In this e-weekly:
- Catholic Bible Apologetics - Explain our Catholic Faith from the Holy Bible (under the laptop - Catholic Website)
- Holy Ring: The Wedding Band of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Diocesan News and BEYOND)
- Save Money and Gas with some simple driving Hints (Helpful Hints for Life)
-CATHOLIC QUESTIONS AND CATHOLIC ANSWERS is BACK!
BEST PARISH PRACTICE is also BACK! (see below)
- Catholic Bible Apologetics - Explain our Catholic Faith from the Holy Bible (under the laptop - Catholic Website)
- Holy Ring: The Wedding Band of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Diocesan News and BEYOND)
- Save Money and Gas with some simple driving Hints (Helpful Hints for Life)
-CATHOLIC QUESTIONS AND CATHOLIC ANSWERS is BACK!
BEST PARISH PRACTICE is also BACK! (see below)
Catholic Good News
Receiving the Gospel, Serving God and Neighbor
Receiving the Gospel, Serving God and Neighbor
Back to School, Back to Truth, Back to Prayer
“For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.
Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice." (John 18:37-38)
“For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.
Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice." (John 18:37-38)
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Many people this time of year usually are trying to back into the habit of education and a regular 9 month schedule called school. For some it is brand new, bringing excitement; for others it is a struggle that may bring stress. This year with the pandemic, it uniquely challenging. Yet, all of us ought to continue to learn even if we do not ‘go to school.’
But an education is first meant to lead us to truth, and to the one ultimate truth, God. For Jesus (Who is God) said, “I am the Way, the TRUTH, and the Life. (John 14:6)” And what is knowledge and education if it does not lead one to its source? Plus, it was the Catholic Church that gave us Universities and the pursuit of truth and knowledge. Let you and I continue in pursuit of truth and the Truth, Jesus Christ!
Finally, as many people return to school and summer begins to wane, many will return to a formal schedule of prayer that summer may not have allowed. Prayer must ALWAYS be a part of your life and mine, day in and day out. But if prayer has not really been a part of your life, please start again right now!
Peace and prayers in Jesus through Mary, loved by Saint Joseph,
Father Robert
P.S. This coming Sunday is the 19th Sunday of Ordinary Time The readings can be found at: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/081323.cfm
Many people this time of year usually are trying to back into the habit of education and a regular 9 month schedule called school. For some it is brand new, bringing excitement; for others it is a struggle that may bring stress. This year with the pandemic, it uniquely challenging. Yet, all of us ought to continue to learn even if we do not ‘go to school.’
But an education is first meant to lead us to truth, and to the one ultimate truth, God. For Jesus (Who is God) said, “I am the Way, the TRUTH, and the Life. (John 14:6)” And what is knowledge and education if it does not lead one to its source? Plus, it was the Catholic Church that gave us Universities and the pursuit of truth and knowledge. Let you and I continue in pursuit of truth and the Truth, Jesus Christ!
Finally, as many people return to school and summer begins to wane, many will return to a formal schedule of prayer that summer may not have allowed. Prayer must ALWAYS be a part of your life and mine, day in and day out. But if prayer has not really been a part of your life, please start again right now!
Peace and prayers in Jesus through Mary, loved by Saint Joseph,
Father Robert
P.S. This coming Sunday is the 19th Sunday of Ordinary Time The readings can be found at: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/081323.cfm
CATHOLIC QUESTIONS AND CATHOLIC ANSWERS
Getting to Know Catholicism Better
(Answers at very end.)
Getting to Know Catholicism Better
(Answers at very end.)
546. How did the Virgin Mary pray? (Catechism of the Catholic Church-CCC 2617, 2618, 2622, 2674, 2679)
a. she prayed to herself
b. by faith and the offering of her whole being
c. only on her knees
d. none of the above
547. Is there a prayer of Mary in the Gospel? (CCC 2619)
a. No, only prayers of Jesus
b. Yes, the Hail Mary (Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord…)
c. Yes, the Magnificat (My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord…)
d. No, Mary always prays silently in the Gospels
PRAYER IN THE AGE OF THE CHURCH
548. How did the first Christian community in Jerusalem pray? (CCC 2623-2624)
a. they were educated in the life of prayer by the Holy Spirit
b. by dedicating themselves to the teachings of the apostles
c. by the “Breaking of the Bread” (the Mass)
d. all of the above
549. How does the Holy Spirit intervene in the Church’s prayer? (CCC 2623, 2625)
a. by uniting us to Jesus
b. Jesus is the only way to pray
c. the Holy Spirit is the only one who prays in the Church
d. by possessing us and making us pray
a. she prayed to herself
b. by faith and the offering of her whole being
c. only on her knees
d. none of the above
547. Is there a prayer of Mary in the Gospel? (CCC 2619)
a. No, only prayers of Jesus
b. Yes, the Hail Mary (Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord…)
c. Yes, the Magnificat (My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord…)
d. No, Mary always prays silently in the Gospels
PRAYER IN THE AGE OF THE CHURCH
548. How did the first Christian community in Jerusalem pray? (CCC 2623-2624)
a. they were educated in the life of prayer by the Holy Spirit
b. by dedicating themselves to the teachings of the apostles
c. by the “Breaking of the Bread” (the Mass)
d. all of the above
549. How does the Holy Spirit intervene in the Church’s prayer? (CCC 2623, 2625)
a. by uniting us to Jesus
b. Jesus is the only way to pray
c. the Holy Spirit is the only one who prays in the Church
d. by possessing us and making us pray
“Helpful Hints of Life”
Saving on Gas and being More Safe on the Road
1) Accelerate slowing; do not drive aggressively (save average of 33%)
2) Lower speeds (save average 12%) [Speed Limit or 5 less]
3) Use cruise control (save average 7%)
4) Remove excess weight (can save up to 2%)
5) Do not let your car idle for long. It only takes 10 seconds worth of gas to re-start it.
from http://www.fueleconomy.gov/FEG/driveHabits.shtml
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In Jesus Christ, the whole of God's truth has been made manifest. "Full of grace and truth," he came as the "light of the world," he is the Truth. "Whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness." The disciple of Jesus continues in his word so as to know "the truth [that] will make you free" and that sanctifies. To follow Jesus is to live in "the Spirit of truth," whom the Father sends in his name and who leads "into all the truth." To his disciples Jesus teaches the unconditional love of truth: "Let what you say be simply 'Yes or No.'" -Catechism of the Catholic Church #2466
Saving on Gas and being More Safe on the Road
1) Accelerate slowing; do not drive aggressively (save average of 33%)
2) Lower speeds (save average 12%) [Speed Limit or 5 less]
3) Use cruise control (save average 7%)
4) Remove excess weight (can save up to 2%)
5) Do not let your car idle for long. It only takes 10 seconds worth of gas to re-start it.
from http://www.fueleconomy.gov/FEG/driveHabits.shtml
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In Jesus Christ, the whole of God's truth has been made manifest. "Full of grace and truth," he came as the "light of the world," he is the Truth. "Whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness." The disciple of Jesus continues in his word so as to know "the truth [that] will make you free" and that sanctifies. To follow Jesus is to live in "the Spirit of truth," whom the Father sends in his name and who leads "into all the truth." To his disciples Jesus teaches the unconditional love of truth: "Let what you say be simply 'Yes or No.'" -Catechism of the Catholic Church #2466
Catholic Biblical Apologetics
www.catholicapologetics.org
Apologetics without apology!
www.catholicapologetics.org
Apologetics without apology!
What does the Roman Catholic Church teach about ...? ... and why?
This website surveys the origin and development of Roman Catholic Christianity from the period of the apostolic church, through the post-apostolic church and into the conciliar movement. Principal attention is paid to the biblical basis of both doctrine and dogma as well as the role of paradosis (i.e. handing on the truth) in the history of the Church. Particular attention is also paid to the hierarchical founding and succession of leadership throughout the centuries.
[For those traveling this summer and needing to get to the Holy Mass.]
MASS TIMES AND CATHOLIC CHURCHES throughout the US
http://www.MassTimes.org
Best Parish Practices
MAKE RETREATS AVAILABLE FOR PARISHIONERS
Some parishes offer retreats at their parish, but many also coordinate weekend retreats to a Diocesan Retreat House or a local monastery. There are retreats for all ages usually closer than one realizes, and they can greatly bless those who participate.
BENEFITS:
Most people need time to hear God and recharge spiritually, but daily life often leaves little time and room to do that. Retreats in holy and/or quiet places can really connect or re-connect people to God. Powerful preached men and women retreats can help stir faith into flame for God, marriage, and family. High school and college age retreats can make the Faith more relatable to that age group, too.
HOW?
Consult and ask your Parish Priest if it is okay to coordinate this for your parish. Or ask your Parish Priest, office staff, or someone at the diocese to make a list available to put in the bulletin or provide to men and women groups in your parish. When one or two of you go on retreat, and its effect is seen by others, that may lead to others going!
This relic is said to be the Blessed Virgin Mary’s wedding ring. (photo: Di Nicoletta de Matthaei, website of Nicoletta de Matthaeis; and Di Fm2001, own work / CC BY 4.0 and CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons)
Joseph Pronechen FeaturesJuly 28, 2023On July 29 and Sept. 12, scores of pilgrims come to the Cathedral of San Lorenzo in Perugia, Italy, to see and venerate a sacred object — a relic said to be the Blessed Virgin Mary’s wedding ring.
Although the residents of Perugia knew about this ring for several hundreds of years, those outside the city were unaware of it until the writings of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich in the 19th century.
Bedridden for many years, she described a vision she experienced on July 29, 1821:
“I saw the Blessed Virgin’s wedding ring; it is neither of silver nor of gold, nor of any other metal; it is dark in color and iridescent; it is not a thin narrow ring, but rather thick and at least a finger broad. I saw it smooth and yet as if covered with little regular triangles in which were letters. On the inside was a flat surface. The ring is engraved with something. I saw it kept behind many locks in a beautiful church. Devout people about to be married take their wedding rings to touch it.”
“She knew it was in a church in Italy but did not know which one and never found out,” wrote Marian Father Donald Calloway in Consecration to St. Joseph.
Less than a week later, on Aug. 3, Blessed Anne Catherine had another vision of the ring:
“Today I saw a festival in a church in Italy where the wedding ring is to be found. It seemed to me to be hung up in a kind of monstrance that stood above the tabernacle. There was a large altar there, magnificently decorated; one saw deep into it through much silverwork. I saw many rings being held against the monstrance. During the festival, I saw Mary and Joseph appearing in their wedding garments on each side of the ring, as if Joseph were placing the ring on the Blessed Virgin’s finger. At the same time, I saw the ring shining and as if in movement.”
The Ring’s LocationWhere is this “Holy Ring,” popularly known as the Santo Anello, and traditionally venerated as the one St. Joseph gave to Mary at their wedding? It is approximately 12 miles from Assisi in the city of Perugia. There, the Cathedral of San Lorenzo, consecrated in 1118 by the reigning pope, contains the Santo Anello. Since 1488, the ring has been in a cathedral chapel dedicated to it. And the ring is easily traced back to centuries earlier.
The elaborately decorated chapel was originally dedicated to St. Bernardino of Siena, then appropriately rededicated to St. Joseph after his feast was put on the town calendar in 1479. It was again rededicated for the Santo Anello a year later in 1488. The ring had been in Perugia since 1473 when it was removed from the town of Chiusi, 30 miles southwest, and given to the city magistrate, who had it placed in the chapel in the Palazzo dei Priori. With a dispute between Chiusi and Perugia over which place was going to keep the Holy Ring, Pope Sixtus IV settled it in favor of Perugia, where it was officially moved from the chapel in the palazzo to the cathedral.
Before coming to Perugia, the ring had already been in Chiusi for several centuries. Writings by that town’s chancellor report that the relic had been in the town for 484 years before its move. While in Chiusi the ring had been transferred more than once — the city’s Cathedral of San Secondiano was one of the places, while another, by order of the bishop, became the Church of San Francesco in 1420. Then came the move to Perugia.
There is a bit more to the story that adds to the tradition: In the mid-18th century, a priest discovered an 11th-century codex in the Angelica Library in Rome and with permission published what he found. The manuscript recounts how, in 985, a trusted goldsmith bought precious jewelry from a Roman Jew who had recently returned from the Middle East. After the purchase, the Jewish traveler gave the goldsmith a modest stone ring and, as was written in the story, told him, “This is the ring with which Joseph married Mary of Nazareth. It was handed down to me from my ancestors and although we do not adhere to Christianity, we have always preserved it with devotion. I've been wanting to give it to Christians for some time. Who better than you could keep it with honor? Put it in a worthy place and be devoted to it.”
The goldsmith was a doubter and kept the ring out of sight, but then circumstances considered miraculous — his son died and then came back to life for a short time with the message that the ring was genuine — persuaded him to believe and to turn it over to a church in Chiusi.
The Holy RingIn keeping with the humble life of Mary and Joseph, the Santo Anello is not an elaborate jewel-encrusted ring. Instead, it is a ring fashioned of beautiful translucent stone that goes from a dark amber or yellow in low light to look milky white in the sunlight. The Cathedral of San Lorenzo reported that a gemological analysis in 2004 determined the ring is chalcedony and “given the constructive characteristics, seems rather to be probably dating back to the first century, apparently coming from the East.”
The chalcedony family is made up of semi-precious gemstones known in those early times in Jerusalem. They surely had a distinctive meaning. There is evidence in St. John’s description of the heavenly Jerusalem in Revelation 21:18-20, where the celestial city’s walls are described as being built of jewel-like stones beginning with jasper and including, among others, cornelian, agate and chrysoprase. These all belong to the same chalcedony family.
Back in Perugia, since 1517, this Holy Ring, the Santo Anello, has been kept in the same gold and silver reliquary specifically fashioned for it by master goldsmiths Federico del Roscetto and his son Cesarino. The reliquary looks like a monstrance, with carvings, figures and ornamentation. It is among the masterworks of Italian Renaissance goldsmiths.
The Holy Ring has been suspended within it from an ornate gilded silver crown since 1716. During most of the year, the reliquary is protected within two iron and wood safes high above the altar and remains unseen behind curtains. Because of the elaborate protection, it takes 14 keys to open the safe and chest. The keys are shared among four religious and municipal institutions.
When the Holy Ring is displayed for veneration, the reliquary is then lowered to the altar by a device that was installed in the 18th century. The cathedral describes it as being “in the shape of a silver cloud.”
This official display of the Holy Ring happens twice a year on official occasions. The first time is July 29-30, the date the Santo Anello was transferred from the chapel in the palazzo to the chapel in the cathedral in 1488. The second time is on Sept. 12, the Memorial of the Most Holy Name of Mary.
Fittingly, the dates relate to Blessed Anne Catherine’s two visions, which happened on July 29 and Aug. 3 — significant times for the Holy Ring. In Consecration to St. Joseph, Father Calloway writes that, unknown to her, “these dates coincide with the time of the year when pilgrims visit the Cathedral in Perugia as they make their way to Assisi for the annual celebration of the Feast of the Holy Angels of the Portiuncula on Aug. 2.”
At the same time in late July, large groups of couples, married and soon-to-be married, come to venerate the ring. As Father Calloway explains, couples are allowed “to touch their wedding rings to the Santo Anello to receive a blessing on their marriage. Blessed Anne Catherine apparently witnessed this happening in her visions!”
The Holy Ring can sometimes be shown other times in an exhibit “linked to particular events of the Perugian church” and with a request that must always be made to the local municipality.
More RemindersThe cathedral’s chapel also has the painting Marriage of the Virgin, done in 1825 by Jean-Baptiste Wicar. But this was not the original. The original painting in the Cappella del Santo Anello, Chapel of the Holy Ring, was painted by Perugino at the turn of the 16th century, a few years after the Holy Ring was brought to the cathedral. It looks quite like Raphael’s better-known and more popular Marriage of the Virgin, completed nearly the same time in 1504 — both show Joseph about to place the wedding ring on Mary’s finger in a nearly “twin” scene. It is believed that Raphael was inspired by Perugino’s work version to do his own version. Perugino’s painting was expropriated by Napoleon Bonaparte and is now in a museum in France.
Most importantly, the cathedral states that this ring has become a “symbol” referring to the historic occasion of “the marriage of Joseph and Mary, cradle and custody of the mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God, source, for the believer of grace and blessing. Therefore the cathedral of Perugia, in continuity with the noble tradition of piety that has accompanied the protection of this jewel over the centuries, transfigured into ‘Santo Anello,’ preserves it with care and offers it for veneration, on special occasions, as a ‘memorial’ of the participation of the union of Mary and Joseph in the mystery of the incarnation, and, by extension, as a sign of marital fidelity, which makes every marriage the symbol of God's love for humanity, a source of fruitfulness and of life.”
Joseph Pronechen FeaturesJuly 28, 2023On July 29 and Sept. 12, scores of pilgrims come to the Cathedral of San Lorenzo in Perugia, Italy, to see and venerate a sacred object — a relic said to be the Blessed Virgin Mary’s wedding ring.
Although the residents of Perugia knew about this ring for several hundreds of years, those outside the city were unaware of it until the writings of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich in the 19th century.
Bedridden for many years, she described a vision she experienced on July 29, 1821:
“I saw the Blessed Virgin’s wedding ring; it is neither of silver nor of gold, nor of any other metal; it is dark in color and iridescent; it is not a thin narrow ring, but rather thick and at least a finger broad. I saw it smooth and yet as if covered with little regular triangles in which were letters. On the inside was a flat surface. The ring is engraved with something. I saw it kept behind many locks in a beautiful church. Devout people about to be married take their wedding rings to touch it.”
“She knew it was in a church in Italy but did not know which one and never found out,” wrote Marian Father Donald Calloway in Consecration to St. Joseph.
Less than a week later, on Aug. 3, Blessed Anne Catherine had another vision of the ring:
“Today I saw a festival in a church in Italy where the wedding ring is to be found. It seemed to me to be hung up in a kind of monstrance that stood above the tabernacle. There was a large altar there, magnificently decorated; one saw deep into it through much silverwork. I saw many rings being held against the monstrance. During the festival, I saw Mary and Joseph appearing in their wedding garments on each side of the ring, as if Joseph were placing the ring on the Blessed Virgin’s finger. At the same time, I saw the ring shining and as if in movement.”
The Ring’s LocationWhere is this “Holy Ring,” popularly known as the Santo Anello, and traditionally venerated as the one St. Joseph gave to Mary at their wedding? It is approximately 12 miles from Assisi in the city of Perugia. There, the Cathedral of San Lorenzo, consecrated in 1118 by the reigning pope, contains the Santo Anello. Since 1488, the ring has been in a cathedral chapel dedicated to it. And the ring is easily traced back to centuries earlier.
The elaborately decorated chapel was originally dedicated to St. Bernardino of Siena, then appropriately rededicated to St. Joseph after his feast was put on the town calendar in 1479. It was again rededicated for the Santo Anello a year later in 1488. The ring had been in Perugia since 1473 when it was removed from the town of Chiusi, 30 miles southwest, and given to the city magistrate, who had it placed in the chapel in the Palazzo dei Priori. With a dispute between Chiusi and Perugia over which place was going to keep the Holy Ring, Pope Sixtus IV settled it in favor of Perugia, where it was officially moved from the chapel in the palazzo to the cathedral.
Before coming to Perugia, the ring had already been in Chiusi for several centuries. Writings by that town’s chancellor report that the relic had been in the town for 484 years before its move. While in Chiusi the ring had been transferred more than once — the city’s Cathedral of San Secondiano was one of the places, while another, by order of the bishop, became the Church of San Francesco in 1420. Then came the move to Perugia.
There is a bit more to the story that adds to the tradition: In the mid-18th century, a priest discovered an 11th-century codex in the Angelica Library in Rome and with permission published what he found. The manuscript recounts how, in 985, a trusted goldsmith bought precious jewelry from a Roman Jew who had recently returned from the Middle East. After the purchase, the Jewish traveler gave the goldsmith a modest stone ring and, as was written in the story, told him, “This is the ring with which Joseph married Mary of Nazareth. It was handed down to me from my ancestors and although we do not adhere to Christianity, we have always preserved it with devotion. I've been wanting to give it to Christians for some time. Who better than you could keep it with honor? Put it in a worthy place and be devoted to it.”
The goldsmith was a doubter and kept the ring out of sight, but then circumstances considered miraculous — his son died and then came back to life for a short time with the message that the ring was genuine — persuaded him to believe and to turn it over to a church in Chiusi.
The Holy RingIn keeping with the humble life of Mary and Joseph, the Santo Anello is not an elaborate jewel-encrusted ring. Instead, it is a ring fashioned of beautiful translucent stone that goes from a dark amber or yellow in low light to look milky white in the sunlight. The Cathedral of San Lorenzo reported that a gemological analysis in 2004 determined the ring is chalcedony and “given the constructive characteristics, seems rather to be probably dating back to the first century, apparently coming from the East.”
The chalcedony family is made up of semi-precious gemstones known in those early times in Jerusalem. They surely had a distinctive meaning. There is evidence in St. John’s description of the heavenly Jerusalem in Revelation 21:18-20, where the celestial city’s walls are described as being built of jewel-like stones beginning with jasper and including, among others, cornelian, agate and chrysoprase. These all belong to the same chalcedony family.
Back in Perugia, since 1517, this Holy Ring, the Santo Anello, has been kept in the same gold and silver reliquary specifically fashioned for it by master goldsmiths Federico del Roscetto and his son Cesarino. The reliquary looks like a monstrance, with carvings, figures and ornamentation. It is among the masterworks of Italian Renaissance goldsmiths.
The Holy Ring has been suspended within it from an ornate gilded silver crown since 1716. During most of the year, the reliquary is protected within two iron and wood safes high above the altar and remains unseen behind curtains. Because of the elaborate protection, it takes 14 keys to open the safe and chest. The keys are shared among four religious and municipal institutions.
When the Holy Ring is displayed for veneration, the reliquary is then lowered to the altar by a device that was installed in the 18th century. The cathedral describes it as being “in the shape of a silver cloud.”
This official display of the Holy Ring happens twice a year on official occasions. The first time is July 29-30, the date the Santo Anello was transferred from the chapel in the palazzo to the chapel in the cathedral in 1488. The second time is on Sept. 12, the Memorial of the Most Holy Name of Mary.
Fittingly, the dates relate to Blessed Anne Catherine’s two visions, which happened on July 29 and Aug. 3 — significant times for the Holy Ring. In Consecration to St. Joseph, Father Calloway writes that, unknown to her, “these dates coincide with the time of the year when pilgrims visit the Cathedral in Perugia as they make their way to Assisi for the annual celebration of the Feast of the Holy Angels of the Portiuncula on Aug. 2.”
At the same time in late July, large groups of couples, married and soon-to-be married, come to venerate the ring. As Father Calloway explains, couples are allowed “to touch their wedding rings to the Santo Anello to receive a blessing on their marriage. Blessed Anne Catherine apparently witnessed this happening in her visions!”
The Holy Ring can sometimes be shown other times in an exhibit “linked to particular events of the Perugian church” and with a request that must always be made to the local municipality.
More RemindersThe cathedral’s chapel also has the painting Marriage of the Virgin, done in 1825 by Jean-Baptiste Wicar. But this was not the original. The original painting in the Cappella del Santo Anello, Chapel of the Holy Ring, was painted by Perugino at the turn of the 16th century, a few years after the Holy Ring was brought to the cathedral. It looks quite like Raphael’s better-known and more popular Marriage of the Virgin, completed nearly the same time in 1504 — both show Joseph about to place the wedding ring on Mary’s finger in a nearly “twin” scene. It is believed that Raphael was inspired by Perugino’s work version to do his own version. Perugino’s painting was expropriated by Napoleon Bonaparte and is now in a museum in France.
Most importantly, the cathedral states that this ring has become a “symbol” referring to the historic occasion of “the marriage of Joseph and Mary, cradle and custody of the mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God, source, for the believer of grace and blessing. Therefore the cathedral of Perugia, in continuity with the noble tradition of piety that has accompanied the protection of this jewel over the centuries, transfigured into ‘Santo Anello,’ preserves it with care and offers it for veneration, on special occasions, as a ‘memorial’ of the participation of the union of Mary and Joseph in the mystery of the incarnation, and, by extension, as a sign of marital fidelity, which makes every marriage the symbol of God's love for humanity, a source of fruitfulness and of life.”
Eighty years ago St. Maximilian Kolbe died in Auschwitz on August 14 after volunteering to take the place of a father in the concentration camp’s starvation bunker.
Today devotion to the saint continues to spread, including as an intercessor for the family, according to a theologian in Rome.
Fr. Kolbe, a Franciscan priest and missionary, was sent to Auschwitz in 1941. After a Polish prisoner tried to escape the camp on July 29, the SS security forces selected 10 prisoners to starve to death as a lesson for the entire camp.
One of the prisoners chosen was Franciszek Gajowniczek, who asked for mercy. He mentioned that he had a wife and children. Fr. Kolbe offered to die in his place.
"Fr. Kolbe told the commandant, 'I want to go instead of the man who was selected. He has a wife and family. I am alone. I am a Catholic priest,'" Gajowniczek told the NY Times in 1995.
In an interview with ACI Stampa, CNA’s Italian language sister news agency, Fr. Raffaele Di Muro, said this act of sacrifice is one of the reasons why Kolbe is considered a patron saint of families today.
“What has always struck me the most about Father Kolbe's sacrifice - both as a scholar of his life and personally as a religious - is that he feels internally, deeply, the pain of this father of a family,” Di Muro said in the interview on Aug. 14.
“Kolbe senses in his heart the sadness that Francis Gajowniczek feels in having to lose his family. … The cries of this father tear the heart of Kolbe who immediately thinks of the other pain that would have been there if Francesco had died: the suffering of his own family.”
Di Muro is the dean of the Pontifical University of St. Bonaventure in Rome. He holds the Kolbe Chair in Theology, named for the saint who earned his doctorate in theology at the university in 1919.
The theologian highlighted that Kolbe visited many families on his mission to Japan, as well as in his ministry in Europe.
“For him, all families represented a reflection of the Holy Family,” he said.
“There are many documents that attest to the baptisms that Kolbe himself celebrated,” he added.
In the starvation cell in Auschwitz, Kolbe is reported to have led other prisoners in prayer as they died one by one. Though Kolbe was held without food or water for two weeks, he did not die of starvation. Instead, camp guards killed him with an injection of carbolic acid on Aug. 14, 1941.
He was canonized a saint on Oct. 10, 1982 by Pope John Paul II, who declared Kolbe a “martyr of charity.”
Di Muro said that Kolbe’s intercession is needed for the many difficult situations facing families today.
“Kolbe would work to ensure that hope in marriage, in the family, is not extinguished,” he said.
“Let us place all families of the world under the mantle of Mary, under the intercession of Maximilian Kolbe.’
Today devotion to the saint continues to spread, including as an intercessor for the family, according to a theologian in Rome.
Fr. Kolbe, a Franciscan priest and missionary, was sent to Auschwitz in 1941. After a Polish prisoner tried to escape the camp on July 29, the SS security forces selected 10 prisoners to starve to death as a lesson for the entire camp.
One of the prisoners chosen was Franciszek Gajowniczek, who asked for mercy. He mentioned that he had a wife and children. Fr. Kolbe offered to die in his place.
"Fr. Kolbe told the commandant, 'I want to go instead of the man who was selected. He has a wife and family. I am alone. I am a Catholic priest,'" Gajowniczek told the NY Times in 1995.
In an interview with ACI Stampa, CNA’s Italian language sister news agency, Fr. Raffaele Di Muro, said this act of sacrifice is one of the reasons why Kolbe is considered a patron saint of families today.
“What has always struck me the most about Father Kolbe's sacrifice - both as a scholar of his life and personally as a religious - is that he feels internally, deeply, the pain of this father of a family,” Di Muro said in the interview on Aug. 14.
“Kolbe senses in his heart the sadness that Francis Gajowniczek feels in having to lose his family. … The cries of this father tear the heart of Kolbe who immediately thinks of the other pain that would have been there if Francesco had died: the suffering of his own family.”
Di Muro is the dean of the Pontifical University of St. Bonaventure in Rome. He holds the Kolbe Chair in Theology, named for the saint who earned his doctorate in theology at the university in 1919.
The theologian highlighted that Kolbe visited many families on his mission to Japan, as well as in his ministry in Europe.
“For him, all families represented a reflection of the Holy Family,” he said.
“There are many documents that attest to the baptisms that Kolbe himself celebrated,” he added.
In the starvation cell in Auschwitz, Kolbe is reported to have led other prisoners in prayer as they died one by one. Though Kolbe was held without food or water for two weeks, he did not die of starvation. Instead, camp guards killed him with an injection of carbolic acid on Aug. 14, 1941.
He was canonized a saint on Oct. 10, 1982 by Pope John Paul II, who declared Kolbe a “martyr of charity.”
Di Muro said that Kolbe’s intercession is needed for the many difficult situations facing families today.
“Kolbe would work to ensure that hope in marriage, in the family, is not extinguished,” he said.
“Let us place all families of the world under the mantle of Mary, under the intercession of Maximilian Kolbe.’
Pointing to how Peter begins to sink when walking toward Jesus on the water in the day's Gospel reading, Francis noted that the same thing can happen to us when we put our trust in false securities.
“When we do not cling to the Word of the Lord, but consult horoscopes and fortune tellers, we begin to sink,” the Pope said Aug. 13.
The episode, he said, serves as a reminder “that faith in the Lord and in his word does not open a path where everything is calm and easy; it does not take us away from the storms of life.”
Rather, “faith gives us the security of a presence that pushes us to overcome the existential storms, the certainty of a hand that grabs us in order to help us in difficulties, showing the way even when it's dark.”
“Faith, then, is not an escape from life's problems, but it supports on the journey and gives it meaning.”
Pope Francis spoke to pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square for his weekly Angelus address, focusing on the day's Gospel reading from Matthew, in which Jesus walks on water in the midst of a storm, and beckons Peter to come to him. Peter initially begins to walk toward Jesus, but starts to sink out of fear when he sees the waves, and cries out for Jesus to rescue him.
This episode, Francis said, has a lot of symbolism for both individuals, and for the Church as a whole.
The boat can represent the life of each person, but also the life of the Church, he said, explaining that the wind signifies the “difficulties and trials” each will face.
Peter's cry of “Lord, command me to come to you,” and then his plea “Lord, save me!” represent both our desire feel close to the Lord, and “the fear and anguish which accompany us in the most difficult moments of our lives and our communities, marked by internal fragility and external difficulty,” Francis said.
In the moment when he looked at the wind and the waves and began to fear, Peter wasn't founded on the Word of God, “which was like an outstretched rope to cling to in front of the hostile and turbulent waters.”
The same thing happens to us when we put our faith in trivial, worldly securities, rather than in the Lord, he said.
Pope Francis said the passage is “a stupendous image” of the reality of the Church throughout the ages: “a ship which, along the crossing, must counter winds and storms which threaten to overwhelm it.”
What saves the ship is not the courage and quality of it's men, he said, but rather, “the guarantee against a shipwreck is faith in Christ and in his word.”
“On this ship we are safe, despite our miseries and weaknesses, above all when we get on our knees and adore the Lord” as the disciples did, who, after Jesus calmed the storm, prostrated themselves and said “truly you are the Son of God!”
To drive the point home, Francis had the crowd repeat the phrase, listening as they shouted “truly you are the Son of God” three times.
Francis closed his address asking that the Virgin Mary intercede in helping all to “stay firm in the faith in order to resist the storms of life, to stay on the boat of the Church, eschewing the temptation to go on amusing, yet insecure boats of ideologies, fashions and slogans.”
He then led pilgrims in praying the traditional Marian prayer and greeted various groups of youth from around Italy before asking for prayer and giving his blessing.
Man tends by nature toward the truth. He is obliged to honor and bear witness to it: "It is in accordance with their dignity that all men, because they are persons . . . are both impelled by their nature and bound by a moral obligation to seek the truth, especially religious truth. They are also bound to adhere to the truth once they come to know it and direct their whole lives in accordance with the demands of truth." -Catechism of the Catholic Church #2467
A bit of humor...
A bit of humor…
Q. What kind of man was Boaz before he married? Ruthless.
Q. What do call pastors in Germany? German Shepherds
Q. Who was the greatest female financier in the Bible? Pharaoh’s daughter. She went down to the bank of the Nile and drew out a little prophet.
On the first day of school, the teacher asked a student, "What are your parents' names?" The student replied, "My father's name is Laughing and my mother's name is Smiling." The teacher said, "Are you kidding?" The student said, "No, Kidding is my brother. I am Joking."
Some Thoughts:
-I dreamt I was forced to eat a giant marshmallow. When I woke up, my pillow was gone.
-Why is women’s soccer so rare?---It’s quite hard to find enough women willing to wear the same outfit.
-I saw a poster today, somebody was asking “Have you seen my cat?” So I called the number and said that I didn’t. I like to help where I can.
-My neighbors are listening to great music. Whether they like it or not.
Fun at the Office…
Bring in some dry ice and make it look like your coworker’s computer is smoking.
Busted
"Do you believe in life after death?" the boss asked one of his employees.
"Yes, sir," the new employee replied.
"Well, then, that makes everything just fine," the boss went on. "After you left early yesterday to go to your grandmother's funeral, she stopped in to see you!”
"Somebody has said there are only two kinds of people in the world. There are those who wake up in the morning and say, "Good morning, Lord," and there are those who wake up in the morning and say, "Good Lord, it's morning."
“The difficult thing with quotes on the internet is verifying them” – Abraham Lincoln (I think)
Martin Takes the Bait?
Martin arrived at Sunday school late. Miss Walter, his teacher, knew that Martin was usually very punctual so she asked him if anything was wrong.
Martin replied no, that he had been going fishing but his dad told him that he needed to go to church.
Miss Walter was very impressed and asked the lad if his dad had explained to him why it was more important to go to church than to go fishing?
Martin replied, 'Yes he did. Dad said he didn't have enough bait for both of us.'
Q. What kind of man was Boaz before he married? Ruthless.
Q. What do call pastors in Germany? German Shepherds
Q. Who was the greatest female financier in the Bible? Pharaoh’s daughter. She went down to the bank of the Nile and drew out a little prophet.
On the first day of school, the teacher asked a student, "What are your parents' names?" The student replied, "My father's name is Laughing and my mother's name is Smiling." The teacher said, "Are you kidding?" The student said, "No, Kidding is my brother. I am Joking."
Some Thoughts:
-I dreamt I was forced to eat a giant marshmallow. When I woke up, my pillow was gone.
-Why is women’s soccer so rare?---It’s quite hard to find enough women willing to wear the same outfit.
-I saw a poster today, somebody was asking “Have you seen my cat?” So I called the number and said that I didn’t. I like to help where I can.
-My neighbors are listening to great music. Whether they like it or not.
Fun at the Office…
Bring in some dry ice and make it look like your coworker’s computer is smoking.
Busted
"Do you believe in life after death?" the boss asked one of his employees.
"Yes, sir," the new employee replied.
"Well, then, that makes everything just fine," the boss went on. "After you left early yesterday to go to your grandmother's funeral, she stopped in to see you!”
"Somebody has said there are only two kinds of people in the world. There are those who wake up in the morning and say, "Good morning, Lord," and there are those who wake up in the morning and say, "Good Lord, it's morning."
“The difficult thing with quotes on the internet is verifying them” – Abraham Lincoln (I think)
Martin Takes the Bait?
Martin arrived at Sunday school late. Miss Walter, his teacher, knew that Martin was usually very punctual so she asked him if anything was wrong.
Martin replied no, that he had been going fishing but his dad told him that he needed to go to church.
Miss Walter was very impressed and asked the lad if his dad had explained to him why it was more important to go to church than to go fishing?
Martin replied, 'Yes he did. Dad said he didn't have enough bait for both of us.'
Prayer to God on the Feast of St. Bernard (August 20) Regarding Truth
God our Father, we celebrate the feast of St. Bernard who dedicated his life to seeking the truth in all things. He was fearless in his support of the truth. In our world today, it is so difficult to seek the truth and to remain firm in the truth. As we reflect on the life of this great man, may we become more aware of how important it is to seek the truth, to remain faithful to the truth that lives in us and to be fearless in support of the truth. We ask for the grace to follow the example of St. Bernard and live by the truth. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The practice of goodness is accompanied by spontaneous spiritual joy and moral beauty. Likewise, truth carries with it the joy and splendor of spiritual beauty. Truth is beautiful in itself. Truth in words, the rational expression of the knowledge of created and uncreated reality, is necessary to man, who is endowed with intellect. But truth can also find other complementary forms of human expression, above all when it is a matter of evoking what is beyond words: the depths of the human heart, the exaltations of the soul, the mystery of God. Even before revealing himself to man in words of truth, God reveals himself to him through the universal language of creation, the work of his Word, of his wisdom: the order and harmony of the cosmos-which both the child and the scientist discover-"from the greatness and beauty of created things comes a corresponding perception of their Creator," "for the author of beauty created them."
[Wisdom] is a breath of the power of God, and a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty; therefore nothing defiled gains entrance into her. For she is a reflection of eternal light, a spotless mirror of the working of God, and an image of his goodness. For [wisdom] is more beautiful than the sun, and excels every constellation of the stars. Compared with the light she is found to be superior, for it is succeeded by the night, but against wisdom evil does not prevail. I became enamored of her beauty.-Catechism of the Catholic Church #2500
God our Father, we celebrate the feast of St. Bernard who dedicated his life to seeking the truth in all things. He was fearless in his support of the truth. In our world today, it is so difficult to seek the truth and to remain firm in the truth. As we reflect on the life of this great man, may we become more aware of how important it is to seek the truth, to remain faithful to the truth that lives in us and to be fearless in support of the truth. We ask for the grace to follow the example of St. Bernard and live by the truth. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The practice of goodness is accompanied by spontaneous spiritual joy and moral beauty. Likewise, truth carries with it the joy and splendor of spiritual beauty. Truth is beautiful in itself. Truth in words, the rational expression of the knowledge of created and uncreated reality, is necessary to man, who is endowed with intellect. But truth can also find other complementary forms of human expression, above all when it is a matter of evoking what is beyond words: the depths of the human heart, the exaltations of the soul, the mystery of God. Even before revealing himself to man in words of truth, God reveals himself to him through the universal language of creation, the work of his Word, of his wisdom: the order and harmony of the cosmos-which both the child and the scientist discover-"from the greatness and beauty of created things comes a corresponding perception of their Creator," "for the author of beauty created them."
[Wisdom] is a breath of the power of God, and a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty; therefore nothing defiled gains entrance into her. For she is a reflection of eternal light, a spotless mirror of the working of God, and an image of his goodness. For [wisdom] is more beautiful than the sun, and excels every constellation of the stars. Compared with the light she is found to be superior, for it is succeeded by the night, but against wisdom evil does not prevail. I became enamored of her beauty.-Catechism of the Catholic Church #2500
+JMJ+
SUNDAY BIBLICAL MASS READINGS AND QUESTIONS
for Self-Reflection, Couples or Family Discussion
19th Sunday of Ordinary Time – Sunday, August 13, 2023
The First Reading - 1 Kings 19:9A-11-13A
At the mountain of God, Horeb, Elijah came to a cave where he took shelter. Then the LORD said to him, “Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD; the LORD will be passing by.” A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the LORD— but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake— but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was fire— but the LORD was not in the fire. After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound. When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went and stood at the entrance of the cave.
Reflection
How do we find God in the storms and struggles of our lives, in the trials we encounter in trying to do His will? God commands Elijah in today’s First Reading to stand on the mountain and await His passing by. And in the Gospel, Jesus makes the disciples set out across the waters to meet Him. In each case, the Lord makes himself present amid frightening tumult—heavy winds and high waves, fire and earthquakes. Elijah hides his face. Perhaps he remembers Moses, who met God on the same mountain, also amid fire, thunder, and smoke (see Deuteronomy 4:10–15; Exodus 19:17–19). God told Moses no one could see His face and live, and He sheltered Moses in the hollow of a rock, as He shelters Elijah in a cave (see Exodus 33:18–23).
Adults - Do you take time for silence to listen for the still, small voice of the Lord?
Teens - Prayer should be at least as much listening as talking. Take some time for silent listening for the Lord this week!
Kids - How do you listen for God’s voice?
Responsorial- Psalm 85:9, 10-11, 13-14
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD — for he proclaims peace.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and prepare the way of his steps.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
Reflection
We sing in today’s Psalm, that His salvation is near to those who hope in Him. Do you strive to live life in hope? How can you be more hopeful in the Lord?
The Second Reading- Romans 9:1-5
Brothers and sisters: I speak the truth in Christ, I do not lie; my conscience joins with the Holy Spirit in bearing me witness that I have great sorrow and constant anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my own people, my kindred according to the flesh. They are Israelites; theirs the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; theirs the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.
Reflection - Paul asserts in today’s Epistle, that we are heirs to the promises made to His children, Israel.
We must trust that He whispers to us in the trials of our lives—that He who has called us to walk along the way of His steps. He will save us whenever we begin to sink. -Do you ask God for help and guidance in your daily life?
The Holy Gospel according to Matthew 14:22-33
After he had fed the people, Jesus made the disciples get into a boat and precede him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When it was evening he was there alone. Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore, was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it. During the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them walking on the sea. When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified. “It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear. At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Peter said to him in reply, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught Peter, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” After they got into the boat, the wind died down. Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying, “Truly, you are the Son of God.”
Reflection Today’s Gospel is a revelation of Jesus’ divine identity. Only God treads across the crest of the sea (see Job 9:8) and rules the raging waters (see Psalm 89:9–10). And the words of assurance that Jesus speaks—“It is I”—are those God used to identify himself to Moses (see Exodus 3:14; Isaiah 43:10).
Even Peter is too overcome by fear to imitate his Lord. His fears, Jesus tells him, are a sign of his lack of faith. And so it often is with us. Our fears make us doubt, make it hard to see His glory dwelling in our midst.
Adults - What causes you to doubt? Take those feelings and thoughts to the Lord and talk with Him about them. Be sure to listen as well as talk.
Teens - How does the Lord reassure you in troubled times?
Kids - Why is Peter afraid? How does Jesus reassure him?
LIVING THE WORD OF GOD THIS WEEK! - “This was also a very necessary lesson in the education of Peter and his companions. For us, too, there is a necessary lesson in this incident. It is that we must continue to trust in Christ and his loving Father, even when God seems to have deserted us. Most of the troubles and trials of our lives are caused by the injustice and lack of charity of our fellowmen. The remainder can be attributed to our own defects and sins or to some weakness in our mental and bodily make-up or the disorder put in creation from the Fall. But God foresees all these misfortunes, and can prevent them. Instead he lets them take their course, because they can and should be the means of educating us in our knowledge of life's true meaning and they should draw us closer to him (Romans 8:28). Christ foresaw the storm and the grave risk His Apostles would run when He sent them off across the lake. But that trial and the grave danger they ran was for their own good, because they learned to realize that He was from God, and they could always trust Him. Our trials and our earthly ailments are also foreseen by God and permitted by him (even if inflicted on us by a sinful fellowman) so that they will draw us closer to Him and help us on the road to heaven. This they will do, if we accept them and bear with them until He comes to our aid. Our troubles in life are like the growing pains of our youth — they are necessary if we are to arrive at our full stature as sons of God. They form, mold and shape our religious character and bring us closer to God — if we allow them to do so. For the lukewarm Christian who rebels against God because of his earthly sufferings, they can do the opposite. He cannot see the purpose and value of suffering because he has never seriously pondered or grasped the real meaning of this life and God's loving plans for him. As in the first reading today, God may not be in the tornadoes or earthquakes or roaring fires, nor does He cause them, but He is ever near to His true children when such calamities occur. He has a purpose in every trial or tribulation which crosses the path of our lives, a purpose always to our eternal advantage if only we will see and accept his will in these trials. -Excerpted from The Sunday Readings by Fr. Kevin O'Sullivan, O.F.M.
SUNDAY BIBLICAL MASS READINGS AND QUESTIONS
for Self-Reflection, Couples or Family Discussion
19th Sunday of Ordinary Time – Sunday, August 13, 2023
The First Reading - 1 Kings 19:9A-11-13A
At the mountain of God, Horeb, Elijah came to a cave where he took shelter. Then the LORD said to him, “Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD; the LORD will be passing by.” A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the LORD— but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake— but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was fire— but the LORD was not in the fire. After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound. When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went and stood at the entrance of the cave.
Reflection
How do we find God in the storms and struggles of our lives, in the trials we encounter in trying to do His will? God commands Elijah in today’s First Reading to stand on the mountain and await His passing by. And in the Gospel, Jesus makes the disciples set out across the waters to meet Him. In each case, the Lord makes himself present amid frightening tumult—heavy winds and high waves, fire and earthquakes. Elijah hides his face. Perhaps he remembers Moses, who met God on the same mountain, also amid fire, thunder, and smoke (see Deuteronomy 4:10–15; Exodus 19:17–19). God told Moses no one could see His face and live, and He sheltered Moses in the hollow of a rock, as He shelters Elijah in a cave (see Exodus 33:18–23).
Adults - Do you take time for silence to listen for the still, small voice of the Lord?
Teens - Prayer should be at least as much listening as talking. Take some time for silent listening for the Lord this week!
Kids - How do you listen for God’s voice?
Responsorial- Psalm 85:9, 10-11, 13-14
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD — for he proclaims peace.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and prepare the way of his steps.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
Reflection
We sing in today’s Psalm, that His salvation is near to those who hope in Him. Do you strive to live life in hope? How can you be more hopeful in the Lord?
The Second Reading- Romans 9:1-5
Brothers and sisters: I speak the truth in Christ, I do not lie; my conscience joins with the Holy Spirit in bearing me witness that I have great sorrow and constant anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my own people, my kindred according to the flesh. They are Israelites; theirs the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; theirs the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.
Reflection - Paul asserts in today’s Epistle, that we are heirs to the promises made to His children, Israel.
We must trust that He whispers to us in the trials of our lives—that He who has called us to walk along the way of His steps. He will save us whenever we begin to sink. -Do you ask God for help and guidance in your daily life?
The Holy Gospel according to Matthew 14:22-33
After he had fed the people, Jesus made the disciples get into a boat and precede him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When it was evening he was there alone. Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore, was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it. During the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them walking on the sea. When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified. “It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear. At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Peter said to him in reply, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught Peter, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” After they got into the boat, the wind died down. Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying, “Truly, you are the Son of God.”
Reflection Today’s Gospel is a revelation of Jesus’ divine identity. Only God treads across the crest of the sea (see Job 9:8) and rules the raging waters (see Psalm 89:9–10). And the words of assurance that Jesus speaks—“It is I”—are those God used to identify himself to Moses (see Exodus 3:14; Isaiah 43:10).
Even Peter is too overcome by fear to imitate his Lord. His fears, Jesus tells him, are a sign of his lack of faith. And so it often is with us. Our fears make us doubt, make it hard to see His glory dwelling in our midst.
Adults - What causes you to doubt? Take those feelings and thoughts to the Lord and talk with Him about them. Be sure to listen as well as talk.
Teens - How does the Lord reassure you in troubled times?
Kids - Why is Peter afraid? How does Jesus reassure him?
LIVING THE WORD OF GOD THIS WEEK! - “This was also a very necessary lesson in the education of Peter and his companions. For us, too, there is a necessary lesson in this incident. It is that we must continue to trust in Christ and his loving Father, even when God seems to have deserted us. Most of the troubles and trials of our lives are caused by the injustice and lack of charity of our fellowmen. The remainder can be attributed to our own defects and sins or to some weakness in our mental and bodily make-up or the disorder put in creation from the Fall. But God foresees all these misfortunes, and can prevent them. Instead he lets them take their course, because they can and should be the means of educating us in our knowledge of life's true meaning and they should draw us closer to him (Romans 8:28). Christ foresaw the storm and the grave risk His Apostles would run when He sent them off across the lake. But that trial and the grave danger they ran was for their own good, because they learned to realize that He was from God, and they could always trust Him. Our trials and our earthly ailments are also foreseen by God and permitted by him (even if inflicted on us by a sinful fellowman) so that they will draw us closer to Him and help us on the road to heaven. This they will do, if we accept them and bear with them until He comes to our aid. Our troubles in life are like the growing pains of our youth — they are necessary if we are to arrive at our full stature as sons of God. They form, mold and shape our religious character and bring us closer to God — if we allow them to do so. For the lukewarm Christian who rebels against God because of his earthly sufferings, they can do the opposite. He cannot see the purpose and value of suffering because he has never seriously pondered or grasped the real meaning of this life and God's loving plans for him. As in the first reading today, God may not be in the tornadoes or earthquakes or roaring fires, nor does He cause them, but He is ever near to His true children when such calamities occur. He has a purpose in every trial or tribulation which crosses the path of our lives, a purpose always to our eternal advantage if only we will see and accept his will in these trials. -Excerpted from The Sunday Readings by Fr. Kevin O'Sullivan, O.F.M.
CATHOLIC QUESTIONS AND CATHOLIC ANSWERS
546. How did the Virgin Mary pray? b. by faith and the offering of her whole being
Mary’s prayer was characterized by faith and by the generous offering of her whole being to God. The Mother of Jesus is also the new Eve, the “Mother of all the living”. She prays to Jesus for the needs of all people.
547. Is there a prayer of Mary in the Gospel? (CCC 2619) c. Yes, the Magnificat (My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord…)
Along with the prayer of Mary at Cana in Galilee, the Gospel gives us the Magnificat (Luke1:46-55) which is the song both of the Mother of God and of the Church, the joyous thanksgiving that rises from the hearts of the poor because their hope is met by the fulfillment of the divine promises.
PRAYER IN THE AGE OF THE CHURCH
548. How did the first Christian community in Jerusalem pray? d. all of the above
At the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles it is written that in the first community of Jerusalem, educated in the life of prayer by the Holy Spirit, the faithful “devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of the bread, and to the prayers” (Acts 2:42).
549. How does the Holy Spirit intervene in the Church’s prayer? a. by uniting us to Jesus
The Holy Spirit, the interior Master of Christian prayer, forms the Church in the life of prayer and allows her to enter ever more deeply into contemplation of and union with the unfathomable mystery of Christ. The forms of prayer expressed in the apostolic and canonical writings remain normative (the standard) for Christian prayer.
546. How did the Virgin Mary pray? b. by faith and the offering of her whole being
Mary’s prayer was characterized by faith and by the generous offering of her whole being to God. The Mother of Jesus is also the new Eve, the “Mother of all the living”. She prays to Jesus for the needs of all people.
547. Is there a prayer of Mary in the Gospel? (CCC 2619) c. Yes, the Magnificat (My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord…)
Along with the prayer of Mary at Cana in Galilee, the Gospel gives us the Magnificat (Luke1:46-55) which is the song both of the Mother of God and of the Church, the joyous thanksgiving that rises from the hearts of the poor because their hope is met by the fulfillment of the divine promises.
PRAYER IN THE AGE OF THE CHURCH
548. How did the first Christian community in Jerusalem pray? d. all of the above
At the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles it is written that in the first community of Jerusalem, educated in the life of prayer by the Holy Spirit, the faithful “devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of the bread, and to the prayers” (Acts 2:42).
549. How does the Holy Spirit intervene in the Church’s prayer? a. by uniting us to Jesus
The Holy Spirit, the interior Master of Christian prayer, forms the Church in the life of prayer and allows her to enter ever more deeply into contemplation of and union with the unfathomable mystery of Christ. The forms of prayer expressed in the apostolic and canonical writings remain normative (the standard) for Christian prayer.
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