Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 02-07-13, OM, Bl. Pius IX

USCCB.org/RNAB ^ | 02-07-13 | Revised New American Bible

[Salvation]

February 7, 2013

Thursday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

 

Reading 1 Heb 12:18-19, 21-24

Brothers and sisters:
You have not approached that which could be touched
and a blazing fire and gloomy darkness
and storm and a trumpet blast
and a voice speaking words such that those who heard
begged that no message be further addressed to them.
Indeed, so fearful was the spectacle that Moses said,
“I am terrified and trembling.”
No, you have approached Mount Zion
and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem,
and countless angels in festal gathering,
and the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven,
and God the judge of all,
and the spirits of the just made perfect,
and Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant,
and the sprinkled Blood that speaks more eloquently
than that of Abel.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 48:2-3ab, 3cd-4, 9, 10-11

R. (see 10) O God, we ponder your mercy within your temple.
Great is the LORD and wholly to be praised
in the city of our God.
His holy mountain, fairest of heights,
is the joy of all the earth.
R. O God, we ponder your mercy within your temple.
Mount Zion, “the recesses of the North,”
the city of the great King.
God is with her castles;
renowned is he as a stronghold.
R. O God, we ponder your mercy within your temple.
As we had heard, so have we seen
in the city of the LORD of hosts,
In the city of our God;
God makes it firm forever.
R. O God, we ponder your mercy within your temple.
O God, we ponder your mercy
within your temple.
As your name, O God, so also your praise
reaches to the ends of the earth.
Of justice your right hand is full.
R. O God, we ponder your mercy within your temple.

Gospel Mk 6:7-13

Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two
and gave them authority over unclean spirits.
He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick
–no food, no sack, no money in their belts.
They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic.
He said to them,
“Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there.
Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you,
leave there and shake the dust off your feet
in testimony against them.”
So they went off and preached repentance.
The Twelve drove out many demons,
and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

[Salvation]

Blessed Pius IX

Blessed Pius IX
February 7

from the Vatican website

Blessed Pope Pius IX was born in Senigallia, Italy, on 13 May 1792, the son of Gerolamo of the Counts Mastai Ferretti, and Caterina Solazzi, of the local nobility. He was baptized on the day of his birth with the name Giovanni Maria. Of delicate physical constitution but of very lively intelligence, his childhood was marked by little voluntary mortifications and an intense religious life.

In 1809 he moved to Rome for higher studies. A disease not well diagnosed, which some called epilepsy, forced him to interrupt his studies in 1812. He was accepted into the Pontifical Noble Guard in 1815, but because of his illness he was immediately discharged. It was at this time that St Vincent Pallotti predicted that he would become Pope and that the Virgin of Loreto would free him eventually from the disease.

After serving briefly in the Tata Giovanni Educational Institute, he participated as a catechist in 1816 in a memorable mission in Senigallia and, immediately thereafter, decided to enter the ecclesiastical state. He was ordained a priest in 1819. Conscious of his noble rank, he committed himself to avoiding a prelatial career in order to remain only at the service of the Church.

He celebrated his first Mass in the Church of St Anne of the Carpenters at the Tata Giovanni Institute, of which he was named rector, remaining there until 1823. He was immediately recognized as assiduous in prayer, in the ministry of the Word, in the celebration of the liturgy, in the confessional and above all in his daily ministry at the service of the humblest and neediest. He admirably united the active and the contemplative life:  ready for pastoral needs, but always interiorly recollected, with strong Eucharistic and Marian devotion and fidelity to daily meditation and the examination of conscience.

In 1823 he left the institute to serve the Apostolic Nuncio in Chile, Mons. Giovanni Muzi. There he remained until 1825, when he was elected President of St Michael's Hospice, a grand but complex institution in need of effective reform. To it Mastai applied himself with more than gratifying results, but without ever neglecting his priestly duties. Two years later, at the age of 35, he was consecrated Archbishop of Spoleto. In 1831 the revolution which had begun in Parma and Modena spread to Spoleto. The Archbishop did not want the shedding of blood and repaired, as much as possible, the deleterious effects of the violence. When calm was restored, he obtained a pardon for all, even for those who did not merit it.

Another turbulent see awaited Mastai in Imola, where he was transferred in 1832. He remained an eloquent preacher, prompt in charity toward everyone, zealous for the supernatural as well as the material well-being of his Diocese, devoted to his clergy and seminarians, a promoter of education for the young, sensitive to the needs of the contemplative life, devoted to the Sacred Heart and to Our Lady, benevolent towards all but firm in his principles. In 1840 he received the Cardinal's hat at the age of 48.

Despite having shunned honours, on the evening of 16 June 1846 Mastai found himself burdened with the greatest of them:  he was elected Pope and took the name Pius IX.

He had a difficult pontificate, but precisely because of that he was a great Pope, certainly one of the greatest. Thoroughly aware of being the "Vicar of Christ" and responsible for the rights of God and of the Church, he was clear, simple consistent. He combined firmness and understanding, fidelity and openness.
He began with an act of generosity and Christian sensitivity:  amnesty for political crimes. His first Encyclical was a programmatic vision, but anticipated the "Syllabus":  in it he condemned secret societies, freemasonry and communism. In 1847 he promulgated a decree granting extensive freedom of the press and instituted a civil guard, the municipal and communal council, the Council of State and the Council of Ministers. From then on his interventions as Father of all nations and temporal Prince continued unabated.

The question of Italian independence, which he sympathized with, did not set the Prince against the Pope, a fact that alienated the most intransigent liberals. The situation came to a head on 15 November when Pellegrino Rossi, the head of government, was killed and Pius IX had to take refuge in Gaeta.

After the proclamation of the Roman Republic (9 February 1849), he moved to Portici and later returned to Rome (12 April 1850). He reorganized the Council of State, established the Council for Finances, granted a new amnesty, re-established the Catholic hierarchy in England and in Holland.

In 1853 he condemned Gallican doctrines and founded the well-known "Seminario Pio". He established the Commission on Christian Archaeology, defined the dogma of the Immaculate Conception on 8 December 1854 and blessed the rebuilt St Paul's Basilica which had been destroyed by fire in 1823.

In 1856 he approved the plan for railways in the Papal States and on 24 April 1859 inaugurated the first section between Rome and Civitavecchia. In 1857 he visited the Papal States and was welcomed everywhere with rejoicing. He sent missionaries to the North Pole, India, Burma, China and Japan.

Meanwhile dark clouds gathered over him with the Italian "Risorgimento", the Piedmontese annexations that were dismantling the Papal States and the expropriation of the Legations. Suffering but undaunted, he continued to show his charity and concern for all. In 1862 he established a dicastery to deal with the concerns of Eastern-rite Catholics; in 1864 he published his Syllabus condemning modern errors; in 1867 he celebrated the 18th centenary of the martyrdom of Peter and Paul; in 1869 he received the homage of the entire world for the golden jubilee of his priestly ordination. Later that year he opened the First Vatican Ecumenical Council, the pearl of his pontificate, and closed it on 18 July 1870.

With the fall of Rome (20 September 1870) and of the temporal power, the saddened Pontiff considered himself a prisoner of the Vatican, resisting the "Laws of Guarantees", but approving the "Work of Congresses". He consecrated the Church to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, disciplined the participation of Catholics in political life with the Non expedit and restored the Catholic hierarchy of Scotland. Suffering from poor health, he gave his last address to the parish priests of Rome on 2 February 1878. On 7 February the longest pontificate  in  history  ended  with his holy death.

vatican.va

***

BEATIFICATION OF PIUS IX, JOHN XXIII, TOMMASO REGGIO,  WILLIAM CHAMINADE AND COLUMBA MARMION  
HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS JOHN PAUL II
Sunday, 3 September 2000

1. In the context of the Jubilee Year, it is with deep joy that I have declared blessed two Popes, Pius IX and John XXIII, and three other servants of the Gospel in the ministry and the consecrated life: Archbishop Tommaso Reggio of Genoa, the diocesan priest William Joseph Chaminade and the Benedictine monk Columba Marmion.

Five different personalities, each with his own features and his own mission, all linked by a longing for holiness. It is precisely their holiness that we recognize today: holiness that is a profound and transforming relationship with God, built up and lived in the daily effort to fulfil his will. Holiness lives in history and no saint has escaped the limits and conditioning which are part of our human nature. In beatifying one of her sons, the Church does not celebrate the specific historical decisions he may have made, but rather points to him as someone to be imitated and venerated because of his virtues, in praise of the divine grace which shines resplendently in him.

I extend my respectful greetings to the official delegations of Italy, France, Ireland, Belgium, Turkey and Bulgaria which have come here for this solemn occasion. I also greet the relatives of the new blesseds, together with the Cardinals, Bishops, civil and religious dignitaries who have wished to take part in our celebration. Lastly, I greet you all, dear brothers and sisters who have come in large numbers to pay homage to the servants of God whom the Church today is enrolling among the blessed.

2. Listening to the words of the Gospel acclamation: "Lord, lead me on a straight road", our thoughts naturally turn to the human and religious life of Pope Pius IX, Giovanni Maria Mastai Ferretti. Amid the turbulent events of his time, he was an example of unconditional fidelity to the immutable deposit of revealed truths. Faithful to the duties of his ministry in every circumstance, he always knew how to give absolute primacy to God and to spiritual values. His lengthy pontificate was not at all easy and he had much to suffer in fulfilling his mission of service to the Gospel. He was much loved, but also hated and slandered.

However, it was precisely in these conflicts that the light of his virtues shone most brightly: these prolonged sufferings tempered his trust in divine Providence, whose sovereign lordship over human events he never doubted. This was the source of Pius IX's deep serenity, even amid the misunderstandings and attacks of so many hostile people. He liked to say to those close to him: "In human affairs we must be content to do the best we can and then abandon ourselves to Providence, which will heal our human faults and shortcomings".

Sustained by this deep conviction, he called the First Vatican Ecumenical Council, which clarified with magisterial authority certain questions disputed at the time, and confirmed the harmony of faith and reason. During his moments of trial Pius IX found support in Mary, to whom he was very devoted. In proclaiming the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, he reminded everyone that in the storms of human life the light of Christ shines brightly in the Blessed Virgin and is more powerful than sin and death.

3. "You are good and forgiving" (Entrance Antiphon). Today we contemplate in the glory of the Lord another Pontiff, John XXIII, the Pope who impressed the world with the friendliness of his manner which radiated the remarkable goodness of his soul. By divine design their beatification links these two Popes who lived in very different historical contexts but, beyond appearances, share many human and spiritual similarities. Pope John's deep veneration for Pius IX, to whose beatification he looked forward, is well known. During a spiritual retreat in 1959, he wrote in his diary: "I always think of Pius IX of holy and glorious memory, and by imitating him in his sacrifices, I would like to be worthy to celebrate his canonization" (Journal of a Soul, Ed. San Paolo, 2000, p. 560).

Everyone remembers the image of Pope John's smiling face and two outstretched arms embracing the whole world. How many people were won over by his simplicity of heart, combined with a broad experience of people and things! The breath of newness he brought certainly did not concern doctrine, but rather the way to explain it; his style of speaking and acting was new, as was his friendly approach to ordinary people and to the powerful of the world. It was in this spirit that he called the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, thereby turning a new page in the Church's history: Christians heard themselves called to proclaim the Gospel with renewed courage and greater attentiveness to the "signs" of the times. The Council was a truly prophetic insight of this elderly Pontiff who, even amid many difficulties, opened a season of hope for Christians and for humanity.

In the last moments of his earthly life, he entrusted his testament to the Church: "What counts the most in life is blessed Jesus Christ, his holy Church, his Gospel, truth and goodness". We too wish to receive this testament, as we glorify God for having given him to us as a Pastor.

4. "Be doers of the word, and not hearers only" (Jas 1: 22). These words of the Apostle James make us think of the life and apostolate of Tommaso Reggio, a priest and journalist who later became Bishop of Ventimiglia and finally Archbishop of Genoa. He was a man of faith and culture, and as a Pastor he knew how to be an attentive guide to the faithful in every circumstance. Sensitive to the many sufferings and the poverty of his people, he took responsibility for providing prompt help in all situations of need. Precisely with this in mind, he founded the religious family of the Sisters of St Martha, entrusting to them the task of assisting the Pastors of the Church especially in the areas of charity and education.

His message can be summed up in two words: truth and charity. Truth, first of all, which means attentive listening to God's word and courageous zeal in defending and spreading the teachings of the Gospel. Then charity, which spurs people to love God and, for love of him, to embrace everyone since they are brothers and sisters in Christ. If there was a preference in Tommaso Reggio's choices, it was for those who found themselves in hardship and suffering. This is why he is presented today as a model for Bishops, priest and lay people, as well as for those who belong to his spiritual family.

5. The beatification during the Jubilee Year of William Joseph Chaminade, founder of the Marianists, reminds the faithful that it is their task to find ever new ways of bearing witness to the faith, especially in order to reach those who are far from the Church and who do not have the usual means of knowing Christ. William Joseph Chaminade invites each Christian to be rooted in his Baptism, which conforms him to the Lord Jesus and communicates the Holy Spirit to him.

Fr Chaminade's love for Christ, in keeping with the French school of spirituality, spurred him to pursue his tireless work by founding spiritual families in a troubled period of France's religious history. His filial attachment to Mary maintained his inner peace on all occasions, helping him to do Christ's will. His concern for human, moral and religious education calls the entire Church to renew her attention to young people, who need both teachers and witnesses in order to turn to the Lord and take their part in the Church's mission.

6. Today the Benedictine Order rejoices at the beatification of one of its most distinguished sons, Dom Columba Marmion, a monk and Abbot of Maredsous. Dom Marmion left us an authentic treasure of spiritual teaching for the Church of our time. In his writings he teaches a simple yet demanding way of holiness for all the faithful, whom God has destined in love to be his adopted children through Jesus Christ (cf. Eph 1: 5). Jesus Christ, our Redeemer and the source of all grace, is the centre of our spiritual life, our model of holiness.

Before entering the Benedictine Order, Columba Marmion spent some years in the pastoral care of souls as a priest of his native Archdiocese of Dublin. Throughout his life Bl. Columba was an outstanding spiritual director, having particular care for the interior life of priests and religious. To a young man preparing for ordination he once wrote: "The best of all preparations for the priesthood is to live each day with love, wherever obedience and Providence place us" (Letter, 27 December 1915). May a widespread rediscovery of the spiritual writings of Bl. Columba Marmion help priests, religious and laity to grow in union with Christ and bear faithful witness to him through ardent love of God and generous service of their brothers and sisters.

7. Let us confidently ask the new blesseds, Pius IX, John XXIII, Tommaso Reggio, William Joseph Chaminade and Columba Marmion, to help us live in ever greater conformity to the Spirit of Christ. May their love of God and neighbour illumine our steps at this dawn of the third millennium!

vatican.va

***

Ineffabilis Deus: The Immaculate Conception, December 8, 1854

---

Life and Turbulent Times of Pius IX

By Elizabeth Lev

ROME, FEB. 7, 2007 (Zenit.org).- It seems hard to believe that eight years have already passed since the 2000 Jubilee. For those in Rome the Holy Year remains memorable for many things, from the 25 million pilgrims to the ubiquitous presence of John Paul II exhorting people to sainthood in St. Peter's Square or manning the confessionals in the basilica.

This week however, we remember another event of the year 2000: the beatification of Pius IX. The 256th successor of Saint Peter was beatified in September 2000, and his feast day declared as February 7.

Giovani Maria Mastai Ferretti came from the Marche region of Italy. His election to the papal throne in 1846 was soon followed by the first signs of a turbulent age. His prime minister, Count Rossi, was assassinated and the Pope himself forced to flee Rome and take refuge in Gaeta in southern Italy.

The short-lived Republic of Rome disintegrated shortly after Pius IX left, and the Pope was able to return to his home on the Quirinal Hill in 1850. But the "Risorgimento," or the unification of Italy, was under way.

For 20 years Pius IX struggled to defend the territories of the Church while Camillo Cavour and Giuseppe Garibaldi, the brains and brawn of the Italian Nationalist movement, picked away at his lands; closing monasteries and selling sacred art as they went.

On September 20, 1870, they invaded Rome and Pius IX was once again forced to flee from the Quirinal, this time taking refuge in the Apostolic Palace attached to Saint Peter's Basilica. Victor Emmanuele II, the first King of Italy, occupied the Quirinal Palace, and Pius IX died eight years later imprisoned within the Vatican walls.

Pius IX holds the record as the longest reigning Pope, having sat on the throne of Saint Peter for 32 years. (In fact, many superstitious Romans claimed the fall of the Papal States was due to Pius' outliving his tenure of 25 years -- the time Peter himself had been Bishop of Rome.)

Pius IX's great contributions to the universal Church are well known: He declared the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception in 1854 and published the "Syllabus Errorum," a list of 80 censured propositions; this document foresaw the future trials the Church would suffer.

He also called the important First Vatican Council in 1869-70, which formulated the doctrine of papal infallibility on questions of faith and morals in the Church. It also spoke of man's ability to know God through the use of reason, a very apt teaching for today's world.

But here in Rome, Pius IX's international persona and historical protaganism are almost eclipsed by the ubiquitous evidence of his indefatigable service as Bishop of Rome.

During his long reign, train tracks were laid to connect the Eternal City with the rest of Italy. For the first time Romans walked at night through gas-lit streets and the Jewish Ghetto was abolished. Laymen were invited to join the papal government and countless new jobs were created to restore the flagging Roman economy.

Very few churches in Rome do not bear a plaque commemorating a restoration financed by Pope Pius IX, who sought to revive the great historical sanctuaries of the Eternal City, which languished after years of neglect.

His generosity continued despite the growing hostility of the Roman followers of Cavour, who had already chased him out of the city once. They applauded Pius IX's retreat into the Vatican walls, and ultimately disrupted his funeral procession by attempting to throw his body into the Tiber.

Every February 7, a large number of devotees of "Pio Nono" gather in the Basilica of Saint Lawrence Outside the Walls for Mass. Surprising, perhaps, is the presence of so many young people gathered in the crypt, side by side with aged Roman aristocrats, descendants of Pius IX's court.

Pius IX chose to be buried in the resting place of Rome's beloved martyr Saint Lawrence, joining his saintly predecessors, Popes Sixtus III and Zosimus. Pius IX had ordered extensive renovations to the church, removing the baroque adornments and returning the church to its Paleo-Christian splendor.

His tomb is a masterpiece of 19th-century mosaic art. Images of saints shimmer like sentinels against the gold background in the darkened chamber, and dozens of emblems of dioceses and orders who commissioned this homage to the Pope bear witness to the great love that Pius IX garnered throughout the world.

Together they pay homage to this great saint, so often maligned by modern historians, another example of the adage that "history is written by the victors." One wonders, however, who is the victor here? Victor Emmanuel II gained 76 years of monarchy, and hostile authors have earned a dime or two off biographical distortions.

But Pius IX, after navigating the Barque of Peter through some of its toughest storms, found a safe harbor for all eternity.

Reprint here with permission of Elizabeth Lev.
© Zenit.org 2008

[Salvation]

Pio Nono; Catholics and Cremation/ Life and Turbulent Times of [Blessed] Pius IX

LAND OF MARY IMMACULATE [Ecumenical]
Pope Pius IX and the Confederacy
In U.S. Masses, pope to carry pastoral staff of Blessed Pope Pius IX
Historian reveals how Pius IX decided to proclaim dogma of Immaculate Conception (Catholic Caucus)
One Hundred and Sixty-one Years Ago... (The Election of Blessed Pope Pius IX) (Catholic Caucus)/FONT>
Happy Birthday Pope Pius IX!!!
Quemadmodum Deus - Decree Under Blessed Pius IX, Making St. Joseph Patron of the Church
Ineffabilis Deus: 8 December 1854 (Dogma of the Immaculate Conception)
Eastern Christianity and the Immaculate Conception (Q&A From EWTN)
Prayer to Release the Souls of Purgatory

[Salvation]

Information: St. Colette of Corbie

Feast Day:	February 7 or March 6
Born:	13 January 1381, at Corbie in Picardy, France
Died:	6 March 1447, Ghent
Canonized:	24 May 1807

[Salvation]

Interactive Saints for Kids

Blessed Giles Mary

 
Feast Day: February 07
Born:1729 :: Died:1812

Francis Pontillo was born near Taranto, Italy, to a pious family and raised in the village there. As a child he learned rope-making and was good at his trade.

When he was twenty-five, Francis became aware of a call from the Lord to give his life to God. He wanted very much to become a priest but because he did not have enough education to become one, he entered the Friars of St. Peter Alcantara in Naples as a lay brother.

His complete name as a religious was Brother Giles Mary-of-St.-Joseph. The two virtues that guided his whole religious life were simplicity and humility.

Brother Giles Mary approached each day with an attitude of wanting to serve God. He was grateful for his calling and it showed. Brother Giles walked up and down the halls of the monastery's seminary, as he was the porter and gate-keeper. He opened the door promptly and with a smile every time a visitor pulled the rope that rang the bell.

He took gentle care of the poor, the homeless, the ill who came to that door. He had a special ministry to the sick. He worked with lepers, traveling outside the city to help those who had to live alone because of their disease.

He was given the duty of distributing the food and money that his community could spare. Brother Giles Mary loved to do that. No matter how much he gave to needy people, so much remained for others.

He knew it was St. Joseph who did this. After all, St. Joseph had once taken such good care of Jesus and Mary. Brother Giles Mary spread devotion to St. Joseph throughout his whole religious life.

After a life of faithfulness to God and his chosen vocation, Brother Giles Mary-of-St.-Joseph died peacefully while he was praying on February 7, 1812.

[annalex]

Mark
	English: Douay-Rheims	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)	Latin: Vulgata Clementina
	Mark 6
7.	And he called the twelve; and began to send them two and two, and gave them power over unclean spirits.	και προσκαλειται τους δωδεκα και ηρξατο αυτους αποστελλειν δυο δυο και εδιδου αυτοις εξουσιαν των πνευματων των ακαθαρτων	Et vocavit duodecim : et cœpit eos mittere binos, et dabat illis potestatem spirituum immundorum.
8.	And he commanded them that they should take nothing for the way, but a staff only: no scrip, no bread, nor money in their purse,	και παρηγγειλεν αυτοις ινα μηδεν αιρωσιν εις οδον ει μη ραβδον μονον μη πηραν μη αρτον μη εις την ζωνην χαλκον	Et præcepit eis ne quid tollerent in via, nisi virgam tantum : non peram, non panem, neque in zona æs,
9.	But to be shod with sandals, and that they should not put on two coats.	αλλ υποδεδεμενους σανδαλια και μη ενδυσησθε δυο χιτωνας	sed calceatos sandaliis, et ne induerentur duabus tunicis.
10.	And he said to them: Wheresoever you shall enter into an house, there abide till you depart from that place.	και ελεγεν αυτοις οπου εαν εισελθητε εις οικιαν εκει μενετε εως αν εξελθητε εκειθεν	Et dicebat eis : Quocumque introieritis in domum, illic manete donec exeatis inde :
11.	And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you; going forth from thence, shake off the dust from your feet for a testimony to them.	και οσοι αν μη δεξωνται υμας μηδε ακουσωσιν υμων εκπορευομενοι εκειθεν εκτιναξατε τον χουν τον υποκατω των ποδων υμων εις μαρτυριον αυτοις αμην λεγω υμιν ανεκτοτερον εσται σοδομοις η γομορροις εν ημερα κρισεως η τη πολει εκεινη	et quicumque non receperint vos, nec audierint vos, exeuntes inde, excutite pulverem de pedibus vestris in testimonium illis.
12.	And going forth they preached that men should do penance:	και εξελθοντες εκηρυσσον ινα μετανοησωσιν	Et exeuntes prædicabant ut pœnitentiam agerent :
13.	And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.	και δαιμονια πολλα εξεβαλλον και ηλειφον ελαιω πολλους αρρωστους και εθεραπευον	et dæmonia multa ejiciebant, et ungebant oleo multos ægros, et sanabant.

(*) In v.11: αμην λεγω υμιν ανεκτοτερον εσται σοδομοις η γομορροις εν ημερα κρισεως η τη πολει εκεινη -- "Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city" is not in the translations

[annalex]

7. And he called to him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;
8. And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse:
9. But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats.
10. And He said to them, In what place soever you enter into an house, there abide till you depart from that place.
11. And whoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when you depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say to you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
12. And they went out, and preached that men should repent.
13. And they cast out many devils, and annointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.

BEDE; Now our kind and merciful Lord and Master did not grudge His servants and their disciples His own virtues, and as He Himself had healed every sickness and every infirmity, so also He gave the same power to His disciples. Wherefore it goes on: And he called to him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits. Great is the difference between giving and receiving. Whatever He does is done in His own power, as Lord; if they do anything, they confess their own weakness and the power of the Lord, saying in the name of Jesus, Arise, and walk.

THEOPHYL. Again He sends the Apostles two and two that they might become more active; for, as say's the Preacher, Two are better than one. But if He had sent more than two, that there would not have been a sufficient number to allow of their being sent to many villages.

GREG. Further, the Lord sent the disciples to preach, two and two, because there are two precepts of charity, namely, the love of God, and of our neighbor, and charity cannot be between less than two; by this therefore He implies to us, that he who has not charity towards his neighbor, ought in no way to take upon himself the office of preaching. There follows, And he commanded them, that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse: but be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats.

BEDE; For such should be the preacher's trust in God, that, though He takes no thought for supplying his own wants in this present world, yet he should feel most certain that these will not be left unsatisfied lest whilst his mind is taken up with temporal things, he should provide less of eternal things to others.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. The Lord also gives them this command, that they might show by their mode of life, how far removed they were from the desire of riches.

THEOPHYL. Instructing them also by this means not to be fond of receiving gifts, in order too that these, who saw them preach poverty, might be reconciled to it when they saw that the Apostles themselves possessed nothing.

AUG. Or else; according to Matthew, the Lord immediately subjoined, The workman is worthy of his meat, which sufficiently proves why He forbade their carrying or possessing such things, not because they were not necessary, but because he sent them in such a way as to show, that they were due to them from the faithful, to whom they preached the Gospel. From this it is evident, that the Lord did not mean by this precept that the Evangelists ought to live only on the gifts of those to whom they preach the Gospel, else the Apostle transgressed this precept when He procured his livelihood, the labor of his own hands, but He meant that He had given them a power, in virtue of which, they might be assured, these things were due to them.

It is also often asked, how it comes that Matthew and Luke have related that the Lord commanded His disciples no to carry even a staff, whilst Mark says, And he commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only. Which question is solved, by supposing that the word 'staff' has a meaning in Mark, who says that it ought to be carried, different from that which it bears in Matthew and Luke, who affirm the contrary.

For in a concise way one might say, Take none of the necessaries of life with you, nay, not a staff, save a staff only; so that the saying, nay not a staff; may mean, nay not the smallest thing; but that which is added, save a staff only, may mean that, through the power received by them from the Lord, of which a rod is the ensign, nothing, even of those things which they do not carry, will be wanting to them. The Lord therefore said both, but because one Evangelist has not given both, men suppose, that he who has said that the staff, in one sense, should be taken, is contrary to him who again has declared, that, in another sense, it should be left behind: now however that a reason has been given, let no one think so.

So also when Matthew declares that shoes are not to be worn on the journey, he forbids anxiety about them, for the reason why men are anxious about carrying them, is that they may not be without them. This is also to be understood of the two coats, that no man should be troubled about having only that with which He is clad, from anxiety lest He should need another, when he could always obtain one from the power given by the Lord.

In like manner Mark, by saying that they are to be shod with sandals or soles, warns us that this mode of protecting the foot has a mystical signification, that the foot should neither be covered above nor be naked on the ground, that is, that the Gospel should neither be hid, nor rest upon earthly comforts; and in that He forbids their possessing or taking with them, or more expressly their wearing, two coats, He bids them walk simply, not in duplicity. But whoever thinks that the Lord could not in the same discourse say some things figuratively, others in a literal sense, let him look into His other discourses, and he shall see, how rash and ignorant is his judgment.

BEDE; Again, by the two tunics, He seems to me to mean two sets of clothes; not that in places like Scythia, covered with the ice and snow, a man should be content with only one garment, but by coat, I think a suit of clothing is implied, that being clad with one, we should not keep another through anxiety as to what may happen.

PSEUD-CHRYS. Or else, Matthew and Luke neither allow shoes nor staff; which is meant to point out the highest perfection. But Mark bids themselves take a staff and be shod with sandals, which is spoken by permission.

BEDE; Again, allegorically; under the figure of a scrip is pointed out the burdens of this world, by bread is meant temporal delights, by money in the purse, the hiding of wisdom; because he who receives the office of a doctor, should neither be weighed down by the burden of worldly affairs, nor be made soft by carnal desires, nor hide the talent of the word committed to him under the ease of an inactive body. It goes on, And he said unto them, In what place soever you enter into a house, there abide till you depart from that place. Where He gives a general precept of constancy, that they should look to what is due to the tie of hospitality, adding, that it is inconsistent with the preaching of the kingdom of heaven to run about from house to house.

THEOPHYL. That is, lest they should be accused of gluttony in passing from one to another. It goes on, And whoever shall not receive you, &c. This the Lord commands them, that they might show that they had walked a long way for their sakes, and to no purpose. Or, because they received nothing from them, not even dust, which they shake off, that it might be a testimony against them, that is, by way of convicting them.

PSEUD-CHRYS. Or else, that it might be a witness of the toil of the way, which they sustained for them; or as if the dust of the sins of the preachers was turned against themselves. It goes on, And they went and preached that men should repent.

And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them. Mark alone mentions their anointing with oil. James however, in his canonical Epistle, says a thing similar. For oil both refreshes our labors, and gives us light and joy; but again, oil signifies the mercy of the unction of God, the healing of infirmity, and the enlightening of the heart, the whole of which is worked by prayer.

THEOPHYL. It also means, the grace of the Holy Ghost, by which we are eased from our labors, and receive light and spiritual joy.

BEDE; Wherefore it is evident from the Apostles themselves, that it is an ancient custom of the holy Church that persons possessed or afflicted with any disease whatever, should be anointed with oil consecrated by priestly blessing.

Catena Aurea Mark 6

[annalex]

Sts Christopher, Jerome and Louis of Toulouse

Giovanni Bellini

1513
Oil on panel, 300 x 185 cm
San Giovanni Crisostomo, Venice

[Salvation]

 

Catholic

Almanac:

Thursday, February 7
Liturgical Color: Green
Today is the Memorial of St. Colette of Corbie, virgin. She became an orphan at 13 and joined the Poor Clares, eventually founding 17 new cloisters. Known as a gifted mystic, St. Colette foretold her own death in 1447. (Franciscan Calendar)

[Salvation]

Catholic Culture

Daily Readings for: February 07, 2013
(Readings on USCCB website)

Collect: Grant us, Lord our God, that we may honor you with all our mind, and love everyone in truth of heart. 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

• Minestrone

ACTIVITIES

• Explaining the Mass and Sacraments
• Preschool Parent Pedagogy: Planning the Teaching of our Faith
• Teaching About the Mass
• Teaching the Trinity
• Teaching Through Example
• The Sign of the Cross
• What Truths to Teach
• Why teach at home?

PRAYERS

• Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes

LIBRARY

• I Will Arise and Return to My Father | Pope John Paul II

Ordinary Time: February 7th

Thursday of the Fourth Week of Ordinary Time

Old Calendar: St. Romuald, abbot

Pope Benedict XVI will grant a Plenary Indulgence to the faithful participating in the 21st World Day of the Sick to be celebrated February 7-11, in Altotting, Germany according to a decree published today and signed by Cardinal Manuel Monteiro de Castro and Bishop Krzysztof Nykiel, respectively penitentiary major and regent of the Apostolic Penitentiary.

Persons following the example of the Good Samaritan, who "with a spirit of faith and a merciful soul, put themselves at the service of their brothers and sisters who are suffering or who, if sick, endure the pains and hardships of life – bearing witness to the faith through the path of the Gospel of suffering" will obtain the Plenary Indulgence, once a day and under the usual conditions (sacramental Confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer in keeping with the intentions of the Holy Father), applicable also to the souls of deceased faithful:

A) each time from 7–11 February, in the Marian Shrine of Altotting or at any other place decided by the ecclesiastical authorities, that they participate in a ceremony held to beseech God to grant the goals of the World Day of the Sick, praying the Our Father, the Creed, and an invocation to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Faithful in public hospitals or any private house who, like the Good Samaritan, charitably assist the ill and who, because of such service, cannot attend the aforementioned celebrations, will obtain the same gift of Plenary Indulgence if, for at least a few hours on that day, they generously provide their charitable assistance to the sick as if they were tending to Christ the Lord Himself and pray the Our Father, the Creed, and an invocation to the Blessed Virgin Mary, with their soul removed from attachment to any form of sin and with the intention of carrying out as soon as possible that which is necessary to obtain the plenary indulgence.

The faithful who because of illness, advance age, or other similar reasons cannot take part in the aforementioned celebrations will obtain the Plenary Indulgence if, with their soul removed from attachment to any form of sin and with the intention of carrying out as soon as possible the usual conditions, spiritually participating in the sacred events of the determined days, particularly through liturgical celebrations and the Supreme Pontiff's message broadcast by television or radio, they pray for all the sick and offer their physical and spiritual suffering to God through the Virgin Mary, Salus Infirmorum (Health of the Sick).

B) Partial Indulgence will be conceded to all the faithful who, between the indicated days, with a contrite heart raise devout prayers to the merciful Lord beseeching assistance for the sick in spirit during this Year of Faith.

According to the 1962 Missal of Bl. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is the feast of St. Romuald, abbot, the anniversary of the translation of his relics in 1481. His feast in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite is celebrated on June 19, the day he died in 1027.

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The Supreme Lover
The Goodness of God means that God gives us what we need for our perfection, not what we want for our pleasure and sometimes for our destruction. As a sculptor, He sometimes applies the chisel to the marble of our imperfect selves and knocks off huge chunks of selfishness that His image may better stand revealed. Like a musician, whenever He finds the strings too loose on the violin of our personality, He tightens them even though it hurts, that we may better reveal our hidden harmonies.

As the Supreme Lover of our soul, He does care how we act and think and speak. What father does not want to be proud of his son? If the father speaks with authority now and then to his son, it is not because he is a dictator, but because he wants him to be a worthy son. Not even progressive parents, who deny discipline and restraint, are indifferent to the progress of their children. So long as there is love, there is necessarily a desire for the perfecting of the beloved.

That is precisely the way God's goodness manifests itself to us. God really loves us and, because He loves us, He is not disinterested. He no more wants you to be unhappy than your own parents want you to be unhappy. God made you not for His happiness, but for yours, and to ask God to be satisfied with most of us as we really are, is to ask that God cease to love.

— Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen

[Salvation]

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Mark 6:7-13

4th Week in Ordinary Time

“Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out.” (Mark 6:7)

Up till now in Mark’s Gospel, the disciples have been spectators. They have followed Jesus around Galilee, watching him work miracles, cast out demons, and preach the good news. They have seen him heal a paralyzed man who was let down through the roof, deliver a demoniac from Gerasa, and calm a storm on Lake Genessaret. It must have been exciting to have front-row seats to such wonders. But now it was time for something more.

Jesus didn’t want his apostles to be quiet observers. He wanted them to be active participants. So he sent them out into situations where they would have to trust God to provide for their needs and work miracles through them. He gave them authority and wanted them to use it. This mission marks a real shift in the way Jesus was forming his disciples. It showed, too, that he was expecting more than passive faith from them.

How would you describe your Christian life? Are you an observer? Is your focus limited to receiving from God: consolation, forgiveness, guidance? Or do you also embrace your calling to glorify God in your words and actions? Think of how much you have already received from him. Maybe it’s time to increase your steps of faith as you minister to other people. Every day, God gives you opportunities to do the works of the kingdom, just as the Twelve did. Try to be on the lookout for them when they pop up.

In his Apostolic Letter announcing this Year of Faith, Pope Benedict XVI encourages all of us to focus on faith: not just receiving instruction and learning the truths of our faith but actively responding to what we already know and believe. During this grace-filled year, now is the time to move toward a more active faith. Now is the time to take all that the Lord has given you, all that you have received, and give it away to everyone else. Jesus is looking for workers in his vineyard. Will you be one of those he sends out to reap the harvest? Will you answer, “Here I am, Lord, send me”?

“Lord, I am ready. You have given me so much! Help me to give to others both in my words and my works. Let me show you my love as I do the work of your kingdom!”

Hebrews 12:18-19, 21-24; Psalm 48:2-4, 9-11

[Salvation]

 

Marriage = One Man and One Woman

Til' Death Do Us Part

Daily Marriage Tip for February 7, 2013:

Today is the start of National Marriage Week (Feb. 7-14). What is the best part about being married? Have you talked to your kids about the beauty of marriage?

[Salvation]

Regnum Christi

Sent With Authority

| SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY

Father Alex Yeung, LC

Mark 6:7-13

Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick -- no food, no sack, no money in their belts. They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic. He said to them, "Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there. Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them." So they went off and preached repentance. They drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

Introductory Prayer: Father, I come before you today hungry for all the graces you desire for me in this meditation. I believe in your goodness. I wish to become more like your son, Jesus Christ, every day. I want to live a life of self-giving love like Christ. Thank you for your grace.

Petition: Christ Jesus, grant me a spirit of teamwork in spreading your Gospel.

1. Silent Testimony: Christ sent out his apostles in pairs. The fact that the Gospel mentions this detail shows that it is not just an accident. There are some passages in Matthew’s Gospel that can shed some light on this desire of Christ. First, “where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them” (Matthew 18:20). The apostles are first and foremost called to witness to Christ by their example. They are to foster communion and charity among themselves, so that others, seeing how they interact with each other, will be led to exclaim, “See how they love one another!” The apostle-teams exhibited oneness of heart and soul, sharing in common what they were able to procure: lodging, success, failure. With such an attitude, Christ promises that he would be there in their midst.

2. Apostolic Teamwork: “If you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses” (Matthew 18:16). The word of one person, who has witnessed a miraculous event alone, is often taken as no more than the word of a crazy man. However, if more than one person confesses to having witnessed the event, there is much stronger proof. The apostles went about witnessing to the things that Jesus was doing and the signs he was working: healing the sick, casting out demons, etc. It is wonderful to team up with fellow Christians in the workplace or in the family, in order to witness to the work of Christ in our lives.

3. Two is Better Than One: Jesus makes it clear: with regard to the mission, another apostle is much more important than other material tools. Jesus teaches us here the principle of teamwork. An apostolic “colleague” helps us to be vigilant against dangers to our health and well-being (physical and spiritual). Prayer can be in community; Jesus assures that “if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven” (Matthew 18:19). Working in a team also helps to improve apostolic efficacy: Each enriches the other with the exchange of knowledge, personal and lived experiences, and views on the situation. Each complements the other, contributing their God-given gifts, abilities and qualities. “Two heads are better than one.”

Conversation with Christ: You sent your apostles out in twos, Lord Jesus, to teach me about the importance of teamwork. Help me not presume that I am alone in the mission. When I try to do everything myself, sometimes it may be out of subtle pride. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for the gift of apostolic colleagues. Increase in my heart true fraternal charity for those who work alongside me in building up your kingdom, so that the world may believe.

Resolution: I will make it a point to involve an apostolic colleague in my effort to help some friend or family member encounter Christ.

[Salvation]

“Something Beautiful for God”

 

by Food For Thought on February 7, 2013 · 

Jesus involved the apostles in his works of salvation. He sent them out in twos into the surrounding villages. That way, he shared his divine mission with them. He gave them his own authority and power. He knew well that they would make mistakes. Most of the apostles were ordinary men. Yet Jesus did not hesitate to share his work with them. Moreover, the day came when he entrusted his entire work to them.

Today many people have a fear of involving people in their work and in their lives, especially the ordinary people. Hence many are often left with a feeling of worthlessness, a feeling that they have nothing to
contribute. Involving people gives them the opportunity to grow, to become more responsible and also to build community spirit.

The apostles cannot be called experts. Yet Christ did not hesitate to involve them in his work. Our usefulness to Christ, depends not so much on our intelligence as on our willingness and generosity. To do the work of Christ is not a complicated thing. It means to be faithful in little things. It means to be helpful and faithful, loyal and constant to the end.

As Mother Teresa said: “You can do little things with great love. You can do what I can’t do and I can do what you can’t do. Together we can do something beautiful for God.”

Let’s do just that. Let’s join hands and work together for the greater glory of God, in the classroom, in our homes, in our communities, in our country.

[Salvation]

One Bread, One Body

One Bread, One Body

 

<< Thursday, February 7, 2013 >>

Hebrews 12:18-19, 21-24
View Readings

Psalm 48:2-4, 9-11

Mark 6:7-13

"WE'RE ON A JOURNEY"

"He instructed them to take nothing on their journey." —Mark 6:8

 

Today, Christians love to talk about being on a journey. They see prayer, marriage, morality, etc. as journeys. Sometimes this idea of journeying is put forth to justify all sorts of sinful behavior. After all, we haven't arrived yet; we're just on a journey.

However, the concept of the Christian life as a journey is legitimate, although often misapplied. The chosen people of Israel, Jesus and His apostles, and the early Church were repeatedly journeying. Nevertheless, Jesus does not use the idea of journeying as an excuse for sin but as a call to gospel poverty, evangelization, and much more. Jesus "instructed them to take nothing on their journey but a walking stick — no food, no traveling bag, not a coin in the purses in their belts" (Mt 6:8). "With that they went off, preaching the need of repentance. They expelled many demons, anointed the sick with oil, and worked many cures" (Mk 6:12-13).

When we think of journeying, we shouldn't think of making excuses; rather, we should think of gospel poverty, preaching, repentance, deliverance, and healing. We're on a journey. This means carrying the cross in the power of the Spirit for the building of God's kingdom.

 

Prayer: Father, may I finish the journey and enter the promised land.

Promise: "No, you have drawn near to Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to myriads of angels in festal gathering, to the assembly of the first-born enrolled in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus, the Mediator of a new covenant." —Heb 12:22-24

Praise: Maria daily sacrifices her sleep, energy, time, career possibilities, and social life to pour out her love on her children in order to raise them to be disciples of Christ.

[Salvation]

The Partial Birth Abortion Procedure

Guided by ultrasound, the abortionist grabs the baby's leg with forceps.

	The baby's leg is pulled out into the birth canal.
	The abortionist delivers the baby's entire body, except for the head.
	The abortionist jams scissors into the baby's skull. The scissors are then opened to enlarge the hole...
	The scissors are removed and a suction catheter is inserted. The child's brains are sucked out, causing the skull to collapse. The dead baby is then removed.