Jesus, High Priest

We thank you, God our Father, for those who have responded to your call to priestly ministry.

Accept this prayer we offer on their behalf: Fill your priests with the sure knowledge of your love.

Open their hearts to the power and consolation of the Holy Spirit.

Lead them to new depths of union with your Son.

Increase in them profound faith in the Sacraments they celebrate as they nourish, strengthen and heal us.

Lord Jesus Christ, grant that these, your priests, may inspire us to strive for holiness by the power of their example, as men of prayer who ponder your word and follow your will.

O Mary, Mother of Christ and our mother, guard with your maternal care these chosen ones, so dear to the Heart of your Son.

Intercede for our priests, that offering the Sacrifice of your Son, they may be conformed more each day to the image of your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Saint John Vianney, universal patron of priests, pray for us and our priests

This icon shows Jesus Christ, our eternal high priest.

The gold pelican over His heart represents self-sacrifice.

The border contains an altar and grapevines, representing the Mass, and icons of Melchizedek and St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney.

Melchizedek: king of righteousness (left icon) was priest and king of Jerusalem. He blessed Abraham and has been considered an ideal priest-king.

St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney is the patron saint of parish priests.

Pray a Rosary each day for our nation.

1. Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

2. The Apostles Creed: I BELIEVE in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

3. The Lord's Prayer: 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 who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

4. (3) Hail Mary: HAIL Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen. (Three times)

5. Glory Be: 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.

6. Fatima Prayer: Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of your mercy.

Announce each mystery, then say 1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, 1 Glory Be and 1 Fatima prayer. Repeat the process with each mystery.

End with the Hail Holy Queen:
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve! To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears! Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus!

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Final step -- The Sign of the Cross

The Mysteries of the Rosary By tradition, Catholics meditate on these Mysteries during prayers of the Rosary. The biblical references follow each of the Mysteries below.

The Joyful Mysteries

(Mondays and Saturdays)

1. The Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38) [Spiritual fruit - Humility]
2. The Visitation (Luke 1: 39-56) [Spiritual fruit - Love of Neighbor]
3. The Nativity (Luke 2:1-20) [Spiritual fruit - Poverty of Spirit]
4. The Presentation (Luke 2:21-38) [Spiritual fruit - Purity of mind & body]
5. The Finding of Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:41-52) [Spiritual fruit - Obedience ]

St. Michael the Archangel

~ PRAYER ~

St. Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle
Be our protection against the wickedness
and snares of the devil;
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God,
Cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits
who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen
+

Feast of
the Holy Name of Jesus

Luke 2:21 "...Et vocatum est Nomen eius IESUS"
("And His Name was called JESUS")

Psalm 90:14 "Because he hoped in me I will deliver him:
I will protect him because he hath known My Name."

Zacharias 10:12 "I will strengthen them in the Lord,
and they shall walk in His Name, saith the Lord."

Apocalypse 3:8 "I know thy works. Behold, I have given before thee a door opened, which no man can shut: because thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied My Name."

Apocalypse 15:4 "Who shall not fear Thee, O Lord, and magnify Thy Name?..."

Blessed be the most holy Name of Jesus without end!

January Devotion: The Holy Name of Jesus

The month of January is traditionally dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus. This feast is also celebrated on January 3. Here is an explanation of the devotion.

Since the 16th century Catholic piety has associated entire months to special devotions. The devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus has been traditionally associated with the month of January, due to its celebration on January 3. The name Jesus was given to the Holy Child at God's command (Luke 1:31). The Holy Name is all-powerful because of the Person who bears it; we honor it because of the command of Christ, that we should pray in His Name and because it reminds us of all the blessings we receive through our Holy Redeemer. Hence St. Paul was able to write to the Philippians: ". . . at the name of Jesus every knee should bend of those in heaven, on earth, and under the earth" (Phil. 2:10). By means of this devotion we also make amends for improper use of the Holy Name.

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

Prayer/Hymn in Honor of the Most Holy Name of Jesus - Iesu, Dulcis Memoria

Iesu, Dulcis Memoria is a celebrated 12th century hymn attributed to St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153), Doctor Mellifluus. The entire hymn has some 42 to 53 stanzas depending upon the manuscript. Parts of this hymn were used for the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus, which was formerly celebrated on the Sunday between the Circumcision and Epiphany, or failing such a Sunday, on January 2. The part below was used at Vespers. In the liturgical revisions of Vatican II, the feast was deleted, though a votive Mass to the Holy Name of Jesus had been retained for devotional use. With the release of the revised Roman Missal in March 2002, the feast was restored as an optional memorial on January 3.

Jesus, the very thought of Thee
With sweetness fills the breast!
Yet sweeter far Thy face to see
And in Thy presence rest.

No voice can sing, no heart can frame,
Nor can the memory find,
A sweeter sound than Jesus' name,
The Savior of mankind.

O hope of every contrite heart!
0 joy of all the meek!
To those who fall, how kind Thou art!
How good to those who seek!

But what to those who find? Ah! this
Nor tongue nor pen can show
The love of Jesus, what it is,
None but His loved ones know.

Jesus! our only hope be Thou,
As Thou our prize shalt be;
In Thee be all our glory now,
And through eternity. Amen.

---Roman Breviary

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

O Divine Jesus, Thou hast promised that anything we ask of the Eternal Father in Thy name shall be granted.

O Eternal Father. In the name of Jesus, for the love of Jesus, in fulfillment of this promise, and because Jesus has said it, grant us our petitions for the sake of Jesus, Thy Divine Son. 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

That at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Phil:2:10-11

The Most Holy Name
The Power of Jesus’ Name
What does IHS stand for? The meaning of the Holy Name of Jesus [Catholic Caucus]
Litany Of The Holy Name of Jesus
Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus
Jesus, The Name above all Names
Devotion to the Holy Name (of Jesus) [Catholic Caucus]
Lessons In Iconography : The Chi Rho - Christ
St. Francis de Sales on the Most Holy Name of Jesus (Excerpt from a Sermon) (Catholic Caucus)
St. Francis de Sales on the Most Holy Name of Jesus (Catholic/Orthodox Caucus)

St. Bernard on the Most Holy Name of Jesus [Ecumenical]
Saving the day in His Holy Name: St. Genevieve gets a reprieve [Catholic Caucus]
The Holy Name of Jesus
Holy Name of Jesus [San Bernadino of Siena] Ecumenical
The Holy Name of Jesus
Devotion to the Holy Name [of Jesus]
The Name of Jesus: Its Power in Our Lives
The Holy Name of Jesus
Devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus
The Holy Name of Jesus

Philippians 2
9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

January, 2019

The Holy Father's Prayer Intention

Evangelization – Religious Minorities in Asia, That Christians and other religious minorities in Asian countries, may be able to practice their faith in full freedom.

'I learn that some people are going down to the gardens and asking the gardener for vegetables to eat and that when, because of the rule, they do not get any, they pick a fight with the gardener. This is utterly satanic and is to occur no longer, since those of you who behave thus will be subjected to punishments. Is what is put before you not sufficient? How are you going to make war on passion if you are defeated by a cabbage? You will become weaker than a feather if you do not fortify yourself by thought through self-mastery.'

St. Theodore the Studite

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/3719456/posts

Saint of the Day — Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys

Information: St. Bernard of Corleone

Feast Day: January 12

Born: 1605, Sicily

Died: 12 January 1667, Palermo

Canonized: 10 June 2001, by Pope John Paul II

Information: St. Marguerite Bourgeoys (Canada)

Feast Day: January 12

Born: 17 April 1620, Troyes, France

Died: 12 January 1700, Montreal, Canada

Canonized: 31 October 1982, by Pope John Paul II

Major Shrine: Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel, Montreal

Patron: Against poverty, loss of parents, people rejected by religious orders

CATHOLIC ALMANAC

Saturday, January 12

Liturgical Color: Green

On this day in 1935, the Catechetical
Office of Pius XI issued a statement
stressing the importance of continued
catechetical teaching. It called Catholic
catechism a “voice through which Divine
Wisdom cries aloud in the streets.”

https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2019-01-12

Christmas: January 12th

Saturday Christmas Weekday

MASS READINGS
January 12, 2019 (Readings on USCCB website)

COLLECT PRAYER
Attend to the pleas of your people with heavenly care, O Lord, we pray, that they may see what must be done and gain strength to do what they have seen. 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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Prayer to St. Marguerite Bourgeoys
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Old Calendar: Benedict Biscup, abbot (Hist)

Today the Church in Canada celebrates the memorial of St. Marguerite Bourgeoys, renowned for her work, her spirituality and her impact on society and the Church in North America. In 1982 Pope John Paul II canonized her and she became the first woman saint in Canada.

Historically the Church celebrates the feast of the illustrious Northumbrian monk Biscop Baducing. St. Benedict Biscop, as he has come to be known, established the twin-foundation Anglo-Saxon monastery of Monkwearmouth-Jarrow Abbey. The saint caused his model monastery to be constructed with stone and glass in the Romanesque fashion (techniques and materials new to England) and furnished it with sacred pictures, service books, and a vast library collected during his five journeys to Rome. He also engaged Abbot John, Arch-cantor of St. Peter’s in Rome to instruct the monks in the singing of the Roman chant. This venerable abbot sought to enrich his fellow countrymen with the finest treasures of sacred architecture, art, music, and learning from the continental Church and the Eternal City.

Christmas Weekday - Day Nineteen
God is your beatitude. The things of time are toys. You are eternity’s child and your eternity has already begun! There is a compelling urgency to every day and every hour of the day. In it we are to witness to the truth – that God greeted and gifted us at Christmas.

If you know what witness means, you understand why God brings St. Stephen, St. John, and the Holy Innocents to the crib in the cave as soon as Christ is born liturgically. To be a witness is to be a martyr. Holy Mother Church wishes us to realize that we were born in baptism to become Christ – He who was the world’s outstanding Martyr. – Love Does Such Things, by Rev. M. Raymond, O.C.S.O.

Day Nineteen activity
Day Nineteen recipe (Lamb’s Wool)

St. Marguerite Bourgeoys
Marguerite Bourgeoys was born in Troyes, France in 1620 and died in Montreal in 1700. As one of the older girls of a Christian, middle-class family, Marguerite had to assume the responsibility for the household when her mother died. At the age of twenty, she had a conversion experience during a religious procession that profoundly influenced her future mission and focused her values. She felt singled out by the Blessed Virgin. In response, she joined a local group of women who gathered to do charitable work as an extension of a cloister in Troyes. Marguerite served as leader of this extern group and, as her service, taught the children in the poor section of town. In 1653 Paul de Maisonneuve, founder of Montreal, passed through Troyes and invited Marguerite to join him in Ville Marie as a lay teacher to instruct the children of the colonists and the Native Americans. In June 1653, she sailed from Nantes on a three-month voyage to the New World.

Marguerite’s humanitarian and Christian work in Canada was principally as educator and founder. The wilderness was so hard on the colonists that she had to wait for five years before children survived until school age. In the interim, she instructed the Indian children. In 1658 she opened her first school in a stone stable given her by the town leaders. Marguerite had a broad concept of education. She saw the school as a vehicle of religious and social development. Unique to her time, she provided education for all, giving special attention to girls, the poor and the natives. Education in Marguerite’s schools consisted in the basics of literacy, religious instruction, home economics, and the arts.

Beyond the classroom, she worked with families, assisted in faith formation in the parish, and addressed the social service needs of the colonists. Noteworthy among her contributions to the colony is the special vocational schools she established to provide the domestic skills a young woman would need to run a home in the wilderness.

She became the official guardian to the “filles du roi,” young orphan girls sent by the monarch to establish new families. She lodged them in her own home, served as a matchmaker, and prepared them for their new life as pioneers. Her signature appears as a witness on many of the early marriage contracts in Montreal. As a result of these activities she was affectionately referred to as “the Mother of the Colony.” Marguerite made three trips back to France to recruit other women to join her in her work of education and to obtain civil approbation from the king.

Marguerite’s apostolic spirituality was a special gift to the Church. She was a woman of action inserted into her time as is attested to by the mark she left on the history of Montreal and education in Canada. She was a woman of faith, deeply committed to the service of the Gospels. She was personally motivated by the missionary journeying of Mary in service to her cousin, Elizabeth, and desired to form a group of uncloistered women who would imitate Mary in this mystery of the Visitation.

Marguerite had an exceptional and practical love of God and neighbor. She had a great desire to serve the Church in its most local form, the parish. She exhorted her extern congregation of educators to be “daughters of the parish” - to worship with the people and use the local church as a source of spiritual nourishment.

Her Congregation received Church approbation in 1698 and at that time pronounced vows as uncloistered religious. Today the Congregation de Notre Dame numbers 2600 sisters in North America, Japan, Latin America, and the Cameroons in service to the people of God in the spirit of the Visitation.

On November 12, 1950 Pope Pius XII beatified Marguerite Bourgeoys. Canonizing her October 31, 1982, Pope John Paul II gave the Canadian Church its first woman saint.

Patron: Against poverty; impoverishment; loss of parents; people rejected by religious orders; poverty.

Things to Do:

Say a prayer to St. Marguerite.

Learn more about the congregation, Congregation of Notre Dame de Montreal, St. Marguerite founded.

Read the Vatican’s biography of St. Marguerite Bourgeoys.

Have some fun with the family making “La tire Ste Catherine” (St. Catherine’s Pull Taffy).

St. Benedict Biscup
Born in c.628 to one of Northumbria’s noble families, Biscop Baducing—Benedict’s original name—initially served as a thane of the local king, Oswiu. In 653 he left this service and gave up his estate to persue an interest in the church, travelling to Rome’s holy sites. Northern England’s Christianity derived from Irish sources and the style of church Benedict found in Rome—which formed Europe’s mainstream—was quite different but evidently to his liking, because he pledged himself to it.

Benedict returned to Northumbria and, with a companion called Wilfrid, began promoting the Roman form of Christianity, contributing to the declaration of Oswiu in 664 which turned his kingdom from Irish to Roman forms. Benedict returned to Rome in 666 AD before joining the monastery on Lerins, an island to the south of France; it was here that Biscop Baducing changed his name to Benedict. In 668 he returned to Rome, intending to further study the ways of Roman Christianity and Monasticism.

While in Rome Benedict was asked by the Pope to accompany Theodore of Tarsus to England: Theodore was both England’s Archbishop and a Greek who’d never been to the island before. On their arrival in 669 Theodore appointed Benedict abbot of the Monastery of St. Peter and St. Paul in Canterbury, a position he held for two years before returning to Rome to learn yet more about Monastic practice and the mainland traditions.

After returning to Northumbria in 673, Benedict secured from Oswiu’s successor—King Ecgfrith—permission to found a monastery in the kingdom and a large endowment to found it on. The monastery of St. Peter was begun in Wearmouth in 674, its very structure reflecting the years of continental tradition Benedict had absorbed. Masons and glaziers were hired from France to build a stone church in a Roman style, a sharp contrast to everything in a region which built used mainly timber to build.

A Benedictine rule was introduced and the books Benedict had collected in his travels formed the library, but this clearly wasn’t sufficient for a man who had such experience. In 679 Benedict was back in Rome on a mission to equip his monastery with relics, art and quality manuscripts, as well as study vestments, practice and new ideas. He returned with, not only these resources, but Rome’s head of liturgy to teach and privileges from the Pope.

Benedict was back in England by 680. In 681 a second endowment from Ecgfrith enabled Benedict to found a twin house dedicated to St. Paul in Jarrow (also in Northumbria), prompting another journey to Rome in 682. This lasted four years and his return again enriched the houses with important manuscripts and knowledge. However, his health declined and he was bedridden from 686/687; never recovering, he died on January 12 690 AD.

Benedict’s role in establishing the Roman church in northern England can’t be underestimated. By importing continental ideas into, and creating a considerable library and art collection for, his monastery he transformed it into a focus for brilliant scholarship which enthused the region with new thought. Indeed, one of Benedict’s earliest intake, Bede, grew in these rich surroundings to become the period’s greatest scholar, sending new ideas from England back into Europe.

One of Bede’s works was ‘The Lives of The Holy Abbots of Weremouth and Jarrow,’ a self-explanatory account which begins thus:

The pious servant of Christ, Biscop, called Benedict, with the assistance of the Divine grace, built a monastery in honour of the most holy of the apostles, St. Peter, near the mouth of the river Were, on the north side. The venerable and devout king of that nation, Egfrid, contributed the land; and Biscop, for the space of sixteen years, amid innumerable perils in journeying and in illness, ruled this monastery with the same piety which stirred him up to build it. If I may use the words of the blessed Pope Gregory, in which he glorifies the life of the abbot of the same name, he was a man of a venerable life, blessed (Benedictus) both in grace and in name; having the mind of an adult even from his childhood, surpassing his age by his manners, and with a soul addicted to no false pleasures. He was descended from a noble lineage of the Angles, and by corresponding dignity of mind worthy to be exalted into the company of the angels. Lastly, he was the minister of King Oswy, and by his gift enjoyed an estate suitable to his rank; but at the age of twenty five years he despised a transitory wealth, that he might obtain that which is eternal. He made light of a temporal warfare with a donative that will decay, that he might serve under the true King, and earn an everlasting kingdom in the heavenly city. He left his home, his kinsmen and country, for the sake of Christ and his Gospel, that he might receive a hundredfold and enjoy everlasting life...
— Excerpted from ‘The Lives of The Holy Abbots of Weremouth and Jarrow’ by Bede, translated by J. Giles

Things to Do:

Read more about St. Benedict Biscup here.

Meditation: John 3:22-30

Christmas Weekday

The best man . . . rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. (John 3:29)

When John speaks these words, he is not only a well-known figure throughout Israel, but he is also regarded as a prophet. People have taken his preaching on repentance seriously, and many have flocked to him to be baptized in the Jordan River.

Now try to picture John as he tells his disciples that he is handing off the baton to Jesus. He knows it’s the end of his ministry, so you might think it would be a sad and solemn occasion. But the best man—whose job in John’s time was to arrange the wedding—is happy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. So it’s more likely that John is saying these words joyfully. He is glad that Jesus is coming on the scene and that he is stepping away. He is content to “decrease” so that Jesus can “increase” (John 3:30).

We can learn something from John’s attitude. We all need to “decrease” in certain ways so that Christ can live more fully in us. Perhaps we need to decrease in our impatience or our anger or our selfishness. Perhaps gossip needs to decrease, or judgmental thoughts, or the amount of time spent online. If you are sensing any of these things, don’t get frustrated or upset. Rejoice instead! It means that Jesus loves you enough that he wants to become more involved in your life.

That’s the best part about the spiritual life. No matter what you are asked to give up, God always promises something far greater. No matter how much you need to change, the Holy Spirit promises that the “changed you” will be so much better—happier, more peaceful, more gentle. More like Jesus.

That’s how you can tell you are hearing the bridegroom’s voice, whether it comes through Scripture, a homily, a friend, or just a new thought that comes to you: his voice is never harsh or demanding. It never leaves you feeling miserable. On the contrary, it gives you hope that you can change. It gives you joy that Christ is with you.

Although some part of you may have to diminish, Jesus will never try to diminish you. He will only make you grow—in faith, in love, and in joy.

“Lord, help me to listen for your voice of truth. I want to rejoice that you are leading me to your kingdom.”

1 John 5:14-21
Psalm 149:1-6, 9

For #33 The Word Among Us

Daily Gospel Commentary

Saint Augustine (354-430)
Bishop of Hippo (North Africa) and Doctor of the Church
Sermon 194, 11th sermon on the Nativity of the Lord

"This joy of mine has been made complete"

Listen, children of light: you who have been adopted for the Kingdom of God; listen, my dearest brethren; listen and exult for joy in the Lord, you just, for “praise from the upright is fitting” (Ps 33:1). Listen to what you already know; reflect on what you have heard; love what you believe; proclaim what you love!...

Christ is born, God from his Father, man through his mother. He was born from his Father's immortality and his mother's virginity. From the Father without the aid of a mother; from the mother without that of a father. From his Father without time; from his mother without seed. According to his Father he is the principle of life; according to his mother, the ending of death. According to his Father he was born to determine the order of days; according to his mother, to consecrate the day that is here.

He sent John the Baptist before him, causing him to be born when the days were beginning to decrease, while he himself was born when the days began to grow in length, thus prefiguring John's own words: “He must increase, I must decrease”. For indeed, human life must grow weaker in itself but stronger in Jesus Christ “so that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised” (2Cor 5:15), and so that each one of us might repeat those words of the apostle Paul: “Yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me” (Gal 2:20).

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

Daily Marriage Tip for January 12, 2019:

“The family is…the place where an individual can exist ‘for himself’ through the sincere gift of self.” – St. John Paul II, Letter to Families, 11. Are people in your family cherished for their inherent goodness, beyond any “usefulness” or skills they bring to the family?

January 12, 2019 – Where Less is More

12 Jan 2019

Saturday after the Epiphany

John 3:22-30
Jesus and his disciples went into the region of Judea, where he spent some time with them baptizing. John was also baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was an abundance of water there, and people came to be baptized, for John had not yet been imprisoned. Now a dispute arose between the disciples of John and a Jew about ceremonial washings. So, they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you testified, here he is baptizing and everyone is coming to him.” John answered and said, “No one can receive anything except what has been given him from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said (that) I am not the Messiah, but that I was sent before him. The one who has the bride is the bridegroom; the best man, who stands and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made complete. He must increase; I must decrease.”

Introductory Prayer: Lord, in spite of so many efforts, my self-love and vanity cloud my intentions, reducing the merit of my labors for you. Therefore, I come before you empty-handed. Nevertheless, I’m confident in your forgiveness, knowing that you are pleased to refresh and renew me as often as I turn back to you with hope. I love you ardently, good Jesus, and long to love you ever more.

Petition: Lord, help me to practice true humility.

1. “He Must Increase; I Must Decrease”: This is the petition that must burn in the heart of every authentic apostle and leader in the faith. Often, we seek ourselves in our vocation, in our apostolate, in our service to the Church. Some offer themselves only when the work to be done brings them honor or enhances their self-importance. We claim to serve Christ, but if we have our status compromised by criticism or see someone less capable moved ahead of us in rank, our heart crumbles in discouragement and our commitment wanes. In moments when humility is asked of us, may we pass the test that John passes in today’s Gospel. Every day we must look into our hearts to see if they are mirrors reflecting back only self-centered motivations, or if they are windows to the heart of Christ in the world, centered only on humble service. Mirrors weaken the mission; windows empower it.

2. Rejoices Greatly at the Bridegroom’s Voice: Breaking the grip of self-love is eminently positive work. We can let go of a lesser love only for a greater one. Everyday John’s heart had set its aspiration and love on the Messiah to come. All his ministerial action and spiritual ideals were centered on Christ. His solitude in the desert permitted this love to grow without distraction, communicated as it was in prayer and contemplation. As John states, all he has received he received from heaven—from the supernatural life given by contemplation and grace. Love for Christ was no overnight endeavor, but was the work of years of prayer, self-conquest and fidelity to the life of conversion he was to preach.

Conversation with Christ: Lord, I hear now what John heard: your beautiful voice summoning union with your beloved, the Church. No greater honor and love can I have than to ensure this union happens continuously, perfectly and selflessly. May I learn to accept humiliation and forget myself a thousand times over, so that the needs of your Mystical Body may be brokered over my humble service and self-effacing manner. I pray that my ignoble need to be praised and appreciated apart from your glory never becomes the reason to find you separated from your spouse.

Resolution: I will pray a litany of humility with great fervor today before I go to bed.

For #37 Regnum Christi

One Bread, One Body

All Issues > Volume 35, Issue 1

<< Saturday, January 12, 2019 >>
St. Marguerite Bourgeoys

1 John 5:14-21
View Readings
Psalm 149:1-6, 9
John 3:22-30
Similar Reflections

THE LAST SHALL BE FIRST

“Anyone who sees his brother sinning, if the sin is not deadly, he should petition God, and thus life will be given to the sinner.” —1 John 5:16

Many have not had Christmas because they have not repented of sin in their lives. We should petition the Lord for sinners and life will be given to them. Through the Lord’s forgiveness, they will be given Christmas just before the season ends. The devil grinch thought he had robbed them of Christmas. Yet, by prayer, we re-possess from the robber and give many people another opportunity for Christmas.
On this second last day of the Christmas season, go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation and invite others to join you. For so many, Confession is the key to Christmas. Many people are spiritually still in Advent. They need to obey St. John the Baptizer’s call and be baptized in repentance (Lk 3:3). We are called to be ministers of reconciliation (2 Cor 5:18), to encourage others to get the specks out of their eyes, after we have removed the planks from ours (Mt 7:5). The Lord is entrusting “the message of reconciliation to us. This makes us ambassadors for Christ, God as it were appealing through us. We implore you, in Christ’s name, be reconciled to God!” (2 Cor 5:19-20)

Tomorrow, on the last day of the Christmas season, let’s help others have their first day of Christmas by going down together into the waters of the Jordan and repenting of our sins.

Prayer: Father, give us a full Christmas even if we start Christmas on the last day of the season (see Mt 20:14).
Promise: “He must increase, while I must decrease.” —Jn 3:30
Praise: St. Marguerite persisted in persuading the Bishop of Montreal to allow her to found a school to teach children. The bishop finally responded: “I cannot doubt, Mother Bourgeoys, that you will succeed in moving heaven and earth as you have moved me!”

For #29 One Bread, One Body