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Saint Anthony, Abbot [Antony of the Desert][Anthony of Egypt]

Blessed be the most holy Name of Jesus without end!

January Devotion: The Holy Name of Jesus

The month of January is traditionally dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus. This feast is also celebrated on January 3. Here is an explanation of the devotion.

Since the 16th century Catholic piety has associated entire months to special devotions. The devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus has been traditionally associated with the month of January, due to its celebration on January 3. The name Jesus was given to the Holy Child at God's command (Luke 1:31). The Holy Name is all-powerful because of the Person who bears it; we honor it because of the command of Christ, that we should pray in His Name and because it reminds us of all the blessings we receive through our Holy Redeemer. Hence St. Paul was able to write to the Philippians: ". . . at the name of Jesus every knee should bend of those in heaven, on earth, and under the earth" (Phil. 2:10). By means of this devotion we also make amends for improper use of the Holy Name.

Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954

Prayer/Hymn in Honor of the Most Holy Name of Jesus - Iesu, Dulcis Memoria

Iesu, Dulcis Memoria is a celebrated 12th century hymn attributed to St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153), Doctor Mellifluus. The entire hymn has some 42 to 53 stanzas depending upon the manuscript. Parts of this hymn were used for the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus, which was formerly celebrated on the Sunday between the Circumcision and Epiphany, or failing such a Sunday, on January 2. The part below was used at Vespers. In the liturgical revisions of Vatican II, the feast was deleted, though a votive Mass to the Holy Name of Jesus had been retained for devotional use. With the release of the revised Roman Missal in March 2002, the feast was restored as an optional memorial on January 3.

Jesus, the very thought of Thee
With sweetness fills the breast!
Yet sweeter far Thy face to see
And in Thy presence rest.

No voice can sing, no heart can frame,
Nor can the memory find,
A sweeter sound than Jesus' name,
The Savior of mankind.

O hope of every contrite heart!
0 joy of all the meek!
To those who fall, how kind Thou art!
How good to those who seek!

But what to those who find? Ah! this
Nor tongue nor pen can show
The love of Jesus, what it is,
None but His loved ones know.

Jesus! our only hope be Thou,
As Thou our prize shalt be;
In Thee be all our glory now,
And through eternity. Amen.

---Roman Breviary

Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954

O Divine Jesus, Thou hast promised that anything we ask of the Eternal Father in Thy name shall be granted.

O Eternal Father. In the name of Jesus, for the love of Jesus, in fulfillment of this promise, and because Jesus has said it, grant us our petitions for the sake of Jesus, Thy Divine Son. Amen.

Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954

The Name of Jesus: Its Power in Our Lives

The Holy Name of Jesus

Devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus

The Holy Name of Jesus

Orthodox Feast of St. Anthony the Great, January 17

From: Hebrews 7:1-3, 15-17

Jesus Christ Is a Priest After the Order of Melchizedek

[1] For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met
Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him; [2] and to
him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation
of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is,
king of peace. [3] He is without father or mother or genealogy, and has neither
beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues
a priest for ever.

[15] This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness
of Melchizedek, [16] who has become a priest, not according to a legal require-
ment concerning bodily descent but by the power of an indestructible life. [17]
For it is witnessed of him, "Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchize-
dek."

Commentary:

1-3. Melchizedek has special characteristics which make him a "figure"
or "type" of Christ. The connections between Christ and Melchizedek are
expounded in accordance with the rules of rabbinical bible commentary,
this is particularly obvious in the use of the phrase "without father or mother
or genealogy" to refer to the eternity of Melchizedek. It is not surprising that
the waiter brings in the figure of Melchizedek, for the mysterious mention of
this personage in Genesis 14:18-20 and in Psalm 110:4 had for some time
intrigued Jewish commentators. For example, Philo of Alexandria sees
Melchizedek as a symbol for human reason enlightened by divine wisdom
(cf. "De Legum Allegoria", 3, 79-82). Also, apocryphal literature identified
Melchizedek with other biblical figures--for example, with Shem, Noah's
first-born son, or with the son of Nir, Noah's brother. Certainly the epistle is
in line with Jewish tradition on one important point: Melchizedek belongs to
a priesthood established by God in pre-Mosaic times.

The Jewish historian Flavius Josephus (A.D. 37-100) refers to Melchizedek
as a "prince of Canaan", who founded and was high priest of Jerusalem. The
name Melchizedek, meaning "my king is righteous" or "King of Righteousness",
was a Canaanite name (cf. Josh 10:13). "Salem" is probably an abbreviation
of Jerusalem (cf. Ps 76:2); and Elioh, that is, God Most High, may also have
been the name of one of the divinities worshipped by the inhabitants of
Palestine before the Jewish conquest. Genesis tells us that, in spite of living
in a Canaanite and polytheistic environment, Melchizedek was a priest of the
true God. Despite not being a member of the chosen people, he had knowledge
of the Supreme God. Psalm 110 adds a further revelation to that contained in
Genesis: the promised Messiah, a descendant of David, will not only be a king
(which they already knew) but also a priest; and he will not be a priest of Aaron:
by a new disposition of God he will be a priest according to the order, or as the
Hebrew text says, "after the manner of Melchizedek".

The Epistle to the Hebrews views the Genesis episode through the prism of
Psalm 110: Melchizedek is above all a representative of a new priesthood insti-
tuted by God independently of the Mosaic Law. That is why it gives so much
importance to the words of Genesis: Melchizedek is "king of righteousness",
according to one popular etymology, and he is also "king of Salem", that is,
king of peace" according to another which changes the second vowel of the
Hebrew word shalom, which means "peace". Thus, in Melchizedek the two fore-
most characteristics of the messianic kingdom meet--righteousness and peace
(cf. Ps 85:10; 89:14; 97:2; Is 9:5-7; 2:4; 45:8; Lk 2:14). Moreover, since Genesis
says nothing about Melchizedek's background (he did not belong to the chosen
people), the sacred writer, following a common rabbinical rule of interpretation
(what is not in Scripture--in the Torah--has no existence in the real world"), sees
Scripture's silence on this point as symbolic: Melchizedek, since his genealogy
is unknown, is a figure or "type" of Christ, who is eternal.

"Resembling the Son of God": it is not Christ who resembles Melchizedek but
Melchizedek who is like Christ indeed, who has been made to resemble Christ.
Christ is the perfection of priesthood. Melchizedek was created and made like
Christ so that we by reflecting on him might learn something about the Son of
God.

Theoderet of Cyrus develops on this idea: "Christ the Lord possesses all these
qualifications really and by nature. He is 'without mother', for God as Father alone
begot him. He is 'without father', for he was conceived by mother alone, that is,
the Virgin. He is 'without genealogy', as God, for he who was begotten by the
unbegotten Father has no need of genealogy. 'He has not beginning of days', for
his is an eternal generation. 'He has no end of life', for he possesses an immortal
nature. For all those reasons Christ himself is not compared to Melchizedek but
Melchizedek to Christ" ("Interpretatio Ep. Ad Haebreos, ad loc."). St Ephraem
put this very nicely: "Thus, Melchizedek's priesthood continues for ever--not in
Melchizedek himself but in the Lord of Melchizedek" ("Com. in Epist. Ad
Haebreos, ad loc.").

3. A priest of the true God, of the Most High God, yet not a member of the cho-
sen people, Melchizedek is an example of how God sows the seeds of saving
truth beyond limitations of geography, epoch or nation. "The priesthood of Christ,
of which priests have been really made sharers, is necessarily directed to all
people and all times, and is not confined by any bounds of blood, race, or age,
as was already typified in a mysterious way by the figure of Melchizedek. Priests,
therefore, should recall that the solicitude of all the churches ought to be their
intimate concern" (Vatican II, "Presbyterorum Ordinis", 10).

At the same time the sacred text, by saying that Melchizedek was "without
father or mother", gives grounds for thinking that also in the case of the conse-
cration of Christ's priests they, in order to fulfill their mission, should be ready
to leave their family behind--which is what often in fact happens. "The character
and life of the man called to be a minister in the worship of the one true God
bear the marks of a halo and a destiny to be 'set apart'. This puts him in some
way outside and above the common history of other men--"sine patre, sine matre,
sine genealogia", as St Paul says of the mysterious prophetic Melchizedek" (A.
del Portillo, "On Priesthood", p. 44).

Addressing Christians, particularly those consecrated to the service of God, St
John of Avila writes: "Forget your people (Ps 45:10) and be like another Melchi-
zedek, whom we are told had no father or mother or genealogy. In this way [...]
example is given to the servants of God who must be so forgetful of their family
and relations that they are like Melchizedek in this world, as far as their heart is
concerned--having nothing that ties their heart and slows them up on their way
to God" ("Audi, Filia", 98).

15-19. The superiority of Christ's priesthood is now demonstrated by reference
to the inferiority of the Old Law, in line with the inferiority of its priesthood. The
Law is defined as "a legal requirement concerning bodily descent" as opposed to
some thing spiritual (cf. 1 Cor 2:13-15; Gal 6:1; Eph 1:3; Col 1:8; 2 Cor 3:6-8); it
is "weak" as opposed to effective; "useless" as opposed to being able to do what
it is designed for. From this two things follow: the Law made nothing perfect (cf.
note on 7:11); and its function was that of "introducing" us to a better law--that
of Christ, a law that is full of hope, and hope enables us to draw near to God (cf.
Rom 3:21; Gal 3:24; 1 Tim 1:8).

The epistle's verdict on the Law of Moses may seem somewhat harsh, but it
fits in exactly with the gratuitous nature of glorification: "The Law", Theodoret
comments, "has come to an end, as the Apostle says, and its place is taken
by hope of better things. The Law has ended, however, not because it was bad,
as some heretics foolishly say, but because it was weak and was not perfectly
useful. But we must understand that it is the [now] superfluous parts of the Law
that are described as weak or useless--circumcision, the sabbath precept, and
similar things. For, the New Testament insistently commands observance of the
'Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not commit adultery' and the other command-
ments. In place of the old precepts we have now received hope of future good
things, a hope that makes us God's own household" ("Interpretatio Ep. Ad Hae-
breos, ad loc."). St Thomas Aquinas points out that the commandments were
and are useful. The Old Testament was not in itself bad, but it is unsuited to the
new times; there is no reason why the new priesthood should continue the ways
of the old (cf. Ps 40:6f). That was why the Old Law was abrogated--because it
was weak and served no purpose: "We say something is weak when it fails to
produce its [designed] effect; and the effect proper to the Law and the priesthood
is justification [...]. This the Law was unable to do, because it did not bring man
to beatitude, which is his end. However, in its time it was useful, in that it pre-
pared men for faith" ("Commentary On Heb.", 7, 3).

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland.
Reprinted with permission from from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers,
the U.S. publishers.

From: Mark 3:1-6

The Curing of the Man with a Withered Hand

[1] Again He (Jesus) entered the synagogue, and a man was there who had a
withered hand. [2] And they watched Him, to see whether He would heal him
on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. [3] And He said to the man
who had the withered hand, "Come here." [4] And He said to them, "Is it lawful
on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?" But they were
silent. [5] And He looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness
of heart, and said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and
his hand was restored. [6] The Pharisees went out, and immediately held coun-
sel with the Herodians against Him, how to destroy Him.

Commentary:

5. The evangelists refer a number of times to the way Jesus looks at people
(e.g. at the young man: Mark 10:21; at St. Peter: Luke 22:61, etc). This is the
only time we are told He showed indignation-- provoked by the hypocrisy shown
in verse 2.

6. The Pharisees were the spiritual leaders of Judaism; the Herodians were those
who supported the regime of Herod, benefiting politically and financially thereby.
The two were completely opposed to one another and avoided each other's com-
pany, yet they combined forces against Jesus. The Pharisees wanted to see the
last of Him because they considered Him a dangerous innovator. The most recent
occasion may have been when He pardoned sins (Mark 2:1ff) and interpreted with
full authority the law of the Sabbath (Mark 3:2); they also want to get rid of Him
because they consider that He lowered their own prestige in the eyes of the peo-
ple by the way He cured the man with the withered hand. The Herodians, for their
part, despised the supernatural and eschatological tone of Christ's message, since
they looked forward to a purely political and temporal Messiah.

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland.
Reprinted with permission from from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers,
the U.S. publishers.

Mass Readings

First reading	Ephesians 6:10 - 18 ©
Finally, grow strong in the Lord, with the strength of his power. Put God’s armour on so as to be able to resist the devil’s tactics. For it is not against human enemies that we have to struggle, but against the Sovereignties and the Powers who originate the darkness in this world, the spiritual army of evil in the heavens. That is why you must rely on God’s armour, or you will not be able to put up any resistance when the worst happens, or have enough resources to hold your ground. Pray all the time, asking for what you need, praying in the Spirit on every possible occasion. Never get tired of staying awake to pray for all the saints.

First reading

Ephesians 6:10 - 18 ©

Finally, grow strong in the Lord, with the strength of his power. Put God’s armour on so as to be able to resist the devil’s tactics. For it is not against human enemies that we have to struggle, but against the Sovereignties and the Powers who originate the darkness in this world, the spiritual army of evil in the heavens. That is why you must rely on God’s armour, or you will not be able to put up any resistance when the worst happens, or have enough resources to hold your ground.
Pray all the time, asking for what you need, praying in the Spirit on every possible occasion. Never get tired of staying awake to pray for all the saints.

Psalm or canticle: Psalm 15

Gospel	Matthew 19:16 - 26 ©
And there was a man who came to him and asked, ‘Master, what good deed must I do to possess eternal life?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you ask me about what is good? There is one alone who is good. But if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.’ He said, ‘Which?’ ‘These:’ Jesus replied ‘You must not kill. You must not commit adultery. You must not bring false witness. Honour your father and mother, and: you must love your neighbour as yourself.’ The young man said to him, ‘I have kept all these. What more do I need to do?’ Jesus said, ‘If you wish to be perfect, go and sell what you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me’. But when the young man heard these words he went away sad, for he was a man of great wealth. Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘I tell you solemnly, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Yes, I tell you again, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.’ When the disciples heard this they were astonished. ‘Who can be saved, then?’ they said. Jesus gazed at them. ‘For men’ he told them ‘this is impossible; for God everything is possible.’

Gospel

Matthew 19:16 - 26 ©

And there was a man who came to him and asked, ‘Master, what good deed must I do to possess eternal life?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you ask me about what is good? There is one alone who is good. But if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.’ He said, ‘Which?’ ‘These:’ Jesus replied ‘You must not kill. You must not commit adultery. You must not bring false witness. Honour your father and mother, and: you must love your neighbour as yourself.’ The young man said to him, ‘I have kept all these. What more do I need to do?’ Jesus said, ‘If you wish to be perfect, go and sell what you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me’. But when the young man heard these words he went away sad, for he was a man of great wealth.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘I tell you solemnly, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Yes, I tell you again, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.’ When the disciples heard this they were astonished. ‘Who can be saved, then?’ they said. Jesus gazed at them. ‘For men’ he told them ‘this is impossible; for God everything is possible.’

Office of Readings -- Awakening Prayer

Office of Readings

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

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 38 (39)
A prayer in sickness
I said, “I will watch my ways, I will try not to sin in my speech. I will set a guard on my mouth, for as long as my enemies are standing against me”. I stayed quiet and dumb, spoke neither evil nor good, but my pain was renewed. My heart grew hot within me, and fire blazed in my thoughts. Then I spoke out loud: “Lord, make me know my end. Let me know the number of my days, so that I know how short my life is to be”. All the length of my days is a handsbreadth or two, the expanse of my life is as nothing before you. For in your sight all men are nothingness: man passes away, like a shadow. Nothingness, although he is busy: he builds up treasure, but who will collect it? 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 38 (39)

A prayer in sickness

I said, “I will watch my ways,
I will try not to sin in my speech.
I will set a guard on my mouth,
for as long as my enemies are standing against me”.

I stayed quiet and dumb, spoke neither evil nor good,
but my pain was renewed.
My heart grew hot within me,
and fire blazed in my thoughts.
Then I spoke out loud:
“Lord, make me know my end.
Let me know the number of my days,
so that I know how short my life is to be”.

All the length of my days is a handsbreadth or two,
the expanse of my life is as nothing before you.
For in your sight all men are nothingness:
man passes away, like a shadow.
Nothingness, although he is busy:
he builds up treasure, but who will collect it?

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 38 (39)
What, now, can I look forward to, Lord? My hope is in you. Rescue me from all my sins, do not make me a thing for fools to laugh at. I have sworn to be dumb, I will not open my mouth: for it is at your hands that I am suffering. Aim your blows away from me, for I am crushed by the weight of your hand. You rebuke and chastise us for our sins. Like the moth you consume all we desire – for all men are nothingness. Listen, Lord, to my prayer: turn your ear to my cries. Do not be deaf to my weeping, for I come as a stranger before you, a wanderer like my fathers before me. Turn away from me, give me respite, before I leave this world, before I am no more. 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 38 (39)

What, now, can I look forward to, Lord?
My hope is in you.
Rescue me from all my sins,
do not make me a thing for fools to laugh at.
I have sworn to be dumb, I will not open my mouth:
for it is at your hands that I am suffering.

Aim your blows away from me,
for I am crushed by the weight of your hand.
You rebuke and chastise us for our sins.
Like the moth you consume all we desire
– for all men are nothingness.

Listen, Lord, to my prayer:
turn your ear to my cries.
Do not be deaf to my weeping,
for I come as a stranger before you,
a wanderer like my fathers before me.
Turn away from me, give me respite,
before I leave this world,
before I am no more.

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 51 (52)
Against calumny
Why do you take pride in your malice, you expert in evil-doing? All day long you plan your traps, your tongue is sharp as a razor – you master of deceit! You have chosen malice over kindness; you speak lies rather than the truth; your tongue is in love with every deceit. For all this, in the end God will destroy you. He will tear you out and expel you from your dwelling, uproot you from the land of the living. The upright will see and be struck with awe: they will deride the evil-doer. “Here is the man who did not make God his refuge, but put his hope in the abundance of his riches and in the power of his stratagems”. But I flourish like an olive in the palace of God. I hope in the kindness of God, for ever, and through all ages. I shall praise you for all time for what you have done. I shall put my hope in your name and in its goodness in the sight of your chosen ones. 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 51 (52)

Against calumny

Why do you take pride in your malice,
you expert in evil-doing?
All day long you plan your traps,
your tongue is sharp as a razor –
you master of deceit!
You have chosen malice over kindness;
you speak lies rather than the truth;
your tongue is in love with every deceit.

For all this, in the end God will destroy you.
He will tear you out and expel you from your dwelling,
uproot you from the land of the living.
The upright will see and be struck with awe:
they will deride the evil-doer.
“Here is the man who did not make God his refuge,
but put his hope in the abundance of his riches
and in the power of his stratagems”.

But I flourish like an olive in the palace of God.
I hope in the kindness of God,
for ever, and through all ages.
I shall praise you for all time for what you have done.
I shall put my hope in your name and in its goodness
in the sight of your chosen ones.

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	Deuteronomy 7:6 - 8:6 ©
Israel, the chosen people
These are the words that Moses spoke beyond Jordan to the whole of Israel: You are a people consecrated to the Lord your God; it is you that the Lord our God has chosen to be his very own people out of all the peoples on the earth. If the Lord set his heart on you and chose you, it was not because you outnumbered other peoples: you were the least of all peoples. It was for love of you and to keep the oath he swore to your fathers that the Lord brought you out with his mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know then that the Lord your God is God indeed, the faithful God who is true to his covenant and his graciousness for a thousand generations towards those who love him and keep his commandments, but who punishes in their own persons those that hate him. He is not slow to destroy the man who hates him; he makes him work out his punishment in person. You are therefore to keep and observe the commandments and statutes and ordinances that I lay down for you today. Listen to these ordinances, be true to them and observe them, and in return the Lord your God will be true to the covenant and the kindness he promised your fathers solemnly. He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers; he will bless the fruit of your body and the produce of your soil, your corn, your wine, your oil, the issue of your cattle, the young of your flock, in the land he swore to your fathers he would give you. You will be more blessed than all peoples. No man or woman among you shall be barren, no male or female of your beasts infertile. All the commandments I enjoin on you today you must keep and observe so that you may live and increase in numbers and enter into the land that the Lord promised on oath to your fathers, and make it your own. Remember how the Lord your God led you for forty years in the wilderness, to humble you, to test you and know your inmost heart – whether you would keep his commandments or not. He humbled you, he made you feel hunger, he fed you with manna which neither you nor your fathers had known, to make you understand that man does not live on bread alone but that man lives on everything that comes from the mouth of the Lord. The clothes on your back did not wear out and your feet were not swollen, all those forty years. Learn from this that the Lord your God was training you as a man trains his child, and keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and so follow his ways and reverence him.

Reading

Deuteronomy 7:6 - 8:6 ©

Israel, the chosen people

These are the words that Moses spoke beyond Jordan to the whole of Israel:
You are a people consecrated to the Lord your God; it is you that the Lord our God has chosen to be his very own people out of all the peoples on the earth.
If the Lord set his heart on you and chose you, it was not because you outnumbered other peoples: you were the least of all peoples. It was for love of you and to keep the oath he swore to your fathers that the Lord brought you out with his mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know then that the Lord your God is God indeed, the faithful God who is true to his covenant and his graciousness for a thousand generations towards those who love him and keep his commandments, but who punishes in their own persons those that hate him. He is not slow to destroy the man who hates him; he makes him work out his punishment in person. You are therefore to keep and observe the commandments and statutes and ordinances that I lay down for you today.
Listen to these ordinances, be true to them and observe them, and in return the Lord your God will be true to the covenant and the kindness he promised your fathers solemnly. He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers; he will bless the fruit of your body and the produce of your soil, your corn, your wine, your oil, the issue of your cattle, the young of your flock, in the land he swore to your fathers he would give you. You will be more blessed than all peoples. No man or woman among you shall be barren, no male or female of your beasts infertile.
All the commandments I enjoin on you today you must keep and observe so that you may live and increase in numbers and enter into the land that the Lord promised on oath to your fathers, and make it your own. Remember how the Lord your God led you for forty years in the wilderness, to humble you, to test you and know your inmost heart – whether you would keep his commandments or not. He humbled you, he made you feel hunger, he fed you with manna which neither you nor your fathers had known, to make you understand that man does not live on bread alone but that man lives on everything that comes from the mouth of the Lord. The clothes on your back did not wear out and your feet were not swollen, all those forty years.
Learn from this that the Lord your God was training you as a man trains his child, and keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and so follow his ways and reverence him.

Reading	From the Life of Saint Anthony by Saint Athanasius, bishop
Saint Anthony receives his vocation
When Anthony was about eighteen or twenty years old, his parents died, leaving him with an only sister. He cared for her as she was very young, and also looked after their home. Not six months after his parents’ death, as he was on his way to church for his usual visit, he began to think of how the apostles had left everything and followed the Saviour, and also of those mentioned in the book of Acts who had sold their possessions and brought the apostles the money for distribution to the needy. He reflected too on the great hope stored up in heaven for such as these. This was all in his mind when, entering the church just as the Gospel was being read, he heard the Lord’s words to the rich man: If you want to be perfect, go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor – you will have riches in heaven. Then come and follow me. It seemed to Anthony that it was God who had brought the saints to his mind and that the words of the Gospel had been spoken directly to him. Immediately he left the church and gave away to the villagers all the property he had inherited, about 200 acres of very beautiful and fertile land, so that it would cause no distraction to his sister and himself. He sold all his other possessions as well, giving to the poor the considerable sum of money he collected. However, to care for his sister he retained a few things. The next time he went to church he heard the Lord say in the Gospel: Do not be anxious about tomorrow. Without a moment’s hesitation he went out and gave the poor all that he had left. He placed his sister in the care of some well-known and trustworthy virgins and arranged for her to be brought up in the convent. Then he gave himself up to the ascetic life, not far from his own home. He kept a careful watch over himself and practised great austerity. He did manual work because he had heard the words: If anyone will not work, do not let him eat. He spent some of his earnings on bread and the rest he gave to the poor. Having learned that we should always be praying, even when we are by ourselves, he prayed without ceasing. Indeed, he was so attentive when Scripture was read that nothing escaped him and because he retained all he heard, his memory served him in place of books. Seeing the kind of life he lived, the villagers and all the good men he knew called him the friend of God, and they loved him as both son and brother.

Reading

From the Life of Saint Anthony by Saint Athanasius, bishop

Saint Anthony receives his vocation

When Anthony was about eighteen or twenty years old, his parents died, leaving him with an only sister. He cared for her as she was very young, and also looked after their home.
Not six months after his parents’ death, as he was on his way to church for his usual visit, he began to think of how the apostles had left everything and followed the Saviour, and also of those mentioned in the book of Acts who had sold their possessions and brought the apostles the money for distribution to the needy. He reflected too on the great hope stored up in heaven for such as these. This was all in his mind when, entering the church just as the Gospel was being read, he heard the Lord’s words to the rich man: If you want to be perfect, go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor – you will have riches in heaven. Then come and follow me.
It seemed to Anthony that it was God who had brought the saints to his mind and that the words of the Gospel had been spoken directly to him. Immediately he left the church and gave away to the villagers all the property he had inherited, about 200 acres of very beautiful and fertile land, so that it would cause no distraction to his sister and himself. He sold all his other possessions as well, giving to the poor the considerable sum of money he collected. However, to care for his sister he retained a few things.
The next time he went to church he heard the Lord say in the Gospel: Do not be anxious about tomorrow. Without a moment’s hesitation he went out and gave the poor all that he had left. He placed his sister in the care of some well-known and trustworthy virgins and arranged for her to be brought up in the convent. Then he gave himself up to the ascetic life, not far from his own home. He kept a careful watch over himself and practised great austerity. He did manual work because he had heard the words: If anyone will not work, do not let him eat. He spent some of his earnings on bread and the rest he gave to the poor.
Having learned that we should always be praying, even when we are by ourselves, he prayed without ceasing. Indeed, he was so attentive when Scripture was read that nothing escaped him and because he retained all he heard, his memory served him in place of books.
Seeing the kind of life he lived, the villagers and all the good men he knew called him the friend of God, and they loved him as both son and brother.

Concluding Prayer
Almighty and ever-living God, you rule both heaven and earth. In your kindness listen to the prayers of our people and grant us your peace in our day. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.

American Catholic’s Saint of the Day

January 17, 2007

St. Anthony of Egypt

(251-356)

The life of Anthony will remind many people of St. Francis of Assisi. At 20, Anthony was so moved by the Gospel message, “Go, sell what you have, and give to [the] poor” (Mark 10:21b), that he actually did just that with his large inheritance. He is different from Francis in that most of Anthony’s life was spent in solitude. He saw the world completely covered with snares, and gave the Church and the world the witness of solitary asceticism, great personal mortification and prayer. But no saint is antisocial, and Anthony drew many people to himself for spiritual healing and guidance.

At 54, he responded to many requests and founded a sort of monastery of scattered cells. Again like Francis, he had great fear of “stately buildings and well-laden tables.”

At 60, he hoped to be a martyr in the renewed Roman persecution of 311, fearlessly exposing himself to danger while giving moral and material support to those in prison. At 88, he was fighting the Arian heresy, that massive trauma from which it took the Church centuries to recover. “The mule kicking over the altar” denied the divinity of Christ.

Anthony is associated in art with a T-shaped cross, a pig and a book. The pig and the cross are symbols of his valiant warfare with the devil—the cross his constant means of power over evil spirits, the pig a symbol of the devil himself. The book recalls his preference for “the book of nature” over the printed word. Anthony died in solitude at 105.

Comment:

In an age that smiles at the notion of devils and angels, a person known for having power over evil spirits must at least make us pause. And in a day when people speak of life as a “rat race,” one who devotes a whole life to solitude and prayer points to an essential of the Christian life in all ages. Anthony’s hermit life reminds us of the absoluteness of our break with sin and the totality of our commitment to Christ. Even in God’s good world, there is another world whose false values constantly tempt us.

Wednesday, January 17, 2007
St. Anthony, Abbot (Memorial)

First Reading:
Psalm:
Gospel:

Hebrews 7:1-3, 15-17
Psalm 110:1-4
Mark 3:1-6

We are apt to suppose that vain women are but weak in virtue, at any rate it is smothered in their ornaments and finery. They excuse themselves, saying that they see no harm; but I say I have said before, that the devil rejoices in such things.

-- St. Francis de Sales

Catholic Culture

Collect:
Father, you called St. Anthony to renounce the world and serve you in the solitude of the desert. By his prayers and example, may we learn to deny ourselves and to love you above all things. 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.

Recipes:

» Saint Antony of the Desert Soup

Activities:

January 17, 2007

Memorial of St. Anthony, abbot

Old Calendar: St. Antony, abbot

St. Anthony, the father of monks, retired to the desert at about the age of eighteen in order to live in perfect solitude. He laid the foundations of community life, and gave to his disciples that profound broad and sane instruction, the mature result of solitude and prayer, which forms the surest basis of Christian asceticism.

St. Anthony
Anthony "the Great", the "Father of Monks", ranks with those saints whose life exercised a profound influence upon succeeding generations. He was born in Middle Egypt (about 250) of distinguished parents. After their untimely deaths, he dedicated himself wholly to acts of mortification.

One day while in church he heard the words of the Gospel: "If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give it to the poor" (Matt. 19:21). It seemed as if Christ had spoken to him personally, giving a command he must obey. Without delay he sold his property, gave the proceeds to the poor, and went into the desert (about 270). When overcome by fatigue, his bed was the hard ground. He fasted rigorously, ate only bread and salt, and never drank anything except water. Nor would he take food before sundown; and at times he passed two days without any nourishment at all. Often, too, he spent whole nights in prayer.

The saint suffered repeatedly from diabolical attacks, but these merely made him more steadfast in virtue. He would encourage his disciples in their struggle with the devil with such words: "Believe me; the devil fears the vigils of pious souls, and their fastings, their voluntary poverty, their loving compassion, their humility, but most of all their ardent love of Christ our Lord. As soon as he sees the sign of the Cross, he flees in terror." He died in 356 on Mount Kolzin by the Red Sea, 105 years old. A year later his friend, the fearless bishop and confessor St. Athanasius, wrote his biography, which for centuries became the classic handbook of ascetics. As seen by St. Anthony, the purpose of asceticism is not to destroy the body but to bring it into subjection, re-establishing man's original harmonious integrity, his true God-given nature.

St. Anthony lived in solitude for about twenty years. "His was a perfectly purified soul. No pain could annoy him, no pleasure bind him. In him was neither laughter nor sadness. The sight of the crowd did not trouble him, and the warm greetings of so many men did not move him. In a word, he was thoroughly immune to the vanities of the world, like a man unswervingly governed by reason, established in inner peace and harmony."

Here are a few of his famous sayings to monks. "Let it be your supreme and common purpose not to grow weary in the work you have begun, and in time of trial and affliction not to lose courage and say: Oh, how long already have we been mortifying ourselves! Rather, we should daily begin anew and constantly increase our fervor. For man's whole life is short when measured against the time to come, so short, in fact, that it is as nothing in comparison with eternity. . . . Therefore, my children, let us persevere in our acts of asceticism. And that we may not become weary and disheartened, it is good to meditate on the words of the apostle: 'I die daily.' If we live with the picture of death always before our eyes, we will not sin. The apostle's words tell us that we should so awaken in the morning as though we would not live to evening, and so fall asleep as if there were to be no awakening. For our life is by nature uncertain and is daily meted out to us by Providence. If we are convinced of this and live each day as the apostle suggests, then we will not fall into sin; no desire will enslave us, no anger move us, no treasure bind us to earth; we will await death with unfettered hearts."

Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch.

Patron: Amputees; animals; basket makers; basket weavers; brushmakers; butchers; cemetery workers; domestic animals; eczema; epilepsy; epileptics; ergotism (Saint Anthony's fire); erysipelas; gravediggers; hermits; hogs; monks; pigs; relief from pestilence; skin diseases; skin rashes; swine; swineherds.

Symbols: Bell; pig; t-shaped staff; tau cross with a bell on the end; man with a pig at his side.

Things to Do:

Read St. Athanasius' account of St. Anthony.
Learn more about Western Monasticism.
Pray for those in monastic life and pray for a resurgence of vocations to this life.
Spend some time contemplating death, considering God's judgments and the thought of eternity.
Say a prayer to St. Anthony for vigilance in the fight against temptations, prudence in avoiding dangerous occasions, courage under trial and humility in victory.

Renum Christi

Christ Looks Out for Me
January 17, 2007

“The Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost"

Saint Anthony, abbot
Father Robert DeCesare, LC

Mark 3:1-6
Again he entered the synagogue. There was a man there who had a withered hand. They watched him closely to see if he would cure him on the sabbath so that they might accuse him. He said to the man with the withered hand, "Come up here before us." Then he said to them, "Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?" But they remained silent. Looking around at them with anger and grieved at their hardness of heart, he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel with the Herodians against him to put him to death.

Introductory Prayer:Lord, I believe that you are waiting to spend time with me in today’s meditation. I believe that you have something you wish to tell me. I hope in you, Lord, because I know that you want the best for me. I love you Lord, because you have preserved me and helped me to grow in my knowledge and love for you. Increase my love for you, Lord. Let me love you.

Petition:Lord, guide me and keep me.

1. “He Entered the Synagogue.” Christ thirsts for souls. He wants everyone to be saved. Christ does not enter the synagogue haphazardly, but with a goal in mind; he wants to cure the man with the withered hand. He is on the watch for him, looking for him, wanting to cure him. Christ is a man with a mission. His mission is very simple, as Saint Peter describes to Cornelius in Acts 10:38: “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; … he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.” Christ enters the synagogue to do good. His mission, as he sees it, is this: “The Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost"(Luke 19:10).

2. “Come Up Here.” Christ immediately seeks out the man with the withered hand and calls him. He does not waste time; he acts immediately. He knows that we need him, and that without him we can do nothing. He wants us to come to him. “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). If he enters the synagogue as a mere observer, the man will remain with a withered hand. He knows that he can help him. Even though he would like us to seek him out, at times he knows that if he is going to help us and heal us as he would like, he must seek us out first.

3. “His Hand Was Restored.” The man with the withered hand was well, but not completely. He needed the help of Our Lord, “the physician of soul and body” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1420). Christ has willed to extend that healing to me. He wants me to be well. He yearns for this so much that he has willed that the Church continue, in the power of the Holy Spirit, his work of healing and salvation, even among her own members” (Ibid.). Christ prolongs this curing through the Church. He loves me and looks out for me so much that he offers me the sacraments of Penance and Anointing of the Sick so that I too may experience his healing.

Conversation with Christ: Lord, thank you for the gifts of the sacraments of Penance and Anointing of the Sick. Thank you for coming to restore me. I have done much to offend you, yet time and time again you come in search of me, out of love for me, to help me and cure me.

Resolution: I will perform a good examen of conscience tonight in preparation for a meaningful experience of Christ in confession.

Lauds -- Morning Prayer

Morning Prayer (Lauds)

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

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 76 (77)
Remembering the works of the Lord
I cried out loud to the Lord, cried out to God, and he turned to me. In my time of trouble I sought for God, my hands stretched out all night long, tireless in supplication. My soul will not be consoled: I think of God, and I sigh; I meditate, and my spirit fails. You have kept me awake, my eyes open; in my distress, I did not speak. I pondered on the days of old, thought through the immemorial years. In the night I meditated in my heart. I was troubled, and I asked my soul: Will God reject you for ever, will he never again take you into his favour? Has his kindness ended for ever, his word come to an end for all generations? Will God forget to show mercy, will he lock up his mercies in his anger? And I said, “I am wounded indeed, that the Most High has changed”. I will remember the works of the Lord. I will remember your wonders, from the beginning. I will ponder on all you have done, think deeply through all your great deeds. O God, your ways are holy: what god is as great as our God? You are God, you work wonders, you made known your strength to your people. By your own action you redeemed your people, the children of Jacob and of Joseph. The waters saw you, O God, the waters saw you and writhed, stirred up even to their depths. The clouds poured down water, the clouds sounded their voice, your arrows shot forth. Your voice thundered in the whirlwind, your lightnings lit up the world, the earth trembled and shook. Your way led through the sea, your paths through the great waters, your steps left no trace behind them. You led your people like a flock, by the hand of Moses and Aaron. 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 76 (77)

Remembering the works of the Lord

I cried out loud to the Lord,
cried out to God, and he turned to me.
In my time of trouble I sought for God,
my hands stretched out all night long,
tireless in supplication.
My soul will not be consoled:
I think of God, and I sigh;
I meditate, and my spirit fails.

You have kept me awake, my eyes open;
in my distress, I did not speak.
I pondered on the days of old,
thought through the immemorial years.
In the night I meditated in my heart.
I was troubled, and I asked my soul:

Will God reject you for ever,
will he never again take you into his favour?
Has his kindness ended for ever,
his word come to an end for all generations?
Will God forget to show mercy,
will he lock up his mercies in his anger?

And I said, “I am wounded indeed,
that the Most High has changed”.
I will remember the works of the Lord.
I will remember your wonders, from the beginning.
I will ponder on all you have done,
think deeply through all your great deeds.

O God, your ways are holy:
what god is as great as our God?
You are God, you work wonders,
you made known your strength to your people.
By your own action you redeemed your people,
the children of Jacob and of Joseph.

The waters saw you, O God,
the waters saw you and writhed,
stirred up even to their depths.
The clouds poured down water,
the clouds sounded their voice,
your arrows shot forth.
Your voice thundered in the whirlwind,
your lightnings lit up the world,
the earth trembled and shook.

Your way led through the sea,
your paths through the great waters,
your steps left no trace behind them.
You led your people like a flock,
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

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	1 Samuel 2
The song of Hannah, mother of Samuel
My heart rejoices in the Lord, my strength is raised up in the name of my God. I cry out in triumph over my enemies as I rejoice in your deliverance. No-one is like the Lord, for he is holy; no-one is like our God, for he is strong. Do not pile boasting upon boasting: keep proud words far from your mouth, for the Lord is the God of all knowledge and the judge of all actions. The bow of the mighty is broken, and the weak are clothed in strength. Those who fed well must hire themselves out, for bread; but the hungry are hungry no longer. The barren woman has given birth to many; but she who had many sons is left desolate. The Lord brings death and brings life; he leads down to the underworld and rescues from it. The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he lays low and raises up. He lifts the needy from the dust and the poor from the dunghill to sit among princes to sit on the throne of glory. To the Lord belong the poles of the earth; from them he has suspended the world. He will keep safe the feet of his chosen, but the impious will be silent in the darkness – for it is not by his own strength that a man becomes strong. The Lord grinds down his enemies: he will thunder on them from the heavens. The Lord will judge the ends of the earth, give dominion to his king, and raise up the standard of his anointed one. 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

1 Samuel 2

The song of Hannah, mother of Samuel

My heart rejoices in the Lord,
my strength is raised up in the name of my God.
I cry out in triumph over my enemies
as I rejoice in your deliverance.

No-one is like the Lord, for he is holy;
no-one is like our God, for he is strong.

Do not pile boasting upon boasting:
keep proud words far from your mouth,
for the Lord is the God of all knowledge
and the judge of all actions.

The bow of the mighty is broken,
and the weak are clothed in strength.
Those who fed well must hire themselves out, for bread;
but the hungry are hungry no longer.
The barren woman has given birth to many;
but she who had many sons is left desolate.

The Lord brings death and brings life;
he leads down to the underworld and rescues from it.
The Lord makes poor and makes rich;
he lays low and raises up.
He lifts the needy from the dust and the poor from the dunghill
to sit among princes
to sit on the throne of glory.
To the Lord belong the poles of the earth;
from them he has suspended the world.

He will keep safe the feet of his chosen,
but the impious will be silent in the darkness
– for it is not by his own strength that a man becomes strong.
The Lord grinds down his enemies:
he will thunder on them from the heavens.
The Lord will judge the ends of the earth,
give dominion to his king,
and raise up the standard of his anointed one.

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 96 (97)
The glory of God in his judgements
The Lord reigns! Let the earth rejoice, let the many islands be glad. Clouds and dark mist surround him, his throne is founded on law and justice. Fire precedes him, burning up his enemies all around. His lightnings light up the globe; the earth sees and trembles. The mountains flow like wax at the sight of the Lord, at the sight of the Lord the earth dissolves. The heavens proclaim his justice and all peoples see his glory. Let them be dismayed, who worship carved things, who take pride in the images they make. All his angels, worship him. Sion heard and was glad, the daughters of Judah rejoiced because of your judgements, O Lord. For you are the Lord, the Most High over all the earth, far above all other gods. You who love the Lord, hate evil! The Lord protects the lives of his consecrated ones: he will free them from the hands of sinners. A light has arisen for the just, and gladness for the upright in heart. Rejoice, you just, in the Lord and proclaim his holiness. 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 96 (97)

The glory of God in his judgements

The Lord reigns! Let the earth rejoice,
let the many islands be glad.
Clouds and dark mist surround him,
his throne is founded on law and justice.
Fire precedes him,
burning up his enemies all around.
His lightnings light up the globe;
the earth sees and trembles.
The mountains flow like wax at the sight of the Lord,
at the sight of the Lord the earth dissolves.
The heavens proclaim his justice
and all peoples see his glory.

Let them be dismayed, who worship carved things,
who take pride in the images they make.
All his angels, worship him.
Sion heard and was glad,
the daughters of Judah rejoiced
because of your judgements, O Lord.
For you are the Lord, the Most High over all the earth,
far above all other gods.

You who love the Lord, hate evil!
The Lord protects the lives of his consecrated ones:
he will free them from the hands of sinners.
A light has arisen for the just,
and gladness for the upright in heart.
Rejoice, you just, in the Lord
and proclaim his holiness.

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.

Short reading	Romans 8:35 - 37 ©
Nothing can come between us and the love of Christ, even if we are troubled or worried, or being persecuted, or lacking food or clothes, or being threatened or even attacked. These are the trials through which we triumph, by the power of him who loved us.

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.

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.

Prayers and Intercessions

?

Blessed be God our Saviour, who has promised to be with his Church until the end of time. Let us thank him and ask him: - Lord, remain with us.
Remain with us, Lord, throughout today:: let your grace be a sun that never sets.
We consecrate today as an offering to you:: we promise to do nothing evil today, nor even attempt it.
Lord, may your gift of light shine through us today:: make us the salt of the earth and the light of the world.
May the love of your Holy Spirit guide our hearts and our speech,: so that we may be at one with you in righteousness and praise.

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.

Lord, send your light to shine in our hearts.
May we always follow the path of your commandments
and never stray from it.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.
Amen.

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

A M E N

Homily of the Day

Heb 7:1-3,15-17 / Mk 3:1-6

Jesus came to us as a brother to reconcile us to one another and to our Father. Given the realities of our human condition and the abundance of our sins and mistakes, piling one on top of the other day by day, His coming should be cause for rejoicing for every last one of us. One would think so, but it is not so, nor has it ever been. Even in Jesus’s day, large numbers of His listeners resisted His message and never did find reconciliation.

The reason for this is plainly visible in today’s Gospel and it was a source of both pain and frustration for Jesus. There is nothing more inaccessible than a closed mind, and that is what Jesus found when He faced the Pharisees. The price of reconciliation and healing is always the same, no matter what the circumstance: Name your sin, claim it as your own, experience its ugly reality in your own heart, and then open your heart to the Lord’s healing and to His help in mending the hurts you have inflicted.

Name it, claim it, feel it, fix it. The Lord wants to help us at each of those four stages, but He cannot do so if our minds or hearts are closed, if we do not or will not take responsibility for our sins.

Fear closes minds, but faith can open them. Trust in the Lord’s powerful desire to heal you, cast aside all fear, and open the door to Him. You’ll never regret it!

The Word Among Us

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Meditation
Hebrews 7:1-3, 15-17

On his return from a battle against those who had kidnapped his kinsman, Abraham was met by Melchizedek, a priest who was also the King of Salem (see Genesis 14:17-20). Melchizedek pronounced a blessing of the Most High God over Abraham, and Abraham paid him homage by giving him a tenth of his war spoils. Melchizedek was the king-priest of Jerusalem, the later city of David, and according to the writer of Hebrews, by honoring Melchizedek Abraham was prophetically giving homage to King David. Psalm 110 also speaks of the future Messiah as a priest according to the order of Melchizedek, a royal priest of the house of David. Hebrews 7:3 goes even deeper, and sees in the ommission of any mention of Jesus’ birth or death in Genesis 14 a sign of the eternal priest-messiah, Jesus.

This is why the writer of Hebrews could say that Melchizedek resembled the Son of God: He appears to be without beginning or end, and he is appointed as priest by God, not by man.

While ordinary Levitical priests offered animal sacrifices to atone for sin, Jesus offered his own perfect flesh and blood. This was the great sacrifice necessary to redeem God’s people. The Son of God offered his own pure blood once and for all. After this, there would be no need for sin offerings. His sacrifice was perfect, superior to all others. And because of that, it permanently opened the way for us to be with our Father. Jesus’ priesthood is irreplaceable and eternal!

Isn’t it reassuring to think that, centuries before it happened, God was already planning your salvation? Isn’t it encouraging to know that you can place your hope in God and not be disappointed? You can live in confidence that your great high priest stands before the Father interceding for you personally. You can experience the cleansing of his blood. You can receive wisdom and strength as you turn your heart to him. None of us is alone in this world. Jesus is forever at our side. As Abraham tithed his wealth to Melchizedek, let us give our lives over to Jesus, our great high priest.

Jesus, thank you for your eternal priesthood! I am forever grateful that you stand before the throne of the Father on my behalf. I praise you for the new life you offer all people.

Psalm 110:1-4; Mark 3:1-6

Vespers -- Evening Prayer

Vespers (Evening Prayer)

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 61 (62)
Peace in God
My soul, find peace in God alone: from him comes my salvation. It is he who is my refuge and my safeguard, my stronghold: I shall never be shaken. How long will you assail a man and band together to crush him, like a toppling wall or a falling fence? They plan to thrust him down from his high place. They delight in lies: with their lips they bless, but a curse is in their hearts. My soul, find peace in God alone, for he gives me strength to endure. It is he who is my God and my safeguard, my stronghold: I shall never be shaken. In God is my salvation and my glory, God is my strength – my refuge is with God. Trust in him, all you people together, pour out your hearts before him; God is our refuge. The children of Adam are as nothing; the children of men are a deceit. Weigh them in the scales, and they rise: they are lighter than a puff of smoke. Put no trust in violence, do not be seduced into robbery; and if riches come, do not count upon them. God has spoken once and for all. Two things have I heard him say: that strength belongs to God, and that mercy, Lord, belongs to you. For to each of us you give whatever our actions have deserved. 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 61 (62)

Peace in God

My soul, find peace in God alone:
from him comes my salvation.
It is he who is my refuge and my safeguard,
my stronghold: I shall never be shaken.

How long will you assail a man
and band together to crush him,
like a toppling wall or a falling fence?
They plan to thrust him down from his high place.
They delight in lies:
with their lips they bless, but a curse is in their hearts.

My soul, find peace in God alone,
for he gives me strength to endure.
It is he who is my God and my safeguard,
my stronghold: I shall never be shaken.

In God is my salvation and my glory,
God is my strength – my refuge is with God.
Trust in him, all you people together,
pour out your hearts before him;
God is our refuge.
The children of Adam are as nothing;
the children of men are a deceit.
Weigh them in the scales, and they rise:
they are lighter than a puff of smoke.

Put no trust in violence,
do not be seduced into robbery;
and if riches come, do not count upon them.
God has spoken once and for all.
Two things have I heard him say:
that strength belongs to God,
and that mercy, Lord, belongs to you.
For to each of us you give
whatever our actions have deserved.

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 94 (95)
A call to worship
Come, let us rejoice in the Lord, let us acclaim God our salvation. Let us come before him proclaiming our thanks, let us acclaim him with songs. For the Lord is a great God, a king above all gods. For he holds the depths of the earth in his hands, and the peaks of the mountains are his. For the sea is his: he made it; and his hands formed the dry land. Come, let us worship and bow down, bend the knee before the Lord who made us; for he himself is our God and we are his flock, the sheep that follow his hand. If only, today, you would listen to his voice: “Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, on the day of Massah in the desert, when your fathers tested me – they put me to the test, although they had seen my works”. “For forty years they wearied me, that generation. I said: their hearts are wandering, they do not know my paths. I swore in my anger: they will never enter my place of rest”. 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 94 (95)

A call to worship

Come, let us rejoice in the Lord, let us acclaim God our salvation.
Let us come before him proclaiming our thanks, let us acclaim him with songs.

For the Lord is a great God, a king above all gods.
For he holds the depths of the earth in his hands, and the peaks of the mountains are his.
For the sea is his: he made it; and his hands formed the dry land.

Come, let us worship and bow down, bend the knee before the Lord who made us;
for he himself is our God and we are his flock, the sheep that follow his hand.

If only, today, you would listen to his voice: “Do not harden your hearts
as you did at Meribah, on the day of Massah in the desert, when your fathers tested me –
they put me to the test, although they had seen my works”.

“For forty years they wearied me, that generation.
I said: their hearts are wandering, they do not know my paths.
I swore in my anger: they will never enter my place of rest”.

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	(Colossians 1)
Christ, firstborn of all creatures and firstborn from the dead
Let us give thanks to God the Father, who has made us worthy to share in the light that is the saints’ inheritance. He has rescued us from the power of the shadows and brought us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption and the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation, for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, thrones and dominations, principalities and powers. All things were created through him and for him: he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the Church. He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, and so he is pre-eminent above all. For it was the Father’s will that the fullness of God should dwell in him, and that through him all things should be reconciled to himself. Through the blood of the Cross he brought peace to all things, both on Earth and in the heavens. 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

(Colossians 1)

Christ, firstborn of all creatures and firstborn from the dead

Let us give thanks to God the Father, who has made us worthy to share in the light that is the saints’ inheritance.
He has rescued us from the power of the shadows and brought us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
in whom we have redemption and the forgiveness of sins.

He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation,
for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible,
thrones and dominations, principalities and powers.

All things were created through him and for him: he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

And he is the head of the body, the Church. He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, and so he is pre-eminent above all.
For it was the Father’s will that the fullness of God should dwell in him, and that through him all things should be reconciled to himself.
Through the blood of the Cross he brought peace to all things, both on Earth and in the heavens.

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.

Short reading	1 Peter 5:5 - 7 ©
Wrap yourselves in humility to be servants of each other, because God refuses the proud and will always favour the humble. Bow down, then, before the power of God now, and he will raise you up on the appointed day; unload all your worries on to him, since he is looking after you.

Canticle	Magnificat
My soul rejoices in the Lord
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation. For he has shown me such favour – me, his lowly handmaiden. Now all generations will call me blessed, because the mighty one has done great things for me. His name is holy, his mercy lasts for generation after generation for those who revere him. He has put forth his strength: he has scattered the proud and conceited, torn princes from their thrones; but lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel, he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Canticle

Magnificat

My soul rejoices in the Lord

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation.
For he has shown me such favour –
me, his lowly handmaiden.
Now all generations will call me blessed,
because the mighty one has done great things for me.
His name is holy,
his mercy lasts for generation after generation
for those who revere him.

He has put forth his strength:
he has scattered the proud and conceited,
torn princes from their thrones;
but lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things;
the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel,
he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Prayers and Intercessions

?

Dear brethren, let us rejoice in God, whose joy it is to pour out good things on his people. Let us fervently pray: - Lord, give us your grace and your peace.
Eternal God, to you a thousand years are like yesterday, which is gone:: remind us that life is a flower that springs up in the morning and by evening is nothing but hay.
Give manna to your people, so that they do not hunger;: give them living water, so that they never thirst.
Make those who believe in you seek the things that are above:: may their work and their leisure equally give you praise.
Give us favourable weather, Lord,: that the earth may yield us abundant crops.
Grant the deceased the sight of your face,: and make us blessed by contemplating you.

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.

Lord, your name is holy and your mercy is proclaimed from generation to generation.
Accept the prayers of your people
and let them sing of your greatness for ever.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.
Amen.

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

A M E N

One Bread, One Body

All Issues > Volume 23, Number 1

<< Wednesday, January 17, 2007 >>

St. Anthony

Hebrews 7:1-3, 15-17

Psalm 110

Mark 3:1-6

View Readings Similar Reflections

MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY

"When the Pharisees went outside, they immediately began to plot with the Herodians how they might destroy Him." —Mark 3:6

The Pharisees, Israel's religious leaders, allied themselves with the Herodians, its political leaders, to destroy Jesus. Do we see the same thing today? Are there still Judases among Jesus' disciples, who will sell Him for silver? Is Jesus still a threat to the religious establishment? He was delivered up to be crucified not so much by the pagan Romans as by the religious leaders. The antichrists have always been "Christian," at least in name (1 Jn 2:18-19). Are parts of the Church body still crucifying the Head of the body, Jesus, "and holding Him up to contempt"? (Heb 6:6)

Many of us want to believe that religious leaders today are different from those of Jesus' time. Our leaders may not be perfect but we assume they're not out to destroy Jesus. Indeed many religious leaders are models of true, committed discipleship. Yet we still have Pharisees, Herodians, and Judases today. As in Biblical times, Jesus' opponents today may outnumber His disciples. We should expect persecution (2 Tm 3:12). Jesus said: "I tell you all this that in Me you may find peace. You will suffer in the world. But take courage! I have overcome the world" (Jn 16:33).

Prayer: Jesus, like You, may I expect persecution not only from unbelievers but even from my Christian brothers and sisters. May I forgive and love all my enemies.

Promise: "Rule in the midst of Your enemies." —Ps 110:2

Praise: St. Anthony took the passage, "Do not be anxious about tomorrow" literally and gave all his possessions to the poor (see Mt 6:34).

Compline -- Night Prayer

Compline (Night Prayer)

O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.

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

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 30 (31)
Trustful prayer in time of adversity
O God, protect me; be my refuge.
In you, Lord, I put my trust: may I never be put to shame. In your justice, set me free, Turn your ear to me, make haste to rescue me. Be my rampart, my fortification; keep me safe. For you are my strength and my refuge: you will lead me out to the pastures, for your own name’s sake. You will lead me out of the trap that they laid for me – for you are my strength. Into your hands I commend my spirit: you have redeemed me, Lord God of truth. 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.
O God, protect me; be my refuge.

Psalm 129 (130)
Out of the depths
Out of the depths I have cried to you, Lord.
Out of the depths I have cried to you, Lord: Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears listen out for the voice of my pleading. If you took notice of our transgressions, Lord – Lord, who would be left? But with you is forgiveness, and for this we revere you. I rely on you, Lord, my spirit relies on your promise; my soul hopes in the Lord, more than the watchman for daybreak. More than the watchman for daybreak, let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is kindness and abundant redemption. He himself will redeem Israel from all its transgressions. 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.
Out of the depths I have cried to you, Lord.

Reading	Ephesians 4:26-27
Be angry if you must, but do not sin: do not let your anger outlast the sunset: do not give the Devil his chance.

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

Canticle	Nunc Dimittis
Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace.
Now, Master, you let your servant go in peace. You have fulfilled your promise. My own eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all peoples. A light to bring the Gentiles from darkness; the glory of your people Israel. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace.

Prayer
Let us pray. Lord Jesus Christ, you lay a gentle yoke upon those who follow you. Meek and humble, you give them a light burden to carry. Receive the work and the prayers we have offered to you today; and give us rest, to make us more eager to serve you, who live and reign for ever and ever, Amen.

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

A M E N

An antiphon to Our Lady should be recited here.

Mk 3:1-6
#	Douay-Rheims	Vulgate
1	And he entered again into the synagogue: and there was a man there who had a withered hand.	et introivit iterum synagogam et erat ibi homo habens manum aridam
2	And they watched him whether he would heal on the sabbath days, that they might accuse him.	et observabant eum si sabbatis curaret ut accusarent illum
3	And he said to the man who had the withered hand: Stand up in the midst.	et ait homini habenti manum aridam surge in medium
4	And he saith to them: Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? To save life, or to destroy? But they held their peace.	et dicit eis licet sabbatis bene facere an male animam salvam facere an perdere at illi tacebant
5	And looking round about on them with anger, being grieved for the blindness of their hearts, he saith to the man: Stretch forth thy hand. And he stretched it forth: and his hand was restored unto him.	et circumspiciens eos cum ira contristatus super caecitatem cordis eorum dicit homini extende manum tuam et extendit et restituta est manus illi
6	And the Pharisees going out, immediately made a consultation with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.	exeuntes autem statim Pharisaei cum Herodianis consilium faciebant adversus eum quomodo eum perderent