Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year C

Commentary of the day
Saint Augustine (354-430), Bishop of Hippo (North Africa) and Doctor of the Church
Sermon 43, 5-6 ; CCL 41, 510-511 (Â©Friends of Henry Ashworth)

"Do not be afraid; from now on it is men you will catch"

How great was Christ's courtesy! This Peter who spoke these words was once a fisherman and in our day a public speaker deserves high praise if he is able to converse with a fisherman! Addressing the first Christians the apostle Paul says: "Brothers and sisters, remember what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise according to human standards; not many of you were influential or of noble birth. But God chose what the world regards as weak in order to disconcert the strong; God chose what the world regards as foolish in order to abash the wise; God chose what the world regards as common and contemptible, of no account whatever, in order to overthrow the existing order" (1Cor 1:26-28).

If Christ had first chosen a man skilled in public speaking, such a man might well have said: "I have been chosen on account of my eloquence." If he had chosen a senator, the senator might have said: "I have been chosen because of my rank" If his first choice had been an emperor, the emperor surely might have said: "I have been chosen for the sake of the power I have at my disposal." Let these worthies keep quiet and defer to others; let them hold their peace for a while. I am not saying they should be passed over or despised; I am simply asking all those who can find any grounds for pride in what they are to give way to others just a little.

Christ says: Give me this fisherman, this man without education or experience, this man to whom no senator would deign to speak, not even if he were buying fish. Yes, give me him; once I have taken possession of him, it will be obvious that it is I who am at work in him. Although I mean to include senators, orators, and emperors among my recruits . . . I shall still be surer of the fisherman. The senator can always take pride in what he is; so can the orator and the emperor, but the fisherman can glory in nothing except Christ alone. Any of these other men may come and take lessons from me in the importance of humility for salvation, but let the fisherman come first.

Arlington Catholic Herald

GOSPEL COMMENTARY LK 5:1-11

The birth of a vocation

FR. STANLEY J. KREMPA

Out of the pain of childbirth comes new life, so from the difficulties of our life comes our vocation.

In our first reading, King Uzziah of Israel had died. During his half-century reign, he had brought Israel prosperity and strength. Then, toward the end of his life, he tried to usurp the role of the temple priesthood. It led to a bad end. Isaiah witnessed all this. In the year King Uzziah died, Isaiah received a mission while in the temple to speak God's word of truth to people in the corridors of power. From the confusion and pains of Uzziah's last years, Isaiah's mission was born -- to speak truth to power.

St. Paul was an educated Pharisee blending the cultures of Rome, Greece and Judaism. He had been sent to arrest Jewish people who had become Christians. While on the way for this persecution, he had his Damascus experience -- a wrenching, blinding call to a new direction for his life no longer as a persecutor but as an apostle of Jesus Christ. Out of this sudden and dramatic reorientation of his life came a new mission to bring the Gospel not to the Jews but to Galatians, Thessalonians, Romans, Ephesians, Corinthians and Philippians. From this rupture in his life, St. Paul's mission was born -- to bring the Gospel to a cosmopolitan audience.

Peter had been a natural leader. He and others had been fishing all night but caught nothing. The Lord told him, "Put out into deep waters." Then, there was a great catch of fish. The Lord's words have been a profound source for reflection for the church in every age. Jesus' directive here is not geographical. It is a call to be bold in our discipleship. No one follows a shallow or hesitant leader. No one wants to be part of a shallow or hesitant community. These words were directed specifically to Peter and to his successors and to all of us. To Peter and to those who would succeed him, the Lord says, "Be bold in your discipleship." And so from Peter's hesitation was born the call to be courageous -- to launch out into the deep waters.

What was true of Isaiah, Paul and Peter can be true of ourselves.

From pain, frustration, disappointment and hesitation can come the birth of a vocation. The call or vocation from God is not like the old "blue plate special" in diners of years ago, the same meal for everybody with no variations. Out of the particular circumstances of our life rises our personal call.

The Lord calls us in the circumstances where we are. Most of us are not called to speak Christ's truth to the people of distant and exotic lands. Ours can be the more difficult task of speaking the Gospel to our family. Some of us may be called to bring the Gospel to the world of politics. Maybe we are called to speak of Christ to our friends. Maybe we are called to bring the light of Christ to social media -- what retired Pope Benedict called the "digital continent" that is wide open for our missionary work.

The Lord also calls us from within our experience. A person who has been an addict, who lost a child, who experienced betrayal, who has battled cancer, who has been the victim of gossip is especially equipped to walk the path of recovery and healing with another.

Finally, the Lord calls us with the faith we have. Isaiah, St. Paul and St. Peter all acknowledged their sinfulness. Yet God used them in a powerful way. The Lord calls us with the faith we have and gives us the grace we need.

When we feel discouraged, inadequate, hesitant, disappointed or a failure, we should not be afraid. We are experiencing the birth of a vocation.

Fr. Krempa is pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Winchester.

http://www.theworkofgod.org/Devotns/Euchrist/HolyMass/gospels.asp?key=47
Year C - 5th Sunday in ordinary time

Leaving all things, they followed him.
Luke 5:1-11
1 Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God,
2 he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets.
3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.
4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.”
5 Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.”
6 When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break.
7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink.
8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!”
9 For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken;
10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.”
11 When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him. (NRSV)

Inspiration of the Holy Spirit - From the Sacred Heart of Jesus
I preached my word from Peterâ€™s boat at the beginning of my ministry, this was a symbolic approval of the future Church I was going to entrust to him.

After my words I asked Peter to cast out the net into the water for a catch. He was reluctant to do it because he had spent the previous night fishing with his companions and their work was unsuccessful. Once he did what I asked, he had the biggest catch of his life, in fact everyone was amazed at such an event.

My future apostles had an encounter with my power. Peter fell on his knees touched by my words and by the power that followed them, he realized how important my message was and he received the Holy Spirit making him understand that we had a mission to accomplish together. I said to Peter from now on you will catch men instead of fish; then he and his companions followed me.

At the sound of my words let there be light, the light was made. My word is the command that all things obey because everything proceeds from every word that I have uttered.

I am the Master of Creation and I came to establish my Church on earth to make my salvation available to everyone. I am in the Church, my mystical body, whose heart beats with my own heart, whose blood runs from the breaking of the bread, whose soul is the Holy Spirit given to everyone who follows me.

Those who listen to my word become my disciples and follow me. Those who love others become like me and I make them my apostles. They are empowered to do my work because I am with them and they are with me. We go together through life to the promised eternity full of joy.
Author: Joseph of Jesus and Mary

This is a Catholic Caucus thread. Are you a Catholic?

I was born Catholic but am not a very good one.

I mentioned St. Michael because my son,a police officer,has been wearing his Saint Michael medal every day for 22 years.

.

Archdiocese of Washington

But at Your Command I Will Lower the Nets -- A Homily for the 5th Sunday of the Year

Msgr. Charles Pope -- February 6, 2016 --

Today's gospel describes the call of Simon Peter. It is a call that takes place in several stages. And while it is presented in a compact time frame, for most of us it takes place over a longer period, as the Lord works to deepen our faith and heighten our call. The upshot of today's gospel is that Peter's faith is strengthened by his obedience to the Lord's command.

Let's see how the Lord grows Peter's faith.

I. The Help that isn't Hard -- The text says, While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.

It may astonish us, but God seeks our help. What did Peter have? He had a boat at the ready and, as we shall see, a tender heart. What do you have? All of us have talents, gifts, access, availability, special aspects to our personality, and so forth that God can and wants to use. And the way the Lord has set things up, He "needs" our help. God, who made us without our help, will not save us without our help. Call this what you will: cooperative grace, collaborative grace, or my personal favorite, responsible grace; but God seeks to engage us in our own salvation and in the salvation of others. God wants our help.

The main point here in terms of Peter's progression in the faith is that this initial request (to put out from shore) is just a small thing; it's not hard for Peter to do. It is a small way for him to learn the obedience of faith.

This is where the Lord begins, with both Peter and us. He trains us in greater obedience by means of smaller things. Don't overlook the small, daily acts obedience to the Lord. Through them the Lord trains and equips us for great things. If the Lord can trust us in small matters, He can and will trust us with greater things.

But soon enough, as we shall see, the Lord deepens Peter's faith and heightens the call.

II. The Hesitation that must be Healed -- The text says, After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch." Simon said in reply, "Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets"

Peter is willing to do something routine for the Lord. After all, how much does it take to let the Lord use your boat for a little while? But now the Lord invites Peter to go a little deeper, to "put out into deep water." For a moment Peter hesitates. He is tired and, frankly, discouraged. So much work and so little to show for it. There was probably some doubt in Peter's heart and a hint of sarcasm in his voice, because later he repents and calls himself a sinful man. Yes, here is a hesitation that must be healed if Peter is ever to see his blessings and reach his destiny.

And so, too, for some of us. Perhaps we've heard the Lord calling us to some task, but hesitated because we were tired or discouraged. It's one thing to come to Church and say a few prayers. But please, Lord, don't ask anything more of me.

Perhaps we are fearful. Deep waters bring greater threats. As the water gets deeper the stakes get higher. But somehow we have to step out in faith, get out of our comfort zone, and head for deeper waters. Like Peter, we can hesitate and think of all sorts of reasons why what the Lord asks of us is not a good idea.

How is Peter healed of his hesitation? In a very interesting and countercultural way, Peter is healed by the obedience of faith; that is the central point of today's gospel.

Yes, Peter's healing is caught up in his acknowledgement that the Lord commands it. Peter says, But, at your command I will lower the nets. It is intriguing that Peter finds strength and consolation in the Lord's command. Paradoxically, there is something freeing about being under authority.

We live in a culture that tends to regard authority with cynicism and even rewards some degree of rebellion. Further, our flesh tends to bristle at being under authority. But again, there is something freeing about being under authority.

As a Christian, I derive a lot of serenity and courage when it becomes clear to me that the Lord commands something of me. While the world may balk at the demands of the moral life and find much of it too difficult or demanding, I find that it is often enough for me to know that the Lord both teaches and commands it. This gives me both serenity and confidence. Even if some aspect of my flesh may hesitate, knowing that my Lord and His lawful representatives (my Bishop and the Magisterium) command something, frees me and gives me the courage to understand that I am doing God's will. Any natural hesitancy I might have is often quickly dispatched when I realize that I am being commanded by the Lord.

On a given Sunday morning, a person might hesitate to go to Mass, preferring to sleep in, or perhaps finding it difficult somehow. But knowing that it is commanded in the Third Commandment helps him to overcome his hesitancy. The same is true for the rest of the moral Law and also certain vocational matters and actions required of the Christian, not under a general command but under a specific call from the Lord.

In this way of obedience the Lord draws Peter to deeper waters. Peter's hesitation must be healed if he is to see his faith deepen and his call heighten.

III. The Harvest that is Hauled -- The text says, When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that the boats were in danger of sinking.

In this matter the Lord grants Peter a great grace: enjoying the fruits of obedience in a very immediate way. In other cases the harvest is not so immediate but this much is always true: it is promised and it will come, whether today or years from now!

The Lord says elsewhere, using a more terrestrial image: the harvest is plentiful (Mat 9:37). What the Lord is doing here is giving Peter (and us) an audio-visual aid. Obviously the harvest that the Lord heralded was not about fish; it was about human beings. Indeed, the harvest is plentiful! Consider all the people whom the Lord has touched after these humble beginnings in a backwater of Israel. Not only are there the 1.2 billion Catholics in the world today, but there are countless others who lived before us, and many (only God knows how many) who will come after us. Yes, it is a bountiful harvest.

Some days and times are better for fishing or harvesting than others. St. Paul speaks of the gospel as being "in season and out of season" (2 Tim 4:2). But even in those times that the Lord designates for pruning, or for the field to lie fallow, He is only preparing for future growth. For He says, "the harvest is plentiful" and His Word prevails.

In the West it seems that the seasons have turned against us. But we must remember that even in winter the farmer must stay busy preparing the soil, removing the rocks, and laying down fertilizer.

Yes, the Lord is heralding a harvest and we must work, no matter the season. Even if we do not see the full harvest, the Lord will, and so will others. Jesus says elsewhere, Thus the saying "One sows and another reaps" is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor (John 4:37).

The bottom line is, just do your work. Obey what the Lord commands and know that a harvest is heralded and will be hauled in. The nets will be strained and the boats heavily weighed down. The harvest will come and it will come with abundance. Just keep working and obeying what He commands.

IV. The Humility that Heightens -- The text says, When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, "Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man." For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men." When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.

In falling to his knees, Peter is about to raised higher by the Lord. Peter realizes that his hesitation and doubt has been sinful, and that had he persisted and not obeyed the Lord, he would have blocked his blessings.

Notice that Peter is not described as having a cringing and devastated humility, but rather a healthy humility.

Healthy humility raises us; it does not cast us down. Bowing in healthy humility heightens our status; it does not crush us. The Lord, having led Peter to a healthy obedience and humility, in effect tells him, "Come up higher. Your concern now will not be fish, but rather the care of human souls who are precious to me. You will be my co-worker in a far more important enterprise." Yes, healthy humility raises us.

And thus Peter's humility is a productive one. It is the godly sorrow of which St. Paul writes,

Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it--I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while--yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done (2 Cor 7:8-11).

Peter's humility is productive because it is godly. It is a humility and sorrow that equips him for greater duties, duties no longer related fish but to human souls.

How different this is from mere shame (which Paul calls worldly sorrow)! Shame usually locks us into unhealthy, paralyzing self-loathing. Godly sorrow increases our zeal to do God's will and thereby equips, empowers, and enables us when God calls.

And the Lord does call. Peter, through obedience and humility, is now ready to leave everything and follow Jesus. The Lord has led him to this point in stages. It began with a request for help that wasn't hard, a small obedience. But then the Lord called him deeper, to a more difficult obedience. Peter needed to have his hesitation healed. Experiencing this healing, he hauled in a harvest that illustrated what his lack of faith and obedience might have cost him. It humbled him but also heightened him. Having his faith deepened in Jesus, Peter is now ready to follow the Lord. It is always better to walk in humility and obedience than in pride!

In all of this, don't miss the key, the golden chord: At your command, I will lower the nets. Faith is rooted in obedience and humility. That is the key to our growth as disciples.

St. Peter is still a rookie, but his first season holds great promise. We will see that he will not go without his injuries, but in the end he, too, will be the rock (in Christ) who is ready to roll.

Video

Sunday Gospel Reflections

5th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading I: Is 6:1-8 II: 1Cor 15:1-11

Gospel
Luke 5:1-11

¹ While the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennes'aret.
² And he saw two boats by the lake; but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets.
³ Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
⁴ And when he had ceased speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch."
⁵ And Simon answered, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets."
⁶ And when they had done this, they enclosed a great shoal of fish; and as their nets were breaking,
⁷ they beckoned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.
⁸ But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord."
⁹ For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the catch of fish which they had taken;
¹⁰ and so also were James and John, sons of Zeb'edee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; henceforth you will be catching men."
¹¹ And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.

Interesting Details

The "word of God", the introduction of this term at the beginning of the episode signals that the calling of the fishermen and their response is an occasion of the effective proclamation of the Good News.
Of the two boats, Jesus selected Simon's, here the spotlight is on Simon Peter who would later lead the early Church, but his companions are always in the shadows, ready to help.
Simon's boat is seen as a symbol of the pilgrim Church on earth. Jesus gets into the boat in order to teach the crowds and from the bark of Peter, the Church, He continues to teach the whole world.
Simon's reply to Jesus, stating the difficulties of not catching anything, is a reasonable enough answer. For fishing was best at night, and if nothing had been caught by then, daytime fishing was useless.
The vastness of the catch is a symbol of the nations to whom the gospel will be preached.
Shifting from "Master" to "Lord", Peter realized that Jesus is more than a rabbi.
"Henceforth" or "from now on" is a Lucan phrase denoting the beginning of a new period of salvation.

One Main Point

God's invitation to each of us to participate with him in bringing his message of salvation to all mankind. The only baggage needed in following his calling is to put our trust in him.

Reflections

How would we respond when Jesus chose to come on board our boat and instructed us to cast out our nets for a catch?
Would we be ready to give up everything like Peter, James and John to do what God's calling involved?
What did Jesus perceive when he said to Simon "do not be afraid," why did he say that? What could we be afraid of?

Come more often.

'The spirit of the world is restless and eager to do all things; leave that spirit alone.'

St. Vincent de Paul

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).

Blessed Pius IX

Blessed Pius IX
February 7

Life of Pope Pius IX â€“ Ch 5: On the Annexation of the Papal States ...
from the Vatican website

Blessed Pope Pius IX was born in Senigallia, Italy, on 13 May 1792, the son of Gerolamo of the Counts Mastai Ferretti, and Caterina Solazzi, of the local nobility. He was baptized on the day of his birth with the name Giovanni Maria. Of delicate physical constitution but of very lively intelligence, his childhood was marked by little voluntary mortifications and an intense religious life.
In 1809 he moved to Rome for higher studies. A disease not well diagnosed, which some called epilepsy, forced him to interrupt his studies in 1812. He was accepted into the Pontifical Noble Guard in 1815, but because of his illness he was immediately discharged. It was at this time that St Vincent Pallotti predicted that he would become Pope and that the Virgin of Loreto would free him eventually from the disease.
After serving briefly in the Tata Giovanni Educational Institute, he participated as a catechist in 1816 in a memorable mission in Senigallia and, immediately thereafter, decided to enter the ecclesiastical state. He was ordained a priest in 1819. Conscious of his noble rank, he committed himself to avoiding a prelatial career in order to remain only at the service of the Church.
He celebrated his first Mass in the Church of St Anne of the Carpenters at the Tata Giovanni Institute, of which he was named rector, remaining there until 1823. He was immediately recognized as assiduous in prayer, in the ministry of the Word, in the celebration of the liturgy, in the confessional and above all in his daily ministry at the service of the humblest and neediest. He admirably united the active and the contemplative life: ready for pastoral needs, but always interiorly recollected, with strong Eucharistic and Marian devotion and fidelity to daily meditation and the examination of conscience.
In 1823 he left the institute to serve the Apostolic Nuncio in Chile, Mons. Giovanni Muzi. There he remained until 1825, when he was elected President of St Michael's Hospice, a grand but complex institution in need of effective reform. To it Mastai applied himself with more than gratifying results, but without ever neglecting his priestly duties. Two years later, at the age of 35, he was consecrated Archbishop of Spoleto. In 1831 the revolution which had begun in Parma and Modena spread to Spoleto. The Archbishop did not want the shedding of blood and repaired, as much as possible, the deleterious effects of the violence. When calm was restored, he obtained a pardon for all, even for those who did not merit it.
Another turbulent see awaited Mastai in Imola, where he was transferred in 1832. He remained an eloquent preacher, prompt in charity toward everyone, zealous for the supernatural as well as the material well-being of his Diocese, devoted to his clergy and seminarians, a promoter of education for the young, sensitive to the needs of the contemplative life, devoted to the Sacred Heart and to Our Lady, benevolent towards all but firm in his principles. In 1840 he received the Cardinal's hat at the age of 48.
Despite having shunned honours, on the evening of 16 June 1846 Mastai found himself burdened with the greatest of them: he was elected Pope and took the name Pius IX.
He had a difficult pontificate, but precisely because of that he was a great Pope, certainly one of the greatest. Thoroughly aware of being the "Vicar of Christ" and responsible for the rights of God and of the Church, he was clear, simple consistent. He combined firmness and understanding, fidelity and openness.
He began with an act of generosity and Christian sensitivity: amnesty for political crimes. His first Encyclical was a programmatic vision, but anticipated the "Syllabus": in it he condemned secret societies, freemasonry and communism. In 1847 he promulgated a decree granting extensive freedom of the press and instituted a civil guard, the municipal and communal council, the Council of State and the Council of Ministers. From then on his interventions as Father of all nations and temporal Prince continued unabated.
The question of Italian independence, which he sympathized with, did not set the Prince against the Pope, a fact that alienated the most intransigent liberals. The situation came to a head on 15 November when Pellegrino Rossi, the head of government, was killed and Pius IX had to take refuge in Gaeta.
After the proclamation of the Roman Republic (9 February 1849), he moved to Portici and later returned to Rome (12 April 1850). He reorganized the Council of State, established the Council for Finances, granted a new amnesty, re-established the Catholic hierarchy in England and in Holland.
In 1853 he condemned Gallican doctrines and founded the well-known "Seminario Pio". He established the Commission on Christian Archaeology, defined the dogma of the Immaculate Conception on 8 December 1854 and blessed the rebuilt St Paul's Basilica which had been destroyed by fire in 1823.
In 1856 he approved the plan for railways in the Papal States and on 24 April 1859 inaugurated the first section between Rome and Civitavecchia. In 1857 he visited the Papal States and was welcomed everywhere with rejoicing. He sent missionaries to the North Pole, India, Burma, China and Japan.
Meanwhile dark clouds gathered over him with the Italian "Risorgimento", the Piedmontese annexations that were dismantling the Papal States and the expropriation of the Legations. Suffering but undaunted, he continued to show his charity and concern for all. In 1862 he established a dicastery to deal with the concerns of Eastern-rite Catholics; in 1864 he published his Syllabus condemning modern errors; in 1867 he celebrated the 18th centenary of the martyrdom of Peter and Paul; in 1869 he received the homage of the entire world for the golden jubilee of his priestly ordination. Later that year he opened the First Vatican Ecumenical Council, the pearl of his pontificate, and closed it on 18 July 1870.
With the fall of Rome (20 September 1870) and of the temporal power, the saddened Pontiff considered himself a prisoner of the Vatican, resisting the "Laws of Guarantees", but approving the "Work of Congresses". He consecrated the Church to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, disciplined the participation of Catholics in political life with the Non expedit and restored the Catholic hierarchy of Scotland. Suffering from poor health, he gave his last address to the parish priests of Rome on 2 February 1878. On 7 February the longest pontificate in history ended with his holy death.
vatican.va
***
BEATIFICATION OF PIUS IX, JOHN XXIII, TOMMASO REGGIO, WILLIAM CHAMINADE AND COLUMBA MARMION
HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS JOHN PAUL II
Sunday, 3 September 2000
1. In the context of the Jubilee Year, it is with deep joy that I have declared blessed two Popes, Pius IX and John XXIII, and three other servants of the Gospel in the ministry and the consecrated life: Archbishop Tommaso Reggio of Genoa, the diocesan priest William Joseph Chaminade and the Benedictine monk Columba Marmion.
Five different personalities, each with his own features and his own mission, all linked by a longing for holiness. It is precisely their holiness that we recognize today: holiness that is a profound and transforming relationship with God, built up and lived in the daily effort to fulfil his will. Holiness lives in history and no saint has escaped the limits and conditioning which are part of our human nature. In beatifying one of her sons, the Church does not celebrate the specific historical decisions he may have made, but rather points to him as someone to be imitated and venerated because of his virtues, in praise of the divine grace which shines resplendently in him.
I extend my respectful greetings to the official delegations of Italy, France, Ireland, Belgium, Turkey and Bulgaria which have come here for this solemn occasion. I also greet the relatives of the new blesseds, together with the Cardinals, Bishops, civil and religious dignitaries who have wished to take part in our celebration. Lastly, I greet you all, dear brothers and sisters who have come in large numbers to pay homage to the servants of God whom the Church today is enrolling among the blessed.
2. Listening to the words of the Gospel acclamation: "Lord, lead me on a straight road", our thoughts naturally turn to the human and religious life of Pope Pius IX, Giovanni Maria Mastai Ferretti. Amid the turbulent events of his time, he was an example of unconditional fidelity to the immutable deposit of revealed truths. Faithful to the duties of his ministry in every circumstance, he always knew how to give absolute primacy to God and to spiritual values. His lengthy pontificate was not at all easy and he had much to suffer in fulfilling his mission of service to the Gospel. He was much loved, but also hated and slandered.
However, it was precisely in these conflicts that the light of his virtues shone most brightly: these prolonged sufferings tempered his trust in divine Providence, whose sovereign lordship over human events he never doubted. This was the source of Pius IX's deep serenity, even amid the misunderstandings and attacks of so many hostile people. He liked to say to those close to him: "In human affairs we must be content to do the best we can and then abandon ourselves to Providence, which will heal our human faults and shortcomings".
Sustained by this deep conviction, he called the First Vatican Ecumenical Council, which clarified with magisterial authority certain questions disputed at the time, and confirmed the harmony of faith and reason. During his moments of trial Pius IX found support in Mary, to whom he was very devoted. In proclaiming the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, he reminded everyone that in the storms of human life the light of Christ shines brightly in the Blessed Virgin and is more powerful than sin and death.
3. "You are good and forgiving" (Entrance Antiphon). Today we contemplate in the glory of the Lord another Pontiff, John XXIII, the Pope who impressed the world with the friendliness of his manner which radiated the remarkable goodness of his soul. By divine design their beatification links these two Popes who lived in very different historical contexts but, beyond appearances, share many human and spiritual similarities. Pope John's deep veneration for Pius IX, to whose beatification he looked forward, is well known. During a spiritual retreat in 1959, he wrote in his diary: "I always think of Pius IX of holy and glorious memory, and by imitating him in his sacrifices, I would like to be worthy to celebrate his canonization" (Journal of a Soul, Ed. San Paolo, 2000, p. 560).
Everyone remembers the image of Pope John's smiling face and two outstretched arms embracing the whole world. How many people were won over by his simplicity of heart, combined with a broad experience of people and things! The breath of newness he brought certainly did not concern doctrine, but rather the way to explain it; his style of speaking and acting was new, as was his friendly approach to ordinary people and to the powerful of the world. It was in this spirit that he called the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, thereby turning a new page in the Church's history: Christians heard themselves called to proclaim the Gospel with renewed courage and greater attentiveness to the "signs" of the times. The Council was a truly prophetic insight of this elderly Pontiff who, even amid many difficulties, opened a season of hope for Christians and for humanity.
In the last moments of his earthly life, he entrusted his testament to the Church: "What counts the most in life is blessed Jesus Christ, his holy Church, his Gospel, truth and goodness". We too wish to receive this testament, as we glorify God for having given him to us as a Pastor.
4. "Be doers of the word, and not hearers only" (Jas 1: 22). These words of the Apostle James make us think of the life and apostolate of Tommaso Reggio, a priest and journalist who later became Bishop of Ventimiglia and finally Archbishop of Genoa. He was a man of faith and culture, and as a Pastor he knew how to be an attentive guide to the faithful in every circumstance. Sensitive to the many sufferings and the poverty of his people, he took responsibility for providing prompt help in all situations of need. Precisely with this in mind, he founded the religious family of the Sisters of St Martha, entrusting to them the task of assisting the Pastors of the Church especially in the areas of charity and education.
His message can be summed up in two words: truth and charity. Truth, first of all, which means attentive listening to God's word and courageous zeal in defending and spreading the teachings of the Gospel. Then charity, which spurs people to love God and, for love of him, to embrace everyone since they are brothers and sisters in Christ. If there was a preference in Tommaso Reggio's choices, it was for those who found themselves in hardship and suffering. This is why he is presented today as a model for Bishops, priest and lay people, as well as for those who belong to his spiritual family.
5. The beatification during the Jubilee Year of William Joseph Chaminade, founder of the Marianists, reminds the faithful that it is their task to find ever new ways of bearing witness to the faith, especially in order to reach those who are far from the Church and who do not have the usual means of knowing Christ. William Joseph Chaminade invites each Christian to be rooted in his Baptism, which conforms him to the Lord Jesus and communicates the Holy Spirit to him.
Fr Chaminade's love for Christ, in keeping with the French school of spirituality, spurred him to pursue his tireless work by founding spiritual families in a troubled period of France's religious history. His filial attachment to Mary maintained his inner peace on all occasions, helping him to do Christ's will. His concern for human, moral and religious education calls the entire Church to renew her attention to young people, who need both teachers and witnesses in order to turn to the Lord and take their part in the Church's mission.
6. Today the Benedictine Order rejoices at the beatification of one of its most distinguished sons, Dom Columba Marmion, a monk and Abbot of Maredsous. Dom Marmion left us an authentic treasure of spiritual teaching for the Church of our time. In his writings he teaches a simple yet demanding way of holiness for all the faithful, whom God has destined in love to be his adopted children through Jesus Christ (cf. Eph 1: 5). Jesus Christ, our Redeemer and the source of all grace, is the centre of our spiritual life, our model of holiness.
Before entering the Benedictine Order, Columba Marmion spent some years in the pastoral care of souls as a priest of his native Archdiocese of Dublin. Throughout his life Bl. Columba was an outstanding spiritual director, having particular care for the interior life of priests and religious. To a young man preparing for ordination he once wrote: "The best of all preparations for the priesthood is to live each day with love, wherever obedience and Providence place us" (Letter, 27 December 1915). May a widespread rediscovery of the spiritual writings of Bl. Columba Marmion help priests, religious and laity to grow in union with Christ and bear faithful witness to him through ardent love of God and generous service of their brothers and sisters.
7. Let us confidently ask the new blesseds, Pius IX, John XXIII, Tommaso Reggio, William Joseph Chaminade and Columba Marmion, to help us live in ever greater conformity to the Spirit of Christ. May their love of God and neighbour illumine our steps at this dawn of the third millennium!
vatican.va
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Ineffabilis Deus: The Immaculate Conception, December 8, 1854

Pio Nono; Catholics and Cremation/ Life and Turbulent Times of [Blessed] Pius IX

LAND OF MARY IMMACULATE [Ecumenical]
Pope Pius IX and the Confederacy
In U.S. Masses, pope to carry pastoral staff of Blessed Pope Pius IX
Historian reveals how Pius IX decided to proclaim dogma of Immaculate Conception (Catholic Caucus)
One Hundred and Sixty-one Years Ago... (The Election of Blessed Pope Pius IX) (Catholic Caucus)/FONT>
Happy Birthday Pope Pius IX!!!
Quemadmodum Deus - Decree Under Blessed Pius IX, Making St. Joseph Patron of the Church
Ineffabilis Deus: 8 December 1854 (Dogma of the Immaculate Conception)
Eastern Christianity and the Immaculate Conception (Q&A From EWTN)
Prayer to Release the Souls of Purgatory

Holy Spirit Interactive Kids: A Saint a Day

Blessed Giles Mary

Feast Day: February 07
Born:1729 :: Died:1812

Francis Pontillo was born near Taranto, Italy, to a pious family and raised in the village there. As a child he learned rope-making and was good at his trade.

When he was twenty-five, Francis became aware of a call from the Lord to give his life to God. He wanted very much to become a priest but because he did not have enough education to become one, he entered the Friars of St. Peter Alcantara in Naples as a lay brother.

His complete name as a religious was Brother Giles Mary-of-St.-Joseph. The two virtues that guided his whole religious life were simplicity and humility.

Brother Giles Mary approached each day with an attitude of wanting to serve God. He was grateful for his calling and it showed. Brother Giles walked up and down the halls of the monastery's seminary, as he was the porter and gate-keeper. He opened the door promptly and with a smile every time a visitor pulled the rope that rang the bell.

He took gentle care of the poor, the homeless, the ill who came to that door. He had a special ministry to the sick. He worked with lepers, traveling outside the city to help those who had to live alone because of their disease.

He was given the duty of distributing the food and money that his community could spare. Brother Giles Mary loved to do that. No matter how much he gave to needy people, so much remained for others.

He knew it was St. Joseph who did this. After all, St. Joseph had once taken such good care of Jesus and Mary. Brother Giles Mary spread devotion to St. Joseph throughout his whole religious life.

After a life of faithfulness to God and his chosen vocation, Brother Giles Mary-of-St.-Joseph died peacefully while he was praying on February 7, 1812.

Sunday

February 7, 2016

Catholic & Proud of It

On Superbowl Sunday, it is good to take a moment to consider sports heroes who are proud of their Catholic faith.

Knute Rockne (1888-1931) is regarded as one of the greatest coaches in college football history, who helped shape the game as we know it. He was impressed with his playersâ€™ devotion and converted to Catholicism.

Babe Ruth: George Herman Ruth, Jr. (1895-1948), was a Knight of Columbus and one of the greatest baseball players and sports heroes in U.S. history. â€œI like being Catholic,â€ he said. â€œIt sets a standard by which I can measure myself.â€

James Braddock (1905-1974) was heavyweight champion from 1935-1937. He wanted to play football for Knute Rockne in Notre Dame, but didnâ€™t get accepted. He served the poor in Dorothy Day and Peter Maurinâ€™s Catholic Worker Movement.

Vince Lombardi (1913-1970), Knight of Columbus, coached the Green Bay Packers to five league championships in seven years and two Super Bowl wins. He prayed that each communion might serve as his viaticum if he died unexpectedly.

Lou Holtz (1937- ) the legendary Notre Dame football coach is the only football coach to lead six different programs to bowl games and four to the final top 20. After 50 plus years of marriage, he says prayer â€œkept our family together.â€

Roger Staubach (1942- ), an active Catholic, is one of the 50 best NFL players of all time. In the 1975 playoffs, he threw a 50-yard bomb and said he prayed a Hail Mary it would be caught. To this day, such passes are â€œHail Marysâ€.

The Gregorian Institute of Benedictine College in Kansas has more information.

Year of Mercy Calendar for Today: Superbowl Sunday - Invite someone to your Superbowl party or host one as a church.

CATHOLIC ALMANAC

Sunday, February 7

Liturgical Color: Green

Today is the Memorial of St.
Colette of Corbie, virgin. She
became an orphan at 13 and
joined the Poor Clares,
eventually founding 17 new
cloisters. Known as a gifted
mystic, St. Colette foretold her
own death in 1447. (Franciscan
Calendar)

Catholic Culture

Ordinary Time: February 7th

Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time

MASS READINGS

February 07, 2016 (Readings on USCCB website)

COLLECT PRAYER

Keep your family safe, O Lord, with unfailing care, that, relying solely on the hope of heavenly grace, they may be defended always by your protection. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

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Year-Round Favorite Sunday Dinner (Sample Menu)

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Activities (1)

Home Concerts

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Prayers (3)

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Library (2)

Old Calendar: Quinquagesima Sunday

After Jesus had finished speaking, he said to Simon Peter, "Put out into the deep water and lower your nets for a catch!" The Holy Father proposed Jesus' imperative "Put out into the deep water" as the motto of the Church. He did this because so often we in the Church today can feel that we're in Peter's shoes. In many areas of life, but particularly in our discipleship, we can work so hard and seem to have so little to show for it. We're called, like Peter, Andrew, James and John to leave behind whatever might keep us from the Lord and follow him, being sent out into the deep water of the world to fish for souls. We're called, like St. Paul, to "work harder than any" of the rest, because of the Lord's great mercy, love and trust in calling us and sending us. â€” Fr. Roger Landry

Click here for commentary on the readings in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.

Sunday Readings
The first reading is taken from the book of Isaiah (Is 6:1-2a, 3-8). This reading describes Isaiah's call to prophetic office. According to Jewish tradition, Isaiah was of royal stock. It is certain that he belongs to the tribe of Judah and that his home was in Jerusalem. From the time of his calling, Isaiah's whole life was devoted to the "Lord Yahweh". The Lord had called him and henceforth Isaiah was His servant. Jeremiah's call to office was in the form of a dialog between Yahweh and Jeremiah; Isaiah's is a majestic vision. Isaiah is eager to serve God, "Here I am," I said, "send me!"

The second reading is taken from the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians (1 Cor 15:1-11). St. Paul treats the subject of the resurrection of the body. A characteristic Greek and Platonic concept was that the body was a hindrance to the soul's activity. St. Paul answers this question by declaring that the bodily resurrection of Christ is a fact duly attested to by chosen witnesses.

The Gospel is a reading from St. Luke (Lk 5:1-11). How the wisdom of God differs from the wisdom of men! If a businessman of today (or even of the year 28 A.D.) were choosing a chairman and assistants for the world-wide enterprise he was about to set up, is it likely that he would choose them from among the unknown, unlettered fishermen of Galilee? Yet Christ, who was about to set up not only a world-wide institute but an everlasting one, chose these simple fishermen and made them his assistants and his successors in the work that he had taken in hand.

And it wasn't that he was restricted in his choice. There were many highly educated priests and scribes in Jerusalem whom he could have won over, men who could preach and instruct so much more eloquently than Peter or Andrew. There were Roman officers in Palestine who were highly educated, and who would be much more eagerly listened to in the Gentile world. There were Greek philosophers whose very name would add prestige to the Gospel message had they been Apostles. Yet it was to none of these that Christ entrusted the arduous task of spreading the good news of the Gospel, it was to none of these that he gave the keys of his kingdom.

Christ was not influenced in his judgement by external, accidental qualifications. He judged the heart and the will. He knew the true worth of men. Furthermore, the society that he was about to set up was not a worldly business concern but a free transport system to heaven. The truths he was committing to its keeping were not based on earthly wisdom which would require eloquence and prestige to bolster them up. They were the eternal, divine truths which needed no human propaganda, no help from mere men.

Thus, in the selection of his Apostles, Christ has given us an extra proof, if one were needed, of his own divine wisdom and of the divine origin of the Christian religion which we profess. Our religion is not man-made, God is its author.

While thanking God today for our Christian religion, with its clearly-drawn map of salvation, let us show our appreciation by doing our own little part, as humble apostles, weak but willing helpers of Christ. This we can do without eloquence, or personal prestige. We do so by living as true Christians in our homes, in our places of work, and in our recreations, by carrying our cross daily and patiently, ever ready to give a hand when the neighbor's cross seems too heavy for him. This will be Christian eloquence, this will be a true apostleship of Christ, because actions speak louder than words.

Excerpted from The Sunday Readings by Fr. Kevin O'Sullivan, O.F.M.

Things to Do:

Prepare a fish dinner and discuss what it means to be "Fishers of Men". Ask your children if this just applies to priests or if they can also "fish" for men.
Say a prayer for the Holy Father.

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Isaiah 6:1-8

5th Sunday in Ordinary Time

"Here I am," I said; "send me!" (Isaiah 6:8)

A commission is a special type of command. The person commissioning is not just ordering one task to be done; he or she is entrusting an entire project to another person. There's a lot of responsibility, but a lot of trust as well. It's an honor to receive a commission!

Today's first reading is focused on the commission that God gave to the prophet Isaiah. It began with a revelation of God's glory, which moved Isaiah to repentance. Repentance then brought a cleansing, and cleansing enabled him to hear and accept God's call.

While the details may differ, all of these ingredientsâ€”revelation, repentance, openness to God's call, and acceptanceâ€”are the foundation for every commission God gives to us. In today's Gospel, we see that Peter's commission contains similar elements. Read it carefully, and see if you can identify them.

Just before he ascended to heaven, Jesus gave his apostlesâ€”and all of usâ€”something commonly referred to as the "Great Commission" (Matthew 28:16-20). He asks us to be involved in his mission of reaching the whole world with his message of mercy.

Do you believe that you have a God-given role to play in this Great Commission? Within your home, your parish, your school, at work, or in the market, God wants you to tell people the story of Jesusâ€”by your words as well as by your personal witness. He wants you to make Jesus present.

This challenge is costly because it asks us to go beyond our comfort zones. It calls for courage and strength, discipline and fortitude.

Did Isaiah know how to witness when he said, "Here I am; send me"? Probably not. Did Peter and the other apostles know how to witness when Jesus told them to go out and evangelize the whole world? Hardly. So take heartâ€”you're in excellent company!

"Here I am, Lord! Fill me, equip me, and send me."

Psalm 138:1-5, 7-8
1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Luke 5:1-11

A Christian Pilgrim

EQUIPPED TO CATCH SOULS FOR HIS KINGDOM

06 Feb

EQUIPPED TO CATCH SOULS FOR HIS KINGDOM

(A biblical reflection on the 5^th Sunday in Ordinary Time [Year C], 7 February 2016)

Gospel Reading: Luke 5:1-11

First Reading: Isaiah 6:1-2a,3-8; Psalms: Psalm 138:1-5,7-8; Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 (or 1 Corinthians 15:3-8,11)

The Scripture Text

While the people pressed upon Him to hear the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret. And He saw two boats by the lake; but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, He asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when He had ceased speaking, He said to Simon, "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." And Simon answered, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at Your word I will let down the nets." And when they had done this, they enclosed a great shoal of fish; and as their nets were breaking, they beckoned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord." For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; henceforth you will be catching men." And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him. (Luke 5:1-11 RSV)

Upon Jesus' command, Simon dropped his nets into the sea and hauled out a colossal shoal of fish. The enormous catch stunned Simon, who had caught nothing the previous night. In the face of such a miracle, Simon realized he was in the presence of the Lord, and he knew the Lord could see his sin. Humbled and frightened by this realization, Simon fell to his knees in repentance. But Jesus said, "Do not be afraid; henceforth you will be catching men" (Luke 5:10).

Like Simon Peter, the prophet Isaiah also had a revelation of the Lord that humbled and terrified him: "Woe is me! For I am lost ... for my eyes have seen ... the LORD" (Isaiah 6:5). However, the touch of a burning coal from the altar cleansed him of his sins and freed him from all guilt. Once purified, Isaiah was able to hear the cry of the Lord's heart: "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" Without hesitation, Isaiah called out, "Here am I! Send me" (Isaiah 6:8).

God longs to commission each of us, just as He commissioned Peter and Isaiah. As we allow God to overwhelm us with His love, we too will hear the call to discipleship. We will know that we are unworthy of such an honor, but we will also know that, through repentance, we can be empowered by the Holy Spirit to intercede, to forgive, and to proclaim the Gospel.

As our relationship with Jesus deepens, so too will our love for Him and, like Peter and Isaiah, we will want to forsake everything for God. Let us not be afraid to humble ourselves before the Lord and receive the commission He has for us. There is no greater honor than to be a servant of the Lord, equipped to "catch" souls for His Kingdom.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, cleanse our sin and empower us with Your presence. Here we are, Lord! Send us! Empower us to participate in advancing Your Kingdom! Teach us to speak Your words and minister Your love to everyone we meet. Amen.

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

Daily Marriage Tip for February 7, 2016: "Whatever villages. . .he entered, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak; and as many as touched it were healed." (Mk 6:56) Are there areas in your heart or in your family that need healing and reconciliation? Bring them to Christ.

February 7, 2016

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 Is 6:1-2a, 3-8

Responsorial Psalm Ps 138:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 7-8

Reading 2 1 Cor 15:1-11

or 1 COR 15:3-8, 11

Alleluia Mt 4:19

Gospel Lk 5:1-11

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year C

But at Your Command I Will Lower the Nets -- A Homily for the 5th Sunday of the Year

Blessed Giles Mary

Ordinary Time: February 7th

Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time

MASS READINGS

COLLECT PRAYER

Recipes (1)

Activities (1)

Prayers (3)

Library (2)

Meditation: Isaiah 6:1-8

EQUIPPED TO CATCH SOULS FOR HIS KINGDOM