Vespers

INTRODUCTION

God, + come to my assistance.
– 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, will be forever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

This is the feast day of the Lord’s true witness,
Whom through the ages all have held in honor;
Now let us praise him and his deeds of glory
     With exultation.

So now in chorus, giving God the glory,
We sing his praises and his mighty triumph,
That in his glory we may all be sharers
     Here and hereafter.

Praise to the Father and the Son most holy,
Praise to the Spirit, with them coeternal,
Who give examples in the lives of all saints,
     That we may follow. Amen.

Melody: Herr Deinen Zorn 11.11.11.5
Music: Johann Crüger, 1653
Text: Iste Confessor, eighth century.
Translation: Composite.

Or:

Eternal Sun, true Light Divine,
Whose wisdom fills creation’s plan,
We sing to you with joy this day,
The Light supreme of ev’ry soul.

Your Holy Spirit’s ardent fire
Inspired some chosen master minds,
To shed bright rays upon the world
And open up salvation’s way.

Both inspiration from on high,
And efforts of deep human thought,
Have worked in harmony of grace
Developing our holy Faith.

This saint and doctor whom we praise,
Shines out with luster all his own,
A jewel in the favored crown
Of those who spread true doctrine’s light.

May his assistance help us now,
Unswerving path of truth to tread,
That we at last may gaze on you,
Our God, for all eternity.

To God the Father, God the Son,
And God the Spirit, Three in One,
Let praise resound and never die
From saints and angel hosts on high.

Melody: Angelus L.M.
Music: Georg Joseph, 1657
Text: Æterne Sol
Translation: © the Benedictines of Saint Cecilia’s Abbey, Ryde, UK. Used with permission.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Eagerly we await the fulfillment of our hope, the glorious coming of our Savior.

Psalm 62
Peace in God

May God, the source of our hope, fill your hearts with peace as you believe in him (Romans 15:13).

In God alone is my soul at rest; *
my help comes from him.
He alone is my rock, my stronghold, *
my fortress: I stand firm.

How long will you all attack one man *
to break him down,
as though he were a tottering wall, *
or a tumbling fence?

Their plan is only to destroy; *
they take pleasure in lies.
With their mouth they utter blessing *
but in their heart they curse.

In God alone be at rest, my soul; *
for my hope comes from him.
He alone is my rock, my stronghold, *
my fortress: I stand firm.

In God is my safety and glory, *
the rock of my strength.
Take refuge in God, all you people. *
Trust him at all times.
Pour out your hearts before him *
for God is our refuge.

Common folk are only a breath, *
great men an illusion.
Placed in the scales, they rise; *
they weigh less than a breath.

Do not put your trust in oppression *
nor vain hopes on plunder.
Do not set your heart on riches *
even when they increase.

For God has said only one thing: *
only two do I know:
that to God alone belongs power *
and to you, Lord, love;
and that you repay each man *
according to his deeds.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm Prayer

Lord God, you reward each one according to his works. Hear us as we pour out our hearts to you seeking your grace and secure protection. We look to you for our stable hope in a constantly changing world.

Ant. Eagerly we await the fulfillment of our hope, the glorious coming of our Savior.

Ant. 2 May God turn his radiant face toward us, and fill us with his blessings.

Psalm 67
People of all nations will worship the Lord

You must know that God is offering his salvation to all the world (Acts 28:28).

O God, be gracious and bless us *
and let your face shed its light upon us.
So will your ways be known upon earth *
and all nations learn your saving help.

Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
let all the peoples praise you.

Let the nations be glad and exult *
for you rule the world with justice.
With fairness you rule the peoples, *
you guide the nations on earth.

Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
let all the peoples praise you.

The earth has yielded its fruit *
for God, our God, has blessed us.
May God still give us his blessing *
till the ends of the earth revere him.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm Prayer

Be gracious and bless us, Lord, and let your face shed its light on us, so that we can make you known with reverence and bring forth a harvest of justice.

Ant. May God turn his radiant face toward us, and fill us with his blessings.

Ant. 3 Through him all things were made; he holds all creation together in himself.

Canticle: Colossians 1:12-20
Christ the first-born of all creation and the first-born from the dead

Let us give thanks to the Father *
for having made you worthy
to share the lot of the saints *
in light.

He rescued us *
from the power of darkness
and brought us *
into the kingdom of his beloved Son.
Through him we have redemption, *
the forgiveness of our sins.

He is the image of the invisible God, *
the first-born of all creatures.
In him everything in heaven and on earth was created, *
things visible and invisible.

All were created through him; *
all were created for him.
He is before all else that is. *
In him everything continues in being.

It is he who is head of the body, the church! *
he who is the beginning,
the first-born of the dead, *
so that primacy may be his in everything.

It pleased God to make absolute fullness reside in him *
and, by means of him, to reconcile everything in his person,
both on earth and in the heavens, *
making peace through the blood of his cross.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Through him all things were made; he holds all creation together in himself.

READING
James 3:17-18

Wisdom from above is first of all innocent. It is also peaceable, lenient, docile, rich in sympathy and the kindly deeds that are its fruits, impartial and sincere. The harvest of justice is sown in peace for those who cultivate peace.

RESPONSORY

In the midst of the Church he spoke with eloquence.
– In the midst of the Church he spoke with eloquence.

The Lord filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding.
– He spoke with eloquence.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
– In the midst of the Church he spoke with eloquence.

Or:

READING

1 Peter 5:1-4

To the elders among you, I, a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings and sharer in the glory that is to be revealed, make this appeal. God’s flock is in your midst; give it a shepherd’s care. Watch over it willingly, as God would have you do, not under constraint, and not for shameful profit, either, but generously. Be examples to the flock, not lording it over those assigned to you, so that when the chief Shepherd appears, you will win for yourselves the unfading crown of glory.

RESPONSORY

This is a man who loved his brethren and ever prayed for them.
– This is a man who loved his brethren and ever prayed for them.

He spent himself in their service,
– and ever prayed for them.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
– This is a man who loved his brethren and ever prayed for them.

CANTICLE OF MARY

Ant. O blessed doctor, Saint Anthony, light of holy Church and lover of God’s law, pray to the Son of God for us.

Luke 1:46-55
The soul rejoices in the Lord

My + soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, †
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior *
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed: †
the Almighty has done great things for me, *
and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him *
in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm, *
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, *
and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things, *
and the rich he has sent away empty.

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

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. O blessed doctor, Saint Anthony, light of holy Church and lover of God’s law, pray to the Son of God for us.

INTERCESSIONS

Jesus Christ is worthy of all praise, for he was appointed high priest among men and their representative before God. We honor him and in our weakness we pray:
Bring salvation to your people, Lord.

You marvelously illuminated your Church through distinguished leaders and holy men and women,
– let Christians rejoice always in such splendor.
Bring salvation to your people, Lord.

You forgave the sins of your people when their holy leaders like Moses sought your compassion,
– through their intercession continue to purify and sanctify your holy people.
Bring salvation to your people, Lord.

In the midst of their brothers and sisters you anointed your holy ones and filled them with the Holy Spirit,
– fill all the leaders of your people with the same Spirit.
Bring salvation to your people, Lord.

You yourself are the only visible possession of our holy pastors,
– let none of them, won at the price of your blood, remain far from you.
Bring salvation to your people, Lord.

The shepherds of your Church keep your flock from being snatched out of your hand. Through them you give your flock eternal life,
– save those who have died, those for whom you gave up your life.
Bring salvation to your people, Lord.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

(Gathering our prayer and praises into one, let us offer the prayer Christ himself taught us:)

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 who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Almighty God,
you have given Saint Anthony to your people
as an outstanding preacher
and a ready helper in time of need.
With his assistance may we follow the gospel of Christ
and know the help of your grace in every difficulty.
Grant 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.

Or:

Almighty ever-living God,
who gave Saint Anthony of Padua to your people
as an outstanding preacher
and an intercessor in their need,
grant that, with his assistance,
as we follow the teachings of the Christian life,
we may know your help in every trial.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
– Amen.

DISMISSAL

May the Lord bless + us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
– Amen.

Compline

INTRODUCTION

God, + come to my assistance.
– Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

Examination of Conscience

A brief examination of conscience may be made. In the communal celebration of the Office, a Penitential Rite using the formulas of the Mass may be inserted here.

[I confess to almighty God
and to you, my brothers and sisters,
that I have greatly sinned,
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done and in what I have failed to do,

And, striking their breast, they say:

through my fault, through my fault,
through my most grievous fault;

Then they continue:

therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin,
all the Angels and Saints,
and you, my brothers and sisters,
to pray for me to the Lord our God.

The absolution by the Priest follows:

May almighty God have mercy on us,
forgive us our sins,
and bring us to everlasting life.
– Amen.]

HYMN

O love of God, how strong and true,
Eternal, and yet ever new,
Uncomprehended and unbought,
Beyond all knowledge and all thought!

O heav’nly love, how precious still
In days of weariness and ill,
In nights of pain and helplessness,
To heal, to comfort and to bless!

O wide embracing wondrous love,
We read thee in the sky above;
We read thee in the earth below,
In seas that swell and streams that flow.

We read thee best in him who came
And bore for us the cross of shame,
Sent by the Father from on high,
Our life to live, our death to die.

O love of God, our shield and stay
Through all the perils of our way—
Eternal love, in thee we rest.
For ever safe, for ever blest.

Melody: Bevor des Tages Licht begeht L.M.
Music: Mode VIII, Deutsches Psalterium für die Sonntage und Wochentage des Kirchenjahres
Text: Horatius T. Bonar, 1808-1889

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Lord God, be my refuge and my strength.

Psalm 31:1-6
Trustful prayer in adversity

Father, into your hands I commend my spirit (Luke 23:46).

In you, O Lord, I take refuge. *
Let me never be put to shame.
In your justice, set me free, *
hear me and speedily rescue me.

Be a rock of refuge for me, *
a mighty stronghold to save me,
for you are my rock, my stronghold. *
For your name’s sake, lead me and guide me.

Release me from the snares they have hidden *
for you are my refuge, Lord.
Into your hands I commend my spirit. *
It is you who will redeem me, Lord.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Lord God, be my refuge and my strength.

Ant. 2 Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord.

Psalm 130
A cry from the depths

He will save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord, *
Lord, hear my voice!
O let your ears be attentive *
to the voice of my pleading.

If you, O Lord, should mark our guilt, *
Lord, who would survive?
But with you is found forgiveness: *
for this we revere you.

My soul is waiting for the Lord, *
I count on his word.
My soul is longing for the Lord *
more than watchman for daybreak.
Let the watchman count on daybreak *
and Israel on the Lord.

Because with the Lord there is mercy *
and fullness of redemption,
Israel indeed he will redeem *
from all its iniquity.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord.

READING
Ephesians 4:26-27

If you are angry, let it be without sin. The sun must not go down on your wrath; do not give the devil a chance to work on you.

RESPONSORY

Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
– Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

You have redeemed us, Lord God of truth.
– I commend my spirit.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
– Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

GOSPEL CANTICLE

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.

Luke 2:29-32
Christ is the light of the nations and the glory of Israel

Lord, + now you let your servant go in peace; *
your word has been fulfilled:

my own eyes have seen the salvation *
which you have prepared in the sight of every people:

a light to reveal you to the nations *
and the glory of your people Israel.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Let us pray.

Lord Jesus Christ,
you have given your followers
an example of gentleness and humility,
a task that is easy, a burden that is light.
Accept the prayers and work of this day,
and give us the rest that will strengthen us
to render more faithful service to you
who live and reign for ever and ever.
– Amen.

BLESSING

May the all-powerful Lord
grant us a restful night
and a peaceful death.
– Amen.

Antiphon or song in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Hail, holy Queen, mother of mercy,
our life, our sweetness, and our hope.
To you do we cry,
poor banished children of Eve.
To you do we send up our sighs
mourning and weeping in this vale of tears.
Turn then, most gracious advocate,
your eyes of mercy toward us,
and after this exile
show us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving,
O sweet Virgin Mary.

Or:

Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with you!
Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.

Or:

Salve, Regina, mater misericordiae;
vita, dulcedo et spes nostra, salve,
Ad te clamamus, exsules filii Evae.
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
in hac lacrimarum valle.

Eia ergo, advocata nostra,
illos tuos misericordes occulos
ad nos converte.
Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,
nobis post hoc exilium ostende.
O clemens, o pia, o dulcis Virgo Maria.

Or:

Loving mother of the Redeemer,
gate of heaven, star of the sea,
assist your people who have fallen yet strive to rise again.
To the wonderment of nature you bore your Creator,
yet remained a virgin after as before.
You who received Gabriel’s joyful greeting,
have pity on us poor sinners.

Saint Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor of the Church

Saint Anthony of Padua,
Priest and Doctor of the Church
Memorial
June 13th

Filippino Lippi
Madonna with Child, St Anthony of Padua and a Friar
before 1480 -- Tempera on wood
Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest

Saint Anthony was born in Lisbon, Portugal as Ferdinand de Bulhoes, he was a Franciscan known for his profound knowledge of theology and for his rhetorical skill. His preachings carried him from the north of Africa to Italy and France. He is known as the Evangelical Doctor because he based all that he said on the texts of the gospels. He died in Padua.

Source: Daily Roman Missal, Edited by Rev. James Socías, Midwest Theological Forum, Chicago, Illinois ©2003
Collect:
Almighty ever-living God,
who gave Saint Anthony of Padua to your people
as an outstanding preacher
and an intercessor in their need,
grant that, with his assistance,
as we follow the teachings of the Christian life,
we may know your help in every trial.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. +Amen.
First Reading: Isaiah 61:1-3d
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good tidings to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion-- to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.

Gospel Reading: Luke 10:1-9
After this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them on ahead of Him, two by two, into every town and place where He Himself was about to come. And He said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and salute no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace be to this house!' And if a son of peace is there, your peace shall rest upon him; but if not, it shall return to you. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages; do not go from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you; heal the sick in it and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.'
Spanish Prayer:
Oración a San Antonio de Padua

Glorioso San Antonio que por tus
Milagros mereciste tener en tus brazos
Al infante Jesús: intercede de su
Misericordia el favor que
Fervorosament te pido. Tú eres tan
Bondadoso con los pecadores, no te
Fijes en mis faltas. Miro la grandeza y
La gloria del Señor, la salvación de mi
Alma y la necesidad de remediar mis
Aflicciones. Amen.

(Haga su petición)

Related link on the Vatican Website:
BENEDICT XVI, GENERAL AUDIENCE, Paul VI Audience Hall, Wednesday, February 10, 2010, Saint Anthony of Padua

Dear Sister!

So grateful!

My mother would have us "-ask a prayer from one of the saints" when we lost something.

Amen!

I am watching mass with your verses from this post! Thank for what you do here on freepers! Xxxxx

I am watching Sarah Mcourt singing Ave Maria at the Eucharistic congress in Dublin Ireland . Beautiful!

I have to check this singer out on google to buy a album. Beautiful!!! On EWTN!

Information: St. Anthony of Padua

Feast Day:	June 13
Born:	1195, Lisbon, Portugal
Died:	13 June 1231, Padua
Canonized:	30 May 1232, Spoleto, Italy by Pope Gregory IX
Major Shrine:	Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua in Padua, Italy
Patron of:	animals; barrenness; Brazil; elderly people; faith in the Blessed Sacrament; fishermen; Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land; harvests; horses; Lisbon; lost articles; lower animals; mail; mariners; American Indians; oppressed people; Padua, Italy; poor people; Portugal; pregnant women; sailors; seekers of lost articles; shipwrecks; starvation; sterility; swineherds; Tigua Indians; travel hostesses; travellers; watermen

Interactive Saints for Kids

St. Anthony of Padua

Feast Day: June 13
Born: 1195 :: Died: 1231

This very popular saint was born at Lisbon in Portugal in a wealthy family. He was baptized and named "Ferdinand." His parents wanted him to be a great nobleman but when Anthony grew up he wanted to become a priest.

He received an excellent education from the Augustinian friars and joined the order. When he was twenty-five, his life took an exciting turn. He heard about how some Franciscans - St. Berard and his companions had been martyred by the Moors in Morocco for their faith in Jesus.

From then on, Ferdinand felt a strong desire to die for Christ and he joined the Franciscans. This order was very new. St. Francis himself was still alive. Ferdinand took the name "Anthony." He went off to Africa to preach to the Moors but he soon became so sick that he had to return to Italy.

The other Franciscan friars had no idea how brilliant and talented Anthony was or of how much education he had received. He never spoke about himself. So the Franciscan superiors assigned him to a quiet friary in Italy. There he washed pots and pans without complaint.

One day, at a large gathering of priests, when the speaker failed to arrive, Anthony was forced to preach. He preached such a marvelous sermon that everyone who heard him was most impressed. From then on, until he died nine years later, St. Anthony preached all over Italy and France. He was so popular that people even closed their stores to go to hear him.

St. Anthony died at Arcella, near Padua, Italy, on June 13, 1231 when he was just thirty-six. After he died, people often prayed to St. Anthony in times of physical as well as spiritual needs and many miracles have taken place through the intercession of St. Anthony. That is why he is called the "wonder-worker."

The statue of St. Anthony shows him with Baby Jesus because Baby Jesus appeared to him. Other pictures show St. Anthony holding a bible. This is because he knew, loved and preached the Word of God so well. In fact, St. Anthony was so well educated especially in Sacred Scripture that Pope Pius XII proclaimed him the "Evangelical Doctor," or Doctor of Sacred Scripture.

Reflection: "Actions speak louder than words; let your words teach and your actions speak." - sermon by St. Anthony

I just heard this from a cardinal on EWTN! I love this account of St. Anthony!

"Another famous miracle involved the defense of the Real Presence of the Holy Eucharist. (The same story is told with different antagonists — one a Jewish merchant, the other, a heretic named "Bonillo"; for this article, the former will be used.) The Jewish merchant challenged St. Anthony to prove the "fable" of the holy Eucharist and devised a contest.

The merchant would starve a donkey for three days, denying it any kind of food. Meanwhile, St. Anthony retreated to the forest where he would fast and pray for three days. At the end of the three days, St. Anthony returned to town, and went to the church where he obtained the Blessed Sacrament.

He then went to the town square where the donkey was. The merchant placed a bale of hay 20 feet from the hungry donkey. The donkey was untied and walked toward the hay. St. Anthony then exposed the Blessed Sacrament and called to the donkey, "Mule, in the name of the Lord our God, I command you to come here and adore your Creator!" The donkey stopped as though someone had pulled him by a bridle, turned and walked to St. Anthony. The donkey bent his forelegs, bowing to the Blessed Sacrament with his head toward the ground. The Jewish merchant was astonished, asked St. Anthony for forgiveness and converted. These and other miracles during and after St. Anthony’s death merited him the name, "Miracle Worker."

I blieve I have seen a picture of that miracle somewhere. Maybe in the Eucharistic miracles display.

Catholic

Almanac:


Wednesday, June 13
Liturgical Color: White
Today is the Memorial of St Anthony of Padua, Doctor of the Church. Known for his preaching and fervent battles against false teachings, St Anthony was called the "Hammer of the Heretics." He continued spreading the Gospel until his death in 1231.

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Catholic Culture

Daily Readings for: June 13, 2012
(Readings on USCCB website)

Collect: Almighty ever-living God, who gave Saint Anthony of Padua to your people as an outstanding preacher and an intercessor in their need, grant that, with his assistance, as we follow the teachings of the Christian life, we may know your help in every trial. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

RECIPES

ACTIVITIES

PRAYERS

Ordinary Time: June 13th

Memorial of St. Anthony of Padua, priest & doctor

Old Calendar: St. Anthony of Padua

St. Anthony was born at Lisbon, Portugal. He bacame a canon regular and then a Franciscan preaching the Gospel everywhere in Portugal and Italy. Both as a theologian and as a popular preacher he fought vigorously against heresy. His preaching was inspired by the love of God and of souls and had an extraordinary power of conviction; it was filled with the penetrating power of the Bible. Pope Gregory IX, who heard him preach, called him during his lifetime the Arca Testamenti, meaning "the living repository of the Holy Scriptures" and Pope Pius XII, when he proclaimed him a Doctor of the Church, declared that he based all that he said on the texts of the Gospels, and could justly be called the Evangelical Doctor. St. Anthony lived for a time in France, but chiefly in Italy, and died at Padua in 1231 at age 36, with the reputation of great sanctity. From the day of his death innumerable miracles caused the faithful to invoke him as a wonderworker of untiring benevolence.

St. Anthony
Anthony is one of the most popular saints in the Church. He is the patron of lost things and numerous other causes. In Brazil, he is considered a general of the army; he is the patron of the poor and has been recognized as a wonderworker from the moment of his death.

He was born in Portugal and entered the Augustinian monastery of Sao Vicente in Lisbon when he was fifteen. When news of the Franciscan martyrs in Morocco reached him, he joined the Franciscans at Coimbra. At his own request, he was sent as a missionary to Morocco, but he became ill, and on his return journey his boat was driven off course and he landed in Sicily. He took part in St. Francis' famous Chapter of Mats in 1221 and was assigned to the Franciscan province of Romagna.

He became a preacher by accident. When a scheduled preacher did not show up for an ordination ceremony at Forli, the Franciscan superior told Anthony to go into the pulpit. His eloquence stirred everyone, and he was assigned to preach throughout northern Italy. Because of his success in converting heretics, he was called the "Hammer of Heretics" and because of his learning, St. Francis himself appointed him a teacher of theology. St. Anthony of Padua was such a forceful preacher that shops closed when he came to town, and people stayed all night in church to be present for his sermons. He became associated with Padua because he made this city his residence and the center of his great preaching mission.

After a series of Lenten sermons in 1231, Anthony's strength gave out and he went into seclusion at Camposanpiero but soon had to be carried back to Padua. He did not reach the city but was taken to the Poor Clare convent at Arcella, where he died. He was thirty-six years old, and the whole city of Padua turned out in mourning for his passing.

He was canonized within a year of his death and was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius XII in 1946.

Excerpted from The One Year Book of Saints by Rev. Clifford Stevens

Patron: Against shipwrecks; against starvation; against starving; American Indians; amputees; animals; asses; barrenness; boatmen; Brazil; diocese of Beaumont, Texas; domestic animals; elderly people; expectant mothers; faith in the Blessed Sacrament; Ferrazzano, Italy; fishermen; harvests; horses; Lisbon, Portugal; lost articles; lower animals; mail; mariners; oppressed people; Padua, Italy; paupers; poor people; Portugal; pregnant women; sailors; seekers of lost articles; shipwrecks; starvation; starving people; sterility; swineherds; Tigua Indians; travel hostesses; travellers; watermen.

Symbols: The Holy Child on a book; lilies; fishes; flask and crucifix, mule; money chest and human heart; heart (symbol of Christian charity); fire (for religious fervor); portrayed holding a book, bread, Infant Jesus and or a lily.

Things to Do:

St. Anthony was a great lover of the poor. Deprive yourself of some treat and put the money saved in the poor box.
St. Anthony's Bread refers to an episode told in the Rigaldina, the oldest life of St. Anthony. A Paduan mother, who lived near the Basilica during its construction, had left little Thomas, her 20 month old son, alone in the kitchen. The little boy, while playing, ended up head first in a tub of water. His mother found him lifeless. She screamed desperately but she didn't give up. She called on the Saint. She made a vow: if she obtained the blessing of her child back to life, she would donate to the poor bread equal to the weight of her son to the poor. Her prayer was answered. Read more about St. Anthony's Bread and consider donating to St. Anthony's charities.
St. Anthony is invoked by women in search of good husbands, so if you're single and in search of a spouse, today is a good day to make a visit to a church or shrine dedicated to St. Anthony to make your petition to this generous saint!
Because St. Anthony was buried on a Tuesday and many miracles accompanied his funeral, Tuesdays are special days of honoring him throughout the year. It is customary to pray a Novena to him on thirteen consecutive Tuesdays.
For more information and more prayers see the following websites:
Popular Devotions in Honour of St. Anthony
St. Anthony Shrine
The Franciscans and The Companions of St. Anthony.

Doctors of the Catholic Church

Saint Anthony of Padua is the Evangelical Doctor. No other doctor resembled Jesus Christ to a certain degree as Anthony. He lived as Jesus in obscurity for many years. He became known quite suddenly and died the youngest of the male doctors, about Jesus' age.

The gospels of the four evangelists were the main sources that Anthony wholeheartedly pursued and lived. His insatiable thirst to understand, master, and live out the message and meaning of the words of Jesus, and imitate his life, were his consuming interest.

No other doctor is depicted holding the Infant Jesus more than "Tony", as he is so affectionately named by many due to his great purity and innocence of heart. Unlimited miracles, even today, are attributed to his holy intercession when we turn to him in genuine prayer and faith. There is a lasting tradition of him helping us find lost items, people, and that includes discovering ourselves more profoundly, when we turn to him in faith, honesty, and love.

"He received in baptism the name of Ferdinand. Later writers of the fifteenth century asserted that his father was Martin Bouillon, descendant of the renowned Godfrey de Bouillon, commander of the First Crusade, and his mother, Theresa Tavejra, descendant of Froila I, fourth king of Asturia. Unfortunately, however, his genealogy is uncertain; all that we know of his parents is that they were noble, powerful, and God-fearing people, and at the time of Ferdinand's birth were both still young, and living near the Cathedral of Lisbon. Having been educated in the Cathedral school, Ferdinand, at the age of fifteen, joined the Canons Regular of St. Augustine, in the convent of St. Vincent, just outside the city walls (1210). Two years later to avoid being distracted by relatives and friends, who frequently came to visit him, he betook himself with permission of his superior to the Convent of Santa Croce in Cóimbra (1212), where he remained for eight years, occupying his time mainly with study and prayer. Gifted with an excellent understanding and a prodigious memory, he soon gathered from the Sacred Scriptures and the writings of the Holy Fathers a treasure of theological knowledge." Quote from New Advent found at the end, below.

St Anthony of Padua, 1195-1231. Evangelical Doctor, Feast June 13th.

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Matthew 5:17-19

“I have not come to abolish but to fulfill.” (Matthew 5:17)

High jumpers face a daunting task: propelling their entire bodies over a bar that can stand as much as two feet higher than the top of their heads. From the ground, it looks impossible that the soles of anyone’s feet could actually rise above that bar. Yet they do. The bar in today’s reading seems to be set impossibly high, too. Yet Jesus really does mean that he wants us to uphold the whole law. He wants us to live pure and upright lives. He wants us to be perfect as his heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48).

It can be done! Though the bar may look impossibly high from where you stand, Jesus never sets unattainable tasks for us. And he never leaves us on our own just to do the best we can. He promises us: “I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20). He is with us to help us. He is with us to show us what the law means—simply to love God and love our neighbor (Luke 10:27).

Never forget that Jesus is with you to teach you day after day after day. Perhaps a Scripture verse stands out as you read. An impulse rises in you, prompting you to encourage a struggling friend or provide a meal to an ailing neighbor. Maybe your conscience twitches at some point in your day, moving you to a moment of repentance. Pay attention! Most likely, that’s Jesus teaching you. As you turn your heart to him, as you strive to embrace his commands, he is with you to help you, pouring out grace upon grace on your life.

Jesus is with you, too, to forgive you when you fail. Your selfishness or anger, greed or petty faultfinding come as no surprise to him! He will always forgive, and take right up where he left off teaching you. He is with you to fill you with more of his love, so that you feel more energized to follow his commandments. He is with you to give you the wisdom and knowledge of how to do it. Jesus didn’t set the bar high so that you would fail. He did it to show how high he can take you!

“Jesus, fill me with more of your love, and give me the grace to follow your teaching today.”

1 Kings 18:20-39 Psalm 16:1-2,4-5,8,11

Regnum Christi

Cancelling or Fulfilling – Emptiness or Plenitude

| SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY

Memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua, priest and doctor of the Church

Father Shawn Aaron, LC

Matthew 5:17-19

Jesus said to his disciples: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Introductory Prayer: Father of love, source of all blessings, you have led me throughout my life, and you lead me still. Thank you for your paternal care. Jesus, Son of God, you died for me on the cross to pay for my sins and manifest your unconditional love for me. Thank you for showing me the way home to the Father. Holy Spirit, sweet guest of the soul, you heal me and strengthen me and set me on fire from the most intimate depths of my soul. Thank you for your loving presence within me.

Petition: Jesus, help me to live authentic freedom in union with your will.

1. Bringing to All Fulfillment: Through the law and the prophets God prepared his people for salvation. In Christ that salvation is at hand: Jesus, the Word made flesh, will fulfill the law and the prophets and give them their proper interpretation. The law will move from the tablets of stone to the hearts of men, as demonstrated by the Beatitudes. Jesus came especially to fulfill the deep longing in the human heart for happiness, which is ultimately found in eternal life with God. “But when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:4-5).

2. Breaking the Rules: “Rules are meant to be broken” – according to the first law of the “Teenage Creed.” As we approach adulthood we may discover external conflicts to our subjective happiness. We call them rules. And as the desire to exercise our own free will grows, we begin to feel the seemingly oppressive weight of these rules – “Do this, don’t do that.” Authority figures can then be perceived to be in direct opposition to our personal fulfillment. We wrongly conclude that rules and happiness are like oil and water. Then we permit patterns of sin to develop despite what our conscience tells us, and we are unwittingly given a glimpse into the way the devil suggests his criteria to us. If we are not careful, we may form deep-seated attitudes that will make us struggle against God and against his criteria – the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes, the cross, and the teachings of the Church.

3. The Proper Use of Freedom: “The moral law has its origin in God and always finds its source in him” (Pope John Paul II, The Splendor of Truth, no. 40). Our true freedom lies not in the rejection but in the acceptance of God’s moral law. God is not a heartless dictator but a Father who loves us and wills our very best. If he sets standards for us, it is because he has our eternal happiness in mind, like a skilled coach who challenges the athlete to reach his full potential. “Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake?” (Matthew 7:9-10). Jesus posits the question because he knows the Father. Even if we were to know a parent that did not love his child, God the Father is incapable of not desiring what is truly best for us. God is and will always be love.

Conversation with Christ: Lord, sin is always tapping on my door but you have promised me that your grace will always be available. Help me to avail myself of the means of grace you give me to live in union with your eternal law. Mother Most Pure, make my heart only for Jesus.

Resolution: Today I will take a few moments to reflect upon the Ten Commandments or the duties of my state in life.

Matthew
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Matthew 5
17.	Do not think that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets. I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.	Nolite putare quoniam veni solvere legem, aut prophetas : non veni solvere, sed adimplere.	μη νομισητε οτι ηλθον καταλυσαι τον νομον η τους προφητας ουκ ηλθον καταλυσαι αλλα πληρωσαι
18.	For amen I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot, or one tittle shall not pass of the law, till all be fulfilled.	Amen quippe dico vobis, donec transeat cælum et terra, jota unum aut unus apex non præteribit a lege, donec omnia fiant.	αμην γαρ λεγω υμιν εως αν παρελθη ο ουρανος και η γη ιωτα εν η μια κεραια ου μη παρελθη απο του νομου εως αν παντα γενηται
19.	He therefore that shall break one of these least commandments, and shall so teach men, shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. But he that shall do and teach, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.	Qui ergo solverit unum de mandatis istis minimis, et docuerit sic homines, minimus vocabitur in regno cælorum : qui autem fecerit et docuerit, hic magnus vocabitur in regno cælorum.	ος εαν ουν λυση μιαν των εντολων τουτων των ελαχιστων και διδαξη ουτως τους ανθρωπους ελαχιστος κληθησεται εν τη βασιλεια των ουρανων ος δ αν ποιηση και διδαξη ουτος μεγας κληθησεται εν τη βασιλεια των ουρανων

17. Think not that I have come to destroy the Law, or the Prophets: I have not come to destroy, but to fulfill.
18. For verily I say to you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
19. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

GLOSS. Having now exhorted His bearers to undergo all things for righteousness' sake, and also not to hide what they should receive, but to learn more for others' sake, that at they may teach others, He now goes on to tell them what they should teach, as though he had been asked, What is this which you would not have hid; and for which you would have all things endured? Are you about to speak any thing beyond what is written in the Law and the Prophets; hence it is he says, Think not that I am come to subvert the Law or the Prophets.

PSEUDO- CHRYS. And that for two reasons. First, that by these words he might admonish His disciples, that as he fulfilled the Law, so they should strive to fulfill it. Secondly, because the Jews would falsely accuse them as subverting the Law, therefore he answers the calumny beforehand, but in such a manner as that He should not be thought to come simply to preach the Law as the Prophets had done.

REMIG. He here asserts two things; He denies that he was come to subvert the Law, and affirms that he was come to fulfill it.

AUG. In this last sentence again there is a double sense; to fulfill the Law, either by adding something which it had not, or by doing what it commands.

CHRYS. Christ then fulfilled the Prophets by accomplishing what was therein foretold concerning Himself - and the Law, first, by transgressing none of its precepts; secondly, by justifying by faith, which the Law could not do by the letter.

AUG. And lastly, because even for them who were under grace, it was hard in this mortal life to fulfill that of the Law, You shall not lust, He being made a Priest by the sacrifice of His flesh, obtained for us this indulgence, even in this fulfilling the Law, that where through our infirmity we could not, we should be strengthened through His perfection, of whom as our head we all are members. For so I think must be taken these words, to fulfill the Law, by adding to it, that is, such things as either contribute to the explanation of the old es, or to enable to keep them. For the Lord has showed us that even a wicked motion of the thoughts to the wrong of a brother is to be accounted a kind of murder. The Lord also teaches us, that it is better to keep near to the truth without swearing, than with a true oath to come near to blasphemy. ID. But how, you Manichaeans, do you not receive the Law and the Prophets, seeing Christ here says, that He is come not to subvert but to fulfill them? To this the heretic Faustus replies, Whose testimony is there that Christ spoke this? That of Matthew. How was it then that John does not give this saying, who was with Him in the mount, but only Matthew, who did not follow Jesus till after He had come down from the mount? To this Augustine replies, If none can speak truth concerning Christ, but who saw and heard Him, there is no one at this day who speaks truth concerning Him. Why then could not Matthew hear from John's mouth the truth as Christ had spoken, as well as we who are born so long after can speak the truth out of John's book? In the same manner also it is, that not Matthew's Gospel, but also these of Luke and Mark are received by us, and on no inferior authority. Add, that the Lord Himself might have told Matthew the things He had done before He called him. But speak out and say that you do not believe the Gospel, for they who believe nothing in the Gospel but what they wish to believe, believe themselves rather than the Gospel. To this Faustus rejoins, We will prove that this was not written by Matthew, but by some other hand, unknown, in his name. For below he says, Jesus saw a man sitting at the toll-office, Matthew by name. Who writing of himself says, 'saw a man,' and not rather 'saw me?'

AUG; Matthew does no more than John does, when he says, Peter turning round saw that other disciple whom Jesus loved; and it is well known that his is the common manner of Scripture writers, when writing their own actions. Faustus again, But what say you to this, that the very assurance that He was not come to destroy the Law and the Prophets was the direct way to rouse their suspicions that He was? For He had yet done nothing that could lead the Jews to think that this was His object.

AUG; This is a very weak objection, for we do not deny that to the Jews who had no understanding, Christ might have appeared as threatening the destruction of the Law and the Prophets. Faustus; But what if the Law and the Prophets do not accept this fulfillment, according to that in Deuteronomy, These commandments that I give to you, you shall keep, you shall not add anything to them, nor take away.

AUG; Here Faustus does not understand what it is to fulfill the Law, When he supposes that it must be taken of adding words to it. The fulfillment of the Law is love, which the Lord has given in sending His Holy Spirit. The Law is fulfilled either when the things there commanded are done, or when the things there prophesied come to pass. Faustus; But in that we confess that Jesus was author of a New Testament, what else is it than to confess that He has done away with the Old?

AUG; in that Old Testament were figures of things to come, which when the things themselves were brought in by Christ, ought to have been taken away, that in that very taking away the Law and the Prophets might be fulfilled wherein it was written that God gave a New Testament. Faustus; Therefore if Christ did say this thing, he either said it with some other meaning, or he spoke falsely, (which God forbid,) or we must take that other alternative, he did not speak it at all. But that Jesus spoke falsely none will aver, therefore he either spoke it with another meaning, or he spoke it not at all. For myself I am rescued from the necessity of this alternative by the Manichaean belief, which from the first taught me not to believe all those things which are read in Jesus' name as having been spoken by Him; for that there be many tares which to corrupt the good seed some nightly sower has scattered up and down through nearly the whole of Scripture.

AUG; Manicheus taught an impious error, that you should receive only so much of the Gospel as does not conflict with your heresy, and not receive whatever does conflict with it. We have learned of the Apostle that religious caution, Whoever preaches to you another Gospel than that we have preached, let him be accursed. The Lord also has explained what the tares signify, not things false mixed with the true Scriptures, as you interpret, but men who are children of the wicked one. Faustus; Should a Jew then inquire of you why you do not keep the precepts of the Law and the prophets which Christ here declares he came not to destroy but to fulfill, you will be driven either to accept an empty superstition, or to repudiate this chapter as false, or to deny that you are Christ's disciple.

AUG; The Catholics are not in any difficulty on account of this chapter as though they did not observe the Law and the Prophets; for they do cherish love to God and their neighbor, on which hang all the Law and the Prophets. And whatever in the Law and the Prophets was foreshown, whether in things done, in the celebration of sacramental rites, or in forms of speech, all these they know to be fulfilled in Christ and the Church. Wherefore we neither submit to a false superstition, nor reject the chapter, nor deny ourselves to be Christ's disciples. He then who says, that unless Christ had destroyed the Law and the Prophets, the Mosaic rites would have continued along with the Christian ordinances, may further affirm, that unless Christ had destroyed the Law and the Prophets, he would yet be only professional as to be honor, to suffer, to rise again. But inasmuch as He did not destroy, but rather fulfill them, His birth, passion, and resurrection, are now no more promised as things future, which were signified by the Sacraments of the Law; but he is preached as already born, crucified, and risen, which are signified by the Sacraments now celebrated by Christians. It is clear then how great is the error of those who suppose, that when the signs or sacraments are changed, the things themselves are different, whereas the same things which the Prophetic ordinance had held forth as promises, the Evangelic ordinance points to as completed. Faustus; Supposing these to be Christ's genuine words, we should inquire what was His motive for speaking thus, whether to soften the blind hostility of the Jews, who when they saw their Holy things trodden under foot by Him, would not have so much as given Him a hearing; or whether he really said them to instruct us, who of the Gentiles should believe, to submit to the yoke of the Law. If this last were not His design, then the first must have been; nor was there any deceit or fraud in such purpose. For of laws there be three sorts. The first that of the Hebrews, called the law of sin and death, by Paul; the second that of the Gentiles, which he calls the law of nature, saying, By nature the Gentiles do the deeds of the law; the third, the law of truth, which he names, The law of the Spirit of life. Also there are Prophets some of the Jews, such as are, well-known; others of the Gentiles as Paul speaks, A prophet of their own had said; and others of the truth, of whom Jesus speaks, I send to you wise men and prophets. Now had Jesus in the following part of this sermon brought forward any of the Hebrew observances to show how he had fulfilled that, no one would have doubted that it was of the Jewish Law and Prophets that he was now speaking; but when he brings forward in this way only those more ancient precepts, You shall not kill, You shall not commit adultery, which were promulgated of old to Enoch, Seth, and the other righteous men, who does not see that he is here speaking of the Law and Prophets of truth? Wherever He has occasion to speak of anything merely Jewish, He plucks it up by the very roots, giving precepts directly the contrary; for example, in the case of that precept, An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

AUG; Which was the Law and which the Prophets, that Christ came not to subvert but to fulfill, is manifest, to wit, the Law given by Moses. And the distinction which Faustus draws between the precepts of the righteous men before Moses, and the Mosaic Law, arming that Christ fulfilled the one but annulled the other, is not so. We affirm that the Law of Moses was both well suited to its temporary purpose, and was now not subverted, but fulfilled by Christ, as will be seen in each particular. This was not understood by those who continued in such obstinate error, that they compelled the Gentiles to Judaize - those heretics, I mean, who were called Nazarenes.

PSEUDO- CHRYS. But since all things which should befall from the very beginning of the world to the end of it, were in type and figure foreshown in the Law, that God may not be thought to be ignorant of any of those things that take place, he therefore here declares, that heaven and earth should not pass till all things thins foreshown in the Law should have their actual accomplishment.

REMIG. Amen is a Hebrew word, and may be rendered in Latin, 'vere,' ' fidenter,' or 'fiat;' that is, 'truly,' 'faithfully,' or ' so be it.' The Lord uses it either because of the hardness of heart of those who were slow to believe, or to attract more particularly the attention of those that did believe.

HILARY; From the expression here used pass, we may suppose that the constituting elements of heaven and earth shall not be annihilated

REMIG. But shall abide in their essence, but pass through renewal.

AUG. By the words, one iota or one point shall not pass from the Law, we must understand only a strong metaphor of completeness, drawn from the letters of writing, iota being the least of the letters, made with one stroke of the pen, and a point being a slight dot at the end of the same letter. The words there show that the Law shall be completed to the very least matter.

RABAN. He fitly mentions the Greek iota, and not the Hebrew jot, because the iota stands in Greek for the number ten, and so there is an allusion to the Decalogue of which the Gospel is the point and perfection.

PSEUDO- CHRYS. If even an honorable man blushes to be found in a falsehood, and a wise man lets not fall empty any word he has once spoken, how could it be that the words of heaven should fall to the ground empty? Hence He concludes, Whoever breaks the least of these commandments, &c. And, I suppose, the Lord goes on to reply Himself to the question, Which are the least commandments? Namely, these which I am now about to speak.

CHRYS. He speaks not this of the old laws, but of those which He was now going to enact, of which he says, the least, though they were all great. For as he so oft spoke humbly of Himself, so does he now speak humbly of His precepts.

PSEUDO- CHRYS. Otherwise; the precepts of Moses are easy to obey; You shall not kill. You shall not commit adultery. The very greatness of the crime is a check upon the desire of committing it; therefore the reward of observance is small, the sin of transgression great. But Christ's precepts, You shall not be angry, You shall not lust, are hard to obey, and therefore in their reward they are great, in their transgression, 'least.' It is thus he speaks of these precepts of Christ, such as You shall not be angry, You shall not lust, as 'the least;' and they who commit these lesser sins, are the least in the kingdom of God; that is, he who has been angry and not sinned grievously is secure from the punishment of eternal damnation; yet he does not attain that glory which they attain who fulfill even these least.

AUG. Or, the precepts of the Law are called 'the least,' as opposed to Christ's precepts which are great. The least commandments are signified by the iota and the point. He, therefore, who breaks them, and teaches men so, that is, to do as he does, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven. Hence we may perhaps conclude, that it is not true that there shall none be there except they be great.

GLOSS. By 'break,' is meant, that not doing what one understands rightly, or the not understanding what one has corrupted, or the destroying the perfectness of Christ's additions.

CHRYS. Or, when yon hear the words, least in the kingdom of heaven, imagine nothing less than the punishment of hell. For He oft uses the word 'kingdom,' not only of the joys of heaven, but of the of the resurrection. and of the terrible coming of Christ.

GREG. Or, by the kingdom of heaven is to be understood the Church, in which that teacher who breaks a commandment is called least, because he whose life is despised, it remains that his preaching be also despised.

HILARY; Or, He calls the passion, and the cross, the least, which if one shall not confess openly, but be ashamed of them, he shall be least, that is, last, and as it were no man; but to him that confesses it He promises the great glory of a heavenly calling.

JEROME; This had is closely connected with the preceding. it is directed against the Pharisees, who, despising the commandments of God, set up traditions of their own, and means that their teaching the people would not avail themselves, if they destroyed the very least commandments in the Law. We may take it in another sense. The learning of the master if joined with sin however small, loses him the highest place, nor does it avail any to teach righteousness, if he destroys it in his life. Perfect bliss is for him who fulfills in deed what he teaches in word.

AUG. Otherwise; he who breaks the least of these commandments, that is, of Moses' Law, and teaches men so, shall be called the least; but he who shall do (these least), and so teach, shall not indeed be esteemed great, yet not so little as he who breaks them. That he should be great, he ought to do and to teach the things which Christ now teaches.

Catena Aurea Matthew 5

Savior Pantocrator

Late 15c., Novgorod

Not Abolish, Fulfill

First Reading: 1 Kgs 18:20-39

Psalm: Ps 16:1b-2ab, 4, 5ab and 8, 11

Gospel: Mt 5:17-19

The key to understanding the Bible and the Judaeo-Christian religion is the realization of the truth that God reveals Himself gradually and progressively according to our need and capacity. The Gospel for today confirms and reiterates this truth. “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.” (Matt. 5: 17-19)

The law Jesus is talking about, of course, is the law that God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai: the Ten Commandments. (Deut. 5: 6-21) These laws are still valid today. And they will always be valid because they are part of the natural law, the conditions necessary for human beings to live together in society in peace and in justice. The media remind us every day of the tragic things that happen when these laws are not observed.

Jesus did not come to abolish these laws but to fulfill them. And he tells us that love is the fulfillment of the law. When he was asked what the greatest commandment in the law was, he said, “You shall love the lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.” (Matt. 22: 34-40) There are really three laws not two; two are explicit and one is implicit. We are commanded to love God, our self and our neighbor. And it is the indissoluble bond between the love of God and love of self and neighbor that is the key to making love the fulfillment of the law.

But Jesus went even further. He made Himself the fulfillment of the law and the prophets. “I am the way, the truth and the life.” And his Father confirms this. At the Transfiguration Jesus is transfigured between Moses and Elijah. Moses represented the law and Elijah represented the prophets. And the Father said, “This is my beloved son, listen to Him.” God’s revelation is now moving from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant, from the law to love.

Jesus is the personification of love and the fulfillment of the law. Jesus is both the fullest expression of the love of God for us, and the fullest expression of the human response to that love. In Jesus, the medium is the message. The entire content of Christianity has been abstracted from the person and life of Jesus. The whole content of Christianity can be expressed in one word, Jesus. When you’ve said Jesus you’ve said it all.

Our moral life is influenced more by significant persons in our lives, and how closely we identify with them, than it is influenced by explicit moral laws and instructions. Therefore, we should strive to know Jesus more intimately, love him more ardently and follow him more closely. To be a Christian is to be committed to Jesus. And since Jesus is God, it means with the totality of the First Commandment. You shall love Jesus with your whole heart, your whole soul and your whole mind.” The essence of being a Christian is to have an intimate personal relationship with Jesus.

June 13, 2012

Memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor of the Church

Reading 1 1 Kgs 18:20-39

Responsorial Psalm Ps 16:1b-2ab, 4, 5ab and 8, 11

Gospel Mt 5:17-19

St. Anthony of Padua

Daily Readings for: June 13, 2012
(Readings on USCCB website)

RECIPES

ACTIVITIES

PRAYERS

Memorial of St. Anthony of Padua, priest & doctor

Meditation: Matthew 5:17-19

Not Abolish, Fulfill

June 13, 2012

Memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor of the Church

Reading 1 1 Kgs 18:20-39

Responsorial Psalm Ps 16:1b-2ab, 4, 5ab and 8, 11

Gospel Mt 5:17-19

St. Anthony of Padua

Daily Readings for: June 13, 2012(Readings on USCCB website)

RECIPES

ACTIVITIES

PRAYERS

Memorial of St. Anthony of Padua, priest & doctor

Meditation: Matthew 5:17-19

Not Abolish, Fulfill

Daily Readings for: June 13, 2012
(Readings on USCCB website)