Free Republic

May 4, 2018 Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter Reading 1 Acts 15:22-31 The Apostles and presbyters, in agreement with the whole Church,decided to choose representativesand to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. The ones chosen were Judas, who was called Barsabbas,and Silas, leaders among the brothers.This is the letter delivered by them:"The Apostles and the presbyters, your brothers,to the brothers in Antioch, Syria, and Ciliciaof Gentile origin: greetings.Since we have heard that some of our numberwho went out without any mandate from ushave upset you with their teachingsand disturbed your peace of mind,we have with...

May 3, 2018 Feast of Saints Philip and James, Apostles Reading 1 1 Cor 15:1-8 I am reminding you, brothers and sisters,of the Gospel I preached to you,which you indeed received and in which you also stand.Through it you are also being saved,if you hold fast to the word I preached to you,unless you believed in vain.For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received:that Christ died for our sinsin accordance with the Scriptures;that he was buried;that he was raised on the third dayin accordance with the Scriptures;that he appeared to Cephas, then to...

White   ℣. In resurrectione tua Christe, alleluia. ℣. In thy resurrection, O Christ, alleluia. ℟. Cœli et terra lætentur, alleluia. ℟. Let heaven and earth rejoice, alleluia. BY THE FIRST FOUR SACRAMENTS, our Savior provided for the several spiritual necessities of man during this mortal life. Baptism gives him spiritual birth, Confirmation arms him for the battle, the Eucharist is his food, Penance is his cure. But the last moment of life—that most important and terrible of all, and on which depends eternity—does it not seem to require a special sacramental aid? Could it be that our Redeemer,...

White   ℣. In resurrectione tua Christe, alleluia. ℣. In thy resurrection, O Christ, alleluia. ℟. Cœli et terra lætentur, alleluia. ℟. Let heaven and earth rejoice, alleluia. WE NOW COME TO the fourth Sacrament, which may be justly called the Sacrament of Mercy. Jesus knew the weakness of man. He knew that the great majority of Christians would not persevere in the grace they received at Baptism; and that sin would, in most cases, spoil the beautiful plant which had been watered by the dew of heaven, and which, after growing and flowering, was to be transplanted into...

May 2, 2018 Memorial of Saint Athanasius, Bishop and Doctor of the Church Reading 1 Acts 15:1-6 Some who had come down from Judea were instructing the brothers,"Unless you are circumcised according to the Mosaic practice,you cannot be saved."Because there arose no little dissension and debateby Paul and Barnabas with them,it was decided that Paul, Barnabas, and some of the othersshould go up to Jerusalem to the Apostles and presbytersabout this question. They were sent on their journey by the Church,and passed through Phoenicia and Samariatelling of the conversion of the Gentiles,and brought great joy to all the brethren.When...

White   ℣. In resurrectione tua Christe, alleluia. ℣. In thy resurrection, O Christ, alleluia. ℟. Cœli et terra lætentur, alleluia. ℟. Let heaven and earth rejoice, alleluia. THE THIRD SACRAMENT—the Holy Eucharist—is so intimately connected with our Redeemer’s Passion that its institution could not be deferred till the Resurrection had taken place. On Maundy Thursday, we honored the solemn act whereby our Jesus prepared for the morrow’s sacrifice, by instituting the mystery of his Body and Blood, which are really immolated in the Eucharistic Supper. The Apostles were not only admitted, as all future generations were to be,...

May 1, 2018 Tuesday of Fifth Week of Easter Reading 1 Acts 14:19-28 In those days, some Jews from Antioch and Iconiumarrived and won over the crowds. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city,supposing that he was dead.But when the disciples gathered around him,he got up and entered the city. On the following day he left with Barnabas for Derbe. After they had proclaimed the good news to that cityand made a considerable number of disciples,they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch.They strengthened the spirits of the disciplesand exhorted them to persevere in...

White   ℣. In resurrectione tua Christe, alleluia. ℣. In thy resurrection, O Christ, alleluia. ℟. Cœli et terra lætentur, alleluia. ℟. Let heaven and earth rejoice, alleluia. JESUS BESTOWS AN INESTIMABLE GIFT upon his Apostles; and from this gift there proceed two Sacraments. On the sixth day of the Creation, the Divine Word infused his breath into Man, whose body he had formed out of the slime of the earth; and immediately this body was animated by a soul, bearing upon it the image of God. On the evening of the day of his Resurrection, the same Divine...

April 30, 2018 Monday of the Fifth Week of Easter Reading 1 Acts 14:5-18 There was an attempt in Iconiumby both the Gentiles and the Jews,together with their leaders,to attack and stone Paul and Barnabas.They realized it,and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbeand to the surrounding countryside,where they continued to proclaim the Good News. At Lystra there was a crippled man, lame from birth,who had never walked. He listened to Paul speaking, who looked intently at him,saw that he had the faith to be healed,and called out in a loud voice, "Stand up straight on your...

White Semidouble OOUR JESUS HAS ORGANIZED HIS CHURCH, and confided to his Apostles the sacred deposit of the truths which are to form the object of our faith. We must now follow him in another work, of equal importance to the world, and to which he gives his divine attention during these forty days: it is the institution of the Sacraments. It is not enough that we believe; we must, moreover, be made just, that is, we must bear upon us the likeness of God’s holiness; we must receive, we must have incorporated within us, that great fruit of...

April 29, 2018 Fifth Sunday of Easter Reading 1 Acts 9:26-31 When Saul arrived in Jerusalem he tried to join the disciples,but they were all afraid of him,not believing that he was a disciple.Then Barnabas took charge of him and brought him to the apostles,and he reported to them how he had seen the Lord,and that he had spoken to him,and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus.He moved about freely with them in Jerusalem,and spoke out boldly in the name of the Lord.He also spoke and debated with the Hellenists,but they tried...

“Abide in the Vine” (John 15:1-8) “Stay where you are!” “Don’t move!” These commands sound rather restrictive. These imperatives can sound oppressive and limiting, like we’re being told what to do, and it’s to not to do anything. The idea of remaining where you are sounds kind of boring, like we’re stuck in a rut. But when it comes to the Christian life, nothing could be further from the truth. Far from being dull and lifeless, for the Christian, remaining where you are--that is, “abiding in the vine,” remaining connected to Christ--is dynamic, active, and very productive. And so our...

White   ℣. In resurrectione tua Christe, alleluia. ℣. In thy resurrection, O Christ, alleluia. ℟. Cœli et terra lætentur, alleluia. ℟. Let heaven and earth rejoice, alleluia. SATURDAY BRINGS US once more to the dear Mother of our Jesus. Last Saturday, when closing our week’s considerations upon the establishment of the Church, we reverently drew a parallel between these two Mothers—Mary and the Church. During the present week, we have been considering how our Savior confided his Doctrine—that is, the object of our Faith—to his Apostles: let us devote this last day to a loving remembrance of the...

April 28, 2018 Saturday of the Fourth Week of Easter Reading 1 Acts 13:44-52 On the following sabbathalmost the whole citygathered to hear the word of the Lord. When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousyand with violent abuse contradicted what Paul said. Both Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said,“It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first,but since you reject itand condemn yourselves as unworthy of eternal life,we now turn to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us,I have made you a light to the Gentiles,that you...

White   ℣. In resurrectione tua Christe, alleluia. ℣. In thy resurrection, O Christ, alleluia. ℟. Cœli et terra lætentur, alleluia. ℟. Let heaven and earth rejoice, alleluia. PRAISE BE TO OUR RISEN JESUS, for his having said to us: He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved! Thanks to his infinite mercy—we believe and have been baptized; we are, therefore, in the path of salvation. It is true that Faith will not save us without good works; but on the other hand, good works, without Faith, cannot merit eternal salvation. With what transport of joy ought we...

April 27, 2018 Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter Reading 1 Acts 13:26-33 When Paul came to Antioch in Pisidia, he said in the synagogue:“My brothers, children of the family of Abraham,and those others among you who are God-fearing,to us this word of salvation has been sent. The inhabitants of Jerusalem and their leaders failed to recognize him,and by condemning him they fulfilled the oracles of the prophetsthat are read sabbath after sabbath. For even though they found no grounds for a death sentence,they asked Pilate to have him put to death,and when they had accomplished all that...

April 26, 2018 Thursday of the Fourth Week of Easter Reading 1 Acts 13:13-25 From Paphos, Paul and his companionsset sail and arrived at Perga in Pamphylia. But John left them and returned to Jerusalem. They continued on from Perga and reached Antioch in Pisidia. On the sabbath they entered into the synagogue and took their seats. After the reading of the law and the prophets,the synagogue officials sent word to them,"My brothers, if one of you has a word of exhortationfor the people, please speak." So Paul got up, motioned with his hand, and said,"Fellow children of Israel...

White   ℣. In resurrectione tua Christe, alleluia. ℣. In thy resurrection, O Christ, alleluia. ℟. Cœli et terra lætentur, alleluia. ℟. Let heaven and earth rejoice, alleluia. THE APOSTLES have received their mission. The Sovereign Master has bade them divide among themselves the Nations of the earth, and preach everywhere the Gospel, that is, the Good Tidings—the Tidings of man’s Redemption wrought by the Son of God, who was made Flesh, was crucified, and arose again from the dead. But what is to be the grand support of these humble Jews, who have been suddenly transformed into Conquerors,...

April 25, 2018 Feast of Saint Mark, Evangelist Reading 1 1 Pt 5:5b-14 Beloved: Clothe yourselves with humilityin your dealings with one another, for: God opposes the proudbut bestows favor on the humble. So humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God,that he may exalt you in due time.Cast all your worries upon him because he cares for you. Be sober and vigilant.Your opponent the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lionlooking for someone to devour.Resist him, steadfast in faith,knowing that your brothers and sisters throughout the worldundergo the same sufferings.The God of all gracewho called you to...

White   ℣. In resurrectione tua Christe, alleluia. ℣. In thy resurrection, O Christ, alleluia. ℟. Cœli et terra lætentur, alleluia. ℟. Let heaven and earth rejoice, alleluia. THE SON OF GOD is soon to ascend to his Father. He has said to his Apostles: Going, teach all nations: preach the Gospel to every creature. Thus, then, the Nations are not to receive the Word from the lips of Jesus, but through his Ministers. The glory and happiness of being instructed directly by the Man-God were for none but the Israelites, and even for them for only three short...