Regina Coeli

This prayer, which dates from the twelfth century, is substituted for the Angelus during Easter Season.

In Latin

In English

Regina coeli, laetare, alleluia: Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia. Resurrexit sicut dixit, alleluia. Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.

V. Gaude et laetare, Virgo Maria, Alleluia,

R. Quia surrexit Dominus vere, alleluia.

Oremus: Deus qui per resurrectionem Filii tui, Domini nostri Iesu Christi, mundum laetificare dignatus es: praesta, quaesumus, ut per eius Genetricem Virginem Mariam, perpetuae capiamus gaudia vitae. Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum.

R. Amen.

Queen of Heaven rejoice, alleluia: For He whom you merited to bear, alleluia, Has risen as He said, alleluia. Pray for us to God, alleluia.

V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.

R. Because the Lord is truly risen, alleluia.

Let us pray: O God, who by the Resurrection of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, granted joy to the whole world: grant we beseech Thee, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may lay hold of the joys of eternal life. Through the same Christ our Lord.

R. Amen.

John
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	John 10
1.	AMEN, amen I say to you: He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up another way, the same is a thief and a robber.	Amen, amen dico vobis : qui non intrat per ostium in ovile ovium, sed ascendit aliunde, ille fur est et latro.	αμην αμην λεγω υμιν ο μη εισερχομενος δια της θυρας εις την αυλην των προβατων αλλα αναβαινων αλλαχοθεν εκεινος κλεπτης εστιν και ληστης
2.	But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.	Qui autem intrat per ostium, pastor est ovium.	ο δε εισερχομενος δια της θυρας ποιμην εστιν των προβατων
3.	To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.	Huic ostiarius aperit, et oves vocem ejus audiunt, et proprias ovas vocat nominatim, et educit eas.	τουτω ο θυρωρος ανοιγει και τα προβατα της φωνης αυτου ακουει και τα ιδια προβατα καλει κατ ονομα και εξαγει αυτα
4.	And when he hath let out his own sheep, he goeth before them: and the sheep follow him, because they know his voice.	Et cum proprias oves emiserit, ante eas vadit : et oves illum sequuntur, quia sciunt vocem ejus.	και οταν τα ιδια προβατα εκβαλη εμπροσθεν αυτων πορευεται και τα προβατα αυτω ακολουθει οτι οιδασιν την φωνην αυτου
5.	But a stranger they follow not, but fly from him, because they know not the voice of strangers.	Alienum autem non sequuntur, sed fugiunt ab eo : quia non noverunt vocem alienorum.	αλλοτριω δε ου μη ακολουθησωσιν αλλα φευξονται απ αυτου οτι ουκ οιδασιν των αλλοτριων την φωνην
6.	This proverb Jesus spoke to them. But they understood not what he spoke to them.	Hoc proverbium dixit eis Jesus : illi autem non cognoverunt quid loqueretur eis.	ταυτην την παροιμιαν ειπεν αυτοις ο ιησους εκεινοι δε ουκ εγνωσαν τινα ην α ελαλει αυτοις
7.	Jesus therefore said to them again: Amen, amen I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.	Dixit ergo eis iterum Jesus : Amen, amen dico vobis, quia ego sum ostium ovium.	ειπεν ουν παλιν αυτοις ο ιησους αμην αμην λεγω υμιν οτι εγω ειμι η θυρα των προβατων
8.	All others, as many as have come, are thieves and robbers: and the sheep heard them not.	Omnes quotquot venerunt, fures sunt, et latrones, et non audierunt eos oves.	παντες οσοι ηλθον κλεπται εισιν και λησται αλλ ουκ ηκουσαν αυτων τα προβατα
9.	I am the door. By me, if any man enter in, he shall be saved: and he shall go in, and go out, and shall find pastures.	Ego sum ostium. Per me si quis introierit, salvabitur : et ingredietur, et egredietur, et pascua inveniet.	εγω ειμι η θυρα δι εμου εαν τις εισελθη σωθησεται και εισελευσεται και εξελευσεται και νομην ευρησει
10.	The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I am come that they may have life, and may have it more abundantly.	Fur non venit nisi ut furetur, et mactet, et perdat. Ego veni ut vitam habeant, et abundantius habeant.	ο κλεπτης ουκ ερχεται ει μη ινα κλεψη και θυση και απολεση εγω ηλθον ινα ζωην εχωσιν και περισσον εχωσιν

1. Verily, verily, I say to you, He that enters not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
2. But he that enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3. To him the porter opens;
and the sheep hear his voice:
and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out.
4. And when he puts forth his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
5. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

CHRYS. Our Lord having reproached the Jews with blindness, they might have said, We are not blind, but we avoid you as a deceiver. Our Lord therefore gives the marks which distinguish a robber and deceiver from a true shepherd. First come those of the deceiver and robber: Verily, verily, I say to you, He that enters not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

There is an allusion here to Antichrist, and to certain false Christs who had been, and were to be. The Scriptures He calls the door. They admit us to the knowledge of God, they protect the sheep, they shut out the wolves, they bar the entrance to heretics. He that uses not the Scriptures, but climbs up some other way, i.e. some self-chosen, some unlawful way, is a thief. Climbs up, He says, not, enters, as if it were a thief getting over a wall, and running all risks.

Some other way, may refer too to the commandments and traditions of men which the Scribes taught, to the neglect of the Law. When our Lord further on calls Himself the Door, we need not be surprised. According to the office which He bears, He is in one place the Shepherd, in another the Sheep. In that He introduces us to the Father, He is the Door, in that He takes care of us, He is the Shepherd.

AUG. Or thus: Many go under the name of good men according to the standard of the world, and observe in some sort the commandments of the Law, who yet are not Christians. And these generally boast of themselves, as the Pharisees did; Are we blind also? But inasmuch as all that they do they do foolishly, without knowing to what end it tends, our Lord said of them, Verily, verily, I say to you, He that enters not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

Let the Pagans then, the Jews, the Heretics, say, "We lead a good life;" if they enter not by the door, what avails it? A good life only profits, as leading to life eternal. Indeed those cannot be said to lead a good life, who are either blindly ignorant of, or willfully despise, the end of good living. No one can hope for eternal life, who knows not Christ, who is the life, and by that door enters into the fold.

Whoso wishes to enter into the sheepfold, let him enter by the door; let him preach Christ; let him seek Christ's glory, not his own. Christ is a lowly door, and he who enters by this door must be lowly, if he would enter with his head whole. He that does not humble, but exalt himself, who wishes to climb up over the wall, is exalted that he may fall. Such men generally try to persuade others that they may live well, and not be Christians. Thus they climb up by some other way, that they may rob and kill. They are thieves, because they call that their own, which is not; robbers, because that which they have stolen, they kill.

CHRYS. You have seen His description of a robber, now see that of the Shepherd: But he that enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

AUG. He enters by the door, who enters by Christ, who imitates the suffering of Christ, who is acquainted with the humility of Christ, so as to feel and know, that if God became man for us, man should not think himself God, but man. He who being man wishes to appear God, does not imitate Him, who being God, became man. You are bid to think less of yourself than you are, but to know what you are.

To Him the porter opens.

CHRYS. The porter perhaps is Moses; for to him the oracles of God were committed.

THEOPHYL. Or, the Holy Spirit is the porter, by whom the Scriptures are unlocked, and reveal the truth to us.

AUG. Or, the porter is our Lord Himself; for there is much less difference between a door and a porter, than between a door and a shepherd. And He has called Himself both the door and the shepherd. Why then not the door and the porter? He opens Himself, i.e. reveals Himself. If you seek another person for porter, take the Holy Spirit, of whom our Lord below said, He will guide you into all truth. The door is Christ, the Truth; who opens the door, but He that will guide you into all Truth? Whomsoever you understand here, beware that you esteem not the porter greater than the door; for in our houses the porter ranks above the door, not the door above the porter.

CHRYS. As they had called Him a deceiver, and appealed to their own unbelief as the proof of it; (Which of the rulers believes in Him?) He shows here that it was because they refused to hear Him, that they were put out of His flock. The sheep hear His voice. The Shepherd enters by the lawful door; and they who follow Him are His sheep; they who do not, voluntarily put themselves out of His flock.

And He calls His own sheep by name.

AUG. He knew the names of the predestinated; as He said to His disciples, Rejoice that your names are written in heaven.

And leads them out.

CHRYS. He led out the sheep, when He sent them not out of the reach of, but into the midst of, the wolves. There seems to he a secret allusion to the blind man. He called him out of the midst of the Jews; and he heard His voice.

AUG. And who is He who leads them out, but the Same who loosens the chain of their sins, that they may follow Him with free unfettered step?

GLOSS. And when He puts forth His own sheep, He goes before them, He leads them out from the darkness of ignorance into light, while He goes before in the pillar of cloud, and fire.

CHRYS. Shepherds always go behind their sheep; but He, on the contrary, goes before, to show that He would lead all to the truth.

AUG. And who is this that goes before the sheep, but He who being raised from the dead, dies no more; and who said, Father, I will also that they, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am?

And the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him; for they know not the voice of strangers.

CHRYS. The strangers are Theudas, and Judas, and the false apostles who came after Christ. That He might not appear one of this number, He gives many marks of difference between Him and them. First, Christ brought men to Him by teaching them out of the Scriptures; they drew men from; the Scriptures. Secondly, the obedience of the sheep; for men believed on Him, not only during His life, but after death: their followers ceased, as soon as they were gone.

THEOPHYL. He alludes to Antichrist, who shall deceive for a time, but lose all his followers when he dies.

Still I am disturbed by the Lord's rebuke to the shepherds in Ezekiel, Neither have you brought again that which strayed. He calls it a stray sheep, but yet a sheep all the while; though, if it strayed, it could not have heard the voice of the Shepherd, but the voice of a stranger.

What I say then is this; The Lord knows them that are His. He knows the foreknown, he knows the predestinated. They are the sheep: for a time they know not themselves, but the Shepherd knows them; for many sheep are without the fold, many wolves within. He speaks then of the predestinated. And now the difficulty is solved. The sheep do hear the Shepherd's voice, and they only. When is that? It is when that voice said, He that endures to the end shall be saved. This speech His own hear, the alien hear not.

6. This parable spoke Jesus to them: but they understood not what things they were which he spoke to them.

AUG. Our Lord feeds by plain words, exercises by obscure. For when two persons, one godly, the other ungodly, hear the words of the Gospel, and they happen to be such that neither can understand them; one says, What He said is true and good, but we do not understand it: the other says, It is not worth attending to. The former, in faith, knocks, yes, and, if he continue to knock, it shall be opened to him. The latter shall hear the words in Isaiah, If you will not believe, surely you shall not be established.

7. Then said Jesus to them again, Verily, verily, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
8. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
9. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
10. The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

CHRYS. Our Lord, to waken the attention of the Jews, unfolds the meaning of what He has said; Then said Jesus to them again, Verily, verily, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.

AUG. Lo, the very door which He had shut up, He opens; He is the Door: let us enter, and let us enter with joy.

All that ever came before Me are thieves and robbers.

CHRYS. He said not this of the Prophets, as the heretics think, but of Theudas, and Judas, and other agitators. So he adds in praise of the sheep, The sheep heard them not; but he no where praises those who disobeyed the prophets, but condemns them severely.

The times are different, the faith is the same. Our faith knits together both those who believed that He was about to come, and those who believe that He has come. All that ever came at variance with Him were thieves and robbers; i.e. they came to steal and to kill; but the sheep did not hear them. They had not Christ's voice; but were wanderers, dreamers, deceivers. Why He is the Door, He next explains, I am the Door; by Me if any man enter in he shall be saved.

ALCUIN. As if to say, The sheep hear not them, but Me they hear; for I am the Door, and whoever enters by Me not falsely but in sincerity, shall by perseverance be saved.

THEOPHYL. The door admits the sheep into the pasture; And shall go in and out, and find pasture. What is this pasture, but the happiness to come, the rest to which our Lord brings us?

AUG. What is this, shall go in and out? To enter into the Church by Christ the Door, is a very good thing, but to go out of the Church is not. Going in must refer to inward cogitation; going out to outward action; as in the Psalm, Man goes forth to his work.

THEOPHYL. Or, to go in is to watch over the inner man; to go out, to mortify the outward man, i.e. our members which are upon the earth. He that does this shall find pasture in the life to come.

CHRYS. Or, He refers to the Apostles who went in and out boldly; for they became the masters of the world, none could turn them out of their kingdom, and they found pasture.

AUG. But He Himself explains it more satisfactorily to me in what follows: The thief comes not, but for to steal, and for to kill: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

By going in they have life; i.e. by faith, which works by love; by which faith they go into the fold. The just lives by faith. And by going out they will have it more abundantly: i.e. when true believers die, they have life more abundantly, even a life which never ends. Though in this fold there is not wanting pasture, then they will find pasture, such as will satisfy them. Today shall you be with Me in paradise.

GREG. Shall go in, i.e. to faith: shall go out, i.e. to sight: and find pasture, i.e. in eternal fullness.

ALCUIN. The thief comes not but for to steal, and to kill. As if He said, And well may the sheep not hear the voice of the thief; for he comes not but for to steal: he usurps another's office, forming his followers not on Christ's precepts, but on his own. And therefore it follows, and to kill, i.e. by drawing them from the faith; and to destroy, i.e. by their eternal damnation.

CHRYS. The thief comes not but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy; this was literally fulfilled in the case of those movers of sedition, whose followers were nearly all destroyed; deprived by the thief even of this present life. But came, He said, for the salvation of the sheep; That they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly, in the kingdom of heaven. This is the third mark of difference between Himself, and the false prophets.

THEOPHYL. Mystically, the thief is the devil, steals by wicked thoughts, kills by the assent of the mind to them, and destroys by acts.

Catena Aurea John 10

The Good Shepherd

Information: St. Zita of Lucca

Feast Day: April 27

Born: 1218 at Monsagrati near Lucca, Italy

Died: 27 April 1272 at Lucca, Italy

Canonized: 5 September 1696 by Pope Leo X and Pope Innocent XII

Major Shrine: Basilica di San Frediano, Lucca

Patron of: Domestic servants, homemakers, lost keys, people ridiculed for their piety, rape victims, single laywomen, waiters, waitresses

Interactive Saints for Kids

St. Zita

Feast Day: April 27
Born: 1218 ::Died: 1278

Zita is known as the patron saint of domestic workers. She was born in the village of Monte Sagrati, near Lucca, in Italy. Her parents were very pious and raised Zita in a loving, Christian way.

In those days poor parents normally sent their teenage daughters to work with trustworthy families who could afford servants. The young women would live with the families for a few years and were paid to do the housework. Zita was sent to the Fatinelli family in Lucca when she was twelve.

Mr. and Mrs. Fatinelli were good people who had several workers. Zita was happy to be able to work and send money to her parents. She did her duties well and formed habits of praying at fixed times each day. She work early in the morning to go to daily Mass.

Because Zita was a hard-worker the other workers were annoyed. They were lazy and tried to do as little as they could get away with. They began to pick on Zita and were always against her when their employers were not around.

Zita was very hurt but she prayed for patience. She never complained about the workers. She firmly did her work as well as possible no matter what they thought. When one of the workers tried to kiss her, Zita fought him off. He left the room with several scratches on his face.

Mr. Fatinelli questioned her privately about the incident. She told him honestly what had happened. After that, Zita was made the head housekeeper. The Fatinelli children were placed under her care. Best of all, the other workers stopped bullying her. Some even tried to be like her.

Zita spent her whole life with the Fatinelli family. While others came and went, she stayed. She served them lovingly and cared for them as her own family. Zita died peacefully on April 27, 1278. She was sixty years old.

Reflection: By her example, St. Zita helps us see that work is beautiful when it is done with Christian love. Is my work a sign of Christian love?

CATHOLIC ALMANAC

Monday, April 27

Liturgical Color: White

Today the Church recalls St. Zita. She was a
domestic servant for a wealthy family in 13th
century Italy. To the dismay of the master of
the house, St. Zita would often give away all
the food in the house to those less fortunate
than herself.

Day 117 - Jesus Cures a Blind Man at Beth-saida // Peter's Declaration That Jesus Is the Christ

Today's Reading: Mark 8:22-30

22 And they came to Beth-saida. And some people brought to him a blind man, and begged him to touch him. 23 And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the village; and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands upon him, he asked him, "Do you see anything?" 24 And he looked up and said, "I see men; but they look like trees, walking." 25 Then again he laid his hands upon his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and saw everything clearly. 26 And he sent him away to his home, saying, "Do not even enter the village."

27 And Jesus went on with his disciples, to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, "Who do men say that I am?" 28 And they told him, "John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others one of the prophets." 29 And he asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Christ." 30 And he charged them to tell no one about him.

Today's Commentary:

A unique miracle performed in stages. It has multiple significance in Mark: Jesus not only healed the man, but he also heals the spiritual deafness and blindness of the disciples (8:18-21). Although they are still uncertain about his true identity, Jesus sharpens their vision to recognize him as Messiah in the following episode (8:29).

-- Allegorically (St. Bede, In Marcum): Jesus heals the blind man to announce the mystery of redemption. As God Incarnate, Jesus heals man through the sacrament of his human nature, here signified by his hands and spittle. This grace cures our spiritual blindness gradually, and, as with the blind man, progress is measured in proportion to our faith.

-- Allegorically (St. Jerome, Homily 79), the restoration of the blind man signifies our gradual increase in wisdom, from the darkness of ignorance to the light of truth. Christ's spittle is the perfect doctrine that proceeds from his mouth; it enhances our vision and brings us progressively to the knowledge of God.

Catholic Spiritual Direction.com

Spiritual Warfare: Tonic Soup & Near Collision

April 27, 2015 by Nancy Ward

In the classic struggle between good and evil, the Genesis account of Joseph and his brothers shows how God’s power far surpasses Satan’s. Joseph’s jealous brothers sold him into slavery, yet that’s how their tribe was able to survive the famine. When God saved the family from starvation and reunited them, Joseph told his brothers, “Even though you meant harm to me, God meant it for good, to achieve this present end.” (Gen 50:20).

Today, the enemy still tries to manipulate our thoughts and circumstances to harm us, while God redeems our circumstances for good. In his Manual for Spiritual Warfare, Paul Thigpen explains, “The ordinary activity of demons is subtle and occurs within our thought life. . . . . Demons may also have a role in arranging circumstances around us in a way that leads to certain thoughts.” Here’s how it worked in our home recently.

My husband Phil was ill from flu-like symptoms for several days. I asked him what he felt like eating, perhaps his standard chicken rice soup? He gave me the recipe for “Tonic Soup” from a doctor he trusts for advice on natural health supplements. The recipe listed exotic healing vegetables and herbs, some unfamiliar to me.

Soon I was off to Whole Foods for the ingredients that promised healing. Two hours after lots of chopping, measuring and simmering, we enjoyed bowls of this healthy, aromatic brew.

Later that day Phil took a cold medication and threw up the soup, leaving me with a sicker husband and a rejected pot of soup that I meant for healing. My immediate reaction was sympathy for Phil.

Then came disappointment that my efforts to help made things worse. Negative self-talk began to deride my good intentions and myself as a failure. But nothing we do for love is ever wasted, nor was the Tonic Soup. I put it in the back of the refrigerator rather than completely give up on the remedy I’d worked so hard to prepare.

The next day he ate his chicken rice soup, and I ate the Tonic Soup. Then I put it back in the refrigerator. On the third day, he was well and chose the Tonic Soup for lunch. “Delicious!” he declared. I felt vindicated!

Although I can’t control my circumstances, only my reactions, it seemed like the enemy orchestrated these circumstances to frustrate and anger me. It was just like Satan to manipulate the healing soup for his evil purposes to produce more sickness, frustration, confusion, disappointment and failure. In his perfect time frame, God meant the Tonic Soup for Phil’s healing. God used it to teach me patience and to remind me not to give up when bombarded with negative thoughts. He gave me the opportunity to curb my fear and anger when circumstances changed for the worse. He gave me the grace to fight and the patience to persevere.

Combat deceptive thoughts and circumstances

I forget so easily how the enemy constantly works to invade my thoughts with negativity, self-doubt and temptations to react with anger and self-defense. St. Benedict gives me a good strategy, “When evil thoughts come into your heart, dash them at once on the rock of Christ and disclose them to your spiritual father.” I can expose the lies of the enemy to my husband, who is my spiritual leader, and my parish priest, my spiritual father in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

The Tonic Soup scenario shows how Satan takes my good deeds and tries to turn them against me. He takes advantage of circumstances — illness, exhaustion, or my over-striving — to put stumbling blocks in front of me. He can arrange circumstances to lead my thoughts into his realm, mistake his thoughts for mine, or plant thoughts to provoke me.

Circumstances can give a false illusion. I can’t trust their surface impressions, much less their outcome, as God’s final word. I needn’t look at the obvious and fear defeat; for I know that God is present in every situation — such as a near collision.

I was driving home from church and ready to turn left at a busy intersection. The turn signal was blinking yellow to allow a left turn with caution. When the on-coming lane cleared, I began my turn. A car a block away sped up. I cried out to God and my guardian angel, knowing I could only do so much. It took supernatural strength to jam on the brakes. I stopped inches from the driver’s door. I did my part, and God provided the strength to finish the job. I couldn’t believe I didn’t collide with the other car. The driver sailed by, shaking his head as if I should have known better than to try to cross him.

Renounce Satan’s lies

As a cautious driver, I don’t take chances. The enemy caught me off guard and tried to use the situation for disaster. His plan for a collision would result in serious injury or possibly death, destruction of two vehicles, devastation in two families, a traffic ticket and maybe a lawsuit.

The enemy blitzed me with accusations that I am irresponsible and a careless driver destined for a head-on collision. This time I shut Satan up with a practice St. Isaak of Syria taught,

“Do not oppose head-on thoughts that the enemy sows in your mind. Instead, cut off all conversation with them by prayer to God.”

We can pray against evil influences, always confident that the outcome God wants will happen. The prayer of St. Michael the Archangel banishes evil. I resorted to the prayers I learned in my Unbound training to help people renounce the attacks of the enemy. I renounced Satan’s accusations as lies and thanked God for staying with me always.

“In the name of Jesus I renounce as lies all thoughts that enter my mind from the Accuser. By the authority of Jesus, I command them to leave me. I consecrate my mind to God for transformation into his thoughts for my protection, salvation and his glory.”

Without my permission to harass me, the raging negative thoughts fled, proving what St. Francis de Sales wrote is true:

“Let the enemy rage at the gate, let him knock, let him push, let him cry, let him howl, let him do worse; we know for certain that he cannot enter, save by the door of our consent.”

I drove the remaining five miles home singing God’s praises for his love, faithfulness and protection in all the battles of my life.

Never give up

When collisions seem imminent with vehicles or relationships, we can trust God with all our heart, and try with all our strength to avoid disaster. I didn’t give up fighting the enemy who attacked my thoughts. I used the tools of spiritual warfare the Lord provides to smite him.

I didn’t give up fighting for my life, even knowing God could take it instantly. He showed his mercy and I escaped physical suffering and the emotional pain of injuring the man in the speeding car.

I don’t know why God spared me, and the other driver. I cannot solve the mystery of God’s will. I can only respect it, honor it and embrace it with awe and thanksgiving.

What frustrating situation or close call has brought you closer to God?

Catholic Culture

Daily Readings for:April 27, 2015
(Readings on USCCB website)

Collect: O God, perfect light of the blessed, by whose gift we celebrate the paschal mysteries on earth, bring us, we pray, to rejoice in the full measure of your grace for ages unending. 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 St. Zita's Bread

ACTIVITIES

o Celebrating the Feasts of the Blessed Virgin

o Marian Hymn: ’Tis Said of Our Dear Lady

o Marian Hymn: A Single Branch Three Roses Bore

o Marian Hymn: Ave Maria Dear

o Marian Hymn: Beautiful, Glorious

o Marian Hymn: Salve Regina

o Marian Hymn: Stella Matutina

o Marian Hymn: Virgin Blessed, Thou Star the Fairest

o Mary Garden

o Namedays

o St. Zita, the Little Cook

o What is a Nameday?

PRAYERS

o Regina Coeli (Queen of Heaven)

o April Devotion: The Blessed Sacrament

o Prayers for the Easter Season

o Table Blessing for the Feasts of the Mother of God

o Novena to St. Catherine of Siena

· Easter: April 27th

· Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter; Our Lady of Montserrat (CAN)

Old Calendar: St. Peter Canisius, confessor and doctor; St. Zita, virgin

Today the Church in Canada celebrates the feast of Our Lady of Montserrat. Monserrat is located in the region of Catalonia in Spain. Legend relates that the original sculpture was carved by St. Luke and brought to Montserrat by St. Peter in 50 A.D. St. Ignatius of Loyola, a former Crusader, decided to become a missionary after having prayed before this image of Mary.

According to the 1962 Missal of St. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is the feast of St. Peter Canisius. His feast in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite is celebrated on December 21. It is also the feast of St. Zita of Lucca, a virgin who died in 1278.

Our Lady of Montserrat
The origin of the devotion to Our Lady at the shrine of Montserrat according to the earliest written records dates from 932, when the Count of Barcelona confirmed and renewed an endowment to the shrine made by his father in 888. This gift was again confirmed in 982 by Lothaire, King of France. Constant and unbroken tradition is that even previous to 888, an image of Our Lady was miraculously found among the rocks of Montserrat. Montserrat itself is a fantastic mountain group, four thousand feet high, about twenty miles from Barcelona. The name, Montserrat, of Latin origin, means saw-edged mountain. It is formed by huge boulders that raise their immense bulk perpendicularly to that four thousand foot summit. Outwardly, it resembles the seemingly inaccessible monasteries seen on high Mount Athos in Greece: "Montserrat is, and will forever be, a source of deep impressions caused by the singularity of the place. There, what is material becomes cyclopean, the mysterious is turned mystical and the picturesque is promoted to sublimity." There is a story that the mountain was once a huge boulder with a smooth surface. At the time of the Crucifixion of Jesus, however, when the sun darkened, the rock was shaken to its very foundations and when light returned, the mountain had a thousand peaks.

The legend relates that the figure of Our Lady came from Jerusalem to Barcelona, and was brought into the mountains to save it from the Saracens. It is true that the Montserrat statue has oriental features, but this could well be traced to the Byzantine sculptors who were constantly employed in the West. The legend goes on to say that in the eighth century shepherds one night saw strange lights on the mountain and heard Seraphic music.

Guided by the shepherds, the Bishop of Manresa found, in a cavern, a wooden figure of Our Lady and the Holy Child. He ordered that the statue be carried into the cathedral immediately. However, the procession with the statue never reached the cathedral because, after much marching, the small wooden figure became too heavy so that the Bishop decided to accept it as a sign and left it in a chapel of a nearby hermitage. The statue remained there until a church was built on the site of the present abbey on the top of the rocks near where the statue was discovered.

Since that incident, this statue is the most celebrated, the most important of Spain; it is thirty-eight inches in height, and is known as "La Morenata" — The Little Black Madonna. The wood is now black with age; one of its most striking features is the dignified expression of Our Lady. In her right hand, she holds a majestic orb.

Excerpted from Shrines to Our Lady, Zsolt Aradi

Things to Do:

Visit this website to view some pictures of the Shrine of Our Lady of Montserrat.
Read more about the statue of Our Lady of Montserrat.

St. Zita
St. Zita spent her life from age 12 until her death at age 60 as a servant in the household of the Sagrati family. Zita had been born into a devout family, and when she was a child, she would respond with instant obedience when her mother would say either, "This is pleasing to God" or "That would displease God." As a servant, Zita was an excellent worker. Both the household and the Sagrati children were committed to her care. Zita believed that "A servant is not pious if she is not industrious; work-shy piety in people of our position is sham piety." Zita was also a great friend to the poor, giving away her food and contenting herself with scraps. For years she had to suffer hostility from the other domestics, but on several occasions her goodness was miraculously recognized. One morning, when she had inadvertently over-stayed in church praying until sunrise, she hurried home to find the bread dough already prepared for the oven. Zita's last years were spent in the esteem of the household and engaged in contemplation and charity. She was especially devoted to prisoners awaiting execution, and she spent hours praying for them. St. Zita died very peacefully while at prayer.

Excerpted from Saints Calendar and Daily Planner by Tan Books

Patron: Domestic workers.

Things to Do:

Bake a loaf of bread today in honor of St. Zita, the Little Cook.

The Word Among Us

Meditation: John 10:1-10

4th Week of Easter

The sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. (John 10:4)

Do you hear voices? We all do, you know—all different kinds of voices. Some are actual voices, but there are also the voices in our minds: what we imagine certain people would say if they really knew us, as well as our own inner voice. Some of the voices are spiritual, from the Lord as well as from the devil’s tempters. There’s a lot going on in our minds, so it’s helpful to try to sort through all the voices to make sure we’re listening to the right ones.

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus tells us that we are able to recognize his voice. It’s the voice of the Good Shepherd, a voice that we, his “sheep,” know and respond to (John 10:4). His voice speaks words of care and protection. He points us toward paths of safety and provision. He speaks words of acceptance and love.

What are you hearing? The voice of someone other than your shepherd? Maybe they’re words of condemnation or accusation, telling you that you are a failure or a disappointment. Maybe the voices seem like they’re coming from outside yourself, or maybe they are clearly your own words, the way you think about yourself. It doesn’t matter too much where they’re coming from. What matters is that these words do not come from the Good Shepherd, so you need to run away from them like a frightened sheep.

You have the ability to control this inner conversation. You can choose whom to listen to. Blaise Pascal once said, “Man is so made that if he is told often enough that he is a fool he believes it. By telling himself often enough he convinces himself, because when he is alone he carries on an inner dialogue with himself which is important to keep under proper control.” Don’t let that happen! Don’t pay attention to any voice that contradicts what the Good Shepherd is telling you.

Try an experiment today. Try to identify one or two “internal conversations” that you don’t think are Jesus’ words for you, and shut them down. Then try listening for his voice. Isn’t it a far more encouraging—and inspiring—thing to hear?

“Lord, help me to hear and recognize your voice today.”

Acts 11:1-18; Psalm 42:2-3; 43:3-4

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

Daily Marriage Tip for April 27, 2015:

(Reader’s Tip) Always think loving thoughts. Never let the devil creep in with negative talk.

Regnum Christi

Going Through the Gate

U. S. A. | SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY

April 27, 2015. Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter

Father Steven Reilly, LC

John 10:1-10

Jesus said: "Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber. But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. But they will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers." Although Jesus used this figure of speech, they did not realize what he was trying to tell them. So Jesus said again, "Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly."

Introductory Prayer: Lord, I believe that you are here with me. This time with you now in prayer is the most important time in my day. I know that you have prepared many graces for me. I wish to take advantage of them with grateful fervor.

Petition: Lord, help me to go through the gate! May I hear no other voices but yours!

1. Jesus Is the Gate: We all want to be happy. There is no one on the face of the planet who would consciously choose to be frustrated and miserable. Yet how is it that so many people unconsciously choose to be, or are missing the boat on what really makes life worthwhile? Jesus is the gate! If we truly want to fulfill our deepest human aspirations, we have to know and love Jesus Christ. As long as Jesus is second to anything or anyone in our life, we have not fully passed through the gate. Taking the plunge and truly passing through the gate is the best decision we could ever make.

2. The Voice of Strangers: If we don’t go through the gate, we are vulnerable. Those who are not fully committed may find the offers of strangers quite enticing. But Christ’s sheep reject those voices out of fidelity to their Shepherd. Perseverance in our Catholic faith and our Catholic lifestyle requires a constant effort to refocus on the Lord. Even if we are besieged by a cacophony of competing voices, the voice of the Lord will always rise above that din. We must be faithful. Our prayer life is the privileged place to screen out the noise and truly hear Christ, which is why our prayer is the most important time of the day. How vibrant is my prayer life?

3. Abundant Life: The effort to go through the gate and to listen only to the voice of the Good Shepherd pays abundant dividends. “I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.” What is that life like? Put simply, there’s nothing like it. The abundant life that Christ gives us is the indwelling presence of the Holy Trinity in one’s soul. It is the love that envelops authentically Christian homes and communities. It is the peace that comes from a conscience that has experienced forgiveness and is committed to living in the truth. What could anyone give us that can possibly compare to all of this?

Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, I thank you for this time we have spent together. Many times I have allowed other voices to distract me from yours. I pledge to walk the path of fidelity to you. Grant me the grace to persevere always and to give others an example to help them through the gate.

Resolution: I will reach out to a relative who is estranged from the Church, reflecting some of the love of Christ the Good Shepherd with hopes it will direct him or her to the gate.

Homily of the Day

April 27, 2015

That We Might Have Life

The final words of today’s Gospel are a clear expression of Jesus’
purpose in coming amongst us. Jesus had been speaking of his followers
as his sheep and of himself as the Good Shepherd. Then he puts aside
all images and very clearly enunciates the purpose of his life on this
earth: “I came that they may have life and have it to the full.”

You’ll notice that Jesus doesn’t say “spiritual life” or “life of the
spirit.” He says simply “life.” The Jews, and Jesus himself did not
tend to make the neat distinctions we make so blithely today among the
different aspects of life: physical life, emotional life, psychological
life, moral life, etc.

This approach to the life of men and women, unfortunately, fragments
the human person and has clearly made health in the holistic sense, far
more difficult to attain. Just watch Jesus, however, as he goes about
his task of improving life. He cures the sick, brings peace to the
troubled soul, drives evil spirits out of those possessed. To all he
preaches the law of love, which is the only basis on which to build a
happy community. For Jesus life is one, a single reality, and whenever
life is diminished-it doesn’t matter what aspect of life we’re talking
about-Jesus is there to restore it. He wants all men and women to enjoy
life to the full.

We Christians are Christ-bearers, and therefore we must be
life-bearers. We are to increase the life of all those we touch that
they might grow toward the fullness of life which Christ has come to
give us. All aspects of human life are precious. We are called by
Christ to increase humankind’s life in all its aspects until the
kingdom of heaven on earth approaches perfection and blossoms into the
kingdom of God in heaven. This is our obligation, to increase life, no
matter what aspect of life we are addressing.

One Bread, One Body

Language: English | Español

All Issues > Volume 31, Issue 3

<< Monday, April 27, 2015 >>

Acts 11:1-18
View Readings

Psalm 42:2-3; 43:3-4

John 10:1-10
Similar Reflections

THE THROUGH-WAY

"My solemn word is this: I am the Sheepgate." —John 10:7

Jesus is not only the Good Shepherd (Jn 10:11); He is also the Lamb of God (Jn 1:29) and even the Sheepgate. Don't let anyone enter your life, family, or community except through Jesus. For example, don't marry anyone who tries to enter your life through mere friendship or sexual attraction. Don't let people into your life just because of business or money. TV personalities, athletes, and entertainers have a major influence in millions of people's lives, but they probably have not entered through the Sheepgate, Jesus. "Whoever does not enter the sheepfold through the gate but climbs in some other way is a thief and a marauder" (Jn 10:1).

Not only are others trying to enter our lives, but we are entering their lives and worlds. Jesus promises: "I am the Gate. Whoever enters through Me will be safe. He will go in and out, and find pasture" (Jn 10:9). Whatever you get into, make sure it's Jesus' idea. Live in, with, and through Jesus. Then you will be safe rather than hurt, fed rather than drained. If we enter things through our pride, desires, intellect, or selfishness, we will be ripped off, slaughtered, and destroyed (Jn 10:10). If we make Jesus our only Gate, our only Way (Jn 14:6), we will have the fullness of life (Jn 10:10). Jesus is the Through-Way.

Prayer: Father, I pray to You through the Son and in the Spirit.

Promise: "When they heard this they...began to glorify God in these words: 'If this be so, then God has granted life-giving repentance even to the Gentiles.' " —Acts 11:18

Praise: Imitating her beloved Blessed Mother, Sandra forgave the drunk driver who killed her son.

And the baby says, "My mom's REALLY going to kill me."