Christ Blessing the Children
Nicolaes Maes
1652-53
Oil on canvas, 206 x 154 cm
National Gallery, London
Posted on 03/01/2014 9:25:47 AM PST by Salvation
March 1, 2014
Saturday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1 Jas 5:13-20
Beloved:
Is anyone among you suffering?
He should pray.
Is anyone in good spirits?
He should sing a song of praise.
Is anyone among you sick?
He should summon the presbyters of the Church,
and they should pray over him
and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.
The prayer of faith will save the sick person,
and the Lord will raise him up.
If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven.
Therefore, confess your sins to one another
and pray for one another, that you may be healed.
The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful.
Elijah was a man like us;
yet he prayed earnestly that it might not rain,
and for three years and six months it did not rain upon the land.
Then Elijah prayed again, and the sky gave rain
and the earth produced its fruit.
My brothers and sisters,
if anyone among you should stray from the truth
and someone bring him back,
he should know that whoever brings back a sinner
from the error of his way will save his soul from death
and will cover a multitude of sins.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 141:1-2, 3 and 8
R. (2a) Let my prayer come like incense before you.
O LORD, to you I call; hasten to me;
hearken to my voice when I call upon you.
Let my prayer come like incense before you;
the lifting up of my hands, like the evening sacrifice.
R. Let my prayer come like incense before you.
O LORD, set a watch before my mouth,
a guard at the door of my lips.
For toward you, O God, my LORD, my eyes are turned;
in you I take refuge; strip me not of life.
R. Let my prayer come like incense before you.
Gospel Mk 10:13-16
People were bringing children to Jesus that he might touch them,
but the disciples rebuked them.
When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them,
“Let the children come to me; do not prevent them,
for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
Amen, I say to you,
whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child
will not enter it.”
Then he embraced the children and blessed them,
placing his hands on them.
Saturday, March 1
Liturgical Color: Green
Today the Church remembers Blessed
Peter Roque. He was a priest in Paris
during the French Revolution. Because
he refused to swear allegiance to the
government and deny his faith, Blessed
Peter was sent to the guillotine in 1796.
Daily Readings for:March 01, 2014
(Readings on USCCB website)
Collect: Grant, we pray, almighty God, that, always pondering spiritual things, we may carry out in both word and deed that which is pleasing to you. 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
o Lenten Practices for Children
PRAYERS
o Collect for the Feast of St. David
LIBRARY
o Discovering Wales | Mark P. Shea
· Ordinary Time: March 1st
· Saturday of the Seventh Week of Ordinary Time
Old Calendar: Wales and England: St. David; St. Albinus, bishop (Hist)
Today the Church in Wales and England celebrates the feast of St. David, bishop and patron of Wales. Very little is known about the life of St. David (Dewi Sant). He belonged to that great monastic movement which became influential in Wales in the sixth century and which had links with monasticism in Gaul and in Ireland. The earliest references to David are in the Irish Annals. Many churches across South Wales claim David as their founder. His chief foundation was at Mynyw or Menevia in Dyfed. He was canonized by Pope Callistus II in 1123.
Historically today is the feast of St. Albinus, bishop and miracle worker, also known as Aubin.
St. David
All the information we have about David is based on the unreliable eleventh-century biography written by Rhygyfarch, the son of Bishop Sulien of St. David's. According to it David was the son of King Sant of South Wales and St. Non, became a priest, studied under St. Paulinus on an unidentified island for several years, and then engaged in missionary activities, founding some dozen monasteries, the last of which, at Mynyw (Menevia) in southwestern Wales, was noted for the extreme asceticism of its rule, which was based on that of the Egyptian monks. David attended a synod at Brefi, Cardiganshire, in about 550 where his eloquence is said to have caused him to be elected primate of the Cambrian Church with the understanding that the episcopal see would be moved from Caerleon to Mynyw, now St. David's. He was supposedly consecrated archbishop by the patriarch of Jerusalem while on pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and a council he convened, called the Synod of Victory because it marked the final demise of Pelagianism, ratified the edicts of Brefi, and drew up regulations for the British Church. He died at his monastery at Mynyw, and his cult was reputedly approved by Pope Callistus II about 1120. Even his birth and death dates are uncertain, ranging from c. 454 to 520 for the former and from 560 to 601 for the latter.
Excerpted from Dictionary of Saints, John J. Delaney
St. Albinus
Albinus was born into an ancient and noble family in Brittany. He was a pious child and when he was still young he entered the monastery of Tintillant against the wishes of his parents. Albinus embraced the austerities of monastic life and accepted doing the most humble chores without complaining.
His burning desire was to live for Christ. Respected by the other monks for setting a good example and his devotion to prayer. Albinus was elected abbot when he was just 35. The monastery flourished under his modest Rule, and the monks at Tintillant were enriched by his wisdom. In 529, after serving 25 years as abbot, Albinus was named Bishop of Angers. Although his opinions were now sought by royalty, his manner remained unpretentious.
As bishop, Albinus worked for the greater good of his people, instructing them in their faith. With the support of King Childebert, he convened two councils at Orleans that condemned the incestuous marriages of many powerful families. When his diocese was raided by pagan invaders and countless citizens were taken into slavery, Albinus made every effort to ransom them while giving generously to the sick and the poor.
Many miracles were attributed to Albinus. According to one story, when he was unable to procure the release of some badly treated prisoners, he prayed in front of the prison until a landslide destroyed it, allowing the men to escape. They then reformed and became model Christians and citizens. After the death of Albinus, the abbey of St. Albinus was built over his grave at Angers and became a popular place of pilgrimage.
Excerpted from "Ordinary People Extraordinary Lives"
Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful. (James 5:16)
An atomic blast is probably the ultimate in power. Sitting near one would change you forever. Well, coming into contact with God in prayer should be like that—an experience that can’t help but change you. Unlike a nuclear bomb, however, prayer has the power to make you stronger, wiser, more effective, and more loving. When you come into contact with God and are changed by his grace, you are then set free to unloose that power on the world around you.
Prayer is a loving conversation between you and God, an ebb and flow between our Creator and his child. It may seem a gentle, quiet activity, but it still has the power to change things dramatically. The Greek word for “powerful” in this verse refers to doing much, to being strong and good. This is the power at work as you sit with the Lord. It brings about healing of your spirit and mind and body. It turns weakness into strength and fear into confidence. It brings comfort when you mourn and understanding when you know only disagreement.
Prayer accomplishes things—first, in your life, and then in the people around you. Not every prayer will be answered as you wish, but it will change your heart. It will break strongholds in your life, things that you think will never change, will never stop hurting, or will never be a source of strength for you. It helps you to repent and forgive, and it brings freedom in places where you’ve been held captive for years. All of this combined may well end up changing what you pray for or the way you pray.
When you know firsthand what God can do because you’ve seen him do it in you, when you’ve repented and forgiven and been set free in ways you might not even dream of now, your prayer for other people naturally increases in intensity and in power. It moves you to give to other people what you yourself have received: God’s love, his healing, his wisdom, and his mighty power to change lives. In short, it becomes a little like an atomic bomb with a massive “fallout” of grace!
“Father, help me to experience your power at work in me today as I pray. Heal me, change me, fill me with your love.”
Psalm 141:1-3, 8; Mark 10:13-16
Daily Marriage Tip for March 1, 2014:
Fighting Fair Tip: Avoid the kitchen sink. This doesn’t mean you can’t argue in the kitchen but rather, keep to the topic. Don’t bring up “everything but the kitchen sink.”
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Children of the Kingdom | |
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Saturday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
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Mark 10:13-16 People were bringing little children to Jesus in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. But when Jesus saw this, he became indignant and said to them, "Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it." And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them. Introductory Prayer:Lord, I believe in your love and care for me and for my family. I believe that you call me to help protect, guide and inspire innocence and holiness in others. I trust that you will show me how to do this better. I love you, Lord, for the purity of your love, and I wish to love you with the fullness and innocence of my baptismal faith. Petition: Lord Jesus, restore my innocence so I can draw nearer to you. 1. Two Visions: Again the poor disciples seem to miss the point, so Jesus sternly speaks to them: “Do not stop them!” Today many of us also fail to understand, and by our lack of understanding we prevent children from coming to Jesus. We think there are so many important activities for them to do—they need to keep up with the other kids, they need to compete, they need to do what they want—and the world heartily agrees. “Let the little children come to ‘me,’” it says with the raspy voice of a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Only Jesus has the courage to insist, “Bring them to me, now.” Why is Jesus so anxious to touch, bless, teach and receive these children? Might it be that this is the critical age for them to know and love him as a friend? Do I do enough to let this happen, or do the customs of the world dwarf my efforts? To whom should my efforts belong? 2. “To Such as These” We all struggle to “enter the Kingdom” every day. We tend to be impatient to grow up and be independent. But then, as adults, we wish we had the innocence and simple lives of children, so better to love God. What has become of our innocence? We now know good and evil, and evil makes its presence felt, like the ring carried by Frodo in The Lord of the Rings. Is innocence worth preserving? Is it possible to recover? Our Lord suggests “yes” to both questions. If I desire to fight for the Kingdom, my battle should start by defending innocence, the only door to the Kingdom. Do I fight for it at home, in the media, on the Internet, at school, in the neighborhood, at work? 3. Receiving the Kingdom: “Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child” applies to me each day of my life. Now, the grace of baptism does not disappear. It is renewed each time I pray, each time I offer God my life and day, and each time I prayerfully listen to his Word speak to me. So also, each time I gaze upon Jesus through the eyes of Mary with a rosary in hand, and each time I thank God for his many blessings. The more I experience Christ in the sacraments of the Eucharist and reconciliation, the more powerfully he renews this grace of receiving the Kingdom. The one common condition—that I trust like a little child—is the act of faith through which I enter in contact with the King. Innocence can be recovered and restored, but not without a childlike faith. How deliberately do I exercise this rejuvenating faith? Do I desire that Jesus take me up in his arms, lay his hands on me, and bless me each day? Conversation with Christ: Dear Lord, renew my relationship with you. Make it as simple and sincere as that of a child. Renew my innocence as I strive to love you without pride or vanity. Increase my faith, as total and pure as when I was a child, so that I can live my baptism to the full. Resolution: I will commit to fight for innocence in a more practical way: control the use of Internet or TV at home, get my children involved in a faith/virtue program, pray with them at night, take my family to confession, study Blessed Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body, find a chastity program for young adolescents, etc. |
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What does it mean to say that Jesus ascended into heaven?
With Jesus, one of us has arrived home with God and remains there forever. In his Son, God is close to us men in a human way. Moreover, Jesus says in the Gospel of John, "And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself" (Jn 12:32).
In the New Testament, the Ascension of Christ marks the end of forty days during which the risen Lord was especially close to his disciples. At the end of this time, Christ, together with his whole humanity, enters into the glory of God. Sacred Scripture expresses this through the images of "cloud" and "heaven" or sky. "Man", says Pope Benedict XVI, "finds room in God." Jesus Christ is now with the Father, and from there he will come one day "to judge the living and the dead". Christ's Ascension into heaven means that Jesus is no longer visible on earth yet is still present. (YOUCAT question 109)
Dig Deeper: CCC section (659-667) and other references here.
Part 1: The Profession of Faith (26 - 1065)
Section 2: The Profession of the Christian Faith (185 - 1065)
Chapter 2: I Believe in Jesus Christ, the Only Son of God (422 - 682)
Article 6: "He ascended into Heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father" (659 - 667)
"So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God."532 Christ's body was glorified at the moment of his Resurrection, as proved by the new and supernatural properties it subsequently and permanently enjoys.533 But during the forty days when he eats and drinks familiarly with his disciples and teaches them about the kingdom, his glory remains veiled under the appearance of ordinary humanity.534 Jesus' final apparition ends with the irreversible entry of his humanity into divine glory, symbolized by the cloud and by heaven, where he is seated from that time forward at God's right hand.535 Only in a wholly exceptional and unique way would Jesus show himself to Paul "as to one untimely born", in a last apparition that established him as an apostle.536
532.
533.
Cf Lk 24:31; Jn 20:19,26.
534.
Cf. Acts 1:3; 10:41; Mk 16:12; Lk 24:15; Jn 20:14-15; 21:4.
535.
Cf. Acts 1:9; 2:33; 7:56; Lk 9:34-35; 24:51; Ex 13:22; Mk 16:19; Ps 110:1.
536.
1 Cor 15:8; cf. 9:1; Gal 1:16.
The veiled character of the glory of the Risen One during this time is intimated in his mysterious words to Mary Magdalene: "I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God."537 This indicates a difference in manifestation between the glory of the risen Christ and that of the Christ exalted to the Father's right hand, a transition marked by the historical and transcendent event of the Ascension.
537.
This final stage stays closely linked to the first, that is, to his descent from heaven in the Incarnation. Only the one who "came from the Father" can return to the Father: Christ Jesus.538 "No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven, the Son of man."539 Left to its own natural powers humanity does not have access to the "Father's house", to God's life and happiness.540 Only Christ can open to man such access that we, his members, might have confidence that we too shall go where he, our Head and our Source, has preceded us.541
538.
Cf. Jn 16:28.
539.
Jn 3:13; cf. Eph 4:8-10.
540.
541.
Roman Missal, Preface of the Ascension: "sed ut illuc confideremus, sua membra, nos subsequi quo ipse, caput nostrum principiumque, praecessit."
"And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself."542 The lifting up of Jesus on the cross signifies and announces his lifting up by his Ascension into heaven, and indeed begins it. Jesus Christ, the one priest of the new and eternal Covenant, "entered, not into a sanctuary made by human hands... but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf."543 There Christ permanently exercises his priesthood, for he "always lives to make intercession" for "those who draw near to God through him".544 As "high priest of the good things to come" he is the center and the principal actor of the liturgy that honors the Father in heaven.545
542.
543.
544.
545.
Heb 9:11; cf. Rev 4:6-11.
Henceforth Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father: "By 'the Father's right hand' we understand the glory and honor of divinity, where he who exists as Son of God before all ages, indeed as God, of one being with the Father, is seated bodily after he became incarnate and his flesh was glorified."546
546.
St. John Damascene, Defide orth. 4,2:PG 94,1104C.
Being seated at the Father's right hand signifies the inauguration of the Messiah's kingdom, the fulfillment of the prophet Daniel's vision concerning the Son of man: "To him was given dominion and glory and kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed."547 After this event the apostles became witnesses of the "kingdom [that] will have no end".548
547.
548.
Nicene Creed.
IN BRIEF ⇡
Christ's Ascension marks the definitive entrance of Jesus' humanity into God's heavenly domain, whence he will come again (cf. Acts 1:11); this humanity in the meantime hides him from the eyes of men (cf. Col 3:3).
Jesus Christ, the head of the Church, precedes us into the Father's glorious kingdom so that we, the members of his Body, may live in the hope of one day being with him for ever.
Jesus Christ, having entered the sanctuary of heaven once and for all, intercedes constantly for us as the mediator who assures us of the permanent outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
Thank you for this post and these Scriptures.
“The prayer of faith will save the sick person”.
I don’t often give testimony, but I must say this verse is absolutely true in my life. Every night I recite traditional prayers for the health of my children.
Last week, prayer saved my son. He had a heart attack while at work. Ordinarily, his workday takes him to the far reaches of our state,and he drives long distances alone.
But when his heart attack occurred, he was at the home office giving a training session to new employees.
He was able to get immediate help; was at the ER in a matter of minutes. Had an immediate procedure—stents inserted; tragedy averted.
He is recovering nicely at home and is in good spirits.
Thanks to all the prayerful people here who pray for each other’s intentions every day.
Thanks for sharing that vivid testimony. Prayer does work, indeed.
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