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

Alleluia Ping!

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Saint Lucy [Martyr]

Praying through Advent -- 2006

Experience the Joy of Advent

Advent: the Reason for the Season

The Advent Wreath

Advent Activity - The Jesse Tree

That incredible shrinking Advent-Christmas season (Christmas should start, not end, Dec. 25)

Advent Thoughts: Some of the Church Fathers on the Divinity of Christ

The Relationship Between Advent and the Change in the Seasons (Dom Guéranger)

December Devotion: The Immaculate Conception

Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. The month of December is traditionally dedicated to the Immaculate Conception. The Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first moment of her conception, by a singular privilege of Almighty God, and in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, our Savior and hers, was preserved from all stain of original sin. This age-old belief of the Church was defined by Pope Pius IX in 1854 as an article of revealed truth.

Mary was in need of redemption and she was indeed f redeemed by the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. The manner of Mary's redemption, however, was unique. Instead of being freed from original sin after having contracted it, she was preserved from contracting it. This was a most fitting favor for the Mother of the Redeemer.

INVOCATION
O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

TO THE VIRGIN IMMACULATE
O Virgin Immaculate, Mother of God and my Mother, from thy sublime height turn upon me thine eyes of pity. Filled with confidence in thy goodness and knowing full well thy power, I beseech thee to extend to. me thine assistance in the journey of life, which is so full of dangers for my soul. And in order that I may never be the slave of the devil through sin, , but may ever live with my heart humble and pure, I entrust myself wholly to thee. I consecrate my heart to thee for ever, my only desire being to love thy divine Son Jesus. Mary, none of thy devout servants has ever perished; may I too be saved. Amen.

PRAYER OF PRAISE
O pure and immaculate and likewise blessed Virgin, who art the sinless Mother of thy Son, the mighty Lord of the universe, thou who art inviolate and altogether holy, the hope of the hopeless and sinful, we sing thy praises. We bless thee, as full of every grace, thou who didst bear the God-Man: we all bow low before thee; we invoke thee and implore thine aid. Rescue us, 0 holy and inviolate Virgin, from every necessity that presses upon us and from all the temptations of the devil. Be our intercessor and advocate at the hour of death and judgment; deliver us from the fire that is not extinguished and from the outer darkness; make us worthy of the glory of thy Son, O dearest and most clement Virgin Mother. Thou indeed art our only hope, most sure and sacred in God's sight, to whom be honor and glory, majesty and dominion for ever and ever world without end. Amen.
Saint Ephrem the Syrian

PRAYER OF POPE PIUS XII
This prayer, dedicated to Mary Immaculate, was composed by the Pope for the Marian Year (December 8, 1953-December 8, 1954), which was proclaimed to mark the centenary of the definition of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception.

Enraptured by the splendor of your heavenly beauty, and impelled by the anxieties of the world, we cast ourselves into your arms, 0 Immacuate Mother of Jesus and our Mother, Mary, confident of finding in your most loving heart appeasement of our ardent desires, and a safe harbor from the tempests which beset us on every side.

Though degraded by our faults and overwhelmed by infinite misery, we admire and praise the peerless richness of sublime gifts with which God has filled you, above every other mere creature, from the first moment of your conception until the day on which, after your assumption into heaven, He crowned you Queen of the Universe.

O crystal fountain of faith, bathe our minds with the eternal truths! O fragrant Lily of all holiness, captivate our hearts with your heavenly perfume! 0 Conqueress of evil and death, inspire in us a deep horror of sin, which makes the soul detestable to God and a slave of hell!

O well-beloved of God, hear the ardent cry which rises up from every heart. Bend tenderly over our aching wounds. Convert the wicked, dry the tears of the afflicted and oppressed, comfort the poor and humble, quench hatreds, sweeten harshness, safeguard the flower of purity in youth, protect the holy Church, make all men feel the attraction of Christian goodness. In your name, resounding harmoniously in heaven, may they recognize that they are brothers, and that the nations are members of one family, upon which may there shine forth the sun of a universal and sincere peace.

Receive, O most sweet Mother, our humble supplications, and above all obtain for us that, one day, happy with you, we may repeat before your throne that hymn which today is sung on earth around your altars: You are all-beautiful, O Mary! You are the glory, you are the joy, you are the honor of our people! 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

< U.S. Catholic bishops to renew consecration of nation to Immaculate Conception

Catholic Meditation: To the Immaculate Conception on this Election Day

My visit to the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

On Solemnity of Immaculate Conception - "In Mary Shines the Eternal Goodness of the Creator"

Pope makes pilgrimage to Mary statue in Rome, marking the feast of the Immaculate Conception

Pope: Mary the Immaculate Conception... (text of BXVI speech)

"Tota pulchra es, Maria, et macula originalis non est in te" (The Immaculate Conception)

The Immaculate Conception — Essential to the Faith

"Who Are You, Immaculate Conception?"

TURKEY Ephesus: The Feast of the Immaculate Conception at Mary’s House

Coming Dec 8th. Feast of the "Immaculate Conception"

Why the Immaculate Conception?

Catholic Encyclopedia: Immaculate Conception (The Doctrine and Its Roots)

The Immaculate Conception of Our Lady December 8

Mary's Immaculate Conception: A Memorable Anniversary

Ineffabilis Deus: 8 December 1854 (Dogma of the Immaculate Conception)

Why do we believe in the Immaculate Conception?

John Paul II goes to Lourdes; reflections on the Immaculate Conception

Your Praises We Sing--on the Dogma of the Proclamation of the Immaculate Conception, Dec. 8th

Eastern Christianity and the Immaculate Conception (Q&A From EWTN)

Memorandum on the Immaculate Conception [Newman]

On The Feast of The Immaculate Conception, The Patroness of the US, We Must Pray For Our Country[Read only]

From: Isaiah 40:25-31

God, Creator and Ruler of All (Continuation)

[25] Whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says
the Holy One. [26] Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created
these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by
name; by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power
not one is missing.

[27] Why do you say, 0 Jacob, and speak, 0 Israel, "My way is hid
from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God"? [28] Have you
not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the
Creator of the ends of the earth; He does not faint or grow weary, his
understanding is unsearchable. [29] He gives power to the faint, and
to him who has no might he increases strength. [30] Even youths shall
faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted, [31] but they
who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up
with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall
walk and not faint.

Commentary:

40:12-41:29. The message of hope at the start of the second part of
Isaiah is not the product of naïve credulity nor is it a dream that can
never come true. These verses outline the logical basis of that hope:
first, the immense power of God, to be seen in creation (40:12-31);
and second, the sovereignty of God, who rules over the destiny of
human beings and desires to save his people, and who raises up
Cyrus to do that very thing (41:1-29).

40:12-31. These verses deal with the first of the arguments to justify
hope. A series of ironical questions, vividly worded, conveys the omni-
presence and transcendence of God (similar to what happens in Job
38:2-21): the Lord made all things and there is nothing, no one, to
compare with him (vv. 12-26). In v. 26, the "host" is a reference to the
heavenly bodies. In Babylonian religion and cosmology, these were
considered to be gods. The sacred writer demythologizes them, ma-
king them mere creatures of God.

But the Lord does not confine himself to heaven, away from the cares
of men, heedless of what is happening to his people. He, who is author
of everything that exists, of life, of the rulers of the earth, is infinitely
good, and in his providence he supports and strengthens those who
trust in him (vv. 27-31). The image of the eagle (v. 31) is reminiscent
of Psalm 103:5: "Your youth is renewed like the eagle’s." St Augustine,
commenting on these words, points out that in ancient times it was
thought that when an eagle grew old it was unable to eat food because
its beak got too big and, "finding itself in such difficulty, it is said that
the eagle, driven by natural instinct and the need to recover its youth,
strikes the upper part of it beak against a rock, because the beak has
grown too large and prevents it from eating. The beak is worn down by
the rock and the eagle eats easily again, and its whole body is restored.
Having been old, the eagle is made young and strong again: the sheen
returns to its feathers, and power to its wings. It soars to the heights
once more, and experiences in that way a type of resurrection" ("Enar-
rationes In Psalmos", 102, 9). And so, Christian preaching has used
this simile in a spiritual sense as a call to renew one’s efforts, trusting
in God; If we hope in him, we can cope with difficulties without getting
tired, for, as St Bernard points out, "ubi autem amor est, labor non est,
sed sapor": “where there is love, there is no suffering, but rather
savoring” ("In Cantica Canticorum", 85, 8).

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.
Reprinted with permission from from Four Courts Press and Scepter
Publishers, the U.S. publishers.

From: Matthew 11:28-30

Jesus Thanks His Father (Continuation)

(At that time Jesus declared,) [28] "Come to Me, all who labor and are
heavy laden, and I will give you rest. [29] Take My yoke upon you, and
learn from Me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest
for your souls. [30] For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light."

Commentary:

28-30. Our Lord calls everyone to come to Him. We all find things diffi-
cult in one way or another. The history of souls bears out the truth of
these words of Jesus. Only the Gospel can fully satisfy the thirst for
truth and justice which sincere people feel. Only our Lord, our Master
-- and those to whom He passes on His power--can soothe the sinner
by telling him, "Your sins are forgiven" (Matthew 9:2). In this connec-
tion Pope Paul VI teaches: "Jesus says now and always, `Come to
Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.' His
attitude towards us is one of invitation, knowledge and compassion;
indeed, it is one of offering, promise, friendship, goodness, remedy of
our ailments; He is our comforter; indeed, our nourishment, our bread,
giving us energy and life" ("Homily on Corpus Christi", 13 June 1974).

"Come to Me": the Master is addressing the crowds who are following
Him, "harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd" (Matthew
9:36). The Pharisees weighed them down with an endless series of
petty regulations (cf. Acts 15:10), yet they brought no peace to their
souls. Jesus tells these people, and us, about the kind of burden He
imposes: "Any other burden oppresses and crushes you, but Christ's
actually takes weight off you. Any other burden weighs down, but
Christ's gives you wings. If you take a bird's wings away, you might
seem to be taking weight off it, but the more weight you take off, the
more you tie it down to the earth. There it is on the ground, and you
wanted to relieve it of a weight; give it back the weight of its wings
and you will see how it flies" (St. Augustine, "Sermon" 126).

"All you who go about tormented, afflicted and burdened with the bur-
den of your cares and desires, go forth from them, come to Me and I
will refresh you and you shall find for your souls the rest which your
desires take from you" (St. John of the Cross, "Ascent of Mount Car-
mel", Book 1, Chapter 7, 4).

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.
Reprinted with permission from from Four Courts Press and Scepter
Publishers, the U.S. publishers.

Examination of Conscience

A Guide for Confession

How To Make a Good Confession (especially if you haven't gone in years)

Why Go to Confession? (Part 1) - Pastoral Letter of Archbishop Bruno Forte

Why Go to Confession? (Part 2) - Pastoral Letter of Archbishop Bruno Forte

Why Go to Confession? (Part 3) - Pastoral Letter of Archbishop Bruno Forte

Pulling Sin up by the Roots: The Need for Mortification

Reasons for Confession [Sacrament of Reconciliation]

Cardinal Stafford's Homily at Penitential Liturgy With an Examination of Conscience

How to Go to Confession

Mass Readings

First reading	Isaiah 40:25 - 31 ©
‘To whom could you liken me and who could be my equal?’ says the Holy One. Lift your eyes and look. Who made these stars if not he who drills them like an army, calling each one by name? So mighty is his power, so great his strength, that not one fails to answer. How can you say, Jacob, how can you insist, Israel, ‘My destiny is hidden from the Lord, my rights are ignored by my God’? Did you not know? Had you not heard? The Lord is an everlasting God, he created the boundaries of the earth. He does not grow tired or weary, his understanding is beyond fathoming. He gives strength to the wearied, he strengthens the powerless. Young men may grow tired and weary, youths may stumble, but those who hope in the Lord renew their strength, they put out wings like eagles. They run and do not grow weary, walk and never tire.

First reading

Isaiah 40:25 - 31 ©

‘To whom could you liken me
and who could be my equal?’ says the Holy One.
Lift your eyes and look.
Who made these stars
if not he who drills them like an army,
calling each one by name?
So mighty is his power, so great his strength,
that not one fails to answer.

How can you say, Jacob,
how can you insist, Israel,
‘My destiny is hidden from the Lord,
my rights are ignored by my God’?
Did you not know?
Had you not heard?

The Lord is an everlasting God,
he created the boundaries of the earth.
He does not grow tired or weary,
his understanding is beyond fathoming.
He gives strength to the wearied,
he strengthens the powerless.
Young men may grow tired and weary,
youths may stumble,
but those who hope in the Lord renew their strength,
they put out wings like eagles.
They run and do not grow weary,
walk and never tire.

Psalm or canticle: Psalm 102

Gospel	Matthew 11:28 - 30 ©
Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.’

Office of Readings -- Awakening Prayer

Office of Readings

If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.

O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
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. Alleluia.

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 38 (39)
A prayer in sickness
I said, “I will watch my ways, I will try not to sin in my speech. I will set a guard on my mouth, for as long as my enemies are standing against me”. I stayed quiet and dumb, spoke neither evil nor good, but my pain was renewed. My heart grew hot within me, and fire blazed in my thoughts. Then I spoke out loud: “Lord, make me know my end. Let me know the number of my days, so that I know how short my life is to be”. All the length of my days is a handsbreadth or two, the expanse of my life is as nothing before you. For in your sight all men are nothingness: man passes away, like a shadow. Nothingness, although he is busy: he builds up treasure, but who will collect it? 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.

Psalm 38 (39)

A prayer in sickness

I said, “I will watch my ways,
I will try not to sin in my speech.
I will set a guard on my mouth,
for as long as my enemies are standing against me”.

I stayed quiet and dumb, spoke neither evil nor good,
but my pain was renewed.
My heart grew hot within me,
and fire blazed in my thoughts.
Then I spoke out loud:
“Lord, make me know my end.
Let me know the number of my days,
so that I know how short my life is to be”.

All the length of my days is a handsbreadth or two,
the expanse of my life is as nothing before you.
For in your sight all men are nothingness:
man passes away, like a shadow.
Nothingness, although he is busy:
he builds up treasure, but who will collect it?

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.

Psalm 38 (39)
What, now, can I look forward to, Lord? My hope is in you. Rescue me from all my sins, do not make me a thing for fools to laugh at. I have sworn to be dumb, I will not open my mouth: for it is at your hands that I am suffering. Aim your blows away from me, for I am crushed by the weight of your hand. You rebuke and chastise us for our sins. Like the moth you consume all we desire – for all men are nothingness. Listen, Lord, to my prayer: turn your ear to my cries. Do not be deaf to my weeping, for I come as a stranger before you, a wanderer like my fathers before me. Turn away from me, give me respite, before I leave this world, before I am no more. 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.

Psalm 38 (39)

What, now, can I look forward to, Lord?
My hope is in you.
Rescue me from all my sins,
do not make me a thing for fools to laugh at.
I have sworn to be dumb, I will not open my mouth:
for it is at your hands that I am suffering.

Aim your blows away from me,
for I am crushed by the weight of your hand.
You rebuke and chastise us for our sins.
Like the moth you consume all we desire
– for all men are nothingness.

Listen, Lord, to my prayer:
turn your ear to my cries.
Do not be deaf to my weeping,
for I come as a stranger before you,
a wanderer like my fathers before me.
Turn away from me, give me respite,
before I leave this world,
before I am no more.

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.

Psalm 51 (52)
Against calumny
Why do you take pride in your malice, you expert in evil-doing? All day long you plan your traps, your tongue is sharp as a razor – you master of deceit! You have chosen malice over kindness; you speak lies rather than the truth; your tongue is in love with every deceit. For all this, in the end God will destroy you. He will tear you out and expel you from your dwelling, uproot you from the land of the living. The upright will see and be struck with awe: they will deride the evil-doer. “Here is the man who did not make God his refuge, but put his hope in the abundance of his riches and in the power of his stratagems”. But I flourish like an olive in the palace of God. I hope in the kindness of God, for ever, and through all ages. I shall praise you for all time for what you have done. I shall put my hope in your name and in its goodness in the sight of your chosen ones. 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.

Psalm 51 (52)

Against calumny

Why do you take pride in your malice,
you expert in evil-doing?
All day long you plan your traps,
your tongue is sharp as a razor –
you master of deceit!
You have chosen malice over kindness;
you speak lies rather than the truth;
your tongue is in love with every deceit.

For all this, in the end God will destroy you.
He will tear you out and expel you from your dwelling,
uproot you from the land of the living.
The upright will see and be struck with awe:
they will deride the evil-doer.
“Here is the man who did not make God his refuge,
but put his hope in the abundance of his riches
and in the power of his stratagems”.

But I flourish like an olive in the palace of God.
I hope in the kindness of God,
for ever, and through all ages.
I shall praise you for all time for what you have done.
I shall put my hope in your name and in its goodness
in the sight of your chosen ones.

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.

Reading	Isaiah 25:6 - 26:6 ©
On this mountain, the Lord of Hosts will prepare for all peoples a banquet of rich food, a banquet of fine wines, of food rich and juicy, of fine strained wines. On this mountain he will remove the mourning veil covering all peoples, and the shroud enwrapping all nations, he will destroy Death for ever. The Lord will wipe away the tears from every cheek; he will take away his people’s shame everywhere on earth, for the Lord has said so. That day, it will be said: See, this is our God in whom we hoped for salvation; the Lord is the one in whom we hoped. We exult and we rejoice that he has saved us; for the hand of the Lord rests on this mountain. Moab is trodden down where he stands as straw is trodden in the dung pit; and there he stretches out his hands like a swimmer stretching out his hands to swim. But the Lord curbs his pride and whatever his hands attempt. Your arrogant, lofty walls he destroys, he overthrows, he flings them in the dust. That day, this song will be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city; to guard us he has set wall and rampart about us. Open the gates! Let the upright nation come in, she, the faithful one whose mind is steadfast, who keeps the peace, because she trusts in you. Trust in the Lord for ever, for the Lord is the everlasting Rock; he has brought low those who lived high up in the steep citadel; he brings it down, brings it down to the ground, flings it down in the dust: the feet of the lowly, the footsteps of the poor trample on it.

Reading

Isaiah 25:6 - 26:6 ©

On this mountain,
the Lord of Hosts will prepare for all peoples
a banquet of rich food, a banquet of fine wines,
of food rich and juicy, of fine strained wines.
On this mountain he will remove
the mourning veil covering all peoples,
and the shroud enwrapping all nations,
he will destroy Death for ever.
The Lord will wipe away
the tears from every cheek;
he will take away his people’s shame
everywhere on earth,
for the Lord has said so.
That day, it will be said: See, this is our God
in whom we hoped for salvation;
the Lord is the one in whom we hoped.
We exult and we rejoice
that he has saved us;
for the hand of the Lord
rests on this mountain.
Moab is trodden down where he stands
as straw is trodden in the dung pit;
and there he stretches out his hands
like a swimmer stretching out his hands to swim.
But the Lord curbs his pride
and whatever his hands attempt.
Your arrogant, lofty walls
he destroys, he overthrows,
he flings them in the dust.

That day, this song will be sung in the land of Judah:
We have a strong city;
to guard us he has set
wall and rampart about us.
Open the gates! Let the upright nation come in,
she, the faithful one
whose mind is steadfast, who keeps the peace,
because she trusts in you.
Trust in the Lord for ever,
for the Lord is the everlasting Rock;
he has brought low those who lived high up
in the steep citadel;
he brings it down, brings it down to the ground,
flings it down in the dust:
the feet of the lowly, the footsteps of the poor
trample on it.

Reading	A book on virginity, by St Ambrose
You light up your grace of body with the radiance of your mind
You are one of God’s people, of God’s family, a virgin among virgins; you light up your grace of body with your splendour of soul. More than others you can be compared to the Church. When you are in your room, then, at night, think always on Christ, and wait for his coming at every moment. This is the person Christ has loved in loving you, the person he has chosen in choosing you. He enters by the open door; he has promised to come in, and he cannot deceive. Embrace him, the one you have sought; turn to him, and be enlightened; hold him fast, ask him not to go in haste, beg him not to leave you. The Word of God moves swiftly; he is not won by the lukewarm, nor held fast by the negligent. Let your soul be attentive to his word; follow carefully the path God tells you to take, for he is swift in his passing. What does his bride say? I sought him, and did not find him; I called him, and he did not hear me. Do not imagine that you are displeasing to him although you have called him, asked him opened the door to him, and that this is the reason why he has gone so quickly; no, for he allows us to be constantly tested. When the crowds pressed him to stay, what does he say in the Gospel? I must preach the word of God to other cities, because for that I have been sent. But even if it seems to you that he has left you, go out and seek him once more. Who but holy Church is to teach you how to hold Christ fast? Indeed, she has already taught you, if you only understood her words in Scripture: How short a time it was when I left them before I found him whom my soul has loved. I held him fast, and I will not let him go. How do we hold him fast? Not by restraining chains or knotted ropes but by bonds of love, by spiritual reins, by the longing of the soul. If you also, like the bride, wish to hold him fast, seek him and be fearless of suffering. It is often easier to find him in the midst of bodily torments, in the very hands of persecutors. His bride says: How short a time it was after I left them. In a little space, after a brief moment, when you have escaped from the hands of your persecutors without yielding to the powers of this world, Christ will come to you, and he will not allow you to be tested for long. Whoever seeks Christ in this way, and finds him, can say: I held him fast, and I will not let him go before I bring him into my mother’s house, into the room of her who conceived me. What is this “house”, this “room”, but the deep and secret places of your heart? Maintain this house, sweep out its secret recesses until it becomes immaculate and rises as a spiritual temple for a holy priesthood, firmly secured by Christ, the cornerstone, so that the Holy Spirit may dwell in it. Whoever seeks Christ in this way, whoever prays to Christ in this way, is not abandoned by him; on the contrary, Christ comes again and again to visit such a person, for he is with us until the end of the world.

Reading

A book on virginity, by St Ambrose

You light up your grace of body with the radiance of your mind

You are one of God’s people, of God’s family, a virgin among virgins; you light up your grace of body with your splendour of soul. More than others you can be compared to the Church. When you are in your room, then, at night, think always on Christ, and wait for his coming at every moment.
This is the person Christ has loved in loving you, the person he has chosen in choosing you. He enters by the open door; he has promised to come in, and he cannot deceive. Embrace him, the one you have sought; turn to him, and be enlightened; hold him fast, ask him not to go in haste, beg him not to leave you. The Word of God moves swiftly; he is not won by the lukewarm, nor held fast by the negligent. Let your soul be attentive to his word; follow carefully the path God tells you to take, for he is swift in his passing.
What does his bride say? I sought him, and did not find him; I called him, and he did not hear me. Do not imagine that you are displeasing to him although you have called him, asked him opened the door to him, and that this is the reason why he has gone so quickly; no, for he allows us to be constantly tested. When the crowds pressed him to stay, what does he say in the Gospel? I must preach the word of God to other cities, because for that I have been sent. But even if it seems to you that he has left you, go out and seek him once more.
Who but holy Church is to teach you how to hold Christ fast? Indeed, she has already taught you, if you only understood her words in Scripture: How short a time it was when I left them before I found him whom my soul has loved. I held him fast, and I will not let him go.
How do we hold him fast? Not by restraining chains or knotted ropes but by bonds of love, by spiritual reins, by the longing of the soul.
If you also, like the bride, wish to hold him fast, seek him and be fearless of suffering. It is often easier to find him in the midst of bodily torments, in the very hands of persecutors.
His bride says: How short a time it was after I left them. In a little space, after a brief moment, when you have escaped from the hands of your persecutors without yielding to the powers of this world, Christ will come to you, and he will not allow you to be tested for long.
Whoever seeks Christ in this way, and finds him, can say: I held him fast, and I will not let him go before I bring him into my mother’s house, into the room of her who conceived me. What is this “house”, this “room”, but the deep and secret places of your heart?
Maintain this house, sweep out its secret recesses until it becomes immaculate and rises as a spiritual temple for a holy priesthood, firmly secured by Christ, the cornerstone, so that the Holy Spirit may dwell in it.
Whoever seeks Christ in this way, whoever prays to Christ in this way, is not abandoned by him; on the contrary, Christ comes again and again to visit such a person, for he is with us until the end of the world.

A concluding prayer may follow here.

American Catholic’s Saint of the Day

God calls each one of us to be a saint.

December 13, 2006

St. Lucy

(d. 304)

Every little girl named Lucy must bite her tongue in disappointment when she first tries to find out what there is to know about her patron saint. The older books will have a lengthy paragraph detailing a small number of traditions. Newer books will have a lengthy paragraph showing that there is little basis in history for these traditions. The single fact survives that a disappointed suitor accused Lucy of being a Christian and she was executed in Syracuse (Sicily) in the year 304. But it is also true that her name is mentioned in the First Eucharistic Prayer, geographical places are named after her, a popular song has her name as its title and down through the centuries many thousands of little girls have been proud of the name Lucy.

One can easily imagine what a young Christian woman had to contend with in pagan Sicily in the year 300. If you have trouble imagining, just glance at today’s pleasure-at-all-costs world and the barriers it presents against leading a good Christian life.

Her friends must have wondered aloud about this hero of Lucy’s, an obscure itinerant preacher in a far-off captive nation that had been destroyed more than 200 years before. Once a carpenter, he had been crucified by the Roman soldiers after his own people turned him over to the Roman authorities. Lucy believed with her whole soul that this man had risen from the dead. Heaven had put a stamp on all he said and did. To give witness to her faith she had made a vow of virginity.

What a hubbub this caused among her pagan friends! The kindlier ones just thought her a little strange. To be pure before marriage was an ancient Roman ideal, rarely found but not to be condemned. To exclude marriage altogether, however, was too much. She must have something sinister to hide, the tongues wagged.

Lucy knew of the heroism of earlier virgin martyrs. She remained faithful to their example and to the example of the carpenter, whom she knew to be the Son of God. She is the patroness of eyesight.

Comment:

If you are a little girl named Lucy, you need not bite your tongue in disappointment. Your patron is a genuine, authentic heroine, first class, an abiding inspiration for you and for all Christians. The moral courage of the young Sicilian martyr shines forth as a guiding light, just as bright for today’s youth as it was in A.D. 304.

Quote:

“The Gospel tells us of all that Jesus suffered, of the insults that fell upon him. But, from Bethlehem to Calvary, the brilliance that radiates from his divine purity spread more and more and won over the crowds. So great was the austerity and the enchantment of his conduct.”
“So may it be with you, beloved daughters. Blessed be the discretion, the mortifications and the renouncements with which you seek to render this virtue more brilliant.... May your conduct prove to all that chastity is not only a possible virtue but a social virtue, which must be strongly defended through prayer, vigilance and the mortification of the senses” (Pope John XXIII, Letter to Women Religious).

Wednesday, December 13, 2006
St. Lucy, Virgin, Martyr (Memorial)

First Reading:
Psalm:
Gospel:

Isaiah 40:25-31
Psalm 103:1-4, 8, 10
Matthew 11:28-30

If hope goes it alone, it ought to be called presumption.

-- St. Laurence Justinian

Catholic Culture

Collect:
Lord, give us courage through the prayers of St. Lucy. As we celebrate her entrance into eternal glory, we ask to share her happiness in the life to come. 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:

Activities:

Prayers:

December 13, 2006

Memorial of St. Lucy, virgin and martyr

Old Calendar: St. Lucy

St. Lucy (283-304) was born in Syracuse, Sicily, where she also died. She was of a noble Greek family, and was brought up as a Christian by her mother, who was miraculously cured at the shrine of St. Agatha in Catania. Lucy made a vow of virginity and distributed her wealth to the poor. This generosity stirred the wrath of the unworthy youth to whom she had been unwillingly betrothed and who denounced her to Paschasius, the governor of Sicily. When it was decided to violate her virginity in a place of shame, Lucy, with the help of the Holy Spirit, stood immovable. A fire was then built around her, but again God protected her. She was finally put to death by the sword. Her name appears in the second list in the Canon.

Jesse Tree ~ Samuel

St. Lucy
Today's feast can easily be harmonized with Advent themes. The very name Lucy pulsates with light, a living symbol amid the season's darkness (the days are now the shortest of the year). As a wise virgin Lucy advances with a burning lamp to meet the Bridegroom. She typifies the Church and the soul now preparing their bridal robes for a Christmas marriage.

That the famous Sicilian martyr really lived may be deduced from the great popular veneration accorded her since most ancient times. The Acts detailing her sufferings, however, merit little credence. According to these she made a pilgrimage to Catonia with her mother, who suffered from hemorrhage, to venerate the body of St. Agatha. After praying devoutly at the tomb, Agatha appeared to her in a dream and consoled her: "O virgin Lucy, why do you ask of me what you yourself can procure for your mother? For your faith too has come to her aid and therefore she has been cured. By your virginity you have indeed prepared for God a lovely dwelling." And her mother actually was healed.

Immediately Lucy asked permission to remain a virgin and to distribute her future dowry among Christ's poor. Child and mother returned to their native city of Syracuse, and Lucy proceeded to distribute the full proceeds from the sale of her property among the poor. When a young man, to whom Lucy's parents had promised the virgin's hand against her will, had heard of the development, he reported her to the city prefect as a Christian. "Your words will be silenced," the prefect said to her, "when the storm of blows falls upon you!" The virgin: "To God's servants the right words will not be wanting, for the Holy Spirit speaks in us." "Yes," she continued, "all who live piously and chastely are temples of the Holy Spirit." "Then," he replied, "I shall order you put with prostitutes and the Holy Spirit will depart from you." Lucy: "If I am dishonored against my will, my chastity will secure for me a double crown of victory."

Aflame with anger, the judge imposed the threatened order. But God made the virgin solidly firm in her place and no force could move her. "With such might did the Holy Spirit hold her firm that the virgin of Christ remained immovable." Thereupon they poured heated pitch and resin over her: "I have begged my Lord Jesus Christ that this fire have no power over me. And in testimony of Him I have asked a postponement of my death." When she had endured all this without the least injury, they pierced her throat with a sword. Thus she victoriously ended her martyrdom.

Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch.

Patron: against hemorraghes; authors; blind people; blindness; cutlers; dysentery; eye disease; eye problems; glaziers; hemorraghes; laborers; martyrs; peasants; Perugia, Italy; saddlers; salesmen; stained glass workers; Syracuse, Sicily; throat infections; writers.

Symbols: Lamp; dagger; three crowns; cauldron; two oxen; stake and fagots; cup; sword through his neck; poniard; ropes; eye held in pincers; awl; cord; eyes on a dish or book; swords.
Often Portrayed As: Woman hitched to a yoke of oxen; woman in the company of Saint Agatha, Saint Agnes of Rome, Barbara, Catherine of Alexandria, and Saint Thecla; woman kneeling before the tomb of Saint Agatha.

Things to Do:

Choose one of the customs for St. Lucy's feast and try it with your family. See Celebrating for the Feast of St. Lucy, Swedish Lucia Feast, and St. Lucia Devotions.
Select one of the recipes for this feast to prepare. Here is a recipe for cuccia, an Italian dish. This is another version.
Say a prayer to St. Lucy for those who are physically and spiritually blind.
Read the Life of St. Lucy taken from Ælfric’s Lives of the Saints written in the 10th century.
For St. Lucia Swedish resources, see Hemslöjd. Especially recommended are the St. Lucia's Crowns, either plastic to wear or brass for display, the books Lucia, Child of Light: The History and Traditions of Sweden's Lucia Celebration and Lucia Morning in Sweden.

Regnum Christi

The Yoke of Love
December 13, 2006

A Mystery of Humility and Love

Saint Lucy
Father Walter Schu, LC

Matthew 11:28-30
“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart.”

Introductory Prayer: Lord, you know the sincerity of my desire to spend this time with you. As I begin this meditation, I believe that you are here with me, that you never abandon me. Because I love you, my one wish is to please and console you in your solitude in the tabernacle. I hope in the boundless mercy that motivated your incarnation. May we one day meet again in your heavenly kingdom.

Petition:Mary, you who are the perfect model of humility, help me to be meek and humble like Christ your Son, who out of love for me became a helpless infant at Bethlehem.

1. Who Is This Man? Who is the man who stands before us in this Gospel — a man whose gaze has penetrated into the most secret recesses of our soul and discovered what lies hidden there? A man who recognizes that we labor, that we are burdened by the demands of life, weighed down by our sins and imperfections, straining under the load of our passions and unfulfilled desires. Who is the man who would dare promise what we have always longed for in the inner sanctuary of our conscience, yet never quite allowed ourselves to hope for? Who could utter such a simple, gentle, and appealing invitation, more than we could ever find ourselves worthy of: “Come to me… and I will give you rest”? Who but God himself?

2. How Can We Come to Him? How can we accept the invitation of the one who is God become man? How can we come to him? How can we attain what our soul has longed for all the days of our existence? Christ himself gives us the answer: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart.” He is so humble that he does not even wait for us to respond to his invitation. He humbles himself so that he can first come to us at Christmas.

3. A Mystery of Humility and Love. Bethlehem is a mystery of humility and love. Doesn’t Christ seem humble to you, reduced to the state of a helpless infant? He teaches without words or speeches, a living lesson which we need to feel with all the intensity of which we are capable, allowing the consequences to spring forth on their own. Can we imagine any other state in which the goodness and humility of God radiate more clearly and piercingly? Before a helpless child, who is God Incarnate out of love for us, we are reduced to silent wonder. All vain ambitions fade, all anger and bitter passion is softened, all idle pursuits are driven far from our hearts. The yoke that burdened us, the rod of our taskmaster, is smashed, replaced by the light and easy yoke of love.

Dialogue with Christ: : Lord, help me to penetrate more deeply into the mystery of your becoming a helpless and innocent child at Bethlehem for me. Help me to grow in goodness of heart so as to be able to radiate that goodness to those around me.

Resolution: During this day I will contemplate Christ meek and humble in the manger at Bethlehem in order to imitate his loving humility in my own life.

Lauds -- Morning Prayer

Morning Prayer (Lauds)

If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.

O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
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. Alleluia.

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 76 (77)
Remembering the works of the Lord
I cried out loud to the Lord, cried out to God, and he turned to me. In my time of trouble I sought for God, my hands stretched out all night long, tireless in supplication. My soul will not be consoled: I think of God, and I sigh; I meditate, and my spirit fails. You have kept me awake, my eyes open; in my distress, I did not speak. I pondered on the days of old, thought through the immemorial years. In the night I meditated in my heart. I was troubled, and I asked my soul: Will God reject you for ever, will he never again take you into his favour? Has his kindness ended for ever, his word come to an end for all generations? Will God forget to show mercy, will he lock up his mercies in his anger? And I said, “I am wounded indeed, that the Most High has changed”. I will remember the works of the Lord. I will remember your wonders, from the beginning. I will ponder on all you have done, think deeply through all your great deeds. O God, your ways are holy: what god is as great as our God? You are God, you work wonders, you made known your strength to your people. By your own action you redeemed your people, the children of Jacob and of Joseph. The waters saw you, O God, the waters saw you and writhed, stirred up even to their depths. The clouds poured down water, the clouds sounded their voice, your arrows shot forth. Your voice thundered in the whirlwind, your lightnings lit up the world, the earth trembled and shook. Your way led through the sea, your paths through the great waters, your steps left no trace behind them. You led your people like a flock, by the hand of Moses and Aaron. 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.

Psalm 76 (77)

Remembering the works of the Lord

I cried out loud to the Lord,
cried out to God, and he turned to me.
In my time of trouble I sought for God,
my hands stretched out all night long,
tireless in supplication.
My soul will not be consoled:
I think of God, and I sigh;
I meditate, and my spirit fails.

You have kept me awake, my eyes open;
in my distress, I did not speak.
I pondered on the days of old,
thought through the immemorial years.
In the night I meditated in my heart.
I was troubled, and I asked my soul:

Will God reject you for ever,
will he never again take you into his favour?
Has his kindness ended for ever,
his word come to an end for all generations?
Will God forget to show mercy,
will he lock up his mercies in his anger?

And I said, “I am wounded indeed,
that the Most High has changed”.
I will remember the works of the Lord.
I will remember your wonders, from the beginning.
I will ponder on all you have done,
think deeply through all your great deeds.

O God, your ways are holy:
what god is as great as our God?
You are God, you work wonders,
you made known your strength to your people.
By your own action you redeemed your people,
the children of Jacob and of Joseph.

The waters saw you, O God,
the waters saw you and writhed,
stirred up even to their depths.
The clouds poured down water,
the clouds sounded their voice,
your arrows shot forth.
Your voice thundered in the whirlwind,
your lightnings lit up the world,
the earth trembled and shook.

Your way led through the sea,
your paths through the great waters,
your steps left no trace behind them.
You led your people like a flock,
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

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.

Canticle	1 Samuel 2
The song of Hannah, mother of Samuel
My heart rejoices in the Lord, my strength is raised up in the name of my God. I cry out in triumph over my enemies as I rejoice in your deliverance. No-one is like the Lord, for he is holy; no-one is like our God, for he is strong. Do not pile boasting upon boasting: keep proud words far from your mouth, for the Lord is the God of all knowledge and the judge of all actions. The bow of the mighty is broken, and the weak are clothed in strength. Those who fed well must hire themselves out, for bread; but the hungry are hungry no longer. The barren woman has given birth to many; but she who had many sons is left desolate. The Lord brings death and brings life; he leads down to the underworld and rescues from it. The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he lays low and raises up. He lifts the needy from the dust and the poor from the dunghill to sit among princes to sit on the throne of glory. To the Lord belong the poles of the earth; from them he has suspended the world. He will keep safe the feet of his chosen, but the impious will be silent in the darkness – for it is not by his own strength that a man becomes strong. The Lord grinds down his enemies: he will thunder on them from the heavens. The Lord will judge the ends of the earth, give dominion to his king, and raise up the standard of his anointed one. 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.

Canticle

1 Samuel 2

The song of Hannah, mother of Samuel

My heart rejoices in the Lord,
my strength is raised up in the name of my God.
I cry out in triumph over my enemies
as I rejoice in your deliverance.

No-one is like the Lord, for he is holy;
no-one is like our God, for he is strong.

Do not pile boasting upon boasting:
keep proud words far from your mouth,
for the Lord is the God of all knowledge
and the judge of all actions.

The bow of the mighty is broken,
and the weak are clothed in strength.
Those who fed well must hire themselves out, for bread;
but the hungry are hungry no longer.
The barren woman has given birth to many;
but she who had many sons is left desolate.

The Lord brings death and brings life;
he leads down to the underworld and rescues from it.
The Lord makes poor and makes rich;
he lays low and raises up.
He lifts the needy from the dust and the poor from the dunghill
to sit among princes
to sit on the throne of glory.
To the Lord belong the poles of the earth;
from them he has suspended the world.

He will keep safe the feet of his chosen,
but the impious will be silent in the darkness
– for it is not by his own strength that a man becomes strong.
The Lord grinds down his enemies:
he will thunder on them from the heavens.
The Lord will judge the ends of the earth,
give dominion to his king,
and raise up the standard of his anointed one.

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.

Psalm 96 (97)
The glory of God in his judgements
The Lord reigns! Let the earth rejoice, let the many islands be glad. Clouds and dark mist surround him, his throne is founded on law and justice. Fire precedes him, burning up his enemies all around. His lightnings light up the globe; the earth sees and trembles. The mountains flow like wax at the sight of the Lord, at the sight of the Lord the earth dissolves. The heavens proclaim his justice and all peoples see his glory. Let them be dismayed, who worship carved things, who take pride in the images they make. All his angels, worship him. Sion heard and was glad, the daughters of Judah rejoiced because of your judgements, O Lord. For you are the Lord, the Most High over all the earth, far above all other gods. You who love the Lord, hate evil! The Lord protects the lives of his consecrated ones: he will free them from the hands of sinners. A light has arisen for the just, and gladness for the upright in heart. Rejoice, you just, in the Lord and proclaim his holiness. 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.

Psalm 96 (97)

The glory of God in his judgements

The Lord reigns! Let the earth rejoice,
let the many islands be glad.
Clouds and dark mist surround him,
his throne is founded on law and justice.
Fire precedes him,
burning up his enemies all around.
His lightnings light up the globe;
the earth sees and trembles.
The mountains flow like wax at the sight of the Lord,
at the sight of the Lord the earth dissolves.
The heavens proclaim his justice
and all peoples see his glory.

Let them be dismayed, who worship carved things,
who take pride in the images they make.
All his angels, worship him.
Sion heard and was glad,
the daughters of Judah rejoiced
because of your judgements, O Lord.
For you are the Lord, the Most High over all the earth,
far above all other gods.

You who love the Lord, hate evil!
The Lord protects the lives of his consecrated ones:
he will free them from the hands of sinners.
A light has arisen for the just,
and gladness for the upright in heart.
Rejoice, you just, in the Lord
and proclaim his holiness.

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.

Short reading	©
The maiden is with child and will soon give birth to a son whom she will call Immanuel. On curds and honey will he feed until he knows how to refuse evil and choose good.

Canticle	Benedictus
The Messiah and his forerunner
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and brought about their redemption. He has raised up the sign of salvation in the house of his servant David, as he promised through the mouth of the holy ones, his prophets through the ages: to rescue us from our enemies and all who hate us, to take pity on our fathers, to remember his holy covenant and the oath he swore to Abraham our father, that he would give himself to us, that we could serve him without fear – freed from the hands of our enemies – in uprightness and holiness before him, for all of our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High: for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his path, to let his people know their salvation, so that their sins may be forgiven. Through the bottomless mercy of our God, one born on high will visit us to give light to those who walk in darkness, who live in the shadow of death; to lead our feet in the path of peace. 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.

Canticle

Benedictus

The Messiah and his forerunner

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and brought about their redemption.
He has raised up the sign of salvation in the house of his servant David,
as he promised through the mouth of the holy ones, his prophets through the ages:
to rescue us from our enemies and all who hate us, to take pity on our fathers,
to remember his holy covenant and the oath he swore to Abraham our father,
that he would give himself to us, that we could serve him without fear – freed from the hands of our enemies –
in uprightness and holiness before him, for all of our days.

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High: for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his path,
to let his people know their salvation, so that their sins may be forgiven.
Through the bottomless mercy of our God, one born on high will visit us
to give light to those who walk in darkness, who live in the shadow of death;
to lead our feet in the path of peace.

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.

Some short prayers may follow here, to offer up the day's work to God.

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 that trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

A concluding prayer may follow here.

May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life.

A M E N

great links - thank you for posting

Homily of the Day

Homily of the Day

Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.

Other Articles by Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.
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It's Time to Learn to Relax in the Lord

December 12, 2006

Is 40:25-31 / Mt 11:28-30

As we trudge along life's road, even the best of us falter at times. We stumble, we grow weary, we fall, and sometimes we even faint. That's the truth about us, and because we feel our vulnerability and weakness so concretely and so strongly, we sometimes unconsciously project those very weaknesses upon God and make God too small. And in doing that, we can easily bring ourselves to the edge of despair and hopelessness.

Isaiah offers a vigorous corrective to that in today's Old Testament reading. "The Lord is the eternal God, creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary, and his knowledge is beyond scrutiny." It seems strange that we should have to say so, but the Lord is big enough to handle anything. And the response that he wants from us is to trust him so thoroughly that we will be able relax in him, confident that he will not drop us, reject us, or forget us. Not now, not ever.

"Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs." It's true! So relax in him, and know his peace.

A quiet stop each day, isn't it?

Lucy: "If I am dishonored against my will, my chastity will secure for me a double crown of victory."

the fearless faith of the martyrs just blows me away

In one sense, we share in that martyrdom, nothing so great as hers, mind you, through all the insults leveled at Catholics on other threads.

You might say that we are helping Christ to carry his cross.