Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 02-05-15, M, St. Agatha, Virgin and Martyr

Mark
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Mark 6
7.	And he called the twelve; and began to send them two and two, and gave them power over unclean spirits.	Et vocavit duodecim : et cœpit eos mittere binos, et dabat illis potestatem spirituum immundorum.	και προσκαλειται τους δωδεκα και ηρξατο αυτους αποστελλειν δυο δυο και εδιδου αυτοις εξουσιαν των πνευματων των ακαθαρτων
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,	Et præcepit eis ne quid tollerent in via, nisi virgam tantum : non peram, non panem, neque in zona æs,	και παρηγγειλεν αυτοις ινα μηδεν αιρωσιν εις οδον ει μη ραβδον μονον μη πηραν μη αρτον μη εις την ζωνην χαλκον
9.	But to be shod with sandals, and that they should not put on two coats.	sed calceatos sandaliis, et ne induerentur duabus tunicis.	αλλ υποδεδεμενους σανδαλια και μη ενδυσησθε δυο χιτωνας
10.	And he said to them: Wheresoever you shall enter into an house, there abide till you depart from that place.	Et dicebat eis : Quocumque introieritis in domum, illic manete donec exeatis inde :	και ελεγεν αυτοις οπου εαν εισελθητε εις οικιαν εκει μενετε εως αν εξελθητε εκειθεν
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.	et quicumque non receperint vos, nec audierint vos, exeuntes inde, excutite pulverem de pedibus vestris in testimonium illis.	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
12.	And going forth they preached that men should do penance:	Et exeuntes prædicabant ut pœnitentiam agerent :	και εξελθοντες εκηρυσσον ινα μετανοησωσιν
13.	And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.	et dæmonia multa ejiciebant, et ungebant oleo multos ægros, et sanabant.	και δαιμονια πολλα εξεβαλλον και ηλειφον ελαιω πολλους αρρωστους και εθεραπευον

(*) 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

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

Sts Christopher, Jerome and Louis of Toulouse

Giovanni Bellini

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

Saint Agatha, Virgin and Martyr

Saint Agatha, Virgin and Martyr
Memorial
February 5th

Francisco de Zurbaran
St Agatha
1630-33 -- Oil on canvas
Musée Fabre, Montpellier

History:
One of the most highly venerated virgin martyrs of Christian antiquity, put to death for her steadfast profession of faith in Catania, Sicily. Although it is uncertain in which persecution this took place, we may accept, as probably based on ancient tradition, the evidence of her legendary life, composed at a later date, to the effect that her martyrdom occurred during the persecution of Decius (250-253).

Her name appears in the Roman Canon (Eucharistic Prayer I).

Collect:
May the Virgin Martyr Saint Agatha
implore your compassion for us, O Lord, we pray,
for she found favor with you
by the courage of her martyrdom
and the merit of her chastity.
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: 1 Corinthians 1:26-31
Consider your call, brethren; not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth; but God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong, God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom, our righteousness and sanctification and redemption; therefore, as it is written, "Let him who boasts, boast of the Lord."

Gospel Reading: Luke 9:23-26
And He[Jesus] said to all, "If any man would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for My sake, he will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of Me and of My words, of him will the Son of man be ashamed when He comes in His glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

St.Agatha, Virgin and Martyr, Third Century
Feast of St. Agatha, Patroness of Sicily

Information: St. Agatha

Feast Day: February 5

Born: Catania or Palermo

Died: 251, Catania

Patron of: bellfounders; breast cancer; bakers; against fire; earthquakes; eruptions of Mount Etna; fire; jewelers; martyrs; natural disasters; nurses; rape victims; single laywomen; sterility; torture victims; volcanic eruptions; wetnurses

Interactive Saints for Kids

St. Agatha

Feast Day: February 05
Born:(around)220 :: Died:250

A beautiful Christian girl named Agatha lived in Sicily in the third century. The governor heard of Agatha's beauty and brought her to his palace. He wanted to make her commit sins, but she was brave and would not give in. "My Lord Jesus Christ," she prayed, "you see my heart and you know my desire. I am all yours. Save me from this evil man. Make me worthy of winning out over the devil."

The governor then sent Agatha to the house of a wicked woman and hoped she would become bad too. But Agatha had great trust in God and prayed all the time. She kept herself pure. She would not listen to the evil ideas of the woman and her daughters.

After a month, she was brought back to the governor. He tried again to win her. "You are a noblewoman," he said kindly. "Why have you lowered yourself to be a humble Christian?"

"Even though I am a noble," answered Agatha, "I am a slave of Jesus Christ." "Then what does it really mean to be noble?" the governor asked. Agatha answered, "It means to serve God."

When he realized that she would not sin, the governor became angry. He had Agatha whipped and tortured. As she was being carried back to prison she whispered, "Lord, my Creator, you have protected me from the cradle. You have taken me from the love of the world and given me patience to suffer. Now receive my soul." Agatha soon died a martyr at Catania, Sicily, in the year 250.

CATHOLIC ALMANAC

Thursday, February 5

Liturgical Color: Green

Today is the Memorial of St. Agatha,
virgin and martyr. Agatha was a beautiful,
young girl desired by a Roman senator
for marriage around 250 A.D. Wanting to
remain pure for Christ, she refused, and
was tortured until she died.

Catholic Culture

Daily Readings for:February 05, 2015
(Readings on USCCB website)

Collect: May the Virgin Martyr Saint Agatha implore your compassion for us, O Lord, we pray, for she found favor with you by the courage of her martyrdom and the merit of her chastity. 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 Cherries Jubilee I

o Cherries Jubilee II

o Flambe Cherry Pie

o Martyrs' Chiffon Dessert

o Whole Wheat Batter Bread

o Whole Wheat Bread I

o Whole Wheat Bread II

ACTIVITIES

o Customs on the Feast of St. Agatha

o Nameday Ideas for St. Agatha, Virgin and Martyr

o Religion in the Home for Elementary School: February

o Religion in the Home for Preschool: February

PRAYERS

o Litany of the Saints

o Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes

· Ordinary Time: February 5th

· Memorial of St. Agatha, virgin and martyr

Old Calendar: St. Agatha

St. Agatha died in defense of her purity, in Catania, Sicily, where she was born. After Quintanus, the governor of Sicily, tried in vain to force her to consent to sin, she was imprisoned for a month with an evil woman. He then turned from sensuality to cruelty and had her breasts cut off; but that night Agatha was healed by St. Peter. She was then rolled over sharp stones and burning coals, and finally taken to prison where she died while praying. Her name appears in the Roman Canon.

St. Agatha
It is impossible to write a historically reliable account of St. Agatha's life. The "Acts" of her martyrdom are legendary, dating from the sixth century.

According to these sources Agatha was a Sicilian virgin of noble extraction. Quintianus, governor of Sicily, became deeply enamored of her; but she rejected his advances. As a result she was charged with being a Christian and brought before his tribunal. To the question concerning her origin she replied: "I am noble-born, of a distinguished family, as all my relatives will attest." When asked why she lived the servile life of a Christian, she answered: "I am a handmaid of Christ, and that is why I bear the outward appearance of a slave; yet this is the highest nobility, to be a slave to Christ." The governor threatened her with the most dreadful tortures if she did not renounce Christ. Agatha countered: "If you threaten me with wild beasts, know that at the Name of Christ they grow tame; if you use fire, from heaven angels will drop healing dew on me."

After being tortured, "Agatha went to prison radiant with joy and with head held high as though invited to a festive banquet. And she commended her agony to the Lord in prayer." The next day, as she again stood before the judge, she declared: "If you do not cause my body to be torn to pieces by the hangmen, my soul cannot enter the Lord's paradise with the martyrs. She was then stretched on the rack, burned with red-hot irons, and despoiled of her breasts. During these tortures she prayed: "For love of chastity I am made to hang from a rack. Help me, O Lord my God, as they knife my breasts. Agatha rebuked the governor for his barbarity: "Godless, cruel, infamous tyrant, are you not ashamed to despoil a woman of that by which your own mother nursed you?"

Returning to prison, she prayed: "You have seen, O Lord, my struggle, how I fought in the place of combat; but because I would not obey the commands of rulers, my breasts were lacerated." In the night there appeared to her a venerable old man, the apostle Peter, with healing remedies. Agatha, ever delicately modest, hesitated to show him her wounds. "I am the apostle of Christ; distrust me not, my daughter." To which she replied: "I have never used earthly medicines on my body. I cling to the Lord Jesus Christ, who renews all things by His word." She was miraculously healed by St. Peter: "Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, I give you praise because by Your apostle You have restored my breasts." Throughout the night a light illumined the dungeon. When the guards fled in terror, her fellow prisoners urged her to escape but she refused: "Having received help from the Lord, I will persevere in confessing Him who healed me and comforted me."

Four days later she was again led before the judge. He, of course, was amazed over her cure. Nevertheless, he insisted that she worship the gods; which prompted another confession of faith in Christ. Then by order of the governor, Agatha was rolled over pieces of sharp glass and burning coals. At that moment the whole city was rocked by a violent earthquake. Two walls collapsed, burying two of the governor's friends in the debris. Fearing a popular uprising, he ordered Agatha, half dead, to be returned to prison. Here she offered her dying prayer: "Blessed Agatha stood in the midst of the prison and with outstretched arms prayed to the Lord: O Lord Jesus Christ, good Master, I give You thanks that You granted me victory over the executioners' tortures. Grant now that I may happily dwell in Your never-ending glory." Thereupon she died.

A year after her death the city of Catania was in great peril from an eruption on Mount Etna. Pagans, too, were numbered among those who fled in terror to the saint's grave. Her veil was taken and held against the onrushing flames, and suddenly the danger ceased. Her grave is venerated at Catania in Sicily.

—The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch

Patron: Bell-founders; breast cancer; breast disease; Catania, Italy; against fire; earthquakes; eruptions of Mount Etna; fire; fire prevention; jewelers; martyrs; natural disasters; nurses; Palermo, Italy; rape victims; single laywomen; sterility; torture victims; volcanic eruptions; wet-nurses; Zamarramala, Spain.

Symbols: Breasts on a dish; embers; knife; loaves of bread on a dish; pincers; shears; tongs; veil; virgin martyr wearing a veil and bearing her severed breasts on a silver platter.

Things to Do:

Bake an Agatha loaf! On St. Agatha's feast day people would bake loaves attached to a picture of St. Agatha and prayers for protection from fires. The parish priests would bless the loaves, and people would keep them in their homes in case of a poor harvest and famine. The prayers would then be hung above the main door of each home to invoke St. Agatha's guardianship.
Spanish tradition associates this feast day with ancient fertility customs. Young men would visit many farms throughout the countryside, singing songs of praise to St. Agatha and invoking God's blessing upon people, animals, and fields. However, if they did not receive the customary gifts of money or food for their services, they would call down a 'quick old age' upon the ungrateful inhabitants of that farm. Although most of us do not live in such communities where this kind of custom would be practicable or even understood, we can pray to St. Agatha for a greater openness to the transmission of new life in our culture, and actively affirm and support young couples with children whenever possible.
St. Agatha is the patron saint against fire. Take this day to establish a fire escape plan for the family and to practice a family fire drill. Also check the smoke detectors, fire alarms, and carbon monoxide detectors to see if they are all working. Change the batteries on all the alarms! (Idea taken from A Treasure Chest of Traditions for Catholic Families by Monica McConkey. Used with permission. Write to [email protected] or see Arma Dei for more information about this great book. Treasure Chest is filled with unique ideas for activities, crafts and recipes to help families celebrate the various Seasons and Feast Days of the year.) She also has a couple of excellent websites worth a visit: Equipping Catholic Families and Arma Dei Shop.

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Mark 6:7-13

Saint Agatha, Virgin and Martyr

They anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them. (Mark 6:13)

This verse makes it sound as if the apostles had nothing but success in their ministry, that every person they prayed with was healed. But we know that isn’t the case. All we have to do is remember how they couldn’t cast out a demon from a young man while Jesus was on the Mount of Transfiguration (Mark 9:14-29).

Isn’t that great news? They’re just like us, limited human beings whose prayers aren’t always answered and who don’t always get it right. We may think that we will never be able to do what they did, but even they didn’t do it all the time! And it’s not just about performing miracles. Peter denied even knowing Jesus, and Thomas doubted that he had risen from the dead. That’s so very encouraging for us.

The apostles’ successes and mistakes show that they are no different from us. Sometimes they prayed for someone to be healed, and nothing happened. Like them, we can pray for someone for healing and not detect any change at all—not even over a period of time. Sometimes, they got into selfish arguments with each other. And like them, we may be having a hard time forgiving someone who has hurt us. That’s okay, because even Jesus’ hand-selected apostles had the same struggles.

Still, God wants us to keep praying for healings and trying to forgive. Remember how Paul asked Jesus three times to remove a spiritual thorn, but Jesus told him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Whatever our situation, Jesus will give us the grace to keep following him. And often without our knowing how, we’ll find his grace at work in other areas of our lives, comforting and empowering us.

So keep up the good work! Try, persist, and learn from your mistakes. Believe that you have been “chosen, destined in accord with the purpose of the One who accomplishes all things” (Ephesians 1:11). You will face trials and temptations, but if you just focus on what comes next, one step at a time, you’ll see progress. This is what Peter, John, and all the rest did—and look what happened to them!

“Jesus, thank you for the apostles’ example of faith. Give me your grace, that I may live for you!”

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

Marriage=One Man and One Woman 'Til Death Do Us Part

Daily Marriage Tip for February 5, 2015:

In marriage, arguments are seldom black and white, “I’m right and you’re wrong.” Look for the golden mean when you’re on opposite sides.

Regnum Christi

Two by Two

U. S. A. | SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY

February 5, 2015. Thursday in the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

By 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. Where Two or Three Are Gathered…: 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. Another Witness: “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. Apostolic Efficacy: 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.

Homily of the Day

February 5, 2015

Jesus Christ shows his intention of founding his Church by choosing the twelve apostles. He instructs them on how to do their mission. He also gives them authority over unclean spirits, and ability to cure people with ailments. Today Jesus is sounding off this same call to us – to be his messengers of the Good News. We can do this mission first by making our personal lives a living testimony to the love and goodness of God. Then some of us may be called to be catechists or missionaries like the apostles.

In the Gospel reading, Jesus instructs the apostles not to bring anything – clothes, food or money – for the journey. Why? Because Jesus wants them to experience God’s providence and trust in Him. So whatever role in the Church God is calling you to do, remember that Jesus will be with you till the end of time as he promised. Do not be afraid and trust in the providence of God. And do not think that you are unworthy of the call. Remember that among the apostles, one denied Jesus three times, another doubted in his resurrection and a third betrayed him. The Lord knows each one of us. He knows our weaknesses. So just trust in him and the Holy Spirit to give you the grace and strength to fulfill your mission.

And when you have fulfilled your mission and depart from this world, you can be sure that you will be in good company – saints, angels, martyrs, etc. – all worshipping God, the supreme Judge and Jesus Christ, our Mediator and Saviour. We will be constantly feasting in heaven and our happiness will have no end because the Holy Spirit will be everywhere.

One Bread, One Body

Language: English | Español

All Issues > Volume 31, Issue 2

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St. Agatha

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

Mark 6:7-13
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TALKING BLOOD

"You have drawn near...to Jesus, the Mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood which speaks more eloquently than that of Abel." —Hebrews 12:22, 24

Pope John Paul II has taught: "This blood, which flows from the pierced side of Christ on the Cross (cf Jn 19:34), 'speaks more graciously' than the blood of Abel; indeed, it expresses and requires a more radical 'justice,' and above all it implores mercy, it makes intercession for the brethren before the Father (cf Heb 7:25), and it is the source of perfect redemption and the gift of new life" (The Gospel of Life, 25).

This is a golden age of martyrdom. Pope St. John Paul II wrote: "At the end of the second millennium, the Church has once again become a Church of martyrs. The persecutions of believers...[have] caused a great sowing of martyrdom in different parts of the world. The witness to Christ [is] borne even to the shedding of blood" (Towards the Third Millennium, 37). Like Abel's blood, the blood of the martyrs cries out for justice. "They cried out...: 'How long will it be, O Master, holy and true, before You judge our cause and avenge our blood?' " (Rv 6:10) Like Jesus' blood, the blood of the martyrs cries out for us: "Lord, have mercy!"

Because of the hundreds of millions of surgical and chemical abortions committed each year in the world, we live in oceans of innocent, shed blood (cf 2 Kgs 21:16). The blood of these babies cries out with Jesus' blood for mercy on the people of the culture of death (The Gospel of Life, 25). The blood of Abel, Jesus, martyrs, and babies is crying. By repentance, wash your robes "in the blood of the Lamb," Jesus (Rv 7:14). Receive the mercy of Jesus.

Prayer: Jesus, when I receive Your precious Body and Blood in Holy Communion (see Jn 6:53ff), may I receive and give mercy.

Promise: "They expelled many demons, anointed the sick with oil, and worked many cures." —Mk 6:13

Praise: St. Peter denied Christ three times. St. Agatha, as she was being tortured, was asked three times to deny Christ. She held fast to Jesus each time and received the crown of life (see Rv 2:10).

Is there life after delivery?