January 7, 2015

Wednesday after Epiphany

Beloved, if God so loved us,
we also must love one another.
No one has ever seen God.
Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us,
and his love is brought to perfection in us.

This is how we know that we remain in him and he in us,
that he has given us of his Spirit.
Moreover, we have seen and testify
that the Father sent his Son as savior of the world.
Whoever acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,
God remains in him and he in God.
We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us.

God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him.
In this is love brought to perfection among us,
that we have confidence on the day of judgment
because as he is, so are we in this world.
There is no fear in love,
but perfect love drives out fear
because fear has to do with punishment,
and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love.

Responsorial Psalm PS 72:1-2, 10, 12-13

R. (see 11) Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king’s son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts;
the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out,
and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.
He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;
the lives of the poor he shall save.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

Alleluia See 1 Tm 3:16

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Glory to you, O Christ, proclaimed to the Gentiles.
Glory to you, O Christ, believed in throughout the world.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mk 6:45-52

After the five thousand had eaten and were satisfied,
Jesus made his disciples get into the boat
and precede him to the other side toward Bethsaida,
while he dismissed the crowd.
And when he had taken leave of them,
he went off to the mountain to pray.
When it was evening,
the boat was far out on the sea and he was alone on shore.
Then he saw that they were tossed about while rowing,
for the wind was against them.
About the fourth watch of the night,
he came toward them walking on the sea.
He meant to pass by them.
But when they saw him walking on the sea,
they thought it was a ghost and cried out.
They had all seen him and were terrified.
But at once he spoke with them,
“Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!”
He got into the boat with them and the wind died down.
They were completely astounded.
They had not understood the incident of the loaves.
On the contrary, their hearts were hardened.

Mark
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Mark 6
45.	And immediately he obliged his disciples to go up into the ship, that they might go before him over the water to Bethsaida, whilst he dismissed the people.	Et statim coëgit discipulos suos ascendere navim, ut præcederent eum trans fretum ad Bethsaidam, dum ipse dimitteret populum.	και ευθεως ηναγκασεν τους μαθητας αυτου εμβηναι εις το πλοιον και προαγειν εις το περαν προς βηθσαιδαν εως αυτος απολυση τον οχλον
46.	And when he had dismissed them, he went up to the mountain to pray.	Et cum dimisisset eos, abiit in montem orare.	και αποταξαμενος αυτοις απηλθεν εις το ορος προσευξασθαι
47.	And when it was late, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and himself alone on the land.	Et cum sero esset, erat navis in medio mari et ipse solus in terra.	και οψιας γενομενης ην το πλοιον εν μεσω της θαλασσης και αυτος μονος επι της γης
48.	And seeing them labouring in rowing, (for the wind was against them,) and about the fourth watch of the night, he cometh to them walking upon the sea, and he would have passed by them.	Et videns eos laborantes in remigando (erat enim ventus contrarius eis) et circa quartam vigiliam noctis venit ad eos ambulans supra mare : et volebat præterire eos.	και ειδεν αυτους βασανιζομενους εν τω ελαυνειν ην γαρ ο ανεμος εναντιος αυτοις και περι τεταρτην φυλακην της νυκτος ερχεται προς αυτους περιπατων επι της θαλασσης και ηθελεν παρελθειν αυτους
49.	But they seeing him walking upon the sea, thought it was an apparition, and they cried out.	At illi ut viderunt eum ambulantem supra mare, putaverunt phantasma esse, et exclamaverunt.	οι δε ιδοντες αυτον περιπατουντα επι της θαλασσης εδοξαν φαντασμα ειναι και ανεκραξαν
50.	For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he spoke with them, and said to them: Have a good heart, it is I, fear ye not.	Omnes enim viderunt eum, et conturbati sunt. Et statim locutus est cum eis, et dixit eis : Confidite, ego sum : nolite timere.	παντες γαρ αυτον ειδον και εταραχθησαν και ευθεως ελαλησεν μετ αυτων και λεγει αυτοις θαρσειτε εγω ειμι μη φοβεισθε
51.	And he went up to them into the ship, and the wind ceased: and they were far more astonished within themselves:	Et ascendit ad illos in navim, et cessavit ventus. Et plus magis intra se stupebant :	και ανεβη προς αυτους εις το πλοιον και εκοπασεν ο ανεμος και λιαν εκ περισσου εν εαυτοις εξισταντο και εθαυμαζον
52.	For they understood not concerning the loaves; for their heart was blinded.	non enim intellexerunt de panibus : erat enim cor eorum obcæcatum.	ου γαρ συνηκαν επι τοις αρτοις ην γαρ αυτων η καρδια πεπωρωμενη

45. And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people.
46. And when He had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.
47. And when evening was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and He alone on the land.
48. And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary to them: and about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them.
49. But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out:
50. For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately He talked with them, and said to them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.
51. And he went up into them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered.
52. For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.

GLOSS. The Lord indeed by the miracle of the loaves showed that He is the Creator of the world: but now by walking on the waves He proved that He had a body free from the weight of all sin, and by appeasing the winds and by calming the rage of the waves, He declared Himself to be the Master of the elements. Wherefore it is said, And straight way he constrained his disciples to yet into the ship, and to go to the other side before to Bethsaida, while he sent away the people.

PSEUD-CHRYS. He dismisses indeed the people, with His blessing and with some cures. But He constrained His disciples, because they could not without pain separate themselves from Him, and that, not only on account of the very great affection which they had for Him, but also because they were at a loss how He would join them.

BEDE; But it is with reason that we wonder how Mark says, that after the miracles of the loaves the disciples crossed the sea of Bethsaida, when Luke relates that the miracle was done in the parts of Bethsaida, unless we understand that Luke means by the desert which is Bethsaida not the country immediately around the town, but the desert places belonging to it. But when Mark says that they should go before unto Bethsaida, the town itself is meant. It goes on: And when he had sent them away he departed into a mountain to pray.

PSEUD-CHRYS. This we must understand of Christ, in that He is man; He does it also to teach us to he constant prayer.

THEOPHYL. But when He had dismissed the crowd, He goes up to pray, for prayer requires rest and silence.

BEDE; Not every man, however, prays goes up into a mountain, but he alone prays well, who seeks God in prayer. But he who prays for riches or worldly labor, or for the death of his enemy, sends up from the lowest depths his vile prayers to God. John says, When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force and make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.

It goes on; and when even was come the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land.

THEOPHYL; Now the Lord permitted His disciples to be in danger, that they might learn patience; wherefore He did not immediately come to their aid, but allowed them to remain in danger all night, that He might teach them to wait patiently, and not to hope at once for help in tribulations, For there follows, And he saw them toiling in rowing, for the wind was contrary unto them; and about the fourth watch of the night, he comes to them walking upon the sea.

PSEUD-CHRYS. Holy Scripture reckons four watches in the night, making each division three hours ; wherefore by the fourth watch it means that which is after the ninth hour that is, in the tenth or some following hour. There follows, And would have passed them by.

AUG. But how could they understand this, except from His going a different way, wishing to pass them as strangers; for they were so far from recognizing Him, as to take Him for a spirit. For it goes on: But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out.

THEOPHYL. See again how Christ, though He was about to put an end to their dangers puts them in greater fear. But He immediately reassured them by His voice, for it continues, And immediately he talked with them, and said to them It is I be not afraid.

CHRYS. As soon then as they knew Him. His voice, their fear left them. How then could He wish to pass them, whose fears He so reassures, if it were not that His wish to pass them would wring from them that cry, which called for His help?

BEDE ; But Theodorus who, as Bishop of Phanara, wrote that the Lord had no bodily weight in His flesh, and walked on the sea without weight; but the Catholic faith declares that I He had weight according to the flesh. For Dionysius says, We know not how without plunging in His feet, which had bodily weight and the gravity of matter, He could walk on the wet and unstable substance

THEOPHYL. Then by entering into the ship, the Lord restrained the tempest. For it continues, And he went up to them into the ship, and the wind ceased. Great indeed is the miracle of our Lord's walking on the sea, but the tempest and the contrary wind were there as well, to make the miracle greater. For the Apostles, not understanding g from the miracle of the five loaves the power of Christ, now more fully knew it from the miracle of the sea. Wherefore it goes on, And they were sore amazed in themselves. For they understood not concerning the loaves .

BEDE; The disciples indeed, who were still carnal , were amazed at the greatness of His virtue, they could not yet however recognize in Him the truth of the divine Majesty. Therefore it goes on, For their hearts were hardened. But mystically, the toil of the disciples in rowing, and the contrary wind, mark out the labors of the Holy Church, who amidst the beating waves of the world, and the blasts of unclean spirits, strives to teach the repose of her celestial country.

And well is it said that the ship was in the midst of the sea, and He alone on land, for sometimes the Church is afflicted by a pressure from the Gentiles so overwhelming, that her Redeemer seems to have entirely deserted her, but the Lord sees His own, toiling on the sea, for, lest they faint in tribulations, He strengthens them by the look of His love, and sometimes frees themselves by a visible assistance. Further, in the fourth watch He came to them as daylight approached, for when man lifts up his mind to the light of guidance from on high, the Lord will he with him, and the dangers of temptations will he laid asleep.

PSEUD-CHRYS. Or else, the first watch means the time up to the deluge; the second, up to Moses; the third, up to the coming of the Lord; in the fourth the Lord came and spoke to His disciples.

BEDE; Often then does the love of heaven seem to have deserted the faithful in tribulation, so that it may be thought that Jesus wishes to pass by His disciples, as it were, toiling in the sea. And still do heretics suppose that the Lord was a phantom, and did not take upon Him real flesh from the Virgin.

PSEUDO-JEROME; And He says to them, Be of good cheer, it is I, because we shall see Him as He is. But the wind and the storm ceased when Jesus sat down, that is, reigned in the ship, which is the Catholic Church.

BEDE; In whatever heart, also, He is present by the grace of His love, there soon all the strivings of vices, and of the adverse world, or of evil spirits, are kept under and put to rest.

Catena Aurea Mark 6

Saint Raymond of Peñafort, Priest

Saint Raymond of Peñafort, Priest
Optional Memorial
January 7th

unknown artist

Saint Raymond of Peñafort (1175-1275) was born in Barcelona, Spain; he was the third superior general of the Domincian Order. He is famous for his efforts to abolish slavery. He wrote five books of Decretals which are now a valuable part of the Canon Law of the Church. The Summa de Casibus Penitentæ, which is about the correct and fruitful administration of the Sacrament of Penance, is the most notable of his works.

Collect:
O God, who adorned the Priest Saint Raymond
with the virtue of outstanding mercy and compassion
for sinners and for captives,
grant us, through his intercession, that, released from slavery to sin,
we may carry out in freedom of spirit
what is pleasing to you.
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. +Amen.

First Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:14-20
For the love of Christ controls us, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died. And He died for all, that those who live might live no longer for themselves but for Him who for their sake died and was raised.

From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once regarded Christ from a human point of view, we regard Him thus no longer. Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to Himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. So we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us. We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

Gospel Reading: Luke 12:35-40
"Let your loins be girded and your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the marriage feast, so that they may open to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes; truly, I say to you, he will gird himself and have them sit at table, and he will come and serve them. If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them so, blessed are those servants! But know this, that if the householder had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. You also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an unexpected hour."

Interactive Saints for Kids

St. Raymond of Penyafort

Feast Day: January 07
Born: 1175 :: Died: 1275

Raymond was born in a little town called Penafort near Barcelona, Spain and his family belonged to Aragonian nobility. He studied at the cathedral school in Barcelona and became a famous teacher of Philosophy when he was twenty. After Raymond became a priest he studied law in Bologna, Italy and became a lawyer. Then he joined the Dominican order in 1218.

In 1230, Pope Gregory IX asked this dedicated priest to come to Rome. When Raymond arrived, the pope gave him several duties. One duty was to collect all the official letters of the popes since 1150. Raymond gathered and published five volumes and also helped to write the Church law.

In 1238, Raymond was elected master general of the Dominicans. With his knowledge of law, he went over the Order's Rule and made sure everything was legally correct. After he had finished, he resigned his position in 1240 so that he could truly dedicate the rest of his life to parish work. That is what he really wanted.

The pope wanted to make Raymond an archbishop, but Raymond refused. He asked if he could return to Spain and was given permission. He was overjoyed to be in parish work. His compassion helped many people return to God through the sacrament of Reconciliation.

During his years in Rome, Raymond often heard stories of the difficulties that missionaries faced trying to reach non-Christians of Northern Africa and Spain. To help the missionaries, Raymond started a school that taught the language and culture of the people to be evangelized.

Also, Father Raymond asked the famous Dominican, St. Thomas Aquinas, to write a booklet explaining the truths of faith in a way that nonbelievers could understand.

St. Raymond lived nearly one hundred years and died in Barcelona on January 6, 1275. He was declared the patron of Church lawyers because of his great influence on Church law.

Catholic Spiritual Direction.com

In a State of Grace But Burnt Out: What Can I Do?

January 7, 2015 by Charlotte Ostermann

I’m feeling burnt out and a bit lifeless spiritually. I’m living in a state of grace. I’m a committed Catholic. I don’t know what else to do to revitalize my spiritual life. Can you help?

That lifeless feeling you describe may be what our Church fathers called ‘acedia’. Burnt out, spent, listless, going through the motions, flat – all speak of that same condition. What you need is profound, healing, spiritual rest. The rest that is to be found in Christ, and that makes us more fully alive is ‘holy leisure’.

What does holy leisure look like? Only you can fully answer that question, but I can give you some guidelines.

Holy Leisure is Eucharistic

In the Blessed Sacrament, God gives us perfect nourishment for the spiritual life. The problem is that we are not perfectly able to receive, to appropriate, all the goodness we are given. As you consider how to provide for the healing rest your soul needs, keep your focus on the essential component: the Real Presence of Christ.

Holy Leisure Begins with the Sabbath

Sabbath-keeping wasn’t abolished by the coming of the Messiah, but fulfilled. Our Eucharistic, Sunday Sabbath is a fountain of refreshment, the source of the deep rest your soul craves. As you consider what you need to do, or not do, to keep the Sabbath day holy, you’ll be designing a ‘setting’ for the ‘jewel’: the Blessed Sacrament.

Holy leisure will begin to permeate your whole life, if you let your soul enter into it fully on Sundays. Sunday is the place to begin learning how to sanctify every day. Have you ever noticed that ‘any time’ is ‘no time’? God, in His wisdom, taught His people to set apart a day and place careful boundaries around it so as to protect a sacred encounter. St. Pope John Paul reminded us not to live ‘for the weekend,’ but to cultivate true Sabbath-centered, holy leisure.

Holy Leisure is a Tonic Remedy

For some people, ‘acedia’ starts with laziness. Their spiritual torpor, or sloth, is rooted in the lack of activity, firm intention, virtue and hard work of day-to-day life. For others, the same inability to move themselves toward spiritual goods, or to approach the spiritual life with zeal, is caused by their constant busy-ness, distraction from self-examination and goal-oriented doing. For one, keeping the Sabbath holy – sacred, set apart for Christ – may mean taking up actions that provide spiritual discipline, serve others, bring them into community and exercise the will. For the other, the Sabbath day may need to be a space carved out of activity for non-doing, contemplation, quiet and solitude.

As a tonic medicine restores the body to a balanced, healthy ‘tone,’ a holy, Eucharistic Sabbath day restores and refreshes your whole being when it counteracts the particular imbalances of the rest of your week. Think of yourself as a stringed instrument. Are your strings too slack, or too tight to play beautiful music?

Holy Leisure Leads to Interior Freedom

By continuing to live a sacramental, Catholic life, in a state of grace, you have nurtured and sustained the life of Christ within your own being. You have already begun to move toward greater vitality and fullness of life by identifying your need for something more, and asking for help. Now, by considering how to design the Sabbath day that corresponds to your own personal ways of getting ‘unstrung,’ you are engaging self-awareness, creativity and free will. The result – growing interior freedom – is the opposite of the acedia that weighs down and casts a gloomy cloud over your life in Christ.

I hope you’ll enjoy this approach to designing your sacred Sabbath, and grow more deeply rested, more free and joyful, each week.

Catholic Culture

Daily Readings for:January 07, 2015
(Readings on USCCB website)

Collect: O God, who adorned the Priest Saint Raymond with the virtue of outstanding mercy and compassion for sinners and for captives, grant us, through his intercession, that, released from slavery to sin, we may carry out in freedom of spirit what is pleasing to you. 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 Flan

o Paella I

o Paella II

ACTIVITIES

o Christmas and the Eucharist

o Day Fourteen ~ Activities for the Fourteenth Day of Christmas

o Namedays

o What is a Nameday?

PRAYERS

o Christmas Table Blessing 1

o Christmas Table Blessing 2

o Christmas Table Blessing 3

o Christmas Table Blessing 4

o Book of Blessings: Blessing Before and After Meals: Christmas Season (2nd Plan)

o Prelates, Kings and Peoples of the Earth!

o Act of Contrition

o Book of Blessings: Blessing Before and After Meals: Christmas (1st Plan)

LIBRARY

o Doctrines of Dominican Theology | J. A. McHugh O.P., S.T.M., Litt.,D.

· Christmas: January 7th

· Optional Memorial of St. Raymond of Penafort, priest; St. Andre Bessette, religious (Can)

Born in Barcelona, Spain, St. Raymond of Penafort was the third Superior-General of the Domincan Order. He is famous for his work in the freeing of slaves. He wrote five books of Decretals which are now a valuable part of the Canon Law of the Church. The Summa Casuum, which is about the correct and fruitful administration of the Sacrament of Penance, is the most notable of his works.

The Church in Canada celebrates the feast of St. Andre Bessette today rather than on January 6 as in the United States.

The Fourteenth Day of Christmas

St. Raymond of Penafort
The blessed Raymond was born at Barcelona, of the noble family of Penafort. Having been imbued with the rudiments of the Christian faith, the admirable gifts he had received, both of mind and body, were such that even when quite a boy he seemed to promise great things in his later life.

Whilst still young, he taught humanities in Barcelona. Later on, he went to Bologna, where he applied himself with much diligence to the exercises of a virtuous life, and to the study of canon and civil law. He there received the Doctor's cap, and interpreted the sacred canons so ably that he was the admiration of his hearers. The holiness of his life becoming known far and wide, Berengarius, the Bishop of Barcelona, when returning to his diocese from Rome, visited Bologna in order to see him; and after most earnest entreaties, induced Raymond to accompany him to Barcelona. He was shortly after made Canon and Provost of that Church, and became a model to the clergy and people by his uprightness, modesty, learning and meekness. His tender devotion to the Holy Mother of God was extraordinary, and he never neglected an opportunity of zealously promoting the devotion and honor which are due to her.

When he was about forty-five years of age, he made his solemn profession in the Order of the Friars Preachers. He then, as a soldier but just entered into service, devoted himself to the exercise of every virtue, but above all to charity to the poor, and this mainly to the captives who had been taken by the infidels. It was by his exhortation that St Peter Nolasco (who was his penitent) was induced to devote all his riches to this work of most meritorious charity. The Blessed Virgin appeared to Peter, as also to blessed Raymond and to James the First, King of Aragon, telling them that it would be exceedingly pleasing to herself and her divine Child, if an Order of Religious men were instituted whose mission it should be to deliver captives from the tyranny of infidels. Whereupon, after deliberating together, they founded the Order of our Lady of Mercy for the Ransom of Captives; and blessed Raymond drew up certain rules of life, which were admirably adapted to the spirit and vocation of the said Order. Some years after, he obtained their approbation from Gregory the Ninth, and made St Peter Nolasco, to whom he gave the habit with his own hands, first General of the Order.

Raymond was called to Rome by the same Pope, who appointed him to be his Chaplain, Penitentiary, and Confessor. It was by Gregory's order that he collected together, in the volume called the Decretals, the Decrees of the Roman Pontiffs, which were to be found separately in the various Councils and Letters. He was most resolute in refusing the Archbishopric of Tarragona, which the same Pontiff offered to him, and, of his own accord resigned the Generalship of the Dominican Order, which office he had discharged in a most holy manner for the space of two years. He persuaded James the King of Aragon to establish in his dominions the Holy Office of the Inquisition. He worked many miracles; among which is that most celebrated one of his having, when returning to Barcelona from the island of Majorca, spread his cloak upon the sea, and sailed upon it, in the space of six hours, the distance of a hundred and sixty miles, and having reached his convent, entered it through the closed doors. At length, when he had almost reached the hundredth year of his age, and was full of virtue and merit, he slept in the Lord, in the year of the Incarnation 1275. He was canonized by Pope Clement the Eighth.

Patron: Attorneys; barristers; canonists; lawyers; medical record librarians.

Things to Do:

St. Raymond diligently studied Canon Law. Spend some time learning what are the obligations and rights of the laity under Church law.
Learn more about the Spanish Inquistion.
St. Raymond contributed much to the understanding of the Sacrament of Penance. Make sure your family knows the Act of Contrition and says it every day.

The Word Among Us

Meditation: 1 John 4:11-18

Saint Raymond of Penyafort, Priest

Perfect love drives out fear. (1 John 4:18)

Recently, an episode of a children’s television show was banned from Australian television. It wasn’t because of any scandalous content, it was just common sense. The episode taught children not to be scared of spiders, which was fine for the country the show was made in. But in countries like Australia, where there are many poisonous spiders, children need to learn to be frightened of them!

It can be right and proper to experience fear where there is a good chance of something bad happening—whether it’s a spider bite, some other kind of negative consequence, or even a “punishment,” as John puts it in today’s reading. Fear is a natural, healthy response to a perceived threat.

But fear can get uncaged and start attaching itself to other areas of our lives. If not kept in its proper perspective, it can infect areas where God wants us to have joy and excitement: thoughts about the future, the question of our relationship with God, or our relationships with people who genuinely do love us.

These fears don’t have the last word; God does! Though you may feel fear hiding in your heart, waiting for just the right moment to derail your hopes or ideas, this isn’t God’s plan for you. He wants to give you a deep sense of security in his love. He wants to shine his light on the hidden places within you and drive out fear from where it lurks. You don’t have to be afraid. Your heavenly Father’s love and protection reach into all the days, weeks, and years that lie ahead. Remember that all fear is based on some kind of punishment or negative consequence. But for the one who embraces the Lord there is no punishment. No threat, no evil, can overcome that love.

So when danger and uncertainty rear their heads, lean into the love God has for you. As you dwell on that love, the fear will decrease. And even when you’re not afraid, focus on his love. Enjoy it, revel in it, and refract it to the world. Fear will lose its foothold, and you’ll feel more and more of God’s freedom!

“Lord, remind me always of your steadfast love. Come and reassure me, driving out my fears.”

Psalm 72:1-2, 10, 12-13
Mark 6:45-52

Regnum Christi

Walking with Christ

U. S. A. | SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY

January 7, 2015. Wednesday after Epiphany

Mark 6:45-52

After the five thousand had eaten and were satisfied, Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and precede him to the other side toward Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. And when he had taken leave of them, he went off to the mountain to pray. When it was evening, the boat was far out on the sea and he was alone on shore. Then he saw that they were tossed about while rowing, for the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them. But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out. They had all seen him and were terrified. But at once he spoke with them, "Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!" He got into the boat with them and the wind died down. They were completely astounded. They had not understood the incident of the loaves. On the contrary, their hearts were hardened.

Introductory Prayer: Lord, I see in you how to live life with the Spirit as my foundation, as the rock that permits me to walk through any troubled moment with peace and joyful abandonment to your will. Gratefully I put all my trust in you and offer all my meager love in return.

Petition: Lord, grant me the grace not only to know, but to live your presence as the one and only foundation of my hope and happiness.

1. He Went off to the Mountain to Pray: Christ did not run his interior life on the thrill of immediate success. The core of what consoled and sustained his heart was not splendid results in the apostolate, but rather his prayerful union with his Father in heaven. Whether results for his mission were easy or hard to obtain, Christ was equally given and equally motivated. Constancy of spirit and firmness of will are founded not on momentary results, but on the peace and deep joy of living the Father’s will. Christ defends this sacred place in his heart with one key element: time. Making time for prayer builds the wall that defends God’s sanctuary in our soul. Time for him alone is what establishes a beachhead for the Kingdom in us, so that we can establish it around us. From there we see what is passing, superficial or vain. This leads us to embrace what is eternal, self-giving and perfect in love.

2. He Saw That They Were Tossed About While Rowing: Whenever the apostles pushed out on the water, it was a time to learn. Water symbolizes life, and waves symbolize all the uncertainties of this life, all the trials and sufferings that seemingly labor to bring our world to a bad end. Christ consistently tests and forms more deeply those whom he loves. Troubles are not eliminated because we have found Christ. Rather, at times they may increase, for they are the training ground of a saint and an apostle. Christ saw the apostles in trouble, but they were never alone—the watchful gaze of Christ never left them, his care was never absent. Let my faith bring me to confidence in that gaze, the all-knowing presence of Christ, in all I do and suffer for him.

3. "Take Courage, It Is I, Do Not Be Afraid!" St. Augustine wrote of this passage, "He came treading the waves; and so he puts all the swelling tumults of life under his feet. Christians -- why be afraid?" Walking with Christ permits us to conquer the waves that wish to overwhelm us. Contact with him in prayer helps us to find solid ground in the midst of quicksand. The conquering Christ reminds us that no evil is stronger than he, that there is no sin or temptation that cannot be put behind us, and that there is no setback in health or business or disappointment in a loved one that cannot ultimately become a new good when we walk in cadence with Christ.

Conversation with Christ: Lord, at times I experience all my human successes and securities with such satisfaction that I forget that in a moment they could all be taken from me. In an instant, what was once stable could turn into a stormy sea. What are these comforts and goods to me, if from the beginning they have not been for you, have not honored you? Will I be able to cling to them in eternity? Forgive my superficiality in these moments. I seek now to ground myself more firmly in you, the true and eternal rock of my life.

Resolution: I will seek to remember the goals I have to achieve today for eternity: holiness of life, fulfillment of God’s will, and service of my neighbor.

Homily of the Day

January 7, 2015

“What drives you?” This is a question posed in a TV advertisement of a fuel company. The ad shows people from various walks of life giving their best efforts in what they are doing — in sports, in one’s profession, while driving a sports car or while just playing with one’s children.

The images shown and the question posed strike us at our core: “What drives us?” The answer is simple: that one cannot totally commit himself to a task, a profession, unless one is driven by something pure, compelling and convincing, by something truly as important as one’s life itself.

In today’s reading from the First Letter of John, we are given the compelling answer to the question, “What drives us?” The real answer is “love.” We do not have to study the many spiritual writers and practitioners who support John’s reply. If we look back at our own life experiences, we notice that the moments and times we are so alive, bold and courageous and so fulfilled are when we are ignited and moved by love. One could think of the moment one proposed to his wife. Or accepted the proposal from one’s future husband. One could think of the times we went out of our usual comfort zone to reach out to a friend, office-mate or even a stranger in great need. These are key moments in our human life and experience which can only be driven by love.

For John, the disciple Jesus loved, these experiences driven by love make God really present in our lives; they are true encounters with God-with-us.

Today, as we celebrate the Christmas season of God’s gift of his Son to us, let us reflect and ask ourselves “What drives us?” Which parts of our lives are not ruled and driven by love? Pray to the Lord to touch those parts of our lives that he may rule there.

One Bread, One Body

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St. Raymond of Peñafort

1 John 4:11-18
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Psalm 72:1-2, 10, 12-13

Mark 6:45-52
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THE MULTIPLIER EFFECT OF LOVE

"Beloved, if God has loved us so, we must have the same love for one another." —1 John 4:11

Many saints have reflected God's love for others (1 Jn 4:11) and took to heart the Lord's command to go and teach all nations (see Mk 16:15). These saints could testify that God's love is brought to perfection in us (1 Jn 4:12) when we give our "all" to bring His Kingdom to a disordered world.

When we, out of love, give all that we have (Lk 21:4) to obtain Jesus our Treasure (Mt 13:44), we will receive the resources, both physical and spiritual, to accomplish Christ's objectives (see e.g. Eph 1:3; Phil 4:19).

When we have our lives in right and godly order, when we receive and obey our instructions from Christ, Jesus multiplies our faith (see Mt 25:29). Then He multiplies our works done in obedience and love. As He has told us, whoever "has faith in Me will do the works I do, and greater far than these" (Jn 14:12).

Therefore, love one another as God has commanded (1 Jn 4:11). Lovingly give Jesus your all. "Serve the needs of all" (Mk 10:44) and see Jesus multiply your deeds of love.

Prayer: Father, give me the grace to die to my selfish agenda and work for You alone.

Promise: "If we love one another God dwells in us, and His love is brought to perfection in us." —1 Jn 4:12

Praise: St. Raymond prayed: "May you never be numbered among those whose house is peaceful, quiet, and free from care, those on whom the Lord's chastisement does not descend."

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