Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 07-23-05, Optional St. Bridget of Sweden

For your reading, reflection, faith-sharing, comments, questions, discussion.

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Wounds of Christ -- 5,480 [The Fifteen Prayers of St. Bridget of Sweden}

From: Matthew 13:24-30

The Parable of the Weeds

[24] Another parable he (Jesus) put before them, saying, "The kingdom
of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field;
[25] but while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among
the wheat, and went away. [26] So when the plants came up and bore
grain, then the weeds appeared also. [27] And the servants of the
householder came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in
your field? How then has it weeds?' [28] He said to them, 'An enemy has
done this.' The servants said to him, 'Then do you want us to go and
gather them?' [29] But he said, 'No; lest in gathering the weeds you
root up the wheat along with them. [30] Let both grow together until
the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the
weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat
into my barn.'"

Commentary:

24-25. "The situation is clear: the field is fertile and the seed is
good; the Lord of the field has scattered the seed at the right moment
and with great skill. He even has watchmen to make sure that the field
is protected. If, afterwards, there are weeds among the wheat, it is
because men have failed to respond, because they--and Christians in
particular--have fallen asleep and allowed the enemy to approach"
([St] J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 123).

25. This weed--cockle--looks very like wheat and can easily be mistaken
for it until the ears appear. If it gets ground up with wheat it
contaminates the flour and any bread made from that flour causes severe
nausea when eaten. In the East personal vengeance sometimes took the
form of sowing cockle among an enemy's wheat. Roman law prescribed
penalties for this crime.

28. "When the careless servants ask the Lord why weeds have grown in
his field, the explanation is obvious: 'inimicus homo hoc fecit: an
enemy has done this.' We Christians should have been on guard to make
sure that the good things placed in this world by the Creator were
developed in the service of truth and good. But we have fallen
asleep--a sad thing, that sluggishness of our heart while the enemy and
all those who serve him worked incessantly. You can see how the weeds
have grown abundantly everywhere" ([St] J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By",
123).

29-30. The end of this parable gives a symbolic explanation of why God
allows evil to have its way for a time--and for its ultimate
extirpation. Evil is to run its course on earth until the end of time;
therefore, we should not be scandalized by the presence of evil in the
world. It will be obliterated not in this life, but after death; at the
Judgment (the harvest) the good will go to Heaven and the bad to Hell.

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.

Saturday, July 23, 2005
Saturday Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary

First Reading:
Psalm:
Gospel:

Exodus 24:3-8
Psalm 50:1-2, 5-6, 14-15
Matthew 13:24-30

Do you ask how to resist anger? As soon as you feel the slightest resentment, gather together your powers, not hastily or impetuously, but gently and seriously. For as in some law courts, the criers make more noise in their efforts to preserve quiet than those they seek to still, so, if we are impestuous in our attempts to restrain our anger, we cause greater discomposure in our hearts than before; and once thrown off its balance, the heart is no longer its own master.

-- St. Francis de Sales

Catholic Culture

Collect:
Lord our God, you revealed the secrets of heaven to St. Bridget as she meditated on the suffering and death of your Son. May your people rejoice in the revelation of your glory. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Recipes:

» Swedish Rye Bread

Activities:

Prayers:

July 23, 2005

Optional Memorial of St. Bridget, religious

Old Calendar: St. Apollinaris, bishop and martyr; St. Liborius, bishop and confessor

Patron saint of Sweden, Bridget married a young prince and lived happily with him for 28 years, bearing him eight children. St. Catherine of Sweden was their daughter. After her husband died, Bridget founded the Order of the Most Holy Savior, erecting at Vadstena a double monastery for monks and nuns. Following the guidance of the Holy Spirit, she later went to Rome, where she worked for the return of the Popes from Avignon. This Scandinavian mystic is famous for her Revelations concerning the sufferings of our Redeemer.

Before the reform of the General Roman Calendar today was the feast of St. Apollinaris whose optional memorial is now celebrated on July 20. It was also the feast of St. Liborius, the son of an important family in Gaul, who became Bishop of Le Mans and played a leading part in spreading Christianity in Gaul at the end of the fourth century. St. Bridget's feast was formerly celebrated on October 8.

St. Bridget

Bridget was born in Sweden of noble and pious parents, and led a most holy life. While she was yet unborn, her mother was saved from shipwreck for her sake. At ten years of age, Bridget heard a sermon on the Passion of our Lord; and the next night she saw Jesus on the cross, covered with fresh blood, and speaking to her about his Passion. Thenceforward meditation on that subject affected her to such a degree, that she could never think of our Lord's sufferings without tears.

She was given in marriage to Ulfo prince of Nericia; and won him, by example and persuasion, to a life of piety. She devoted herself with maternal love to the education of her children. She was most zealous in serving the poor, especially the sick; and set apart a house for their reception, where she would often wash and kiss their feet. Together with her husband, she went on pilgrimage to Compostella, to visit the tomb of the apostle St. James. On their return journey, Ulfo fell dangerously ill at Arras; but St. Dionysius, appearing to Bridget at night, foretold the restoration of her husband's health, and other future events.

Ulfo became a Cistercian monk, but died soon afterwards. Whereupon Bridget, having heard the voice of Christ calling her in a dream, embraced a more austere manner of life. Many secrets were then revealed to her by God. She founded the monastery of Vadstena under the rule of our Savior, which was given her by our Lord himself. At his command, she went to Rome, where she kindled the love of God in very many hearts. She made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem; but on her return to Rome she was attacked by fever, and suffered severely from sickness during a whole year. On the day she had foretold, she passed to heaven, laden with merits. Her body was translated to her monastery of Vadstena; and becoming illustrious for miracles, she was enrolled among the saints by Boniface IX.

The Liturgical Year, Abbot Gueranger O.S.B.

St. Bridget founded the Order of the Most Holy Savior (Bridgettines) at Vadstena in 1346. It received confirmation by Pope Urban V in 1370, and survives today. The new branch of the order was refounded by Blessed Elisabeth Hesselblad and has grown substantially, around the world.

Patron: Europe; Sweden; widows.

Symbols: Pilgrim's staff, bottle and wallet; open book and dove; crosier, lute and chain; taper; heart charged with cross; book; head and cross; pilgrim's staff; shell.
Often Portrayed As: Abbess in Bridgettine robes with a cross on her forehead, and holding a book and pilgrim's staff; nun enthroned, with Christ above her and hell below, while she gives books to the emperor and kings; nun giving a book to Saint Augustine; nun in ecstasy before the crucifix with instruments of the Passion nearby; nun reading, holding a cross, with builders in the background; nun with a cross on her brow witnessing the Birth of Christ (one of her visions); nun with shells (a sign of pilgrimage), sewn on her habit; nun writing with a pilgrim's equipage nearby; nun writing with an angel hovering over her shoulder, often whispering in her ear; nun writing with Christ and the Virgin appearing before her; small child at the Scourging of Christ (one of her visions).

Things to Do:

From the Catholic Culture Library, two articles by Pope John Paul II — St. Bridget: A Unique Model of Feminine Holiness, Saint Birgitta and Three Co-Patronesses of Europe.
St. Bridget was a member of the Franciscan Third Order. If you have never considered joining one of the Church's order's for lay people today might be a good time to think about it. Learn more about becoming a secular Franciscan.
You may want to purchase a copy of Revelations of St. Bridget on the Life and Passion of Our Lord and the Life of His Blessed Mother which contains excerpts from her revelations.
You might like to read about St. Birgitta of Sweden's Influence in Finland.
The Birgittine Order now has thirteen monasteries of contemplative nuns and a congregation of contemplative-apostolic sisters whose motherhouse is in Rome, in the actual former dwelling of St. Birgitta. For information about the sisters here are some websites: The Birgittine Order's Family, Birgittine Sisters, Brigettine Life Today, About the Brigittinesisters and About the Birgittine Nuns in Vadstena.
The Brigittine Monks existed from the 14th to the middle of the 19th century, when they were dispersed, largely due to European wars. (In 1970, a Brigittine Monk, Richard Reynolds, martyr, was declared a saint.) This monastery, the 1st in over 100 years, was founded in 1976 and has the Canonical status of a Priory “Sui Juris.” If you want to know about the monks visit Brigittine Monks of the Order of the Most Holy Savior.
Read about the saints of the Brigittine order and more about Bl. Elizabeth Hesselblad who refounded the order.
The Catholic Encyclopedia has this to say about the Brigittines.
You may want to buy some delicious fudge made by the monks or puchase a Brigittine Rosary.

St. Liborius

St. Liborius was bishop of Le Mans (348-397), where he labored with signal success. He is said to have healed sufferers from "gravel and allied complaints," and for this reason his feast was introduced by Pope Clement XI, himself a victim who was cured through the saint's intercession. The earliest historical reference dates to the ninth century when his remains were transferred to Paderborn, Westphalia, to aid in the conversion of the Saxons; they are still there at present. — The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch

Patron: Paderborn, Germany; Le Mans, France.
Symbols: Book and several small stones; peacock; peacock's feather.

American Catholic’s Saint of the Day

July 23, 2005

St. Bridget

(1303?-1373)

From age seven on, Bridget had visions of Christ crucified. Her visions formed the basis for her activity—always with the emphasis on charity rather than spiritual favors.

She lived her married life in the court of the Swedish king Magnus II. Mother of eight children (the second eldest was St. Catherine of Sweden), she lived the strict life of a penitent after her husband’s death.

Bridget constantly strove to exert her good influence over Magnus; while never fully reforming, he did give her land and buildings to found a monastery for men and women. This group eventually expanded into an Order known as the Bridgetines (still in existence).

In 1350, a year of jubilee, Bridget braved a plague-stricken Europe to make a pilgrimage to Rome. Although she never returned to Sweden, her years in Rome were far from happy, being hounded by debts and by opposition to her work against Church abuses.

A final pilgrimage to the Holy Land, marred by shipwreck and the death of her son, Charles, eventually led to her death in 1373. In 1999, she, Saints Catherine of Siena and Edith Stein were named co-patronesses of Europe.

Comment:

Bridget’s visions, rather than isolating her from the affairs of the world, involved her in many contemporary issues, whether they be royal policy or the Avignon papacy. She saw no contradiction between mystical experience and secular activity, and her life is a testimony to the possibility of a holy life in the market place.

Quote:

Despite the hardships of life and wayward children (not all became saints), Margery Kempe of Lynn says Bridget was “kind and meek to every creature” and “she had a laughing face.”

The Cross Is

The cross is the hope of Christians;

The cross is the resurrection of the dead;

The cross is the way of the lost;

The cross is the savior of the lost;

The cross is the staff of the lame;

The cross is the guide of the blind;

The cross is the strength of the weak;

The cross is the doctor of the sick;

The cross is the aim of the priests;

The cross is the hope of the hopeless;

The cross is the freedom of the slaves;

The cross is the power of the kings;

The cross is the water of the seeds;

The cross is the consolation of the bondsmen;

The cross is the source of those who seek water;

The cross is the cloth of the naked.

We thank you, Father, for the cross.
Amen.

Fantastic meditation for Good Friday!

Praises offered up to the Lord for answered prayer. Amen.

Faith-sharing bump.

Wow, that says it all.

:o)

Mt 13:24-30
#	Douay-Rheims	Vulgate
24	Another parable he proposed to them, saying: The kingdom of heaven is likened to a man that sowed good seed in his field.	aliam parabolam proposuit illis dicens simile factum est regnum caelorum homini qui seminavit bonum semen in agro suo
25	But while men were asleep, his enemy came and oversowed cockle among the wheat and went his way.	cum autem dormirent homines venit inimicus eius et superseminavit zizania in medio tritici et abiit
26	And when the blade was sprung up, and had brought forth fruit, then appeared also the cockle.	cum autem crevisset herba et fructum fecisset tunc apparuerunt et zizania
27	And the servants of the good man of the house coming said to him. Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? Whence then hath it cockle?	accedentes autem servi patris familias dixerunt ei domine nonne bonum semen seminasti in agro tuo unde ergo habet zizania
28	And he said to them: An enemy hath done this. And the servants said to him: Wilt thou that we go and gather it up?	et ait illis inimicus homo hoc fecit servi autem dixerunt ei vis imus et colligimus ea
29	And he said: No, lest perhaps gathering up the cockle, you root up the wheat also together with it.	et ait non ne forte colligentes zizania eradicetis simul cum eis et triticum
30	Suffer both to grow until the harvest, and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers: Gather up first the cockle, and bind it into bundles to burn, but the wheat gather ye into my barn.	sinite utraque crescere usque ad messem et in tempore messis dicam messoribus colligite primum zizania et alligate ea fasciculos ad conburendum triticum autem congregate in horreum meum

Prophet Moses

Russian icon,19th century

The Word Among Us

Saturday, July 23, 2005

Meditation
Matthew 13:24-30

Have you ever planted grass seed, only to see it come up half crabgrass? Then you probably know what the servants in today’s parable were thinking: Get rid of the weeds right away. Yank them all up. They’re ruining the crop! .

But what about the man who sowed the wheat? How did he react? He knew right away where the weeds came from. But unlike his servants, he was slow to get angry about his enemy’s malice, and this enabled him to think clearly and to make good decisions about how to proceed. Patient, even merciful, he was willing to bear with the weeds for the sake of the good crop. It was just as well, for though he waited, he did destroy the weeds in the end, when he gathered the wheat into his barn. .

This parable shows us that when God reveals himself, we might feel confounded, for his thoughts are not our thoughts, and his ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8). “Why not pull up all the weeds immediately and let the wheat flourish?” we ask. But such a rash response shows that we need to reflect further on who God reveals himself to be. He is not a God who punishes immediately. He is a patient God who offers every “weed” every single chance to be transformed into “wheat.” As we grasp a little bit of God’s mercy and patience, our hearts can be moved and stirred with a desire to share in his mission of transforming our world so that it can become a lush, fruitful landscape. We all recognize that the enemy may have sown weeds, but God remains confident that he can bring good out of evil. .

St. Catherine of Siena once referred to God as a “deep ocean” in which “the more [we] seek, the more [we] find; and the more [we] find, the more [we] seek.” When we pray, when we read Scripture, even the simplest parables, he surprises us with unexpected revelations of his love, his mercy, and his delight in his creation. He overturns our assumptions and proves himself to be far more faithful and far more powerful than we could ever expect or imagine. .

“Father, as I pray and read Scripture today, show me more of who you are. I want to know your power to change hearts—even mine—into the finest wheat.” .

Exodus 24:3-8; Psalm 50:1-2,5-6,14-15

One Bread, One Body

<< Saturday, July 23, 2005 >>

St. Bridget

Exodus 24:3-8

Psalm 50

Matthew 13:24-30

View Readings

WEEDEATER

“When the crop began to mature and yield grain, the weeds made their appearance as well.” —Matthew 13:26

It’s summertime, and you still may be doing some weeding in your garden. If you ask Jesus to help, you may be surprised when He says He doesn’t do weeding until harvest time (Mt 13:29-30). However, Jesus would be willing to change your weeds into wheat. This would both double your crop and get rid of your weeds, not by pulling but by changing them.

It’s very easy to notice the many weeds in the Church. The doubt, hypocrisy, confusion, and gossip of the weeds make life miserable for the Church. Our work of evangelization is also hindered because the world is turned off to Jesus by the sinful behavior of the weeds. It seems best for everybody to pull the weeds. But the Lord knows that once they’re pulled, they’re dead. So He lets the weeds live and the wheat suffer for a while so that the weeds will have the maximum opportunity to repent and become wheat.

Rejoice when you suffer redemptively, for this means that there’s time for the weeds to change and for the harvest to double.

Prayer: Father, may I repent, evangelize, pray, and suffer for the maximum harvest.

Promise: “This is the blood of the covenant which the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words of His.” —Ex 24:8

Praise: St. Bridget served God as wife, mother, foundress, author, mystic, and saint.

Prophet Moses, Russian icon, 19th century

The red and gold colors in that icon are splendid.