August, 2018

The Holy Father's Prayer Intention

Universal – The Treasure of Families, That any far-reaching decisions of economists and politicians may protect the family as one of the treasures of humanity.

'From this valley of tears, turn your gaze continually to God, ever awaiting the moment when you will be united to Him in heaven. Often contemplate heaven, and fervently exclaim: What a beautiful abode there is above! It is destined for us! Sigh longingly after its possession. Sometimes say, while your eyes are moist with tears: Nothing in this world pleases me; I no longer care for anything but my God. Yes, I hope, yes, I wish to possess Him, and I hope this of the mercy of God, through the merits of my Saviour's Passion and the dolors of my good Mother Mary.'

St. Paul of the Cross

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).

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/3677067/posts

Saint of the Day — Transfiguration of the Lord

Transfigured!
Blessed Grapes and Hymns of Glory: The Feast of the Transfiguration in the Eastern Churches
God holds for you nothing less than Himself (Augustine of Hippo on the Transfiguration)
The blessings of grapes (Feast of the Transfiguration)
The feast of the Transfiguration in the Western-Syrian tradition
WDTPRS – Transfiguration: in the Son our own “sonship” more fully revealed

[CATHOLIC/ORTHODOX CAUCUS] 4th Luminous Mystery: The Transfiguration (Patristic Rosary)
[CATHOLIC/ORTHODOX CAUCUS] Pope leaves Castel Gandolfo on unannounced pilgrimage for Transfiguration
[CATHOLIC / ORTHODOX CAUCUS] On the Feast of the Transfiguration: A Meditation on Seeing
Roman and Byzantine Catholics to celebrate feast of the Transfiguration
Inexpressible Joy: Meditation on the Transfiguration (Excerpt-Surrender: A Guide for Prayer)
Pope: No Resurrection Without the Cross (Reflects on Gospel Account of Transfiguration)
Homilies preached by Father Altier on the Feast of the Transfiguration
Maronite Catholic: Hoosoyo of the Transfiguration
Transfiguration
AUGUST 6 - FEAST OF THE TRANSFIGURATION
It Is Good For Us To Be Here: The Transfiguration of the Lord

Information: The Transfiguration of the Lord

Feast Day: August 6

Holy Spirit Interactive Kids: A Saint a Day

The Transfiguration

Feast Day: August 6

The Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke tell us about the wonderful event of the Lord's Transfiguration. Before he suffered and died, he let three of his apostles see him shining with great glory. He did this to make their belief in him stronger.

Jesus took Peter, James and John with him up Mount Tabor which stands in the middle of Galilee. When they were alone, suddenly the Lord's face began to shine bright like the sun. His robes became white as snow. The apostles were speechless. As they watched, two famous prophets who had died a long time ago, Elijah and Moses, appeared. They were talking with Jesus. Imagine the joy those apostles felt.

"Lord," said St. Peter, "it is good for us to be here. If you wish, we could set up three tents here - one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." Peter really did not know what he was saying, because he was trembling with wonder and fear. As he was talking, a bright cloud overshadowed them. From the cloud they heard the voice of God the Father, saying, "This is my beloved Son; listen to him."

When they heard that, the apostles were so frightened that they fell on their faces. Then Jesus came close and touched them. "Arise," he said. "Do not be afraid." When they looked up, they saw no one but Jesus.

As they came down the mountain, Jesus told them not to tell anyone what they had seen until he had risen from the dead but they did not understand what Jesus meant. Only after his glorious resurrection on Easter Sunday, would they understand what Jesus had really meant.

Information: The Transfiguration of the Lord

Feast Day: August 6

CATHOLIC ALMANAC

Monday, August 6

Liturgical Color: White

Pope Paul VI died on this day in 1978. He wrote the
encyclical Humanae Vitae, outlining the dangers of
not respecting life. His dire predictions of the
harmful effects of disregard for life have proven true.

Catholic Culture

Ordinary Time: August 6th

Feast of the Transfiguration

MASS READINGS

August 06, 2018 (Readings on USCCB website)

COLLECT PRAYER

O God, who in the glorious Transfiguration of your Only Begotten Son confirmed the mysteries of faith by the witness of the Fathers and wonderfully prefigured our full adoption to sonship, grant, we pray, to your servants, that, listening to the voice of your beloved Son, we may merit to become co-heirs with him. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

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Old Calendar: Transfiguration of Our Lord; St. Sixtus II, pope & Felicissimus & Agapitus, martyrs

This feast became widespread in the West in the 11th century and was introduced into the Roman calendar in 1457 to commemorate the victory over Islam in Belgrade. Before that, the Transfiguration of the Lord was celebrated in the Syrian, Byzantine, and Coptic rites. The Transfiguration foretells the glory of the Lord as God, and His Ascension into heaven. It anticipates the glory of heaven, where we shall see God face to face. Through grace, we already share in the divine promise of eternal life.

According to the 1962 Missal of St. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, in addition to the Feast of the Transfiguration; today is also the feast Sts. Sixtus II and Felicissimus & Agapitus who were martyred during the persecution of Valerian.

The Transfiguration
Our divine Redeemer, being in Galilee about a year before His sacred Passion, took with him St. Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, Sts. James and John, and led them to a retired mountain. Tradition assures us that this was Mount Thabor, which is exceedingly high and beautiful, and was anciently covered with green trees and shrubs, and was very fruitful. It rises something like a sugar-loaf, in a vast plain in the middle of Galilee. This was the place in which the Man-God appeared in His glory.

Whilst Jesus prayed, he suffered that glory which was always due to his sacred humility, and of which, for our sake, He deprived it, to diffuse a ray over His whole body. His face was altered and shone as the sun, and his garments became white as snow. Moses and Elias were seen by the three apostles in his company on this occasion, and were heard discoursing with him of the death which he was to suffer in Jerusalem.

The three apostles were wonderfully delighted with this glorious vision, and St. Peter cried out to Christ, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three tents: one for thee, one for Moses, and one for Elias" Whilst St. Peter was speaking, there came, on a sudden, a bright shining cloud from heaven, an emblem of the presence of God's majesty, and from out of this cloud was heard a voice which said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him" The apostles that were present, upon hearing this voice, were seized with a sudden fear, and fell upon the ground; but Jesus, going to them, touched them, and bade them to rise. They immediately did so, and saw no one but Jesus standing in his ordinary state.

This vision happened in the night. As they went down the mountain early the next morning, Jesus bade them not to tell any one what they had seen till he should be risen from the dead.

Excerpted from Butler's Lives of the Saints, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]

In the Transfiguration Christ enjoyed for a short while that glorified state which was to be permanently His after His Resurrection on Easter Sunday. The splendor of His inward Divinity and of the Beatific Vision of His soul overflowed on His body, and permeated His garments so that Christ stood before Peter, James, and John in a snow-white brightness. The purpose of the Transfiguration was to encourage and strengthen the Apostles who were depressed by their Master's prediction of His own Passion and Death. The Apostles were made to understand that His redeeming work has two phases: The Cross, and glory—that we shall be glorified with Him only if we first suffer with Him.

— Rt. Rev. Msgr. Rudolph G. Bandas

Sts. Sixtus II & Felicissimus & Agapitus
The Martyrs Archdeacon Laurence, Pope Sixtus, Deacons Felicissimus and Agapitus, the Soldier Romanus were citizens of Rome, and suffered in the year 258 under the emperor Valerian (253-259). Holy Pope Sixtus, born at Athens, received a fine education, preached in Spain and was made bishop in Rome following the martyr's death of Holy Pope Stephen. These were times when a pope occupying the Roman throne, was known to choose death for the faith. In a short while St Sixtus also was arrested and put in prison together with his deacons Felicissimus and Agapitus.

When the holy archdeacon Laurence visited Pope Sixtus, whom they held in prison, he cried out with tears: "Whither art thou gone, father? Why hast thou forsaken thine archdeacon, with whom always thou hast offered the Bloodless Sacrifice? Take thy son with thee, that I may be thy companion in having blood shed for Christ!" St Sixtus answered him: "I have not forsaken thee, my son. I am old and go to an easy death, but yet greater sufferings await thee. Know, that after three days upon our death thou shalt follow after me. And now go, take the church treasury and distribute it to the poor and needy Christians." St Laurence zealously did the bidding of the holy hierarch.

Having heard, that Pope Sixtus had been taken to trial with the deacons, St Laurence went there so as to witness their deed, and he said to the holy bishop: "Father, I have already fulfilled thy command, and distributed by hand thine treasury; forsake me not!" Hearing something about treasure, soldiers put him under guard, and the other martyrs were beheaded (+6 August 258).

The Word Among Us

Meditation: 2 Peter 1:16-19

The Transfiguration of the Lord (Feast)

Be attentive to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place. (2 Peter 1:19)

Peter was one of only three witnesses to the Lord’s transfiguration. Along with James and John, he saw Jesus glorified; he saw Moses and Elijah talking with him; he heard God’s voice of approval. Now, decades later, Peter is talking about this glorious event: “We had been eyewitnesses of his majesty . . . while we were with him on the holy mountain” (2 Peter 1:16, 18). Clearly, the transfiguration was one of the most memorable things Peter had ever witnessed.

You might expect Peter to talk about the transfiguration in glowing terms as a special revelation given to him—and he did. You might expect him to sing of the glory of the transfigured Christ—and he did. But he also described this glimpse into heaven as a light in the midst of darkness. Peter understood that Jesus had given him this vision as a way to encourage and prepare him for the darkness that would engulf him when Jesus faced his passion. Hold on to this vision, Peter. Recall it when you are tempted to give up hope. I am the Son of God, and I will rise again.

That’s a message we all need to hear. It can seem as if no matter where we look, we see darkness—war, poverty, crime, abortion, broken families. All of these realities can discourage us and tempt us to give up on the call to holiness.

But remember Peter’s words: the transfiguration of Christ reveals the true, unchanging foundation to all of reality. Jesus is glorified. He is the Father’s beloved Son. He reigns over everything. Even if evil seems triumphant, Jesus’ light is still stronger than the darkness.

Look around, and you’ll find glimmers of light in unexpected places—in acts of compassion for the suffering, in acts of courage in the face of evil, in acts of self-sacrifice for the sake of a stranger or loved one. Just as Jesus’ love shone during his own crucifixion, his light can shine in every dark corner today. That light will continue to shine until Jesus comes again. Place your faith in him, and it will shine more and more brightly in you too.

“Jesus, help me to fix my eyes on you in the midst of the darkness.”

Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14
Psalm 97:1-2, 5-6, 9
Mark 9:2-10

Daily Gospel Commentary

St. John Damascene (c.675-749)
monk, theologian, Doctor of the Church
Homily for the Feast of the Transfiguration; PG 96, 545

"A high mountain apart"

In former times, the smoke and tempest, darkness and fire on Mount Sinai (Ex 19:16f.) revealed God's extraordinary condescension, which showed that he who gave the Law was inaccessible... and that the Creator is made known by his works. But now everything is filled with light and radiance. For the architect and Lord of all things has come from the bosom of his Father. He has not left his own domain, namely his seat in the Father's breast, but has descended to be with us slaves. He has assumed the condition of a slave and become man in both nature and expression (Phil 2:7) so that the God who is incomprehensible to man might become comprehensible. Through and in himself he manifests the splendor of the divine nature.

Formerly, God united man with his own grace. When he breathed the spirit of life into the man newly formed from the dust, when he gave him all the best things he had, he honored him with his own image and likeness (Gn 1:27). He gave him Eden as his home and made him near brother to the angels. But since we obscured and obliterated the divine image beneath the mud of our uncontrolled desires, the Compassionate One entered into a second form of communion with us, even more certain and exceptional than the first. While still remaining in the heights of his divinity he yet accepted what is beneath him, creating human nature within himself. He mingled the archetype with its image and today reveals his own beauty within it.

His face shone like the sun for he is identified in his divinity with immaterial light; hence he has become the Sun of justice (Mal 3:20). But his clothing became white as snow since it takes on this glory superficially, not by union, nor by relation, nor by nature. And “a cloud covered them with its shadow”, thus making available to the senses the shining radiance of the Spirit.

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

Daily Marriage Tip for August 6, 2018:

“From the cloud came a voice, ‘This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.’” Mk 9:7 On this feast of the Transfiguration, spend some time with your spouse reflecting on the voice of God. Are you listening to Him when you make big and small decisions in your marriage?

Regnum Christi

August 6, 2018 – Love’s Labor Transfigured

Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord

Mark 9: 2-10

Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother John, and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them. Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were conversing with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified. Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; from the cloud came a voice, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with them.

As they were coming down from the mountain, he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone, except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So, they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what rising from the dead meant.

Introductory Prayer: Lord, I believe in your wondrous shining glory, although this is hidden from my eyes. I hope in the peace and everlasting joy of the world to come, for this world is a valley of tears. I love you, even though I am not always able to discern the love in your intentions when you permit me to suffer. You are my God and my all.

Petition: Lord, detach my heart from the world, and allow me to live for love of you.

The Great Exodus: Jesus was conversing with Moses and Elijah about his exodus: the liberation of mankind from the slavery to sin. He was not speaking about the miracles he would perform, the comforts or beauty of this world, or the ambitions he might hold. He was not concerned with the opportunities he might have to use his talents, to achieve great things, to win esteem from others, to make a name for himself, or to rest and relax. Jesus was not speaking about any of these things. His only desire was his exodus – his suffering and death and departure from this world to glorify his Father, fulfilling his will by saving mankind.

The Promised Land: Our hearts can love and be attached to many things: ambitions, desires, hopes, esteem, comfort, getting things done, using our talents, self-fulfillment. Our Lord chose to subordinate all these possibilities to the love of his Father. This is what it means to follow Christ and be “detached” from the world: to be ready to give up any of these goods for love of Christ, should he require us to do so. We must be so in love with Christ that we esteem him more than all these other loves. This is the true Promised Land and true liberation from the slavery of egoism. The fruits of dying to self in this way are joy, peace, love and eternal life.

Rising from a Seed: “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat” (John 12:24). All our loves must be purified, dying like seeds in the ground, because all of our loves have a strong element of self-centeredness embedded in them. It is this self-centeredness that must be uprooted and die. If we analyze what we love, we will see that this is true. A wife who loves her husband may experience a self-centered aspect of her love that causes her to seek to control him. A father who loves his son might punish him out of his anger instead of for the son’s greater good. The self-centered element of our love impoverishes and tarnishes it, causing us, in reality, to love much less than we are capable of loving.

Conversation with Christ: Lord, free my heart from every selfish aspect of my love. Help me make that generous step of “dying to self” in this way. Help me to understand that this will always lead to true freedom and joy in my heart and to a greater capacity of true self-giving.

Resolution: I will make a generous decision to overcome some area of selfishness in a relationship today.

Homily of the Day

August 6, 2018

Just like the apostles, we are all invited by God to climb the mountain. God will give us our moments of consolation. But, the real test will come when we have descended from the mountain to face the challenges of life. Will our perception of God change when we are burdened and overwhelmed by the frustrations in life? Because of our weakness, will we deny Jesus like Peter? Will we be like the apostles and abandon him because we cannot cope with our fear?

We hope, in those moments, God will give us the grace to recognize Him, that His love will help us win back our dignity, and that His strength will enable us to continue life’s challenges together with Him. Also, we hope that our sights will be directed toward the eternal.

Who do you say the Son of Man is?

One Bread, One Body

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All Issues > Volume 34, Issue 5

<< Monday, August 6, 2018 >>

Transfiguration of the Lord

Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14
2 Peter 1:16-19
View Readings

Psalm 97:1-2, 5-6, 9
Mark 9:2-10
Similar Reflections

EYE-OPENERS AND EAR-OPENERS

"Listen to Him." �Mark 9:7

After Pentecost until the end of the Church year, we begin six months of intensive work in evangelizing the world and building God's kingdom. As we enter the third month of working, we may be bogged down. We can blame it on the "summertime blues" or the heat of the day. We often blame other people for our problems; especially we like to blame the Church.

Maybe, however, "the trouble is in our set," that is, on our end, and has nothing to do with the temperature or the season of the year. Maybe we're simply not listening to Jesus. We need to see Jesus transfigured before us and hear a voice saying: "This is My Son, My Beloved. Listen to Him" (Mk 9:7). We need to keep our attention closely fixed on the prophetic message (2 Pt 1:19). We need anything that will open our ears to hear the Lord.

May this feast of the Transfiguration be an eye-opening and especially an ear-opening experience. "Let him who has ears heed the Spirit's word to the churches!" (Rv 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22)

Prayer: Father, may Your voice pierce the darkness and confusion in my life.

Promise: "He received dominion, glory, and kingship; nations and peoples of every language serve Him." —Dn 7:14

Praise: Praise You, Jesus, transfigured, crucified, risen, ascended, and glorified!

"We have the duty to protect the life of an unborn child." ~Ronald Reagan

August 6, 2018

Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord

Reading 1 Dn 7:9-10, 13-14

Responsorial Psalm Ps 97:1-2, 5-6, 9

Reading 2 2 Pt 1:16-19

Alleluia Mt 17:5c

Gospel Mk 9:2-10

August, 2018

The Holy Father's Prayer Intention

Universal – The Treasure of Families, That any far-reaching decisions of economists and politicians may protect the family as one of the treasures of humanity.

The Transfiguration

Ordinary Time: August 6th

Feast of the Transfiguration

MASS READINGS

COLLECT PRAYER

Recipes (4)

Activities (2)

Prayers (3)

Library (2)

Meditation: 2 Peter 1:16-19

August 6, 2018 – Love’s Labor Transfigured

One Bread, One Body

EYE-OPENERS AND EAR-OPENERS

"We have the duty to protect the life of an unborn child." ~Ronald Reagan