St. Michael the Archangel

~ PRAYER ~

St. Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle
Be our protection against the wickedness
and snares of the devil;
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God,
Cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits
who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen
+

Feast of
the Holy Name of Jesus

Luke 2:21 "...Et vocatum est Nomen eius IESUS"
("And His Name was called JESUS")

Psalm 90:14 "Because he hoped in me I will deliver him:
I will protect him because he hath known My Name."

Zacharias 10:12 "I will strengthen them in the Lord,
and they shall walk in His Name, saith the Lord."

Apocalypse 3:8 "I know thy works. Behold, I have given before thee a door opened, which no man can shut: because thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied My Name."

Apocalypse 15:4 "Who shall not fear Thee, O Lord, and magnify Thy Name?..."

Blessed be the most holy Name of Jesus without end!

January Devotion: The Holy Name of Jesus

The month of January is traditionally dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus. This feast is also celebrated on January 3. Here is an explanation of the devotion.

Since the 16th century Catholic piety has associated entire months to special devotions. The devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus has been traditionally associated with the month of January, due to its celebration on January 3. The name Jesus was given to the Holy Child at God's command (Luke 1:31). The Holy Name is all-powerful because of the Person who bears it; we honor it because of the command of Christ, that we should pray in His Name and because it reminds us of all the blessings we receive through our Holy Redeemer. Hence St. Paul was able to write to the Philippians: ". . . at the name of Jesus every knee should bend of those in heaven, on earth, and under the earth" (Phil. 2:10). By means of this devotion we also make amends for improper use of the Holy Name.

Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954

Prayer/Hymn in Honor of the Most Holy Name of Jesus - Iesu, Dulcis Memoria

Iesu, Dulcis Memoria is a celebrated 12th century hymn attributed to St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153), Doctor Mellifluus. The entire hymn has some 42 to 53 stanzas depending upon the manuscript. Parts of this hymn were used for the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus, which was formerly celebrated on the Sunday between the Circumcision and Epiphany, or failing such a Sunday, on January 2. The part below was used at Vespers. In the liturgical revisions of Vatican II, the feast was deleted, though a votive Mass to the Holy Name of Jesus had been retained for devotional use. With the release of the revised Roman Missal in March 2002, the feast was restored as an optional memorial on January 3.

Jesus, the very thought of Thee
With sweetness fills the breast!
Yet sweeter far Thy face to see
And in Thy presence rest.

No voice can sing, no heart can frame,
Nor can the memory find,
A sweeter sound than Jesus' name,
The Savior of mankind.

O hope of every contrite heart!
0 joy of all the meek!
To those who fall, how kind Thou art!
How good to those who seek!

But what to those who find? Ah! this
Nor tongue nor pen can show
The love of Jesus, what it is,
None but His loved ones know.

Jesus! our only hope be Thou,
As Thou our prize shalt be;
In Thee be all our glory now,
And through eternity. Amen.

---Roman Breviary

Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954

O Divine Jesus, Thou hast promised that anything we ask of the Eternal Father in Thy name shall be granted.

O Eternal Father. In the name of Jesus, for the love of Jesus, in fulfillment of this promise, and because Jesus has said it, grant us our petitions for the sake of Jesus, Thy Divine Son. Amen.

Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954

That at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Phil:2:10-11

The Most Holy Name
The Power of Jesus’ Name
What does IHS stand for? The meaning of the Holy Name of Jesus [Catholic Caucus]
Litany Of The Holy Name of Jesus
Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus
Jesus, The Name above all Names
Devotion to the Holy Name (of Jesus) [Catholic Caucus]
Lessons In Iconography : The Chi Rho - Christ
St. Francis de Sales on the Most Holy Name of Jesus (Excerpt from a Sermon) (Catholic Caucus)
St. Francis de Sales on the Most Holy Name of Jesus (Catholic/Orthodox Caucus)

St. Bernard on the Most Holy Name of Jesus [Ecumenical]
Saving the day in His Holy Name: St. Genevieve gets a reprieve [Catholic Caucus]
The Holy Name of Jesus
Holy Name of Jesus [San Bernadino of Siena] Ecumenical
The Holy Name of Jesus
Devotion to the Holy Name [of Jesus]
The Name of Jesus: Its Power in Our Lives
The Holy Name of Jesus
Devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus
The Holy Name of Jesus

Philippians 2
9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Pope’s Intention for January

Evangelization - Promotion of World Peace

Peace We pray that Christians, followers of other religions, and all people of goodwill may promote peace and justice in the world.

Nothing can be more dangerous than keeping wicked companions. They communicate the infection of their vices to all who associate with them.

St. John Baptiste de la Salle

The Angelus

The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary:
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of
our death. Amen.

Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word.

Hail Mary . . .

And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary . . .

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:

Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord.

Amen.

"Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you" (Lk 1:28)

"Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb"
(Lk 1:42).

St. Raymond of Penyafort

Catholic Culture

Christmas: January 7th

Optional Memorial of St. Raymond of Penafort, priest; St. Andre Bessette, religious (Can)

MASS READINGS

January 07, 2020 (Readings on USCCB website)

COLLECT PRAYER

O God, who adorned the Priest Saint Raymond with the virtue of outstanding mercy and compassion for sinners and for captives, grant us, through his intercession, that, released from slavery to sin, we may carry out in freedom of spirit what is pleasing to you. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

show

Recipes (4)

show

Activities (4)

show

Prayers (8)

show

Library (1)

Doctrines of Dominican Theology | J. A. McHugh O.P., S.T.M., Litt.,D.

» Enjoy our Liturgical Seasons series of e-books!

Old Calendar: Feria

Born in Barcelona, Spain, St. Raymond of Penafort was the third Superior-General of the Domincan Order. He is famous for his work in the freeing of slaves. He wrote five books of Decretals which are now a valuable part of the Canon Law of the Church. The Summa Casuum, which is about the correct and fruitful administration of the Sacrament of Penance, is the most notable of his works. In the 1962 Extraordinary Form Calendar, St. Raymond's feast is January 23.

The Church in Canada celebrates the feast of St. Andre Bessette today rather than on January 6 as in the United States.

St. Raymond of Penafort - Day Fourteen
St. Raymond devoted much of his life to helping the poor. The famous incident which is recounted in the story of Raymond's life took place when he went with King James to Majorca. The King dismissed Raymond's request to return home. Relying on his faith and love of God, Raymond walked on the waves to his ship, spread his cloak to make a sail, made the sign of the cross then sailed to the distant harbor of Barcelona.

For St. Raymond's feast we should remember that, "carolling and story telling belong to the whole Christmas season. Hospitality and giving to others also must continue if true Christmas joy is to remain. An outing to which friends are invited or a party that includes a round of carolling become perhaps even more appropriate with the approach of Epiphany." — Excerpted from The Twelve Days of Christmas

Day Fourteen activity (Legend of the Little Girl)
Day Fourteen recipe (Christstollen)

St. Raymond of Penafort
The blessed Raymond was born at Barcelona, of the noble family of Penafort. Having been imbued with the rudiments of the Christian faith, the admirable gifts he had received, both of mind and body, were such that even when quite a boy he seemed to promise great things in his later life.

Whilst still young, he taught humanities in Barcelona. Later on, he went to Bologna, where he applied himself with much diligence to the exercises of a virtuous life, and to the study of canon and civil law. He there received the Doctor's cap, and interpreted the sacred canons so ably that he was the admiration of his hearers. The holiness of his life becoming known far and wide, Berengarius, the Bishop of Barcelona, when returning to his diocese from Rome, visited Bologna in order to see him; and after most earnest entreaties, induced Raymond to accompany him to Barcelona. He was shortly after made Canon and Provost of that Church, and became a model to the clergy and people by his uprightness, modesty, learning and meekness. His tender devotion to the Holy Mother of God was extraordinary, and he never neglected an opportunity of zealously promoting the devotion and honor which are due to her.

When he was about forty-five years of age, he made his solemn profession in the Order of the Friars Preachers. He then, as a soldier but just entered into service, devoted himself to the exercise of every virtue, but above all to charity to the poor, and this mainly to the captives who had been taken by the infidels. It was by his exhortation that St Peter Nolasco (who was his penitent) was induced to devote all his riches to this work of most meritorious charity. The Blessed Virgin appeared to Peter, as also to blessed Raymond and to James the First, King of Aragon, telling them that it would be exceedingly pleasing to herself and her divine Child, if an Order of Religious men were instituted whose mission it should be to deliver captives from the tyranny of infidels. Whereupon, after deliberating together, they founded the Order of our Lady of Mercy for the Ransom of Captives; and blessed Raymond drew up certain rules of life, which were admirably adapted to the spirit and vocation of the said Order. Some years after, he obtained their approbation from Gregory the Ninth, and made St Peter Nolasco, to whom he gave the habit with his own hands, first General of the Order.

Raymond was called to Rome by the same Pope, who appointed him to be his Chaplain, Penitentiary, and Confessor. It was by Gregory's order that he collected together, in the volume called the Decretals, the Decrees of the Roman Pontiffs, which were to be found separately in the various Councils and Letters. He was most resolute in refusing the Archbishopric of Tarragona, which the same Pontiff offered to him, and, of his own accord resigned the Generalship of the Dominican Order, which office he had discharged in a most holy manner for the space of two years. He persuaded James the King of Aragon to establish in his dominions the Holy Office of the Inquisition. He worked many miracles; among which is that most celebrated one of his having, when returning to Barcelona from the island of Majorca, spread his cloak upon the sea, and sailed upon it, in the space of six hours, the distance of a hundred and sixty miles, and having reached his convent, entered it through the closed doors. At length, when he had almost reached the hundredth year of his age, and was full of virtue and merit, he slept in the Lord, in the year of the Incarnation 1275. He was canonized by Pope Clement the Eighth.

Patron: Attorneys; barristers; canonists; lawyers; medical record librarians.

Things to Do:

St. Raymond diligently studied Canon Law. Spend some time learning what are the obligations and rights of the laity under Church law.
Learn more about the Spanish Inquistion.
St. Raymond contributed much to the understanding of the Sacrament of Penance. Make sure your family knows the Act of Contrition and says it every day.

Marriage = One Man and One Woman Until Death Do Us Part

Daily Marriage Tip for January 7, 2020:

Even if it’s not your cup of tea, sometimes it’s worth doing something with your spouse, just because it pleases the other person. For example, watch her favorite movie or his favorite sport, try dancing together, take a lesson…

One Bread, One Body

Language: English | Espanol

All Issues > Volume 36, Issue 1

<< Tuesday, January 7, 2020 >>

St. Raymond of Pe�afort

1 John 4:7-10
View Readings

Psalm 72:1-4, 7-8

Mark 6:34-44
Similar Reflections

DO I LOVE?

"Love, then, consists in this: not that we have loved God but that He has loved us and has sent His Son as an Offering for our sins." �1 John 4:10

Every Christmas season, the Lord through the Church calls us to read, pray, and live the first letter of John. In this letter, the Lord calls us His "beloved," who are called to love one another (1 Jn 4:7). The Lord God even reveals that He is Love and those who abide in Love abide in Him (1 Jn 4:16).

Because God is Love, it is most important that we love Him, others, and even our enemies. Therefore, it stands to reason that the devil, "the father of lies" (Jn 8:44), would specialize in lying to us about love. Almost everyone thinks of themselves as a loving person, but our self-seeking lifestyles, broken relationships, separated families, divided Church, and culture of death present incontrovertible evidence that the love of many people is growing cold (Mt 24:12). Ironically, lukewarm commitment to the Lord (see Rv 3:16) results in a love gone cold, and Christianity in much of the world is obviously lukewarm. Are you truly in love?

This Christmas season, let us admit and repent of our lovelessness. When we face where we are, we can grow into the love which at present we may only pretend to have. Let us allow Jesus, our true Love, to give us true love.

Prayer: Father, purify me "by obedience to the truth...for a genuine love" (1 Pt 1:22).

Promise: "The people took their places in hundreds and fifties, neatly arranged like flower beds. Then, taking the five loaves and the two fish, Jesus raised His eyes to heaven, pronounced a blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples to distribute. He divided the two fish among all of them and they ate until they had their fill." —Mk 6:40-42

Praise: In the Thirteenth Century, Pope Gregory IX entrusted St. Raymond with the enormous task of systematizing the Church's decrees. His thorough work remained the basis for canon law until 1917.

Recipe for a Miracle

Ingredients:
1 cup of tension
2 cups Stress
1 1/2 teaspoons of Guilt
2 heaping cups of Limited Time
3/4 tablespoon of Urgency
A dash of “No Other Choice”
3 heaping cups of Faith

Directions:
Fold ingredients gently into a bowl.
Mix vigorously and add a few tears.
You’ll sweat a little as you knead the dough.
Pack it firmly between your hopes and dreams and form into a perfect little ball.
Sprinkle it with a little faith, rolling the ball in the flour until fully covered.
Place it under a veil of belief and allow it to rise.
Put it in an oven that has been pre-set at the perfect temperature for the heat of trials and tribulations.
Allow it to brown under the warmth of God’s love

. Remove after due season and allow to cool in the confidence of His promise.
Garnish with your praises.
Arrange neatly on a platter of thankfulness and serve to friends, families and, oh yes, strangers... invite them too!

Homily of the Day

January 7, 2020

Tuesday after Epiphany

One of the difficulties of our Christian journey is to have to understand the teachings of Jesus, given our limited human capability to understand. How can we never be hungry and never be thirsty? Even with the scientific advancements of the 21st century, there hasn’t been a discovery of a certain food or drink that can sustain us forever.

But what Jesus tells us is not about the sustenance of the body but rather, food for the soul. What seems to be universal is the hunger that is felt from within. We reach a time in our lives when we search for something more. There is this singer of Christian songs who was once interviewed. She was quite popular in her younger years as a pop singer so she was able to experience the wealth, fame and glory which a lot of people aspire. Eventually, she got married and had kids. Basing on world standards, she was truly successful. When asked what made her decide to embark on singing Christian songs, she said that she felt something was missing in her life. It was when she found her faith that she felt complete. Singing Christian songs, though not as lucrative, has become her passion as a form of thanksgiving to God.

Thus, if we allow ourselves to listen to our souls, we embark on a journey to find that which can fill that hunger within. And we do not have to go far. Jesus showed us the way. He said, “Whoever comes to me shall never be hungry and whoever believes in me shall never be thirsty.”

St. Augustine expressed this hunger hauntingly with these words: “Thou hast created us for Thyself, and our heart is not quiet until it rests in Thee.”