Posted on 08/11/2007 9:47:54 AM PDT by Salvation
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Memorial of Saint Clare, virgin
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Reading 1
Dt 6:4-13
Moses said to the people:
“Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone!
Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God,
with all your heart,
and with all your soul,
and with all your strength.
Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today.
Drill them into your children.
Speak of them at home and abroad, whether you are busy or at rest.
Bind them at your wrist as a sign
and let them be as a pendant on your forehead.
Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates.
“When the LORD, your God, brings you into the land which he swore
to your fathers: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,
that he would give you,
a land with fine, large cities that you did not build,
with houses full of goods of all sorts that you did not garner,
with cisterns that you did not dig,
with vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant;
and when, therefore, you eat your fill,
take care not to forget the LORD,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery.
The LORD, your God, shall you fear;
him shall you serve, and by his name shall you swear.”
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 18:2-3a, 3bc-4, 47 and 51
R. (2) I love you, Lord, my strength.
I love you, O LORD, my strength,
O LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer.
R. I love you, Lord, my strength.
My God, my rock of refuge,
my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold!
Praised be the LORD, I exclaim!
And I am safe from my enemies.
R. I love you, Lord, my strength.
The LORD live! And blessed be my Rock!
Extolled be God my savior!
You who gave great victories to your king,
and showed kindness to your anointed,
to David and his posterity forever.
R. I love you, Lord, my strength.
Gospel
Mt 17:14-20
A man came up to Jesus, knelt down before him, and said,
“Lord, have pity on my son, who is a lunatic and suffers severely;
often he falls into fire, and often into water.
I brought him to your disciples, but they could not cure him.”
Jesus said in reply,
“O faithless and perverse generation, how long will I be with you?
How long will I endure you?
Bring the boy here to me.”
Jesus rebuked him and the demon came out of him,
and from that hour the boy was cured.
Then the disciples approached Jesus in private and said,
“Why could we not drive it out?”
He said to them, “Because of your little faith.
Amen, I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed,
you will say to this mountain,
‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.
Nothing will be impossible for you.”
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St Clare of Assisi (1193-1253)
St. Clare's Advice Defended Assisi Against An Attack By the Mohammedans (My Title)
The Immaculate Heart [of Mary]
This devotion has received new emphasis in this century from the visions given to Lucy Dos Santos, oldest of the visionaries of Fatima, in her convent in Tuy, in Spain, in 1925 and 1926. In the visions Our Lady asked for the practice of the Five First Saturdays to help make amends for the offenses given to her heart by the blasphemies and ingratitude of men. The practice parallels the devotion of the Nine First Fridays in honor of the Sacred Heart.
On October 31, 1942, Pope Pius XII made a solemn Act of Consecration of the Church and the whole world to the Immaculate Heart. Let us remember this devotion year-round, but particularly through the month of August.
INVOCATIONS
O heart most pure of the Blessed Virgin Mary, obtain for me from Jesus a pure and humble heart.
Sweet heart of Mary, be my salvation.
ACT OF CONSECRATION
Queen of the most holy Rosary, help of Christians, refuge of the human race, victorious in all the battles of God, we prostrate ourselves in supplication before thy throne, in the sure hope of obtaining mercy and of receiving grace and timely aid in our present calamities, not through any merits of our own, on which we do not rely, but only through the immense goodness of thy mother's heart. In thee and in thy Immaculate Heart, at this grave hour of human history, do we put our trust; to thee we consecrate ourselves, not only with all of Holy Church, which is the mystical body of thy Son Jesus, and which is suffering in so many of her members, being subjected to manifold tribulations and persecutions, but also with the whole world, torn by discords, agitated with hatred, the victim of its own iniquities. Be thou moved by the sight of such material and moral degradation, such sorrows, such anguish, so many tormented souls in danger of eternal loss! Do thou, O Mother of mercy, obtain for us from God a Christ-like reconciliation of the nations, as well as those graces which can convert the souls of men in an instant, those graces which prepare the way and make certain the long desired coming of peace on earth. O Queen of peace, pray for us, and grant peace unto the world in the truth, the justice, and the charity of Christ.
Above all, give us peace in our hearts, so that the kingdom of God may spread its borders in the tranquillity of order. Accord thy protection to unbelievers and to all those who lie within the shadow of death; cause the Sun of Truth to rise upon them; may they be enabled to join with us in repeating before the Savior of the world: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will."
Give peace to the nations that are separated from us by error or discord, and in a special manner to those peoples who profess a singular devotion toward thee; bring them back to Christ's one fold, under the one true Shepherd. Obtain full freedom for the holy Church of God; defend her from her enemies; check the ever-increasing torrent of immorality; arouse in the faithful a love of purity, a practical Christian life, and an apostolic zeal, so that the multitude of those who serve God may increase in merit and in number.
Finally, even as the Church and all mankind were once consecrated to the Heart of thy Son Jesus, because He was for all those who put their hope in Him an inexhaustible source of victory and salvation, so in like manner do we consecrate ourselves forever to thee also and to thy Immaculate Heart, O Mother of us and Queen of the world; may thy love and patronage hasten the day when the kingdom of God shall be victorious and all the nations, at peace with God .and with one another, shall call thee blessed and intone with thee, from the rising of the sun to its going down, the everlasting "Magnificat" of glory, of love, of gratitude to the Heart of Jesus, in which alone we can find truth, life, and peace. — Pope Pius XII
IN HONOR OF THE IMMACULATE HEART
O heart of Mary, mother of God, and our mother; heart most worthy of love, in which the adorable Trinity is ever well-pleased, worthy of the veneration and love of all the angels and of all men; heart most like to the Heart of Jesus, of which thou art the perfect image; heart, full of goodness, ever compassionate toward our miseries; deign to melt our icy hearts and grant that they may be wholly changed into the likeness of the Heart of Jesus, our divine Savior. Pour into them the love of thy virtues, enkindle in them that divine fire with which thou thyself dost ever burn. In thee let Holy Church find a safe shelter; protect her and be her dearest refuge, her tower of strength, impregnable against every assault of her enemies. Be thou the way which leads to Jesus, and the channel, through which we receive all the graces needful for our salvation. Be our refuge in time of trouble, our solace in the midst of trial, our strength against temptation, our haven in persecution, our present help in every danger, and especially) at the hour of death, when all hell shall let loose against u its legions to snatch away our souls, at that dread moment; that hour so full of fear, whereon our eternity depends. An,; then most tender virgin, make us to feel the sweetness of thy motherly heart, and the might of thine intercession with Jesus, and open to us a safe refuge in that very fountain of mercy, whence we may come to praise Him with thee in paradise, world without end. 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
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Sacred Heart Of Jesus |
Immaculate Heart of Mary |
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Blessed be the Most Loving Heart and Sweet Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the most glorious Virgin Mary, His Mother, in eternity and forever. Amen. ....Only the Heart of Christ who knows the depths of his Father's love could reveal to us the abyss of his mercy in so simple and beautiful a way ----From the Catechism. P:1439 From the depth of my nothingness, I prostrate myself before Thee, O Most Sacred, Divine and Adorable Heart of Jesus, to pay Thee all the homage of love, praise and adoration in my power. The prayer of the Church venerates and honors the Heart of Jesus just as it invokes his most holy name. It adores the incarnate Word and his Heart which, out of love for men, he allowed to be pierced by our sins. Christian prayer loves to follow the way of the cross in the Savior's steps.-- >From the Catechism. P: 2669 |
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The first is that we ought to love and honor whatever God loves and honors, and that by which He is loved and glorified. Now, after the adorable Heart of Jesus there has never been either in heaven or on earth, nor ever will be, a heart which has been so loved and honored by God, or which has given Him so much glory as that of Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Never has there been, nor will there ever be a more exalted throne of divine love. In that Heart divine love possesses its fullest empire, for it ever reigns without hindrance or interruption, and with it reign likewise all the laws of God, all the Gospel maxims and every Christian virtue.
This incomparable Heart of the Mother of our Redeemer is a glorious heaven, a Paradise of delights for the Most Holy Trinity. According to St. Paul, the hearts of the faithful are the dwelling place of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ Himself assures us that the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost take up Their abode in the hearts of those who love God. Who, therefore, can doubt that the Most Holy Trinity has always made His home and established the reign of His glory in an admirable and ineffable manner in the virginal Heart of her who is the Daughter of the Father, the Mother of the Son, the Spouse of the Holy Ghost, who herself loves God more than all other creatures together?
How much then are we not obliged to love this exalted and most lovable Heart?
— St. John Eudes
The History of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Catholic Caucus)
Homilies preached by Father Robert Altier on the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Marian Associations Unite to Celebrate Immaculate Heart
Solemnity Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary
| First reading | Deuteronomy 6:4 - 13 © |
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| These are the words that Moses spoke beyond Jordan to the whole of Israel: Listen, Israel: the Lord our God is the one Lord. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength. Let these words I urge on you today be written on your heart. You shall repeat them to your children and say them over to them whether at rest in your house or walking abroad, at your lying down or at your rising; you shall fasten them on your hand as a sign and on your forehead as a circlet; you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. When the Lord has brought you into the land which he swore to your fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that he would give you, with great and prosperous cities not of your building, houses full of good things not furnished by you, wells you did not dig, vineyards and olives you did not plant, when you have eaten these and had your fill, then take care you do not forget the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You must fear the Lord your God, you must serve him, by his name you must swear. |
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| Psalm or canticle: Psalm 17 |
| Gospel | Matthew 17:14 - 20 © |
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| As they were rejoining the crowd a man came up to him and went down on his knees before him. ‘Lord,’ he said ‘take pity on my son: he is a lunatic and in a wretched state; he is always falling into the fire or into the water. I took him to your disciples and they were unable to cure him.’ ‘Faithless and perverse generation!’ Jesus said in reply ‘How much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him here to me.’ And when Jesus rebuked it the devil came out of the boy who was cured from that moment. Then the disciples came privately to Jesus. ‘Why were we unable to cast it out? they asked. He answered, ‘Because you have little faith. I tell you solemnly, if your faith were the size of a mustard seed you could say to this mountain, “Move from here to there”, and it would move; nothing would be impossible for you.’ |
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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 135 (136) |
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| A paschal hymn |
| Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his love is for ever. Give thanks to the God of gods, for his love is for ever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his love is for ever. He alone works wonders, for his love is for ever. In his wisdom he made the heavens, for his love is for ever. He set the Earth upon the waters, for his love is for ever. He created the great lights, for his love is for ever. The sun, to rule over the day, for his love is for ever. The moon and stars, to rule over the night, for his love 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. |
| Psalm 135 (136) |
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| He struck down the first-born of Egypt, for his love is for ever. He led Israel out from their midst, for his love is for ever. With a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for his love is for ever. He divided the Red Sea in two, for his love is for ever. He led Israel out through the sea, for his love is for ever. He overthrew Pharaoh and his army, for his love 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. |
| Psalm 135 (136) |
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| He led his people through the wilderness, for his love is for ever. He struck down great kings, for his love is for ever. Sihon, king of the Amorites, for his love is for ever. And Og, the king of Bashan, for his love is for ever. He gave their land to his people, for his love is for ever. A heritage for Israel his servant, for his love is for ever. He remembered us in our affliction, for his love is for ever. He rescued us from our enemies, for his love is for ever. He gives food to all creatures that live, for his love is for ever. Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his love 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. |
| Reading | Hosea 5:15 - 7:2 © |
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| They will search for me in their misery. ‘Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces, but he will heal us; he has struck us down, but he will bandage our wounds; after a day or two he will bring us back to life, on the third day he will raise us and we shall live in his presence. Let us set ourselves to know the Lord; that he will come is as certain as the dawn his judgement will rise like the light, he will come to us as showers come, like spring rains watering the earth.’ What am I to do with you, Ephraim? What am I to do with you, Judah? This love of yours is like a morning cloud, like the dew that quickly disappears. This is why I have torn them to pieces by the prophets, why I slaughtered them with the words from my mouth, since what I want is love, not sacrifice; knowledge of God, not holocausts. But they have violated the covenant at Adam, they have proved unfaithful to me there. Gilead is a town of evil-doers, full of bloody footprints. Like so many robbers in ambush a band of priests commits murder on the road to Shechem – appalling behaviour, indeed! I have seen horrors in Bethel; that is where Ephraim plays the whore and Israel defiles himself. Judah, I intend a harvest for you, too, when I restore the fortunes of my people. Whenever I want to heal Israel, I am confronted by the guilt of Ephraim and the wickedness of Samaria; deceit is their principle of behaviour, thieves break into houses and bandits raid outside. They never pause to consider that I know about all their wickedness; yet their actions are all round them, they stare me in the face. |
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| Reading | Irenaeus, Against the Heresies |
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| I desire mercy and not sacrifice | |
| God did not seek sacrifices and holocausts, but faith, and obedience, and righteousness, for the sake of their salvation. As God said, teaching his will through Hosea the prophet, What I want is love, not sacrifice; knowledge of God, not holocausts. Our Lord taught the same, saying If you had understood the meaning of the words: What I want is mercy, not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the blameless. Thus he bore witness to the truth of the prophets’ teachings while convicting the people of culpable folly. Giving directions to His disciples to offer to God the first-fruits of his own creation — not offering them as if God needed them but so that they themselves should not be sterile or ungrateful — he took a created thing, bread, gave thanks, and said This is my body. And as for the cup, which is part of the same creation as us, he proclaimed it to be his blood and taught that it was the new offering of the new covenant. The Church received this from the Apostles and offers it to God throughout the world, to the God who gives us food, the first-fruits of his gifts under the new covenant. Malachi, one of the twelve prophets, foretold this as follows: I am not pleased with you, says the Lord of Hosts; from your hands I find no offerings acceptable. But from farthest east to farthest west my name is honoured among the nations and everywhere a sacrifice of incense is offered to my name, and a pure offering too, since my name is honoured among the nations, says the Lord of Hosts. Thus he clearly indicated that the people of old (the Jews) would cease to make offerings to God, but that in every place a sacrifice would be offered, and a pure sacrifice at that; and his name would glorified among the nations. What other name is there which is glorified among the Gentiles than that of our Lord, by whom the Father is glorified, and man also? Because it is the name of his own Son, who was made man by him, he calls it his own. Just as a king, if he himself paints a portrait of his son, is right in calling this portrait his own, both because it is because it is a portrait of his son and because he himself painted it, so also the Father professes the name of Jesus Christ, glorified in the Church throughout the world, to be his own, both because it is that of his Son, and because he himself wrote it and gave it for the salvation of mankind. The prophet’s words are doubly appropriate, both because the Son’s name belongs properly to the Father, and because the Church everywhere makes her offering to almighty God through Jesus Christ: In every place incense is offered to my name, and a pure sacrifice. For as John says in the Apocalypse, incense is the prayer of the saints. |
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| Concluding Prayer |
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| Come to the aid of your servants, O Lord; be good to those who pray to you. We glory in having you as our creator and guide: renew whatever is good in us, and make it last. 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. |
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August 11, 2007
St. Clare
(1194-1253)
One of the more sugary movies made about Francis of Assisi pictures Clare as a golden-haired beauty floating through sun-drenched fields, a sort of one-girl counterpart to the new Franciscan Order.
The beginning of her religious life was indeed movie material. Having refused to marry at 15, she was moved by the dynamic preaching of Francis. He became her lifelong friend and spiritual guide. At 18, she escaped one night from her father’s home, was met on the road by friars carrying torches, and in the poor little chapel called the Portiuncula received a rough woolen habit, exchanged her jeweled belt for a common rope with knots in it, and sacrificed the long tresses to Francis’ scissors. He placed her in a Benedictine convent which her father and uncles immediately stormed in rage. She clung to the altar of the church, threw aside her veil to show her cropped hair and remained adamant. End of movie material. Sixteen days later her sister Agnes joined her. Others came. They lived a simple life of great poverty, austerity and complete seclusion from the world, according to a Rule which Francis gave them as a Second Order (Poor Clares). Francis obliged her under obedience at age 21 to accept the office of abbess, one she exercised until her death. The nuns went barefoot, slept on the ground, ate no meat and observed almost complete silence. (Later Clare, like Francis, persuaded her sisters to moderate this rigor: “Our bodies are not made of brass.”) The greatest emphasis, of course, was on gospel poverty. They possessed no property, even in common, subsisting on daily contributions. When even the pope tried to persuade her to mitigate this practice, she showed her characteristic firmness: “I need to be absolved from my sins, but I do not wish to be absolved from the obligation of following Jesus Christ.” Contemporary accounts glow with admiration of her life in the convent of San Damiano in Assisi. She served the sick, waited on table, washed the feet of the begging nuns. She came from prayer, it was said, with her face so shining it dazzled those about her. She suffered serious illness for the last 27 years of her life. Her influence was such that popes, cardinals and bishops often came to consult her—she never left the walls of San Damiano. Francis always remained her great friend and inspiration. She was always obedient to his will and to the great ideal of gospel life which he was making real. A well-known story concerns her prayer and trust. She had the Blessed Sacrament placed on the walls of the convent when it faced attack by invading Saracens. “Does it please you, O God, to deliver into the hands of these beasts the defenseless children I have nourished with your love? I beseech you, dear Lord, protect these whom I am now unable to protect.” To her sisters she said, “Don’t be afraid. Trust in Jesus.” The Saracens fled.
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| Saturday, August 11, 2007 St. Clare of Assisi, Virgin, Foundress of II Order (Feast) |
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Collect: God of mercy, you inspired Saint Clare with the love of poverty. By the help of her prayers may we follow Christ in poverty of spirit and come to the joyful vision of your glory in the kingdom of heaven. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Memorial of St. Clare, virgin
Old Calendar: Saints Tiburtius and Susanna
St. Clare of Assisi was the first woman to practice the life of entire poverty as taught by St. Francis. Placed by him at the head of a few companions in the small convent of San Damiano, she governed her community for forty-two years thus founding at the gates of Assisi the Order of Poor Clares. Their Rule included austerities hitherto unknown in monasteries of women. They went barefoot, slept on the ground, kept perpetual abstinence and made poverty the basis of their lives. St. Clare died on August 11, 1253, and was canonized two years after her death.
Before the reform of the General Roman Calendar today was the feast of Sts. Tiburtius and Susanna. St. Tiburtius is a Roman martyr of unknown date who is buried on the Via Laviacana in the cemetery known nowadays as the catacomb of Sts. Peter and Marcellinus. St. Susanna, a Roman virgin, was also martyred at an unknown date. There are two churches in Rome which bear her name. The feast of St. Clare previously was celebrated on August 12.
The Breviary says of her: "Following the example of St. Francis, she distributed all her possessions among the poor. She fled from the noise of the world and betook herself to a country chapel, where St. Francis himself sheared off her hair and clothed her with a penitential garb (on March 18, 1212, at the age of eighteen). Then she resided at the Church of St. Damian, where the Lord provided for her a goodly number of companions. So she established a community of nuns and acted as their superior at the wish of St Francis. For forty-two years she directed the nunnery with zeal and prudence, her own life serving as a constant sermon for her sisters to emulate. Of Pope Innocent IV she requested the privilege that she and her community live in absolute poverty. She was a most perfect follower of St. Francis of Assisi. "When the Saracens were besieging Assisi and were preparing to attack the convent, St. Clare asked to be assisted as far as the entrance, for she was ill. In her hand she carried a vessel containing the blessed Eucharist as she prayed: O Lord, do not deliver over to beasts the souls that praise You! (Ps. 73). Protect Your servants, for You have redeemed them by Your precious Blood. And in the midst of that prayer a voice was heard, saying: Always will I protect you ! The Saracens took to flight."
Heroic in suffering (she was sick for twenty-seven years), she was canonized only two years after her death. Thomas of Celano coined the saying: Clara nomine, vita clarior, clarissima moribus.
Clare was the first flower in the garden of the Poor Man of Assisi. Poor in earthly goods, but rich in her utter poverty, she was a replica of Jesus, poor in the crib and on the Cross. At her time the Church generally and many Church men were enmeshed in financial matters and political maneuvering. Through the renewal of the ideal of poverty, St. Francis effected a "reform of Christian life in head and members."
In our twentieth century there still remain large areas with millions suffering under extreme poverty. Poverty in itself is no virtue; but it should be made into a virtue. Let us recall a few of the examples and texts from holy Scripture which show how precious poverty is and what deep reverence we should have toward it. Christ was poor. His entrance into the world and His departure from it took place in circumstances of greatest need. He had no house wherein to be born, no crib; no house wherein to die, no deathbed. Poverty stood watch at birth and remained to see His death. "The foxes have dens and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head" (Matt. 3:20).
At least we can be moderate and frugal, and thereby find the way to the spirit of Christian poverty. St. Clare, help us.
Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch.
Patron: Embroiderers; eye disease; eyes; gilders; goldsmiths; gold workers; good weather; laundry workers; needle workers; Santa Clara Indian Pueblo; telegraphs; telephones; television; television writers.
Symbols: Chalice and host; tall cross; Monstrance; lily; ciborium.
Often Portrayed as: Woman with a monstrance in her hand; Nun holding a vessel containing the holy Eucharist.
Things to Do:
From A Treasure Chest of Traditions For Catholic Families by Monica McConkey:
While St. Clare is the patroness of sore eyes, she has also become the patroness of television. She miraculously saw and heard Mass, even when she was too sick to attend!
Make a resolution to prevent sore eyes caused by too much television! Pick shows selectively. Some families create a token system, rationing viewing by requiring viewers to "PAY-PER-VIEW". Buttons, poker chips or other sets of small game pieces can be used as tokens (handed out weekly), or a TIME SHEET can be used to log in or out TV programs to keep track.
Help children to choose programs carefully. Help children to recognize how programs which may be cute or funny, do not necessarily reflect family values. Keep the dialogue going and talk about the differences!
Used with permission. Write to ArmaDei@aol.com or see Arma Dei for more information about this great book. Treasure Chest is filled with unique ideas for activities, crafts and recipes to help families celebrate the various Seasons and Feast Days of the year.
A sense of reverential awe and deep respect fills us whenever we meet the martyrs of the ancient Church. Yet it is often very difficult to give a strictly historical account of their lives. Nevertheless, even though we do not know all the biographical details, they are for us representatives of that "army of light," the martyrs, witnesses to Christ. And we want to be inspired by their example. Today the Martyrology tells this: "At Rome, between the two laurel trees, the death of the holy martyr Tiburtius. During the persecution of Diocletian the magistrate Fabian forced him to tread barefoot upon burning coals. As it only served to make him profess the faith more boldly, he was ordered to be led outside the city until the third milestone and there beheaded. . . . At Rome, the holy virgin Susanna. She came from an illustrious family, and was the niece of the saintly Pope Cams. At the time of Diocletian she won the palm of martyrdom by being beheaded." Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch.
Symbols: Susanna Crown at her feet; sword.
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 91 (92) |
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| Praise of God, the Creator |
| It is good to praise the Lord, and to sing psalms to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your mercy in the morning and your faithfulness by night; on the ten-stringed lyre and the harp, with songs upon the lyre. For you give me joy, Lord, in your creation: I rejoice in the work of your hands. How great are your works, O Lord, how immeasurably deep your thoughts. The fool does not hear, the slow-witted do not understand. When the wicked sprout up like grass, and the doers of evil are in full bloom, it will come to nothing, for they will perish for ever and ever; but you, Lord, are the Highest eternally. For behold, Lord, your enemies, how your enemies will perish, how wrongdoers will be scattered. You will give me strength as the wild oxen have; I have been anointed with the purest oil. I will look down upon my enemies, and hear the plans of those who plot evil against me. The just will flourish like the palm tree, grow tall like the cedar of Lebanon. They will be planted in the house of the Lord; in the courts of our God they will flourish. They will bear fruit even when old, fresh and luxuriant through all their days. They will proclaim how just is the Lord, my refuge, for in him there is no unrighteousness. 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 | Deuteronomy 32 |
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| The things God has done for his people | |
| Listen, heavens to what I say; earth, hear the words of my mouth! Let my teaching fall like the rain, my speech descend like the dew, like a shower on the grass, like rain on the wheat. For I shall call on the name of the Lord: give praise to the greatness of our God! His works are like a rock: they are perfect, for all his ways are just. God is faithful, he can do no wrong: he is just and upright. They have sinned against him, they are no children of his – this filthy generation, wicked and perverse. Is this how you repay the Lord, you foolish and witless people? Is he not your father, who took charge of you, created you and made you exist? Remember the days of old: think upon each generation. Ask your father and he will tell you; ask your ancestors, and they will let you know. When the Most High divided the peoples, when he was separating the children of Adam, he laid down the boundaries of the people according to the number of the children of Israel: the Lord’s own portion was his people, Jacob the measure of his inheritance. He found him in a desert land, in a place of horror, in the howling wilderness. He protected him, looked after him, guarded him as the apple of his eye. Like an eagle teaching its chicks to fly, hovering close above them, he spread out his wings and lifted him up, carried him on his back. The Lord alone led Jacob; no foreign god was with him. 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. |
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| Psalm 8 |
|---|
| The greatness of God, the dignity of man |
| How wonderful is your name over all the earth, O Lord, our Lord! How exalted is your glory above the sky! Out of the mouths of children and infants you have brought praise, to confound your enemies, to destroy your vengeful foes. When I see the heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and stars, which you set in their place – what is man, that you should take thought for him? what is the son of man, that you should look after him? You have made him but one step lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honour; you have set him over the works of your hands. You have put everything beneath his feet, cattle and sheep and the beasts of the field, the birds in the air and the fish in the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the waters. How wonderful is your name above all the earth, O Lord, our Lord! Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Short reading | Romans 12:14 - 16 © |
|---|---|
| Bless those who persecute you: never curse them, bless them. Rejoice with those who rejoice and be sad with those in sorrow. Treat everyone with equal kindness; never be condescending but make real friends with the poor. | |
| 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. |
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| 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. |
| May our mouths praise you, O Lord. May our souls and our lives give you praise. It is by your gift that we have life: may the whole act of living be our gift to you. 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 |
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Faith and Fire (Results!)
Matthew 17: 14-20 Introductory Prayer:Lord, I believe, but my faith is often ineffective and produces little change in my life. Give me the faith that moves mountains and fosters concrete results, especially in my growth in virtue in imitation of you. Faith is not faith unless there is growth. Petition:I want to step out of my comfort zone in faith. Support and strengthen me, Lord. 1. Faith with an Attitude "O faithless and perverse generation, how long will I be with you? How long will I endure you?” Think of all the needs of people around you. Think of all those who need Christ at your right and your left? How do I respond to their needs? Do I respond the way Christ would in my situation? Do I rely on my faith to propel me to action and service of others? How would my life change if I lived my faith to the full? 2. Source and Fountain “Jesus rebuked him and the demon came out of him, and from that hour the boy was cured.” Jesus’ power is not only unlimited; it even seems effortless. It is remarkable: Jesus’ power affects others without diminishing his own strength. He is not just very powerful. He is the source of power, the very fountain of energy, goodness and strength. Lord, do I know you as the source of all? How should this knowledge affect my faith? 3. Blessed Are You “Nothing will be impossible for you.” “Blessed are you who believed.” “Ask and you shall receive.” “All things are possible for those who believe.” Phrases, all of these, from the gospel – Christ’s very words. What could God possibly be telling me? In him we are capable of anything. All we need is faith and love. Dialogue with Christ: Lord, you are almighty and powerful, you are rich and magnificent, you are boundless and eternal. You are Everything! May I learn to praise and love you the way you alone deserve to be praised and loved. Resolution: I will reflect on Christ’s qualities today in order to strengthen my faith.
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Saint Clare of Assisi, Virgin and Abbess
For the Sake of Jesus Christ
There is something singularly appealing about Saint Clare of Assisi. In many ways she resembles her brother and father in Christ, Saint Francis, and yet Clare is Clare . . . fearless, spontaneous, unconventional, and strong-willed. She could have satisfied the expectations of her family and of society by marrying some promising young nobleman. Or she could have entered some respectable and established monastery; with her family background and her personal gifts, she would certainly have become a grand Lady Abbess and wielded the crosier over a comfortable little monastic domain, but Clare cared little for conventions and respectability. She did not hesitate to put behind her “houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children and land” (Mt 19:29) for the sake of Jesus Christ and of His Gospel.
Running After Christ
Our Lord says, “If any man has a mind to come my way, let him renounce self, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Mt 16:24). Clare was not content with simply following Christ by putting one foot in front of the other. There was nothing of the foot-dragging disciple about her. She was compelled by a burning passion to run after Christ, to follow Him, dancing all the way. The song of Clare’s heart was that verse from the Song of Songs: “Draw me after you: we will run in the fragrance of your perfumes” (Ct 1:3).
With Swift Pace and Light Step
Clare adds her own commentary: “O heavenly Spouse! I will run and not tire, until you bring me into the wine–cellar, until your left hand is under my head and your right hand will embrace me happily, and you will kiss me with the happiest kiss of Your mouth” (Fourth Letter to Agnes of Prague). The writings of Saint Clare are full of movement. She is drawn on by the love of Christ. One sometimes has the impression that the impetus of love leaves her breathless. To Agnes of Prague she wrote: “What you hold, may you always hold, what you do, may you always do and never abandon. But with swift pace, light step, unswerving feet, so that even your steps stir up no dust, may you go forward securely, joyfully, swiftly” (Second Letter to Agnes of Prague).
The Immovable Clare
Clare’s spiritual journey is characterized by movement. At the same time, once the dynamic Clare had made up her mind, she was immovable. Saint Clare was not impressed by the show of power, not tempted by the allurements of prestige, not intimidated by threats of violence.
I Will Seek Him
The Lady Clare had the single–minded determination of the bride in the Song of Songs. Leaving her family house under cover of night on Palm Sunday of the year 1212, she ran to the church of the Porziuncula in search of the One whom her soul loved. “Upon my bed by night I sought him whom my soul loves; I sought him, but found him not; I called him, but he gave no answer. I will rise now . . . I will seek him whom my soul loves” (Ct 3:1–2).
Sponsa Christi
Clare was drawn to Jesus Christ passionately: to his poverty, to his Gospel, to his Passion, to the adorable Sacrament of his Body and Blood. The Holy Spirit had already ignited a spark in her soul when, hearing Saint Francis preach, it was fanned into a great flame. The flame burned brightly in the dark little church of the Porziuncula on the night Francis clothed her in a rough tunic, girded her with a rope, cut off her hair and covered her head with a veil, the ancient sign of the sponsa Christi, the virgin consecrated to Christ.
A Joyful Brightness in the Church
Clare’s living flame of love attracted others to into the circle of its radiance. Other “Clares” followed her, or rather, followed Jesus Christ with her, joining their lights to hers, forming a joyful brightness in the whole Church, cherishing the “privilege of poverty” above all things. Without heartfelt gratitude I think today of all the Poor Ladies I have had the grace of knowing: those of Bethlehem Monastery in Barhamsville, Virginia; those of Drumshanbo Monastery of Perpetual Adoration in County Leitrim, Ireland; those of Eindhoven in Holland; and those of Borgo San Pietro in Assisi.
The Love You Had At First
What is Saint Clare’s message to us today? In looking at her burning desire to run after Christ and to share the life and the sufferings of “the One whom her soul loved,” we become aware of our own foot–dragging and indifference. Clare’s shining light shows up the compromises with darkness in our own lives. Remembering the Lady Clare, the mystical word of Christ to Saint John echoes in our hearts: “I know your works, your toil, and your patient endurance. . . . I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you: that you have abandoned the love you had at first (Rev 2:1-4).
A Rekindled Passion for Jesus Christ
The feast of Saint Clare calls us back to our “first love,” not in a condemning or censorious way, but gently, joyfully, brightly. Let this then be the grace of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass today: a re-enkindled passion for Jesus Christ.
Posted by Father Mark on August 11, 2007
Pax tecum, Filumena
Luminous Saints
August 11th is not only the feast of Saint Clare of Assisi, it is also the feast of the little virgin martyr Saint Philomena. The names of both saints signify light: Chiara derives from the Italian word for brightness, while Philomena is understood to mean “daughter of the light.” Saint Philomena’s popularity is increasing throughout the Catholic world; from Italy, France, and Ireland, devotion to her has spread to all five continents.
Patronness of the Curé d’Ars
Saint Philomena (or Filumena) emerged from centuries of obscurity when her relics were unearthed in Rome on May 24, 1802. Saint Jean Marie Vianney, the Curé d’Ars, was among the saints most devoted clients. In the parish church of Ars he had a chapel built in her honour; he called Saint Philomena. The holy priest called Saint Philomena “the new light of the Church militant.” He often recommended novenas to the little saint. She worked prodigies in answer to his prayers. “To Philomena,” he would say, “nothing is refused.”
A Saint Among Saints
The Curé d’Ars was not the only saint devoted to Philomena. The friends of Saint Philomena include Saint Peter Julian Eymard, Saint Peter Chanel, Saint Anthony Mary Claret, Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat, Saint Euphrasia Pelletier, Saint Francesca Xavier Cabrini, Saint John Nepomucene Neumann, Blessed Anna Maria Taigi, Blessed Pauline Jaricot, and Blessed Damien of Molokai. One who prays to Saint Philomena is in good company!
Honoured by the Popes
Pope Gregory XVI (1831-1846), Blessed Pius IX (1846-1878), Pope Leo XIII (1878-1903), and Saint Pius X (1903-1914) all sought Saint Philomena’s intercession. Saint Pius X erected the Universal Archconfraternity of Saint Philomena on May 21, 1912. Saint Philomena seems to have been given to the Church in modern times in response to the challenges that face her, and as an intercessor for those engaged in defending the “Splendour of the Truth” and the “Gospel of Life.”
Friend of Children
The Archconfraternity has a children’s section. Saint Philomena is a heavenly advocate of children, especially of those at risk. Dr. Mark Miravalle writes, “Because Philomena said yes to Christ and to His Kingdom, it is little wonder that Jesus is making her well known again as the Patroness of Purity, for the young people of the twenty-first century.”
Purity
The cord of Saint Philomena, approved by Pope Leo XIII in 1884, remains a popular sacramental. Made of red and white cotton (the colours of martyrdom and purity), the cord is carried on one’s person or worn about the waist. Those who wear the cord are encouraged to pray daily, “Dear Saint Philomena, Virgin and Martyr, pray for us, so that through your powerful intercession, we may obtain that purity of spirit and of heart that leads to perfect Love of God. Amen.”
A Thank You
A more personal note: when my dear fellow pilgrim to Knock Shrine, Mary Parady, was sorting through her mother, Cousin Marian Parady’s things, she discovered a first class relic of Saint Philomena. The little saint has become a friend to Mary and, just a few weeks ago, helped Cousin Danny Parady’s wife through a difficult moment in her pregnancy. Thank you, Saint Philomena!
Posted by Father Mark on August 11, 2007 2:14 PM | Permalink
http://vultus.stblogs.org/2007/08/pax_tecum_filumena.html
A further note from ol’ Theophane:
Father Mark, who is one of the real bright lights of younger monastics and clergy in the Church (if you go to the Vultus Christi web site, you will see that he is in Roma, at the Cistercian monastery at S. Croce in Gerusalemme), also links to the Archconfraternity of St Philomena in the above post, as follows: http://www.philomena.us/
That site in turn will provide the necessary information on the current status of devotion to St Philomena, which is, as Fr. Mark says, spreading, and I think justly so.
Although I am one of those concerned about the over-feminization of the Church (see the article in the current issue of “Crisis” magazine as an example of even the neocon types “getting it”), I readily venerate the militant spirit of a female martyr like St Philomena, or, for that matter, of that mystic and patroness of missionaries, St Therese of Lisieux. Not for nothing is St Therese shown, in the famous photograph, dressed as Joan of Arc for the convent dramatical production.
St. Philomena, pray for us!
Vive le Christ Roi!
Thanks for both this post and the one on St. Philomena.
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 112 (113) |
|---|
| Praise of the Lord's name |
| Praise, servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord. Let the Lord’s name be blessed, now and for ever. From the sun’s rising to its setting, the Lord’s name is to be praised. The Lord is high over all peoples, his glory is above the heavens. Who is like the Lord our God, who lives on high, who bends down to watch over heaven and earth? He raises the weak from the ground, the poor from the dunghill, raises them among the princes, the princes of his people. He gives the barren woman a household, makes her the happy mother of children. 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 115 (116B) |
|---|
| Thanksgiving in the Temple |
| Still I trusted, even when I said “I am greatly afflicted”, when I said in my terror, “all men are liars”. How shall I repay the Lord for all he has done for me? I will take up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord. I will fulfil my vows to the Lord before all his people. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful. O Lord, I am your servant, your maidservant’s son. You have torn apart my chains: I will make you a sacrifice of praise, I will call on the name of the Lord. I will fulfil my vows to the Lord before all his people, in the courts of the house of the Lord, within your walls, Jerusalem. 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 | Philippians 2 |
|---|---|
| Christ, God's servant | |
| Jesus Christ, although he shared God’s nature, did not try to seize equality with God for himself; but emptied himself, took on the form of a slave, and became like a man – not in appearance only, for he humbled himself by accepting death – even death on a cross. For this, God has raised him high, and given him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bend, in heaven, on earth, and under the earth, and every tongue will proclaim “Jesus Christ is Lord”, to the glory of God the Father. 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. |
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| Short reading | Hebrews 13:20 - 21 © |
|---|---|
| I pray that the God of peace, who brought our Lord Jesus back from the dead to become the great Shepherd of the sheep by the blood that sealed an eternal covenant, may make you ready to do his will in any kind of good action; and turn us all into whatever is acceptable to himself through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever, 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. |
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| 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. |
| Almighty and eternal God, we presumptuously call you our father. Make us in our hearts truly your adopted children, so that we deserve the inheritance you have promised us. 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 |
| Mt 17:14-20 | ||
|---|---|---|
| # | Douay-Rheims | Vulgate |
| 14 | And when he was come to the multitude, there came to him a man falling down on his knees before him, saying: Lord, have pity on my son, for he is a lunatic, and suffereth much: for he falleth often into the fire, and often into the water. | et cum venisset ad turbam accessit ad eum homo genibus provolutus ante eum dicens Domine miserere filii mei quia lunaticus est et male patitur nam saepe cadit in ignem et crebro in aquam |
| 15 | And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. | et obtuli eum discipulis tuis et non potuerunt curare eum |
| 16 | Then Jesus answered and said: O unbelieving and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. | respondens Iesus ait o generatio incredula et perversa quousque ero vobiscum usquequo patiar vos adferte huc illum ad me |
| 17 | And Jesus rebuked him, and the devil went out of him, and the child was cured from that hour. | et increpavit ei Iesus et exiit ab eo daemonium et curatus est puer ex illa hora |
| 18 | Then came the disciples to Jesus secretly, and said: Why could not we cast him out? | tunc accesserunt discipuli ad Iesum secreto et dixerunt quare nos non potuimus eicere illum |
| 19 | Jesus said to them: Because of your unbelief. For, amen I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, Remove from hence hither, and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible to you. | dicit illis propter incredulitatem vestram amen quippe dico vobis si habueritis fidem sicut granum sinapis dicetis monti huic transi hinc et transibit et nihil inpossibile erit vobis |
| 20 | But this kind is not cast out but by prayer and fasting. | hoc autem genus non eicitur nisi per orationem et ieiunium |
Thanks, maybe he was following Christ, too. We can’t judge, can we?
Well, the gospel says “he was cured from that hour”, which indicates he was not following Christ before, but perhaps after.
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