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Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 01-03-11, Opt. Mem. Most Holy Name of Jesus
USCCB.org/New American Bible ^ | 01-03-11 | New American Bible

Posted on 01/02/2011 8:55:56 PM PST by Salvation

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To: Salvation

Thanks very much dear Salvation.
I’ve bookmarked this thread.


21 posted on 01/02/2011 9:48:38 PM PST by onyx (If you truly support Sarah Palin and want on her busy ping list, let me know!)
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To: All



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. 


22 posted on 01/02/2011 9:57:25 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
Pro-Life or Pro-Choice? by AJV777.

23 posted on 01/02/2011 9:58:18 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
Officie of Readings and Invitatory Psalm

Office of Readings

If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.


Introduction
O God, come to my aid.
  O Lord, make haste to help me.
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. Alleluia.

Hymn
Jesu, the Ransomer of man,
Who, ere created light began,
Didst from the sovereign Father spring,
His power and glory equalling!
Salvation’s Author, call to mind
How, taking form of humankind,
Born of a Virgin undefiled,
Thou in man’s flesh becam’st a Child.
The heavens above, the rolling main
And all that earth’s wide realms contain,
With joyous voice now loudly sing
The glory of their newborn King.
And we who, by thy precious Blood
From sin redeemed, are marked for God,
On this the day that saw thy birth,
Sing the new song of ransomed earth.
All honour, laud, and glory be,
O Jesus, Virgin-born, to thee;
All glory, as is ever meet,
To Father and to Paraclete.

Psalm 30 (31)
Trustful prayer in time of adversity
Hear me, Lord, and come to rescue me.
In you, Lord, I put my trust: may I never be put to shame.
  In your justice, set me free,
Turn your ear to me,
  make haste to rescue me.
Be my rampart, my fortification;
  keep me safe.
For you are my strength and my refuge:
  you will lead me out to the pastures,
  for your own name’s sake.
You will lead me out of the trap that they laid for me –
  for you are my strength.
Into your hands I commend my spirit:
  you have redeemed me, Lord God of truth.
You hate those who run after vain nothings;
  but I put my trust in the Lord.
I will rejoice and be glad in your kindness,
  for you have looked on me, lowly as I am.
You saw when my soul was in need:
  you did not leave me locked in the grip of the enemy,
  but set my feet on free and open ground.
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.
Hear me, Lord, and come to rescue me.

Psalm 30 (31)
Lord, let your face shine on your servant.
Take pity on me, Lord, for I am troubled:
  my eyes grow weak with sorrow,
  the very centre of my being is disturbed.
For my life is worn out with distress,
  my years with groaning;
my strength becomes weakness,
  my bones melt away.
I am a scandal and a disgrace,
  so many are my enemies;
to my friends and neighbours,
  I am a thing to fear.
When they see me in the street,
  they run from me.
I have vanished from their minds as though I were dead,
  or like a pot that is broken.
I know this – for I have heard the scolding of the crowd.
  There is terror all around,
for when they come together against me
  it is my life they are resolved to take.
But I put my trust in you, Lord;
  I say: “You are my God,
  my fate is in your hands.”
Tear me from the grip of my enemies,
  from those who hound me;
let your face shine upon your servant,
  in your kindness, save me.
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.
Lord, let your face shine on your servant.

Psalm 30 (31)
Blessed be the Lord, who has shown me the wonders of his love.
How very many are the pleasures, Lord,
  that you have stored up for those who fear you.
You have made these things ready for those who trust in you,
  to give them in the sight of all men.
Far away from the plottings of men
  you hide them in your secret place.
You keep them safe in your dwelling-place
  far from lying tongues.
Blessed be the Lord,
  for he has shown me his wonderful kindness
  within the fortified city.
In my terror, I said
  “I am cut off from your sight”;
but you heard the voice of my prayer
  when I called to you.
Love the Lord, all his chosen ones.
The Lord keeps his faithful ones safe,
  heaps rich revenge on the arrogant.
Be brave, let your hearts be strong,
  all who trust in the Lord.
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.
Blessed be the Lord, who has shown me the wonders of his love.

The son of God came and gave us the power
to come to know the true God.

Reading Colossians 3:5-16 ©
You must kill everything in you that belongs only to earthly life: fornication, impurity, guilty passion, evil desires and especially greed, which is the same thing as worshipping a false god; all this is the sort of behaviour that makes God angry. And it is the way in which you used to live when you were surrounded by people doing the same thing, but now you, of all people, must give all these things up: getting angry, being bad-tempered, spitefulness, abusive language and dirty talk; and never tell each other lies. You have stripped off your old behaviour with your old self, and you have put on a new self which will progress towards true knowledge the more it is renewed in the image of its creator; and in that image there is no room for distinction between Greek and Jew, between the circumcised or the uncircumcised, or between barbarian and Scythian, slave and free man. There is only Christ: he is everything and he is in everything.
  You are God’s chosen race, his saints; he loves you, and you should be clothed in sincere compassion, in kindness and humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with one another; forgive each other as soon as a quarrel begins. The Lord has forgiven you; now you must do the same. Over all these clothes, to keep them together and complete them, put on love. And may the peace of Christ reign in your hearts, because it is for this that you were called together as parts of one body. Always be thankful.
  Let the message of Christ, in all its richness, find a home with you. Teach each other, and advise each other, in all wisdom. With gratitude in your hearts sing psalms and hymns and inspired songs to God.
Responsory
Baptized into union with Christ, we have taken upon ourselves the qualities of Christ himself: we are all one in union with Christ Jesus our Lord.
There is no difference between Jews and Gentiles, between slaves and free men, between men and women: we are all one in union with Christ Jesus our Lord.

Reading St Augustine's tractates on St John
The twin commandments of love
The Lord himself came, the Teacher of love, full of love, shortening the word upon the earth, as it was foretold that he would do. He showed that from the two precepts of love depend the whole of the Law and the prophets.
  What are these two commandments? Join me, my brethren, in recollecting them. They ought to be thoroughly familiar to you and not just come into your mind when we recite them: they ought never to be blotted out from your hearts. Always and everywhere, bear in mind that you must love God and your neighbour, love God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind; and love your neighbour as you would love yourself.
  We must always ponder these words, meditate them, hold them in our minds, practise them and bring them to fruition. As far as teaching is concerned, the love of God comes first; but as far as doing is concerned, the love of our neighbour comes first. Whoever sets out to teach you these two commandments of love must not commend your neighbour to you first, and then God, but God first and then your neighbour. You, on the other hand, do not yet see God, but loving your neighbour will bring you that sight. By loving your neighbour you purify your eyes so that they are ready to see God, as John clearly says: If you do not love your brother, whom you see, how can you love God, whom you do not see?
  You are told “Love God”. If you say to me “Show me whom I should love”, what can I say except what John says? No man has ever seen God. But you must not think yourself wholly unsuited to seeing God: God is love, says John, and whoever dwells in love dwells in God. So love whoever is nearest to you and look inside you to see where that love is coming from: thus, as far as you are capable, you will see God.
  So start to love your neighbout. Share your bread with the hungry, bring the homeless pauper into your house. Clothe the naked, and do not despise the servants of your kin.
  What will you get from doing all this? Your light will break forth like the dawn. Your light is your God, your dawn, because he will come to you to end the night of this world — he who, himself, neither rises nor sets but is eternal.
  By loving your neighbour, by having care for your neighbour, you are travelling on a journey. Where are you journeying, except to the Lord God, whom we must love with all our heart and all our soul and all our mind? We have not yet reached the Lord, but our neighbour is with us already. So support your neighbour, who is travelling with you, so that you may reach him with whom you long to dwell.
Responsory
God first loved us and sent his Son to be the sacrifice that takes our sins away. Since God has loved us so much, we too should love one another.
We have known God’s love for us, and have put our faith in him. Since God has loved us so much, we too should love one another.

Let us pray.
Almighty God,
  your Son’s manhood, born of the Virgin,
  was a new creation, untainted by our sinful condition.
Renew us, then, in Christ
  and cleanse us from all trace of sin.
[We make our prayer] through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
  who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
  God for ever and ever.
Amen.

24 posted on 01/03/2011 9:08:56 AM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
The Most Holy Name of Jesus

The Most Holy Name of Jesus
optional memorial
January 3rd


Christ, Man of Sorrows - school of Jan Mostaert (post-1510) oil on panel
Copyright © National Gallery, London. Used with permission

From apostolic times, the Church has professed that "at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Phil 2:10-11). Through the particular efforts of St. Bernardine of Siena, devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus was promoted through the inscription of the monogram of the Holy Name (IHS) and the addition of the name of Jesus to the Hail Mary. Pope Sixtus V first granted an indulgence for the uttering of the phrase used so often by the present Holy Father, John Paul II and included among the pious invocations of the current Enchiridion Indulgentiarum: "Praised be Jesus Christ!"

Source: Daily Roman Missal, Edited by Rev. James Socías, Midwest Theological Forum, Chicago, Illinois ©2003

 

Collect:
Lord, may we honor the Holy Name of Jesus
enjoy His friendship in this life
and be filled with eternal joy in His Kingdom,
where He lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. +Amen.


First Reading: Philippians 2:1-11
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any incentive of love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Gospel Reading: Luke 2:21-24
And at the end of eight days, when He was circumcised, He was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.

And when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord") and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons."


25 posted on 01/03/2011 9:18:06 AM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Salvation
Catholic
Almanac:
Monday, January 3
Liturgical Color: White

Today is the optional memorial of the Most Holy Name of Jesus. We are reminded of all the graces and gifts we receive from the Father through Jesus. The Council of Lyons first encouraged devotion to the name of Jesus in 1274.

26 posted on 01/03/2011 4:39:50 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All

Spiritual Bouquet - Meditations by Pade Pio

Spiritual Bouquet
A different meditation each time you click.

 
Meditations by Padre Pio

I will raise my voice with ardent yearning in a song of praise to my Saviour and Redeemer. Let us be glad, for one day we shall sing more joyful hymns to our most TENDER LOVER who is the sweetest repose of our hearts, en-amoured of His beauty.


27 posted on 01/03/2011 4:50:37 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
Catholic Culture

Daily Readings for: January 03, 2011
(Readings on USCCB website)

Collect: All-powerful and ever-living God, you give us a new vision of your glory in the coming of Christ your Son. He was born of the Virgin Mary and came to share our life. May we come to share His eternal life in the glory of your kingdom, where He lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Christmas: January 3rd

 Optional Memorial of the Most Holy Name of Jesus

Today the Church celebrates the optional memorial of the Most Holy Name of Jesus. According to the 1962 Missal of Bl. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite this feast is celebrated on January 2. In the liturgical revisions of Vatican II, the feast was removed, 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 in the Ordinary Form on January 3.

The Church reveals to us the wonders of the Incarnate Word by singing the glories of His name. The name of Jesus means Savior; it had been shown in a dream to Joseph together with its meaning and to Our Lady at the annunciation by the Archangel Gabriel.

Devotion to the Holy Name is deeply rooted in the Sacred Scriptures, especially in the Acts of the Apostles. It was promoted in a special manner by St. Bernard, St. Bernardine of Siena, St. John Capistrano and by the Franciscan Order. It was extended to the whole Church in 1727 during the pontificate of Innocent XIII. The month of January has traditionally been dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus.

According to the 1962 Missal of Bl. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, the feast of the Holy Name of Jesus which is kept on the First Sunday in the year; but if this Sunday falls on January 1, 6, or 7, the feast is kept on January 2.

The Tenth Day of Christmas


Holy Name of Jesus
This feast marks no progress in the development of the Church year. It merely embellishes the occasion just observed when the Child received the Name Jesus as had been foretold by the angel. The feast is meant to impress on us Christians the dignity of the Holy Name. It is a relatively new feast, stemming out of devotional piety. Nevertheless, it is not difficult to find in it some liturgical or ancient Christian dogma. What did a name signify originally? The name should express the nature of a thing. Thus Adam in paradise gave the animals names in accordance with their being. Among the Jews God's name expressed His essence, Yahweh, i.e., I (alone) am who am (and cause all else to be). The Jews had the highest respect for the name of God, a reverence that finds continuation in the Our Father: "Hallowed be Thy Name."

Persons who played prominent roles in the history of salvation often received their names from God Himself. Adam — man of the earth; Eve — mother of all the living; Abraham — father of many nations; Peter — the rock. The Savior's precursor was given the name God assigned him. According to divine precedent, then, the name of the Redeemer should not be accidental, of human choosing, but given by God Himself. For His name should express His mission. We read in Sacred Scripture how the angel Gabriel revealed that name to Mary: "You shall call His name Jesus." And to St. Joseph the angel not merely revealed the name but explained its meaning: "You shall call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins." The Messiah should not only be the savior, but should be called Savior. With Jesus, therefore, the name actually tells the purpose of His existence. This is why we must esteem His name as sacred. Whenever we pronounce it, we ought to bow our heads; for the very name reminds us of the greatest favor we have ever received, salvation. —The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch

Things to Do:


28 posted on 01/03/2011 5:06:55 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
Lauds -- Morning Prayer

Morning Prayer (Lauds)

If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.


Introduction
O God, come to my aid.
  O Lord, make haste to help me.
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. Alleluia.

Hymn
From lands that see the sun arise,
To earth’s remotest boundaries,
The Virgin-born today we sing,
The Son of Mary, Christ the King.
Blest Author of this earthly frame,
To take a servant’s form he came,
That, liberating flesh by flesh,
Whom he had made might live afresh.
In that chaste parent’s holy womb,
Celestial grace hath found its home:
And she, as earthly bride unknown,
Yet calls that Offspring blest her own.
That Son, that royal Son she bore,
Whom Gabriel’s voice had told afore;
Whom, in his Mother yet concealed,
The Infant Baptist had revealed.
All honour, laud and glory be,
O Jesu, Virgin-born, to thee;
All glory, as is ever meet,
To Father and to Paraclete.

Psalm 41 (42)
Longing for the Lord and his temple
When can I enter and see the face of God?
Like a deer that longs for springs of water,
  so my soul longs for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, the living God:
  when shall I come and stand before the face of God?
My tears are my food, by day and by night,
  and everyone asks, “where is your God?.”
I remember how I went up to your glorious dwelling-place
  and into the house of God:
  the memory melts my soul.
The sound of joy and thanksgiving,
  the crowds at the festival.
Why are you so sad, my soul,
  and anxious within me?
Put your hope in the Lord, I will praise him still,
  my saviour and my God.
My soul is sad within me,
  and so I will remember you
  in the lands of Jordan and Hermon,
  on the mountain of Mizar.
Deep calls to deep
  in your rushing waters:
and all your torrents, all your waves
  have flowed over me.
By day the Lord sends his kindness upon me;
  by night his song is with me,
  a prayer to the God of my life.
I will say to God:
  “You are my support, why have you forgotten me?
  Why must I go in mourning, while the enemy persecutes me?.”
As my bones break,
  my persecutors deride me,
  all the time saying “where is your God?.”
Why are you so sad, my soul,
  and anxious within me?
Put your hope in the Lord, I will praise him still,
  my saviour and my God.
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.
When can I enter and see the face of God?

Canticle Ecclesiasticus 36
A prayer for Jerusalem, the holy city
Show us, Lord, the light of your mercy.
God of all, have mercy on us, take notice of us,
  and show us the light of your mercies.
Make the nations fear you, who have not sought you out,
  make them know that there is no God except you,
  let them tell of your wonders.
Lift up your hand over foreign nations, that they may see your power –
  for just as in their sight you have been sanctified in us,
  so in our sight you will be magnified in them.
Lift up your hand so that they may know, as we know,
  that there is no God but you, Lord.
Bring forth new signs and repeat your wonders;
  glorify your hand, show the strength of your arm.
Gather together all the tribes of Jacob,
  give them back the inheritance they had from the beginning.
Take pity on your people, over whom we invoke your name,
  and on Israel, whom you have made equal to your firstborn.
Take pity on the city you have sanctified,
  Jerusalem, the place of your rest.
Fill Zion with your majesty;
  fill your temple with your glory.
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.
Show us, Lord, the light of your mercy.

Psalm 18 (19)
Praise of God the creator
Blessed are you, Lord, in the vault of heaven.
The skies tell the story of the glory of God,
  the firmament proclaims the work of his hands;
day pours out the news to day,
  night passes to night the knowledge.
Not a speech, not a word,
  not a voice goes unheard.
Their sound is spread throughout the earth,
  their message to all the corners of the world.
At the ends of the earth he has set up
  a dwelling place for the sun.
Like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
  it rejoices like an athlete at the race to be run.
It appears at the edge of the sky,
  runs its course to the sky’s furthest edge.
Nothing can hide from its heat.
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.
Blessed are you, Lord, in the vault of heaven.

Short reading Isaiah 62:11-12 ©
Say to the daughter of Zion: Look, your saviour comes, the prize of his victory with him, his trophies before him. They shall be called ‘The Holy People’, ‘The Lord’s Redeemed.’

Short Responsory
God has made known his salvation, alleluia, alleluia.
God has made known his salvation, alleluia, alleluia.
God has made known his saving power.
God has made known his salvation, alleluia, alleluia.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
God has made known his salvation, alleluia, alleluia.

Canticle Benedictus
The Messiah and his forerunner
The Word was made flesh and swelt among us, full of grace and truth. From his fulness we have all of us received grace in return for grace. Alleluia.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
  for he has come to his people and brought about their redemption.
He has raised up the sign of salvation
  in the house of his servant David,
as he promised through the mouth of the holy ones,
  his prophets through the ages:
to rescue us from our enemies
  and all who hate us,
to take pity on our fathers,
  to remember his holy covenant
and the oath he swore to Abraham our father,
  that he would give himself to us,
that we could serve him without fear
 – freed from the hands of our enemies –
in uprightness and holiness before him,
  for all of our days.
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High:
  for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his path,
to let his people know their salvation,
  so that their sins may be forgiven.
Through the bottomless mercy of our God,
  one born on high will visit us
to give light to those who walk in darkness,
  who live in the shadow of death;
  to lead our feet in the path of peace.
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.
The Word was made flesh and swelt among us, full of grace and truth. From his fulness we have all of us received grace in return for grace. Alleluia.

Prayers and Intercessions
Let us joyfully call out to our Redeemer, the Son of God, who became man to renew mankind:
Be with us, Emmanuel.
Jesus, Son of the living God, splendour of the Father, eternal light, king of glory, shining sun of righteousness, son of the Virgin Mary,
  fill this day with the shining light of your incarnation.
Be with us, Emmanuel.
Jesus, wisest of counsellors, God of strength, father of the world to come, prince of peace:
  may the holiness of your human nature guide our paths through life.
Be with us, Emmanuel.
Jesus, omnipotent, patient, obedient, meek, humble of heart,
  let everyone see the power of serving others.
Be with us, Emmanuel.
Jesus, father of the poor, glory of your faithful, good shepherd, true light, infinite wisdom, immeasurable goodness, our way and our life,
  grant your Church true poverty and freedom from material things.
Be with us, Emmanuel.

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.

Almighty God,
  your Son’s manhood, born of the Virgin,
  was a new creation, untainted by our sinful condition.
Renew us, then, in Christ
  and cleanse us from all trace of sin.
[We make our prayer] through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
  who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
  God for ever and ever.
Amen.

May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life.

AMEN


29 posted on 01/03/2011 5:10:30 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
The Word Among Us

Meditation: 1 John 3:22–4:6

“The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)

Just who is “the one” who is in us? The Holy Spirit! Whether you know it or not, he has been with you since your baptism, and he wants to make a big difference in your life. This simple truth of our faith can fill us with great confidence. There may be ominous threats in the world. You may face the temptations of the devil and the annoyances of his fallen spirits. You may have to do battle with your own sinful tendencies. But no matter what challenge is set before you, you don’t ever have to be afraid. You belong to God. His Holy Spirit has conquered all of them! Although false teachings and alluring temptations abound, you can discern who to listen to.

How? By the Holy Spirit! He wants to help you navigate the murky or tumultuous waters you face every day. The same Holy Spirit who reveals Jesus to you can also unmask those spirits or philosophies that want to turn you away from Jesus. He can teach you how to face every situation with one question in mind: “Is Jesus being honored and given first place?” The answer to that question may be all you need to discern your path when facing a difficult choice or when temptation rears its head.

If you’re feeling unsure of yourself, don’t worry! Remember: History is filled with stories of how the Holy Spirit has spoken through the church, helping believers to discern right from wrong in complex moral and social issues. So even if you’re not sure you’ve heard the Spirit in your heart, you can always listen for his voice in the church! Try reading church documents, especially those that address an issue you are struggling with. Try speaking with a trusted priest or spiritual advisor. Then listen as the Spirit helps you relate your specific situation to the words of the church.

Start experimenting today. In prayer, ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes to God’s ways in the world. Then follow his guidance in the choices you make. You will find that the more you listen, the easier it gets to hear!

“Holy Spirit, the world around me is filled with confusing and conflicting messages. Please help me discern which ones I should listen to!”

Psalm 2:7-8,10-12; Matthew 4:12-17,23-25


30 posted on 01/03/2011 5:20:59 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Salvation
Matthew
  English: Douay-Rheims Latin: Vulgata Clementina Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
  Matthew 4
12 And when Jesus had heard that John was delivered up, he retired into Galilee: Cum autem audisset Jesus quod Joannes traditus esset, secessit in Galilæam : ακουσας δε ο ιησους οτι ιωαννης παρεδοθη ανεχωρησεν εις την γαλιλαιαν
13 And leaving the city Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capharnaum on the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim; et, relicta civitate Nazareth, venit, et habitavit in Capharnaum maritima, in finibus Zabulon et Nephthalim : και καταλιπων την ναζαρετ ελθων κατωκησεν εις καπερναουμ την παραθαλασσιαν εν οριοις ζαβουλων και νεφθαλειμ
14 That it might be fulfilled which was said by Isaias the prophet: ut adimpleretur quod dictum est per Isaiam prophetam : ινα πληρωθη το ρηθεν δια ησαιου του προφητου λεγοντος
15 Land of Zabulon and land of Nephthalim, the way of the sea beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: Terra Zabulon, et terra Nephthalim, via maris trans Jordanem, Galilæa gentium : γη ζαβουλων και γη νεφθαλειμ οδον θαλασσης περαν του ιορδανου γαλιλαια των εθνων
16 The people that sat in darkness, hath seen great light: and to them that sat in the region of the shadow of death, light is sprung up. populus, qui sedebat in tenebris, vidit lucem magnam : et sedentibus in regione umbræ mortis, lux orta est eis. ο λαος ο καθημενος εν σκοτει ειδεν φως μεγα και τοις καθημενοις εν χωρα και σκια θανατου φως ανετειλεν αυτοις
17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say: Do penance, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Exinde cœpit Jesus prædicare, et dicere : Pœnitentiam agite : appropinquavit enim regnum cælorum. απο τοτε ηρξατο ο ιησους κηρυσσειν και λεγειν μετανοειτε ηγγικεν γαρ η βασιλεια των ουρανων
[...]
23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom: and healing all manner of sickness and every infirmity, among the people. Et circuibat Jesus totam Galilæam, docens in synagogis eorum, et prædicans Evangelium regni : et sanans omnem languorem, et omnem infirmitatem in populo. και περιηγεν ολην την γαλιλαιαν ο ιησους διδασκων εν ταις συναγωγαις αυτων και κηρυσσων το ευαγγελιον της βασιλειας και θεραπευων πασαν νοσον και πασαν μαλακιαν εν τω λαω
24 And his fame went throughout all Syria, and they presented to him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and such as were possessed by devils, and lunatics, and those that had palsy, and he cured them: Et abiit opinio ejus in totam Syriam, et obtulerunt ei omnes male habentes, variis languoribus, et tormentis comprehensos, et qui dæmonia habebant, et lunaticos, et paralyticos, et curavit eos : και απηλθεν η ακοη αυτου εις ολην την συριαν και προσηνεγκαν αυτω παντας τους κακως εχοντας ποικιλαις νοσοις και βασανοις συνεχομενους και δαιμονιζομενους και σεληνιαζομενους και παραλυτικους και εθεραπευσεν αυτους
25 And much people followed him from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judea, and from beyond the Jordan. et secutæ sunt eum turbæ multæ de Galilæa, et Decapoli, et de Jerosolymis, et de Judæa, et de trans Jordanem. και ηκολουθησαν αυτω οχλοι πολλοι απο της γαλιλαιας και δεκαπολεως και ιεροσολυμων και ιουδαιας και περαν του ιορδανου

31 posted on 01/03/2011 5:26:46 PM PST by annalex (http://www.catecheticsonline.com/CatenaAurea.php)
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To: annalex
12. Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, He departed into Galilee;
13. And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:
14. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
15. The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nepthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;
16. The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

RABANUS; Matthew having related the forty days' fast, the temptation of Christ, and the ministry of Angels, proceeds, Jesus having heard that John was cast into prison.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. By God without doubt, for none can effect anything against a holy man, unless God deliver him up. He withdrew into Galilee, that is, out of Judea; both that the might reserve His passion to the fit time, and that he might set us an example of flying from danger.

CHRYS. It is not blameworthy not to throw one's self into peril, but when one has fallen into it, not to endure manfully. He departed from Judea both to soften Jewish animosity, and to fulfill a prophecy, seeking moreover to fish for those masters of the world who dwelt in Galilee. Note also how when he would depart to the Gentiles, he received good cause from the Jews; His forernuner was thrown into prison, which compelled Jesus to pass into Galilee of the Gentiles.

GLOSS. He came as Luke writes to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and there entering into the synagogue, he read and spoke many things, for which they sought to throw Him down from the rock, and thence he went to Capernaum; for which Matthew has only, And leaving the town of Nazareth, He came and dwelt at Capernum.

GLOSS; Nazareth is a village in Galilee near Mount Tabor; Capernaurn a town in Galilee of the Gentiles near the Lake of Gennesaret; and this is the meaning of the word, on the sea coast. He adds further in the borders of Zabulon and Naphtali, where was the first captivity of time Jews by the Assyrians. Thus where the Law was first forgotten, there the Gospel was first preached; and from a place as it were between the two it was spread both to Jews and Gentiles.

REMIG. He left one, viz. Nazareth, that he might enlighten more by His preaching and miracles. Thus leaving an example to all preachers that they should preach at a time and in places where they may do good, to as many as possible. In the prophecy, the words are these, At that first time the land of Zabuiloun and the land of Naphtali was lightened, and at the last time was increased the way of the sea beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles.

JEROME; They are said at the first time to be lightened from the burden of sin, because in the country of these two tribes, the Savior first preached the Gospel; at the last time their faith was increased, most of the Jews remaining in error. By the sea here is meant the Lake of Gennesaret, a lake formed by the waters of the Jordan, on its shores are the towns of Capernaum, Tiberias, Bethsaida, and Corozaim, in which district principally Christ preached. Or, according to the interpretation of those Hebrews who believe in Christ, the two tribes Zabulon and Naphtali were taken captive by the Assyrians, and Galilee was left desert; and the prophet therefore says that it was lightened, because it had before suffered the sins of the people; but afterwards the remaining tribes who dwelt beyond Jordan and in Samaria were led into captivity; and Scripture here means that the region which had been the first to suffer captivity, now was the first to see the light of Christ's preaching. The Nazarenes again interpret that this was the first part of the country that, on the coming of Christ, was freed from the errors of the Pharisees, and after by the Gospel of the Apostle Paul, the preaching was increased or multiplied throughout all the countries of the Gentiles.

GLOSS. But Matthew here quotes the passage as to make them all nominative cases referring to one verb. The land of Zabulon, and the land of Naphtali, which is the way of the sea, and which is beyond Jordan, viz. the people of Galilee of the Gentiles, the people which walked in darkness.

GLOSS. Note that there are two Galilees; one of the Jews, the other of the Gentiles. This division of Galilee had existed from Solomon's time, who gave twenty cities in Galilee to Hyram, King of Tyre; this part was afterwards called Galilee of the Gentiles; the remainder, of the Jews.

JEROME; Or we must read beyond Jordan, of Galilee of the Gentiles; so, I mean, that the people who either sat, or walked in darkness, have seen light, and that not a faint light, as the light of the Prophets, but a great light, as of Him who in the Gospel speaks thus, I am the light of the world. Between death and the shadow of death I suppose this difference; death is said of such as have gone down to the grave with the works of death; the shadow of such as live in sin, and have not yet departed from this world; these may, if they will, yet turn to repentance.

PSEUD-CHRYS. Otherwise, the Gentiles who worshipped idols, and demons, were they who sat in the region of the shadow of death; the Jews, who did the works of the Law, were in darkness, because the righteousness of God was not yet manifested to them.

CHRYS. But that you may learn that he speaks not of natural day and night, he calls the light, a great light, which is in other places called the true light; and he adds, the shadow of death, to explain what he means by darkness. The words arose, and shined, Show, that they found it not of their own seeking, but God Himself appeared to them they did not first run to the light; for many were in the greatest miseries before Christ's coming; they did not walk but sat in darkness; which was a sign that they hoped for deliverance; for as not knowing what way they should go, shut in by darkness they sat down, having now no power to stand. By darkness he means here, error and ungodliness.

RABAN. In allegory, John and the rest of the Prophets were the voice going before the Word. When prophecy ceased and was fettered, then came the Word, fulfilling what the Prophet had spoken of it, He departed into Galilee, i.e. from figure to verity. Or, into the Church, which is a passing from vice to virtue. Nazareth is interpreted 'a flower,' Capernaum, 'the beautiful village;' He left therefore the flower of figure, (in which was mystically intended the fruit of the Gospel,) and came into the Church, which was beautiful with Christ's virtues. It is by the sea-coast, because placed near the waves of this world, it is daily beaten by the storms of persecution. It is situated between Zabuloin and Naphtali, i.e. common to Jews and Gentiles. Zabulon is interpreted, 'the abode of strength;' because the Apostles, who were chosen from Judaea, were strong. Nephtali, 'extension,' because the Church of the Gentiles was extended through the world.

AUG. John relates in his Gospel the calling of Peter, Andrew, and Nathanael, and the miracle in Cana, before Jesus' departure into Galilee; all these things the other Evangelists have omitted, carrying on the thread of their narrative with Jesus' return into Galilee. We must understand then that some days intervened, during which the things took place concerning the calling of the disciples which John relates.

REMIG. But this should be considered with more care, viz. that John says that the Lord went into Galilee, before John the Baptist was thrown into prison. According to John's Gospel after the water turned into wine and his going down to Capernaum, and after his going up to Jerusalem, he returned into Judea and baptized, and John was not yet cast into prison. But here it is after John's imprisonment that he retires into Galilee, and with this Mark agrees. But we need not suppose any contradiction here. John speaks of the Lord's first coming into Galilee, which was before the imprisonment of John. He speaks in another place of His second coming into Galilee, and the other Evangelists mention only this second coming into Galilee which was after John's imprisonment.

EUSEB. It is related that John preached the Gospel almost up to the close of his life without setting forth anything in writing, and at length came to write for this reason. The three first written Gospels having come to his knowledge, he confirmed the truth of their history by his own testimony; but there were yet some things wanting, especially an account of what the Lord had done at the first beginning of His preaching. And it is true that the other three Gospels seem to contain only those things which were done in that year in which John the Baptist was put into prison, or executed. For Matthew, after the temptation, proceeds immediately, Hearing that John was delivered up; and Mark in like manner. Luke again, even before relating one of Christ's actions, tells that Herod had shut up John in prison. The Apostle John then was requested to put into writing what the preceding Evangelists had left out before the imprisonment of John; hence he says in his Gospel, this beginning of miracles did Jesus.

17. From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand.

PSEUD-CHRYS. Christ's Gospel should be preached by him who can control his appetites, who contemns the goods of this life, and desires not empty honors. From this time began Jesus to preach, that is, after having been tempted, he had overcome hunger in the desert, despised covetousness on the mountain, rejected ambitious desires in the temple. Or from the time that John was delivered up; for had he begun to preach while John was yet preaching, He would have made John be lightly accounted of, and John's preaching would have been thought superfluous by the side of Christ's teaching; as when the sun rises at the same time with the morning star, the star's brightness is hid.

CHRYS. For another cause also he did not preach till John was in prison, that the multitude might not be split into two parties; or as John did no miracle, all men would have been drawn to Christ by His miracles.

RABAN. In this he further teaches that none should despise the words of a person inferior to Him; as also the Apostle, If anything be revealed to him; that sits, let the first hold his peace.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. He did wisely in making new the beginning of His preaching, that he should not trample upon John's teaching, but that he might the rather confirm it and demonstrate him to have been a true witness.

JEROME; Showing also thereby that He was Son of that same God whose prophet John was; and therefore he says, Repent you.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. he does not straightway preach righteousness which all knew, but repentance, which all needed. Who then dared to say, 'I desire to be good, but am not able?' For repentance corrects the will, and if you will not repent through fear of evil, at least you may for the pleasure of good things; hence he says, the kingdom of heaven is at hand; that is, the blessings of the heavenly kingdom. As if He had said, Prepare yourselves by repentance, for the time of eternal reward is at hand.

REMIG. And note, He does not say the kingdom of the Canaanite, or the Jebusite, is at hand; but the kingdom of heaven. The law promised worldly goods, but the Lord heavenly kingdoms.

CHRYS. Also observe how that in this His first address he says nothing of Himself openly; and that very suitably to the case, for they had yet no right opinion concerning Him. In this commencement moreover he speaks nothing severe, nothing burdensome, as John bad concerning the ax laid to the root of the condemned tree, and the like; but he puts first things merciful, preaching the glad tidings of the kingdom of heaven.

JEROME; Mystically interpreted, Christ begins to preach as soon as John was delivered to prison, because when the Law ceased, the Gospel commenced.

23. And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their Synagogues, and preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
24. And His fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought to Him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy; and He healed them.
25. And there followed Him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judea, and from beyond Jordan.

PSEUD-CHRYS. Kings, when about to go to war with their enemies, first gather an army, and so go out to battle; thus the Lord when about to war against the Devil, first collected Apostles, and then began to preach the Gospel.

REMIG. An example of life for doctors; that they should not be inactive, they are instructed in these words, And Jesus went about.

PSEUD-CHRYS. Because they being weak could not come to their physician, he as a zealous Physician went about to visit those who had any grievous sickness; The Lord went round the several regions, and after His example the pastors of each region ought to go round to study the several dispositions of their people, that for the remedy of each disease some medicine may be found in the Church.

REMIG. That they should not be acceptors of persons the preachers are instructed in what follows, the whole of Galilee. That they should not go about empty, by the word teaching. That they should seek to benefit not few but many, in what follows, in their synagogues.

CHRYS. By which too He showed the Jews that he came not as an enemy of God, or a seducer of souls, but as consenting with his Father.

REMIG. That they should not preach error nor fable, but sound doctrine, is inculcated in the words, preaching the Gospel of the kingdom. 'Teaching' and 'preaching' differ; teaching refers to things present, preaching to things to come; He taught present commandments and preached future promises.

PSEUD-CHRYS. Or, he taught natural righteousness, those things which natural reason teaches, as chastity, humility, and the like, which all men of themselves see to be goods. Such things are necessary to be taught not so much for the sake of making them known as for stirring the heart. For beneath the prevalence of carnal delights the knowledge of natural righteousness sleeps forgotten. When then a teacher begins to denounce carnal sins, his teaching does not bring up a new knowledge, but recalls to memory one that had been forgotten. But He preached the Gospel, in telling of good things which the ancients had manifestly not heard of, as the happiness of heaven, the resurrection of the dead, and the like. Or, He taught by interpreting the prophecies concerning himself; He preached by declaring the benefits that were to come from Himself.

REMIG. That the teacher should study to commend his teaching by his own virtuous conduct is conveyed in those words, healing every sort of disease and malady among the people; maladies of the body, diseases of the soul.

PSEUD-CHRYS. Or, by disease we may understand any passion of the mind, as avarice, lust, and such like, by malady unbelief, that is, weakness of faith. Or, the diseases are the more grievous pains of the body, the maladies the slighter. As he cured the bodily pains by virtue of His divine power, so he cured the spiritual by the word of His mercy. He first teaches, and then performs the cures, for two reasons. First, that what is needed most may come first; for it is the word of holy instruction, and not miracles, that edify the soul. Secondly, because teaching is commended by miracles, not the converse.

CHRYS. We must consider that when some great change is being wrought, as the introduction of a new polity, God is accustomed to work miracles, giving pledges of His power to those who are to receive His laws. Thus when he would make man, he first created a world, and then at length gave man in paradise a law. When he would dispense a law to the holy Noah, he showed truly great wonders; and again when he was about to ordain the Law for the Jews, he first showed great prodigies, and then at length gave them the commandments. So now when about to introduce a sublime discipline of life, He first provided a sanction to His instructions by mighty signs, because the eternal kingdom He preached was not seen, by the things which did appear, he made sure that which as yet did not appear.

GLOSS. Because preachers should have good testimony from those who are without, lest if their life is open to censure, their preaching be contemned, he adds, And the fame of him went abroad through all Syria.

RABAN. Syria here is all the region from Euphrates to the Great sea, from Cappadocia to Egypt, in which is the country of Palestine, inhabited by Jews.

CHRYS. Observe the reserve of the Evangelist; he does not give an account of any one of the various cases of healing, but passes in one brief phrase an abundance of miracles, they brought to him all their sick.

REMIG. By these he would have us understand various but slighter diseases; but when he says, seized with divers sicknesses and torments, he would have those understood, of whom it is subjoined, and who had demons.

GLOSS. 'Sickness' means a hasting ailment; 'tutiment' is an acute pain, as pleurisy, and such like; they who had demons are they who were tormented by the demons.

REMIG. 'Lunatics' are so called from the moon; for as it waxes in its monthly seasons they are tormented.

JEROME; Not really smitten by the moon, but who were believed to be so through the subtlety of the demons, who by observing the seasons of the moon, sought to bring an evil report against the creature, that it might result to the blasphemy of the Creator.

AUG. Demons are enticed to take up their abode in many creatures, (created not by themselves but God,) by delights adapted to their various natures; not that they are animals, drawn by meats; but spirits attracted by signs which agree with each one's taste.

RABAN. Paralytics are those whose bodies have their nerves slackened or resolved from a Greek word, signifying this.

PSEUD-CHRYS. In some places it is, He cured many; but here, He cured them, meaning 'all;' as a new physician first entering a town cures all who come to him to beget a good opinion concerning himself

CHRYS. He requires no direct profession of faith from them , both because he had not yet given them any proofs of His miraculous power, and because in bringing their sick from fat they had shown no small faith.

RABAN. The crowds that followed Him consisted of four sorts of men, some followed for the heavenly teaching as disciples, some for the curing of their diseases, some from the reports concerning Him alone, and curiosity to find whether they were true; others from envy, wishing to catch Him in some matter that they might accuse Him. Mystically, Syria is interpreted lofty Galilee, 'turning:' or ' a wheel;' that is, the Devil and the world; the Devil is both proud and always turned round to the bottom; the world in which the fame of Christ went abroad through preaching: the demoniacs are the idolaters; the lunatics, the unstable; the paralytics, the slow and careless.

GLOSS. The crowds that follow the Lord, are they of the Church, which is spiritually designated by Galilee, passing to virtuousness; Decapolis is he who keeps the Ten Commandments; Jerusalem and Judea, be who is enlightened by the vision of peace and confession; and beyond Jordan, he what having passed the waters of Baptism enters the land of promise.

REMIG. Or, they follow the Lord from Galilee, that is, from the unstable world; from Decapolis, (the country of ten towns,) signifying those who break the Ten Commandments and from Jerusalem, because before it was preserved unhurt in peace; and from Jordan, that is, from the confession of the Devil; and from beyond Jordan, they who were first planted in paganism, but passing the water of Baptism came to Christ

Catena Aurea Matthew 4
32 posted on 01/03/2011 5:27:20 PM PST by annalex (http://www.catecheticsonline.com/CatenaAurea.php)
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To: annalex


Appearance of Christ to the People

Aleksandr Ivanov

1837-1857
Tretiakov Gallery, Moscow

33 posted on 01/03/2011 5:28:03 PM PST by annalex (http://www.catecheticsonline.com/CatenaAurea.php)
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To: All
 
Marriage = One Man and One Woman

Daily Marriage Tip for January 3, 2011:

For many this is the first day back at work in the New Year. Brighten your spouse’s day with a simple love note or a quick “thinking of you” phone call.

34 posted on 01/03/2011 10:35:18 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
Secret Harbor ~ Portus Secretioris

03 January 2011

Drinking Deeply of the Source

Across the globe, many Catholic dioceses celebrated the feast of the Epiphany yesterday, while others will do so on its traditional day 6 January. Here is a Carthusian reflection for this glorious feast. Like many Carthusian writings, there are gems here which are more applicable for those called to the contemplative life. But surely each of us can take something of what is shared here and apply it to our own lives.


The birth of our Lord is a renewal of creation. The Fathers of the Church have compared the Infant-God hidden under the triple veil of the maternal womb, of a cave and of night, to a secret seed whence a new Flower will blossom, for the joy of the world. All life, it so happens, is born in secret and is veiled in its beginnings with mystery and silence. And our Lord is Life itself: Ego sum vita… I am Life (Saint John 14:6). We shall never meditate enough on this Name, so rich in its meaning, that God has given to Himself.

The life He communicates to us is not the life of nature but of grace. Nevertheless, the first is the figure of the second, and the latter the fullness of the former. All life is freely given. In a living person life is the first and fundamental gift for which there can be neither preparation nor merit. It is not for nothing that the supernatural life is called grace, for it is life essential: a birth more mysterious, a gift more pure and unmerited, than that of nature, for it is a participation in the divine prerogatives that no created intelligence would have thought possible. We must possess the spirit of grace, the spirit of divine liberality which, when we receive God’s gifts, makes us welcome without hesitation all that He offers us so lavishly, and when we give, constrains us by a consummate generosity to imitate the divine abundance of that living water, sharing it with others, whilst we ourselves drink deeply of the source.

Among the faithful generally, it is by prayer and recollection that grace is diffused. With us, it must do so above all under the form of the interior life. Interior-ness is a characteristic of all life. An inanimate stone has a kind of activity, but it is only on the surface; it only resists shocks from without. Living things, on the other hand, discern and utilize whatever is good for them: an inner sense guides their conduct and growth. The spiritual life is even keener and more powerful still: there is nothing from which it cannot draw profit. The faithful soul finds its good in everything that affects it; a principle more profound than that which governs the life of nature causes it to derive strength and development from its contact with everything. When it is not so with us, when we allow the accidents of life to upset us and turn us from our path, it is surely because our life is not sufficiently interior. We must descend into the depths of our being, remain patient and still and re-find in the solitude where God dwells, that divine intelligence, that mysterious force, thanks to which we are again able to assimilate harmoniously without exception all that happens to us and around us.

As for us, the life of grace, the interior life, is developed under the form of the contemplative life. Perhaps, in order to make this union and fusion of man with his Creator clearer, we should express ourselves more simply, and it would be truer to say in general that we lead a life of union and love. Nonetheless, we rightly speak of it as the contemplative life to denote the ideal of a love essentially direct and disinterested. For contemplation is the act of a soul rapt in admiration in the presence of something more beautiful than itself. Such, indeed, is the nature of admiration, the force of beauty thus contemplated, that it can make us lose ourselves, utterly unconscious of our self. The act of contemplative love is at once the simplest and most direct. Here again we cannot help remarking the continuity of the processes of nature and grace. All life is love, and all life is forgetfulness of self. Life consists in losing oneself so as to gain a higher good. In all nature life can only be perpetuated by the immolation of the individual, sacrificed generation after generation, so that the flame of life it has received may be passed on and continued, undiminished, a living flame.

But it is, above all, in the realm of grace that abnegation is both a necessity and a joy. Qui perdiderit animam suam… he that shall lose his life for Me shall find it (Saint Matthew 10:39). The soul has the power to forget itself more than any other living thing: it has, if it so desire, the absolute limpidity of a mirror. Possessing no longer any form of its own, it reflects all the splendor of the infinite Majesty. To contemplate God thus, in the calm of recollection, is the source of all true wisdom. We are not masters of ourselves, we shall never know true justice or prudence, until by a brave and sincere gesture of welcome, we allow God to fulfill His will in us, and be in us all He wants to be.

May Mary, whose feast it is also, Mary full of grace, the most interior and hidden of virgins, whose soul is lost in pure admiration of the divine Majesty and thus utterly free, teach us to receive Him, and to love and contemplate Him, as she herself does.
 

35 posted on 01/03/2011 10:39:35 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
Vultus Christi

The Holy Name of Jesus and the Holy Face

| HolyFace-large.jpg

Deus, qui unigenitum Filium tuum
constituisti humani generis Salvatorem
et Jesum vocari jussisti:
concede propitius;
ut, cujus sanctum nomen veneramur in terris,
ejus quoque aspectu perfruamur in caelis.


O God, who didst constitute Thine only-begotten Son
the Saviour of mankind,
and didst command that He should be called JESUS:
grant in Thy kindness
that our heart's joy in heaven may be the Face of Him
Whose Holy Name we venerate on earth.

Although we celebrated the Feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus yesterday, we repeated the same Mass today as a votive celebration. The Collect of the Mass rather ingeniously brings together the Name of Jesus with His Holy Face. While the latin aspectus (used in the Collect above) can mean the sight or appearance of someone, it can also refer to a person's countenance or to the expression of his face.

Friendship with Our Lord Jesus Christ

Nothing is more personal to an individual than his name and his face. We don't consider our knowledge of another person really significant until we can put a name to his face, and a face to his name. So too, our friendship with the Lord Jesus Christ is not significant until we have begun, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, to associate the Holy Name of Jesus with His adorable Face, and His adorable Face with His Holy Name.

This is the very grace that was given in superabundant measure to the Carmelite of Tours, France, Sister Marie de Saint-Pierre (1816-1848) and to her saintly friend in the world, the lawyer, Monsieur Léon Papin Dupont (1797-1876). How did the Carmel of Tours, and the reception room of Monsieur Dupont become centres of devotion to the Holy Face of Jesus?

The Benedictine-Carmelite Connection

In the spring of 1851 the Benedictines of Perpetual Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Monastery of Arras, being already devoted to the Holy Face through the influence of Saint Gertrude the Great, gave the Carmel of Tours several reproductions of the image of the Holy Face venerated in Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome. (From the Carmel of Tours the devotion would reach the Carmel of Lisieux where it became a profound influence on Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus and of the Holy Face, Doctor of the Church.) This particular image of the Holy Face became famous after an astonishing miracle that took place in January 1849, during the exile of Blessed Pope Pius IX at Gaeta.

The Roman Miracle of the Holy Face: Epiphany 1849

It was customary on the feast of the Epiphany to expose for the veneration of the faithful the "Veronica's Veil" preserved with other sacred relics in the Vatican Basilica. The "Veil" was darkened by age, and the features of Our Lord's sacred countenance were no longer visible. On the third day of the exposition of the relic, before the eyes of numerous witnesses, the image of the Holy Face took on vivid colours and, in the midst of an unearthly light, became clearly visible, and this for three hours. The expression on the Holy Face was one of profound sorrow and of love. Alerted to the prodigy, the Canons of Saint Peter's ordered the bells rung, summoning the faithful to see the miraculous sign. A Notary Apostolic was called to take the depositions of the eyewitnesses; he drew up a document attesting to the miracle, which was then placed in the archives of the Vatican Basilica.

leon_dupont_1.jpg

Enter Monsieur Dupont, the Holy Man of Tours

Once news of the miracle spread, people everywhere began requesting reproductions of the Sacred Countenance of Our Lord as seen on the Holy Veil of Saint Peter's Basilica. A number of these were printed on silk and linen, marked with a red wax seal of authenticity, and distributed from Rome. Several of these reproductions were sent to the Benedictine nuns of Arras in France; they in turn sent some of them to the Carmel of Tours. On Palm Sunday 1851, the Mother Prioress of the Carmel of Tours gave two of the reproductions to Monsieur Léon Papin-Dupont. Without losing any time, the next day, Holy Monday, he entrusted the two images to a workman in order to have them suitably framed. He gave the more elegantly framed of the two to the Men's Confraternity of Nocturnal Adoration in Tours; the other he kept for himself. On Holy Wednesday, Monsieur Dupont hung the framed image in a recess to the left of the chimney in his room. In front of it, on a chest, there was a chest upon which a votive lamp might be placed. Listen to Monsieur Dupont explain what happened:

After having had framed this terrible proof of the ravages of sin, I placed this Holy Face in my room, to the left of my chimney in the recess, just above a little chest suitable to receive a lamp. Several pious images found place there as well. It was Holy Wednesday. No sooner I had installed it, than I was struck interiorly by a sudden sentiment rising from the bottom of my heart. "Can this image of the Divine Face of the Saviour of men be exposed," said I to myself, "in the house of a Christian during this great week of the Passion, without an outward sign of respect, adoration, and love being given to it? No, certainly not, it shall not be so." And this is how I had, all of a sudden, the thought to light this lamp before the Holy Face, with the intention of leaving it burning only for the rest of Holy Week. Immediately I carried out my thought; but soon there came to me another. This room was the one in which I was accustomed to receive all those who came to visit me, or who needed to speak to me. It was there that I had installed my desk. "Everyone," I thought, "will ask me why there should be a lamp burning in daylight. I will respond, it is to teach those who come to my house that when the affair for which they came has been addressed, they have only to withdraw or speak of God." And I was of a mind to write these words as a kind of commentary on a card of paper, that I would place on my desk to show when the need would arise: "One is free in one's own home. In my home, after treating of the affair for which one came, one must either leave or speak of the things of God."
That day, and the day after, passed without anyone posing me a question. Some paid no attention. Others thought that I had had there a very pious idea. On Good Friday a traveling salesman, having forced my door to propose some Bordeaux wines, had my response, and was so surprised by it that I had to repeat to him twice. There was my opprtunity to speak to him of religion. He stayed listening to me for over an hour. Having come into my house indifferent, at best, he left it, very nearly converted, taking away with faith some water from La Salette.
The next day, that is Holy Saturday, Our Lord began to make His intentions known, and this is how He did it. I received the visited of a very pious person whom I knew, a Miss X. She suffered from an affliction of the eyes; entering my room, she complained loudly of a lancing pain in her eyes due to the cold wind that was blowing and filling the air with dust. She was coming to see him about business. Being occupied in writing, I invited her to pray to the Holy Face while waiting to see me. She took advantage of the opportunity to ask for her healing. In a moment I had joined her. I knelt down and we prayed together. Upon getting up, it occurred to me to say to her, "Put a little of the oil of this lamp on your eyes." She dipped her finger into the oil, rubbed her eyes with it and, taking a chair to sit down, said in astonishment, "My eyes no longer hurt me." At end of her visit, I had to give her a little oil from the lamp to take home because she was leaving for Richelieu, her usual place of residence.

Cures and Graces

From that day forward the life of Monsieur Dupont became an uninterrupted flow of miracles, healings, and graces attributed to the Holy Face of Jesus, and to the pious use of the oil that burned in the lamp before it. He recounts that on the following Easter Tuesday a young man of the town came on an errand; one of his legs was injured, he walked painfully and limped. Monsieur Dupont thought that if he applied some of the oil burning in the lamp, and prayed to the Holy Face of Jesus, the young man might obtain some relief. This he did. Immediately the young man was healed and began to run around the garden with the greatest ease.

The Lamp Burns On

Monsieur Dupont considered that he intended to keep the oil lamp burning before the Holy Face only during Holy Week, but after these experiences, he couldn't bring himself to remove it. Soon thereafter it was Our Blessed Lady's month of May, another reason to keep the lamp burning. After that came June, the month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and July, the month of the Most Precious Blood. Monsieur Dupont knew that it would not at all do to allow the lamp to go out during months dedicated to the mysteries of the Redemption. Graces and favours began to abound. More than twenty persons were healed after having prayed to the Holy Face of Jesus, and used oil from the lamp. A movement of devotion to the Holy Face was born. The faithful would gather in front of the image of the Holy Face, together with Monsieur Dupont, to recite the Litanies of the Holy Face composed by Sister Marie de Saint-Pierre, cloistered in the nearby Carmel.

In the Healing Radiance of the Holy Face

Prodigies began to multiply. Healings of all sorts took place: from cancers, from ulcers both external and internal, from deafness, from cataracts, and from sprains. By December 2, 1852 Monsieur Dupont had distributed more than eight-thousand little vials of oil from the lamp. Crowds began coming to his door. On certain Saturdays more than three-hundred people crowded into his reception room. The greatest wonder of all was that, for all of these people, their devotion to the Holy Face of Jesus was crowned by a good Confession and fervent Holy Communion.

Miracles continued to abound. Until his death in 1876, Leon Papin-Dupont noted each miracle worked by the Holy Face of Jesus in a register kept for that purpose. To his great confusion, letters would sometimes arrive addressed "To the Wonderworker of Tours" or "To the Holy Man of Tours." Like the Curé of Ars hiding behind the intercession of Saint Philomena, and like Saint André Bessette hiding behind that of Saint Joseph, Monsieur Dupont sought only to disappear into the glory of the Holy Face of Jesus. Today, Monsieur Dupont's room, having been transformed into the Oratory of the Holy Face (8 rue Bernard Palissy, 37000 Tours, France) remains a place of pilgrimage and of prayer. Dominican Fathers of the Province of France, now living in the home of Monsieur Dupont, are charged with the pastoral care of pilgrims to the Oratory of the Holy Face.

A Devotion Confirmed by the Sacred Liturgy

For Monsieur Dupont and for Sister Marie de Saint-Pierre, devotion to the Holy Face was inseparable from love for, and faith in, the adorable Name of Jesus. The layman and the Carmelite demonstrated in their piety the very association made by the Church in the Collect for the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus.


36 posted on 01/03/2011 10:42:08 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
Vespers -- Evening Prayer

Vespers (Evening Prayer)


Introduction
O God, come to my aid.
  O Lord, make haste to help me.
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. Alleluia.

Hymn
O Christ, the Father’s only Son,
Whose death for all redemption won,
Before the worlds, of God Most High,
Begotten all ineffably.
The Father’s Light and Splendour thou,
Their endless Hope to thee that bow;
Accept the prayers and praise today
That through the world thy servants pay.
Salvation’s Author, call to mind
Thou took’st the form of humankind,
When of the Virgin undefiled
Thou in man’s flesh becam’st a Child.
Thus testifies the present day
Through every year in long array,
That thou, salvation’s source alone,
Proceedest from the Father’s throne.
All honour, laud, and glory be,
O Jesu, Virgin-born, to thee;
All glory, as is ever meet,
To Father and to Paraclete.

Psalm 44 (45)
The wedding of the King
You are the fairest of the children of men, and graciousness is poured upon your lips.
My heart cries out on a joyful theme:
  I will tell my poem to the king,
  my tongue like the pen of the swiftest scribe.
You have been given more than human beauty,
  and grace is poured out upon your lips,
  so that God has blessed you for ever.
Strap your sword to your side, mighty one,
  in all your greatness and splendour.
In your splendour go forth, mount your chariot,
  on behalf of truth, kindness and justice.
Let your right hand show your marvels,
  let your arrows be sharp against the hearts of the king’s enemies
 – the peoples will fall before you.
Your throne is firm, O God, from age to age,
  your royal sceptre is a sceptre of justice.
You love uprightness, hate injustice
 – for God, your God has anointed you
  with the oil of gladness, above all your companions.
Myrrh and aloes and cassia anoint your garments.
From ivory palaces the sound of harps delights you.
In your retinue go the daughters of kings.
At your right hand, the queen is adorned with gold of Ophir.
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.
You are the fairest of the children of men, and graciousness is poured upon your lips.

Psalm 44 (45)
The King's bride
Behold, the Bridegroom is coming: go out and meet him.
Listen, my daughter, and understand;
  turn your ears to what I have to say.
Forget your people, forget your father’s house,
  and the king will desire you for your beauty.
  He is your lord, so worship him.
The daughters of Tyre will bring you gifts;
  the richest of your subjects will beg you to look on them.
How great is the king’s daughter, within the palace!
  She is clothed in woven gold.
She will be taken to the king in coloured garments,
  her maidens will escort her to your presence.
In gladness and rejoicing they are brought
  and led to the house of the king.
Instead of your fathers you will have sons:
  you will make them rulers over all the world.
I will remember your name
  from generation to generation.
And so your people will do you honour
  for ever and for ever.
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.
Behold, the Bridegroom is coming: go out and meet him.

Canticle Ephesians 1
God the Saviour
God planned to bring all things together under Christ when the fulness of time had come.
Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
  who has blessed us, in Christ,
  with every spiritual blessing in heaven.
In love, he chose us before the creation of the world,
  to be holy and spotless in his sight.
He predestined us to be his adopted children through Jesus Christ,
  simply because it pleased him to do so.
This he did for the praise of the glory of his grace,
  of his free gift to us in his Beloved,
in whose blood we have gained redemption,
  and the forgiveness of our sins.
This he did according to the riches of his grace,
  which he gave us in abundance,
with all wisdom and discernment,
  revealing to us the mysteries of his will,
  because it pleased him to do so.
In this action he has planned, in the fulfilment of time,
  to bring all things together in Christ,
  from the heavens and from the earth.
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.
God planned to bring all things together under Christ when the fulness of time had come.

Short reading 1 John 1:5-7 ©
God is light; there is no darkness in him at all. If we say that we are in union with God while we are living in darkness, we are lying because we are not living the truth. But if we live our lives in the light, as he is in the light, we are in union with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

Short Responsory
The Word was made flesh. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Word was made flesh. Alleluia, alleluia.
And dwelt amongst us. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Word was made flesh. Alleluia, alleluia.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
The Word was made flesh. Alleluia, alleluia.

Canticle Magnificat
My soul rejoices in the Lord
Let us rejoice in the Lord and let our spirits be glad, because the eternal salvation has appeared in the world. Alleluia.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
  and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation.
For he has shown me such favour –
  me, his lowly handmaiden.
Now all generations will call me blessed,
  because the mighty one has done great things for me.
His name is holy,
  his mercy lasts for generation after generation
  for those who revere him.
He has put forth his strength:
  he has scattered the proud and conceited,
  torn princes from their thrones;
  but lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things;
  the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel,
  he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers,
  to Abraham and his children for ever.
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.
Let us rejoice in the Lord and let our spirits be glad, because the eternal salvation has appeared in the world. Alleluia.

Prayers and Intercessions
At the coming of Christ, God’s holy people put out shoots and burst into flower. Let us celebrate, then, and express our gratitude to our Saviour:
Let the world rejoice at your birth.
Christ, our life, you are the head and the Church is your body:
  may it grow from a firm foundation of love.
Let the world rejoice at your birth.
We worship you in two natures, human and divine:
  grant that we, being human, may share in your divinity.
Let the world rejoice at your birth.
By your incarnation you became our mediator:
  grant holy lives to ministers of the Church, so that they may share more deeply in your task.
Let the world rejoice at your birth.
By your coming you set the world straight and made it new:
  lead all peoples to share in your salvation.
Let the world rejoice at your birth.
By your birth you shattered the bonds of death:
  free the dead from all that binds them.
Let the world rejoice at your birth.

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.

Almighty God,
  your Son’s manhood, born of the Virgin,
  was a new creation, untainted by our sinful condition.
Renew us, then, in Christ
  and cleanse us from all trace of sin.
[We make our prayer] through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
  who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
  God for ever and ever.
Amen.

May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life.

AMEN


37 posted on 01/03/2011 10:46:09 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
Regnum Christi

The Passing of the Torch
INTERNATIONAL | SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY
Monday After Epiphany (Mon, Jan. 3, 2011)

January 3, 2011
Monday After Epiphany

Matthew 4: 12-17; 23-25
When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled: “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen.” From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” He went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people. His fame spread to all of Syria, and they brought to him all who were sick with various diseases and racked with pain, those who were possessed, lunatics, and paralytics, and he cured them. And great crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan followed him.

Introductory Prayer:  My heavenly Father, you made me out of your infinite love. Even though I have failed to love you as a good child should, still you send me gift upon gift. You sent your Son to redeem me and to make me one with you, in and through your Son. You and your only beloved Son sent your Spirit of love and truth, the Holy Spirit, to dwell in me. Thank you for bringing me into the intimacy of your Triune love. In return, I offer you my own heart and my desire to respond generously to whatever you ask of me.

Petition:  Jesus, help me to open my heart to you.

1. The True Light Is Here  John the Baptist did all that the Father had asked. Through it all he remained humble. The people thought he was the Christ; however, he would not allow the winds of pride to extinguish the light of truth, so he proclaimed that he was not the Christ. The world rewarded John the Baptist with silence and death. On the contrary, what treasure did God bestow upon him for his fidelity? Acclaim – “Welcome my good and faithful servant” – and eternal life. John was merely the voice calling people to repent and convert. Now the Word himself proclaims these words. John was a voice in the wilderness. Now the Word who is light and life itself enters the public scene. May the light of truth open our hearts to the true and everlasting Kingdom. Am I able to distinguish between what is gold in God’s eyes and what glistens so attractively yet is merely “fool’s gold”? Is this capacity consistent with what I preach by my word and example?

2. Jesus Preaches with More Than Words  Our Lord Jesus went about doing only good: healing the sick, comforting the lonely, forgiving sinners, and preaching the Gospel. Our faith tells us this, and we can visualize it as we read the Gospel. But do we really encounter our Lord like those who crossed his path 2,000 years ago? I can answer this question by looking at my life: Do I live more and more like Christ, or not? Do I appreciate and thank Christ for all the good he has done in my life? Do I want with all of my heart to be with Christ forever, on earth and in heaven? Where my heart is, there is my treasure. Like Christ, I am called to preach with more than words.

3. People Respond to the Truth  A disciple of Christ can never be discouraged, because people do respond to the truth, to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We see this throughout the Gospels and throughout the history of the Church. When our efforts to evangelize seem to fall on hard ground, we need to examine how we will react. Christ commanded us to preach his gospel in word and deed. He demanded that we produce fruit. Christ also said we would do greater things than he did. We also know that Christ has defeated sin and death. Knowing all this, how can we be discouraged by the lack of fruit in our efforts to evangelize? We do the work, and Christ takes care of the rest. It’s that simple.

Conversation with Christ:  Lord, you came to save sinners; enter into my life anew on this new day. Remove all fear that I have of you, Lord Jesus. Teach me that you are a God of compassion and that you are meek and humble of heart.

Resolution:  I will develop a simple plan to help my parish in its efforts to evangelize.


38 posted on 01/03/2011 10:49:10 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
One Bread, One Body

One Bread, One Body


<< Monday, January 3, 2011 >> Holy Name of Jesus
Saint of the Day
 
1 John 3:22—4:6
View Readings
Psalm 2:7-8, 10-12 Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25
 

THE YEAR OF REPENTANCE

 
"A people living in darkness has seen a great light." —Matthew 4:16
 

Jesus begins this new year as He begins almost everything else. He proclaims: "Repent! The kingdom of God is at hand!" (Mt 4:17, our transl.)

It's difficult for us to understand Jesus' preoccupation with repentance unless we put ourselves in His place, that is, on the cross. Jesus died on Calvary to take away our sins. He greatly desires that we repent and accept this supreme act of love. Therefore, on the first evening of His resurrection, He commissioned His apostles to forgive sins in His name (Jn 20:23). Before His Ascension, he sent out the apostles and all of us to preach repentance to all the nations (Lk 24:47). At Pentecost, He and the Father even sent God the Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity. The Spirit convicts us of our sins and leads us to repent (Jn 16:8).

Begin the year right. Apply to your sins the blood Jesus shed on Calvary. Repent, celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation, rejoice! There's great joy in heaven over one sinner who repents (Lk 15:7).

 
Prayer: Father, may this be the year of repentance.
Promise: "There is One greater in you than there is in the world." —1 Jn 4:4
Praise: The Holy Name of Jesus means "God saves," which means we need saving. Praise You, Jesus our Savior. Every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess Your most adorable and holy name.

39 posted on 01/03/2011 10:53:56 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
Compline -- Night Prayer

Compline (Night Prayer)


Introduction
O God, come to my aid.
  O Lord, make haste to help me.
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. Alleluia.

This is an excellent moment for an examination of conscience. In a communal celebration of Compline, one of the penitential acts given in the Missal may be recited.


Hymn
Now that the daylight dies away,
By all thy grace and love,
Thee, Maker of the world, we pray
To watch our bed above.
Let dreams depart and phantoms fly,
The offspring of the night,
Keep us, like shrines, beneath thine eye,
Pure in our foe’s despite.
This grace on thy redeemed confer,
Father, co-equal Son,
And Holy Ghost, the Comforter,
Eternal Three in One.

Psalm 85 (86)
A poor man's prayer in time of trouble
You, Lord God, are slow to anger, abounding in love.
Turn your ear to me, Lord, and hear me,
  for I am poor and destitute.
Keep my life safe, for I am faithful;
  O God, save your servant, who trusts in you.
Take pity upon me, O Lord,
  for I call to you all the day long.
Make your servant’s heart glad,
  for to you, O Lord, I have raised it.
For you, Lord, are gentle and mild:
  you are kind to all those who call on you.
Let your ears hear my prayer, O Lord!
  Turn to the voice of my pleading!
In my time of trouble I call on you,
  for you, O Lord, will hear me.
No other god is like you, O Lord,
  and nothing compares with your works.
All people – all nations you made –
  will come and worship before you;
  they will give glory to your name.
For you are great, you work wonders:
  you alone are God.
O Lord, teach me your paths,
  and I will come to your truth.
Make my heart simple and guileless,
  so that it honours your name.
I will proclaim you, Lord my God,
  and give you praise with all my heart.
I will give glory to your name for ever,
  for your great kindness is upon me:
  you have rescued me from the deepest depths.
O God, the proud rise against me,
  in the meetings of the powerful they seek my life:
  they do not keep you in their sight.
And you, Lord, are a God of compassion,
  full of mercies, patient and true.
Look upon me, have mercy upon me,
  give your strength and protection to your servant:
  your servant, the child of your handmaid.
Give me a sign of your goodness,
  let my enemies see it and be confounded;
because you, O Lord, have helped me and given me comfort.
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.
You, Lord God, are slow to anger, abounding in love.

Reading 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 ©
God chose us to win salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that, alive or dead, we should still live united to him.

Short Responsory
Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
You have redeemed us, Lord, God of faithfulness.
Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

Canticle Nunc Dimittis
Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace.
Now, Master, you let your servant go in peace.
  You have fulfilled your promise.
My own eyes have seen your salvation,
  which you have prepared in the sight of all peoples.
A light to bring the Gentiles from darkness;
  the glory of your people Israel.
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.
Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace.

Let us pray.
Give our bodies rest, Lord, to restore them; and let the seeds sown by our labours today grow and yield an eternal harvest.
Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

May the almighty Lord grant us a quiet night and a perfect end.

AMEN


Alma Redemptoris Mater
Kind mother of our Redeemer,
  the way to heaven for us, now and always,
  come to our help as we fall and strive to rise.
All nature stood still in wonder
  when you gave flesh
  to your own flesh’s Creator.
Virgin at Gabriel’s greeting,
  Virgin now and always –
  take pity on us sinners.
Alma Redemptoris Mater, quae pervia caeli
porta manes, et stella maris, succurre cadenti,
surgere qui curat, populo: tu quae genuisti,
natura mirante, tuum sanctum Genitorem,
Virgo prius ac posterius, Gabrielis ab ore,
sumens illud Ave, peccatorum miserere.

40 posted on 01/03/2011 10:55:59 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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