Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 12-23-14, OM, St. John of Kanty

December 23

Commentary of the day
Saint Augustine (354-430), Bishop of Hippo (North Africa) and Doctor of the Church
Sermon for the nativity of John the Baptist ; PLS 2, 497

"What will this child be?"

What a wonder! The messenger is born previous to him who brought him into the world. John is indeed the voice and Jesus the Word (Mt 3,3; Jn 1,1)… The Word is born first of all in the mind and then prompts the voice that speaks it; the voice is expressed by the lips and makes the word known to those who listen. Thus Christ remained in his Father (by whom John was created in the same way as everything else) but John came forth from his mother and made everyone able to know Christ. The latter was Word from the beginning, before the world came to be; John was the voice who, at the end, preceded the coming of the Word. The word comes into being out of thought; the voice comes out of silence.

Thus Mary believes as she gives birth to Christ whereas, before he begot John, Zachariah was struck dumb. The former comes forth from maidenhood in its bud, the latter is born from an old and feeble woman. The Word remains within the heart of the one who ponders; the voice dies in the ear of the one who listens. Perhaps this is even the meaning of John’s saying: “He must increase but I must decrease” (Jn 3,30). For the prophecies of the Law and the prophets that were made known before Christ, as a voice is known before the Word, continued up to John in whom the last of these prefigurations came to an end. Afterwards, the grace of the Gospel and proclamation of that Kingdom of heaven which knows no end bore fruit and spread throughout the whole earth.

Luke
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Nova Vulgata	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Luke 1
57.	Now Elizabeth's full time of being delivered was come, and she brought forth a son.	Elisabeth autem impletum est tempus pariendi, et peperit filium.	τη δε ελισαβετ επλησθη ο χρονος του τεκειν αυτην και εγεννησεν υιον
58.	And her neighbours and kinsfolks heard that the Lord had shewed his great mercy towards her, and they congratulated with her.	Et audierunt vicini et cognati eius quia magnificavit Dominus misericordiam suam cum illa, et congratulabantur ei.	και ηκουσαν οι περιοικοι και οι συγγενεις αυτης οτι εμεγαλυνεν κυριος το ελεος αυτου μετ αυτης και συνεχαιρον αυτη
59.	And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they called him by his father's name Zachary.	Et factum est, in die octavo venerunt circumcidere puerum et vocabant eum nomine patris eius, Zachariam.	και εγενετο εν τη ογδοη ημερα ηλθον περιτεμειν το παιδιον και εκαλουν αυτο επι τω ονοματι του πατρος αυτου ζαχαριαν
60.	And his mother answering, said: Not so; but he shall be called John.	Et respondens mater eius dixit: “ Nequaquam, sed vocabitur Ioannes ”.	και αποκριθεισα η μητηρ αυτου ειπεν ουχι αλλα κληθησεται ιωαννης
61.	And they said to her: There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.	Et dixerunt ad illam: “ Nemo est in cognatione tua, qui vocetur hoc nomine ”.	και ειπον προς αυτην οτι ουδεις εστιν εν τη συγγενεια σου ος καλειται τω ονοματι τουτω
62.	And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.	Innuebant autem patri eius quem vellet vocari eum.	ενενευον δε τω πατρι αυτου το τι αν θελοι καλεισθαι αυτον
63.	And demanding a writing table, he wrote, saying: John is his name. And they all wondered.	Et postulans pugillarem scripsit dicens: “ Ioannes est nomen eius ”. Et mirati sunt universi.	και αιτησας πινακιδιον εγραψεν λεγων ιωαννης εστιν το ονομα αυτου και εθαυμασαν παντες
64.	And immediately his mouth was opened, and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God.	Apertum est autem ilico os eius et lingua eius, et loquebatur benedicens Deum.	ανεωχθη δε το στομα αυτου παραχρημα και η γλωσσα αυτου και ελαλει ευλογων τον θεον
65.	And fear came upon all their neighbours; and all these things were noised abroad over all the hill country of Judea.	Et factus est timor super omnes vicinos eorum, et super omnia montana Iudaeae divulgabantur omnia verba haec.	και εγενετο επι παντας φοβος τους περιοικουντας αυτους και εν ολη τη ορεινη της ιουδαιας διελαλειτο παντα τα ρηματα ταυτα
66.	And all they that had heard them laid them up in their heart, saying: What an one, think ye, shall this child be? For the hand of the Lord was with him.	Et posuerunt omnes, qui audierant, in corde suo dicentes: “ Quid putas puer iste erit? ”. Etenim manus Domini erat cum illo.	και εθεντο παντες οι ακουσαντες εν τη καρδια αυτων λεγοντες τι αρα το παιδιον τουτο εσται και χειρ κυριου ην μετ αυτου

57. Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.
58. And her neighbors and her cousins heard how the Lord had shown great mercy upon her and they rejoiced with her.

AMBROSE; If you carefully observe, you will find that the word signifying fullness is no where used except at the birth of the righteous. Hence it is said, Now Elisabeth's full time came. For the life of the righteous has fullness, but the days of the wicked are empty.

CHRYS. And for that reason the Lord kept back the delivery of Elisabeth, that her joy might be increased, and her fame the greater. Hence it follows, And her neighbors and cousins heard, &c. For they who had known her barrenness were made the witnesses of the Divine grace, and no one seeing the child departed in silence, but gave praise to God, Who had vouchsafed him beyond their expectation.

AMBROSE; For the bringing forth of saints causes the rejoicing of many; it is a common blessing; for justice is a public virtue, and therefore at the birth of a just man a sign of hi future life is sent beforehand and, the grace of the virtue which is to follow is represented, being foreshadowed by the rejoicing of the neighbors.

59. And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.
60. And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.
61. And they said to her, There is none of the kindred that is called by this name.
62. And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.
63. And he asked for a writing table, and wrote saying, His name is John. And they marveled all.
64. And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, and praised God.

CHRYS. The rite of circumcision was first delivered to Abraham as a sign of distinction, that the race of the Patriarch might be preserved in unmixed purity, and so might be able to obtain the promises. But now that the promise of the covenant is fulfilled, the sign attached to it is removed. So then through Christ circumcision ceased, and baptism came in its place; but first it was right that John should be circumcised; as it is said, And it came to pass, that on the eighth day, &c. For the Lord had said, Let the child of eight days be circumcised among you. But this measurement of time I conceive was ordered by Divine mercy for two reasons. First, because in its most tender years the child the more easily bears the cutting of the flesh. Secondly, that from the very operation itself we might be reminded that it was done for a sign; for the young child scarcely distinguishes any of the things that are around him. But after the circumcision, the name was conferred, as it follows, And they called him. But this was done because we must first receive the seal of the Lord, then the name of man. Or, because no man except he first cast aside his fleshly lusts, which circumcision signifies, is worthy to have his name written in the book of life.

AMBROSE; The holy Evangelist has especially remarked, that many thought the child should be called after his father Zacharias, in order that we might understand, not that any name of his kinsfolk was displeasing to his mother, but that the same word had been communicated to her by the Holy Spirit, which had been foretold by the Angel to Zacharias. And in truth, being dumb, Zacharias was unable to mention his son's name to his wife, but Elisabeth obtained by prophecy what she had not learnt from her husband. Hence it follows, And she answered, &c. Marvel not that the woman pronounced the name which she had never heard, seeing the Holy Spirit who imparted it to the Angel revealed it to her; nor could she be ignorant of the forerunner of the Lord, who had prophesied of Christ.

And it well follows, And they said to her, &c. that you might consider that the name belongs not to the family, but to the Prophet. Zacharias also is questioned, and signs made to him, as it follows,

And they made signs to the father, &c. But since unbelief had so bereft him of utterance and hearing, that he could not use his voice, he spoke by his hand-writing, as it follows,

And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John; that is, we give no name to him who has received his name from God.

ORIGEN; Zacharias is by interpretation "remembering God," but John signifies "pointing to." Now "memory" relates to something absent, "pointing to," to something present. But John was not about to set forth the memory of God as absent, but with his finger to point him out as present, saying, Behold the Lamb of God.

CHRYS. But the name John is also interpreted the grace of God. Because then by the favor of Divine grace not by nature, Elisabeth conceived this son, they engraved the memory of the benefit on the name of the child.

THEOPHYL. And because with the mother the dumb father also agreed as to the name of the child, it follows, And they all marveled. For there was no one of this name among their kinsfolk that any one could say that they had both previously determined upon it.

GREG. NAZ. The birth of John then broke the silence of Zacharias, as it follows, And his mouth was opened. For it were unreasonable when the voice of the Word had come forth, that his father should remain speechless.

AMBROSE; Rightly also, from that moment was his tongue loosed for that which unbelief had bound, faith set free. Let us then also believe, in order that our tongue, which has been bound by the chains of unbelief, may be loosed by the voice of reason. Let us write mysteries by the Spirit if we wish to speak. Let us write the forerunner of Christ, not on tables of stone, but on the fleshly tablets of the heart. For he who names John, prophesies Christ. For he who names John prophesies Christ. For it follows, And he spoke, giving thanks.

THEOPHYL; Now in an allegory, the celebration of John's birth was the beginning of the grace of the New Covenant. His neighbors and kinsfolk had rather give him the name of his father than that of John. For the Jews, who by the observance of the Law were united to him as it were by ties of kindred, chose rather to follow the righteousness which is the Law, than receive the grace of faith. But the name of John, (i.e. the grace of God,) his mother in word, his father in writing, suffice to announce, for both the Law itself as well as the Psalms and the Prophecies, in the plainest language foretell the grace of Christ; and that ancient priesthood, by the foreshadowing of its ceremonies and sacrifices, bears testimony to the same. And well does Zacharias speak on the eighth day of the birth of his child, for by the resurrection of the Lord, which took place on the eighth day, i.e. the day after the sabbath, the hidden secrets of the legal priesthood were revealed.

65. And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judea.
66. And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.

THEOPHYL. AS at the silence of Zacharias the people marveled, so likewise when he spoke. Hence it is said, And fear came upon all; that from these two circumstances all might believe there was something great in the child that was born. But all these things were ordained, to the end that he who was to bear witness of Christ might also be esteemed trustworthy. Hence it follows, And all they that heard them laid them up in their heart, saying What manner of child, &c.

THEOPHYL; For fore-running signs prepare the way for the forerunner of the truth, and the future prophet is recommended by auspices sent before him; hence it follows, For the hand of the Lord was with him.

GREEK EX. For God worked miracles in John which he did not himself, but the right hand of God in him.

GLOSS. But mystically, at the time of our Lord's resurrection, by the preaching of the grace of Christ, a wholesome dread shook the hearts not only of the Jews, (who were neighbors, either from the place of their dwelling, or from the knowledge of the law,) but of the foreign nations also. The name of Christ surmounts not only the hilly country of Judea, but all the heights of worldly dominion and wisdom.

Catena Aurea Luke 1

Saint John of Kanty, Priest

Saint John of Kanty, Priest
Optional Memorial
December 23rd

unknown artist

(1390-1473) Also known as St. John Cantius, he was born at Kanty in Cracow, Poland. For most of his life he taught Scripture at the University of Cracow. He is noted for his piety, and especially for the humble and unassuming spirit of charity which pervaded his professional life.

Collect:
Grant, we pray, almighty God,
that by the example of the Priest Saint John of Kanty
we may advance in the knowledge of holy things
and, by showing compassion to all,
may gain forgiveness in your sight.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. +Amen

First Reading: James 2:14-17
What does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but has not works? Can his faith save him? If a brother or sister is ill-clad and in lack of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what does it profit? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.

Gospel Reading: Luke 6:27-38
"But I say to you that hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from him who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to every one who begs from you; and of him who takes away your goods do not ask them again. And as you wish that men would do to you, do so to them.

"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

"Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back."

Interactive Saints for Kids

St. John of Kanty

Feast Day: December 23
Born:1390 :: Died:1473

John was born at Kanty in Poland and was the son of good country folk. Seeing how intelligent their son was, they sent him to the University of Krakow. He was a brilliant student who became a priest, a teacher, and a preacher.

He was also well-known for his great love of the poor. Once he was eating in the university dining hall. At the beginning of the meal, he happened to see a beggar passing by the window. Immediately, he jumped up and gave the man his dinner.

Some people became very jealous of St. John's success as a teacher and preacher. His enemies finally told lies about him and managed to have him sent to a parish as a pastor. Here, he put his whole heart into the new life.

At first, however, things did not go well at all. The people did not like St. John much, because John was terribly afraid of the responsibility, although he tried to do his best.

But he did not give up, and he finally won the hearts of his parishioners. He was a serious man, and humble but all the poor knew him well because of his kindness. By the time he was called back to the university, the people of his parish loved him dearly. They went part of the way with him.

In fact, they were so sad to see him go that he had to tell them: "This sadness does not please God. If I have done any good for you in all these years, sing a song of joy."

Back in Krakow, St. John taught Bible classes and again became a very popular teacher. He was invited to the homes of rich nobles. Still, however, he gave everything he had to the poor and dressed very poorly himself.

Once he wore an old black habit, called a cassock, to a banquet. The servants refused to let him in. St. John went home and changed into a new one. During the dinner, someone spilled a dish of food on the new cassock. "Never mind," said the saint with good humor, "my cassock deserves some food, anyway, because without it, I wouldn't have been here at all."

St. John lived to be eighty-three. Again and again during all those years he cleaned out everything he owned to help the poor. He slept little and that too on the floor. He did not eat any meat and ate only just enough to live.

When people burst into tears on hearing that he was dying, he said, "Don't worry about this prison which is decaying. Think of the soul that is going to leave it." He died in 1473.

Advent Reflection by Father Robert Barron

Advent Day 24 – Taking On Human Flesh

by Fr. Robert Barron

Asking how God, the “sheer act of being” (ipsum esse), can take on human flesh is an interesting question because I think it is only ipsum esse that can accomplish this.

It’s a commonplace of the Christian tradition that in Jesus, God has become a creature. We have to be careful about that language. We don’t mean that God turned into a creature—that God stopped being God by turning into a creature. Nor do we say that a creature turned into God—that’s mythological language. What we mean is that God took to himself a human nature to use for his iconic purposes. St. Paul talks about Jesus as “the icon of the invisible God.” His humanity is the iconic representation of the invisible God.

Having made that clarification, it’s only ipsum esse that can pull off this trick. If God were a being in this world, like one of the ancient gods or the deist god, then he would only relate to a human nature in a competitive way. To use an analogy, my two hands can’t become one another—they repel each other. Likewise, I can’t become a bookshelf, and a bookshelf can only become something else (like ash) by being burned and destroyed. That’s the way it goes with finite natures.

But God can become a creature, without ceasing to be God or compromising the integrity of the creature he becomes, precisely because he’s not a competitive nature in the world. He’s not a being, but ipsum esse—the sheer act, or energy, of “to be” itself.

That’s why the ideas of the Incarnation and God as ipsum esse are correlated and mutually implicative.

Catholic Culture

Daily Readings for:December 23, 2014
(Readings on USCCB website)

Collect: Grant, we pray, almighty God, that by the example of the Priest Saint John of Kanty we may advance in knowledge of holy things and by showing compassion to all, may gain forgiveness in your sight. 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

o Pirohi

ACTIVITIES

o Advent and the Year of the Eucharist

o Advent House

o Advent Hymn: Veni, Veni, Emmanuel or O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

o Christmas Plays, Los Pastores and Las Posadas

o Las Posadas II

o O Antiphon Days

o O Antiphon Tree Decorations

o O Antiphons - December 17 - 24

PRAYERS

o Advent Tower

o Advent Wreath Prayers I

o Christmas Novena

o Advent Wreath Prayers II

o Novena to the Infant Jesus

o Book of Blessings: Blessing Before and After Meals: Advent (2nd Plan)

o December Devotion: The Immaculate Conception

o O Glory of the Polish Race

o Christmas Anticipation Prayer

o Book of Blessings: Blessing Before and After Meals: Advent (1st Plan)

· Advent: December 23rd

· Optional Memorial of St. John of Kanty, priest

Other Titles: John Cantius; John Kantius; John of Kanti; John of Kenti

Today the Church celebrates the optional memorial of St. John of Kanty, priest. Born in Kanty (Cracow, Poland), he taught at the university and became pastor of a parish. He was distinguished for his piety and love of neighbor.

We reach the culmination of the O Antiphons today. In previous antiphons our cry was directed to the Messiah as He manifested Himself to the Chosen People, to the Gentiles, and in nature; now He is addressed in person and asked to remain with us as Emmanuel.

Reading this final antiphon gives the feeling that a climax has indeed come. The very term Emmanuel, God with us, reveals the kindly, human heart of Jesus — He wants to be one of us, a Child of man, with all our human weakness and suffering; He wants to experience how hard it is to be man. He wants to remain with us to the end of time, He wants to dwell within us, He wants to make us share His nature.

O Antiphons ~ Emmanuel

St. John of Kanty
John Cantius was born in the year 1397 in the Polish town of Kanty (whence his surname). He became a professor of theology, then parish priest; soon, however, he returned to the professor's chair at the University of Cracow. On foot he visited the holy places of Rome and Palestine. One day, after robbers had deprived him of all his effects, they asked him whether he had anything more. The saint said no, but hardly had they gone when he remembered having sewn some gold pieces inside his clothing; immediately he followed and overtook them. The robbers, astonished at the man's sense of truthfulness, refused to accept the money and returned to him the stolen luggage.

To guard himself and his household from evil gossip he wrote upon the wall of his room (after the example of St. Augustine): Conturbare cave, non est placare suave, diffamare cave, nam revocare grave, i.e. "Guard against causing trouble and slandering others, for it is difficult to right the evil done." His love of neighbor was most edifying. Often he gave away his own clothing and shoes; then, not to appear barefoot, he lowered his cassock so as to have it drag along the ground. Sensing that his death was near at hand, he distributed whatever he still had to the poor and died peacefully in the Lord at an advanced age. He is honored as one of the principal patrons of Poland.

Patron: Lithuania, Poland.

Symbols: Dressed in a professor's gown with his arm around the shoulder of a young student whose gaze he directs towards heaven; giving his garments to the poor.

Things to Do:

Since this day falls so close to Christmas, it would be a good time to perform acts of charity for the poor who will be suffering and alone during this holiday season. Contact your local council or St. Vincent de Paul organization in your parish to find out what families are needy. Make a food and gift basket to present to this family.
Another good work would be taking the family to visit a nursing home. This time of year is quite depressing for those who do not have family.
Take some time to learn a little about Poland and its history and heritage.
Serve some Polish food, like pierogies and kielbasa (Polish sausage). You can try to make these from scratch, or find them ready-made in your grocery store.
Recite the Vespers hymn to St. John Kanty, O Glory of the Polish Race.

7th O Antiphon:
O Emmanuel, God with us, our King and law-giver,
The awaited of the peoples,
And their Savior,

COME
To save us,
O Lord our God.

Today is Day Eight of the Christmas Novena.

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Luke 1:57-66

4th Week of Advent

They rejoiced with her. (Luke 1:58)

Let’s talk about envy. An odd subject for two days before Christmas? Maybe not. Holidays provide many opportunities for comparisons that can give rise to envy. (I wish someone had given me that nice gift. Why can’t my family be as happy as theirs?) If we read today’s Gospel with envy in mind, we’ll see how to resist this deadly disease of the spirit.

Joy and gratitude—both powerful antidotes to envy—seem to be hallmarks of Zechariah and Elizabeth’s family. But don’t these new parents have every reason to rejoice over the unexpected gift of their special son? Wouldn’t anyone in their place bless the Lord? Well, envy is sneaky. It’s always looking to poison happiness by injecting discontent. Say you’ve received something good: a promotion, a new car, a high test score, or even a spiritual gift. You’re pleased—until you notice someone who has received something that looks even better. If you nurture your pangs of sadness and resentment over their good fortune, envy enters in.

But this didn’t happen with John the Baptist’s parents. In fact, they showed the opposite reaction. Elizabeth set the tone in her earlier greeting to Mary. Instead of feeling miffed that her own child would not be as important as Mary’s, she exuberantly honored her young relative as “most blessed … among women” and “mother of my Lord” (Luke 1:42, 43). Zechariah seconds his wife’s sentiments. Emerging from his months of silence, he foresees John’s lesser role as herald and blesses God for it (1:64, 76). Even Elizabeth’s “neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her” (1:58). Years later, John himself will stand out for his humility, as he too refuses to grasp at roles that are not his. Jesus “must increase; I must decrease,” he says, with no trace of envy’s sadness and self-pity (John 3:30).

“Would you like to see God glorified by you?” wrote St. John Chrysostom. Then imitate Zechariah and his family and learn to rejoice with those who rejoice. “Rejoice in the progress of your brothers and sisters. Because you, his servant, could conquer envy by rejoicing in the merits of others, God will be praised.”

“I rejoice in you, Lord, and in your loving plan for me and all your children.”

Malachi 3:1-4, 23-24
Psalm 25:4-5, 8-10, 14

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