Posted on 08/05/2006 9:06:35 AM PDT by Salvation
Saturday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Jer 26:11-16, 24
The priests and prophets said to the princes and to all the people,
“This man deserves death;
he has prophesied against this city,
as you have heard with your own ears.”
Jeremiah gave this answer to the princes and all the people:
“It was the LORD who sent me to prophesy against this house and city
all that you have heard.
Now, therefore, reform your ways and your deeds;
listen to the voice of the LORD your God,
so that the LORD will repent of the evil with which he threatens you.
As for me, I am in your hands;
do with me what you think good and right.
But mark well: if you put me to death,
it is innocent blood you bring on yourselves,
on this city and its citizens.
For in truth it was the LORD who sent me to you,
to speak all these things for you to hear.”
Thereupon the princes and all the people
said to the priests and the prophets,
“This man does not deserve death;
it is in the name of the LORD, our God, that he speaks to us.”
So Ahikam, son of Shaphan, protected Jeremiah,
so that he was not handed over to the people to be put to death.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 69:15-16, 30-31, 33-34
R. (14c) Lord, in your great love, answer me.
Rescue me out of the mire; may I not sink!
may I be rescued from my foes,
and from the watery depths.
Let not the flood-waters overwhelm me,
nor the abyss swallow me up,
nor the pit close its mouth over me.
R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.
But I am afflicted and in pain;
let your saving help, O God, protect me.
I will praise the name of God in song,
and I will glorify him with thanksgiving.
R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.
“See, you lowly ones, and be glad;
you who seek God, may your hearts revive!
For the LORD hears the poor,
and his own who are in bonds he spurns not.”
R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.
Gospel
Mt 14:1-12
Herod the tetrarch heard of the reputation of Jesus
and said to his servants, “This man is John the Baptist.
He has been raised from the dead;
that is why mighty powers are at work in him.”
Now Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison
on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip,
for John had said to him,
“It is not lawful for you to have her.”
Although he wanted to kill him, he feared the people,
for they regarded him as a prophet.
But at a birthday celebration for Herod,
the daughter of Herodias performed a dance before the guests
and delighted Herod so much
that he swore to give her whatever she might ask for.
Prompted by her mother, she said,
“Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”
The king was distressed,
but because of his oaths and the guests who were present,
he ordered that it be given, and he had John beheaded in the prison.
His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl,
who took it to her mother.
His disciples came and took away the corpse
and buried him; and they went and told Jesus.
Please notify me via FReepmail if you would like to be added to or taken off the Alleluia Ping List.
Of all the great Roman Basilicas, this is the most successful blend of different architectural styles. The cosmatesque marble floor and delightful Romanesque bell tower, with its blue ceramic roundels, are medieval. The Renaissance saw a new coffered ceiling and the Baroque gave the church twin domes and its imposing front and rear façades. The mosaics are S. Maria’s most famous feature.Dedication Of Saint Mary Major
Miracle of the Snow to Be Commemorated at St. Mary Major
The Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome
by Fr. Patrick Greenough, ofm conv.
Is there anyone who wants snow in August? Other than Marytown's own Br. Charles, there once was a pope who was looking for snow in August. He was Pope Liberius and the year was 358ad.
Our Lady appeared to him in a dream asking that a basilica be built in her honor. She promised that in the middle of August when Rome is at its hottest, it would snow on the sight where she wanted the basilica to be built.
On the morning of August 5th, the Pope awoke to a heavy snowfall. And as the faithful watched, the Pope traced in the newly fallen snow the outline of the future church. Even today, on August 5th, the feast of the dedication of St. Mary Major, the Church also celebrates Our Lady of the Snows.
Pope Sixtus III (432-440) fulfilled Pope Liberius' dream and built a church in honor of Mary, whom the council of Ephesus in 431 declared to be the Theotokas, the Mother of God.
St. Mary's is one of the four major basilicas of Rome along with St. Peter's, St. John Lateran and St. Paul Outside-the-Walls. Come take a brief, but beautiful tour of the earliest church dedicated to Our Lady in the West.
431: The Council of Ephesus
In the early years of the Church and even today, there were controversies concerning the faith. One of those controversies was resolved at the Council of Ephesus.
Nestorius, the patriarch of Constantinople, believed that in regards to Jesus there were two persons, a human person conceived in time and a divine person from all eternity and that Mary was not the Mother of God, the divine person but only the Mother of Jesus the human person.
St. Cyril of Alexandria rejected this by stating that from the moment of his conception, Jesus was and always has been only one Person, a Divine Person with two natures, Divine and human, and it was the Second Person of the Holy Trinity who was conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary and that therefore Mary truly is the Theotokos, the Mother of God.
From: Matthew 14:1-12
The Death of John the Baptist
| First reading | Jeremiah 26:11 - 24 © |
|---|---|
| The priests and prophets then addressed the officials and all the people, ‘This man deserves to die, since he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears’. Jeremiah, however, replied to the people as follows, ‘The Lord himself sent me to say all the things you have heard against this Temple and this city. So now amend your behaviour and actions, listen to the voice of the Lord your God: if you do, he will relent and not bring down on you the disaster he has pronounced against you. For myself, I am as you see in your hands. Do whatever you please or think right with me. But be sure of this, that if you put me to death, you will be bringing innocent blood on yourselves, on this city and on its citizens, since the Lord has truly sent me to you to say all these words in your hearing.’ The officials and all the people then said to the priests and prophets, ‘This man does not deserve to die: he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God’. Jeremiah had a protector in Ahikam son of Shaphan, so he was not handed over to the people to be put to death. |
|
| Psalm or canticle: Psalm 68 |
| Gospel | Matthew 14:1 - 12 © |
|---|---|
| At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the reputation of Jesus, and said to his court, ‘This is John the Baptist himself; he has risen from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him’. Now it was Herod who had arrested John, chained him up and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. For John had told him, ‘It is against the Law for you to have her’. He had wanted to kill him but was afraid of the people, who regarded John as a prophet. Then, during the celebrations for Herod’s birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company, and so delighted Herod that he promised on oath to give her anything she asked. Prompted by her mother she said, ‘Give me John the Baptist’s head, here, on a dish’. The king was distressed but, thinking of the oaths he had sworn and of his guests, he ordered it to be given her, and sent and had John beheaded in the prison. The head was brought in on a dish and given to the girl who took it to her mother. John’s disciples came and took the body and buried it; then they went off to tell Jesus. |
|
O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
| Psalm 130 (131) |
|---|
| Childlike trust in God |
| Lord, I do not puff myself up or stare about, or walk among the great or seek wonders beyond me. Truly calm and quiet I have made my spirit: quiet as a weaned child in its mother’s arms – like an infant is my soul. Let Israel hope in the Lord, now and for all time. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Psalm 131 (132) |
|---|
| God's promise to the house of David |
| Lord, remember David and how he served you. He swore to the Lord, vowed a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob: “I will not go into my tent, my home, nor go up to my bed of rest; I will not let my eyes sleep or my eyelids grow heavy until I have found a place for the Lord, a dwelling-place for the Mighty One of Jacob”. We heard that it was in Ephratha, we found it in the plains of Jaar. So let us go into his dwelling-place and let us worship before his footstool. Rise up, Lord, and come to your place of rest. Come with the Ark of your power. Let your priests be robed in your justice, and let your chosen ones rejoice. Remember what David did for you, and do not turn your face from your Anointed. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Psalm 131 (132) |
|---|
| The Lord swore David a true oath, he will not go back on his word: “The fruit of your body I will place on your throne. If your children keep my covenant and the commands I teach them, their children’s children will occupy your throne for ever”. For the Lord has chosen Sion, taken it for his dwelling-place: “Here will I take my rest for all time: here will I live, such is my desire. I will bless its crops with my blessing, I will fill its poor with bread. I will clothe its priests with righteousness. Its chosen ones will exult with joy. There will I plant the sign of David, and prepare a lamp for my anointed one. I will wrap his enemies in confusion, but over his head my crown will shine. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Reading | 2 Corinthians 12:14 - 13:13 © |
|---|---|
| I am all prepared now to come to you for the third time, and I am not going to be a burden on you: it is you I want, not your possessions. Children are not expected to save up for their parents, but parents for children. I am perfectly willing to spend what I have, and to be expended, in the interests of your souls. Because I love you more, must I be loved the less? All very well, you say: I personally put no pressure on you, but like the cunning fellow that I am, I took you in by a trick. So we exploited you, did we, through one of the men that I have sent to you? Well, Titus went at my urging, and I sent the brother that came with him. Can Titus have exploited you? You know that he and I have always been guided by the same spirit and trodden in the same tracks. All this time you have been thinking that our defence is addressed to you, but it is before God that we, in Christ, are speaking; and it is all, my dear brothers, for your benefit. What I am afraid of is that when I come I may find you different from what I want you to be, and you may find that I am not as you would like me to be; and then there will be wrangling, jealousy, and tempers roused, intrigues and backbiting and gossip, obstinacies and disorder. I am afraid that on my next visit, my God may make me ashamed on your account and I shall be grieving over all those who sinned before and have still not repented of the impurities, fornication and debauchery they committed. This will be the third time I have come to you. The evidence of three, or at least two, witnesses is necessary to sustain the charge. I gave warning when I was with you the second time and I give warning now, too, before I come, to those who sinned before and to any others, that when I come again, I shall have no mercy. You want proof, you say, that it is Christ speaking in me: you have known him not as a weakling, but as a power among you? Yes, but he was crucified through weakness, and still he lives now through the power of God. So then, we are weak, as he was, but we shall live with him, through the power of God, for your benefit. Examine yourselves to make sure you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you acknowledge that Jesus Christ is really in you? If not, you have failed the test, but we, as I hope you will come to see, have not failed it. We pray to God that you will do nothing wrong: not that we want to appear as the ones who have been successful – we would rather that you did well even though we failed. We have no power to resist the truth; only to further it. We are only too glad to be weak provided you are strong. What we ask in our prayers is for you to be made perfect. That is why I am writing this from a distance, so that when I am with you I shall not need to be strict, with the authority which the Lord gave me for building up and not for destroying. In the meantime, brothers, we wish you happiness; try to grow perfect; help one another. Be united; live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with the holy kiss. All the saints send you greetings. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. |
|
| Reading | From a letter to Polycarp by Saint Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyr |
|---|---|
| Let everything be done for God's honour | |
| Avoid evil practices; indeed, preach against them. Tell my sisters to love the Lord and be content with their husbands in the flesh and in the spirit, and in the same way bid my brothers in Christ’s name to love their wives as the Lord loves his Church. If anyone can remain chaste in honour of the Saviour’s flesh, then let him do so without boasting. For if he boasts of it, he is lost; and if he thinks himself for this reason better than the bishop, he is lost. Those who marry should be united with the bishop’s approval, so that the marriage may follow God’s will and not merely the prompting of the flesh. Let everything be done for God’s honour. Hear your bishop, that God may hear you. My life is a sacrifice for those who are obedient to the bishop, the presbyters and the deacons; and may it be my lot to share with them in God. Work together in harmony,: struggle together, run together, suffer together, rest together, rise together, as stewards, advisors and servants of God. Seek to please him whose soldiers you are and from whom you draw your pay; let none of you prove a deserter. Let your baptism be your armour, your faith your helmet, your charity your spear, your patience your panoply. Let your good works be your deposits, so that you may draw out well-earned savings. So be patient and gentle with one another, as God is with you. May I have joy in you for ever! Since I have heard that the church of Antioch in Syria is in peace through your prayers, I too am more tranquil in my reliance upon God. If only I may find my way to God through my passion and at the resurrection prove to be your disciple! My most blessed Polycarp, you should convene a godly council and appoint someone whom you consider dear and especially diligent to be called God’s courier and to have the honour of going into Syria and advancing God’s glory by speaking of your untiring charity. A Christian is not his own master; his time is God’s. This is God’s work, and it will be yours as well when you have performed it. I have trust in the grace of God that you are ready to act generously when it comes to God’s work. Since I knew so well your zeal for truth, I have limited my appeal to these few words. I could not write to all the churches because I am sailing at once from Troas to Neapolis as is required of me. I want you, therefore, as one who knows God’s purpose, to write to the churches of the East and bid them to do the same. Those who can should send representatives, while the rest should send letters through your delegates. Thus your community will be honoured for a good work which will be remembered for ever, as their bishop deserves. I wish all of you well for ever in Jesus Christ; through him may you all remain in God’s unity and in his care. Farewell in the Lord! |
|
| A concluding prayer may follow here. |
|
God calls each one of us to be a saint.
|
 |
 |
|
|
August 5, 2006
Dedication of St. Mary Major Basilica
First raised at the order of Pope Liberius in the mid-fourth century, the Liberian Basilica was rebuilt by Pope Sixtus III shortly after the Council of Ephesus affirmed Mary’s title as Mother of God in 431. Rededicated at that time to the Mother of God, St. Mary Major is the largest church in the world honoring God through Mary. Standing atop one of Rome’s seven hills, the Esquiline, it has survived many restorations without losing its character as an early Roman basilica. Its interior retains three naves divided by colonnades in the style of Constantine’s era. Fifth-century mosaics on its walls testify to its antiquity.
St. Mary Major is one of the four Roman basilicas known as patriarchal cathedrals in memory of the first centers of the Church. St. John Lateran represents Rome, the See of Peter; St. Paul Outside the Walls, the See of Alexandria, allegedly the see presided over by Mark; St. Peter’s, the See of Constantinople; and St. Mary’s, the See of Antioch, where Mary is supposed to have spent most of her life. One legend, unreported before the year 1000, gives another name to this feast: Our Lady of the Snows. According to that story, a wealthy Roman couple pledged their fortune to the Mother of God. In affirmation, she produced a miraculous summer snowfall and told them to build a church on the site. The legend was long celebrated by releasing a shower of white rose petals from the basilica’s dome every August 5. Quote:
|
||||
|
|
| Saturday, August 5, 2006 Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome (Optional Memorial) |
||
|
Recipes:
Prayers:
|
 |
August 05, 2006    Optional Memorial of the Dedication of St. Mary Major Old Calendar: Dedication of the Church of Our Lady of the Snow (St. Mary Major); St. Oswald
This feast commemorates the miracle of the snowfall that occurred during the night of August 4-5 in the year 358 on the site where the basilica now stands. According to tradition, the Virgin Mary appeared in a dream to two faithful Roman Christians, the patrician John and his wife, as well as to Pope Liberius (352-366), asking that a church be built in her honor on the site where snow would fall on the night of August 4-5. Pope Liberius traced the outlines of the church in the snow and the first basilica was built on that site. It was completed about a century later by Pope Sixtus III (432-440), after the Council of Ephesus in 431 during which Mary was declared to be the Mother of God. In Rome the Basilica of St. Mary Major will hold its traditional triduum from August 1 to 3 and two days of celebration on August 4 and 5. During the pontifical Mass and the second vespers, the traditional shower of flower petals will descend from the ceiling of the basilica to commemorate the August snowfall in 358. St. Oswald, king, is mentioned in the Roman Martyrology. St. Bede the Venerable commemorates his deeds. He was sometimes portrayed as a martyr, since he died in battle against the pagan Welsh invaders.
Dedication of St. Mary Major St. Mary Major is important to Christendom for three reasons: (a) It stands as a venerable monument to the Council of Ephesus (431), at which the dogma of Mary's divine Motherhood was solemnly defined; the definition of the Council occasioned a most notable increase in the veneration paid to Mary.
"Mary answered their petition and confirmed her reply by means of the following miracle. On the fifth of August — a time when it is unbearably hot in the city of Rome — a portion of the Esquiline would be covered with snow during the night. During that same night the Mother of God directed John and his wife in separate dreams to build a church to be dedicated to the Virgin Mary on the site where they would see snow lying. For it was in this manner that she wanted her inheritance to be used. "John immediately reported the whole matter to Pope Liberius, and he declared that a similar dream had come to him. Accompanied by clergy and people, Liberius proceeded on the following morning in solemn procession to the snow-covered hill and there marked off the area on which the church in Mary's honor was to be constructed." Under Pope Sixtus III (432-440) the basilica was rebuilt, and upon the occasion of the definition of Mary's divine Motherhood by the Council of Ephesus, consecrated to her honor (432). He decorated the apse and walls with mosaics from the lives of Christ and His blessed Mother, which even to this day beautify the church and belong to the oldest we possess. As early as the end of the fourth century a replica of the Bethlehem nativity grotto had been added; on this account the edifice became known as "St. Mary of the Crib." To the Christian at Rome this church is Bethlehem. Other names for the basilica are: Liberian Basilica, because it dates to the time of Pope Liberius; St. Mary Major (being the largest church in Mary's honor in Rome); Our Lady of the Snow, because of the miracle that supposedly occasioned its erection. We could point out how the divine Motherhood mystery dominates all Marian liturgy; for the Theotokos doctrine has kept Mariology Christo-centric in the Church's worship. Although recent popular devotion to Mary has become to a certain extent soft and sentimental and has, one may say, erected its own sanctuary around Mary as the center, devotion to our Blessed Mother in the liturgy has always remained oriented to Christ. In the liturgy the divine Motherhood has always been the bridge from Mary to Jesus. One need only examine Matins in honor of Mary or the Masses from her Common to be reassured. Everywhere Christ takes the central position, and Mary is the Christbearer. Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch. Things to Do:
St. Oswald  Forced to flee from Northumbria to Scotland when his father, Aethelfrith, was defeated and killed by Raedwald in 617, Oswald was converted to Christianity at Iona while he was in Scotland. When his uncle, King St. Edwin of Northumbria, was killed in battle against pagan King Penda of Mercia and Welsh King Cadwallon in 633, Oswald assembled an army and in 634 defeated a superior force under Cadwallon, who was killed in a battle near Hexham, and Oswald became King of Northumbria. He attributed his victory to a vision he had had of St. Columba promising him victory and to a huge cross he had erected the night before the battle. He brought St. Aidan to his kingdom to preach Christianity, gave him the island of Lindisfarne for his see, and acted as his interpreter. He built churches and monasteries, brought in monks from Scotland to bring his people back to Christianity, and was known for his personal piety and charity. He married Cyneburga, daughter of Cynegils, first Christian king of Wessex, and died a few years later, on August 5, while fighting against the superior forces of Penda at Maserfield. He was only thirty-seven at his death. Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch. Symbols: Scepter and crown; large wooden cross; ciborium; raven carrying ring or oil stock; letter and box of ointment; horn; silver dish; dove; sword; palm branch. Things to Do:
|
|
The Chain Reaction of Sin Saturday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time Matthew 14:1-12 Introductory Prayer: Lord, I know if I do not watch and pray I am in danger of allowing my sins to deform my conscience in such a way that I risk losing you and your love. Help me Lord to repent of my sins and live according to your truth and grace. Petition: Lord, help me to form my conscience according to your truth so that I may safeguard my eternal happiness with you in heaven. 1. Curiosity Kills the Conscience. It isn’t curiosity that cures an ill conscience, it’s commitment to the truth. The pity about Herod was that he was only curious about Christ and not dedicated to the living out of the truths Christ proclaimed. He preferred himself and his self-centered lusts over Christ. He preferred lust to the authentic love Christ came to bring. He preferred the vain praise of his peers rather than the judgment of God given to him through John the Baptist. He kept Christ out on the periphery instead of in his heart. He exchanged a truth for a lie. How much of Herod do I see in myself? 2. Sin Grows on a Person. Let us consider the insidious power of sin in the life of Herod. Sin never is satisfied with what it already has attained; it possesses more and more of the one who doesn’t detach himself from it, leading to total corruption. Herod’s lust led him to adultery. Adultery led him to condemn an innocent man. His pride blinded him to any wrongdoing and his further acts of lust and vanity led him to murder. Even the savagery of a man’s head on a platter would not awake him to the consuming power of sin. Sin blinds the soul to its wrongdoing. Am I slave to any sin? Do I realize the danger of befriending sin and being indifferent to its presence in my life? Do I see how sin can lead to my ultimate destruction and condemnation? 3. How Long Will I Procrastinate My Conversion? How long am I willing to wait before I take action in conquering sin and the roots of sin in my life? Am I comfortable with mortal sin in my life? Venial sin? In considering today’s Gospel, am I willing to make Christ a real part of my life: the criteria in my judgments and the model of the way I should live and love? Dialogue with Christ: Lord, today you teach me the insidious power that sin can have in our souls. I am not exempt from its power, yet I know that with a well-formed conscience, constant vigilance over my thoughts and actions, and the regular reception of the sacraments, I can grow ever more faithful to completing your will and rooting out sin and its effects in my life. Grant me your help to be able to stay in the state of grace the rest of the days of my life. Resolution: I will go and make a good sincere confession to a priest this week, confident in Christ’s saving action in the sacrament of reconciliation. |
O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
| Psalm 118 (119): 145-152 |
|---|
| I call on you with all my heart – answer me, Lord. I will obey your laws. I call on you, save me so that I can keep your decrees. At dawn I cry to you, I put all my hope in your word. In the night I keep watch, pondering your sayings. In your mercy, Lord, hear my voice; in your justice, give me life. My persecutors come to do me harm: they are far from your law. But you, Lord, are near to me, and you are trustworthy in all your precepts. From the beginning I have known your decrees, how you have made them to last for ever. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Canticle | Exodus 15 |
|---|---|
| Hymn of victory after crossing the Red Sea | |
| I will sing to the Lord, for his triumph is glorious. Horse and rider he has cast into the sea. The Lord is my support and my strength, and he has saved me. This is my God, and I will give him glory This is my father’s God, and I will exalt him. The Lord is a warrior – Yahweh is his name! Pharaoh’s chariots and army he has thrown into the sea. Your storm raged, and the waters were piled high, the flowing waters were a rampart, the sea-bed was exposed. The enemy said: “I will follow and surround them; I will divide their spoils, have my fill of booty, draw my sword and kill them all”. Your wind blew, and the sea covered them, they sank like lead in the raging waters. What god is like you, O Lord? What god is like you, so great in your holiness, a worker of miracles, terrible and worthy of praise? You stretched out your hand and the earth swallowed them. In your mercy you led your people whom you had redeemed, in your strength you brought them to your dwelling-place. You will lead them in and establish them on the mountain that is your inheritance, your solid dwelling-place, which you made, Lord; your sanctuary, Lord, which your hands made firm. The Lord will reign, to eternity and beyond! Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
|
| Psalm 116 (117) |
|---|
| Praise of the merciful Lord |
| Praise the Lord, all nations; all peoples, praise him. For his mercy is strong over us and his faithfulness is for ever. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| A short Bible reading and responsory may follow here. |
| Canticle | Benedictus |
|---|---|
| The Messiah and his forerunner | |
| Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and brought about their redemption. He has raised up the sign of salvation in the house of his servant David, as he promised through the mouth of the holy ones, his prophets through the ages: to rescue us from our enemies and all who hate us, to take pity on our fathers, to remember his holy covenant and the oath he swore to Abraham our father, that he would give himself to us, that we could serve him without fear – freed from the hands of our enemies – in uprightness and holiness before him, for all of our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High: for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his path, to let his people know their salvation, so that their sins may be forgiven. Through the bottomless mercy of our God, one born on high will visit us to give light to those who walk in darkness, who live in the shadow of death; to lead our feet in the path of peace. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
|
| Some short prayers may follow here, to offer up the day's work to God. |
| Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. |
| A concluding prayer may follow here. |
| May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life. |
| A M E N |
Apse mosaic of the Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Baptistry
Baldacchino over the Pontifical Altar
Clerestory, Ceiling, and Nave
Relics from the Holy Crib
Tabernacle of the Sistine Chapel
Salus Populi Icon in the Borghese Chapel
All photos from the Vatican website
Prayers offered up for Pittsburgh Mayor Bob O'Connor, who begins his fourth week in the hospital in his treatment for brain cancer. He starts his third round of chemotherapy on Monday. The official diagnosis of his very rare disorder is "primary central nervous symptom lymphoma". His age is 61, his body is puffy, he's experiencing higher than usual symptoms and side effects.
Beautiful photo of Basilica of St. Mary Major, thanks for posting.
My pleasure. St. Mary Major is my most favorite church of all.
BUMP
| Mt 14:1-12 | ||
|---|---|---|
| # | Douay-Rheims | Vulgate |
| 1 | At that time Herod the Tetrarch heard the fame of Jesus. | in illo tempore audiit Herodes tetrarcha famam Iesu |
| 2 | And he said to his servants: This is John the Baptist: he is risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works shew forth themselves in him. | et ait pueris suis hic est Iohannes Baptista ipse surrexit a mortuis et ideo virtutes inoperantur in eo |
| 3 | For Herod had apprehended John and bound him, and put him into prison, because of Herodias, his brother's wife. | Herodes enim tenuit Iohannem et alligavit eum et posuit in carcere propter Herodiadem uxorem fratris sui |
| 4 | For John said to him: It is not lawful for thee to have her. | dicebat enim illi Iohannes non licet tibi habere eam |
| 5 | And having a mind to put him to death, he feared the people: because they esteemed him as a prophet. | et volens illum occidere timuit populum quia sicut prophetam eum habebant |
| 6 | But on Herod's birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before them: and pleased Herod. | die autem natalis Herodis saltavit filia Herodiadis in medio et placuit Herodi |
| 7 | Whereupon he promised with an oath, to give her whatsoever she would ask of him. | unde cum iuramento pollicitus est ei dare quodcumque postulasset ab eo |
| 8 | But she being instructed before by her mother, said: Give me here in a dish the head of John the Baptist. | at illa praemonita a matre sua da mihi inquit hic in disco caput Iohannis Baptistae |
| 9 | And the king was struck sad: yet because of his oath, and for them that sat with him at table, he commanded it to be given. | et contristatus est rex propter iuramentum autem et eos qui pariter recumbebant iussit dari |
| 10 | And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison. | misitque et decollavit Iohannem in carcere |
| 11 | And his head was brought in a dish: and it was given to the damsel, and she brought it to her mother. | et adlatum est caput eius in disco et datum est puellae et tulit matri suae |
| 12 | And his disciples came and took the body, and buried it, and came and told Jesus. | et accedentes discipuli eius tulerunt corpus et sepelierunt illud et venientes nuntiaverunt Iesu |
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
The beginnings of St. Mary Major date to the Constantinian period. Originally it was called the Sicinini Basilica; it was the palace of a patrician family by that name before its transformation into a church by Pope Liberius. The story of its origin is legendary, dating from the Middle Ages. The Breviary gives this version: "Liberius was on the chair of Peter (352-366) when the Roman patrician John and his wife, who was of like nobility, vowed to bequeath their estate to the most holy Virgin and Mother of God, for they had no children to whom their property could go. The couple gave themselves to assiduous prayer, beseeching Mary to make known to them in some way what pious work they should subsidize in her honor.