Posted on 02/27/2014 8:58:26 PM PST by Salvation
February 28, 2014
Friday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1 Jas 5:9-12
Do not complain, brothers and sisters, about one another,
that you may not be judged.
Behold, the Judge is standing before the gates.
Take as an example of hardship and patience, brothers and sisters,
the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
Indeed we call blessed those who have persevered.
You have heard of the perseverance of Job,
and you have seen the purpose of the Lord,
because the Lord is compassionate and merciful.
But above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear,
either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath,
but let your “Yes” mean “Yes” and your “No” mean “No,”
that you may not incur condemnation.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 8-9, 11-12
R. (8a) The Lord is kind and merciful.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
He pardons all your iniquities,
he heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
he crowns you with kindness and compassion.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
Merciful and gracious is the LORD,
slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
He will not always chide,
nor does he keep his wrath forever.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
Gospel Mk 10:1-12
Jesus came into the district of Judea and across the Jordan.
Again crowds gathered around him and, as was his custom,
he again taught them.
The Pharisees approached him and asked,
“Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?”
They were testing him.
He said to them in reply, “What did Moses command you?”
They replied,
“Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce
and dismiss her.”
But Jesus told them,
“Because of the hardness of your hearts
he wrote you this commandment.
But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female.
For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother
and be joined to his wife,
and the two shall become one flesh.
So they are no longer two but one flesh.
Therefore what God has joined together,
no human being must separate.”
In the house the disciples again questioned Jesus about this.
He said to them,
“Whoever divorces his wife and marries another
commits adultery against her;
and if she divorces her husband and marries another,
she commits adultery.”
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From: James 5:9-12
A Call for Constancy (Continuation)
The Value of Prayer. The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick
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Commentary:
7-11. Just before he ends his letter, St James again (cf. 1:24, 12) exhorts his rea-
ders to be patient, perhaps in case some are tempted to avenge themselves on
the rich. He uses the simile of the farmer, who patiently waits for the earth to yield
the fruits of his work: in the same kind of way the oppressed will be rewarded for
all their afflictions when the Lord comes. St James encourages them also by re-
minding them of the patience and long-suffering of the prophets and of Job.
Christian hope, and the patience it induces, enables people to put up with injus-
tice in this present life; but it is not an easy way out of one’s responsibilities nor
an invitation to be passive. A Christian should strive to make this world a place
of justice and peace, but should realize it is a transient place, and not make
these temporal ideals an absolute goal. “God did not create us to build a lasting
city here on earth. [...] Nevertheless, we children of God ought not to remain
aloof from earthly endeavors, for God has placed us here to sanctify them and
make them fruitful with our blessed faith, which alone is capable of bringing true
peace and joy to all men wherever they may be [...]. We urgently need to chris-
tianize society. We must imbue all levels of mankind with a supernatural outlook,
and each of us must strive to raise his daily duties, his job or profession to the
order of supernatural grace. In this way all human occupations will be lit up by
a new hope that transcends time and the inherent transience of earthly realities”
(St. J. Escriva, “Friends of God”, 210).
7-9. St James’ words show how vividly the early Christians realized that the Chris-
tian life should be a time for watchfulness and for looking forward to the Parousia
of the Lord, when our redemption will be finally sealed (cf. Lk 21:28). Jesus did
not choose to reveal the precise moment of his coming (cf. Mt. 24:36); he
stressed, rather, the need to be watchful, to make sure it found us ready (cf. Mt
24:42, 44; 25:13). Therefore, every Christian should live in the expectation of
that event which surely will come, though he knows not when. This is also what
the Apostle means when he says “the coming of the Lord is at hand” and “the
Judge is standing at the doors”, for he may come at any moment.
10-11. The lives of the prophets are a very good model of patience and endu-
rance in the adversity. Some of them in particular (Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah) under-
went great suffering on account of their obedience to God.
“You have seen the purpose of the Lord”: this is the interpretation of St Bede and
St Augustine, referring to the example of patience set by Jesus in his passion and
death on the cross. Most commentators prefer the other possible translation, “You
have seen the outcome the Lord gave him”, referring to Job, who bore patiently
the trials God sent to him (cf. Job 42:10ff), because, for one thing, it avoids ha-
ving to give the term “Lord”, which appears twice in the same verse (v. 11), two
different meanings—Jesus Christ and God one and three.
11. “The Lord is compassionate and merciful”: Sacred Scripture often describes
the Lord as a God of mercy, attributing to him human sentiments like “abounding
in steadfast love”, “bowels of mercy”, meaning that he has tender, even maternal,
feelings towards us (cf., e.g., Ex 34:6; Joel 2:13; Lk 1:78).
St Thomas Aquinas, who often says that divine omnipotence is displayed particu-
larly in the form of mercy (cf. “Summa Theologiae”, I, q. 21, a. 4; II-Il, q. 30, a. 4)
explains very simply and graphically that God’s mercy is abundant and infinite:
“To say that a person is merciful is like saying that he is sorrowful at heart (”mise-
rum cor”), that is, he is afflicted with sorrow by the misery of another as though it
were his own. Hence it follows that he endeavors to dispel the misery of the other
person as if it were his own; and this is the effect of mercy. God cannot feel sor-
row over the misery of others, but it does most properly belong to him to dispel
that misery, whatever form that shortcoming or deprivation takes” (”Summa Theo-
logiae”, I, q. 21, a. 3).
In Christ, Pope John Paul II teaches, the mercy of God is very clear to see: “’he
himself makes it incarnate’ and personifies it. ‘He himself, in a certain sense, is
mercy’. To the person who sees it in him — and finds it in him — God becomes
‘visible’ in a particular way as the Father ‘who is rich in mercy’ (Eph 2:4)” (”Dives
In Misercordia”, 2).
12. This exhortation is almost an exact echo of the words of the Lord: “Let what
you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’, anything more than that comes from evil” (Mt 5:37).
The Jews of the time tended to take oaths far too readily and had developed an
elaborate casuistry about them (cf. note on Mt 5:33-37); our Lord criticized these
abuses, and St James repeats his teaching. However, that does not mean that
oath-taking is always wrong: in fact Sacred Scripture itself praises it when it is
done in the right way for good reasons (cf. Jer 4:2), and St Paul sometimes re-
sorts to it (cf., e.g., Rom 1:9; 2 Cor 1:23). Hence the Church teaches that it is law-
ful and even does honor to God to take an oath when it is strictly necessary and
provided one acts in accordance with truth and justice.
St James’ “let your yes be yes and your no be no” is in fact a summing up of the
virtue of sincerity, a virtue which is very pleasing to God (cf. Jn 1:4 and essential
in human relationships.
*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
From: Mark 10:1-12
The Indissolubility of Marriage
[2] And Pharisees came up and in order to test Him asked, “Is it lawful for a man
to divorce his wife?” [3] He answered them, “What did Moses command you?”
[4] They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to put
her away.” [5] But Jesus said to them, “For your hardness of heart he wrote this
commandment. [6] But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male
and female.’; [7] ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be
joined to his wife, [8] and the two shall become one.’ So they are no longer two
but one. [9] What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder.”
[10] And in the house the disciples asked Him about this matter. [11] And He
said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another, commits adultery
against her; [12] and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she
commits adultery.”
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Commentary:
1-12. This kind of scene occurs often in the Gospel. The malice of the Phari-
sees contrasts with the simplicity of the crowd, who listen attentively to Jesus’
teaching. The Pharisees’ question aimed at tricking Jesus into going against the
Law of Moses. But Jesus Christ, Messiah and Son of God, has perfect under-
standing of that Law. Moses had permitted divorce because of the hardness of
that ancient people: women had an ignominious position in those primitive tribes
(they were regarded almost as animals or slaves); Moses, therefore, protected
women’s dignity against these abuses by devising the certificate of divorce; this
was a real social advance. It was a document by which the husband repudiated
his wife and she obtained freedom. Jesus restores to its original purity the digni-
ty of man and woman in marriage, as instituted by God at the beginning of crea-
tion. “A man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they
become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24): in this way God established from the very be-
ginning the unity and indissolubility of marriage. The Church’s Magisterium, the
only authorized interpreter of the Gospel and of the natural law, has constantly
guarded and defended this teaching and has proclaimed it solemnly in countless
documents (Council of Florence, “Pro Armeniis”; Council of Trent, “De Sacram.
Matr.”; Pius XI, “Casti Connubi”; Vatican II, “Gaudium Et Spes”, 48; etc.).
Here is a good summary of this doctrine: “The indissolubility of marriage is not a
caprice of the Church nor is it merely a positive ecclesiastical law. It is a precept
of natural law, of divine law, and responds perfectly to our nature and to the super-
natural order of grace” (St. J. Escriva, “Conversations”, 97). Cf. note on
Matthew 5:31-32.
5-9. When a Christian realizes that this teaching applies to everyone at all times,
he should not be afraid of people reacting against it: “It is a fundamental duty of
the Church to reaffirm strongly [...] the doctrine of the indissolubility of marriage.
To all those who, in our times, consider it too difficult, or indeed impossible, to
be bound to one person for the whole of life, and to those caught up in a culture
that rejects the indissolubility of marriage and openly mocks the commitment of
spouses to fidelity, it is necessary to reaffirm the good news of the definitive na-
ture of that conjugal love that has in Christ its foundation and strength (cf. Ephe-
sians 5:25).
“Being rooted in the personal and total self-giving of the couple, and being re-
quired by the good of the children, the indissolubility of marriage finds its ultimate
truth in the plan that God has manifested in His revelation: He wills and He com-
municates the indissolubility of marriage as a fruit, a sign and a requirement of
the absolutely faithful love that God has for man and that the Lord Jesus has for
the Church.
“Christ renews the first plan that the Creator inscribed in the hearts of man and
woman, and in the celebration of the sacrament of matrimony offers ‘a new heart’:
thus the couples are not only able to overcome ‘hardness of heart’ (Matthew 19:
8), but also and above all they are able to share the full and definitive love of
Christ, the new and eternal Covenant made flesh. Just as the Lord Jesus is the
‘faithful witness’ (Revelation 3:14), the ‘yes’ of the promises of God (cf. 2 Corin-
thians 1:20) and thus the supreme realization of the unconditional faithfulness
with which God loves His people, so Christian couples are called to participate
truly in the irrevocable indissolubility that binds Christ to the Church, His bride,
loved by Him to the end (cf. John 13:1).
“To bear witness to the inestimable value of the indissolubility and fidelity of mar-
riage is one of the most precious and most urgent tasks of Christian couples in
our time” (John Paul II, “Familiaris Consortio”, 20).
*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
First reading |
James 5:9-12 © |
Do not make complaints against one another, brothers, so as not to be brought to judgement yourselves; the Judge is already to be seen waiting at the gates. For your example, brothers, in submitting with patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord; remember it is those who had endurance that we say are the blessed ones. You have heard of the patience of Job, and understood the Lord’s purpose, realising that the Lord is kind and compassionate.
Above all, my brothers, do not swear by heaven or by the earth, or use any oaths at all. If you mean ‘yes’, you must say ‘yes’; if you mean ‘no’, say ‘no.’ Otherwise you make yourselves liable to judgement.
Psalm |
Psalm 102:1-4,8-9,11-12 © |
The Lord is compassion and love.
My soul, give thanks to the Lord
all my being, bless his holy name.
My soul, give thanks to the Lord
and never forget all his blessings.
The Lord is compassion and love.
It is he who forgives all your guilt,
who heals every one of your ills,
who redeems your life from the grave,
who crowns you with love and compassion.
The Lord is compassion and love.
The Lord is compassion and love,
slow to anger and rich in mercy.
His wrath will come to an end;
he will not be angry for ever.
The Lord is compassion and love.
For as the heavens are high above the earth
so strong is his love for those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west
so far does he remove our sins.
The Lord is compassion and love.
Gospel Acclamation |
Ps110:7,8 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Your precepts, O Lord, are all of them sure;
they stand firm for ever and ever.
Alleluia!
Or |
Jn17:17 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Your word is truth, O Lord:
consecrate us in the truth.
Alleluia!
Gospel |
Mark 10:1-12 © |
Jesus came to the district of Judaea and the far side of the Jordan. And again crowds gathered round him, and again he taught them, as his custom was. Some Pharisees approached him and asked, ‘Is it against the law for a man to divorce his wife?’ They were testing him. He answered them, ‘What did Moses command you?’ ‘Moses allowed us’ they said ‘to draw up a writ of dismissal and so to divorce.’ Then Jesus said to them, ‘It was because you were so unteachable that he wrote this commandment for you. But from the beginning of creation God made them male and female. This is why a man must leave father and mother, and the two become one body. They are no longer two, therefore, but one body. So then, what God has united, man must not divide.’ Back in the house the disciples questioned him again about this, and he said to them, ‘The man who divorces his wife and marries another is guilty of adultery against her. And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another she is guilty of adultery too.’
We thank you, God our Father, for those who have responded to your call to priestly ministry.
Accept this prayer we offer on their behalf: Fill your priests with the sure knowledge of your love.
Open their hearts to the power and consolation of the Holy Spirit.
Lead them to new depths of union with your Son.
Increase in them profound faith in the Sacraments they celebrate as they nourish, strengthen and heal us.
Lord Jesus Christ, grant that these, your priests, may inspire us to strive for holiness by the power of their example, as men of prayer who ponder your word and follow your will.
O Mary, Mother of Christ and our mother, guard with your maternal care these chosen ones, so dear to the Heart of your Son.
Intercede for our priests, that offering the Sacrifice of your Son, they may be conformed more each day to the image of your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Saint John Vianney, universal patron of priests, pray for us and our priests
This icon shows Jesus Christ, our eternal high priest.
The gold pelican over His heart represents self-sacrifice.
The border contains an altar and grapevines, representing the Mass, and icons of Melchizedek and St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney.
Melchizedek: king of righteousness (left icon) was priest and king of Jerusalem. He blessed Abraham and has been considered an ideal priest-king.
St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney is the patron saint of parish priests.
1. Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
2. The Apostles Creed: II BELIEVE in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
3. The Lord's Prayer: 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. Amen.
4. (3) Hail Mary: HAIL Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen. (Three times)
5. Glory Be: GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Fatima Prayer: Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of your mercy.
Announce each mystery, then say 1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, 1 Glory Be and 1 Fatima prayer. Repeat the process with each mystery.
End with the Hail Holy Queen:
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve! To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears! Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus!
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Final step -- The Sign of the Cross
The Mysteries of the Rosary
By tradition, Catholics meditate on these Mysteries during prayers of the Rosary.
The biblical references follow each of the Mysteries below.
St. Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle
Be our protection against the wickedness
and snares of the devil;
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God,
Cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits
who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen
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From an Obama bumper sticker on a car:
"Pray for Obama. Psalm 109:8"
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Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. The month of February has been primarily asociated with the Holy Family, probably due to the feast of Our Lord's presentation at the temple, celebrated on February 2. At the very outset of Christ's work on earth, God showed the world a family in which, as Pope Leo XIII teaches, "all men might behold a perfect model of domestic life, and of all virtue and holiness." The harmony, unity, and holiness which characterized this holy Family make it the model for all Christian families.
INVOCATION
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph most kind, Bless us now and in death's agony.
FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE HOLY FAMILY
Grant unto us, Lord Jesus, ever to follow the example of Thy holy Family, that in the hour of our death Thy glorious Virgin Mother together with blessed Joseph may come to meet us and we may be worthily received by Thee into everlasting dwellings: who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.
Roman Missal
CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY FAMILY
O Jesus, our most loving Redeemer, who having come to enlighten the world with Thy teaching and example, didst will to pass the greater part of Thy life in humility and subjection to Mary and Joseph in the poor home of Nazareth, thus sanctifying the Family that was to be an example for all Christian families, graciously receive our family as it dedicates and consecrates itself to Thee this day. Do Thou defend us, guard us and establish amongst us Thy holy fear, true peace, and concord in Christian love: in order that, by conforming ourselves to the divine pattern of Thy family, we may be able, all of us without exception, to attain to eternal happiness.
Mary, dear Mother of Jesus and Mother of us, by thy kindly intercession make this our humble offering acceptable in the sight of Jesus, and obtain for us His graces and blessings.
O Saint Joseph, most holy guardian of Jesus and Mary, assist us by thy prayers in all our spiritual and temporal necessities; that so we may be enabled to praise our divine Savior Jesus, together with Mary and thee, for all eternity.
Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be, three times.
IN HONOR OF THE HOLY FAMILY
O God, heavenly Father, it was part of Thine eternal decree that Thine only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, should form a holy family with Mary, His blessed mother, and His foster father, Saint Joseph. In Nazareth home life was sanctified, and a perfect example was given to every Christian family. Grant, we beseech Thee, that we may fully comprehend and faithfully imitate the virtues of the Holy Family so that we may be united with them one day in their heavenly glory. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954
Holy Family Chaplet
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I give you my heart.
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, be with me in my last hour.
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, may I breathe forth my soul
in peace with you.
Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true man.
Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most holy.
Blessed be St. Joseph, her most chaste spouse. Amen.
Say 3 Our Father's, 3 Hail Mary's, and 3 Glory be's.
PRAYER TO
THE HOLY FAMILY
=====================================================================================
GOD our Heavenly Father, You call all peoples to be united as one family in worshipping You as the one and true God. You willed that Your Son become man, giving Him a virgin mother and a foster father to form the Holy Family of Nazareth.
WE pray: may the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, image and model of every human family unit walk in the spirit of Nazareth and grow in the understanding of its particular mission in society and the Church. May our families be living cells of love, faithfulness and unity, thus reflecting God's covenant with humanity and Christ's redeeming love for His Church.
JESUS, Mary and Joseph protect our families from all evil; keep us, who are away from home, one in love with our dear ones.
Imitating the Holy Family: Four Traits that Make It Possible
[Catholic Caucus] On the Holy Family [Angelus]
Biblical Teachings on Marriage and Family. A Homily for the Feast of the Holy Family
Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph
Recovering Gods Plan for Marriage and Family: A Sermon on the Feast of the Holy Family
Why were you looking for me?" (On the Feast of The Holy Family)
U.S. Postal Service Issues Holy Family Forever Stamp
On Prayer in the Life of the Holy Family
The Holy Family - held together by Love through all their problems [Ecumenical]
Feast of the Holy Family: The Christian Family is a Domestic Church
Chesterton on "The Human Family and the Holy Family"
Joseph, Mary and Jesus: A Model Family
ADVICE TO PARENTS by Saint Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
The Holy Family
St. Joseph as Head of the Holy Family (Catholic/Orthodox Caucus)
Feast of the Holy Family
Feast of the Holy Family (Dom Guéranger OSB)
The Feast of the Holy Family
The Holy Family vs. The Holy Innocents: A Christmas season reflection [Catholic Caucus]
Vatican creche to place Holy Family in Joseph's carpentry workshop
The Redemption and Protection of the Family [Feast of the Holy Family]
Study Backs Tradition of Loreto House - Stones in Altar Match Those in Nazareth, It Says
Unraveling Jesus' mystery years in Egypt
Gaudis Church of the Holy Family to be ready for worship in 2008
Imitating the Holy Family; Four Traits that Make It Possible
Lots of Graphics: Post your favorite image of the St. Mary and Child, the Holy Family...
Pope's Intentions:
Universal: That the Church and society may respect the wisdom and experience of older people.
For Evangelization: That priests, religious, and lay people may work together with generosity for evangelization.
Friday, February 28, 2014 Weekday |
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Just A Minute (Listen) Some of EWTN's most popular hosts and guests in a collection of one minute inspirational messages. A different message each time you click. |
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The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary:
Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word.
And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.
Amen. |
Feast Day: February 28 or November 17
Born: at Sardinia
Died: 28 February 468 at Rome, Italy
St. Romanus and St. Lupicinus
Feast Day: February 28
Born: 390/(around)400 : : Died: 460/480
These French saints were brothers. Everyone who knew St. Romanus as a youth admired him for his goodness. He had a great wish to become a saint. Since he saw that it was very easy to forget about God in this world, at the age of thirty five, Romanus decided to go away to a quiet place and live as a hermit.
First, he asked the advice of a holy monk, and then he started off. He took a book with him called The Lives of the Fathers of the Desert by Cassian. He also took seeds to plant and a few tools.
With these supplies, he went into the forests of the Jura mountains between Switzerland and France and settled down beneath a huge fire tree at a place called Condat. There he found a spot of land good for growing his garden and food, and some trees from which he could eat a kind of wild fruit. He spent his time praying and reading his book. He also planted and cared for his garden, quietly enjoying nature.
Soon afterward, his brother Lupicinus joined him. Romanus and Lupicinus were very different. Romanus was hard on himself but he was kind and gentle and full of understanding with others. Lupicinus was tough and very strict with himself and usually the same with others but he only meant good and did not do it to hurt anyone. The two brothers understood each other and got along peacefully.
Many men came to join them. They wanted to be monks, too, so they built two monasteries. Romanus was the abbot of Condat (now Saint Claude) and Lupicinus was the abbot of Leuconne. Later they built the convent of La Beaume for nuns (now St. Romain de la Roche).
The monks lived simple, hard lives. They ate simple food which was mainly bread made of barley or bran and pulses and slept on the ground or on hard boards. St. Lupicinus wore a tunic made of skins of animals with a cowl: and wore wooden shoes.
They prayed much and made sacrifices cheerfully. They did penance to strengthen themselves against the temptations of the devil. They worked very hard farming to grow their food and kept silent all the time.
They lived like this because they wanted to grow close to God and when they were silent they were able to pray and talk with God. Their lifestyle helped them become more holy.
St. Romanus died in 460 and was buried at the abbey of Beaume. His younger brother, St. Lupicinus, died in 480.
Mark | |||
English: Douay-Rheims | Latin: Vulgata Clementina | Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000) | |
Mark 10 |
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1. | AND rising up from thence, he cometh into the coasts of Judea beyond the Jordan: and the multitudes flock to him again. And as he was accustomed, he taught them again. | Et inde exsurgens venit in fines Judææ ultra Jordanem : et conveniunt iterum turbæ ad eum : et sicut consueverat, iterum docebat illos. | κακειθεν αναστας ερχεται εις τα ορια της ιουδαιας δια του περαν του ιορδανου και συμπορευονται παλιν οχλοι προς αυτον και ως ειωθει παλιν εδιδασκεν αυτους |
2. | And the Pharisees coming to him asked him: Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him. | Et accedentes pharisæi interrogabant eum : Si licet vero uxorem dimittere : tentantes eum. | και προσελθοντες [οι] φαρισαιοι επηρωτησαν αυτον ει εξεστιν ανδρι γυναικα απολυσαι πειραζοντες αυτον |
3. | But he answering, saith to them: What did Moses command you? | At ille respondens, dixit eis : Quid vobis præcepit Moyses ? | ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν αυτοις τι υμιν ενετειλατο μωσης |
4. | Who said: Moses permitted to write a bill of divorce, and to put her away. | Qui dixerunt : Moyses permisit libellum repudii scribere, et dimittere. | οι δε ειπον μωσης επετρεψεν βιβλιον αποστασιου γραψαι και απολυσαι |
5. | To whom Jesus answering, said: Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you that precept. | Quibus respondens Jesus, ait : Ad duritiam cordis vestri scripsit vobis præceptum istud : | και αποκριθεις ο ιησους ειπεν αυτοις προς την σκληροκαρδιαν υμων εγραψεν υμιν την εντολην ταυτην |
6. | But from the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female. | ab initio autem creaturæ masculum et feminam fecit eos Deus. | απο δε αρχης κτισεως αρσεν και θηλυ εποιησεν αυτους ο θεος |
7. | For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother; and shall cleave to his wife. | Propter hoc relinquet homo patrem suum et matrem, et adhærebit ad uxorem suam : | ενεκεν τουτου καταλειψει ανθρωπος τον πατερα αυτου και την μητερα και προσκολληθησεται προς την γυναικα αυτου |
8. | And they two shall be in one flesh. Therefore now they are not two, but one flesh. | et erunt duo in carne una. Itaque jam non sunt duo, sed una caro. | και εσονται οι δυο εις σαρκα μιαν ωστε ουκετι εισιν δυο αλλα μια σαρξ |
9. | What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. | Quod ergo Deus conjunxit, homo non separet. | ο ουν ο θεος συνεζευξεν ανθρωπος μη χωριζετω |
10. | And in the house again his disciples asked him concerning the same thing. | Et in domo iterum discipuli ejus de eodem interrogaverunt eum. | και εν τη οικια παλιν οι μαθηται αυτου περι του αυτου επηρωτησαν αυτον |
11. | And he saith to them: Whosoever shall put away his wife and marry another, committeth adultery against her. | Et ait illis : Quicumque dimiserit uxorem suam, et aliam duxerit, adulterium committit super eam. | και λεγει αυτοις ος εαν απολυση την γυναικα αυτου και γαμηση αλλην μοιχαται επ αυτην |
12. | And if the wife shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery. | Et si uxor dimiserit virum suum, et alii nupserit, mchatur. | και εαν γυνη απολυση τον ανδρα αυτης και γαμηθη αλλω μοιχαται |
13. | And they brought to him young children, that he might touch them. And the disciples rebuked them that brought them. | Et offerebant illi parvulos ut tangeret illos. Discipuli autem comminabantur offerentibus. | και προσεφερον αυτω παιδια ινα αψηται αυτων οι δε μαθηται επετιμων τοις προσφερουσιν |
14. | Whom when Jesus saw, he was much displeased, and saith to them: Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God. | Quos cum videret Jesus, indigne tulit, et ait illis : Sinite parvulos venire ad me, et ne prohibueritis eos : talium enim est regnum Dei. | ιδων δε ο ιησους ηγανακτησεν και ειπεν αυτοις αφετε τα παιδια ερχεσθαι προς με μη κωλυετε αυτα των γαρ τοιουτων εστιν η βασιλεια του θεου |
15. | Amen I say to you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, shall not enter into it. | Amen dico vobis : Quisquis non receperit regnum Dei velut parvulus, non intrabit in illud. | αμην λεγω υμιν ος εαν μη δεξηται την βασιλειαν του θεου ως παιδιον ου μη εισελθη εις αυτην |
16. | And embracing them, and laying his hands upon them, he blessed them. | Et complexans eos, et imponens manus super illos, benedicebat eos. | και εναγκαλισαμενος αυτα τιθεις τας χειρας επ αυτα ευλογει αυτα |
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