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Daily Readings for:September 02, 2014
(Readings on USCCB website)

Collect: God of might, giver of every good gift, put into our hearts the love of your name, so that, by deepening our sense of reverence, and, by your watchful care, keep safe what you have nurtured. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

RECIPES

o Chicken Paprika

ACTIVITIES

o Religion in the Home for Elementary School: September

o Religion in the Home for Preschool: September

PRAYERS

o September Devotion: Our Lady of Sorrows

· Ordinary Time: September 2nd

· Tuesday of the Twenty-Second Week of Ordinary

Old Calendar: St. Stephen of Hungary, king and confessor; St. Agricolus, bishop (Hist)

According to the 1962 Missal of St. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is the feast of St. Stephen of Hungary. His feast in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite is celebrated on August 16.

Historically today is the feast of St. Agricolus, son of St. Magnus and bishop of Avignon. He built a church in Avignon to be served by the monks of Lerins and also a convent for benedictine nuns. By his blessing he put an end to an invasion of storks.

St. Agricolus
The son of a Gallo-Roman senator named Magnus, St. Agricolus entered the monastery about the age of 14, possibly after the death of his mother, and acquired a great reputation for piety and learning. Meanwhile, his widowed father, Magnus, received Holy Orders and became a monk. Magnus was named bishop of Avignon 16 years later, and he consecrated his son, who by then had been a priest for quite some time, to become coadjutor bishop. St. Agricolus succeeded his father ten years later and became famous for preaching and aid to the sick and poor. Depicted here with a dragon, St. Agricolus, like Sts. George, Arsacius and Margaret of Antioch, is considered to have done battle with the devil–not utilizing his own weak human will, but shielded with a crucifix, much prayer, fasting and faith in his Redeemer. As bishop of Avignon, St. Agricolus worked all the harder for the sake of his flock. He was named Patron of Avignon in 1647.

Excerpted from 2009 Saints Calendar, Tan Books and Publishers

Patron: Avignon

The Word Among Us

Meditation: 1 Corinthians 2:10-16

22nd Week in Ordinary Time

We speak about them not with words taught by human wisdom, but with words taught by the Spirit. (1 Corinthians 2:13)

Have you ever worked in public relations? You probably have, even if you didn’t realize it at the time. If you’ve ever commended a friend when they weren’t around, or sung the praises of your favorite restaurant, that’s a form of PR! It’s all about strategic conversation. It’s meant to help other people appreciate someone or something more in the hopes that they will develop their own relationship with that person or organization.

In today’s first reading, Paul affirms that we are all called to be in public relations. Our job is to engage people in a conversation that will help them appreciate God and welcome him into their lives. Throughout your life, you will connect with countless people, some of whom you know well and others whom you just meet in passing. Some of these people know the truth about God and his love for the world, but others may have misconceptions. Some may feel far from God, while others deny his existence. So you have to learn how to tailor your words and gestures to suit each person. Like a good PR person, you have to be flexible and creative.

If this is starting to seem like a job for someone with a little more field experience, don’t worry. Paul encourages us not to rely only on our human abilities—they simply aren’t enough. Not even the smoothest evangelist can draw a person to the Lord on his or her own. You need to cooperate with the Holy Spirit. Let him help steer your conversations in the right direction. Let him give you suggestions about how you can connect with each person you are speaking with.

It takes just a little practice to keep one ear open to the person you are speaking with and the other ear open to the Spirit. What does this person need right now? What does he or she think about God? How can I show God’s love to him or her? The Spirit loves to answer these questions!

So work on your PR abilities. You’ll be surprised at how often the Spirit suggests a thought or idea that will make a big difference in someone’s life!

“Holy Spirit, speak through me so that people may come to know you better.”

Psalm 145:8-14; Luke 4:31-37