Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 01-19-19

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).

https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2019-01-19

Ordinary Time: January 19th

Saturday of the First Week of Ordinary Tim

MASS READINGS
January 19, 2019 (Readings on USCCB website)

COLLECT PRAYER
Almighty ever-living God, who were pleased to shine forth with new light through the coming of your Only Begotten Son, grant, we pray, that, just as he was pleased to share our bodily form through the childbearing of the Virgin Mary, so we, too, may one day merit to become companions in his kingdom of grace. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever and ever.

hideRecipes (1)
Danish Cinnamon Snails
hideActivities (1)
St. Canute’s Day
hidePrayers (3)
Novena for Church Unity
Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity
Commemoration of St. Canute
Library (0)» Enjoy our Liturgical Seasons series of e-books!

Old Calendar: Sts. Marius, Martha, Audifax, and Abachum, martyrs; St. Canute, martyr

According to the 1962 Missal of St. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is the feast of Sts. Marius, Martha, Audivax and Abachum, a group of Persian martyrs of the third century who died for the faith in Rome. St. Canute was king of Denmark; he was put to death out of hatred of his faith and his zeal in working for its extension in his kingdom. He was killed in St. Alban’s Church in Odense.

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

St. Marius and Family
Their feast does not appear in the Roman calendar until the twelfth century. The Acts of these martyrs are wholly legendary. They give the following details. Marius was a Persian of noble extraction. With his wife, who was also noble-born, and his two sons, Audifax and Abachus, he came to Rome during the reign of Emperor Claudius II (268-270) to venerate the graves of the martyrs. They visited the Christians in prison, encouraged them by word and deed, and shared with them their goods. And like Tobias of old, they buried the bodies of the saints.

It was not long before they themselves were arrested; and when neither threats nor allurements could make them offer sacrifice to the idols, they were savagely flogged. Martha was the first to die, but not before she had fervently exhorted her husband and sons to endure steadfastly whatever tortures might be inflicted for the faith. All were beheaded in the same place and their bodies thrown into the fire. Felicitas, a saintly Roman woman, succeeded in recovering the half-burnt bodies and buried them on her estate.

St. Canute
St. Canute, king of Denmark, was murdered in St. Alban’s Church, Odense, July 10, 1086. The Martyrology confuses him with his nephew, St. Canute the Duke, who died on January 7, 1131, and was canonized November 8, 1169, by Pope Alexander III. St. Canute is also called Canute the holy, or Danish Knut, or Knud, Den Hellige, or Sankt Knut, or Knud.

The son of King Sweyn II Estrithson of Denmark, Canute succeeded his brother Harold Hen as king of Denmark. Canute opposed the aristocracy and kept a close association with the church in an attempt to create a powerful and centralized monarchy.

In ecclesiastical matters, Canute generously patronized several churches, including the Cathedral of Lund, Denmark’s archbishopric; established a Benedictine abbey at Odense; and supported apostolic preaching throughout Denmark. In temporal matters, he attempted an administrative reform, particularly an enforced levying of tithes that incurred the wrath of the rural aristocracy. In 1085 he reasserted the Danish claims to England and, with the count of Flanders and King Olaf III of Norway, prepared a massive invasion fleet that alarmed the Norman-English king William I the Conqueror.

Canute’s plan, however, had to be abandoned suddenly, for those aristocrats who opposed his tax policy revolted as he was preparing to embark for England. He fled from the rebels, led by his brother Prince Olaf, to St. Alban’s Church, Odense, which he had founded, and was assassinated there with the entire royal party.

Canute was buried in St. Alban’s, renamed c. 1300 St. Canute’s Cathedral. Miracles were recorded at his tomb, and, at the request (1099) of King Erik III Evergood of Denmark, he was canonized (1101) by Pope Paschal II.

Patron: Zeeland, Denmark.

Symbols: Knight with a wreath, lance, and ciborium.

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
BIBLICAL REFLECTIONS AND PRAYERS FOR THE EIGHT DAYS: Justice and Only Justice You Shall Pursue

Day Two: Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes,’ or ‘No, No’ (Matthew 5:37)

God of righteousness, grant us wisdom to distinguish right from wrong. Let our hearts be guided by honesty and our lips speak the truth. Give us courage to be truthful even when others go against us. Keep us from spreading deceit; make us, rather, agents of unity and peace, spreading good news for all people. We pray in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Vatican Resources

Meditation: Mark 2:13-17

Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary

He was at table. (Mark 2:15)

Have you ever noticed how often Jesus ministered around a dinner table? He feasted at a wedding at Cana. He dined with Pharisees. He dined with sinners. He shared the Last Supper with his disciples on the night before he died. He even ate with them after his resurrection! It wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to say that Jesus ate his way through the Gospels!

In all the cultures of the ancient Near East, the sharing of a common meal was more than a casual event. It’s how the leaders of warring nations ratified peace treaties; it’s how weddings were celebrated; it’s how people recalled and celebrated major events in their history. So it’s no surprise that Jesus spent so much time eating with his people—and teaching them as he did.

In today’s Gospel, we see Jesus sharing a dinner with Levi (whom we also know as Matthew) and a group of his friends—all of them “tax collectors and sinners” (Mark 2:16). Levi probably never expected to have the privilege of sharing a table with a respected rabbi, let alone to have this man welcome his friends as disciples. But that’s exactly the point of the meal. Jesus wanted to make it very clear to Levi, to his friends, and especially to his detractors, that he will refuse no one who comes to him. There is no such thing as an unworthy disciple. He will embrace everyone who takes even the smallest step toward him.

This is wonderful news! Jesus wants to share a meal with you. Of course he welcomes you to the table of the Eucharist, but he also wants to join you at your everyday meals in your own home. He knows that you are a sinner just like everyone else, but he also knows that you love him and want to follow him. And that’s all he needs.

Whenever you sit down to eat, remember that Jesus is there with you. He is there whether you dine alone or with loved ones, whether you eat atop a mahogany banquet table or in a soup kitchen cafeteria, and even if you’re sitting in front of the television watching the news. He is with you, ready to enjoy your company. So welcome him, the friend of sinners, to your table.

“Thank you, Jesus, for joining me at my table.”

Hebrews 4:12-16
Psalm 19:8-10, 15

http://wau.org/meditations/current/

Daily Gospel Commentary

Vatican Council II
Dogmatic Constitution on revelation « Dei Verbum », § 1-2

"As he passed by, he saw Levi... He said to him, 'Follow me.' "

Hearing the word of God with reverence and proclaiming it with faith, the sacred synod takes its direction from these words of Saint John: "We announce to you the eternal life which dwelt with the Father and was made visible to us. What we have seen and heard we announce to you, so that you may have fellowship with us and our common fellowship be with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ" (1 Jn 1:2-3)...

In His goodness and wisdom God chose to reveal Himself and to make known to us the hidden purpose of His will (Eph 1:9) by which, through Christ, the Word made flesh, man might in the Holy Spirit have access to the Father and come to share in the divine nature (Eph 2:18; 2 Pt 1:4). Through this revelation, therefore, the invisible God (Col 1:15; 1 Tm 1:17) out of the abundance of His love speaks to men as friends (Ex 33:11; Jn 15:14-15) and lives among them (Bar 3:38), so that He may invite and take them into fellowship with Himself.

This plan of revelation is realized by deeds and words having an inner unity: the deeds wrought by God in the history of salvation manifest and confirm the teaching and realities signified by the words, while the words proclaim the deeds and clarify the mystery contained in them. By this revelation then, the deepest truth about God and the salvation of man shines out for our sake in Christ, who is both the mediator and the fullness of all revelation.

https://www.regnumchristi.org/en/daily-meditation/

January 19, 2019 – Discipleship

Saturday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
Father Shawn Aaron, LC
Mark 2:13-17

Once again, he went out along the sea. All the crowd came to him and he taught them. As he passed by, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus, sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners sat with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many who followed him. Some scribes who were Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors and said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus heard this and said to them that, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

Introductory Prayer: God our Father, in your eyes I am like a little child whom you tenderly watch over. God the Son, in your eyes I am like a poor, helpless sheep whom you gently pick up and carry when I’m worn out from my sins. God the Holy Spirit, in your eyes I am like a dry piece of wood that you wish to set ablaze with the fire of your love. Thank you, Holy Trinity, for wanting to bring me into your holy friendship. I am completely unworthy of your love but so grateful to find rest and a true home in you.

Petition: Lord, grant me a generous heart.

He Got Up and Followed Him: “‘He rose and followed him.’ The conciseness of the phrase clearly underlines Matthew’s promptness in response to the call…. In this ‘rising’ one can see the detachment from a situation of sin and, at the same time, the conscious adherence to a new life, upright, in communion with Jesus” (Pope-Emeritus Benedict XVI, General Audience, August 30, 2006). Holiness of life is not simply separation from what is sinful, but a participation in the love and holiness of God. It is not just separation from something, but transformation into the someone God has created us to be. When he calls, Jesus never gives us a map, only a compass. We do not see the full picture, we simply know the direction. Each day he invites us to follow him, to deepen the communion of love with him, and to keep our eyes fixed on him as on a “lamp shining in a dark place” (2 Peter 1:19). Matthew really had no clue where his life would end up. But he did know that it had to change and where that change needed to begin. Matthew was so utterly convinced that Jesus was worthy of his trust that he surrendered his life to him. We must daily choose to follow Matthew’s example of how to follow Jesus.

While He Was at Table in His House: “Behold! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me” (Revelation 3:20). They are celebrating Matthew’s vocation to follow Jesus. Matthew could have said “no” or “not yet” or “not now.” But consider the effects if such a refusal had taken place. For starters there would have been no dinner feast, and consequently many of Matthew’s friends would have missed an intimate encounter with Jesus that night – an encounter that forever changed some of their lives. Jesus knocked at the door of Matthew’s life, and Matthew opened it wide to Jesus. Then, like the Samaritan woman, he ran to get others so that they too might meet Jesus. By way of Matthew’s “yes,” Jesus started touching the lives of others. Whenever we say “yes” to Jesus, he will work not only in us, but also through us. Once again, today he will invite us to say “yes” to his will and thereby be his instrument of grace for others. “I am standing at the door, knocking.…”

Why Does Your Teacher Eat with Tax Collectors and Sinners? He does so that we might learn two lessons: the depth of his love for every soul, and how we must love others unconditionally. “God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Loving a person unconditionally does not mean that we blithely accept their sin. We love them despite their sin and in the hope that one day they will leave it aside. Mercy is the one form of love that we can never directly exercise toward God, yet it is his greatest expression of love for each one of us. Through Jesus’ dying on a cross for the forgiveness of our sins, God has revealed the pinnacle of love. Thus, when we practice mercy, forgiveness, patience, etc. towards those around us, we are imitating the highest form of love. Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners for the same reason he called Matthew to follow him: because he loves us and wants to share his life with us.

Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, the call to follow you is a call to conversion of heart. Touch my heart with your grace in such a way that my thoughts and actions may always reflect my desire to imitate your example of love. Make me patient in each situation and capable of forgiving those who may cause me harm or create difficulties.

Resolution: Today I will speak to someone – whether a family member, friend, coworker, acquaintance or stranger – about my gratitude to Jesus Christ.

https://www.presentationministries.com/obob/obob.asp

One Bread, One Body
Language: English | Español

All Issues > Volume 35, Issue 1

<< Saturday, January 19, 2019 >>

Hebrews 4:12-16
View Readings Psalm 19:8-10, 15 Mark 2:13-17
Similar Reflections

HE LOVES THE UNLOVABLE

“As He moved on He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus, at his tax collector’s post, and said to him, ‘Follow Me.’ Levi got up and became His follower.” —Mark 2:14

Although it was a serious sin for a Jew to be a tax collector, Levi chose to be one. Jesus called Levi out of his sinful job and into being an apostle and missionary. If we repent, we can follow Jesus’ call even if we are damaged goods, for Jesus comes not for the healthy but for the sick, not for the righteous but for sinners (Mk 2:17). Jesus is a merciful High Priest Who will “sympathize with our weakness” (Heb 2:17; 4:15). He did not come to condemn but to save (Jn 3:17). Even if everyone else rejects us, Jesus will never reject us (Jn 6:37).

There is hope for the human race because of Jesus’ mercy — and only because of His mercy. No matter how low we’ve been, Jesus will take us to heights where we alone could never go. Jesus loves the unlovable. Trust in Jesus. “So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and favor and to find help in time of need” (Heb 4:16).

Prayer: Father, give mercy to me and through me.
Promise: “Indeed, God’s Word is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword. It penetrates and divides soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the reflections and thoughts of the heart.” —Heb 4:12
Praise: Julia did not receive love from her family, but she did find love in Jesus’ family and in joining a home based community.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

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.

Big brothers love their newborn siblings.