September, 2018

The Holy Father's Prayer Intention

Universal – Young People in Africa, That young people in Africa may have access to education and work in their own countries.

'Every one should try to have his heart always occupied and filled with God, to love Him and think of Him only, and whether alone or with others never to be out of His presence.'

St. Ignatius of Loyola

The Angelus

The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary:
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of
our death. Amen.

Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word.

Hail Mary . . .

And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary . . .

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:

Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord.

Amen.

"Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you" (Lk 1:28)

"Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb"
(Lk 1:42).

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/3691091/posts

Saint of the Day — Blessed Pope Paul VI

Information: Sts. Cosmas & St. Damian

Feast Day: September 26

Born: 3rd century AD, Arabia

Died: 287 AD, Aegea, Roman province of Syria

Major Shrine: Convent of the Poor Clares in Madrid, Basilica of Saints Cosmas and Damian in Bitonto, Bari, Italy

Patron of: surgeons, physicians, dentists, protectors of children, barbers, pharmacists, veterinarians, orphanages, day-care centers, confectioners, children in house, against hernia, against the plague.

Sts. Cosmas & Damian
Saints Cosmas And Damian [Legend]

'When I consider the blindness of those who, for the sake of things so vile and little, allow themselves to be stupidly led away into the abyss of such horrible and infinite woe, all that is within me is moved by a great compassion. In this connection I recall a possessed person who was forced by a religious to declare who he was: he cried out with great force: "I am that wretch who is deprived of love." He said this with a voice so piteous and penetrating that inwardly I was filled with pity, especially when I was hearing those words, Deprived of love.'

St. Catherine of Genoa

CATHOLIC ALMANAC

Wednesday, September 26

Liturgical Color: Red

Today is the optional memorial of Sts.
Cosmas and Damian, martyrs. Brothers and
skilled physicians, they often provided their
services for free to those unable to pay. They
were beheaded in 303 A.D., for their Catholic
faith

Ordinary Time: September 26th

Optional Memorial of Sts. Cosmas and Damian, martyrs

MASS READINGS

September 26, 2018 (Readings on USCCB website)

COLLECT PRAYER

May you be magnified, O Lord, by the revered memory of your Saints Cosmas and Damian, for with providence beyond words you have conferred on them everlasting glory, and on us, your unfailing help. 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.

O God, who founded all the commands of your sacred Law upon love of you and of our neighbor, grant that, by keeping your precepts, we may merit to attain eternal life. 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.

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Old Calendar: Sts. Cyprian and Justina, martyrs; Isaac Jogues, John de Brebeuf and Companions, Martyrs (USA)

According to tradition, Saints Cosmas and Damian suffered martyrdom in Syria during the Roman persecution of Diocletian, around 303 A.D. Not much is known about them, but tradition holds they were twin brothers and medical doctors, never charging a fee for their medical services. Their names are in the Roman Canon of the Mass. They are honored in both the Eastern and Western Church and highly celebrated in Italian communities.

According to the 1962 Missal of St. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is the feast of Saints Cyprian and Justina. They were Christians of Antioch who suffered martyrdom during the persecution of Diocletian at Nicomedia. It is also the feast of Saints Isaac Jogues, John de Brebeuf and Companions, Martyrs (USA). Their feast in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite is celebrated on October 19.

Sts. Cosmas and Damian
This is one of the most ancient feasts of the Church, and these two martyrs have been honored in the East and West in many ways, including the building of churches in their honor in Rome and Constantinople. Along with St. Luke, they are the patron saints of doctors. Little is known of their true history, but the legend that has come down to us is of very early origin.

Sts. Cosmas and Damian were venerated in the East as the "moneyless ones" because they practiced medicine gratis. According to the legend, they were twin brothers, born in Arabia, who studied in Syria and became skilled physicians. They were supposed to have lived on the Bay of Alexandretta in Cilicia, in what is now Turkey.

Since they were prominent Christians, they were among the first arrested when the great persecution under Diocletian began. Lysias, the governor of Cilicia, ordered their arrest, and they were beheaded. Their bodies, it was said, were carried to Syria and buried at Cyrrhus.

What is certain is that they were venerated very early and became patrons of medicine, known for their miracles of healing. The Emperor Justinian was cured by their intercession and paid special honor to the city of Cyrrhus where their relics were enshrined. Their basilica in Rome, adorned with lovely mosaics, was dedicated in the year 530. They are named in the Roman Martyrology and in the Canon of the Mass, testifying to the antiquity of their feast day.

The great honor in which they are held and the antiquity of their veneration indicate some historical memory among the early Christians who came out of the great persecutions with a new cult of Christian heroes. Cosmas and Damian were not only ideal Christians by their practice of medicine without fee, they also symbolized God's blessing upon the art of healing and that respect for every form of science, which is an important part of Christian tradition.

Excerpted from The One Year Book of Saints by Rev. Clifford Stevens

Patron: Apothecaries; barbers; blind; chemists; druggists; hairdressers; hernias; marital harmony; midwives; physicians; pharmacists; relief from pestilence; surgeons; Gaeta, Italy.

Symbols: A phial; phials and jars; vases; arrows; surgical instruments; lancet; red vestments; box of ointment; rod of Aesculapius (rod with serpent wrapped around, symbol of medicine); cylinder; stake and fagots; arrows; cross; swords; millstones.

Things to Do:

Contemplate how these brothers imitated Christ by healing the WHOLE person, both body and soul.
A Christian is generous: with his time, with his talents, with his money. Sts. Cosmas and Damian practiced medicine free, looking upon this as a Christian service to others. I may not be able to imitate them in this, but my own spirit of generosity should be a clear part of my Christian witness.
Pray for those in the medical field.
Find out more about the miracles attached to the relics of Cosmas and Damian.
If you are close to Cambridge, MA drop in on the annual Italian festival of the healing of Saints Cosmas and Damian which has been held for the past 77 years in September.

Sts. Cyprian and Justina
Cyprian and Justina, Christians of Antioch were martyred at Nicomedia, September 26, 304 during the persecution of Decius. Already in the same century, quite a colorful legend arose about them. The legend says that at the beginning of St. Cyprian's life he was anything but saintly. Much of his early training had taken place in North African Carthage, in modern Tunisia. He had been one of the leading sorcerers of the ancient world; he was a model and guide for many in the arts of darkness, and had ensnared many souls for evil. One time, as he was attempting by demonic means to seduce a young Christian virgin, Justina, on behalf of a lustful youth, Aglaidas, which backfired. St. Justina in her simplicity traced on herself the symbol of the Cross, at which the evil spirit fled. Cyprian's pride was stung. After many other unsuccessful attempts, Cyprian recognized the power of Christ and His Gospel. He not only renounced his old ways and was baptized, but soon thereafter became a deacon, then a priest, and finally a bishop.

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

Things to Do:

Read this detailed account of the life and sufferings of these martyrs at the Orthodox Christian Information Center.

Catholic Culture

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Luke 9:1-6

Saints Cosmas and Damian, Martyrs (Optional Memorial)

Take nothing for the journey. (Luke 9:3)

Don’t take money on your trip. Don’t pack a suitcase. Travel insurance? Don’t bother! When you arrive at your destination, just look around for someone who seems friendly, and stay with them.

If a travel agent gave you that kind of advice, you’d probably walk out of his office! But this is pretty close to what Jesus says when he tells the Twelve to take nothing for their first missionary journey. They were traveling from village to village—shouldn’t they plan their trip, make arrangements, and have extra supplies? Nope. Planning and preparation are not bad things, but Jesus didn’t want them to miss the chance to see God provide for their needs.

Jesus was sending out his disciples to heal and preach. But he was also sending them out so that they could learn to rely on God for all their needs. He wanted them to know that it was their heavenly Father who provided for them and gave them the words and power to work in his name. It’s a lesson he wants to teach all of his followers.

Church history is full of examples of saints who stepped out in faith even when they did not have what was required for their task. And God provided for them! Think of John Bosco, who was famous all over Turin, Italy, for feeding the masses of orphan boys with bread or chestnuts from a near-empty basket. Or think of Mother Teresa, who often had no food for the people she cared for until she received a last-minute donation at dinnertime.

Don’t let your lack of preparation or resources keep you from starting to serve. Things don’t always work out perfectly, even for the saints. Even the apostles had their ups and downs. After this successful missionary trip, they still misunderstood Jesus, abandoned him, and even denied him. Your experience might also have ups and downs, but that’s okay. Just take one step forward and let God provide what you are lacking.

Go ahead and start a conversation with that child of yours who is having a hard time in school. Let God provide the courage for you to bring up a sensitive topic like your spouse’s spending. Trust him to give you what you need so that you can serve the people in your path.

“Lord, help me today to trust that you will provide for me.”

Proverbs 30:5-9
Psalm 119:29, 72, 89, 101, 104, 163

Marriage = One Man and One Woman Until Death Do Us Part

Daily Marriage Tip for September 26, 2018:

What prompts your spouse to cry? Nothing? Anything? A sad movie? How do you usually respond? Sharing one’s deepest feelings builds intimacy.

Regnum Christi

September 26, 2018 – Take It or Leave It

Wednesday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time

Luke 9: 1-6

Jesus summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, nor let no one take a second tunic. Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there. And as for those who do not welcome you, when you leave that town, shake the dust from your feet in testimony against them.” Then they set out and went from village to village proclaiming the Good News and curing diseases everywhere.

Introductory Prayer: Lord, you are the author of life and the giver of all that is good. You are the Prince of Peace and my mainstay. You are my healer and the cure itself. I need you, and I need to give you. I love you and commit myself to you entirely, knowing you could never let me down or deceive me. Thank you for giving me your very self.

Petition: Lord, help me to rely on your grace and not on worldly things.

The Mission: Christ sends out his apostles to preach the good news with inadequate supplies. They are charged to trust in Providence. Jesus shrinks their suitcases to practically nothing. How could they touch people? Like St. Paul they were able to understand that Jesus was guiding their steps from a discreet distance: “I consider all as loss for the surpassing knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8). Jesus gave them restrictions to teach them that their strength in bearing fruit lies in their love for him rather than in their material possessions or management skills. Do I carry this same conviction in the home, in the office, or running the errands? Am I willing to go two miles if the local Church community presses me into service for one mile?

Detached from All Things: Christ warns us about hoarding possessions, not so much by what he says, but by what he does. He doesn’t send his friends out like sheep among wolves so he can retire to a comfortable sofa all weekend long. By giving them a good example first, Jesus has already demonstrated what is necessary for apostolic success. He was born in a musty cave. His first bed was an animal trough. His first apostolic success, at the age of twelve, was cut short by his parents who intimated to him that his timing was off. He sent Peter to pull coins out of a fish’s mouth because he had no money to pay the tax. He allowed simple things — a woman at a well, a funeral march in a village — to become moments remembered worldwide, for ages to come, by countless followers. Later, he would be laid in someone else’s grave. Material welfare alone cannot obtain what the Lord is sending us to accomplish!

A Free Choice: Jesus didn’t make the disciples go off to a survival camp. Nevertheless, the harder the conditions were, the more attraction they felt at being involved. These Galilean fishermen freely accepted an unknown trade. They had discovered a treasure that so filled them with enthusiasm they sold everything in order to get hold of it and share it. This treasure is Christ. The Gospel says, “Then they set out and went from village to village….” It didn’t take the apostles long to decide what they wanted to do, for within their vessels of clay they carried a treasure which needed to spread far and wide.

Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, as wonderful as material things are, they do not amount to anything compared to possessing you and teaching others about you. See the efforts I so intensely perform for your sake and bless them. Lord, help me, as you helped St. Paul, to continue fighting for a heavenly crown that doesn’t fade or rust.

Resolution: Today I will find a moment to make a visit to the Blessed Sacrament and pray earnestly for the missionary intentions of the Holy Father for this month.

Homily of the Day

September 26, 2018

In the first reading, there is a very good saying: “Do not give me poverty or riches, just my share of bread to eat. Because if I have riches, I might forget God. And if I am destitute, I might turn to stealing.” How true this saying is. There are many people who when they become rich, forget God or indulge in so many pleasures that lead them to a very worldly lifestyle. Money is indeed the root of all evil. It makes a person a slave of material things and pleasures and brings people away from God.

On the other hand, the poor man might turn to stealing when he can no longer endure his feelings of hunger. Or else in desperation and concern for his suffering family, he becomes a criminal to obtain food. What is the moral of this ‘story’? Let those who have money in excess give to those in want. Let the poor man not feel ashamed to receive charity because money is meant to be shared. A society that takes care of its poor people is obeying the commandment of God to love thy neighbor. In the Acts of the Apostles, there were deacons who took care of the needs of the poor, the widows and the orphans. As for us, let us not desire more than our daily needs lest we become slaves of money. Let us live simply and share what we have.

In the gospel, the apostles went around sharing not money, but the Good News of the kingdom. They brought no food or money with them to show to others that their mission was to make people aware of another kingdom superior to our material world. They urged people to live with the desire for the heavenly kingdom.

One Bread, One Body

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All Issues > Volume 34, Issue 5

<< Wednesday, September 26, 2018 >>

Sts. Cosmas & Damian

Proverbs 30:5-9
View Readings

Psalm 119:29, 72, 89, 101, 104, 163

Luke 9:1-6
Similar Reflections

SPIRITUAL ECOLOGY

"They set out and went from village to village, spreading the good news everywhere and curing diseases." �Luke 9:6

The Lord has given the Church and her members "power and authority to overcome all demons and to cure diseases" (Lk 9:1). Many Christians have doubts about this, for they have not seen demons overcome and diseases cured. Are their doubts the cause of their powerlessness, its result, or both its cause and effect?

The Lord did not simply command us to drive out demons and heal the sick. He called us to do this as a sign and proclamation of His kingdom (Lk 9:2). Furthermore, the kingdom ministry of healing and deliverance is for those who provide nothing for themselves and completely rely on the Lord to provide their material needs (Lk 9:3-4).

Healing the sick and driving out demons are not isolated events. They are related to each other, to the proclamation of God's kingdom, and to a radical trust in and dependence on God's providence.

Healing and deliverance are "endangered species" for many Christians. They are seen only rarely or merely heard about. Let the Holy Spirit restore the ecology of God's kingdom in your life. Then God's promises will be fulfilled not rarely but daily.

Prayer: Father, I choose the lifestyle that will make healings and deliverances common.

Promise: "Every word of God is tested; He is a Shield to those who take refuge in Him." —Prv 30:5

Praise: Sts. Cosmas and Damian healed bodies and souls. Out of love for Jesus, the Divine Physician, they offered free medical help to all who needed it.

"Freedom to Worship" (1943) - Norman Rockwell