Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 10-09-18, OM, St. Denis, Bishop & Martyr, St. John Leonardi

USCCB.org/RNAB ^ | 10-09-18 | Revised New American Bible

[Salvation]

 

October Devotion: The Holy Rosary
 

This feast was established by Pope Pius V to commemorate the great victory of the Christian army against the Turks in the Battle of Lepanto in 1571.

All soldiers on the battlefield prayed the Rosary for three hours and the wind has shifted in their favor. They were able to defeat an army three times bigger, in one of the greatest naval victory in history.

Pope Pius V named this the Feast of Our Lady of Victories, to be celebrated on October 7th.

In 1573, Pope Gregory XIII changed the title of this memorial to Feast of the Holy Rosary.

 

 

Pope Paul VI established the form that we celebrate this feast today, in 1969 under the name “Our Lady of the Rosary”.

“The celebration of this day invites all to mediate upon the mysteries of Christ, following the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary who was so singularly associated with the incarnation, passion and glorious resurrection of the Son of God.”

Madonna del Rosario

Caravaggio

1607

1.  Sign of the Cross:  In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

2.  The Apostles Creed:  I BELIEVE in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day He rose again. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty. From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

3.  The Lord's Prayer:  OUR Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

4. (3) Hail Mary:  HAIL Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen. (Three times)

5. Glory Be:  GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Fatima Prayer: Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of your mercy.

Announce each mystery, then say 1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, 1 Glory Be and 1 Fatima prayer.  Repeat the process with each mystery.

End with the Hail Holy Queen:

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve! To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears! Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus!

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Final step -- The Sign of the Cross

The Mysteries of the Rosary

By tradition, Catholics meditate on these Mysteries during prayers of the Rosary.
The biblical references follow each of the Mysteries below. 

The Joyful Mysteries
(Mondays and Saturdays)
1. The Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38) [Spiritual fruit - Humility]
2. The Visitation (Luke 1: 39-56) [Spiritual fruit - Love of Neighbor]
3. The Nativity (Luke 2:1-20) [Spiritual fruit - Poverty of Spirit]
4. The Presentation (Luke 2:21-38) [Spiritual fruit - Purity of mind & body]
5. The Finding of Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:41-52) [Spiritual fruit - Obedience ]

The Luminous Mysteries or Mysteries of Light
(Thursdays) see Rosarium Virginis Mariae
1. Jesus' Baptism in the Jordan (II Corinthians 5:21, Matthew 3:17 and parallels) [Spiritual fruit - Gratitude for the gift of Faith]
2. Jesus' self-manifestation at the wedding of Cana (John 2:1- 12) [Spiritual fruit - Fidelity]
3. Jesus' proclamation of the Kingdom of God, with His call to conversion (Mark 1:15, Mark 2:3-13; Luke 7:47- 48, John 20:22-23) [Spiritual fruit - Desire for Holiness]
4. Jesus' Transfiguration (Luke 9:35 and parallels) [Spiritual fruit - Spiritual Courage]
5. Jesus' institution of the Eucharist, as the sacramental expression of the Paschal Mystery. (Luke 24:13-35 and parallels, 1 Corinthians 11:24-25) [Spiritual fruit - Love of our Eucharistic Lord]

The Sorrowful Mysteries
(Tuesdays and Fridays)
1. The Agony in the Garden (Matthew 26:36-46, Luke 22:39-46) [Spiritual fruit - God's will be done]
2. The Scourging at the Pillar (Matthew 27:26, Mark 15:15, John 19:1) [Spiritual fruit - Mortification of the senses]
3. The Crowning with Thorns (Matthew 27:27-30, Mark 15:16-20, John 19:2) [Spiritual fruit - Reign of Christ in our heart]
4. The Carrying of the Cross (Matthew 27:31-32, Mark 15:21, Luke 23:26-32, John 19:17) [Spiritual fruit - Patient bearing of trials]
5. The Crucifixion (Matthew 27:33-56, Mark 15:22-39, Luke 23:33-49, John 19:17-37) [Spiritual fruit - Pardoning of Injuries]

The Glorious Mysteries
(Wednesdays and Sundays)
1.The Resurrection (Matthew 28:1-8, Mark 16:1-18, Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1-29) [Spiritual fruit - Faith]
2. The Ascension (Mark 16:19-20, Luke 24:50-53, Acts 1:6-11) [Spiritual fruit - Christian Hope]
3. The Descent of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:1-13) [Spiritual fruit - Gifts of the Holy Spirit]
4. The Assumption [Spiritual fruit - To Jesus through Mary]
5. The Coronation [Spiritual fruit - Grace of Final Perseverance]

 

The Fifteen Promises Granted to Those Who Recite the Rosary [Catholic Caucus]
Essays for Lent: The Rosary

Radio Replies Second Volume - The Rosary
Town Rejects Rosary as Offensive and the Prayers that Changed Everything
No-contact order over a student's rosary
Collecting 860 rosaries result of a lifelong passion (Catholic Caucus)
After rosary campaign, Florida sheriff abruptly shuts down abortion clinic on Marian feast
Public Rosary in San Francisco to draw thousands [Catholic Caucus]
Chicago's Incredible Floating Rosary
Enourmous Rosary floats over Chicago
Surprised by the Joyful Mysteries (of the Rosary) [Catholic Caucus]
HISTORY OF THE ROSARY [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]

The Rosary-a tool for evangelization [Catholic Caucus]
OUR LADY AND HEAVEN’S PEACE PLAN (Say the Rosary) [Ecumenical]
[CATHOLIC/ORTHODOX CAUCUS] 5th Joyful Mystery: The Finding in the Temple (Patristic Rosary)
[CATHOLIC/ORTHODOX CAUCUS] 4th Joyful Mystery: The Presentation (Patristic Rosary)
[CATHOLIC/ORTHODOX CAUCUS] 3rd Joyful Mystery: The Nativity (Patristic Rosary)
Praying the Holy Rosary in October
[CATHOLIC/ORTHODOX CAUCUS] 2nd Joyful Mystery: The Visitation (Patristic Rosary)
[CATHOLIC/ORTHODOX CAUCUS] 1st Joyful Mystery: The Annuniciation (Patristic Rosary)
[CATHOLIC CAUCUS] On the Rosary
Lists Every Catholic Should be Familiar With: 15 [20] Mysteries of the Holy Rosary & When They Are Prayed

It Was the Rosary: Mainz Priest Talks About His Vocation
Rosary to Halt Construction of NYC Mosque (Catholic Caucus)
British Soldier Shot in Afghanistan is Saved by His ROSARY...Like His Great-Grandfather in WWII
Catholic Caucus: Rosary Beads Saved My Life, British Soldier Says
British soldier shot in Afghanistan is saved my his ROSARY
Rosary returned to Vietnam vet as pledged 44 years ago
Rosary for the Bishop celebrates six months of prayer, global expansion
Rosary Rallies for Priests Give Final Flourish to Their Special Year (ECUMENICAL)
The Unseen Power of the Rosary
Worldwide Rosary Relay to Offer Prayer for Priests

Boy Suspended For Rosary -- Reinstated
NY school sued after teen suspended over rosary
Student Suspended for Wearing Rosary Beads
[CATHOLIC CAUCUS] The 3:30 Beads!
Catholic Biblical Apologetics: Private Devotions to Mary: The Rosary
Benedict XVI Promotes Rosary in Fatima [Catholic Caucus]
Archbishop Naumann, Bishop Finn Lead Mother's Day Rosary at Planned Parenthood
Did the Apostles Pray the Rosary? (First Novena to the Holy Spirit?) [Catholic Caucus]
The Importance of the Meditated Holy Rosary -- What the Popes have to say [Catholic Caucus]
A Ladder from Earth to Heaven: The Rosary for All Christians

Jesus is in the Holy Rosary
The Rosary, a powerful weapon against the devil
History of The Scriptural Rosary [Ecumenical]
The Lord Is with Thee
Rosary of Our Lady's Tears(Catholic Prayer Thread)
The Rosary and Me - Catholic/Orthodox Caucus
Rosary promoted as path to Christ and peace [at third annual Rosary Bowl NW]
The Efficacy and Power of One Hail Mary [Ecumenical]
“ Let Us Do It!“ (Sunday: Rosary to be simultaneously prayed on five continents)
The Fruits of the Mysteries of the Rosary

[Catholic Caucus] One Million Rosaries
The Family Rosary [Try it for Lent!] (Catholic Caucus)
History of the Scriptural Rosary - Meditating on The Word
Rosary Resurgence [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: How to Pray the Rosary: Contemplating Christ With Mary [Ecumenical]
[Oregon] Rosary Bowl focuses on links between prayer, evangelization
Praying the Rosary By Bishop Fulton J. Sheen(Catholic Caucus)
Rosary-Prayers Aiming to Break Record [Catholic Caucus]
Rosary vs. Repetitious Prayer [Ecumenical]
The Luminous Mysteries [of the Rosary]: Knowing Jesus in His Public Ministry

Rosary Is a School of Mary, Says Pope: Encourages Recitation [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
New campaign launched to promote family rosary
The Rosary and the Republic
Chant the Rosary... in Latin!
(...)and the rosary
Estimated 50,000 recite rosary in event at Rose Bowl
Our Lady of Victory (HLI Page)
Rosary to Mark St. Martha's Feast
Pray the Rosary
Rosary Aids Spiritual Growth, Says Pope

Remembering Lepanto
The Battle that Saved the Christian West (October 7, 1571: Battle of Lepanto)
Battle of Lepanto: Armada of the Cross
Remember Lepanto
How Europe Escaped Speaking Arabic
Bishop compares election to Battle of Lepanto
Bishop compares election to Battle of Lepanto
The Battle of Lepanto
Civilization in the Balance: The Battle of Lepanto and Election ‘08
LEPANTO

A Call To Prayer: This Lepanto Moment [Repost]
Lepanto, 1571: The Battle That Saved Europe
Celebrating the Battle of Lepanto
Clash of civilizations: Battle of Lepanto revisited
Lepanto, Bertone e Battesimo, Oh My!
Lepanto Sunday
Our Lady of the Rosary of La Naval (A Mini-Lepanto in the Philippines)
Swiss Guards at the Battle of Lepanto, 7 October 1571
Battle of Lepanto
LEPANTO, 7 OCTOBER 1571: The Defense of Europe

Battle of Lepanto
Remember Lepanto!
The Battle of Lepanto
On This Day In History, The Battle of Lepanto
The Battle of Lepanto
Chesterton's Lepanto
The Miracle At Lepanto...
Lepanto
The Naval Battle of Lepanto
The Battle of Lepanto

Madonna del Rosario

Caravaggio

1607

[Salvation]

October, 2018

The Holy Father's Prayer Intention

Evangelization – The Mission of Religious That consecrated religious men and women may bestir themselves, and be present among the poor, the marginalized, and those who have no voice.

[Salvation]

'God endures, to be bound in swaddling-clothes, because he had come to pay the debts of the whole world.'

St. Zeno

[Salvation]

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).

[Salvation]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/3695187/posts

Saint of the Day — Saint Denis and Companions

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Saint Denis[Bishop and Martyr]

[Salvation]

Information: St. Denis

Feast Day: October 9

Born: Third century, Italy

Died: 258 at Montmarte

Major Shrine: Abbey of Saint-Denis, Saint Denis Basilica

Patron of: France; Paris; against frenzy; against strife; headaches; hydrophobia; possessed people; rabies

[Salvation]

CATHOLIC ALMANAC

Tuesday, October 9

Liturgical Color: Green

Today the Church honors St. Denis,
bishop and martyr. He became the first
bishop of Paris, converting many to the
Church. This angered local officials and
led to his beheading in 250 A.D.

[Salvation]

Catholic Culture

Ordinary Time: October 9th

Optional Memorial of St. Denis, bishop and martyr and companions, martyrs; St. John Leonardi, priest; Bl. John Henry Newman (Eng/Wales)

MASS READINGS

October 09, 2018 (Readings on USCCB website)

COLLECT PRAYER

O God, who sent Saint Denis and his companions to preach your glory to the nations and strengthened them for their mission with the virtue of constancy in suffering, grant, we pray, that we may imitate them in disdaining prosperity in this world and in being undaunted by any trial. 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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O God, giver of all good things, who through the Priest Saint John Leonardi caused the Gospel to be announced to the nations, grant, through his intercession, that the true faith may always and everywhere proper. 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)

• Initial Cookies
• Linzer Torte
• Sacher Torte
• Saint Denis Tartlets

show

Activities (1)

• Fourteen Holy Helpers

show

Prayers (2)

• Litany of the Fourteen Holy Helpers
• Collect for the Feast of Bl. John Henry Cardinal Newman

show

Library (10)

• Faith and Private Judgment | John Henry Newman
• John Leonardi: Ecclesial Renewal and Fidelity to Christ | Pope Benedict XVI
• Newman and the Drama of True and False Conscience | Cardinal George Pell
• Newman Belongs to the Great Teachers of the Church | Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger
• Newman Refutes Contemporary Liberal Theologians | Fr. Edward J. Berbusse S.J.
• Newman: Laity, Priesthood, And Holiness | Fr. C. John McCloskey III
• Newman's Spiritual Legacy to the Catholic Priest | William R. Lamm S. M.
• The Meaning of National Apostasy: a Note on Newman’s Apologia | John R. Griffin
• The Mystery of Newman | John F. Crosby
• The Newman of New England | James Likoudis

» Enjoy our Liturgical Seasons series of e-books!

Old Calendar: St. John Leonardi, confessor; Saints Denis, Rusticus and Eleutherius, martys; St. Louis Bertrand, priest (hist) ; Other Titles: Denys; Dionysius; John Leonard

St. John Leonardi (1543-1609), a zealous Italian apostle, founded the congregation of the Mother of God, whose priest-members traveled throughout Tuscany urging the people to a stronger interest in their religion. Fr. John Leonardi longed to convert pagans, but his spiritual director, St. Philip Neri, told him to remain in Italy. So instead he founded a seminary in Rome to train young men for the priesthood from all the mission lands.

St. Denis, a third-century apostle of Gaul, and now one of the "Fourteen Holy Helpers" became first bishop of Paris. He suffered martyrdom there, together with his priest Rusticus and his deacon Eleutherius.

These feasts are celebrated today both in the Ordinary Form and the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.

Pope Benedict XVI beatified Bl. John Henry Newman on September 19, 2010, at Crofton Park (near Birmingham). The pope noted Newman's emphasis on the vital place of revealed religion in civilized society but also praised his pastoral zeal for the sick, the poor, the bereaved and those in prison. This feast is celebrated today in England and Wales.

Historically today is the feast of St. Louis Bertrand, a Spanish Dominican who preached in South America during the 16th century, and is known as the "Apostle to the Americas".

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Bl. John Henry Cardinal Newman
John Henry Newman, one of the great Christian intellectuals of the nineteenth century, was born in London in 1801. His spiritual quest having begun in adolescence, he later went on to study theology at Oxford University. Subsequently, he became an Anglican pastor, a fellow of Oriel College, and leader of the Oxford Movement which studied the Catholic roots of the faith in England. In 1842, while writing his "Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine", he began to mature his conversion to Catholicism. He was admitted into the Catholic Church in 1845 and ordained a Catholic priest in Rome on 1 June 1847. Following his ordination, and with the encouragement of Pope Pius IX, he founded the first Oratory of St. Philip Neri in England. In 1852 he was appointed rector of the Catholic University of Dublin, Ireland, a post he held until 1854. Pope Leo XIII made him a cardinal in 1879 and he died in 1890 at the Oratory of Edgbaston. The process for his beatification began in 1958. Newman's miraculous intercession in the cure of Dean Jack Sullivan, who suffered a serious complaint of the spinal column, was officially recognized and approved by Benedict XVI in July 2009.

Things to Do:

• Read more about Bl. John Henry Cardinal Newman here and here.
  
• Read some of his works at The National Institute for Newman Studies.
  
• Purchase a copy of Heart to Heart: A Cardinal Newman Prayer Book.

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St. John Leonardi
St. John Leonardi was born in Tuscany, Italy in 1541, during the time of upheaval in the Church due to Martin Luther. He studied to be a pharmacist, then became a priest. As a young priest, he devoted himself to teaching catechism to youths. In 1574, he founded the Order of the Clerks Regular of the Mother of God of Lucca, a congregation of diocesan priests. He suffered many tribulations for this work, including exile. His contemporary, St. Philip Neri, was a great friend and spiritual guide, and helped him particularly in his time of exile.

Gradually his influence as a champion of the Catholic faith against Protestantism became known throughout Italy. He later founded in Rome what became the Institute De Propaganda Fide (Society for the Propagation of the Faith) and the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine for the promotion of the Catholic Faith and the formation of missionaries. St. John Leonardi died at Rome, in 1609, the victim of his devoted care for the sick and plague-stricken.

Symbols: book (to symbolize rules of Congregation he founded); the coat of arms of the order is azure (blue), Our Lady Assumed into Heaven; and its badge and seal the monogram of the Mother of God in Greek characters.

Things to Do:

• St. John promoted the teaching of the Catholic faith. We should study our faith, perhaps by reading the Catechism of the Catholic Church a little each day.

• Try to understand more deeply the historical context during St. John's life — he was fighting the effects of the Lutheran Reformation of the Church. Could we refute the teachings of Luther?

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St. Denis
St. Denis was born in Italy. In 250 he was sent to France with six other missionary bishops by Pope Fabian. Denis became the first bishop of Paris. He was beheaded in 258 with the priest Rusticus and the deacon Eleutherius at Catulliacum, now Saint-Denis. One of the many legends about his torture and death was that his body carried his severed head some distance from his execution site. St. Denis is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers who was invoked particularly in the Middle Ages against the Black Plague. See August 8 for more information.

Patron: against frenzy; against strife; headaches; against diabolical possession; France; Paris, France.

Symbols: beheaded bishop carrying his head — sometimes a vine growing over his neck; mitered head in his hand or on book; white chasuble; tree or stake; sword; Our Lord with chalice and host.

Things to Do:

• Learn more about the Fourteen Holy Helpers and their historical context.

• Bake a French (or Parisian) pastry. Cooking with the Saints by Ernst Schuegraf has 3 recipes for St. Denis — St. Denis Turnovers, Saint Denis Tartlets and Brioche Saint-Denis (Praline Cake).

• Read in The Golden Legend for some of the legends or stories about St. Denis.

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St. Louis Bertrand
St. Louis Bertrand was born at Valencia, in Spain, in 1526, of the same family as St. Vincent Ferrer. In 1545, after severe trials, he was professed in the Dominican Order, and at the age of twenty-five was made master of novices, and trained up many great servants of God.

When the plague broke out in Valencia he devoted himself to the sick and dying, and with his own hands buried the dead. In 1562 he obtained leave to embark for the American mission, and there converted vast multitudes to the Faith. He was favored with the gift of miracles, and while preaching in his native Spanish was understood in various languages.

After seven years he returned to Spain, to plead the cause of the oppressed Indians, but he was not permitted to return and labor among them. He spent his remaining days toiling in his own country, till at length, in 1580, he was carried from the pulpit in the Cathedral at Valencia to the bed from whence he never rose.

He died on the day he had foretold-October 9, 1581.

Excerpted from Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]

[Salvation]

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Galatians 1:13-24

Saint Denis, Bishop, and Companions, Martyrs (Optional Memorial)

God . . . was pleased to reveal his Son to me. (Galatians 1:15-16)

Relationships are built on communication. Friendships, marriages, and even business partnerships grow when we share our thoughts and ideas with each other.

St. Paul’s relationship with Jesus began with a question: “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” (Acts 9:4). That encounter changed everything. Paul had been a zealous persecutor of the Church, but now he realized he was on the wrong side of God’s plan. He needed time so that he could grow into his new relationship with Christ. So instead of “consulting flesh and blood,” he spent three years studying the Hebrew Scriptures again and learning to find Jesus in them (Galatians 1:16, 18).

God wants to build a relationship with you too. He wants to reveal his Son to you in a way that is unique to you. Whether you have been close to him for years or only came to know him yesterday, he wants to deepen and increase the bond between you and him.

You probably can’t dedicate three years to be alone with God. But you can step aside from your ordinary activities each day to spend time alone with him. You can get into the habit of talking to Jesus about the things that interest you or matter to you. You can ask him how he thinks, how he sees you, or what he wants to do in your life. As you do, pay attention to what stirs in your heart and mind. Pay attention to the thoughts that stir in your memory, imagination, or emotions. Write down what you think God may be saying to you so that you can go back and reflect on it later.

It’s not just in this special alone time with the Lord that you can deepen your relationship with him. Look for moments throughout your day when you can have short heart-to-heart conversations with him—maybe in the car as you’re driving, during your lunch break, or before you close your eyes at night.

God knows the best way to reveal his Son to you, just as he did for Paul. So find the time to be alone with Jesus, and then listen. He has so much to tell you!

“Father, thank you for revealing your Son to me. Help me to know him more each day.”

Psalm 139:1-3, 13-15
Luke 10:38-42

[Salvation]

Daily Gospel Commentary

Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity (1880-1906)
Carmelite
Last Retreat, 10th – 11th Days (in The Complete Works, vol. 1; ICS Publications, 1984)

"Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listened to him speak."

So that nothing may draw me out of this beautiful silence within, I must always maintain the same dispositions, the same solitude, the same withdrawal, the same stripping of self! If my desires, my fears, my joys or my sorrows, if all the movements proceeding from these "four passions" are not perfectly directed to God, I will not be solitary: there will be noise within me. There must be peace, sleep of the powers, "the unity of being.” "Listen, my daughter, lend your ear, forget your people and your father's house, and the King will become enamored of your beauty." (Ps 44[45]:11-12)… To forget "your people" is difficult, I think, for this people is everything which is, so to speak, part of us: our feelings, our memories, our impressions, etc.… when the soul has made this break, when it is free from all that, the King is enamored of its beauty…

The Creator, seeing the beautiful silence which reigns in His creature, and gazing on her wholly recollected in her interior solitude… leads her into this immense, infinite solitude, into this "spacious place" sung of by the prophet (Ps 17[18]:20), which is nothing else but Himself… "I will lead her into solitude and speak to her heart." (Hos 2:16) The soul has entered into this vast solitude in which God will make Himself heard I "His word," St. Paul says, "is living and active, and more penetrating than a two-edged sword: extending even to the division of soul and spirit, even of joints and marrow. "(Heb 2:16) It is His word then that will directlv achieve the work of stripping in the soul…

But it is not enough just to listen to this word, we must keep it! (Jn 14:23) And it is in keeping it that the soul will be "sanctified in the truth," (Jn 17:17) and that is the desire of the Master… To the one who keeps His word has He not made this promise: "My Father will love him and we will come to him and make our home in him"? (Jn 14:23) It is the whole Trinity who dwells in the soul that loves Him in truth, that is, by keeping His word.

[Salvation]

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

Daily Marriage Tip for October 9, 2018:

If you’re about to accuse your spouse of losing an important paper, forgetting to write that thank-you note, or another offense, try giving him or her the benefit of the doubt first. Maybe you misunderstood.

[Salvation]

Regnum Christi

October 9, 2018 – Prayer Is the Lifeblood of My Relationship with Jesus

Tuesday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Father James Swanson, LC

 

 

Luke 10:38-42

 

Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary, who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” The Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”

Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus, you are the master of the universe, and yet you wish to listen to me and guide me. You know all things past, present and future, and yet you respect my freedom to choose you. Holy Trinity, you are completely happy and fulfilled on you own, and yet you have generously brought us into existence. You are our fulfillment. Thank you for the gift of yourself. I offer the littleness of myself in return, knowing you are pleased with what I have to give.

 

Petition: Lord, help me to learn how to pray better.

1. “More Things Are Wrought By Prayer Than This World Dreams of”: Many good people see prayer as a weak thing that really doesn’t help. So, they put their effort into doing great projects, into doing as much as they can to bring about good in the world. This is a good thing. But prayer is essential. Even if I manage to involve thousands of others in my project, I will still not accomplish as much as when I get God involved. Getting God involved through prayer is the first and the most important thing to do if we are going to accomplish anything. As King Arthur says to Sir Bedivere in Tennyson’s Morte d’Arthur, “More things are wrought by prayer/ Than this world dreams of.”

2. Persevere in Prayer with Love: Many critics of prayer complain that they pray a lot, but it doesn’t seem to do any good. Well, there are a couple of things to say about that. First of all, there needs to be love for God in my heart. God needs to be someone familiar to me, a friend. In asking for a favor, I expect to get a greater response from someone I know, someone who is close to me, than from a stranger. Imagine if there was someone I barely knew, and the only time I saw him was when he needed a favor from me. Would I be inclined to give him what he needs? Second, I need to persevere. Like the Canaanite woman who asked Jesus to cure her daughter, I have to persevere in prayer when things are difficult. Her perseverance increased her faith, and in the end, it got her what she wanted. If I persevere in prayer with love, I will get all that I need.

3. Cooperate with God’s Plan Instead of Insisting on Your Own: I need to remember that every prayer has its effect. How often am I disappointed when I don’t get what I’m asking for? Am I open enough in my prayer to let God work as he wants; to follow his plan and not mine? Do I force him to refuse my request by making it so narrow that there is no way to incorporate it into his plan? Even if I don’t see the results of my prayer, that doesn’t mean God is not listening. God always rises to the occasion and will often do something a lot better than what I wanted him to do. He does what is best for me, even if it does not entirely conform to my plan. I may never know or realize – in this life – the specifics of how God listened to my prayers. It takes faith to accept this.

Conversation with Christ: Dear Lord, whatever project I undertake, help me to remember to start it with prayer, pray while I am doing it, and finish it with prayer. I want to be close to you like Mary. I want to serve you like Martha. Help me to find the right order and balance in my life.

Resolution: When I consider the biggest thing I am doing for God today, I will be sure to ask him in prayer to bless it.

[Salvation]

Homily of the Day

October 9, 2018

Martha and Mary were sisters whom Jesus visited at Bethany. They both loved Jesus but they showed their respect and love for him in different ways. Martha made herself busy, making preparations in the kitchen for Jesus’ arrival. Mary, on the other hand, simply sat and listened to Jesus. When Martha asked Jesus to tell her sister Mary to help her around the house, Jesus simply told her not to worry about too many things whereas only one thing is needed. “Mary has chosen the better part, and it will not be taken away from her.”

In our daily lives, we tend to have Martha’s mindset: we are so busy and we look to God and ask Him to send some signs that he is acting in our lives. We are so involved with our work, organizations, causes and involvements that we believe that these should be enough to please God. We seek recognition from God, our families, spouses, loved ones and friends that the things we do are important. But Jesus does not need us to move busily from one involvement to another, seeking to please Him and our loved ones at all times. In fact, Jesus said that Mary, unlike Martha, had it right all along. Sometimes the one thing we need to do the most is to be still and to listen to Him. We need to free ourselves from the voices that move our daily lives, and to contemplate God’s love for us in all that we do.

Mother Mary also listened and accepted the events in her life and kept them in her heart. She was humble to do God’s will. She did not seek to please God through accolades or achievements. She simply said “yes” to the plan of God in her life.

[Salvation]

One Bread, One Body

One Bread, One Body

Language: English | Espanol

All Issues > Volume 34, Issue 6

<< Tuesday, October 9, 2018 >>

St. Denis & Companions St. John Leonardi

Galatians 1:13-24
View Readings

Psalm 139:1-3, 13-15

Luke 10:38-42
Similar Reflections

HEARING AID

"Mary has chosen the better portion and she shall not be deprived of it." �Luke 10:42

Right now, you are reading this booklet, One Bread, One Body, which focuses on listening to the Lord as He speaks through the Church's daily eucharistic Scripture readings. Thank God for you! You are like Mary of Bethany. She chose to put aside all else to sit at the feet of Jesus and listen to His words (Lk 10:39). With the psalmist, you've said: "I will hear what God proclaims" (Ps 85:9).

Jesus has very good news for you! Nothing can separate you from His love (Rm 8:39), and nothing can separate you from listening to Him. If you set aside prime time to choose to listen to Jesus above all else, then you won't ever be deprived of hearing what He says (Lk 10:42). You'll hear Him in prayer, and you'll hear Him when you're traveling, working, shopping, changing diapers, cooking, etc. You'll even hear the Lord amid the chaos of loud crowds and confrontations (see Acts 7:56).

Jesus is the Master Communicator. He'll always find a way to get His message across to you if you want to hear what He's saying. All He needs is your attention. Choose "the better portion" and listen faithfully to Him (Lk 10:42). He'll do the rest.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You forever for letting me hear Your words! I commit my entire life to You. May I hear every word You speak (Jn 8:47; 18:37).

Promise: "The time came when He Who had set me apart before I was born and called me by His favor chose to reveal His Son to me." —Gal 1:15-16

Praise: St. Denis responded to the call to evangelize the French. He was martyred for his unwavering faith in Jesus.

[Salvation]