘“Terror from every side!”

Denounce him! Let us denounce him!’

All those who used to be my friends

watched for my downfall,

‘Perhaps he will be seduced into error.

Then we will master him

and take our revenge!’

But the Lord is at my side, a mighty hero;

my opponents will stumble, mastered,

confounded by their failure;

everlasting, unforgettable disgrace will be theirs.

But you, O Lord of Hosts, you who probe with justice,

who scrutinise the loins and heart,

let me see the vengeance you will take on them,

for I have committed my cause to you.

Sing to the Lord,

praise the Lord,

for he has delivered the soul of the needy

from the hands of evil men.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 68(69):8-10,14,17,33-35 ©

In your great love, answer me, O Lord.

It is for you that I suffer taunts,

that shame covers my face,

that I have become a stranger to my brothers,

an alien to my own mother’s sons.

I burn with zeal for your house

and taunts against you fall on me.

In your great love, answer me, O Lord.

This is my prayer to you,

my prayer for your favour.

In your great love, answer me, O God,

with your help that never fails:

Lord, answer, for your love is kind;

in your compassion, turn towards me.

In your great love, answer me, O Lord.

The poor when they see it will be glad

and God-seeking hearts will revive;

for the Lord listens to the needy

and does not spurn his servants in their chains.

Let the heavens and the earth give him praise,

the sea and all its living creatures.

In your great love, answer me, O Lord.

Second reading	Romans 5:12-15 ©

Sin entered the world through one man, and through sin death, and thus death has spread through the whole human race because everyone has sinned. Sin existed in the world long before the Law was given. There was no law and so no one could be accused of the sin of ‘law-breaking’, yet death reigned over all from Adam to Moses, even though their sin, unlike that of Adam, was not a matter of breaking a law.

Adam prefigured the One to come, but the gift itself considerably outweighed the fall. If it is certain that through one man’s fall so many died, it is even more certain that divine grace, coming through the one man, Jesus Christ, came to so many as an abundant free gift.

Gospel Acclamation	Jn1:14,12

Alleluia, alleluia!

The Word was made flesh and lived among us:

to all who did accept him

he gave power to become children of God.

Alleluia!

Or	Jn15:26,27

Alleluia, alleluia!

The Spirit of truth will be my witness;

and you too will be my witnesses.

Alleluia!

Gospel
Matthew 10:26-33 ©

Jesus instructed the Twelve as follows: ‘Do not be afraid. For everything that is now covered will be uncovered, and everything now hidden will be made clear. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the daylight; what you hear in whispers, proclaim from the housetops.

‘Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; fear him rather who can destroy both body and soul in hell. Can you not buy two sparrows for a penny? And yet not one falls to the ground without your Father knowing. Why, every hair on your head has been counted. So there is no need to be afraid; you are worth more than hundreds of sparrows.

‘So if anyone declares himself for me in the presence of men, I will declare myself for him in the presence of my Father in heaven. But the one who disowns me in the presence of men, I will disown in the presence of my Father in heaven.’

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.

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]

June Devotion: The Sacred Heart

Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. The month of June is set apart for devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. "From among all the proofs of the infinite goodness of our Savior none stands out more prominently than the fact that, as the love of the faithful grew cold, He, Divine Love Itself, gave Himself to us to be honored by a very special devotion and that the rich treasury of the Church was thrown wide open in the interests of that devotion." These words of Pope Pius XI refer to the Sacred Heart Devotion, which in its present form dates from the revelations given to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque in 1673-75.

The devotion consists in the divine worship of the human heart of Christ, which is united to His divinity and which is a symbol of His love for us. The aim of the devotion is to make our Lord king over our hearts by prompting them to return love to Him (especially through an act of consecration by which we offer to the Heart of Jesus both ourselves and all that belongs to us) and to make reparation for our ingratitude to God.

INVOCATION

O Heart of love, I put all my trust in Thee; for I fear all things from my own weakness, but I hope for all things from Thy goodness.
Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque

PRAYER TO THE SACRED HEART

Devotion to the Sacred Heart was the characteristic note of the piety of Saint Gertrude the Great (1256-1302), Benedictine nun and renowned mystic. She was, in fact, the first great exponent of devotion to the Sacred Heart. In our efforts to honor the Heart of Jesus we have this prayer as a model for our own:
Hail! O Sacred Heart of Jesus, living and quickening source of eternal life, infinite treasure of the Divinity, and burning furnace of divine love. Thou art my refuge and my sanctuary, 0 my amiable Savior. Consume my heart with that burning fire with which Thine is ever inflamed. Pour down on my soul those graces which flow from Thy love, and let my heart be so united with Thine, that our wills may be one, and mine in all things be conformed to Thine. May Thy divine will be equally the standard and rule of all my desires and of all my actions. Amen.
Saint Gertrude

FOR THE CHURCH

O most holy Heart of Jesus, shower Thy blessings in abundant measure upon Thy holy Church, upon the Supreme Pontiff and upon all the clergy; to the just grant perseverance; convert sinners; enlighten unbelievers; bless our relations, friends and benefactors; assist the dying; deliver the holy souls in purgatory; and extend over all hearts the sweet empire of Thy love. Amen.

A PRAYER OF TRUST

O God, who didst in wondrous manner reveal to the virgin, Margaret Mary, the unsearchable riches of Thy Heart, grant that loving Thee, after her example, in all things and above all things, we may in Thy Heart find our abiding home.
Roman Missal

ACT OF LOVE

Reveal Thy Sacred Heart to me, O Jesus, and show me Its attractions. Unite me to It for ever. Grant that all my aspirations and all the beats of my heart, which cease not even while I sleep, may be a testimonial to Thee of my love for Thee and may say to Thee: Yes, Lord, I am all Thine;
pledge of my allegiance to Thee rests ever in my heart will never cease to be there. Do Thou accept the slight amount of good that I do and be graciously pleased to repair all m] wrong-doing; so that I may be able to bless Thee in time and in eternity. Amen.
Cardinal Merry del Val

MEMORARE TO THE SACRED HEART
Remember, O most sweet Jesus, that no one who has had recourse to Thy Sacred Heart, implored its help, or sought its mercy was ever abandoned. Encouraged with confidence, O tenderest of hearts, we present ourselves before Thee, crushed beneath the weight of our sins. In our misery, O Sacred Heart of Jesus, despise not our simple prayers, but mercifully grant our requests. 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

Only for Love: The Sacred Heart and the Priesthood [Catholic Caucus]

Catholic Word of the Day: LITANY OF THE SACRED HEART, 10-19-09
Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Devotion to the Sacred Heart Today
The Biblical Foundation of Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus [Ecumenical]
Heart to Heart (Sacred Heart of Jesus Devotion) [St. Margaret Mary Alacoque]
(June) The Month of the Sacred Heart {Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
First Friday Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus [St. Margaret Mary Alacoque]
The Heart of the World (On the Sacred Heart of Jesus) (Catholic Caucus)
The Sacred Heart Is The Holy Eucharist(Catholic Caucus)
The Origin of the Sacred Heart Badge

Importance of Devotion to the Sacred Heart
An Awesome Homily on the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus by Father Edmond Kline
Catholic Prayer and Devotion: June the Month of the Sacred Heart
Catholic Devotions: Sacred Heart of Jesus
Pope Urges Jesuits to Spread Sacred Heart Devotion
Homilies preached by Father Altier on the Feast of the Sacred Heart
Catholic Meditation and Devotion: The Sacred Heart of Jesus
Daily Recomendation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus powerful prayer!
The Sacred Heart and the Eucharist
The Love of the Sacred Heart

On the Sacred Heart - "We Adore God's Love of Humanity"
HAURIETIS AQUAS (On Devotion To The Sacred Heart) - Encyclical by Pope Pius XII
Solemnity Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary
Sacred Heart a Feast of God's Love, Says John Paul II
The Sacred Heart of Jesus: Symbol of Combativity and the Restoration of Christendom
Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus-The Early Church, Middle Ages up to St. Margaret Mary
See this Heart
‘God Will Act and Will Reign’
About Devotion To The Sacred Heart:The Story Of Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque
Rediscover Feast of Sacred Heart, John Paul II Tells Youth

"Behold this Heart which has loved men so much, and yet men do not want to love Me in return. Through you My divine Heart wishes to spread its love everywhere on earth."

- Jesus to Saint Margaret Mary

Our Lord also made 12 promises to St. Margaret Mary for those that are devoted to His Sacred Heart.

I will give them all the graces necessary for their state in life.
I will give peace in their families.
I will console them in all their troubles.
They shall find in My Heart an assured refuge during life and especially at the hour of death.
I will pour abundant blessings on all their undertakings.
Sinners shall find in My Heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy.
Tepid souls shall become fervent.
Fervent souls shall speedily rise to great perfection.
I will bless the homes in which the image of My Sacred Heart shall be exposed and honoured.
I will give to priests the power to touch the most hardened hearts.
Those who propagate this devotion shall have their name written in My Heart, and it shall never be effaced.
The all-powerful love of My Heart will grant to all those who shall receive Communion on the First Friday of nine consecutive months the grace of final repentance; they shall not die under My displeasure, nor without receiving their Sacraments; My Heart shall be their assured refuge at the last hour.

Daily Gospel Commentary

Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Commentary of the day
Saint Gregory Palamas (1296-1359), monk, Bishop and theologian
Sermon for the Sunday of All Saints; PG 151, 322-323

“Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed.”

From the highest heaven, God offers the riches of his grace to all men. He is himself the source of salvation and of light, whence mercy and goodness flow eternally. But not all men make use of his strength and his grace in the perfect exercise of virtue and the realization of its marvels; only those do it who put their resolutions into practice and who prove their attachment to God through actions, those who have completely turned away from evil, who firmly adhere to God’s commandments and who fix the eyes of their spirit on Christ, the Sun of justice (Mal 3:20).

From the highest heaven, Christ offers the help of his arm to those who fight, and he exhorts them through these words of the Gospel: “Whoever acknowledges me before men I will acknowledge before my father in heaven.” As a servant of God, every one of the saints acknowledges that, in this transitory life and before mortal men, he is for Christ; he does so during a short lapse of time and in the presence of a small number of men. Whereas our Lord Jesus Christ… will acknowledge us in the world of eternity, before God his Father, surrounded by the angels and the archangels and all the powers of heaven, in the presence of all men, from Adam to the end of time. For all will rise and will stand before Christ’s tribunal. Then, in the presence of all and visible to all, he will make known, he will glorify, and he will crown those who proved their faith to him until the end.

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June 25, 2017

Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 Jer 20:10-13

Responsorial Psalm Ps 69:8-10, 14, 17, 33-35

Reading 2 Rom 5:12-15

Alleluia Jn 15:26b, 27a

Gospel Mt 10:26-33

Readings at Mass

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.

Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time