Posted on 12/14/2018 8:59:27 PM PST by Salvation
St. Ignatius of Loyola
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The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary:
Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word.
And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.
Amen. "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you" (Lk 1:28) "Blessed are you among women, |
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/3713166/posts
Saint of the Day — Blessed Mary Frances Schervier
Feast Day: December 15
Born: November 6, 1813, Brescia, Italy
Died: 1855, Brescia, Italy
Canonized: 12 June 1954 by Pope Pius XII
Saturday, December 15
Liturgical Color: Violet
St. Virginia Centurione Bracelli died on
this day in 1651. Widowed with two
children at the age of 20, she dedicated
her life to helping the elderly, the sick, and
orphaned and abandoned children.
December 15, 2018 (Readings on USCCB website)
May the splendor of your glory dawn in our hearts, we pray, almighty God, that all shadows of the night may be scattered and we may be shown to be children of light by the advent of your Only Begotten Son. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
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Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the most High; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father; and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever. And of his kingdom there shall be no end. And Mary said to the angel: How shall this be done, because I know not man? And the angel answering, said to her: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:31-35).
Today the feast of St. Virginia Bracelli is celebrated in Italy. She was born in 1587 and entered into an arranged marriage in 1602. She bore two daughters and was widowed in 1607 aged 20. She refused another marriage and took up a vow of chastity. She devoted the rest of her life to helping the needy and the sick and died in 1651 aged 64. She was canonized by Pope John Paul II on May 18, 2003.
The Three Feasts of the Nativity
When we celebrate Christmas we are commemorating the three nativities of Our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the reason for the three Masses celebrated on this day. The first is the eternal begetting of God the Son from all eternity within the mystery of the Blessed Trinity by the Father, “You are My Son. Today I have begotten You.” This first nativity was before the seven days of Creation, when everything was darkness. This is why the first Mass is at midnight to recall the darkness that prevailed during that first eternal birth of the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity.
The second nativity, or birth, of the Second Person of the Trinity is commemorated on Christmas day when He became man, born of the Virgin Mary, in Bethlehem. For the world, the darkness was beginning to be dispelled. This is why the second Mass is celebrated at dawn when the dawn is beginning to dispel the darkness.
The third nativity of Christ is when He is born in our souls, through His in-dwelling, when man, through grace, becomes enlightened. Thus the third Mass is celebrated during the day when the sun is bright. For man is truly enlightened when he has Christ in his soul.
The first nativity reminds us of the Spirit of poverty, the Spirit that tells us that all the things God created is His, to be used for His glory and not for man’s enjoyment. Even man was to use himself for the glory of God. This represents the six days of creation. If Adam, being the head of creation, had observed the spirit of poverty and used all of creation for the glory of God, then he would have entered into the Sabbath, God’s rest… i.e. eternal happiness. But Adam messed up everything. And the consequence: the whole of mankind could not enter God’s rest.
The second nativity reminds us of the Spirit of chastity. That Spirit reminds us to give up all physical comforts, pleasure and conveniences. And Christ in the manger is a clear example of this. It is a continuous reminder that true happiness can only be found in God and that we are on earth to seek God. All the rest will come with that find. True rest can only be found in God.
The third nativity reminds us of the Spirit of obedience. It is only when we can say, “Not my will but Your will be done,” can Christ be born in our souls. The apostolic commission at the end of St. Matthew’s Gospel reiterates this, reminding us of the role of the Church and the men of the Church: “… teach all My commands and how to observe them.”
Christmas reminds us of one lesson. Christ was born to die. For us the message is clear. We are born to die to oneself. And to die to oneself means reaching a point in our lives when we no longer do our own will but the will of the Father in heaven. This is to lose one’s life in order to find it. If we have learned the lessons of the first nativity, if we have learned the lesson of the second nativity, our reward is the third nativity, when Christ is born in our souls….indeed our eternal Christmas. This is truly a Merry Christmas.
— Excerpted from Fr. Odon de Castro, Bo. San Isidro, Magalang, Pampanga, Philippines
St. Virginia Centurione Bracelli
Daughter of Giorgio Centurione, and imposing and controlling individual who became the Doge of Genoa, and Lelia Spinola. Raised in a pious family, she felt drawn to religious life as a child. However, due to family position she agree to an arranged marriage to Gasparo Grimaldi Bracelli on 10 December 1602. He was a drinker, a gambler, and though the couple had two daughters, Lelia and Isabella, he was little of a father or husband. Virginia was widowed on 13 June 1607 after five years of marriage, aged 20, and with two small children.
Virginia moved in with her in-laws, cared for her children, and dedicated her free time to prayer and charity. When her daughters were grown and married, Virginia devoted herself entirely to caring for the sick, aged, and abandoned children. In late 1624 and early 1625 war in the region led to many orphans, some whom Virginia took in and cared for, and she worked with refugees in the town. When her mother-in-law died in August 1625, Virginia poured herself into the work, turning her house into a refuge and founding the Cento Signore della Misericordia Protettrici dei Poveri di Gesù Cristo.
Her house was overrun with the needy during a plague and famine in 1629 – 1630. To house them all Virginia rented the vacant convent of Monte Calvario and moved her charges there in 1631. Due to crowding, extra housing was built in 1634, Virginia was soon caring for 300 patients, and in 1635 she received official government recognition for her hospital. Virginia worked closely with the young women in her houses, teaching them religion and ways to earn a living.
The expenses of Monte Calvario were excessive, so Virginia bought two villas and started construction of a church dedicated to Our Lady of Refuge. It became the mother church of the Institution, whose Rule was written between 1644 and 1650 and which was divided into two congregations: Suore di Nostra Signora del Rifugio di Monte Calvario (Sisters of Our Lady of Refuge in Mount Calvary) and Figlie di Nostra Signora al Monte Calvario (Daughters of Our Lady on Mount Calvary). When the group of Protectors, the superiors and governors of the Institute was selected in 1641, Virginia retired from administration, working as the humblest sister, doing chores on the grounds and begging for alms for the Institute.
Sadly, though the Institute was a success, healing the sick, educating children, training adults, and helping the dissolute return to productive lives, assistance, personal and financial, began to decline. Without the chance to work with Virginia, many of the middle and upper class did not participate, fearing the poor and rough residents. Though her health was failing, Virginia returned to active administrative duties. She worked for general spiritual development throughout the region, working for the choice of the Blessed Virgin Mary as patron of the republic of Genoa in 1637, for the institution of the Forty Hours’ Devotion in 1642, and the revival of home missions in 1643. She acted as peacemaker between noble houses, and aided in the reconciliation of Church and Republic authorities in 1647, ending a dispute caused by the government abandoning support of the Institute. Virginia continued working up to the end of her days, and in later years received the gifts of visions and interior locutions.
Excerpted from Saints.SQPN.com
2nd Week of Advent
As they were coming down from the mountain. (Matthew 17:9)
Mere hours ago, the disciples had witnessed Jesus being transfigured in a cloud of glory. So it might seem a little ordinary and anticlimactic for today’s Gospel to focus on the disciples trekking back down the mountain. After all, what could possibly surpass the Transfiguration?
But let’s not forget that the disciples were walking beside Jesus: the Son of God. The second Person of the Trinity. The Word of God made flesh. They had him all to themselves, so they took advantage of the opportunity and asked him a question. Who knows? They may have asked more than just one. Or maybe they just listened for what he’d say next. As much as they treasured spiritual “mountaintop” experiences, intimate moments like this walk down the mountain must have been very precious to them. This story shows us that even ordinary moments with the Lord can be just as special as the “big moments.”
We’ve nearly reached the “mountaintop” of our Advent journey. Christmas, with its choirs of angels and awestruck shepherds, is just around the corner. But don’t forget that today is a remarkable day.
Today is the perfect day to steal away for a few extra minutes of prayer and have the Lord all to yourself. Maybe, like the disciples, you have a question in mind. Go ahead and ask him. If you can’t think of any questions, try this one: “Jesus, why did you come as a baby?” Then be still; try to fix your attention on him. Sometimes it helps to imagine yourself sitting next to him and looking into his eyes. Pay attention to the thoughts or images that come to mind. If you sense that they’re drawing you closer to Jesus, they could be coming from him.
Speaking with Jesus really is this simple. Who knows? This could be the beginning of a real conversation. At the very least, you can trust that the Lord will shine his grace and mercy into your heart, just as his glory shone at the Transfiguration. Jesus wants you to know that he is always with you, no matter what paths you are walking. He is ready to take any ordinary day and make it extraordinary.
“Lord, thank you for today. Help me to enjoy your presence here, right now.”
Sirach 48:1-4, 9-11
Psalm 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19
Saint Ephrem (c.306-373)
deacon in Syria, Doctor of the Church
Works, ed. Assemani, vol. 1, p. 486
Elijah on Mount Horeb
“Then the Lord passed by. A strong, heavy wind rent the mountains and crushed rocks before the Lord – but the Lord was not in the wind” (1Kgs 19:11). After the great storm there were earthquakes and lightening but Elijah understood that God was not in those either. These natural phenomena were intended to restrain the prophet's otherwise laudable zeal within the bounds of his responsibility, and to teach him that severity is to be tempered by mercy after the example shown by the signs of divine authority. According to their hidden meaning, the whirlwind that preceded God's coming, the earthquakes and fires stirred up by the wind, were signs foreshadowing universal judgement...
“And after the fire there was a tiny, whispering sound.” By means of this symbol God restrains Elijah's immoderate zeal. He wanted to tell him in this way: “Do you see how neither unbridled winds nor terrible earthquakes give me any pleasure, and I have no love for lightening or thunder: why don't you imitate the gentleness of your God? Why not relax a little this burning zeal so as to become more of a protector than an accuser of your people?” The tiny, whispering sound represents the joy of blessedness bestowed on the upright when, at the end of time, the fearful judgement is to be paid...
“When he heard the sound, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went and stood at the entrance of the cave. A voice said to him: 'Elijah, why are you here?' He replied: 'I have been most zealous for the Lord, the God of Hosts, for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant'”... The prophet stood at the entrance to the cave without daring to draw near to the God who was approaching, and he covered his face, thinking himself unworthy to see God... Nevertheless, he had before his eyes a sign of the divine clemency and, what must have touched him even more, personal experience of God's wonderful goodness in the words he spoke to him. Who would not be melted by consideration of so great a majesty and by so gentle a question: “Elijah, why are you here?”
Daily Marriage Tip for December 15, 2018:
If you are doing a cookie exchange this year, go as a family to share cookies and visit with shut-ins and people having a hard time this month.
Matthew 17:9a, 10-13
As they were coming down from the mountain, the disciples asked Jesus, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” He said in reply, “Elijah will indeed come and restore all things; but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased. So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.
Introductory Prayer: Lord, your disciples sincerely tried to comprehend your identity and believe in you. I come before you today with my doubts and problems, hoping to find in this prayer an answer to my deepest aspirations. I want to believe with unwavering faith, and I want to love you with a devout heart. I offer you this time of prayer as my token of gratitude for all I have received from you.
Petition: Mary, help me to embrace God’s will in my life, just as Christ embraced the Father’s plan for our salvation.
Conversation with Christ: Thank you, Lord, for giving us a school of loving obedience at Bethlehem, throughout your life and in your death on the cross. Help me to embrace suffering like you did and to be confident in its power to make me holy and win graces for souls.
Resolution: I will seek to recognize God’s presence in my day by patiently welcoming the suffering and trials he permits, so he can bring about a greater good.
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Jesse Tree ~ King David