September, 2018

The Holy Father's Prayer Intention

Universal – Young People in Africa, That young people in Africa may have access to education and work in their own countries.

'The poverty of a discontented religious is a useless expense.'

St. Thomas Aquinas

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/3688915/posts

Saint of the Day — Saint Januarius

Catholic Word of the Day: BLOOD OF ST. JANUARIUS, 05-14-12

San Gennaro miracle recurs (St. Januarius's blood liquefies) (Catholic Caucus)
Naples: The Miracle of St. Januarius Happens on Time this Year
San Gennaro Miracle Recurs (Catholic/Orthodox Caucus)
Naples hails annual miracle of liquefying blood (San Gennaro)
San Gennaro (St. Januarius): New Miracle
Miracle of San Gennaro Repeated (St. Januarius)
Sept. 19: St. Januarius, Bishop & Martyr, and His Companions, Martyrs (Gueranger)
The Life Of St. Januarius
Saint's Dried Blood Liquefies in 'Miracle'
Saint's Blood Liquefies - Good Omen for the World

CATHOLIC ALMANAC

Wednesday, September 19

Liturgical Color: Red

Today the Church honors St. Elias, a
4th century bishop in Egypt. He was
arrested during the persecution of
Diocletian and sent to work in a rock
quarry. He was martyred for his
insistence of continuing to celebrate
Mass after his arrest.

Information: St. Januarius

Feast Day: September 19

Born: 275, Benevento or Naples, Campania, Roman Empire

Died: 305, Pozzuoli, Campania

Major Shrine: Cathedral of San Gennaro, Naples, Italy

Patron of: blood banks; Naples; volcanic eruptions

Catholic Culture

Ordinary Time: September 19th

Optional Memorial of St. Januarius, bishop & martyr

MASS READINGS

September 19, 2018 (Readings on USCCB website)

COLLECT PRAYER

O God, who grant us to venerate the memory of the Martyr Saint Januarius, give us, we pray, the joy of his company in blessed happiness for all eternity. 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.

Look upon us, O God, Creator and ruler of all things, and, that we may feel the working of your mercy, grant that we may serve you With all our heart. 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.

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Recipes (1)

Pizzette di San Gennaro

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Activities (2)

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Prayers (3)

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Library (3)

» Enjoy our Liturgical Seasons series of e-books!

Old Calendar: St. Januarius and his Companions; Our Lady of La Salette ; Other Titles: St. Gennaro

Little is known about St. Januarius. He was Bishop of Benevento in Campania. He died near Naples, about the year 305, martyred under the persecution of Emperor Diocletian. Around the year 400 the relics of St. Januarius were moved to Naples, which honors Januarius as a patron saint. He supposedly protected Naples from a threatened eruption of the volcano Mt. Vesuvius. The "miracle of Januarius" has world-wide fame. At least three times a year—on his feast day, December 16 and the first Sunday of May—the sealed vial with congealed blood of the saint liquifies, froths and bubbles up. This miraculous event has occurred every year, with rare exceptions. Popular tradition holds that the liquefaction is a sign that the year will be preserved from disasters. (In 1939, the beginning of World War II, the blood did not bubble up.)

St. Januarius
Together with his deacons Socius and Festus, and his lector Desiderius, Januarius, bishop of Beneventum, was subjected to most atrocious torturing during the Diocletian persecution (about 304). Nevertheless, with God's aid they were preserved unmaimed. The wild animals let loose upon them would not attack. Beheaded at Puteoli, their bodies were reverently interred in the neighboring cities. Eventually the remains of St. Januarius became the prized possession of the city of Naples.

"Even to the present time the blood of the saint that is preserved in a glass vial will become fluid shortly after it is brought close to the head of the saint; then it bubbles up in a remarkable manner, as if it had just been shed" (Breviary). Cardinal Schuster makes this statement in his Liber Sacramentorum (vol. 8, p. 233): "The author has seen the marvel of the blood liquefaction at closest range and can give witness to the fact. Taking into consideration all the scientific investigations that have been made, he would say that a natural explanation of the phenomena does not seem possible."

Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch

Patron: patron of Naples, Italy; blood banks; volcanic eruptions.

Symbols: heated oven; two red vials on Bible; bishop's mitre (headdress); palm frond (symbol of martrydom); crown (of martyrdom).

Things to Do:

Find out more about this "miracle of Januarius", including pictures.
Have an Italian dinner.
If you live close to New York city you can participate in The Feast of San Gennaro celebrated in lower Manhattan.
Read more about St. Januarius at EWTN.

Our Lady of La Salette
On September 19, 1846, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Maximin Giraud and Melanie Calvat on the mountain of La Salette, France. After thorough investigation the Catholic Church gave approval to the message and secret of La Salette as written by Melanie. The account was published in Lecce on November 15, 1879 with the imprimatur of Bishop Zola of Lecce. Mary's message was much the same as at Fatima, "If my people do not wish to submit themselves, I am forced to let go of the hand of my Son. It is so heavy and weighs me down so much I can no longer keep hold of it." She lamented with tears those who do not keep Sunday holy and who take the name of the Lord in vain. She indicated that if men did not stop offending Our Lord the potato crop would fail. She gave Maximin his secret which he never revealed. She then turned to Melanie and gave her a secret which Melanie revealed 30 years later only to the Holy Father, who gave orders that it was never to be revealed.

She lamented with tears those who do not keep Sunday holy and who take the name of the Lord in vain. She indicated that if men did not stop offending Our Lord the potato crop would fail.

The Word Among Us

Meditation: 1 Corinthians 12:31–13:13

Saint Januarius, Bishop and Martyr (Optional Memorial)

Love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13:8)

Paul’s beautiful hymn of charity, as this passage is often called, paints the picture of a mature love filled with spiritual vitality. It’s not the textbook definition of love that we find in a dictionary, but a soaring hymn that expresses what Christian love looks like as it is lived out day by day. This love is patient and kind rather than irritable; it serves the needs of others and does not insist on its own way; it is not quick-tempered; and it doesn’t brood over injuries (1 Corinthians 13:4, 5).

Paul wrote this vigorous call to love to the Corinthians, a community that had been touched by the Lord in a powerful way, but that was also plagued by division, competition, and immorality. And so he urged them to let the love of Christ that they had experienced so powerfully at their conversion overcome their faults and heal their divisions. By appealing to love, Paul wanted to help the Corinthians recognize their own deepest desires. He knew that this was the one sure way to help them overcome their sins and grow in holiness.

As he wrote about growing from childish ways into mature faith, Paul surely had his own life in mind as well as the Corinthians’ lives. Paul had started out as a zealous young Pharisee who persecuted Christians. It took some time, even after his conversion, for him to calm down. But over time, he grew in his love for Jesus and became a more effective force for reconciliation and unity.

So make it a goal to grow in love. If you find yourself getting impatient, ask the Lord for the grace to be patient. If you find yourself getting consumed by anger, try to put on gentleness. If you find yourself getting puffed up by pride, ask the Spirit to give you a greater share in the gift of humility.

As we yield to God’s love in these ways, we can grow in our love for the Lord and for one another. Our love will mature, and we will naturally seek ways to live not only for ourselves, but also for everyone around us.

You can walk in Christian charity—if you keep walking with Jesus.

“Jesus, light the fire of your love in my heart, so that I can love you and love others with your own love aflame in me.”

Psalm 33:2-5, 12, 22
Luke 7:31-35

Daily Gospel Commentary

Saint John-Paul II
Pope from 1978 to 2005
Encyclical « Dives in Misericordia » § 13 (trans. © copyright Libreria Editrice Vaticana)

In the Church Christ calls us to conversion

The Church lives an authentic life when she professes and proclaims mercy-the most stupendous attribute of the Creator and of the Redeemer-and when she brings people close to the sources of the Savior's mercy, of which she is the trustee and dispenser. Of great significance in this area is constant meditation on the Word of God, and above all conscious and mature participation in the Eucharist and in the sacrament of Penance or Reconciliation.

The Eucharist brings us ever nearer to that love which is “more powerful than death” (Sg 8:6): "For as often as we eat this bread and drink this cup," we proclaim not only the death of the Redeemer but also His resurrection, "until he comes" in glory (Roman Missal; cf. 1Cor 11:26). The same Eucharistic rite, celebrated in memory of Him who in His messianic mission revealed the Father to us by means of His words and His cross, attests to the inexhaustible love by virtue of which He desires always to be united with us and present in our midst, coming to meet every human heart.

It is the sacrament of Penance or Reconciliation that “prepares the way” (Lk 3:3; Is 40:3) for each individual, even those weighed down with great faults. In this sacrament each person can experience mercy in a unique way, that is, the love which is more powerful than sin.

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

Daily Marriage Tip for September 19, 2018:

“Humbly regard others as more important than yourselves.” (Phil 2:3) Humility is a great asset in marriage, seeking to serve rather than be served. Open your heart to the needs of your spouse.

Regnum Christi

September 19, 2018 – Perpetually Dissatisfied

18 Sep 2018

Wednesday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Father Robert Presutti

Luke 7:31-35

“Then to what shall I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? They are like children who sit in the marketplace and call to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance. We sang a dirge, but you did not weep.’ For John the Baptist came neither eating food nor drinking wine, and you said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking and you said, ‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”

Introductory Prayer: Eternal God, prayer is your gift to me. I believe that you give me complete and unlimited access to your power and mercy. I want to value this gift of prayer above all things. As I begin this meditation, I renew my faith, my hope and my love for you.

Petition: Lord, give me discernment and constancy in my efforts to follow you.

Endless Excuses: Some very good and religious people in Jesus’ day complained about John the Baptist, precursor of the Messiah, because of his austere lifestyle. “He must be crazy,” they said. They also complained about Jesus’ apparently excessive liberality with sinners and nonbelievers. The habit of constantly sifting reality through our own preconceptions can lead us to reject the things of God. This is the opposite of faith. It is even the opposite of the healthy exercise of reason and has become a limiting rationalism. Rather than seeking to place God neatly in our own self-created and prearranged world, we need to let ourselves be shaped by God’s criteria.

Fickleness: Spiritual fickleness inevitable leads us to reject God. The inability to follow through on a particular spiritual path necessarily leaves us midcourse, far from the goal. It does not matter whether we follow the austerity of the disciple John or the apparently liberality of the disciples of Jesus. What matters is that we follow through to completion whatever particular path God has given us. As long as we move, God can guide our steps. If we don’t move, there is nothing to guide. Waiting around for some mythical “perfect conditions” is in reality capriciousness and unwillingness to commit.

Wisdom: Wisdom is a gift of the Holy Spirit by which we are able to see and comprehend the divine and human realities from God’s perspective. Wisdom leads to equilibrium and balance in our judgments and assessments. We prepare for this gift by our effort to make good decisions and live by them. The supernatural gifts build upon the human virtues.

Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, I am indebted to you for your teaching and for your example. Help me to learn from your life and your example and keep me from ever dismissing them as irrelevant. Help me to be constant in my resolutions so that I will continue to grow closer to you and serve you better.

Resolution: I will avoid making excuses today.

Homily of the Day

September 19, 2018

In his great hymn on love in his First Letter to the Corinthians, Paul extols the greatness and supremacy of love, now and forever.

We can test ourselves on what Paul wrote: Do we act out of love? Have we forgiven offensive people or remarks? Have we been kind at home to the family? Have we been grateful to and loving of God?

In the Gospel reading Jesus compares the people to little children who would not dance to dance music nor cry with funeral songs: they could not understand John the Baptist who neither ate nor drank and yet they complained about Jesus for eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners.

We need wisdom to properly understand and interpret the actions of people. John the Baptist led a life of penance and austerity: he was not possessed by an evil spirit. The Son of Man ate and drank with tax collectors and sinners: he was neither a glutton nor a drunkard; as commissioned by his Father, he sought out sinners to save them from their sins.

One Bread, One Body

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All Issues > Volume 34, Issue 5

<< Wednesday, September 19, 2018 >>

St. Januarius

1 Corinthians 12:31�13:13
View Readings

Psalm 33:2-5, 12, 22

Luke 7:31-35
Similar Reflections

ARE YOU LOVING?

"There are in the end three things that last: faith, hope, and love, and the greatest of these is love." �1 Corinthians 13:13

Without love we are nothing (1 Cor 13:2), and we gain nothing (1 Cor 13:3). "The man without love has known nothing of God, for God is Love" (1 Jn 4:8). Therefore, we all like to think of ourselves as loving. Yet are we actually loving?

Signs of true love are:

suffering patiently a long time for others (1 Cor 13:4 in the Greek),
kindly bearing others' burdens (1 Cor 13:4 in the Greek),
forgiving others and not counting how many times they have injured us (1 Cor 13:5),
choosing entertainment in which we rejoice "with the truth" (1 Cor 13:6),
loving our enemies (Mt 5:44),
loving practically the least of our brothers and sisters (Mt 25:40), and
sharing our faith, the greatest gift we have.

These are major signs of true love. If you find that you are loving, thank God for His grace and mercy. To God be the glory! If it seems that you are not very loving, neither ignore it nor despair. Repent! The Lord will forgive your lack of love and expect you only to try to accept His grace to grow in love. Love, and love more deeply, for God is Love (1 Jn 4:16).

Prayer: Father, send the Holy Spirit to reveal any self-deception in my life regarding love.

Promise: "Upright is the word of the Lord, and all His works are trustworthy." —Ps 33:4

Praise: The blood of St. Januarius, a martyr, liquefies and bubbles each year on his feast day, and on other occasions, when exposed in the Naples Cathedral.