Daily
Readings
July
9, 2025
Wednesday
of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading
1
Genesis 41:55–57; 42:5–7a, 17–24a
In those days: When all the land of Egypt was
famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Pharaoh said to all the
Egyptians, “Go to Joseph. What he says to you, do.” So when the famine had
spread over all the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the
Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. Moreover, all the
earth came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe over
all the earth. Thus the sons of Israel came to buy among the others who came,
for the famine was in the land of Canaan. Now Joseph was governor over the
land. He was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s
brothers came and bowed themselves before him with their faces to the ground.
Joseph saw his brothers and recognised them, but he treated them like strangers
and spoke roughly to them. And he put them all together in custody for three
days. On the third day Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I
fear God: if you are honest men, let one of your brothers remain confined where
you are in custody, and let the rest go and carry grain for the famine of your
households, and bring your youngest brother to me. So your words will be
verified, and you shall not die.” And they did so. Then they said to one
another, “In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the
distress of his soul, when he begged us and we did not listen. That is why this
distress has come upon us.” And Reuben answered them, “Did I not tell you not
to sin against the boy? But you did not listen. So now there comes a reckoning
for his blood.” They did not know that Joseph understood them, for there was an
interpreter between them. Then he turned away from them and wept.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm
33:2–3,10–11,18–19
Response:
May your merciful love be upon us, as we hope in you, O Lord.
Give thanks to
the Lord upon the harp;
with a
ten-stringed lute sing him songs.
O sing him a
song that is new;
play skillfully,
with shouts of joy.
Response:
May your merciful love be upon us, as we hope in you, O Lord.
The Lord
frustrates the designs of the nations;
he defeats the
plans of the peoples.
The designs of
the Lord stand forever,
the plans of his
heart from age to age.
Response:
May your merciful love be upon us, as we hope in you, O Lord.
Yes, the Lord’s
eyes are on those who fear him,
who hope in his
merciful love,
to rescue their
souls from death,
to keep them
alive in famine.
Response: May your merciful love be upon us, as we
hope in you, O Lord.
Alleluia
Mark 1:15
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
The kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in
the gospel.
Gospel
Matthew
10:1–7
At that time: Jesus called to him his twelve disciples
and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal
every disease and every affliction. The names of the twelve apostles are these:
first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of
Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the
tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot, and
Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing
them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but
go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And proclaim as you go,
saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”
Reflection
Jesus
in today’s gospel, chooses the twelve apostles and sends them out on a mission.
He first of all empowers the apostles by giving them the authority to announce
the Good News and to cast demons. In this way, he enhances their human
resourcefulness with divine power. Secondly, he pragmatically sharpens the
goals of the apostles by telling them whom they should approach first in
announcing the Good News. Like the Apostles, we too are endowed with the
mission of proclaiming the Good News and empowered by His Spirit to work for
the kingdom of God as envisioned by Jesus. Are we ready to collaborate with
Jesus in his mission?
St
Nicholas Pieck and Companions (Gorkum Martyrs) (-c.1572)
Of
the 19 priests and religious who were hanged on account of the Faith by
Calvinists in Gorkum, Holland, the martyrology indicates that 12 were hanged
specifically because of their belief in the Eucharist and the primacy of the
Pope. They are: Nicholas Pieck, Jerome Weerden, Leonard Vechel, Nicholas
Janssen, Godfrey van Duynen, John van Oosterwyk, John van Hoornaer, Adrian van
Hilvarenbeck, James Lacops, Andrew Wontera, Antony van Willehad (90 years old)
and Nicasius van Heeze.
While
James Lacops was hanged from a ladder, the rest were hanged from the beams.
After their death, their bodies were cast into 2 ditches where they lay till
1616 when, during a truce between Spain and the United Provinces, they were
translated to the Franciscan church in Brussels, Belgium. They were canonized
on 29 June 1867 by Pope Pius IX.
Reflection:
“Let us contend with all earnestness, knowing that we are all called to combat.
Let us run in the straight road the race that is incorruptible” (St Clement).
Daily Readings
July 8, 2025
Tuesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading I
Genesis 32:22–32
In those days: Jacob
arose at night and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven
children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. He took them and sent them across
the stream, and everything else that he had. And Jacob was left alone. And a
man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When the man saw that he
did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was
put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, “Let me go, for the day
has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” And
he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” Then he said, “Your
name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God
and with men, and have prevailed.” Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your
name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him.
So Jacob called the name of the place Penuel, saying, “For I have seen God face
to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” The sun rose upon him as he
passed Penuel, limping because of his hip. Therefore to this day the people of
Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh that is on the hip socket, because he
touched the socket of Jacob’s hip on the sinew of the thigh.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 17:1b, 2-3,
6-7ab, 8b and 15
Response: In justice I
shall behold your face.
O Lord, hear a cause
that is just;
pay heed to my cry.
Turn your ear to my
prayer:
no deceit is on my
lips.
Response: In justice I
shall behold your face.
From you may my justice
come forth.
Your eyes discern what
is upright.
Search my heart and
visit me by night.
Test me by fire, and
you will find
no wrong in me.
Response: In justice I
shall behold your face.
To you I call; for you
will surely
heed me, O God.
Turn your ear to me;
hear my words.
Display your merciful
love.
By your right hand you
deliver from their foes
those who put their
trust in you.
Response: In justice I
shall behold your face.
Guard me as the apple
of your eye.
Hide me in the shadow
of your wings
As for me, in justice I
shall behold your face;
when I awake I shall be
filled
with the vision of your
presence.
Response: In justice I
shall behold your face.
Alleluia
John 10:14
I
am the good shepherd, says the Lord; I know my own and my own know me.
Gospel
Matthew 9:32–38
At that time: A
demon-oppressed man who was mute was brought to Jesus. And when the demon had
been cast out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds marvelled, saying, “Never was
anything like this seen in Israel.” But the Pharisees said, “He casts out
demons by the prince of demons.” And Jesus went throughout all the cities and
villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the
kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity. When he saw the crowds,
he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep
without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful,
but the labourers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest
to send out labourers into his harvest.”
Reflection
Jesus heals a dumb man
of his infirmity and the man begins to speak. By healing him of his brokenness,
Jesus gives us an example of how we need to reach out to the broken-hearted. We
encounter many broken-hearted persons in society. Brokenness involves many
aspects of life: illness, old age, inability to make decisions, memory loss,
hunger, unemployment, lack of understanding in the family, break-up of
relationships, inequality, loneliness, burden of work, etc. By reaching out to
the stranger, the lonely, the hungry, the homeless, and the ignorant, we love
God by loving the person in need. We imitate God who is merciful to all – good
and bad, poor and rich, healthy and sick. Let us be merciful as God is
merciful.
Sts. Hesperius and Zoe,
Martyrs (-135)
St Hesperius and his
wife St Zoe were slaves of a rich Roman named Catalus, who lived during the
reign of the Emperor Hadrian at Attalia, a town of Pamphylia in Asia Minor
(Turkey). Though born Christian, they were negligent in their practice of the
Faith. However, they took great care to ensure that their two sons, Cyriacus
and Theodulus, led a noble life of Christian virtue.
Put to shame for their
religious indifference by the example of their children, they refused to accept
food offered to the gods, which their master sent them on the occasion of the
birth of his son. Thereupon they were arrested and, when put to trial, made a
bold confession of their faith and refused to venerate the Master’s gods. As a
result, their sons were first subjected to torture in their presence, in the
hope that the parents would yield to the pressures and thus renounce their
faith. But neither of the two would renounce Christ. Infuriated, Catulus had
them roasted to death in a furnace.
Justinian built a
church in Constantinople dedicated to St Zoe — presumably to contain her
remains — but some of the relics of both these martyrs appear to have been
translated to Clermont, where they are still venerated.
Reflection: “O! What
happiness to grow up in the bosom of a truly Christian family. It requires
care, a great deal of care, conscientiously to fulfil the obligations of father
and mother. The parents are a mirror to their children; and the children constantly
look into this mirror. What a consolation it is for you if you can say: I am
the father/mother of a pious child pleasing to God and man” (St John Baptist
Marie Vianney).
Daily
Readings
July
7, 2025
Monday
of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading
1
Genesis
28:10–22a
In those days: Jacob left Beersheba and went towards
Haran. And he came to a certain place and stayed there that night, because the
sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head
and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold, there was a
ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold,
the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! And behold, the Lord
stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the
God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your
offspring. Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall
spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south,
and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you
back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have
promised you.” Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in
this place, and I did not know it.” And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is
this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of
heaven.” So early in the morning Jacob took the stone that he had put under his
head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. He called the
name of that place Bethel, but the name of the city was Luz at the first. Then
Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me in this way
that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come
again to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God, and this
stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God’s house.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
91:1-2, 3-4, 14-15ab
Response:
O my God, I trust in you.
He who dwells in
the shelter
of the Most
High,
and abides in
the shade of the Almighty,
says to the
Lord, “My refuge,
my stronghold,
my God in whom I trust!”
Response:
O my God, I trust in you.
He will free you
from the snare
of the fowler,
from the
destructive plague;
he will conceal
you with his pinions,
and under his
wings you will find refuge.
Response:
O my God, I trust in you.
Since he clings
to me in love,
I will free him,
protect him, for
he knows my name.
When he calls on
me, I will answer him;
I will be with
him in distress.
Response:
O my God, I trust in you.
Alleluia
See
2 Timothy 1:10
Our Savior Christ Jesus abolished death and brought
life and immortality to light through the gospel.
Gospel
Matthew
9:18–26
At
that time: While Jesus was speaking, behold, a ruler came in and knelt before
him, saying, "My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on
her, and she will live.” And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples.
And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years
came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, for she said to
herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” Jesus turned, and
seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And
instantly the woman was made well. And when Jesus came to the ruler’s house and
saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, he said, “Go away, for
the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. But when the crowd
had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose.
And the report of this went through all that district.
Reflection
Jesus
raises a girl to new life and heals a woman of her prolonged infirmity. In both
incidents, we notice the faith of the people involved. The official, fully
aware that his daughter had died, approaches Jesus with great trust in his
power: “...come and lay your hands on her, and she will live.” This faith is
extraordinary. The woman, suffering from her infirmity for twelve long years,
touches the hem of Jesus’ garment, knowing that his power to heal her could
come out even through his garment! Both are rewarded richly and given what they
longed for in faith. In both instances, we also notice the great compassion of
the Lord. He knew their plight and extended his healing touch to both. Faith is
a precondition for any miracle. If we ask with genuine faith, God grants our
genuine needs, for He is a God of genuine compassion and love.
Saint
Pantaenus, Confessor (- 216)
This
learned and Apostolic Father who flourished in the 2nd century, hailed from
Sicily (Italy). Pagan by birth and a Stoic Philosopher by profession, St
Pantaenus’ esteem for virtue led him into an acquaintance with the Christians,
and being charmed with the innocence and sanctity of their conversation, he
opened his eyes to the truth and committed his life to it.
He
studied the Holy Scriptures under the disciples of the apostles, and his thirst
after sacred learning brought him to Alexandria, in Egypt, where the disciples
of St Mark had instituted a celebrated school of Christian doctrine. Pantaenus
sought not to display his talents in that reputed mart of literature and
commerce; but his great progress in sacred learning having been discovered he
was drawn out of the obscurity of his humility and placed at the helm of
affairs some time before the year 179, whence he further raised the status of
the well-known Christian school above all other schools of philosophy. As
Clement of Alexandria wrote about him, he, “the true Sicilian Bee, gathering
the flowers of the prophetic and apostolic meadow, engendered in the soul of
his hearers an unfading element of knowledge.”
The
Indians (i.e., probably people from South Arabia) who traded at Alexandria
entreated him to pay their country a visit, whereupon he forsook his school and
went to preach the Gospel to the Eastern nations, where he found some seeds of
the Faith already sown. In fact, he brought back with him to Alexandria a book
of the Gospel of Saint Matthew in Hebrew, which Saint Bartholomew had carried
there.
Reflection:
“Have a care that none lead you astray by a false philosophy” (Saint Paul).
Daily Readings
July 6, 2025
Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Isaiah (66:10-14c)
“Rejoice with
Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice with her in joy,
all you who mourn over her; that you may nurse and be satisfied from her
consoling breast; that you may drink deeply with delight from her glorious
abundance.” For thus says the LORD: “Behold, I will extend peace to her like a
river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream; and you shall
nurse, you shall be carried upon her hip, and bounced upon her knees. As one
whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in
Jerusalem. You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice; your bones shall
flourish like the grass; and the hand of the LORD shall be known to his
servants.”
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20
Response: Cry out with joy to God, all the earth. Or
Alleluia.
Cry out with joy
to God, all the earth; O sing to the glory of his name. O render him glorious
praise. Say to God, “How awesome your deeds!
Response: Cry out with joy to God, all the earth. Or
Alleluia.
“Before
you all the earth shall bow down, shall sing to you, sing to your name!” Come
and see the works of God: awesome his deeds among the children of men.
Response: Cry out with joy to God, all the earth. Or
Alleluia.
He
turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the river on foot. Let our
joy, then, be in him; he rules forever by his might.
Response: Cry out with joy to God, all the earth. Or
Alleluia.
Come
and hear, all who fear God; I will tell what he did for my soul. Blest be God,
who did not reject my prayer, nor withhold from me his merciful love.
Response: Cry out with joy to God, all the earth. Or
Alleluia.
Reading 2
Galatians (6:14-18)
Brethren, far be
it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the
world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision
counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. And as for all who
walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.
From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of
Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.
Alleluia
Colossians 3:15a,
16a
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Let the peace of
Christ rule in your hearts, let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.
Gospel
Luke (10:1-12,
17-20)
At that time the
Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two,
into every town and place where he himself was about to go. And he said to
them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few. Therefore pray
earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest. Go
your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry
no money bag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. Whatever
house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ And if a son of peace is
there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. And
remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the
labourer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house. Whenever you enter
a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick in it
and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But whenever you
enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, ‘Even
the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you.
Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ I tell you, it
will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town. The seventy-two
returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your
name!” And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over
all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not
rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your
names are written in heaven.”
Reflection
The First Reading
of today comes with the message that God comforts His people as a mother
comforts her child. Here the prophet brings into focus the motherhood of God.
Not many prophets have spoken about the motherhood of God; but Isaiah has some
beautiful words on this theme. Our experience shows that when it comes to
nursing and suckling a child, there is none compared to its mother. God who is
the Supreme Being cannot be holding only the male characteristics and ignore
the other half of humanity.
Compared to the
First Reading which is full of hope and tenderness the passage from Galatians
is full of animosity and confrontation. When Paul preached to the Galatians
they have warmly and affectionately received his message. But soon the news of
a sudden and drastic change in attitude towards him and his gospel reaches
Paul. He realizes clearly that this teaching will neutralize the truth of
Christ’s all-sufficiency for salvation and destroy the message of justification
by faith. By means of this letter Paul seeks to save his converts from this
fatal mixing of law and grace.
In the gospel,
Jesus instructs his disciples not to carry a purse, bag, or sandals. But some
money and a bag to keep the essentials are necessary for a traveler. But the
missionaries are asked to take neither of them. Leaving behind what was
indispensable for the journey implies a total dependence on God, who knows how
to offer help and protection to the Given the urgency, the disciples are to
travel light and press on to their goal. The urgency of the task is illustrated
in Jesus’ command to salute no one on the way because they are not to be
distracted. Jesus also explains what the disciples are to do when they enter a
town: they are to seek out a place to stay with a greeting of peace or Shalom.
It reflects ‘peace’ and ‘wellbeing.’ The disciple represents the presence of
God’s gracious offer. If one is a “child of peace”, that is, a child of the
kingdom who responds to the disciples’ offer of peace with reception and
hospitality, then God fulfils the promise and resides there. If the greeting is
refused, then the benefit is lost.
Further, they are
to stay in one house and accept whatever is provided for them. When a town is
responsive, the disciples are to receive food graciously. They simply are to
eat what is set before them. Given the power to heal, the disciples are to heal
those who receive them, as a tangible example of God’s blessing coming on those
who respond. The disciples heal and declare the kingdom’s nearness. Jesus
closes his instruction with a solemn word of judgement for the city that
rejects his disciples. On judgement day, Sodom, the most despicable of ancient
Gentile cities and a symbol of unrighteousness, will fare better than the city
that rejects the kingdom message. The passage assumes God’s universal sovereign
authority and the centrality of the kingdom message for humankind. –ones who
have made themselves poor for the sake of the kingdom.
(Source: The
Sunday Liturgy)
St Maria Goretti,
Virgin, Martyr (1890 -1902)
Called the Saint
Agnes of the 20th century, this modern day Martyr of purity couldn’t attend
school but received a thorough grounding in Christian virtue from her devout
though illiterate mother, Assunta, who, among other things, taught her the
Church’s catechism from memory.
When Maria was 9,
her family moved to Nettuno near Rome for reasons of employment and 10 when her
father died. At 11, she made her long-desired First Communion after having gone
through a spiritual preparation that left
a profound impression on her. A model of obedience, modesty and purity, she had
an innate horror of offending Jesus by any sin. Going to confession involved a
7-mile walk each way, which Maria counted as nothing when it concerned a
spiritual obligation.
In 1902, an
evil-minded young farm-hand, furious at his repeated seductive advances her
having been resolutely rejected, stabbed her brutally. Maria died a resigned
and holy death after having pardoned her assailant and prayed for his
conversion. He, along with Maria’s aged and partly paralysed mother, had the
unique privilege of attending her canonization in 1950, an event which
attracted such enormous Holy Year crowds, that even Saint Peter’s basilica,
huge as it is, could not contain them and the ceremony had, for the first time
in history, to be held in the open square in front.
Reflection: “The
message which emerges from the story of Maria Goretti is one concerning
personal dignity at the simple human level, which must be defended against
every ruse and every violence, and it is one which also concerns consecration
of one’s energies, including physical energies, to the Lord and to the Church,
in radical obedience to God’s law” (Pope Saint John Paul II).
Daily
Readings
July
5, 2025
Saturday
of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading
1
Genesis
27:1–5, 15–29
When Isaac
was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called Esau his
older son and said to him, “My son”. And he answered, “Here I am.” He said,
“Behold, I am old; I do not know the day of my death. Now then, take your
weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for
me, and prepare for me delicious food, such as I love, and bring it to me so
that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die.” Now Rebekah was
listening when Isaac spoke to his son Esau. So when Esau went to the field to
hunt for game and bring it, then Rebekah took the best garments of Esau her
older son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger
son. And the skins of the young goats she put on his hands and on the smooth
part of his neck. And she put the delicious food and the bread, which she had
prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob. So he went in to his father and said,
“My father.” And he said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?” Jacob said to his
father, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me; now sit up and
eat of my game, that your soul may bless me.” But Isaac said to his son, “How
is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?” He answered, “Because the
Lord your God granted me success.” Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near,
that I may feel you, my son, to know whether you are really my son Esau or
not.” So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, who felt him and said, “The voice
is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” And he did not
recognise him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s hands. So
he blessed him. He said, “Are you really my son Esau?” He answered, “I am.”
Then he said, “Bring it near to me, that I may eat of my son’s game and bless
you.” So he brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he
drank. Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come near and kiss me, my son.” So
he came near and kissed him. And Isaac smelled the smell of his garments and
blessed him and said, “See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field that
the Lord has blessed! May God give you of the dew of heaven and of the fatness
of the earth and plenty of grain and wine. Let peoples serve you, and nations
bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may your mother’s sons bow
down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who
blesses you!”
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm 135:1b–2,
3–4, 5–6
Response:
Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good.
Praise the name of
the Lord;
praise him,
servants of the Lord,
who stand in the
house of the Lord,
in the courts of
the house of our God.
Response:
Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good.
Praise the Lord,
for the Lord is good.
Sing a Psalm to
his name, for this is our delight.
For the Lord has
chosen Jacob for himself,
and Israel as his
treasured possession.
Response:
Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good.
For I know that
the Lord is great,
that our Lord is
high above all gods.
The Lord does
whatever he wills,
in heaven, and on
earth,
in the seas, and
in all the depths.
Response:
Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good.
Alleluia
John
10:27
My
sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; and I know them, and they follow me.
Gospel
Matthew
9:14–17
At that time: The disciples of John came to Jesus,
saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” And
Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is
with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and
then they will fast. No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment,
for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made. Neither is
new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is
spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins,
and so both are preserved.”
Reflection
Jesus presents situational ethics in today’s gospel.
Answering the question of the disciples of John the Baptist on fasting, Jesus
suggests that any moral decision-making is contextual or dependent on a given
set of circumstances. For the Jews of the time of Jesus, prayer, fasting and
almsgiving were the three most important religious practices. Even as fasting
has its benefits, Jesus goes a step further. If fasting is a means to unite
oneself to God, why fast when God Himself, in the person of Jesus, is in their
midst? The presence of God is the greatest gift a person can enjoy. It calls
for celebration and rejoicing, not fasting and mourning. Jesus is that
bridegroom, the cause of our joy. Christianity is a religion of joy, not gloom
and doom because God is present to every Christian!
St Anthony Mary
Zaccaria, Confessor (1502 -1539)
Widowed at the early age of 18, Antonietta Pescaroli
instilled into her only child Anthony since infancy, the virtue of practical
Christian charity by having him distribute all her alms for her. Anthony
studied and practised medicine for some time before becoming a secular Priest
at the early age of twenty-six—from a healer of bodies to a healer of
souls!—and was barely 37 when he died. But into those 11 years he crowded an
amazing record of charity among the poor and the sick. He laboured zealously at
overcoming the deplorable conditions into which northern Italy had fallen
through the frequent wars fought on its soil and the resulting famine and
plague. In 1530, Anthony founded the Congregation of Clerks Regular of Saint
Paul “to regenerate and revive the love of divine worship and a truly Christian
way of life by means of the sacraments”, literally earning himself the moniker,
“Apostle of Milan”. He’d go through the streets, Crucifix in hand, preaching on
Our Lord’s Passion and death and on the need for repentance and for performing
penance for one’s sins. The Congregation of nuns, The Angelicals of St Paul,
which he founded, greatly aided him in raising the moral standard and strict
observance in certain communities of nuns. Twenty-seven years after his death,
his body was found to be incorrupt. He was canonized in 1897.
Reflection: “We should love and feel compassion for
those who oppose us, rather than abhor and despise them, since they harm
themselves and do us good, and adorn us with crowns of everlasting glory, while
they incite God’s anger against themselves” (St Anthony Mary Zaccaria).
Daily Readings
July 4, 2025
Friday of the Thirteenth Week in
Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Genesis
23:1–4, 19; 24:1–8, 62–67
Sarah lived
for one hundred twenty-seven years; these were the years of the life of Sarah.
And Sarah died at Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and
Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. And Abraham rose up
from before his dead and said to the Hittites, “I am a sojourner and foreigner
among you; give me property among you for a burying place, that I may bury my
dead out of my sight. After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of
the field of Machpelah east of Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan.
Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years. And the Lord had blessed Abraham
in all things. And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household,
who had charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh, that I may
make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and God of the earth, that you
will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among
whom I dwell, but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for
my son Isaac.” The servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman may not be willing
to follow me to this land. Must I then take your son back to the land from
which you came?” Abraham said to him, “See to it that you do not take my son
back there. The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and
from the land of my kindred, and who spoke to me and swore to me, ‘To your
offspring I will give this land’, he will send his angel before you, and you
shall take a wife for my son from there. But if the woman is not willing to
follow you, then you will be free from this oath of mine; only you must not
take my son back there.” Now Isaac had returned from Beer-lahai-roi and was
dwelling in the Negeb. And Isaac went out to meditate in the field towards evening.
And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, there were camels coming. And
Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from the
camel and said to the servant, “Who is that man, walking in the field to meet
us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” So she took her veil and covered
herself. And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. Then Isaac
brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother and took Rebekah, and she became
his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm
106:1b–2, 3–4ab, 4c–5
Response:
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
Give
thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for
his mercy endures forever.
Who
can tell the Lord’s mighty deeds,
or
recount in full his praise?
Response:
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
Blessed
are they who observe what is just,
who
at all times do what is right.
O
Lord, remember me
with
the favour you show to your people.
Response:
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
Visit
me with your saving power,
that
I may see the riches of your chosen ones,
and
may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,
boasting
in the glory of your heritage.
Response: O give thanks to the Lord,
for he is good.
Alleluia
Matthew 11:28
Come to me, all who labour and are
heavy laden, and I will give you rest, says the Lord.
Gospel
Matthew
9:9–13
At that time:
As Jesus passed on, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and
he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. And as Jesus
reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came
and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw
this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax
collectors and sinners?” But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well
have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this
means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the
righteous, but sinners.”
Reflection
The call of Mathew, the tax
collector, in today’s gospel, helps us understand the consolation of a new way
of life offered by Jesus. Mathew collected taxes from merchants, travellers,
farmers, etc for the Roman colonial power. He probably did not lead a peaceful
life because of the anger of the people and the burden of his stressful job. It
is in this context that Jesus’ call,
“follow me”, needs to be seen. The immediate response of Mathew was that
“he rose and followed him”. This reaction of Matthew reveals how desperately he
was looking for the consolation of a new life offered by Jesus. He celebrates
his call by inviting his neighbours and friends to a table fellowship. God, in
His goodness, offers us new life and consolation all the time. Let us, like
Matthew, accept the call of Jesus and enter into the consolation of new life.
St Elizabeth of Portugal Queen (1271
-1336)
Named after her great-aunt, Saint
Elizabeth of Hungary, Elizabeth (in Spanish: Isabella) was brought up in a
spirit of strict piety and self-denial. She was married at 12 to King Denis
(Diniz) of Portugal, who came to be called the Re Laurador (the “Worker-King”)
because of his hard work in selfless service of the country, though his immoral
life left the court of Lisbon thoroughly dissolute and corrupt.
Elizabeth, nevertheless, silently
kept up her regular religious practices that included fasting, penance and the
daily recitation of the entire Divine Office. A true model of a virtuous wife,
Queen and mother, her extraordinary kindness and forbearance enswured a
complete reform in the King’s life in the fortieth year of their marriage.
After the king’s demise in 1335, the Queen-widow became a Franciscan tertiary
in a convent of Poor Clares where she devoted herself to the care of the poor
and the sick.
Elizabeth, whose name in Greek means
“God has sworn”, was a sworn “Peace-Maker”. When in 1323 her son Alfonso
rebelled and took up arms against his own father because he was outraged by the
favours being bestowed on his illegitimate brothers, it was she who succeeded
in bringing about a reconciliation. Later on, she even travelled from her
convent to Spain where her son, now Alfonso IV, was at war with his son-in-law,
King Alfonso XI of Castile, for having neglected and maltreated his daughter
Maria. She ensured a peaceful settlement but soon after succumbed to a fever
brought on by overexertion and was canonized in 1625.
Reflection: “Mary, Mother of grace,
Mother of mercy, defend us from the wicked enemy, and receive us at the hour of
our death” (St Elizabeth of Portugal).
Daily Readings
July 03, 2025, Thursday
Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle
Reading 1
Acts of the Apostles 10:24–35
In those days: Peter and brothers from Joppa entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshipped him. But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am a man.” And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered. And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me.” And Cornelius said, “Four days ago, about this hour, I was praying in my house at the ninth hour, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’ So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.” So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.”
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 42:2–3; 43:3, 4
*Response: My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life.
Like the deer that yearns for running streams,
so my soul is yearning for you, my God.
My soul is thirsting for God, the living God;
when can I enter and appear before the face of God?
Response: My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life.
O send forth your light and your truth; they will guide me on.
They will bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell.
Response: My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life.
And I will come to the altar of God, to God, my joy and gladness.
To you will I give thanks on the harp, O God, my God.
Response: My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life.
Reading 2
1 Peter 1:3–9
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Have you believed, Thomas because you have seen me? says the Lord; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed..
Gospel
John 20:24–29
Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Reflection
Saint Thomas is venerated as the Apostle of India. He is hailed as the bridge between Jesus and India because he was instrumental in bringing the Christian faith to this land 2000 years ago. The life of Thomas teaches us many lessons: First, his name Thomas (Twin) indicates twin characteristics - the courage to “go and die” with Jesus (Jn 11:16) and at the same time doubting and refusing to believe that Jesus was risen when the other disciples told him that they had seen the Lord. Secondly, Saint John’s gospel presents Thomas as a questioning person. He asks Jesus, “Lord where are you going” (Jn 14:5). It is good to take our questions to Jesus our Master. Questions lead to answers that clarify our doubts and ignorance. Thirdly, his life teaches that being part of a community is necessary. Thomas was not there when Jesus appeared to his disciples (Jn 20:24). Being part of the community, formed in Jesus’ name, helps us to withstand all kinds of doubts and obstacles that come our way in following Jesus. Lastly, Thomas proves that a personal experience of Jesus is necessary to proclaim his gospel.
St Thomas, Apostle and Martyr (1st century)
St Thomas, whose Aramaic name te’ômâ, translated “Didymos” in Greek, means the “twin”, was an unlearned simple fisherman from Galilee. He was called by Jesus to be one of his 12 Apostles. A glimpse of Thomas’ great love for his master is evident at the time when he was ready to accompany Jesus to the house where Lazarus had just died, though the other Apostles feared being stoned by the Jews in Judaea —“Let us also go; that we may die with him!” (Lk 11:16) It was his declaration at the Last Supper: “Lord we do not know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” (Jn 14:5) that drew the assertion from Jesus: “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life” (Jn 14:6). He is called the “Doubting Thomas” for his refusal to believe in Jesus’ Resurrection when told of it by the other Apostles. Present with them at Jesus’ second apparition, Thomas made that timeless act of faith: “My Lord and my God!” (Jn 20:28).
Theomas’ missionary activities are said to have been, among other places, chiefly in India where he is believed to have landed in 52 AD. In fact, he is to Kerala what Saint Francis Xavier is to Goa! Thomas is believed to have met his death by the spear at Mylapore (now San Thome) in Madras, where the miraculous cross of St Thomas is now venerated.
St Thomas was declared the Apostle of India by Pope Paul VI in 1972.
Reflection: “By this doubting of Thomas we are more confirmed in our belief than by the faith of the other apostles” (St Gregory the Great).
Daily Readings
July 2, 2025
Wednesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Genesis 21:5, 8–20
Abraham was a
hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. And the child grew and
was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned.
But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham,
laughing. So she said to Abraham, “Cast out this slave woman with her son, for
the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac.” And the thing
was very displeasing to Abraham on account of his son. But God said to Abraham,
“Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever
Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring
be named. And I will make a nation of the son of the slave woman also, because
he is your offspring.” So Abraham rose early in the morning and took bread and
a skin of water and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with
the child, and sent her away. And she departed and wandered in the wilderness
of Beersheba. When the water in the skin was gone, she put the child under one
of the bushes. Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about
the distance of a bowshot, for she said, “Let me not look on the death of the
child.” And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept. And God
heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven
and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the
voice of the boy where he is. Up! Lift up the boy, and hold him fast with your
hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” Then God opened her eyes, and
she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water and gave
the boy a drink. And God was with the boy, and he grew up. He lived in the
wilderness and became an expert with the bow.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm 34:7–8, 10–11, 12–13
Response: The lowly one
called, and the Lord heard him.
This lowly one called; the
Lord heard,
and rescued him from all his
distress.
The angel of the Lord is
encamped
around those who fear him, to
rescue them.
Response: The lowly one
called, and the Lord heard him.
Fear the Lord, you his holy
ones.
They lack nothing, those who
fear him.
The rich suffer want and go
hungry,
but those who seek the Lord
lack no blessing.
Response: The lowly one
called, and the Lord heard him.
Come, children, and hear me,
that I may teach you the fear
of the Lord.
Who is it that desires life
and longs to see prosperous days?
Response: The lowly one
called, and the Lord heard him.
Alleluia
James 1:18
Of his own will
he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first
fruits of his creatures.
Gospel
Matthew 8:28–34
At that time:
When Jesus came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes,
two demon-possessed men met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one
could pass that way. And behold, they cried out, “What have you to do with us,
O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” Now a herd of
many pigs was feeding at some distance from them. And the demons begged him,
saying, “If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of pigs.” And he said
to them, “Go.” So they came out and went into the pigs, and behold, the whole
herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the waters. The
herdsmen fled, and going into the city they told everything, especially what
had happened to the demon-possessed men. And behold, all the city came out to
meet Jesus, and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their region.
Reflection
Jesus casts out
demons from two persons. The villagers begged Jesus to leave the place because
they were worried about their assets while ignoring the invaluable freedom from
demoniac possession now being enjoyed by those two men. Here we see two sets of
values working parallel to each other: 1) Values of Jesus characterized by the
dignity of human life, freedom and joy and 2) Values of this world,
characterized by attachments to and enslavement of worldly possessions, demons
of greed, consumerism, selfishness, indifference to human suffering, denial of
dignity, and a culture of death. Are we on the side of the values of Jesus?
Sts. Processus and Martinian,
Martyrs (c. -100 -)
Though about their life
nothing much is known, the veneration in which these two martyrs were held by
the Christians of Rome goes beyond the 4th century. However, according to Roman
Martyrology, they were
warders of the Mametine
prison and were converted along with 40 others by the teachings and miracles of
two prisoners, Sts Peter and Paul. The warders offered the apostles their
liberty. It is said that a sudden flow of water miraculously sprang up in the
prison thus enabling Peter to baptize them. Paulinus, the officer in charge,
tried to persuade both Processus and Martinian to denounce Christianity.
Finding them firm in their resolve to persevere in their new faith they were
subjected to cruel torture. They boldly declined to offer incense on the altar
of Jupiter, and all through their suffering their only utterance was “Blessed
be the name of the Lord!” until they were finally slain by the sword. They were
buried by a woman called Lucina, on her own property.
In the 4th century a Basilica
was built over their tomb, where, in the course of time many miracles and
healings took place drawing great crowds. At the beginning of the 9th century
St Pascal I had their
relics transferred to St
Peter’s where an altar was built in their honour.
Reflection: “Do not look
forward to what may happen tomorrow. The same eternal Father who cares for you
today will take care of you tomorrow and every day of your life. He will either
shield you from
suffering, or he will give
you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace, then, and put aside all anxious
thoughts” (St Francis de Sales).
Daily
Readings
July
1, 2025
Tuesday
of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading
1
Genesis 19:15–29
In those days: The
angels urged Lot, saying, “Up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are
here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city.” But he lingered.
So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the Lord
being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city.
And as they brought them out, one said, “Escape for your life. Do not look back
or stop anywhere in the valley. Escape to the hills, lest you be swept away.”
And Lot said to them, “Oh, no, my lords. Behold, your servant has found favour
in your sight, and you have shown me great kindness in saving my life. But I
cannot escape to the hills, lest the disaster overtake me and I die. Behold,
this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one. Let me escape
there – is it not a little one? – and my life will be saved!” He said to him,
“Behold, I grant you this favour also, that I will not overthrow the city of
which you have spoken. Escape there quickly, for I can do nothing till you
arrive there.” Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. The sun had
risen on the earth when Lot came to Zoar. Then the Lord rained on Sodom and
Gomorrah sulphur and fire from the Lord out of heaven. And he overthrew those
cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what
grew on the ground. But Lot’s wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a
pillar of salt. And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had
stood before the Lord. And he looked down towards Sodom and Gomorrah and
towards all the land of the valley, and he looked and, behold, the smoke of the
land went up like the smoke of a furnace. So it was that, when God destroyed
the cities of the valley, God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst
of the overthrow when he overthrew the cities in which Lot had lived.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm 26:2–3,
9–10, 11–12
Response: O
Lord, your mercy is before my eyes.
Examine me, Lord, and
try me.
O test my heart and my
mind.
Your mercy is before my
eyes,
and I walk according to
your truth.
Response: O
Lord, your mercy is before my eyes.
Do not sweep away my
soul with sinners,
nor my life with those
who shed blood,
in whose hands are evil
plots,
whose right hands are
filled with a bribe.
Response: O
Lord, your mercy is before my eyes.
As for me, I have
walked in my integrity.
Redeem me and have
mercy on me.
My foot stands on level
ground:
I will bless the Lord
in the assembly.
Response: O
Lord, your mercy is before my eyes.
Alleluia
Psalm 130:5
I long for the Lord, in
his word I hope.
Gospel
Matthew 8:23–27
At that time: When
Jesus got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a
great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he
was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.”
And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose
and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men
marvelled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey
him?”
Reflection
The gospel of today
presents one of the mighty deeds performed by Jesus. He manifests his authority
over the wind and the sea. The disciples are frightened seeing the raging sea.
Figuratively, the stormy sea denotes the persecutions, sufferings and struggles
endured by the first Christian community, and the boat represents the Church
community. For the disciples who lack faith in the presence of Jesus, he is
‘sleeping’. The irony of this episode is that the disciples are not convinced
of the power of Jesus who is right in their midst. They focus on the problem of
the rough sea instead of placing their faith and trust in the one who has power
over the sea and the wind. They fail to take the important journey from doubt
to faith and from death to life. What have we focussed our attention on – Jesus
or the storm?
Saints Junipero
Serra and Gall, Bishop (c.486-c.553)
Saint Junipero
Serra
Born on Spain’s island
of Mallorca, Serra entered the Franciscan Order taking the name of Saint
Francis’ childlike companion, Brother Juniper. Until he was 35, he spent most
of his time in the classroom—first as a student of theology and then as a
professor. He also became famous for his preaching. Suddenly he gave it all up
and followed the yearning that had begun years before when he heard about the
missionary work of Saint Francis Solano in South America. Junipero’s desire was
to convert native peoples in the New World.
Arriving by ship at
Vera Cruz, Mexico, he and a companion walked the 250 miles to Mexico City. On
the way Junipero’s left leg became infected by an insect bite and would remain
a cross—sometimes life-threatening—for the rest of his life. For 18 years, he
worked in central Mexico and in the Baja Peninsula. He became president of the
missions there.
Because the Native
Americans were living a nonhuman life from the Spanish point of view, the
friars were made their legal guardians. The Native Americans were kept at the
mission after baptism lest they be corrupted in their former haunts—a move that
has brought cries of “injustice” from some moderns.
Junipero’s missionary
life was a long battle with cold and hunger, with unsympathetic military
commanders and even with danger of death from non-Christian native peoples.
Through it all his unquenchable zeal was fed by prayer each night, often from
midnight till dawn. He baptized over 6,000 people and confirmed 5,000. His
travels would have circled the globe. He brought the Native Americans not only
the gift of faith but also a decent standard of living. He won their love, as
witnessed especially by their grief at his death. He is buried at Mission San
Carlo Borromeo, Carmel, and was beatified in 1988. Pope Francis canonized him
in Washington, D.C., on September 23, 2015.
St Gall Bishop
(c.486-c.553)
The son of a rich
father and of a mother who was descended from the family of Vettius Agapatius,
a Roman who suffered at Lyons for the faith, Gall resolved to consecrate
himself to God and withdrew to the monastery of Cournon, where he earnestly
prayed to be admitted there amongst the monks. The Abbot refused until he
should have obtained the consent of his parents, which he readily did and thus
renounced the world to embrace a life of religious poverty.
Here his eminent
virtues distinguished him in a manner that soon attracted the attention of
Bishop Quinctain who promoted him to Holy Orders. When the bishop died, in 527,
Gall was appointed successor and, in his new position, became known for his
humility, charity and zeal, and above all for his patience in putting up with
all injuries. Being once brutally hit on the head, he showed no anger or
resentment towards his assailant but by his meekness disarmed the savage of his
rage.
At another time, a
Priest named Evodius insulted him, but the saint, making the least reply, went
out to visit the churches of the city. Evodius was so touched by Gall’s
meekness that he prostrated himself at his feet in the middle of the street,
seeking pardon. From then on they both lived on terms of the most cordial
friendship. During the last few years of his life Gall gave himself up for the
upbringing of his nephew, who went on to distinguish himself as St Gregory of
Tours.
Reflection: “Meekness
is a virtue rarer than chastity; it is also more excellent than chastity and
all the other moral virtues, for it is the complement of charity, the greatest
of the theological virtues” (St Thomas Aquinas).
*****
Daily Readings
June 30, 2025
Monday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Genesis 18:16–33
The men set out from Oaks of Mamre, and they looked down towards Sodom. And Abraham went with them to set them on their way. The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.” Then the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know.” So the men turned from there and went towards Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord. Then Abraham drew near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” And the Lord said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” Abraham answered and said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking. Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?” And he said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.” Again he spoke to him and said, “Suppose forty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of forty I will not do it.” Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty are found there.” He answered, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.” He said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.” Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.” And the Lord went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 103:1–2, 3–4, 8–9, 10–11
Response: The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all within me,
his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and never forget all his benefits.
Response: The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
It is the Lord who forgives all your sins,
who heals every one of your ills,
who redeems your life from the grave,
who crowns you with mercy and compassion.
Response: The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger and rich in mercy.
He will not always find fault;
nor persist in his anger forever.
Response: The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
He does not treat us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our faults.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so strong his mercy for those who fear him.
Response: The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
Alleluia
Psalm 95:8
Today, harden not your hearts, but listen to the voice of the Lord.
Gospel
Matthew 8:18–22
At that time: When Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.
Reflection
Today’s gospel explains the cost of discipleship. Jesus does not advertise his brand of leadership by performing populist gimmicks or promising wealth and prosperity to those who wish to follow him. In human terms, following Jesus and his ideals in life would be equal to taking a huge risk. He is an itinerant preacher with no place to lay his head. Those who choose to follow him should expect no worldly comforts and personal gains. But the one who takes the risk of following him should never look back at what has been left behind. Following him should be immediate, total and radical. His followers should not be in two minds and two loyalties. No material object or personal relationship should outweigh one’s discipleship of the Lord. But such a person will be blessed by God with hundredfold joy in this world and eternal life in the next. Am I willing to follow Christ, who is poor, shunned and rejected?
First Martyrs of the Church at Rome (64 - 314)
In the early years of the Church, persecutions kept breaking out like rash across the vast Roman Empire. But given the present situation, we hardly give those terrible persecutions so much as a thought. One of the first major persecutions began under Nero in the year 64 A.D. and was followed by one under Domitian in 95 A.D. In 107 A.D., Trajan tested the faith, hope and love of the first Christians with another terrible ordeal by fire, prison and the sword. In 135 A.D., Hadrian followed his example and Marcus Aurelius followed suit in 180 A.D. In 222 A.D., Septimus Severus did his best to shake the constancy of the early Christians, followed by Decius in 250 A.D. and Valerian in 257 A.D., the last attempt being that of Diocletian in 303 A.D.
The Church today offers us this Commemoration of the First Martyrs to help us always bear in mind that the blood of martyrs is first and foremost the seed of faith; secondly, to have us prove, as they did, that our faith is a living, vibrant reality; and thirdly, consider the possibility of someday being called upon to bear witness as they did—to our faith and our hope, to our love for God and for our fellowmen, as so many of our contemporaries here in India itself and elsewhere have done.
Reflection: “To die for the truth is not to die merely for one’s faith, or one’s country, it is to die for the world. The blood of martyrs is shed in confirmation of the noblest claim — the claim to feed upon immortal truth, to walk with God, and be divinely free” (Cowper).
Daily Readings
June 30, 2025
Monday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Genesis 18:16–33
The men set out from Oaks of Mamre, and they looked down towards Sodom. And Abraham went with them to set them on their way. The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.” Then the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know.” So the men turned from there and went towards Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord. Then Abraham drew near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” And the Lord said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” Abraham answered and said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking. Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?” And he said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.” Again he spoke to him and said, “Suppose forty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of forty I will not do it.” Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty are found there.” He answered, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.” He said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.” Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.” And the Lord went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 103:1–2, 3–4, 8–9, 10–11
Response: The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all within me,
his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and never forget all his benefits.
Response: The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
It is the Lord who forgives all your sins,
who heals every one of your ills,
who redeems your life from the grave,
who crowns you with mercy and compassion.
Response: The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger and rich in mercy.
He will not always find fault;
nor persist in his anger forever.
Response: The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
He does not treat us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our faults.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so strong his mercy for those who fear him.
Response: The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
Alleluia
Psalm 95:8
Today, harden not your hearts, but listen to the voice of the Lord.
Gospel
Matthew 8:18–22
At that time: When Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.
Reflection
Today’s gospel explains the cost of discipleship. Jesus does not advertise his brand of leadership by performing populist gimmicks or promising wealth and prosperity to those who wish to follow him. In human terms, following Jesus and his ideals in life would be equal to taking a huge risk. He is an itinerant preacher with no place to lay his head. Those who choose to follow him should expect no worldly comforts and personal gains. But the one who takes the risk of following him should never look back at what has been left behind. Following him should be immediate, total and radical. His followers should not be in two minds and two loyalties. No material object or personal relationship should outweigh one’s discipleship of the Lord. But such a person will be blessed by God with hundredfold joy in this world and eternal life in the next. Am I willing to follow Christ, who is poor, shunned and rejected?
First Martyrs of the Church at Rome (64 - 314)
In the early years of the Church, persecutions kept breaking out like rash across the vast Roman Empire. But given the present situation, we hardly give those terrible persecutions so much as a thought. One of the first major persecutions began under Nero in the year 64 A.D. and was followed by one under Domitian in 95 A.D. In 107 A.D., Trajan tested the faith, hope and love of the first Christians with another terrible ordeal by fire, prison and the sword. In 135 A.D., Hadrian followed his example and Marcus Aurelius followed suit in 180 A.D. In 222 A.D., Septimus Severus did his best to shake the constancy of the early Christians, followed by Decius in 250 A.D. and Valerian in 257 A.D., the last attempt being that of Diocletian in 303 A.D.
The Church today offers us this Commemoration of the First Martyrs to help us always bear in mind that the blood of martyrs is first and foremost the seed of faith; secondly, to have us prove, as they did, that our faith is a living, vibrant reality; and thirdly, consider the possibility of someday being called upon to bear witness as they did—to our faith and our hope, to our love for God and for our fellowmen, as so many of our contemporaries here in India itself and elsewhere have done.
Reflection: “To die for the truth is not to die merely for one’s faith, or one’s country, it is to die for the world. The blood of martyrs is shed in confirmation of the noblest claim — the claim to feed upon immortal truth, to walk with God, and be divinely free” (Cowper).
Daily Readings
June 30, 2025
Monday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Genesis 18:16–33
The men set out from Oaks of Mamre, and they looked down towards Sodom. And Abraham went with them to set them on their way. The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.” Then the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know.” So the men turned from there and went towards Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord. Then Abraham drew near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” And the Lord said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” Abraham answered and said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking. Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?” And he said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.” Again he spoke to him and said, “Suppose forty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of forty I will not do it.” Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty are found there.” He answered, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.” He said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.” Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.” And the Lord went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 103:1–2, 3–4, 8–9, 10–11
Response: The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all within me,
his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and never forget all his benefits.
Response: The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
It is the Lord who forgives all your sins,
who heals every one of your ills,
who redeems your life from the grave,
who crowns you with mercy and compassion.
Response: The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger and rich in mercy.
He will not always find fault;
nor persist in his anger forever.
Response: The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
He does not treat us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our faults.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so strong his mercy for those who fear him.
Response: The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
Alleluia
Psalm 95:8
Today, harden not your hearts, but listen to the voice of the Lord.
Gospel
Matthew 8:18–22
At that time: When Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.
Reflection
Today’s gospel explains the cost of discipleship. Jesus does not advertise his brand of leadership by performing populist gimmicks or promising wealth and prosperity to those who wish to follow him. In human terms, following Jesus and his ideals in life would be equal to taking a huge risk. He is an itinerant preacher with no place to lay his head. Those who choose to follow him should expect no worldly comforts and personal gains. But the one who takes the risk of following him should never look back at what has been left behind. Following him should be immediate, total and radical. His followers should not be in two minds and two loyalties. No material object or personal relationship should outweigh one’s discipleship of the Lord. But such a person will be blessed by God with hundredfold joy in this world and eternal life in the next. Am I willing to follow Christ, who is poor, shunned and rejected?
First Martyrs of the Church at Rome (64 - 314)
In the early years of the Church, persecutions kept breaking out like rash across the vast Roman Empire. But given the present situation, we hardly give those terrible persecutions so much as a thought. One of the first major persecutions began under Nero in the year 64 A.D. and was followed by one under Domitian in 95 A.D. In 107 A.D., Trajan tested the faith, hope and love of the first Christians with another terrible ordeal by fire, prison and the sword. In 135 A.D., Hadrian followed his example and Marcus Aurelius followed suit in 180 A.D. In 222 A.D., Septimus Severus did his best to shake the constancy of the early Christians, followed by Decius in 250 A.D. and Valerian in 257 A.D., the last attempt being that of Diocletian in 303 A.D.
The Church today offers us this Commemoration of the First Martyrs to help us always bear in mind that the blood of martyrs is first and foremost the seed of faith; secondly, to have us prove, as they did, that our faith is a living, vibrant reality; and thirdly, consider the possibility of someday being called upon to bear witness as they did—to our faith and our hope, to our love for God and for our fellowmen, as so many of our contemporaries here in India itself and elsewhere have done.
Reflection: “To die for the truth is not to die merely for one’s faith, or one’s country, it is to die for the world. The blood of martyrs is shed in confirmation of the noblest claim — the claim to feed upon immortal truth, to walk with God, and be divinely free” (Cowper).
Daily Readings
June 30, 2025
Monday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Genesis 18:16–33
The men set out from Oaks of Mamre, and they looked down towards Sodom. And Abraham went with them to set them on their way. The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.” Then the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know.” So the men turned from there and went towards Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord. Then Abraham drew near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” And the Lord said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” Abraham answered and said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking. Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?” And he said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.” Again he spoke to him and said, “Suppose forty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of forty I will not do it.” Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty are found there.” He answered, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.” He said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.” Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.” And the Lord went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 103:1–2, 3–4, 8–9, 10–11
Response: The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all within me,
his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and never forget all his benefits.
Response: The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
It is the Lord who forgives all your sins,
who heals every one of your ills,
who redeems your life from the grave,
who crowns you with mercy and compassion.
Response: The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger and rich in mercy.
He will not always find fault;
nor persist in his anger forever.
Response: The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
He does not treat us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our faults.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so strong his mercy for those who fear him.
Response: The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
Alleluia
Psalm 95:8
Today, harden not your hearts, but listen to the voice of the Lord.
Gospel
Matthew 8:18–22
At that time: When Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.
Reflection
Today’s gospel explains the cost of discipleship. Jesus does not advertise his brand of leadership by performing populist gimmicks or promising wealth and prosperity to those who wish to follow him. In human terms, following Jesus and his ideals in life would be equal to taking a huge risk. He is an itinerant preacher with no place to lay his head. Those who choose to follow him should expect no worldly comforts and personal gains. But the one who takes the risk of following him should never look back at what has been left behind. Following him should be immediate, total and radical. His followers should not be in two minds and two loyalties. No material object or personal relationship should outweigh one’s discipleship of the Lord. But such a person will be blessed by God with hundredfold joy in this world and eternal life in the next. Am I willing to follow Christ, who is poor, shunned and rejected?
First Martyrs of the Church at Rome (64 - 314)
In the early years of the Church, persecutions kept breaking out like rash across the vast Roman Empire. But given the present situation, we hardly give those terrible persecutions so much as a thought. One of the first major persecutions began under Nero in the year 64 A.D. and was followed by one under Domitian in 95 A.D. In 107 A.D., Trajan tested the faith, hope and love of the first Christians with another terrible ordeal by fire, prison and the sword. In 135 A.D., Hadrian followed his example and Marcus Aurelius followed suit in 180 A.D. In 222 A.D., Septimus Severus did his best to shake the constancy of the early Christians, followed by Decius in 250 A.D. and Valerian in 257 A.D., the last attempt being that of Diocletian in 303 A.D.
The Church today offers us this Commemoration of the First Martyrs to help us always bear in mind that the blood of martyrs is first and foremost the seed of faith; secondly, to have us prove, as they did, that our faith is a living, vibrant reality; and thirdly, consider the possibility of someday being called upon to bear witness as they did—to our faith and our hope, to our love for God and for our fellowmen, as so many of our contemporaries here in India itself and elsewhere have done.
Reflection: “To die for the truth is not to die merely for one’s faith, or one’s country, it is to die for the world. The blood of martyrs is shed in confirmation of the noblest claim — the claim to feed upon immortal truth, to walk with God, and be divinely free” (Cowper).
Daily Readings
June 30, 2025
Monday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Genesis 18:16–33
The men set out from Oaks of Mamre, and they looked down towards Sodom. And Abraham went with them to set them on their way. The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.” Then the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know.” So the men turned from there and went towards Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord. Then Abraham drew near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” And the Lord said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” Abraham answered and said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking. Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?” And he said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.” Again he spoke to him and said, “Suppose forty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of forty I will not do it.” Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty are found there.” He answered, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.” He said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.” Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.” And the Lord went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 103:1–2, 3–4, 8–9, 10–11
Response: The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all within me,
his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and never forget all his benefits.
Response: The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
It is the Lord who forgives all your sins,
who heals every one of your ills,
who redeems your life from the grave,
who crowns you with mercy and compassion.
Response: The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger and rich in mercy.
He will not always find fault;
nor persist in his anger forever.
Response: The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
He does not treat us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our faults.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so strong his mercy for those who fear him.
Response: The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
Alleluia
Psalm 95:8
Today, harden not your hearts, but listen to the voice of the Lord.
Gospel
Matthew 8:18–22
At that time: When Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.
Reflection
Today’s gospel explains the cost of discipleship. Jesus does not advertise his brand of leadership by performing populist gimmicks or promising wealth and prosperity to those who wish to follow him. In human terms, following Jesus and his ideals in life would be equal to taking a huge risk. He is an itinerant preacher with no place to lay his head. Those who choose to follow him should expect no worldly comforts and personal gains. But the one who takes the risk of following him should never look back at what has been left behind. Following him should be immediate, total and radical. His followers should not be in two minds and two loyalties. No material object or personal relationship should outweigh one’s discipleship of the Lord. But such a person will be blessed by God with hundredfold joy in this world and eternal life in the next. Am I willing to follow Christ, who is poor, shunned and rejected?
First Martyrs of the Church at Rome (64 - 314)
In the early years of the Church, persecutions kept breaking out like rash across the vast Roman Empire. But given the present situation, we hardly give those terrible persecutions so much as a thought. One of the first major persecutions began under Nero in the year 64 A.D. and was followed by one under Domitian in 95 A.D. In 107 A.D., Trajan tested the faith, hope and love of the first Christians with another terrible ordeal by fire, prison and the sword. In 135 A.D., Hadrian followed his example and Marcus Aurelius followed suit in 180 A.D. In 222 A.D., Septimus Severus did his best to shake the constancy of the early Christians, followed by Decius in 250 A.D. and Valerian in 257 A.D., the last attempt being that of Diocletian in 303 A.D.
The Church today offers us this Commemoration of the First Martyrs to help us always bear in mind that the blood of martyrs is first and foremost the seed of faith; secondly, to have us prove, as they did, that our faith is a living, vibrant reality; and thirdly, consider the possibility of someday being called upon to bear witness as they did—to our faith and our hope, to our love for God and for our fellowmen, as so many of our contemporaries here in India itself and elsewhere have done.
Reflection: “To die for the truth is not to die merely for one’s faith, or one’s country, it is to die for the world. The blood of martyrs is shed in confirmation of the noblest claim — the claim to feed upon immort
al truth, to walk with God, and be divinely free” (Cowper).
Daily Reading
June 29, 2025
Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul,
Apostles
Reading 1
Acts of the Apostles
(12:1-11)
In those days: Herod the
king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. He killed James the
brother of John with the sword, and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he
proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread.
And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four
squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out
to the people. So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made
to God by the church. Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very
night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and
sentries before the door were guarding the prison. And behold, an angel of the
Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the
side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands.
And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did
so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak round you and follow me.” And he went
out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was
real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they had passed the first and
the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened
for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and
immediately the angel left him. When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am
sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and
from all that the Jewish people were expecting.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM (34)
Response: From all my
terrors, the Lord set me free.
I will bless the Lord at
all times; praise of him is always in my mouth. In the Lord my soul shall make
its boast; the humble shall hear and be glad.
Response:
From all my terrors, the Lord set me free.
Glorify the Lord with me;
together let us praise his name. I sought the Lord, and he answered me; from
all my terrors he set me free.
Response: From all my
terrors, the Lord set me free.
Look toward him and be
radiant; let your faces not be abashed. This lowly one called; the Lord heard,
and rescued him from all his distress.
Response: From all my
terrors, the Lord set me free.
The angel of the Lord is
encamped around those who fear him, to rescue them. Taste and see that the Lord
is good. Blessed the man who seeks refuge in him.
Response: From all my
terrors, the Lord set me free.
Reading 2
Second Letter of Saint
Paul to Timothy ( 4:6-8, 17-18)
Beloved: I am already being poured out as a
drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good
fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is
laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge,
will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved
his appearing. But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me
the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. The
Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly
kingdom. To him be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.
ACCLAMATION
Alleluia, alleluia!
You are Peter, and on this
rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against
it. Alleluia! (Mt 16:18)
GOSPEL
Matthew (16:13-19)
All: Glory to you, O Lord.
At that time: When Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked
his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some
say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the
prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter
replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered
him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed
this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and
on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail
against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you
bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall
be loosed in heaven.”
Reflection
Today we celebrate the
feast of two spiritual giants in the history of the Church, Peter and Paul. Peter,
the head of the Apostles, is assigned the duty to preserve the unity of the
Church; and Paul the Apostle of the Gentiles is the fierce defender of the
faith. Both of these have contributed to the Church and the Christian faithful,
and also in the establishment of the Roman Catholic Church, with its centre in
Rome. Peter was a fisherman from Galilee. His world was the Sea of Galilee and
the hilly countryside that surrounded it. Andrew his brothers led Peter to
Christ. Jesus intended that Peter would be the rock-like foundation on which
the Church would be built. Paul was from the university city of Tarsus, the
capital city of the Roman province of Cilicia, on the South-east coast of what
is today’s Turkey. He seems to have been highly educated. His family appears to
have been well-to-do as his father was a Roman citizen. He was a zealous
Pharisee, who declared himself blameless with regard to the keeping of the
Jewish Law. Paul hated and persecuted Christians as heretics and even assisted
at the stoning of Saint Stephen. On his way to Damascus, Syria, to arrest
another group of the faithful, he was knocked to the ground, struck blind by a
heavenly light, and given the message that in persecuting Christians, he was
persecuting Christ himself. Jesus entrusted the leadership of the Church to
Peter. He also gave him the keys of the kingdom and authority to bind and loose
(Matthew 16:19). The Apostle Paul worked so assiduously, resolutely, with a
sense of commitment and conviction, and uncompromisingly in spreading the good
news. Both of them sacrificed their life in total service and finally laid down
their lives for the sake of Christ as Peter was crucified and Paul beheaded.
For all their differences, they had at least one thing in common. Both of these
men found themselves at odds with the Lord. Peter denied Jesus publicly three
times. Paul violently persecuted the followers of Jesus, and thereby persecuted
Jesus himself. Yet, their resistance to the Lord did not prevent the Lord from
working powerfully through them. Peter was chosen to be the leader of the
twelve, the rock on which Jesus would build his Church. Paul was chosen to be
the great apostle to the pagans. Today’s feast reminds us that the way the Lord
works through us is unique to each one of us. The feast also reassures us that
our many resistances to the Lord need not be a hindrance to the Lord working
through us. Our failings do not define who we are. Paul would go on to say,
‘the Lord’s grace towards me has not been in vain’. The Lord’s grace towards us
in our weakness and frailty need never be in vain if we continue to open
ourselves to the workings of that grace, as Peter and Paul did. May the Lord,
who is glorified through His Apostles, St Peter and St Paul, continue to bless
us all and guide us, His Church, His faithful ones, so that in all our good
works and endeavours, we will bring ever greater glory to Him, and bring many
more people ever closer to salvation and grace in Him.
Source: The Sunday Liturgy
Saints Peter & Paul (Apostles, Martyrs) (d-c. 67)
On this day, the Church looks back to her origin and
celebrates solemnly the memory of the two most important men in her life who
moulded her in the early stages. Saints Peter and Paul, the two pillars of the
Church, have left an indelible mark on her very foundation and character.
Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah” (Mt 16:17a) was a native
of Bethsaida on the shore of Galilee. Married and settled at Capernaum,
together with his brother Andrew he earned his living “fishing”, until the Lord
called them from being fishermen to become “fishers of men” (Lk 5:9).
St Paul was, next to St John the Evangelist, probably
the greatest religious genius known in Christianity. Belonging to the Diaspora
and equally familiar with both Jewish and Greek culture, his unique experience
of the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus was to prove to be the driving force
that made him one of the most zealous, dynamic and courageous ambassadors of
Christ ever! What emerges from his Epistles (numbering 7 to be precise) which
have remained till date a wellspring of truth, testimony and teaching, is not a
cold, hard character with a sharp intellect and unfailing willpower but a
passionate lover and dedicated follower of Christ.
Both Peter and Paul were men of action, the work of
each complementing that of the other. Both ardent lovers of Christ, each could
rightly say: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have
kept the faith. From now on there is reserved for me the crown of
righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day,
and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing” (2 Tim
4:7-8).
Reflection: “Both apostles
share the same feast day, for these two were one; and even though they suffered
on different days, they were as one. Peter went first, and Paul followed. And
so we celebrate this day made holy for us by the apostles’ blood.” (St
Augustine of Hippo).
Daily Readings
June 28, 2025
Immaculate Heart of the Blessed
Virgin Mary – Memorial
Reading 1
Isaiah
61:9-11
The offspring
[of my people] shall be known among the nations, and their descendants in the
midst of the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge them, that they are an
offspring the Lord has blessed. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul
shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he
has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself
like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with
her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes
what is sown in it to sprout up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and
praise to sprout up before all the nations.
Responsorial
Psalm
1 Samuel 2:1, 4–5, 6–7, 8abcd
Response: My heart exults in the Lord, my
Saviour.
My heart exults in the Lord;
my horn is exalted in the Lord.
My mouth derides my enemies,
because I rejoice in your salvation.
Response: My heart exults in the Lord, my
Saviour.
The bows of the mighty are broken,
but the feeble bind on strength.
Those who were full
have hired themselves out for bread,
but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger.
The barren has borne seven,
but she who has many children is forlorn.
Response: My heart exults in the Lord, my
Saviour.
The Lord kills and brings to life;
he brings down to Sheol and raises up.
The Lord makes poor and makes rich;
he brings low and he exalts.
Response: My heart exults in the Lord, my
Saviour.
He raises up the poor from the dust;
he lifts the needy from the ash heap
to make them sit with princes
and inherit a seat of honour.
Response: My
heart exults in the Lord, my Saviour.
Alleluia
Blessed is the Virgin Mary, who kept
the word of God, pondering it in her heart.
Gospel
Luke
2:41–51
The parents
of Jesus went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when he
was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. And when the feast was
ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His
parents did not know it, but supposing him to be in the group they went a day’s
journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and
acquaintances, and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem,
searching for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among
the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions; and all who heard
him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. And when his parents saw
him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you
treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great
distress.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know
that I must be in my Father’s house?” And they did not understand the saying that
he spoke to them. And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was
submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.
Reflection
After the celebration of
the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, today we celebrate the Feast
of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, reminding us of the special
link that Jesus our Lord has with His mother Mary. As we know and believe, Mary
was conceived without original sin – she is the Immaculate Conception. To say
that Mary’s heart is immaculate is to say that her intentions, her very
personality and her character are pure. Her will and her entire inner life are
set on God – her heart belongs to Him alone. Mary’s mind and heart were filled
with the knowledge of God’s mercy, his mercy that endures from age to age, from
generation to generation. Today, let us be thankful to God for the priceless
gift of the Immaculate Heart of Mary to the world, to the Church and each of
us. To many, the Immaculate Heart of Mary is a source of comfort in times of
personal need and the needs of the Church and the world.
Immaculate Heart of Mary
Historically, devotion to the Heart of Mary grew up in
parallel, but at a lesser intensity than that of devotion to the Heart of
Jesus, only starting to become more prominent during the time of St John Eudes.
Saint John Eudes brought people to love Christ and the
Virgin Mary by speaking tirelessly about their Heart, the sign of the love God
shows for us and the communion to which we are called.
Nevertheless,
it was not until after the Apparitions at Rue du Bac concerning the
“Miraculous Medal” made to Catherine Labouré in 1830, and the establishment of
a society dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, at the Church of Our Lady
of Victories in Paris in 1836, that this particular devotion became really well
known.
Since then devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
has gradually grown more widespread in the Church, particularly since the
apparitions at Fatima.
The main difference between the devotions to the
hearts of Jesus and Mary is that the one concerned with Jesus emphasizes his
divine heart as being full of love for mankind, but with this love for the most
part being ignored or rejected, while devotion to Mary’s heart is essentially
concerned with the love that her heart has for Jesus, for God.
Therefore, it is not an end in itself, so the love of
her heart is meant to be a model for the way we should love God. The fact that
her heart is immaculate, that is sinless, means that she is the only fully
human person who is able to really love God in the way that he should be loved.
Honouring Mary's Immaculate Heart is really just
another way of honouring Mary as the person who was chosen to be the Mother of
God, recognizing her extraordinary holiness and the immense love she bestowed
on Jesus as his mother, the person who was called to share in and co-operate in
his redemptive sufferings.
The aim of the devotion is to unite humankind to God
through Mary’s heart, and this process involves the ideas of consecration and
reparation. A person is consecrated to Mary’s Immaculate Heart as a way of
being completely devoted to God. This involves a total gift of self, something
only ultimately possible with reference to God; but Mary is our intermediary in
this process of consecration.
Because of the strong
analogy between Jesus and Mary, the consecration to Mary’s Immaculate Heart is
closely linked to the consecration to Jesus’ Sacred Heart, although it is
subordinate and dependent on it. That is, although the act of consecration is ultimately
addressed to God, it is an act that is made through Mary.
Daily
Readings
June
27, 2025
Solemnity
of Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
Reading
1
Ezekiel
34:11-16
Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I, I myself will
search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock
when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my
sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on
a day of clouds and thick darkness. And I will bring them out from the peoples
and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own
land. And I will feed them on the mountains
of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I
will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall
be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on
rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the
shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord
God. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind
up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will
destroy. I will feed them in justice.”
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 23:1–3a, 3b–4, 5, 6
Response: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I
shall want.
The Lord is my shepherd;
there is nothing I shall want.
Fresh and green are the pastures where he gives me
repose.
Near restful waters he leads me;
he revives my soul.
Response: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I
shall want.
He guides me along the right path,
for the sake of his name.
Though I should walk in the valley of the shadow of
death,
no evil would I fear, for you are with me.
Your crook and your staff will give me comfort.
Response: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I
shall want.
You have prepared a table before me in the sight of my
foes.
My head you have anointed with oil;
my cup is overflowing.
Response: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I
shall want.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days
of my life.
In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell
for length of days unending.
Response: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I
shall want.
Reading
2
Romans 5:5b-11
Brethren:
God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been
given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for
the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person – though perhaps
for a good person one would dare even to die – but God shows his love for us in
that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have
now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the
wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the
death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by
his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Alleluia
Matthew 11:29ab
Take my yoke upon you, says the Lord; and learn from
me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart.
Gospel
Luke
15:3-7
At that time: Jesus told the Pharisees and the scribes
this parable; “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of
them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one
that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his
shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and
his neighbours, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep
that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one
sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no
repentance.
Reflection
The heart is considered the seat of love. Out of his
love for the people of Israel, “the Lord set his heart” on them and chose them,
bringing them out of their slavery with a mighty hand. He loved them despite
their unfaithfulness. Saint John teaches that God is love and “God’s love was
revealed among us in this way: God sent His only Son into the world so that we
might live through him” (1 Jn 4:9). The Heart of Jesus is the seat of this
highest form of love, as Jesus abides in God and God abides in him, in the most
perfect form. Honouring the Sacred Heart of Jesus is honouring God, who is
love. Jesus reveals his tenderness, gentleness and sweetness of his heart in
the shepherd who “leaves the ninety-nine in the wilderness and seeks out the
lone one till he finds it” (Lk 15:4). We are invited to experience and imitate
the qualities of Jesus’ heart: love, compassion, mercy, tenderness, gentleness
and graciousness. Do I make an effort to reach out to others in love and
compassion as God Himself did to us in love and compassion by sending His own
Son for our salvation?
The Solemnity of
the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
The Sacred Heart
of Jesus is a devotional with long and historic provenance within Christianity,
and in modern times has been established as a Solemnity for the universal
Church.
The Solemnity of
the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus is a celebration that falls 19 days after
Pentecost, on a Friday.
In 1856, Pope
Pius IX established the Feast of the Sacred Heart as obligatory for the whole
Church, to be celebrated on the Friday after Corpus Christi.
The devotion to
the Sacred Heart of Jesus is much older. The beginnings of a devotion of the
love of God symbolized by the heart of Jesus are found in the fathers of the
Church, including Origen, Saint Ambrose, Saint Jerome, Saint Augustine of
Hippo, Saint Hippolytus of Rome, Saint Irenaeus, Saint Justin Martyr, and Saint
Cyprian. In the 11th century this devotion found a renewal in the writings of
Benedictine and Cistercian monasteries. This expression was given form by Saint
Bernard of Clairvaux in the 12th century in his famous poem/prayer “O Sacred
Head Surrounded.”
In the 13th
century, the Franciscan St. Bonaventure’s work “With You is the Source of Life”
(which is the reading for the Divine Office on the Solemnity of the Sacred
Heart) began to point to the heart as the fountain from which God’s love poured
into our lives.
At the end of the
13th century, St. Gertrude, on the feast of St. John the Evangelist, had a
vision in which she was allowed to rest her head near the wound in the
Saviour’s side. She heard the beating of the Divine Heart and asked John if, on
the night of the Last Supper, he too had felt this beating heart, why then had
he never spoken of the fact. John replied that this revelation had been
reserved for subsequent ages when the world, having grown cold, would have need
to rekindle its love.
From that time
until the time of St. John Eudes the devotion continues to spread, primarily as
a private devotion, but one that was increasingly wide-spread. The Franciscans
continued the devotion within their fraternity and their churches, but other
religious orders also prayed the devotion: the Jesuits, the Carmelites of
Spain, and the Benedictines.
In the late 17th
century the devotion was renewed and adopted elsewhere, especially following
the revelations to Saint Marguerite Marie Alacoque. The saint, a cloistered nun
of the Visitation Order, received several private revelations of the Sacred
Heart, the first on December 27, 1673, and the final one 18 months later. The
visions revealed to her the form of the devotion, the chief features being
reception of Holy Communion on the first Friday of each month, Eucharistic
adoration during a “Holy hour” on Thursdays, and the celebration of the Feast
of the Sacred Heart.
The
devotion was fostered by the Jesuits and Franciscans, but it was not until the
1928 encyclical Miserentissimus Redemptor by Pope Pius XI that the Church
validated the credibility of Alacoque’s visions of Jesus Christ in having
“promised her [Alacoque] that all those who rendered this honour to His Heart
would be endowed with an abundance of heavenly graces.”
Daily
Readings
June
26, 2025
Thursday
of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading
1
Genesis 16:6b–12, 15–16 (Longer From: Genesis 16:1–12,
15–16)
In those days: Sarai dealt harshly with Hagar, and she
fled from her. The angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the
wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur.
And he said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from and
where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from my mistress Sarai.” The
angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her.” The
angel of the Lord also said to her, “I will surely multiply your offspring so
that they cannot be numbered for multitude.” And the angel of the Lord said to
her, “Behold, you are pregnant and shall bear a son. You shall call his name
Ishmael, because the Lord has listened to your affliction. He shall be a wild
donkey of a man, his hand against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and
he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen.” And Hagar bore Abram a son, and
Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. Abram was
eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm
106:1b–2, 3–4ab, 4c–5
Response:
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
O give thanks to
the Lord, for he is good;
for his mercy
endures forever.
Who can tell the
Lord’s mighty deeds,
or recount in
full his praise?
Response:
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
Blessed are they
who observe what is just,
who at all times
do what is right. O Lord,
remember me with
the favour you show to your people.
Response:
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
Visit me with
your saving power,
that I may see
the riches of your chosen ones,
and may rejoice
in the gladness of your nation,
boasting in the
glory of your heritage.
Response: O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
Alleluia
John
14:23
If
anyone loves me, he will keep my word, says the Lord; and my Father will love
him, and we will come to him.
Gospel
Matthew 7:21–29
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “Not
everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but
the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will
say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons
in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare
to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man
who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and
the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been
founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do
them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain
fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and
it fell, and great was the fall of it.” And when Jesus finished these sayings,
the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who
had authority, and not as their scribes.
Reflection
Today’s
gospel passage is the conclusion of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. This section
sums up the notion of who is a true disciple. Not everyone who says or affirms
that Jesus is the risen Lord will enter the Kingdom of Heaven! For Jesus, it is
how Christian life is lived out daily that demonstrates whether or not someone
is his true disciple. Mere lip service does not matter much. The story of the
two persons who built their houses on rock and sand respectively provides a
fitting closure to the whole of the Sermon on the Mount. A strong foundation
makes it possible for the house to survive even the worst of storms. And a weak
foundation leaves the house in ruins. The foundation intended by Jesus is one’s
ability and willingness to listen to and live by the word of God. Hearing and
doing the word of God means a life of solid foundation and lasting survival
despite the storms of life. Jesus, the incarnate Word, is a rock of truth on
which we can make decisions and commitments in life.
St Josemaria Escrívá de Balaguer (Priest) (1902-1975)
Josemaria was a
man who became a “master of Christian living” by reaching “the heights of
contemplation with continuous prayer, constant mortification” and “exemplary
docility to the movements of the Holy Spirit.”
It was at the
early age of 16 that Josemaria felt called to some as yet unknown but important
task. With characteristic faith he responded with the words of scripture: “Here
I am Lord, because you have called me” (1 Sam 3:5). Ordained priest in 1925, he
took up the study of civil law in Madrid in 1927, his apostolic zeal soon
having him interacting with a cross-section of society—artists and
academicians, labourers and intellectuals, army-men and clergymen alike. To
strive for sanctity by way of living Christ’s own life among his people as
enjoined by Baptism was the call that became evident in 1928 when making a
retreat. Thus was born Opus Dei whose mission would be “to open up in the
Church a new vocational path aimed at spreading the quest for holiness and the
practice of the apostolate through sanctification of ordinary work in the
world.”
With the rapid
spread of Opus Dei came trials and hardships of every kind, financial
difficulties assailing the worldwide expansion of apostolic works. Josemaria’s
sense of humour, however, stood him in good stead. In 1954, he was miraculously
cured of a serious form of diabetes that had troubled him for over a decade.
The heart of
Josemaria’s message is: Sanctify your daily life, and sanctify yourself in and
through that daily life. Beatified in 1992, he was finally canonized in
2002.
Reflection:
“To be holy is not easy, but it is not difficult either. To be holy is to be a
good Christian, to resemble Christ.” (St Josemaria Escrivá).
Daily Readings
June 25, 2025
Wednesday of the
Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading I
Genesis 15:1–12,
17–18
In
those days: The word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I
am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” But Abram said, “O
Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my
house is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no
offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.” And behold, the word
of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son
shall be your heir.” And he brought him outside and said, “Look towards heaven,
and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So
shall your offspring be.” And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as
righteousness. And he said to him, “I am the Lord who brought you out from Ur
of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.” But he said, “O Lord God,
how am I to know that I shall possess it?” He said to him, “Bring me a heifer
three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a
turtle-dove, and a young pigeon.” And he brought him all these, cut them in
half, and laid each half over against the other. But he did not cut the birds
in half. And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them
away. As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. And behold,
dreadful and great darkness fell upon him. When the sun had gone down and it
was dark, behold, a smoking firepot and a flaming torch passed between these
pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your
offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the
river Euphrates.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
105:1–2, 3–4, 6–7, 8–9
Response:
The Lord remembers his covenant forever.
Give
thanks to the Lord; proclaim his name.
Make
known his deeds among the peoples.
O
sing to him, sing his praise;
tell
all his wonderful works!
Response:
The Lord remembers his covenant forever.
Glory
in his holy name;
let
the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice.
Turn
to the Lord and his strength;
constantly
seek his face.
Response:
The Lord remembers his covenant forever.
O
children of Abraham, his servant,
O
descendants of the Jacob he chose,
he,
the Lord, is our God;
his
judgments are in all the earth.
Response:
The Lord remembers his covenant forever.
He
remembers his covenant forever:
the
promise he ordained for a thousand generations,
the
covenant he made with Abraham,
the
oath he swore to Isaac.
Response:
The Lord remembers his covenant forever.
Alleluia
John 15:4a, 5b
Abide in me, and I in you,
says the Lord; he who abides in me bears much fruit.
Gospel
Matthew 7:15–20
At
that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “Beware of false prophets, who come to
you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognise
them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes, or figs from
thirstles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears
bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear
good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown
into the fire. Thus you will recognise them by their fruits.”
Reflection
Jesus
warns against the deceitfulness of false prophets who lead people astray. They
may appear to be true and harmless, like wolves in sheep’s clothing, but they
inflict lasting damage on the lives of those they claim to teach and lead.
Jesus also gives his disciples a very practical tip on how to distinguish false
leaders from true ones: “You will know them by their fruits.” Just as a good
tree abounds in good fruits, a true leader can be identified by his life and
virtues, his actions and conversations. And a false one can also be identified
by the type of life that the person leads. In my own life’s quests, am I guided
by false prophets who lead me to destruction, or by true prophets who guide me
to life and happiness?
St
William of Monte Vergine (Abbot, Confessor) (1085 -1142)
A
native of Vercelli in Piedmont (Italy), St William was born of noble parentage,
both of whom died while he was still a child. At 14 he gave away all his
inheritance before setting out on a pilgrimage to the great shrine of St James
at Compostela, Spain. Not content with covering the great distance barefoot, he
girded his body with iron bands for harsher penance. In response to divine
revelation on his return to Italy, he took up life as a hermit atop the lonely
mountain between Nola and Benevento in southern Italy. With more and more men,
drawn by his sanctity and miracles, placing themselves under his direction,
desirous of following his austere life, he founded a monastery in 1119 and
built a church dedicated in honour to Blessed Virgin.
William
therefore left them and, Under the munificent patronage of King Roger I of
Naples, William erected a number of new monasteries and convents. True to his
name, St William wore his faith like a “strong helmet” right until his death in
1142.
The
hermits of Monte Vergine were for some time widely diffused throughout southern
Italy, but the Holy See joined them to the Cassinese Congregation of Primitive
Observance during the last century.
Reflection:
“You try, strive and make efforts to reach such a disposition of spirit that
you become one with me, that you will be so like mine that you not only don’t
desire anything evil, but also the good that I don’t want.” (Jesus, to St
Catherine of Siena).
Daily Readings
June 24, 2025
Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist
Reading I
Isaiah 49:1-6
Listen to me, O coastlands, and give attention, you
peoples from afar. The Lord called me from the womb, from the body of my mother
he named my name. He made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his
hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow; in his quiver he hid me away. And
he said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.” But I
said, “I have laboured in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing and
vanity; yet surely my right is with the Lord, and my recompense with my God.”
And now the Lord says, he who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to
bring Jacob back to him; and that Israel might be gathered to him for I am
honoured in the eyes of the Lord, and my God has become my strength he says:
“It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes
of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light
for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth”.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm 139:1–3,
13–14, 15
Response: I thank
you who wonderfully made me.
O Lord, you search
me and you know me.
You yourself know
my resting and my rising;
you discern my
thoughts from afar.
You mark when I
walk or lie down;
you know all my
ways through and through.
Response: I thank
you who wonderfully made me.
For it was you who
formed my inmost being,
knit me together in
my mother’s womb.
I thank you who
wonderfully made me;
how wonderful are
your works,
which my soul knows
well!
Response: I thank
you who wonderfully made me.
My frame was not
hidden from you,
when I was being
fashioned in secret
and moulded in the
depths of the earth.
Response:
I thank you who wonderfully made me.
Reading II
Acts of the
Apostles 13:22-26
In
those days: Paul said, “God raised up David to be their king, of whom he
testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my
heart, who will do all my will.’ Of this man’s offspring God has brought to
Israel a Saviour, Jesus, as he promised. Before his coming, John had proclaimed
a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. And as John was finishing
his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but
behold, after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to
untie.’ Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear
God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation.”
Alleluia
See Luke 1:76
You, child, will be called the prophet of the Most
High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways.
Gospel
Luke 1:57-66.80
Now
the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. And her
neighbours and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and
they rejoiced with her. And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the
child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, but his
mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.” And they said to her, “None of
your relatives is called by this name.” And they made signs to his father,
enquiring what he wanted him to be called. And he asked for a writing tablet
and wrote, “His name is John.” and they all wondered. And immediately his mouth
was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. And a fear came
on all their neighbours. And all these things were talked about through all the
hill country of Judea, and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts,
saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.
And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness
until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
Reflection
John
the Baptist was the one sent by God to prepare the way for the coming of the
Saviour. He was chosen and consecrated even from his mother’s womb for this
role. The extraordinary events surrounding his conception and birth show that
God had a special plan for him. That is the reason people exclaimed: “What then
will this child become!” He perfectly adhered to God’s plan for his life and
carried out the mission that was willed for him by God. He knew who he was and
what his role was in the fulfilment of God’s plan for the world’s salvation. He
also recognized and pointed out the one whose path he was sent to prepare –
Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world. John would not overstep his role or
pretend to be what he was not. He dared to say, “I am not he. No, but one is
coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of the sandals on his
feet.” John’s humility, simplicity, faithfulness to his mission, and
fearlessness – these are the qualities that make him the greatest person born
of woman. Do I discern and follow God’s plan for me?
St John the
Baptist (Martyr)
John the Baptist is
the only saint who has his birthday observed in addition to his death day, the
honour being restricted to Jesus and Mary.
As Jesus himself
says: “Of all the children born to women, there is no one greater than John”
(Lk 7:28). Furthermore, while Jesus and Mary were conceived in grace, John,
whose name means, “Yahweh is gracious”, was conceived with original sin like
all human beings, but was born in grace, having been sanctified in the womb of
his mother—“. . . . from his mother’s womb he will be filled with the Holy
Spirit” (Lk 1:15).
Having played his
role of preparing the way for the Messiah—“a voice crying in the wilderness:
Prepare a way for the Lord. Make his paths straight” (Isa 40:3)—and announcing
the Messiah—“Look, there is the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the
world” (Jn 1:29)—he graciously fades into the background—“He must increase; I
must decrease” (Jn 3:30). And finally, as part of his mission of straightening
the Lord’s paths, he does not hesitate to uphold the truth by way of rebuking
the ruler of the land, Herod Antipas, for his incestuous affair with the wife
of his half-brother. The famous oath made by drunken Herod—who obviously had a
shallow sense of honour—to his illegal queen, in response to her daughter
Salomé’s seductive dance on his birthday, had the head of the Precursor and
forerunner of the Messiah on a platter to the sadistic delight of Herodias.
John’s mission was thus complete—he died for the Truth.
Reflection:
“In his birth, preaching and baptizing, he bore witness to the coming birth,
preaching and baptism of Christ.” (St Bede the Venerable)
Daily Readings
June 23, 2025
Monday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Genesis 12:1–9
In those days: The
Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s
house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation,
and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I
will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonours you I will curse, and in
you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” So Abram went, as the Lord
had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he
departed from Haran. And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son,
and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people that they had
acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to the land of Canaan. When they came
to the land of Canaan, Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem,
to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. Then the
Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So
he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. From there he
moved to the hill country on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with
Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar to the Lord
and called upon the name of the Lord. And Abram journeyed on, still going
towards the Negeb.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
33:12–13, 18–20 & 22
Response:
Blessed the people the Lord has chosen as his heritage.
Blessed the nation
whose God is the Lord,
the people he has
chosen as his heritage.
From the heavens
the Lord looks forth;
he sees all the
children of men.
Response:
Blessed the people the Lord has chosen as his heritage.
Yes, the Lord’s
eyes are on those who fear him,
who hope in his
merciful love,
to rescue their
souls from death,
to keep them alive
in famine.
Response:
Blessed the people the Lord has chosen as his heritage.
Our soul is waiting
for the Lord.
He is our help and
our shield.
May your merciful
love be upon us,
as we hope in you,
O Lord.
Response:
Blessed the people the Lord has chosen as his heritage.
Alleluia
Hebrews 4:12
The word of God is
living and active, discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Gospel
Matthew
7:1–5
At that time: Jesus
said to his disciples, “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the
judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will
be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but
do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your
brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye’, when there is the log in your
own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you
will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
Reflection
It is said that God
does not judge anyone. We earn our judgement by our deeds or misdeeds,
especially our acts of judging and condemning others. God does not want any of
us to assume the role of a judge for the very reason that no human being is
perfect and capable of judging. It is a common tendency to notice and
exaggerate the ‘speck’ in others’ eyes while ignoring the ‘log’ in one’s own.
Most often the person who tends to find fault with others is the one guilty of
those very faults. Jesus never passed judgment on others, even when he knew
they were at fault. If we are generous in being positive and speaking well
about others, we get good things in return. On the other hand, if we indulge in
judging, condemning and gossiping, we get a harsh judgement from God. What is
my approach and attitude to others who are imperfect like me?
St Joseph Cafasso
(Confessor) (1811-1860)
Born of deeply
religious parents at Castelnuovo, Italy, Joseph Cafasso was, as a boy called
the “little saint”, and though poor, his talents, industry and piety saw him
ordained priest at the early age of 22. He was made prefect, then professor of
moral theology, and finally rector of the seminary of Turin. Fr Cafasso, the
“Pearl of the Italian clergy”, though small of stature and somewhat deformed,
had been the source of blessing not only for the clergy and people of Turin,
but the whole world as the spiritual director of the great apostle of charity,
St John Bosco. Cafasso had the confidence of all, young and old, rich and poor,
even as clergy, bishops, princes and, indeed, all classes of people benefited
from his ministrations in the confessional and his Retreats.
He evinced keen
interest in the work of St Joseph Cottolengo, the indefatigable advocate of the
orphans, the poor and the distressed of all kinds and founder of the “Little
House of Divine Providence”.
Joseph Cafasso, who
died in 1860, was beatified in 1895 and canonized in 1947.
Reflection: “The
dying Saviour on the Cross is a friend who will not terrify you, who will not
abandon you. Hope in him, and heaven is yours!” (St Joseph Cafasso)
Daily Readings
June 21, 2025
Memorial of Saint
Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious
Reading I
2 Corinthians
12:1–10
Brethren:
I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on
to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen
years ago was caught up to the third heaven – whether in the body or out of the
body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into
paradise – whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows –
and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. On behalf of
this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my
weaknesses – though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I
would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think
more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. So to keep me from becoming
conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was
given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from
becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it
should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my
power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly
of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of
Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions,
and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 34:8–9, 10–11, 12–13
Response: Taste and see that the Lord
is good.
The angel of the Lord is encamped
around those who fear him, to rescue them.
Taste and see that the Lord is good.
Blessed the man who seeks refuge in him.
Response: Taste and see that the Lord
is good.
Fear the Lord, you his holy ones.
They lack nothing, those who fear him.
The rich suffer want and go hungry,
but those who seek the Lord lack no
blessing.
Response: Taste and see that the Lord
is good.
Come, children, and hear me,
that I may teach you the fear of the Lord.
Who is it that desires life
and longs to see prosperous days?
Response: Taste and see that the Lord
is good.
Alleluia
2 Corinthians 8:9
Though Jesus Christ was rich,
yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.
Gospel
Matthew 6:24–34
At
that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “No one can serve two masters, for
either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the
one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. Therefore I tell
you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will
drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food,
and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow
nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are
you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a
single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing?
Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin,
yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of
these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and
tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of
little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or
‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all
these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek
first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be
added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be
anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
Reflection
Today’s
gospel passage focuses on the theme, of ‘anxiety versus trust’. Anxiety is one
of the most common sicknesses across the spectrum. There are a million reasons
to worry and be anxious about. And it never ends as we are sunk neck-deep in
trouble. Things are not perfect, life is not calm and peaceful. But Jesus says
calmly and gently, “Do not worry!” In other words, be calm! Be happy! Your
heavenly Father will take care of everything you need. Put anxiety aside in
favour of trusting your Heavenly Father for everything you need. Don’t get into
worrying about tomorrow – God is already up ahead of you and will take care of
tomorrow. Do I trust in and pray to a God who knows and provides for my needs?
St
Aloysius Gonzaga (Confessor) (1568-1591)
Aloysius,
the eldest son of the Marquis Ferdinand of Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua, Prince of
the Roman Empire, was expected to become a great statesman and soldier. At the
age of eight he was sent with his brother to spend two years at the court of
Francesco de Medici in Florence (Italy). But deeply absorbed in matters
spiritual he took a vow of perpetual chastity and, at age 12, received his
First Communion from St Charles Borromeo, a relative, who was then Archbishop
of Milan. At 17 years, he entered the Jesuit novitiate.
“I
am a twisted piece of iron, and have entered religion in order to get
straightened out!” he insisted. Yet, his
motto was: “I was born for greater things”.
In
his 22nd year he had a premonition of his approaching death and turned over his
theological and spiritual notes to his rector as the only material things to
which he was still attached. When a great famine broke out in Italy in 1590,
followed by pestilence, the Jesuits opened an emergency hospital, and Aloysius
solicited alms and tended the sick. But in March 1591 he himself took ill and
succumbed three months later, aged barely 23, with St Robert Bellarmine
spending the whole of the last night by his side. He was canonized in 1726, and
in 1729 declared the special protector and patron of youth, especially of young
Catholic students.
Reflection:
“Nothing entitles us to boast of our high birth. The great ones turn to dust
the same as the wretched poor. If anything, the ashes of princes smell the more
foully!” (St Aloysius Gonzaga).
Daily Readings
June 20, 2025
Friday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
2 Corinthians 11:18, 21b–30
Brethren: Since many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast. But whatever anyone else dares to boast of – I am speaking as a fool – I also dare to boast of that. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I. Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one – I am talking like a madman – with far greater labours, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; for a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant? If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 34:2–3, 4–5, 6–7
Response: The Lord rescues them in all their distress.
I will bless the Lord at all times;
praise of him is always in my mouth.
In the Lord my soul shall make its boast;
the humble shall hear and be glad.
Response: The Lord rescues them in all their distress.
Glorify the Lord with me;
together let us praise his name.
I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
from all my terrors he set me free.
Response: The Lord rescues them in all their distress.
Look toward him and be radiant;
let your faces not be abashed.
This lowly one called; the Lord heard,
and rescued him from all his distress.
Response: The Lord rescues them in all their distress.
Alleluia
Matthew 5:3
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Gospel
Matthew 6:19–23
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!”
Reflection
Today’s Gospel provides a picture of what our hearts should focus on - earthly possessions or heavenly treasures. What we consider valuable shows us where our heart is and what it is busy with. What is earthly is temporary; no amount of wealth or earthly possessions and hoardings can bring us sustainable happiness and eternal peace. They trigger more worry, anxiety, fear, insecurity and distress as they are simply fleeting agents of deception. We should be content with what we have and live our lives with a sense of gratitude and humility. Our real treasure is found within ourselves where God makes His home, and where virtues of love, goodness, generosity, compassion and kindness bloom freely. Is my heart a divided one, undecided, torn between different or conflicting loyalties, whose light is weak and does not illuminate my path in life?
St Silverius (Pope, Martyr) (-538)
St Silverius was the son of Pope St Hormisdas, who had been married before he became a priest. In 536 when Pope St Agapitus died, Silverius was only a sub-deacon in Rome, but on the insistence of the Ostrogoth King Theodatus, who wanted to forestall any action on the part of the Monophysite Empress Theodora at Constantinople, Silverius was consecrated Bishop and Pope. Theodora had in fact planned to have the Deacon Vigilius made Pope, thus hoping to let the Monophysites gain control of the Sees of Constantinople and Antioch. She now tried to obtain from Silverius the reinstallation of these Monophysite Prelates, and when he refused, attempted to gain her purpose by force and deceit.
When the Gothic general Witiges was devastating the surroundings of Rome, the Byzantine general Belisarius appeared on the scene; the Pope turned to him for help and permitted him to occupy Rome. But Belisarius now proceeded to carry out his Empress’ plans, and on the basis of a forged letter, Pope Silverius was accused of treason and deported to Patara in Asia Minor. There the Bishop of Patara soon became convinced of his complete innocence and communicated the true facts to the Emperor at Constantinople. The latter had Silverius sent back to Italy for retrial, but as soon as he landed at Naples, he was kidnapped by Belisarius’ men and taken to a small island, where, within a very short period of time, he died on 20 June 538 because of privation and harsh treatment — a death considered a martyr’s death.
Reflection: “Be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21).
Daily Readings
June 19, 2025
Thursday of the
Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
2 Corinthians
11:1–11
Brethren:
I wish you would bear with me in a little foolishness. Do bear with me!
For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to
present you as a pure virgin to Christ. But I am afraid that as the serpent
deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere
and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus
than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one
you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted,
you put up with it readily enough. Indeed, I consider that I am not in the
least inferior to these super-apostles. Even if I am unskilled in speaking, I
am not so in knowledge; indeed, in every way we have made this plain to you in
all things. Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be
exalted, because I preached God’s gospel to you free of charge? I robbed other
churches by accepting support from them in order to serve you. And when I was
with you and was in need, I did not burden anyone, for the brothers who came
from Macedonia supplied my need. So I refrained and will refrain from burdening
you in any way. As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not
be silenced in the regions of Achaia. And why? Because I do not love you? God
knows I do!
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
111:1b–2, 3–4, 7–8
Response:
The Lord’s handiwork is justice and truth.
I
will praise the Lord with all my heart,
in
the meeting of the just and the assembly.
Great
are the works of the Lord,
to
be pondered by all who delight in them.
Response:
The Lord’s handiwork is justice and truth.
Majestic
and glorious his work;
his
justice stands firm forever.
He
has given us a memorial of his wonders.
The
Lord is gracious and merciful.
Response:
The Lord’s handiwork is justice and truth.
His
handiwork is justice and truth;
his
precepts are all of them sure,
standing
firm forever and ever,
wrought
in uprightness and truth.
Response:
The Lord’s handiwork is justice and truth.
Alleluia
Romans
8:15bc
You
have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
Gospel
Matthew
6:7–15
At
that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “When you pray, do not heap up empty
phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their
many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you
ask him. Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this
day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our
debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For if you
forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,
but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father
forgive your trespasses.
Reflection
Prayer,
for Jesus, is a relationship, an attitude, a channel of communication. It is
thanksgiving, praise and petition. It acknowledges our insufficiency, our
weakness and our vulnerability. It expresses our dependence on God for
everything. It presupposes that the one prayed to is ‘Our Father’ and the one
praying is ‘the child of the Father’. When we approach the Father as a child
approaches its Abba or Daddy, words and phrases do not matter. What matters is
our attitude of humility, trust and confidence. This is the uniqueness of the
prayer that Jesus taught. Jesus gives his Father to us as ‘our Father’, and we
are his children by adoption. This Father listens, understands and accepts his
children and provides for their needs. This makes our prayer a lot easier,
simpler and more meaningful. How, and with what attitude, do I pray?
St
Romuald (Abbot, Confessor) (952-1027)
Born
and raised in an illustrious family in Ravenna (Italy), Romuald led a frivolous
life until shocked into realization at the age of 20, when he witnessed the
murder of a near relative by his father. In order to atone for this crime he
entered the Benedictine monastery of St Apollinare at Classe, near Ravenna; but
the persistent laxity of its monks made him seek out the hermit Marinus, under
whose guidance he went on to live a life of extraordinary severity.
In
996 Otho III had him designated Abbot of St Apollinare, but Romuald resigned
the charge after three years and spent the next 30 years wandering all over
northern Italy, southern France and northeastern Spain, reforming monasteries
and establishing hermitages for serious and determined souls. His most famous
foundation, which endures to this day, is at Camaldoli, charmingly situated in
a high wooded glen of the Appennines. Here, in 1012, he at first erected five
hermit cells on the “Campus Maldoli”, the land which had been given him by a
certain Maldolus. Although Romuald had no intention of founding a new religious
order, this was to become the motherhouse of the Camaldolese Order, a joint
Congregation of Benedictine hermits and cenobites, which marked the revival of
the eremitical life in the Western Church.
Numerous
miracles have occurred at the tomb of this saint whose ideal was to turn the
entire world into a hermitage and all the people into monastic associates. In
1466 his body was found to be still incorrupt and, since 1481, lies enshrined
at Fabriano.
Reflection:
“Dear Jesus! My dear Jesus! My unspeakable desire! My Joy! Joy of the Angels!
Sweetness of the Saints!” (St Romuald).
Daily Readings
June 18, 2025
Wednesday of
the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
Reading I
2 Corinthians
9:6–11
Brethren:
Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully
will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart,
not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is
able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all
things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written, “He
has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures for
ever.” He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and
multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.
You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us
will produce thanksgiving to God.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
112:1b–2, 3–4, 9
Response:
Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
Blessed
the man who fears the Lord,
who
takes great delight in his commandments.
His
descendants shall be powerful on earth;
the
generation of the upright will be blest.
Response:
Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
Riches
and wealth are in his house;
his
justice stands firm forever.
A
light rises in the darkness for the upright;
he
is generous, merciful, and just.
Response:
Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
Open-handed,
he gives to the poor;
his
justice stands firm forever.
His
might shall be exalted in glory.
Response:
Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
Alleluia
John 14:23
If
anyone loves me, he will keep my word, says the Lord; and my Father will love
him, and we will come to him.
Gospel
Matthew 6:1–6, 16–18
At
that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “Beware of practising your
righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you
will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give to
the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues
and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you,
they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let
your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be
in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you
pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in
the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly,
I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your
room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your
Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you fast, do not look
gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting
may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may
not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who
sees in secret will reward you.”
Reflection
By
giving alms to the needy, we imitate God Himself, who is generous towards us.
However, this practice can also be corrupted when we give alms with the motive
of showing off our ‘generosity’ to be praised by others. Again, prayer puts us
in direct contact with God. However, this noble practice has its corrupt side,
as people use it as a show of piety to be praised by those who watch them. And,
fasting helps us serve God with total love. It brings us face to face with the
reality of deprivation and misery being experienced by millions of people in
the world. However, when we practise fasting for the motive of getting the
approval and sympathy of others, it loses its merit. Saint Paul says, “God
loves a cheerful giver.” Are we cheerful and rightly motivated in our charity,
in our prayers and our penance?
Sts Mark and Marcellian (Martyrs)
(- 287)
Sts
Mark and Marcellian were twins hailing from an illustrious family in Rome. They
had been converted to the faith in their youth and were honourably married.
When Diocletian ascended the imperial throne in 284, the persecution of
Christians increased. Both Mark and Marcellian were cast into prison and
tormented and condemned by Chromatius, Lieutenant of the Prefect of Rome, to be
beheaded.
Their
friends, however, obtained a 30 days’ respite of the execution, that they might
prevail on them to worship the false gods. Tranquillinus and Martia, their
afflicted heathen parents, in company with their sons’ wives and their little
babes, in vain endeavoured to move them with the most tender entreaties and
tears.
On
the other hand, St Sebastian, an officer of the imperial household, coming to
Rome soon after their commitment, visited them daily and encouraged them to
persevere in their faith. The result of the confabulations was the happy
conversion of the father, mother and wives, followed by Nicostratus the public
registrar and then Chromatius, the judge, who retired after freeing the saints.
Mark and Marcellian were hid by a Christian officer of the household in his
apartments, in the palace. But they were betrayed by an apostate and
recaptured. They were condemned by Fabian—who had succeeded Chromatius—to be
bound to two pillars, with their feet nailed to the same. Kept in this posture
a day and a night, they were lanced to death the following day.
Reflection:
“Persecution shows who is a hireling, and who a true pastor” (St Bernard).
Daily Readings
June 17, 2025
Tuesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
2 Corinthians 8:1–9
We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favour of taking part in the relief of the saints – and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. But as you excel in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you – see that you excel in this act of grace also. I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 146:1b–2, 5–6ab, 6c–7, 8–9a
Response: My soul, give praise to the Lord.
My soul, give praise to the Lord;
I will praise the Lord all my life,
sing praise to my God while I live.
Response: My soul, give praise to the Lord.
Blessed is he who is helped by Jacob’s God,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,
who made the heavens and the earth,
the seas and all they contain.
Response: My soul, give praise to the Lord.
It is the Lord who preserves fidelity forever,
who does justice to those who are oppressed.
It is he who gives bread to the hungry,
the Lord who sets prisoners free.
Response: My soul, give praise to the Lord.
It is the Lord who opens the eyes of the blind,
the Lord who raises up
those who are bowed down.
It is the Lord who loves the just,
the Lord who protects the stranger.
Response: My soul, give praise to the Lord.
Alleluia
John 13:34
A new commandment I give to you, says the Lord, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.
Gospel
Matthew 5:43–48
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Reflection
It is easy to love those who love us. But Jesus asks us to go beyond this because we are children of our heavenly Father, who is good and generous towards all – the good and the bad alike. This shows the ‘perfect’ nature of God whose other name is ‘LOVE’. By trying to love those who hate us and persecute us, we advance towards achieving that perfect nature of God. To be like one’s father is the desire and aim of every child. Doing what the father does is imitating him in his goodness. Our enemies can be won over not by hatred, revenge and retaliation, but by love and understanding. Saint Paul echoes the same teaching when he says: “If your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this, you will heap burning coals on their heads” (Rom 12:20). Do I go beyond the ordinary and try to imitate God by loving everyone?
St Gregory Barbarigo (Bishop, Confessor) (1625 -1697)
Gregory studied at Padua before entering the diplomatic service. While in Munster, as secretary to the representative of the Venetian republic he met the Papal Legate, Fabio Chigi, who encouraged him to become a priest. Ordained in 1655, he was soon called to Rome as Referendary for the two Signatures (supreme tribunals of the Holy See).
Consecrated Bishop of Bergamo in 1658, he entered the city carrying with him the Acta Ecclesiae Vediolanensis. In 1660 he was created Cardinal and, in 1664, nominated bishop of Padua, where he died in 1697.
The pains he took to fulfil his duties as pastor of souls in his two dioceses is almost unsurpassed. When he took charge of his diocese, it was badly neglected—there were only 30 students in the seminary which was housed in a small dilapidated building; the 300 parishes of the diocese, counting about 250,000 faithful, were ravaged by ignorance. He transferred the seminary to the former monastery of Vanzo, where he was able to gather 100 students, recruiting them himself during his pastoral visits; he set his clergy an example, undertaking to teach catechism to the villagers and to visit all the parishes in his diocese, even the most inaccessible ones, at least twice during his term as bishop, imposing upon himself severe penance, fasting, sacrifice and prayer for the good of his flock. He even restored the University. Within a short span of time, the number of schools doubled, the number of teachers rising five-fold!
Reflection: “The priesthood requires a great soul; for the priest has many harassing troubles of his own, and has need of innumerable eyes on all sides” (St John Chrysostom).
Daily Readings
June 15, 2025
The Solemnity
of the Most Holy Trinity
Reading I
Proverbs
(8:22-31)
Thus
speaks the Wisdom of God: “The LORD possessed me at the beginning of his work,
the first of his acts of old. Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the
beginning of the earth. When there were no depths I was brought forth, when
there were no springs abounding with water. Before the mountains had been
shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth, before he had made the earth
with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world. When he established the
heavens, I was there; when he drew a circle on the face of the deep, when he
made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep, when
he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his
command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth, then I was beside
him, like a master workman, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him
always, rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the children of man.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM (8)
Response: Lord, our Lord, how
majestic is your name through all the earth!
When I see the heavens, the work of
your fingers, the moon and the stars which you arranged, what is man that you
should keep him in mind, the son of man that you care for him?
Response: Lord, our Lord, how
majestic is your name through all the earth!
Yet you have made him little lower than
the angels; with glory and honour you crowned him, gave him power over the
works of your hands.
Response: Lord, our Lord, how
majestic is your name through all the earth!
You put all things under his feet, all
of them, sheep and oxen, yes, even the cattle of the fields, birds of the air,
and fish of the sea that make their way through the waters.
Response: Lord, our Lord, how
majestic is your name through all the earth!
Reading 2
Romans (5:1-5)
Brethren, since we have been justified by
faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we
have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we
rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our
sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces
character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame,
because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who
has been given to us.
ACCLAMATION
Alleluia,
alleluia!
Glory
be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: to God who is, who
was, and who is to come.
Alleluia.
(See Rev. 1:8)
GOSPEL
John
(16:12-15)
At that time Jesus said to his disciples, “I still have
many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of
truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his
own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you
the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine
and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that
he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
Reflection
The
Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity invites us to consider what we believe about
God, who has revealed himself to us in the Trinity – one God in three persons.
In
today’s First Reading, the wisdom personified is seen both God the Creator, and
at the same time, as witness to creation. We are reminded that it is only the
Trinitarian God Who can explain Himself. As humans, we only participate in
God’s Wisdom. Hence, ours is limited while God’s is absolute.
In
the Second Reading, Paul tells us that the love of God is poured into our
hearts by the Holy Spirit. Christ is the fullness of God’s love. From this, we
have some insight about what this union of the Three Divine Persons looks like.
Each of them do their work, yet they remain one and undivided. Speaking about
suffering, Paul notes that suffering produces despair in human beings. But he
emphasizes that suffering produces endurance; endurance produces character; and
character produces hope. This hope is in sharing the glory of God which is the
ultimate end of suffering. Jesus’ sufferings led to his glory, and believers
who are united to Christ will follow the same pattern of receiving the glory as
the end-result of suffering.
The
short gospel passage from John’s Last Discourse highlights the pivotal role of
the Spirit in making known the mystery of God. We should not imagine that the
idea of the Trinity was something that the early Church came to easily. The
first Christians were Jews and they believed very much in God as one, so they
had to grapple with the identity of Jesus that had been revealed to them. This
they did, firmly believing that the Spirit was guiding them into the amazing
truth about God. They came to see that God’s own inner life had been shown to
them as Creator, Saviour and Sanctifier and that as believers they were being
asked in some way to live out the life of love that had been made known to
them.
The
Most Holy Trinity is one of the sublime mysteries of the Church. There are many
lessons to learn from today’s solemnity. These include that, we must learn to
remain united in faith. Today’s celebration also reminds us that, although we
are called to be united, each one of us is unique. This is expressed in the
different modes of spirituality which exists in the Church. In spite of these,
we are still united in the pursuit of God’s kingdom. So, none should be
deprived of his uniqueness. Therefore, as one united, “but not uniform people,”
we must continue to work for the progress of God’s kingdom.
Furthermore,
just as each of the Three Divine Persons, we must not be selfish or work for
our personal gratifications. No member of the Trinity oppresses or takes
advantage of the other. So, we must avoid manipulating, oppressing or
suppressing other members of our families, communities, and Church. We should
learn to live in harmony with one another in spite of our individual differences
and uniqueness. We must avoid treating other members unjustly as if they are
not important or do not belong to the same family or community of God.
(Source:
The Sunday Liturgy)
St
Germaine Cousin (Virgin) (c.1579 - 1601)
The
daughter of a peasant named Laurent Cousin in Pibrac near Toulouse, France,
Germaine was born with a deformed hand and suffered from scrofula (swelling of
the glands). While still little, her mother died, and when her father
remarried, her stepmother treated her with the utmost cruelty and insisted on
her being ostracized, compelling her to sleep with the sheep in the stable. God
rewarded the humility and patience with which she bore all manner of suffering
and neglect, by granting her a marvellous sense of his presence, and a deep
love for the Holy Eucharist and the Blessed Virgin.
Germaine
used to assemble the village children and teach them to love Jesus and Mary;
from her scanty allowance of food which consisted of leftovers from the family
table she managed to distribute portions to those who appeared to be in still
greater misery than herself.
In
reparation for the sacrileges of which the heretics in neighbouring towns were
guilty, Germaine subjected herself to additional austerities; people were just
beginning to realize her deep-rooted sanctity when God called her to himself in
her 22nd year. She was canonized by Pope Pius IX on 29 June 1867. Every year an
annual pilgrimage takes place on 15 June to the church in Pibrac where her
incorrupt body still rests.
Reflection:
“If we wish to learn to love God, we must always row against the current; and
never cease blocking our own will. The greedier the animal, the tighter must be
held the reins!” (Blessed Anna M. Taigi)
Daily Readings
June 14, 2025
Saturday of the
Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
2 Corinthians
5:14–21
Brethren:
The love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has
died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live
might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was
raised. From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even
though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no
longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has
passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ
reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is,
in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their
trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We
implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him
to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of
God.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
103:1–2, 3–4, 8–9, 11–12
Response:
The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
Bless
the Lord, O my soul,
and
all within me, his holy name.
Bless
the Lord, O my soul,
and
never forget all his benefits.
Response:
The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
It
is the Lord who forgives all your sins,
who
heals every one of your ills,
who
redeems your life from the grave,
who
crowns you with mercy
and
compassion.
Response:
The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
The
Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow
to anger and rich in mercy.
He
will not always find fault;
nor
persist in his anger forever.
Response:
The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
For
as the heavens are high above the earth,
so
strong his mercy for those who fear him.
As
far as the east is from the west,
so
far from us does he remove
our
transgressions.
Response:
The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
Alleluia
Psalm
119:36a, 29b
Bend
my heart, O God, to your decrees grant me mercy by your law.
Gospel
Matthew
5:33–37
At
that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “Again you have heard that it was said
to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord
what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by
heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool,
or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath
by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be
simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.
Reflection
This
section of the Sermon on the Mount calls for Christians to be honest and
trustworthy. They must be people of Yes or No, and not Yes and No, that is, not
unconvincing and wavering. To say Yes or No means to be persons of integrity
and honesty, steeped in strong values and convictions, and above any kind of
reproach. In other words, a Christian is to be a person of his word. When, on
the other hand, a person swears by someone or something, he shows that he is uncertain of the
truthfulness of what he says. People often resort to oaths to conceal a lie.
Truthfulness seems to be such a rarity that we think we must end our statements
with some sort of vow or oath to emphasize its credibility. “A man should never
be ashamed to own he has been in the wrong, which is but saying in other words,
that he is wiser today than he was yesterday,” says Alexander Pope.
St Methodius I
(Patriarch of Constantinople) (A,D.-847)
A Sicilian by birth, Methodius
received his preliminary education in his native town, Syracuse (Italy). He
went to Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey), with the ambition of acquiring a
post at court. Instead, he met a monk, influenced by whom, he renounced the
world and joined the Monastery of Chenolakhos.
During the second iconoclastic
persecution under Leo the Armenian, in 815, he boldly stood his ground in
favour of the veneration of the sacred images. However, after the deposition
and exile of St Nicephorus, he went to Rome, apparently charged to inform Pope
St Pascal I, of the state of affairs. There he remained till the death of
Emperor Leo V.
In 821 he returned to
Constantinople with a letter from the Pope to the Emperor, Michael the
Stammerer, requesting him to reinstate Nicephorus. But Michael, after reading
the letter denounced Methodius as a stirrup of sedition and ordered him
scourged and deposed. Thus he was persecuted by the iconoclasts who kept him
confined in a tomb on the island of St Andrew, for seven years. Summoned to
depose before Emperor Theophilus, Methodius boldly asserted: “If an image is so
worthless in your eyes, how is it that when you condemn the image of Jesus
Christ you do not also condemn the veneration paid to the representations of
yourself? Far from doing so, you are continually causing them to be
multiplied!” Methodius died of dropsy in 847.
Reflection: “The Saints lost
sight of themselves that they might see nothing but God and labour for him
alone; they forgot all created objects in order to find only him. This is the
way to reach heaven” (St John Baptist Marie Vianney).
Daily Readings
June 13, 2025
Memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor
of the Church
Reading 1
2 Corinthians 4:7–15
Brethren: We
have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs
to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed;
perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck
down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so
that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live
are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus
also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life
in you. Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been
written, “I believed, and so I spoke”, we also believe, and so we also speak,
knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and
bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as
grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the
glory of God.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
116:10–11, 15–18
Response: A
thanksgiving sacrifice I make to you, O Lord.
I trusted, even
when I said,
“I am sorely
afflicted,”
and when I said
in my alarm,
“These people
are all liars.”
Response: A
thanksgiving sacrifice I make to you, O Lord.
How precious in
the eyes of the Lord
is the death of
his faithful.
Your servant,
Lord, your servant am I,
the son of your
handmaid;
you have
loosened my bonds.
Response: A
thanksgiving sacrifice I make to you, O Lord.
A thanksgiving
sacrifice I make;
I will call on
the name of the Lord.
My vows to the
Lord I will fulfil
before all his
people.
Response: A
thanksgiving sacrifice I make to you, O Lord.
Alleluia
Philippians
2:15d, 16a
You shine as
lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life.
Gospel
Matthew 5:27–32
At that time:
Jesus said to his disciples, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not
commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with
lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your
right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better
that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into
hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.
For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go
into hell. It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a
certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife,
except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and
whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”
Reflection
In the section
of his Sermon on the Mount in today’s Gospel passage, Jesus minces no words challenging his
followers to hit a higher degree of moral standards when it comes to purity of
mind and body. Adultery and any kind of sexual abuse of another do not begin
and end with a physical act as such. It begins taking an ugly turn much earlier
in one’s mind when one harbours lustful thoughts. Nursing lustful desire and
looking at someone with lustful eyes are equally harmful and need to be
eliminated from one’s behaviour. In other words, it is not just the action that
is sinful, but the thoughts and desires too. To drive home the importance of
having a pure conscience and behaviour, Jesus uses the technique of
exaggeration as he speaks of tearing out one’s eyes and cutting off one’s
hands. It simply means that we must sacrifice that which is temporary to gain
that which is eternal. We must turn away from our sins, both mental and
physical, and turn to God. As Saint Paul
puts it, “We have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing
power belongs to God and not to us.”
St Anthony of
Padua and Lisbon (Confessor and Doctor of the Church) (1195-1231)
The sight of
the bodies of the first Franciscan Martyrs brought back from Morocco in 1220 so
inflamed Ferdinand Bouillon with a desire for martyrdom that having obtained
permission, he joined the newly founded Mendicant Order of St Francis d’Assisi,
taking the name, Anthony. Sent to Morocco at his own request, he soon returned,
gravely ill. He joined the 3,000 brethren gathered at Whitsuntide and saw St
Francis for the first time. In his humility he so concealed his own learning
that he was assigned menial tasks at a monastery near Forli, until the few
words he was called upon to speak at an ordination ceremony revealed his
astounding gift for preaching!
Anthony could
explain Holy Scripture so simply, profoundly and lucidly that St Francis wrote
to him thus: “It is my desire that you teach theology to the brethren,
provided, however, that the spirit of prayer and devotion be not extinguished.”
Teaching and preached throughout southern France and northern Italy, his
winning personality, combined with a clear, powerful and pleasing voice,
enabled him to impart readily his knowledge to others.
Anthony died in
1231 and was canonized a year later. His relic happens to be what was his most
priceless asset, viz., his tongue, the organ with which he gave Padua and
Lisbon the breath of God’s love. Found glowing with freshness and redness
amidst the corruption of the rest of his remains, the tongue is enshrined in
the basilica built for him in 1263.
Reflection: “O
blessed tongue, which has always praised God and set on fire the hearts of men
with His holy love! It is evident that you have gained untold merits in the
Lord’s sight!” (St Bonaventure)
Daily Readings
June 12, 2025
Thursday of the
Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
2 Corinthians
3:15–4:1, 3–6
Brethren:
Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when
one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and
where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled
face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same
image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is
the Spirit. Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose
heart. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are
perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the
unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of
Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but
Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God,
who said, “Let light shine out of darkness”, has shone in our hearts to give
the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
85:9ab and 10, 11–12, 13–14
Response:
The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
I
will hear what the Lord God speaks;
he
speaks of peace for his people and his faithful.
His
salvation is near for those who fear him,
and
his glory will dwell in our land.
Response:
The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
Merciful
love and faithfulness have met;
justice
and peace have kissed.
Faithfulness
shall spring from the earth,
and
justice look down from heaven.
Response:
The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
Also
the Lord will bestow his bounty,
and
our earth shall yield its increase.
Justice
will march before him,
and
guide his steps on the way.
Response:
The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
Alleluia
John 13:34
A new commandment I give to
you, says the Lord, that you love one another, just as I have loved you
Gospel
Matthew 5:20–26
At
that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “For I tell you, unless your
righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter
the kingdom of heaven. You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You
shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable a to judgment.’ But I say
to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment;
whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says,
‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your
gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against
you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your
brother, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your
accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over
to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. Truly, I
say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.
Reflection
The
Gospel passage of today challenges us to go beyond the spirituality and social
justice practised by the religious leaders of Jesus’ time. A follower of Christ
always has God as his point of reference. In a given situation what would God
do or how would God react? As a loving Father full of compassion, slow to anger
and abounding in mercy, God would never harbour anger, hatred or revenge
against anyone. As His children, when we come to worship and offer gifts to
Him, we should have the same mind and heart, free from all anger, hatred,
feelings of revenge and jealousy against God’s children. God always forgives
our sins, no matter how grave they are. We imitate him in reaching out to our
brothers and sisters with a forgiving heart and thus, as Saint Paul teaches in
the First Reading, be “transformed into
His image from one degree of glory to another.”
St John of Sahagun (Confessor)
(1419 -1479)
St John has been named after his
birth-place Sahagun (or St Fagondez) in northern Spain. A bright, attractive
and high spirited lad, Juan Gonzalez Catrillo, as he was baptized, soon came to
the attention of the Bishop of Burgos, who had him educated in his own
household. Ordained priest at 26, he was made a Canon at the cathedral, and
then completed four years of study in theology at the great University of
Salamanca. However, in 1463, on recovering from surgery, he decided to join the
Hermits of St Augustine in that city, and soon rose to be Master of Novices and
eventually Prior.
John had a particularly deep devotion
to the Blessed Sacrament and was often privileged during Mass to behold the
Sacred Host resplendent with divine glory. Daily, after rising for Matins, he
would remain in the choir for adoration and prayer until it was time to
celebrate Mass. A powerful and utterly fearless preacher, he inveighed
relentlessly against impurity and vice in high places and the extravagances of
feminine apparel. Assassins who had been hired by his enemies, seemed to become
disarmed by his angelic sweetness and serenity, and hardened sinners found
their innermost consciences revealed to his gaze. Many an enmity and family
feud was settled through his intervention.
St John Sahagun passed away on 11 June
1479 as a result of poisoning. He was beatified in 1609 and canonized in 1690.
Reflection: “Reflection is the eye of
the soul; it lets light and truth into it” (St Bernard).
Daily Readings
June 11, 2025
Memorial of
Saint Barnabas, Apostle
Reading 1
Acts 11:21b-26;
13:1-3
In
those days: A great number who believed turned to the Lord. The report of this
came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.
When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to
remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, for he was a good man, full
of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the
Lord. So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him,
he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught
a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.
Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon
who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the
tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy
Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have
called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and
sent them off.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4, 5-6
Response: The Lord has shown his
deliverance to the nations.
O sing a new song to the Lord,
for he has worked wonders.
His right hand and his holy arm
have brought salvation.
Response: The Lord has shown his
deliverance to the nations.
The Lord has made known his salvation,
has shown his deliverance to the
nations.
He has remembered his merciful love
and his truth for the house of Israel.
Response: The Lord has shown his
deliverance to the nations.
All the ends of the earth
have seen the salvation of our God.
Shout to the Lord, all the earth;
break forth into joyous song,
and sing out your praise.
Response: The Lord has shown his
deliverance to the nations.
Sing psalms to the Lord with the harp,
with the harp and the sound of song.
With trumpets and the sound of the
horn,
raise a shout before the King, the
Lord.
Response: The Lord has shown his
deliverance to the nations.
Alleluia
Go and make disciples of
all nations, says the Lord I am with you always, to the end of the age.
Gospel
Matthew 10:7-13
At
that time: Jesus said to his apostles, “Proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The
kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers,
cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. Acquire no gold
or silver or copper for your belts, no bag for your journey, or two tunics or
sandals or a staff, for the labourer deserves his food. And whatever town or
village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you
depart. As you enter the house, greet it. And if the house is worthy, let your
peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.
Reflection
“Proclaim
as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand’.” Jesus gave this mandate
to his apostles as he sent them out to preach, to heal and to drive out evil
spirits. The apostles went about doing exactly what Jesus had asked them to.
Barnabas was not one of the twelve apostles but got the title ‘apostle’ by his
missionary work along with Saint Paul. According to the Acts of the Apostles,
the Holy Spirit chose him and set him for a special mission: “Set apart for me
Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” His qualification
according to the Acts of the Apostles was, that “he was a good man, full of the
Holy Spirit and faith.” To be a possessor of good virtues, having strong faith
and being filled with the Holy Spirit are qualities all of us need to be
followers of Christ and his messengers. Do I have these qualities as a
Christian and as a messenger of the Good News of Christ?
St Barnabas (Apostle and Martyr)
(c.1- 60)
Barnabas,
named Joseph at his birth on the island of Cyprus, settled in Jerusalem and is
thought to have studied in the school of Gamaliel at the same time as Saul.
Converting to Christianity after Pentecost, he sold all his possessions for the
benefit of the Church, earning the surname Barnabas, meaning “son of
consolation” or “encouragement”. It was he who welcomed the converted Saul to
Jerusalem and sponsored him before the Apostles who at first had found it
difficult to believe that their fiercest persecutor had become an ardent
propagator of the faith. However, from his previous acquaintance with Saul,
Barnabas knew Saul to be utterly sincere in his convictions. To both of these
great men, the Church, before long, accorded the title of “Apostle”.
Barnabas
readily overcame his Jewish prejudices and rejoiced at the first manifestation
of God’s grace among the Gentiles, and together with St Paul, whom he brought
from Tarsus, spent an entire year preaching the gospel at Antioch.
In
45, when Jerusalem was grievously afflicted by famine, the two apostles brought
assistance from the Antioch Christians to the Mother Church. After their return
they set out on their first great missionary journey, taking with them John
Mark, a cousin of Barnabas, and began with the evangelization of the latter’s
native island, Cyprus, followed by conversions and the establishment of
churches with a native clergy in Asia Minor.
Believed
to have been stoned to death before the year 61, when John Mark was sent to
assist Paul in Rome, Barnabas’ remains were discovered near Salamis on Cyprus
in 482, with a copy of Matthew’s Gospel in Hebrew entombed with him.
Reflection:
“He was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith” (Acts 11:24).
Daily Readings
June 10, 2025
Tuesday of the
Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
2 Corinthians
1:18–22
Brethren:
As surely as God is faithful, our word to you has not been Yes and No. For the
Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy
and I, was not Yes and No, but in him it is always Yes. For all the promises of
God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen
to God for his glory. And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and
has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in
our hearts as a guarantee.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
119:129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 135
Response:
Let your face shine forth on your servant.
Your
decrees are wonderful indeed;
therefore
my soul obeys them.
Response:
Let your face shine forth on your servant.
The
unfolding of your word gives light,
and
understanding to the simple.
Response:
Let your face shine forth on your servant.
I
have opened my mouth and I sigh,
for
I yearn for your commands.
Response:
Let your face shine forth on your servant.
Turn
and have mercy on me,
as
is your rule for those who love your name.
Response:
Let your face shine forth on your servant.
Let
my steps be guided by your promise;
may
evil never rule me.
Response:
Let your face shine forth on your servant.
Let
your face shine forth on your servant,
and
teach me your decrees.
Response:
Let your face shine forth on your servant.
Alleluia
Matthew
5:16
Let
your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give
glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Gospel
Matthew
5:13–16
At
that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “You are the salt of the earth, but if
salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer
good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do
people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives
light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others,
so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in
heaven.
Reflection
Salt
and light are two commodities Jesus used to portray the image of how his
followers should behave and live in the world. Salt is not useful to itself.
Its usefulness comes to the fore when it is mixed with other objects. When
joined to food, it gives taste, preserves and purifies. In the same way, the
followers of Christ are called to exist for others, sharing with them the joy
and beauty of Christian life, being an agent of purification from sin and evil,
and preserving and protecting the teachings and values of Christ. In the same
way, light is used to brighten places and help others to see objects. It is
difficult to imagine a place without light, either natural or artificial. The
followers of Christ help enlighten the hearts and minds of others with the
wisdom and knowledge of Christ. At the same time, a lamp without oil and salt
without saltiness is useless. In the same way, a Christian without the spirit
of Christ is useless and worthless.
St
Getulius and Companions (Martyrs) (c.120)
Getulius,
the husband of St Symphorosa, had been an officer in the Roman army under
Trajan and Hadrian. Upon his conversion to the Christian faith, he resigned his
commission and withdrew to his estate in the Sabine Hills, near Tivoli (Italy).
Here
he lived in seclusion, surrounded only by a little band of Christians whom he
taught and supported. He was one day engaged in instructing some of his people
when he was surprised by a visit from Cerealis, the imperial vicar, who had
been sent to arrest him. Incidentally, Cerealis himself was won over to the
Faith as a result of conversations with Getulius and with his brother Amantius
who, though an ardent believer, still remained a tribune in the Roman army.
As
soon as the Emperor learned of what had taken place, he ordered the Consul
Licinius to apprehend the three men and to condemn them to death unless they
consented to abjure their faith. They were brought before the Consul who
ordered them to renounce their faith. But they all made a bold confession,
whereupon they were imprisoned for 27 days at Tivoli and subjected to diverse
forms of torture—to no avail. They were finally beheaded or burnt at the stake
on the Via Salaria. With them perished another Christian, named Primitivus. The
relics of these Saints were buried by St Symphorosa in an arenarium upon her
estate.
Reflection:
“Is there anything that a generous heart would not willingly suffer on
contemplating Jesus crucified” (St Raphaela Mary Porras).
Daily Readings
June 9, 2025, Monday
Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church
Reading 1
Genesis 3:9–15, 20
After Adam had eaten of the tree, the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.
OR:
Acts 1:12-14
After Jesus had been taken up to heaven, the Apostles returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away. When they entered the city they went to the upper room where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot,
and Judas son of James. All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women,
and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 87:1–2, 3 and 5, 6–7
Response: Of you are told glorious things, O city of God!
Founded by him on the holy mountain,
the Lord loves the gates of Sion,
more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
Response: Of you are told glorious things, O city of God!
Of you are told glorious things,
you, O city of God!
But of Sion it shall be said,
‘Each one was born in her.’
He, the Most High, established it.
Response: Of you are told glorious things, O city of God!
In his register of peoples the Lord writes,
“Here was this one born.”
The singers cry out in chorus,
“In you, all find their home.”
Response: Of you are told glorious things, O city of God!
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
O happy Virgin, you gave birth to the Lord; O blessed mother of the Church, you warm our hearts with the Spirit of your Son Jesus Christ.
Gospel
John 19:25b–34
At that time: Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfil the Scripture), “I thirst.” A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished”, and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.
Reflection
On Pentecost Sunday, we celebrated the birthday of the Church, and today, we celebrate the fact that Mary, as the mother of Our Lord, is also the Mother of his mystical body, the Church. In 2018, Pope Francis added a feast day under this title for the Monday following the Solemnity of Pentecost – considered the birthday of the Church. The Father chose Mary from among all women to be the mother of His Divine Son. According to Pope Saint John Paul II, “The title ‘Mother of the Church’ reflects the deep conviction of the Christian faithful, who see in Mary not only the mother of the person of Christ but also of the faithful. She, who is recognized as the mother of salvation, life and grace, mother of the saved and mother of the living, is rightly proclaimed Mother of the Church.”
St Ephrem (Deacon, Confessor, and Doctor of the Church) (c.306-373)
The son of a pagan priest in Mesopotamia (Iraq), Ephrem, while still young, was driven from his home on the discovery of his sympathy for the Christian faith. St James, bishop of Nisibis, saw to his spiritual instruction; it is believed that he then spent 8 years with the monks in the Egyptian desert, and that St Basil the Great ordained him a Deacon. He consistently declined the priesthood, however, and years later also the episcopate.
The Roman Empire was losing its eastern provinces in war with Persia, and in 363 the city of Nisibis was returned to Persia. That was a hard blow for the Christian colony, given the fierce persecution of believers in Persia, the faithful fleeing the city in great numbers. Ephrem settled down in Edessa, where he spent the last ten years of his life as a hermit and strict ascetic.
Edessa was at that time a hotbed of heresy, there existing no less than ten heretical sects. Ephrem took issue with them all, by way of preaching and writing. Indeed, declared Doctor of the Church by Pope Benedict XV in 1920, Ephrem is referred to as the “Sun of the Syrians” and the “Harp of the Holy Spirit” because he was the most prolific writer of Bible commentaries in the Syrian Church and composed large numbers of liturgical hymns. Amazingly, 20 years after his death St Jerome had this to say of him: “Ephrem, a Deacon of the Church at Edessa, wrote many works in Syriac and became so famous that in some churches his writings are read out publicly after the Sacred Scriptures.”
Reflection: “Virginity will serve as a chariot, lifting heavenward all those who guard it, as did Elias” (St Ephrem).
Daily Readings
June 8, 2025
Pentecost
Sunday
FIRST
READING
Acts
of the Apostles (2:1-11)
When
the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly
there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the
entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared
to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy
Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under
heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were
bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And
they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking
Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?
Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and
Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of
Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,
Cretans and Arabians – we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works
of God
RESPONSORIAL PSALM (104)
Response:
Lord, send forth your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth. Or Alleluia.
Bless
the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, how great you are, How many are your works,
O LORD! The earth is full of your creatures.
Response:
Lord, send forth your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth. Or Alleluia.
You
take away their breath, they die, returning to the dust from which they came.
You send forth your spirit, and they are created, and you renew the face of the
earth.
Response:
Lord, send forth your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth. Or Alleluia.
May
the glory of the LORD last forever! May the LORD rejoice in his works! May my
thoughts be pleasing to him. I will rejoice in the LORD.
Response: Lord, send forth your
Spirit, and renew the face of the earth. Or Alleluia.
SECOND READING
First Letter of Saint Paul to the
Corinthians (12:3b-7, 12-13)
Brethren,
no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit. Now there are
varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service,
but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same
God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of
the Spirit for the common good. For just as the body is one and has many
members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is
with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptised into one body–Jews or
Greeks, slaves or free – and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
SEQUENCE
Holy Spirit, Lord of light, from Thy clear
celestial height Thy pure beaming radiance give. Come, Thou Father of the poor,
come with treasures which endure, come, Thou Light of all that live. Thou, of
all consolers best, Thou, the soul’s delightsome Guest, dost refreshing peace
bestow. Thou in toil art comfort sweet, pleasant coolness in the heat, solace
in the midst of woe. Light immortal, Light divine, visit Thou these hearts of
Thine, and our inmost being fill. If Thou take Thy grace away, nothing pure in
man will stay; all his good is turned to ill. Heal our wounds; our strength
renew; on our dryness pour Thy dew; wash the stains of guilt away. Bend the
stubborn heart and will; melt the frozen, warm the chill; guide the steps that
go astray.
Thou,
on those who evermore Thee confess and Thee adore, in Thy sevenfold gifts
descend: give them comfort when they die, give them life with Thee on high;
give them joys that never end. Amen. Alleluia.
ACCLAMATION
Alleluia, Alleluia.
Come,
O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful; and kindle in them the fire of
your love. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
John
(20:19-23)
On
the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked
where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them
and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them
his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even
so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said
to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are
forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”
Reflection
The
feast of Pentecost or the Feast of Weeks is the second of the three great
Jewish feasts. Its name signifies that it concludes the period of seven weeks
which began with the presentation of the first sheaf of the barley harvest
during the Passover celebration. Originally, the festival was the time when,
with appropriate rituals and ceremony, the first fruits of the corn harvest,
the last Palestinian crop to ripen, were formally dedicated.
The
harvest feast of Pentecost provided the ideal setting for the public
manifestation of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. For the major festivals
like the Passover and the Pentecost Jewish pilgrims gathered in Jerusalem. It
was an auspicious beginning witnessed by Jews from all parts of the
Mediterranean region where they lived. It was also a fitting Divine strategy as
the people who witnessed the fantastic event and had put their trust in the
apostolic preaching and committed themselves to Christ would nonetheless be its
ambassadors.
The
outpouring of the Spirit on the apostles is also spectacular. There is the
sound from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind which once again reminds us of
the first creation. Therefore the birth of the Church was yet another new
creation that began with the birth of Jesus. The Spirit itself was a visible
phenomenon as it appeared like the tongues of fire, distributed and resting on
the apostles. Then the apostles began to speak in foreign languages, attracting
the attention of foreign Jews who were amazed to hear their native languages
spoken by the Galileans. This is also the phenomenon known as “speaking in
tongues” which occurs as the result of being filled with the Holy Spirit. This
sets the stage for Peter’s sermon which resulted in the conversion and baptism
of about 3000 people (Acts 2:1-47).
Like
all harvest feasts, it was a joyful occasion. After the death and resurrection
of Jesus, the stage was set for the dissemination of the saving message of
Jesus. At the time of the ascension Jesus had given his disciples the clear
mandate, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to the whole creation.”
Jesus had also urged his disciples not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait
for the promise of the Father. The promise of the Father for which Jesus wanted
his disciples to wait in Jerusalem was the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The feast of Pentecost brings to an end the
Easter season and we too are ready to begin our own journey. The Church has
done her part and enabled us to journey ahead through the celebration of the
Paschal events. With the assurance that we make that journey empowered by the
Holy Spirit makes the journey light and fruitful.
Source:
The Sunday Liturgy
Blessed
Mariam Thresia Chiramel Mankidian (Virgin, Foundress) (1876 – 1926)
Mariam
Thresia hailed from a wealthy family in Puthenchira, Kerala. But impoverishment
set in with her grandfather having to sell his property for marrying off his
seven daughters. Yet, hers was a life that was lived in a manner that
challenges modern man to live heroically the values of the Gospel.
Thresia
had a special devotion to and an unfailing trust in the Holy Family whom she
saw often in visions and from whom she routinely obtained guidance in her
apostolate, praying much and fasting for the conversion of sinners. Thresia
also had the mystical gift of the “stigmata”—which she carefully kept hidden
from public view. Her frequent ecstasies and levitations had her lifted
cross-like, high up on the wall in her room, every Friday. As though to
ascertain the depth of her zeal and dedication, the Lord led her through
periods of torment by way of diabolical attacks, while she assiduously fought
temptations against faith and chastity.
It
was in 1913 that with her dream of having a prayer house finally taking shape,
Thresia was able to lead the life she had always aspired to—of prayer, penance
and austerity. 14 May 1914 marked the canonical erection of the Congregation of
the Holy Family with herself the first Superior of the new Congregation.
Mother
Mariam Thresia died in 1926 and was beatified during the Jubilee Year 2000.
Reflection:
“By the merits of his bitter passion joined to mine and far surpassing in merit
for me all that I can suffer myself, his bounteous goodness shall release me
from the pains of purgatory and shall increase my rewards in heaven besides”
(St John More).
Daily Readings
June 7, 2025
Saturday of the Seventh Week of
Easter - Mass in the Morning
Reading 1
Acts 28:16–20, 30–31
When we came into
Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier who guarded him.
After three days he called together the local leaders of the Jews, and when
they had gathered, he said to them, “Brothers, though I had done nothing
against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a
prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. When they had examined
me, they wished to set me at liberty, because there was no reason for the death
penalty in my case. But because the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to
Caesar – though I had no charge to bring against my nation. For this reason,
therefore, I have asked to see you and speak with you, since it is because of
the hope of Israel that I am wearing this chain.” He lived there two whole
years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the
kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and
without hindrance.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 11:4, 5 and
7
Response: The
upright shall behold your face, O Lord.
The Lord is in his
holy temple;
the throne of the
Lord is in heaven.
His eyes behold
the world;
his gaze probes
the children of men.
Response: The
upright shall behold your face, O Lord.
The Lord inspects
the just and the wicked;
the lover of
violence he hates.
For the Lord is
just and loves deeds of justice;
the upright shall
behold his face.
Response: The
upright shall behold your face, O Lord.
Alleluia
John 16:7, 13
I will send the
Spirit of truth to you, says the Lord; he will guide you into all the truth.
Gospel
John 21:20–25
At that time:
Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who
also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, “Lord, who is
it that is going to betray you?” When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord,
what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until
I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” So the saying spread abroad among
the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him
that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come,
what is that to you?” This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these
things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is
true. Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of
them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books
that would be written.
Reflection
John the
Evangelist concludes his Gospel with a rhetorical exaggeration technique to get
an important point across to his audience. He wants to say that not all that he
saw, witnessed and heard could be recorded in the gospel. They are far more,
perhaps not in length, but in greatness and meaning, than what he could write
in these few pages with his limited resources and finite understanding. The
significance of each word and each deed that Jesus said or did could be
described and explained infinitely. But the things that he recorded are for the
benefit of his audience. In John 20:31,
he makes a similar claim, “But these things have been written so that you may
believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that by believing, you
may have life in his name.” From what John says we can conclude that the story
of Jesus is incomplete and it will never be completed. It will continue to be
written down, spoken of, listened to and fascinate, inspire, enlighten, enliven
and transform people until this world comes to an end.
Venerable Thomas à
Kempis (Confessor) (1379 -1471)
Thomas à Kempis is
so surnamed after his native town of Kempen near Cologne (Germany) where his
father was metalsmith. His elder brother John had become one of the “Brethren
of the Common Life”, a movement founded by Gerard Groote for the fervent
revival of early Christian devotion, humility and simplicity in the love of God
and neighbour.
At 13, Thomas
placed himself under Radewyn, the able successor of Groote. In 1413 he was
ordained Priest, was twice elected sub-prior, and for 58 years devoted himself
with enthusiasm to transcribing manuscripts, preaching, instructing the younger
brethren, and to reading and meditating in strict poverty and retirement. His
most celebrated work, “The Imitation of Christ”, was first published
anonymously in 1418; he is also known as the author of numerous devout prayers
and Latin hymns. “Commit yourself with full confidence to God! Leave to him the
‘I will’ and the ‘I won’t.’ Let there be but one heart and one mind for you and
God.”
Reflection:
“Sometimes we are moved by passion, and think it zeal.....we are quick enough
in perceiving and weighing what we bear from others, but we think little of
what others have to bear from us” (Imitation of Christ, Bk II,5,1).
Daily
Readings
June
6, 2025
Friday
of the Seventh Week of Easter
Reading
I
Acts 25:13b–21
In those days: Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at
Caesarea and greeted Festus. And as they stayed there many days, Festus laid
Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a man left prisoner by Felix,
and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid
out their case against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him.
I answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up anyone
before the accused met the accusers face to face and had opportunity to make
his defence concerning the charge laid against him. So when they came together
here, I made no delay, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and
ordered the man to be brought. When the accusers stood up, they brought no
charge in his case of such evils as I supposed. Rather they had certain points
of dispute with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who was
dead, but whom Paul asserted to be alive. Being at a loss how to investigate
these questions, I asked whether he wanted to go to Jerusalem and be tried
there regarding them. But when Paul had appealed to be kept in custody for the
decision of the emperor, I ordered him to be held until I could send him to
Caesar.”
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm 103:1–2, 11–12, 19–20ab
Response: The Lord has fixed his throne in heaven.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all within me, his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and never forget all his benefits.
Response: The Lord has fixed his throne in heaven.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so strong his mercy for those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far from us does he
remove our transgressions.
Response: The Lord has fixed his throne in heaven.
The Lord has fixed his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom is ruling over all.
Bless the Lord, all you his angels,
mighty in power, fulfilling his word.
Response:
The Lord has fixed his throne in heaven.
Alleluia
John
14:26
The
Holy Spirit will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I
have said to you.
Gospel
John 21:15–19
When [Jesus had revealed himself to his disciples and]
they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do
you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love
you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon,
son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love
you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon,
son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the
third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything;
you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I
say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever
you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another
will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” (This he said to
show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he
said to him, “Follow me.”
Reflection
Jesus
has specific reasons for asking Peter
three times, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” It’s not
settling scores, but removing all guilt and remorse from the mind of Peter.
Peter had denied his Master three times at a moment of weakness. But Jesus
would not allow Peter to suffer any more from the weight of his guilt. The
triple denial and its guilt would be cancelled by the triple affirmation of
Peter’s love for Jesus. What stands out in this most intimate moment is not the
question of Peter’s love for Jesus, but Jesus’ love for Peter and for all those
who would deny him through sin and weakness. Jesus loves us so much that he
does not want us to live under the weight of our sin and the resultant guilt
but in the joy of his love and friendship.
St Norbert
(Bishop, Confessor) (c.1060-1134)
St Norbert was
related to the German imperial house and was a Canon at Xanten Rhineland
(Germany), his birthplace. He nevertheless led a worldly life as almoner at the
court of Emperor Henry V until, in 1115, he narrowly escaped death by lightning
that had thrown him off his frightened horse. An utterly changed man, he
thenceforth led a life of severe penance, received Holy Orders and attempted to
reform the Chapter at Xanten. But meeting with persecution and ridicule, he
renounced his canonry, gave all his possessions to the poor and wandered
barefoot and penniless to St Gilles in France, where Pope Gelasius II gave him
faculties to preach wherever he went.
In 1121, at the
request of Pope Callixtus II and Bartholomew, the Bishop of Laon, Norbert
founded the Relgious Order of Canons Regular of Strict Observance at Premontre
under the reformed rule of St Augustine, for parochial, educational and
missionary work. It grew with such rapidity that by 1131, there were already
500 Priests, Clerics and Lay-brothers.
Through his
zealous preaching, Norbert had the people of the Low Counties abandon the
Sacramentarian heresy, i.e., the denial of the Real Presence. As chancellor and
adviser to the King, he accompanied the latter’s army to Rome to aid the cause
of the rightful Pope, Innocent II against the pretensions of the anti-pope
Pietro di Leoni. Soon after his return to the north, Norbert fell critically
ill and died in 1134 and was canonized in 1852.
Reflection:
“He was a most eloquent preacher; after long meditation, he would preach the
Word of God and with his fiery eloquence, he purged vices, refined virtues and
filled souls of goodwill with the warmth of wisdom” (Biography of St Norbert).
Daily Readings
June 5, 2025,
Thursday
Memorial of
Saint Boniface, Bishop and Martyr
Reading 1
Acts 22:30;
23:6–11
In
those days: Desiring to know the real reason why Paul was being accused by the
Jews, he unbound him and commanded the chief priests and all the Council to
meet, and he brought Paul down and set him before them. Now when Paul perceived
that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the
Council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to
the hope of the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.” And when he had
said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the
assembly was divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor
angel, nor spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. Then a great clamour
arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ party stood up and contended
sharply, “We find nothing wrong in this man. What if a spirit or an angel spoke
to him?” And when the dissension became violent, the tribune, afraid that Paul
would be torn to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him
away from among them by force and bring him into the barracks. The following
night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified
to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.”
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
16:1–2a and 5, 7–8, 9–10, 11
Response:
Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
Preserve
me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
I
say to the Lord, “You are my Lord
O
Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup;
you
yourself who secure my lot.”
Response:
Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
I
will bless the Lord who gives me counsel,
who
even at night directs my heart.
I
keep the Lord before me always;
with
him at my right hand,
I
shall not be moved.
Response:
Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
And
so, my heart rejoices, my soul is glad;
even
my flesh shall rest in hope.
For
you will not abandon my soul to hell,
nor
let your holy one see corruption.
Response:
Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
You
will show me the path of life,
the
fullness of joy in your presence,
at
your right hand, bliss forever.
Response:
Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
R. Alleluia.
John 17:21
May they all be one, just
as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, so that the world may believe that you
have sent me, says the Lord.
Gospel
John 17:20–26
At
that time: [Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven and prayed, saying,] “I do not
ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their
word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you,
that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent
me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one
even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly
one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you
loved me. Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with
me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me
before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, even though the world
does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made
known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love
with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
Reflection
Jesus
continues his passionate prayer for his disciples. It is a prayer with a
perennial value for Christ’s disciples of all times and places, including us.
The main focus of this section is “that they may be one even as we are one, I
in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world
may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” Jesus
visualises and prays for perfect oneness, the type of oneness that existed
between him and his Father. The Trinitarian unity was founded on perfect love.
Where there is no love, there is fear and suspicion. The painful reality of
disunity, division, mutual suspicion and bitterness among the members of the
body of Christ is a scandal today more than ever. The early Christians lived “with
one accord devoting themselves to prayer” (Acts 1:14). But as time went by, the
spirit of unity disappeared and the spirit of competition and disharmony began
to rule the followers of Christ. Let us today pray and work for unity in our
own communities and life situations.
St
Boniface (Bishop, Martyr) (c.673-755)
St
Boniface was born of noble Anglo-Saxon parents at Crediton (England). Baptized
Wynfrid, a name which meant “Joy and Peace”, and trained in sanctity and
knowledge from the age of five by the Benedictines, he excelled in preaching
and expounding the Sacred Scriptures.
In
722 he was consecrated regional Bishop of Hessia and Thuringia and his name
Latinized to Boniface, a name which means “doing good”. It was in Hessia that
he dauntlessly felled the huge oak tree consecrated to the heathen god of
thunder, and when the much-feared dire consequences expected failed to
materialize, the German tribes one after the other converted to Christianity.
In Hessia was established a missionary centre for the training of native
clergy.
When
Boniface was made Apostolic Legate in 738, he reorganized the Church in Bavaria
and held the first German Synod in 742. In 748 he was made Archbishop of Mainz
and Primate of Germany.
In
his 75th year Boniface undertook one more missionary journey to Friesland, but
the heathen inhabitants murdered him along with 12 clerics and 40 converts at
Dokkum in 755. The greatest achievement of this “St Paul of Germany”—as
Boniface is popularly known—was the unification of all individual missionary
endeavours on the basis of his two guiding principles: first, the restoration
of the obedience of the clergy to their Bishops in union with the Pope, the
Bishop of Rome; and second, the establishment of many houses of prayer which
took the form of Benedictine monasteries.
Reflection:
“Let us not be dumb dogs, sleeping sentinels, hirelings that fly at the sight
of the wolf, but watchful and diligent . . . in season and out of season” (St
Boniface).
Daily
Readings
June
4, 2025
Wednesday
of the Seventh Week of Easter
Reading
1
Acts 20:28–38
In those days: Paul said to the elders of the Church
of Ephesus, “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, of which
the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he
obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will
come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will
arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.
Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or
day to admonish every one with tears. And now I commend you to God and to the
word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the
inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I coveted no one’s silver or
gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my
necessities, and to those who were with me. In all things I have shown you that
by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the
Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. And
there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him,
being sorrowful most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they would
not see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 68:29–30, 33–35a, 35b and 36d
Response: You, kingdoms of the earth,
sing to God.
Summon forth your might, O God;
your might, O God,
which you have shown for us.
From your temple high in Jerusalem,
kings will come to you
bringing their tribute.
Response: You, kingdoms of the earth,
sing to God.
You kingdoms of the earth, sing to God,
praise the Lord who rides on the heavens,
the ancient heavens.
Behold, he thunders his voice, his mighty
voice.
Come, acknowledge the power of God.
Response: You, kingdoms of the earth,
sing to God.
His glory is on Israel; his might is in the
skies.
Awesome is God in his holy place.
He is God, the God of Israel.
He himself gives strength and power
to his people
Response: You, kingdoms of the earth,
sing to God.
Alleluia
See John 17:17b,
17a
Your word, O Lord, is truth;
sanctify us in the truth.
Gospel
John 17:11b–19
At
that time: [Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven and prayed, saying,] “Holy
Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one,
even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you
have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except
the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am
coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy
fulfilled in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated
them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not
ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil
one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in
the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent
them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may
be consecrated in truth.
Reflection
Jesus
asks his Father to keep the disciples united in his name, “that they may be
one, even as we are one.” Disciples of Jesus do not belong to the world
although they are in the world, experiencing its struggles and hardships. They
are part of the world, make meaningful contributions through selfless service
and by fighting against all that is evil. Yet, as Saint Paul writes, “our
commonwealth is in heaven” (Phil 3: 20). Jesus prays that his disciples be
sanctified, that is, to make them holy and pure, freed from sin. This is the
ultimate state to which all of us have a calling. As Pope Francis says in
Gaudete et Exsultate, “We are all called to be holy by living our lives with
love and by bearing witness in everything we do, wherever we find ourselves.”
St
Francis Caracciolo (Confessor) (1563 -1608)
Baptized
Ascanio at his birth on 13 October 1563 in the Abruzzi, Italy, this scion of a
noble family in Naples, fell victim in his youth to a terrible skin disease
akin to leprosy. However, at 22, when he dedicated his life exclusively to
God’s service, he found himself suddenly cured, went on to study theology at
Naples, and was ordained to the priesthood in 1587.
In
1589, together with St John Augustine Adorno, he founded the Minor Clerks
Regular, a religious Congregation (both contemplative and active) which
prohibited its members from aspiring to ecclesiastical dignities, called for
perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in rotation and for continuous
mortification in addition to the three usual vows. At his profession, Ascanio
took the name of Francis. He became the first superior of the Naples
congregation, and towards the turn of the century made three trips to Spain to
found houses in Madrid, Valladolid and in the famous university city of Alcala,
where his Clerks were to teach science.
Francis
Caracciolo was an indirect descendant of St Thomas Aquinas on his mother’s
side, and like his illustrious ancestor, was known for his angelic purity. A
friend of the poor, he practised great austerities, always travelled on foot,
and begged for crusts for his sustenance. God granted him the gifts of prophecy
and of reading hearts. As an author he is famed particularly for his “Seven
Stations of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ”.
Francis
died on 4 June 1608 and was canonized by Pope Pius VII on 24 May 1807.
Daily
Readings
June
3, 2025
Memorial
of Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs
Reading
1
Acts
20:17–27
In those days: From Miletus Paul sent to Ephesus and
called the elders of the church to come to him. And when they came to him, he
said to them: “You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from
the first day that I set foot in Asia, serving the Lord with all humility and
with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews;
how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and
teaching you in public and from house to house, testifying both to Jews and to
Greeks of repentance towards God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. And
now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing
what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in
every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. But I do not account my
life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and
the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of
the grace of God. And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have
gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. Therefore I testify
to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, for I did not shrink
from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.’’
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 68:10–11, 20–21
Response: You kingdoms of the earth, sing to God.
You poured down, O God, a generous rain;
when your people languished,
you restored their inheritance.
It was there that your flock began to dwell.
In your goodness, O God,
you provided for the poor.
Response: You kingdoms of the earth, sing to God.
Day after day, may the Lord be blest.
He bears our burdens;
God is our saviour.
This God of ours is a God who saves.
The Lord our Lord provides
an escape from death.
Response: You kingdoms of the earth, sing to God.
Alleluia
John 14:16
I
will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you for
ever.
Gospel
John
17:1–11a
At that time: Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven, and
said “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,
since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all
whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only
true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having
accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in
your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world.
Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now
they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given
them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to
know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I
am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have
given me, for they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am
glorified in them. And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world,
and I am coming to you.”
Reflection
In this section of Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer, he
passionately prays for his disciples. Jesus knew that it was time for him to
return to the Father. He would not want his beloved disciples to be abandoned
and lost. He taught them the truths of the Father, he shared with them his love
and life. He passed on to them the authority that he had received from his
Father. He empowered them with the power of the Holy Spirit. He would love them
till the end, even to the point of dying for them and sharing his body and
blood with them. Now as he leaves them, he would not want them to be scattered
and lost like sheep without a shepherd. Thus he prays to his Father to guard
them and keep them together in his love. Jesus’ prayer is offered for each one
of us because we belong to him and his Father. It shows how precious we are in
his sight, how much he loves us and how he wishes that we be blessed with
eternal life.
Sts
Charles Lwanga, Joseph Mkasa and Companions (Ugandan Martyrs) (-c.1886 - 1887)
The
White Fathers started missionary work among the native tribes of the Upper Nile
region in 1878, and the first baptisms took place on Easter Saturday the
following year. Some of these men had been converted from Islam to
Protestantism before becoming Catholics. With their stiff resistance to the
immoral demands of the vicious King Mwanga began the persecution of the rapidly
spreading Catholic faith in 1886. Joseph Mkasa, the chief of the royal pages,
and Marumba, the headman of a district, were among the first to suffer
martyrdom, closely followed by Mkasa’s successor Charles Lwanga.
It
was Charles who enabled the rest to retain their individual purity and to cling
unto their faith. The Church today venerates the 22 Negro boys and young men
ranging in age from 13 to 30 years, for the courage, reminiscent of the early
Christians, with which they endured the cruelest tortures. Thirteen of the
Martyrs were burned, the rest met death through various other ordeals. Some of
them were put to death on 3 June 1886.
These
were the first African Negroes to be beatified (1920). Besides these, some 80
others were killed in this persecution. As St Augustine says: “The martyrs were
bound, imprisoned, scourged, racked, burnt, rent, butchered — and they
multiplied.”
The
Ugandan martyrs were canonized by Pope Paul VI on 18 October 1964.
Reflection:
“First, have great love for Jesus Christ. Second, be faithful to the Church.
Third, be strong and courageous; be happy and joyful always. Because, remember
this always, the Christian life is a most beautiful thing” (Pope Paul VI).
Daily Readings
June 2, 2025
Monday of the
Seventh Week of Easter
Reading 1
Acts 19:1–8
While
Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to
Ephesus. There he found some disciples. And he said to them, “Did you receive
the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard
that there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said, “Into what then were you baptised?”
They said, “Into John’s baptism.” And Paul said, “John baptised with the
baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come
after him, that is, Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptised in the name of
the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came
on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. There were about
twelve men in all. And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke
boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
68:2–3, 4–5ac, 6–7ab
Response:
You kingdoms of the earth, sing to God.
Let
God arise; let his foes be scattered.
Let
those who hate him flee from his presence.
As
smoke is driven away, so drive them away;
like
wax that melts before the fire,
so
the wicked shall perish
at
the presence of God.
Response:
You kingdoms of the earth, sing to God.
But
the just shall rejoice at the presence of God;
they
shall exult with glad rejoicing
O
sing to God; make music to his name.
The
Lord is his name;
exult
at his presence.
Response:
You kingdoms of the earth, sing to God.
Father
of orphans, defender of widows:
such
is God in his holy place.
God
gives the desolate a home to dwell in;
he
leads the prisoners forth
into
prosperity.
Response:
You kingdoms of the earth, sing to God.
Alleluia
Colossians
3:1
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
If
then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where
Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
Gospel
John
16:29–33
At
that time: The disciples said to Jesus, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and
not using figurative speech! Now we know that you know all things and do not
need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.”
Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it
has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me
alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I have said these things
to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation.
But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Reflection
Jesus
speaks of a time when he would be left alone, being abandoned by his own
closest disciples whom he had chosen, trained and befriended for three years.
Yet Jesus is not overcome by fear and anxiety nor does he backtrack from
fulfilling his mission. He has just one goal in life: to carry out the will of
his Father for the salvation of the world, as he is convinced of the Father’s
filial love for him. He is sure of this as he says, “Yet I am not alone, for
the Father is with me.” Jesus’ conviction of the Father’s loving presence and
his total dedication to his mission are inspiration and motivation for us to be
courageous in the midst of misunderstanding, loneliness, persecution and
rejection. His words, “Take heart, I have overcome the world,” should ring in
our ears and motivate us to be his courageous disciples in today’s world of
darkness and chaos.
Sts
Marcellinus and Peter (Martyrs) (A.D. - 304)
St
Marcellinus was a Priest during the reign of Diocletian in Rome and St Peter an
exorcist, i.e., someone authorized by the Church to deal with cases of demonic
possession. They were said to have been condemned and cast into prison for
their faith. In prison the two strengthened the faith of those of their
fellow-prisoners who were Christian, and succeeded in making new converts, too,
among whom were the jailer Arthemius, his wife and their daughter.
When
they were taken out for execution, Marcellinus and Peter were privately brought
to a wood called the Silva Niagra and there beheaded. Their persecutors had
already dug the graves before the execution so that the place of their burial
would not be known to the other Christians. However, the secret was divulged by
the executioner himself who later became a Christian. Two devout women, Lucilla
and Firmina, rescued their relics and interred them honourably in the catacomb
of Tiburtius on the Via Lavicana. Emperor Constantine had a basilica built over
the crypt in which they were buried. He later buried his own mother, St Helena,
there, too.
Pope
Damasus I composed a poetic epitaph for Sts Marcellinus and Peter that was
apparently founded on the report of their executioner. They are commemorated in
the Canon of the Mass (Eucharistic Prayer I).
Reflection:
“If we wish to save our soul, we must resolve to do violence to ourselves. ‘The
kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent bear it away’ (Mt 11:12).
He who does not do violence to himself will not be saved” (St Alphonsus
Liguori).
Daily Readings
June 1, 2025
Solemnity of the
Ascension of the Lord
Reading I
Acts
of the Apostles (1:1-11)
In
the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and
teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through
the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive
to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days
and speaking about the kingdom of God. And while staying with them he ordered
them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father,
which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptised with water, but you will
be baptised with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” So when they had come
together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to
Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the
Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy
Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all
Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these
things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of
their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men
stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand
looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will
come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.
RESPONSORIAL
PSALM (67)
Response:
God goes up with shouts of joy. The Lord goes up with trumpet blast. Or
Alleluia.
All
peoples, clap your hands. Cry to God with shouts of joy! For the LORD, the Most
High, is awesome, the great king over all the earth.
Response:
God goes up with shouts of joy. The Lord goes up with trumpet blast. Or
Alleluia.
God
goes up with shouts of joy. The LORD goes up with trumpet blast. Sing praise
for God; sing praise! Sing praise to our king; sing praise!
Response:
God goes up with shouts of joy. The Lord goes up with trumpet blast. Or
Alleluia.
God
is king of all the earth. Sing praise with all your skill. God reigns over the
nations. God sits upon his holy throne.
Response:
God goes up with shouts of joy. The Lord goes up with trumpet blast. Or
Alleluia.
READING
2
Ephesians
(1:17-23)
Brethren,
may the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the
Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of
your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has
called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and
what is the immeasurable greatness of his power towards us who believe,
according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he
raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly
places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above
every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And
he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the
church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
ACCLAMATION
Alleluia.
Alleluia.
Go
and make disciples of all nations, says the Lord; I am with you always, to the
end of the age. Alleluia. (Mt 28:19a, 20b)
GOSPEL
Luke
(24:46-53)
At
that time Jesus said to his disciples, “Thus it is written, that the Christ
should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for
the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations,
beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am
sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are
clothed with power from on high.” And he led them out as far as Bethany, and
lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from
them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him and returned to
Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God. Cel:
The Gospel of the Lord.
Reflection
The
First Reading as well as the Gospel of Today deal with the Ascension of Jesus.
Though coming from the same author, the accounts of the Ascension at the end of
Luke’s Gospel and at the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles have remarkable
differences. According to the Gospel the Ascension took place on Easter Sunday
itself but in Acts there is an interval of forty days during which the Lord
Jesus appeared to his apostles.
The
significant details of the Ascension given in Acts 1:1-11 are as follows. The
risen Christ commands his disciples to stay in Jerusalem until they are
baptized with the Holy Spirit. Ascension is the movement of the Eternal Son, in
his assumed and glorified humanity, from earth to heaven in order to sit at the
right hand of the Father. The Acts’ description of the Ascension focuses on the
screening cloud, precisely as it does in the transfiguration account. The cloud
is symbolic of the divine glory. The Ascension functions as the last appearance
of the risen Christ, as he takes leave of his assembled followers.
Paul
brings in another perspective to the Ascension. As Paul prays for the Ephesian
Community, he intercedes that the Spirit of wisdom and revelation may be given
to the Christians of Ephesus. Once they receive the Spirit they will be
enlightened. The risen and glorified Jesus reigns over the whole universe as
God has placed all things under his feet.
What
does the celebration of the feast of Ascension require of us? It definitely
requires of us a closer look at the way we live our Christian commitment. When
Jesus began his journey to Jerusalem that would culminate in his gruesome
death, he was absolutely certain that his death would give way to his
resurrection. Do we live our lives in such a way that we are confident to face
God?
(Source:
The Sunday Liturgy)
St
Justin, Martyr (c.100-166)
St
Justin was born of pagan parents in Samaria (Syria). Equipped with a good
education, he earnestly sought instruction from various pagan philosophers, but
none could satisfy his ardent thirst for truth or tell him anything definite
about God. He once drew a venerable old Christian into a lengthy philosophical
discussion which led him to take up the study of the Prophets.
Having
witnessed firsthand the trials and torments of Christian martyrs he was
astonished at their fearlessness. And so it was that the living faith of the
martyrs, combined with a study of the Scriptures, brought about his conversion.
Leading
an austere and holy life he travelled about Asia Minor (Turkey), preaching the
truth about Christ. To rebut the novel ideas of the heretic Marcion, who was
then troubling the Church, Justin wrote a number of treatises which were highly
prized by St Jerome, but which are now unfortunately lost. Only the two
apologias (defence of Christianity), which he addressed to the Emperors
Anotoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius, and his famous “Dialogue with the Jew
Tryphon” are extant.
“The
greatest blessing I can wish you, is that you might come to realize that wisdom
is given to every man through this Way of Life, and that someday you too might
come to believe as we do that Jesus is the Christ of God!” wrote Justin.
St
Justin is the first great Christian apologist, and the Patron of Catholic
philosophy.
Reflection:
“There is nothing which we more earnestly desire than to endure torments for
the sake of Our Lord Jesus Christ; for this is what will promote our happiness,
and give us confidence at his bar, where all men must appear, and be judged”
(St Justin).
Daily Readings
May 31, 2025,
Saturday
Feast of the
Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Reading I
Zephaniah 3:14–18
(Or Romans 12:9–16b)
Sing
aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your
heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away the judgments against
you; he has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your
midst; you shall never again fear evil. On that day it shall be said to
Jerusalem: “Fear not, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak. The Lord your God
is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with
gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud
singing. I will gather those of you who mourn for the festival, so that you
will no longer suffer reproach.
Or
Romans 12:9–16b
Let
love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another
with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honour. Do
not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice
in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute
to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers. Bless
those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice
with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one
another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not
claim to be wiser than you are.
Responsorial
Psalm
Isaiah
12:2–3, 4bcde, 5–6
Response:
Great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
Behold,
God is my salvation;
I
will trust, and will not be afraid;
for
the Lord God is my strength and my song,
and
he has become my salvation.
With
joy you will draw water
from
the wells of salvation.
Response:
Great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
Give
thanks to the Lord,
call
upon his name,
make
known his deeds among the peoples,
proclaim
that his name is exalted.
Response:
Great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
Sing
praises to the Lord,
for
he has done gloriously;
let
this be made known in all the earth.
Shout,
and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion,
for
great in your midst
is
the Holy One of Israel.
Response:
Great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
Alleluia
See
Luke 1:45
Blessed
are you Virgin Mary, who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was
spoken to you from the Lord.
Gospel
Luke
1:39–56
In
those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in
Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when
Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And
Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry,
“Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is
this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold,
when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for
joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what
was spoken to her from the Lord.” And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has looked on the humble
estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me
blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his
name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He
has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of
their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted
those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich
he has sent away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his
mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring for ever.”
And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.
Reflection
The
Feast of the Visitation illustrates Mary’s heart filled with love for her
neighbour, inspired by her unparalleled devotion to God. Just as to her cousin,
she is the Visitor who always seeks to fill our lives with her maternal care,
aid, and heavenly graces. As children, it is indeed our duty to create in us a
welcoming atmosphere for Our Blessed Mother. In turn, Our Blessed Mother would
expect us to be visitors who bring good news to the persons we meet. Mary, who
brought physical, emotional, and spiritual consolation is our model in all
corporal and spiritual works of mercy. Let us touch the lives of people around
us with the love that is following the will of God, and not with arrogance,
selfishness, and pride.
Visitation
of the Blessed Virgin Mary
This
feast commemorates the visit of the Virgin Mary, pregnant with the child Jesus,
to her cousin Elizabeth, pregnant with John the Baptizer. It was at the
Annunciation that Mary was informed of old Elizabeth’s pregnancy (Lk 1:36),
prompting her to go “with haste” (Lk 1:39) to be of help to her cousin, thereby
commencing her involvement in the work of redemption. What followed is
awe-inspiring! At the sound of Mary’s greeting, the child in Elizabeth’s womb
is sanctified and cleansed of original sin (cf. Lk 1:44) as foretold by the
Angel Gabriel to Zechariah (cf. Lk 1:15) and in a leaping instant begins his
mission of bearing witness to the light. Indeed, as David danced for joy before
the Ark of the Covenant of old, John, the last of the prophets of the Old
Testament, leaps for joy before Mary, the Ark of the New Covenant that brings
God’s presence into the world! Then, “ . . . . filled with the Holy Spirit”,
Elizabeth boldly declared Mary the most “blessed” among women, the Mother of
God (cf. Lk 1:41-42) — the first formal acknowledgement as it were of the
“Theotokos”!
The
feast of the Visitation was first heard of in 1263, when it was adopted by the
Franciscans, its observance extended to the whole Church in 1389 by Pope Urban
VI in supplication for the end of the Great Schism.
Reflection:
“My soul glorifies the Lord and my Spirit rejoices in God my Saviour!” (Mary -
Lk 1:46).
Daily Readings
May 30, 2025
Friday of the Sixth
Week of Easter
Reading 1
Acts 18:9–18
[When
Paul was in Corinth,] the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be
afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one
will attack you to harm you, for I have many people in this city who are my
people.” And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among
them. But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on
Paul and brought him before the tribunal, saying, “This man is persuading
people to worship God contrary to the law.” But when Paul was about to open his
mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or vicious
crime, O Jews, I would have reason to accept your complaint. But since it is a
matter of questions about words and names and your own law, see to it
yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of these things.” And he drove them from the
tribunal. And they all seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat
him in front of the tribunal. But Gallio paid no attention to any of this.
After this, Paul stayed many days longer and then took leave of the brothers
and set sail for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had
cut his hair, for he was under a vow.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
47:2–3, 4–5, 6–7
Response:
God is king of all the earth.
All
peoples, clap your hands.
Cry
to God with shouts of joy!
For
the Lord, the Most High,is awesome,
the
great king over all the earth.
Response:
God is king of all the earth.
He
humbles peoples under us
and
nations under our feet.
Our
heritage he chose for us,
the
pride of Jacob whom he loves.
Response:
God is king of all the earth.
God
goes up with shouts of joy.
The
Lord goes up with trumpet blast.
Sing
praise for God; sing praise!
Sing
praise to our king; sing praise!
Response:
God is king of all the earth.
Alleluia
See
Luke 24:46, 26
Christ
should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and enter into his
glory.
Gospel
John
16:20–23a
At
that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will
weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your
sorrow will turn into joy. When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because
her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers
the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. So also
you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice,
and no one will take your joy from you. In that day you will ask nothing of
me.”
Reflection
Jesus
assures his disciples that the Father will provide whatever they ask in his
name. While the prayer of petition is not the sum and summit of prayer, it is
its indispensable aspect that brings spiritual benefits. If we remember that we
are children of God, we will make our prayer of petition with childlike
simplicity. God, in His infinite goodness, gives us countless blessings, even
without asking for them. There are some things that God will never grant us, or
he would delay the reply and make us wait, no matter how earnestly we pray.
According to Saint Augustine, God says no to our petition because we pray
without trust, lacking humility and perseverance, or because we ask for bad
things, things that are harmful to us.
St
Joan of Arc, Virgin Martyr (1412-1431)
The
“Maid of Orleans” and liberator of France, Jean d’Arc was a native of Domremy
in Lorraine. The youngest of five children of a poor peasant farmer named
Jacques, she was from her 13th year conscious of supernatural “voices”
directing her. Three years later these voices (Sts Michael, Margaret and
Catherine) insistently urged her to lead the French King’s armies to victory
over the English, just when their complete defeat seemed imminent — “It is God
who commands it!”
In
the ensuing winter, however, many military advantages were lost through
procrastination and political jealousies, and when Joan was captured at
Compiegne by the Burgandians, the urgrateful Charles abandoned her to her fate
— she was sold by her captors to the English, who, in order to rid themselves
of one who inspired their troops with superstitious terror, had her condemned
for witchery by subservient prelates and judges. In 1431, just 19, she was
burned alive at the stake at Rouen. A generation later, a re-trial of her case,
at the request of her family, established Joan’s complete innocence.
Joan
of Arc was canonized in 1920 and is the Patron of France.
Reflection:
“Accept everything with willing heart. Do not mind your martyrdom; at the end
you shall come to the Kingdom of Paradise” (Voices to St Joan of Arc).
Daily Readings
May 29, 2025
Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter
Reading I
Acts 18:1–8
In those days: Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks. When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” And he left there and went to the house of a man named Titus Justus, a worshipper of God. His house was next door to the synagogue. Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptised.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 98:1, 2–3ab, 3cd–4
Response: The Lord has shown his deliverance to the nations.
O sing a new song to the Lord,
for he has worked wonders.
His right hand and his holy arm
have brought salvation.
Response: The Lord has shown his deliverance to the nations.
The Lord has made known his salvation,
has shown his deliverance to the nations.
He has remembered his merciful love
and his truth for the house of Israel.
Response: The Lord has shown his deliverance to the nations.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
Shout to the Lord, all the earth;
break forth into joyous song,
and sing out your praise.
Response: The Lord has shown his deliverance to the nations.
Alleluia
See John 14:18
I will not leave you as orphans, says the Lord; I will come to you, and your hearts will rejoice.
Gospel
John 16:16–20
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” So some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?” So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.”
Reflection
The frequent references to sadness and suffering express the environment of the communities at the end of the first century in Asia Minor for whom John wrote his Gospel. They lived in a difficult situation of persecution and oppression, which caused sadness. In this situation, the Apostle brings the salvific event of the death and resurrection of Christ. Christ endured the suffering and attained the glory, and has prophesied both the suffering and glory of his followers. So, the persecution of Christians, and any suffering in the name of faith should be lived in the light of the experience of the death and resurrection of Jesus. A person bears suffering and persecution when he/she knows that suffering is the way and the condition to attain perfect joy.
St Cyril, Martyr (-251)
True to his mother’s training, Cyril when a still a child, would repeat the name of Christ at all times and confessed that the utterance of this name moved him strangely.
His father, a heathen and an idolator, hated Christianity and would beat and revile him for the faith he professed. Young Cyril bore all with Christian joy and when he was driven away by his father from the shelter of his roof he said he had lost little and would receive a great recompense instead.
It being a time of general persecution, the governor of Caesarea, learning about Cyril, had the child brought before him. The persecutors initially tried tempting him in various ways to apostatize and, later, even led him to the place of execution and showed him the horrible instruments of torture. But no threats could make him show the slightest sign of fear. The Governor pitying perhaps his tender years, offered him freedom and besought him to return to his home and inheritance. But the blessed youth replied: “I left home gladly, for I have a greater and a better reward which is waiting for me!”
Cyril was then taken to the fires as if for execution but was brought out once again to be re-examined. Still, he remained filled with his unwavering heavenly desire and protested against the cruel delay of his executioners. Blandishments and added threats were of no avail in moving the little confessor, and the judge suffered him at last to win the eternal crown he craved for!
Reflection: “Suffer little children to come to me, and forbid them not; for of such is the Kingdom of God” (Luke 18:16).
Daily Readings
May 28, 2025
Wednesday of the
Sixth Week of Easter
Reading 1
Acts 17:15, 22–18:1
In
those days: Those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens, and after
receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible,
they departed. So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of
Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed
long and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this
inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this
I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord
of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by
human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all
mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation
of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted
periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God,
and perhaps feel their way towards him and find him. Yet he is actually not far
from each one of us, for ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even
some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’ Being then
God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or
silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. The times
of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to
repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in
righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given
assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” Now when they heard of the
resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again
about this.” So Paul went out from their midst. But some men joined him and
believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named
Damaris and others with them. After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
148:1–2, 11–12, 13, 14
Response:
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Praise
the Lord from the heavens;
praise
him in the heights.
Praise
him, all his angels;
praise
him, all his hosts.
Response:
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Kings
of the earth and all peoples,
princes
and all judges of the earth,
young
men and maidens as well,
the
old and the young together.
Response:
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Let
them praise the name of the Lord,
for
his name alone is exalted,
his
splendour above heaven and earth.
Response:
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
He
exalts the strength of his people.
He
is the praise of all his faithful,
the
praise of the children of Israel,
of
the people to whom he is close.
Response:
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Alleluia
John 14:16
I will ask the Father, and he
will give you another Helper, to be with you for ever.
Gospel
John 16:12–15
At
that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “I still have many things to say to
you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will
guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but
whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are
to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to
you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what
is mine and declare it to you.”
Reflection
The
Gospel presents an essential link between the working of the Holy Spirit and
our grasping the truth more profoundly. The Truth is Jesus himself and the Word
of God contains the truth which is a lamp to our feet and a light on our path.
According to Dei Verbum, “the Church taught by the Holy Spirit, moves toward a
deeper understanding of the Sacred Scriptures so that she may increasingly feed
her sons with the divine words” (DV §23). Pope Benedict XVI was categorical in
stating the impossibility of an authentic understanding of Christian revelation
apart from the activity of the Holy Spirit (VD §15). Disposing ourselves to the
inspiration of the Spirit is necessary for us to know the Truth and to live
Him.
St Germanus
Germanus
(c. 496 – 28 May 576) was the bishop of Paris and is venerated as a saint in
both the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church. According to an early
biography, he was known as Germain d'Autun, rendered in modern times as the
"Father of the Poor".
Germanus
was born near Autun in what is now France, under Burgundian control 20 years
after the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, to noble Gallo-Roman parents.
Germain studied at Avallon in Burgundy and at Luzy under the guidance of his
cousin Scallion, who was a priest.
At
the age of 35, he was ordained by Agrippinus of Autun and became abbot of the
nearby Abbey of St. Symphorian. He was known for his hardworking and austere
nature; however, it was his generous alms-giving which caused his monks to fear
that one day he would give away all the wealth of the abbey, resulting in their
rebellion against him. While in Paris in 555, Sibelius, the bishop of Paris,
died, and King Childebert had him consecrated as the bishop of Paris.
Under
Germain's influence, Childebert is said to have led a reformed life. In his new
role, the bishop continued to practice the virtues and austerities of his
monastic life, working to diminish the suffering caused by the incessant wars.
He attended the Third and Fourth Councils of Paris (557, 573) and also the
Second Council of Tours (566). He persuaded the king to stamp out the pagan
practices existing in Gaul and to forbid the excess that accompanied the
celebration of most Christian festivals. Germanus died in 576 AD.
Daily Readings
May 27, 2025
Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Easter
Reading 1
Acts 16:22–34
In those days: The crowd of Philippians joined in attacking Paul and Silas, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their wounds; and he was baptised at once, he and all his family. Then he brought them up into his house, and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 138:1–2a, 2bcd–3, 7c–8
Response: With your right hand you save me, O Lord.
I thank you, Lord, with all my heart;
you have heard the words of my mouth.
In the presence of the angels I praise you.
I bow down toward your holy temple.
Response: With your right hand you save me, O Lord.
I give thanks to your name
for your merciful love and your faithfulness.
You have exalted your name over all.
On the day I called, you answered me;
you increased the strength of my soul.
Response: With your right hand you save me, O Lord.
With your right hand you save me;
the Lord will accomplish this for me.
O Lord, your merciful love is eternal;
discard not the work of your hands.
Response: With your right hand you save me, O Lord.
Alleluia
See John 16:7, 13
I will send the Helper of truth to you, says the Lord; he will guide you into all the truth.
Gospel
John 16:5–11
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “Now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.”
Reflection
The Gospel passage focuses on three aspects of the workings of the Holy Spirit. First, the Holy Spirit is in the business of pricking our consciences whenever we sin, and he encourages us to repent. Our repentance is responding to the merciful promptings of the Holy Spirit. Second, the Holy Spirit convinces us that to be made righteous by God the Father, we have to believe in Jesus, whose precious blood cleanses us of our sins. Thirdly, the Holy Spirit, in exposing to us what sin is and by convincing us about righteousness, makes clear to us that there will be judgment. A life attuned to the Spirit would be conscious of the dangers of sin, of the salvific acts that won for us, and the certainty of judgment.
St Augustine of Canterbury, Bishop, Confessor (-605)
A Roman by birth, Augustine and 40 other Benedictine monks were deputed by Gregory the Great in 596 to evangelize England. Disturbed by rumours of the brutality of the locals, the band attempted to return mid-way. However, admonished by the Pope, himself a Benedictine, they persisted. Landing in the spring of 597, with interpreters from France, they were received hospitably by King Ethelbert of Kent and invited to live at Canterbury. Entering in solemn procession, bearing an image of Our Lord and a Cross, and chanting an ancient litany, they immediately established their Benedictine routine together with the preaching mission. The King, who had married the Frankish Princess Bertha, a Catholic, was deeply impressed by Augustine’s spiritual message and personal sanctity, and asked for baptism at Pentecost. More than 10,000 of his subjects were baptized the day following Christmas.
The following autumn, Augustine was consecrated bishop by St Virgilius, Archbishop of Arles, and was made Archbishop of Canterbury with jurisdiction over all the southern British dioceses which were being established. He failed, however, in enlisting the support of the Celtic Bishops of Wales in the evangelization of the Anglo-Saxon conquerors and getting them to conform to Roman practice in the matter of the Easter date.
About seven years after his arrival in England, St Augustine passed to his reward in 605, leaving behind a rich legacy of no less than 12 new dioceses.
Reflection: “I will not live an instant that I do not live in love. Whoever loves does all things without suffering, or, suffering, loves his suffering” (St Augustine).
Daily Readings
May 26, 2025
Memorial of Saint
Philip Neri, Priest
Reading 1
Acts 16:11–15
Setting
sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day
to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the
district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days.
And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we
supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women
who had come together. One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city
of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshipper of God. The Lord
opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. And after she was
baptised, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged
me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed
upon us.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 149:1–2, 3–4,
5–6a and 9b
Response: The Lord
takes delight in his people.
Sing a new song to the Lord,
his praise in the assembly of
the faithful.
Let Israel rejoice in its
Maker;
let Sion’s children exult in
their king.
Response: The Lord
takes delight in his people.
Let them praise his name with
dancing,
and make music with timbrel and
harp.
For the Lord takes delight in
his people;
he crowns the poor with
salvation.
Response: The Lord
takes delight in his people.
Let the faithful exult in
glory,
and rejoice as they take their
rest.
Let the praise of God be in
their mouths.
This is an honour for all his
faithful.
Alleluia
John 15:26b, 27a
The Spirit of truth will bear
witness about me, says the Lord; you also will bear witness.
Gospel
John 15:26–16:4a
At
that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “When the Helper comes, whom I will
send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father,
he will bear witness about me. And you also will bear witness, because you have
been with me from the beginning. I have said all these things to you to keep
you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the
hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God.
And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me.
But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may
remember that I told them to you.”
Reflection
The
message of Pope Francis for the 2021 Diocesan World Youth Day was to
courageously bear witness to Jesus Christ, in the footsteps of Saint Paul. The
Pope has defined Christianity on several occasions not as a school of ideas or
a collection of beautiful temples, but as a living people who follow Jesus and
bear witness to him. This witness sometimes ends up giving one’s life as is
evident in the lives of martyrs. A Christian who does not take the dimension of
martyrdom seriously does not understand the road that Jesus has indicated. It
is through the gift of the Spirit that we can face the trials that come in our
lives. The Spirit gives us the strength to face martyrdom as we bear witness to
our faith.
St
Philip Neri, Confessor (c.1515-1595)
Giving
up his commercial activities at the age of 26, Philip Neri went to Rome to seek
his own sanctification and that of his fellowmen. He led a disciplined life of
prayer and penance and studied philosophy and theology; he frequently visited
the Seven Churches—a 12-mile pilgrimage which he would perform on foot after
sundown, often spending entire nights in the catacomb of St Sebastian. In 1548
he founded a confraternity to care for poor pilgrims and started the monthly
adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
Ordained
priest in 1551, he went on to become an outstanding confessor and counsellor,
combining as he did popularity with deep piety against the background of a
corrupt Rome and a disinterested clergy. He would celebrate Mass with loving
delight and devote his afternoons to engaging young men and boys in talks,
games or visits to the Seven Churches, bringing home to the minds of people
spiritual truths in the most unusual but efficacious ways. From 1564, several
of his followers became priests and settled down with him at the Church of San
Giovanni de Fiorentini, praying and eating in common, celebrating the Eucharist
and preaching regularly. This sowed the seed of what was to become known as the
“Oratory”, whose distinctive feature was the regular afternoon session of
informal talks held in a little room above the Church concerning spiritual
matters.
An
outstanding mystic of the Counter-Reformation, Philip passed away on the Feast
of Corpus Christi, 1595 and was canonized in 1622.
Reflection:
“We must take care of little faults, for he who once begins to go backward, and
to make light of such defects, brings a sort of grossness over his conscience,
and then goes wrong altogether” (St Philip Neri).
Daily Readings
May 25, 2025
Sixth Sunday of
Easter
FIRST
READING
Acts
of the Apostles (15:1-2, 22-29)
In
those days some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers,
“Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be
saved.” And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with
them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to
Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. Then it seemed
good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from
among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas
called Barnabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, with the following
letter: “The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who
are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. Since we have
heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words,
unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, it has seemed
good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with
our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of
our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves
will tell you the same things by word of mouth. For it has seemed good to the
Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements:
that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and
from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep
yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.
RESPONSORIAL
PSALM (67)
Response:
Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! Or Alleluia.
O
God, be gracious and bless us and let your face shed its light upon us. So will
your ways be known upon earth and all nations learn your salvation.
Response:
Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! Or Alleluia.
Let
the nations be glad and shout for joy, with uprightness you rule the peoples;
you guide the nations on earth.
Response:
Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! Or Alleluia.
Let
the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you. May God still
give us his blessing that all the ends of the earth may revere him.
Response:
Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! Or Alleluia.
SECOND
READING
Book
of Revelation (21:10–14, 22–23)
The
angel carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me
the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of
God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It
had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and
on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were
inscribed – on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south
three gates, and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve
foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the
Lamb. And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the
Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for
the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.
ACCLAMATION
Alleluia,
alleluia!
Jesus
said, “If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him,
and we will come to him.” Alleluia! (Jn 14:23)
GOSPEL
John
(14:23-29)
At
that time Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my
word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home
with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that
you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me. “These things I have spoken
to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the
Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your
remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I
give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be
troubled, neither let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, ‘I am going
away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced,
because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. And now I
have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may
believe.
Reflection
When
Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch after the First Missionary Journey, they
encountered a problem regarding the admission of the Gentiles into the
Christian fold. The problem was created by some Jewish Christians who while
coming to Antioch spread the news that the observance of the Mosaic Law was
necessary for salvation. When neither Paul nor the community of Antioch was
able to solve the problem by themselves, the community decided to forward the
problem to the apostles in Jerusalem. The meeting of the apostles and delegates
in Jerusalem about 50 A.D. is the famous Jerusalem Council. When the meeting
was held, the apostolic and presbyteral college of Jerusalem officially
recognized the evangelization of Gentiles, which has been initiated by Peter
and carried out on a wide scale by Paul and Barnabas. The decision of the
Council was that new coverts did not need to go through the ritual of
circumcision to become Christians. The only demands were some dietary
restrictions.
The
Book of Revelation from which the Second Reading is taken, closes with a
majestic view of the New Jerusalem, the heavenly Church of the future, the
veritable kingdom of God. The heavenly Jerusalem that John sees as coming down
from heaven is a glorious entity. The radiance of the New Jerusalem is like
that of a precious stone. The twelve gates of the wall have names of twelve
tribes of Israel inscribed on them.
In
the gospel of today, Jesus tells that those who love him and live their life
according to his teachings will experience the presence of the Father in them.
Jesus qualifies the Holy Spirit as the Counsellor who will teach and help us to
remember the things taught by Jesus. The disciple who loves Jesus will keep his
Words. There was one of the disciples who kept the commandments to an
exceptional degree and loved Jesus. This was the disciple whom Jesus loved.
Jesus promises peace to the disciples and urges them not to be troubled by his
departure. Jesus’ death is not the end; it is the beginning of a process of his
going back to the Father who sent him.
Source:
The Sunday Liturgy
St
Bede the Venerable, Confessor, Doctor of the Church (673 -735)
A
native of Northumberland (England), Bede was educated from his 7th year on at
the dual Benedictine monastery of Sts Peter and Paul at Wearmouth-Jarrow under
its founder, St Benedict Biscop. In his own words, “From that time I spent my
whole life in that Monastery, devoting all my efforts to the study of the
scriptures, and amid the observance of the monastic discipline and the daily
charge of singing in the church it has ever been my delight to study or teach
or write.”
His
piety, learning, and gentle character drew to him hundreds of scholars to whom
he imparted all the patristic riches of the former centuries as well as the
treasures of science then available. He wrote more than 40 books on history,
chronology, physics, music, philosophy, poetry and medicine. Undoubtedly the
most learned man of his age. His general world history and his Ecclesiastical
History of the English People have earned for him the title of “Father of
English history”.
Greatly
noted for his holiness, Bede was at times so overcome with devotion that he
would shed tears and, when not studying or teaching, spend long hours in
prayer, coming to be called “Venerable” during his life-time itself. In his
last years he was constantly ill, yet he worked and prayed right up to the end.
Declared
a Saint and Doctor of the Church by Pope Leo XIII in 1899, his relics are
entombed in the Galilee chapel of Durham Cathedral.
Reflection:
“He alone loves the Creator perfectly who manifests a pure love for his
neighbour” (St Bede the Venerable).
Daily Readings
May 24, 2025
Saturday of the
Fifth Week of Easter
Reading 1
Acts 16:1–10
In
those days: Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named
Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a
Greek. He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted
Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the
Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.
As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for
observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who
were in Jerusalem. So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they
increased in numbers daily. And they went through the region of Phrygia and
Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.
And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the
Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. So, passing by Mysia, they went down to
Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was
standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”
And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into
Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
100:1–2, 3, 5
Response:
Cry out with joy to the Lord all the earth.
Cry
out with joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Serve
the Lord with gladness.
Come
before him, singing for joy.
Response:
Cry out with joy to the Lord all the earth.
Know
that he, the Lord, is God.
He
made us; we belong to him.
We
are his people,
the
sheep of his flock.
Response:
Cry out with joy to the Lord all the earth.
Indeed,
how good is the Lord,
eternal
his merciful love.
He
is faithful from age to age.
Response:
Cry out with joy to the Lord all the earth.
Alleluia
Colossians 3:1
If then you have been raised
with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the
right hand of God.
Gospel
John 15:18–21
At
that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “If the world hates you, know that it
has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would
love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out
of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to
you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they
will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But
all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not
know him who sent me.”
Reflection
The
world hates Jesus because his presence demands some type of response involving
belief or unbelief in him. This hatred of the world is directed towards the
disciples of Jesus because when we try to follow and imitate him, we resemble
him and are transformed into Christ in Holy Communion. This transformation and
representation of Christ is painful for those who have “exchanged the truth of
God for a lie” (Rom 1:25). When we
experience hatred in the world, we are in the good company of Christ along with
all the prophets and saints. As Christians, we are challenged not to conform
ourselves to the world (Rom 12:2), but are called to change the culture of this
world and bring about Christ’s Kingdom here and now.
Our
Lady Help of Christians
I
promise,” St Bridget once heard our Lord say to his Immaculate Mother, Mary,
“‘to hear graciously all who ask a favour of me in your name, even if they are
sinners — provided that they have the will to amend their ways.” It was at the
foot of the cross, that Mary was officially, formally commissioned by the Lord
himself to take care of all the redeemed— “Woman, behold thy son” (Jn 19:26).
Pope
Pius VII was imprisoned by Napoleon in 1808, but after the battle of Leipzig
the 74-year-old Pontiff was once more set free, and in 1814 he returned to Rome
in triumph. After Napoleon’s “Hundred Days” had been brought to an end in 1815
by the allied victory at Waterloo, Pius VII instituted today’s feast for the
Papal States in thanksgiving to God and the Blessed Virgin, and to commemorate
the anniversary of his return from Napoleonic captivity.
The
devotion to Mary under the title “Help of Christians” was actually fostered and
propularized by Don Bosco who himself had a very deep devotion to Mary Help of
Christians. He even erected a Basilica in her honour under that title in Turin
in 1868 and later, in 1872, went on to found the Salesian Sisters under her
patronage, viz. the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians).
Reflection:“May
the Blessed Virgin help us to be faithful to the teachings of the Church and
obtain for us the grace of perseverance in serving God on this earth, so as to
join her one day in the kingdom of heavenly glory” (St John Bosco).
Daily Readings
May 23, 2025
Friday of the Fifth
Week of Easter
Reading 1
Acts 15:22–31
In
those days: It seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole
church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and
Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabas, and Silas, leading men among the
brothers, with the following letter: “The brothers, both the apostles and the
elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and
Cilicia, greetings. Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us
and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no
instructions, it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose
men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have
risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent
Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth.
For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater
burden than these requirements: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed
to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual
immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.” So
when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the
congregation together, they delivered the letter. And when they had read it,
they rejoiced because of its encouragement.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
57:8–9, 10–12
Response:
I will praise you, Lord, among the peoples.
My
heart is ready, O God;
my
heart is ready.
I
will sing, I will sing your praise.
Awake,
my soul! Awake, lyre and harp!
I
will awake the dawn.
Response:
I will praise you, Lord, among the peoples.
I
will praise you, Lord,
among
the peoples,
among
the nations sing Psalms to you,
for
your mercy reaches to the heavens,
and
your truth to the skies.
Be
exalted, O God, above the heavens;
may
your glory shine on all the earth!
Response:
I will praise you, Lord, among the peoples.
Alleluia
John 15:15b
I have called you friends, says the Lord,
for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
Gospel
John 15:12–17
At
that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “This is my commandment, that you love
one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that
someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I
command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know
what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have
heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I
chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your
fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give
it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.”
Reflection
Often
we live with the illusion that we can choose whatever we want. Advertising and marketing are based on
freedom of choice. But there are many areas of our life in which we do not have
any choice or over which we have no control, and that includes our birth,
parents, talents, strengths and weaknesses, temperaments, inclinations, etc.
So, in many things related to our life, we do not choose but it seems that they
choose us. God has chosen us in our current state of what we are and how we
are. If so, then the fundamental question before us is why did God choose me?
Why have I been given this blessing, this burden, this responsibility? Yet
another realization we need to treasure is that God has chosen us because He
truly believes in us.
St
John Baptist De Rossi (Confessor) (1698 -1764)
This
Roman Priest, coming from an impoverished family and educated with aid from
benefactors, was attracted especially to the apostolate among the herdsmen,
labourers and teamsters of the Roman Campagna and would preach to them in the
early morning or late evening when they congregated in the Campo Vaccino. The
remainder of the day he spent visiting the sick poor in the hospital of St
Galla, and near it in 1731 he established a refuge for the unfortunates who
wandered the streets by night.
Due
to occasional epileptic spells, resulting from excessive mortifications while a
student of philosophy and theology with the Dominicans—he was ordained by
special dispensation on 8 March
1721—he never dared to hear confessions himself; however, while convalescing in
Civita Castellana in 1738, the local bishop insisted on his taking up that
pastoral ministry too, and in this he proved himself so effective that he was
given the unusual faculty of hearing confessions in any church in Rome.
Thenceforth he spent many hours a day hearing confessions particularly of
prisoners, the poor and illiterate in the hospitals or in their homes.
Born
on 22 February 1698 at Voltaggio (Geneva), Italy, John Baptist de Rossi passed
away in Rome on 23 May 1764 and was buried at the altar of the Blessed Virgin
in the Church of Trinita de Pelleghrini. Beatified by Pope Pius IX in 1860, he
was canonized by Pope Leo XIII on 8 December 1881.
Reflection:
“To deserve Paradise, we must work without intermission” (St John Baptist de
Rossi).
Daily Readings
May 22, 2025
Thursday of the
Fifth Week of Easter
Reading 1
Acts 15:7–21
In
those days: After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to the
apostles and the elders, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a
choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the
gospel and believe. And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by
giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, and he made no distinction
between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. Now, therefore, why
are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples
that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe that we
will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.” And all
the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they
related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.
After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. Simeon
has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for
his name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,
‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has
fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, that the remnant of
mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says
the Lord, who makes these things known from of old.’ Therefore my judgment is
that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, but should
write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual
immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. For from ancient
generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read
every Sabbath in the synagogues.”
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 96:1–2a, 2b–3, 10
Response: Tell among all the peoples
the wonders of the Lord.
O sing a new song to the Lord;
sing to the Lord, all the earth.
O sing to the Lord; bless his name.
Response: Tell among all the peoples
the wonders of the Lord.
Proclaim his salvation day by day.
Tell among the nations his glory,
and his wonders among
all the peoples.
Response: Tell among all the peoples
the wonders of the Lord.
Say to the nations, “The Lord is king.”
The world he made firm in its place;
he will judge the peoples in fairness.
Response: Tell among all the peoples
the wonders of the Lord.
R. Alleluia.
John 10:27
My sheep hear my
voice, says the Lord; and I know them and they follow me.
Gospel
John 15:9–11
At that time: Jesus said to his
disciples, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.
If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my
Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you,
that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”
Reflection
Jesus
invites us into a relationship of love that exists between the Father and Jesus
himself. To remain in this love is to keep His commandments. Jesus kept the
commandment or the will of the Father, by carrying the cross to the place of
his crucifixion and drinking of the chalice of suffering. So too, when we obey
the commandments of the Lord, more concretely the commandment to love one
another, we remain in his love and enter into the loving relationship of the
Father and the Son. Believers are those who produce much fruit by obedience. In
return, they remain in the love of the Father. In short, believers in Christ
will experience the Father’s blessing and enjoy the gift of joy because of
their faithful obedience.
St
Rita of Cascia, Widow (1381-1457)
Margherita
(Rita), at 18, desired to become an Augustinian nun but meekly married in
deference to her parents’ wishes. Deriding Rita’s piety her quarrelsome
husband, Paul, inflicted tremendous suffering on her by his drunken rages. Her
fervent prayers, severe penances and loving visits to the poor and the sick so
touched God’s heart that He granted her husband the grace of a complete
conversion. When a few years later he was found stabbed to death on a mountain
path, Rita’s grief in that sad hour was intensified by an anxiety over the fate
of his soul even as she strove to forgive the murderer from her heart. Not so,
however, her two sons who, on growing to boyhood, caused her grave concern by
their wayward lives, determined to avenge their father’s death. In response to
Rita’s plea, God took them to Himself within a year, rather than permit them to
commit such a sin.
Now
30, Rita’s original desire to enter the convent resurfaced but she was refused
on account of convent rules permitting the entry only of virgins until God
indicated His express wishes by a miracle: during the Assumption Vigil, arrived
her three patron saints, Augustine, John the Baptist and Nicholas of Tolentino
who, conducting her to Cascia, placed her at the foot of the Blessed Sacrament
in the convent chapel where the nuns found her at Matins. The untouched locks
on the convent doors convinced them to accept the truthfulness of her simple
explanation.
Canonized
in 1900, the innumerable favours obtained through her intercession in desperate
cases since her death in 1457 have procured for her the title of the “Saint of
the Impossible”.
Reflection:
“Being poor, and caring little for our physical needs, rather, having no
regards for ourselves, helps immensely in restraining our sensuality” (St Rita
of Cascia).
Daily Readings
May 21, 2025
Wednesday of the
Fifth Week of Easter
Reading 1
Acts 15:1–6
In
those days: Some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers,
“Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be
saved.” And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with
them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to
Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. So, being sent on
their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria,
describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to
all the brothers. When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church
and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with
them. But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and
said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of
Moses.” The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this
matter.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
122:1–2, 3–4ab, 4cd–5
Response:
Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
I
rejoiced when they said to me,
“Let
us go to the house of the Lord.”
And
now our feet are standing
within
your gates, O Jerusalem.
Response:
Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Jerusalem
is built as a city
bonded
as one together.
It
is there that the tribes go up,
the
tribes of the Lord.
Response:
Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
For
Israel’s witness it is
to
praise the name of the Lord.
There
were set the thrones for judgment,
the
thrones of the house of David.
Response:
Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Alleluia
John 15:4a, 5b
Abide in me, and I in you, says
the Lord; whoever abides in me bears much fruit.
Gospel
John 15:1–8
At
that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “I am the true vine, and my Father is
the vine dresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away,
and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in
me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides
in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are
the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much
fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he
is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown
into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask
whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified,
that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples.”
Reflection
The
Gospel invites us to abide in Christ, allowing him to reside in our lives. Just
as the vine is nourishment for the branches and the fruits it produces, Jesus
is our source of nourishment. Thus, the call is to cultivate our relationship
with him by spending time in his presence. When we abide in Christ, we remain
stable and steady. When we keep our eyes fixed on him, our eyes are removed
from the problems that concern us. Jesus can cause all things for good. This
involves everything he does to make us fruitful; pruning and removing sinful
desires, attitudes, and actions that prevent us from being fruitful in the life
that God created us to have.
Saint
Cristóbal Magallanes Jara (Priest, Martyr) (1869 – 1927)
Saint
Cristóbal Magallanes Jara, also known as Christopher Magallanes was killed
without trial on the way to say Mass during the Cristero War after the trumped
up charge of inciting rebellion.
He
was born in Totatiche, Jalisco, Mexico on July 30, 1869. He worked as a
shepherd in his youth and enrolled in the Conciliar Seminary of San José in
Guadalajara at the age of 19
Cristóbal
was ordained at the age of 30 at Santa Teresa in Guadalajara in 1899 and served
as chaplain of the School of Arts and Works of the Holy Spirit in Guadalajara.
He was then designated as the parish priest for his home town of Totatiche,
where he helped found schools and carpentry shops and assisted in planning for
hydrological works, including the dam of La Candelaria. He took special
interest in the evangelization of the local indigenous Huichol people and was
instrumental in the foundation of the mission in the indigenous town of
Azqueltán.
Magallanes
wrote and preached against armed rebellion, but was falsely accused of
promoting the Cristero Rebellion in the area. Arrested on May 21, 1927, while
en route to celebrate Mass at a farm, he gave away his few remaining
possessions to his executioners, gave them absolution, and without a trial, he
was killed four days later with Agustín Caloca in Colotlán, Jalisco. His last
words to his executioners were "I die innocent, and ask God that my blood
may serve to unite my Mexican brethren."
Daily Readings
May 20, 2025
Tuesday of Fifth
Week of Easter
Reading 1
Acts 14:19–28
In
those days: Jews came [to Lystra] from Antioch and Iconium, and having
persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city,
supposing that he was dead. But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose
up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe.
When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples,
they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls
of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that
through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. And when they had
appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they
committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed. Then they passed through Pisidia,
and came to Pamphylia. And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went
down to Attalia, and from there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been
commended to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled. And when
they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had
done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. And they
remained no little time with the disciples.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
145:10–13ab, 21
Response:
Your friends make known, O Lord, the glory of your reign.
All
your works shall thank you, O Lord,
and
all your faithful ones bless you.
They
shall speak of the glory of your reign,
and
declare your mighty deeds.
Response:
Your friends make known, O Lord, the glory of your reign.
They
shall make known your might
to
the children of men,
and
the glorious splendour of your reign.
Your
kingdom is an everlasting kingdom;
your
rule endures for all generations.
Response:
Your friends make known, O Lord, the glory of your reign.
Let
my mouth speak the praise of the Lord;
let
all flesh bless his holy name
forever,
for ages unending.
Response:
Your friends make known, O Lord, the glory of your reign.
Alleluia
See Luke 24:46, 26
Christ should suffer and on the
third day rise from the dead, and enter into his glory.
Gospel
John 14:27–31a
At
that time; Jesus said to his disciples: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I
give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be
troubled, neither let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, ‘I am going
away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced,
because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. And now I
have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may
believe. I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is
coming. He has no claim on me, but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that
the world may know that I love the Father.”
Reflection
The
peace that the world gives is dependent on circumstances. It is simply the
absence of problems, disturbances, or inconveniences. The peace that Jesus
gives is different from that. He has promised peace despite the situations of
life. However, the path to receiving this peace comes from giving every
situation to God in prayer. This peace does not mean that the situation will
resolve or dissipate. Yet regardless of what happens, when we give it to God in
prayer, then we will experience His peace and the need to be troubled or afraid
departs. It will come from resting in the loving arms of our Saviour knowing
that he is in control and that he will carry us through any situation of life.
St
Bernardine of Siena Confessor (1380 -1444)
Orphaned
early in life Bernardine was brought up by a maternal aunt in self-discipline
in an atmosphere that fostered an ardent love for God in him. At 17 he joined
the ascetical “Confraternity of Our Lady” which was attached to the famed
hospital of Siena for the relief of the sick and the poor. When the plague
broke out in the city during the Jubilee year 1400, he, with 12 young friends,
voluntarily ran the overcrowded and understaffed hospital for four months,
bringing hope and succour as much by his singular cheerfulness and sympathy as
by his charitable ministrations. Two years later he distributed his inheritance
among the poor and joined the strict Franciscan Observantines.
People,
by the thousands, flocked to attend his early Mass in an open square, after
which he would preach penance and propagate devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus.
A series of 45 sermons, embracing every topic from the dignity of man,
Christian moral education, sanctification of the family and desirability of
peace to the proper ethics to be observed in business and government, held on
consecutive days and sometimes lasting three or four hours, and each taken down
verbatim by a regular listener, has come down to us together with his amusing
anecdotes and jokes, all timeless in charm and freshness.
When
Bernardine was Vicar General of the Observants, they were said to have grown
during his lifetime from 130 friars to 4,000. The numerous miracles that
followed his death led to his canonization in 1450.
Reflection:
“In all your actions see in the first place the Kingdom of God and his glory;
persevere in brotherly charity, and practise first all that you desire to teach
others” (St Bernardine of Siena).
Daily Readings
May 19, 2025
Monday of the Fifth
Week of Easter
Reading 1
Acts 14:5–18
In
those days: When an attempt was made [at Iconium] by both Gentiles and Jews,
with their rulers, to mistreat Paul and Barnabas and to stone them, they
learned of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the
surrounding country, and there they continued to preach the gospel. Now at
Lystra there was a man sitting, who could not use his feet; he was crippled
from birth and had never walked. He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul,
looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well, said in a
loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he sprang up and began walking.
And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying
in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” Barnabas
they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. And the
priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and
garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. But when
the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed
out into the crowd, crying out, ‘‘Men, why are you doing these things? We also
are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should
turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth
and the sea and all that is in them. In past generations he allowed all the
nations to walk in their own ways. Yet he did not leave himself without
witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons,
satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” Even with these words they
scarcely restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
115:1–2, 3–4, 15–16
Response:
Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory.
Not
to us, O Lord, not to us,
but
to your name give the glory,
for
your merciful love and fidelity.
Why
should the nations say:
“Where
is their God?”
Response:
Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory.
But
our God is in the heavens;
he
does whatever he wills.
Their
idols are silver and gold,
the
work of human hands.
Response:
Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory.
May
you be blest by the Lord,
the
maker of heaven and earth.
The
heavens, the heavens belong to the Lord,
but
to the children of men,
he
has given the earth.
Response:
Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory.
Alleluia
John
14:26
The
Holy Spirit will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I
have said to you.
Gospel
John
14:21–26
At
that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever has my commandments and keeps
them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father,
and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” Judas (not Iscariot) said to
him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the
world? Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my
Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is
not mine but the Father’s who sent me. These things I have spoken to you while
I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send
in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that
I have said to you.”
Reflection
The
Gospel reminds us that loving Jesus gives rise to the keeping of the
commandments. True love for God is expressed not in sentimental language or
claims of mystical experiences but in moral obedience. The truth of God does
not exist to promote merely right notions about God but to promote an
experiential relationship with God expressed in love for and obedience to His
word. Jesus would affirm that his food is to do the will of the One who sent
him. As followers of Jesus who came to do the will of God, we too are called to
love and do God’s will. If we love God, we will keep His commands, and that
obedience will in turn evidence our true love for God.
St
Peter Celestine V, Pope, Confessor (1215 -1296)
Peter
Di Morone had spent most of his life as a Benedictine hermit in the wild
mountains of southern Italy when, in 1294, to his great surprise, he was one
day visited by an immense crowd of monks and lay people led by three Cardinals
who announced that he had been unanimously elected Pope. Tearfully obeying the
summons to leave his beloved solitude, he entered the city of Acquila riding on
a donkey, with Kings Charles II of Naples holding the bridle on one side and
Charles Martel of Hungary on the other.
To
the politically ambitious rulers the election of the 79-year-old hermit as Pope
Celestine V was a windfall. He let himself be persuaded to reside at Naples, to
create 13 new Cardinals and, refusing no one, proceeded to grant benefices to
all and sundry, sometimes in his innocence even to several rival claimants
simultaneously. In no time the affairs of the Curia were in utter disarray.
After
a 5-month reign, Peter issued an edict declaring the Pope’s right to resign and
then on 13 December freely resigned “because of my lowliness, my desire for a
more perfect life, my advanced age and infirmities, and my ignorance and
inexperience in world affairs”. He fled back to the mountains he so loved, but
was captured after several months by order of his successor, Boniface VIII, and
kept closely confined in a castle near Anagni for fear that his enemies might
make use of the simple old man for their own political ends. He died in 1296
and was canonized in 1313.
Reflection:
“To speak heart to heart with God, you must love to be with him alone” (St
Peter Celestine).
Daily Readings
May 18, 2025
Fifth Sunday of
Easter
Reading I
Acts of the Apostles (14:21-27)
In
those days Paul and Barnabas returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch,
strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the
faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of
God. And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer
and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed. Then
they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. And when they had spoken the
word in Perga, they went down to Attalia, and from there they sailed to
Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that
they had fulfilled. And when they arrived and gathered the church together,
they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of
faith to the Gentiles.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
(145)
Response:
I will bless your name for ever, my King and my God. Or Alleluia.
The
LORD is kind and full of compassion, slow to anger, abounding in mercy. How
good is the LORD to all, compassionate to all his creatures.
Response:
I will bless your name for ever, my King and my God. Or Alleluia.
All
your works shall thank you, O LORD, and all your faithful ones bless you. They
shall speak of the glory of your reign, and declare your mighty deeds.
Response:
I will bless your name for ever, my King and my God. Or Alleluia.
To
make known your might to the children of men, and the glorious splendour of
your reign. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; your rule endures for all
generations.
Response:
I will bless your name for ever, my King and my God. Or Alleluia.
Reading-2
Revelation
(21:1-5)
I,
John, saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first
earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new
Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for
her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the
dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be
his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away
every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be
mourning, nor crying, nor pain any more, for the former things have passed
away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all
things new.”
Alleluia
John
13:34
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A new commandment I give to you, says the
Lord, that you love one another: just as I have loved you.
Gospel
John (13:31-35)
When
Judas had gone out, from the upper room, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man
glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will
also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. Little children, yet a
little while I am with you. A new commandment I give to you, that you love one
another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this
all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one
another.
Reflection
It
is well known that Paul carried out three missionary journeys during the course
of his mission. The First Reading of today speaks about the first missionary
Journey. The first mission (46-49 AD) begins with Barnabas and Paul being
singled out and commissioned by the Church in Antioch under the guidance of the
Holy Spirit. The two of them start out with John Mark, cousin of Barnabas. As
the group reaches Perga in Pamphylia on the southern coast of central Asia
Minor John Mark deserts them and returns to Jerusalem. Paul and Barnabas go
forward and reach Pisidian Antioch. Having met with opposition in the
synagogues, Paul addresses himself to the Gentiles among whom the Gospel is
well received. After evangelizing the area and encountering opposition from Jews
in various towns, they sail back to Antioch. Paul has a successful First
Missionary journey.
One
of the things that Paul does in his missionary work is to revisit the places
where he has announced the Gospel. By revisiting the cities, the missionaries
are able to encourage the young believers to continue in their faith and not
fall back into Judaism or paganism, and to give them realistic warnings, based
on experience, that the way to the kingdom of God is not an easy one. Those who
set out on this road can expect to be persecuted, but they stand under the
protection of the Lord into whose care they are committed by the Church. Paul
makes sure that some kind of leadership is established in order to consolidate
the groups for the future. The leaders thus appointed are described as elders.
Further, a “door of faith” has been opened for them. The “door of faith” is the
manner in which God has made it possible for the Gentiles to enter the Kingdom
of God. In the Second Reading John speaks about the New Jerusalem. The former
creation has passed away and all evil has been destroyed. In other words, creation
has been renewed. To present a New Jerusalem is to proclaim the election of a
new people and the sealing of a new covenant. In this passage John combines the
traditional images of “city” and “bride”, slipping abruptly from one to the
other. More significantly, he utters the promise that God will dwell among his
people.
In
the Gospel of today, Jesus speaks about the glorification that is awaiting him.
With the departure of Judas, Jesus realizes that his passion is about to begin,
through which the Son of Man will be glorified. As he continues to instruct his
disciples, he deals with various topics. The first is his glorification. After
the very first miracle he performed at the marriage feast of Cana, the
evangelist tells the readers that Jesus has revealed his “glory.” Again and
again, we have read that Jesus does not seek his own glory, but seeks the glory
of the Father. Many of those who meet Jesus do not see his true identity
because they only look for glory in human terms. Now Jesus explains that he has
been glorified and God has been glorified in him because he has only sought the
glory of God, not his own glory. But he adds that God will glorify him
immediately. This will be a new dimension of Jesus’ glory. His death will not
be an abasement but another dimension of his glorification. Jesus also tells
the disciples that he is giving them a “new commandment”: that they love one
another just as he has loved them. And that love will be the means by which
they are recognized as his disciples. There is a glory awaiting us as well and
the demand is that we should love our brothers and sisters. If we are ready to
do it, then God will dwell among us and he will wipe away the tears from our
eyes, says St John.
(Source:
The Sunday Liturgy)
St
John I (A.D. -526)
Born
in Tuscany (Italy), St John I joined the Roman clergy while still a young man.
Soon he was appointed archdeacon and, after the death of Pope St Hormisden in
523, was chosen Pope. Italy had been, for some 30 years, ruled by Theodoric the
Ostrogoth who though an Arian by birth and by conviction, treated his Catholic
subjects with toleration and even with favour during the greater part of his
reign. In time, however, his policy changed, partly as the result of what he
regarded as treasonable correspondence between leading members of the Roman
Senate and Constantinople, partly in consequence of severe measures against
Arians enacted by the Emperor Justin I. Appealed to by his co-religionists in
the East, Theodoric decided to send an emissary to negotiate with the Emperor.
John
was sent, and his arrival in Constantinople was greeted with enthusiasm, and on
Easter day he pontificated in the cathedral. Theodoric’s suspicions had however
been growing. During the absence of the Pope he had ordered the execution of
the great philosopher, Boethins (St Severinus) on a charge of high treason and
he seems to have misunderstood the friendly relations between the Pope and the
Emperor as part of a conspiracy against him. Thus, no sooner did he reach
Ravenna, Theodoric’s capital, than Pope John was cast into prison where, not
many days later, he died of maltreatment.
To
Pope St John I goes the credit for the adoption of the Paschal Cycle of the
Alexandrian Church in Catholic Liturgy.
Daily Readings
May 17, 2025
Saturday of the
Fourth Week of Easter
Reading 1
Acts 13:44–52
The
next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. But
when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, and began to
contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him. And Paul and Barnabas spoke
out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to
you. Since you thrust it aside, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life,
behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us,
saying, ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation
to the ends of the earth.’” And when the Gentiles heard this, they began
rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to
eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the
whole region. But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the
leading men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and
drove them out of their district. But they shook off the dust from their feet
against them and went to Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and
with the Holy Spirit.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
98:1, 2–3ab, 3cd–4
Response:
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
O
sing a new song to the Lord,
for
he has worked wonders.
His
right hand and his holy arm
have
brought salvation.
Response:
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God
The
Lord has made known his salvation,
has
shown his deliverance to the nations.
He
has remembered his merciful love
and
his truth for the house of Israel.
Response:
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God
All
the ends of the earth have seen
the
salvation of our God.
Shout
to the Lord, all the earth;
break
forth into joyous song,
and
sing out your praise.
Response:
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God
Alleluia
John
8:31b-32
If
you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth,
says the Lord.
Gospel
John
14:7–14
At
that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “If you had known me, you would have
known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” Philip
said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to
him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip?
Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words
that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells
in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in
me, or else believe on account of the works themselves. Truly, truly, I say to
you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works
than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my
name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask
me for anything in my name, I will do it.”
Reflection
The
Gospel of today presents a question by Philip that has its basis in his doubt
about the identity of Jesus. We are all characterised by our doubts about God.
We doubt God and His promises during hard times, His existence in view of
everything that is going on in the world, and at times everything about God.
Our questions and eventual answers would never deeply satisfy us as they lead
to more such questions. Here we need to focus on the answer given by Jesus to
Philip. He reminds Philip of his presence with them all these years. For us
also, all doubts related to God would have satisfying answers when we realise
God’s presence with us “all these years, i.e., the many instances of God’s
presence in our concrete life situations.
St
Paschal Baylon, Confessor (1540-1592)
A
peasant Spanish lad, St Paschal was so named after the Spanish term for
Pentecost, viz., “Pasch of the Holy Spirit”. Even as a child he showed a
glowing devotion to the Holy Eucharist. He worked as a shepherd until his 22nd
year, when he entered a Franciscan monastery of the strict Alcantarine Reform
as a lay brother and served mostly in the capacity of door-keeper at various
friaries in Spain.
Paschal’s
unfailing courtesy and tender charity towards the poor and afflicted was
proverbial. He would be lost in prayer for hours before the Blessed Sacrament,
sometimes in ecstasy, and from this divine source of wisdom would receive
instruction in the most profound truths of religion. Although he had never
received more than a most rudimentary education, his spiritual insight and
sanctity were evident. He was on terms of intimate friendship with contemporary
Saints, and his counsel was sought by people in every walk of life.
Journeying
on foot through Huguenot France in 1570, he so triumphantly defended the
Catholic doctrine of the Real Presence of Our Lord in the Eucharist against the
blasphemous assertions of a Calvinist minister that he was all but lynched by a
mob.
St
Paschal died on 17 May 1592. Canonized by Pope Alexander VIII in 1690, he was
declared patron of all Eucharistic congresses and confraternities in 1897.
Reflection:
“All of us must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent me,
for there is little time left before the night falls and all work comes to an
end. But while I am still here in the world, I give it my light” (John 9:4-5).
Daily Readings
May 16, 2025
Friday of the
Fourth Week of Easter
Reading 1
Acts 13:26–33
In
those days: [When Paul came to Antioch of Pisidia, he said in the synagogue,]
“Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to
us has been sent the message of this salvation. For those who live in Jerusalem
and their rulers, because they did not recognise him nor understand the
utterances of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by
condemning him. And though they found in him no guilt worthy of death, they
asked Pilate to have him executed. And when they had carried out all that was
written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. But
God raised him from the dead, and for many days he appeared to those who had
come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the
people. And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers,
this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is
written in the second Psalm, ‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you.’”
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 2:6–7, 8–9, 10–11a
Response: You are my son. It is I who
have begotten you this day.
It is I who have appointed my king
on Sion, my holy mountain.
I will announce the decree of the Lord:
The Lord said to me, “You are my Son.
It is I who have begotten you this day.”
Response: You are my son. It is I who
have begotten you this day.
Ask of me and I will give you
the nations as your inheritance,
and the ends of the earth
as your possession.
With a rod of iron you will rule them;
Like a potter’s jar you will shatter them.
Response: You are my son. It is I who
have begotten you this day.
So now, O kings, understand;
take warning, rulers of the earth.
Serve the Lord with fear;
exult with trembling,
pay him your homage.
Response: You are my son. It is I who
have begotten you this day.
Alleluia
John 14:6
I am the way, and the truth,
and the life, says the Lord; no one comes to the Father except through me.
Gospel
John 14:1–6
At
that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “Let not your hearts be troubled.
Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it
were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if
I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to
myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am
going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can
we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the
life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Reflection
In
the Gospel, Jesus assures his troubled disciples that the journey he is about
to make is one that they too will make one day. The whole purpose of his
mission was and is to bring God to us and to bring us to God. The description
of his Father’s house with many rooms suggests that it is not a confined space
for a selected few, but for many, just as Jesus himself did not come for the
few, for the elect, but for all. But heaven is a prepared place for a prepared
people, a place prepared by Jesus through his Paschal Mysteries for everyone
who believes. This truth reveals the treasure we possess: We have a true Friend
while we live and a true home when we die.
St
Simon Stock, Confessor (c.1165 -1265)
This
native of Kent, England (born at Ayelsford), received his nickname, “Simon of
the Stock” from the legend that at the age of 12 he started living as a hermit
in the hollow of a great oak tree and continued to do so for 63 years! He was
known as an itinerant preacher, until he joined the Carmelite Order in 1240
soon after its introduction into England, driven out of Jerusalem by the
Moslems.
In
1247 he was elected 6th General of the Order at whose spread he laboured with
much zeal and success despite his advanced age. Houses were opened for the
training of young Carmelites in the great University cities of the time, viz.,
Cambridge, Oxford, Paris and Bologna; the rule of the Order was also modified
so as to make the former hermits into mendicant friars. An ancient Carmelite
tradition relates that Our Lady appeared to St Simon on 16 July 1251, and
presented him with the Brown Scapular to which she attached the well-known
privilege, i.e., “This shall be the privilege for you and for all Carmelites,
that anyone dying in this habit, shall be saved.” Thus to him is ascribed the
spread of the scapular devotion.
Simon
Stock died on 16 May 1265 at Bordeaux. Though never formally canonized, his
relics have long been venerated as those of a saint in the Cathedral at
Bordeaux and in the Carmelite Monastery at Aylesford, England.
Reflection:
“From the first till the last, every grace has passed and will pass through
Mary. Just as she prayed to the Holy Spirit to come upon the apostles, she will
do for all till the end of the world” (Blessed James Alberione).
Daily Readings
May 15, 2025
Thursday of the
Fourth Week of Easter
Reading 1
Acts 13:13–25
Paul
and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And
John left them and returned to Jerusalem, but they went on from Perga and came
to Antioch in Pisidia. And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and
sat down. After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the
synagogue sent a message to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of
encouragement for the people, say it.” So Paul stood up, and motioning with his
hand said: “Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen. The God of this people
Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the
land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it. And for about forty
years he put up with them in the wilderness. And after destroying seven nations
in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance. All this took
about four hundred fifty years. And after that he gave them judges until Samuel
the prophet. Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish,
a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. And when he had removed him,
he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have
found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’
Of this man’s offspring God has brought to Israel a Saviour, Jesus, as he
promised. Before his coming, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all
the people of Israel. And as John was finishing his course, he said, ‘What do
you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but behold, after me one is coming, the
sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
89:2–3, 21–22, 25 and 27
Response:
I will sing forever of your mercies, O Lord.
I
will sing forever of your mercies, O Lord;
through
all ages
my
mouth will proclaim your fidelity.
I
have declared your mercy
is
established forever;
your
fidelity stands firm as the heavens.
Response:
I will sing forever of your mercies, O Lord.
I
have found my servant David,
and
with my holy oil anointed him.
My
hand shall always be with him,
and
my arm shall make him strong.
Response:
I will sing forever of your mercies, O Lord.
My
mercy and my faithfulness
shall
be with him;
by
my name his might shall be exalted.
He
will call out to me, ‘You are my father,
my
God, the rock of my salvation.’
Response:
I will sing forever of your mercies, O Lord
Alleluia
See
Revelation 1:5ab
Jesus Christ, you are the
faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, you have loved us and freed us
from our sins by your blood.
Gospel
John
13:16–20
[When
Jesus had washed the feet of his disciples, he said to them,] “Truly, truly, I
say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger
greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if
you do them. I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But
the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel
against me.’ I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it
does take place you may believe that I am he. Truly, truly, I say to you,
whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives
the one who sent me.”
Reflection
The
Gospel is in the context of the symbolic gesture of the washing of the feet
which calls us to accept Jesus as a Messiah Servant, who gives Himself for
others, and to reject the idea of a glorious king. The disciples could not
easily accept this identity of Jesus, as they did not want to be servants.
Being at service is the essence of Christianity synthesized in the virtue of
charity. Being a servant is not easy, as it entails humility. If we have the
love for souls as our motivation to serve, every opportunity to live as
servants becomes a blessing to live like the Master who came to serve and not
be served and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Saint
Isidore, the Farmer
St.
Isidore was born at Madrid, Spain, in the latter half of the 12th century. For
the greater part of his life he was employed as a laborer on a farm outside the
city. Many marvelous happenings accompanied his lifelong work in the fields and
continued long after his holy death. He was favored with celestial visions and,
it is said, the angels sometimes helped him in his work in the fields. St.
Isidore was canonized in 1622.
He
is the patron of farmers.
Daily Readings
May 14, 2025
Feast of Saint
Matthias, Apostle
Reading I
Acts 1:15–17, 20–26
In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons
was in all about one hundred twenty), and said, “Brothers, the Scripture had to
be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David
concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. For he was
numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” “For it is
written in the Book of Psalms, ‘May his camp become desolate, and let there be
no one to dwell in it’; and ‘Let another take his office.’ So one of the men
who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out
among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up
from us – one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.”
And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus,
and Matthias. And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all,
show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry
and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” And they
cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the
eleven apostles.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 113:1b–2, 3–4, 5–6, 7–8
Response: The Lord set them with the princes of his people.
Praise, O servants of the Lord,
praise the name of the Lord!
May the name of the Lord be blest
both now and forevermore!
Response: The Lord set them with the princes of his people.
From the rising of the sun to its setting,
praised be the name of the Lord!
High above all nations is the Lord,
above the heavens his glory.
Response: The Lord set them with the princes of his people.
Who is like the Lord, our God,
who dwells on high, who lowers himself
to look down upon heaven and earth?
Response: The Lord set them with the princes of his people.
From the dust he lifts up the lowly,
from the ash heap he raises the poor,
to set them in the company of princes,
yes, with the princes of his people.
Response: The Lord set them with the princes of his people.
Alleluia
See John 15:16
I chose you from the
world that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, says
the Lord.
Gospel
John 15:9–17
At that time:
Jesus said to his disciples, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.
Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just
as I have kept my Father’s commandment and abide in his love. These things I
have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater
love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You
are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants,
for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you
friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You
did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and
bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the
Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that
you will love one another.”
Reflection
The hallmark of
Christianity is love which is born out of the love of God and the condition to
be part of it is to love in return. The significant salvific event of God
sending His Son and the Son sacrificing his life for us is the greatest love
story of all time. During his ministry, Jesus put the needs and interests of
his followers and others before his own. As a climax, he showed that greater
love when he willingly gave “his life as a ransom in exchange for many” (Mt
20:28; 22:39). We see how the first-century Christians, including Saint
Matthias, whose feast we celebrate today, took Jesus’ words to heart, and they
were willing to die for Christ and one another.
St Matthias,
Apostle and Martyr (1st century)
St Matthias had
been one of our Lord’s disciples from the time of his Baptism in the Jordan,
and, after the Ascension of Our Lord, he was chosen by lot to fill the place
left vacant among the 12 Apostles through the betrayal and suicide of Judas
Iscariot. That is all we know with certainty about this saint from the first
chapter of the Acts of the Apostles (1:23-26): “And they (apostles) appointed
two, Joseph, called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. And
praying, they said: You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which of
these two you have chosen, to take the place of this ministry and apostleship,
from which Judas has by transgression fallen, that he might go to his own
place. And they gave them lots, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was
numbered with the eleven apostles”.
According to one
tradition, he preached Christianity in Judaea (modern Israel) and Ethiopia
where he was crucified, but others hold that he was beheaded at Jerusalem.
St Matthias is
patron of tailors, carpenters and reformed alcoholics, and is invoked against
smallpox.
Reflection: “For
me to live is Christ and to die is gain.... I desire to be dissolved and to be
with Christ, a thing by far the better” (St Paul — Phil 1:21-23).
Daily Readings
May 13, 2025
Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter
Reading I
Acts 11:19–26
In those days: Those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen travelled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 87:1–3, 4–5, 6–7
Reponse: O praise the Lord, all you nations.
Founded by him on the holy mountain,
the Lord loves the gates of Sion,
more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
Of you are told glorious things,
you, O city of God!
Reponse: O praise the Lord, all you nations.
“Rahab and Babylon I will count
among those who know me;
of Tyre, Philistia, Ethiopia, it is told,
‘There was this one born.’
But of Sion it shall be said,
‘Each one was born in her.’”
He, the Most High, established it.
Reponse: O praise the Lord, all you nations.
In his register of peoples the Lord writes,
“Here was this one born.”
The singers cry out in chorus,
“In you, all find their home.”
Reponse: O praise the Lord, all you nations.
Alleluia, alleluia.
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord, and I know them, and they follow me.
Gospel
John 10:22–30
At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”
Reflection
Although Jesus, through words and deeds, had revealed his identity as the Messiah, the people of the time did not believe it. Jesus gives reason for their unbelief, i.e., they are not among his sheep. Then he would give three characteristics of the sheep belonging to him: 1) his sheep hear his voice; 2) he knows them by name; and 3) his sheep follow him. These remain even today the characteristics of those who belong to Jesus, and as such are the criteria to evaluate our discipleship. Firstly, we need to hear his voice and strive to put it into practice. Secondly, the disciples of Jesus are known to him intimately, which involves a deep mutual relationship. Finally, Jesus would demand that his disciples follow him which involves self-denial and taking up the cross.
Our Lady of Fatima
On 13 May 1917, in that third year of the First World War which was to cost eight million lives, important events were taking place simultaneously — in Russia, communistic, atheistic Bolshevism was being organized under the leadership of Lenin and Trotsky who had just arrived in St Petersburg; in the neighbourhood of the little Portuguese town of Fatima, the Mother of God herself deigned to appear in the first of six apparitions to three children, to make through them one final appeal to our materialistic, war-torn world.
“In a spirit of sacrifice to our Lord, are you willing to accept everything he may send you as reparation for the sins by which his majesty is offended, as a means for converting all sinners, and as atonement for the blasphemies offered to the Immaculate Heart of Mary?” A simple “yes” being their reply, she urged: “Then pray the Rosary often and devoutly, for the peace of the world!” “Recite the Rosary daily, and after the Gloria Patri of each decade add: O my Jesus, forgive us our sins! Save us from the fires of hell! Lead all souls to heaven, especially those who most need thy mercy!”
And on 13 October, she declared: “I am the Lady of the Holy Rosary! I have come to ask all humankind to do penance and to ask pardon for its sins! Do not add to the countless outrages by which our Lord is already so offended, especially by sins of impurity.”
Reflection: “I have never yet found a man who was not converted,
if previously I had time to pray the Rosary” (St Clement).
Daily Readings
May 12, 2025
Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter
Reading 1
Acts 11:1–18
In those days: The apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” But Peter began and explained it to them in order: “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me. Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air. And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’ This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven. And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea. And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter; he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’ As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptised with water, but you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.’ If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?” When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 42:2–3; 43:3, 4
Response: My soul is thirsting for you, the living God.
Like the deer that yearns for running streams,
so my soul is yearning for you, my God.
My soul is thirsting for God, the living God;
when can I enter and appear before the face of God?
Response: My soul is thirsting for you, the living God.
O send forth your light and your truth;
they will guide me on.
They will bring me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you dwell.
Response: My soul is thirsting for you, the living God.
And I will come to the altar of God,
to God, my joy and gladness.
To you will I give thanks on the harp,
O God, my God.
Response: My soul is thirsting for you, the living God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the good shepherd, says the Lord;
I know my sheep, and mine know me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
John 10:1–10
At that time: Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
Reflection
Jesus draws a metaphor from the imagery of a sheep pen, an enclosure usually made of stone walls. Historians have found evidence that the shepherds would lie across the front of the pen and would act as a guard. They were effectively a door or gate for the sheep pen. This was not only to prevent predators from entering but also to prevent sheep from leaving. Jesus invites us to acknowledge him as our door. We enter and exit through him alone. There are many possible doors before us to enter and thus end in perdition. When we enter through him, i.e., live according to his Gospel values, we enter into salvation, and he will not let any enemy enter into our lives.
Sts Nereus, Achilleus and Domitilla Martyrs / St Pancras Martyr
1. Sts Nereus, Achilleus and Domitilla Martyrs (1st Century)
The veneration of Sts Nereus, Achilleus and Domitilla is very ancient, going back to the 4th century. It was on the occasion of their festival, which was observed with some solemnity in Rome 200 years later, that Pope St Gregory the Great delivered his 28th homily— “These saints, before whom we are assembled, despised the world and trampled it underfoot when it offered them riches and pleasures”. The church in which he spoke was built over their tomb in the cemetery of Domitilla, on the Via Ardeatina.
Nereus and Achilleus were members of the Praetorian Guard, the elite corps of soldiers entrusted with guarding the very person of the Roman emperor. According to an inscription found in the tomb over their remains in 1874 — in the family vault in the cemetery of St Domitilla, in the underground church built by Pope St Siricius in 390 — they were ordered by Emperor Domitian to slay his niece Flavia Domitilla on account of her allegiance to the Christian Faith. But moved by her example they became Christians themselves and refused to carry out the order. They were thus banished to Ponza and later, under the reign of the Emperor Trajan, to the island of Terrecina. Here they were martyred — Nereus and Achilleus were beheaded and Domitilla, whose banishment St Jerome describes as one, long, martyrdom, was burnt alive.
2. St Pancras Martyr (A.D. -304)
In the persecution under Diocletian this 14 year-old saint, inspired by the example and words of his uncle, Denys, who was in bonds for the faith, offered himself voluntarily as a martyr. Supposed to have been a Syrian or Phrygian orphan who was brought up by Denys, together with whom he was converted to Christianity, he defended boldly before the Emperor the cause of the Christians.
He was beheaded by the sword on the Via Aurelia in Rome and his body was buried in the cemetery of Calepodius which afterwards took his name. And about the year 508 Pope Symmachius built a basilica over his tomb near the Potra de San Pauerazion.
In the 7th century, Pope St Vitalian sent some relics of St Pancras to England and within a short period of time, the young saint became very popular. The first church erected in Canterbury by St Augustine was dedicated to him. There is also a railway station in London named after him. It was under his invocation that St Gregory the Great had previously built a monastery for Benedictines.
Reflection: “I have fought the good fight, I have f
inished the race, I have kept the faith” ( St Paul - 2 Tim 4:7).
Daily Readings
May 11, 2025
Fourth Sunday of
Easter
Reading 1
Acts of the Apostles (13:14, 43-52)
In
those days Paul and Barnabas went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia.
And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. And after the
meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism
followed Paul and Barnabas, who, as they spoke with them, urged them to
continue in the grace of God. The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered
to hear the word of the Lord. But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were
filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling
him. And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the
word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge
yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.
For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, ‘I have made you a light for the
Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” And when the
Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord,
and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. And the word of the
Lord was spreading throughout the whole region. But the Jews incited the devout
women of high standing and the leading men of the city, stirred up persecution
against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. But they shook
off the dust from their feet against them and went to Iconium. And the
disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
Responsorial
Psalm (100)
Response:
We are his people, the sheep of his flock. Or Alleluia.
Cry
out with joy to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness. Come
before him, singing for joy.
Response:
We are his people, the sheep of his flock. Or Alleluia.
Know
that he, the Lord, is God, He made us, we belong to him, we are his people, the
sheep of his flock.
Response:
We are his people, the sheep of his flock. Or Alleluia.
Indeed,
how good is the Lord, eternal his merciful love. He is faithful from age to
age.
Response:
We are his people, the sheep of his flock. Or Alleluia.
Reading
2
Book
of Revelation (7:9, 14-17)
I,
John, looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from
every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the
throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their
hands. And one of the elders said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the
great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the
blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him
day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them
with his presence. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; the sun
shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the
throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living
water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
ACCLAMATION
Alleluia.
Alleluia.
I
am the good shepherd, says the Lord; I know my own and my own know me.
Alleluia. (Jn 10:14).
GOSPEL
John
(10:27-30)
At
that time Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow
me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will
snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater
than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the
Father are one.”
Reflection
When
Antioch of Syria emerged as the second Centre of Christianity, Barnabas went to
Tarsus and persuaded Paul to join him and to help in the missions (Acts
11:25-26). Eventually Church in Antioch felt confident to send out
missionaries, and assisted by the Spirit they chose Paul and Barnabas. Their
journey took them to the synagogue of Pisidian Antioch. Paul made a powerful
speech there and it was well received by the Jews assembled over there. The
trouble started a week later when Paul and Barnabas returned to address the
community. This time the Jews out of jealousy contradicted everything said by
Paul. In this context they also made the first announcement that they were
turning to the Gentiles because the Jews had rejected the message. Gentiles
became happy because they also became sharers in God’s salvation.
In
the Second Reading, St John describes the salvation of the righteous in a very
dramatic manner. Their number is innumerable and they come from all nations.
The great tribulation of which the author speaks is the crisis of the end-time
which involves persecution for the faithful. The robes the redeemed wear
symbolize the inner or spiritual state of the person. The transformation of a
person from soiled (sinful) to clean (holy) is closely related to the death of
Jesus understood as a sacrifice. The fundamental allusion here seems to be
repentance, conversion, and baptism taken together as a transformation of the
person. The reference to tribulation implies that perseverance in that process
of transformation is also crucial for those who would share in the victory of
God and the Lamb.
The
sheep listening to the voice of the Good Shepherd and following him is the
theme of the gospel of today. A believer who hears Jesus has eternal life and
who follows him is never lost. A person who believes in Jesus cannot be
snatched away from him. They are not lost and no one will take them from Jesus.
They have been given by the Father and no one is able to take anything away
from the Father. The life which the believer receives from Jesus is a gift from
the Father.
No
power is greater than God, and thus the believer’s union with God is also
assured. God the Father is greater than all other powers. As Israel celebrated
God’s presence at the feast of the Dedication, Jesus tells “the Jews” that
there is another way God is present to them. They can be sure they are in the
Father’s hand if they believe in Jesus. Jesus insists that faith in his word
ties the believer not only to him but also to God, the Father of Jesus. On this
fourth Sunday of Easter let us commit ourselves to Jesus our Good Shepherd who
will never fail us.
Source:
The Sunday Liturgy
St
Ignatius of Laconi, Confessor (1701-1781)
St
Ignatius of Laconi was born on 10 December 1701 in Sardinia (Italy). The 2nd of
the 7 children of Mattia and Anna Maria Peis, he was baptized Francis Ignatius
Vincent. He grew up to be an illiterate and delicate boy of frail health, for
whom the hard labour on his father’s land was a severe strain. When he was
about 17, he fell seriously ill, and promised to offer his life to St Francis
of Assisi, should he recover.
He
did recover, but his father was in no hurry to let him go — “Today or tomorrow,
this year or next, it’s all the same. There’s no need to keep your promise at
once,” he would say. However, an alarming experience with a runaway horse
stiffened Vincent’s resolve. His father’s expostulations notwithstanding,
Vincent made his way to St Benedict’s friary near Cagliari, where, on 10
November 1721, he was accepted as a Capuchin lay brother.
There
were the usual trials of the novice. When it was time for his Profession,
Ignatius’ case seemed doubtful, but he redoubled his efforts to carry out to
perfection all he was called upon to do. And so at the end of 1722 Ignatius was
allowed to take his vows. The life of a lay brother being by and large
uneventful, for the next 20 years little is known about Ignatius, except that
he made steady progress in the love of God and men.
In
1741 he was sent out to beg for alms, an occupation he continued for the
remaining 40 years of his life. Simultaneously, he somehow made time to visit
the sick and to teach the ignorant, an activity that left him with hardly any
time for prayer during the day. Ignatius would thus pray late into the night,
sleeping barely an hour or two, with a log for a pillow. His health, however,
stood him in good stead right up to his 80th year. In 1781, however, he was
confined to bed and breathed his last on 11 May that year.
Daily Readings
May 10, 2025
Saturday of the
Third Week of Easter
Reading 1
Acts
9:31–42
In
those days: The church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace
and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort
of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied. Now as Peter went here and there among them
all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. There he found a man
named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralysed. And Peter said to
him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.” And immediately
he rose. And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to
the Lord. Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated,
means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. In those days she
became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper
room. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there,
sent two men to him, urging him, “Please come to us without delay.” So Peter
rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room.
All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and other garments
that Dorcas made while she was with them. But Peter put them all outside, and
knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And
she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. And he gave her his
hand and raised her up. Then, calling the saints and widows, he presented her
alive. And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
116:12–13, 14–15, 16–17
Response:
How can I repay the Lord for all his goodness to me?
How
can I repay the Lord
for
all his goodness to me?
The
cup of salvation I will raise;
I
will call on the name of the Lord.
Response:
How can I repay the Lord for all his goodness to me?
My
vows to the Lord I will fulfill before all his people.
How
precious in the eyes of the Lord
is
the death of his faithful.
Response:
How can I repay the Lord for all his goodness to me?
Your
servant, Lord, your servant am I,
the
son of your handmaid;
you
have loosened my bonds.
A
thanksgiving sacrifice I make;
I
will call on the name of the Lord.
Response:
How can I repay the Lord for all his goodness to me?
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life, you have the words of eternal life.
Gospel
John 6:60–69
At that time: When many of the
disciples of Jesus heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen
to it?” But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about
this, said to them, “Do you take offence at this? Then what if you were to see
the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the Spirit who gives
life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are
spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew
from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would
betray him.) And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me
unless it is granted him by the Father.” After this many of his disciples
turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you
want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to
know, that you are the Holy One of God.”
Reflection
According
to Pope Francis, the Eucharist is God’s response to the deepest hunger of the
human heart, for in it Christ nourishes, consoles and sustains us on our
journey. We are called to imbibe the faith, love and confidence Peter demonstrated in his reply. When the
disciples travelling to Emmaus recognize Jesus’ presence in the Eucharist, they
return to Jerusalem and become his missionaries. In the Eucharist, we encounter
the one who gave everything for us, who sacrificed himself to give us life, and
who loved us to the end. Our faith in the Eucharist and our participation in it
is to transform us into his true disciples ready to walk the path of the Master
who came to serve and not to be served.
Saint Damien of
Molokai, Priest (1840 – 1889)
I
have brought you one who will be a father to you, and who loves you so much
that for your welfare and for the sake of your immortal souls he does not
hesitate to become one of you, to live and die with you.” It was with these
words that, in May 1873, Bishop Louis Maigret, introduced the enthusiastic
young missionary, Fr Damien de Veuster, a fellow-member of the Sacred Heart
Congregation, to the lepers at Molokai—words that were to prove prophetic, for
Damien’s arrival on the island at the age of 33 changed forever the world’s
view of the dreaded disease, giving it as it did a new, human dimension,
hitherto unheard of.
So
horrified was Damien at what he saw that he single-handedly went about caring
for the lepers as nurse, surgeon, counsellor, comforter, builder — he built new
houses, a new church, a new school and an orphanage — coffin-maker and
grave-digger all rolled in one. A sagging morale was revived and further
boosted when he succeeded in getting the Franciscan Sisters of Syracuse, led by
Mother Marianne Kope, to help staff the fast expanding colony. He was also
instrumental in obtaining long-pending government support.
Ironically,
the very disease Damien tried to fight in others, found him easy prey by the
year 1885; news of his illness brought him messages of genuine concern and
grief by the thousand, from royalty and commoner alike. Damien, however,
delighted in sharing so closely in the illness of his fellowmen for the sake of
God’s love. Indeed, in spite of his own predicament, he gave of himself
unceasingly, working tirelessly right up to the last, even begging frantically,
determined to ensure all benefits possible for the victims of leprosy at
Molokai. And the results were there for all to see! It was eventually on 15
April 1889 that Damien, “like a child, with a smile on his face”, breathed his
last, aged barely 49. By then, he had come to be hailed as the “Hero of
Molokai”.
Christened
Joseph at his birth on 3 January 1840 in Tremeloo, Belgium, Damien was ordained
Priest in May 1864 in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace in Honolulu and worked
for 8 years as a missionary in Hawaii before volunteering to go to Molokai. His
work at Molokai did not go unnoticed in the civil world of his time. In
September 1881, the acting Queen of Hawaii, Princess Liliuokalani visited the
settlement with a view to delivering a public address there. So overwhelmed was
she with the suffering she encountered that she wept bitterly instead of
speaking. Her Majesty later invested Damien with the Order of Knight Commander
of the Royal Order of Kalakua.
The
mortal remains of this great angel of mercy were initially laid to rest beside
the church in Molokai, near his favourite pendanus tree. In 1936, the Belgian
government succeeded in having them moved out of their island grave to his
homeland where his own brethren could honour him suitably. It is edifying to
note that the King of Belgium Leopold III himself led his people in doing the
honours. A portion of the remains was, however, returned to his Hawaiian
brethren as a goodwill gesture, after he was beatified by Pope John Paul II on
4 June 1995 and was canonized on October 11, 2009 by Pope Benedict XVI
Reflection:
“To love others as oneself means: to wish that others have the good the Lord
has given us, that they may have the good we already enjoy with regard to time
and eternity...... We have to wish for their human and temporal good: that they
be healthy and be healed of their diseases” (Blessed James Alberione).
Daily Readings
May 10, 2025
Saturday of the
Third Week of Easter
Reading 1
Acts
9:31–42
In
those days: The church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace
and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort
of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied. Now as Peter went here and there among them
all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. There he found a man
named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralysed. And Peter said to
him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.” And immediately
he rose. And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to
the Lord. Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated,
means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. In those days she
became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper
room. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there,
sent two men to him, urging him, “Please come to us without delay.” So Peter
rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room.
All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and other garments
that Dorcas made while she was with them. But Peter put them all outside, and
knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And
she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. And he gave her his
hand and raised her up. Then, calling the saints and widows, he presented her
alive. And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
116:12–13, 14–15, 16–17
Response:
How can I repay the Lord for all his goodness to me?
How
can I repay the Lord
for
all his goodness to me?
The
cup of salvation I will raise;
I
will call on the name of the Lord.
Response:
How can I repay the Lord for all his goodness to me?
My
vows to the Lord I will fulfill before all his people.
How
precious in the eyes of the Lord
is
the death of his faithful.
Response:
How can I repay the Lord for all his goodness to me?
Your
servant, Lord, your servant am I,
the
son of your handmaid;
you
have loosened my bonds.
A
thanksgiving sacrifice I make;
I
will call on the name of the Lord.
Response:
How can I repay the Lord for all his goodness to me?
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life, you have the words of eternal life.
Gospel
John 6:60–69
At that time: When many of the
disciples of Jesus heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen
to it?” But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about
this, said to them, “Do you take offence at this? Then what if you were to see
the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the Spirit who gives
life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are
spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew
from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would
betray him.) And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me
unless it is granted him by the Father.” After this many of his disciples
turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you
want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to
know, that you are the Holy One of God.”
Reflection
According
to Pope Francis, the Eucharist is God’s response to the deepest hunger of the
human heart, for in it Christ nourishes, consoles and sustains us on our
journey. We are called to imbibe the faith, love and confidence Peter demonstrated in his reply. When the
disciples travelling to Emmaus recognize Jesus’ presence in the Eucharist, they
return to Jerusalem and become his missionaries. In the Eucharist, we encounter
the one who gave everything for us, who sacrificed himself to give us life, and
who loved us to the end. Our faith in the Eucharist and our participation in it
is to transform us into his true disciples ready to walk the path of the Master
who came to serve and not to be served.
Saint Damien of
Molokai, Priest (1840 – 1889)
I
have brought you one who will be a father to you, and who loves you so much
that for your welfare and for the sake of your immortal souls he does not
hesitate to become one of you, to live and die with you.” It was with these
words that, in May 1873, Bishop Louis Maigret, introduced the enthusiastic
young missionary, Fr Damien de Veuster, a fellow-member of the Sacred Heart
Congregation, to the lepers at Molokai—words that were to prove prophetic, for
Damien’s arrival on the island at the age of 33 changed forever the world’s
view of the dreaded disease, giving it as it did a new, human dimension,
hitherto unheard of.
So
horrified was Damien at what he saw that he single-handedly went about caring
for the lepers as nurse, surgeon, counsellor, comforter, builder — he built new
houses, a new church, a new school and an orphanage — coffin-maker and
grave-digger all rolled in one. A sagging morale was revived and further
boosted when he succeeded in getting the Franciscan Sisters of Syracuse, led by
Mother Marianne Kope, to help staff the fast expanding colony. He was also
instrumental in obtaining long-pending government support.
Ironically,
the very disease Damien tried to fight in others, found him easy prey by the
year 1885; news of his illness brought him messages of genuine concern and
grief by the thousand, from royalty and commoner alike. Damien, however,
delighted in sharing so closely in the illness of his fellowmen for the sake of
God’s love. Indeed, in spite of his own predicament, he gave of himself
unceasingly, working tirelessly right up to the last, even begging frantically,
determined to ensure all benefits possible for the victims of leprosy at
Molokai. And the results were there for all to see! It was eventually on 15
April 1889 that Damien, “like a child, with a smile on his face”, breathed his
last, aged barely 49. By then, he had come to be hailed as the “Hero of
Molokai”.
Christened
Joseph at his birth on 3 January 1840 in Tremeloo, Belgium, Damien was ordained
Priest in May 1864 in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace in Honolulu and worked
for 8 years as a missionary in Hawaii before volunteering to go to Molokai. His
work at Molokai did not go unnoticed in the civil world of his time. In
September 1881, the acting Queen of Hawaii, Princess Liliuokalani visited the
settlement with a view to delivering a public address there. So overwhelmed was
she with the suffering she encountered that she wept bitterly instead of
speaking. Her Majesty later invested Damien with the Order of Knight Commander
of the Royal Order of Kalakua.
The
mortal remains of this great angel of mercy were initially laid to rest beside
the church in Molokai, near his favourite pendanus tree. In 1936, the Belgian
government succeeded in having them moved out of their island grave to his
homeland where his own brethren could honour him suitably. It is edifying to
note that the King of Belgium Leopold III himself led his people in doing the
honours. A portion of the remains was, however, returned to his Hawaiian
brethren as a goodwill gesture, after he was beatified by Pope John Paul II on
4 June 1995 and was canonized on October 11, 2009 by Pope Benedict XVI
Reflection:
“To love others as oneself means: to wish that others have the good the Lord
has given us, that they may have the good we already enjoy with regard to time
and eternity...... We have to wish for their human and temporal good: that they
be healthy and be healed of their diseases” (Blessed James Alberione).
Daily Readings
May 9, 2025
Friday of the Third Week of Easter
Reading 1
Acts 9:1–20
In those days: Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were travelling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 117:1, 2
Response: Go into all the world, and proclaim the Gospel.
O praise the Lord, all you nations;
acclaim him, all you peoples!
Response: Go into all the world, and proclaim the Gospel.
For his merciful love has prevailed over us;
and the Lord’s faithfulness endures forever.
Response: Go into all the world, and proclaim the Gospel.
Alleluia
John 6:56
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him, says the Lord.
Gospel
John 6:52–59
At that time: The Jews disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live for ever.” Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum.
Reflection
Sometimes we interpret the Eucharist as merely symbolic and thus disconnect ourselves from truth. In the Gospel, Jesus does not mince words to state that in the Eucharist we truly, concretely partake of his body and blood. As we partake of him in his flesh, his hidden life within us sows the seed of immortality in us. Just as a spark of fire is placed in straw to preserve the fire, so Christ’s body and blood, received into our bodies, preserves us for eternal life. This Heavenly Bread has indeed the power to drive out death and also our weaknesses, and thus preserves us from temptations and cures us of our sinfulness. Is this the faith we bring to our reception of Christ’s body and blood?
St Peter Nolasco, Confessor (c.1182-1256)
Of noble birth in southern France near Toulouse, St Peter Nolasco, who was canonized in 1628 by Pope Urban VIII, was from his youth known for his sincere piety and his great charity towards the poor and the unfortunate. He took part, for some time, in the crusade against the Albigenses before migrating to Spain, where he was appointed tutor to the young King, James of Aragon and formed an intimate friendship with St Raymond of Penyafort, then a canon at Barcelona in Spain. In 1218, Our Lady directed him in a vision to found a new religious order specifically for the redemption of the Christian captives, many of whom, on account of the brutality experienced at the hands of the cruel Moors, were giving up their faith in despair.
The first monks of the new Order which had the active backing of the King and of St Raymond, were some noblemen who belonged to a charitable confraternity in Barcelona. They now came to be known as the Mercedarians, or members of the Order of Our Lady of Mercy, membership in which was of three kinds: Knight, Priest and Lay Brother; their vows included, besides the three regular ones, a fourth one, viz., to go into infidel territory and if need be to become a hostage in Moorish hands in order to ransom the faithful. For many this ended in martyrdom.
Peter, who remained a layman, was “Commander-General” until his resignation in 1249. His mission as “Ransomer” took him repeatedly into Moorish territory (including Africa), in order to arrange for the ransom of Christian prisoners, whereby, when he died in 1256, a total of 2,718 slaves had been liberated. His work was carried on later at such a pace that by 1632 the number had swelled to 490,736!
Reflection: “Behold eternal treasures which never fail!” (St Peter Nolasco)
Daily Readings
May 9, 2025
Friday of the Third Week of Easter
Reading 1
Acts 9:1–20
In those days: Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were travelling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 117:1, 2
Response: Go into all the world, and proclaim the Gospel.
O praise the Lord, all you nations;
acclaim him, all you peoples!
Response: Go into all the world, and proclaim the Gospel.
For his merciful love has prevailed over us;
and the Lord’s faithfulness endures forever.
Response: Go into all the world, and proclaim the Gospel.
Alleluia
John 6:56
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him, says the Lord.
Gospel
John 6:52–59
At that time: The Jews disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live for ever.” Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum.
Reflection
Sometimes we interpret the Eucharist as merely symbolic and thus disconnect ourselves from truth. In the Gospel, Jesus does not mince words to state that in the Eucharist we truly, concretely partake of his body and blood. As we partake of him in his flesh, his hidden life within us sows the seed of immortality in us. Just as a spark of fire is placed in straw to preserve the fire, so Christ’s body and blood, received into our bodies, preserves us for eternal life. This Heavenly Bread has indeed the power to drive out death and also our weaknesses, and thus preserves us from temptations and cures us of our sinfulness. Is this the faith we bring to our reception of Christ’s body and blood?
St Peter Nolasco, Confessor (c.1182-1256)
Of noble birth in southern France near Toulouse, St Peter Nolasco, who was canonized in 1628 by Pope Urban VIII, was from his youth known for his sincere piety and his great charity towards the poor and the unfortunate. He took part, for some time, in the crusade against the Albigenses before migrating to Spain, where he was appointed tutor to the young King, James of Aragon and formed an intimate friendship with St Raymond of Penyafort, then a canon at Barcelona in Spain. In 1218, Our Lady directed him in a vision to found a new religious order specifically for the redemption of the Christian captives, many of whom, on account of the brutality experienced at the hands of the cruel Moors, were giving up their faith in despair.
The first monks of the new Order which had the active backing of the King and of St Raymond, were some noblemen who belonged to a charitable confraternity in Barcelona. They now came to be known as the Mercedarians, or members of the Order of Our Lady of Mercy, membership in which was of three kinds: Knight, Priest and Lay Brother; their vows included, besides the three regular ones, a fourth one, viz., to go into infidel territory and if need be to become a hostage in Moorish hands in order to ransom the faithful. For many this ended in martyrdom.
Peter, who remained a layman, was “Commander-General” until his resignation in 1249. His mission as “Ransomer” took him repeatedly into Moorish territory (including Africa), in order to arrange for the ransom of Christian prisoners, whereby, when he died in 1256, a total of 2,718 slaves had been liberated. His work was carried on later at such a pace that by 1632 the number had swelled to 490,736!
Reflection: “Behold eternal treasures which never fail!” (St Peter Nolasco)
Daily Readings
May 8, 2025
Thursday of the
Third Week of Easter
Reading 1
Acts 8:26–40
In
those days: An angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go towards the south
to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. And
he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of
Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had
come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he
was reading the prophet Isaiah. And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and
join this chariot.” So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the
prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “How
can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with
him. Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this: “Like a
sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he opens not his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can
describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.” And the
eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about
himself or about someone else?” Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning
with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. And as they were
going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here
is water! What prevents me from being baptised?” And he commanded the chariot
to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he
baptised him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord
carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way
rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through, he
preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 66:8–9, 16–17, 20
Response: Cry out with joy to God, all
the earth.
O peoples, bless our God;
let the voice of his praise resound,
of the God who gave life to our souls
and kept our feet from stumbling.
Response: Cry out with joy to God, all
the earth.
Come and hear, all who fear God;
I will tell what he did for my soul.
To him I cried aloud,
with exaltation ready on my tongue.
Response: Cry out with joy to God, all
the earth.
Blest be God, who did not
reject my prayer,
nor withhold from me
his merciful love.
Response: Cry out with joy to God, all
the earth.
Alleluia
John 6:51
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
I am the living bread that came
down from heaven, says the Lord; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live for
ever.
Gospel
John 6:44–51
At
that time: Jesus said to the crowds, “No one can come to me unless the Father
who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. It is written
in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard
and learned from the Father comes to me – not that anyone has seen the Father
except he who is from God; he has seen the Father. Truly, truly, I say to you,
whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the
manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from
heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came
down from heaven. if anyone eats of this bread, he will live for ever. And the
bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
Reflection
God
has eternal life in Himself and eternity is one of His perfections. He calls us
to share this eternal life and leads us to it through the Holy Eucharist. Pope
Saint John Paul II says: “Through the food of the Eucharist, Christ’s eternal
life penetrates and flows within human life.” It is the culmination of
spiritual life and the goal of all the sacraments. We could securely say that
it is the most important reality on planet Earth and as such everything else
pales in comparison to its supreme value. It makes sense to say that with our
First Holy Communion, we have entered a superior level of existence as by it we
are assured of eternal life.
St
Magdalene of Canossa, Virgin (1774-1835)
St
Magdalene of Canossa, foundress of the Canossian family of the Sons and
Daughters of Charity, was born at Verona, Italy, on 2 March 1774. Her father, a
wealthy marquis, having died when she was barely five and her mother, Marchesa
Teresa Szluha, having remarried soon after, the young girl was brought up by an
uncle and given a good education.
In
1799 Magdalene started her work for poor girls and, the following year, began
to provide some of them with accommodation. In 1803, she opened her first
school and wanted to live there but returned home in deference to her family’s
wishes. In 1808 she founded her religious congregation for the educational and
health care apostolate. At the time of her death on 10 April 1835, there were
five houses of Canossian Sisters. Today the congregation has almost 4,000
members in 395 houses in many countries.
Magdalene
was beatified by Pope Pius XII on 7 December 1941 and the miracle required for
her canonization was officially recognized on 11 December 1987. As the Holy
Father, John Paul II, by whom she was canonized on 2 October 1988, said, she
was one who knew how to lose her life for Christ....., one who was, so to say,
devoured by charity: charity towards God even to the heights of mystical
experience and charity towards neighbour carried to the farthest extremes of
self-gift to others. She understood well that true piety which touches the
heart of God consists in “breaking unjust fetters, undoing the thongs of the
yoke, letting the oppressed go free, sharing bread with the hungry and
sheltering the oppressed poor.” Indeed, it was her passionate love for Christ
Crucified teaching her to love her fellowmen!
The
heartbeat of Magdalene’s apostolic choice vibrates through the institution she
founded and which she wished to be dedicated and consecrated to charity. She
lived during the Napoleonic times of revolutions, invasions and restorations
which left a trail of evil behind them. She wished to provide for all these,
the hallmark of her personal charisma being her ability to distinguish
“Christian Charity” from philanthropy.
The
cultural changes of today have brought in their own wake crops of evils —
drugs, alcoholism, the aloneness of the old, abortion, violence, euthanasia,
acute disregard for the weak and the neglected, and a general disrespect for
human life. St Magdalene meets these challenges today through her Sons and
Daughters of Charity. With her as their model of “being all things to all men”,
the Canossians run schools for all age groups as well as special schools for
the blind, the handicapped and slow-learners, for those of the silent world,
training centres for nurses and obstetricians, and day care schools. All these
flourish and through them all the Canossians “make God known so that he may be
loved”. In villages they work for the social uplift through informal education,
“grihinis” and “mahila mandals”, dispensaries, mother-child projects,
preventive health care and leper clinics. They also dedicate themselves
generously in parishes and Sunday Schools (“Oratory”) to serving the poor, the
youth, the marginalized, realizing today the objectives that St Magdalene had
long foreseen for them.
The
two characteristic dimensions of the foundation, vision and work of St
Magdalene are Charity and Universality – “charity” which, says Magdalene, has
as its object the working out of one’s sanctification imitating Jesus
Crucified; and “universality” in as much as charity is exercised towards each
person without excluding anyone either rich or poor.
Reflection:
“Put your trust solely in God, so that even if you were to lose everything you
would find all in Him!” (St Magdalene of Canossa)
Daily Readings
May 07,2025
Wednesday of the Third Week of Easter
Reading I
Acts 8:1b–8
There arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison. Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralysed or lame were healed. So there was much joy in that city.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 66:1–3a, 4–5, 6–7a
Response: Cry out with joy to God, all the earth.
Cry out with joy to God, all the earth;
O sing to the glory of his name.
O render him glorious praise.
Say to God, “How awesome your deeds!
Response: Cry out with joy to God, all the earth.
Before you all the earth shall bow down,
shall sing to you, sing to your name!”
Come and see the works of God:
awesome his deeds
among the children of men.
Response: Cry out with joy to God, all the earth.
He turned the sea into dry land;
they passed through the river on foot.
Let our joy, then, be in him;
he rules forever by his might.
Response: Cry out with joy to God, all the earth.
Alleluia
John 6:40
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Everyone who believes in the Son shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day, says the Lord.
Gospel
John 6:35–40
At that time: Jesus said to the crowds, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
Reflection
In his Bread of Life discourse, Jesus presents partaking of the Eucharist as the only way to eternal life. The secret to eternal life is to believe in Jesus present in the Eucharist and to receive him worthily. This Eucharistic Lord is present with us, as he promised, on so many altars all over the world although he is so often offended and profaned by human beings. Just as Jesus fed the people in the desert so that they may not collapse on their way home, so too he wants to feed us with his body and blood so that we may travel securely toward heaven. The challenge before us is to believe in this powerful real presence and to be constantly and worthily in communion with him.
St John of Beverley, Bishop, Confessor (-721)
A native of Yorkshire (England) St John was in his early years educated at Canterbury under the care of Archbishop St Theodore and Abbot St Adrian. Later he joined the Benedictines at Whitby, under the authority of St Hilda. In 687 he was consecrated Bishop of Hexham and in 705 made Archbishop of York. This he governed for 15 years, then resigned and consecrated St Wilfrid the Younger to succeed him. Sensing his death to be near, he retired to Beverley monastery which he had founded and richly endowed, and died there on 7 May 721.
The cultivation of kindness being at the very heart of holiness and thus the surest sign of closeness to Christ, John went out of his way to be kind to all, generously providing for the poor and the unfortunate. A gifted preacher, he was particularly famed for the careful attention he paid to the training of the younger clergy. Not surprisingly then, one of his most notable pupils was the Venerable Saint Bede whom he ordained a Priest in 702.
St John’s shrine at Beverley was a great pilgrimage centre in medieval times.
Reflection: “You will become a Saint by complying exactly with your daily duties” (St Joseph Rosello).
Daily Readings
May 06,2025
Tuesday of the Third Week of Easter
Reading I
Acts 7:51–8:1a
In those days: Stephen said to the people and the elders and the scribes, “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.” Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. And Saul approved of his execution.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 31:3bc–4, 6 and 7b–8a, 17 and 21ab
Response: Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit (or: Alleluia).
Be a rock of refuge for me,
a mighty stronghold to save me.
For you are my rock, my stronghold!
Lead me, guide me,
for the sake of your name.
Response: Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit (or: Alleluia).
Into your hands I commend my spirit.
You will redeem me, O Lord, O faithful God.
As for me, I trust in the Lord.
Let me be glad and rejoice in your mercy.
Response: Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit (or: Alleluia)
Let your face shine on your servant.
Save me in your merciful love.
You hide them in the shelter
of your presence,
secure from human scheming.
Response: Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit (or: Alleluia).
Alleluia
John 6:35ab
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the bread of life, says the Lord; whoever comes to me shall not hunger.
Gospel
John 6:30–35
At that time: The people said to Jesus, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
Reflection
We have the Bread of Life discourse in Chapter 6 of Saint John’s Gospel. To the Jews who were familiar with the Manna of the desert, Jesus presented himself as the Bread of Life. The Manna satiated the physical hunger of the people in the desert, whereas the Eucharistic Bread would satisfy all the physical and spiritual desires of the believer. The call is to believe in the great power of this sacrament, in which we have the physical presence of the Lord. Saint Faustina Kowalska writes: “If angels could be jealous of men, they would be so for one reason: Holy Communion”. Padre Pio says that a even thousand years of human glory would not equal an hour spent in communion with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
St Dominic Savio, Confessor (1842 -1857)
One of St John Bosco’s first pupils was Dominic Savio who was born at Murialdo, in Northern Italy, on 2 April 1842, of Charles Savio and his wife Bridgid.
The holy life of young Dominic was nurtured both at home and in the parish church. A very peaceful Christian domestic environment helped prepare his soul to receive great light and graces from God. Don Bosco, on the other hand, helped enkindle in the child’s heart a deep love for God and a deep devotion to the Virgin Mary. Dominic went to church every morning at five, served at Mass, and then spent his time in devotion and prayer. Come rain or shine, freezing winter or sweltering summer, the boy was regular at his church duties.
From Don Bosco, who was to become his biographer in later years, St Dominic Savio learned how the joy of serving and making the Lord loved by others can become a powerful means of apostolate. So spiritually advanced was the lad, exhibiting many gifts, including that of prophecy, that it was one of his visions which, in 1850, influenced Pope Pius IX to restore the Catholic hierarchy to England. St Pius X said of him: “A teenager such as Dominic, who bravely struggled to preserve undefiled his baptismal innocence to the very last, is indeed a saint!” At 15, he had become a giant of the spirit. Pope Pius XI added: “He was, indeed, the perfection of Christian life – a life drawing its strength from three main sources, namely purity, piety, zeal!”
On 9 March 1857, the youngster, who longed to be a saint, burst into ecstatic exclamation: “Oh, what a beautiful sight I see!” before passing to his reward. He was beatified on 5 March 1950.
Pope Pius XII, on the occasion of the solemn canonization on 12 June 1954, stated: “Truly, it gives us great joy to raise this boy of just 15, Dominic Savio, to the honours of the Altar and to set him before the youth of our day as a shining example for their imitation, especially in these troubled times when such powerful and sinister forces are doing incalculable harm in a relentless effort to uproot all virtues from the hearts of the young... Among the heroes there appears the image of Dominic Savio, the delicate adolescent, weak of body, but with a soul determined upon a pure oblation of itself to the exacting love of Christ.” The four resolutions the saintly youngster made on Easter Sunday 8 April 1849, the day he received his First Holy Communion at the age of seven, stand out as an important legacy for youth for all time – 1) I will frequent the Sacrament of Reconciliation and receive Holy Communion as often as my confessor permits; 2) I will keep feast days holy; 3) My friends shall be Jesus and Mary; 4) Death rather than sin.
Reflection: “I am not capable of doing big things, but I want to do everything, even the smallest things, for the greater glory of God” (St Dominic Savio).
Daily Readings
May 5, 2025
Monday of the Third Week of Easter
Reading 1
Acts 6:8–15
In those days: Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. Then they secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the Council, and they set up false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law, for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.” And gazing at him, all who sat in the Council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 119:23–24, 26–27, 29–30
Response: Blessed are those who walk in the law of the Lord.
Though princes sit plotting against me,
your servant ponders your statutes.
See, your decrees are my delight;
your statutes are my counsellors.
Response: Blessed are those who walk in the law of the Lord.
I declared my ways and you answered me;
teach me your statutes.
Make me grasp the way of your precepts,
and I will ponder your wonders.
Response: Blessed are those who walk in the law of the Lord.
Keep me from the way of falsehood;
grant me mercy by your law.
I have chosen the way of faithfulness;
your decrees I have upheld.
Response: Blessed are those who walk in the law of the Lord.
Alleluia, alleluia.
Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Gospel
John 6:22–29
[After five thousand men had eaten their fill, the disciples of Jesus saw him walking on the sea]. On the next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the lake saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. When they found him on the other side of the lake, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”
Reflection
Jesus asks the crowd not to search for food that perishes but for the food of eternal life. The exhortation is to set their minds on the greater good. Saint Paul would repeat this idea in his exhortation to seek the things that are above (Col 3:1). We have the choice between preoccupying barely our earthly life and perishable body and having our goals set on God and His kingdom. Think of the parable of the rich man whom Jesus would call a ‘fool’ for, he stored up goods for his future on earth, gamely forgetting to set right his life for the eternal good, whereas Zacchaeus was wise as he brought salvation to himself and his household through the conversion experience. Am I wise or foolish in the eyes of God?
St Angelo, Martyr (A.D.-1220)
Very little is reliably known about St Angelo. His parents were Jews who were later converted to Christianity by a vision of Our Lady who diff announced to them that the long-awaited Messiah had already come and had redeemed his people. She also promised them two sons, and that they both would grow up as flourishing Olive trees on the heights of the Carmel — one as a patriarch and the other as a glorious martyr.
Early on, the twins displayed great mental and spiritual gifts. At the age of 18, when they entered the Carmelite Order, they had already mastered Greek, Latin and Hebrew. After Angelo had spent five years on Mount Carmel as a hermit, Jesus appeared to him and bade him go to Sicily (Italy), where he would have the grace to offer the sacrifice of his life.
Obedient to the call of the Lord, he promptly left Mt Carmel for Sicily. On his way and after his arrival in Sicily he succeeded in converting many by his teaching and miracles. At Palermo (Italy), about 200 Jews sought baptism as the result of his eloquence. Similar success was met with in Leocata, but there he aroused the fury of Berengarius whose wickedness and cruelty he had denounced.
One day as he was preaching to a crowd, he was stabbed by a band of ruffians who attacked him under Berengarius’ influence. Mortally wounded, Angelo fell on his knees. Praying for his people, more especially for his murderers, he gave up his spirit.
Reflection: “The Christian life is the continuation and completion of the life of Christ in us. We should be so many Christs on earth; continuing his works, labouring and suffering in a who
lly divine manner in the spirit of Jesus” (St John Eudes).
Daily Readings
May 4, 2025
Third Sunday of
Easter
FIRST READING
Acts of the Apostles (5:27-32,
40-41)
In
those days the high priest questioned the apostles, saying, “We strictly
charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with
your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” But Peter and
the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our
fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him
at his right hand as Leader and Saviour, to give repentance to Israel and
forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy
Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” And they charged the
apostles not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Then they left the
presence of the Council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer
dishonour for the name.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
30:2, 4, 5-6, 11-12, 13
Response:
I will extol you, Lord, for you have raised me up. Or Alleluia.
I
will extol you, LORD, for you have raised me up, and have not let my enemies
rejoice over me.
Response:
I will extol you, Lord, for you have raised me up. Or Alleluia.
O
LORD, you have lifted up my soul from the grave, restored me to life from those
who sink into the pit.
Response:
I will extol you, Lord, for you have raised me up. Or Alleluia.
Sing
psalms to the LORD, you faithful ones; give thanks to his holy name. His anger
lasts a moment; his favour all through life. At night come tears, but dawn
brings joy.
Response:
I will extol you, Lord, for you have raised me up. Or Alleluia.
Hear,
O LORD, and have mercy on me; be my helper, O LORD. You have changed my
mourning into dancing, O LORD my God, I will thank you forever.
Response:
I will extol you, Lord, for you have raised me up. Or Alleluia.
SECOND
READING
Book
of Revelation (5:11-14)
I,
John, looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the
elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of
thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to
receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honour and glory and
blessing!” And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the
earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the
throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honour and glory and might for ever and
ever!” And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and
worshipped.
ACCLAMATION
Alleluia.
Alleluia.
Christ
has risen, who created all things and has had mercy on the human race.
Alleluia.
GOSPEL
John
(21:1-19)
All:
Glory to you, O Lord. At that time Jesus revealed himself again to the
disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. Simon
Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of
Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said to
them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went
out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Just as day was
breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was
Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him,
“No.” He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you
will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in,
because of the quantity of fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said
to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put
on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the
sea. The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for
they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off. When they got
out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and
bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.”
So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, one
hundred fifty-three of them. And although there were so many, the net was not
torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples
dared to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took
the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. This was now the third
time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the
dead.
REFLECTION
By
getting Pilot to pronounce the death sentence on Jesus the Jewish authorities
had hoped that they had closed the Jesus’ chapter. But their hope was short
lived. They failed in their assessment of Jesus. They miserably failed to
acknowledge that the one whom they killed was the Son of God, the Messiah they
had been expecting since long. They could kill him but could not stop him from
rising from the dead. As a result, they cannot stop the apostles from preaching
in the name of Jesus. They now try to intimidate the apostles by telling them
not to preach the name of Jesus, but Peter says that they will now obey God
rather than the Jewish opponents.
John
in his vision sees around the throne living creatures, elders and thousands of
angels. He then hears every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth
and in the sea praising God who is seated on the throne and the Lamb who is
Jesus himself. The whole of creation joins in praise of the Lamb. The Almighty
God has his plan and purpose for his world. In his dealing with the human
world, he will not proceed without the co-operation of His people. Jesus alone
controls the destiny of all peoples.
The
gospel of today presents yet another appearance of the risen Jesus. The
appearance takes place by the Sea of Tiberias from where Jesus called his first
disciples. Having lost their Master Peter thinks it best to return to his old
profession of fishing. Those present with him also agree to join Peter but they
catch no fish that night. But even though they worked throughout the night,
they did not catch any fish. After dawn, the disciples see Jesus standing on
the shore and he tells them to cast their nets off the right side of the boat.
They do so and catch so many fish that they are not able to pull them into the
boat. Since they are only about one hundred yards from shore, the other
disciples stay with the boat and tow the catch of fish to shore. They have
breakfast with the newly caught fish. The ensuing conversation between Jesus
and Peter makes it clear that the mission of the apostles is to look after the
people who will accept Jesus as their Lord. The passage clearly shows that the
beloved disciple continues to have greater insight into Jesus than Peter or the
other disciples. It is significant that it is to Peter and not to the beloved
disciple that Jesus entrusted the administration of the community. It is in
lieu with the Church tradition that Church administration and care of the
people should go into the hands of people who are capable and ready for that
role.
Source:
The Sunday Liturgy
Daily Readings
May 3, 2025, Saturday
Feast of Saints Philip and James, Apostles
Reading 1
1 Corinthians 15:1–8
I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 19:2–3, 4–5
Response: Their sound goes forth through all the earth.
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the firmament proclaims the work of his hands.
Day unto day conveys the message,
and night unto night imparts the knowledge.
Response: Their sound goes forth through all the earth.
No speech, no word, whose voice goes unheeded;
their sound goes forth through all the earth,
their message to the utmost bounds of the world.
Response: Their sound goes forth through all the earth.
Alleluia
I am the way, and the truth, and the life, says the Lord; Philip, whoever has seen me has seen the Father.
Gospel
John 14:6–14
At that time: Jesus said to Thomas, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves. “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me for anything in my name, I will do it.”
Reflection
The Word of God brings the assurance of God’s continued presence with us. The last words of Jesus on earth were in reality the assurance of his presence (Mt 28:20). This ever-present God wishes that we strive to know Him and thus love Him. Jesus was surprised at the demand of the disciples to show them the Father as they had not yet known his identity. His invitation to the first disciples was to come and see him (Jn 1:39) and he would ask, who do you say that I am (Mt 16:15)? For Paul, the determined purpose was to know Jesus (Phil 3,10). We cannot but help agree with J.I. Packer that once we become aware that our main business on earth is to know God, most of life’s problems will fall into place.
Sts. Philip and James, Apostle and Martyr
1. St Philip (Apostle and Martyr) (- c.62)
St Philip was a native of Bethsaida on the shores of Lake Genesareth in Galilee. He was one of the first of the Apostles and was instrumental in the call of Nathanael. As soon as he discovered the Messiah, desirous to make his friend Nathanael a sharer in his happiness, Philip went to him and said: “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and the prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth”. In wonderment, Nathanael asked: “Can any good come out of Nazareth?” Philip answered: “Come and see” (Jn 1:45). He accompanied Philip and went on to become the first ever to proclaim Jesus “Son of God . . . . , the King of Israel!” (Jn 1:49)
Theodoret and Eusebius assure us that after the Descent of the Holy Spirit, Philip went to preach the Gospel in Asia Minor, accompanied by his virgin daughters. He probably suffered martyrdom by crucifixion at Hierapolis in Phrygia.
2. St James the Less (Apostle and Martyr) (- c.62)
St James the Less was a brother of St Jude Thaddaeus and is generally thought to have been a cousin of our Lord — his mother, Mary of Clopas was a sister of the Blessed Virgin. A most lovable, devout and ascetic man, James “the Just” as he was also known, became the first Bishop of Jerusalem and was conspicuous for his charity, his reverent attachment to the Temple and to ancient Jewish customs, as well as his calm resignation under the persecution by Herod.
James is noted for the “Epistle” he wrote (c.47 A.D.), in all probability addressed to Churches in Syria, whose members found themselves discriminated against and oppressed because of their new-found faith.
St James the Less, so known as to distinguish him from the other apostle named James, the son of Zebedee, is known to have suffered martyrdom by being cast down from the parapet of the Temple, and killed with a fuller’s club. He is the patron of druggists, fullers and hatters.
Reflection: “Take your part in suffering, as a loyal soldier of Christ Jesus” (St Paul – 2 Timothy 2:3).
Daily Readings
May 2, 2025, Friday
Memorial of Saint
Athanasius, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
Reading 1
Acts 5:34–42
In
those days: A Pharisee in the Council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held
in honour by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside
for a little while. And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are
about to do with these men. For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to
be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was
killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. After him
Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the
people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. So
in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone,
for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it is of
God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing
God!” So they took his advice, and when they had called in the apostles, they
beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
Then they left the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they were counted
worthy to suffer dishonour for the name. And every day, in the temple and from
house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is
Jesus.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
27:1, 4, 13–14
Response:
There is one thing I ask of the Lord, to live in the house of the Lord.
The
Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom
shall I fear?
The
Lord is the stronghold of my life;
whom
should I dread?
Response:
There is one thing I ask of the Lord, to live in the house of the Lord.
There
is one thing I ask of the Lord,
only
this do I seek:
to
live in the house of the Lord
all
the days of my life,
to
gaze on the beauty of the Lord,
to
inquire at his temple.
Response:
There is one thing I ask of the Lord, to live in the house of the Lord.
I
believe I shall see the Lord’s goodness
in
the land of the living.
Wait
for the Lord; be strong;
be
stouthearted, and wait for the Lord!
Response:
There is one thing I ask of the Lord, to live in the house of the Lord.
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
Man shall not live
by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Gospel
John
6:1–15
At
that time: Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is
the sea of Tiberias. And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the
signs that he was doing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there
he sat down with his disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at
hand. Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming
towards him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these
people may eat?” He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would
do. Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be
enough for each of them to get a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon
Peter’s brother, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves
and two fish, but what are they for so many?” Jesus said, “Make the people sit
down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five
thousand in number. Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks,
he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they
wanted. And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up
the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” So they gathered them up and
filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those
who had eaten. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This
is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” Perceiving then that they
were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again
to the mountain by himself.
Reflection
Each day in life brings its problems and
challenges. There remains the choice to unduly worry about them or to look for
solutions. A believer seeks solutions, discerning the will of God and in
cooperation with fellow beings. In the event of the multiplication of loaves,
Jesus would accept the available loaves, give thanks to God, and hand them over
to the disciples. When we fix our concerns on God, God fixes our concerns. Our focus ought to be on God and not on problems;
we need to listen to God and not concentrate on our insecurities; and we need
to learn to rely on God rather than on our strength alone. Am I tied down by
the problems of life or do I seek solutions to them together with my God and my
brothers and sisters?
St Athanasius (Bishop, Confessor and
Father and Doctor of the Church (c.295-373)
A native of Alexandria (Egypt), St
Athanasius was probably the son of prominent Christians. He received a
brilliant education in this city, a great commercial centre and most important
emporium for ideas. Even as a young man he was conspicuous for his wisdom and
acumen, as well as for his deep piety. When still only a Deacon, he was chosen
by Bishop Alexander, the Patriarch of Alexandria, as his secretary and
theological adviser, and in 325 taken to the great Council of Nicaea (Turkey)
in Bithynia (Asia Minor), which condemned Arius as a heretic and reaffirmed
Christ’s divinity. There he became a sincere and courageous mouthpiece for his
aged Archbishop, who had remained crippled from the tortures endured on the
rack during the Galerian persecution. When the latter died in 328, Athanasius,
although only 33, was unanimously elected successor.
During his 46-year reign, the Arian faction
came to gain such high political influence through its intrigues at the
imperial court that the saintly Patriarch had to spend a total of 17 years in
banishment, being exiled from Alexandria on five occasions. Undaunted, he
remained through it all the ardent and fearless “champion of Christ’s
divinity”. Far from seeking revenge, he tried rather to win his enemies through
kindness, and always retained his spontaneous sense of humour, which could
also, on occasion, be penetratingly sharp.
“Athanasius against the world!” well sums
up the position of this religious genius, the Father of Orthodoxy and
scientific theology. Throughout 50 critical years in Christian history he was
the chief defender of the integrity of the Catholic creed. Although he longed
for martyrdom, his last years were peaceful, and he died at the age of 78.
The most famous of his many writings are On
the Incarnation, which he composed in his early twenties while still a Deacon,
and the History of the Arians written during his third exile among the Egyptian
desert monks. His Life of St Anthony made an enormous appeal to men everywhere
to lead the ascetical life.
Reflection: “Justice does not consist
merely in not doing anything evil; for not to do good is also evil. The law may
be transgressed in either way” (St Athanasius).
Daily Readings
May 1, 2025
Thursday of the Second Week of Easter
Reading 1
Genesis 1:26–2:3 (Or Col 3:14-15.17.23-24)
God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.
OR
Col 3:14-15.17.23-24
And over all these put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. May the peace of Christ overflow in your hearts, for to this end you were called to be one body. And be thankful. And whatever you do or say, do it in the name of Jesus the Lord, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Whatever you do, do it whole heartedly, working for the Lord, and not for human masters, for you know well that the Lord will reward you with the inheritance. You are servants, but your Lord is Christ.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 90:2, 3–4, 12–13, 14 and 16
Response: Give success to the work of our hands, O Lord.
Before the mountains were born,
or the earth or the world were brought forth,
you are God, from age to age.
Response: Give success to the work of our hands, O Lord.
You turn man back to dust,
and say, “Return, O children of men.”
To your eyes a thousand years
are like yesterday, come and gone,
or like a watch in the night.
Response: Give success to the work of our hands, O Lord.
Then teach us to number our days,
that we may gain wisdom of heart.
Turn back, O Lord! How long?
Show pity to your servants.
Response: Give success to the work of our hands, O Lord.
At dawn, fill us with your merciful love;
we shall exult and rejoice all our days.
Let your deed be seen by your servants,
and your glorious power by their children.
Response: Give success to the work of our hands, O Lord.
Alleluia
Day after day, may the Lord be blest. He bears our burdens; God is our Saviour.
Gospel
Matthew 13:54–58
At that time: Coming to his home town Jesus taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” And they took offence at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honour except in his home town and in his own household.” And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.
Reflectio
Faith is undoubtedly the criterion to witness and receive wonderful divine interventions. It is this theological virtue that Jesus demanded and the lack of it was met with serious reprimands from him. The people of Nazareth, with their over-familiarity with Jesus, lacked this faith and thus raised objections to his ministry. Faith remains the criterion to experience the miracles of Jesus today. It is believing in things when common sense tells us not to. As stated by Martin Luther King, Jr, faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase. Today we think of Saint Joseph, the Worker, a man who built his life on faith. Am I a person of faith or is my faith dwindling in my un-reflected routine religious practices?
Saint Joseph the Worker (492)
On 1 May 1955, during a public audience granted to the Catholic Association of Italian Workers, whose members had gathered that day in Saint Peter’s Square to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their society and to pledge anew their loyalty to the Social Programme of the Church, Pope Pius XII instituted the liturgical feast of Saint Joseph the Worker and assigned it to the 1st day of May, giving concrete expression to the special relationship between Saint Joseph and the working class. The Pope assured his audience and the “working people of the entire world”: “You have at your side a Shepherd, a defender and a Father.” As Saint Bernard of Clairvaux says, “Imagine his worth from his very name, which means, ‘increase’!”
Pope Pius XII further said, “Our intention in doing so is to bring all men to recognize the dignity of labour. It is our hope, that this dignity may supply the motive for the formation of a social order and a body of law founded on the equitable distribution of rights and duties..... We are certain that you are indeed pleased, for the humble working man of Nazareth not only personifies before God and the Church the dignity of those who work with their hands, but he is also the constant guardian of yourselves and your families.”
Holy Mother Church directs Christian workers to look up to St Joseph their Patron as model and example of Christian workmanship. Work per se was never meant to be a punishment; rather, it formed the plan of God. And, so, whether we make a chair or build a Cathedral, we are called upon to bear fruit with our hands, our hearts and minds for the ultimate purpose, viz., the building up of the Body of Christ.
Reflection: “Whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever else you do, do all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).
Daily Readings
April 30, 2025
Wednesday of the
Second Week of Easter
Reading 1
Acts 5:17–26
In
those days: The high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the
party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy they arrested the apostles
and put them in the public prison. But during the night an angel of the Lord
opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, “Go and stand in the
temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.” And when they heard
this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach. Now when the high
priest came, and those who were with him, they called together the Council, all
the senate of the people of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them
brought. But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, so
they returned and reported, “We found the prison securely locked and the guards
standing at the doors, but when we opened them we found no one inside.” Now
when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they
were greatly perplexed about them, wondering what this would come to. And
someone came and told them, “Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing
in the temple and teaching the people.” Then the captain with the officers went
and brought them, but not by force, for they were afraid of being stoned by the
people.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
34:2–3, 4–5, 6–7, 8–9
Response:
The lowly one called, and the Lord heard him.
I
will bless the Lord at all times;
praise
of him is always in my mouth.
In
the Lord my soul shall make its boast
The
humble shall hear and be glad.
Response:
The lowly one called, and the Lord heard him.
Glorify
the Lord with me;
together
let us praise his name.
I
sought the Lord, and he answered me;
from
all my terrors he set me free.
Response:
The lowly one called, and the Lord heard him.
Look
toward him and be radiant;
let
your faces not be abashed.
This
lowly one called; the Lord heard,
and
rescued him from all his distress.
Response:
The lowly one called, and the Lord heard him.
The
angel of the Lord is encamped
around
those who fear him, to rescue them.
Taste
and see that the Lord is good.
Blessed
the man who seeks refuge in him.
Response:
The lowly one called, and the Lord heard him.
Alleluia
John
3:16
God
so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes
in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Gospel
John
3:16–21
“God
so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes
in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son
into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved
through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not
believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the
only begotten Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the
world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works
were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not
come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is
true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have
been carried out in God.”
Reflection
Today’s
gospel passage encapsulates the core message of the Gospel. “God so loved the
world, that He gave his only begotten Son…” (Jn 3:16). It speaks of God’s
boundless love and the gift of eternal life through faith in Christ. It is a
choice between light and darkness. We are challenged to embrace God’s love,
respond to His offer of salvation, and walk in the truth, allowing our lives to
bear witness to His transformative grace. Those who believe in Christ come into
the light. They have their deeds exposed in the presence of God. Unbelief, on
the other hand, results in remaining in spiritual darkness and separation from
God. It’s a state of spiritual alienation where individuals are estranged from
the source of life and love.
Saint
Pius V - Pope, Confessor (1504-1572)
Born
in Piedmont (Italy) of an impoverished family of Bolognese nobility, Antonio
Ghislieri entered the Dominicans at 14. Ordained to the priesthood at 24, he
devoted himself to the teaching of philosophy and theology for 16 years. A man
of solid piety, austerity and self-discipline, he passed long nights in prayer.
Made
Bishop of Sutri in 1556, Ghislieri succeeded Pius IV as Pius V in 1566. The
Papal court underwent reform, with Cardinals being urged to curb their
luxurious lifestyle and Bishops required to found seminaries and to reside in
their Sees; Church music and liturgical worship underwent reform. To the Mass
were added the Domine non sum dignus (“Lord, I am not worthy”), the Confiteor
(“I confess”), and the blessing, all and sundry coming to feel the Pope’s
influence in carrying out the decisions of the great Council of Trent that had
concluded in 1563.
Politically,
Pius V worked ceaselessly to bring about a union of the Christian Princes of
Europe against the threatening Turks. The faithful were urged to do special
penances for this intention. Finally, the Turkish attack on Cyprus brought the
forces of Venice, Genoa, Spain and the Holy See together under Don Juan of
Austria who, as commander-in-chief, leaving behind all soldiers of known evil
lives, won the great naval victory of Lepanto in 1571, in memory of which was
instituted the feast of Our Lady of Victory—later changed to the feast of the
Holy Rosary—and entered the invocation, “Help of Christians” in the Litany of
Loreto.
Pius
V, whose mortal remains were moved from Saint Peter’s to Saint Mary Major’s in
1588 by Sixtus V, was canonized in 1712.
Reflection:
“He who is bad to himself, whom will he be good to?” (Sirach 14:5)
Daily Readings
April 29, 2025
Memorial of Saint
Catherine of Siena, Virgin and Doctor of the Church
Reading 1
Acts 4:32–37
The
full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said
that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had
everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their
testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them
all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of
lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it
at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. Thus
Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of
encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him
and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 93:1abc,
1d–2, 5
Response: The Lord
is king, with majesty enrobed.
The Lord is king, with majesty
enrobed.
The Lord has robed himself with
might;
he has girded himself with
power.
Response: The Lord
is king, with majesty enrobed.
The world you made firm, not to
be moved;
your throne has stood firm from
of old.
From all eternity, O Lord, you
are.
Response: The Lord
is king, with majesty enrobed.
Truly your decrees are to be
trusted.
Holiness is fitting to your
house,
O Lord, until the end of time.
Response: The Lord
is king, with majesty enrobed.
Alleluia
John 3:14-15
The Son of Man must be lifted
up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
Gospel
John 3:7b–15
At that time: Jesus said to Nicodemus, ‘You must be
born anew.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do
not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is
born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus
answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand
these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear
witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have
told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell
you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended
from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the
wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him
may have eternal life.
Reflection
The essence of Jesus’ advice to Nicodemus is that the
Holy Spirit’s role in spiritual rebirth is transformative. When someone is
“born again” or “born from above,” it involves a radical and profound change at
the core of his/her being. This change is not something that can be
manufactured or manipulated by human effort; it is a supernatural work of the
Holy Spirit. It involves conviction of sin, repentance, and a new life in
Christ. It is through our faith in the Son of Man who was lifted on the cross that
we are offered eternal life and salvation. We need to examine our faith,
recognising that belief in Jesus Christ as our Saviour is the pathway to
eternal life.
Saint
Catherine of Siena - Virgin and Doctor of the Church (1347-1380)
Catherine, the youngest of the 25 children of the
Benincasa family of wool dyers in Siena, Tuscany (Italy), when still young, was
favoured with celestial visions and began to practise severe austerities. At 16
she became a Dominican tertiary, lived for three years like an anchoress in her
own home, and heroically undertook the care of advanced cases of leprosy and
cancer which no one else would touch and, though meeting with nothing but
abuse, succeeded in bringing about the sufferers’ conversion.
Subsisting for long periods solely on the reception of
the Eucharist and praying incessantly for sinners who refused to pray for
themselves. At 28, she received the sacred stigmata, but in response to her
pleadings to God, these remained outwardly invisible while she was alive. The
most famous of her writings is her Dialogue in which the Father converses with
her on the spiritual life.
Catherine was instrumental in having Pope Gregory XI
lift the interdict over Florence and finally return from Avignon to Rome in
1377. At the request of Gregory’s successor Urban VI she spent the last six
years of her life in Rome, offering the sacrifice of her life for the unity and
renewal of the Church. She was barely 33 when she died three long months after
having had a seizure.
Proclaimed saint in 1461 and Doctor of the Church in
1970, she is the Patron Saint of Italy, and is invoked against fire, pestilence
and headaches.
Reflection: “Never consider your past sins except in
the light of infinite mercy, so that the memory of them may not discourage you,
but may lead you to place your confidence in the infinite value of the
Saviour’s merits” (Saint Catherine of Siena).
Daily Readings
April 28, 2025
Monday of the
Second Week of Easter
Reading 1
Acts 4:23–31
In
those days: When Peter and John were released, they went to their friends and
reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. And when they
heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord,
who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, who
through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit,
‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the
earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord
and against his Anointed’ – for truly in this city there were gathered together
against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius
Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your
hand and your plan had predestined to take place. And now, Lord, look upon
their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with
all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders
are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” And when they had
prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they
were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God
with boldness.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
2:1–3, 4–6, 7–9
Response:
Blessed are all who trust in you, O Lord.
Why
do the nations conspire,
and
the peoples plot in vain?
They
arise, the kings of the earth;
princes
plot against the Lord
and
his Anointed.
“Let
us burst asunder their fetters.
Let
us cast off from us their chains.”
Response:
Blessed are all who trust in you, O Lord.
He
who sits in the heavens laughs;
the
Lord derides and mocks them.
Then
he will speak in his anger,
his
rage will strike them with terror.
“It
is I who have appointed my king
on
Sion, my holy mountain.”
Response:
Blessed are all who trust in you, O Lord.
I
will announce the decree of the Lord:
The
Lord said to me, “You are my Son.
It
is I who have begotten you this day.
Ask
of me and I will give you
the
nations as your inheritance,
and
the ends of the earth as your possession.
With
a rod of iron you will rule them;
like
a potter’s jar you will shatter them.”
Response:
Blessed are all who trust in you, O Lord.
Alleluia
Colossians 3:1
If then you have been raised
with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the
right hand of God.
Gospel
John 3:1–8
There
was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came
to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come
from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”
Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew he
cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born
when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and
the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh
is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I
said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you
hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it
is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Reflection
Being
“born again” represents a radical transformation of the heart and soul. It is a
spiritual awakening or renewal that goes beyond mere external religious
practices. Nicodemus, a respected Pharisee and teacher of Israel was seeking
Jesus under the cover of night, but Jesus makes it clear that external
religious piety is insufficient for entering the kingdom of God. True
transformation takes place at the core of one’s being. Today we are challenged
to consider the nature of our faith and the depth of our spiritual
transformation. Faith in Christ leads to a new birth and entry into God’s
kingdom. We need to be sincere seekers
of God, open to the work of the Holy Spirit, and be willing to surrender our
lives to Jesus, the source of new life.
(1)
Saint Peter Chanel - Martyr (1803-1841)
Born
in France (12 July), Peter was a shepherd boy whose first encounter with his
Parish Priest, Abbé Trompier, led to his education in the latter’s Latin
school. As a student and as a seminarian, Peter so won the esteem of teachers
and students alike that a certain bishop once commented: “He has a heart of
gold with the simple faith of a child and leads the life of an angel.”
Peter
is famed for the religious revival he achieved within three years of his
appointment in the ill-reputed parish of Crozet. In 1831, Peter became a Marist
missionary. In 1836, Pope Gregory XVI canonically approved this fledgling
congregation and entrusted to its care the island of Futuna, New Hebrides. Well
received by the people, Peter’s work drew the ire of the chieftain whose own
son sought to be baptized and Peter was clubbed to death (28 April), and his
body chopped to pieces. Nevertheless, the whole island became Christian within
two years.
Beatified
in 1889, Peter was canonized in 1954.
Reflection:
“In such a difficult mission (evangelizing) we simply have to be holy men”
(Saint Peter Chanel).
(2)
Saint Louis-Marie Grignon de Montfort - Priest (1673-1716)
Louis
was born in Brittany, France (31 January). Ordained in 1700, he was assigned to
Nantes as a rural preacher and then to a hospital for the poor in Poitiers,
which he zealously upgraded. He founded the Daughters of Wisdom for women, to
care especially for needy children, and the Missionaries of the Company of Mary
for priests and brothers, to continue his retreat ministry and to spread Marian
devotion.
An
avid preacher of missions to the poor, Louis was denounced by his enemies and
banned from Poitiers by his bishop. He, however, returned from Rome with papal
approval and, named Missionary Apostolic for France by Clement XI, spent the
rest of his life evangelizing western France.
Louis
promoted Marian devotion as the best means of attaining union with Christ. His
book, True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, continues to be in use to this
day.
Louis,
who died young and suddenly (28 April), was canonized in 1947.
Reflection:
“It was you, Virgin Mary, who gave us this body and blood, which raises our
status so high that it is beyond the reach of the angels. May you be blessed
throughout the world! For giving us such a great gift” (Saint Louis-Marie de
Montfort).
Daily Readings
April 26, 2025
Saturday in the Octave of Easter
Reading 1
Acts 4:13–21
In those days: When the rulers
and elders and scribes saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that
they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognised
that they had been with Jesus. But seeing the man who was healed standing
beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. But when they had commanded
them to leave the Council, they conferred with one another, saying, “What shall
we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them
is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But in
order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak
no more to anyone in this name.” So they called them and charged them not to
speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered them,
“Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God,
you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” And
when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to
punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had
happened.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 118:1 &
14–15ab,15c–21
Response: I will thank you,
Lord, for you have answered me.
Give praise to the Lord, for he
is good;
his mercy endures forever.
The Lord is my strength and my
song;
he was my saviour.
There are shouts of joy and
salvation
in the tents of the just.
Response: I will thank you,
Lord, for you have answered me.
The Lord’s right hand has done
mighty deeds;
his right hand is exalted.
The Lord’s right hand has done
mighty deeds;
I shall not die, I shall live
and recount the deeds of the
Lord.
The Lord punished me,
punished me severely,
but did not hand me over to
death.
Response: I will thank you,
Lord, for you have answered me.
Open to me the gates of justice:
I will enter and thank the Lord.
This is the Lord’s own gate,
where the just may enter.
I will thank you, for you have
answered,
and you are my saviour.
Response: I will thank you,
Lord, for you have answered me.
Alleluia
Psalm 118:24
This is the day the Lord has
made; let us rejoice in it and be glad
Gospel
Mark 16:9–15
When Jesus rose early on the
first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had
cast out seven demons. She went and told those who had been with him, as they
mourned and wept. But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by
her, they would not believe it. After these things he appeared in another form
to two of them, as they were walking into the country. And they went back and
told the rest, but they did not believe them. Afterwards he appeared to the
eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for
their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who
saw him after he had risen. And he said to them, “Go into all the world and
proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.
Reflection
The disciples’ initial response
of unbelief in today’s gospel passage underscores the dramatic transformation
they underwent. Their encounters with the risen Christ turned them from fearful
and sceptical individuals into bold and unwavering witnesses of the Gospel.
Today’s gospel passage contains themes of post-resurrection appearances, doubt
and belief, the Great Commission, signs and confirmation, baptism, the
universality of the Gospel, and the role of witnesses. It encourages believers
to embrace their mission to proclaim the Good News and emphasizes the
importance of faith, testimony, and obedience in following Jesus’ commands.
This transformation demonstrates the power of the resurrection to change lives
and embolden believers to share their faith.
Saint Anacletus - Pope, Martyr
(-c 88)
It is now generally conceded that
the name Anacletus (or Anencletus), which is given in all the ancient lists of
Popes from the second to the fourth century was probably abbreviated to Cletus.
It was later erroneously believed that Cletus and Anacletus were two distinct
figures, and they were therefore commemorated on 26 April and 13 July
respectively.
Anacletus succeeded Saint Linus
to the papal throne about the year 76 and reigned for twelve years. The 6th
century Liber Pontificalis states that he had a small chapel or “Memoria”
erected over the resting place of the Prince of the Apostles atop Vatican Hill
and another one over the tomb of Saint Paul on the property of the matron
Lucina on the Ostian Way. Aside from this, little is known of the reign of this
second successor of Saint Peter.
Anacletus was believed to have
been martyred under the cruel Emperor Domitian, the “Nero-come-to-life-again”.
Reflection: “You ought to make every effort to free yourselves even from venial sin and to do what is most perfect” (Saint Teresa of Avila)
Daily Readings
April 25, 2025
Friday in the
Octave of Easter
Reading 1
Acts 4:1–12
In
those days: As Peter and John were speaking to the people, [after the lame man
was healed] the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came
upon them, greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and
proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they arrested them and
put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. But many of
those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about
five thousand. On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered
together in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and
Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. And when they had set
them in the midst, they enquired, “By what power or by what name did you do
this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the
people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done
to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to
all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of
Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead – by him this man
is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you,
the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no
one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we
must be saved.”
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 118:1–2 and 4, 22–24, 25–27a
Response: The stone that the builders
rejected has become the cornerstone (Or Alleluia).
Give praise to the Lord, for he is good;
his mercy endures forever.
Let the house of Israel say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
Let those who fear the Lord say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
Response: The stone that the builders
rejected has become the cornerstone (Or Alleluia).
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the Lord has this been done,
a marvel in our eyes.
This is the day the Lord has made;
let us rejoice in it and be glad.
Response: The stone that the builders
rejected has become the cornerstone (Or Alleluia).
O Lord, grant salvation;
O Lord, grant success.
Blest is he who comes
in the name of the Lord.
We bless you from the house of the Lord;
the Lord is God, and has given us light.
Response: The stone that the builders
rejected has become the cornerstone (Or Alleluia).
Alleluia
Psalm 118:24
This is the day the Lord has made; let us
rejoice in it and be glad.
Gospel
John 21:1–14
At
that time: Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of
Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. Simon Peter, Thomas (called the
Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his
disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They
said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but
that night they caught nothing. Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the
shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them,
“Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them,
“Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they
cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of
fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!”
When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for
he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. The other disciples
came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the
land, but about a hundred yards off. When they got out on land, they saw a
charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. Jesus said to
them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” So Simon Peter went
aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, one hundred fifty-three
of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to
them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who
are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it
to them, and so with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus was
revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.
Reflection
In
today’s gospel passage, several disciples, including Peter, decide to go
fishing. They fish all night but catch nothing. In the morning, Jesus appears
on the shore, though the disciples do not immediately recognise him. Jesus
instructs them to cast their net on the right side of the boat, and suddenly
they catch a large number of fish. This miraculous catch prompts John, the
disciple whom Jesus loved, to recognise that it is the Lord. Upon realising
this, Peter, ever impulsive, puts on his outer garment and jumps into the sea
to swim to Jesus. The other disciples follow in the boat, dragging the net full
of fish. When they reach the shore, they find that Jesus has already prepared
breakfast for them - fish and bread. How often do we encounter the presence of
Christ in our lives without recognising him? This speaks of the need for
heightened spiritual awareness and discernment. The disciples were engaged in a
routine activity (fishing) when Jesus appeared. Similarly, Christ may be
present in the ordinary aspects of our lives, and a deeper awareness is
required to recognise Him.
Saint
Mark - Evangelist (-c 68)
Mark
was the son of Mary, a prominent member of the Christian community in Jerusalem
and an old friend of Saint Peter, in whose house the brethren were accustomed
to assemble. We first hear of Mark when Paul and Barnabas take him along to
Antioch in 46 AD and then on the first apostolic journey to Cyprus. Here Mark
separated himself from Paul and Barnabas and returned to Jerusalem on account
of certain disagreements. But it was not long before Mark and Paul resolved
their differences whereby, around 60 AD, the two were together in Rome,
preparing to return to the Churches of Asia Minor.
Mark
seems to have gone to Egypt from Aquileia and there founded the See of
Alexandria. In 61 Paul wrote to Timothy at Ephesus, asking him to bring Mark
with him to Rome, and it was while Mark was in the Eternal City that he wrote
his vivid Gospel account which is a faithful record of the oral teaching of
Saint Peter. Ancient tradition claims that this second Gospel was, at the
request of the Roman Christians, originally written in Greek.
Mark
also probably evangelized the region of Aquileia at the northern extremity of
the Adriatic whence the inhabitants fled some 400 years later at Attila’s
approach and founded the famous lagoon city of Venice. Mark is considered a
great Patron Saint of the city, his body having been stolen from Alexandria,
Egypt, by Venetian soldiers in 815 and placed under the high altar of the
magnificent basilica named after him in Venice.
Reflection:
“If any man wishes to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all”
(Mark 9:33).
Daily
Readings
April
24, 2025
Thursday
in the Octave of Easter
Reading
1
Acts
3:11–26
In
those days: While the lame man clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly
astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s. And when Peter
saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or
why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him
walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of
our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in
the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. But you denied the
Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and you
killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are
witnesses. And his name – by faith in his name – has made this man strong whom
you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this
perfect health in the presence of you all. And now, brothers, I know that you
acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But what God foretold by the mouth
of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. Repent
therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of
refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the
Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for
restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy
prophets long ago. Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet
like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you.
And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be
destroyed from the people.’ And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel
and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. You are the sons of
the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to
Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be
blessed.’ God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless
you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
8:2ab and 5, 6–7a, 7b–9
Response:
O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name through all the earth! (Or:
Alleluia)
O
Lord, our Lord, how majestic
is
your name through all the earth!
what
is man that you should keep him in mind,
the
son of man that you care for him?
Response:
O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name through all the earth! (Or:
Alleluia)
Yet
you have made him little lower than the angels;
with
glory and honour you crowned him,
gave
him power over the works of your hands.
Response:
O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name through all the earth! (Or:
Alleluia)
You
put all things under his feet,
All
of them, sheep and oxen,
yes,
even the cattle of the fields,
birds
of the air, and fish of the sea
that
make their way through the waters.
Response:
O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name through all the earth! (Or:
Alleluia)
Alleluia
Psalm
118:24
This is the day the Lord has made; let us
rejoice in it and be glad.
Gospel
Luke
24:35–48
At
that time: The two disciples told what had happened on the road to Emmaus, and
how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread. As they were talking
about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to
you!” But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. And
he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?
See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit
does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said
this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved
for joy and were marvelling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?”
They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them. Then
he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with
you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and
the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,
and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the
third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins
should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You
are witnesses of these things.
Reflection
The
disciples, when initially confronted with Jesus, are filled with doubt and
fear. They think they are seeing a ghost. Jesus responds by asking them to
examine His hands and feet, where the wounds from the crucifixion were. This
direct encounter with the scars of His crucifixion serves as undeniable proof
of His identity. It reassures the disciples and dispels their doubts and fears
and fills them with courage to be witnesses in the days to come. Today’s Gospel
passage reinforces the reality of the resurrection, emphasises the importance
of Scripture, commissioning believers to be witnesses, and highlights the
transformative power of forgiveness and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. It
challenges us to embrace our role as witnesses of the risen Christ and to
participate in the mission of proclaiming the Good News to all nations.
Saint
Fidelis - Martyr (1576-1622)
A
native of the town of Sigmaringen in south-western Germany, where his father
was mayor, Mark Roy practised law for six years and, famed for his scrupulous
honesty and life of mortification, made himself a name as the “advocate of the
poor”. Corruption in the law courts however caused him at 34 to abandon his
profession in favour of the priesthood; then, selling all his possessions for
the benefit of the poor, he joined the Capuchins at Freiburg in 1612, taking
the name of Fidelis.
Fidelis’
burning zeal, coupled with his oratorical and writing skills, was directed
especially towards the conversion of those who had fallen prey to Calvinism and
Zwinglianism. As a result of his manner of reforming a Benedictine monastery at
Pfäefers in 1621, and his missionary work among the Zwinglians in the Swiss
Canton, Pope Gregory XV, in 1622, made him head of the Grisons missions.
He
travelled in absolute poverty, depending solely on Providence for his daily
needs. Armed with his Crucifix, Bible, Breviary and the Capuchin rule, he
evangelized freely, oblivious to the threats and insults from the Protestants,
at times focusing his attention on the city magistrates in lengthy conferences
lasting into the night, the conversion and public recantation of the most
influential citizen resulting in numerous other conversions, further alarming
the Protestant ministers who roused public ire by imputing political motives to
his mission. Thus, in 1622, he was dragged from the pulpit by an angry mob and,
on his refusal to apostatize, was slain. Fidelis was canonized in 1746.
Reflection:
“The Catholic religion is the faith of all ages” (Saint Fidelis of
Sigmaringen).
Daily
Readings
April
23, 2025
Wednesday
in the Octave of Easter
Reading
1
Acts 3:1–10
In those days: Peter and John were going up to the
temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a man lame from birth was
being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called
the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. Seeing Peter and
John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. And Peter directed
his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” And he fixed his
attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, “I
have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus
Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” And he took him by the right hand and
raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. And
leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them,
walking and leaping and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and
praising God, and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of
the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at
what had happened to him.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 105:1–2, 3–4, 6–7, 8–9
Response: Let the hearts that seek the
Lord rejoice. (Or: Alleluia)
Give thanks to the Lord; proclaim his name.
Make known his deeds among the peoples.
O sing to him, sing his praise;
tell all his wonderful works!
Response: Let the hearts that seek the
Lord rejoice. (Or: Alleluia)
Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice.
Turn to the Lord and his strength;
constantly seek his face.
Response: Let the hearts that seek the
Lord rejoice. (Or: Alleluia)
O children of Abraham, his servant,
O descendants of the Jacob he chose,
he, the Lord, is our God;
his judgments are in all the earth.
Response: Let the hearts that seek the
Lord rejoice. (Or: Alleluia)
He remembers his covenant forever:
the promise he ordained for a thousand
generations,
the covenant he made with Abraham,
the oath he swore to Isaac.
Response: Let the hearts that seek the
Lord rejoice. (Or: Alleluia)
Alleluia
Psalm 118:24
This is the day the Lord has
made; let us rejoice in it and be glad.
Gospel
Luke 24:13–35
That
very day [the first day of the week,] two of the disciples of Jesus were going
to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were
talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they
were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with
them. But their eyes were kept from recognising him. And he said to them, “What
is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And
they stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him,
“Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have
happened there in these days?” And he said to them, “What things?” And they
said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in
deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and
rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had
hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is
now the third day since these things happened. Moreover, some women of our
company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, and when they
did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision
of angels, who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to
the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.”
And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the
prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these
things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the
Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning
himself. So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as
if he were going farther, but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us,
for it is towards evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay
with them. When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and
broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognised
him. And he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Did not our
hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us
the Scriptures?” And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And
they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying,
“The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had
happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.
Reflection
Jesus
gently rebukes the Emmaus disciples for their spiritual blindness and
“foolishness” in not believing the prophets’ words about the Messiah’s
suffering and glory. Their ignorance of the Scriptures demonstrates how a lack
of knowledge or understanding can contribute to spiritual blindness. Without a
foundation in God’s Word, we may fail to recognise His hand at work in our
lives. Thus, we reflect today on the themes of spiritual blindness, revelation,
and the transformative power of recognizing the resurrected Christ. On our journey of faith, Jesus is often
present with us, even when we may not initially recognise Him. Through
Scripture, the breaking of bread, and moments of revelation, He opens our eyes
to His presence and His redemptive work in our lives.
Saint
Adalbert of Prague - Bishop, martyr (956-997)
Christened
Vojtech at birth in the princely Slavnik family of Libice in East Bohemia,
Adalbert was trained in theology at Magdeburg under its first Archbishop, Saint
Adalbert, whose name he eventually took at his “confirmation”.
The
first Czech occupant of the See of Prague, Adalbert was a man of vibrant energy
and zeal and, much given to austerity, strove to reform the clergy, suppress
abuses of various kinds and eliminate pagan practices, as also to spread
Christianity throughout Bohemia and neighbouring Hungary. However, distressed
by the superficial attitude evident towards the Faith, Adalbert left Prague in
982 for Rome, where he became a Benedictine monk.
Persuaded
by the Pope he returned to Prague in 992; but disillusioned with the lack of
change in the situation, he left Prague again in 995 only to learn of the
brutal massacre of the Slavnik family and its supporters that followed. Now
refused permission to return to his See, he obtained Papal release from his
episcopal obligations and dedicated himself entirely to missionary activity,
becoming a close friend and trusted adviser of the Roman Emperor, Otto III, on
matters concerning the progressive Christianization of the Slavs.
True
to the meaning of his baptismal name, Adalbert was to truly prove “a
consolation to the army” of Jesus Christ. Invited by the Polish king, Boleslas
I the Great, he set about organizing missionary work among the heathen
Prussians on the Baltic coast where he was martyred in 997. His body, ransomed
by Boleslas, was buried at Gniezno in Poland and later transferred to Prague in
1039.
Reflection:
“Fortitude is a moral and supernatural virtue which makes a person generous and
fearless in the pursuit of holiness, in spite of difficulties, fear, force and
even death” (Blessed James Alberione).
Daily Readings
April 22, 2025
Tuesday in the Octave of Easter
Reading 1
Acts 2:36–41
[On the day of Pentecost,] Peter said to the Jews, “Let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptised every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” So those who received his word were baptised, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 33:4–5, 18–19, 20 and 22
Response: His merciful love fills the earth. (Or: Alleluia)
The word of the Lord is faithful,
and all his works to be trusted.
The Lord loves justice and right,
and his merciful love fills the earth.
Response: His merciful love fills the earth. (Or: Alleluia)
Yes, the Lord’s eyes are on those who fear him,
who hope in his merciful love,
to rescue their souls from death,
to keep them alive in famine.
Response: His merciful love fills the earth. (Or: Alleluia)
Our soul is waiting for the Lord.
He is our help and our shield.
May your merciful love be upon us,
as we hope in you, O Lord.
Response: His merciful love fills the earth. (Or: Alleluia)
Alleluia
Psalm 118:24
This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice in it and be glad.
Gospel
John 20:11–18
At that time: Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Having said this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and that he had said these things to her.
Reflection
When Mary Magdalene initially encounters Jesus at the tomb, she doesn’t recognize him. However, when Jesus calls her by name, her recognition is immediate. This moment underscores the deeply personal nature of Jesus’ relationship with His followers. He knows each of them intimately and calls them by name. This recognition speaks of the idea that faith is not a generic, one-size-fits-all experience but a deeply personal and individualized connection with Christ. Today’s gospel passage offers a powerful reflection on the human experience of grief, the recognition of the risen Christ through a personal encounter, and the transformational impact of encountering the Living Lord. It reminds us of the personal and intimate nature of our faith in Jesus and the call to share our testimonies with others, spreading the message of hope, joy, and transformation that comes through Him.
Saint Soter - Pope, Martyr (-175)
Saint Soter was a native of Fondi near Gaeta in Italy. It was upon the death of Saint Anicetus in 166, that Soter was raised to the Papacy thus becoming the 12th in the succession of Popes. One of the rising heretical sects which this Pope had to combat during his 9-year reign was that of Montanus, a Phrygian, who taught that certain sins could never be forgiven and claimed that he was God’s messenger for a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit. To Saint Soter is also attributed a precept that all the faithful, excepting only such as were guilty of a notable crime, should receive Holy Communion on Maundy Thursday.
A letter which the Pope sent to the persecuted Church at Corinth has unfortunately been lost, but an extant fragment of the reverent reply of Saint Dionysius, the Bishop of Corinth, is interesting for its reference to “the abundance which the Pope has sent to the saints, and the consolation which he has offered with words of comfort to the brethren who came to him, as a loving father would to his children.” “Today, the Lord’s day, we have read your letter and we will always wish to re-read it and to be admonished, the same as by the earlier letter which was sent to us by Clement.”
Saint Soter is believed to have suffered martyrdom in 175 under Marcus Aurelius.
Reflection: “Unless your justice abound more than that of the Scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 5:20).
Daily
Readings
April
21, 2025
Monday
in the Octave of Easter
Reading
1
Acts of the Apostles 2:14, 22–33
[On the day of Pentecost,] Peter, standing with the
eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell
in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. Men of
Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with
mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as
you yourselves know – this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan
and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.
God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for
him to be held by it. For David says concerning him, ‘I saw the Lord always
before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; therefore my
heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. For
you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. You
have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with
your presence.’ Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch
David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him
that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke
about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor
did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are
witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received
from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you
yourselves are seeing and hearing.”
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm 16:1–2a and 5, 7–8, 9–10, 11
Response: Preserve me, O God, for in you I take
refuge. (Or: Alleluia)
Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord.
O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup;
you yourself who secure my lot.
Response: Preserve me, O God, for in you I take
refuge. (Or: Alleluia)
I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel,
who even at night directs my heart.
I keep the Lord before me always;
with him at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
Response: Preserve me, O God, for in you I take
refuge. (Or: Alleluia)
And so, my heart rejoices, my soul is glad;
even my flesh shall rest in hope.
For you will not abandon my soul to hell,
nor let your holy one see corruption.
Response: Preserve me, O God, for in you I take
refuge. (Or: Alleluia)
You will show me the path of life,
the fullness of joy in your presence,
at your right hand, bliss forever.
Response:
Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. (Or: Alleluia)
Sequence (optional)
Victimae
paschali laudes
Christians,
to the Paschal Victim
Offer your
thankful praises!
A Lamb the sheep redeems;
Christ, who
only is sinless,
Reconciles
sinners to the Father.
Death and life have contended in that combat stupendous:
The Prince
of life, who died, reigns immortal.
Speak, Mary, declaring
What you
saw, wayfaring.
“The tomb of Christ, who is living,
The glory of
Jesus’ resurrection;
bright angels attesting,
The shroud
and napkin resting.
Yes, Christ my hope is arisen;
to Galilee
he goes before you.”
Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining.
Have mercy,
victor King, ever reigning!
Amen.
Alleluia.
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice in it and be glad.
Gospel
Matthew 28:8–15
At that time: The women departed quickly from the tomb
with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met
them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and
worshipped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my
brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” While they were going,
behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all
that had taken place. And when they had assembled with the elders and taken
counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers and said, “Tell
people, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.’
And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out
of trouble.” So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this
story has been spread among the Jews to this day.
Reflection
Today, we celebrate the joy of the resurrection and
bear witness to the transformative power of the risen Lord in our lives and the
world. In today’s gospel passage, the women who witnessed the angel at the tomb
and later encountered the risen Jesus provided testimony that confirmed the
reality of His resurrection. Their firsthand accounts served as credible and
powerful evidence. The women were eyewitnesses to the angel’s message and their
encounter with the risen Jesus. Their testimony was based on what they had
personally seen and experienced, making it a compelling and reliable account.
Today’s gospel passage offers a rich context for reflection on the resurrection
of Jesus. It highlights the emotional impact of encountering the risen Christ,
the power of truth, the importance of testimony, and the challenges of
opposition and rejection.
Saint Anselm
- Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church (1033-1109)
Born in Aosta in
the Italian Alps, Saint Anselm came from the noble Lombard family. After the
death of his mother, Ermenberga, a pious Burgundian woman, he fled home on
account of his father’s violence and harshness. In 1060 he took the Benedictine
habit at Bec (Normandy), where his illustrious countryman Blessed Lanfranc had
started his famous school. Outstanding for his learning, he was within a span
of three years made Prior and, after another 15 years, Abbot.
In 1093 he was made
Archbishop of Canterbury, in the hope that he would tackle the encroachments of
King William the Red. Reconciliation was effected in 1107, when the king
relinquished his claim to investing Bishops and Abbots.
Gentle and
self-effacing by nature, Anselm was unyielding on matters of principle. A man
of fearless zeal, he strongly denounced the slave trade and staunchly defended
the Filioque (“and from the Son”), a doctrine that indicated matter-of-factly
that the Holy Spirit proceeded from the Father and the Son.
His thinking as
evident in his philosophical and theological works, the Monologium and the
Proslogium, with the ontological argument for the existence of God as also Cur
Deus Homo (Why God Became Man), a dialogue with a non-Christian have had such a
deep and abiding influence upon the Church’s philosophy and theology as to earn
him the titles of “Father of Scholasticism” and “Doctor of the Universal
Church”. Anselm died at Canterbury in 1109.
Reflection: “O Lord, our God, grant us the grace to
desire you with our whole heart, that in desiring you we may seek and find you;
that finding you we may love you, and loving you we may despise the sins from
which you have redeemed us” (Saint Anselm).
Daily
Readings
April
16, 2025
Wednesday
of Holy Week
Reading
1
Isaiah 50:4–9a
The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are
taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by
morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught. The Lord
God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious; I turned not backwards. I gave
my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I
hid not my face from disgrace and spitting. But the Lord God helps me;
therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint,
and I know that I shall not be put to shame. He who vindicates me is near. Who
will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who is my adversary? Let him
come near to me. Behold, the Lord God helps me; who will declare me guilty?
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 69:8–10,
21–22, 31 and 33–34
Response: In your
great mercy, answer me, O Lord, for a time of your favour.
It is for you that
I suffer taunts,
that shame has
covered my face.
To my own kin I
have become an outcast,
a stranger to the
children of my mother.
Zeal for your house
consumes me,
and taunts against
you fall on me.
Response: In your
great mercy, answer me, O Lord, for a time of your favour.
Taunts have broken
my heart;
here I am in
anguish.
I looked for
solace, but there was none;
for consolers – not
one could I find.
For food they gave
me gall;
in my thirst they
gave me vinegar to drink.
Response: In your
great mercy, answer me, O Lord, for a time of your favour.
Then I will praise
God’s name with a song;
I will glorify him
with thanksgiving:
The poor when they
see it will be glad,
and God-seeking
hearts will revive;
for the Lord
listens to the needy,
and does not spurn
his own in their chains.
Response:
In your great mercy, answer me, O Lord, for a time of your favour.
Verse Before the Gospel
Hail to you, our King; you alone are compassionate
with our faults.
Gospel
Matthew
26:14–25
At that time: One of the twelve, whose name was Judas
Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I
deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from
that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him. Now on the first day of
Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where would you have us
prepare for you to eat the Passover?” He said, “Go into the city to a certain
man and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, my time is at hand. I will keep the
Passover at your house with my disciples.’” And the disciples did as Jesus had
directed them, and they prepared the Passover. When it was evening, he reclined
at table with the twelve. And as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to
you, one of you will betray me.” And they were very sorrowful and began to say
to him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?” He answered, “He who has dipped his
hand in the dish with me will betray me. The Son of Man goes as it is written
of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have
been better for that man if he had not been born.” Judas, who would betray him,
answered, “Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.”
Reflection
Today’s
gospel passage invites us to reflect on the themes of betrayal, temptation,
loyalty, and the sovereignty of God. Judas was a member of Jesus’ inner circle.
His decision to betray Jesus is a stark reminder that betrayal and
unfaithfulness can come from unexpected sources, even from those who are
closest to us. We are challenged today to examine our loyalty and commitment to
Christ and consider the potential for betrayal in each of us. We need to
examine our own choices, seeking faithfulness and integrity in our relationship
with Christ and with others. In the end, we are reminded of the profound grace
and forgiveness that Christ offers, even in the face of betrayal.
Saint Marie
Bernarde Soubirous - Virgin (1844-1879)
The eldest of 9
children of Francoise [a miller] and Louise Soubirous, Sister Marie-Bernarde
Soubirous, popularly known as Bernadette, was born at Nevers in Lourdes, at the
foothills of the French Pyrenees.
In 1858,
Bernadette, together with her sister Marie and a friend named Jeanne, were
out looking for firewood for the family
hearth when, in a grotto of Massabielle along the river Gave, she beheld a
vision of Our Lady which she described to her companions thus: “A Lady of
unspeakable beauty, dressed in white, drawn in at the waist by a blue sash. She
had a white veil on her head and falling down her back.... Her feet were bare
and there was a rose on each of them. On her right arm, a rosary of white
beads... whose chain was golden, all shining like the two roses on her feet.”
Mary, who appeared
to and conversed with Bernadette on 17 other occasions, said: “I promise to
make you happy, if not in this world, at least in the next” (18 February);
“Penance! Penance! Penance!” (24 February); “Go and tell the Priests that a
chapel must be built here” (27 February); “I am the Immaculate Conception” (25
March).
Bernadette endured
much opposition from family, civil authorities and clergy alike, all of whom
refused to believe her. The Bishop of Tarbes appointed a Commission of
ecclesiastical and medical experts to inquire into the reality and nature of
the apparitions and miracles that had occurred at Lourdes. Before the reports
of the commission were even approved by the Bishop three years later, the fame
of Lourdes had spread worldwide, its position as a place of pilgrimage firmly
established!
In 1866, Bernadette
commenced her novitiate at the motherhouse of the Sisters of Nevers, and in
1878, the year she made her perpetual vows, she renewed before the
representatives of the Bishops of Tarbes and Nevers the depositions she had
made 20 years before, regarding the grotto apparitions. Bernadette died of
Asthma and TB in 1879 with a smile on her face at her impending encounter with
her “Lady in White” and was canonized in 1933.
Reflection:
“You must learn to love suffering. Our Lord gives his crown of thorns to his
friends. Seek nothing better.” “I am happier in my bed with my crucifix, than a
queen on her throne” (Saint Marie-Bernarde Soubirous).
Daily Readings
April 15, 2025
Tuesday of Holy Week
Reading 1
Isaiah 49:1–6
Listen to me, O coastlands, and give attention, you peoples from afar. The Lord called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name. He made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow; in his quiver he hid me away. And he said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.” But I said, “I have laboured in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my right is with the Lord, and my recompense with my God.” And now the Lord says, he who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him; and that Israel might be gathered to him – for I am honoured in the eyes of the Lord, and my God has become my strength – he says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”
Psalm
Psalm 71:1–2, 3–4a, 5–6ab, 15ab and 17
Response: My mouth will tell of your salvation, Lord.
In you, O Lord, I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
In your justice, rescue me, free me;
incline your ear to me and save me.
Response: My mouth will tell of your salvation, Lord.
Be my rock, my constant refuge,
a mighty stronghold to save me,
for you are my rock, my stronghold.
My God, free me from the hand
of the wicked.
Response: My mouth will tell of your salvation, Lord.
It is you, O Lord, who are my hope,
my trust, O Lord, from my youth.
On you I have leaned from my birth;
from my mother’s womb,
you have been my help.
Response: My mouth will tell of your salvation, Lord.
My mouth will tell of your justice,
and all the day long of your salvation,
O God, you have taught me from my youth,
and I proclaim your wonders still.
Response: My mouth will tell of your salvation, Lord.
Verse Before the Gospel
Hail to you, our King, obedient to the Father; you were led to your crucifixion like a gentle lamb to the slaughter.
Gospel
John 13:21–33, 36–38
At that time: [Jesus, reclining with his disciples,] was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus’ side, so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. Some thought that, because Judas had the money bag, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the feast”, or that he should give something to the poor. So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night. When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterwards.” Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the cock will not crow till you have denied me three times.
Reflection
Today’s gospel passage invites us to reflect on themes of love, betrayal, discipleship, and trust. It calls us to emulate Christ’s sacrificial love in our interactions with others and to recognize that our love for one another is a powerful testimony of our faith in Him. It also emphasizes love as a defining mark of discipleship. It calls all Christians to love one another in a manner that reflects Christ’s sacrificial and selfless love. This love is not merely an internal feeling but is manifested through actions and service to others. Our love serves as a powerful testimony to the world of our identity as followers of Jesus.
Saint Benedict Joseph Labre - Confessor (1748-1783)
The eldest of 15 children of a well-to-do peasant of Amettes, near Boulogne in France, Benedict studied for some years with an uncle who was the Vicar of Erin until he realized that he lacked a priestly vocation and felt called to the cloister. However, he was successively turned away by the Carthusians, the Trappists and the Cistercians, by which time he was 22.
With a pilgrimage to Rome began his unique life as “the holy tramp”—13 years of continuous pilgrimage to the great shrines of; maintaining a strict fast and abstinence, he begged along the way, sharing the little he received by way of food and alms with the poor and the needy. His baggage comprised only his New Testament, Breviary, “The Imitation of Christ” and some books of prayer. Wrapped in prayer and peace, he remained perennially cheerful.
Seven years of pilgrimages later, after becoming a Franciscan tertiary, he stayed on in Rome but, having no cell or fixed abode, he took his modicum of sleep amidst the ruins of the Colosseum where, in the dead of night, he would implore God’s mercy with outstretched arms before the Stations of the Cross. He frequented churches that held the 40 Hours’ devotion and spent hours in ecstasy, thus becoming known as the “beggar of perpetual adoration”.
When he died during Holy Week 1783, aged 35, such crowds poured into Santa Maria dei Monti where he “lay in state” that the Easter Mass could not be sung and the military was called in to maintain order. The hundred-and-thirty-six miraculous cures attributed to his intercession within the first three months lead to his canonization in 1883.
Reflection: “God is so good and merciful, that to obtain heaven it is sufficient to ask it of him from our hearts” (Saint Benedict Joseph Labre).
Daily Readings
April 14, 2025
Monday of Holy Week
Reading 1
Isaiah 42:1–7
Behold, my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law. Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it: “I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.”
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 27:1, 2, 3, 13–14
Response: The Lord is my light and my salvation.
The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
whom should I dread?
Response: The Lord is my light and my salvation.
When those who do evil draw near
to devour my flesh,
it is they, my enemies and foes,
who stumble and fall.
Response: The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Though an army encamp against me,
my heart would not fear.
Though war break out against me,
even then would I trust.
Response: The Lord is my light and my salvation.
I believe I shall see the Lord’s goodness
in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord; be strong;
be stouthearted, and wait for the Lord!
Response: The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Verse Before the Gospel
Hail to you, our King; you alone are compassionate with our faults.
Gospel
John 12:1–11
Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denari and given to the poor?” He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the money bag he used to help himself to what was put into it. Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.” When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.
Reflection
Today’s gospel passage invites us to reflect on the themes of love, sacrifice, worship, and the impending crucifixion of Jesus. We are encouraged to examine our attitudes and actions in the light of Mary’s extravagant devotion and to consider how we can offer our best to honour Christ in our lives. Judas’ reaction to Mary’s worship is in stark contrast. He criticises her, claiming that the perfume could have been sold and the money given to the poor. However, John points out that Judas didn’t truly care for the poor but was motivated by greed. This contrast highlights the sincerity and purity of Mary’s worship in contrast to Judas’ hypocrisy.
Saint Lydwine
Saint Lydwine is the patroness of sickness. Lydwine of Schiedam was born at Schiedam, Holland, one of nine children of a working man. After an injury in her youth, she became bedridden and suffered the rest of her life from various illnesses and diseases. She experienced mystical gifts, including supernatural visions of heaven, hell, purgatory, apparitions of Christ, and the stigmata. Thomas a Kempis wrote a biography of her. She was canonized Pope Leo XIII in 1890.
Lydwine suffered a fall while ice skating in 1396, when a friend collided with her and caused her to break a rib on the right side. From this injury, she never recovered. An abscess formed inside her body which later burst and caused Lydwine extreme suffering. Eventually, she was to suffer a series of mysterious illnesses which in retrospect seemed to be from the hands of God. Lydwine heroically accepted her plight as the will of God and offered up her sufferings for the sins of humanity.
Daily Readings
April 12, 2025
Saturday of the
Fifth Week of Lent
Reading 1
Ezekiel 37:21–28
Thus
says the Lord God: “Behold, I will take the people of Israel from the nations
among which they have gone, and will gather them from all around, and bring
them to their own land. And I will make them one nation in the land, on the
mountains of Israel. And one king shall be king over them all, and they shall
be no longer two nations, and no longer divided into two kingdoms. They shall
not defile themselves any more with their idols and their detestable things, or
with any of their transgressions. But I will save them from all the backsliding
in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them; and they shall be my people,
and I will be their God. My servant David shall be king over them, and they
shall all have one shepherd. They shall walk in my rules and be careful to obey
my statutes. They shall dwell in the land that I gave to my servant Jacob,
where your fathers lived. They and their children and their children’s children
shall dwell there for ever, and David my servant shall be their prince for ever.
I will make a covenant of peace with them. It shall be an everlasting covenant
with them. And I will set them in their land and multiply them, and will set my
sanctuary in their midst for evermore. My dwelling place shall be with them,
and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Then the nations will
know that I am the Lord who sanctifies Israel, when my sanctuary is in their
midst for evermore.”
Responsorial
Psalm
Jeremiah
31:10, 11–12ab, 13
Response:
The Lord will keep us, as a shepherd keeps his flock.
Hear
the word of the Lord, O nations,
and
declare it in the coastlands far away;
say,
‘He who scattered Israel will gather him,
and
will keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock.’
Response:
The Lord will keep us, as a shepherd keeps his flock.
For
the Lord has ransomed Jacob
and
has redeemed him from hands too strong for him.
They
shall come and sing aloud on the height of Sion,
and
they shall be radiant over the goodness of the Lord.
Response:
The Lord will keep us, as a shepherd keeps his flock.
Then
shall the young women rejoice in the dance,
and
the young men and the old shall be merry.
I
will turn their mourning into joy;
I
will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.
Response:
The Lord will keep us, as a shepherd keeps his flock.
Verse
Before the Gospel
Ezekiel
18:31
Cast
away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, says the Lord,
and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.
Gospel
John
11:45–57
At
that time: Many of the Jews who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did,
believed in him, but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what
Jesus had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the Council and
said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. If we let him go on
like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away
both our place and our nation.” But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest
that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. Nor do you understand that
it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole
nation should perish.” He did not say this of his own accord, but being high
priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for
the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are
scattered abroad. So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.
Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there to
the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there he stayed
with the disciples. Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up
from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves. They
were looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple,
“What do you think? That he will not come to the feast at all?” Now the chief
priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he
should let them know, so that they might arrest him.
Reflection
Today’s
gospel passage invites us to contemplate the significance of Jesus’ miraculous
signs, the diversity of human responses to his ministry, and the sovereignty of
God’s plan. God’s sovereign plan has been revealed in the unfolding events
surrounding Lazarus’ resurrection and the growing opposition to Jesus. We see
how God’s purposes are accomplished, even in the face of human resistance, and
that His ultimate plan is centred on the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on the
cross. Let us reflect on our faith and willingness to follow Christ, even when
it requires surrendering our desires for power and control.
Saint
Gemma Galgani - Virgin (1878-1903)
Gemma
was the fourth of 8 children whose parents Enrico and Aurelia, were extremely
devout. Aurelia died in 1886, having planted in Gemma the seeds of her devotion
to Our Lord’s Passion. Unable to express her emotions about the moment of
intimacy between her soul and Jesus at her First Holy Communion at 9, Gemma did
make good her resolve to be “always good.”
Gemma
loved solitude and quiet, and was always most reserved in talking. One day,
after she had received Holy Communion, Our Lord said to her: “Gemma, I expect
you on Calvary, that Mount towards which you have been led.” After a long,
painful illness patiently borne, she made a vow of chastity and in 1899, Saint
Gabriel appeared to her, promising to make the novena in honour of Saint
Margaret Mary with her, which he did each night. After a good confession and
receiving Holy Communion, she arose completely cured. Her attempt at nun-hood
was thwarted by the condition of her health.
Gemma
received the sacred “stigmata” on the vigil of the Feast of the Sacred Heart in
1899 apart from experiencing other phenomena of the Passion, such as the sweat
of blood, the scourging, the crowning with thorns, etc. Under the spiritual
direction of the Passionist Fathers, Gemma, who was also blessed with the gift
of prophecy apart from ecstacies, visions and revelations, came to be widely
known for her sanctity and many favours were obtained through her prayers.
Gemma
died in 1903, having offered herself as a sacrifice for sinners, particularly
for unworthy priests. She was canonized in 1940.
Reflection:
“I am not at rest, nor shall I be, until Jesus has enkindled a little of his
love in me!” “Love Jesus, and nothing else!” (Saint Gemma Galgani)
Daily
Readings
April
11, 2025
Friday
of the Fifth Week of Lent
Reading
1
Jeremiah 20:10–13
I hear many whispering. Terror is on every side!
“Denounce him! Let us denounce him!” say all my close friends, watching for my
fall. “Perhaps he will be deceived; then we can overcome him and take our
revenge on him.” But the Lord is with me as a dread warrior; therefore my
persecutors will stumble; they will not overcome me. They will be greatly
shamed, for they will not succeed. Their eternal dishonour will never be
forgotten. O Lord of hosts, who tests the righteous, who sees the heart and the
mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you have I committed my
cause. Sing to the Lord; praise the Lord! For he has delivered the life of the
needy from the hand of evildoers.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm 18:2–3a, 3bc–4, 5–6, 7
Response: In my anguish I called to the Lord, and he
heard me.
I love you, Lord, my strength;
O Lord, my rock, my fortress, my saviour.
Response: In my anguish I called to the Lord, and he
heard me.
My God, my rock where I take refuge;
my shield, my saving strength, my stronghold.
I cry out, “Praised be the Lord!”
and see, I am saved from my foes.
Response: In my anguish I called to the Lord, and he
heard me.
The waves of death rose about me;
the torrents of destruction assailed me;
the snares of the grave surrounded me;
the traps of death confronted me.
Response: In my anguish I called to the Lord, and he
heard me.
In my anguish I called to the Lord;
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry to him reached his ears.
Response: In my anguish I called to the Lord, and he
heard me.
Verse
Before the Gospel
See
John 6:63c, 68c
Your
words, Lord, are spirit and life, you have the words of eternal life.
Gospel
John 10:31–42
At that time: The Jews picked up stones again to stone
Jesus. Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father;
for which of them are you going to stone me?” The Jews answered him, “It is not
for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you,
being a man, make yourself God.” Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in
your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? If he called them gods to whom the word of
God came and Scripture cannot be broken – do you say of him whom the Father
consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming’, because I said, ‘I
am the Son of God’? If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not
believe me; but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the
works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in
the Father.” Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.
He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing
at first, and there he remained. And many came to him. And they said, “John did
no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” And many
believed in him there.
Reflection
Today’s gospel passage reveals the intense opposition
Jesus faced due to his claims of divinity. It emphasizes the importance of
recognizing Jesus as the Son of God and the challenges of belief and unbelief.
Profound misunderstandings and unbelief can arise when individuals fail to
grasp the true nature of Jesus’ identity and teachings. It is important to
approach Jesus with an open heart, willing to accept his divine claims, even
when they challenge our existing beliefs and traditions. Let us reflect on our
understanding of Jesus’ identity and the significance of faith in Him as the
divine Saviour.
Saint Stanislaus - Bishop, Martyr (1030-1079)
Saint Stanislaus was born in Szczepanow near Krakow on
26 July 1030. His parents, members of
the Polish nobility, were devout Catholics. Following their death Stanislaus
distributed his inheritance among the poor. Not long after his ordination, he
was appointed canon and preacher at the cathedral of Krakow, and then Vicar
General.
Humble to the core, he accepted his election as Bishop
of Krakow in 1072 only upon the express command of Pope Alexander II. An
exemplary shepherd, he stood fearlessly for right and justice, never hesitating
to denounce vice even in high places. His inability to sway King Boleslas II of
Poland from the scandal he was causing by the cruel treatment of his subjects
and by his unbridled lust to the excommunication of the king and the suspension
of all public services in the cathedral, he himself retiring to the chapel of
Saint Michael in a suburb of Krakow.
The king was furious and, in 1079, sent some of his
knights to kill the holy bishop. But when they did not dare to carry out the
command, he himself burst into the chapel where Stanislaus was celebrating Mass
and split his head with his sword. As a result, Pope Gregory VII laid all
Poland under an interdict. Consequently, in 1081, Boleslas was dethroned and
exiled, and two years later died in Hungary as a penitent with the
Benedictines.
Stanislaus, whose body was enshrined in the main altar
of the Cathedral in 1089 by his successor, was canonized in 1253 at Assisi, the
first Polish saint ever and principal patron of Poland.
Reflection: “Fathers and mothers owe four things to
their children: maintenance, instruction, correction and good example” (Saint
John Baptist de la Salle).
Daily
Readings
April
10, 2025
Thursday
of the Fifth Week of Lent
Reading
1
Genesis 17:3–9
In those days: Abram fell on his face. And God said to
him, “Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a
multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name
shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. I
will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings
shall come from you. And I will establish my covenant between me and you and
your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting
covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. And I will give to
you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land
of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.” And God
said to Abraham, “As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your
offspring after you throughout their generations.”
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 105:4–5, 6–7,
8–9
Response:
The Lord remembers his covenant forever.
Turn to the Lord
and his strength;
constantly seek his
face.
Remember the
wonders he has done,
his marvels and his
words
of judgment.
Response:
The Lord remembers his covenant forever.
O children of
Abraham, his servant,
O descendants of
the Jacob he chose,
he, the Lord, is
our God;
his judgments are
in all the earth.
Response:
The Lord remembers his covenant forever.
He remembers his
covenant forever:
the promise he
ordained
for a thousand
generations,
the covenant he
made with Abraham,
the oath he swore
to Isaac.
Response: The Lord remembers his covenant forever.
Verse
Before the Gospel
Psalm
95:8
O
that today you would listen to his voice! Harden not your hearts as at Meribah.
Gospel
John 8:51–59
At that time: Jesus said to the Jews, “Truly, truly, I
say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” The Jews said to
him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet
you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ Are you greater
than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make
yourself out to be?” Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing.
It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ But you
have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I
would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. Your father
Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” So the Jews
said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?”
Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” So
they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of
the temple.
Reflection
Today’s
gospel passage presents a powerful interaction between Jesus and the Jewish
leaders, highlighting his promises of eternal life, his divine identity, and
the challenges of comprehending spiritual truths. It calls us to reflect on our
own beliefs and openness to God’s revelation through Jesus Christ. Eternal life
is a gift from God through faith in Jesus Christ. It extends beyond physical
death, assuring believers of an everlasting relationship with God. It also
underscores the profound truth of Jesus’ divine identity and the significance
of faith and obedience in receiving this gift.
Saint Fulbert -
Bishop, Confessor (c 960-1029
Born in the Picardy
region of France, Saint Fulbert studied at the Benedictine abbey at Reims where
he had as his instructor the famous Gerbert of Aurillac, who in 999 was to
become Pope Sylvester II. Fulbert was the founder of the cathedral school at Chartres,
which before long became the most renowned institution of its kind in France,
attracting as he did students even from Germany, Italy and England. In
appreciation of his wisdom and learning, his pupils styled him the “Venerable
Socrates”.
For the last 22
years of his life he was Bishop of Chartres and as such laboured at the reform
of the clergy and against the practice of assigning church benefices to laymen;
he did not hesitate to even rebuke some of his fellow Bishops for their worldly-minded,
military adventures. A personal friend of Saint Odilo of Cluny, of Blessed
Richard of Saint Vannes, and of Saint Abbo of Fleury, he wholeheartedly
endorsed their great monastic reforms.
Saint Fulbert is
also hailed as a poet. He composed a number of hymns to Our Lady, for whom he
had a special devotion, and introduced the feast of her Nativity in his
diocese. He died on 10 April 1029 and was buried in the monastery church of
Saint Pere-de-Chartres.
Reflection:
“To discipline the intellect, one must study what is more necessary and do so
systematically, constantly and in a supernatural spirit, that is, with the
desire to know, love and practise the truth” (Blessed James Alberione).
Daily
Readings
April
9, 2025
Wednesday of the
Fifth Week of Lent
Reading 1
Daniel
3:14–20, 24/91–25/92, 28/95
In those days: Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to
them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my
gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? Now if you are ready when
you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every
kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and
good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning
fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O
Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so,
our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and
he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O
king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you
have set up.” Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of
his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the
furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. And he ordered some
of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to
cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished
and rose up in haste. He declared to his counsellors, “Did we not cast three
men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.”
He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the
fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of
the gods.” Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who
trusted in him, and set aside the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies
rather than serve and worship any god except their own God.
Responsorial
Psalm
Daniel 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56
Response: You are to be praised and highly exalted
forever!
“Blessed are you, O Lord, God of our ancestors,
and to be praised and highly exalted forever;
and blessed is your glorious, holy name
and to be highly praised and highly exalted forever.
Response: You are to be praised and highly exalted
forever!
Blessed are you in the shrine of your holy glory
and to be extolled and highly glorified forever.
Response: You are to be praised and highly exalted
forever!
Blessed are you, who sits upon cherubim and looks upon
the deeps,
and to be praised and highly exalted forever.
Response: You are to be praised and highly exalted
forever!
Blessed are you upon the throne of your kingdom
and to be extolled and highly exalted forever.
Response: You are to be praised and highly exalted
forever!
Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven
and to be sung and glorified forever.
Response: You are to be praised and highly exalted
forever!
Verse
Before the Gospel
See
Luke 8:15
Blessed
are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and
bear fruit with patience.
Gospel
John
8:31–42
At
that time: Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my
word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth
will set you free.” They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have
never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”
Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practises sin is
a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house for ever; the son
remains for ever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know
that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word
finds no place in you. I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do
what you have heard from your father.” They answered him, “Abraham is our
father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be
doing the works Abraham did, but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told
you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. You are
doing the works your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual
immorality. We have one Father – even God.” Jesus said to them, “If God were
your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not
of my own accord, but he sent me.”
Reflection
Today’s
gospel passage prompts us to consider the nature of true discipleship, the
freedom found in Jesus’ truth, and the importance of our spiritual lineage
based on faith and obedience. It also calls us to reflect on Jesus’ divine
identity and to recognize Him as the source of ultimate freedom and truth.
Nevertheless, it reveals a dramatic shift from belief to hostility among a
group of Jews who initially believed in Jesus. Their response accentuates the
challenges Jesus faced in his ministry, as well as the deep-seated resistance
some people have to accept him and his divine claims. It serves as a cautionary
tale, urging us to approach Jesus with open hearts and a willingness to accept
the truth he offers.
Saint
Waldetrudis - Widow (-c 688)
Saint
Waldetrudis belonged to an exceptional family of saints. Her parents were
Saints Walbert and Bertilia; her sister, Saint Aldegundis, Foundress-Abbess of
Maubeuge; her husband, Saint Vincent Madalgarius, and their four children
Saints Landericus, Dentelinus, Madelberta and Aldetrudis. The last two named
were both abbesses of Maubeuge.
Waldetrudis
and Madalgarius, a nobleman by birth, lived a happy Christian married life.
Sometime after the birth of their last child, Madalgarius withdrew to the abbey
of Haumont which he had founded, and there took the name of Vincent.
Waldetrudis
stayed on in the world two more years and then humbly withdrew to a life of
poverty and simplicity at a place called “Castrilocus in Monte”, around which
developed the abbey of Chateaulieu and the city of Mons (Belgium). Here she
gave herself completely to works of mercy and was well known for her miracles
of healing both before and after her death.
Reflection:
“I was hungry and you fed me, thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger
and you received me in your home, naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you
took care of me, in prison and you visited me” (Mt 25:35-36).
Daily Readings
April 8, 2025
Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Lent
Reading 1
Numbers 21:4–9
In
those days: From Mount Hor the Hebrews set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go
round the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. And the
people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of
Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we
loathe this worthless food.” Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the
people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. And the
people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the
Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from
us.” So Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery
serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it,
shall live.” So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a
serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 102:2–3, 16–21
Response:
O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you.
O
Lord, hear my prayer,
and
let my cry come to you.
Do
not hide your face from me
in
the day of my distress.
Turn
your ear toward me;
on
the day when I call, speedily answer me.
Response:
O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you.
The
nations shall fear the name of the Lord,
and
all the earth’s kings your glory.
When
the Lord shall build up Sion,
he
will appear in all his glory.
Then
he will turn to the prayers of the helpless;
he
will not despise their prayers.
Response:
O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you.
Let
this be written for ages to come,
that
a people yet unborn
may
praise the Lord;
The
Lord looked down from
his
holy place on high,
looked
down from heaven to the earth,
to
hear the groans of the prisoners,
and
free those condemned to die.
Response:
O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you.
Verse
Before the Gospel
The seed is the word of God,
Christ is the sower; all who come to him will live forever.
Gospel
John
8:21–30
At
that time: Jesus said to the Pharisees, “I am going away, and you will seek me,
and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” So the Jews
said, “Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot
come’?” He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this
world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for
unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.” So they said to
him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been telling you from
the beginning. I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent
me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.” They did
not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Father. So Jesus
said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that
I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the
Father taught me. And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for
I always do the things that are pleasing to him.” As he was saying these
things, many believed in him.
Reflection
The
tension between Jesus’ divine identity and the disbelief of the religious
leaders has reached its peak. To recognize Jesus as the Son of God and the
source of salvation, we need faith. We need to consider our own beliefs about
Jesus and the need to embrace the truth of his identity and mission. Jesus’
declaration as the “I AM” in John’s gospel is a profound affirmation of his
divine identity and mission. It links him to the god of the Old Testament and
emphasizes his role as the Messiah and the source of eternal life.
Understanding this statement is essential to grasping the depth of Jesus’
identity and the significance of the Christian faith.
Saint
Julie Billiart - Virgin (1751-1816)
Early
in life, Marie Rose Julie Billiart, the fifth of a devout family of seven
children in Piccardy, France, showed a deep attachment to things spiritual and
took a vow of chastity at 14. Two years later, the family business having
failed miserably, Julie had to “hire out” and work for others. About 1770,
radiating a contagious love of God and an eagerness to be spiritually helpful
to the young around her, she was permitted to receive Holy Communion
daily—something unheard of at the time.
An
attempt made on her father’s life so unnerved Julie, then 23, as to leave her
paralysed and bedridden for the next 30 years. Her saintly spirit intact,
however, her mystical life and her intimacy with God deepened further.
Repeatedly in danger of death at the hands of the Republicans during the French
Revolution (1789-95) she had to be precipitously moved from place to place,
Mass and Communion becoming possible only at odd intervals. Through it all
Julie continued to direct her charitable works from her bed, particularly
anxious to offset the evil of the day by providing, through pious friends, for
the education of poor orphans and, later on, of girls in general.
In
August 1803, with the cooperation of Francoise Blin de Bourdon, Visçountess of
Gezaincourt, and of Father Joseph Varin d’Ainville, Superior of the Fathers of
the Faith, Julie set her work on a permanent footing with the founding of the
“Institute of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur”. The following June, the then
53 year-old crippled, urged by a certain priest named Father Enfantin, took ‘a
single step for the love of the Sacred Heart’ and found herself completely
cured!
In
time, she founded ten convents in France and Belgium. Considerable opposition
and misunderstanding, particularly on the part of the Bishop of Amiens, caused
her, in 1809, to transfer the motherhouse to Namur, Belgium.
Marie
Rose Julie Billiart who died in 1816 was canonized in 1969.
Reflection:
“If we consider ourselves of no account, God will work through us! Our
institute will never prosper unless we are women of prayer!” (Saint Julie
Billiart)
Daily
Readings
April 7, 2025
Monday
of the Fifth Week of Lent
Reading
I
Daniel 13:41c–62 (Longer Form: Daniel 13:1–9, 15–17,
19–30, 33–62)
In those days: The assembly condemned Susanna to
death. Then Susanna cried out with a loud voice and said, “O eternal God, who
does discern what is secret, who is aware of all things before they come to be,
you know that these men have borne false witness against me. And now I am to
die! Yet I have done none of the things that they have wickedly invented
against me!” The Lord heard her cry. And as she was being led away to be put to
death, God aroused the holy spirit of a young lad named Daniel; and he cried
with a loud voice, “I am innocent of the blood of this woman.” All the people
turned to him and said, “What is this that you have said?” Taking his stand in
the midst of them, he said, “Are you such fools, you sons of Israel? Have you
condemned a daughter of Israel without examination and without learning the
facts? Return to the place of judgment. For these men have borne false witness
against her.” Then all the people returned in haste. And the elders said to
him, “Come, sit among us and inform us, for God has given you that right.” And
Daniel said to them, “Separate them far from each other, and I will examine
them.” When they were separated from each other, he summoned one of them and
said to him, “You old relic of wicked days, your sins have now come home, which
you have committed in the past, pronouncing unjust judgments, condemning the
innocent, and letting the guilty go free, though the Lord said, ‘Do not put to
death an innocent and righteous person’. Now then, if you really saw her, tell
me this: Under what tree did you see them being intimate with each other?” He
answered, “Under a mastic tree.” And Daniel said, “Very well! You have lied
against your own head, for the angel of God has received the sentence from God
and will immediately cut you in two.” Then he put him aside and commanded them
to bring the other. And he said to him, “You offspring of Canaan and not of
Judah, beauty has deceived you and lust has perverted your heart. This is how
you both have been dealing with the daughters of Israel, and they were intimate
with you through fear; but a daughter of Judah would not endure your
wickedness. Now then, tell me: Under what tree did you catch them being
intimate with each other?” He answered, “Under an evergreen oak.” And Daniel
said to him, “Very well! You also have lied against your own head, for the
angel of God is waiting with his sword to saw you in two, that he may destroy
you both.” Then all the assembly shouted loudly and blessed God, who saves
those who hope in him. And they rose against the two elders, for out of their
own mouths Daniel had convicted them of bearing false witness; and they did to
them as they had wickedly planned to do to their neighbour; acting in
accordance with the law of Moses, they put them to death. Thus innocent blood
was saved that day.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm
23:1–3a, 3b–4, 5, 6
Response:
Though I should walk in the valley of the shadow of death, no evil would I
fear, for you are with me.
The Lord is my
shepherd;
there is nothing
I shall want.
Fresh and green
are the pastures
where he gives me
repose.
Near restful
waters he leads me;
he revives my
soul.
Response:
Though I should walk in the valley of the shadow of death, no evil would I
fear, for you are with me.
He guides me
along the right path,
for the sake of
his name.
Though I should
walk in the valley of the shadow of death,
no evil would I
fear, for you are with me.
Your crook and
your staff will give me comfort.
Response:
Though I should walk in the valley of the shadow of death, no evil would I
fear, for you are with me.
You have prepared
a table before me
in the sight of
my foes.
My head you have
anointed with oil;
my cup is
overflowing.
Response:
Though I should walk in the valley of the shadow of death, no evil would I
fear, for you are with me.
Surely goodness
and mercy shall follow me
all the days of
my life.
In the Lord’s own
house shall I dwell
for length of
days unending.
Response: Though I should walk in the valley of the
shadow of death, no evil would I fear, for you are with me.
Verse before the Gospel
Ezekiel 33:11
I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, says
the Lord, but that the wicked turn from his way and live.
Gospel
John
8:12–20
At that time: Jesus spoke to the Pharisees, saying, “I
am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but
will have the light of life.” So the Pharisees said to him, “You are bearing
witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.” Jesus answered, “Even if I
do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came
from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am
going. You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. Yet even if I do
judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the
Father who sent me. In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people
is true. I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent
me bears witness about me.” They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?”
Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would
know my Father also.” These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the
temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.
Reflection
Jesus’ declaration, “I am the light of the world,”
carries profound implications for our life. It asserts that he is not merely a
prophet, teacher, or moral leader but the divine, eternal God incarnate. He is
one with the Father, as he consistently emphasizes throughout the Gospel of
John. The passage invites us to embrace and follow Jesus, the light and the
source of spiritual illumination and truth. We are challenged to follow him,
allowing his light to dispel the darkness of sin and ignorance in our lives. It
is important to recognize God’s testimony in Jesus to respond with faith and
obedience.
Saint John
Baptist De La Salle - Confessor (1651-1719)
John Baptist de
la Salle was made a canon of the cathedral of Reims at age 16 and ordained
priest at 27. A model of piety and humility, he was gradually drawn through his
love for the poor, into what was to become his life-work.
At that time
Jansenism—whose twin focus was the denial of man’s ability to resist temptation
and the rejection of the doctrine that Christ died for all men—had taken firm
root in France; the constant foreign and internal wars had brought people
famine, ruin and untold suffering; education was neglected, ignorance and vice
abounding. Faced with such desperate conditions, John de la Salle rejoiced at
being asked to help found two free schools for the poor. He took personal and
active interest in the teachers and their methods, encouraged them, housed and
fed them under his own roof, thus guaranteeing them against excessive
expenditure which might have consumed their meagre earnings.
To John the
education of the poor was an urgent need. The Institute of the Brothers of
Christian Schools, founded about 1680 on simplicity, mortification and absolute
reliance upon Divine Providence, finally blossomed into the flourishing and
worldwide religious congregation it is today. There were to be no priests in
his institute but only brothers, their lives fully consecrated as “educators of
the mind” and “apostles of the soul”. Above all he insisted on the teaching of
the Faith in Catholic Schools and the use of the vernacular instead of Latin in
school texts, so that through the pupils’ reading ability the parents at home
might also receive an education in Christian doctrine and morals.
His writings
embrace the fundamentals of scientific pedagogy, Christian behaviour and
manners, Christian doctrine, treatises on the religious life, method of mental
prayer and numerous meditations — all simple, direct and vigorous in approach.
John Baptist de
la Salle died in 1719, was canonized in 1900, and declared patron of all
teachers in 1950.
Reflection: “Zeal with prudence, light with charity,
and firmness with gentleness” (Saint John Baptist de la Salle).
Daily Readings
April 6, 2025
Fifth Sunday of
Lent
Reading I
Isaiah (43:16-21)
Thus
says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, who
brings forth chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot
rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick: “Remember not the former
things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it
springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and
rivers in the desert. The wild beasts will honour me, the jackals and the
ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give
drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself that they might
declare my praise.”
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6.
Response:
What great deeds the Lord worked for us! Indeed, we were glad.
When
the LORD brought back the exiles of Sion, we thought we were dreaming. Then was
our mouth filled with laughter; on our tongues, songs of joy.
Response:
What great deeds the Lord worked for us! Indeed, we were glad.
Then
the nations themselves said, “What great deeds the LORD worked for them!” What
great deeds the LORD worked for us! Indeed, we were glad.
Response:
What great deeds the Lord worked for us! Indeed, we were glad.
Bring
back our exiles, O LORD, as streams in the south. Those who are sowing in tears
will sing when they reap.
Response:
What great deeds the Lord worked for us! Indeed, we were glad.
They
go out, they go out, full of tears, bearing seed for the sowing; they come
back, they come back with a song, bearing their sheaves.
Response:
What great deeds the Lord worked for us! Indeed, we were glad.
Reading
II
Philippians
(3:8-14)
Brethren,
indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing
Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and
count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not
having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes
through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith –
that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his
sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may
attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or
am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has
made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But
one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies
ahead, I press on towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in
Christ Jesus.
Verse
before the Gospel
Joel
2:12-13
Even
now, declares the Lord, return to me with all your heart, for I am gracious and
merciful. Glory and praise to you, O Christ.
Gospel
John
(8:1-11)
At
that time Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he came again
to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. The
scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and
placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught
in the act of adultery. Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women.
So what do you say?” This they said to test him, that they might have some
charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the
ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let
him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And
once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they
went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone
with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman,
where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus
said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”
Reflection
Prophet
Isaiah enumerates the works of the Lord in the first exodus as he brings a new
message from God. The events brought to the attention of the people are the
marvelous signs he did as the people crossed the Red Sea, such as parting the
mighty waters, letting the horses and the chariots of the Egyptians to enter
the sea and getting perished there as the waters return on them with mighty
force. God is going to do something new and goes on to describe a number of
symbolic things: God will make a way in the wilderness and make water flow in
the desert whose waters the wild animals can drink and honour God. When we read
this prophecy in the season of Lent there is nothing to doubt that the newness
that God promises is the salvation he brings through his Son Jesus through his
suffering and death.
In
a moving passage Paul writes about a number of events from his personal life
after his encounter with Christ. He now considers all that was advantageous to
him earlier as rubbish. The knowledge of Christ is superior to everything else.
After this Paul goes on to explain that we gain acceptance before God by faith
and not through the works of the law.
The
story of the woman caught in adultery is a supreme example of Jesus’ attitude
towards sinners. The Jewish opponents bring a woman whom they say is caught in
the act of committing adultery before Jesus, in order to test him. The Scribes
and Pharisees know that the punishment for such a crime is death by stoning. In
a situation of considerable distress, the woman is of no concern to the Scribes
and Pharisees. Commentators regularly point out that the Pharisees and are not
concerned with execution of justice but only with the possibility of entrapping
Jesus. When Jesus asks the accusers to pass judgement only if they themselves
were without sin, they begin to exit the scene until only Jesus and the woman
are left standing on the spot. Nothing is said of the people. They also may
have departed, leaving Jesus alone with the woman.
Jesus
asks the woman if there is anyone who would accuse her and she says that there
is no one. Jesus then says that nor will he accuse here and he urges her to
avoid the sin in the future. None of them can lay claim to be without sin.
Jesus then dismisses the woman telling her to go and not to sin again. The
command to sin no more offers her the possibility of a newness of life in a
right relationship with God. What we see in this episode is Jesus’ ability to
handle tough situations. The Pharisees who bring the woman are tense, but Jesus
is calm and relaxed throughout; he accepts the woman openly and lovingly, as an
adult and as a person. He has a sureness of touch; he can handle the situation
and the relationship with her because he has nothing to be afraid of in
himself. Jesus is a totally integrated person: spiritually and emotionally.
Source:
The Sunday Liturgy
Saint
Celestine I - Pope, Confessor (-432)
Born
in Campania, Italy (date unknown), Celestine was a Deacon in Rome when he was
elected to succeed Boniface I on 20 September 422. An outstanding feature of
his pontificate which lasted till 432 was its vigorous attack on the twin
heresies then prevailing, viz., Nestorianism and Pelagianism.
It
was Celestine himself who had approved the choice of Nestorius as Patriarch of
Constantinople in 428. However, the latter’s teachings, stressing on the one
hand that Christ’s human and divine natures were each independent of the other,
and, on the other, denouncing Mary’s title of “Theotokos”—God-bearer—came as a
rude jolt to him. His untiring efforts to change such heretical thinking having
come to naught, Celestine entrusted Cyril, the saintly Archbishop of Alexandria
with the task of condemning Nestorius’ heresy and obtaining his recantation at
the Third Council of Ephesus held in 431. Celestine’s approval of the council’s
decree deposing and excommunicating Nestorius eventually led to a schism that
remained unresolved for over a century.
Earlier,
in 429, Celestine deputed two French bishops, viz., Saint Germanus of Auxerre
and Saint Lupus of Troyes to Rome to refute the doctrine of Pelagius that
minimalized the role of divine grace in man’s salvation. In 431, Celestine
consecrated Saint Palladius at Rome and sent him as the first bishop of
Ireland, to evangelize the Irish.
Saint
Celestine passed away on 27 July 432. Buried in the cemetery of Saint Priscilla
on the Via Salaria, his mortal remains were subsequently moved to the Basilica
di Santa Prassede.
Reflection:
“If I were trying to please men, I should not be a servant of Christ”
(Galatians 1:10).
Daily
Readings
April
5, 2025
Saturday
of the Fourth Week of Lent
Reading
1
Jeremiah
11:18–20
The
Lord made it known to me and I knew; then you showed me their deeds. But I was
like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter. I did not know it was against me they
devised schemes, saying, “Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, let us cut
him off from the land of the living, that his name be remembered no more.” But,
O Lord of hosts, who judges righteously, who tests the heart and the mind, let
me see your vengeance upon them, for to you have I committed my cause.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
7:2–3, 9bc–10, 11–12
Response:
O Lord, my God, I take refuge in you.
O Lord, my God, I take refuge in you.
Save and rescue me from all my pursuers,
lest they tear me apart like a lion,
and drag me off with no one to rescue me.
Response:
O Lord, my God, I take refuge in you.
Give judgment for me, O Lord,
for I am just and blameless of heart.
Put an end to the evil of the wicked!
Make the just man stand firm;
it is you who test mind and heart,
O God of justice!
Response:
O Lord, my God, I take refuge in you.
God is a shield before me,
who saves the upright of heart.
God is a judge, just and powerful and patient,
not exercising anger every day.
Response:
O Lord, my God, I take refuge in you.
Verse
Before the Gospel
See
Luke 8:15
Blessed
are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and
bear fruit with patience.
Gospel
John
7:40–53
At
that time: When they heard the words of Jesus, some of the people said, “This
really is the Prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is
the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that the Christ
comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where
David was?” So there was a division among the people over him. Some of them
wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him. The officers then came to
the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?”
The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this man!” The Pharisees
answered them, “Have you also been deceived? Have any of the authorities or the
Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd that does not know the law is
accursed.” Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said
to them, “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and
learning what he does?” They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and see
that no prophet arises from Galilee.” They went each to his own house.
Reflection
Today’s
gospel passage presents a snapshot of the diverse opinions and beliefs
surrounding Jesus during his earthly ministry. It challenges us to examine our
own beliefs, prejudices, and openness to the transformative power of Jesus’
words. It also emphasizes the importance of seeking the truth and recognizing
the fulfilment of the Old Testament prophecies in Jesus Christ. The gospel
passage also shows the spiritual blindness and prejudice of the religious
leaders, highlighting the detrimental effects of close-minded, prejudiced, and
preconceived notions. It serves as a reminder to remain open to the work of God
and to approach matters of faith with humility and a willingness to consider
alternative perspectives.
Saint
Vincent Ferrer - Confessor (1350-1419)
Born
in Valencia to parents of noble lineage, Vincent completed his philosophy at
age 14 and joined the Dominicans at 17. In 1384 he became professor at the
cathedral school, and in 1391 adviser to King John I of Aragon and confessor to
the queen. On the election of Cardinal Piedro de Luna as Pope Benedict XIII at
avignon, Vincent became his Grand Penitentiary and confessor, and in 1399
legate a latere Christi with full powers to preach penance and prepare the
faithful for God’s judgement.
Poorly
clad and travelling mostly on foot throughout France, Switzerland, Italy,
Spain, Germany, England, Scotland and Ireland, he drew huge throngs of people
with his well-prepared sermons that no church was found adequate enough to
accommodate! Stupendous miracles of healing marked his progress. He evidently
had the gift of tongues, for in each of these countries, with all their
different languages, he steadily succeeded in touching the hearts of his
hearers and awakening their consciences, frequently pausing to enable his
hearers to recover from weeping. In Spain alone he brought 25,000 Jews and
8,000 Moors into the Church, in northern Italy and southeastern France
thousands of Waldensians and Cathari, too; unlettered peasants came closer to
the Church.
Blessed
with the gift of prophecy, Vincent once singled out in a crowd in Alessandria
(northwestern Italy) the youthful Saint Bernardine of Siena who was to later
evangelize his native Italy. An indication of the esteem in which Vincent was
held throughout Spain can be gauged from the fact that in 1409 he was appointed
one of the judges to decide upon the successor to the throne, Ferdinand of
Castile owing his election to his influence.
To
Vincent goes the credit for the dramatic end to the 36-year long schismatic
disharmony in the Church. Having failed to urge the antipope Benedict XIII,
first in 1408 and then in 1415, to resign in favour of Clement VII (living at
Avignon, France), Vincent mounted the pulpit before a huge assembly presided
over by Benedict himself and him. Abandoned by his supporters Benedict
instantly fled!
Vincent’s
entire life was one of great austerity. He slept little and prayed much,
fasting rigorously. He died in 1419 while evangelizing Brittany and was
canonized in 1455.
Reflection:
“Many religious glory in the name of poverty but shun the sufferings and
humiliations which are attached to it. They glory in the name but fly from the
reality” (Saint Vincent Ferrer).
Daily
Readings
April 4, 2025
Friday
of the Fourth Week of Lent
Reading
1
Wisdom 2:1a, 12–22
Ungodly men reasoned unsoundly, saying to themselves,
“Let us lie in wait for the righteous man, because he is inconvenient to us and
opposes our actions; he reproaches us for sins against the law and accuses us
of sins against our training. He professes to have knowledge of God and calls
himself a child of the Lord. He became to us a reproof of our thoughts; the
very sight of him is a burden to us, because his manner of life is unlike that
of others and his ways are strange. We are considered by him as something base,
and he avoids our ways as unclean; he calls the last end of the righteous happy
and boasts that God is his father. Let us see if his words are true, and let us
test what will happen at the end of his life; for if the righteous man is God’s
son, he will help him and will deliver him from the hand of his adversaries.
Let us test him with insult and torture, that we may find out how gentle he is
and make trial of his forbearance. Let us condemn him to a shameful death for,
according to what he says, he will be protected.” Thus they reasoned, but they
were led astray, for their wickedness blinded them, and they did not know the
secret purposes of God or hope for the wages of holiness or discern the prize
for blameless souls.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm
34:17–18, 19–20, 21 and 23
Response:
The Lord is close to the broken-hearted.
The Lord turns
his face against the wicked
to destroy their
remembrance from the earth.
When the just cry
out, the Lord hears,
and rescues them
in all their distress.
Response:
The Lord is close to the broken-hearted.
The Lord is close
to the brokenhearted;
those whose
spirit is crushed he will save.
Many are the
trials of the just man,
but from them all
the Lord will rescue him.
Response:
The Lord is close to the broken-hearted.
He will keep
guard over all his bones;
not one of his
bones shall be broken.
The Lord ransoms
the souls of his servants.
All who trust in
him shall not be condemned.
Response: The Lord is close to the broken-hearted.
Verse Before the Gospel
Matthew 4:4b
Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word
that comes from the mouth of God.
Gospel
John
7:1–2, 10, 25–30
At that time: Jesus went about in Galilee. He would
not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him. Now the Jews’
Feast of Booths was at hand. But after his brothers had gone up to the feast,
then he also went up, not publicly but in private. Some of the people of
Jerusalem therefore said, “Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? And here
he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the
authorities really know that this is the Christ? But we know where this man comes
from, and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from.” So
Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, “You know me, and you know where
I come from. But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and
him you do not know. I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me.” So they
were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had
not yet come.
Reflection
In
today’s gospel passage, we observe a complex and dynamic scene of Jesus’
ministry. It shows his willingness to engage with various opinions and
challenges, his proclamation of himself as sent by the Father whom he knows,
and the ongoing opposition he faced as a result of this revelation of his
relationship with the Father. It calls us to examine our beliefs, seek the
truth in Jesus, and respond to his invitation to faith and eternal life. Jesus, the Living Water, is the source of
spiritual life, satisfaction, and eternal fulfilment. He invites all who are
spiritually thirsty to come to Him and experience a deep, lasting quenching of
that thirst (v. 37-38). This metaphor
underscores the central theme of Jesus as the way to salvation and the
fulfilment of our deepest spiritual needs.
Saint Isidore -
Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church (c 560-636)
Hailing from a
noble Roman family in Cartagena, Spain, Saint Isidore was the younger brother
of three other saints, viz., Leander, Archbishop of Seville, Fulgentius, Bishop
of Eeija, and Florentina, the nun who is said to have governed 1,000 religious
in 40 convents.
In 599 Isidore
succeeded his own brother at Seville. He so governed the great See for 37 years
as to strengthen Church discipline and encourage monasticism and, in time, even
converting to the Faith from Arianism the Visigoths, ruling Spain for almost 200
years.
Among his synods,
the fourth national council at Toledo in 633 was particularly important in that
it obliged each Bishop to establish a seminary in his respective diocese and to
encourage the study of Greek, Hebrew, law and medicine. An amazingly learned
man, considered the last of the ancient Christian philosophers and great Latin
Fathers, Isidore compiled a Spanish missal and breviary and so is credited with
being the author of the beautiful Mozarabic Liturgy.
This
“School-master of the Middle Ages” who had mastered every branch of science,
the best known among his versatile writings being his Etymologiae, a systematic
anthology of knowledge which became the most popular text book for instruction
in theology, asceticism, history, geography, astronomy, grammar, biography etc
in the Middle Ages, died in 636, was canonized in 1598 and declared Doctor of
the Church in 1722.
Reflection:
“The suffering of adversity does not degrade you but exalts you. Human
tribulation teaches you; it does not destroy you. The more we are afflicted in
this world, the greater is our assurance for the next. The more we sorrow in
the present, the greater will be our joy in the future” (Saint Isidore of
Seville).
Daily
Readings
April
3, 2025
Thursday
of the Fourth Week of Lent
Reading
1
Exodus
32:7–14
In those days: The Lord said to Moses, “Go down, for
your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted
themselves. They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded
them. They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it and
sacrificed to it and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up
out of the land of Egypt!’” And the Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this
people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people. Now therefore let me alone, that
my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, in order that I may
make a great nation of you.” But Moses implored the Lord his God and said, “O
Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought
out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should
the Egyptians say, ‘With evil intent did he bring them out, to kill them in the
mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your
burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people. Remember
Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self,
and said to them, ‘I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and
all this land that I have promised I will give to your offspring, and they
shall inherit it for ever.’” And the Lord relented from the disaster that he
had spoken of bringing on his people.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 106:19–20, 21–22, 23
Response: O Lord, remember us with the favour you show
to your people.
They fashioned a calf at Horeb,
and worshiped an image of metal;
they exchanged their glory
for the image of a bull that eats grass.
Response: O Lord, remember us with the favour you show
to your people.
They forgot the God who was their saviour,
who had done such great things in Egypt,
such wonders in the land of Ham,
such marvels at the Red Sea.
Response: O Lord, remember us with the favour you show
to your people.
For this he said he would destroy them,
but Moses, the man he had chosen,
stood in the breach before him,
to turn back his anger from destruction.
Response: O Lord, remember us with the favour you show
to your people.
Verse
Before the Gospel
John
3:16
God
so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son; that whoever believes
in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Gospel
John
5:31–47
At that time: Jesus said to the Jews, “If I alone bear
witness about myself, my testimony is not true. There is another who bears
witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true.
You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. Not that the testimony
that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. He
was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in
his light. But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the
works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am
doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. And the Father who
sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his
form you have never seen, and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you
do not believe the one whom he has sent. You search the Scriptures because you
think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness
about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. I do not receive
glory from people. But I know that you do not have the love of God within you.
I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in
his own name, you will receive him. How can you believe, when you receive glory
from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? Do not
think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you:
Moses, on whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would
believe me; for he wrote of me. But if you do not believe his writings, how
will you believe my words?”
Reflection
Today’s gospel passage highlights the importance of
testimony and evidence in recognizing Jesus’ divine authority and identity. We
are challenged to examine our beliefs and the witness we bear for Christ,
reminding us that the testimony of others, Jesus’ works, the Father’s witness,
and the Scriptures, all point to the reality of Jesus as the Son of God and the
source of eternal life. Ultimately, we are challenged to respond in faith and
bear witness to the truth of Jesus in our own lives. The witness of the Father
in today’s gospel emphasizes the divine validation of Jesus’ identity and
mission. It highlights the significance of faith, the consistency with God’s
character, and the transformative power of embracing God’s testimony through
His Son. Jesus invites us to recognize and respond to the Father’s witness by
placing our faith in Him, thereby experiencing the eternal life that comes from
knowing God through His Son, Jesus Christ.
Saint Richard of Chichester - Bishop, Confessor
(1197-1253)
This English saint to whom we owe the beautiful
prayer, “Lord Jesus, Saviour, friend and brother, grant that I may know you
more clearly, love you more dearly, and follow you more nearly”, was orphaned
at an early age. Regaining by sheer dint of courage and hard work his family’s
fortune which had been mismanaged by his guardian, he turning it over to his
brother, Robert, and went on to obtain for himself an excellent education at
Oxford, Paris and Bologna.
Famed equally for his expertise in Canon Law and for
the sanctity of his life, he was appointed Chancellor of the University of
Oxford and, soon after, archdiocesan Chancellor at Canterbury; as an intimate
friend, he accompanied Edmund Rich, Archbishop of Canterbury into exile in
France, when this became necessary due to the interference of King Henry III in
the filling of vacant Sees.
In 1244 Richard, by then a priest, was consecrated
bishop of Chichester by Innocent IV in 1245 in preference to the king’s
nominee. However, Richard was allowed to take charge of his see by Henry only
when the latter was threatened with excommunication.
Richard lived in extreme simplicity, sharing much of
his income with the poor; though for two years the crown withheld his diocesan
revenues, he did much to raise the calibre of his clergy by issuing a set of
statutes to regulate their life and work, even insisting upon every priest
having a copy of the same and carrying it along to the synods.
Richard died in 1253 and was canonized by Urban IV in
1262.
Reflection: “God is faithful, and if we serve him
faithfully he will provide for our needs” (Saint Richard of Chichester).
Daily
Readings
April
2, 2025
Wednesday
of the Fourth Week of Lent
Reading
1
Isaiah 49:8–15
Thus says the Lord: “In a time of favour I have
answered you; in a day of salvation I have helped you; I will keep you and give
you as a covenant to the people, to establish the land, to apportion the
desolate heritages, saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out’, to those who are in
darkness, ‘Appear.’ They shall feed along the ways; on all bare heights shall
be their pasture; they shall not hunger or thirst, neither scorching wind nor
sun shall strike them, for he who has pity on them will lead them, and by springs
of water will guide them. And I will make all my mountains a road, and my
highways shall be raised up. Behold, these shall come from afar, and behold,
these from the north and from the west, and these from the land of Syene.” Sing
for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing!
For the Lord has comforted his people and will have compassion on his
afflicted. But Sion said, “The Lord has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me.
Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the
son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.”
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm
145:8–9, 13cd–14, 17–18
Response:
The Lord is kind and full of compassion.
The Lord is kind
and full of compassion,
slow to anger,
abounding in mercy.
How good is the
Lord to all,
compassionate to
all his creatures.
Response:
The Lord is kind and full of compassion.
The Lord is
faithful in all his words,
and holy in all
his deeds.
The Lord supports
all who fall,
and raises up all
who are bowed down.
Response:
The Lord is kind and full of compassion.
The Lord is just
in all his ways,
and holy in all
his deeds.
The Lord is close
to all who call him,
who call on him
in truth.
Response: The Lord is kind and full of compassion.
Verse Before the Gospel
John 11:25a, 26
I
am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord; everyone who lives and
believes in me shall never die.
Gospel
John
5:17–30
At that time: Jesus answered the Jews, “My Father is
working until now, and I am working.” This was why the Jews were seeking all
the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was
even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. So Jesus said
to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord,
but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the
Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he
himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you
may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the
Son gives life to whom he will. For the Father judges no one, but has given all
judgment to the Son, that all may honour the Son, just as they honour the
Father. Whoever does not honour the Son does not honour the Father who sent
him. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who
sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from
death to life. Truly, truly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and is now here,
when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will
live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to
have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment,
because he is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, for the hour is coming
when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have
done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the
resurrection of judgment. I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and
my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who
sent me.”
Reflection
Today’s gospel passage offers us profound theological
insights into 1) the nature of Jesus’ divinity; 2) Jesus’ relationship with the
Father; 3) his authority over life and judgment; 4) the role of faith in
salvation; and 5) the importance of aligning our lives with God’s will. It
challenges us to recognize and trust in Jesus as the source of eternal life and
to seek conformity with God’s purposes in our lives. It also underscores the
importance of faith and unity within the community of believers. The discourse
presents Jesus’ claim to equality with God in various aspects, including shared
work, sonship, authority, unity in purpose, the ability to grant eternal life,
and divine sovereignty. It’s a foundational passage highlighting Jesus’
divinity and reinforcing the idea that he and the Father are one in purpose and
mission. This concept of equality with God is central to Christian theology and
underscores the divinity of Jesus Christ.
Saint
Francis of Paola - Confessor (1416-1507)
The belief of
Robert Martolella’s parents that his birth, after years of childlessness, was
the result of the intercession of Saint Francis d’Assisi was further reinforced
with the healing they obtained through his intercession for their young
infant’s eye. The boy was 13 when they fulfilled their vow of having him spend
a year in a Franciscan monastery, donning a Franciscan habit, in accordance
with medieval practice, where he proved himself a model of extraordinary
humility, abnegation and love of prayer.
Returning from a
pilgrimage to Rome, Assisi and other places, he took the name of Francis and
began the austere, solitary life in a lonely cave on the sea-coast where, in
1435, he built a chapel and three cells when two companions joined him as
anchorites, thus forming the nucleus of the Order of the Hermits of Saint
Francis, later known as ‘Minims’, “the least in the House of God”. By 1454
there were monasteries established in southern Italy and Sicily, apart from a
Second Order for nuns and a Third Order for those who would live out his
charism in the world. Central to the severity of their life was charity,
humility and poverty, abstinence covering all meat and animal products.
Outspoken in
reproving even the King of Naples for his evil ways, Francis’ fame reached
France where the dying Louis XI sought him out before dying a penitent death.
Resultantly, he spent 25 years in France as counsellor to Charles VIII and
Louis XII, successive occupants of the throne, restoring peace between France
and Spain.
Francis died on
Good Friday 1507, aged 91, leaving behind a legacy of 400 convents, the Order’s
five provinces covering Italy, France, Germany and Spain, and was canonized in
1519.
Reflection: “By this shall all men know that you are
my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).
Daily
Readings
April
1, 2025
Tuesday
of the Fourth Week of Lent
Reading
1
Ezekiel 47:1–9, 12
In those days: [The angel] brought me back to the door
of the temple, and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the
temple towards the east (for the temple faced east). The water was flowing down
from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar.
Then he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me round on the outside
to the outer gate that faces towards the east; and behold, the water was
trickling out on the south side. Going on eastwards with a measuring line in
his hand, the man measured a thousand cubits, and then led me through the
water, and it was ankle-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through
the water, and it was knee-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me
through the water, and it was waist-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and it
was a river that I could not pass through, for the water had risen. It was deep
enough to swim in, a river that could not be passed through. And he said to me,
“Son of man, have you seen this?” Then he led me back to the bank of the river.
As I went back, I saw on the bank of the river very many trees on one side and
on the other. And he said to me, “This water flows towards the eastern region
and goes down into the Arabah, and enters the sea; when the water flows into
the sea, the water will become fresh. And wherever the river goes, every living
creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish. For this
water goes there, that the waters of the sea may become fresh; so everything will
live where the river goes. And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there
will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their
fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for
them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves
for healing.”
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 46:2-3,
5-6, 8-9
Response: The
Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
God is for us a
refuge and strength,
an ever-present
help in time of distress:
so we shall not
fear though the earth should rock,
though the
mountains quake to the heart of the sea.
Response: The
Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
The waters of a
river give joy to God’s city,
the holy place,
the dwelling of the Most High.
God is within, it
cannot be shaken;
God will help it
at the dawning of the day.
Response: The
Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
the God of Jacob
is our stronghold.
Come and behold
the works of the Lord,
the awesome deeds
he has done on the earth.
Response:
The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
Verse Before the Gospel
Psalm 51:12a, 14a
Create a pure heart for me, O God; restore in me the
joy of your salvation.
Gospel
John
5:1–16
There was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to
Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic
called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. In these lay a multitude of
invalids – blind, lame, and paralysed. One man was there who had been an
invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he
had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?”
The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the
water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” Jesus
said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once the man
was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath. So
the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not
lawful for you to take up your bed.” But he answered them, “The man who healed
me, that man said to me, ‘Take up your bed, and walk.’” They asked him, “Who is
the man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” Now the man who had been
healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd
in the place. Afterwards Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See,
you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” The man went
away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. And this was why
the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the
Sabbath.
Reflection
Jesus heals a man who was invalid for thirty-eight
years. This healing incident reminds us of the profound and transformative
nature of Jesus’ ministry and his role as the source of spiritual and physical
healing. It challenges us to move from a place of brokenness to one of
wholeness through our encounter with Christ and his transformative grace. The
incident serves as a powerful symbol of spiritual healing by illustrating the
disabled man’s condition as a symbol of humanity’s spiritual brokenness. The
Pool of Bethesda is a symbol of worldly attempts to find spiritual relief.
Jesus is the divine healer, offering grace and salvation. The healing word of
Jesus points to God’s transformative power. The Sabbath controversy challenges
us to go beyond legalism. The man’s faith and response show the steps involved
in spiritual renewal. This passage invites us to consider our spiritual
condition and our need for the healing and transformation that only Jesus can
provide.
Saint Hugh -
Bishop, Confessor (1053-1132)
It
was at the early age of 25 and while still a layman that Hugh, a native of the
Dauphine (south-eastern France), was made Canon at Valence. An active defendant
of the reforms promulgated by Pope Saint Gregory VII, he was consecrated Bishop
of Grenoble two years later and laboured zealously, though unsuccessfully, to
eradicate the evils of simony and concubinage in his diocese. In 1082,
convinced of his own ineffectiveness, he resigned from the Bishopric and
proceeded to become a Benedictine monk at the austere abbey of La Chaise-Dieu
in Auvergne; at the express orders of the Pope, however, he returned to his
post the following year and there remained until he was called to his reward on
1 April 1132, what with each of the four succeeding Popes turning down his plea
to be relieved of his duties. He was canonized two years later by Innocent III.
In
1084 Hugh personally conducted Saint Bruno and his six companions to the wild
Alpine solitude near Grenoble, called Chartreuse, and presented them with the
land on which they went on to construct their first Carthusian monastery, the
Grande Chartreuse (Great Chartre-house). Here he frequently shared in the
monks’ life of poverty, prayer and solitary study. His personal austerity and
excessive fasts that affected his health were only moderated at the insistence
of Saint Bruno, his spiritual director.
To
relieve the distress of the poor, Hugh, who always travelled on foot, is said
to have disposed of his golden chalice and Episcopal ring and was famed for his
equitable judgements, which were readily accepted by both litigants.
Reflection:
“Vanity and inordinate affections suffice to damn a soul” (Saint Hugh of
Grenoble).
Daily
Readings
March
29, 2025
Saturday
of the Third Week of Lent
Reading
I
Hosea 6:1–6
“Come, let us return to the Lord; for he has torn us,
that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up. After two
days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live
before him. Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is
sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that
water the earth.” What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with
you, O Judah? Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes early
away. Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets; I have slain them by the
words of my mouth, and my judgment goes forth as the light. For I desire
steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt
offerings.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm
51:3–4, 18–19, 20–21ab
Response:
I desire steadfast love, and not sacrifice.
Have mercy on me,
O God,
according to your
merciful love;
according to your
great compassion,
blot out my
transgressions.
Wash me
completely from my iniquity,
and cleanse me
from my sin.
Response:
I desire steadfast love, and not sacrifice.
For in sacrifice
you take no delight;
burnt offering
from me
would not please
you.
My sacrifice to
God, a broken spirit:
a broken and
humbled heart,
O God, you will
not spurn.
Response:
I desire steadfast love, and not sacrifice.
In your good
pleasure, show favour to Sion;
rebuild the walls
of Jerusalem.
Then you will
delight in right sacrifice,
burnt offerings
wholly consumed.
Response: I desire steadfast love, and not sacrifice.
Verse before the Gospel
Psalm 95:8
O
that today you would listen to his voice! Harden not your hearts.
Gospel
Luke
18:9–14
At that time: Jesus told this parable to some who
trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with
contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the
other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I
thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or
even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I
get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes
to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I
tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For
everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself
will be exalted.”
Reflection
Many of the Pharisees and Sadducees, during the time
of Jesus, were self-righteous people and were blind to the goodness of others.
Jesus always condemned this self-righteous attitude. In Isaiah 64:6 we read,
“We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are
like a polluted garment”. Self-righteous people are self-centred and proud of
their goodness. On the other hand, Jesus found many tax collectors and sinners
humbling themselves and receiving the message of the kingdom acknowledging
their unworthiness before God. Self-righteous people have a highly exaggerated
image of themselves. Considering themselves worthy before God, they look down
upon others. They like to display their good deeds. Let us look into ourselves
and see whether we have any of these tendencies.
St Rupert, Bishop Confessor ( - 710)
The early history
of St Rupert was formerly very obscure; and there has been considerable
difference of opinion as to the date at which he actually flourished and died.
According to the most reliable sources he was a Frank, though Colgan claims
that he was an Irishman whose Gaelic name was Robertach. It is affirmed with
certainty now that he was the son of St Bertha of Lorraine and that he was
consecrated a bishop at Worms before he began his missionary activities.
About the year
697, together with several of his companions, Rupert presented himself before
Duke Theodo, without whose permission nothing could be done. Theodo not only
made them welcome, but also consented to listen to their preaching and to
receive instruction. Rupert confirmed his preaching with miracles. The duke’s
conversion and baptism was followed by that of many of the nobles as well as of
many of the subjects, without much opposition having been met with.
He made the old
ruined town of Juvavum, which the duke had given him, his headquarters.
Renaming it Salzburg, he built there a church and a monastery with a school
which were dedicated to St Peter. Rupert had been ably seconded by his
companions, three of whom, Vitalis, Chuniald and Gislar, were later declared
Saints.
He also admitted
his sister (or niece), St Erentrudis, into the nunnery which he built at
Nonnberg and of which she became the first abbess. He died at Salzburg
(Austria) probably about the year 710 or 718. St Rupert’s feast is observed in
Ireland as well as in Austria and Bavaria.
Reflection: “God
does not command us to live dressed in hair-shirts and chains, or to chastise
our flesh with scourges, but to love him above all things and our neighbour as
ourselves” (St Charles Sezze).
Daily Readings
March 28, 2025
Friday of the Third Week of Lent
Reading 1
Hosea 14:1–9
Thus says the
Lord: Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God for you have stumbled because of
your iniquity. Take with you words and return to the Lord; say to him, “Take
away all iniquity; accept what is good, and we will pay with bulls the vows of
our lips. Assyria shall not save us; we will not ride on horses; and we will
say no more, ‘Our God’, to the work of our hands. In you the orphan finds
mercy.” I will heal their apostasy; I will love them freely, for my anger has
turned from them. I will be like the dew to Israel; he shall blossom like the
lily; he shall take root like the trees of Lebanon; his shoots shall spread
out; his beauty shall be like the olive, and his fragrance like Lebanon. They
shall return and dwell beneath my shadow; they shall flourish like the corn;
they shall blossom like the vine; their fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon.
O Ephraim, what have I to do with idols? It is I who answer and look after you.
I am like an evergreen cypress; from me comes your fruit. Whoever is wise, let
him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the
ways of the Lord are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors
stumble in them.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
81:6c–11ab, 14 & 17
Response:
I am the Lord your God: listen to my voice.
A voice I did not
know said to me:
I freed your
shoulder from the burden;
your hands were
freed from the builder’s basket.
You called in
distress and I delivered you.
Response:
I am the Lord your God: listen to my voice.
I answered,
concealed in the thunder;
at the waters of
Meribah I tested you.
Listen, my
people, as I warn you.
O Israel, if only
you would heed!
Response:
I am the Lord your God: listen to my voice.
Let there be no
strange god among you,
nor shall you
worship a foreign god.
I am the Lord
your God,
who brought you
up from the land of Egypt.
Response:
I am the Lord your God: listen to my voice.
O that my people
would heed me,
that Israel would
walk in my ways!
But Israel I
would feed with finest wheat,
and satisfy with
honey from the rock.
Response:
I am the Lord your God: listen to my voice.
Verse
Before the Gospel
Matthew
4:17
Repent, says the Lord, for the kingdom of heaven is at
hand.
Gospel
Mark
12:28b–34
At that time: One
of the scribes came up to Jesus and asked him, “Which commandment is the most
important of all?” Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The
Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your
heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your
strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’
There is no other commandment greater than these.” And the scribe said to him,
“You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no
other besides him. And to love him with all the heart and with all the
understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbour as
oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” And when
Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the
kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.
Reflection
When one of the
scribes asked Jesus about the greatest commandment, he spoke of loving “the
Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind
and with all your strength”. In the same breath he added, ‘And the second is
this: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself”. To this answer of Jesus, the
scribe added a comment – “is much more than all whole burnt offerings and
sacrifices”. Confirming this comment, Jesus said, “You are not far from the
kingdom of God”. By this, Jesus wanted to emphasize once again that the love of
God and the love of neighbour are greater than sacrifices and rituals. Jesus
always challenged ritualism. This can be seen in the parable of the Good
Samaritan too where he presents the priest and the Levite in a lesser light.
St Sixtus
III, Pope ( - 440)
Son of Xystus, St
Sixtus was Chief Roman priest at the time of his election to succeed Pope St
Celestine I on 31 July 432. He was known to St Augustine.
Sixtus was a
conciliator. Following the Council of Ephesus (431) he encouraged the
negotiations between Cyril of Alexandria and John of Antioch who were in
disagreement regarding the two natures in Christ. When they at last came to an
agreement, he wrote to congratulate them (433).
Among the other
fortifications in the city, Sixtus restored the Liberian Basilica, now called
St Mary Major and rebuilt the Lateran Baptistery, giving it the present form. A
second basilica was joined to the Church of St Lawrence outside-the-walls to
replace what had been carried off by the Visigoths. Valentinian III was
persuaded by him to contribute silver and gold ornaments to the basilicas of
Sts Peter, Paul and John Lateran.
After his death
on 19 August 440, his mortal remains were buried in St Lawrence’s church, and
his name was included in the 9th century version of the Roman Martyrology by
Ado of Sens.
Reflection:
“Nothing is anything more to me; everything is nothing to me, but Jesus:
neither things nor persons, neither ideas nor emotions, neither honour nor
sufferings. Jesus is for me honour, delight, heart and soul” (St Bernadette).
Daily Readings
March 27, 2025
Thursday of the Third Week of Lent
Reading 1
Jeremiah 7:23–28
Thus says the Lord: “This command I gave my people: ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.’ But they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and the stubbornness of their evil hearts, and went backwards and not forwards. From the day that your fathers came out of the land of Egypt to this day, I have persistently sent all my servants the prophets to them, day after day. Yet they did not listen to me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck. They did worse than their fathers. So you shall speak all these words to them, but they will not listen to you. You shall call to them, but they will not answer you. And you shall say to them, ‘This is the nation that did not obey the voice of the Lord their God, and did not accept discipline; truth has perished; it is cut off from their lips.’”
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 95:1–2, 6–9
Response: O that today you would listen to his voice! Harden not your hearts.
Come, let us ring out our joy to the Lord;
hail the rock who saves us.
Let us come into his presence, giving thanks;
let us hail him with a song of praise.
Response: O that today you would listen to his voice! Harden not your hearts.
O come; let us bow and bend low.
Let us kneel before the God who made us,
for he is our God and we
the people who belong to his pasture,
the flock that is led by his hand.
Response: O that today you would listen to his voice! Harden not your hearts.
O that today you would listen to his voice!
Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
as on that day at Massah in the desert
when your forebears put me to the test;
when they tried me, though they saw my work.
Response: O that today you would listen to his voice! Harden not your hearts.
Verse Before the Gospel
Joel 2:12-13
Even now, declares the Lord, return to me with all your heart, for I am gracious and merciful
Gospel
Luke 11:14–23
At that time: Jesus was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons”, while others, to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven. But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armour in which he trusted and divides his spoil. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
Reflection
One of the ugliest accusations against Jesus was that he casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons. Jesus confronted his accusers and emphasized that he was casting out demons with the finger or power of God and that such an activity announced the advent of the Kingdom of God. Jesus does not have a pact with the devil for his peaceful ministry. Jesus is the one stronger than the strong man fully armed and guarding his palace. He takes away the devil’s arms and divides his spoils. The incident shows to what extent Jesus had to face accusations from his opponents. Jesus faced all types of human sufferings including the pain caused by absolutely false accusations of serious nature. We too need to learn from Jesus and fearlessly confront the devil and his army.
St John of Egypt, Hermit (c.300-394)
Until he was 25, John worked as a carpenter with his father. Then, feeling called by God, he left the world and committed himself to a holy solitary life in the desert. His master tried his spirit by many unreasonable demands, bidding him roll the hard rocks, tend dead trees, and the like. In all things, John obeyed with the simplicity of a child.
After a training of 16 years he withdrew to the top of a steep cliff to think only of God and his soul. The more he knew of himself, the more he distrusted himself. For the last 50 years, therefore, he saw no women, and seldom men. The result of this vigilance and purity was threefold: a holy joy and cheerfulness which consoled all who conversed with him; perfect obedience to superiors; and, in return for this: authority over creatures whom he had forsaken for the Creator.
Devils assailed him continually, but his prayer never ceased. From his long communing with God, he turned to men with gifts of healing and prophecy. Twice each week he spoke through a window with those who came to him, blessing oil for their sick and predicting future happenings. A deacon approached him in disguise and John reverently kissed his hand. To the Emperor Theodosius I he foretold his future victories and his death (394).
The last three days of his life John gave wholly to God. On the third day he was found dead on his knees as if in prayer, but his soul was with the Lord. It was the year 394.
Reflection: “Faith believes; hope prays; and charity begs in order to give to others. Humility of heart forms the prayer; confidence speaks it and perseverance triumphs over God himself” (St Peter Julian Eymard).
Daily Readings
March 26, 2025
Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent
Reading 1
Deuteronomy 4:1, 5–9
Moses spoke to the people, saying, “And now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the rules that I am teaching you, and do them, that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you. See, I have taught you statutes and rules, as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law that I set before you today? Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children.”
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 147:12–13, 15–16, 19–20
Response: O Jerusalem, glorify the Lord!
O Jerusalem, glorify the Lord!
O Sion, praise your God!
He has strengthened the bars of your gates;
he has blessed your children within you.
Response: O Jerusalem, glorify the Lord!
He sends out his word to the earth,
and swiftly runs his command.
He showers down snow like wool;
he scatters hoarfrost like ashes.
Response: O Jerusalem, glorify the Lord!
He reveals his word to Jacob;
to Israel, his decrees and judgments.
He has not dealt thus with other nations;
he has not taught them his judgments.
Response: O Jerusalem, glorify the Lord!
Verse Before the Gospel
John 6:63c, 68c
Your words, Lord, are spirit and life; you have the words of eternal life.
Gospel
Matthew 5:17–19
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Reflection
In today’s Gospel, Jesus categorically states that he came not to abolish but to fulfil the Law and the Prophets. Jesus is the fulfilment of the Old Testament Prophecies. He completes the Law and the Prophets. Luke 24:27 says, “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself”. The Old Testament is most clearly understood in the light of the Christ-event. In the teachings of the Apostles found in the New Testament this truth is brought out. In 2 Corinthians 3:15-16, we read, “to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed”. It is with this understanding that we should read the Old and New Testaments of the Bible.
St Ludger, Bishop, Confessor (c.744-809)
St Ludger was born near Utrecht (Holland) of wealthy and noble Frisian parents. At 9, an encounter with St Boniface, the great apostle of Germany, sufficed to decide Ludger’s career.
In 777 Ludger was ordained to the priesthood and sent as a missionary to eastern Friesland where St Boniface had met his death at Dokkum. But after 7 years the Saxons were incited by Widukind to return to their heathen gods, and to expel all missionaries and burn their churches. As a result, Ludger spent three years in Rome and Monte Cassino until Widukind was defeated by Charlemagne in 787. He then took up his missionary activity again and with renewed enthusiasm. Not long after, the Saxons living in what is today Westphalia, were added to his missionary field, and he established his central monastery at Muenster.
The “Apostle of Westphalia” — as he came to be known — became famed for his unfailing gentleness and bounteous charities, and these virtues, more than any military subjugation, caused great numbers of the Saxons to embrace the Christian faith. Consecrated first bishop of Muenster in 804, he laboured assiduously at building up a devout and energetic clergy, and gave much of his time to their personal instruction.
Upon his death on Passion Sunday, 26 March 809, St Ludger was buried at Werden, where his relics still remain. The ancient well at Muenster, which St Ludger used for baptisms, was, in 1909, the scene of a touching rededication by thousands of the faithful during the celebration of the 11th centenary of the diocese.
Reflection: “Eye has not seen nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, what things God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Cor 2:9).
Daily Readings
March 25, 2025, Tuesday
Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord
Reading 1
Isaiah 7:10–14; 8:10
In those days: The Lord spoke to Ahaz: “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.” And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Take counsel together, but it will come to nothing; speak a word, but it will not stand, for God is with us.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 40:7–8a, 8b–9, 10, 11
Response: See, I have come, Lord, to do your will.
You delight not in sacrifice and offerings,
but in an open ear.
You do not ask for holocaust and victim.
Then I said, “See, I have come.”
Response: See, I have come, Lord, to do your will.
In the scroll of the book it stands
written of me:
“I delight to do your will, O my God;
your instruction lies deep within me.”
Response: See, I have come, Lord, to do your will.
Your justice I have proclaimed
in the great assembly.
My lips I have not sealed;
you know it, O Lord.
Response: See, I have come, Lord, to do your will.
Your saving help I have not hidden in my heart;
of your faithfulness and salvation I have spoken.
I made no secret of your merciful love
and your faithfulness to the great assembly.
Response: See, I have come, Lord, to do your will.
Reading 2
Hebrews 10:4–10
Brethren: It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.” When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Verse Before the Gospel
John 1:14ab
The word became flesh and dwelt among us; and we have seen his glory.
Gospel
Luke 1:26–38
At that time: The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Reflection
Traditionally, nine months before Christmas the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord remembering the moment when the Angel Gabriel brought the message of the Incarnation to our Lady. God chose Mary to be the mother of His Son. Mary on her part freely accepted this divine choice and co-operated with God. That was the great moment of the commencement of the most significant stage of the Plan of God for the redemption of humanity. In Mary’s FIAT, God found worthy reciprocity. She received the Son of God into her womb. And that made the redemption of humanity possible. The Lord intervenes in our lives too. He wants to work out his ways in us. Are we ready to allow him to do so? Are we docile to the Spirit of the Living God?
The Annunciation of the Lord
In the Feast of the Annunciation the Church celebrates the greatest event in the history of humankind, viz., the Incarnation of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We relive the significance of this beautiful event, one of the most important and best-remembered mysteries of our faith, each time we recite the Angelus — “And the Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us” (Jn 1:14).
This feast is celebrated on 25 March to precede the feast of Christmas by nine months. It was formerly known as the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, until its original, ancient title, the “‘Annunciation of the Lord” was restored. In fact, it is a joint feast of Our Lord and Our Lady, as Pope Paul VI says, the feast of the “Word who becomes Son of Mary, and of the Virgin who becomes Mother of God”.
The Annunciation brings into focus the fulfilment of a dual vocation. The Second Person of the Blessed Trinity had a very specific purpose in becoming man, a vocation, viz., to free human beings for eternity from the ravages of sin and death. In acquiescing to God’s plan for bringing about this reality, Mary assented to fulfilling her own vocation. This act is deeply rooted in a personal choice and decision, one, however, that is essentially preceded by another choice, a choice on the part of God.
This feast leads us to realize the magnificence of divine grace, the wonder of God’s freely given love. Going deeper, the marvel of Mary, even in the midst of the very ordinariness of her life, is the clarion call of the Creator to each of us to wake up to the marvellous creatures that we all are by divine design.
Reflection: “He emptied himself; though invisible he made himself visible, though creator and Lord of all things he chose to be one of us mortal men. Yet this was not condescension – if compassion, not the loss of omnipotence. So he who in the nature of God had created
man, became in the nature of a servant, man himself” (St Leo).
Daily Readings
March 24, 2025
Monday of the Third Week of Lent
Reading 1
2 Kings 5:1–15a
In those days: Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favour, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valour, but he was a leper. Now the Syrians on one of their raids had carried off a little girl from the land of Israel, and she worked in the service of Naaman’s wife. She said to her mistress, “Would that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” So Naaman went in and told his lord, “Thus and so spoke the girl from the land of Israel.” And the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So he went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing. And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, “When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you Naaman my servant, that you may cure him of his leprosy.” And when the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Only consider, and see how he is seeking a quarrel with me.” But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come now to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel.” So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha’s house. And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean.” But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, “Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage. But his servants came near and said to him, “My father, if it is a great word the prophet has spoken to you; will you not do it? Has he actually said to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and he came and stood before him. And he said, “Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel.”
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 42:2, 3; 43:3, 4
Response: My soul is thirsting for God, the living God.
When can I enter and appear before the face of God?
Like the deer that yearns
For running streams,
So my soul is yearning
For you, my God.
Response: My soul is thirsting for God, the living God.
My soul is thirsting for God,
The living God;
When can I enter and appear
Before the face of God?
Response: My soul is thirsting for God, the living God.
O send forth your light and your truth;
They will guide me on.
They will bring me to your holy mountain,
To the place where you dwell.
Response: My soul is thirsting for God, the living God.
And I will come to the altar of God, to God,
My joy and gladness.
To you will I give thanks on the harp,
O God, my God.
Response: My soul is thirsting for God, the living God.
Verse Before the Gospel
Luke 4:24-30
I long for you, O Lord, my soul longs for his word, with the Lord there is mercy and plentiful redemption.
Gospel
Luke 4:24–30
At that time: When Jesus had come to Nazareth, he said to the people in the synagogue, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his home town. But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. But passing through their midst, he went away.
Reflection
Jesus was not accepted in his own hometown. The people of Nazareth were too familiar with Jesus and his family, their fellow townsfolk. Joseph and Mary were ordinary people busy with the day-to-day affairs of a poor family. The people were not able to conceive the possibility of the much-awaited Messiah being born in Nazareth. Jesus told the people of his own hometown the fact that even Prophets Elijah and Elisha worked wonders for people residing far away from the habitations of the prophets. Even that appeal of Jesus was not heeded by the people. In Mark 6:5-6, we read, “And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marvelled because of their unbelief.”
St Catherine of Sweden, Virgin (1331-1381)
The 4th child of the Swedish Prince Ulf Gudmarsson and of St Bridget, Catherine was educated at the convent of Riseberg. At the age of 14 she was married, in deference to her father’s wishes, to a pious nobleman of German extraction, Eggard von Kuernen, a life-long invalid with whom, by mutual consent, she lived in continence.
St Catherine was widowed in 1349 and was thenceforth in Rome at her saintly mother’s side, aiding her in all her charitable endeavours and imbibing her ascetical way of life. In 1372 the two widows made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and when Bridget died in Rome two years later, Catherine brought her body back to Sweden and had it interred at the Bridgettine mother-convent at Vadstena. She then became the head of that foundation and ruled it with great skill. She took an active part in resolving the ecclesiastical controversies of her time, steadfastly supporting Urban VI against the anti-pope Clement II. Catherine died as Abbess of Vadstena on 24 March 1381 and, though not formally canonized as such, veneration of her memory as a ‘Saint’ has been approved by Pope Innocent VIII who reigned from 1484-92.
Reflection: “True humility consists in being content with all that God is pleased to ordain for us, believing ourselves unworthy to be called his servants” (St Teresa of Avila).
Daily
Readings
March
23, 2025
Third
Sunday of Lent
Reading
I
Exodus
(3:1-8a, 13-15)
In those days Moses was keeping the flock
of his Father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the
west side of the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the
angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a
bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And
Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not
burned.” When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out
of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “Do not
come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are
standing is holy ground.” And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of
Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for
he was afraid to look at God. Then the LORD said, “I have surely seen the
affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of
their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver
them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to
a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey. Then Moses said to
God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your
fathers has sent me to you’, and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I
say to them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the
people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” God also said to Moses, “Say this
to the people of Israel: ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of
Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is
my name for ever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 103:1–2, 3–4, 6–7, 8 and 11
Response: The Lord is
compassionate and gracious.
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all within
me, his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and never forget all his
benefits.
Response: The Lord is
compassionate and gracious.
It
is the LORD who forgives all your sins, who heals every one of your ills, who
redeems your life from the grave, who crowns you with mercy and compassion.
Response: The Lord is
compassionate and gracious.
The LORD does just deeds, gives full
justice to all who are oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses, and his
deeds to the children of Israel.
Response: The Lord is
compassionate and gracious.
The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger and rich in mercy. For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so strong his mercy for those who fear him.
Response: The Lord is
compassionate and gracious
Reading II
Corinthians (10:1-6, 10-12)
I do not want you to be unaware,
brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the
sea, and all were baptised into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate
the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank
from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. Nevertheless,
with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the
wilderness. Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not
desire evil as they did nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by
the Destroyer. Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were
written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.
Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.
VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL
Mt 4:17
Glory and praise to you, O Christ.
Repent, says the Lord, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Glory and praise
to you, O Christ.
Gospel
Luke
(13:1-9)
There were some present at that very time
who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their
sacrifices. And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse
sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I
tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those
eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that
they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I
tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” And he told
this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking
fruit on it and found none. And he said to the vine dresser, ‘Look, for three
years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it
down. Why should it use up the ground?’ And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone
this year also, until I dig round it and put on manure. Then if it should bear
fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.
Reflection
The news about the Galileans murdered by
Pilate prompts Jesus to spell out the fact that death by murder or by accident
is not willed by God. God does not pick and choose offenders and eliminate
them. Jesus rejects the common understanding with a simple negative: this did
not happen because the Galileans were more horrible sinners. Jesus uses the
occasion to give an additional warning about a more fundamental issue: the
threat of a tragic end is present for all. The issue is not when death will
happen or why, but avoiding a terminal fate with even greater consequences.
Only repentance will prevent the death that lasts. The comparison is between
dying tragically in this life and perishing ultimately before God.
In a second example, Jesus mentions an
otherwise unknown incident involving the collapse of a tower at Siloam that
killed eighteen people. Here too, Jesus rejects the assertion that worse sin
was the cause of the tragedy and again issues the warning to repent. Failure to
repent definitely leaves one exposed to death. Jesus ends his response with the
parable of the fig tree. The parable is about a man checking on his fig tree in
his vineyard only to find that it continues to bear no fruit. His dilemma is
what to do with this unproductive tree, especially since it takes nutrients
from other trees in the vineyard. The fig tree should have borne fruit
annually, but it does not produce. The owner’s disgust is indicated by the
remark that the fig takes up space in the vineyard and robs the ground of
nutrients. Thus, the other vines and fruit trees suffer. It should be cut off.
The vinedresser asks to give the tree another chance to produce fruit within
one more year. He will carefully care for it and fertilize it. Perhaps
additional care will yield fruit, even though the tree has done nothing to
deserve such special attention or such hope. The image suggests God’s patience
and alludes to the short time left for response. We have to repent while there
is still time. The decision is a crucial one, for if time passes without
repentance, only rejection remains. God is patient, but the clock will tick
only so long before the nation will lose its current opportunity to respond.
The parable becomes a metaphor for the
human condition and thus offers a lesson on the human heart’s ability to
respond to Christ’s love. Some people respond right away, while others need a
great deal of nurturing. The gardener’s patience and skill to induce figs on
the tree parallel’s Christ’s attempt to coax the soul with his love. In the
end, however, some souls, as the fig trees, may not respond. All persons are
guilty of sin, and all stand in need of God’s forgiveness. Rather than taking
sober satisfaction in the fact that they did not suffer the same misfortunes of
others, disciples should instead look to their own lives and the state of their
own souls when they must face God’s judgement.
(Source: The Sunday Liturgy)
St Turibius De Mogrovejo, Bishop
Confessor (1538-1606)
St Turibius Alfonso de Mogrovejo was a
young professor of law at the great University of Salamanca (Spain) when King
Philip II, recognizing his outstanding talents and deep piety, appointed him
president of the court of the Inquisition at Granada in 1575. In 1580 he was
designated Archbishop of Peru. Duly ordained and consecrated, though much
against his own wishes, he arrived in Peru in 1581.
His 26 years in the See of Lima were
filled with unbelievable apostolic labours, and his self-denial and limitless
energies brought about the eradication of the numerous evils he encountered
upon his arrival, his most famous battle cry being, “Christ said: ‘I am the
truth’; he did not say: ‘I am the custom’!” It is estimated that he travelled
throughout his vast archdiocese — over 50,000 miles! — almost always on foot,
everywhere baptizing and confirming the natives, in all nearly half a million
souls, including Sts Rose of Lima and Martin de Porres! Innumerable were the
schools, hospitals, convents and chapels which his burning zeal saw
constructed, and to him is also due the foundation of the first American
seminary, at Lima, in 1591. He died on 23 March 1606 and was canonized by Pope
Benedict XIII in 1726.
Reflection: “Time is not our own! We
shall have to render a strict account of it” (St Turibius de Mogrovejo).
Daily Readings
March 22, 2025
Saturday of the Second Week of Lent
Reading 1
Micah 7:14–15, 18–20
Shepherd your people, [O Lord,] with your staff, the flock of your inheritance, who dwell alone in a forest in the midst of a garden land; let them graze in Bashan and Gilead as in the days of old. As in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt, I will show them marvellous things. Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger for ever, because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. You will show faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 103:1–2, 3–4, 9–10, 11–12
Response: The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And all within me, his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And never forget all his benefits.
Response: The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
It is the Lord who forgives all your sins,
Who heals every one of your ills,
Who redeems your life from the grave,
Who crowns you with mercy and compassion.
Response: The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
He will not always find fault;
Nor persist in his anger forever.
He does not treat us according to our sins,
Nor repay us according to our faults.
Response: The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So strong his mercy for those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,
So far from us does he remove our transgressions.
Response: The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
Verse Before the Gospel
Luke 15:18
I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.
Gospel
Luke 15:1–3, 11–32
At that time: The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear Jesus. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” So he told them this parable: he said, “There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”
Reflection
In the parable of the Prodigal Son, we find a process involving conversion, confession and celebration. The moment the prodigal son comes to himself and decides to go back home, the conversion has already taken place. He then stands before his father confessing his unworthiness even to be treated as a hired servant. This leads to the father initiating a celebration in the whole household. The most important stage here is that of conversion. This is what happens at the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The most important thing in the sacrament of confession is the conversion of the heart. Many people think confessing one’s sins is the most important. But if a conversion of the heart does not follow confession, the exercise has no meaning.
St Maria Josefa of the Heart of Jesus, (1842-1912)
Do not believe that caring for the sick consists only in giving them medicine and food; there is another kind of care which you should never forget, that of the heart which seeks to adapt to the suffering person, going to meet his needs” — words of one whose mind and heart were fully seized of a mission, viz., Saint Maria Josefa of the Heart of Jesus. The mission: to be a “neighbour” to the sick and the suffering in the world around.
Canonized by Pope John Paul II on 1 October in the Jubilee Year 2000, St Maria Josefa was the Foundress of the Institute of the Servants of Jesus of Charity. Conceived in the year 1871 in Bilbao, Spain, this Institute, totally dedicated to nursing the sick with a contemplative approach, has a presence of more than 1000 members in some 43 houses spread across the globe.
As superior for the next 41years, Maria Josefa undertook long, gruelling visits to the growing number of communities until a protracted illness, obliging her to stay in bed or remain seated, confined her to the house at Bilbao, from where she maintained her contacts wholly via correspondence. An ardent adorer of the Mystery of the Redemption, her ideas are well expressed in her theses, Directorio de Asistencias. Sharing intimately in the sufferings of the crucified Lord, she passed away on 20 March 1912.
Maria Josefa was the eldest daughter of Bernabe Sancho and Petra de Guerra. Born on 7 September 1842 in Vitoria, Spain, she lost her father when she was barely 15. Very early in life, she nurtured a strong devotion to the Eucharist, the Sacred Heart and our Blessed Mother.
Reflection: “It is obvious that holiness and apostolate go hand in hand in the life of a person. St Thomas has beautifully explained this in his writings. However, let us note that the work, the apostolate, acquires great value if it springs from contemplation, i.e., from prayer, from the love of God and of one’s neighbour” (Blessed James Alberione).
Daily Readings
March 21, 2025
Friday of the Second Week of Lent
Reading 1
Genesis 37:3–4, 12–13a, 17b–28
Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons,
because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colours.
But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his
brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him. Now his
brothers went to pasture their father’s flock near Shechem. And Israel said to
Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will
send you to them.” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.
They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them they conspired against
him to kill him. They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer. Come now,
let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a
fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his
dreams.” But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying,
“Let us not take his life.” And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood; throw him
into this pit here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him” – that he
might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father. So when Joseph
came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colours
that he wore. And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty;
there was no water in it. Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a
caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm,
and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. Then Judah said to his
brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?
Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for
he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. Then
Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the
pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took
Joseph to Egypt.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 105:16–17, 18–19, 20–21
Response: Remember the wonders the Lord has done.
But he called down a famine on the land;
he broke their staff of bread.
He had sent a man ahead of them,
Joseph, sold as a slave.
Response: Remember the wonders the Lord has done.
His feet were weighed down in chains,
his neck was bound with iron,
until what he said came to pass,
and the word of the Lord proved him true.
Response: Remember the wonders the Lord has done.
Then the king sent orders and released him;
the ruler of the peoples set him free.
He made him master of his house
and ruler of all his possessions.
Response: Remember the wonders
the Lord has done
Verse Before the Gospel
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only
begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but
have eternal life..
Gospel
Matthew 21:33–43, 45–46
At that time: Jesus said to the chief priests and the
elders of the people, “Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who
planted a vineyard and put a fence round it and dug a wine press in it and
built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country. When the
season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his
fruit. And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and
stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than at first. And they did
the same to them. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect
my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is
the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ And they took him
and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. When therefore the owner of
the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” They said to him, “He
will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other
tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.” Jesus said to them,
“Have you never read in the Scriptures: “‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in
our eyes’? Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you
and given to a people producing its fruits.” When the chief priests and the
Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them.
And although they were seeking to arrest him, they feared the crowds, because
they held him to be a prophet.
Reflection
Through the parable of the tenants in the vineyard,
Jesus describes the negative response of the Jewish people to the prophets and
finally to Jesus, the Son of God. They not only did not accept the prophets,
but they also ill-treated them and killed them. They killed Jesus, too, the
only Son of the Heavenly Father who came into the world to redeem all
humankind. This should make us think of our response to Christ and those who
bring to us the message of Christ. In Matthew 16:15, Jesus asks us, “Who do you
say that I am?” In John 21:15-17, Jesus asks, “Do you love me?” Jesus wants a
response from us. We need to take a stand.
St Nicholas De Flue, Confessor (1417 - 1487)
St Nicholas de Flue was born near the Lake of the
Four Cantons, in Switzerland. He showed himself a great Christian in various
spheres of life before he became a hermit.
As a young man he was for some years a soldier,
fighting for his native Canton and rising to the rank of a captain. A respected
citizen, he took an active part in the civil and political life of his country
and held office as councillor and magistrate, all the while spending whole
nights in prayer. Peace of mind, however, eluded him and so he withdrew from
politics in 1465.
But in 1467, at the age of fifty, after a vision of
the Blessed Trinity, he resolved that he must leave all and go away to live
entirely for God. He spent the last 20 years of his life in prayer and severe
austerity. Many witnesses have testified that during those years he took
neither food nor drink, but only Holy Communion.
Popularly known as Brother Klaus, Nicholas had a
friendly disposition and was greatly venerated even beyond the Swiss border.
People high and low, both civil as well as religious, flocked to his cell to
seek his counsel and prayer.
Nicholas went to his reward on his 70th birthday,
i.e., on 21 March 1487 and was beatified in 1669. Canonized by Pope Pius XII on
15 May 1947, his memory is revered by Protestants and Catholics alike.
Reflection:
“O my Lord and my God, take from me all that keeps me
from you!
“O my Lord and my God, give me all that brings me
nearer to you!
“O my Lord and my God, take myself from me and let me
possess only you”
(Prayer of St Nicholas de Flue).
Daily
Readings
March
20, 2025
Thursday
of the Second Week of Lent
Reading
1
Jeremiah
17:5–10
Thus
says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his
strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord. He is like a shrub in the
desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places
of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land. Blessed is the man who trusts
in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that
sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its
leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not
cease to bear fruit.” The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately
sick; who can understand it? I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to
give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm 1:1–2, 3, 4 and 6
Response: Blessed the man who has placed his trust in
the Lord.
Blessed indeed is the man
who follows not the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the path with sinners,
nor abides in the company of scorners,
but whose delight is the law of the Lord,
and who ponders his law day and night.
Response: Blessed the man who has placed his trust in
the Lord.
He is like a tree that is planted
beside the flowing waters,
that yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves shall never fade;
and all that he does shall prosper.
Response: Blessed the man who has placed his trust in
the Lord.
Not so are the wicked, not so!
For they, like winnowed chaff,
shall be driven away by the wind.
for the Lord knows the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
Response:
Blessed the man who has placed his trust in the Lord
Verse
Before the Gospel
Luke
8:15
Blessed
are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and
bear fruit with patience.
Gospel
Luke 16:19–31
At that time: Jesus said to the Pharisees, “There was
a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously
every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with
sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table.
Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was
carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried,
and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off
and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me,
and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for
I am in anguish in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in
your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things;
but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this,
between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would
pass from here to you may not do so, and none may cross from there to us.’ And
he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house – for I have
five brothers – so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place
of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear
them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the
dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the
Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”
Reflection
In Luke 6:20-26, we find Jesus pronouncing Blessings
and Woes – Blessings on those who are poor, those who are hungry, those who
weep, and those who are hated in this world; woe to those who are rich, those
who are hungry, those who laugh and those who are appreciated in this world. We
find these blessings and woes realized in the parable of the rich man and
Lazarus. In 1 Chronicles 29:15, we read, “For we are strangers before you and
sojourners, as all our fathers were. Our days on earth are but like a shadow,
and there is no abiding”. We are to realize this truth while we are still alive
on earth. Nothing can be done after we depart from this world.
St
Cuthbert, Bishop Confessor (c.635 - 687)
Brought up by a
foster mother named Kenswith, this famous English Saint was a shepherd, a
native of Northumbria (England). As a young man, he had to help defend his
country against the attacks of King Penda of Mercia; but when peace was
restored after the battle of Winwidfield in 651, he carried out his boyhood
dream of becoming a monk — he joined the Benedictines at Mailros (Melrose)
abbey, and soon became conspicuous for his learning and holiness, which God
confirmed by numerous miracles.
He was appointed
Prior at Lindisfarne, and was able, by his consummate tact and patience, and
through the evident holiness of his life, to win over that entire community
which had still obstinately clung to the ancient Celtic customs.
In 685, Cuthbert
was consecrated Abbot-Bishop of Lindisfarne by St Theodore of Canterbury and
laboured with great success at the sanctification of the faithful; but after
only a year, he resigned in anticipation of his approaching death. He died on
20 March 687.
St Cuthbert is
the Patron of sailors.
Reflection: “Patience is the root and guardian of all
the virtues” (St Gregory the Great).
Daily
Readings
March
19, 2025
Solemnity
of Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Reading
1
2
Samuel 7:4–5a, 12–14a, 16
In
those days: The word of the Lord came to Nathan, “Go and tell my servant David,
‘Thus says the Lord: When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your
fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your
body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and
I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be to him a father,
and he shall be to me a son. And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure
for ever before me. Your throne shall be established for ever.’”
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
89:2–3, 4–5, 27 and 29
Response:
His descendants shall continue forever.
I
will sing forever of your mercies, O Lord;
through
all ages my mouth will proclaim your fidelity.
I
have declared your mercy is established forever
your
fidelity stands firm as the heavens.
Response:
His descendants shall continue forever.
With
my chosen one I have made a covenant;
I
have sworn to David my servant:
I
will establish your descendants forever,
and
set up your throne through all ages.
Response:
His descendants shall continue forever.
He
will call out to me, ‘You are my father,
my
God, the rock of my salvation.’
I
will keep my faithful love for him always;
with
him my covenant shall last.
Response:
His descendants shall continue forever.
Reading
2
Romans
4:13, 16–18, 22
Brethren:
The promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world,
did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. That is
why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be
guaranteed to all his offspring – not only to the adherent of the law but also
to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, as it
is written, “I have made you the father of many nations” – in the presence of
the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into
existence the things that do not exist. In hope he believed against hope, that
he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall
your offspring be.” That is why his faith was “counted to him as
righteousness”.
Verse
Before the Gospel
Psalm
84:5
Blessed
are they who dwell in your house, O Lord, forever singing your praise.
Gospel
Matthew
1:16, 18–21, 24a
Jacob
the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called
Christ. Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother
Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to
be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man
and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to send her away quietly. But as he
considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a
dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife,
for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a
son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their
sins.” When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded
him.
Reflection
Today’s
Gospel introduces Joseph as a JUST MAN. This is a rare category. From
Genesis 7:1, we understand that Noah was the only just man found on the
face of the earth at the time of the deluge. From Genesis 18, we find that in
Sodom and Gomorrah, they could not find even 10 just men. In Jeremiah 5:1, the
Lord says, “Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, look and take
note! Search her squares to see if you can find a man, one who does justice and
seeks the truth that I may pardon her.” Saint Joseph was the rarest of the
rare. A just man stands out and achieves what all others are unable to achieve.
But such a just man has great power. In James 5:16, we read, “The prayer of a
righteous person has great power as it is working”.
St
Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Little
definite information has come down to us about the chosen soul who was to be,
in God’s providence, the earthly guardian of Our Lady and the Foster-father of
the Incarnate Word. All that is reliably known of this “just man” named Joseph
is contained in the first two chapters of the Gospels of Sts Matthew and Luke.
In the apocryphal writings, which furnish us with many interesting details, it
is next to impossible to separate those reports which may be based on true
historical occurrences from those which are the product of pious imagination.
From
the fact that there is no further reference to Joseph in the Bible after the
finding of the boy Jesus in the temple, it has been reasonably inferred that he
did not live to see the beginning of Our Lord’s public ministry.
St
Teresa of Avila (Spain) chose St Joseph as the Patron of her reform of the
Carmelite Order and her nuns were given the privilege in 1689 of keeping a
feast honouring his patronage.
Joseph
is, no doubt, the greatest and most beloved of all the saints of the Catholic
Church next only to Mary. His greatness and that of Mary is measured by their
closeness to Jesus Christ when he came to earth two millennia ago as the
Word-Made-Flesh, the God-With-Us, to impart eternal life to all who believed in
him. Little wonder then that Pope Pius IX, on 8 December 1870, in response to
the petition of the over 300 prelates assembled at Vatican Council I (1869-70), proclaimed Joseph the Patron
Saint of the Universal Church. In 1955 Pope Pius XII added the title, “Patron
of workmen”, the feast to be celebrated on 1 May.
Reflection:
“Some Saints are privileged to extend to us their patronage with particular
efficacy in certain needs, but not in others; but our holy Patron St Joseph has
the power to assist us in all cases, in every necessity, in every undertaking”
(St Thomas Aquinas).
Daily
Readings
March
18, 2025
Tuesday
of the Second Week of Lent
Reading
1
Isaiah 1:10, 16–20
Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom! Give
ear to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah! Wash yourselves; make
yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to
do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to
the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause. “Come now, let us reason together,
says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as
snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. If you are
willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and
rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm
50:8–9, 16bc–17, 21 and 23
Response:
To one whose way is blameless, I will show the salvation of God.
I do not rebuke
you for your sacrifices;
your offerings
are always before me.
I do not take
more bullocks from your farms,
nor goats from
among your herds.
Response:
To one whose way is blameless, I will show the salvation of God.
How can you
recite my commandments,
and take my
covenant on your lips,
you who despise
correction,
and cast my words
behind you.
Response:
To one whose way is blameless, I will show the salvation of God.
You do this, and
should I keep silence?
Do you think that
I am like you?
I accuse you, lay
the charge before you.
A sacrifice of
praise gives me honour,
and to one whose
way is blameless,
I will show the
salvation of God.
Response: To one whose way is blameless, I will show
the salvation of God.
Verse Before the Gospel
Ezekiel 18:31
Cast away from you all the transgressions that you
have committed, says the Lord, and make yourselves a new heart and a new
spirit!
Gospel
Matthew
23:1–12
At that time: Jesus said to the crowds and to his
disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, so do and observe
whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not
practise. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s
shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger.
They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries
broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honour at feasts and
the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the market-places and being
called rabbi by others. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one
teacher, and you are all brothers. And call no man your father on earth, for
you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called instructors, for you
have one instructor, the Christ. The greatest among you shall be your servant.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be
exalted.
Reflection
We see Jesus using very harsh language when speaking
about the Scribes and Pharisees. He pointed out the gap between their teaching
and practice. He also found that they were performing good deeds to gain
popularity and admiration from the people around them. They were proud of their
abilities and achievements. Jesus therefore warned his disciples not to imitate
the Scribes and Pharisees although they could listen to what they told them.
Jesus did not want his disciples to use the titles of ‘Father’, ‘Rabbi’ and
‘Instructor’. The title ‘Father’ is most fittingly used for the Heavenly
Father. The title ‘Rabbi’ is most fittingly used for Jesus. The title
‘Instructor’ can be used for both the Holy Spirit and Jesus.
St Cyril
of Jerusalem, Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church (c.313 -387)
St Cyril
succeeded Maximus as Bishop of Jerusalem at 35, but nearly 17 out of the
ensuing 36 years of his stormy episcopate he spent in exile for maintaining
firm faith in the divinity of Christ — he was banned twice by Arian synods and
once by the Emperor Valens.
In 381, Cyril
attended the Council of Constantinople and, for the first time, Jerusalem was
recognized as a patriarchal See along with Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, and
Constantinople.
Cyril was a man
of gentle nature and a peacemaker. It was he who fostered the development of
the “holy city” of Jerusalem as a pilgrimage centre for all Christendom. A
pillar of orthodoxy and a great teacher of the early Christian era, his primary
surviving work is the “Catecheses”, a collection of 23 catechetical lectures to
candidates for Baptism — the first 18, based on the Jerusalem baptismal creed,
given during Lent, the concluding 5 instructing the newly baptized during the
week after Easter. His Eucharistic theology, an advance on that of earlier
writers, interprets the Lord’s presence in the terms of the later dogma of
transubstantiation, the rite pronounced in sacrificial language.
Thought to have
died in 387, St Cyril was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1882.
Reflection: “Let us, therefore, not be ashamed of the
Cross of Christ; but though another hide it, you openly seal it upon your
forehead, that the devils may behold the royal sign and flee trembling far
away. Make then this sign at eating and drinking, at sitting, at lying down, at
rising up, at speaking, at walking: in a word, at every act” (St Cyril of
Jerusalem).
Daily Readings
March 17, 2025
Monday of the Second Week in Lent
Reading 1
Daniel 9:4b–10
O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant
and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have
sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your
commandments and rules. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who
spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the
people of the land. To you, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open
shame, as at this day, to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
and to all Israel, those who are near and those who are far away, in all the
lands to which you have driven them, because of the treachery that they have
committed against you. To us, O Lord, belongs open shame, to our kings, to our
princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against you. To the Lord
our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him and have
not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by walking in his laws, which he set
before us by his servants the prophets.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 79:8, 9, 11, 13
Response: O Lord, do not treat us according to our
sins.
Do not remember against us
the guilt of former times.
Let your compassion hasten to meet us;
for we have been brought very low.
Response: O Lord, do not treat us according to our
sins.
Help us, O God our saviour,
for the sake of the glory of your name.
Free us and forgive us our sins,
because of your name.
Response: O Lord, do not treat us according to our
sins.
Let the groans of the prisoners
come before you,
your strong arm reprieve
those condemned to die.
Response: O Lord, do not treat us according to our
sins.
Then we, your people,
the flock of your pasture,
will give you thanks forever and ever.
From age to age we will recount your praise.
Response: O Lord, do not treat us according to our
sins.
Verse Before the Gospel See
John 6:63c, 68c
Your words, Lord, are spirit and life, you have the
words of eternal life.
Gospel
Luke 6:36–38
At that time: Jesus
said to his disciples, “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. Judge
not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned;
forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. Good
measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your
lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
Reflection
Jesus teaches us that whatever we do to others
will boomerang on us. If we do good to others, we will experience goodness and
if we do evil, we will experience evil in our own lives. The Lord wants us to
live in communion with one another. In Galatians 6:2, Saint Paul tells us that
by carrying one another’s burdens, we fulfil the law of Christ. “Let us not
grow weary of doing good,” he further says, “for in due season we will reap if
we do not give up” (Gal 6:9). In Hebrews 13:16 we read, “Do not neglect to do
good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God”.
St
Patrick, Bishop Confessor (c.385-461)
St
Patrick, the great apostle and patron of Ireland, was the son of Calpurnius, a
Roman Decurio in Brittany (Britain), and through his mother was closely related
to St Martin of Tours. At 16, he was carried off by some Irish raiders into
captivity, whereby he spent the next 6 years as a shepherd in the service of
the chief Milch in Dalaradia (Antrim) before he was able to escape and make his
way to Brittany and the monastery of Tours.
The
British Bishop Palladius was sent to Ireland by Celestine I in 430 “to the
Scots who believe in Christ”, but the hostility he encountered at the hands of
the pagans compelled him to return to England where he died soon after.
Thereupon Patrick, then in his forties, was consecrated Bishop and commissioned
to evangelize the land of his one-time captors.
Patrick
spent 7 years in the zealous evangelization of Connaught and then wandered
through Ulster, Meach, Leinster and Limerick working numerous miracles. He and
his companions were thrown into prison numerous times and even threatened with
death, but in the end his success was astounding, chiefs and common people
coming into the fold by the thousands.
Humble,
yet courageous, Patrick’s determination to accept suffering and success with
equal candour guided him in winning most of Ireland for Christ. Indeed, by the
time he died at Sabhall in 461, he had established the Church in Ireland on a
truly solid foundation.
Until
his very end, this great man of prayer never relaxed his penitential exercises
and mortifications. As for his indisputably genuine writings that have come
down to us, his “Confessio” and his “Epistola Coroticum” deserve to be more
widely known and appreciated, for they reveal God’s wonderful and providential
workings in and through this great soul.
Reflection:
“God’s hand for my cover, God’s path to pass over.
God’s buckler to guard me,
God’s army to ward me” (St Patrick’s Breastplate).
Daily Readings
March 16, 2025
Second Sunday of Lent
Reading I
Genesis (15:5-12, 17-18)
In
those days God brought Abram outside and said, “Look towards heaven, and number
the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your
offspring be.” And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as
righteousness. And he said to him, “I am the LORD who brought you out from Ur
of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.” But he said, “O Lord GOD,
how am I to know that I shall possess it?” He said to him, “Bring me a heifer
three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a
turtle-dove, and a young pigeon.” And he brought him all these, cut them in
half, and laid each half over against the other. But he did not cut the birds
in half. And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them
away. As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. And behold,
dreadful and great darkness fell upon him. When the sun had gone down and it
was dark, behold, a smoking firepot and a flaming torch passed between these
pieces. On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your
offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the
river Euphrates.”
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 27:1, 7-8, 8-9, 13-14.
Response:
The Lord is my light and my salvation.
The
Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the
stronghold of my life; whom should I dread?
Response: The Lord is my light and my salvation.
O
Lord, hear my voice when I call; have mercy and answer me. Of you my heart has
spoken, “Seek his face.”
Response: The Lord is my light and my salvation.
It
is your face, O Lord, that I seek; hide not your face from me. Dismiss not your
servant in anger; you have been my help.
Response: The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Do
not abandon or forsake me. I believe I shall see the Lord’s goodness in the land
of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong; be stouthearted, and wait for the
Lord!
Response: The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Reading II
Philippians
(3:17–4:1)
Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes
on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I
have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the
cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they
glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is
in heaven, and from it we await a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will
transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that
enables him even to subject all things to himself. Therefore, my brothers, whom
I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
or:
Philippians 3:20—4:1
Brothers and sisters:
Our citizenship is in heaven, and from
it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will change our lowly body
to conform with his glorified body
by the power that enables him also to bring all things into subjection to
himself.
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown,
in this way stand firm in the Lord, beloved.
Verse
Before the Gospel
Matthew
17:5
From
a bright cloud the Father’s voice is heard: this is my beloved Son, listen to
him.
Gospel
Luke
(9:28b-36)
At
that time Jesus took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the
mountain to pray. And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was
altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were
talking with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his
departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and those
who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they
saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. And as the men were parting
from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us
make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah” – not
knowing what he said. As he was saying these things, a cloud came and
overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. And a voice came
out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!” And
when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told
no one in those days anything of what they had seen.
Reflection
The
Transfiguration anticipates Jesus’ passion, death, and resurrection. It occurs
when he chooses Peter, John and James to accompany him to a mountain which
tradition identifies as Mount Tabor to pray. The transfiguration takes place in
the context of prayer and it is fitting that Jesus along with the others has an
encounter with the divine. His face changes in appearance while Moses and
Elijah appear in glory. This is truly a supernatural event and the chosen
disciples witness it. It is significant that Jesus speaks about his exodus
during this event. The word exodus is replete with references to Jewish
Passover and thus deliverance, life and freedom. Jesus’ return to the Father
through his death and resurrection guarantees freedom, life and liberation for
his followers. The presence of Moses and Elijah, representing the Law and the
Prophets, connects this event with the Old Testament for Moses and Elijah are
great Old Testament figures. The disciples do not understand the import of the
Transfiguration until after the resurrection. That the disciples do not
understand can be gauged from the statement made by Peter who wants to raise
three tents. Peter is wrong in trying to make the experience permanent by
assigning a tent for each one; he treats Jesus as the equal of Moses and
Elijah. Moses and Elijah are great Old Testament prophetic figures but they are
not equal to Jesus. That is why Peter’s suggestion to make three tents looks
silly for he treats Jesus as equal to Moses and Elijah. The cloud covers them and
a heavenly voice is heard. It is Jesus who should be listened to. This in short
is what
the
vision means. A cloud then overshadows the proceedings, and a voice from the
cloud announces that Jesus is the Son, and commands, “hear him.” Jesus is then
left alone with the disciples, who say nothing of the experience at the time.
God’s voice from the cloud therefore corrects the misapprehensions: Jesus only
is God’s Son and chosen one; and they are not to control the holy but respond
to it: “Listen to him.” The Transfiguration marks an important stage in the
revelation of Jesus as the Christ and Son of God. It is an experience similar
to that of his baptism for in both instances the voice of the Father is heard
calling Jesus as his beloved Son. What is needed is to appreciate the presence
of Jesus alone and pay attention to his voice. What do I benefit from the feast
of the Transfiguration of Jesus? It is a reminder as well as an assurance that
Christian lives should be oriented towards meeting the glorious Christ. But
conditions apply and here the theme of the covenant in the First Reading comes
to play. Belief in the resurrection is the basic tenet of our faith. All human
beings will be subjected to Divine judgement and we are told that Jesus is
appointed as the universal judge (Acts 17:31). If we have to receive favourable
judgement, we have to prove ourselves worthy. That is the condition that we
have to fulfil and it can be fulfilled only when we are alive, while we live on
this earth. Therefore, let us pay more attention to how we live our Christian
lives.
(Source:
The Sunday Liturgy)
St Heribert,
Bishop of Cologne (970 -1021)
One of the most
renowned Prelates of the Diocese of Cologne (Germany), St Heribert was born to
Count Hugo of Worms in the Palatinate of the Rhine. Brilliant and always eager
to learn, he was educated at the Cathedral School of Worms and the celebrated
Abbey of Gorze in Lorraine. He was attracted by the lives of the Benedictine
monks there and would have joined them had not his father recalled him
peremptorily to Worms, where he was given a canonry and ordained priest.
Heribert gained
the confidence of Emperor Otto III, becoming not only his chancellor, but also
his friend, adviser and companion. On Christmas Eve 998 he was consecrated
Archbishop of Cologne in the Cathedral of St Peter, and from that moment on he
devoted himself indefatigably to the duties of his high calling. He never
allowed his state affairs to hinder him from his spiritual duties.
He accompanied
the Emperor on a visit to Italy, where Otto breathed his last. In keeping with
the latter’s wishes, his mortal remains were laid to rest at Aachen.
Duke Henry of
Bavaria who succeeded Otto misinterpreted the doings of Heribert. But Heribert
won him over by his life of virtue, leading to a public reconciliation between
the two.
On a visit to
Neuss Heribert contracted fever, of which he died on 16 March 1021, after
having received the Viaticum with great fervour. At his tomb at Deutz, many
miracles came to be attributed to his intercession. He is still invoked for
rain.
St Heribert was
canonized by Pope St Gregory VII some time between 1073 and 1074.
Reflection:
“You should do no harm to anybody whatsoever; and as much as it is possible, do
good to all” (St Peter Fourier).
Daily Readings
March 15, 2025
Saturday of the First Week of Lent
Reading 1
Deuteronomy 26:16–19
Moses spoke to the people, saying: “This day the Lord
your God commands you to do these statutes and rules. You shall therefore be
careful to do them with all your heart and with all your soul. You have
declared today that the Lord is your God, and that you will walk in his ways,
and keep his statutes and his commandments and his rules, and will obey his
voice. And the Lord has declared today that you are a people for his treasured
possession, as he has promised you, and that you are to keep all his commandments,
and that he will set you in praise and in fame and in honour high above all
nations that he has made, and that you shall be a people holy to the Lord your
God, as he promised.”
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
119:1–2, 4–5, 7–8
Response:
Blessed are those who walk in the law of the Lord!
Blessed are those
whose way is blameless,
who walk in the
law of the Lord!
Blessed are those
who keep his decrees!
With all their
hearts they seek him.
Response:
Blessed are those who walk in the law of the Lord!
You have laid
down your precepts
to be carefully
kept.
May my ways be
firm
in keeping your
statutes.
Response:
Blessed are those who walk in the law of the Lord!
I will thank you
with an upright heart,
as I learn your
just judgments.
I will keep your
statutes;
do not ever
forsake me.
Response:
Blessed are those who walk in the law of the Lord!
Verse
Before the Gospel
2
Corinthians 6:2b
Behold, now is the favourable time; behold, now is the
day of salvation.
Gospel
Matthew
5:43–48
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “You have
heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’
But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so
that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise
on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For
if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax
collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you
doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be
perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Reflection
Jesus
not only asks us to love our enemies, but he also gives us the Heavenly Father
as a model for the same. Jesus wants us to be perfect like the heavenly Father.
Saint Peter says, “As he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your
conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’ ” (1 Pet
1:15-16). It is through a life of holiness that we prove ourselves to be the
children of the Heavenly Father. Let us follow the advice of Saint Paul: “Put
on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts,
kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if
one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has
forgiven you, so you also must forgive” (Col 3:12-13).
St Louise De
Marillac, Widow (1591 - 1660)
Louise, the
daughter of a military courtier, was a well-educated and socially prominent
Parisian woman. At 16 she felt a strong desire to join the Poor Clares, but
poor health intervened and five years later she was married to Antoine Le Gras,
a secretary to Queen Marie de Medicis, and bore him a son, Michel.
With pious
Antoine’s approval, she devoted all her free time to works of charity among the
poor in Paris, though many considered it unbecoming of her social status. In
1619 she made the acquaintance of St Francis de Sales and St Vincent de Paul.
When her husband died in 1625, Louise placed herself entirely under the latter
Saint’s direction, and spent herself in superintending the various
confraternities of charity which he had founded for the care of the needy.
This is regarded
as the real beginning of the Sisters of Charity; for their benefit St Vincent
de Paul began his famous spiritual conferences in 1634 which continued for 25
years. For 12 years there was no written rule or constitution, and no official
approval was sought for the new Order. At a time when it was unheard of for
nuns not to be enclosed, the services of these Sisters were urgently needed in
the slums and hospitals. St Vincent wanted the fear of God to be their
enclosure, holy modesty their veil, the parish church their chapel, a hired
room their cell, and charitable works their Office. As their habit the Sisters
adopted the blue-gray dress and white linen cornette of the peasant women in
the Isle de France.
Louise de
Marillac died on 15 March 1660, followed 6 months later by St Vincent. By then
there were more than 40 houses in France. Today there are over 4,000 houses and
some 40,000 Sisters in all parts of the world. The community is a lay one with
only private vows, and the original rule and constitution have never been
changed until recently.
Beatified on 9
May 1920, Louise de Marillac was canonized on 11 March 1934, by Pope Pius XI
and, on 10 February 1960, named Patroness of all Christian Social Workers.
Reflection:
“Be diligent in serving the poor.... Love the poor, honour them, my children,
as you would honour Christ himself” (St Louise De Marillac).
Daily Readings
March 14, 2025
Friday of the First Week of Lent
Reading I
Ezekiel 18:21–28
Thus says the Lord God: “If a wicked person turns away
from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what
is just and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of the
transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the
righteousness that he has done he shall live. Have I any pleasure in the death
of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from
his way and live? But when a righteous person turns away from his righteousness
and does injustice and does the same abominations that the wicked person does,
shall he live? None of the righteous deeds that he has done shall be
remembered; for the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has
committed, for them he shall die. Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not
just.’ Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way not just? Is it not your ways
that are not just? When a righteous person turns away from his righteousness
and does injustice, he shall die for it; for the injustice that he has done he
shall die. Again, when a wicked person turns away from the wickedness he has
committed and does what is just and right, he shall save his life. Because he
considered and turned away from all the transgressions that he had committed,
he shall surely live; he shall not die.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 130:1–6ab, 6c–8
Response: If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
Lord, who could stand?
Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord;
Lord, hear my voice!
O let your ears be attentive
to the sound of my pleadings.
Response: If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
Lord, who could stand?
If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
Lord, who could stand?
But with you is found forgiveness,
that you may be revered.
Response: If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
Lord, who could stand?
I long for you, O Lord,
my soul longs for his word.
My soul hopes in the Lord
more than watchmen for daybreak.
Response: If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
Lord, who could stand?
More than watchmen for daybreak.
Let Israel hope for the Lord.
For with the Lord there is mercy,
in him is plentiful redemption.
It is he who will redeem Israel
from all its iniquities.
Response: If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
Lord, who could stand?
Verse before the Gospel
Ezekiel 18:31
Cast away from
you all the transgressions that you have committed, says the Lord, and make
yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.
Gospel
Matthew 5:20–26
At
that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you, unless your righteousness
exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of
heaven. You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder;
and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone
who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his
brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be
liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and
there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift
there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then
come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are
going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the
judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. Truly, I say to you, you will
never get out until you have paid the last penny.
Reflection
The
Scribes and the Pharisees used to speak about the 613 commandments of the Old
Testament. Among them, 365 commandments were positive commandments while 248
were negative commandments. Jesus summed up all the commandments into just two
– Love of God and love of neighbour. Seemingly, the demands of Jesus are
simpler. But this is not the truth. Jesus came to fulfil the Law and the
Prophets. While the Old Testament considered murder as sinful, Jesus considered
anger as equally sinful. While the Old Testament considered adultery to be
sinful, Jesus considers looking at a woman lustfully as equally sinful.
According to Jesus being reconciled with others is the sine-qua-non (an
essential condition) for offering gifts at the altar. Jesus advocates a clean
heart and pure intentions.
St Matilda, Queen
(895 - 968)
Daughter of Count
Dietrich of Westphalia and Reinhild of Denmark, St Matilda was brought up in
the Benedictine convent at Herford (central Germany), where her grandmother was
Abbess. Here she became known for her rare talents and virtues. At 14 she married
Henry the Fowler of Saxony who later was chosen to succeed Conrad as King of
Germany. As Queen she proved herself a model of piety and prudence, and was
ever intent on succouring the oppressed and the poor.
Left a widow in
936, Matilda redoubled her prayers, mortifications and almsgiving, and founded
numerous hospitals, churches and Benedictine abbeys. But this liberality so
exasperated two of her sons, Otto and Henry, that they banished her from court
and deprived her of all her property until misfortune overtook them in turn and
they became reconciled with her and begged for forgiveness.
Of her children,
the eldest son became Otto the Great, Emperor of Germany; another son was St
Bruno, Archbishop of Cologne; a daughter Gerberga married Louis IV of France,
and Hedwig became the mother of Hugh Capet, the founder of the Capetian
dynasty.
She died on 14
March 968 at the monastery of Quedlinburg and was buried there with Henry.
Reflection:
“The best reward which the servant of God can receive for that which he does
for his neighbour, is contempt or shame, the only payment the world made for
the labours of its Divine Master. If God gives you much to suffer, it is a sign
that he would make a great saint of you” (St Ignatius).
Daily
Readings
March
13, 2025
Thursday
of the First Week in Lent
Reading
1
Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25
Esther the queen seized with deathly anxiety, fled to
the Lord; And she prayed to the Lord God of Israel and said: “O my Lord, you
only are our King; help me, who am alone and have no helper but you, for my
danger is in my hand. Ever since I was born I have heard in the tribe of my
family that you, O Lord, took Israel out of all the nations and our fathers
from among all their ancestors for an everlasting inheritance and that you did
for them all that you promised. Remember, O Lord; make yourself known in this
time of our affliction and give me courage, O King of the gods and Master of
all dominion! Put eloquent speech in my mouth before the lion and turn his
heart to hate the man who is fighting against us, so that there may be an end
of him and those who agree with him. But save us by your hand and help me, who
am alone and have no helper but you, O Lord.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 138:1–2a, 2bcd–3, 7d–8
Response: On the day I called, you answered me, O
Lord.
I thank you, Lord, with all my heart;
you have heard the words of my mouth.
In the presence of the angels I praise you.
I bow down toward your holy temple.
Response: On the day I called, you answered me, O
Lord.
I give thanks to your name
for your merciful love and
your faithfulness.
You have exalted your name over all.
On the day I called, you answered me;
you increased the strength of my soul.
Response: On the day I called, you answered me, O
Lord.
With your right hand you save me;
the Lord will accomplish this for me.
O Lord, your merciful love is eternal;
discard not the work of your hands.
Response: On the day I called, you answered me, O
Lord.
Verse Before the Gospel
Psalm 51:12a, 14a
Create a pure heart for me, O God; restore in me the
joy of your salvation.
Gospel
Matthew 7:7–12
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “Ask, and
it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened
to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the
one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for
bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a
serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your
children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to
those who ask him! “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also
to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
Reflection
In today’s Gospel, Jesus encourages us to ask the Lord
when we are in need. He promises to give us every good thing we ask for. It is
good to read these verses together with similar verses in the Bible. In Matthew
18:19 the Lord says, “If two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it
will be done for them by my Father in heaven”. Saint James tells us that we
should ask without doubting (Jas 1:5-8). In Matthew 21:22, Jesus himself says,
“Whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith”. In 1 John
5:14, we read, “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we
ask anything according to his will he hears us.”
St
Euphrasia of Constantinople, Virgin (380 - 420)
St Euphrasia was
the daughter of Antigonus, a senator of Constantinople (Turkey), who was
related to the Emperor Theodosius I. Antigonus having died shortly after the
birth of his daughter, Theodosius took the widow and the child under his
protection and, as was the custom, arranged a betrothal for Euphrasia at the
age of five, to the son of a wealthy senator. But the widow herself began to be
sought in marriage, whereupon she withdrew from the court and, with Euphrasia,
went to Egypt where they settled down near a convent of nuns.
At seven,
Euphrasia was greatly drawn to the convent life and begged her mother to allow
her to stay there. Reluctantly, her mother agreed and the abbess told her that
the grace of God was working in Euphrasia.
Meanwhile she
declined her betrothed who by then desired the marriage. Now 12 and an heiress,
she wrote to Emperor Arcadius, seeking to be allowed to follow her vocation and
requesting him to use her parents’ property for the good of the poor and to
enfranchise all her slaves. Arcadius complied with her requests. Euphrasia, for
her part, took up hard and humbling tasks to divert her attention from the
world, to which she was sometimes tempted to return. She complied cheerfully
with whatever was expected of her.
Years later, as
she lay on her death-bed, Julia who shared her cell, besought her to obtain for
her the grace of being with her in heaven. The Saint died and three days after,
Julia followed suit.
Russian usage has
St Euphrasia named in the preparation of the Byzantine Mass.
Reflection: “Christ does not force our will. He takes
only what we give him. But he does not give himself entirely until he sees that
we yield ourselves entirely to him” (St Teresa of Avila).
Daily Readings
March 12, 2025
Wednesday of the First Week in Lent
Reading 1
Jonah 3:1–10
The word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time,
saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the
message that I tell you.” So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the
word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’
journey in breadth. Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s journey. And
he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” And the
people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from
the greatest of them to the least of them. The word reached the king of
Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with
sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he issued a proclamation and published through
Nineveh, “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither man nor beast,
herd nor flock, taste anything. Let them not feed or drink water, but let man
and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them call out mightily to God. Let
everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who
knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may
not perish.” When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way,
God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did
not do it.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm
51:3–4, 12–13, 18–19
Response:
A broken and humbled heart, O God you will not spurn.
Have mercy on me,
O God,
according to your
merciful love;
according to your
great compassion,
blot out my
transgressions.
Wash me
completely from my iniquity,
and cleanse me
from my sin.
Response:
A broken and humbled heart, O God you will not spurn.
Create a pure
heart for me, O God;
renew a steadfast
spirit within me.
Do not cast me
away from your presence;
take not your
holy spirit from me.
Response:
A broken and humbled heart, O God you will not spurn.
For in sacrifice
you take no delight;
burnt offering
from me would
not please you.
My sacrifice to
God, a broken spirit:
a broken and
humbled heart,
O God, you will
not spurn.
Response: A broken and humbled heart, O God you will
not spurn.
Verse Before the Gospel
Joel 2:12-13
Even
now, declares the Lord, return to me with all your heart, for I am gracious and
merciful.
Gospel
Luke
11:29–32
At that time: When the crowds were increasing, Jesus
began to say, “This generation is an evil generation. It seeks for a sign, but
no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. For as Jonah became a
sign to the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.
The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the men of this
generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear
the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. The
men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn
it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater
than Jonah is here.
Reflection
Jesus himself is the greatest sign that humanity can
ever have. A sign is something visible standing for something invisible. In
Colossians 1:15, Saint Paul states, “He is the image of the invisible God, the
firstborn of all creation”. Further, in Colossians 2:9 he says, “In him the
fullness of deity dwells bodily”. Jesus being true God and true man, presents
the invisible God most perfectly. Being truly man, he can present God in a
human way to other human beings. Jesus is compared to Jonah who disobeyed God.
He went away to Tarsus instead of going to Nineveh. Just as Jonah was in the
belly of the fish for three days, Jesus was in the belly of the earth for three
days.
St
Theophanes, Abbot (817)
St Theophanes
grew up under the guardianship of Emperor Constantine V, his father having died
early, leaving him heir to a large estate. He was induced to marry the daughter
of a Byzantine Patrician. But, the marriage remaining unconsummated by mutual
consent, he joined the monks of Polychronicon while his wife became a nun. He
then founded monasteries and served as Abbot at Mt Sigriana on the shores of
the Sea of Marmara, between Cyzicus and the Kirmasti River.
In 787 he was
invited to take part in the Second Council of Nicaea (Turkey), which sanctioned
the use and reverence of sacred images. But in 814, the Armenian Emperor Leo V
reversed this policy and strove to suppress the cult of images. Theophanes
ranged himself against Leo’s iconoclastic policy and paid no heed to his
threat. Thus, after receiving 300 stripes he was thrown into a dungeon for two
years. Deprived of the bare necessities of life, he fell severely ill and was
exiled to the island of Samothrace in Greece where he died on 12 March 817. He
is venerated as a Saint both by the Greek and the Latin Rite Churches.
He was the author
of an important Chronicle composed between 810 and 814 at the suggestion of his
friend George Syncellus. It covers the period between 284 and 813. His
Chronicle, along with that of Nicephorus I, Patriarch of Constantinople,
highlights the principal Byzantine historical source for the 7th and 8th
centuries.
Reflection: “Not
the goods of the world, but God, Not riches, but God.
Not distinction, but God. Not
advancements, but God.
God always, and in everything” (St Vincent Pallotti).
Daily
Readings
March
11, 2025
Tuesday
of the First Week of Lent
Reading
1
Isaiah 55:10–11
Thus says the Lord: “As the rain and the snow come
down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring
forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my
word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it
shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which
I sent it.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
34:4–5, 6–7, 16–17, 18–19
Response:
The Lord rescues them in all their distress.
Glorify the Lord
with me;
together let us
praise his name.
I sought the
Lord, and he answered me;
from all my
terrors he set me free.
Response:
The Lord rescues them in all their distress.
Look toward him
and be radiant;
let your faces
not be abashed.
This lowly one
called; the Lord heard,
and rescued him
from all his distress.
Response:
The Lord rescues them in all their distress.
The Lord turns
his eyes to the just,
and his ears are
open to their cry.
The Lord turns
his face against the wicked
to destroy their
remembrance from the earth.
Response:
The Lord rescues them in all their distress.
When the just cry
out, the Lord hears,
and rescues them
in all their distress.
The Lord is close
to the brokenhearted;
those whose
spirit is crushed he will save.
Response: The Lord rescues them in all their distress.
Verse Before the Gospel
Matthew 4:4b
Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word
that comes from the mouth of God.
Gospel
Matthew 6:7–15
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “When you
pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they
will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows
what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is
in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we
also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us
from evil. For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father
will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses,
neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Reflection
Jesus wants us to concentrate on the quality of our
prayer rather than on its quantity. Saint James states, “The prayer of a
righteous person has great power as it is working” (Jas 5:16). In today’s
gospel passage, Jesus gives us the Lord’s Prayer as a model prayer. Prayer
should not be self-centred, but God-centred. We need to glorify the name of the
Lord and accept his will in our day-to-day lives. There should be a daily
dependence on Divine Providence. That is why, Jesus wants us to pray for ‘our
daily bread’. Very significantly, Jesus attaches a condition for divine
forgiveness by adding the phrase “as we forgive those who trespass against us”.
The prayer is to be lived, too.
St
Eulogius of Cordoba, Martyr (c.818 - 859)
St Eulogius was the son of a noble senatorial family
of Cordoba in southern Spain. An avid reader and student, he was much esteemed
for his holy life, his great eloquence and for his profound humility.
The Saracen rulers had tolerated the Christian
religion during the first 130 years of their Spanish occupation, provided the
faithful kept their heavy tax payments. But in 850 there began a period of
persecution during which many were martyred for the faith. St Eulogius did
much, by spoken and written word, to encourage the persecuted and imprisoned
Christians. His three important works, viz., “Exhortation to Maryrdom”, which
encouraged two Christian girls, Flora and
Mary, threatened with slavery, “Memorial of the Saints” which relates the
trials of the Martyrs, and “Apologia” which defended martyrs seeking death by
proclaiming their faith, had a profound and widespread effect, keeping many
from apostatizing.
When the Archbishop of Toledo died in 858, St Eulogius
was chosen successor, but he was arrested just when he was due for his
consecration, for daring to defend a Saracen maiden, St Leocritia, who had
abandoned Islam for the Catholic faith. In his great zeal, the holy Priest even
endeavoured to convert his Arab judge by pointing out to him the errors of
Mohammed’s doctrine, thus literally inviting death—he was beheaded on 11 March
859.
Reflection: “Ah! If you could but conceive the reward
which waits for those who persevere in the faith to the end, you would renounce
your temporal dignity in exchange for it!” (St Eulogius of Cordoba).
Daily Readings
March 9, 2025
First Sunday of Lent
Reading I
Deuteronomy (26:4-10)
Moses
said to the people, “The priest shall take the basket of first fruits from your
hand and set it down before the altar of the LORD your God. And you shall make
response before the LORD your God, ‘A wandering Aramean was my father. And he
went down into Egypt and sojourned there, few in number, and there he became a
nation, great, mighty, and populous. And the Egyptians treated us harshly and
humiliated us and laid on us hard labour. Then we cried to the LORD, the God of
our fathers, and the LORD heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and
our oppression. And the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an
outstretched arm, with great deeds of terror, with signs and wonders. And he
brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and
honey. And behold, now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground, which you,
O LORD, have given me.’ And you shall set it down before the LORD your God and
worship before the LORD your God.”
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 91:1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15
Response: Be with me, O Lord, when I am in my
distress.
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High,
and abides in the shade of the Almighty, says
to the LORD, “My refuge, my stronghold, my
God in whom I trust!”
Response: Be with me, O Lord, when I am in my
distress.
Upon you no evil shall fall, no plague approach
your tent. For you has he commanded his
angels to keep you in all your ways.
Response: Be with me, O Lord, when I am in my
distress.
They shall bear you upon their hands, lest you
strike your foot against a stone. On the lion and
the viper you will tread, and trample the young
lion and the serpent.
Response: Be with me, O Lord, when I am in my
distress.
Since he clings to me in love, I will free him,
protect
him, for he knows my name. When he calls on me,
I will answer him; I will be with him in distress; I
will deliver him, and give him glory.
Response: Be with me, O Lord, when I am in my
distress.
Reading II
Romans (10:8-13)
Brethren,
what does Scripture say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your
heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess
with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised
him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is
justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture
says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no
distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing
his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the
Lord will be saved.
VERSE
BEFORE THE GOSPEL
Matthew
4:4b
Glory
and praise to you, O Christ.
Man
shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of
God. Glory and praise to you, O Christ.
Gospel
Luke
(4:1-13)
At
that time Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led
by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And
he ate nothing during those days. And when they were over, he was hungry. The
devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become
bread.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread
alone.’” And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world
in a moment of time, and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority
and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will.
If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” And Jesus answered him,
“It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you
serve.’” And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple
and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for
it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you’, and
‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a
stone.’ ” And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your
God to the test.’” And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed
from him until an opportune time.
Reflection
The
First Reading of today refers to a pilgrimage that the Israelite households
undertake year after year. As part of the ritual, the people present a
basketfull of their produce to the priests at the sanctuary. By this they
acknowledge the fact that all the products of the land belong to God. Taking
the basket along, the worshipper proceeds to the prescribed place. The priest
accepts the basket and places it before the altar. In all three Synoptic
Gospels the temptation proceeds immediately after Jesus’ baptism. Often the
wilderness is a region of demonic activity, and yet it is here that Jesus goes
to commune with God. In trying to understand the temptation scene we have to
keep in mind that the battle with Satan lies at the heart of Jesus’ ministry.
We are told that Jesus ate nothing for forty days – a period that would bring
one to the point of death. Whether this information is literal or not is a
matter of debate, but the understanding is that Jesus ate and drank very little
for a very long time.
In
the first temptation Jesus is challenged to use his power as Son in his own
interest to seek food for himself apart from his Father’s design. The devil
does not aim to cause Jesus to doubt his divine sonship; he knows who Jesus is,
and there is no need to pretend otherwise. Rather, he tempts Jesus through
suggestion on how to live on earth as the Son of God. The devil knows that
Jesus is hungry and so suggests that he change the stone to bread to satiate
his hunger. If the devil succeeds, then he could humiliate God in the eyes of
the people. This is what the devil aims at. But Jesus does not use his divinity
to avoid human pain and suffering. To tempt him further, the devil shows him
all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time and falsely claims that they
are all his and promises to give them to Jesus. Here the claims of the devil
are exaggerated. In offering Jesus all the kingdoms’ authority and glory, Satan
was attempting to suggest that all the power, wealth, glory, and fame that the
world could offer were there for Jesus’ taking. But Jesus refuses.
In
the third and final temptation, Jesus is challenged again to use his power to
reveal himself with dazzling effect to his contemporaries and to conform to
popular ideas of what a heaven-sent leader of the people would be. To listen to
the devil by leaping from the parapet would be a complete rejection of God’s
plan of salvation. The devil is trying to induce Jesus to jump to his own death
before beginning his mission. Jesus, in his reply to the devil, not only
rebuffs the temptation, but he also reminds the devil that he, the devil, is
subject to God as well, “You shall not put the Lord your God, to the test.” The
departure of the devil is not permanent. The devil is not about to admit
defeat, and he will reappear in greater force as he faces his passion. Lesson
for us: we have to guard against temptations at all times. Jesus won victory
over the temptations through his trust in God and recourse to Scripture. We
also should trust in God and God will ensure us too victory over temptations.
(Source:
The Sunday Liturgy)
St Frances
of Rome, Religious, Widow (1384 -1440)
Frances de Busso
was already conspicuously devout as a child of six and was looking forward to
the life of a religious when, at age 12, she bowed to the wishes of her
parents, Paul Busso and Jacobeila dei Roffredeschi, a wealthy couple of noble
lineage and married young Lorenzo de Ponziani, a pious and virtuous nobleman of
Rome. Blessed with six children, their 40 years of marriage was a happy one,
never once marred by a quarrel; and though she had the gift of absorbing prayer
and detachment from earthly things, she always maintained that a devout married
woman “must never forget that she is a housewife, and that at times she is
obliged to leave her devotions at the altar in order to find God in her
domestic duties.”
Frances’ example
of personal sanctity and moderated penances, her zeal for souls and charity
towards the poor, served to draw numerous Roman noblewomen away from a life of
idle luxury, and in 1433 they formed the Benedictine Oblate Congregation of Tor
de Specchi — whose constitution was formally approved by Pope Eugene IV in
1433—which exists to this day, working for the sick and the poor. There were no
formal vows or strict enclosure, but definite rules for prayer, visits to the
sick and the poor.
She entered her
own Congregation on 21 March 1436, after her husband’s death, and died there
four years later on 9 March 1440. She was canonized on 29 May 1608 by Pope Paul
V. Her tomb is in Santa Maria Nova.
Reflection: “By giving yourself to God, you not only
receive him in exchange, but eternal life as well” (St Francis de Sales).
Daily
Readings
March
8, 2025
Saturday
after Ash Wednesday
Reading
1
Isaiah
58:9c–14
Thus says the Lord: “If you take away the yoke from
your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, if you pour
yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall
your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. And the Lord
will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make
your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of
water, whose waters do not fail. And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you
shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the
repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in. If you turn back
your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call
the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the Lord honourable; if you honour
it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly;
then you shall take delight in the Lord, and I will make you ride on the
heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father,
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
86:1–2, 3–4, 5–6
Response:
Teach me, O Lord, your way, so that I may walk in your truth.
Turn
your ear, O Lord, and answer me,
for
I am poor and needy.
Preserve
my soul, for I am faithful;
save
the servant who trusts in you, my God.
Response:
Teach me, O Lord, your way, so that I may walk in your truth.
Have
mercy on me, O Lord,
for
I cry to you all the day long.
Gladden
the soul of your servant,
for
I lift up my soul to you, O Lord.
Response:
Teach me, O Lord, your way, so that I may walk in your truth.
O
Lord, you are good and forgiving,
full
of mercy to all who call to you.
Give
ear, O Lord, to my prayer,
and
attend to my voice
in
supplication.
Response:
Teach me, O Lord, your way, so that I may walk in your truth.
Verse
Before the Gospel
Ezekiel
33:11
have
no pleasure in the death of the wicked, says the Lord, but that he turn from
his way and live.
Gospel
Luke
5:27–32
At that time: Jesus went out and saw a tax collector
named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” And
leaving everything, he rose and followed him. And Levi made him a great feast
in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others
reclining at table with them. And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at
his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and
sinners?” And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician,
but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to
repentance.”
Reflection
Jesus’ approach to sinners is presented in today’s
Gospel passage. When the Pharisees and the Scribes looked at tax collectors as
public sinners, as those to be treated with contempt and disdain, Jesus looked
at them with compassion and considered them as “the sick who need a doctor”.
Matthew was a tax collector. The compassionate approach of Jesus made him an
Apostle and an Evangelist. We can save many sinners through a compassionate
approach. As the saying goes, “You can catch more flies with honey than with
vinegar”. It is often our self-righteous attitude that scorns others. Such a
self-righteous attitude is self-destructive. A true Christian can never be
self-righteous in his approach towards others.
St John of God, Religious, Confessor (1495-1550)
St John, though born in central Portugal, grew to
manhood in the service of the chief shepherd of a nobleman of Oropeza, Spain,
and was noted for his faithfulness and piety. After spending some time as a
soldier in France and at the siege of Vienna, he worked for a while as a
shepherd at Seville and even offered himself for the ransom of Christian
captives from the Moors.
For a while he peddled religious books and pictures
in Gibraltar, but when he was about 45, the Infant Jesus appeared to him one
day in a vision and said: “John of God, Granada will be your cross!” In that
city, to which he now repaired, he was so stirred by a sermon of St John of
Avila that he distributed his possessions and gave himself up to such public
lamentations over his wasted youth that he was considered demented. John,
however, counselled and absolved him, whereupon he devoted himself entirely to alleviating
the lot of the sick and the poor.
Renting a small house in Granada, he would carry to
it the infirm who could not reach it by themselves. Immediately on their
arrival, he would wash their feet and offer them a Crucifix to kiss, after
which he would put them to bed and urge them to have a priest hear their
confession.
The Archbishop fully supported his work, and his
sanctity was attested by numerous miracles. He died on 8 March 1550 while
praying on his knees before the altar. He was canonized in 1690.
The Order which he founded, viz., the “Brothers
Hospitallers” — in Italy they are called “Fatebene Fratelli” (Do-Good-Brethren)
— now maintain over 100 hospitals of their own in all parts of the world. St
John is the Patron of hospitals, of the sick, of nurses, printers and
book-sellers.
Reflection: “Labour without intermission to do all
the good work in your power, while time is allowed you.” “Lord, your thorns are
my roses, and your sufferings my paradise” (St John of God).
Daily Readings
March 7, 2025
Friday after Ash Wednesday
Reading 1
Isaiah 58:1–9a
Thus says the Lord God: “Cry
aloud; do not hold back; lift up your voice like a trumpet; declare to my
people their transgression, to the house of Jacob their sins. Yet they seek me
daily and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness
and did not forsake the judgment of their God; they ask of me righteous
judgments; they delight to draw near to God. ‘Why have we fasted, and you see
it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?’
Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all
your workers. Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a
wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard
on high. Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself?
Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under
him? Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the Lord? Is not this
the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of
the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to
share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own
flesh? Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall
spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the
Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’”
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 51:3–4, 5–6ab, 18–19
Response: A broken and humbled heart, O God, you will not
spurn.
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your merciful love;
according to your great compassion,
blot out my transgressions.
Wash me completely from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin.
Response: A broken and humbled heart, O God, you will not
spurn.
My transgressions, truly I know them;
my sin is always before me.
Against you, you alone, have I sinned;
what is evil in your sight I have done.
Response: A broken and humbled heart, O God, you will not
spurn.
For in sacrifice you take no delight;
burnt offering from me
would not please you.
My sacrifice to God, a broken spirit:
a broken and humbled heart,
O God, you will not spurn.
Response: A broken and humbled heart, O God, you will not
spurn.
Verse Before the Gospel
Amos 5:14
Seek good, and not evil, that you may live; and the Lord,
the God of hosts, will be with you.
Gospel
Matthew 9:14-15
At that time: The disciples of John came to Jesus, saying,
“Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus
said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with
them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then
they will fast.”
Reflection
The existence of a community of the disciples of John the
Baptist itself is questionable. John was the precursor of the Messiah. He
pointed to Jesus and said to his disciples, “Here is the Lamb of God” and they
followed him. Yet some of the disciples of John the Baptist remained as a
community on their own, not perceiving Jesus as the Messiah. They did not
recognize the Bridegroom in Jesus and continued to fast and wait. Our religious
activities can sometimes lead us to ritualism. Fasting is not an end in itself,
but it is a means to spiritual discovery and spiritual enlightenment. It should
not deteriorate into a meaningless ritual.
Sts Perpetua & Felicity, Martyrs ( -203)
The record of the passion of St Perpetua, her slave St
Felicity and their companions is among the most ancient, reliable hagiological
histories that have come down to us.
During the persecutions of Septimius Severus, five
catechumens were arrested. They were Vibia Perpetua, a noblewoman of 22 and her
infant, Felicity, a pregnant slave, Revocatus, Satwininus, Secundulus and later
Saturus their Catechist. While still under arrest they were baptized.
Perpetua’s father besought her to apostatize, because she was his favourite
child. She, however, had the vision of a golden ladder guarded by the dragon
and strewn with hooks and weapons that made difficult the ascent. But, following
the example of Saturus, she trod over the dragon and, climbing the ladder,
reached a beautiful place where a tall man in the garment of a shepherd
welcomed her and offered her curds and milk. This was the premonition that she
was to suffer and die.
Perpetua, Felicity and their companions were all condemned
and ordered to be thrown before the wild beasts, at the garrison games festival
in honour of Ceasar Geta. On the day of their triumph, they were flogged and
were beheaded by the gladiators.
Reflection: “Stand fast in the faith and love one another;
and do not let our sufferings be a stumbling-block to you” (St Perpetua).
Daily
Readings
March
6, 2025
Thursday
after Ash Wednesday
Reading
1
Deuteronomy 30:15–20
Moses spoke to the people, saying, See, I have set
before you today life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of
the Lord your God that I command you today, by loving the Lord your God, by
walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his
rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you
in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. But if your heart
turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and
serve them, I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not
live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess.
I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before
you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and
your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and
holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell
in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to
Jacob, to give them.”
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm
1:1–2, 3, 4 and 6
Response:
Blessed the man who has placed his trust in the Lord.
Blessed indeed is
the man
who follows not
the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the
path with sinners,
nor abides in the
company of scorners,
but whose delight
is the law of the Lord,
and who ponders
his law day and night.
Response:
Blessed the man who has placed his trust in the Lord.
He is like a tree
that is planted
beside the
flowing waters,
that yields its
fruit in due season,
and whose leaves
shall never fade;
and all that he
does shall prosper.
Response:
Blessed the man who has placed his trust in the Lord.
Not so are the
wicked, not so!
For they, like
winnowed chaff,
shall be driven
away by the wind.
For the Lord
knows the way of the just,
but the way of
the wicked will perish.
Response: Blessed the man who has placed his trust in
the Lord.
Verse Before the Gospel
Matthew 4:17
Repent,
says the Lord, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Gospel
Luke
9:22–25
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “The Son of
Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and
scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” And he said to all,
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross
daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever
loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he
gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?
Reflection
Jesus redeemed humanity through his sufferings and
death on the cross, in keeping with which, his disciple is expected to do three
things: deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow him. Jesus walks ahead
on the way the disciples have to tread. By asking his disciples to take up
their cross ‘daily’ Jesus wants them to know that the cross is not something
that comes at death. It is a daily affair. Everyday life involves many
sacrifices and the ultimate sacrifice is that of the total self which takes place
at death. After challenging the disciples to walk his path, he poses a question
to them to ponder – “For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world
and loses or forfeits his soul?”
St Colette,
Virgin (1381-1447)
Colette’s mother
was 60 years old when she gave birth to the Saint in Picardy, France, on 13
January 1381. Her father was a carpenter at the abbey of Corbie. When still in
her 11th year, she showed signs of her religious leaning by secretly repairing
to the Benedictine Abbey at night to assist at Matins. Orphaned at 17, she
tried the quasi-cloistered life of a Beguine; then, in search of greater
austerity, she worked as a servant for the Poor Clares and Benedictines.
Finally, on her director’s advice, giving away all she had, she became a
Franciscan Tertiary and walled herself up as a recluse alongside the church of
Our Lady at Corbie.
Here began her
celestial visions, her “voices” and visitations during which it was revealed to
her that she should restore the primitive, austere spirit in the Franciscan
Order, a task for which she felt herself entirely unfitted. God’s will seemed
to become unmistakably clear, however, when a saintly priest and a noblewoman
from far-off Savoy, complete strangers, sought her out in response to divine
inspiration, and Pope Benedict XIII made
her Abbess over the Poor Clares with full authority to establish reforms in all
the convents.
The nuns are
discalced, strictly cloistered, maintain continuous fast and abstinence, and
possess no property, not even in common. St Vincent Ferrer gave her his
processional Crucifix as a sign of his esteem.
Like St Francis,
she was an ardent lover of animals and birds, and was greatly renowned for her
sanctity and a life of unceasing prayer for the whole world. Taking critically
ill while visiting her convents in Ghent, Belgium, she breathed her last on 6 March
1447 and was canonized in 1807.
Reflection:
“If there be a true way that leads to the everlasting Kingdom, it is most
certainly that of suffering, patiently endured” (St Colette).
Daily Readings
March 5, 2025
Ash Wednesday
Reading 1
Joel (2:12-18)
“Yet
even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting,
with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.”
Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger,
and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster. Who knows
whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain
offering and a drink offering for the LORD your God? Blow the trumpet in Sion;
consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly; gather the people. Consecrate the
congregation; assemble the elders; gather the children, even nursing infants.
Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber. Between the
vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep and
say, “Spare your people, O LORD, and make not your heritage a reproach, a by
word among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their
God?’ ” Then the LORD became jealous for his land and had pity on his people.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 12-13, 14 and 17
Response:
Have mercy, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Have
mercy on me, O God, according to your merciful love; according to your great
compassion, blot out my transgressions. Wash me completely from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin.
Response: Have mercy, O Lord, for we have sinned.
My
transgressions, truly I know them; my sin is always before me. Against you, you
alone, have I sinned; what is evil in your sight I have done.
Response: Have mercy, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Create
a pure heart for me, O God; renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me
away from your presence; take not your holy spirit from me.
Response: Have mercy, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Restore
in me the joy of your salvation; sustain in me a willing spirit. O LORD, open
my lips and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Response: Have mercy, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Reading 2
2 Corinthians (5:20–6:2)
Brethren,
we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you
on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin
who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of
God in vain. For he says, “In a favourable time I listened to you, and in a day
of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favourable time; behold,
now is the day of salvation.
Verse
Before the Gospel
(See Psalm 95:7d, 8a)
Glory
and praise to you, O Christ. O that today you would listen to his voice! Harden
not your hearts. Glory and praise to you, O Christ.
Gospel
Matthew
(6:1-6,16-18)
At
that time Jesus said to his disciples, “Beware of practising your righteousness
before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no
reward from your Father who is in heaven. “Thus, when you give to the needy,
sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the
streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have
received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left
hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. “And when you pray, you
must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the
synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I
say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your
room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your
Father who sees in secret will reward you. “And when you fast, do not look
gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting
may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may
not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who
sees in secret will reward you.”
Reflection
“Behold,
now is the favourable time; behold, now is the day of salvation!” (2 Cor 6:2).
With these words, the Apostle Paul helps us enter into the spirit of the Lenten
season. Lent is indeed the “favourable time” to return to what is essential, to
divest ourselves of all that weighs us down, to be reconciled with God, and to
rekindle the fire of the Holy Spirit hidden beneath the ashes of our frail
humanity. It is the season of grace when we put into practice what the Lord
asks of us at the beginning of today’s First Reading: “Return to me with all
your heart” (Joel 2:12). The rite of the imposition of ashes serves as the
beginning of this return journey. It exhorts us to do two things: to return to
the truth about ourselves and to return to God and to our brothers and sisters.
First, to return to the truth about ourselves. The ashes remind us who we are
and whence we come. They bring us back to the essential truth of our lives: the
Lord alone is God and we are the work of his hands. That is the truth of who we
are. We have life, whereas God is life. He is the Creator, while we are the
fragile clay fashioned by his hands. We come from the earth and we need heaven;
we need him. With God, we will rise from our ashes, but without him, we are
dust. As we humbly bow our heads to receive the ashes, we are reminded of this
truth: we are the Lord’s; we belong to him. For God “formed man from the dust
of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life” (Genesis
2:7); we exist because he breathed into us the breath of life. As a tender and
merciful Father, God too experiences Lent, since he is concerned for us; he
waits for us; he awaits our return. Yet there is a second step: the ashes
invite us also to return to God and to our brothers and sisters. Once we return
to the truth about ourselves and remind ourselves that we are not
self-sufficient, we realize that we exist only through relationships: our
primordial relationship with the Lord and our vital relationships with others.
The ashes we receive today tell us that every presumption of self-sufficiency
is false, and that self-idolatry is destructive, imprisoning us in isolation
and loneliness: we look in the mirror and believe that we are perfect, the
centre of the world. Life is instead a relationship: we receive it from God and
from our parents, and we can always revive and renew it thanks to the Lord and
to those he puts at our side. Lent, then, is a season of grace when we can
rebuild our relationship with God and with others, opening our hearts in the
silence of prayer and emerging from the fortress of our self-sufficiency. Lent
is the favourable time when we can break the chains of our individualism and
isolation, and rediscover, through encounter and listening, our companions
along the journey of each day. And to learn once more to love them as brothers
and sisters.
—
A Homily by Pope Benedict XVI for Ash Wednesday.
Source:
The Sunday Liturgy
St John Joseph of
the Cross, Confessor (1654-1734)
Christened
Carlo Gaetano at his birth on 15 August 1654, St John Joseph was a native of
Ischia, an island near Naples, Italy. Even as a child, he possessed a
remarkable religious zeal and love for the poor. At 16 he became the first
Italian member of the extremely strict Alcantarine branch of the Franciscans,
founded in Spain in 1524 by St Peter of Alcantara. That was when he took the
name John Joseph.
Severely
ascetic by nature, John Joseph fasted continuously, never partaking of anything
but bread and fruit, and limited his sleep to three hours a night. Having accepted priestly ordination strictly
under obedience in 1677, he was made novice master at 24, and later guardian of
his monastery. In 1702 he became Provincial of the Alcantarine Reform in Italy.
St
John Joseph was noted for his healing touch, for reading hearts, levitation
during his ecstasies, bilocation and for multiplying food during a famine.
He
died on 5 March 1734 at the Friary of Santa Lucia del Monte. Beatified by Pope
Pius VI in 1789, he was canonized by Pope Gregory XVI in 1839.
Reflection:
“The most divine of all divine things is to cooperate with God in the salvation
of souls” (St Denis).
Daily
Readings
March
4, 2025
Tuesday
of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading
1
Sirach 35:1–12
He who keeps the law makes many offerings; he who
heeds the commandments sacrifices a peace offering. He who returns a kindness
offers fine flour, and he who gives alms sacrifices a thank offering. To keep
from wickedness is pleasing to the Lord, and to forsake unrighteousness is
atonement. Do not appear before the Lord empty-handed, for all these things are
to be done because of the commandment. The offering of a righteous man anoints
the altar, and its pleasing odour rises before the Most High. The sacrifice of
a righteous man is acceptable, and the memory of it will not be forgotten.
Glorify the Lord generously and do not stint the first fruits of your hands.
With every gift show a cheerful face and dedicate your tithe with gladness.
Give to the Most High as he has given and as generously as you are able.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm 50:5–6, 7–8, 14 and 23
Response: To one whose way is blameless, I will show
the salvation of God.
Gather my holy ones to me,
who made covenant with me by sacrifice.
The heavens proclaim his justice,
for he, God, is the judge.
Response: To one whose way is blameless, I will show
the salvation of God.
Listen, my people, I will speak;
Israel, I will testify against you,
for I am God, your God.
I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices;
your offerings are always before me.
Response: To one whose way is blameless, I will show
the salvation of God.
Give your praise as a sacrifice to God,
and fulfil your vows to the Most High.
A sacrifice of praise gives me honour,
and to one whose way is blameless,
I will show the salvation of God.
Response:
To one whose way is blameless, I will show the salvation of God.
Alleluia
Matthew
11:25
Blessed
are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have revealed to little
children the mysteries of the kingdom.
Gospel
Mark 10:28–31
At that time: Peter began to say to Jesus, “See, we
have left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there
is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or
children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a
hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and
children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. But
many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
Reflection
n
most of our dealings, we are business-minded. We want to gain more than what we
give. We refuse to buy something which, according to our assessment, does not
give satisfaction in proportion to what we pay for it. Peter thinks about the
sacrifices he has made in following Jesus and wonders whether he will have a
proportionate reward. We can never overtake God in giving. When anyone gives
himself or herself to God, He generously blesses that individual. In Mark 9:41
Jesus goes to the extent of saying, “For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you
a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his
reward”.
St Casimir, Prince, Confessor (c.1458 -1484)
St Casimir was the 2nd son of King Casimir IV of
Poland and the virtuous Elizabeth of Austria. He received his early education
from the deeply religious Canon John Dlugosz, the Polish historian, who later
became Archbishop of Lemberg. At nine, he was already noted for his piety, and
in his growing years, was often found spending long hours of the night on his
knees before the locked doors of churches, oblivious to the inclemency of the
weather. Much given to fasting, wearing a hair shirt and sleeping on the floor,
his charity towards the poor knew no bounds, thus earning him the title of
“Father and Defender of the poor and wretched”.
Casimir had a particularly ardent devotion to the
Eucharist, and to Our Lady, whom he addressed as his “Good Mother”, and he
would daily recite, kneeling, St Anselm of Canterbury’s tender hymn “Daily,
daily, sing to Mary....” During his father’s prolonged absence in Lithuania,
the saintly young Prince administered the State of Poland from 1481 to 1483
with pronounced success. A self-professed celibate, he died of consumption at
just 26, at the very hour revealed to him, while visiting Lithuania of which he
was also Grand Duke. He was canonized by Pope Adrian VI in 1522.
St Casimir, whose body was found to be still incorrupt
122 years after his death, is the Patron of both Poland and Lithuania, and is
invoked against the Plague.
Reflection:
“As a stout staff supports the trembling limbs of a feeble old man, so does
faith sustain our vacillating mind, lest it be tossed about by sinful
hesitation and perplexity” (St John Chrysostom).
Daily
Readings
March
3, 2025
Monday
of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading
1
Sirach 17:24–29
To those who repented he granted a return, and he
encouraged those whose endurance was failing. Turn to the Lord and forsake your
sins; pray in his presence and lessen your offence. Return to the Most High and
turn away from iniquity and hate abominations intensely. Who will sing praises
to the Most High in Hades, as do those who are alive and give thanks? From the
dead, as from one who does not exist, thanksgiving has ceased; he who is alive
and well sings the Lord’s praises. How great is the mercy of the Lord, and his
forgiveness for those who turn to him!
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm
32:1–2, 5, 6, 7
Response:
Rejoice in the Lord; exult, you just!
Blessed is he
whose transgression
is forgiven,
whose sin is remitted.
Blessed the man
to whom the Lord imputes no guilt,
in whose spirit
is no guile.
Response:
Rejoice in the Lord; exult, you just!
To you I have
acknowledged my sin;
my guilt I did
not hide.
I said, “I will
confess
my transgression
to the Lord.”
And you have
forgiven
the guilt of my
sin.
Response:
Rejoice in the Lord; exult, you just!
So let each
faithful one pray to you
in the time of
need.
The floods of
water may reach high,
but such a one
they shall not reach.
Response:
Rejoice in the Lord; exult, you just!
You are a hiding
place for me;
you keep me safe
from distress;
you surround me
with cries of deliverance.
Response: Rejoice in the Lord; exult, you just!
Alleluia
2 Corinthians 8:9
Though Jesus Christ was rich, yet for your sake he
became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.
Gospel
Mark
10:17–27
At that time: As Jesus was setting out on his journey,
a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do
to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No
one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not
commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud,
Honour your father and mother.’” And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have
kept from my youth.” And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him,
“You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you
will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Disheartened by the saying,
he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. And Jesus looked around
and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth
to enter the kingdom of God!” And the disciples were amazed at his words. But
Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom
of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a
rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” And they were exceedingly astonished,
and said to him, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With
man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”
Reflection
We notice that while talking to the man who was
interested in inheriting eternal life, Jesus leaves out the first three
Commandments which pertain to the love of God, but enumerates the other
commandments dealing with the love of neighbour. Jesus who sees the heart of
everyone already knows what was lacking in him. The man seems to think that he
has been following all the commandments from his youth. Yet he had “great
possessions” that he had not cared to share with the poor and the needy. Jesus
wants him to realize that the real love of neighbour consists in sharing his
possessions with the poor and the needy.
Saint
Katharine Drexel (1858-1955)
Saint Katharine
Drexel is the second American-born saint to be canonized by the Catholic
Church. This amazing woman was an heiress to a large bequest who became a
religious sister and a brilliant educator.
Katherine was
born in Philadelphia on November 26, 1858, the second child of a prominent and
wealthy banker, Francis Anthony Drexel and his wife, Hannah Langstroth.
The Drexels were financially and spiritually well
endowed. They were devout in the practice of their faith, setting an excellent
example of true Christian living for their daughters. They not only prayed but
practiced what the Church calls the spiritual and corporal works of mercy.
Katharine grew up seeing her father pray for 30
minutes each evening. The couple distributed food, clothing and provided rent
assistance to those in need. The Drexels would seek out and visit women who
were too afraid or too proud to approach the home in order to care for their
needs in Christian charity.
In 1884, while her family was visiting the Western
states, Katharine saw first-hand the troubling and poor situation of the Native
Americans. She desperately wanted to help them.
Katharine spent much of her time with Father James O'
Connor, a Philadelphia priest. He provided her with wonderful spiritual
direction. As one of their first acts following their father's death, Katharine
and her sisters contributed money to assist the St. Francis Mission of South
Dakota's Rosebud Reservation.
In 1887, while touring Europe, the Drexel sisters were
given a private audience with Pope Leo XIII. They were seeking missionaries to
help with the Indian missions they were financing. The Pope looked to Katharine
and suggested she, herself, become a missionary. Katharine began her six-month
postulancy at the Sisters of Mercy Convent in Pittsburgh in 1889.
On February 12, 1891, Katharine made her first vows as
a religious and dedicated herself to working for the American Indians and
African-Americans in the Western United States.
Taking the name Mother Katharine, she established a
religious congregation called the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament for Indians
and Colored, whose members would work for the betterment of those they were
called to serve. From the age of 33 until her death in 1955, she dedicated her
life and her fortune to this work.
In 1915, Katherine founded Xavier University in New
Orleans, the first Catholic University in the United States for
African-Americans. By the time of her death, she had more than 500 Sisters
teaching in 63 schools throughout the country and she established 50 missions
for Native Americans in 16 different states. Mother Katharine died on March 3,
1955 at the age of 96.
Katharine was remembered for her love of the Eucharist
and a desire for unity of all peoples. She was courageous and took the
initiative to address social inequality within minorities. She believed all
should have access to a quality education and her selfless service, including
the donation of her inheritance, helped many reach that goal.
St. Katharine was beatified on November 20, 1988 and
canonized on October 1, 2000 by Pope John Paul II. Katharine is the patron
saint of racial justice and philanthropists
*****
Daily
Readings
March
2, 2025
Eighth
Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading I
Sirach (27:4-7)
When a sieve is
shaken, the refuse appears; so a person’s filth in his thoughts. The kiln tests
the potter’s vessels; likewise the test of a person is in his reasoning. The
fruit discloses the cultivation of a tree; so the expression of a thought
discloses the cultivation of a person’s mind. Do not praise a man before you
hear him reason, for this is the test of people.
Responsorial Psalm
92: 2-3, 13-14,15-16
Response: It is
good to give thanks, O Lord.
It is good to
give thanks to the LORD, to make music to your name, O Most High, to proclaim
your loving mercy in the morning, and your truth in the watches of the night.
Response: It is good to give thanks, O Lord.
The just will
flourish the palm tree, and grow like a Lebanon cedar. Planted in the house of
the LORD, they will flourish in courts of our God.
Response: It is good to give thanks, O Lord.
Still bearing
fruit when they are old, still full of sap, still green, to proclaim that the
LORD is upright. In him, my rock, there is no wrong.
Response: It is good to give thanks, O Lord.
Reading II
1
Corinthians 15:54-58
Brethren, when
the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality,
then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in
victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The
sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God,
who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers,
be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that
in the Lord your labour is not in vain.
Acclamation
(Phil 2:15d-16a)
Alleluia.
Alleluia.
You shine as
lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life.
Gospel
Luke (6:39-45)
At that time:
Jesus told his disciples a parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will
they not both fall into a pit? A disciple is not above his teacher, but
everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher. Why do you see the
speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your
own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck
that is in your eye’, when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own
eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will
see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye. “For no good
tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree
is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor are
grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of
his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces
evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”
Reflection
Perseverance and
responsibility are hallmarks of any follower of Jesus Christ. Coupled with
perseverance and responsibility are compassion and love. With these virtues, we
can more easily walk in the ways of the Lord and encourage others along the
same path as well. In order to make his points, Jesus drew on the realities of
his time. For example, eye disease was widespread in ancient Israel before the
advancements in medicine that we enjoy today. In the time of Jesus, people with
eye disease were often shunned, with no one assisting another. Jesus used the
familiar situation of “the blind leading the blind,” to explain that the best
scenario is that someone who can see is best equipped to lead one who cannot
see. Many people have perfect and keen eyesight, but that is only when they
look for other people’s mistakes. But when it comes to their own sins and
mistakes, they are blind. It is as if a big wooden beam blocks their eyes. That
‘wooden beam’ is nothing other than pride. A proud person looks down on other
people. He thinks he is the best person in the world. Everybody else is of less
worth. In the spiritual life, he assumes the holier-than-thou attitude. He is
convinced of his own holiness, and the certainty of eternal salvation! The Lord
has an accurate word for this: hypocrisy. This is the reason why Jesus
continually lashes out at the Scribes and the Pharisees. A hypocritical teacher
who is blind to his own faults cannot try to reform his brother. Jesus calls
hypocrites those who notice a tiny sprinter in others’ eyes but are blind to
the plank in their own. They are unaware of their shortcomings while they decry
the faults of others. These people are often negative and hostile. They have
the habit of focusing on the bad side of everything especially the bad side of
people. They are prone to criticize and find fault. It may be because they are
looking for a person without blemish. But such a person is hard to find. The
reason is simple: there is no one without fault and there is no ideal man, only
real person with good and bad qualities. Instead of criticizing others, why not
be caring for them? If we care for them, we will listen not only to what they
are saying but also to what they are trying to say with or without words. If we
care for them we won’t impose on them our views, our plans, ideas, discipline,
advice, correction, guidance and our judgement. If we care for them we will
show them how talented, capable, industrious, genuine, original, creative,
skilled, friendly, trustworthy, resourceful, good and lovable persons they are.
Hopefully, as the years progress, we can recognize within us a progression, not
in “greatness,” as that would be vainglory, but in bearing wholesome fruit, by
growing in patience, compassion, forgiveness, commitment, honesty, letting go
and letting God, sharing what we have with the less fortunate, giving of our
time and talents to worthwhile causes, generously assisting others, responding
rather than reacting in difficult circumstances, choosing life, asking
forgiveness, listening more and speaking less.
St Chad, Bishop, Confessor (-c. 672)
Born in
Northumbria, England, St Chad, also known as Ceadda, was one of four English
brothers who became priests; he and his elder brother St Chedd had both been
educated at the great abbey of Lindisfarne on Holy Island under its founder,
Abbot St Aidan.
After the death
of St Aidan, Chad went to Ireland. When his brother, Chedd, was made Bishop of
London, Chad acquiesced to his request to return to England to take charge of
the abbey at Lastingham. When Chad himself was named Bishop of York by King
Oswin, he began to devote himself to ecclesiastical truth and to purity of
doctrine and concentrated a great deal on the practice of virtue.
When St Theodore,
the new archbishop of Canterbury arrived in England in 669, he charged Chad
with being improperly ordained bishop. The saint humbly replied, “If you
consider that I have not been properly consecrated, I willingly resign this
charge of which I never thought myself worthy. I undertook it though unworthy
under obedience.” St Theodore was so deeply impressed by the respondent’s
humility and holiness that before Chad retired to Lastingham, he made good
whatever was lacking in his episcopal consecration.
Soon after the
death of Jaruman, Bishop of Mercia, St Theodore requested King Oswin to let
Chad take over that See. He is credited with the very Christianization of the
ancient English kingdom of Mercia, so much so that, at his death, there were
already 31 churches dedicated to him!
A remarkable
monastic founder, St Chad conducted his apostolate rather zealously, travelling
much on foot. He died of plague and numerous miracles have been reported at his
graveside. His relics are venerated at St Chad’s Cathedral, Birmingham.
Reflection: “For
everyone who makes himself great will be humbled, and everyone who humbles
himself will be made great” (Lk 14:11).
Daily
Readings
March
1, 2025
Saturday
of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Reading
1
Sirach 17:1–13
The Lord created mankind out of earth and turned him
back to it again. He gave to them numbered days, a limited time, but granted
them authority over the things upon the earth. He endowed them with strength
like his own and made them in his own image. He placed the fear of them in all
living beings and granted them dominion over beasts and birds. He made for them
deliberation, speech, and eyes; he gave them ears and a mind for thinking. He
filled them with knowledge and understanding and showed them good things and
bad. He set his eye upon their hearts to show them the majesty of his works.
And they will praise his holy name to proclaim the grandeur of his works. He
bestowed knowledge upon them and allotted to them the law of life. He
established with them an eternal covenant and showed them his judgments. Their
eyes saw his glorious majesty, and their ears heard the glory of his voice.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm
103:13–14, 15–16, 17–18a
Response:
The mercy of the Lord is everlasting upon those who hold him in fear.
As a father has
compassion on his children,
the Lord’s
compassion is on those who fear him.
For he knows of
what we are made;
he remembers that
we are dust.
Response:
The mercy of the Lord is everlasting upon those who hold him in fear.
Man, his days are
like grass;
he flowers like
the flower of the field.
The wind blows,
and it is no more,
and its place
never sees it again.
Response:
The mercy of the Lord is everlasting upon those who hold him in fear.
But the mercy of
the Lord is everlasting
upon those who
hold him in fear,
upon children’s
children his justice,
for those who
keep his covenant.
Response: The mercy of the Lord is everlasting upon
those who hold him in fear.
Alleluia
Matthew 11:25
Blessed
are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have revealed to little
children the mysteries of the kingdom.
Gospel
Mark
10:13–16
At that time: They were bringing children to Jesus
that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw
it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not
hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you,
whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”
And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.
Reflection
Jesus does not want anyone to prevent children from
coming to him. They have a special place in the Kingdom of God. It is gravely
sinful to scandalize them. He says in Matthew 18:6, “Whoever causes one of
these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have
a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of
the sea”. Jesus wants his disciples to be like little children. We need to
distinguish between being childish and being childlike. In 1 Corinthians 14:20,
Saint Paul says, “Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in
evil, but in your thinking be mature.” We are all children before our Heavenly
Father whom Jesus taught us to call ‘our Father’.
St David, Bishop, Confessor (c. 495/520 –589)
Little is historically known about the life of this
saint. According to the hagiography by the Welsh scholar Rhygfarch, David was
born of St Non who had been raped by a local chieftan Sant.
A native of southern Wales, David was educated at
Henfynyw, Cardigan, under Paulinus of Wales, the disciple of St Germain of
Auxerre. He was made Abbot of TyGwyn monastery, which he transferred to Menevia
in western Pembrokeshire (today known as St David’s), then the principal port
of embarkation for Ireland. His numerous monasteries housed monks who lived
rigidly according to a very austere rule whose main features were absolute
silence, intense manual labour, and strict mortification, all of which earned David
and his monks the sobriquet, “acquaticus”, i.e., “the water drinkers”!
David’s missionary activities also took him to the
Holy Land where he was consecrated Archbishop by the Patriarch of Jerusalem. In
569, at the Synod of Victory over which he presided, the Pelagian heresy in
Britain was defeated and his decrees for the regulation of the Welsh Church
were formally ratified.
Said to have been canonized in 1120 by Pope Calixtus
II, St David, who embodies the golden age of Welsh monasticism, is the Patron
of Wales.
Reflection:
“Be joyful and keep the faith. Do those little things you have seen and heard
from me” (St David).
Daily
Readings
February
28, 2025
Friday
of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Reading
1
Sirach 6:5–17
A pleasant voice will multiply its friends, and a
gracious tongue will multiply courtesies. Let those that are at peace with you
be many, but let your advisers be one in a thousand. When you gain a friend,
gain him through testing and do not trust him hastily. For there is a friend
who is such at his own convenience and who will never stand by you in your day
of trouble. And there is a friend who changes into an enemy and will disclose a
quarrel to your disgrace. And there is a friend who is a table companion, but
who will never stand by you in your day of trouble. In your prosperity he will
make himself your equal and be bold with your servants; but if you are brought
low he will be against you and will hide himself from your presence. Keep
yourself far from your enemies and be on guard towards your friends. A faithful
friend is a sturdy shelter: he that has found one has found a treasure. There
is nothing so precious as a faithful friend, and no scales can measure his
excellence. A faithful friend is an elixir of life; and those who fear the Lord
will find him. Whoever fears the Lord directs his friendship aright, for as he
is, so is his neighbour also.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm 119:12, 16, 18, 27, 34, 35
Response: Guide me, Lord, in the path of your
commands.
Blest are you, O Lord;
teach me your statutes.
Response: Guide me, Lord, in the path of your
commands.
I take delight in your statutes;
I will not forget your word.
Response: Guide me, Lord, in the path of your
commands.
Open my eyes, that I may see
the wonders of your law.
Response: Guide me, Lord, in the path of your
commands.
Make me grasp the way of your precepts,
and I will ponder your wonders.
Response: Guide me, Lord, in the path of your
commands.
Grant me insight that I may keep your law,
and observe it wholeheartedly.
Response: Guide me, Lord, in the path of your
commands.
Guide me in the path of your commands,
for in them is my delight.
Response:
Guide me, Lord, in the path of your commands.
Alleluia
John
17:17b, 17a
Your
word, O Lord, is truth; sanctify us in the truth.
Gospel
Mark
10:1–12
At that time: Jesus went to the region of Judea and
beyond the Jordan, and crowds gathered to him again. And again, as was his
custom, he taught them. And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked,
“Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” He answered them, “What did Moses
command you?” They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce
and to send her away.” And Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of
heart he wrote you this commandment. But from the beginning of creation, ‘God
made them male and female. Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother
and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no
longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man
separate.” And in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter.
And he said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits
adultery against her, and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she
commits adultery.”
Reflection
Jesus
gives us a powerful teaching regarding marriage: its unity and indissolubility.
The root of love lies in God who is love, and who shares his love with us. In
married life, if faith and commitment are missing, a perfect union of heart and
flesh is difficult to achieve. Love in marriage grows gradually. It is shown in
the commitment to one’s spouse, through which the couple experiences the joy
and serenity of being united. Finally, it is manifested in the children, for
whom the best legacy is the good example of their parents. Pope Francis in
Amoris Laetitia says, “In family life, we need to cultivate that strength of
love which can help us fight every evil threatening it. Love does not yield to
resentment, scorn for others or the desire to hurt or to gain some advantage.
The Christian ideal, especially in families, is a love that never gives up”
(n 119). Let us pray that the Lord may
grant our families the joy of living together and always experiencing the serenity
that comes from forgiveness.
St Hilarius,
Pope, Confessor ( -468)
St Hilarius was
one of the Papal legates to the so-called Robber Synod held at Ephesus (in
Turkey) in 449, and was entrusted with the task of opposing the condemnation of
St Flavian of Constantinople, and insisting upon the rights of the Holy See.
Dioscorus, Patriarch of Alexandria, however, dominated the Synod by his terror
tactics from which it became necessary for Hilarius flee to safety.
On 19 November
461 he was elevated to the Papacy on the death of St Leo the Great, whose
“Tome”, the much celebrated work condemning Eutychianism, i.e., a heresy that
the human aspect of Christ’s nature was subsumed by his divinity, was the
result of Flavian’s dying appeal to Rome. Pope Hilarius succeeded in
strengthening Church administration and discipline in Gaul and Spain. He also
decreed that no Bishop should leave his diocese without the consent of his
Metropolitan, and that he should not appoint his own successor or be
transferred from one diocese to another. The decisions of the Roman Synod of
465 are the oldest which have come down to us.
Though nothing is
known about the birth of Pope St Hilarius, he is known to have gone to his
reward on 29 February 468.
Reflection:“I
command you to preach the message, to insist upon proclaiming it, whether the
time is right or not; to convince, reproach, and encourage, as you teach with
all patience” (2 Tim 4:2).
Daily
Readings
February
27, 2025
Thursday
of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Reading
1
Sirach 5:1–8
Do
not be preoccupied with your wealth or say, “I am self-sufficient.” Do not
follow your inclination and strength, walking according to the desires of your
heart. Do not say, “Who will have power over me?” for the Lord will surely
punish you. Do not say, “I sinned, and what happened to me?” for the Lord is
slow to anger. Do not be so confident of atonement that you add sin to sin. Do
not say, “His compassion is great, he will atone for the multitude of my sins,”
for both mercy and wrath are with him, and his anger rests on sinners. Do not
delay to turn to the Lord or postpone it from day to day; for suddenly the
wrath of the Lord will go forth, and at the time of punishment you will perish.
Do not occupy yourself with dishonest wealth, for it will not benefit you in
the day of calamity.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 1:1–2, 3, 4
and 6
Response: Blessed
the man who has placed his trust in the Lord.
Blessed indeed is
the man
who follows not
the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the
path with sinners,
nor abides in the
company of scorners,
but whose delight
is the law of the Lord,
and who ponders
his law day and night.
Response: Blessed
the man who has placed his trust in the Lord.
He is like a tree
that is planted
beside the
flowing waters,
that yields its
fruit in due season,
and whose leaves
shall never fade;
and all that he
does shall prosper.
Response: Blessed
the man who has placed his trust in the Lord.
Not so are the
wicked, not so!
For they, like
winnowed chaff,
shall be driven
away by the wind.
for the Lord
knows the way of the just,
but the way of
the wicked will perish.
Response:
Blessed the man who has placed his trust in the Lord.
Alleluia
1 Thessalonians 2:13
Accept the word of God, not as the word of men, but as
what it really is, the word of God.
Gospel
Mark
9:41–50
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever
gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means
lose his reward. Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to
sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung round his neck
and he were thrown into the sea. And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it
off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to
hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off.
It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into
hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to
enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into
hell, ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ For
everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its
saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at
peace with one another.”
Reflection
Jesus appreciates even a small act of charity done by
anyone towards his disciples. Those who do good to them are, even unknowingly,
cooperating in the sacred mission of Jesus. At the same time anyone who causes
scandal to the believer, especially to those who are weak, is doing serious
harm to himself and others. Death is preferable to doing that! Jesus also makes
it abundantly clear that no sacrifice is too great to make and no suffering too
big to bear for the sake of eternal life. Therefore, one needs to avoid all
sources of temptation and occasions of evil, no matter what pain one has to
suffer because that suffering leads the person to eternal life. Any disciple of
Christ who is wanting in the salt of charity is of no value, for charity is
essential to Christian living.
St Gabriel of Our
Lady of Sorrows, Confessor (1838 -1862)
Francis Possenti,
a native of Assisi (Italy) received Baptism at the same font at which his great
namesake had been christened over 600 years before. His father, Sante, one time
Governor of Assisi and then assessor of Spoleto, was a deeply religious man—before
attending Mass each morning, he would spend an hour in prayer and reading, and
conclude the day with a visit to the Eucharistic Lord each evening.
When only 4,
Francis—the 11th of 13 children—lost his mother, Agnese, a Christian and a
woman of sterling qualities. As he grew to boyhood, his typically childish
pranks and mischievous love of fun caused his busy father much anxiety.
However, the conscientious father was never too busy to instruct his children
in the catechism of the church and to familiarize them with the meaning of the
lives of Christ and his Saints.
As a young man
Francis was highly obsessed with the trappings of social life with its endless
rounds of dramas, opera and concerts. However, on two occasions, he experienced
the chastening influence of a serious illness, each time promising Mary that,
if cured, he would enter religious life, and, of course, on recovering, each
time procrastinating.
Then came the
outbreak of the cholera epidemic in Spoleto in 1856. In consternation the
people turned to the Madonna and solemnly promised that, should she stop the
dreadful epidemic, a great procession would be held with her ancient image,
which had been presented to the city by Emperor Barbarossa in 1115.
The Plague did
cease. When Francis knelt among the people as the image passed, he was held in
thrall by the gaze of the Madonna that seemed to penetrate his soul. He felt
her lips move in stern admonition thus: “Francis, why do you tarry in the
world? Arise! Make haste and become a religious!” This time there was no more
delay, and he joined the Passionists at Morovalle as Gabriel of Our Lady of
Sorrows.
Francis was
particularly conspicuous for his fervent devotion to our Lord’s Passion, to the
Blessed Sacrament, and to the Blessed Virgin. But when he was ready to be
ordained, having received minor orders in 1861, the political and anti-clerical
upheavals in Italy made it unsafe for him to be sent to his Bishop, and not
long thereafter, i.e., on 27 February 1862, Gabriel succumbed to consumption in
his 6th year as a Passionist.
Beatified on 31
May 1908, he was canonized on 13 May 1920 in the presence of his aged brother.
St Gabriel is the
chief Patron of today’s youth and particularly of the interior lives of young
novices and professed religious.
Reflection:“If
there is any fibre in my heart that does not beat for the love of God, I am
ready to pluck it out and to destroy it without delay” (St Gabriel of O.L. of
Sorrows).
Daily
Readings
February
26, 2025
Wednesday
of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Reading
1
Sirach 4:11–19
Wisdom exalts her sons and gives help to those who
seek her. Whoever loves her loves life, and those who seek her early will be
filled with joy. Whoever holds her fast will inherit glory, and the Lord will
bless the place she enters. Those who serve her will minister to the Holy One;
the Lord loves those who love her. He who obeys her will judge nations, and
whoever gives heed to her will dwell secure. If he has faith he will inherit
her; and his descendants will remain in possession of her. For at first she
will walk with him on tortuous paths, she will bring fear and cowardice upon
him and will torment him by her discipline until she trusts his soul, and she
will test him with her ordinances. And again she will come straight back to him
and gladden him and will reveal her secrets to him. If he goes astray she will
forsake him and give him over into the hand of his downfall.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm 119:165, 168,
171, 172, 174, 175
Response: The lovers of
your law have great peace.
The lovers of your law
have great peace;
no stumbling block for
them.
Response: The lovers of
your law have great peace.
I obey your precepts
and decrees;
all my ways are before
you.
Response: The lovers of
your law have great peace.
My lips shall proclaim
your praise,
because you teach me
your statutes.
Response: The lovers of
your law have great peace.
My tongue will sing of
your promise,
for your commands are
just.
Response: The lovers of
your law have great peace.
I have longed for your
salvation, O Lord,
and your law is my
delight.
Response: The lovers of
your law have great peace.
My soul shall live and
praise you.
Your judgments give me
help.
Response:
The lovers of your law have great peace.
Alleluia
John 14:6
I am the way, and the truth, and the life, says the
Lord; no one comes to the Father except through me.
Gospel
Mark 9:38–40
At
that time: John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in
your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” But
Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will
be able soon afterwards to speak evil of me. For the one who is not against us
is for us.
Reflection
Some
healers at the time of Jesus were used to invoke the help of great men of the
past to try to heal those who turned to them. Someone among these healers,
probably, had decided to include even Jesus in the list of the great men to be
invoked. John, the disciple, became worried and reported this to the Lord: How
did that healer allow himself to heal in the name of Jesus without being part
of the group of Jesus as his disciple? Jesus’ answer was, “Do not stop him… For
the one who is not against us is for us”. Our God is tolerant towards everyone.
Unfortunately, we are accustomed to branding people and looking at them with
suspicion if they are not part of our “group”. For God, every human person is
“ours”.
St Mechtilde, Virgin
(c.1240 - 1298)
Born in the Castle of
Helfa, near Eisleben, Saxony, to one of the noblest families of Thuringia, St
Mechtilde, at 7, entered the Benedictine Convent at Rodensdorf—where her elder
sister, Gertrude Hackeborn was already a nun. Under the tutelage of Gertrude,
Mechtilde made rapid strides in virtue and learning. On account of her
humility, piety and zeal she was appointed, when still relatively young, to
direct the novitiate and the choir, and as such she became the first teacher of
St Gertrude the Great when the latter was placed in her convent at the age of
5.
In his revelations Our
Lord used to address her as his “Nightingale”, and he favoured her with such
spiritual insight and mystical experiences that learned Dominicans were sent to
consult her on spiritual matters.
Together with St
Gertrude the Great, St Mechtilde is one of the first to have stressed on
devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. “When you awake in the morning, let your
first act be to salute my Heart and to offer me your own,” our Lord once urged
Mechtilde.
St Mechtilde breathed
her last at the Helfta monastery on 19 November c.1298.
Reflection:
“It gives me real pleasure when men hope for great things from me, and I will
always grant them more than they expect” (Our Lord to St Mechtilde).
Daily
Readings
February
25, 2025
Tuesday
of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Reading
1
Sirach 2:1–11
My
son, if you come forward to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for testing. Set
your heart right and be steadfast and do not be hasty in time of calamity. Hold
to him and do not depart, that you may reach full growth by the end of your
life. Accept whatever is brought upon you and in changes that humble you be
patient. For gold is tested in the fire, and acceptable people in the furnace
of humiliation. Trust in him, and he will help you; make your ways straight and
hope in him. You who fear the Lord, wait for his mercy; and turn not aside,
lest you fall. You who fear the Lord, trust in him, and your reward will
certainly not fail; you who fear the Lord, hope for good things, for
everlasting joy and mercy. Consider the ancient generations and see: who trusted
in the Lord and was put to shame? Or who persevered in the fear of the Lord and
was forsaken? Or who called upon him and was overlooked? For the Lord is
compassionate and merciful; he forgives sins and saves in time of affliction.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 37:3–4,
18–19, 27–28, 39–40
Response: Commit
your way to the Lord, and he will act.
Trust in the Lord
and do good;
then you will
dwell in the land and safely pasture.
Find your delight
in the Lord,
who grants your
heart’s desire.
Response: Commit
your way to the Lord, and he will act.
The Lord takes
note of the days of the blameless;
their heritage
will last forever.
They shall not be
put to shame in evil days;
in time of famine
they shall have their fill.
Response: Commit
your way to the Lord, and he will act.
Then turn away
from evil and do good,
and you may abide
forever;
for indeed, the
Lord loves justice,
and will never
forsake his faithful.
The unjust shall
be wiped out forever,
and the
descendants of the wicked destroyed.
Response: Commit
your way to the Lord, and he will act.
But from the Lord
comes the salvation of the just,
their stronghold
in time of distress.
The Lord helps
them and rescues them,
rescues and saves
them from the wicked:
because they take
refuge in him.
Response:
Commit your way to the Lord, and he will act.
Alleluia
Galatians 6:14
Far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our
Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the
world.
Gospel
Mark
9:30–37
At that time: Jesus and his disciples went on from the
mountain and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know, for he
was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be
delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed,
after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand the saying, and
were afraid to ask him. And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the
house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” But they kept
silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the
greatest. And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If
anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” And he took
a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said
to them, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever
receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”
Reflection
Jesus gives us a few powerful teachings for our
Christian life: to put ourselves at the service of others, to help people in
need, to understand them, and to be with them in their situations of
difficulty, anxiety and worry. Jesus himself was a sublime example, and
therefore he asks us to imitate him. Thus, together with Jesus, each one
becomes a “saviour” and a “friend” who facilitates the path toward God. Pope
Francis says in a homily, “Let us never forget that authentic power is service,
and that the Pope too when exercising power, must enter ever more fully into
that service which has its radiant culmination on the Cross.”
Blessed
Rani Maria
Rani Maria was
born on 29 January 1954 as the second child of Paily and Eliswa of Vattalil, in
an ordinary peasant family. Her Baptism was on 5 February 1954 at StThomas
Church Pulluvazhy and she was given the name ‘Mariam’ after Mother Mary, the
mother of Jesus. Her God fearing parents
brought her up in Christian faith and charity along with their six other
children – Stephen, Annie, Varghese, Thressiamma, Celine and Lusy. Celine would later followed her elder
sister Rani Maria and joined the
Franciscan Clarist Congregation, assuming the name Selmy Paul.
From her infancy
her parents and grandparents made her understand the importance of prayer. Even
at the young age, she regularly attended the Holy Mass and took part in the
popular devotions. She frequented catechism lessons and practiced what she
learned in her day today life.
The frequent
visit to the nearby convent and acquaintance with the FCC nuns enabled them to
make a decision to enter the Franciscan Clarist Congregation.
On 1st May 1974,
she made her first profession in Franciscan Clarist Congregation under the new
name Rani Maria and on May 22, 1980 she made her final profession at St Hormis
Church, Ankamaly.
As usual on 25th
February 1995 Sr.Rani Maria rose early in the morning. She had to take the first bus to Indore and
from there go to the Provincial House, Bhopal and then proceed down to Kerala.
Accompanied by
two sisters Sr. Rani reached the bus stand only to be told that the bus trip
was cancelled. While they were returning, they saw the bus by name ‘Kapil’ by
which she was to travel. Sr. Liza Rose told the conductor to reserve one seat
for Sr. Rani Maria. He replied, “The bus will leave at 8.15 a.m. You may board
the bus in front of the convent.”
The bus arrived
in front of the convent. Sisters bade her farewell. Sr. Liza helped her to get
into the bus with her handbag. A young
man dressed in white, kept her bag near the driver and asked her to sit in the
back seat. This was something unusual in Udainagar. The sisters were always
given the front seat in the bus. Among the fifty or so passengers there were
three, seated in different parts of the bus, but united in one thing: the
determination to murder Sr. Rani. Jeevan Singh, the leader of the group was
seated in the back seat of the bus together with Dharmendra, his
bodyguard. The third man was Samundar
Singh, a youth of 28, who took his seat near Sr. Rani Maria. Jeevan Singh began to insult her saying:
“Why have you come here from Kerala? Have you come to convert these poor tribal
people to Christianity? We will not allow that.”
The bus reached a
jungle about 20 kms from Udainagar.
Samundar rose from his seat and asked the driver to stop the bus. He got down from the bus and broke a coconut
against a rock on the road side: it was a pooja or sacred rite offered to their
divinities. With pieces of the broken
coconut in his hands he re-entered the bus and distributed them among the
passengers. He offered a piece to Sr.Rani Maria but suddenly withdrew it as if
to fool her. She asked him, “Why are you so overjoyed today?” Drawing out a
knife he said, “Just for this,” and thrust it into her stomach. Repeatedly he
stabbed her. Then the bus stopped. Deaf to her cries, he dragged her out of the
bus and stabbed her to death. The
post-mortem registered 40 major injuries besides 14 bruises. Unto the last she kept on saying “Jesus!
Jesus!” None of the passengers dared to come to her rescue. Most of them ran
away.
The beatification
process opened on 26 September 2003 after the title Servant of God was
conferred upon her and the Congregation for the Causes of Saints granted the
“nihil obstat” (‘nothing against’) to the cause. The subsequent diocesan
process took place in Indore from 29 June 2005 to 28 June 2007 and received
C.C.S. validation in Rome on 27 November 2009.
Pope Francis approved the cause on 23 March 2017 and
she was beatified on 4 November 2017 in Indore.
Daily
Readings
February
24, 2025
Monday
of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Reading
1
Sirach
1:1–10
All wisdom comes from the Lord and is with him for
ever. The sand of the sea, the drops of rain, and the days of eternity – who
will count them? The height of heaven, the breadth of the earth, the Abyss and
wisdom – who will search them out? Wisdom was created before all things, and
prudent understanding from eternity. The source of wisdom is God’s word in the
highest heaven, and her ways are eternal commandments. The root of wisdom – to
whom has it been revealed? Her great deeds – who knows them? The knowledge of
wisdom – to whom was it manifested? And her abundant experience – who has
understood it? There is one who is wise, greatly to be feared, sitting upon his
throne. The Lord himself created wisdom; he saw her and apportioned her, he
poured her out upon all his works, with all flesh according to his gift, and he
supplied her to those who persisted in loving him.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm 93:1abc, 1d–2, 5
Response: The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed.
The
Lord is king, with majesty enrobed.
The
Lord has robed himself with might;
he
has girded himself with power.
Response:
The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed.
The
world you made firm, not to be moved;
your
throne has stood firm from of old.
From
all eternity, O Lord, you are.
Response:
The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed.
Truly
your decrees are to be trusted.
Holiness
is fitting to your house,
O
Lord, until the end of time.
Response:
The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed.
Alleluia
2
Timothy 1:10
Our
Saviour Christ Jesus abolished death and brought life and immortality to light
through the gospel.
Gospel
Mark 9:14–29
At that time: [When Jesus came down the mountain with
Peter and James and John] they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd
around them, and scribes arguing with them. And immediately all the crowd, when
they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. And he
asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” And someone from the crowd
answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes
him mute. And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and
grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out,
and they were not able.” And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how
long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” And
they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it
convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the
mouth. And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?”
And he said, “From childhood. And it has often cast him into fire and into
water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and
help us.” And Jesus said to him, “If you can’! All things are possible for one
who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I
believe; help my unbelief!” And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running
together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf
spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” And after
crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a
corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand
and lifted him up, and he arose. And when he had entered the house, his
disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” And he said to
them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”
Reflection
To be a Christian is to have faith in Jesus and to
live his values. Basking in the fame of Jesus, and feeling proud that they were
the closest confidants of Jesus, the disciples presumed that they would be able
to do the same works as Jesus did. But they miserably failed to heal the boy
because they probably attempted to heal for their self-glory or perhaps to show
off the power that they had received from Jesus. The father of the boy teaches
us with what attitude we should approach Jesus for a miracle: he approached
Jesus with faith for a miracle, not for himself, but for his son. Again, he
prayed to Jesus, not for himself, but for his son. Our prayer becomes more
efficacious when we pray with faith for others, especially those who are in
need. Let us, today, pray for someone who is in need.
St Caesarius, Physician (- 369)
Son
of St Gregory the elder, Bishop of Nazianzus (Turkey) and St Nonna, and brother
of St Caesarius of Nazianzus, young Caesarius was a brilliant boy. He received
his education in Alexandria where he specialized in oratory, philosophy and
more particularly in medicine. Later he went to Constantinople where he
perfected his medical studies, and became the foremost physician of his age. On
his journey back home he met his brother, Gregory, returning from Athens and
they then travelled together to Nazianzus in spite of Emperor Constantius’
request to stay on in Constantinople.
Later,
recalled to Constantinople by Julian the apostate who honoured him as his first
physician and exempted him from the edict he published against the Christians,
Caesarius resisted all the efforts of the prince to make him abjure his faith.
Julian restored him to his former post and Valens made him his treasurer in
Birthynia. While there, he had a narrow escape from an earthquake in 368, which
left such a lasting impression on his mind that he renounced the world and
decided to end his long catechumenate and receive baptism. He died soon after
and his funeral oration was preached by his brother Gregory; he was buried in
the family vault in the presence of his parents.
Reflection:“Let
us not esteem worldly prosperity or adversity as things of any moment, but let
us live elsewhere, and raise all our attention to heaven considering sin as the
only true evil, and nothing truly good but virtue which unites us to God” (St Gregory
Nazianzus).
Daily
Readings
February
23, 2025
Seventh
Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading
I
Samuel
(26:2,7-9,12-13,22-23)
In
those days Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph with three
thousand chosen men of Israel to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. So David
and Abishai went to the army by night. And there lay Saul sleeping within the
encampment, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head, and Abner and the
army lay round him. Then Abishai said to David, “God has given your enemy into
your hand this day. Now please let me pin him to the earth with one stroke of
the spear, and I will not strike him twice.” But David said to Abishai, “Do not
destroy him, for who can put out his hand against the LORD’s anointed and be
guiltless?” So David took the spear and the jar of water from Saul’s head, and
they went away. No man saw it or knew it, nor did any awake, for they were all
asleep, because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen upon them. Then David
went over to the other side and stood far off on the top of the hill, with a
great space between them. And David answered and said, “Here is the spear, O
king! Let one of the young men come over and take it. The LORD rewards every
man for his righteousness and his faithfulness, for the LORD gave you into my
hand today, and I would not put out my hand against the LORD’s anointed.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm
103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-13
Response:
The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
Bless
the LORD, O my soul, and all within me, his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my
soul, and never forget all his benefits.
Response: The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
It
is the LORD who forgives all your sins, who heals every one of your ills, who
redeems your life from the grave, who crowns you with mercy and compassion.
Response: The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
The
LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and rich in mercy. He does
not treat us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our faults
Response:
The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
As
far as the east is from the west, so far from us does he remove our
transgressions. As a father has compassion on his children, the LORD’s
compassion is on those who fear him.
Response:
The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
Reading II
Corinthians
(15:45-49)
Brethren,
“The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving
spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the
spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is
from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and
as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have
borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of
heaven.
Alleluia.
Alleluia.
(Jn 13:34)
A
new commandment I give to you, says the Lord, that you love one another: just
as I have loved you.
GOSPEL
Luke
(6:27-38)
At that time Jesus said to his disciples, “but I say to
you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who
curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek,
offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold
your tunic either. Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes
away your goods do not demand them back. And as you wish that others would do
to you, do so to them. “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to
you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who
do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And
if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to
you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. But love your
enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward
will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the
ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. “Judge not,
and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned;
forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. Good
measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your
lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
Reflection
Saul
is in the pursuit of David with three thousand men. And yet the courageous
David is able to spy on the encampment of Saul. Under the cover of darkness
David and Abishai penetrate the camp and stand over the sleeping Saul. Abishai
begs David to let him pin Saul to the ground with a single stroke of his spear.
David refuses, takes the spear and the water jar by Saul’s head, and leaves.
This episode highlights the noble ways of the future King of Israel. David has
the opportunity to kill the enemy who is in hot pursuit of his life. But David
relents and says that the anointed of God should not be harmed. For it is an
offence against God. In the Second Reading Paul develops an AdamChrist
typology. Adam’s descendants share his nature, while those who are of heaven
share Christ’s nature. Next point of comparison is that just as Christians
share the likeness of Adam, so they will bear the likeness of Christ. The
gospel of today forms part of the Sermon on the Plain. The first part of the
sermon deals with the relationship of the disciples to God; the second part
from which our Reading is taken deals with the disciple’s relationship with
other people. It plunges straight into the duty to love one’s enemies. Jesus
admits that even sinful people are quite ready to do good to those who have
helped them or from whom they can expect some benefit in return. But disciples
ought to go further and not stick simply to doing good for what they can get in
return for it or as a way of thanking somebody who had done them good. There
may well be no earthly credit for people who behave like this, but there will
be a heavenly reward: God will regard them as his true sons who imitate their
Father’s merciful nature to those who are undeserving. The person who loves
like this will receive the same love–and more–from God. The person who does not
judge other people will not be judged by God, and the person who gives freely
will receive an ample return – like a container so full of corn that it spills
over. This passage contains the Golden Rule: “As you wish that men would do to
you, do so to them.” The Golden Rule is the wise foundation of human
reciprocity both in the Old Testament and in many other cultures. It means
treating others as you would like to be treated. Jesus requires this basic
disposition from his disciples, and he asks for something more. Loving one’s
enemies is the highest form of morality. It is a divine way of dealing with
people. God is King to the ungrateful and wicked people as well as to the good.
The Golden Rule is made more explicit by the call to the love of enemies.
(Source:
Sunday Liturgy)
St
Polycarp, Bishop, Martyr, Apostolic Father of the Church (2nd century)
St Polycarp was converted and instructed by St John
the Evangelist. He must have been some 37 years old when the aged Apostle
consecrated him Bishop of Smyrna (in Turkey) shortly before his banishment to
Patmos. Polycarp proved himself a saintly and very able administrator in the
face of poverty and constant persecution by the Jews. In 155 when he was
probably 86, he undertook a journey to Rome to consult with Pope St Anicetus
about the vexing question of the Easter date. This meeting did not resolve the
controversy, but the Pope did permit the venerable bishop to continue in his
eastern tradition, which regarded the 14th day of the month of Nisan as the day
on which our Lord arose from the dead, and that day was celebrated regardless
of whether it fell on a Sunday or a weekday.
Polycarp had hardly returned to his See when—under the
Emperor Marcus Aurelius—a fierce persecution of Christians broke out. Upon the
entreaties of the faithful he concealed himself on the outskirts of the city,
but a slave revealed, under torture, his hiding place. Brought before the
judgement seat of the proconsul, he was urged to swear by the genius of Caesar
and to curse Christ, but he calmly made this famous reply: “Eighty-six years
have I served Him, and never did he fail me! How could I now blaspheme my King
and Saviour? I am a Christian!”
The genuine “acts” that have come down to us,
describing how the holy bishop, like the Good Shepherd, laid down his life for
the sheep of his flock at Smyrna, is one of the earliest existing detailed
record of Christian martyrdom; it is a proof that the ancient Church approved
and fostered the veneration of the Saints and of their relics. St Polycarp is
invoked against ear-ache.
Reflection:“I bless you for judging me worthy of this
day, this hour, so that in the company of the martyrs I may share the cup of
Christ, your anointed one, and so rise again to eternal life in soul and body,
immortal through the power of the Holy Spirit. May I be received among the
martyrs in your presence as a rich and pleasing sacrifice” (St Polycarp).
*****
Daily
Readings
February
22, 2025, Saturday
Feast
of the Chair of Saint Peter, Apostle
Reading
1
1 Peter 5:1–4
Beloved: I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow
elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the
glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among
you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would
have you not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your
charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears,
you will receive the unfading crown of glory.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm 23:1–3a, 3b–4, 5, 6
Response: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I
shall want.
The
Lord is my shepherd;
there
is nothing I shall want.
Fresh
and green are the pastures
where
he gives me repose.
Near
restful waters he leads me;
he
revives my soul.
Response:
The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
He
guides me along the right path,
for
the sake of his name.
Though
I should walk in the valley
of
the shadow of death,
no
evil would I fear, for you are with me.
Your
crook and your staff
will
give me comfort.
Response:
The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You
have prepared a table before me
in
the sight of my foes.
My
head you have anointed with oil;
my
cup is overflowing.
Response:
The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Surely
goodness and mercy
shall
follow me
all
the days of my life.
In
the Lord’s own house shall I dwell
for
length of days unending.
Response:
The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Verse
Before the Gospel
You
are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall
not prevail against it.
Gospel
Matthew 16:13–19
At
that time: When Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his
disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is? And they said, “Some say
John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the
prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter
replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered
him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed
this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and
on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail
against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you
bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall
be loosed in heaven.”
Reflection
On
this Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter, we prayerfully remember in particular
the precious and indispensable service that the Pope, the successor of Saint
Peter, renders as father, teacher and
leader of the Catholic Church. Jesus chooses Peter and entrusts him with “the
keys of the kingdom of heaven”. More than a symbol of power, it is a mission
given by Jesus to take care of his flock, and through this to portray one’s
true love for Jesus. We pray that enlightened by the Spirit and supported by
the People of God, our Pope may carry out his ministry for the good not only of
Christians but also of all humanity. The Pope also is the true point of
reference for the “civilization of truth and love” (a phrase coined by Pope
Saint John Paul II) in this world, which is possible when justice and faith are
integrated.
The Chair of St
Peter
“I now say to
you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of
the underworld shall never prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the
Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and
whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Mt 16:18-19). With this
little declaration, Jesus invested Peter with the right to sit in his place as
the Prince of the Apostles, giving him, as he did so, servant-authority over
the whole Church. It is the Episcopal dignity and universal primacy of that
high office instituted by our Lord himself that we venerate today.
The word “chair”
derives from the Latin sedes, i.e., the Holy See, or the Greek expression
Cathedra Sancti Petri. Today’s feast implicitly affirms Catholic teaching
concerning the papacy: in the reigning pope the Church recognizes and honours
the legitimate successor of St Peter as Pastor of the whole Church. This is the
origin of the expression ex cathedra—“from the chair”—referring to papal
pronouncements (very rarely made) whereby the pope infallibly defines a
doctrine that is irrevocably binding on all the faithful.
Reflection:
“St Peter gained the palm of martyrdom at Rome where he had established for
himself and his successors the See of the Vicar of Christ. . . . . . . . The
Church is the people of God. May all be faithful! May all believe in what the
Church preaches! May all follow her moral teachings and the Christian virtues!”
(Blessed James Alberione)
Daily Readings
February 21, 2025
Friday of the
Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Genesis 11:1–9
The
whole earth had one language and the same words. And as people migrated from
the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. And they
said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And
they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us
build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make
a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.”
And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man
had built. And the Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all
one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing
that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down
and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s
speech.” So the Lord dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth,
and they left off building the city. Therefore its name was called Babel,
because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And from there
the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
33:10–11, 12-13, 14–15
Response:
Blessed the people the Lord has chosen as his heritage.
The
Lord frustrates the designs
of
the nations;
he
defeats the plans of the peoples.
The
designs of the Lord stand forever,
the
plans of his heart from age to age.
Response:
Blessed the people the Lord has chosen as his heritage.
Blessed
the nation
whose
God is the Lord,
the
people he has chosen as his heritage.
From
the heavens the Lord looks forth;
he
sees all the children of men.
Response:
Blessed the people the Lord has chosen as his heritage.
From
the place where he dwells he gazes
on
all the dwellers on the earth,
he
who shapes the hearts of them all,
and
considers all their deeds.
Response: Blessed
the people the Lord has chosen as his heritage.
Alleluia
John 15:15b
I have called you friends,
says the Lord; for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to
you.
Gospel
Mark 8:34–9:1
At
that time: Calling the crowd to him with his disciples, Jesus said to them, “If
anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and
follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his
life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man
to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return
for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous
and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes
in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” And he said to them, “Truly,
I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they
see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.”
Reflection
To
be a disciple of Jesus means to give Jesus the top priority in our lives. To
follow Jesus means, first and foremost, to deny myself, that is, my life must
be so deeply immersed in Jesus that I,
along with others, see and experience Jesus in me. We are also urged to
take up our cross and follow him. But the focus should be, not on our cross,
our trials or tribulations, but rather on Jesus, as his focus was never on his
cross but on doing the will of his Father. Let us pray that we may imbibe this
spirit of true discipleship as inspired by the Apostle Paul who says, “I have
been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in
me” (Gal 2:20).
St
Peter Damian, Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church (1007-1072)
Peter
Onesti, the youngest of many children in the poor but noble Ravenna family, was
orphaned at an early age and sent to tend swine by one of his brothers. But his
piety and intellectual gifts prompted another of his brothers, the Archpriest
Damian of Ravenna, to pay for his education. Peter, in gratitude, added the
name Damian to his own.
Peter
Damian found life in these university towns so worldly and distracting that, in
1034, he went on to become a hermit-monk in the Benedictine establishment of
Fonte Avellana in the Apennines.
Peter
was particularly devoted to Our Lady. At 36 he became Abbot of Fonte Avellana
and remained so until his death 29 years later. As such he wisely moderated the
rule, established the regular use of the discipline (a practice which was also
adopted at Monte Cassino) and founded a number of dependent hermitages.
Together with his friend, Hildebrand, the future great reformer, Pope Gregory
VII, he strove continually by the written and spoken word to combat and correct
the scandalous abuses then widespread in the Church—incontinence, luxury and
laxity among the clergy, the buying and selling of Church benefices and Papal
schisms. Peter is best known for his terrible indictment of the clergy, the
Liber Gomorrhianus, published in 1051, and the Liber Gratissimus which
concerned itself with the validity of simoniacal ordinations.
In
1057, Pope Stephen X made him Cardinal Bishop of Ostia, which he reluctantly
accepted under pain of excommunication. Besides being administrator of the
diocese of Gubbio, Peter served seven successive Popes, and remarkably well, on
various delicate missions—as Papal legate and visitor of Bishoprics and Abbeys.
When returning to Rome from one such assignment in the Archdiocese of Ravenna,
Peter fell critically ill and died on 22 February 1072. He was buried in the
Cathedral of Faenza and, though never formally canonized, was declared a Doctor
of the Church in 1028.
St
Peter Damian is invoked against headaches because of his having suffered
greatly from the malady himself.
Daily
Readings
February
20, 2025
Thursday
of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading
1
Genesis 9:1–13
God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, “Be
fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. The fear of you and the dread of you
shall be upon every beast of the earth and upon every bird of the heavens, upon
everything that creeps on the ground and all the fish of the sea. Into your
hand they are delivered. Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you.
And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything. But you shall not
eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. And for your lifeblood I will
require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his
fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man. Whoever sheds the
blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own
image. And you, be fruitful and multiply, increase greatly on the earth and
multiply in it.” Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, “Behold, I
establish my covenant with you and your offspring after you, and with every
living creature that is with you, the birds, the livestock, and every beast of
the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark; it is for every beast of
the earth. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh
be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood
to destroy the earth.” And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I
make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all
future generations: I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of
the covenant between me and the earth.”
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm 102:16–18, 19–21, 29 and 22–23
Response: The Lord looked down from heaven to the
earth.
The nations shall fear the name of the Lord,
and all the earth’s kings your glory.
When the Lord shall build up Sion,
he will appear in all his glory.
Then he will turn to the prayers of the helpless;
he will not despise their prayers.
Response: The Lord looked down from heaven to the
earth.
Let this be written for ages to come,
that a people yet unborn may praise the Lord;
The Lord looked down from his holy place on high,
looked down from heaven to the earth,
to hear the groans of the prisoners,
and free those condemned to die.
Response: The Lord looked down from heaven to the
earth.
The children of your servants shall dwell untroubled,
and their descendants established before you.
May the name of the Lord be proclaimed in Sion,
and his praise in Jerusalem,
when peoples and kingdoms are gathered as one
to offer their worship to the Lord.
Response:
The Lord looked down from heaven to the earth.
Alleluia
See
John
6:63c, 68c
Your
words, Lord, are spirit and life; you have the words of eternal life.
Gospel
Mark 8:27–33
At that time: Jesus went on with his disciples, to the
villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do
people say that I am?” And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say,
Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” And he asked them, “But who do you
say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” And he strictly
charged them to tell no one about him. And he began to teach them that the Son
of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief
priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he
said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But
turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me,
Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the
things of man.”
Reflection
Various
people expressed their understanding of who Jesus was. Many of them believed
that he was a great prophet like Elijah or John the Baptist or even the
long-awaited Messiah. Peter confesses that Jesus is the Promised Messiah. But
they, including Peter, thought of Jesus as the long-awaited hero, a warrior who
would free them from the yoke of foreign power. This Messiah would once again
bring back the glory of Israel, by defeating her enemies and establishing
Israel as a powerful kingdom. Jesus,
however, came not to be the glorified Messiah, but to be the suffering Messiah,
who will bear the sins of all and give his life for all. Thus, Jesus became the
Messiah not only of Israel but of the whole of humankind, and through his life
and teachings, he brought in a new world order. Let us pray for the grace to
imitate the Suffering Messiah, because “unless a grain of wheat falls into the
earth and dies, it remains alone, but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (Jn
12:24).
Blessed Francisco
& Jacinta Marto The Seers of Fatima (1908-1919, 1910-1920)
It was the 13th
of May in the year 1917. Away from the fertile regions of Fatima, a village
some 110 miles north of the city of Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, stood the
little known Cova da Iria where there took place an event that was to change
forever the lives of three youngsters from Aljustrel who were shepherding their
flock. Having first satiated their hunger, they had just about concluded the
recitation of the rosary when, of a sudden that bright sunny morning a powerful
flash of lightning tore through the sky, bathing them in an astonishingly
dazzling glow and revealing to them a resplendent figure — a young maiden, the
Virgin Mother of God!
Ten-year-old
Lucia de Jesus and her two cousins, Francisco and Jacinta Marto were the 3
seers of that beatific vision and were to be recipients of the same for the
next 5 months, a rendezvous they maintained uninterruptedly, except for 13
August when they were taken away for cross-questioning by the Mayor of Villa
Nova de Ourem, under whose jurisdiction Fatima fell. An unexpected apparition,
however, followed on 19 August while they grazed their flock in the “dos
Valinhos”.
The trio was
asked by Mary to learn to read and write; they were also asked to pray the
rosary for peace in the world and the end of the war that was raging then, as
well as to pray for the Pope, for sinners and for the conversion of Russia. She
asked that the Rosary be recited regularly and that the world be consecrated to
her Immaculate Heart.
Francisco, who
was born on 11 June 1908, was called to his reward on 4 April 1919 at
Aljustrel; Jacinta, born on 11 March 1910, passed away to hers on 20 February
1920 at Lisbon. Lucia de Jesus lives on today as Sr Maria Lucia of the
Immaculate Heart.
The process for
the beatification of Francisco and Jacinta which commenced in 1952, concluded
in 1979. The final documentation having been presented to the Holy Father, Pope
John Paul II and the Congregation for the Causes of Saints on 15 February 1988,
Francisco and Jacinta were declared “Venerable” on 13 May 1989 and beatified in
the Jubilee Year 2000.
Reflection:
“Having been crowned by the Most Holy Trinity, from heaven, Mary fulfils for us
Christians the roles of Mother, Teacher and Queen. On our part, we want to be
good children, diligent disciples and docile subjects” (Blessed James
Alberione).
Daily Readings
February 19, 2025
Wednesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary
Time
Reading 1
Genesis 8:6–13, 20–22
At
the end of forty days Noah opened the window of the ark that he had made and
sent forth a raven. It went to and fro until the waters were dried up from the
earth. Then he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters had subsided
from the face of the ground. But the dove found no place to set her foot, and
she returned to him to the ark, for the waters were still on the face of the
whole earth. So he put out his hand and took her and brought her into the ark
with him. He waited another seven days, and again he sent forth the dove out of
the ark. And the dove came back to him in the evening, and behold, in her mouth
was a freshly plucked olive leaf. So Noah knew that the waters had subsided
from the earth. Then he waited another seven days and sent forth the dove, and
she did not return to him any more. In the six hundred and first year, in the
first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried from off the
earth. And Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and behold, the
face of the ground was dry. Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and took some
of every clean animal and some of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings
on the altar. And when the Lord smelt the pleasing aroma, the Lord said in his
heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention
of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down
every living creature as I have done. While the earth remains, seedtime and
harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm
116:12–13, 14–15, 18–19
Response:
A thanksgiving sacrifice I make to you, O Lord.
How can I repay the
Lord
for all his goodness
to me?
The cup of salvation
I will raise;
I will call on the
name of the Lord.
Response: A thanksgiving sacrifice I make
to you, O Lord.
My vows to the Lord
I will fulfill
before all his
people.
How precious in the
eyes of the Lord
is the death of his
faithful.
Response:
A thanksgiving sacrifice I make to you, O Lord.
My vows to the Lord
I will fulfill
before all his
people,
in the courts of the
house of the Lord,
in your midst, O
Jerusalem.
Response: A thanksgiving sacrifice I make to you, O Lord.
Alleluia
Ephesians 1:17-18
May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ enlighten the eyes of our hearts that we
may know what is the hope to which he has called us.
Gospel
Mark
8:22–26
At that time: Jesus and the disciples came to
Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch
him. And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and
when he had spat on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you
see anything?” And he looked up and said, “I see people; but they look like
trees, walking.” Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his
eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. And he sent him to
his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.”
Reflection
The
blind man of Bethsaida recovers his sight gradually, after a series of
interventions from the Lord. Towards the end of the miracle, the blind man sees
everything with clarity. We experience inner transformation through important
events through which God reveals Himself to us in our lives. Our understanding
and awareness of God and being transformed into His likeness is not a one-time
experience. It is a process through which God gradually reveals to us the
Mystery that He is. To comprehend this great mystery, we surely need the grace
of God, but together with that, we need to spend time generously with Him. Let
us pray for the grace of generosity to go constantly to the Lord, and also
bring others to Him, so that the Lord may open our eyes and theirs towards
understanding Him better.
St Conrad,
Confessor (1290 - 1351)
A
member of one of the first families of Piacenza in northern Italy, St Conrad
married young and embarked on a military career. He was passionately fond of
the chase and when one day, his quarry escaped into a thicket, he ordered it to
be set on fire. But a sudden strong wind caused the flames to spread quickly
over all the nearby fields and forests and caused widespread damage. For this a
poor woodcutter who happened to be found in the neighborhood, was blamed, tried
and condemned to death on circumstantial evidence.
Upon
hearing of this turn of events, St Conrad came forward and acknowledged his own
guilt, promising to make amends as far as lay in his power by selling all of
his possessions. He and his wife then took up the religious life—she became a
Poor Clare and he joined the Third Order of St Francis and lived thereafter as
a hermit in a solitary cave near Noto in Sicily.
Each
Friday for the next 30 years, he visited the celebrated Crucifix at Noto, and
here he was found dead on his knees on 19 February 1351. St Conrad, whose
mortal remains were laid to rest in the Church of St Nicholas in Noto, is
invoked in cases of hernia.
Reflection:“Thy
cross, O Lord, is the source of all blessings, the cause of all graces; by it
the faithful find strength in weakness, glory in shame, life in death” (St
Leo).
Daily Readings
February 18, 2025
Tuesday
of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading I
Genesis 6:5–8; 7:1–5, 10
The
Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every
intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord
regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.
So the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the
land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am
sorry that I have made them.” But Noah found favour in the eyes of the Lord.
Then the Lord said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I
have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation. Take with you
seven pairs of all clean animals, the male and his mate, and a pair of the
animals that are not clean, the male and his mate, and seven pairs of the birds
of the heavens also, male and female, to keep their offspring alive on the face
of all the earth. For in seven days I will send rain on the earth for forty
days and forty nights, and every living thing that I have made I will blot out
from the face of the ground.” And Noah did all that the Lord had commanded him.
And after seven days the waters of the flood came upon the earth.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm
29:1a and 2, 3ac–4, 3b and 9c–10
Response:
The Lord will bless his people with peace.
Ascribe to the
Lord, you heavenly powers,
ascribe to the
Lord the glory of his name;
bow down before
the Lord,
majestic in
holiness.
Response: The Lord will bless his
people with peace.
The voice of
the Lord upon the waters,
the Lord on the
immensity of waters;
the voice of
the Lord full of power;
the voice of
the Lord full of splendour.
Response:
The Lord will bless his people with peace.
The God of
glory thunders;
In his temple
they all cry, “Glory!”
The Lord sat
enthroned above the flood;
the Lord sits
as king forever.
Response: The Lord will bless his people with peace.
Alleluia
John
14:23
If
anyone loves me, he will keep my word, says the Lord; and my Father will love
him, and we will come to him.
Gospel
Mark 8:14–21
At
that time: The disciples had forgotten to bring bread and they had only one
loaf with them in the boat. And Jesus cautioned them, saying, “Watch out;
beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” And they began
discussing with one another, the fact that they had no bread. And Jesus, aware
of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread?
Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Having
eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember?
When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of
broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” “And the seven for
the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And
they said to him, “Seven.” And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?
Reflection
Jesus
asks his disciples to guard against the leaven of the Pharisees, that is, they
must not give in to the temptation of a faith made only of external observance
of precepts, and obsessed with ritual perfection. He further asks his disciples
to guard against the leaven of Herod who uses religion for the consolidation of
his selfish political power. The Lord encourages his disciples not to stop at
mere external observances. These observances will become meaningful when they
lead us to interior transformation. The disciples were slow in understanding
these deeper insights of the Lord. Let us pray that the Lord may grant us the
grace of interior eyes of understanding so that we may grasp the deeper
insights that will lead us to genuine transformation.
Saint
Kuriakose Elias Chavara (1805-1871)
Kuriakose
(Cyriac) Chavara was born in 1805, of pious and devout Catholic parents of
Syro-Malabar Church, at Kainakary, Kerala, India. After his early schooling in
the native village and priestly studies under Fr Thomas Palackal at
Pallippuram, he was ordained priest in 1829.
In 1831,
co-operating with Fr Thomas Palackal and Fr Thomas Porukara, he founded the
first indigenous religious congregation for men, now known as the Carmelites of
Mary Immaculate (CMI). It was after the death of his senior companions in the
foundation that Fr Kuriakose, together with the first members, made the
religious profession in 1855.
Starting seven
religious houses, including the first one at Mannanam, in different parts of
Kerala, the new Congregation made great strides in the spiritual renovation of
the Syro-Malabar Church. Seminaries for the education and formation of the
clergy, introduction of annual retreats for priests and people, a publishing
house for the propagation of Catholic doctrine, a house for the dying and
destitute, special attention to catechumens and schools for general education,
were a few among the various activities of the Congregation under Fr Kuriakose
Elias' leadership. Fr Chavara also introduced valuable improvements and reform
in the Syro-Malabar liturgy.
In 1866, with
the co-operation of Fr Leopold Boccaro OCD, he started the Congregation of the
Mother of Carmel (CMC) for women.
Essentially a
man of prayer and intense charity, he lived in close communion with the Lord
amidst his several religious and social activities. Owing to his deep
spirituality that permeated all his actions, he was accepted and referred to as
a man of God, from his early years. In 1871, on January 3rd, Fr Kuriakose Elias
Chavara, after a short but painful illness, passed away at Koonammavu
preserving his baptismal innocence unto death.
On 7 April
1984, Pope John Paul II solemnly recognised the heroic virtues of the Servant
of God and elevated him to the status of Venerable. On 8 February 1986, during
his historic visit to Kottayam, Kerala, Pope John Paul II raised Venerable
Kuriakose Elias Chavara to the honours of the altar declaring him 'Blessed'.
On
23 November 2014 Pope Francis declared him a Saint.
Daily
Readings
February
17, 2025
Monday
of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading
1
Genesis 4:1–15, 25
Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore
Cain, saying, “I have produced a man with the help of the Lord.” And again, she
bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the
ground. In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit
of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their
fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain
and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell.
The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you
do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching
at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.” Cain
spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up
against his brother Abel and killed him. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is
Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?” And the
Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to
me from the ground. And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened
its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you work the
ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive
and a wanderer on the earth.” Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater
than I can bear. Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and
from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the
earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” Then the Lord said to him, “Not so!
If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the Lord
put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him. And Adam knew his
wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, “God has
appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.”
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 50:1
and 8, 16bc–17, 20–21
Response:
Give your praise as a sacrifice to God.
The God of gods,
the Lord,
has spoken and
summoned the earth,
from the rising
of the sun to its setting.
I do not rebuke
you for your sacrifices;
your offerings
are always before me.
Response:
Give your praise as a sacrifice to God.
“How can you
recite my commandments,
and take my
covenant on your lips,
you who despise
correction,
and cast my words
behind you.
Response:
Give your praise as a sacrifice to God.
“You who sit and
malign your own brother,
and slander your
own mother’s son?
You do this, and
should I keep silence?
Do you think that
I am like you?
I accuse you, lay
the charge before you.”
Response: Give your praise as a sacrifice to God.
Alleluia
John
14:6
I
am the way, and the truth, and the life, says the Lord; no one comes to the
Father except through me.
Gospel
Mark 8:11–13
At
that time: The Pharisees came and began to argue with Jesus, seeking from him a
sign from heaven to test him. And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why
does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to
this generation.” And he left them, got into the boat again, and went to the
other side.
Reflection
Jesus
is surprised at the disbelief of the Pharisees. Though he has performed
extraordinary signs in front of them, they still want to see more signs. Unlike
the Syrophoenician woman, Jairus, and many others who professed their faith in
Jesus on witnessing the signs, the Pharisees are greedy for more signs. For
them, Jesus is a mere wonder-worker. We constantly witness various signs from
God around us. We are privileged to listen to His powerful Word regularly,
receive the life-giving sacraments, and witness fresh life and energy every
morning when we rise. Are these signs helping us to feel grateful to the Lord
and profess our faith in Him as our Lord? Or, are we driven by greed to see
something unduly extraordinary, like the Pharisees, and consider Jesus as a
mere wonder-worker? Let us not run the risk of missing out on the presence of
the Lord in our midst due to our ingratitude and unbelief.
Seven Holy
Founders of the Servite Order (13th Century)
The Church’s 5th
mendicant Order had its beginnings in Florence, Italy in the middle of the 13th
century when the city was torn with political strife as well as the Cathari
heresy, which proclaimed that good and evil each had a separate creator. Morals
were at their lowest ebb and religion had all but lost its relevance.
On the Feast of
the Assumption in the year 1233, Our Blessed Mother appeared to the seven
members—Alexis Falconieri, BuonfiglioMonaldo (the first superior), Benedict
dell’Antella, Bartholomew Amidei, RicoverusUguccione, GerardinoSostegni and
John Buonagiunta—of a Florentine Confraternity named “Laudesi” (the “Praisers”
of Mary) when they were at prayer and bade them withdraw into solitude.
Accordingly, these young noblemen of the city, 2 of whom were married and 2
others widowed, after having settled their personal affairs and made adequate
provision for their dependents, established themselves several miles north of
the city on the secluded Monte Senario. Here Mary appeared to them again and
showed them the black habit she desired them to wear in memory of her sorrow
and desolation at the foot of the Cross and instructed them to found the “Ordo
FratrumServorum Sanctae Mariae” (Order of Friar Servants of St Mary) under the
rule of St Augustine of Hippo. They carried out these directives under the
guidance of St Peter of Verona, O.P., devoting themselves to much prayer,
penance and silence on the one hand and teaching, preaching and various
ministerial activities on the other.
Only one of the
founders, viz., Alexis Falconieri, a lay brother, lived to see the foundation
raised to the dignity of a religious order by Pope Benedict XI in 1304. He died
on 17 February 1310. In 1649, when the main altar of the chapel at Monte
Senario was being re-modelled, the remains of seven bodies were discovered.
Having been moved several times, these now lie enshrined in the Chapel of the 7
Holy Founders at Monte Senario. All the 7 were, however, canonized as a group
by Pope Leo XIII in 1888.
Reflection:“Each
of our days is marked with the protection of Mary, who is exceedingly anxious
to be our Mother, when we desire to be her children” (St Vincent de Paul).
Daily Readings
February 16, 2025
Sixth Sunday in
Ordinary Time
Reading I
Jeremiah
(17:5-8)
Thus
says the LORD, cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his
strength, whose heart turns away from the LORD. He is like a shrub in the
desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places
of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land. “Blessed is the man who trusts
in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water, that
sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its
leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not
cease to bear fruit.”
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
1:1-2, 3, 4 & 6
Response:
Blessed the man who has placed his trust in the Lord.
Blessed
indeed is the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the
path with sinners, nor abides in the company of scorners, but whose delight is
the law of the LORD, and who ponders his law day and night.
Response:
Blessed the man who has placed his trust in the Lord.
He
is like a tree that is planted beside the flowing waters, that yields its fruit
in due season, and whose leaves shall never fade; and all that he does shall
prosper.
Response:
Blessed the man who has placed his trust in the Lord.
Not
so are the wicked, not so! For they, like winnowed chaff, shall be driven away
by the wind. For the LORD knows the way of the just, but the way of the wicked
will perish.
Response:
Blessed the man who has placed his trust in the Lord.
Reading
II
1
Corinthians (15:1-11,12,16-20)
Brethren,
if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that
there is no resurrection of the dead? For if the dead are not raised, not even
Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile
and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in
Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of
all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead,
the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
ACCLAMATION
Alleluia.
Alleluia. (Lk 6:23ab)
Rejoice
and leap for joy, says the Lord, for behold, your reward is great in heaven.
Alleluia.
Gospel
Luke
(6:17,20-26)
At
that time: Jesus came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great
crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and
Jerusalem and the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be
healed of their diseases. And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said:
“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you
who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now,
for you shall laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude
you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!
Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in
heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets. But woe to you who are rich,
for you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are full now, for you shall
be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. Woe to you, when
all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.”
Reflection
The
First Reading from Prophet Jeremiah has a series of wisdom sayings which make a
contrast between the righteous and the wicked. The contrast between the man who
is cursed and the one who is blessed is made in terms of what they trust in:
human abilities or Divine. The one who bears the curse is like a tree in the
dry, salt lands where no good is ever experienced. The one who bears the
blessing is the opposite: he is like a tree transplanted by water, its roots by
the stream, its foliage green, thriving in drought and always bearing fruit. In
the Bible the green tree stands as a metaphor for righteous persons. On the
other hand, the tree in the harsh conditions is the perfect image of the
wicked. In the Second Reading, Paul argues for the resurrection of Jesus. Paul
says that Jesus appeared one time to more than five hundred people most of whom
are still alive. For Paul to deny the resurrection of the dead is equal to
denying the resurrection of Jesus. The Lucan beatitudes and woes are a
carefully constructed set, each woe contrasting with one of the beatitudes. The
first three beatitudes are also to be interpreted as a set. The poor, the
hungry, and the weeping are not three different groups of people but three
descriptions of a single group. Because they are destitute, they are also
hungry and weeping. The fourth beatitude, to be sure, stands out, for it is
much longer than the others and refers to persecuted followers of Christ. The
initial beatitude is to the poor. Declaring someone happy, contented, blessed,
or fortunate was common in the ancient world. Being blessed refers to a sense
of inner happiness at good fortune. The “poor” in the Lucan beatitudes means
the economically needy, for they are hungry and are contrasted with those who
are rich and full. The second and third beatitudes deal with some of the
consequences of being among the poor. The paring of the poor and the hungry is
not surprising, since there is ample precedent for it in the OT. In fact, the
hungry, like the poor, are often addressed in comforting terms in the OT. The
reference is not so much to physical filling with food as it is to spiritual
satisfaction at being received by God and welcomed as one of his children. The
imagery is of the satisfaction that comes from being present at God’s banquet
table. From the condition of the poor, Jesus turns in the third beatitude to
the response their position brings now, weeping. Again, as with the previous
beatitude, the contrast is between what is lacking now and how that is reversed
in the future. The same spiritual perspective of relying on God’s work fills
this beatitude. Fortunately, that pain is reversed into eschatological joy. In
the Lucan text, the emphasis is on God’s total acceptance of the one who
currently weeps.
Source:
The Sunday Liturgy.
St
Onesimus, Martyr (- c.90)
St
Onesimus, a pagan, was a slave in the household of the wealthy Philemon.
Converted by St Paul, Philemon had become a close friend of Paul’s; thus, when
Philemon moved to the city of Colossae, his new home was chosen as a meeting
place for Christian worship.
One
day, Onesimus, apparently in fear of being punished for some act of negligence
or dishonesty, had escaped to Rome where he came in contact with Paul who was
suffering his first imprisonment in Rome. After due instruction in the faith,
Paul baptized him. Onesimus for his part, true to his name, proved so very
“useful” that Paul took a great liking to him and wanted to keep him as a
helper. However, he was conscious of the fact that as a slave, Onesimus would
first have to make restitution to his former master. And so, Paul sent him back
to Philemon with the famed “Epistle” to the latter, pleading with him like a
father for his spiritual son, entreating him to accept Onesimus “no longer as a
slave, but more than a slave, a brother, beloved especially to me, but even
more so to you, as a man in the Lord. So if you regard me as a partner, welcome
him as you would me” (Phlm 16-18).
Philemon,
upon receiving the letter, acceded to the great Apostle’s request with true
Christian generosity and charity, and he even surpassed it by not only
pardoning but even freeing his former slave and sending him back to Rome, where
he is supposed to have assisted Paul for some time, and then returned to the
East with him after his release. Tradition also has it that Onesimus in later
years became Bishop of Berrhoea in Macedonia, and there suffered martyrdom.
Reflection:
“My son, give me your heart: and let your eyes keep to my ways” (Prov 23:26).
Daily Readings
February 15, 2025
Saturday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Genesis 3:9–24
The Lord God
called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” And he said, “I heard the
sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid
myself.” He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree
of which I commanded you not to eat?” The man said, “The woman whom you gave to
be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” Then the Lord God said
to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent
deceived me, and I ate.” The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have
done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the
field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your
life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring
and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in
pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband,
but he shall rule over you.” And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to
the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you,
‘You shall not eat of it’, cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you
shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring
forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your
face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were
taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” The man called his
wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. And the Lord God
made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them. Then the
Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and
evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and
eat, and live for ever –” therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden
of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, and
at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim, and a flaming sword
that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm 90:2. 3–4,
5–6, 12–13
Response:
O Lord, you have been our refuge, from generation to generation.
Before the
mountains were born,
or the earth or
the world were brought forth,
you are God, from
age to age.
Response: O Lord, you have been our refuge, from
generation to generation.
You turn man back
to dust,
and say, “Return,
O children of men.”
To your eyes a
thousand years are like yesterday, come and gone,
or like a watch
in the night.
Response: O Lord, you have been our refuge, from
generation to generation.
You sweep them
away like a dream,
like grass which
is fresh in the morning.
In the morning it
sprouts and is fresh;
by evening it
withers and fades.
Response: O Lord, you have been our refuge, from
generation to generation.
Then teach us to
number our days,
that we may gain
wisdom of heart.
Turn back, O
Lord! How long?
Show pity to your
servants.
Response: O Lord, you have been our refuge, from
generation to generation.
Alleluia
Matthew
4:4b
Man shall not
live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Gospel
Mark
8:1–10
In those days,
when again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat, Jesus
called his disciples to him and said to them, “I have compassion on the crowd,
because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And if I
send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way. And some of
them have come from far away.” And his disciples answered him, “How can one
feed these people with bread here in this desolate place?” And he asked them,
“How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven.” And he directed the crowd to
sit down on the ground. And he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks,
he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they
set them before the crowd. And they had a few small fish. And having blessed
them, he said that these also should be set before them. And they ate and were
satisfied. And they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full.
And there were about four thousand people. And he sent them away. And immediately
he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha.
Reflection
The miracle of
the multiplication of the loaves and fishes is undoubtedly the most important
miracle of the gospels. It is reported six times, and it is the only story
present in all four gospels. This miracle is repeated twice in the gospel of
Mark. The first time Jesus did it in
Jewish territory, which means, that God cares for the children of
Israel; the second time (today’s gospel) he did it in the Decapolis (pagan
territory), implying that God cares for all, and that is why he has sent his
Son for the salvation of all. Jesus doesn’t do his great mission alone and
seeks the collaboration of his disciples.
A boy from the crowd, who was not even a disciple of Jesus, was the
first to share what he had, and thus the great miracle was performed. Today,
Jesus calls us to collaborate with him through sharing the little we have to
help eradicate all kinds of evil, especially, the hunger for food, peace, and
for hope.
Sts.
Faustinus and Jovita, Martyrs (- c.120)
The Priest St
Faustinus and his brother, St Jovita, a Deacon, preached the Word of God with
such fearlessness and zeal in their native Brescia, in Lombardy (Italy), even
during Trajan’s bloody persecution, that the heathens were exasperated by their
success. Imprisonment, torture and fair promises of material benefits all
proved of no avail in bringing them to worship the Roman gods. As they were of
noble parentage and much in the public eye, the governor submitted their case
to Emperor Hadrian when he passed through Brescia in 120 (Trajan having died 3
years earlier). When persuasions and arguments proved equally fruitless, they
were condemned to die by the sword.
StsFaustinus and
Jovita have been the chief Patrons of their native city, Brescia, from earliest
times, and their names are found in many of the most ancient lists of Martyrs.
Although some of their “acts” may be questioned as containing later embellishments,
there can be no doubt about the principal facts.
Reflection:“An
action of small value performed with much love of God is far more excellent
than one of a higher virtue, done with less love of God” (St Francis de Sales).
Daily
Readings
February
14, 2025, Friday
Memorial
of Saints Cyril, Monk, and Methodius, Bishop
Reading
1
Genesis
3:1–8
The serpent was more crafty than any other beast of
the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually
say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to the
serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said,
‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden,
neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” But the serpent said to the woman,
“You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will
be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman
saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and
that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and
ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then
the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they
sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. And they heard the
sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man
and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees
of the garden.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 32:1–2, 5, 6, 7
Response: Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven.
Blessed is he whose transgression
is forgiven, whose sin is remitted.
Blessed the man to whom
the Lord imputes no guilt,
in whose spirit is no guile.
Response: Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven.
To you I have acknowledged my sin;
my guilt I did not hide.
I said, “I will confess my
transgression to the Lord.”
And you have forgiven the guilt of my sin.
Response: Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven.
So let each faithful one pray to you
in the time of need.
The floods of water may reach high,
but such a one they shall not reach.
Response: Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven.
You are a hiding place for me;
you keep me safe from distress;
you surround me with cries
of deliverance.
Response: Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven.
Alleluia
Acts 16:14b
Open our hearts, O Lord, that we may pay attention to the
words of your Son.
Gospel
Mark 7:31–37
At
that time: Jesus returned from the region of Tyre, and went through Sidon to
the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. And they brought to him a
man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his
hand on him. And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers
into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven,
he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha”, that is, “Be opened.” And his ears were
opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. And Jesus charged them
to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they
proclaimed it. And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done
all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”
Reflection
Jesus
goes to the region of the Decapolis, where the people have been worshipping
many gods. There he heals a man to show that he, the Saviour of the world, is
here for all, and he is there where there is a greater need for compassion. His
mighty acts are not self-proclamatory but are selfless deeds of mercy that
arise from his compassionate heart. When our intentions are pure and authentic,
and when we go ahead to help others who need it, God works wonders in us. Let
us pray that our intentions, actions, and operations may be ordered purely to
the service and praise of the Divine Majesty and his people.
Sts. Cyril and
Methodius, Bishop, Confessors (827-869 and 815-885)
St Cyril (Constantine)
and St Methodius were brothers who descended from a senatorial family in
Thessalonica (Greece). In 851 both he and his artist-brother Methodius, who had
held a political position before becoming a monk, retired together to a monastery
in Bithynia.
Seven years later,
Cyril was chosen for a mission to the Khazars, who had requested a teacher from
Constantinople. His brother, Methodius, was to accompany him and after both had
made themselves familiar with the Khazar language, they carried out their mission
and converted great numbers.
When, about 863, a
request came from Moravia for Slavic speaking Priests to instruct the people in
their own language, the 2 brothers were again selected for that work, and in
preparation for it Cyril invented (or perfected) a special Glagohtic Alphabet and
translated the liturgy and most of the Bible into the Slav language, and so
became the founder of Slav literature.
The saintly brothers
laboured successfully among the Moravians for some years, and then went to Rome
to obtain Papal approval for their work. Here St Cyril died in 869 and his
brother, having been made Bishop of Moravia and Pannonia, returned alone to his
missionary labours.
As
German missionaries had, with small success, worked in the same region for some
time, there now arose grave dissensions, and suspicion was cast on Methodius’
preaching in the Slav language and on the orthodoxy of using Slavic in the
liturgy. The Bishop of Salzburg went so far as to have Methodius deposed by a
synod at Ratisbon and held him imprisoned for 3 years until Pope John VIII
insisted on his being freed. But the friction between the German and the Slav
clergy continued, and Slavic was only very gradually replaced by Latin in the
Mass. Methodius died on 6 April 885 in Velebrod.
Daily Readings
February 13, 2025
Thursday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Genesis 2:18–25
The Lord God
said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper
fit for him.” Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the
field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he
would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was
its name. The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens
and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit
for him. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he
slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that
the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the
man. Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my
flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” Therefore
a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they
shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not
ashamed.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 128:1–2, 3, 4–5
Response: Blessed are all who fear the Lord.
Blessed are all who fear the Lord,
and walk in his ways!
By the labour of your hands
you shall eat.
You will be blessed and prosper.
Response: Blessed are all who fear the Lord.
Your wife like a fruitful vine
in the heart of your house;
your children like shoots of the olive
around your table.
Response: Blessed are all who fear the Lord.
Indeed thus shall be blessed
the man who fears the Lord.
May the Lord bless you from Sion.
May you see Jerusalem prosper
all the days of your life!
Response: Blessed are all who fear the Lord.
Alleluia
James 1:21bc
Receive with
meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
Gospel
Mark 7:24–30
At that time;
Jesus arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a
house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden. But
immediately a woman, whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him
and came and fell down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, a
Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her
daughter. And he said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not
right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” But she answered
him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”
And he said to her, “For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left
your daughter.” And she went home and found the child lying in bed and the
demon gone.
Reflection
The response of
Jesus to the plea of the Syrophoenician woman leaves us a little perplexed. The
dog was a symbol of dishonour in Jewish culture. It was also a Jewish term of
contempt for the Gentiles. When Jesus, as a Jew of his time, uses this word,
according to William Barclay, “he does not use the usual insulting word; he
used a diminutive word which described, not the wild dogs of the streets, but
the little pet lap-dogs of the house. In Greek, diminutives are
characteristically affectionate”. So, rather than insulting the woman in an
angry tone, Jesus was speaking to her affectionately. Through this brief test
of the faith of this foreigner, Jesus was trying to show his disciples how
strong was her faith; she had hardly been with him, in contrast to their
shallow faith in Him, though they had been constantly with him. This story is a
good lesson for us who are regularly nourished by Jesus’ Body and Blood and his
Word. Yet at times, we are like the disciples, indifferent to his divine
presence in our midst. Let us pray for the grace to have strong faith in Jesus
like the woman.
St Catherine de
Ricci, Virgin (1522-1590)
Born Alessandra
Romola on 23 April 1522 in Florence, Italy, St Catherine Dei Ricci was the
daughter of an old patrician family of bankers and merchants. Her tendency to
solitary prayer was already observed in early childhood, and, at 13, she was
received into the Dominican convent of strict observance in the neighbouring
city of Prato, where she took the name of her deceased mother. After 5 years,
during which she was much misunderstood and calumniated against, her holiness
was recognized and she was advanced to novice mistress, then sub-prioress and
finally, in 1560, to prioress, which she remained until her death 30 years
later.
Her famous
“ecstasy of the Passion”, which would last from Thursday noon until 4 o’clock
on Friday afternoon, began in 1542 and continued each week for 12 years, when
it finally ceased at her own urgent pleading, for the confluence of great
numbers of visitors, among whom were 3 future Popes, was seriously disrupting
the religious life at the convent. During these ecstasies, which have been
fully authenticated, Catherine would witness all the stages of Our Lord’s
sufferings. The wounds which the Saviour suffered during the flagellation, the
crowning with thorns, the carrying of the Cross and finally the Crucifixion
became visible in her body. St Catherine also had the gift of miracles and is
known to have held what might be termed telepathic conversation with such
contemporary Saints as St Philip Neri in Rome and St Mary Magdalen de Pazzi in
Florence — neither of whom she had ever met —
without leaving her own convent in Prato.
Catherine dei
Ricci died after a long illness aged 68 on 2 February 1590, and was canonized
in the year 1746.
Reflection:“God
forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through
whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world” (St Paul - Gal 6:14).
Daily Readings
February 12, 2025
Wednesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Genesis 2:4b–9, 15–17
In the day that
the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, when no bush of the field was yet
in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up – for the Lord
God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the
ground, and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face
of the ground – then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground, and
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living
creature. And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he
put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground the Lord God made to
spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree
of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good
and evil. The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work
it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat
of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil
you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm 104:1–2a,
27–28, 29bc–30
Response: Bless
the Lord, O my soul!
Bless the Lord, O
my soul!
O Lord my God,
how great you are,
clothed in
majesty and honour,
wrapped in light
as with a robe!
Response: Bless
the Lord, O my soul!
All of these look
to you
to give them
their food
in due season.
You give it, they
gather it up;
you open wide
your hand,
they are well
filled.
Response: Bless
the Lord, O my soul!
You take away
their breath,
they die,
returning to the dust
from which they
came.
You send forth
your spirit,
and they are
created,
and you renew the
face of the earth.
Response: Bless
the Lord, O my soul!
Alleluia
John 17:17b, 17a
Your word,
O Lord, is truth; sanctify us in the truth.
Gospel
Mark 7:14–23
At that time:
Jesus called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you,
and understand: There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can
defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” And
when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him
about the parable. And he said to them, “Then are you also without
understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside
cannot defile him, since it enters, not his heart but his stomach, and is
expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) And he said, “What comes out of
a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come
evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness,
deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things
come from within, and they defile a person.”
Reflection
The Pharisees
were obsessed with the regulations of external purity. Even consuming food
became the index of classifying the devotees as pure or impure. And Jesus, as
usual, makes a revolutionary statement again that all foods are clean. He
invites us to focus within; focus on our mind and will that are capable of
processing positive or negative thoughts and actions. Purity or contamination
comes from the inside, certainly not from the outside! He takes his disciples
to a deeper understanding of purity/impurity, so that they may have a better
understanding of God and His precepts. Let us watch over our thoughts and our
language today so that we can only have positive and luminous thoughts, as
befits a disciple of the Lord.
Martyrs of
Albitina
The Martyrs of
Abitinae were a group of 49 Christians (31 men and 18 women) found guilty, in
304, during the reign of Emperor Diocletian, of having illegally celebrated
Sunday worship at Abitinae, a town in the Roman province of Africa.
"Sine dominico non possumus"
("We can't do without the Lord’s Day"). This was the answer of the
group who were arrested for participating in a Lord’s Day service. They lived
in or around Abitina, a city in today's Tunisia which was at that time under
Rome. Emperor Diocletian had launched an empire-wide persecution against
Christians, forbidding their meetings, destroying their churches, and demanding
them to hand over (tradere) their Scriptures.
Defying the
emperor’s orders, this group, led by their presbyter Saturninus, continued to
meet secretly for worship in private homes. Discovered and arrested, they were
sent to Carthage, about 50 miles away, to be tried by proconsul Gaius Annius
Anulinus.
Commenting on
this arrest, the author of the Acts of the Abitinian Martyrs – most likely an
eye-witness – wrote: “As if a Christian could exist without the Lord’s Day, or
the Lord’s Day exist without a Christian celebration! Do you not know, Satan,
that the Christian is based on the Lord’s Day, and the Lord’s Day is based on a
Christian, so that the one cannot survive without the other? When you hear the
phrase ‘Lord’s Day,’ understand that it means the assembly of the Lord. And
when you hear the bell ring, recognize that it is the Lord’s Day.”
On their way to
Carthage, the Christians encouraged each other by singing hymns. Once there,
they unanimously refused to renounce their faith. Imprisoned, they were denied
food, while any supporter who tried to bring supplies was sent away. This
measure gave way to a small brawl outside the prison.
Augustine of
Hippo, writing a century later, gives a specific date for their trial: February
12, 304. This leads us to think he had seen a copy of the proconsular acts. But
the account that has been passed on through the ages includes details that
Roman officials did not normally record, particularly the spontaneous cries of
the martyrs during torture.
Today, these
martyrs continue to be remembered for their courage and their unswerving
conviction that no "Christian could exist without the Lord’s Day."
Daily Readings
February 11, 2025
Tuesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Genesis 1:20—2:4a
God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the firmament of the heavens.” So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day. And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds – livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 8:4–5, 6–7a, 7b–9
Response: O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name through all the earth!
When I see the heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars which you arranged,
what is man that you should keep him in mind,
the son of man that you care for him?
Response: O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name through all the earth!
Yet you have made him little lower than the angels;
with glory and honour you crowned him,
gave him power over the works of your hands.
Response: O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name through all the earth!
You put all things under his feet,
All of them, sheep and oxen,
yes, even the cattle of the fields, birds of the air,
and fish of the sea that make their way through the waters.
Response: O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name through all the earth!
Alleluia
Psalms
Bend my heart, O God, to your decrees, grant me mercy by your law.
Gospel
Mark 7:1–13
At that time: When the Pharisees gathered to Jesus, with some of the scribes, who had come from Jerusalem, they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, and when they come from the market-place, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.) And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands? And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honours me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! For Moses said, ‘Honour your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother, must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, ‘Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban’ (that is, given to God) – then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.”
Reflection
Jesus condemns the Scribes and Pharisees for their failure to understand and accept God as caring and compassionate. They portrayed a God who can be ‘pleased’ and is present among them when one obeys all the laws. When the people were unable to fulfil the legal observance, they were condemned and labelled as sinners and impure by the Jewish authorities, and thus they made the people feel that they were displeasing God. Jesus also condemns the hypocrisy of the Jewish authorities in the observance of the law. They were ready to compromise with the observance if it benefited them financially. By condemning such an attitude, Jesus was calling upon them to become aware of the life situations of the common people who are struggling, and thus become merciful as the Heavenly Father is merciful. He was inviting them to imitate God who gave the commandments for the good of humans so that they may experience greater freedom and joy, rather than suffocating spiritual imprisonment.
Our Lady of Lourdes
In the year 1858, between 11 February and 16 July, Our Lady reportedly appeared 18 times to a 14-year-old girl named Marie Bernadette Soubirous, in a cave at Massabielle near Lourdes in southern France, situated in the foothills of the great Pyrenees. This has since become one of the world’s most famous pilgrimage centres on account of its innumerable miracles of physical and spiritual healing.
A Basilica was built on the rock above the grotto in accordance with Our Lady’s request to St Bernadette, and when this proved too small, the “Rosary Church” was added to it in 1901. In 1907 Pope St Pius X extended to the Universal Church the observance of today’s feast with its special Office and Mass, which had been authorized by Pope Leo XIII.
Devout pilgrims thronged to the shrine from the very beginning. The first of the great national pilgrimages arrived in 1872, the French one, consisting of 25,000 pilgrims! It is now estimated that about a million pilgrims visit Lourdes each year.
Perhaps the most touching sight of all, however, and the time when most of the miraculous cures seem to take place, is the daily procession of the Blessed Sacrament, when a visiting Prelate carries the Eucharistic Presence into the great Rosary Square in front of the Basilica and blesses the seriously afflicted invalids individually as they lie there in row upon row of stretchers. While this is going on, the invocateurs in turn recite the fervent invocations on behalf of the sick, and these are then taken up in a mighty chorus by the thousands of pilgrims present—”Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! Please, Lord, that I may see! Lord that I may hear! O Lord, that I may walk!” General Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament from the Basilica steps then concludes this most moving of spectacles.
Reflection: “Penance! Penance! Penance!” (Our Lady, to Bernadette).
Daily Readings
February 10, 2025
Memorial of Saint
Scholastica, Virgin
Reading 1
Genesis 1:1–19
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was
without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the
Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let
there be light”, and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And
God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the
darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the
first day. And God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters,
and let it separate the waters from the waters.” And God made the firmament and
separated the waters that were under the firmament from the waters that were
above the firmament. And it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And there
was evening and there was morning, the second day. And God said, “Let the
waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry
land appear.” And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that
were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. And God
said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees
bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the
earth.” And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed
according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed,
each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening
and there was morning, the third day. And God said, “Let there be lights in the
firmament of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be
for signs and for seasons and for days and years, and let them be lights in the
firmament of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. And God
made the two great lights, the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser
light to rule the night and the stars. And God set them in the firmament of the
heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night –
and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And
there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 104:1–2a, 5–6, 10 and 12, 24 and
35c
Response: May the Lord rejoice in his
works!
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
O Lord my God, how great you are,
clothed in majesty and honour,
wrapped in light as with a robe!
Response: May the Lord rejoice in his
works!
You set the earth on its foundation,
immovable from age to age.
You wrapped it with the depths like a
cloak;
the waters stood higher than the mountains.
Response: May the Lord rejoice in his
works!
You make springs gush forth in the valleys;
they flow in between the hills.
There the birds of heaven build their
nests;
from the branches they sing their song.
Response: May the Lord rejoice in his
works!
How many are your works, O Lord!
In wisdom you have made them all.
The earth is full of your creatures.
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
Response: May the Lord rejoice in his
works!
Alleluia
Matthew 4:23
Jesus was proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every
disease and every affliction among the people.
Gospel
Mark 6:53–56
At that time:
When Jesus and his disciples had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret
and moored to the shore. And when they got out of the boat, the people
immediately recognised him and ran about the whole region and began to bring
the sick people on their beds to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he
came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the
marketplaces, and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his
garment. And as many as touched it were made well.
Reflection
Jesus was one of
those persons whom everyone knew they could go close to, and whom they could
even have the courage to touch. Jesus was the type, in whose presence, everyone
felt accepted and respected, besides realising that they were truly the image
and likeness of God. During the time of Jesus, the Jewish authorities avoided
being touched by people, especially the sick and the lower classes, so that
they didn’t become impure. Also, touching someone signified that he/she
belonged to one’s own family or class. Jesus allowed everyone, especially the
sick and people from the lower strata to come to him and touch him so that they
all realized that they belonged to one family and class, and that is the family
and class of our ABBA, our Father. Let us pray that we too may cultivate this
attitude of Jesus, so that we may bring many people closer to our Lord through
our thoughts, words, and actions.
St
Scholastica, Virgin (c. 480-547)
St Scholastica
was the twin sister of St Benedict of Nursia (Italy). Dedicated to God from
infancy, she chose, like her brother, to renounce her family’s wealth and
status and to follow him to Subiaco. When he later on moved south to Monte
Cassino, she founded a convent nearby for women who desired to live according
to the Benedictine rule.
Once a year
only, just before Lent, brother and sister would meet to converse on spiritual
matters in a small dependency of the abbey. St Gregory the Great, writing
toward the end of the same century, has left us a touching account of their
last annual reunion, when Scholastica, who felt her death to be near pleaded
with her saintly brother to continue their conversation until daybreak.
Benedict, however, saw no need for dispensing himself from his monastic rule,
according to which he had to return to his own monastery by nightfall and thus
would not consent. At this his sister implored God with urgency to grant her
wish and she was heard — from the hitherto cloudless, serene sky there now
broke forth a tremendous thunder and windstorm, with rain coming down in such
torrents that Benedict was compelled to acknowledge God’s sign and stay. The
law of love, as St Gregory puts it, had triumphed over the law of justice and
discipline. So it was that the 2 Saints passed the night in spiritual
edification, and in the morning returned to their respective abodes.
St Scholastica
is appealed to especially during storms.
Reflection: “If
you will try to live in the presence of God for one year, you will see yourself
at the end of it at the height of perfection, without your even knowing it” (St
Teresa of Avila).
Daily Readings
February 9, 2025
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Isaiah (6:1-2a,3-8)
In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the LORD sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings. And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!” Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.” And I heard the voice of the LORD saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.
Responsorial Psalm
PSALM (138)
Response: In the presence of the angels I praise you, O Lord.
I thank you, LORD, with all my heart; you have heard the words of my mouth. In the presence of the angels I praise you. I bow down towards your holy temple.
Response: In the presence of the angels I praise you, O Lord.
I give thanks to your name for your merciful love and your faithfulness. You have exalted your name over all. On the day I called, you answered me; you increased the strength of my soul.
Response: In the presence of the angels I praise you, O Lord.
All earth’s kings shall thank you, O LORD, when they hear the words of your mouth. They shall sing of the ways of the LORD, “How great is the glory of the LORD!”
Response: In the presence of the angels I praise you, O Lord.
With your right hand you save me; the LORD will accomplish this for me. O LORD, your merciful love is eternal; discard not the work of your hands.
Response: In the presence of the angels I praise you, O Lord.
Reading 2
Corinthians (Shorter Form) 15:3-8, 11
Brethren, I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
OR
Corinthians (15:1-11)
I am reminding you, brothers and sisters,
of the gospel I preached to you,
which you indeed received and in which you also stand.
Through it you are also being saved,
if you hold fast to the word I preached to you,
unless you believed in vain.
For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received:
that Christ died for our sins
in accordance with the Scriptures;
that he was buried;
that he was raised on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures;
that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve.
After that, Christ appeared to more
than five hundred brothers at once,
most of whom are still living,
though some have fallen asleep.
After that he appeared to James,
then to all the apostles.
Last of all, as to one born abnormally,
he appeared to me.
For I am the least of the apostles,
not fit to be called an apostle,
because I persecuted the church of God.
But by the grace of God I am what I am,
and his grace to me has not been ineffective.
Indeed, I have toiled harder than all of them;
not I, however, but the grace of God that is with me.
Therefore, whether it be I or they,
so we preach and so you believed.
Alleluia
Matthew 4:19
Follow me, says the Lord; and I will make you fishers of men. Alleluia. (Mt 4:19).
Gospel
Luke (5:1-11)
All: Glory to you, O Lord. On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on Jesus to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signalled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.
Reflection
In the First Reading Prophet Isaiah beholds a vision of the solemn heavenly liturgy in which the Seraphim acclaim God’s holiness. Confronted by this august vision Isaiah becomes aware of his uncleanness. The prophet is relieved of his predicament when one of the Seraphim touches his lips with a burning coal. Isaiah believes that God’s holiness is His predominant attribute. After the cleansing ceremony, Isaiah feels himself qualified to speak of God. In the Second Reading Paul writes on the topic of the resurrection appearances of the Lord Jesus. The basic tenets of the Christian faith for Paul are the following: a) Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures; b) He was buried; c) He was raised on the third day; d) He appeared to Peter, and the Twelve. Paul then writes about the appearance of the risen Christ to himself as well. Jesus goes to the lake of Gennesaret with the intention of choosing some disciples. The Lake of Gennesaret is also known as the Sea of Galilee. It was named after a region south of Capernaum that was situated on a fertile and thickly populated plain. The lake is about eleven kms in width and twenty-two kms in length and is a popular locale for fishing. Jesus is looking for a place to get away from the crowd and he spots two boats. The attention of Jesus turns to Peter and he goes out of his way to involve Peter by consciously choosing to enter his boat. Peter responds with respect and openness to Jesus’ request. He informs Jesus that the previous evening, they caught nothing. Despite Peter’s professional view of the situation, Peter gives at Jesus’ word the command to his companions to cast the nets. Peter’s responsiveness to Jesus reflects a proper reaction to God’s messenger. The good response meets with immediate success and Peter falls to his knees. Falling to one’s knees pictures the humility that one displays before a superior of any kind. Peter recognizes Jesus’ authority in this action. Here is a carpenter-teacher delivering the goods as a professional fisherman. They all know something is taking place in their midst. God’s goodness is bringing them to an awareness of who they are. There is a significant spiritual point here. Jesus will take the faith and humble attitude exhibited in Peter and turn them into a call to serve. Peter’s responsiveness and humble approach to Jesus’ word reflect exemplary attitudes about how people should respond to God’s message. An unworthy Peter and his companions receive and observe the benefits of a gracious God through his agent. Jesus promises Peter a ministry that will share in the task of gathering people. In turn, Peter and those with him drop their nets and begin the lifelong task of following Jesus in the pursuit of catching people. A higher call causes them to abandon their nets and their former life.
(Source: The Sunday Liturgy)
Daily Readings
February 8, 2025
Saturday of the
Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Hebrews 13:15–17, 20–21
Brethren:
Through Jesus let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that
is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and
to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. Obey your
leaders and submit to them for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those
who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy, and not with
groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. Now may the God of peace
who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the
sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good
that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight,
through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 23:1–3a, 3b–4, 5, 6
Response: The Lord is my shepherd; there
is nothing I shall want.
The Lord is my shepherd;
there is nothing I shall want.
Fresh and green are the pastures
where he gives me repose.
Near restful waters he leads me;
he revives my soul.
Response: The Lord is my shepherd; there
is nothing I shall want.
He guides me along the right path,
for the sake of his name.
Though I should walk in the valley
of the shadow of death,
no evil would I fear, for you are with me.
Your crook and your staff
will give me comfort.
Response: The Lord is my shepherd; there
is nothing I shall want.
You have prepared a table before me
in the sight of my foes.
My head you have anointed with oil;
my cup is overflowing.
Response: The Lord is my shepherd; there
is nothing I shall want.
Surely goodness and mercy
shall follow me
all the days of my life.
In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell
for length of days unending.
Response: The Lord is my shepherd; there
is nothing I shall want.
Alleluia
John 10:27
My sheep hear my
voice, says the Lord; and I know them, and they follow me.
Gospel
Mark 6:30–34
At that time:
The apostles returned to Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught.
And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a
while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.
And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. Now many saw
them going and recognised them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns,
and got there ahead of them. When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he
had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he
began to teach them many things.
Reflection
What does “to
rest a while” mean for Jesus? He invites his disciples to rest, but suddenly
they once again find themselves surrounded by the crowd. Perhaps by inviting
them to “rest a while” he allows them to enjoy his loving presence and learn
from him, especially the virtue of compassion. Jesus says in Matthew 11:29,
“Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart,
and you will find rest.” By having them rest with him, Jesus shares with them
the love that unites him to the Father and which forms the strength of his very
existence. Jesus proposes that we live in union with him so that we may enjoy
his loving presence and learn from his heavenly wisdom.
1) St Jerome
Emiliani Confessor (1486-1537)
The son of an
ancient Venetian family in Italy, St Jerome ran away from home at 15 after his
father’s death and entered the army of the Venetian Republic. Twelve years
later he was taken prisoner. While chained in his dungeon he came to a full
realization of the loose, worldly life he had been leading and solemnly
promised our Lady to reform. His near-miraculous escape was followed by 10
years of study for the priesthood and caring for the poor in their very hovels
and in the hospitals. During the great plague and famine of 1528 he took charge
of the Venetian hospital for incurables (founded by St Cajetan), organized a
home for the many newly orphaned children, and sold all his furnishings to buy
food.
Under the
inspiration of his spiritual director, the future Pope Paul IV, he founded a
Religious Society in 1532 to care for orphans and the sick, the Somaschians,
and thus also undertook the education of children and rural population in later
years. At Bergamo he started one of the earliest institutions for penitent
prostitutes. While attending the sick in 1537 he caught an infectious disease
and died on February 8. He was canonized in 1767.
Reflection:“Love
is a great thing, greatest of all goods, because it alone renders light every
burden and bears equally all that is unequal” (Imitation of Christ, Bk III,
5,3).
2) St
Josephine Margaret Bakhita
Saint Josephine
Margaret Bakhita was born around 1869 in the village of Olgossa in the Darfur
region of Sudan. She was a member of the Daju people and her uncle was a tribal
chief. Due to her family lineage, she grew up happy and relatively prosperous,
saying that as a child, she did not know suffering.
Historians
believe that sometime in February 1877, Josephine was kidnapped by Arab slave
traders. Although she was just a child, she was forced to walk barefoot over
600 miles to a slave market in El Obeid. She was bought and sold at least twice
during the grueling journey.
For the next 12
years she would be bought, sold and given away over a dozen times. She spent so
much time in captivity that she forgot her original name.
In 1883, the
Turkish general sold her to the Italian Vice Consul, Callisto Legani. He was a
much kinder master and he did not beat her. When it was time for him to return
to Italy, she begged to be taken with him, and he agreed.
Her new family
also had dealings in Sudan and when her mistress decided to travel to Sudan
without Josephine, she placed her in the custody of the Canossian Sisters in
Venice.
While she was in
the custody of the sisters, she came to learn about God. She was deeply moved
by her time with the sisters and discerned a call to follow Christ.
She was baptized
on January 9, 1890 and took the name Josephine Margaret and Fortunata.
(Fortunata is the Latin translation for her Arabic name, Bakhita). She also
received the sacraments of her first holy communion and confirmation on the
same day.
Josephine became
a novice with the Canossian Daughters of Charity religious order on December 7,
1893, and took her final vows on December 8, 1896. She was eventually assigned
to a convent in Schio, Vicenza.
For the next 42
years of her life, she worked as a cook and a doorkeeper at the convent. She
was known for her gentle voice and smile. She was gentle and charismatic, and
was often referred to lovingly as the "little brown sister" or
honorably as the "black mother."
On the evening
of February 8, 1947, Josephine spoke her last words, "Our Lady, Our
Lady!" She then died.
In 1958, the
process of canonization began for Josephine under Pope John XXIII. On 1st
December 1978, Pope John Paul II declared her venerable and on 1st October 2000
he canonized her.
Saint Josephine
Bakhita is the patron saint of Sudan.
Daily Readings
February 7, 2025
Friday of the
Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
2 Corinthians
6:4–10
Brethren: As servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great
endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments,
riots, labours, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience,
kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of
God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left;
through honour and dishonour, through slander and praise. We are treated as
impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and
behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always
rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing
everything.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 30:2 and 4,
5-6, 11-12a and 13b
Response: I will
extol you, Lord, for you have raised me up.
I will extol you,
Lord, for you
have raised me up,
and have not let my
enemies rejoice over me.
O Lord, you have
lifted up my soul
from the grave,
restored me to life
from those
who sink into the pit.
Response: I will
extol you, Lord, for you have raised me up.
Sing psalms to the
Lord, you faithful ones;
give thanks to his
holy name.
His anger lasts a
moment;
his favour all through
life.
At night come tears,
but dawn
brings joy.
Response: I will
extol you, Lord, for you have raised me up.
Hear, O Lord, and have
mercy on me;
be my helper, O Lord.
You have changed my
mourning
into dancing,
O Lord my God, I will
thank you forever.
Response: I will
extol you, Lord, for you have raised me up.
Alleluia
Whoever hates his
life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
Gospel
Matthew 10:17–22
At that time:
Jesus said to the apostles, “Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to
councils and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before
governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles.
When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you
are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it
is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and
children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be
hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be
saved.
Reflection
Both the
Readings today are a great source of encouragement to all who are suffering,
misunderstood, misjudged – indeed, all who despair and are persecuted. It is
also a call to overcome fear, and to trust in God. We have been given the
Spirit of boldness and courage as we hold fast to the promise of Christ who
said that those who endure to the end will be saved. Often, we suffer
physically, mentally and emotionally at the hands of others in this life but we
are promised eternal life that awaits all those who persevere and keep their
eyes on the crown of glory. Saint Gonzalo Garcia, the first Indian saint and
martyr to be canonized, understood this well as he was subjected to terrible
persecution and finally martyred in Japan along with his companions, on account
of his faith in Christ. He endured till the end and won the crown of a martyr
for Christ. Lord Jesus, I pray today for the gift of endurance and
perseverance.
St Gonzalo
Garcia (c. 1556-1597)
Not much is
known of the early years of this first and only Indian Martyr of the Catholic
Church except that he was a native of Bassein (now Vasai), which was part of
Bombay (now Mumbai). He is known to have had his early education at the then
Jesuit College in Bassein before proceeding to Japan at the young age of 15 or
16 in the company of a certain Jesuit priest named Sebastian Gonsalves in the
year 1574.
The next 8 years
saw Gonzalo active as Fr Sebastian’s Catechist, while at the same time
repeatedly seeking admission into the Society of Jesus, a request that was for
some strange reason persistently turned down by the Society. Weary of patiently
waiting in vain, Gonzalo finally decided to join the Franciscan Friars.
Having joined
the Franciscan Friars, Gonzalo’s modesty and humility seemed to have been put
to the maximum test as he assisted in the kitchen, served in the dining room,
did the marketing and fulfilled other such tasks. Soon he became a familiar figure in the
Manila markets. It was while he was about his lawful duties that he came in
contact with the sizeable Japanese community in Manila. Needless to say, his
fluency in the Japanese language, honed during his eight long years in Japan,
stood him in good stead as he ministered to their sick in hospital.
Before long, the
Manila Franciscans were making plans to open a mission in Japan and whose
support did they bank on but Brother Gonzalo Garcia’s! Having been appointed to accompany Fr Pedro
Baptista, Gonzalo sailed with him from Manila to Japan in 1592. From official interpreter to his Superior, he
soon went on to become the official “Contractor” of the mission in Japan,
bringing into focus his acumen at building Franciscan churches and friaries, as
well as hospitals for lepers, in Macao and Osaka.
The ill-famed
persecution that had unexpectedly broken out in Japan in 1587, brought
martyrdom a decade later to Gonzalo and 5 other Franciscans, viz., Friars Peter
Baptist, Martin de Aguirre, Francis Blanco, Francis of St Michael and Philip de
las Casas, and 3 Jesuits, viz., Fr Paul Miki, Brs John Goto and James Kisai,
besides 17 Japanese laymen, most of whom were either catechists or
interpreters. On 5 February 1597, on a hill near Nagasaki, “The crosses were
set in place . . .” and the 26 hoisted up. “Then according to Japanese custom,
the four executioners began to unsheathe their spears. At this dreadful sight,
all the Christians cried out, “Jesus! Mary!” And the storm of anguished weeping
then rose to batter the very skies. The executioners killed them one by one.”
These 26
exemplary Catholics were beatified on 14 September 1627 by Pope Urban VIII and
solemnly canonized by Pope Pius IX on 8 June 1862.
Reflection:
“They (the 26 martyrs) triumphed over death with an insuperable act of praise
to the Lord. Like Christ, they were taken to a place where common criminals
were put to death. Like Christ, they gave of their lives so that all of us
might believe in the love of the Father, in the salvific mission of the Son, in
the infallible guidance of the Holy Spirit” (John Paul II at the monument to
the martyrs).
Daily Readings
February 6, 2025
Memorial of Saint Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs
Reading 1
Hebrews 12:18–19, 21–24
Brethren: You have not come to
what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest and
the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers begged that no
further messages be spoken to them. Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that
Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” But you have come to Mount Sion and to the
city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem,
and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of
the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to
the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new
covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood
of Abel.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 48:2–3ab, 3cd–4, 9, 10–11
Response: We have received your mercy, O Lord, in the
midst of your temple.
Great is the Lord and highly to be praised
in the city of our God.
His holy mountain rises in beauty,
the joy of all the earth.
Response: We have received your mercy, O Lord, in the
midst of your temple.
Mount Sion, in the heart of the North,
the city of the Mighty King!
God, in the midst of its citadels,
has shown himself its stronghold.
Response: We have received your mercy, O Lord, in the
midst of your temple.
As we have heard, so we have seen
in the city of our God,
in the city of the Lord of hosts,
which God establishes forever.
Response: We have received your mercy, O Lord, in the
midst of your temple.
Your merciful love, O God,
we ponder in your temple.
Your praise, O God, like your name,
reaches the ends of the earth.
Your right hand is filled
with saving justice.
Response: We have received your mercy, O Lord, in the
midst of your temple.
Alleluia
Mark 1:15
The kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the
gospel.
Gospel
Mark 6:7–13
At that time: Jesus called the
twelve, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the
unclean spirits. He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a
staff – no bread, no bag, no money in their belts – but to wear sandals and not
put on two tunics. And he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there
until you depart from there. And if any
place will not receive you and they will not listen to you,when you leave,
shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” So they
went out and proclaimed that people should repent. And they cast out many
demons and anointed with oil many who
were sick and healed them.
Reflection
Jesus sends his disciples in twos
to experience communion not only with the people they are going to encounter
but also with one another. Even before ministering to people through preaching
and healing, Jesus wants his disciples to be witnesses of communion, imitating
the communion of the Triune God. Jesus invites his disciples to refrain from
falling into the temptation to ‘go it
alone’ but rather to ‘go together’ so that they can be witnesses through their
sharing and communion. The idea of Jesus ‘to take nothing for the journey’ is
so that one depends not on one’s abilities and resources but on the providence
of God. One of the ways that Jesus wanted his disciples to experience
providence more strongly was by taking responsibility for one another and taking
care of one another in times of want and misfortune.
St Paul Miki & Companions
Paul was the son of a Japanese
military leader. He was born at Tounucumada, Japan, was educated at the Jesuit
college of Anziquiama, joined the Jesuits in 1580, and became known for his
eloquent preaching. He was crucified on Februay 5 with twenty-five other
Catholics during the persecution of Christians under the Taiko, Toyotomi
Hideyoshi, ruler of Japan in the name of the emperor.
Among the Japanese layment who
suffered the same fate were: Francis, a carpenter who was arrested while
watching the executions and then crucified; Gabriel, the nineteen year old son
of the Franciscan's porter; Leo Kinuya, a twenty-eight year old carpenter from
Miyako; Diego Kisai (or Kizayemon), temporal coadjutor of the Jesuits; Joachim
Sakakibara, cook for the Franciscans at Osaka; Peter Sukejiro, sent by a Jesuit
priest to help the prisoners, who was then arrested; Cosmas Takeya from Owari,
who had preached in Osaka; and Ventura from Miyako, who had been baptized by
the Jesuits, gave up his Catholicism on the death of his father, became a
bonze, and was brought back to the Church by the Franciscans.
They were all canonized as the
Martyrs of Japan in 1862.
Daily Readings
February 5, 2025
Memorial of Saint
Agatha, Virgin and Martyr
Reading 1
Hebrews 12:4–7, 11–15
Brethren: In
your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding
your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?
“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when
reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every
son whom he receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is
treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not
discipline? For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant,
but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been
trained by it. Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak
knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be
put out of joint but rather be healed. Strive for peace with everyone, and for
the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one
fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and
causes trouble, and by it many become defiled.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 103:1–2,
13–14, 17–18a
Response: The
mercy of the Lord is everlasting upon those who hold him in fear.
Bless the Lord,
O my soul,
and all within
me, his holy name.
Bless the Lord,
O my soul,
and never forget
all his benefits.
Response: The
mercy of the Lord is everlasting upon those who hold him in fear.
As a father has
compassion on his children,
the Lord’s
compassion is
on those who
fear him.
For he knows of
what we are made;
he remembers
that we are dust.
Response: The
mercy of the Lord is everlasting upon those who hold him in fear.
But the mercy of
the Lord is everlasting
upon those who
hold him in fear,
upon children’s
children his justice,
for those who
keep his covenant.
Response: The
mercy of the Lord is everlasting upon those who hold him in fear.
Alleluia
John 10:27
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; and I know them, and they follow
me.
Gospel
Mark 6:1–6
At that time:
Jesus came to his home town, and his disciples followed him. And on the Sabbath
he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished,
saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him?
How are such mighty works done by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son
of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his
sisters here with us?” And they took offence at him. And Jesus said to them, “A
prophet is not without honour, except in his home town and among his relatives
and in his own household.” And he could do no mighty work there, except that he
laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marvelled because
of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching.
Reflection
Sometimes our
conclusions and opinions about God and others can become obstacles to a proper
relationship with God and others. For instance, the Jews expected the Messiah
to be glorious and powerful, and come spectacularly among them. But the Messiah
came modestly from a humble background, which made the Jews unable to accept
Jesus as the Messiah. Sometimes, we too have a similar attitude as that of the
Jews: we expect God to manifest Himself sensationally and extraordinarily.
Thus, we fail to encounter God in the modest actions that he performs in our
daily lives, and thus we miss the joy of encountering him. Let us ask for the
grace of humility and openness to encounter God at every moment of our lives so
that every moment can be a miracle and a blessing from God.
St Agatha, Virgin and Martyr (-251)
Consecrated to
God from her earliest years, St Agatha came from a rich and illustrious family
of Catania (Italy). Quintain, a man of Consular dignity but evil intent, became
enamoured of her and desired to marry her. Upon her refusal to give in to his
evil designs, Quintain had her brought before him by means of the emperor’s
edict against Christians. He ordered her to be taken to a brothel where she
suffered assaults and stratagems upon her honour more terrible than torture or
death itself.
Undaunted, she
boldly declared that Jesus Christ was her light and salvation. As a result, she
was scourged, her flesh torn with iron hooks, her breasts chiselled out, her
sides lacerated and scorched with fiery metal. But God was merciful to her — St
Peter appeared to her in a vision, and consoled and healed her.
Brought a second
time before Quintain, she again remained inflexibly constant in her faith and
sacred vow. She was then ordered to be dragged naked over burning coals mixed
with potsherds. An earthquake took place at the time of this second torture,
forcing Quintain to flee from the town in terror. The following night, 5
February 251, Agatha breathed her last, uttering: “Lord, my Creator, from the
cradle, you have always protected me; you have taken me from the love of the
world and given me patience to suffer. Receive now my soul!”
Reflection:
“Jesus Christ, Lord of all, you see my heart and know my desires. You alone
possess all that I am. I am your sheep; make me worthy to overcome the devil”
(Prayer of St Agatha).
Daily Readings
February 4, 2025
Tuesday of the
Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
1 Corinthians
9:19–27
Brethren: Though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to
all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to
win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not
being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those
outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of
God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the
weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all
people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the
gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. Do you not know that in a
race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may
obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to
receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly;
I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under
control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 68:29–30, 33–35a, 35b–36d
Response: Let the peoples praise you, O God, Let all the peoples praise
you!
Summon forth your might, O God;
your might, O God, which you have shown for us.
From your temple high in Jerusalem,
kings will come to you bringing their tribute.
Response: Let the peoples praise you, O God, Let all the peoples praise
you!
You kingdoms of the earth,
sing to God, praise the Lord
who rides on the heavens, the ancient heavens.
Behold, he thunders his voice, his mighty voice.
Come, acknowledge the power of God.
Response: Let the peoples praise you, O God, Let all the peoples praise
you!
His glory is on Israel;
his might is in the skies.
Awesome is God in his holy place.
He is God, the God of Israel.
He himself gives strength and power to his people.
Blest be God!
Response: Let the peoples praise you, O God, Let all the peoples praise
you!
Alleluia
Matthew 8:17
Our Saviour Christ Jesus abolished death and brought life and
immortality to light through the gospel.
Gospel
John 12:20–32
At that time: Among those who went up to worship at the feast were some
Greeks. These came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him,
“Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip
went and told Jesus. And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of
Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls
into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will
keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I
am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honour
him. Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this
hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your
name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify
it again.” The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered.
Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered, “This voice has come
for your sake, not mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler
of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw
all people to myself.”
Reflection
Jesus’ master-class today is for those called to proclaim and
evangelise. In today’s Gospel we see some Greeks approaching Philip in order to
meet Jesus. Philip goes to Andrew, and together they go to Jesus to inform him
of the Greeks’ desire to meet him. Philip and Andrew have the charism of
leading others to Jesus. In John chapter 1, Philip leads Nathanael to Jesus,
and Andrew leads Peter to Jesus. This is the very nature of a disciple who,
after having been with Jesus, becomes a missionary. Each one has a role to
play. We too are called to ‘forward’ this message to others, like Philip, who
goes to Andrew. Every baptised person is called to live and proclaim the Gospel
like St John de Britto who courageously and zealously shared the good news of
Christ with the people of India.
St John De Britto, Martyr (1647-1693)
When Don Pedro II of Portugal was young, he
had among his little pages a modest lad named John de Britto, the son of rich
and princely parents. It is stated that when John as a child fell grievously
ill, his mother, whose family was connected with the court of Lisbon, invoked
the aid of the great Jesuit Saint, Francis Xavier, and dedicated her son to
him. In answer to her prayers, he recovered, and his mother vested him for a
year in the garb worn in those days by the Jesuit Fathers. From then on, John’s
heart burned to follow the example of the Apostle of the Indies, aspiring only
to wear the habit of the great missionary and to devote his life to the
conversion of the infidel.
He was admitted into the Society of Jesus
at 15. His success in studies was so remarkable that great efforts were made
after his ordination to keep him in Portugal, but grace triumphed, and in 1673
he set sail for Goa with sixteen of his fellow-Jesuits. The rest of his life,
except for a brief interval, was spent amid incredible hardships and hindrances
of all kinds in evangelizing Southern India.
Those who worked with him, in their letters
to Europe, speak in glowing terms of his courage and devotion, of the
extraordinary austerity of his life, and of the rich harvest of conversions
which were the fruit of his labours.
Forced to return to Portugal in 1683, John
once more broke through every obstacle, and returned to his labour of love in
1691. Like St John the Baptist, he was beheaded after a torturous imprisonment.
“I await death,” he had written to his Superior, “and I await it with patience.
It has always been the object of my prayers. It forms today the most precious
reward of my labours and my sufferings.”
St John was canonized by Pope Pius XII in
1947.
Reflection: “Not to answer the vocation as
you ought, would be to provoke the justice of God” (St John de Britto).
Daily Readings
February 3, 2025
Monday of the
Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Hebrews 11:32–40
Brethren:
What more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson,
Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets – who through faith conquered
kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out
of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received
back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept
release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered
mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they
were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of
sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated – of whom the world was not
worthy – wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the
earth. And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive
what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart
from us they should not be made perfect.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 31:20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Response: Be strong, let your heart take courage, all who hope in the
Lord.
How great is the goodness, Lord,
that you keep for those who fear you,
that you show to those who trust you
in the sight of the children of men.
Response: Be strong, let your heart take courage, all who hope in the
Lord.
You hide them in the shelter of your presence,
secure from human scheming;
you keep them safe within your tent
from disputing tongues.
Response: Be strong, let your heart take courage, all who hope in the
Lord.
Blest be the Lord for he has wondrously shown me
his merciful love in a fortified city!
Response: Be strong, let your heart take courage, all who hope in the
Lord.
“I am far removed from your sight,”
I said in my alarm.
Yet you heard the voice of my plea
when I cried to you for help.
Response: Be strong, let your heart take courage, all who hope in the
Lord.
Love the Lord, all you his saints.
The Lord guards the faithful.
But the Lord will repay to the full
the one who acts with pride.
Response: Be strong, let your heart take courage, all who hope in the
Lord.
Alleluia
Luke 7:16
A great prophet has arisen among us, and God has visited his people.
Gospel
Mark 5:1–20
At that time: Jesus and his disciples came to the other side of the
lake, to the country of the Gerasenes. And when Jesus had stepped out of the
boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit.
He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him any more, not even with a
chain, for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched
the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength
to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always
crying out and cutting himself with stones. And when he saw Jesus from afar, he
ran and fell down before him. And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What
have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God,
do not torment me.” For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean
spirit!” And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is
Legion, for we are many.” And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of
the country. Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and
they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” So he gave
them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the
herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea,
and drowned in the sea. The herdsmen fled, and told it in the city and in the
country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. And they came to
Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting
there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. And those who had
seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to
the pigs. And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region. As he was getting into the boat, the man who
had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. And he did
not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them how
much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” And he went
away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him,
and everyone marvelled.
Reflection
The man with an unclean spirit was in the habit of hurting himself. The
evil spirit within us hurts us with negative thoughts such as, ‘I am worthless’
or ‘nobody loves me’, or ‘life isn’t worth living’. This sort of negativity
leads to untold damage to ourselves. The name of the demon, possessing the man,
is significant: Legion. A ‘legion’ is an army of around 6000 soldiers! The more
the man hurt himself, the more the demons multiplied within him and broke him
to pieces. In this pitiable condition, the Lord intervenes and frees the man,
and gives him hope. He heals him and frees him of all demoniac possessions. We
too have hope in Jesus, for he loves us, and he will heal us and free us from
afflictions that enslave us in thought, word and deed.
St Blaise, Bishop Martyr (-c. 316)
The story of this Saint’s life is based mainly on old legends and seems
to have been introduced into the West at the time of the Crusades. By
profession a physician, and a man of outstanding virtue, he was appointed
Bishop of his native city of Sebaste in Armenia (Turkey). But when Licinius,
the co-Emperor of Constantine, insisted on continuing the persecution of
Christians even after Constantine’s Edict of Milan, St Blaise was arrested,
tortured with a wool-comber’s brush, and finally beheaded when he refused to
abjure Christ.
He is invoked particularly against diseases of the throat on account of
his having saved the life of a boy who was choking to death on a fish-bone. The
“blessing of St Blaise” is given by the priest today by touching the throats of
the faithful with two candles held in the form of a St Andrew’s Cross.
He is the Patron of wool-combers, wax-chandlers, builders and
physicians.
Reflection: “Fortitude is a moral and supernatural virtue which makes a
person generous and fearless in the pursuit of holiness, in spite of
difficulties, fear, force and even death” (Blessed James Alberione).
Daily Readings
February 2, 2025
Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
Reading I
Malachi (3:1-4)
Thus says the Lord God: “Behold,
I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom
you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in
whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can
endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like
a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier
of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and
silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord. Then the
offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of
old and as in former years.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 24:7, 8, 9, 10
Response: The Lord of hosts, he is the king of glory!
O gates, lift high your heads; grow higher, ancient doors.
Let him enter, the king of glory!
Response: The Lord of hosts, he is the king of glory!
Who is this king of glory? The Lord, the mighty, the
valiant; the Lord, the valiant in war.
Response: The Lord of hosts, he is the king of glory!
O gates, lift high your heads; grow higher, ancient doors.
Let him enter, the king of glory!
Response: The Lord of hosts, he is the king of glory!
Who is this king of glory? He, the Lord of hosts, he is the
king of glory.
Response: The Lord of hosts, he is the king of glory!
Reading II
Hebrews (Heb 2:14-18)
Since the children share in flesh
and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death
he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and
deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.
For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of
Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so
that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God,
to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has
suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
Alleluia
Luke 2:32
A light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to
your people Israel
Gospel
Luke (2:22–32)
All: Glory to you, O Lord. When
the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, the parents
of Jesus brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is
written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be
called holy to the Lord”) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in
the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtle-doves, or two young pigeons”. Now there
was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and
devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon
him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see
death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the
temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him
according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God
and said, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to
your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the
presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory
to your people Israel.”
Reflection
The presentation of Jesus in the
Temple served two purposes; the first is the redemption of Jesus the
firstborn, and the second is the purification of Mary. The firstborn belonged
to the Lord but could be redeemed or bought back by paying five shekels. The
purification of the mother in Jewish Law was purification from ritual
uncleanness after childbirth. Under the Mosaic Law, a woman was ritually
“unclean” for 40 days after childbirth, when she was to present herself to the
priests and offer sacrifice – her “purification”. This feast emphasizes more
Jesus’ first appearance in the Temple than Mary’s purification. The
purification was normally performed in the local synagogue but Mary and Joseph
decided it should take place in the Temple. If the family could afford they
would offer a one-year-old lamb, but if not, they would offer two young
pigeons. Second, the father of the firstborn son was to “redeem” the child by
making an offering of five shekels to the priest. Recall that the firstborn
males of all the Egyptians, animals and children, were killed during the tenth
plague, but the firstborn males of the Israelites were spared. Thus, this
offering made for the firstborn son in the Temple was a way of ritually
redeeming him in commemoration of the protection during that plague. Since
Jesus was presented in the Temple for this redemption, today’s feast is now
referred to as the “Presentation in the Temple”. In Luke’s account, Jesus was
welcomed in the Temple by two elderly people, Simeon and the widow Anna. They
embody Israel in their patient expectation; they acknowledge the infant Jesus as
the long-awaited Messiah. Today’s feast is celebrated in our Church forty days
after Christmas, marking the day that Mary and Joseph would have brought Jesus
into the Temple. Though Mary was pure and free from sin from the moment of her
conception, and though the Son of God did not need to be redeemed, Mary and
Joseph fulfilled these ritual obligations.
Source: The Sunday Liturgy
Daily Readings
February 1, 2025
Saturday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time
Reading I
Hebrews 11:1–2, 8–19
Brethren: Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the
conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their
commendation. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place
that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he
was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign
land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise.
For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and
builder is God. By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when
she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised.
Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many
as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the
seashore. These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but
having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they
were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear
that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from
which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it
is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not
ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. By faith
Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the
promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through
Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to
raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him
back.
Responsorial Psalm
Luke 1:69–70, 71–72, 73–75
Response: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited his people.
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David,
as he spoke by the mouth of his holy
prophets from of old.
Response: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited his people.
That we should be saved from our enemies,
and from the hand of all who hate us;
to show the mercy promised to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
Response: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited his people.
The oath that he swore to our father
Abraham, to grant us
that we, being delivered from the hand of
our enemies, might serve him without fear,
in holiness and righteousness before him
all our days.
Response: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has
visited his people.
Alleluia
John
3:16
God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Gospel
Mark 4:35–41
On that day, when evening had come, Jesus said to his
disciples, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they
took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with
him. And a great windstorm arose, and
the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling.
But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to
him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked
the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there
was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no
faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then
is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
Reflection
For Jesus, ‘going across to the other side’ is going to
the pagan land, where the Jews would not like to go, and which was looked at
with suspicion by the ‘pure ones’ of Israel. Yet Jesus wants his disciples to
join him to go to such places where others would not dare to go and evangelize.
He wants us to leave “our crowd zones” (our protected environments and comfort
zones) and go into areas that are stormy, difficult, and sometimes
incomprehensible, because it is in such areas that we will experience the providence
and friendship of God more. As the great Bishop Fulton Sheen would say,
“Divinity is always where one least expects to find it”. Let’s accompany the
Lord into unknown lands with faith as that of Abraham.
St Henry Morse (Martyr) (-c.1645)
Born in 1595 at Brome, Suffolk (England), St Henry Morsewas
brought up in the Protestant faith. It was while studying law in London that he
decided to become a Catholic. At 23 he travelled to Douai (France) where he was
received into the Church. Here, too, he began his studies for the priesthood
and completed them at Rome where he was ordained priest.
In 1624 Henry left for Newcastle, desirous of becoming a
Jesuit. However, in 1626, while travelling by sea to enter the Jesuit Novitiate
at Watten, he was taken captive. As obviously willed by Providence, he was
imprisoned along with a Jesuit Priest named Fr John Robinson, under whose
guidance, during the four years of his imprisonment, he secretly made his
novitiate and his simple profession. On his release he left England but
returned in 1633 under the alias of Cuthbert Saxton. This time round he was very
active in the ministry, helping Catholics and Protestants alike, particularly
during the great plague of 1636.
In 1638, he was arrested again and charged with being a
priest in contravention of the country’s statuettes and of perverting some 560
of His Majesty’s Protestant subjects. Six weeks of imprisonment later, he was
sentenced to be hanged, drawn and quartered. On 1 February 1645, he was
conveyed on a hurdle to Tyburn, where, after addressing a huge crowd that also
included foreign Catholic diplomats present in silent protest, he received
absolution and was executed.
Beatified in 1929 by Pope Pius XI, Henry Morse was one of
the 40 Martyrs of England and Wales to have been canonized in 1970.
Reflection: “If anyone declares publicly that he belongs to
me, I will do the same for him before my Father in heaven. But if anyone
rejects me publicly, I will reject him before my Father in heaven” (Mt
10:32-33).
Daily Readings
January 31, 2025
Memorial of Saint John Bosco, Priest
Reading 1
Hebrews 10:32–39
Brethren: Recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 37:3–4, 5–6, 23–24, 39–40
Response: From the Lord comes the salvation of the just.
Trust in the Lord and do good;
then you will dwell in the land and safely pasture.
Find your delight in the Lord,
who grants your heart’s desire.
Response: From the Lord comes the salvation of the just.
Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him, and he will act,
and make your uprightness shine like the light,
the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.
Response: From the Lord comes the salvation of the just.
By the Lord are the steps made firm
of one in whose path He delights.
Though he stumbles he shall never fall,
for the Lord will hold him by the hand.
Response: From the Lord comes the salvation of the just.
But from the Lord comes
the salvation of the just,
their stronghold in time of distress.
The Lord helps them and rescues them,
rescues and saves them from the wicked:
because they take refuge in him.
Response: From the Lord comes the salvation of the just.
Alleluia
Matthew 11:25
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have revealed to little children the mysteries of the kingdom.
Gospel
Mark 4:26–34
At that time: Jesus said to the crowds, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants, and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.” With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.
Reflection
Today’s gospel passage consists of two parables about seeds. The primary characteristic in both parables is growth: gradual growth to maturity, and fantastic growth to the size of a big shrub. First of all, if we want to see God’s kingdom grow, then we must plant the seeds by sharing the gospel, engaging in missionary activity etc. Whatever we initiate will grow gradually because it is God who makes it grow regardless of our awareness. Secondly, God’s kingdom starts small but it is capable of achieving much. Though our initiatives for the Kingdom of God may look small and insignificant, God can bring out something big from it at the right time. Both parables exhort us to continue working for God’s kingdom with patience and hope.
Saint John Bosco - Confessor (1815-1888)
From early childhood, Our Lord and Our Lady repeatedly inspired John Bosco, a poor peasant boy in northern Italy, in what he termed his “dream, to rescue young lads from evil ways and to train them in an honest trade—but only by gentleness and kindness!” Thus, first as a boy in rural Piedmont and then, after his ordination in the city of Turin, he set out deliberately to cultivate every means for gaining their confidence and friendship: juggling, sleight-of-hand tricks, tightrope-walking, playing the violin, singing, telling stories, getting up theatricals, games and excursions. These he would begin and end with a simple catechetical instruction, recitation of the rosary or an explanation of the day’s Gospel. The difficulties he encountered in finding even a shed where his boys could meet on Sundays in winter can well be imagined when one considers that by 1845 his noisy youngsters already numbered over 800!
As John’s work became better known and supported by “cooperators” he was able to establish regular night schools and put everything on a permanent basis by founding his Salesian Institute in Turin and placing it under the protection of Mary Help of Christians and Saint Francis de Sales. Full-time technical schools, apprentice workshops and dormitories built by this God-inspired educator, facilitated the learning of religion, reading, writing, and a trade under a remarkable educational system, based upon frequent Confession and daily Mass, from which bodily chastisement was completely excluded—then an unheard-of innovation.
Don Bosco, as he fondly came to be known, could read the hearts of his pupils, and they in turn knew him to be a saint. His unique influence over others is well illustrated by the occasion when he was, after much hesitation, permitted to take 300 convicts from the city jail on a day’s outing, unaccompanied by guards. In order to extend his beneficent work also to young girls, the Saint, in collaboration with Saint Mary Mazzarello, founded the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians in 1872.
The Salesians grew so rapidly in number and fervour that, at the founder’s death on 31 January 1888, there were already 200 houses, and these had fostered 2,500 priestly vocations!
Beatified by Pope Pius XI on 2 June 1929, Don Bosco was canonized by the same Pope on 1 April 1934.
Reflection: “Do the best you can! God and Our Lady will do the rest!” (Saint John Bosco)
Daily Readings
January 30, 2025
Thursday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Hebrews 10:19-25
Brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 24:1–2, 3–4ab, 5–6
Response: These are the people who seek your face, O Lord.
The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness,
the world, and those who dwell in it.
It is he who set it on the seas;
on the rivers he made it firm.
Response: These are the people who seek your face, O Lord.
Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord?
Who shall stand in his holy place?
The clean of hands and pure of heart,
whose soul is not set on vain things.
Response: These are the people who seek your face, O Lord.
Blessings from the Lord shall he receive,
and right reward from the God who saves him.
Such are the people who seek him,
who seek the face of the God of Jacob.
Response: These are the people who seek your face, O Lord.
Alleluia
Psalm 119:105
Your word is a lamp for my feet, and a light for my path.
Gospel
Mark 4:21–25
At that time: Jesus said to the crowd, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand? For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”
Reflection
A lamp is meant to give light, and therefore, it has to be placed where it is visible and where it will do the utmost good, where it will fulfil its purpose of illuminating the darkness and making it easier to see. When we live by a God-given purpose, our wicks are lighted inside and shine through us for others to see. We are enlightened by the light of Christ and radiate that light to others whom we come in contact with. This is part of God’s creative plan for us. Jesus also reminds us that what we measure out to others will be measured out to us. The more we share with others what we receive – God’s love, mercy and forgiveness – the more will it come back to us.
Saint Bathildis - Queen (-680)
Saint Bathildis was a Catholic girl from England, who had been sold as a slave to the Majordomo of King Clovis II of Neustria and Burgundy. The King, impressed by her beauty and Christian virtues, freed her and married her in 649. She thus became the mother of Kings Clothaire, Childeric and Thierry.
When Clovis died seven years later, Bathildis was proclaimed Queen Regent under the nominal reign of her five year-old son, Clothaire III. With the aid of certain holy Bishops she carried through such important reforms as the abolition of the trade in Christian slaves, simony among the clergy, and oppressive taxation.
Numerous hospitals and monasteries owed their foundation to her generosity. Saint Bathildis concluded the last 15 years of her life as a humble nun, serving the poor. She breathed her last at Chelles on 30 January 680 after having endured a painful illness.
Reflection: “All of us can attain to Christian virtue and holiness, no matter in what condition of life we live and no matter what our life-work may be” (Saint Francis de Sales).
Daily Readings
January 29, 2025
Wednesday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time
Reading I
Hebrews 10:11-18
Every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,” then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 110:1, 2, 3, 4
Response: You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.
The Lord’s revelation to my lord:
“Sit at my right hand,
until I make your foes your footstool.”
Response: You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.
The Lord will send from Sion
your sceptre of power:
rule in the midst of your foes.
Response: You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.
With you is princely rule
on the day of your power.
In holy splendour,
from the womb before the dawn,
I have begotten you.
Response: You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.
The Lord has sworn an oath
he will not change:
“You are a priest for ever,
in the line of Melchizedek.”.
Response: You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.
Alleluia
The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower; all who come to him will live for ever.
Gospel
Mark 4:1-20
At that time: Jesus began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, so that ‘they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven.’” And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the word. And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”
Reflection
Jesus’ intention behind telling the parable of the sower was meant to serve as a mirror to the lives of his listeners. The same sower sowed the same seed in the same field, yet there were different results. The condition of the soil made the difference. The fourth soil was so good and adequate that the seeds germinated, its roots went deep, it withstood the harsh elements, and produced a rich harvest. God, the sower sows the seeds of His word in the hearts of everyone. The harvest depends on the character of the soil of our hearts. Are our hearts compatible and disposed to receive God’s word? We need to guard our hearts against all that pulls us away and prevents us from living a life based on God’s word.
Saint Apollinaris Claudius - Bishop Martyr (- c 180)
An illustrious prelate of the second century, Saint Apollinaris was Bishop of Hierapolis in Phrygia (central Turkey). Well known for his defence of the Church’s doctrines, he merited the title of “The Apologist” for his apology in defence of the Faith which he addressed to Emperor Marcus Aurelius. The saint reminded the Emperor of the victory he obtained through the prayers of the Christians and implored his protection for them.
In response, Marcus Aurelius published an edict acknowledging his indebtedness to them. He forbade, under pain of death, anyone from accusing a Christian on account of his religion, though he lacked the courage to abolish the laws already in force against them. As a result, many Christians suffered martyrdom, as happened in the case of Saint Apollinaris.
Reflection: “In her voyage across the ocean of this world, the Church is like a great ship being pounded by the waves of life’s different stresses. Our duty is not to abandon the ship but to keep her on her course” (Saint Boniface).
Daily Readings
January 28, 2025
Memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor of the
Church
Reading 1
Hebrews 10:1-10
Brethren: Since te law has but a shadow of the good things
to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same
sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw
near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the
worshippers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness
of sins? But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it
is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Consequently,
when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have
not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin
offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do
your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’” When he
said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and
offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according
to the law), then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away
with the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been
sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 40:2 and 4ab, 7–8a, 10, 11
Response: See, I have come, Lord, to do your will.
I waited, I waited for the Lord,
and he stooped down to me;
he heard my cry.
He put a new song into my mouth,
praise of our God.
Response: See, I have come, Lord, to do your will.
You delight not in sacrifice and offerings,
but in an open ear.
You do not ask for holocaust and victim.
Then I said, “See, I have come.”
Response: See, I have come, Lord, to do your will.
Your justice I have proclaimed
in the great assembly.
My lips I have not sealed;
you know it, O Lord.
Response: See, I have come, Lord, to do your will.
Your saving help I have not hidden in my heart;
of your faithfulness and salvation
I have spoken.
I made no secret of your merciful love
and your faithfulness to the great assembly.
Response: See, I have come, Lord, to do your will.
Alleluia
Matthew 11:25
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you
have revealed to little children the mysteries of the kingdom.
Gospel
Mark 3:31–35
At that time: The mother of Jesus and his brothers came, and
standing outside they sent to him and called him. And a crowd was sitting
around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside,
seeking you.” And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking about at those who sat around
him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of
God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”
Reflection
The crowd thought that blood relationships took priority for
Jesus. But for him, the most significant relationship is that which is
inseparable from obeying God’s will, i.e., God’s Word. He makes it clear that
spiritual proximity to him is not a matter of flesh and blood but is
characterized by radical obedience to the revealed will of God. As has been
beautifully said, “It is obedience that most clearly demonstrates our
relationship with Jesus.” Jesus was
submissive to the Father’s will; he proved he was of God’s family by doing the
will of God. So must we, who long to be
part of his family. Doing God’s will does not mean carrying out any
personalized plan for our life but conducting our life based on the Word of
God.
Saint Thomas Aquinas - Confessor Doctor of the Church
(1225-1274)
The youngest son of Landolfo of Aquino and Teodora of
Chieti, Thomas was received as a Benedictine oblate at Monte Cassino at the age
of five, entered Naples University at 11, and became a Dominican at 18. His
family, one of Italy’s most prominent by virtue of being related to Emperor
Frederic II, bitterly resenting his becoming a mendicant, imprisoned him in a
tower for two years, during which, his sister procured for him the Scriptures
and books on Philosophy. After his escape by way of being let down in a basket
like Saint Paul by some Dominicans, he was found to have mastered these
subjects so well that he was sent to Cologne and Paris to complete his studies
under Saint Albert the Great. Post ordination and with a doctorate in Theology,
he taught with inspiring lucidity and convincing accuracy, drawing students by
the thousands—the University of Paris at that time counted 30,000 students!
This “Angelic Doctor” and “Prince of Catholic Theologians”
was the principal exponent of scholastic philosophy which interpreted Aristotle
in the light of Christian teaching. He is known to have composed some 60 works,
of which, far surpassing everything else was his Summa Theologica, a summary of
Christian philosophy and theology.
With Godly assistance obtained in contemplation and prayer
Thomas would become so absorbed in work and study that a friar had to ensure
that he took his meals and rest. When interpreting obscure Bible passages, he
would undertake special fasts for Heavenly aid, which alone could explain his extraordinary
intellectual prowess and sanctity. The beautiful Office and Mass for Corpus
Christi, with its much loved hymns Tantum Ergo and O Salutaris Hostia, were
composed by him on the Pope’s orders.
Thomas, who died while on his way to the Council of Lyons,
was canonized in 1323, elevated as Doctor of the Church in 1567 and included in
the Code of Canon Law in 1918 apart from being declared the special Patron of
all Catholic Universities and educational institutions.
Reflection: “Meekness is a virtue rarer than chastity; it is
also more excellent than chastity and all the other moral virtues, for it is
the complement of charity, the greatest of the theological virtues” (Saint
Thomas Aquinas).
Daily
Readings
January 27,
2025
Monday of
the Third Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Hebrews
9:15.24-28
Brethren:
Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may
receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that
redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. For
Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of
the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God
on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest
enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would
have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is,
he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the
sacrifice of himself. And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and
after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins
of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who
are eagerly waiting for him.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm 98:1,
2–3ab, 3cd–4, 5–6
Response: O
Sing a new song to the Lord, for he has worked wonders.
O sing a
new song to the Lord,
for he has
worked wonders.
His right
hand and his holy arm
have
brought salvation.
Response: O
Sing a new song to the Lord, for he has worked wonders.
The Lord
has made known his salvation,
has shown
his deliverance to the nations.
He has
remembered his merciful love
and his
truth for the house of Israel.
Response: O
Sing a new song to the Lord, for he has worked wonders.
All the
ends of the earth have seen
the salvation
of our God.
Shout to
the Lord, all the earth;
break forth
into joyous song,
and sing
out your praise.
Response: O
Sing a new song to the Lord, for he has worked wonders.
Sing Psalms
to the Lord with the harp,
with the
harp and the sound of song.
With
trumpets and the sound of the horn,
raise a
shout before the King, the Lord.
Response: O
Sing a new song to the Lord, for he has worked wonders.
Alleluia
2 Timothy
1:10
Our Saviour
Christ Jesus abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through
the gospel.
Gospel
Mark
3:22–30
At that
time: The scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by
Beelzebul,” and “by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.” And he
called them to him and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan?
If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a
house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if
Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is
coming to an end. But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his
goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his
house. Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and
whatever blasphemies they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit
never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin” – for they were saying,
“He has an unclean spirit.”
Reflection
The
teachers of the Law recognized Jesus’ ability to cast out demons. When they
could not question the result, they chose to question the source. Instead of attributing his work to God, they
attributed it to Satan. In other words, they had an agenda, and their minds
were made up without any honest investigation of the facts. At times we have
all been guilty of this behaviour. When we don’t like someone, we tend to
attribute wrong motives to his/her words and actions. We approach them with
prejudices and tarnish their name in front of others. Can we accept everyone as
they are and acknowledge their abilities and potential without bias?
Saint
Angela Merici - Virgin (1474-1540)
Born on the
shores of Lake Garda in northern Italy, Angela was orphaned at 10. Early on she
practised such severe austerities that the sanctity and spiritual understanding
she manifested at 13 obtained for her the privilege to receive Holy Communion
on week days too. She joined the Third Order of Saint Francis and devoted her
time to the religious education of young girls and the care of sick women. In 1495
she was instructed in a vision to found a Religious Order for the much needed
instruction of girls with the ultimate purpose of restoring the family, and
through the family entire society; but owing to adverse political conditions it
was to be four decades before she could formally realize her dream. In the
meanwhile she was ever more sought after for spiritual counsel and to allay
enmities.
The Holy
Year 1525 saw her in Rome, and Pope Clement XII, who had heard of her holy life
and work, tried to keep her in the Eternal City. But when she unfolded before
him her educational plan for girls—the nation’s future mothers—he blessed her
undertaking and encouraged her efforts. Sickness and war once more interfered,
but a decade later she was finally able to make her first formal foundation at
Brescia when the Company of Saint Ursula came into being with 28 young women
consecrating their virginity to God along with her. Within a month the number
of workers grew to 72, and visits to hospitals and prisons were added to
teaching. All Brescia rang with the praises of the “Holy Company” but Saint
Angela lived only 5 more years. Far in advance of her time in the matter of
school management, her institute was the Church’s first Order to be
specifically devoted to teaching.
A woman of
keen foresight and courage, Angela enjoined on her companions the need to make
appropriate changes in their rule and work in keeping with the needs of the
times. She died on 27 January 1540 and was canonized on 24 May 1807.
Reflection:
“Do not try to gain what you want by force! God has given everyone a free will
and forces no one to obey him” (Saint Angela Merici).
Daily Readings
January 26, 2025
Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Nehemiah (8:2-4a,5-6,8-10)
In those days, Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law. And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that they had made for the purpose. And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood. And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground. And Ezra and the Levites read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the meaning, so that the people understood the reading. And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. Then he said to them, “Go on your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our LORD. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
Responsorial Psalm
Pslam (19)
Response: Your words, O Lord, are Spirit and life.
The law of the LORD is perfect; it revives the soul. The decrees of the LORD are steadfast; they give wisdom to the simple.
Response: Your words, O Lord, are Spirit and life.
The precepts of the LORD are right; they gladden the heart. The command of the LORD is clear; it gives light to the eyes.
Response: Your words, O Lord, are Spirit and life.
The fear of the LORD is pure, abiding forever. The judgements of the LORD are true; they are, all of them, just.
Response: Your words, O Lord, are Spirit and life.
May the spoken words of my mouth, the thoughts of my heart, win favour in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer!
Response: Your words, O Lord, are Spirit and life.
Reading 2
Corinthians (12:12-30)
Brethren, just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptised into one body – Jews or Greeks, slaves or free – and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.
ACCLAMATION
Alleluia. Alleluia. The Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to the captives. Alleluia. (See Lk 4:18)
Gospel
Luke (1:1-4; 4:14-21)
Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely
for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught. And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.” And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
Reflection
The gospel of the day combines two separate passages taken from Luke. He begins by establishing the purpose of his Gospel and then goes on to present Jesus’ proclamation of his mission. Jesus’ intention in reading the passage from the prophet Isaiah was to let his listeners know that God had sent him for a very special mission. He told them exactly what kind of Messiah he would be, and what his mission consisted of. The uncomfortable truths proclaimed by Jesus may not be pleasing to our ears but as his followers today, we have the same mission to carry out. There are many people whom the Good News has still to reach. Several people are waiting to be alleviated and freed from bondages of different types. Above all, we need the anointing of the Holy Spirit to fulfil the mission of Jesus. How shall we be the voices of liberation and witnesses to the liberating work of Jesus in our time?
(1) Saint Timothy - Bishop Confessor (c 32 – c 97)
Saint Paul’s “beloved son in the faith” (1 Tim 1:1) and his most intimate disciple, Timothy, a native of Lystra in Asia Minor (Turkey), born of a Gentile father and Jewish mother, had probably accepted Christianity during Paul’s first missionary journey (47 AD), as a boy of about fifteen. In time Paul heard Timothy’s virtues and zeal so highly spoken of on Iconium and Lystra that he decided to adopt him as his travelling companion and assistant in addition to Silas, who had come with him from Jerusalem.
Timothy seems to have remained Paul’s closest collaborator throughout his ministry: on his missionary journeys, when he was being sent to Rome as prisoner, and after his acquittal when he returned east as far as Ephesus. At times we hear of him being sent ahead, at other times remaining behind to confirm new converts in the Faith; during the eighteen months he spent in Corinth, he was sent back north to encourage the steadfastness of the persecuted believers in Thessalonica (Saloniki).
Paul’s letters show Timothy as someone so young and timid as to be advised by Paul thus: “Let no one disregard you because you are young”, and cautioned as regards the Gnostic heresies rampant then. He must have been barely 32 when he was made Bishop of Ephesus, a great See that, according to Saint John Chrysostom, comprised all the churches of the Roman province of Asia. Interestingly, Saint John Damascene states that it was as Bishop of Ephesus that Timothy witnessed Mary’s departure from this world. Saint John the Evangelist terms him “the angel of the church of Ephesus.”
Affectionate, though frail in health, he was always shown fatherly concern by Paul and praised as a beloved son and friend, a loyal imitator and co-worker always by his side. Traditionally believed to have been stoned to death at Ephesus under the reign of Nerva Ceasar Augustus, when trying to dissuade the pagans from worshipping “Diana of the Ephesians”, his long-lost relics were re-discovered during some reconstruction work in the Cathedral of Termoli (on the Adriatic coast of Italy), where they had been completely walled up in masonry, for safe-keeping during troubled times no doubt. He is invoked against diseases of the stomach.
Reflection: “Judicious silence is always better than truth spoken without charity” (Saint Francis de Sales).
(2) Saint Titus - Bishop Confessor (c 2 - c 96)
Saint Titus, another beloved disciple of Saint Paul, is thought to have been a native of Antioch. A Gentile by birth, he was sent to Jerusalem to gather reports on our Lord’s miracles, and there became one of the 72 disciples.
From Paul’s two epistles to the Corinthians we learn that Titus acted not only as his interpreter and secretary, but as his co-worker and fellow-missionary, whom he highly esteemed for his truly Christian zeal and solicitude, and on whom he came to depend more and more as time went by.
When Paul returned to Jerusalem in the year 51 to attend the Council on the question of subjecting Gentile converts to the requirements of the Mosaic Law, he was accompanied by Titus. Five years later we hear of his being sent from Ephesus to the Church in Corinth to settle some internal dissension and to arrange about sending alms to the poor at Jerusalem.
In 64, Titus, whose brother-in-law was governor of Crete, was chosen by Paul, to carry on his missionary work in that great island, which is 120 miles long; the Epistle to Titus contains detailed instruction on selecting and installing presbyters in each of the cities of Crete. In 65 he was sent to preach the Gospel in what is today Dalmatia (Yugoslavia) but he seems to have returned to his episcopal labours in Crete the very next year and to have died a peaceful death there in his 94th year. His body was laid to rest in the Cathedral at Gortyna and remained there until the Saracens destroyed the cit
Daily Readings
January 25, 2025
Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle
Reading 1
Acts 22:3-16 (Or: Acts 9:1-22)
In those days: Paul said to the
people, “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city,
educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of
our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day. I persecuted
this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, as
the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them
I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed towards Damascus to take
those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished.
“As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from
heaven suddenly shone around me. And I fell to the ground and heard a voice
saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ And I answered, ‘Who
are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are
persecuting.’ Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand
the voice of the one who was speaking to me. And I said, ‘What shall I do,
Lord? And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will
be told all that is appointed for you to do.’ And since I could not see because
of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with
me, and came into Damascus. And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law,
well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, came to me, and standing by me
said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that very hour I
received my sight and saw him. And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed
you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his
mouth; for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and
heard. And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins,
calling on his name.’”
Or
Acts 9:1-22
Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the
disciples of the Lord,
went to the high priest and asked him
for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, that,
if he should find any men or women who belonged to the Way,
he might bring them back to Jerusalem in chains.
On his journey, as he was nearing Damascus,
a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him.
He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him,
“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
He said, “Who are you, sir?”
The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do.”
The men who were traveling with him stood speechless,
for they heard the voice but could see no one.
Saul got up from the ground,
but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing;
so they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus.
For three days he was unable to see, and he neither ate nor drank.
There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias,
and the Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias.”
He answered, “Here I am, Lord.”
The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight
and ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul.
He is there praying,
and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias
come in and lay his hands on him,
that he may regain his sight.”
But Ananias replied,
“Lord, I have heard from many sources about this man,
what evil things he has done to your holy ones in Jerusalem.
And here he has authority from the chief priests
to imprison all who call upon your name.”
But the Lord said to him,
“Go, for this man is a chosen instrument of mine
to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and children of Israel,
and I will show him what he will have to suffer for my name.”
So Ananias went and entered the house;
laying his hands on him, he said,
“Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me,
Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came,
that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
Immediately things like scales fell from his eyes
and he regained his sight.
He got up and was baptized,
and when he had eaten, he recovered his strength.
He stayed some days with the disciples in Damascus,
and he began at once to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues,
that he is the Son of God.
All who heard him were astounded and said,
“Is not this the man who in Jerusalem
ravaged those who call upon this name,
and came here expressly to take them back in chains
to the chief priests?”
But Saul grew all the stronger
and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus,
proving that this is the Christ.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 117:1, 2
Response: Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel.
O Praise the Lord all you nations;
Acclaim him, all you peoples!
Response: Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel.
For his merciful love has prevailed over us;
and the Lord’s faithfulness endures forever.
Response: Go into all the
world and proclaim the gospel.
Alleluia
John 15:16
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your
fruit should abide, says the Lord.
Gospel
Mark 16:15–18
At that time: [Appearing to
the Eleven] Jesus said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel
to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but
whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany
those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new
tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any
deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick,
and they will recover.”
Reflection
oday we celebrate one of the
most momentous events in the early Church, namely the conversion of Saint Paul.
For Paul, it was an experience in which Christ radically changed his life and
opened his eyes to the truth of the Gospel. The feast reminds us that life in
Christ is meant to be the conscious and deliberate focus of our lives. It is to
live by the conviction of Paul: “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal
2:20). Paul’s Damascus experience in ‘Acts’ proves that no matter what our
past, we can’t be written off because God’s power is always at work in us. He
can transform us and bring out the best in us, provided we surrender ourselves
to Him. United with the Lord, we will be as powerful as Paul in living and
proclaiming the Christian faith.
Conversion of Saint Paul
Saint Paul himself states that
he was born at Tarsus, in the province of Cilicia, of Jewish parents who maintained
with great care their pharisaical traditions and pious customs. According to
Saint Jerome, the family, hailing originally from Galilee, belonged to the
tribe of Benjamin. On the occasion of his circumcision the boy was given the
name Saul after the first Jewish King, and in addition a Roman name, Paulus, as
was then the custom among those Jews who were Roman citizens.
As he grew up, Saul learnt to
prepare mohair and to make tents out of it—a knowledge that was to make him
self-supporting in later years when on his long missionary journeys. His native
tongue was Aramaic, but he also spoke Greek well and was familiar with
Hellenistic lore.
While still quite young, Saul
was sent to Jerusalem where he received a thorough Hebrew education, probably
in the school of Gamaliel, the great Doctor of the Law, who was one of the most
highly respected members of the Sanhedrin. Early tradition has it that both
Gamaliel and Nicodemus were later converted by Saints Peter and John, a fact
they kept secret so as to be able to help their Christian brethren by their
continued presence in the Jewish Supreme court.
We next hear of Saul at the
time of Saint Stephen’s martyrdom, when he was an ardent young Pharisee in his
early thirties. He was actively persecuting the fledgling Church with a fierce
fanaticism that had him obtain authority from the High Priest to bring
Christians in chains from other cities. Indeed, it was while he was bound for
Damascus on one such undertaking that our Lord himself suddenly appeared to and
instantaneously converted this furious persecutor into the humble and docile
aspirant for baptism, who was to become the Church’s great “Apostle of the
Gentiles”, gradually coming to be known as Saint Paul.
Reflection: “I have never
asked Saint Paul for a grace without having received it” (Saint Anthony Mary
Zachary).
Daily Readings
January 24, 2025
Friday of the Second Week in Ordinary
Time
Memorial of Saint Francis de Sales,
Bishop and Doctor of the Church
Reading 1
Hebrews 8:6-13
Brethren: As it
is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old
as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.
For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no
occasion to look for a second. For he finds fault with them when he says:
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new
covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the
covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand
to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my
covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord. For this is
the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days,
declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their
hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall
not teach, each one his neighbour and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the
Lord’, for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For
I will be merciful towards their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no
more.” In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what
is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
85:8 and 10, 11–12, 13–14
Response:
Merciful love and faithfulness have met.
Let
us see, O Lord, your mercy,
and
grant us your salvation.
His
salvation is near for those who fear him,
and
his glory will dwell in our land.
Response:
Merciful love and faithfulness have met.
Merciful
love and faithfulness have met;
justice
and peace have kissed.
Faithfulness
shall spring from the earth,
and
justice look down from heaven.
Response:
Merciful love and faithfulness have met.
Also
the Lord will bestow his bounty,
and
our earth shall yield its increase.
Justice
will march before him,
and
guide his steps on the way.
Response:
Merciful love and faithfulness have met.
Gospel
Acclamation
2 Corinthians 5:19-21
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
In Christ,
God was reconciling the world to himself, and entrusting to us the message of
reconciliation.
Gospel
Mark 3:13–19
At that time: Jesus went up on the mountain and
called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. And he appointed
twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him, and he
might send them out to preach and have authority to cast out demons. He
appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); James the son of
Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that
is, Sons of Thunder); Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas,
and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas
Iscariot, who betrayed him.
Reflection
The twelve Apostles constitute a special group
within the broader community of disciples. This group was not famous or
qualified as per the world’s standards. There was nothing commendable about
their resumé. They were all different: different personalities, backgrounds,
skills, strengths and weaknesses. Yet they were all chosen by Jesus uniquely
and specially. When it comes to answering Jesus’ call to you, you need not be a
pious and ideal Christian. You need not have all the skills and qualifications to
be at the Lord’s work. You just have to be willing. After all, Jesus will
empower and equip you for his purpose because he is in control of your
calling.
St. Francis de Sales - Bishop Confessor Doctor of the Church
(1567-1622)
St. Francis de Sales was born on
August 21, 1567, in the Kingdom of Savoy near Geneva, Switzerland. Coming from
a noble family, he was expected to follow a legal career to satisfy his father,
but his true passion was to serve God. Even after earning a doctorate in law,
his strong faith drove him to secretly study theology. Francis had a
significant spiritual moment when he fell off his horse three times, each time
his sword and scabbard arranged themselves into a cross on the ground. This
experience solidified his calling, and he persuaded his father to allow him to
become a priest in 1593. During the intense period of the Protestant
Reformation, Francis dedicated himself to reconciling Calvinists with the
Catholic Church. He used creative tactics like placing pamphlets under doors
and involving children to influence their parents, helping to convert around
40,000 people.
In 1602, he was appointed Bishop of
Geneva, where he was admired for his kindness and accessibility. He
collaborated with Jane de Chantal to establish the Order of Visitation in 1610.
Francis was a dedicated letter writer, providing spiritual advice through his
extensive correspondence. He strongly believed in the 'universal call to
holiness,' teaching that every Christian, regardless of their life path, is
called to live a holy life. His influential book, "Introduction to the
Devout Life" (1608), was written for laypeople and was pioneering in
showing that one could seek holiness in everyday activities. Francis emphasized
a passionate and personal relationship with God's love, encouraging regular
meditation and prayer.
In his later years, despite
declining health, his commitment to offering spiritual guidance grew stronger.
He passed away on December 28, 1622, leaving behind a legacy of humility and
deep devotion. He was beatified in 1661 and canonized in 1665. St. Francis de
Sales is the patron saint of Catholic writers, the deaf, journalists, and
various religious communities. His feast day is celebrated on January 24.
Daily
Readings
January
23, 2025
Thursday
of the Second Week in Ordinary Time
Reading
1
Hebrews
7:25 – 8:6
Brethren: Jesus is able to save to the uttermost
those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make
intercession for them. For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a
high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted
above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices
daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did
this once for all when he offered up himself. For the law appoints men in their
weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the
law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect for ever. Now the point in what
we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the
right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the holy
places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man. For every high priest
is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this
priest also to have something to offer. Now if he were on earth, he would not
be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the
law. They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was
about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make
everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.” But as
it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the
old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better
promises.
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm
40:7–8a, 8b–9, 10, 17
Response:
See, I have come, Lord, to do your will.
You
delight not in sacrifice and offerings,
but
in an open ear.
You
do not ask for holocaust and victim.
Then
I said, “See, I have come.”
Response:
See, I have come, Lord, to do your will.
In
the scroll of the book
it
stands written of me:
“I
delight to do your will, O my God;
your
instruction lies deep within me.”
Response:
See, I have come, Lord, to do your will.
Your
justice I have proclaimed
in
the great assembly.
My
lips I have not sealed;
you
know it, O Lord.
Response:
See, I have come, Lord, to do your will.
O
let there be rejoicing and gladness
for
all who seek you.
Let
them ever say, “The Lord is great,”
who
long for your salvation.
Response:
See, I have come, Lord, to do your will
Gospel
Acclamation
2 Timothy 1:10
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
Our Saviour Christ Jesus abolished death and brought life and immortality to
light through the gospel.
Gospel
Mark
3:7–12
At that time: Jesus withdrew with his disciples to
the sea, and a great crowd followed from Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea
and from beyond the Jordan and from around Tyre and Sidon. When the great crowd
heard all that he was doing, they came to him. And he told his disciples to
have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they crush him, for he had
healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him. And
whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out,
“You are the Son of God.” And he strictly ordered them not to make him known.
Reflection
Jesus had many fans and a few disciples. The passage testifies that a large crowd
followed Jesus because they wanted to be beneficiaries of his divine powers.
They wanted his gifts and not him, the giver. They went after the healings and
not the healer. Among the crowd were people possessed by demons who identified
Jesus rightly, but they didn’t believe in him. Neither do all who are attracted
to Jesus become his disciples, nor do all who speak the name of Jesus become
believers. Rather than just being Jesus’
fans we need to answer his call to discipleship. We need to step out of the
crowd and live as his true disciples by placing our trust in him and growing in
intimacy with him.
Saint Emerentiana - Virgin, Martyr (-304)
As per Roman Martyrology, Saint Emerentiana was the foster
sister of Saint Agnes. Both of them were of much the same age, but Emerentiana
was yet only a catechumen. She was stoned to death while praying beside the
grave of Saint Agnes, thus receiving the baptism of blood. She was buried in
the Cemeterium majus, a little farther, along the Via Nomentana in Rome, then
the spot where the Basilica dedicated to Saint Agnes was erected. Later, her
remains were transferred to the Basilica.
Reflection: “If the greatest sinner on earth should repent at
the moment of death and draw his last breath in an act of love, neither the
many graces he had abused, nor the many sins he had committed would stand in
his way. Our Lord would receive him into his mercy” (Saint Thérèse of Lisieux).
Daily Readings
January 22, 2025, Wednesday
2nd Week in Ordinary time
Reading 1
Hebrews 7:1-3.15-17
Brethren: Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most
High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed
him, and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by
translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of
Salem, that is, king of peace. He is without father or mother or genealogy,
having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God
he continues a priest forever. This becomes even more evident when another
priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become a priest, not on
the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of
an indestructible life. For it is witnessed of him, “You are a priest forever,
after the order of Melchizedek.”
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 110:1, 2, 3, 4
Response: You are a priest forever, in the line of
Melchizedek
The Lord’s revelation to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand,
until I make your foes
your footstool.”
Response: You are a priest forever, in the line of
Melchizedek
The Lord will send from Sion
your sceptre of power:
rule in the midst of your foes.
Response: You are a priest forever, in the line of
Melchizedek
With you is princely rule
on the day of your power.
In holy splendour,
from the womb before the dawn,
I have begotten you.
Response: You are a priest forever, in the line of
Melchizedek
The Lord has sworn an oath
he will not change:
“You are a priest forever,
in the line of Melchizedek.”
Response: You are a priest forever, in the line of
Melchizedek
Alleluia
Matthew
4:23
Jesus was proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing
every disease and every affliction among the people.
Gospel
Mark 3:1–6
At that time: Jesus entered the synagogue, and a man was
there with a withered hand. And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would
heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man
with the withered hand, “Come here.” And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the
Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were
silent. And he looked round at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of
heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and
his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out, and immediately held counsel
with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.
Reflection
The gospel passage for today begins with the mention of the
man with a shrivelled hand. Anyone with a compassionate heart would have been
moved by the plight of that man. But ‘some of them were looking for a reason to
accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the
Sabbath’ (v 2). They watched with insidious intent to gather evidence by which
they could accuse Jesus. They were driven by malice to the extent that they
conveniently bypassed the need for the suffering man to be helped. A similar
mentality can blind us too. Instead of thinking of how we can help someone in
need, we nurse ill will in our hearts – revenge, enmity, malice, cynicism, fault-finding... Like Jesus, can we approach
people in need with a grace-driven and compassionate heart?
Saint Vincent Pallotti - Confessor (1795-1850)
Saint Vincent Pallotti, born in Rome, was the apostle of the
Eternal City at a difficult period of time in history. Raised up an apostle to
undo the spiritual harm wrought by the Napoleonic wars, he is called a second
Philip Neri because of his tireless labours in the confessional and the pulpit
and his boundless charity towards the poor, the sick and the unfortunate, to
whom he would give away the very shoes and clothes he was wearing.
Having obtained his Doctorates in Philosophy and Theology,
he taught Theology for 10 years. With the commencement of his apostolate among
students, it soon became clear that Rome possessed a holy priest. His influence
as Confessor over Propaganda College, the Roman Seminary, and an English
College was deeply profound, hardly a waking moment remaining unemployed. He
went to Confession each day before Mass, during which he often had ecstasies,
before beginning his day’s work of preaching in churches and in the open, giving
retreats, visiting hospitals and prisons, even hearing confessions late into
the night.
Vincent’s zeal embraced the whole world and every need,
spiritual and material. For this universal objective he founded the Society of
Catholic Apostolate (Pallottines) and the Sisters of the Catholic Apostolate.
Conscious of the value and necessity of the lay apostolate he founded guilds
for workers, agricultural schools, loan associations, orphanages and homes for
girls, thus initiating a social programme that was later formulated and set
forth by a friend of his youth, Pope Leo XIII. Pius XI called him “a pioneer
and precursor of Catholic Action”.
He died aged only 55 and was beatified 100 years later by
Pope Pius XII who cited “this great sacerdotal figure” as an example for Parish
Priests and preachers, saying, “May his spirit be renewed in every one of you
and infuse into your apostolate that irresistible glow of love which the
doubting, uncertain and suffering men of today need much.”
Vincent Pallotti, whose body lies incorrupt in the church of
San Salvatore in Rome, was canonized on 20 January 1963, i.e. during Vatican
II.
Reflection: “The devil strains every nerve to secure the
souls which belong to Christ. We should not grudge our toil in wresting them
from Satan, and giving them back to God” (Saint Sebastian).
Daily Readings
January 21, 2025
Memorial of Saint Agnes, Virgin and Martyr
Reading 1
Hebrews 6:10-20
Brethren: God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.” And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise. For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 111:1bc–2, 4–5, 9 and 10c
Response: The Lord keeps his covenant ever in mind.
I will praise the Lord with all my heart,
in the meeting of the just and the assembly.
Great are the works of the Lord,
to be pondered by all who delight in them.
Response: The Lord keeps his covenant ever in mind.
He has given us a memorial of his wonders.
The Lord is gracious and merciful.
He gives food to those who fear him;
keeps his covenant ever in mind.
Response: The Lord keeps his covenant ever in mind.
He has sent redemption to his people,
and established his covenant forever.
Holy his name, to be feared.
His praise endures forever!
Response: The Lord keeps his covenant ever in mind.
Alleluia
Ephesians 1:17-18
May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ enlighten the eyes of our hearts that we may know what is the hope to which he has called us.
Gospel
Mark 2:23-28
One Sabbath Jesus was going through the cornfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck ears of corn. And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”
Reflection
Jesus justified the actions of his disciples on the Sabbath because he prioritized human need (hunger) in contrast to the ceremonial law. He did not let his disciples go hungry on the Sabbath by placing the laws above them. By doing so, he proved that ceremonial law could be broken if it proved a hindrance to aiding human life. We are not created to serve the needs of rules and regulations. It is the other way around. We should not focus on the strict letter of the law so much that we lose its spirit. If any law or observance does not help us to ease and enhance our lives, then we need to reconsider our observance of the same instead of just following it blindly.
Saint Agnes of Rome - Virgin Martyr (- c.304)
Saint Agnes has ever been held in the highest honour throughout the Church, and her name occurs in the Canon of the Mass. Little is known with certainty about her short life. Yet, even from that little it is clear that she desired to consecrate herself solely to Christ and so declined the hand of many a suitor. This led her to be exposed in a brothel, where, all who saw her were awestruck. A lone youth who dared to attempt violating her modesty was struck blind but regained his eyesight through her prayers.
Martyred at the age of twelve and buried at her parents’ country place on the Via Nomentana on the outskirts of Rome. A basilica constructed over her tomb in 324 was completely rebuilt by Pope Honorius about 630 and has remained almost unaltered since, a beautiful gem of old Roman architecture.
Agnes is the Patron Saint of purity, of the “Children of Mary” and of young girls in general, for tradition has always credited her with having been a model of purity and modesty and having maintained her faith in spite of every enticement, threat and torture. Gardeners also revere her as their patron.
Each year, this day, two white lambs, symbolizing innocence, are solemnly blessed at the high altar of her church and offered to the Pope, and from their wool are later made the Pallia with which the Holy Father invests his Metropolitans the world over as a sign of their sharing with him the “plenitude of the pontifical office”.
Reflection: “You may stain your sword with my blood, but you will never be able to profane my body, consecrated to Christ” (Saint Agnes).
We are just one week away from the Holy Week and away from our celebration of God’s love shown in the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus. For us Christians this season of Lent is a time of special grace in which we experience the presence of a personal God who cares and loves us. Our response is to transform ourselves and live according to his will. We want to do something new and come to him in obedience and freedom. Before him we acknowledge our weakness and we know that he is the one who supports us and builds with us new relationship. We ought to change our lives during Lent and come closer to him. Therefore the Church calls this season as a joyful time, because it is our preparation for the future joy of Easter that approaches us bringing his blessings, mercy and forgiveness. We realize that God has made a covenant with us through our baptism like he made with the Israelites as we hear in the first reading of today. Here God looks beyond the failure of his people and takes the initiative to establish a new covenant with the house of Israel. In the second reading we are reminded of Jesus’ life of prayer and suffering and through his sufferings he learnt to be obedient to his Father. Now he is perfect in heaven and he is able to save all who obey him. The Gospel of today tells us of the moment of the pain and troubled heart of Jesus and he calls on his Father to glorify him. There is the voice heard from heaven which confirms the unity and harmony between the Father and Jesus. At the same time some Greeks show their desire to meet Jesus indicating the mission of Jesus is for all and not for the Jews alone.
God’s love is universal and at the same time it is personal. Our God is concerned of each person individually yet at the same time he loves us as a community. We are children of the light baptized into the glory that is Christ. We are initiated into the life of Christ who is the light of the world. Once baptized in Christ we become his new creation, the members of God’s own family. Today as we enter the fourth Sunday of Lent we are called upon to renew ourselves and experience the loving invitation of our Lord. In the first reading, the house of David seems to have come to an end. Because of their infidelity the people have suffered. But God’s plan of salvation continues to move forward. In the second reading Paul overwhelms us with the message of God’s mercy. When we were dead through our sins, he brought us back to life in Christ. The Father has done everything for us in Jesus. In the Gospel Jesus the giver of new life, tells us of the love of God for humanity that he sacrificed his own Son. Jesus declares that he must be lifted up on a cross to glorify God and bring salvation to the world.
The liturgy of the Third Sunday of Lent begins by acknowledging God´s holiness and his claim on us that we belong to him. It recognizes the fact that we are his own people, and must live in a way that reflects his holiness. God offers us the gift of faith as our path towards holiness. Challenges are always with us, difficulties surround us. However the more we long, desire and develop a personal and ultimate relationship with Jesus Christ as our best friend, there is absolutely nothing that we cannot face and overcome. Indeed we become the “power and the wisdom of God”. Our first reading tells about the covenant God made with Israel by giving them Ten Commandments to live by. God gave them to Moses so that his chosen people will live by the norms given by him. In the gospel Jesus reacts with anger to abuses in the Temple, which he perceives as the violation of the covenant and shows himself as the Lord of the Temple. He drove the traders out of the Temple and predicted that he himself would be the Temple of the new people of God. In our second reading, Paul calls us to embrace divine wisdom though the world may see it as foolishness. He tells them that we preach Christ crucified. He tells them that God’s weakness is greater than human strength.
God’s call is personal and at the same time very demanding. We encounter a God who speaks to us and we are called upon to listen to him and respond to him. Now as we enter the Second Week of Lent, our task is to continue to examine our hearts and change ourselves in order to be worthy of his glorious paschal mystery. God tells us that our thoughts are not like his thoughts and our ways are not akin to those of his choice. As human beings we do not like change and we resist any change as much as we can. However, change is a part of our life and we cannot just depend on our past glory and achievements. The Gospel of today speaks of striking intervention by God in people’s lives indicated through the transfiguration of Jesus on the Mountain. Jesus is transfigured in the presence of his disciples, manifesting to them his divinity to strengthen them in their faith before he enters into his Passion and death on the cross. They are called upon to listen to him the one chosen by the Father. In the first reading we would hear God asking Abraham to sacrifice his only son. Even though God had promised a great dynasty for him, Abraham shows his obedience and displays complete trust in God’s promise. God preserves his son and also grants him his multiple rewards. In the second reading Paul assures us that we have nothing to fear. God the Father and his beloved son are on our side.
We are now into the great season of Lent. During the season of Lent, the church invites us to examine our lives, to repent of our sins and do penance. By means of fasting, penance and prayers, the faithful obtain strength they need to overcome the sinful tendencies. The purpose of Lent is to provide that purification by weaning human persons from sin and selfishness through self-denial and prayer, by creating in them the desire to do God’s will and to make his kingdom alive by making it first come into their hearts. The Church invites all to repent from evil ways and return to the Lord who is eagerly waiting for each one to come to him. In the first reading we have the story of Noah and the deluge that destroyed evil persons. At the end of the deluge only Noah and his family were saved. God then established a covenant with Noah and humanity. The rainbow in the clouds serves as a sign of this covenant. In the second reading we have Peter telling us how our Baptism unites us with Christ’s death and resurrection. We are cleansed of all evil and made right with God. In the Gospel we have the Temptation narrative. After his Baptism, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the evil one. After his victory over the Satan, Jesus enters his public life to proclaim the message of the Kingdom of God. By this time John was arrested and Jesus commences his message of the Messiah.
All of us are social beings and have been created for community and are called to live our faith in and with a community. Our Christian commitment demands us to look into the needs of others. God has given us the blessing to belong to others in the community of the church and in the community of the world. We must appreciate these blessings God has given us and be at the service of others. In the Gospel we have the healing of the leper by Jesus. The leper comes to Jesus with a request to be healed and Jesus has pity on the person and touches him and tells him that he wants him to be healed. The person once healed goes on proclaiming to all the miraculous deed of Jesus. In the first reading we have Moses and Aaron speak to the people of the greatness of God and since they are holy the people have to avoid all that is unclean. Certain rituals had to be observed in case of serious illness. In the second reading Paul tells us that every human activity can give glory to God. Taking Paul as our model, we are called upon to imitate Christ who always sought to help others. Everyone in the community is to reflect Christ in their words and behaviour.
Christ has come as the redeemer and the conqueror of suffering and of death. He does not limit his healing mission to the physical sufferings alone but seeks to heal the whole person. The inner healing of the person and the forgiveness of sins is the mission of Jesus. God intervenes in human situation to alleviate suffering, yet he permits suffering to take place. Sufferings often motivate people to seek God, and as they draw closer to Him they can understand Him better. In the first reading we have Job, that legendary model of long-suffering patience, is speaking of the tiresomeness of life. He complains of the hardships he had to experience in life in the face of sudden disasters. He gives expression to the pain and sorrow he is facing. He is unable to see the happiness that lies in store for him. In the second reading Paul speaks of the obligation imposed on him to preach the Word of God, making himself the slave of the Gospel. Yet he does this task willingly and freely without looking for any reward. The Gospel gives the vivid picture of healing ministry of Jesus and his popularity as everyone was searching for him. But he chooses to go to other places to continue his ministry of preaching and healing. In the midst of his heavy work of teaching and healing he spends his time in prayer.
God’s word comes to us in various ways. The Bible tells us that this word is very powerful and effective in our life and will bear fruit in plenty. This word clings to the human person, penetrates deeply into our hearts giving us new insights and applies it thoroughly to our lives. God expects us to be conscious of the working of this word in our lives and respond to it. His word is a healing word. It purifies the person and takes away all the blemishes. It is a prophetic word which leads the person towards the values of God as against the values of the world. It is a reconciling word which keeps away all divisions and brings unity in the community. In the first reading of today we have Moses the prophet giving his farewell address to the people of Israel. He tells them they will always have God’s word to guide them as they enter into the Promised Land. God will give them a prophet like himself to take care of them. In the second reading Paul gives advice to both married and the unmarried. He wants them to be free of all their anxieties and offer their single hearted service to God. In the Gospel we have the typical day in the life of Jesus. He was a preacher, teacher, healer and a man of prayer. Today’s passage demonstrates the power and authority of Jesus as he expels an unclean spirit from a man and heals him. People look at him with admiration for he spoke with authority and power.
From the earliest of times God has called human persons to be with him for he is the creator who has made every human person in his own image and likeness and desires to have constant contact with him. He invites all human persons to a personal relationship with him and when they do wrong and go astray; he invites them to a spirit of repentance to make them live a life worthy of him. Repentance means to turn around, and go in the opposite direction, change ones way of thinking, change their values, change the mind and heart, change their desires, and more importantly change the direction of life. It means that there is a total conversion and a total transformation in the person. In the Gospel of today Jesus invites all to repent and to listen to the Good News that he is going to give. He calls the disciples to continue his mission of repentance and the proclamation of the Kingdom. In the first reading we have Prophet Jonah who is asked by God to go and preach to the people of Nineveh. Even though Jonah runs away from God in the beginning, he is brought back to preach. People listen to his word and repent from their sin. God listens to their prayer and forgives them. In the second reading Paul asked the Corinthians to remember that life is short and the world as we know it is passing away. He preaches total detachment and to live without being engrossed into it.
"The work of God is carried out by men of God" is an oft repeated saying. But there is a whole process of discernment that a person needs to undertake before he enters into the service of God. The call can come directly from God as in the case of Old Testament prophets or from Jesus as in the apostles and Paul. The liturgy of the Word places before us the call of Samuel and Peter. These men are from humble origins but possessed extraordinary leadership quality for which they will always be remembered. Samuel was a miracle child because Hannah his mother was not able to conceive and barrenness was considered to be a curse which Hannah who was very devout could not accept. Hannah’s solution to her problem was to pour her heart out in supplication to God, and promise that if she ever conceived and gave birth to a son she would give him back to the Lord. When Samuel was born she kept her promise. Peter and his brother Andrew were fishermen and at least Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist, and Andrew led his brother Peter to Jesus .In the case of Samuel and Peter there were others who helped them answering God’s call. In times of need let us also whisper our aspirations and desires and rest assured that God hears our every whispering.
11th January, 2015 – Sunday Reflection. THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD.
The feast of the Baptism of our Lord presents us with the Third Epiphany or the manifestation of our Lord, the first being the Nativity of our Lord and the second, the feast of the Magi. The Baptism of Jesus was the moment when he passed from the relative obscurity of village life in Nazareth onto the public stage of his mission of proclaiming the God’s Kingdom. We are brought to the banks of the River Jordan somewhere north of Jerusalem where John the Baptist had begun his ministry. John the Baptist was preaching in the wilderness and was baptizing all those who would respond to his message of repentance. The purpose of his ministry of preaching and Baptism was to direct people toward Jesus who would baptize them with the Holy Spirit. The Scriptures tell us that Jesus came from Galilee to River Jordan to be baptized by John the Baptist. Jesus subjects himself to this simple act of repentance and is baptized by his own cousin. Baptism is meant as an acknowledgement of sin and Jesus was totally sinless. He had no need of repentance or forgiveness. Yet this was the beginning of his mission as was planned by his Father. The Baptism of Christ as recorded in all the four Gospels indicates the Trinitarian Revelation and the commencement of the public ministry of Jesus. When Jesus came out of water after his Baptism the heavens open and the Holy Spirit descends upon Him in the form of a dove. There is also the voice of the Father that comes from the cloud, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”
Reflections on The feast of the Epiphany of our Lord
The feast of the Epiphany is the celebration of the Lord’s manifestation to all peoples, represented by the Magi, who came from the East to adore the King of the Jews. The word ‘epiphany’ comes from Greek, meaning, a ‘showing’ or ‘manifestation’. The Feast of Epiphany is a reflection that Jesus is the Light of the world. Through his birth we see the arrival of the Light into the world. The three wise men saw the brilliant star in the sky, understood the meaning and followed it. Through the Magi, we see the light of hope, of joy and of peace to come. All in all, today’s feast is telling us that for God there are no foreigners, no outsiders. From his point of view, all are equally his beloved children. We all, whatever external physical or cultural differences there may be between us, belong to one single family which has one Father, God. It means that every one of us is a brother and sister to everyone else. There is no room for discrimination of any kind based on nationality, race, religion, class or occupation. The facts of today’s story may be vague but the message is loud and clear. The story tells us that there is no partiality in God and we all of us are his chosen people. Let us try to understand more deeply God’s closeness to us which is also a reason for us to be close to each other. The story of the Magi is story of the ways in which God reveals himself and even more about the different responses which his revelation receives. The Magi followed the star and they encountered God. It tells us that we too have to search for our God and cannot rest till we find him.
Holy Mother the Church celebrates the feast of the exaltation of the Holy Cross today. The Cross is more than a symbol, more than a sign. It summons us to live our lives in sacrificial self-giving, in self-emptying love. Not only did Christ die in order that we might be freed from this world’s bondage, His death also reveals to us the length and depth to which God has gone to give Himself to us. The Cross shows us the extent to which God loves us. Jesus on the Cross is a sign of contradiction, a sign that contradicts the message of the world that surrounds us. It is also a sign of liberation, of freedom. One of the greatest paradoxes of life is that the more we give, the more we get. Those who love the most are those who are loved the most. Self-giving can be buried underneath the temples of this world’s false gods and goddesses. The Cross is the sign that contradicts them. The religion of the secular world is one of getting, acquiring, buying, and filling one’s life with more and more things, loading us down with gadgets, glitz and glitter. Competition is valued more than community. Being Number One, on top of the heap, and on the top of this world, seduces us and leads us away from the sort of life that Jesus calls us to live. The Gospel, echoing the Old Testament story, assures us Christians that by keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus raised up and mounted upon the cross we too will be saved from death: “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” Jesus, like the bronze serpent, was lifted up on a pole. John assures us that whoever believes and gazes on Jesus lifted up will never perish but will have eternal life.
Today’s gospel is quite startling, presenting a side of Jesus we have not seen. Jesus withdraws to the region of Tyre and Sidon – perhaps due to fatigue and weariness from the press of the crowds. And even there he is known; a woman calls out to him, using his title, “Lord, Son of David.” But “Jesus did not say a word in answer to her”. Clearly this is a woman of faith, why would Jesus not speak to her? Is he that tired? Is this a demon he cannot exorcise from her daughter? When his disciples plead with him to send her away, since she keeps calling, Jesus says “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Those within hearing distance must have been puzzled, hearing this for the first time. Is he not moved by the same compassion he had for others? But the woman persists, kneels before Jesus, and continues to plead on behalf of her daughter. Now comes the real shocker; Jesus tells her, “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” Silence descends upon the crowd. This is a crude analogy and offensive in any time or place. And yet the woman persists – “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.” It is then that Jesus acknowledges her faith, and her daughter is healed.
This story is unusual; it begs the question, why did Matthew include this event, when it presents Jesus in such a harsh and cruel light? Why did Jesus not want to heal this woman’s daughter – due to fatigue? Or because she was not of the house of Israel? In any case, his exhaustion doesn’t explain his uncharacteristic rudeness. Perhaps Matthew wanted to portray not only Jesus’ divinity and his power to heal, but also his humanity – Jesus experienced the same fatigue and its effects as all humans do; he experienced the same impatience and desire to get away from the demands of others; he occasionally was harsh with others; and, at some point, came to learn through the pleas of others that his ministry and mission were for all peoples, for all time. He had to grow in knowledge and wisdom of this truth.
Monday
Acts 16: 11-15; Jn 16: 26-16: 4
In today’s gospel, Jesus promises to send the Advocate, the Spirit of Truth who will guide us into the whole truth. However we must not forget the second part of this promise. It is not enough that the Spirit moves us but we must also act on the Spirit’s movement in our lives. The apostles, for example, in the Agony in the Garden were more than willing to keep watch while Jesus needed them most.
Acting on the move of the Spirit means discerning His will and allowing Him to lead us. In this way we would testify to the presence of God with our lives. Sure there will be persecutions, obstacles and conflicts coming our way. But with the Spirit in us, how can we fail?
Tuesday
Acts16: 22-34; Jn 16: 5-11
In the gospel today Jesus sounds more like a visitor than someone who took on our nature and became one of us forever. ‘It is to your advantage that I go away.” We have to try to understand how it is to our advantage. “If I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you,” he added. Rather than clarifying it, however, this makes it more obscure. How could ‘the continued presence of Jesus’ (which is what the Advocate or Paraclete means in John’s gospel) hinder the coming of the Spirit, the Paraclete?
In John’s gospel, the Paraclete is the continued presence of Jesus. Henceforth it is through the Spirit that we know Jesus. The Spirit, the ‘Advocate’, he said, “will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you” (Jn 14:26). Jesus is withdrawing his visible presence, but his Spirit remains with us.
“It is to your advantage that I go away,” he said. How is it an advantage? This is what we have to try to understand. If we assemble a few ordinary experiences we may find an approach to it.
Every teacher, sooner or later, has to stand back. If a teacher stays at your side forever, there are important things you never learn: independence, mental courage, an inner vigour that can only come from taking your own risks…. In other words, you have to learn from your own experience, and that is what a good teacher always sends you back to in the end. Parents, too, have to learn to stand back. The children of parents with very strong personalities are often passive and weak. Whenever you see a powerful leader, look at what his leadership is doing to his followers. He may think he is “strengthening the brethren,” but this is exactly the blind spot of an extravert. Jesus has the wisdom to trust us, even though we make mistakes. He wants to inspire us from within, not to control us from without.
Wednesday
Acts 17: 15, 22 -18: 1; Jn 16: 12-15
In His absence, Jesus knew His apostles would be scared to face opposition to their faith. thus, Jesus assured them that the Spirit of Truth will empower them. They have only to open themselves, change their mindset and allow the Spirit of Truth to take over their being.
The same challenge is offered to us today – to allow the Holy Spirit to take control of our lives, so that the Spirit of God can speak through us, be seen and experienced by others through us. How is this possible? In a word…Listen! God speaks in varied ways – in the cry of a child, in the smile of an elderly, in the fidelity and infidelity of couples, in the quiet stillness of nature at dawn or at dusk, or in the sad and joyful melodies of our daily existence. we need a quiet space where we can face the truth of ourselves, discover the richness and vigor of God’s love and find truth and meaning in everything around us. At the end of each day, we might as well look into ourselves and ask, “What truth of the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit have I found today?” the Spirit works and does marvelous deeds in us.
Thursday
Acts 18: 1-8; Jn 16:16-20
The Resurrection happened in the tomb. This death-and-resurrection event, which we call the Paschal Mystery, is the heart of our faith, and if the heart isn’t beating, the body is dead. We have a lot of cheap knowledge: knowledge that has not been bought at the full price of experience. It is easy to sign up to a list of beliefs; it is as easy as saying ok. But everyone knows only one or two things really. We know the dying and rising of Christ to the extent that our own life is being shaped by it, no more, no less. The disciples made an honest admission, “We don’t know what he is talking about.” That is always the first step in understanding: to understand how little we know.
Friday
Acts 18: 9-18; Jn 16: 20-23
‘On that day you will ask nothing of me. Very truly, I tell you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.’ Paraphrasing this we could say, “When you see me again you won't be full of questions, you will be doing something: you will be interceding with the Father in my presence.” Any teacher in any school will tell you how quickly a religion class disintegrates into a debate, and further into a shouting match. It is much easier to talk about something than to take it to heart or to do it. Talking is often a substitute for doing.
A 19th-century British Prime Minister, William Lamb, once famously remarked, on hearing an evangelical sermon, “Things have come to a pretty pass when religion is allowed to invade the sphere of private life.” One way to avoid the challenge of religion is to keep it out there in the public sphere, along with ceremonies like the Changing of the Guard. Another very successful way, paradoxically, is just the opposite, and it seems to be the preferred one today: make it so private that you no more need to give an account of it than you do of your circulation or your digestion.
But the Faith is something you do in the first place, and afterwards talk about if you must. “I'd rather see a sermon than hear one any day.” An adherence to the Faith that is not also an adherence to prayer – Liturgy and informal prayer – and to service of others, is only talk. Oscar Wilde said that talking was the only form of exercise he ever took. Spoken like a Christian!
Saturday ( The Visitation)
Is 12: 2-6; Lk 1: 39-56
Does this sound familiar?
"My heart exults in the Lord;
my strength is exalted in my God….
The bows of the mighty are broken,
but the weak are girded with strength.
The well-fed must labour for bread,
but the hungry need work no more.
The Lord makes poor and makes rich;
he brings low, he also exalts….” (1 Sam 2:1-10)
It is the Canticle of Hannah, mother of Samuel, and it is the source on which Mary’s Magnificat is based. Mary is shaped, we might say, by the best of the Old Testament.
But she is also a figure looking to the future. She is an image of the new community, the Church. That is a community where the topsy-turvy logic of the Gospel is intended to hold sway: the first is the last, the weak is the strong, the greatest is the least, the poorest is the richest, the lowest is the highest.... “God has put down the mighty from their thrones and exalted the lowly.” But when we look at the Church - at ourselves - sadly, we see that we live mostly by straightforward logic: power and privilege, palaces, badges and titles of honour....
Mary, the greatest revolutionary figure, still has many revolutions to accomplish.
MONDAY
Dan 13: 1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62; Jn 8: 1-11
The story of the woman caught in adultery is a classic for showing how love can defeat even logic. It is one of the most dramatic pieces in the whole New Testament; a film-maker would not have to add anything. See the intelligence that Jesus showed when he was in a real fix: they thought they had trapped him; but he not only escaped, he triumphed. So much so that they could only slink away – "beginning with the eldest," John adds with irony. It was intelligence allied to love. Too often, intelligence is allied to greed or the quest for power or to vanity; but what a force it is in the world when it is allied to love and mercy!
And what a danger to us all intelligent heartless people! If you have logic and no heart you are a great danger to yourself and others. "Poets do not go mad," wrote G.K. Chesterton; "but chess-players do. Mathematicians go mad, and cashiers; but creative artists very seldom." "I am not in any sense attacking logic," he added. "I only say that this danger does lie in logic." There's no fool like a logical fool, because he is committed to defending his foolishness.
TUESDAY
Nm 21: 4-9; Jn 8: 21-30
The Word became flesh: took on our human nature and became one of us. He is fully human and belongs here. Yet in this passage he says, "I am not of this world." How are we to understand this?
The 'world' in John's gospel is not the physical world, but all the forces in human life that oppose the Kingdom of God – in other words, all the forces that originate in the human head. The great enemy of the Gospel is the alternative world we invent for ourselves, in which we ourselves are the centre of everything. The ego is a world-conqueror. Its story, its personal history, takes the place of the history of the world. It cannot be one with anything. When it looks at anything it sees only how alien and different it is. It sees good in things and in people only insofar as they appear to support its claims, or at least to tolerate them. This is what Jesus means by "this world", not our beloved blue planet but the human ego that closes its eyes to everything but itself.
WEDNESDAY
Dn 3: 14-20, 91, 92, 95; Jn 8: 31-42
Jesus' hearers' ancestors had been slaves in Egypt in the remote past, and perhaps this made their descendants a little sensitive on the question of freedom. Their pride in their freedom made them deny the real past and claim a fictional one. "We have never been slaves to anyone," they said. The ego picks and chooses its facts. Sometimes you get the impression that personality – whether an individual's or that of a group – is just the opposite of the truth. Personality is a defence, sometimes a belligerent one, but more often like the camouflage that animals use so well to protect themselves. Aggressive talk and behaviour are often a cover for fear; boasting is evidence of a low self-image; a pleaser has no interest in you at all. But only the truth, Jesus said, will set us free.
Freedom', like the words 'God', 'love', 'faith', means whatever you want it to mean. These words are like empty forms into which you pour whatever you want. This is not to suggest that real freedom, love and faith do not exist, any more than it is to suggest that God does not exist. It is to say that there is an inner reality that is not guaranteed by the corresponding word. External forms of freedom have their own urgency, but inner slavery can co-exist with external freedom. But I am not fully free until I have inner freedom: in other words, until I am free of myself. The truth, Jesus said, will set us free. One part of that truth is that we are not free. Freedom is not a thing of the past; it is something I have to step into in the present, with every step.
THURSDAY
Gn 17: 3-9; Jn 8: 51-59
In Genesis 17:17 Abraham, who was a hundred years old, "fell on his face and laughed" when God told him he was to have a son. This laughter was interpreted by Jews as joy that he had seen the beginning of the messianic "day": that is, that the Messiah would one day be born of his line. Fifteen to twenty centuries later Jesus said, "Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day." After all those questions about his identity, this is his clear statement in John's gospel that he is the Messiah, the Promised One. More: he said, "Before Abraham was, I am." This echoes God's revelation of his name to Moses, "God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: `I AM has sent me to you'" (Exodus 3:14). This is Jesus' clearest claim to divinity in the gospel. It brings to a head all the questions about his identity in the preceding passages. His statement was not lost on his hearers, who took up stones to kill him for blasphemy.
Before Abraham was, "I am," not "I was." This was a moment "out of time", to use Eliot's phrase. Ordinary grammar buckles under the strain; past present and future tenses fuse into one. Many centuries later Julian of Norwich would say, mysteriously, "I saw God in a point."
FRIDAY
Jer 20: 10-13; Jn 10: 31-42
"If I am not doing the works of my Father then do not believe me." Talking about God is not enough, even when it is Jesus who is talking. This is the greatest challenge to every preacher and every professor of theology. Christians often talk about "the Christian message" as if it could be written on a piece of paper. The Word was made flesh, not ink. St Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "You are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on the tablets of the human heart" (2 Corinthians 3:3).
A word was coined to supplement 'orthodoxy'; it is 'orthopraxis'. Orthodoxy means 'right teaching'; orthopraxis would mean 'right action'. Our words have to become flesh too: to reach our fingertips, so to speak. "What good is it," wrote St James, "if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food: if one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead" (James 2:14-17).
Meister Eckhart said, "When St Paul spoke a great deal to our Lord, and our Lord to him, this availed him nothing till he abandoned his will and said: 'Lord, what do you want me to do?' (Acts 9:6). Then our Lord knew well what he should do. So too, when the angel appeared to our Lady: nothing that she or he said to one another could have made her the mother of God, but as soon as she gave up her will, at once she became a true mother of the eternal Word and conceived God straight away: he became her natural son."
SATURDAY
Ezk 37: 21-28; Jn 11: 45-57
Sometimes words can be a substitute for action (see yesterday's reading). But this is not always the case. Sometimes they don't "survive in the valley of their saying," as Auden put it; sometimes they flood down from the mountaintops and shake an Empire. The Sanhedrin knew this. "The Romans will come and sweep away our Holy Place and our nation." So they were determined to kill him. "It is better to have one man die for the people than to let the whole nation be destroyed," said the High Priest, exactly according to Nietzsche's saying: "Where there are four of you a fifth must die." These people were not the first, and they were not the last, to kill someone in order to silence him. Most of us don't go that far, but we go some of the way. An interesting list to compile: all the people I silence in subtle or unsubtle ways.
MONDAY
Is 65: 17-21; Jn 4: 43-54
Told that his son would live, the official set out on a 20-mile walk with nothing but the word of Jesus to reassure him. John's gospel, which tells us nothing by accident, is telling us that the life of faith is just like that; we have the word of Jesus to rely on, nothing else. The other things we use to surround the word of Jesus add nothing to it: buildings, organisations, traditions.... These (when they are what they should be) unfold the word of Jesus to us, the word that is Jesus, but they add nothing to it.
The official's request was as simple and humble as the tax collector's prayer in the Temple (Lk 18:10-14). "Sir, come down before my little boy dies." It must be one of the most basic prayers of any age or continent. There isn't a human being in the world who could fail to understand it. Even the animals and birds would pray like this if they could talk. Whether one is Jew or Gentile, what matters is distilled humanity.
TUESDAY
Ez 47: 1-9,12; Jn 5: 1-16
"Do you want to be healed?" Jesus asked him. This seems an odd question when you consider that the man had been waiting for thirty-eight years to be healed. But of course there are often compelling reasons for clinging to one's sicknesses. You will no longer have people to take you around: do you want to be healed? You will no longer have sympathy from everyone: do you want to be healed? You will have to work, and you are not used to it: do you want to be healed?
He wanted to be healed. Then Jesus said, "Stand up!" This too seems odd at first sight. Jesus was asking him to do the very thing he could not do.
Then the miracle happened: the man made to stand up. He overcame the habits – physical and mental – of more than half a lifetime. His mind and will said, "Stand!" That was an amazing achievement. Then, when he made to stand up, he found that he could. The miracle was not worked 'on' him; it was worked 'with' him. This is not to say that it was just mind over matter. It was the presence of Jesus, but that presence in this case required the full conscious presence of the paralysed man.
What does it say to us? The very thing we can't do is sometimes the only thing worth doing.
WEDNESDAY
Is 49: 8-15; Jn 5: 17-30
Today's scripture readings speak about mercy and anger. In Isaiah, God says, "I will never forget you". The psalmist proclaims, "The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness. The Lord is good to all and compassionate toward all his works". In John, Jesus tells the people that whoever hears his word and believes in the one who sent him has eternal life. The people want to kill Jesus because he calls God his father and makes himself equal to God.
It's funny what makes people mad. Scripture tells us God will never forget us. That God is slow to anger and merciful. Jesus tells us that he came to earth so that we could have eternal life. And we get mad. Here we have Jesus as our model, we're in the middle of Lent, where we are supposed to be working on our relationship with Christ, and we get mad at people.
Even in Lent we are sometimes overwhelmed by the push and hurry of the world around us. Being a disciple of Christ was not easy 2000 years ago and it is not easy today. It's easy to think following Christ is impossible and we can lose hope.
In this Lenten season, let us pray for those of us who feel that we are failing in our relationship with God. That we would know God's love for us can overcome anything, including our shortcomings.
THURSDAY
Ex 32: 7-14; Jn 5: 31-47
In this passage Jesus engages in an argument with rabbis, using their methods and their style of argument. According to them, the unsupported evidence of one person cannot be taken as proof. So, "Who bears witness to your claim?" they demanded. Jesus mentioned four: 1. John the Baptist; 2. the "works" that the Father entrusted to him; 3. the Father's word – though they are deaf to this witness; and 4. the Scriptures. All of these are aspects of the Father's ("Another's") witness to him.
Some scholars believe that what we have here is a worked-out answer that later Christians gave when challenged by Jews. St Paul said that believers should be able to give an account of their faith and hope; and this should be so with us too today. We need not trouble ourselves with 'proof-texts' in the way that Christian fundamentalist do; but we need to be in tune with the great 'witnesses'. The great witnesses: the Father, and the work he accomplishes through Jesus; and the word of Scripture, alive in our hearts and in our lives.
We can imagine some ancient writer saying to us: "The light in you is the light of Christ. I see that you frequently reach out for other witnesses: philosophical arguments, historical surveys, trends of thought in your own cultures…. But while you are making your case, your listeners are looking at your eyes – looking through your eyes into your soul – and if they do not see the light of Christ there, all your words are wasted."
FRIDAY
Wis 2: 1, 12-22; Jn 7: 1-2, 10, 25-30
The festival of Booths (or the feast of Tabernacles or Tents) is believed, by some scholars at least, to have been a commemoration of the forty years when the Jews wandered homeless through the desert. During the seven days of the feast they lived in tents.
It may have been an annual reminder that they came from nowhere. Where is a tent? Nowhere. It has no address.
But when they settled they settled in earnest. The place where a person lived became, in a way, his or her name: Jesus of Nazareth, Mary of Magdala, Joseph of Arimathaea….
"We know where this man comes from," the people said. His identity was well pinned down. "You know me," he said, "and you know where I am from!" They thought they knew exactly who he was: the carpenter from Nazareth. But he is going to tell them that they don't know him at all. Nazareth is not his identity. His identity is that he is sent by the Father. His real address is the Father.
Those people who were so certain about the identity of Jesus seemed equally certain about their own identity. But they came from nowhere, as the festival of Booths should have served to remind them. What really cripples people's minds is not so much what they don't know as what they mistakenly think they know. There is an addiction to certainty that cares nothing at all about the truth. Some people don't really want to know; they want to be certain. This is only an expression of their insecurity and their fear of the truth. They are afraid of their uncertainty so they cling to external 'certainties'. Like everything false it is transparent in a person's eyes: you can see there a vast unacknowledged indifference to the truth.
"I was sent by the One who is true, and you don't know him. I know him for I come from him and he sent me." This was his real identity. In our way, we too have to drop superficial identities and come to this realisation.
SATURDAY
Jer 11: 18-20; Jn 7: 40-53
Jesus had a country accent. When he was taken bound to Caiphas's house the bystanders said to Peter, "You are one of them for sure! Why, your accent gives you away" (Mt 26:73). Peter spoke like Jesus, with a Galilean accent. The religious authorities had no doubts: no Galilean could be a prophet. The Scriptures said so; "look it up!" How could a prophet come from a backwater place like Nazareth, a place never mentioned even once in their Scriptures? ("Nazareth?" Nathaniel had said, "Could anything good come from that place?" Jn 1:46).
Dukes and dustmen, someone said, are usually not snobs, because both are free of social pretension. It's the people in the middle who become snobs. Snobs are forever trying to climb over other people, and what propels them forward is that there are always more people to be climbed over. It betrays a deep uncertainty about their own identity. If I'm a snob, I am constantly measuring myself against other people; and the worst moment is when a local person seems to get ahead of me. I could endure being less than the very greatest, but to be less than a carpenter – especially one with a country accent…!
There were some people in the crowd who had the uncomplicated gift of admiration; they knew how to admire rather than compete. "This is really the prophet," they said. "This is the Messiah." It was the chief priests and the Pharisees who felt their positions threatened by him. They would like to identify him with Galilee – which was his past – in order to stop him. They were attempting to deny him a future.
A useful question to ask oneself: do I allow the people around me a future?
MONDAY
2 Kgs 5: 1-15; Lk 4: 24-30
Today's gospel reading is the same as yesterday's.
Water is sometimes turbulent and sometimes quiet. It has long been seen as an image of the soul. "What's water but the generated soul?" wrote W.B. Yeats. A storm at sea has awesome power, yet water is able to mirror the sky in perfect tranquillity. God comes to us sometimes in the storm and sometimes in moments of deep peace. We have to hold ourselves ready for both. Perhaps today's gospel shows a third way. The Samaritan woman seemed neither turbulent nor particularly quiet and profound. She was just curious, and at first she was not personally involved. She seems a bit scatter-brained. She had much confusion in her life, but it didn't lead to any desperate search. She represents many people! She had liberal views and was very tolerant; she could discuss what Jews and Samaritans believed, much more objectively than, say, a Pharisee could. She was not passionate in her beliefs. Yet Jesus drew her by slow steps into the depth of things; he assuaged a thirst she didn't yet know she had.
We often talk about "the Faith" as if it were something 'out there', like food in the food store, or like water in the tap. These do nothing for me until I eat or drink. Likewise faith has to become mine, like the food and drink in my mouth. Jesus led the Samaritan woman to faith gently and wisely; she would never have come to it if he had just dumped it on her. And it was the same for the others who came to believe because of her. "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe," they said, "for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the Saviour of the world."
TUESDAY
Is 7: 10-14; 8: 10; Heb 10: 4-10; Lk 1: 26-38
On the face of it, today's reading seems quite like the angel's visit to Zechariah announcing the birth of John the Baptist (Luke 1:8-20). But when you look more closely you see that they are set in clear contrast to each other. Zechariah was standing right at the centre of the nation's place of worship, and "the whole assembly of the people was praying outside," but Mary was a tiny unknown figure, remote from all centres of power. Mary's demeanour is also contrasted with Zechariah's: she takes God at his word, unlike the argumentative Zechariah; she is seen as the model believer. It is a subtle contrast: she too had a question, similar to Zechariah's question, but there are many different kinds of 'why' (or 'how'). Zechariah's question was literally, "by what shall I know this?" , as if asking for independent confirmation; while Mary's was simply "how". Meister Eckhart said in one of his sermons that we should not ask 'why'. At first sight this is surprising; he was an academic theologian whose business it was to ask many whys. But he was also clear about the differences. There is the 'why' that is like locking a door ("I will admit only what I can understand"), and there is the why that is like opening a door, wanting to enter more deeply. Mary's 'why', was of the second kind.
Though Mary appears in a perfect light, it is clear that it is not her virtue that has earned her the great honour that is to come. The angel's greeting makes it clear. "Favoured one," what is coming to her is God's gift, not reward for virtue.
Mary is the model of Christian discipleship. When her story is presented only as the story of her special privileges, that role is being taken from her. When we only stress her differences from us we are subtly pushing her away. There have been many aberrations of Marian piety, and we need to stay close to the authentic tradition. St Ambrose gave it luminous expression in his comment on this passage. "Every soul who has believed both conceives and generates the Word of God and recognises his works. Let the soul of Mary be in each one of you to magnify the Lord. Let the spirit of Mary be in each one to exult in Christ."
WEDNESDAY
Dt 4: 1. 5-9; Mt 5: 17-19
"Not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished," said Jesus. But he himself often broke the Law - certainly as it was interpreted by his contemporaries.
When a law is perfectly fulfilled? When it is observed to the letter? Hardly. The scribes and Pharisees adhered to the letter of the Law, yet Jesus accused them of "setting aside the commands of God and clinging to human traditions" (Mk 7:8). A law is being fulfilled, surely, when the purpose for which it was made is being fulfilled. A law is a means to an end; but if the end is being subverted by the law, then it is no longer a law. This is the revolutionary teaching of St Thomas Aquinas. Law, he said, is an act of reason (ordering a means to an end), not an act of will. Law is not the grip of someone's power over you, but guidance for your mind. It subverts neither your mind nor your will, but guides you along a path. It does not take away your freedom, but supports, enlightens and defends it. This is how there can be such a thing as the law of God. There is no real opposition between law and love.
THURSDAY
Jer 7: 23-28; Lk 11: 14-23
It is common among some people to resort to slander and character assassination when honest opposition is hopeless. There is nothing as cruel and uncharitable as slander.
Some of us might be guilty of this offence. How often do we tend to think the worst of other people? How often do we deliberately or consciously impute low motives to somebody whom we do not like? How often do we repeat slanderous and malicious tales and murder other people's reputation?
When His enemies became helpless in opposing Jesus by fair means they resorted to slander and character assassination. They declared that His power over demons was due to the fact that He was in cahoots with the prince of demons. His enemies attributed Jesus' power not to God but to Beelzebul.
But Jesus responded to the attacks against Him by means of a smart statement: "If I cast out devils because In am in league with the prince of devils, what of your own people who do the same thing? If you condemn me, you are only condemning yourselves." It was just like Jesus saying: "Before you point an accusing finger at others better look at your own self first." Indeed, self-awareness, self-knowledge in all honesty is an antidote against the poison of slander; moreover it leads one to truth that makes one free."
FRIDAY
Hos 14: 2-10; Mk 12: 28-34
Jesus summarizes all the commandments in one word: love—love of God and love of neighbour as oneself. The two commandments are interrelated. The love of God is made known and visible in our love of neighbour. The proof of our love for God is our love of neighbour.
If we truly love God, we can accept our neighbor who has betrayed us and spread malicious lies against us, trust anyone who has failed us and fallen short of our expectations, and be sensitive to the urgent needs of our fellow men and women. We will forgive our neighbours who have wronged us. How can we say we love God whom we cannot see if we cannot love our neighbours whom we can see? (cf 1 Jn 4:20).
To love our neighbours is to willingly be of service, to understand them, and to forgive them. We love our neighbours the way God loves them. We love them the way God loves us.
How much do I love God? How about my family and neighbours?
SATURDAY
Hos 6: 1-6; Lk 18: 9-14
This parable is unique to Luke, and it has the characteristic Lukan strong contrasts: heroes and villains. Think, for example, of the rich man and Lazarus, the parable of the prodigal son, the woes following the beatitudes.... The Pharisee and the tax-collector stand at opposite ends of the social spectrum.
The Pharisee "stood by himself": that was the very definition of Pharisee: the name 'Pharisee' means 'separated': their special practices and attitudes separated them from the common people. Perhaps for that reason his prayer was all about himself. At the beginning his prayer seems to be a thanksgiving psalm; but soon enough we see that it is really about his own accomplishments. He is not slow to put these on show Notice that the Pharisee offers no honour to God and makes no request. He is separated not only from others but from God. When there is emphasis on the separate self, life becomes competition: the 'I' has to win every race and be 'better' than others. That means that it can never afford to relax and be off-guard. How difficult life becomes! It is hardly a life at all, and it certainly is not life-giving to others.
The other spoke directly to God, asking for mercy. There could hardly be a more essential prayer. He did not think of himself as complete, needing nothing. A circle is complete: it marks out a small space and it divides it off; it needs nothing from the outside. The Pharisee was such a circle: he didn't come out of himself to God – nor of course to the tax-collector in the story. But the tax-collector knew his own incompleteness. He was like a circle with a breach in the circumference. We are at our best when we are open: when we know our need of God and of one another. Then something can flow in and out. Through our woundedness the mercy of God can flow through to the world.
MONDAY
Dn 9: 4-10; Lk 6: 36-38
God's mercy is infinite and unconditional. But isn't there some kind of condition built into the phrases of today's reading? "Judge not and you will not be judged." "Forgive and you will be forgiven." "The measure you give is the measure you will get." Don't these phrases suggest that if you do judge you will be judged; if you refuse to forgive you will be refused forgiveness; and that God is only as merciful as you are? How are we to understand this?
St Augustine was at his best when he was struggling with the most difficult passages. "What do you want from the Lord? Mercy. Give it, and it shall be given to you. What do you want from the Lord? Forgiveness. Forgive, and you will be forgiven."
Then later he added: "Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given you: These are the two wings of prayer, on which your spirit soars to God." Our spirit is meant to soar, not just to be lifted up like a stone. God's mercy, forgiveness, and generosity are not just exercised on us; they are to exercise in us. By being merciful, forgiving and generous, as best we can, we are receiving God's gift rather than just being credited with it.
Think of it this way. If you cannot give you cannot receive either. The measure you give is the measure you are capable of receiving. A saint would give you his or her life, but a thief only wants to take from you. "With every creature, according to the nobility of its nature, the more it indwells in itself, the more it gives itself out," wrote Meister Eckhart. If I refuse to give (or forgive), this shows that I have not entered into the human and divine mystery of what we are. God does not limit mercy, forgiveness, and generosity; we do.
TUESDAY
Is 1: 10, 18-20; Mt 23: 1-12
In many languages today the word 'Pharisee' is synonymous with 'hypocrite'. This solid reputation is probably due to the later part of this chapter of Matthew's gospel: the repeated phrase, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites!" Jesus acknowledged the value of some of what the Pharisees were teaching: "Do whatever they teach you." What he objected to was the discrepancy between this and their lives. They had made themselves interpreters of the Law of Moses ("they sit on Moses' seat"), and were applying it without mercy. This was the reverse of their own stated claim: to be as lenient, or as strict, with others as with themselves. They were imposing the burden of the law on others while they themselves enjoyed precedence and privilege. It is less the sinfulness of sinners than the hypocrisy of the pious that causes people to abandon religion. Atheism is caused mainly by religious hypocrites.
There is a story about a rabbi who gave money to a drunkard. When criticised for it, he said, "Should I be more particular than God who gave me the money?" An authentic religious person doesn't judge the sinner but identifies with him, like Jesus queuing up with sinners for John's baptism of repentance (Mark 1:9). But fake religious people are always judging; they exist on it. They are religious in order to be able to condemn others. They have not acknowledged their own sinfulness, so they project it onto others; then all their fury is fuelled by a hidden self-hatred. Even when the content of what they are saying is correct, everything they say is vitiated. You may be able to express some true opinions, but you will not be able to "speak the truth in love" (Ephesians 4:15). The very truth of what you say will blind you to the underlying hatred. An anonymous 5th-century Christian writer said: "Mistaken laity may be more easily set straight, but clerics, if they are evil, are almost impossible to set straight." Anyone who presumes to teach is inviting comparison with the historical Pharisees, and is in the direct line of fire.
The Pharisees have long disappeared from history, but the Church has us reading about them frequently in the Liturgy. Why? Because we haven't gone away, you know!
WEDNESDAY (Solemnity of St. Joseph, the husband of Mary)
2 Sam 7: 4-5, 12-14, 16; Rm 4: 13, 16-18, 22; Mt 1: 16, 18-21, 24
Because of his service to Jesus and Mary during their family life in Nazareth, Saint Joseph is honoured as Protector of the Church, which continues Christ's mission the world. There seems to be little material that we know about Joseph, apart from his name and a couple of events during the childhood of Jesus. The Gospel does not record a single word from him; we could say that his language is peaceful and compliant silence. He listened to the quiet voice by which God spoke to him in his sleep; he promptly and generously obeyed in what was asked of him; he earned the family's living by manual labour, so that Jesus was later known as the son of the carpenter. It might well be said that Joseph lived an unknown life, the life of a simple artisan. But that humble man was so near to Jesus and Mary, intimately connected with their life and providing them with security.
The Gospel describes Joseph as a just man. He was a poor, honest, hard-working, perhaps even a shy man, but one with a deep interior life, giving him the power to put himself at the disposal of God's plan for the childhood of Jesus. Joseph accepted the responsibility and the burden of family life, while freely renouncing the consolation of natural conjugal love because of his extraordinary vocation.
As Pope Paul VI once said (1969), Saint Joseph "offered the whole of his existence in a total sacrifice to the imponderable demands raised by the extraordinary coming of the Messiah, whom he acknowledged as the fruit of the Holy Spirit and as his own son only in a juridical and domestic way. Joseph was a fully committed man, as we might say nowadays. And what commitment! Total commitment to Mary, the elect of all the women of the earth and of history, always his virgin spouse, never his wife physically, and total commitment to Jesus, who was his offspring only by legal descent, not by the flesh. His were the burdens, risks and responsibilities of caring for the Holy Family. He carried out the service, work and sacrifice that Christians so admire in him; and that makes him such a fine patron for family life."
THURSDAY
Jer 17: 5-10; Lk 16: 19-31
St Augustine wrote: "Jesus was silent about the rich man's name but gave the name of the poor man. The rich man's name was well known around, but God kept quiet about it. The other's name was lost in obscurity, but God spoke it. Please do not be surprised…. God kept quiet about the rich man's name, because he did not find it written in heaven. He spoke the poor man's name, because he found it written there, indeed he gave instructions for it to be written there."
The story tells us something about riches: the rich are inclined to define themselves by what they own, not by what they are. Riches can clog up your inner being, so that you do not know who you are. Then you look out from that place of not-knowing and you see other people, but you do not really see them; you only see what they own – or do not own. Others looked through the doorway and saw a poor man there; the rich man looked and saw nobody. That is the subtlety of this story: the rich man was neither cruel nor kind to Lazarus; Lazarus was invisible to him.
There is another rich man in the gospel – this time it was not a story but real life. When Jesus invited him to follow, "he went away sorrowful, because he was very rich" (Mt 19:22). There is nothing quite like wealth for closing the ears and the mind, for deadening the conscience. After a while it also closes the eyes, and like the rich man in the story we no longer see the poor. That rich young man is never heard of again in the New Testament. He might have become a greater apostle even than Peter or John. Sahajananda, from outside the Christian tradition, wrote this about him: "The young man became very sad because he was very rich. He identified himself with his riches.... Without them he had no existence. With these riches he could not enter into the kingdom because the door to the kingdom is narrow. Not narrow in the sense of space, but in the sense that only the essential aspect of our being goes through it; all acquired things have to be left out.... This treasure can neither increase nor decrease. No thief can get there and no moth can cause its destruction."
The story of the rich man and Lazarus is not focused on Lazarus but on the rich man. Focused on Lazarus it might mean: Put up with your lot now and you'll be happy in the next life; you'll even be able to watch the rich man suffering. But no, the focus is on the rich man. Jesus told this story to the rich, to their faces, as an accusation against them. He told it to the Pharisees, who as Luke said, "loved money" (16:14). It has the same import as Luke's version of the Beatitudes: "Alas for you who are rich!" (6:24).
FRIDAY
Gen 37: 3-4, 12-13, 17-28; Mt 21: 33-43, 45-46
The vine was a symbol of Israel.
"You brought a vine out of Egypt;
To plant it you drove out the nations.
Before it you cleared the ground;
It took root and spread through the land." (Psalm 79)
So when Jesus tells this story about the vineyard he is really talking about his country and the people who ran it. They were quite aware of this, "The chief priests and the Pharisees…realised that Jesus was referring to them." It wasn't a story to flatter them; it enraged them. That means that it frightened them – lying just behind anger there is always fear. They were frightened because he said they were going to lose power. They were religious leaders and he told them, "The kingdom of heaven will be taken from you and given to people who will yield a harvest." But they were not interested in harvest. Jesus referred to the people as harvest (Mt 9:37), but the Pharisees referred to them as chaff. They were not interested in people, because like every big organisation they were interested only in themselves.
This is not just a story about a comfortable 'long ago'; it is for the Church of today. If we are not "producing the goods," others will. Many people, experiencing lack of community and spiritual support in their parishes, are looking to new religions and cults for support. Time to instrospect.
SATURDAY
Micah 7: 14-15, 18-20; Lk 15: 1-3, 11-32
This is probably the best-loved of all the parables of Jesus; yet it appears in only one gospel: Luke's. It can be read from the perspective of each of the characters: the younger son, the older son, and the father. When we call it the parable of "the prodigal son" (an expression that does not occur in the parable itself), we are reading it from the perspective of the younger son. But in the context in which Jesus told it, it was clearly about the father.
If the word 'prodigal' means lavish, we ought to call it the parable of the prodigal father. The father was prodigal in mercy and forgiveness. In the parable the father represents God. Jesus could have drawn any kind of picture of God he wanted. This is the one he drew. God is rich in mercy, abounding in love. The 'Almighty God' of our youth didn't always leave us with that impression, but the truth was never lost on the saints. Julian of Norwich wrote, "Our courteous Lord will show himself to the soul full joyfully and with glad countenance and friendly welcoming, as if he had been in pain and in prison, saying sweetly, 'My dear one, I am glad that you have come to me: in all your woe I have always been with you, and now you see my love, and we will be united in bliss.'"
This heart-warming story of God is essential to our Lenten diet. Without it, our efforts to lead a better life only lead us into self-righteousness.
...Which brings us to the older brother. Remember that when Jesus told this story he was surrounded by a crowd of surly scribes and Pharisees. They were objecting to his friendliness towards sinners. "This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them." Jesus captured them perfectly in the figure of the older brother. It sometimes happens that the eldest in a family becomes a sort of third parent, but of course without the warm instincts of a father or mother. When an elder brother loses his brotherliness, other qualities flow in to take its place: grumpiness, cold anger, stinginess, resentment.... Thank God there are many exceptions in real life, but the older brother in the parable was all of those things.
"I have been working like a slave for you... yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends." But as his father pointed out, the goats were his! "All that is mine is yours." The real reason for his unhappiness was that celebration was foreign to him, he was enjoying his resentment, he was a kill-joy; he had no heart. And he was stingy.
Any of us, if we're not careful, could slip into that dreary role. We can become so addicted to doing our duty that we forget how to celebrate. The Pharisees were like a group of angry elder brothers; they accused Jesus of being a glutton and a drunkard (Lk 7:34), because he knew how to celebrate. But they were not able to make him like themselves. In fact he spoke of the kingdom (the presence) of God as a banquet (Mt 22). Again, it was not lost on the saints. Julian wrote: "Our sins are forgiven by mercy and grace, and we are received with joy, just as it will be when we come to heaven."
MONDAY
Lv 19: 1-2.11-18; Mt 25: 31-46
Some people have a recurring nightmare in which they are being judged and found totally wanting. Today's reading sounds just like such a nightmare. Earlier generations of Christians thought about "that day" (dies illa) more than people want to do now. For centuries they sang that austere sequence Dies irae (Day of wrath), meditating on that ultimate scene of judgement.
It is impossible to evade the question of ultimate judgment, however you think of it. In the sight of God what will my life amount to in the end? In the face of that ultimate question we all feel naked and uncertain. Human beings have imagined a scenario where they can start all over again: reincarnation. But the same question would just keep on arising. This is not how the Judeo-Christian tradition sees it. In the words of Qoheleth, "Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where it falls, there will it lie" (11:3). There is no coming back, as the rich man discovered in Jesus' parable (Lk 16:19-31).
But the point of this reading is not to divide the world into good and bad people (does anyone fit perfectly in either of those categories?), but to make the point that in serving one another we are serving God. Our ultimate destiny, the thing that seems farthest away, actually hangs on the things nearest to hand, the most proximate: on how we treat the Lord in "the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, the imprisoned."
TUESDAY
Is 55: 10-11; Mt 6: 7-15
St Cyprian (c. 200 - 258) on the Our Father: "We do not say 'My Father, who art in heaven,' nor 'Give me this day my daily bread'; nor does each one ask that only his or her own debt should be forgiven…. Our prayer is public and common; and when we pray we pray not for one but for the whole people, because we the whole people are one…. 'Hallowed be thy name': not that we wish God to be sanctified by our prayers, but that we ask to keep his name holy in us…. 'Thy Kingdom come': we beg that God's Kingdom be revealed to us. For when did God not reign? We pray for his coming…in us. 'Thy will be done on earth': God may do what he wishes, who can hinder him in that? But we pray that we may be able to fulfil his will in us…. 'Give us this day our daily bread': Christ is the bread of life; we are in Christ and receive the Eucharist daily as the food of salvation…. We should seek only our food and keep…. 'Forgive us our trespasses': We have asked for food. Now we ask for forgiveness, so that we who are fed by God may be able to live in him. 'Lead us not into temptation': The enemy can do nothing against us without God's permission…. Praying [this petition] reminds us of our inconstancy and weakness. 'Deliver us from evil': Having said that, there is nothing left to ask for…. Who can fear this life, if God is his life-guardian?"
The spirit of the Lord's Prayer has shaped Christian consciousness from the beginning. Cyril of Jerusalem (c. 315 AD – 386) instructed those about to be baptised ("enlightened"): "If you have anything against anyone, forgive it: you come here to receive forgiveness of sins, and you also must forgive the one who has sinned against you. Otherwise with what face will you say to the Lord, 'Forgive me my many sins,' if you have not yourself forgiven your fellow-servant even his little sins."
WEDNESDAY
Jon 3: 1-10; Lk 11: 29-32
The Book of Jonah is a delightful and amusing book – and short: about three pages. The introduction to it in the Jerusalem Bible calls it "a droll adventure…and its doctrine is one of the peaks of the Old Testament…. Broadminded, it rejects a too rigid interpretation of prophecy…. rejects, too, a narrow racialism…. All the characters of this story are likeable, the pagan sailors, the king, the populace, even the animals of Nineveh…. We are on the threshold of the Gospel."
It's easy to imagine Jesus as a young man hearing it and laughing at the antics of Jonah, and the animals doing penance, and Jonah arguing heatedly with God (God: "Are you right to be angry?" Jonah: "I have every right to be angry!")
In today's passage, Jesus uses Jonah as a headline for his own preaching. That's how close we are to the Gospel. Don't go to bed tonight without reading it!
THURSDAY
Esther 14: 1.3-5.12-14; Mt 7: 7-12
A layman who was widely known for his use of the term "amen" was asked on one occasion why he used it: "What do you mean when you say 'amen' at the end of a prayer?" "I mean just this: 'God, I am working with you that this may be true, but I am willing to receive anyone of your three replies: yes, no or wait.'"
This perfectly captures our attitude to every prayer we utter. "Amen" expresses that God the Father knows best; that He answers all our prayers; and that His concern is always what is good for us. Simply, as Jesus points out, God the Father gives us only the "good things." The primary purpose of prayer is to make us good Christians and not to solve life's problems. God answers our prayer in His own way which is one of perfect wisdom and perfect love. Expecting an answer to our prayer the way we desire could be the worst thing that could happen to us because, in our ignorance, we often ask for gifts which could lead to our ruin.
FRIDAY
Ez 18: 21-28; Mt 5: 20-26
We can be redeemed from our vices fairly easily, but it is almost impossible to be redeemed from our virtues. The Pharisees were extremely virtuous people. Even Jesus could make very little headway with them. But he had no trouble at all with tax-collectors and prostitutes.
"Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees…." Another translation says: "Unless your virtue goes deeper than that of the scribes and Pharisees…." Jesus is not adding more rules to the multitude of rules that the scribes and Pharisees deduced from the Law; rather he approaches everything from a deeper level.
You may own thousands of acres, but if they are just barren rock you will starve, because nothing will grow there. Where there is no depth of soil, the seed comes to nothing (see Mk 4:5); and likewise when our actions do not spring from a deep life they wither before they can bear any fruit.
We see this clearly today, but of course we have to see out of both eyes. Our blindness today is more likely to be the opposite of that of the Pharisees. We are tempted to make the 'interior' life into another kind of object: a source of ego satisfaction. But there can be no privileging of one over the other. Everything hidden becomes visible. Every word has to become flesh eventually, in one way or another. "Whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in hidden places will be proclaimed on the housetops" (Luke 12:3).
SATURDAY
Dt 26: 16-19; Mt 5: 43-48
An anonymous ancient Christian writer has this: "We are to love our enemies – not because our enemies are fit to be loved but because we are not fit to hate.... If you hate your enemies, you have hurt yourself more in the spirit than you have hurt them materially. Sometimes you may not harm them at all by hating them; but you surely tear yourself apart. If then you are benevolent towards your enemies, you have spared yourself and them. And if you do them a kindness, you benefit yourself too."
"Love your enemies," Jesus said. It is a strange thing for a religious leader to say. Many have said – sometimes in so many words – that we should hate our enemies, or at least distrust them, look down on them, and have nothing to do with them.
You have two kinds of "enemies", to be carefully distinguished. There are those whom you regard as enemies, and there are those who regard you as their enemy. If you do not regard the second kind as your enemies, they are not strictly your enemies; they are so only in their own opinion. If you refuse to reflect back their enmity to them, you can still be said to have opponents, but not strictly enemies. A real enemy is an alienated part of yourself, and if you refuse to make that alienation you have no real enemy. Even if the whole world hated you, you would have no enemies. Enmity grows by being reflected, and if you stopped reflecting it, in a while there would be less of it in the world. Usually we get into tangles of blaming and justifying and asking "who started it"; but all this is futile. The only way to stop it is to stop reflecting it. Gradually the tangle loosens and we are left with just ourselves, variously wounded and fearful. We are God's boisterous children. To know that is to know some kind of love.
MONDAY
1 Peter 1: 3-9; Mk 10: 17-27
G. K. Chesterton joked that ever since Jesus said it's easier for a camel to pass through a needle's eye than for the rich to enter heaven, we've been frantically trying to breed smaller camels and make bigger needles. Our Lord's words in today's gospel can make us very uncomfortable indeed, especially as we live in a culture that equates one's worth with one's wealth.
We all need money- there's no question about that! Yet money can easily disrupt our discipleship, as it tempts us to greed, envy, pride, gluttony, workaholism, anxiety, indifference to other's needs, and the illusion of self-sufficiency. It can lead us to forget God when we have it, and curse God when we don't.
Money itself isn't the problem. The problem is how we view it and use it. As Christians, our challenge is not to let our use of money keep of out of God's kingdom, but use it to build that kingdom up. As Mother Teresa once said, "Money is useful only if it is used to spread the love of Christ."
TUESDAY
1 Peter 1: 10-16; Mk 10: 28-31
In Matthew's account Peter's question is more blatant: "Look, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?" (Mark does not have this second part.) Should we recoil from any self-interest? The 'gospel of wealth' folks would find his question quite normal. But isn't it true that we stand in need of everything? Is it 'selfish' to expect God to reward us for our efforts? And what of that endless talk about 'eternal reward'?
St Bernard of Clairvaux in the 12th century shed a very clear light on this topic: "God is not loved without reward, even though God should be loved without thought of reward. True charity cannot be empty, but it does not seek profit, 'for it does not seek its own benefit' (1 Cor 13:5). It is affection, not a contract. It is not given or received by agreement. It is given freely; it makes us spontaneous. True love is content. It has its reward in what it loves. For if you seek to love something, but really love it for the sake of something else, you actually love what you are pursuing as your real end, not that which is a means to it." Two centuries later, Meister Eckhart made the same point. Speaking about people who want to gain something from religion, Meister Eckhart said, "They love God for the sake of something else that is not God," and he went so far as to compare them to Judas. In another place he said, "Some people… want to love God as they love a cow. You love a cow for her milk and her cheese and your own profit. That is what all those do who love God for outward wealth or inward consolation - and they do not truly love God, they love their own profit."
What these people seem to be telling us is to avoid the commercial spirit in our faith. That is a very counter-cultural thing to do, because the commercial spirit enters everywhere now. We are not to make a business of religion: God is not our business, we are God's business.
ASH WEDNESDAY
Joel 2: 12-18, 1 Cor 5: 20 – 6: 2; Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18
Today we begin the holy season of Lent. And the words that ring loud throughout this season are: "come home!" "Come home to the One who loves you!"
In the midst of overly busy days with too many deadlines and too much that must be accomplished, not having time to sort out the tensions of relationships with family, colleagues or friends, no time to listen to one self or one another - to hear what is going on beneath the surface, no time to listen for hopes and dreams, fears and hurts, the need for apologies and forgiveness and reconciliation, we hear "come home". Come home first to the One who loves you, and then come home to the ones who love you.
We live in the midst of driving kids to games and music lessons, and working overtime so we can afford the latest gadgets and the most up to date technology for our kids so others, most especially our kids, will think of us as a good parent. We are in a frenzy, squeezing in yoga and a work out at the gym so we can tell ourselves we are taking care of ourselves. But our hearts are troubled, our minds are agitated, our bodies are restless, all the while apprehensive that we don't quite measure up, even when we are doing all the things we think we ought to be doing. We are hesitant to take time to pray, lest God add to the already taxing demands on our time and energy. In the midst of this contemporary rendering of today's gospel, Jesus invites us to come home, "Come home to the Love that awaits you, come home to the One who is calling you; just come home."
This Lent, listen to how God is calling you home. It may be to spend more time with family, or to reach out to a lonely neighbour. Perhaps it's making a daily practice of reflection on the graces and blessings of the day or attending daily mass. It might just be getting reacquainted with the gym! How will you recognize God's voice amidst the clamour of so many insisting calls? How will you know? You will find you are more peaceful, more grateful, more hopeful, more generous, more loving… and it will feel like coming home.
THURSDAY AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY
Dt 30: 15-20; Lk 9: 22-25
Suffering looms large in the Christian faith. This is no surprise, because it looms large in every kind of life. The task for us Christians is to ensure that our attitude to it remain Christian.
St Paul called Christ's cross "the power of God and the wisdom of God" (1 Cor 1:23-24), while the world around us calls it foolishness and a stumbling-block. St Thomas Aquinas was asked where he got all his wisdom. "At the foot of the cross of Christ," he replied. There, contemplating the life and death of Jesus, he found a wisdom that went beyond human wisdom. Wisdom is described in the Scriptures as "reaching mightily from one end of the earth to the other" (Wisdom 8:1). In Jesus we see this as no abstract thing, but as a lived experience. He reaches mightily from one end of the human scale to the other, and beyond. He so identified with us that St Paul could say he not only shared our suffering but became sin for us: "For our sake God made the sinless one into sin," (2 Cor 4:21). And at the other end of the scale: "Through him we have access to the Father" (Eph 2:18).
We have two ways of living with suffering: we can take it on our shoulders and try to walk with it; or we can just sit down under it and feel like victims. No one suggests that either way is easy. If it was easy it wouldn't be suffering. Our instinct is to run away from suffering, and when we can't escape from it, to treat it as an enemy that has defeated us; then we run the risk of becoming full of complaints and self-pity. This is the harder way: harder for ourselves and for everyone around us. The wisdom of the Gospel is quite different; it tells us to face our suffering, not to treat it like an enemy but like a friend, to learn from it, to let it draw us away from self-centred thoughts and feelings, and ultimately to see it as a sharing in the Passion of Christ.
"People who have not suffered, what do they know?" said Henry Suso, a man who suffered more than most in a century (the 14th) that suffered more than most. Here is his statement in context: "There is nothing more painful than suffering, and nothing more joyful than to have suffered. Suffering is short pain and long joy. Suffering has this effect on the one to whom suffering is suffering, that it ceases to be suffering. Suffering makes a wise and practised person. People who have not suffered, what do they know...? All the saints are the cup-bearers of a suffering person, for they have all tasted it once themselves, and they cry out with one voice that it is free from poison and a wholesome drink."
FRIDAY AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY
Is 58: 1-9; Mt 9: 14-15
Happiness can be manufactured to some extent – just for short periods; but joy is a stroke from beyond. Joyless religion may be the profoundest denial of God. If there is no joy in it, it is all your own work, so what need have you of God? If the Resurrection is not visible in you, then you are preaching death without resurrection. One of the fruits of the Spirit is joy, and it is mentioned next after love in St Paul's list, "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control" (Gal 5:22). If you had no love in you, you could hardly claim to be a Christian; likewise joy (and all the others).
Joy does not come from avoiding pain and sorrow; on the contrary it is possible only when we have gone into the heart of our pain and sorrow. We have to go into the heart of it and experience a certain transformation, the characteristic shift that is the sign that the 'chemistry' of the Gospel is working. If we avoid the process nothing happens; we will have to continue all our lives to avoid it. That way there is no joy, only endless desperate flight.
SATURDAY AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY
Is 58: 9-14; Lk 5: 27-32
The Word leaped down from heaven into the womb of the Virgin, he leaped from his mother's womb onto the wood [of the cross], and he leaped from the wood of the cross into the underworld, Sheol," wrote Hippolytus of Rome (+ ca 235). It would be strange if the Word became flesh, but stopped short of mingling with the common people, all of us, "the great unwashed." Jesus mixed with people who were regarded as "the worst elements" in society. And there was not just one but "a large crowd of tax collectors."
It was inevitable that the Pharisees would arrive on the scene. They needed those tax collectors. The name 'Pharisee' means 'Separated': their special righteousness separated them from the common people. Naturally they needed those others to be different: otherwise they themselves could not be 'Separated'. It was essential for the Pharisees that there should be lots of tax collectors and sinners; it is essential for some 'good' people that there should be great numbers of 'bad' people. But how disconcerting it always is to find Jesus among the bad!
MONDAY
James 3:13-18; Mark 9:14-29
Today's gospel speaks of the importance of prayer. The apostles had been trying very hard to cast out demon, but they had failed. When they asked why, Jesus said, "This kind can only come out through prayer. " The apostles had seemingly placed prayer on the back burner because they had been so preoccupied with their work. Ironically, their work suffered as a result.
We fall into the same trap, whenever we become so focused on getting the job done that prayer becomes an afterthought. When this happens, we might take a cue from Mother Teresa. As we all know, she could move mountains, only because she was a woman of constant prayer.
"Because I cannot depend on my own strength", she confessed, "I rely on him twenty-four a day. My secret is simple: I pray"
TUESDAY
James 4:1-10; Mark 9:30-37
When we are in the presence of death everything looks different. At family funerals we say to our cousins, "We shouldn't wait for a funeral to bring us together; we should meet more often!" But then we go our ways and we don't meet till the next funeral – or wedding. There's a solemnity about death that puts everything in a different perspective; many of our ordinary excitements and disappointments look a lot smaller than they used to. And as for our ambitions…!
Jesus had just spoken about his imminent death. Then he asked the disciples, "What were you discussing?" The gospel says, "They did not answer because they had been arguing about who was the greatest."
It is the ego that has to stake a claim to being the greatest. The ego is a false identity, so everything can threaten it; therefore it is always on high alert. Our true being makes no such claim; quite the opposite. Jesus sat down with them and patiently explained. "Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all." To illustrate what he said, he put a little child before them. Our true being looks out at the world with wonder instead of criticism and competition, and it looks up at God with wordless trust.
WEDNESDAY
James 4:13-17; Mark 9:38-40
"Whoever is not against us is for us." The same thing is repeated in Lk 9:50. But on another occasions he said the contrary: "Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters" (Lk 11:23; Mt 12:30). To make the difference clearer, put it this way: a) the person who is neutral is on our side; and b) the person who is neutral is not on our side. These are contrary statements, and we must make sense of them.
Could it be that sometimes we need to hear one, and sometimes the other? There are times when we are just hanging on by our fingernails; in those times we need to hear that despite our weaknesses we are with the Lord. There are other times when we feel smug and self-satisfied, and in those moments we need to be told: shake yourself up, you're on the wrong side of the line!
THURSDAY
James 5:1-6; Mark 9:41-50
Cancer may be the most dreaded disease today. Radical treatment often calls for the surgical removal of an organ or a part of the body in order to stop the spread of this deadly disease and to thus prolong the life of the patient. The patient agrees to the painful and expensive operation because of his desire to continue to live.
Jesus applies this parable to our spiritual life. If someone or something as dear as our eyes, hands or feet causes us to sin, is cancerous, we are told to cut it out, no matter how painful. The cancer may be a sinful relationship or an attachment to some pleasure or an addiction to drink, drugs or gambling. By radically excising the cancerous cause of sin, we are saving a life which will last forever, the Divine Life of God within us.
Furthermore, if we use radical means to stop the spread of a deadly sickness in our own bodies, we must use even more drastic means to prevent the spread of deadly and contagious diseases to others. We quarantine or isolate anyone suspected of carrying disease such as bird flu. Anyone who would deliberately contaminate others would commit a crime. Jesus warns us with serious threats about spiritually contaminating others or causing them to sin, especially if these others are children or simple people who look up to us. Our bad example or attitude, our indifference to prayer, neglect of taking God and His law seriously- these may lead others astray.
We are called not only to follow Christ and to be saints but also to witness to Him and to bring others to heaven. How sad, how bad, if we do the opposite!
FRIDAY
James 5:9-12; Mark 10:1-12
In the time of Jesus, the Jewish ideal of marriage was the highest imaginable. "The very altar sheds tears when a man divorces the wife of his youth." But in practice, divorce was extremely easy to obtain. Everything hung on the interpretation of Deuteronomy 24:1, where it was laid down that a man could divorce his wife if he found in her "some impropriety." The Shammai School of interpretation held that this referred only to adultery. But the Hillel school held that even the spoiling of a dish of food was grounds for divorce, or talking to a strange man, or criticising her in-laws, or if she spoke too loudly…. Rabbi Akiba even said that if a man found a woman who was fairer in his eyes than his wife, he could be granted a divorce.
Quite clearly, then, when Jesus took a strict line on divorce, he was putting right a grave injustice against women.
There is an intriguing piece of dialogue between Moses and God in Exodus 3:13f. Moses says to God, "If I come to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' what shall I say to them?" God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM.' He said further, 'Thus you shall say to the Israelites, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" In Hebrew the verb is not clearly divided into past, present and future tenses as in modern languages; and I have seen this translated as "I will be who I will be." God was not just giving a name, like an identity tag; God was making a promise. It is as if God said, "I will always be there for you, no matter what happens." In the marriage ceremony people say something like this to each other. They are speaking God's kind of language, where every word is also a promise of fidelity.
SATURDAY
James 5: 13-20; Mark 10: 13-16
The world in the time of Jesus (and not only then) believed that a child was a deficient adult, a nobody who knew nothing, had nothing, and was nothing: an extension of the parents with no rights of its own. So when Jesus said you must be like children to enter the kingdom (presence) of God, he meant you must be a nobody, a nothing….
Does this canonise ignorance and inexperience? Like St Paul we are allowed to make appropriate distinctions. "Brothers and sisters," he wrote, "do not be children in your thinking; rather, be infants in evil, but in thinking be adults" (1 Cor 14:20). To be childlike is not the same as being childish. Childlike qualities are simplicity, trust, openness, hope… so many of the qualities needed for living a spiritual life. The French mystic Jeanne Guyon (1648 – 1717) wrote, "The simple ones, so far from being incapable of [spiritual] perfection, are, by their docility, innocence, and humility, peculiarly adapted and qualified for its attainment… they are less employed in speculation and less tenacious of their own opinions… they submit more freely to the teachings of the Divine Spirit: whereas others, who are blinded by self-sufficiency and enslaved by prejudice, give great resistance to the operations of Grace."
MONDAY
James 1:1-11; Mark 8:11-13
In times of stability and prosperity signs of faith are evident. But in times of hopelessness, we question God's ways. We want a sign of His power as proof that He is mightier than man.
In the gospel, the Pharisees, instead of striving to make themselves open to God's revelation, were challenging Jesus to perform something that were pleasing to their senses. They were seeking for a sign, hoping Jesus will perform magic. They were waiting for an act that suggests an easy solution to life's complexities. Yet Jesus' way is not man's way. God's presence is most intense when He seems hidden and so far from us, particularly in moments of humiliation and nothingness. In my weakness, I am very strong, says St. Paul. In our sinfulness, the opportunity for God's mercy and our conversion is there.
Let us strive to perceive God's signs among the voiceless, those whom we have rejected and those we see as nuisance in life. In this setting, certainly we see not only signs but also an encounter we with the person of Jesus
TUESDAY
James 1:12-18; Mark 8:14-21
"Blessed are they who persevere in temptation, for when they have been proved, will receive the crown of life." Most of us want that crown of life, but do we want to persevere when we are being tempted by our darker side? Some of our temptations may be considered normal. For example, my desire to "have it all together" may be a desire that many of us have, yet it leads to darkness. I am not in fact perfect, and most of us humans realize that we are not perfect, at least this side of heaven. So we need to be intentional about rejecting the leaven of the Pharisees, who prided themselves on their purity and their knowledge of the law.
WEDNESDAY
James 1:19-27; Mark 8:22-26
Most of us take for granted our health and the use of our senses, for instance, our ability to enjoy the sunset, the flowers around us or the smile of a friend as well as our ability to listen to music or to the assuring voice of our loved ones. Helen Keller, born in 1880, lost both of these senses because of a sickness when she was nine months old. Under such circumstances, Helen would have grown up in her own isolated world, unable to communicate, to learn or to even help herself. But a "miracle worker" came in the person of a patient teacher, Anne Sullivan, who discovered ways of communicating with Helen through touch. She even taught Helen how to speak to some degree. Because Helen learned so well, she was able to go to college and graduated in Radcliff in 1904, the first deaf/blind person to earn a bachelor degree. She and her teacher travelled to many countries giving lectures to promote schools for the blind and deaf and thus giving hope for a better life to many who were in such conditions.
The "miracle" facilitated by Anne Sullivan for Helen was not as spectacular as one in the gospel today. In our lives most "miracles" are not spectacular, but they are the result of hard work, the cooperation with the patient efforts of teachers, doctors or loved ones and the support of prayers. May we all learn not to take for granted but to appreciate the gifts we have of seeing and hearing, and the gifts of the people who love us. May we not spiritually blind to God's love for us, but may our faith become ever stronger. May we use our sense of hearing to listen to God's word to others, and thus be "quick to listen but slow to speak."
THURSDAY
James 2:1-9; Mark 8:27-33
Why did Jesus ask, "Who do people say I am? Who do you say I am?" Was he unsure of his own identity? It would appear that what he really wanted to know was why they were with him. People had projected false identities onto him from the beginning, attempting to squeeze him into the roles of village boy, king, a predictable kind of messiah.... He wanted to know if they were following him or just their own idea of him.
No doubt it is a question for us too. If we project anything whatsoever onto Jesus we don't know him; he becomes a screen for our projections, and we see only ourselves. Our own self-made identities fit us because they are made to fit; our lies are never against us, always for us. Each individual, each group, each country, each religion, has its own lies; and these fit us like a glove. But we needn't expect the truth to fit us. Our lies are comfortable, but we should expect the truth to be very uncomfortable. Perhaps that's why he spoke immediately about suffering and rejection.
FRIDAY
James 2:14-24, 26; Mark 8:34—9:1
In yesterday's gospel passage Jesus introduced the scandalous theme of suffering. He was trying to draw the disciples into a deeper understanding of his identity. It was his hardest lesson, and it has to be learnt over and over again. In today's reading the lesson continues. It is not only about him, it is also about us. "Those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it."
The Christian faith is seldom allowed to challenge the ego; instead it is used to extend it to infinity. But saints are people who have received the challenge and lived by it. They assure us that there is no such thing as a painless life, and so running from pain cannot be the answer: we only run into the arms of greater pain. Yes, they tell us, exclude all foolish self-imposed pain. Work with what is left – the inevitable pain of life. Rest at peace with this pain: it is your best teacher and friend; it opens the gate to life. It questions your understanding of who and what you are. It takes away your cushions so that you can feel reality. This is not horrible; it is a promise of life – because only reality can save us. If things go against you don't take it as a personal insult; it is God trusting you. The dream of endless comfort is an insult, not this. God loves you enough to take you out of yourself.
SATURDAY (Feast of the Chair of St. Peter)
1 Pt 5: 1-4; Mt 16: 13-19
The 'chair' in the title of today's feast is not, of course, a piece of furniture. It is the kind of 'chair' embedded in our word 'chairman' or 'chairperson,' or simply 'the chair' as a title of the person in charge of a committee or department. The feast of the Chair of St. Peter celebrates the spiritual authority of the one who is called to exercise role of Peter in the church--first by Peter himself, and nowadays by the one we are getting to know as Pope Francis.
How authority in the Church is to be exercised was a matter of special concern in the teaching of Jesus. In response to the request for special status by the sons of Zebedee, Jesus says to all twelve apostles,
"You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles Lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But is shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:42-45).
The reading from the Gospel of Matthew illuminates the authority that Jesus gave to Simon bar Jonah by a reference to the "binding and loosing" exercised by a chief rabbi of a Jewish community. The language about finding and loosing calls for some explanation. A rabbi was said to 'bind' when he interpreted how the Law is to be applied in the certain case. 'Loosing' referred to lifting the ban of excommunication. The awesome implication is that Simon Peter is here given an authority that counts as the exercise of divine authority in the earthy community of the church. To make sure that this power is used in the way of Jesus, the Gospel of John presents the same mandate of authority in the metaphor of sheep herding. In the final chapter of John's gospel, we hear the powerful exchange: "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." "Feed my lambs." And this exchange is repeated two more times.
That this lesson was well learned becomes clear when we read these words from today's reading from the First Letter of Peter:
I exhort the presbyters among you, as a fellow presbyter and witness to the sufferings of Christ and one who has a share in the glory to be revealed. Tend the flock of God in your midst, overseeing not by constraint but willingly, as God would have it, . . . Do not lord it over those assigned to you, but be examples to the flock.
Isn't it consoling the way that the popes of our lifetime — now, notably Pope Francis — have taken to heart this teaching about the exercise of authority in the Christian community? It is not a stretch to say that we who also exercise authority in that faith community — as priests, deacons, pastoral assistants, parents, teachers, brothers, sisters, co-workers, pastors, committee chairs and parish council presidents — are called to exercise authority in the same spirit. The call is to guide and nurture and serve — and surely not to "lord it over" others.
MONDAY
1 Kings 8:1-7, 9-13; Mk 6: 53-56
When a man suffers misfortune or is gravely ill, the question that fills his heart and often escapes through his lips is the anguish cry, "Why? Why me? Why me, Lord?" However, this cry is often met by the silence of God.
But hidden in the "why" is a cry of hope, a longing that believes that God heard my cry and felt my sorrow and pain; that God will reach out and touch me. There is something in God's "touch" that is healing.
Dr. Paul Brand shares story of a young man he treated for leprosy. Dr. Brand laid his hand on the shoulder of the leper as he tried to explain through an interpreter the course of treatment when suddenly the man cried. Dr. Brand was wondering whether he said something wrong. The interpreter told the doctor that the patient was crying because he touched him. Until that moment, nobody has touched him for many years.
There something in the "touch" that breaks the isolation and the loneliness of a sick person.
The gospel often portrays Jesus as the one who would reach out and touch the sick and the sinner. Through touch, Jesus wanted the sick to know that they are remembered and specially loved by God. God heard their cry and reached to touch them in Jesus Christ His Son. They are not alone.
TUESDAY
1 Kings 8:22-23, 27-30; Mark 7: 1-13
Here they are: the scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem. They are not bringing their sick, like the Galileans in yesterday's reading. So they are not vulnerable, they don't have to bother about love. That clarifies their minds so that they can think about the law. Immediately they find fault and go into the attack. Shallow, Jesus called them: more concerned with external regulations than with the inner reality; more concerned with law than with the heart (in the Scriptures the heart is a symbol of the whole inner life of a person).
Briefly, the word 'corban' means 'gift'. Anything brought to the Temple treasury was said to be 'corban' and could never again be put to secular use. Now, a rebellious son might say to his parents, "Any benefit or enjoyment you might have by me, I now declare 'corban'!" It meant that he was no longer bound to help or support them in any way! "So it frequently happened," wrote St Jerome, "that while father and mother were destitute, their children were offering sacrifices for the priests and scribes to consume." Jesus raged against this. "You abandon the commandment of God [the commandment to love and honour your parents] and hold to human tradition [corban]." For all their talk about God, religious lawyers can't cope well with God. God seems too concerned with individuals, and is therefore unpredictable. Love just muddies the pitch for lawyers.
It is pleasant to rail against these Pharisaical customs, but in the end I have to enquire what my own similar customs are.
WEDNESDAY
1 Kings 10:1-10; Mark 7: 14-23
In response to the concern of the religious leaders with ritual defilement, Our Lord points his listeners to the source of true defilement – evil desires which come from inside a person's innermost being. Sin does not just happen. It first springs from the innermost recesses of our thoughts and intentions, from the secret desires which only the individual soul can conceive. God in his mercy sent his only Son Jesus to save us from our sins. But to receive his mercy, we must admit our faults. Only God, like a good doctor can change our hearts and make them clean and whole through the power of the Holy Spirit. Do you harbour any of the evil intentions that Jesus mentions in the Gospel today? Are you willing to surrender your heart to God and experience His graces?
THURSDAY
1 Kings 11:4-13; Mark 7: 24-30
The encounter between Jesus and the woman in today's gospel presents to us Jesus' social orientation. The woman hears about Jesus, approaches Him and begs Him to heal her daughter. She is a foreigner, a gentile, a person outside the Jewish community. In the dialogue between Jesus and the woman, He makes a statement that seemingly suggests that His mission is exclusively for the chosen people of God – "Let the children be fed first. For it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs." The woman's reply criticizes and breaks down the walls of exclusivity indicating that there can be a place for all peoples in God's plan.
Religion, colour, language and economic status have become barriers that separate peoples instead of becoming bridges that enable diversities to become agents of harmony. Alienation hinders interaction and communion. The exclusion of others guarantees security within the boundaries of one's own world. It is easier to relate with members belonging to the same church who share the same beliefs and traditions rather than expressing the faith with other people who articulate their beliefs in a different way. This is to ensure that one does not encounter opposition in the full expression of one's faith.
Jesus demonstrates that in spite of the differences surrounding the human situation, one can still show compassion and love which are universal values that can transcend human limitations. Jesus' approach in his ministry is compassion. He reaches out to all who believe in the language of the heart. He only asks the simplicity of our faith in Him.
FRIDAY
1 Kings 11:29-32; 12:19; Mark 7: 31-37
Communication can at times fail between two relatively healthy people, how much more when one is hearing-impaired or totally deaf and mute?
Some romantics paint deafness and muteness as a blessing. One incapable of hearing and speaking is immune from the sinful world of sounds and words. It can be a blessing indeed but such impairment could also be frustrating.
A deaf-mute sees things, witnesses events, perceives colours, motion, people. However, a special sign language and special-trained people are needed for him/her to communicate the experience.
Spiritual deafness could be the worse than the physical kind. A spiritually deaf-mute person has all the channels for response and engagement, but chooses not to respond. Such person can also select what she/he only wants to hear. A spiritual deaf-mute can, for example, "shut his ears" from somebody's pleas for help, for forgiveness,, for quality time or from constructive criticism and advice.
Jesus heals a deaf-mute in this gospel story. Through Him may we be delivered from spiritual deafness.
SATURDAY
1 Kings 12:26-32; 13:33-34; Mark 8: 1-10
The transfiguration is an event that seals the identity of Jesus, in a dazzling display of light, as the fulfilment of Old Testament prophecies, the Messiah who has to suffer, die and rise again.
It is a foretaste of the resurrection, a greater event of immeasurable and indescribable proportions. No wonder there were no actual witnesses in the resurrection, while in the transfiguration Peter, James and John were able to behold the transfigured Jesus in all His ethereal glory but even then they were out of their senses, with the usually glib Peter, for want of something to say, opining the erection of booths/tents, in effect suggesting permanence. Peter and companions did not want to end the experience. They wished to savour the delight, without a thought as to its meaning. Naturally who would do serious mental exercises in such a heightened condition?
Fortunately, Jesus cut the experience. To let them know what the transfiguration meant, they went down the mountain, a place of theophanies for the Jews, back to the plains where God also dwells, back to reality. Reality is the playground of meaning, the stage where Jesus the main character lived the conflicts of joy and grief, of rejection and acceptance, of suffering and wholeness, of death and resurrection.
In life we seek meaning from the perspective of Christ and that in a sense bathes our life experiences in light – our moments of transfiguration in the playground of reality.
MONDAY
2 Samuel 15:13-14, 30; 16: 5-13; Mark 5:1-20
Jesus encountered a man with an evil spirit; evil spirit was so strong that nobody could control him. Only Jesus' words and power freed the man from the evil spirit that enslaved him.
In our daily lives, we too are experiencing the cosmic battle between God and Satan. Sometimes, our strong fears, doubts, feelings of shame and guilt are controlling us. Let us not be surprised by demonic attacks. They will increase but with Jesus at our side they are powerless. Jesus' light, power and strength are stronger than the evil one. He frees and heals His people. He never abandons us in our moments of weakness and failures.
We can also learn from the man of today's gospel his joyful attitude and deep gratitude to Jesus for the experience of being healed. He follows Jesus' command to proclaim to all his experience of God's goodness and kindness. We too are experiencing healing in many different ways. Let us not forget to thank God for the gift we are receiving and let us be generous in sharing the goodness of God.
TUESDAY
2 Samuel 18: 9-10, 14, 24-25, 30, 19: 3; Mark 5: 21-43
The woman had spent all financial resources he had. She was ritually unclean, an outcast in society. She had nowhere to go. Then she overcame all fears, she risked punishment for touching the cloak of the rabbi. In such a moment she showed a faith she never thought she had. Jesus recognized this by saying, "your faith has saved you."
Similarly, Jairus is up against the wall. No doctor could save his little daughter. And when the news came that she had died, his faith was tested to the point of breaking. But he trusted. He discovered also that he had a spiritual strength he never thought he had.
Often we ask ourselves: Why does God not react to our prayers or to the prayers of a person in utter need? It seems that God allows us at times to reach a boundary situation, a point of utter helplessness first to draw out a hidden strength we did not know we had. We have to reach a point when we realize that our own resources cannot bring us further but the faith is still a resource that brings us directly into the saving hand of God.
WEDNESDAY
2 Samuel 24: 2, 9-17; Mark 6: 1-6
They took offence at him." What was his offence? His background was the same as theirs; he was just like them: "Is not this the carpenter?" But he had not remained in the role the village had assigned to him. Villages can be intensely conservative places. The word 'conservative' is in itself a good word: to conserve is to keep intact, to guard. But everything depends on what one is trying to conserve: the best or the worst. Because of the human capacity for self-deceit, we can use a fine word to make mean things look good. In the reaction of the villagers to Jesus a narrow village mentality showed itself.
The terrible fact is that it works. It tied Jesus's hands: "he could work no miracles there" (v.5). It is a frightful thought that we have the ability to prevent miracles. The villagers wanted to keep him within his limitations: he was a carpenter and the son of a carpenter. But elsewhere the gospel says "he broke through their midst and went his way" (Lk 4:30). We have to break through the midst of many things in order to become adult Christians. Many people, even in the Church, will try to keep us in a pre-adult state. Yes, Jesus said we must be like children: we must have their qualities of simplicity, honesty, freshness…. "Like children," he said. We must be adults who are like children, not children who are like adults.
THURSDAY
1 Kgs 2: 1-4, 10-12; Mark 6: 7-13
Missionaries today fly planes and drive cars. They have more than a staff and sandals. They use modern facilities and means to communicate, like radio, TV, Internet. Most of them are not alone, but backed up by a missionary Congregation and its resources.
Of course, if Christ would send out his apostles today, he would give them different guidelines. But one guideline would not change: to trust in God more than in oneself and in an organization. A missionary then and now must remain aware that he does not proclaim himself that the result of his efforts does not depend on him/her but on God only.
We are reminded today that all of us are sent by God for a mission. The mission field can be your home where a husband, a son or a daughter needs to be brought to Christ. Your mission area could be your office where a boss or officemates live as if Christian values were reserved for Sunday only. Your neighborhood could be your mission field where you are sent to bring peace and harmony to people to distrust each other, quarrel and hate their neighbors. For our mission we need only the staff of trust in God and the sandals of love.
FRIDAY
Sir 47: 2-11; Mark 6: 14-29
The Gospel today provides the script for an interesting drama with intrigue, treachery and revenge. All the personalities in the drama – Herod, Herodias, her daughter and John the Baptist- have a definite role to play given the situations they are in. John has been fearless in his confrontations of the sin of Herod, and he is ready to face the consequences. Herod is a spineless ruler, Herodias is a vindictive woman and the daughter is an unsuspecting pawn. Like any drama we are invited to reflect on the characters which may represent our personalities. What does today's gospel prompt me to reflect on? Which is the character I reflect? Do I need to change?
SATURDAY
1 Kgs 3: 4-13; Mark 6: 30-34
"The apostles had no time even to eat." That sounds more like today. There are things that never change, despite all the change we see in our world. We need rest and silence. Have you noticed that watching TV doesn't really relax you? At the end you usually feel just empty and wasted. Rest, the art that the animals practise to perfection, is one that we have to learn all over again.
The nature of the mind is to postpone. When that obviously doesn't get us anywhere we say, I mustn't be going fast enough. So we go faster. This may be the origin of the fascination with speed. We are running away from ourselves. Self-knowledge is almost impossible in this atmosphere. In the time of Jesus a bullock-cart was the fastest means of transport. What would they think of the speed at which we live?
Monday
2 Samuel 5:1-7, 10; Mark 3:22-30
"If a kingdom is divided against itself, the kingdom cannot stand," so says Jesus in today's gospel. Jesus is refuting the argument leveled against Him that He works with evil to drive out evil spirits. He is actually making a statement: division is evil; unity is of utmost importance.
This is what Jesus passionately prayed for on the night before he died. "Father, that they maybe one even as you and I are one." The very principle that unites the Holy Trinity is the model and source of unity that should bind all His disciples. Within the Holy Trinity, each Divine Person is totally different and unique from each other and yet there is perfect harmony. There is no competition, only collaboration. The work of one is the work of the other. That is why Jesus can say: "The Father and I are one."
As Christians, our mission on earth is to proclaim the Kingdom of God and reflect the Holy Trinity in our relationships, families and communities. Divisions, conflicts and disharmony among Christians and therefore is a great disservice to God and His Kingdom.
Unity is at the heart of Jesus' desire for His community of disciples, says Rick Warren. Destroy unity and you rip the heart out of the Body of Christ, the Church. St. Paul advised the early Christians, "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace," (Eph 4:3)
Tuesday
2 Samuel 6: 12-15, 17-19; Mark 3 : 31-35
If indeed Jesus' family thought he was mad (see Mk 3:21), then they belonged to those who "stood outside." Belonging to the same family or race as Jesus does not make one a disciple (see Mt 3:9). Not that, but doing the will of God. This was the passion of his life; anyone who was not part of that was not part of him. In the agony of Gethsemani he was able to say, "Not my will but yours be done." In him the passion to do the Father's will was deeper than death; it is not surprising then that it should also be deeper than birth and kinship.
Wednesday
2 Samuel 7: 4 -17Mark 4: 1-20
The parable tells us that we must do three things: First, we must hear what Jesus is telling us and we cannot hear unless we listen. It is an attitude of so many of us that we are so busy talking that we have no time to hear; so engaged in argument that we have no time to listen; so occupied in advancing our own opinions that we have no time to attend to the opinions of Christ. Second, we must receive it. When we hear the Christian message we must really take it into our minds. There are times when truth can hurt; but sometimes a distasteful drug or an unpleasant treatment must be accepted if health is to be preserved. Third, we must put it into action. Christianity is not a speculation or imagination but a challenge and action.
Thursday
2 Samuel 7: 18 -19; 24-29; Mark 4: 21-25
All living things are stored sunlight. The earth has no light of its own; all its light comes from the sun. If the earth tried to make it on its own, it would just be a cold barren rock. It is not surprising that light is the universal symbol for God: the word 'divine' comes from a Sanskrit root meaning 'to shine'. Jesus said: "I am the light of the world" (Jn 8:12).
But he also said, "You are the light of the world" (Mt 5:14). Clearly, however, he did not mean that we are independent sources of light – any more than the earth could be independent of the sun for its light. The light in us is from him. "Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven" (Mt 5:16). In one of the most deeply moving passages in the New Testament, St Paul wrote: "It is the God who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness', who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God shining in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that it may be clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us" (2 Cor 4:6-7).
"Why does Jesus call us the light of the world?" asked Tertullian (3rd century); "why does he compare us to a city on a hill?" Then he answered his own question: "If you hide your lamp beneath a bushel, you will soon notice that you yourself will be in the dark. You will find others bumping into you. So what can you do to illumine the world? Let your faith produce good works. Be a reflection of God's light."
FRIDAY (St. John Bosco)
2 Samuel 11:1-4a, 5-10, 13-17; Mark 4: 26-34
In today's parable, Jesus presents the farmer as a beholder of miracles. He would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how.
The farmer cannot manufacture a seed. He can only select the seed, plant it in the right conditions, irrigate it with water and apply fertilizer. The result is powerful. From one seed comes a plant that produces grain, fruit, or vegetables much more valuable than the original seed he planted.
Jesus says this is similar to how the Kingdom of God comes to us. A preacher comes along and plants the seed of God's word among us. He does not know who will believe and who will not. He preaches and teaches, not knowing how the Holy Spirit will work, only trusting that he will.
When the message is received by someone, it is as if a seed has been planted and started to sprout. It is a mystery how faith in Jesus takes hold of a person, producing fruits of good works. We cannot predict where the seed of the word will sprout which souls will respond and grow, and which will become stony and hard and reject the word of life. Those who receive the word do grow and grow surprisingly well.
What we want to watch out for are the things that obstruct the growth of the Kingdom among us. Things like jealousy, pride, greed and injustice work against the power of God's word. We should stay away from them.
But God is faithful and when we confess our sins, His forgiveness is total. We are readied for the harvest when He will take us from this broken life and gather us to Him; in Him we will reap the fruits of our faithfulness.
Saturday
2 Samuel 12: 1-7, 10-17; Mark 4: 35-41
A doctor took an informal poll among his patients to find out what wish each would make if their wish were granted. The tally was very interesting. 87% said that peace of mind was their paramount goal. This is not a surprising find considering that peace has become a precious commodity in today's world of conflicts and endless anxieties and worries.
This makes today's gospel so refreshing and a real good news knowing that peace comes cheap. All we have to do is have faith in Jesus and peace comes at once. Peace rules the day when Christ rules our hearts.
When the disciples realized Jesus was with them fearless peace entered their hearts. To be with Jesus is to overcome fear and cowardice. This is faith communicating courage because it is rooted on the promises of Christ and his loving presence in all events.
Monday
1 Samuel 15:16-23; Mark 2:18-22
Through this gospel passage Jesus teaches us about openness. He uses an image familiar to His audience, the new and old wineskins, that, new wine skin for new wine. But are we going to reject the old in place of the new? This is not the point. But rather, the Lord gives us wisdom so we can make the best use of both the old and the new. He doesn't want us to hold rigidly to the past and to be resistant to the new promptings of the Holy Spirit in us. He wants our minds and hearts to be like new wine skins, open and ready to receive the new wine of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Are we eager to grow in the knowledge and understanding of God's word and plan for our life?
Tuesday
1 Samuel 16:1-13; Mark 2:23-28
What's the big deal about picking heads of grain on a Sabbath? Well, this might be incredible for us but for the Pharisees and the rabbis doing so was a deadly sin which demanded the strongest condemnation. The Sabbath law was one surrounded by literally thousands of small rules and regulations. Working on such day was considered one of the most forbidden actions any Jew might do. Picking ears of corn as the disciples were doing in today's gospel was work and thus a violation of the law.
The deeper issue here which our Lord clearly saw was the conflict between the law and human need. Obviously for the Lord the latter takes precedence for the law is made for humans and not the other way around. This same issue goes deeper into the very heart of what true religion means. If one's religion prevents him/her from helping someone in need, then such a religion is a big fake. If one's religion is more centred on the system and on rituals and externals while forgetting the human person, the religion is a big lie.
We can be truly proud that our Christian religion has always been stressing the utmost importance of helping others and of responding to the needs of others especially those who are less fortunate and more disadvantaged than us. Let the gospel reading for today then make us realize that we need to be more responsive to others' needs. May the reading lead us to be more Christian most especially in our deeds. Oftentimes, we need not look far to see those in need. They might be just part of our household, or our work area or within our community. Would we want to take the EXTRA CHALLENGE or better would we take the CHRISTIAN CHALLENGE?
Wednesday
1 Samuel 17:32-33, 37, 40-51Mark 3:1-6
This miracle climaxes a series of five straight confrontations between Jesus and the religious authorities. First, the authorities challenged Jesus for claiming to forgive the paralytic's sins (2:7). Second, they challenged Jesus for eating with tax collectors (2:16). Third, they challenged Jesus for not having his disciples fast (2:18). Fourth, they challenged Him for permitting his disciples to pick grain on the Sabbath (2:24). Finally, they challenged Him for healing a man on the Sabbath (3:2).
The last sentence of today's reading previews what is in store for Jesus. Mark says: "And they made plans to kill Jesus."
How do we respond to people who challenge us for following the dictates of our conscience?
Jesus said: "If the world hates you, just remember that it has hated me first….. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you too," (John 15:18-2)
Thursday
1 Samuel 18:6-9; 19:1-7; Mark 3:7-12
One day a father and his son were strolling around the garden. Then the son asked, "Dad, how come God doesn't want to talk to His people anymore the way he talked to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob or Moses?" "My son," said the father, "it is not that God doesn't talk to his people anymore, it's just that people don't stoop down and listen anymore."
Jesus after preaching the Good News and healing the sick would "avoid" people, go to a lonely place, would 'stoop down", pray and communicate with His Father. Jesus treasures this moment – to be alone with the Alone. It's his "date with the Father." Jesus' words and deeds are fruits of his contemplation. He knows his primary task: to listen to the Father. After listening, he became a very obedient son.
We who work in the vineyard of the Lord sometimes (or oftentimes) feel the urge to be "on the go." There is a big temptation to let our ego become bloated – "People are looking for me" I've power to heal! They like the way I explain the Word of God!" today Jesus, reminds us, "stoop down" – spend some moments of silence, go to a lonely place, have a "date with the Lord," listen to God.
Friday(St. Francis de Sales)
1 Samuel 24:3-21 Mark 3:13-19
"To be with him" and "to be sent out." These phrases mean opposite things, and yet they occur beside each other on the page. If he wanted them to be with him, why did he send them out?
Mark often uses this phrase 'to be with (him)': 2:19; 4:36; 5:18; 14:14, 67; 15:41. It is said to be almost his definition of discipleship. Peter was Mark's source, and Peter wrote about the time "when we were with him on the holy mountain" (2 Peter 1:18). In today's reading, too, it is a mountain. To be a disciple is to be with him on the holy mountain of prayer and meditation. But neither he nor they stayed forever on the mountain; they "went out" to the whole world. Every disciple is called not only to be with him but to go out to others. Prayer and action, said St Catherine of Siena, are like our two feet: we need them both if we are to follow the Way of Jesus.
Saturday(Conversion of St. Paul)
Acts 22:3-16; Mark 16:15-18
Today we celebrate the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul. St. Paul was born as Saul at Tarsus, the capital of Cilicia (modern Turkey), c.3 and encountered Christ on the road to Damascus which changed him forever. This conversion of St. Paul while he was on his way to Damascus is one of the most touching miracles in the history of the early Church. It shows us how faith comes from the grace of God and from one's free cooperation. And so he, from a persecutor (Saul), was transformed into the most zealous and courageous apostle (Paul).
When we hear the word 'conversion' we usually think of a great sinner who abandons a sinful life and becomes a good person. Someone said that actually St. Paul was not a bad person. When he persecuted the early Christian Church, he did it out of great zeal for God and his religion. He did it because he did not yet know Christ at that time. This Christ whom he did not know did not come to abolish his Jewish religion or destroy it but that Jesus brought profound and complete insights to who God is.
From the Christian point of view, conversion is basically the discovery of a person whose name is Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Giver of our lives. This is what happened to St. Paul. Once he discovered the love of Jesus in his life he dedicated himself completely to proclaiming that love to all who would listen.
The imagery in conversion is that of turning. A person is going along a road and realizes that he/she is on the wrong track. They will never reach the destination if they continue in that direction. So the person "turns," or "is converted." He/she ceases to go in the wrong direction and begins going in the right one. Conversion changes the direction of one's course of life from the wrong way to the right way, the way that God wants.
Therefore we must not think that conversion is only for those who are non-Catholics. All of us need conversion. In fact we Catholics need more conversion than other Christians if we are serious in saying that it is in the Catholic Church we can find the most complete revelation of Jesus. It was Christ and not His followers, not even His Apostles that this Church was founded. If we believe that Christ declared His intention of founding a Church, by the institution of a living authority when He said to Simon Peter: "And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it," (Matt. 16:18). This conversion is a task that never comes to an end until we will reach our final destiny. We have to always turn away from sin and grow deeper in our knowledge and love of Christ.
Monday
1 Sam 1: 1-8; Mk 1: 14-20
Even people much closer to him in time were puzzled by Jesus' choice of helpers. Eusebius (c. 260 - 340): "The disciples might reasonably have asked 'But how can we do it? How can we preach to Romans? How can we argue with Egyptians? We are brought up to use the Aramaic language only. What language shall we speak to Greeks? How shall we speak to Persians, Armenians, Chaldeans, Scythians, Indians and other scattered nations...?'" Origen (185 – 254): "There can be no doubt that it is not by human strength or resources that the word of Christ comes to prevail."
Jesus called ordinary people: not learned scribes or professional religious people, but working men. He himself came from a no-good place, Nazareth, he was apprenticed to a trade, and he never lost the common touch. Most people are snobs in one way or another, 'the kettle calling the pot black.' "You can't put a great soul into a commonplace person," wrote D.H. Lawrence; "commonplace persons have commonplace souls." Jesus, the man from Nazareth would never agree with that. He looked at broken bodies, ignorant minds, prostrated lives; he looked at loud-mouthed fishermen (those two were not called 'sons of thunder' for nothing!), and saw greatness there.
He even looked at Pharisees, who were the primary snobs of their day, and saw possibilities of greatness. If he had condemned them out of hand, there would have been no St Paul, who declared, "I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees" (Acts 23:6).
Tuesday
1 Sam 1: 9-20; Mk 1: 21-28
Synagogues were places of teaching; there was no sacrifice (that was in the Temple). But in casting out demons, Jesus was doing something for people; he wasn't just talking or discoursing on the Law, as the scribes did endlessly. When Jesus frequented synagogues, he did not just preach; he healed people's tortured minds and bodies; he restored their strength to them.
Sometimes preachers disable people, by a habit of denunciation, by forever enjoining obedience, quoting rules.... But see what happens when Jesus comes near people. "He spoke as one having authority," the gospels say. This expression 'having authority' usually means being authorised, having the right from some authority to act as one does. But the word 'authority' itself means just the opposite. It means to be oneself the source (the 'author') of one's words and actions. Jesus spoke with authority; he was not quoting texts, like the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus was his own man. That is what attracted people to him.
Wednesday
1 Sam 3: 1-10-19-20; Mk 1: 29-39
People flocked to Jesus because they recognized in him somebody "who could do things." Jesus was not only a preacher. He was a doer. He could and can, produce results.
Unfortunately, some people came "because they wanted something from Jesus." They did not come because they loved Jesus. They wanted to use Jesus to promote their personal needs.
This makes our relationship with God tragic: when people begin to regard God as a spare tire. A spare tire is usually unnoticed until a vehicle gets a flat tire on the road. Similarly, some people seem to forget God when life is fine and pleasant, but they ask God to remember them when there are storms and problems in life. Some people tend to forget God all day, but they ask God to remember them at night. If this is the case, religion to such people is simply a crisis affair. God is not someone to be used in days of misfortune. He is someone to be loved and remembered everyday of our lives. In good times and bad times God is to be loved and served.
Thursday
1 Sam 4: 1-11; Mk 1: 40-45
"Make me clean," the leper asked Jesus and Jesus was willing. This is a parable in action. In a short gospel episode, human misery meets divine compassion. God comforts everyone who suffers. He lifts the spirit of the depressed; he brings love and hope to people who are broken in body and spirit.
We too, are asked to extend the compassion of Jesus by becoming conveyors of grace and not avoiders of human tragedy. Someone might even have his own "leper": a person whom he avoids and does not want to see or talk to; could be someone close to him, perhaps even a member of his own family. The person I ostracize, isolate and insulate is my "leper." Do you also have a "leper"? Embrace your "leper" and God will reward you.
Friday
1 Sam 8:4-7, 10-22; Mk 2: 1-12
Jesus heals by forgiving. There are a lot of ways to heal a person but the best way is by forgiveness. Forgiveness heals the whole person inside out (psychological, emotional, spiritual and even physical). The first person that needs healing is the self. We need to forgive our own self because only when we decide to forgive ourselves that total healing begins.
Jesus revealed to us that God is always ready to forgive those who acknowledge their sinfulness. In the same way, He is willing to heal our illness because He wants to restore us to Himself. Forgiveness heals and restores relationship with others and leads us back to God. This is precisely what Jesus has done to the paralytic in today's gospel.
However, for most people the act of forgiving is hard and tough so they prefer to avoid it. They think that only God could forgive and not human beings. This kind of thought makes for a heart of stone. Having this kind of thought, we are not different from the teachers of the law who questioned Jesus' action of forgiveness. They only knew about laws but not love. A law without love is cruel and inhuman, and God despises it.
Forgiveness is God's definition of true love
Saturday
1 Sam 9:1-4, 17-19; 10:1; Mk 2: 13-17
If ever there was a "most hated person" list during our Lord's time, tax collectors would surely be on top of that list. For one, they were seen as collaborators of the Romans who have always been regarded by the Jews as the unwelcome conquerors of their beloved land. Thus tax collectors were unforgivable traitors for any patriotic Jew. Secondly, tax collectors were automatically seen as cheats and thieves for they pocketed whatever surplus was left from their tax collections.
In today's gospel we see Jesus' love and compassion being extended to a despised man, Matthew or Levi. With Matthew's acceptance of this invitation, we see a very profound story of conversion. Matthew had really given up everything when he responded to Jesus' call. While Peter and the fishermen in the group could go back to fishing if the Jesus enterprise did not succeed, Matthew could never go back to his former job for the stigma that he would have to live with in being in the company of Jesus of Nazareth. Matthew had burned his bridges so to speak. He turned his back forever from a job which brought bread to his family table and gave him a comfortable life not enjoyed by most of his fellow Jews. He had lost something. Big but got something bigger in turn, a true and dedicated life of discipleship. Surely, that was worth giving up everything for. Matthew may have lost the world but he gained heaven.
Monday
Mal 3: 1-4, 23-24; Lk 1: 57-66
Christians have seen in John the Baptist the messenger, promised in the prophet Malachi, whose task was to prepare the way so that "the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple." In other words, John was the messenger of the covenant, now offered to us all, in the Jesus in whom we delight.
John is honoured in all four Gospels, for his service of preparing hearts and minds to receive the message of Jesus. Luke, above all, highlights how John was received with joy – as a great gift not just to his parents and relatives, but to the humble people generally. A spirit of joyfulness and praise runs through the entire story surrounding John's birth.
And are our hearts open to John's message? Does the Lord whom he proclaimed wish to enter our lives, our homes, our world? The answer is clear and unmistakable: Yes, He does! How do we know? Simply by listening to what God is saying to us in the Scriptures, and in our community gathered in prayer.
Centuries before the birth of Jesus, the prophet Isaiah described the Messiah or Saviour as Someone who would live among His people and be one of them. The very name given to the Messiah points this out: "Emmanuel," which means "God is with us." In today's first reading from the Prophet Isaiah, we are reminded that the Lord wishes to live among us. "Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel." What was foretold by Isaiah came to be fulfilled as we hear in today's Gospel account from St. Matthew. "All this took place to fulfil what the Lord has said through the prophet: 'Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,' which means 'God is with us.'"
The promised Messiah or Saviour is none other than God, who in his Son Jesus took on our human nature, became one like us in all things except sin and dwells among us. "And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us" (cf. Jn 1:14). Does the Lord wish to enter our lives, our homes, and our world? Indeed, He does! He did that on the first Christmas and He continues to do that if we let Him.
Tuesday
2 Sam 7: 1-5, 8-11, 16; Lk 1: 67-79
Two days ago we had the Magnificat, today we have theBenedictus: two canticles found only in Luke's gospel. They are great cries of praise to God, who enters our world "to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death." A scholar said of these canticles that they are like "an aria in opera; the action almost stops so that the situation may be savoured more deeply."
"By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death." I once heard someone say that darkness is primary: that it is more fundamental than light, because light needs fuel but darkness does not, and that darkness is therefore eternal. We are afraid of the dark, he said, so we say God is light. In some ways, he said, we don't grow up; we are still terrified of the dark bedroom where we cannot see our mother. So we say God is light.
A Christian says that light is more fundamental than darkness. Darkness is nothing in itself; it is just the absence of light. Light is more fundamental than darkness. God could not be an absence. God is a tremendous presence, God is light. Darkness gives life to nothing, but light gives life to everything: all living things are forms of light, stored light-energy from the sun.
We say God is light in the way that we say God is good. The intention is not to limit God to what we know of these; but we say these realities point us towards God; or in St Paul's phrase, they make us "alive to God" (Romans 6:11).
Tomorrow we celebrate the birth of Jesus. In the obscurity of a windowless cave it will be hard for us to appreciate that the light has come into the world. But to the eye of faith – which is used to darkness – he is "the light shines in the darkness, which the darkness cannot overcome" (John 1:5).
Wednesday (Christmas)
Is 52: 7-10; Hb 1: 1-6; Jn 1: 1-18
There is a kind of timelessness about Christmas: it takes us out of our routines; suddenly all the rush of preparation is over and there is nothing more to do. This could be the moment to experience something different from the perpetual motion that is our ordinary life. But what happens? We turn on the TV, which is what we may have been doing every evening since last Christmas. No change. Then we say Christmas is boring, or sad, or too commercial…. Of course it is; it is just like all the other days. We have not allowed change to happen. We have not allowed space for anything new to appear. Paradoxically, all the flashing lights, the incessant television, the emailing and text-messaging…all have the effect of filling our lives and so leaving no space to move, no space for anything really different to appear; so we are enclosed in a cave of artificial lights that never lead us to the sun.
"The light shines in the darkness." But it does not shine in artificial light. We have to turn something off. We have to leave space and time for the new thing to appear.
The Child born today is God's new deed: the newest, the youngest, the most recent…the latest. But this is not announced in the excited voice of the advertisers; it is a silent deed. He is the Word made flesh, but he lies there as helpless to speak as any infant. Only in silence can this silent Word be heard. The new blade of grass does not make a scene or a noise; neither does the Word made flesh.
Thursday (St. Stephen)
Acts 6: 8-10; 7: 54-8:1; Mt 10: 17-22
"The one who fights with monsters should be careful lest he thereby become a monster," wrote Nietzsche. He becomes one if he uses the same means that the monster uses. Violence has its own logic and is willing to stay in place indefinitely. When Stalin was asked how long he was going to go on killing people he replied, "As long as it's necessary." That means forever, because a regime put in place by violence remains violent even after the killing stops. Violence breeds more violence in an endless spiral if some new element is not brought in. The new element is one that would never occur to a tyrant. "Hate cannot drive out hate," said Martin Luther King, "only love can drive out hate."
That new element is what the Gospel is about. Commenting on today's passage St John Chrysostom (+407) wrote: "Jesus is preparing the disciples for a new kind of combat. They are to suffer wrong and willingly permit others to inflict punishment upon them. This is meant to teach them that the victory is in suffering evil for the sake of good…. He does not instruct them to fight and resist those who would persecute them. All he promises them is that they will suffer with him the utmost ills." Jesus was born into a terrible world where violence is seen as normal. He was, and still is, the Prince of Peace in the kingdom of violence, but he refused to live according to its logic, so he had to die. After him, Stephen was the first Christian martyr, the first of many.
Friday (St. John, Apostle and Evangelist)
1Jn 1: 1-4; Jn 20:1a&2-8
In art St John is represented by an eagle, because (as St Augustine said) no one soared so near heaven as he did. Still, he had his feet on the ground too. It was he who showed us, rather than the institution of the Eucharist, Jesus washing the disciples' feet at the Last Supper and saying (equivalently), "Do this in memory of me." The most down-to-earth service of one another, it seems, is like another Eucharist – certainly a communion. As Eckhart put it, "Heaven can only work in the ground of the earth."
He became a disciple first of John the Baptist and then of Jesus, who called him to be an apostle and nicknamed him and his brother James 'Boanerges', "sons of thunder" (Mk 3:17). John, together with James and Peter, made up the inner group of disciples who were with Jesus on the heights and in the depths: they witnessed his Transfiguration and were present in Gethsemane. Next to Peter, John was the most active of the apostles in organising the early church in Palestine and, later, throughout Asia Minor. According to tradition, during a period of persecution of Christians by the Romans, John was banished to Patmos, where he wrote the Book of Revelation. Later he is said to have gone to Ephesus, where he wrote three Epistles and the fourth Gospel.
The prologue to that gospel begins with the language of sublimity, but soon we hear the heart-swelling words, "The Word was made flesh and lived among us, and we saw his glory…."
Saturday
1Jn 1: 5-2:2; Mt 2: 13-18
The first day of Christmas, the Church celebrated the martyrdom of St. Stephen, the first Christian to witness to Christ with his life. The second day of Christmas, the Church honoured St. John the Apostle and Evangelist who emphasized the divinity of Christ. These two men went into biblical history and Church history as men who were faithful to God and walked in His way. Today we come across a man who was a tragedy to himself and he caused tragic consequences – Herod. Because of his pathological state of mind and his paranoia, he ordered the slaughter of the infants at Bethlehem, and it counted as nothing for him. And this makes us reflect on the horrible deeds that are done to children and the unborn: child abuse, child labour, child pornography, abortion, infanticide. All these also counted as nothing for those who committed such atrocities and heinous crimes against children.
The feast of the Holy Innocents does not just recall the innocent infants who were martyred for Christ, because their blood now cries out for the children of the world who are suffering and being traumatised. The blood of the innocent children cries out for the children of the world and to us. We have to teach and guide, protect and guard our children. If we cannot get that right, we will not be able to get anything right.
May God bless the children who are entrusted to us and may we care for them and guide them in the ways of the Lord. May Mother Mary and St. Joseph help us in this mission.
Monday
Num 24: 2-7, 15-17; Mt 21: 23-27
The chief priests and the elders of the people pleaded ignorance to Jesus' question about whether John's baptism was of human or of divine origin.
Their action forced them into an embarrassing and compromising position, we might say. It was actually their duty to help people distinguish between true and false prophets. Pleading ignorance, they claimed that they could not fulfil their duty.
It is humiliating to plead ignorance to avoid the consequences of telling the truth. When it comes to truth, the question is not "What is the safe answer to give?" Rather it is, "What is the right answer to give?
Tuesday
Gen 49: 2, 8-10; Mt 1: 1-17
Indeed the first Christian heresy was Docetism, a belief that Jesus only appeared to be human, that he only appeared to be born, to suffer, to die. The reaction to this heresy is already visible in the New Testament writings: "We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands…" (1 Jn 1:1). It was and is crucial to hold that Jesus was one of us, truly and fully human; that in fact is the real source of our hope. He entered our life as it is, not as it should be (it doesn't exist as it should be). Severus mentioned "the ancient patriarchs in the lineage" of Jesus. That was the reputable side of Jesus' ancestry. He might also have mentioned the disreputable side.
The names in that long list have a great deal of shock-value. All human life is there: murder, treachery, incest, adultery, prostitution…. In the first list of fourteen names there are three women, an unusual feature: Tamar, Rahab and Ruth. Tamar gave birth to twins by her father-in-law; Rahab was a prostitute, and Ruth was a Moabite, a foreigner. In the second list of fourteen, there is another woman, Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite. King David observed her bathing from the roof of his house, and invited her in and seduced her; then he had her husband killed, so that he could marry her. At the end of the third section a fifth woman is mentioned: Mary the mother of Jesus. It is an unedifying litany of names that leads us to Mary and Jesus. This is the world they entered. Nothing in the Scriptures encourages us to look at it with rose-tinted spectacles.
Wednesday
Jer 23: 5-8; Mt 1: 18-24
God willed that His own eternal Son would be the Saviour of the entire human race. In the lavish language of Jeremiah, we hear about him as the "righteous Branch will be raised up from David's descendants, and that through him his people will be saved and live in safety. In the Gospel, Jesus is described as the one who "will save his people from their sins." To save us is why he came! In order to do so, although he was God from eternity, he elected to take on our humanity, fully and in the flesh, by being born of a mother!
That was Mary's role and mission: to be the mother who served God's saving plan. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church puts it, "To become the mother of the Saviour, Mary was enriched by God with gifts appropriate to her role. The angel Gabriel salutes her as 'full of grace' – totally ready for her great mission in life.
As God prepared Mary for her role and mission, so are we too prepared for what is asked of us. This principle — that God prepares those whom He chooses for their role and mission — is true for everyone who is prepared to serve God. We are chosen and called to holiness. God has prepared us for works of service by giving us Jesus to be our Lord and guide, by calling us to the saving waters of Baptism, by giving us the support of the Church and its Sacraments, and by strengthening us to cooperate with His saving will.
Thursday
Jgs 13: 2-7, 24-25; Lk 1: 5-25
The reading and gospel are interesting history if one wants to know more about the Samson's parents or John the Baptist's parents. Here were two couples who were without children and now well past the time to conceive but they continued to have unrelenting faith. That these two couples never lost faith in spite of their hardship is worthy of reflection, but is there another deeper meaning imbedded in these readings that is worthy of our consideration?
Mindful that we are in the Advent season and just one week away from the most beautiful birth of all, that of Christ Jesus, the reading and the gospel reinforce how truly precious the creation of life is and the joy that comes to parents when they are first made aware that they are with child. And then, is there anything greater for the couple than the birth of their child and to experience the miracle of creation? Thus as we head into these last 7 days before Christmas let us keep our focus not only on the power of prayer but on the miracle of creation.
Friday
Is 7: 10-14; Lk 1: 26-38
The Annunciation story is full of splendid promise, radiant with a bright future. God's messenger tells of a coming Saviour: "He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High… He will reign forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." Setting these lines alongside all the other echoes of joy in Luke's opening chapters, and we have the happy prospect of a God who wants every human being to be saved – to have a share in God's own endless fullness of life.
Perhaps the fifth century saint Caesarius of Arles was thinking of today's joyful Scriptures when he wrote that "God never deserts anyone, unless He is first deserted by that one. For even if one has committed grievous sins once, twice, and a third time, God still looks for him, so that he may be converted and live."
Saturday
Song 2: 8-14; Lk 1: 39-45
What a fascinating overlap there is between the two biblical passages for today. The Song of Songs pours out some of the lyrical love-poetry written by King Solomon for his young bride from Egypt, describing the overflowing emotions of love that she feels for him, and he for her, at the time of their nuptials. St. Luke, on the other hand, portrays the deep spiritual friendship that bonds Mary with Elizabeth, as they ponder how God has blessed both of them, and through them, so many others who would come to a fuller life, under the influence of John the Baptist and of Jesus.
Sharing faith is not always easy. An evangelistic writer said recently: "When I tell people about my experience of joy since becoming a Christian, they sometimes say, 'all this Jesus stuff is just a crutch for weak people.' Do you know what I think? If Jesus is a crutch, then give me two!" But we need to share what we have felt, and it can benefit both ourselves and those with whom we share our spiritual experience.
Mary and Elizabeth both felt the saving grace of God pouring over their lives – and were not afraid to say so. Many of us were raised on the principle that 'God helps those who help themselves' and that displays of need are out of place in the pursuit of holiness. Maybe we need to learn again what Elizabeth says so clearly: that God is a gracious God, and it is a blessed thing to believe in that graciousness.
Monday
Is 4: 2-6; Mt 8: 5-11
'My servant is lying at home paralyzed." Would you go out of your way to help someone who is not related to you? Would you sacrifice your time for persons unimportant to you?
This is what the centurion does for his servant. The centurion (from the Latin centum, one hundred) is a Roman officer in command of 100 soldiers. He is a man of authority, a master with power of life and death over people in his charge. Servants have no rights of their own. They are seen not as persons but as objects at the disposal of their masters.
Yet the centurion shows great concern for the welfare of his servant who is thus considered a person, a friend, even a member of the family. In his desire to find healing for his servant, the centurion sets his power, authority, and reputation aside just to approach Jesus. He personally seeks and appeals to Jesus for the health of his servant.
We do not need titles and positions to approach Jesus. We can go to him any time and present our case. He is most certainly pleased with our desire and effort to grow in intimate relationship with him and in service to others.
Do you appreciate the service rendered by people who work for you and do you strive to improve their lives?
Tuesday (Solemnity of St. Francis Xavier)
Jer 1: 4-8, 2 Cor 4: 7-15; Lk 10: 1-16
"What will it profit a man to gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" were the words that were constantly repeated to Francis Xavier by Ignatius of Loyola. Francis, a worldly, intelligent, ambitious young man, consistently and vigorously resisted every attempt of Ignatius who was determined to claim him for Jesus. Francis did not want anyone or anything to come between him and his future as he was determined to pursue a successful intellectual career in his life. Francis was adamant and focussed with regard to what he wanted to become in his life but Ignatius was persistent and continued with more faith and fervour to speak to Francis with the words of the Lord. Gradually Francis began to listen to his inner voice as he started to rethink about his own life from a different perspective, and his life was taking a turn for Christ and his mission. He knew for sure that he had to give up his present way of life in order to accept and live Jesus and his Gospel. Francis worked hard to overcome his passion, pride and vain glory in order to follow Christ, and he gradually gave up everything for the Lord. He took upon himself to preach the Gospel to the nations and bring many souls to Jesus. St. Francis is a model for missionaries as his life was formed according to the spirit of the apostles. He experienced tranquillity of soul and communicated a perpetual cheerfulness. He lives Christ and gave Christ to the people. Let us ask ourselves: am I willing to give up my ambitions and riches for Jesus and follow him?
Prophet Isaiah assures us that the Messiah to come will have the Spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel, strength, knowledge and the fear of God. Who is this Messiah? He is the visible manifestation of the eternal, infinite and holy God who will not judge the people by their appearance or hearsay but by justice, Jesus, our Messiah, will treasure, love, and save us from sins and death, and lead us to the Father. Jesus perfectly reflects the person, mind, will, heart, nature, character and essence of God. So, to know the Father, we need to know Jesus. Jesus reveals to us the Father's love and compassion and makes us participants in his life. The season of Advent calls us to share our joy by rejoicing in the giftedness and uniqueness of those around us by becoming like children and possessing childlike humility.
Wednesday
Is 25: 6-10; Mt 15: 29-37
In the gospel, Jesus took the first step. His compassion compelled Him to feed the people even before they asked. He couldn't allow them to go hungry. In Jesus' healing of the sick, He would wait until they asked to be cured. In the feeding miracles, in the multiplication of loaves and fishes, he initiates, he does not wait to be asked.
Is it not a wonder how Jesus gives of Himself in the Eucharist? He initiates, he waits. His love overflows. What's our response especially in this Advent Season?
Thursday
Is 26: 1-6; Mt 7: 21. 24-27
As we read the gospel passage today, we ask ourselves the question that pulls together this week's Advent liturgy: Who is Jesus whose birthday we prepare to celebrate and whose coming in our lives we await? Jesus Himself reveals to us in His words – He is the Rock, the Sure foundation of life.
Owning and building a house is every man's lifetime dream: adorning one's own house is every woman's dream. The "house" as Jesus uses it in the gospel might as well then represent our life and all our life projects. In relation to this project, Jesus does not simply want to be the roof (one that shades from sun and rain). Jesus does not simply want to be a wall (one that secures from outside forces). Jesus does not simply want to be a door or a window (one that offers a way out, an escape). Jesus wants to be the rock – the bedrock, the one that supports all.
How about us? Have we accepted Jesus as our rock?
Friday
Is 29: 17-24; Mt 9: 27-31
Jesus' final word to the two blind men challenges our sense of charity: "See to it that no one knows of this." It is very easy to do kind things for others when the crowd stands ready for a good cheer or praise. We enjoy the fleeting consolation of recognition and reckon with a well-deserved recompense for the good we have done. However, sincere and honest charity is indifferent to acclamations and unconcerned about rewards.
It was told of St. Nicholas that he once helped a destitute father by throwing a bag of gold through an open window and hurried away. Charity is always ingenious and kind-hearted people create a difference in other people's lives without or show of publicity. Does it ever get into the headlines that a mother who lost her only daughter in an accident generously gave away her child's vital organs and rejoiced in the thought that she received back the daughter she had lost in the new life of three suffering patients? Let us allow the hidden charity of Jesus to come alive in us as Advent prepares us for the gift-giving of Christmas.
Saturday
Is 30: 19-21. 23-26; Mt 9: 35-10: 1, 5-8
Our first reading today tells us that God will listen to the cry of his people. And when he comes, he will bind up their wounds and completely heal them. This promise is fulfilled in Jesus Christ who "went around all the tons and village teaching in the synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and cured every sickness and disease."
This particular passage summarizes the mission of Jesus in word and deed which is to liberate Israel of their afflictions and maladies. We also find Jesus' compassion for the crowd because they lack spiritual guidance "like sheep without a shepherd." Matthew aptly describes these people as "harassed and helpless," a phrase that signifies their being ravaged and abused and left to die.
Jesus chose his 12 companions (disciples) to gather these wounded people. He empowered them to proclaim the message of the kingdom, heal all kinds of diseases and drive away demons. And this authority has been given to the church through the sacraments
Monday
Dan 1: 1-6, 8-20; Lk 21:1-4
Today's Gospel teaches us about the true sense of giving. The poor widow offers "her whole livelihood. She does not think much about her everyday needs. She trusts God's providence. It is a trust that is a product of years of experiencing divine generosity. Thus she herself learns to be generous and to give what matters most to her. In her kind of giving she shows how much she loves—until it hurts. She does not depend on money but on God. She loves God to the fullest that is why she gives her all. God is her wealth.
In contrast, the wealthy people who make "offerings from their surplus wealth" show that they give what is excess, something they do not greatly need. It does not hurt them to part with the kind of money they have given. They cannot make the ultimate self-sacrifice in giving. True giving is sharing what we value most without reservation, without condition. Selfless giving is giving till it hurts.
Tuesday
Dan 2: 31-45; Lk 21: 5-11
Do not be terrified. The Gospel tells us that we are not living in a settled or permanent situation. All things are passing—the seasons, our world, our life. We are just on pilgrimage here on earth. Our final home is heaven, to be with God. However, the Gospel tells us that we should not be too preoccupied with the end of time. No use speculating the exact date of the end of the world. Only God knows.
As believers, we are told not to let fear paralyze our belief in God. When earthly turmoil and cosmic signs come, Jesus asks us to be firm in our faith. We should continue trusting. The end of time will mean the triumph of God and goodness.
Let us remember that our God is a loving God who wills the salvation of his people. As St. Teresa of Jesus urges us, "Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you, all things pass away: God never changes. Patience obtains all things. He who has God finds he lacks nothing; God alone suffices."
Wednesday
Dan 5: 1-6, 13-14, 16-17, 23-28; Lk 21: 12-19
Opposition is not alien to the Christian vocation. People will oppose violently what threatens their existence and their way of life. Christianity is no exception. It puts forth the rule of God and goodness against all evil forces. Persecution, since time immemorial, has been unleashed against Christians, as Christ himself was crucified for advocating the truth about God, about himself.
Anyone who follows Jesus follows the same path of persecution. A true follower is ready to undergo what Jesus experienced. Yes, we will suffer for Jesus. But there are assurances from Jesus that in the end the good will triumph. Even if we will be sent and scattered, like bread we will be shared and finally be saved. In spite of sacrifices, let us put then our hope in God. God will be with us. He will assist us. Let us remember that if persecutions are in store for the followers of Christ, divine protection and assistance are also assured.
Thursday
Dan 6: 11-27; Lk 21: 20-28
Some people get scared when they read about "prophets" and their scary prophecies about the end of the world. These people are afraid of a definite end and of the thought of dying because "everybody wants to go to heaven but no one wants to die," as the lyrics of a song have it.
The apocalyptic language in today's gospel is scary indeed. But how different were the Jewish rabbis in facing the future: "if there were a plant in your hand and they should say to you, 'Look, the Messiah is here,' go and plant your plant and after that go forth to receive him!" Jesus teaches us a similar quiet approach, "…stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand!"
We do not live to be obliterated. God has not created us to destroy us. God is a loving Father who wants only one thing: redeem us, save and bring us into his presence to live with him forever. What is there to be frightened about? In fact, there is a reason enough to "stand erect", to be full of joyful expectation. For the "end" is the beginning of a blissful eternity
Friday
Dan 7: 2-14; Lk 21: 29-33
Today's reading from Daniel describes frightening dream-like visions which Daniel saw during the night. The visions Daniel saw were quite terrifying and violent. Toward the end of the visions, Daniel saw a hopeful sign: One like a son of man coming, on the clouds of heaven and Daniel believed that God had intervened. The point of all the visions is that God will soon intervene to destroy all evil so that those who stand firm in their faith will triumph The moral is that (people) of faith can resist temptation and conquer adversity.
We may not have monstrous-type lions with eagle wings or bears with tusks or leopards with four heads in our dreams but what are the challenges which block us from God, self and one another? How does fear control us and what are we missing?
Saturday (St. Andrew)
Rom 10: 9-18; Mt 4: 18-22
In the first three gospels Andrew is not mentioned except in lists of the Twelve. But in John's gospel he appears three times, and in each case he is introducing other people to Jesus! First of all, his brother, Simon Peter. Then in John 6:8 he is bringing forward a boy with five loves and two fish. And in John 12:20-22 he is bringing some Greeks to Jesus. Meanwhile he himself managed to remain almost invisible.
In John's gospel, Jesus first called this same Andrew, and Andrew introduced his brother Simon (Peter) to Jesus (1:40). Yet it was Peter, not Andrew, who came to be in the inner circle, "Peter, James and John." Andrew is regularly described as "the brother of Simon Peter" (Matthew 10:2; Lk 6:14). Yet nowhere does he show any resentment about this.
It is rare enough to find people who are willing to be invisible, or to take the second place. How good it would be if the only thing that people could remember about you is that you brought people to Jesus!
Monday
1Mac 1:10-15, 41-43,54-57,62-64; Lk 18: 35-43
Successful people are cut differently from the rest of humanity – they are the most focused and they know what they really want. Knowing what they want they passionately push themselves forward to meet their destiny. Their sense of need drives them relentlessly toward their goal. Nothing could stop them – not even seemingly insurmountable odds could.
The blind man by the roadside is helpless and dependent on the promptings and generosity of others. Nevertheless, he knew what he wanted – the recovery of his sight, and his dignity in the community. He lived in that spirit passionately from the very depth of his heart. And when the opportune time presented itself he did not hesitate to blurt it out: "Lord, please let me see." His sight restored, the course of his life changed for good.
So, asking and naming what we truly need is half the need achieved. Pushing ourselves to achieve what we desire completes the process. Didn't Jesus remind us that we only need to know what we want, and in faith ask and seek for it? For those who truly believe, even in the most impossible situation, God is able to do for us more than we could ever ask for or e3ven imagine (Eph 3:20). Let's take the cue from the blind man – at first he only wanted to see, and it was granted. But more than just seeing physically, he longed to see the real source of light and decided to follow Him.
Tuesday
2 Mac 6: 18-31; Lk 19: 1-10
One quality of God is initiative which means he initiates moves to save us. This is clearly proclaimed in the classic words of Paul to the Romans, "…while we were yet sinners Christ died for us" (5:8). Before we even realize our needs, God is there providing them already. And even in doing good things, God has already inspired us to do them. God initiates the move.
The case of Zaccheus however seems to be an exception to this. Before Jesus could reach out to him, Zaccheus beat him by climbing a sycamore tree and initiated contact with him. What this man did in order to see Jesus must have flattered because this tax collector was a wealthy man and must have been known figure in town.
Wealthy and famous personalities do not climb trees to see something; in the Philippines famous characters have reserved seats on the stage. Could you imagine for example senators, congressmen, mayors, showbiz celebrities, priests, bishops, climbing a tree just to see the Pope pass in his armored vehicle? Only the type of Nora Aunor would wait down the stage for her name to be called be called before she climbs the stage. Only the type of Zaccheus would climb a tree for someone he perceived was worth losing his poise.
Jesus was embarrassed by the action of Zaccheus, because the latter initiated the move; Jesus knew that the man put one over him. He could not let this pass unrepaid. So Jesus decided to also lose his poise: he invited himself to the house of Zaccheus. Normally, no sane person invites himself/herself to the house of someone he/she has just met. And yet Jesus could not be outdone in generosity.
To people like Zaccheus who may be short in body but tall and big in heart, Jesus, the Son of God, visits: 'Today salvation has come…" to this man.
Wednesday
2 Mac 7: 1, 20-31; Lk 19: 11-28
A story is told about a young freelance artist who tried to sell his sketches to a number of newspapers. They all turned him down. One editor told him he had no talent.
But he had faith in his ability and kept on trying to sell his work. Finally he got a job -making drawings for a church publicity material. He rented a mouse-infested garage and continued to produce drawings in the hope that someone would buy them.
One of the mice in the garage must have inspired him, for he created a cartoon character called Mickey Mouse. Walt Disney was on his way. It is because of the diligence and perseverance of the young freelance artist that led him to success and at the same time a blessing to many others.
Likewise, the parable of the talents challenges us to cultivate regularly and perseveringly our God-given talents – qualities and virtues to produce good fruits. Like a garden that is taken care of regularly in order to produce flowers our talents are not kept personally or secretly, they must be shared to others. Do I share my talents to others? Is my success a blessing to my community? Could my life of good example help others to come closer to Christ?
Thursday (Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
Zec 2: 10-13; Mt 12: 36-40
Many of the celebrations in honour of Mary are squarely based on Gospel texts. St Luke tells of her acceptance of God's invitation to be the mother of the Saviour at the Annunciation. We know of her maternity and of her faithfulness to her son, Jesus, even, as St John reports, standing at the side of his cross. But the Evangelists tell us nothing about Mary's early life. The inspired Word makes no mention of the event celebrated each year on November 21st, her Presentation in the Temple. This devotion is testified by a tradition that comes from a century after her life. The Presentation of Our Lady in the Temple is told in a delightful Apocryphal text, the Protoevangelium of James, which may be dated around the year 200 AD.
This fictitious book offers a devotional account of Mary's early life, clearly drawing on the Gospel stories of Christ's infancy as a model. Her father, Joachim, wishes to bring the child Mary to serve in the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem, but his wife Anna gets him to wait until Mary is three years old, before having her live far from her parents. When the day arrived, a group of Hebrew virgins goes with Mary to the Temple, with lamps burning. There the priest receives her, blesses her, and proclaims, "The Lord has magnified your name in all generations. In you, the Lord will manifest His redemption to the children of Israel."
Mary was placed on the third step of the Temple, where she "danced with joy and all the house of Israel loved her." The story goes on to describe how she continued in the Temple, living in the service of the Lord, while her parents returned home, glorifying God. The focus of the book is clear: from her earliest childhood Mary was completely dedicated and given over to God. It is to this beautiful apocryphal account that we owe the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lady.
In the sixth century the Emperor Justinian built a splendid church dedicated to Mary in the Temple area in Jerusalem. This basilica was dedicated in 543 but was destroyed by the Persians within a century. Several church Fathers such as Germanus, Patriarch of Constantinople (+730) and his contemporary John Damascene, preached homilies on this feast, referring to Mary as God's special flower which was being nurtured for better things. "She was planted in the House of God, nourished by the Holy Spirit and kept her body and soul spotless to receive God in her bosom. He who is all-holy rests among the holy."
In the Eastern Church the Presentation is one of the twelve great feasts of the liturgical year. For the Easterns it celebrates the same belief that we in the West have focussed even more sharply through the feast of the Immaculate Conception: Mary's unique holiness. It appears that by the ninth century at least, the Presentation was treasured in the monasteries of southern Italy influenced by the Byzantine tradition. It is recorded that it was celebrated in Avignon, France in 1373. Its wider acceptance in the West was slow and only in the year 1472 did Pope Sixtus IV extend its celebration to the universal Church.
Friday
1 Mac 4: 36-37, 52-59; Lk 19: 45-48
What Christ did in the gospel is an example of righteous indignation, an indication that Christ opposes anything that makes light of what is God.
The presence of merchants in the temple was evidence of something that had gone out of bounds. Their excessive and worldly preoccupations were disrupting the worship of God. And Jesus saw this. Christ's display of indignation is a rare account indeed. No other part in the gospels speaks of Jesus' temper as this one.
When someone is upset, we seek to understand what provoked the person. If we have anything to do with it, we move with concern to repair the damage. Next, we ask for forgiveness and restore things to their rightful place. The final step which remains a constant is a commitment to reform in order not to commit the same offence once more. As for God, we offend him every so often, but we always anchor our hope on our forgiving and understanding Lord.
Saturday
1 Mac 6: 1-13; Lk 20: 27-40
The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection. In an encounter with Jesus, today's gospel passage, they obviously made fun of this belief by posing an argument: "At the resurrection whose wife will that woman be? For all seven had been married to her."
Why was it that the Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection? According to them, such belief was not explicitly said in the Law of Moses. It was only a deduction, by some interpreters of the Law. However, there was something more profound behind this disbelief. In Jesus' time, the Sadducees were an exclusive group made up of the cream of Jewish society: the wealthy, the aristocrats, the priestly class. It is an understatement therefore to say that they were living like "Contented cows." They were a self-contained lot, not wanting of anything. With a life like theirs, who needs the resurrection? For them, if ever there is an afterlife, it is simply a glorified continuation of earthly life.
Jesus answered the question by meeting the Sadducees on their own ground: the Law of Moses. He said that Moses also wrote that "God is the God of Abraham, of Isaac and Jacob. God is the God of the living and not of the dead." How can Moses proclaim God in this way when Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were long dead? This means that the three great figures of the Old Testament were still "alive."
Nobody has come back yet from the dead to tell us the real score. Is there really an afterlife? What kind of existence shall we have? This reflection of a spiritual writer could help: we don't know what the future holds for us, but we know Who holds the future. Isn't He enough to make us believe?
Monday
Wis 1: 1-7; Lk 17: 1-6
The Lord tells us in today's gospel that scandal or temptation is part and parcel of our human existence. Depending on one's situation in life, every day, there will arise the temptation to stumble or sin. It is inevitable due to our nature. What we can and should avoid at all cost, Jesus warns, is steering others to temptation. We should in no way corrupt others, or cause another person to sin. Jesus is emphatic, in today's gospel, that leading another person to stumble or fall in their walk with him, is a grave offence.
Sometimes, we may unintentionally cause others to sin by our speech, lifestyle, or even by the way we dress. Regardless of whether the temptation is intentional or not, we need to be mindful of how our words and actions affect those around us. Although we are weak ourselves, Jesus reminds us that our faith in him, is armour which can protect our human frailty.
Every day, let us pray for the grace to remain close to him, so that he may keep us from sin and help us to be a holy influence to those around us.
Tuesday
Wis 2: 23- 3: 9; Lk 17: 7-10
In today's parable Jesus seems to accept customs which are not acceptable today; but he is simply drawing his parable from the realities of life about him. He refers to slavery and to what a master can expect from the slave. For work well done the master would not necessarily show gratitude, because the slave was just doing his job. Jesus did not endorse slavery; rather he prepared the way for its abolition by emphasizing the dignity of everyone. But he insists that the eternity God has in store for us will far surpass our human merits. It is a comforting thought that God blesses us much more than we can ever deserve.
Wednesday
Wis 6: 1- 11; Lk 17: 11-19
Lepers were outcasts, required by the law to stand at a distance from people (Leviticus 13:45f). But in the story of the Ten Lepers, shared misery had brought Jewish and Samaritan lepers together. There was deep religious hatred between the Jews and the Samaritans. The Samaritans were heretics and foreigners in the eyes of the Jews, and their region a melting-pot of different cults and customs; Jews despised it as a blot on their country. Had those ten people not been lepers they would never have been found in one another's company.
Samaria was a very inconveniently situated blot: right in the middle of the country. So when Jews wanted to travel between Galilee in the north and Judea in the south, they had either to pass through Samaritan country or to skirt it. Things could be unpleasant for them if they passed through, but the journey was twice as long if they went around.
Doesn't everyone have Samaritan territory in the middle of his or her life? It is the part of your life that is a mess: where you are at your very weakest and worst, where your thoughts and motives are all mixed up and unclear, where you have never had peace and hardly dare to hope for it.
But many of the heroes and heroines of Jesus' stories were Samaritans – the one leper who came back, the Good Samaritan, the Samaritan woman. There's hope for us all.
Thursday
Wis 7: 22- 8:1; Lk 17: 20 -25
"The kingdom of God is among you." How is it with us, in our midst?
First, the kingdom or reign of God refers to Jesus himself. He is God incarnate. While on earth and having a human body, Jesus remains united with the other Persons of the Blessed Trinity. There is uninterrupted communion among them. In Jesus, God's will is done, thus God reigns perfectly.
Second, God's kingdom is present when we follow Jesus' teachings. When we live his teachings, we change our old ways of life, our mentality, attitudes, behaviour, and values. Christ lives in us and we resemble Christ in many respects. When we are reconciled with God through Christ, we are freed from sins that block our relationship with God. When we allow Jesus to be the Lord of our lives, then God's kingdom comes to us and is made visible.
The Gospel tells us that no earthly signs can pinpoint the coming or location of God's kingdom. There is no exact location, for the kingdom of God does not have boundaries or limits.
Friday
Wis 13: 1-9; Lk 17: 26-37
This is Jesus talking about the end times (in Luke's gospel he does so again in 21:5-38).
"On that day," he said, there will be no time to go and sort things out. There will be no more time because time itself will be no more. There will be no time to collect your things from your home. Don't look back, as Lot's wife did, lingering after things you have to leave behind.
That will be the ultimate Now, the moment of consummation. In the meantime we are to live the Now that is given us at each moment. The advice is the same: don't go back to the past, trying to salvage something from there, don't even look back. Don't look forward either, that's how you postpone your life, endlessly deferring the things that would satisfy the heart, while longing for things that never could. Those deeper things are given you in the Now. It is not by day-dreaming that you come to the ultimate future, the consummation. It is by living the present; the present is the only road to the future. The Kingdom of God is already among us. Its consummation is unimaginable, but we live it already in the humblest and the most truthful of all moments: the Now.
Saturday
Wis 18: 14-16; 19: 6-9; Lk 18: 1-8
The parable in today's gospel tells of the persistence and perseverance of a widow. She did not give up nor get discouraged when she was refused help by the judge, "who neither feared God nor respected any human being." She kept on asking the judge to render her a just decision, until the judge granted her request finally, though obviously not out of compassion, but simply to get rid of her.
Our Lord reminds us to pray always and not to lose heart nor get discouraged when our prayers are not immediately answered. Unlike the judge, Jesus assures us of his help, "Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be opened to you…." (Lk 11:9). St. Paul, who sees the importance of praying without losing heart, exhorts us, "Pray without ceasing," (1Thess 5:17) "Persevere in prayer…" (Col 4:2).
Are we steadfast and persevering in our prayer? Do we easily give in to discouragement when our prayers are not readily answered? Are we aware that the Lord answers our prayers in his own time and in his own way because, as a loving God, He wants only what is best for us?
Monday
Rom 11: 29-36; Lk 14: 12-14
Jesus warned his disciples against worldly honour, and there have always been very many who took his warning to heart. To make the teaching tangible there are many examples in the New Testament. Jesus called John the Baptist the greatest man who ever lived. He was great because he was able to be little. "He [Jesus] must increase, I must decrease," are the words John's gospel attributes to him (John 3:30). Mary the mother of Jesus is the example closest to everyone's heart. She too is great because she saw her own littleness. "God looks on his servant in her lowliness" (Luke 1:48). It is the distinctive logic of the gospel: the first shall be last, the last first. Rank and preferment and promotion are the polar opposite of the teaching of Jesus.
But his disciples found it hard to follow this teaching, even in the early days. Read 1 Corinthians 11:17-22; Philippians 2:1-11; James 2:1-5; 4:6; 5:1-6. And there wasn't much improvement as the centuries rolled on.
Humility is an important theme in Luke's gospel: 1:52-53; 6:21, 25; 10:15; 18:14, etc. This is an absolute contrast to the pagan Roman world of his time. "Humble things befit the humble," wrote Horace. But Luke says, "God casts the mighty from their thrones and raises up the lowly; God fills the starving with good things, sends the rich away empty" (Luke 1:52-53). Sometimes the disciples of Jesus are spiritually closer to Horace than they are to him.
For Nietzsche, Christian morality was a perfect example of a slave morality driven by resentment of the strong. But Max Scheler disagreed, seeing the Christian saint as driven by strength and nobility, not by resentment. It takes greatness to become little, strength to become weak, wisdom to embrace the folly of the Cross.
Tuesday
Rom 12: 5 -16:1; Lk 14: 15-24
People began to make excuses for not coming to the party. They were not the most convincing excuses in the world. Why was that first one in such a hurry to check out his new field? Surely he had checked it out before he bought it. The second one had bought five oxen. Most ancient landowners had only one or two, so this was like saying "I must take my Ferrari for a run." The third one said he was just married and therefore couldn't come. Ancient husbands were far from hen-pecked, so it wasn't that his wife had refused him permission. The law allowed a newly married man to be free from certain obligations, such as military service (Deut 20:7; 24:5), but going to a party wouldn't spoil his honeymoon. Besides, he had already accepted the invitation. Obviously he just didn't want to bother.
If you really want to do something, you always find time and opportunity to do it. If you don't want to do it, one excuse is as good as another. To excuse yourself is to accuse yourself. Some of us spend a great part of the day making excuses. We even make excuses to ourselves, incredibly expecting ourselves to believe them. They are a catalogue of dishonesty. An honest failure is a fine thing, but dishonesty has nothing to be said for it. So in Jesus' story, the master sent out for some honest failures: "the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame." When there was still room, he sent out for more – from the highways and the byways.
We can appreciate that the "leader of the Pharisees", who had invited Jesus to dinner, didn't enjoy his dinner very much that day; and we can see him wondering which character in the story was himself. We may well wonder – because the story is about us too.
Wednesday
Rom 13: 8-10; Lk 14: 25-33
If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother…he cannot be my disciple." Is Jesus negating the 4th commandment: "Honour your father and your mother"? Is he contradicting his own commandment to "love your neighbour as you love yourself"? Not at all!! It is good to note that Luke, wanting to stress a more radical response to the invitation of Christ, expresses this point in a typical Semitic fashion. Thus, the statement, "whoever wants to follow Christ must hate father and mother" is just another way of saying one must love Christ more than one's father and mother. To be a Christian, to be a disciple means to put Christ in the centre of our lives.
Thursday
Rom 14: 7-12; Lk 15: 1-10
Luke specialises in lost property! His gospel is peopled with waifs and strays, some of whom we met a few days ago: the people "from the highways and byways." The present chapter consists of three parables on the theme of lost-and-found. There is the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost (or prodigal) son.
These parables were inspired by the Pharisees' objection to his friendship with sinners. The Pharisees gave no evidence of any joy in their lives, but in all three of Jesus' parables there is joy and celebration. Those Pharisees try to make you believe that religion is a kind of elevated boredom. Many Christians are remarkably like them; they take the joy out of religion, leaving it dull and uninspiring. A great deal of Christian preaching is like flat beer.
It is the drama of loss and recovery that sparks joy in each of the parables. If there is no joy for me, it is probably because I have never felt lost. And if I have never felt lost, that is proof that I have never attempted to go anywhere. I have made no personal journey; instead I have just followed suit; I have been a good boy or girl all my life. I am the elder brother in the parable of the Prodigal Son. Yes, the prodigal son behaved very badly; and no, I am not worse than he is. I really am good. But if you could speak of 'bad goodness', that would describe me. I am good in a way that equates goodness with playing safe, never risking getting spattered in trying to help another. The Pharisees said that you became unclean if you walked two steps of the road with a sinner. You won't catch any of them going after a person who is lost. They have never risked being lost themselves. They wouldn't know what to do or say to a lost person. So they stay inside their own crippling definition of goodness and criticise anyone who isn't similarly crippled.
Better to be a bad Christian than a good Pharisee.
Friday
Rom 15: 14-21; Lk 16: 1-8
There must be something in Jesus that attracted the marginalized such as the tax collectors and public sinners. Aside from the content of his preaching which surely, gave hope to their persecuted lives, they began to see themselves as persons of worth, too. Jesus reached out to those around him by way of his attitude towards people. The relationship express themselves through the manner we bear our character and personal traits. In one word: ATTITUDE.
We have met people with a contagious attitude. People with whom we feel at home with because optimism is all over them. People capable of so much inspiration and motivation for the weary and the down-hearted, as they themselves are weighed down by their own inner struggles. On the other hand, there are people whose goodness ends in mere words but the way they express themselves suggests troubled inners selves. We feel uncomfortable and even tense in their presence. The attitude of Jesus reveals the source of his attraction. He was loved by the Father. He was very much aware of that. That was the source of his heart's satisfaction and peace. That was what people, especially the unloved, the marginalized, the unwanted, perceived beyond the words Jesus preached. Jesus' whole being expressed one thing to those people: YOU ARE BLESSED, BE HAPPY, YOU ARE LOVED.
Saturday (Dedication of the Lateran Basilica)
1Cor 3: 9-11, 16, 17; Jn 2: 13-22
'St John Lateran' is a church in Rome, not a person. In the words carved in front, it is the "mother of all churches." It is the pope's official ecclesiastical seat in Rome (St Peter's in the Vatican is not a cathedral), and the popes resided there for many centuries. It was the first Christian church building. The ground for it was donated by the Emperor Constantine early in the 4th century. It was rebuilt four or five times. The Vandals wrecked it in the 5th century, an earthquake did the same in the 9th, two fires destroyed it at different times in the 14th, and there was little left of the original when the interior was redone in the 17th. The statues that line the centre isle are so massive in scale that you feel like an ant as you walk there.
What are we doing as we make a fuss about a church building in Rome? We are thinking symbolically. A church – any church – is a symbol of a believing community, just as a house is a symbol of the self. Johann Tauler said, "We must go into our house, our souls…" We search for God there, and God searches for us. This is not usually a peaceful process: "God ransacks the house," Tauler said, "throwing aside one thing after another."
But churches all look so finished; the seeking and finding seem to be long over; there is nothing there to express the drama of the great search. Those massive statues in the Lateran basilica, especially, say nothing about searching; they are all about assertion. Too much assertion and emphasis can frighten away a seeker. We cannot be brow-beaten into faith; when we are, it is someone else's belief we end up with, not our own. Then it is just that: belief, not faith. You can pick up and drop beliefs at will; they are like clothes that are in and out of fashion. But faith is something deeper and more difficult; it does not come cheap: it is God's gift, given freely, but it becomes ours only through our own search. God comes searching for us, Tauler said, as we search for God. God searches for us in all our ragged imperfection
Monday (Feast of Sts. Simon and Jude)
Eph 2: 19-22; Luke 6: 12-19
Simon and Jude could be the patrons of all anonymous people. Both of them have difficulty even in getting their names remembered! Simon is chiefly known as "not Simon Peter". The gospel writers themselves call him by different names: Luke calls him "Simon the Zealot," Matthew and Mark call him "Simon the Canaanite." Nothing more than that is recorded of him. His companion Jude is likewise almost anonymous. There is difficulty about his name too: John calls him "Judas – not the Iscariot!" Luke calls him "Jude the brother of James," Matthew calls him "Thaddeus." Nothing is said of him in any of the gospels except that he asked a question, "Lord, what is all this about?" (Jn 14:22). The rest is silence. A New Testament letter bears his name, but scholars think it extremely unlikely that he wrote it.
Their egos left no trace – like the flight of birds in the sky. They are the patrons of the vast majority of all the Christians who have ever lived. There is a lot to be said for silence and anonymity: they can give depth. Without Simon and Jude the New Testament would be poorer; it would be all light and little shade. We might not so easily see ourselves in it.
Tuesday
Rom 8: 18-25; Luke 13: 18-21
How do we look at small things in life? "It's just small matter, ignore it." Small things are insignificant, unnoticed, unwanted, unloved, and uncared for. However, great things always begin with small beginnings, like the mustard seed and the yeast in the gospel. Considerably tiny and insignificant, yet they contain within a great potential. Those whom we consider insignificant are the most valuable to Jesus. They are very important in the Kingdom of God. The "Little Way Spirituality" of St. Therese of the Child Jesus is the best example of this reality. What made her a great saint is her littleness. She lived an ordinary life filled with extraordinary love. For her, the smallest things done for love are the actions which win God's heart. It is only by love and faithfulness to small, simple and little things that would generate transforming growth in our life and bring us closer to God.
Wednesday
Rom 8: 26-30; Luke 13: 22-30
Jesus had a way of turning questions around – changing them from theoretical questions to personal ones. "Who is my neighbour?" someone asked him; and he turned it into another question, "Who should I be neighbour to?" Likewise in today's reading he changed the question from "Will the saved be few?" to "Will the saved be you?"
Jesus responded to the question by saying what we should do if we want to be saved. He said it is a narrow door. If he had said, "It is dead easy to get into the Kingdom of heaven, don't worry, relax," no one, or very few, would consider it worth the effort. Anything that comes cheap, or for nothing, appears worthless. George Bernard Shaw said a cynic was a person who knew the price of everything and the value of nothing. We easily confuse price and value, and so we think that what has no price has no value either. In our brutal world everything can be bought, even love – or rather a semblance of it. It means that priceless things like real love, truth, goodness, virtue are thought worthless. Money will get no one into the Kingdom of heaven (Mt 19:24), but that does not mean that it requires nothing of us. On the contrary, we know that anything of real value requires everything of us. You would love, for example, to be able to give your knowledge and experience to another person automatically, like photocopying a page; you would love to transfer your knowledge of a language or a subject, but it can only be done by effort on both sides. This doesn't mean that you are reluctant to give; on the contrary you would give everything instantly if you could. But if you could do that, the knowledge or the experience or the language would not really become the other person's; it would remain alien material in their memories and minds.
Likewise the Kingdom of God – which means the Presence of God.
Thursday
Rom 8: 31-39; Luke 13: 31-35
Foxes have the name of being cleverer than dogs; but it seems they are not. They are just more careful. If we call someone 'foxy' in English we are saying that he or she is crafty or cunning. But when Jesus referred to Herod as a fox, it is understood to be a reference to his violent nature, not to his intelligence. But violence will not deter Jesus from doing his work. He knows what lies in store for him. Prophets meet their end in Jerusalem. But his ministry will continue until that time comes.
Though he will be killed, he does not see the tragedy as his but as the people's. He cried out prophetically in God's name, "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it!" Then comes the tender image of God's mothering love. (First Reading)
It is a motherly image, warm and protective. If you think it is too sentimental an image you can think of it as follows. We used to call the Church on earth "the Church militant," a rather off-putting image, suggesting fundamentalist violence; but it meant to convey that we are struggling with sin, in other words, with ourselves. The trouble with us is that we find it all too easy to be militant against other people, but we are chickens when it comes to struggling with ourselves.
Friday (All Saints Day)
Rev 7: 2-4, 9-14; 1 Jn 3: 1-3; Mt 5: 1-12
When times are tough, some individuals draw on the apocalyptic language of some of the Biblical books to give meaning to what they experience. Today's first reading is often used for such purposes because the text refers to global destruction and some of us, who experience difficulties, insecurities, and threats to their lives, conclude that this reading is now a reality: our world is coming to an end. But is this really implied by the Book of Revelation or do we misunderstand the apocalyptic language?
The apocalyptic language is a language of transformation and transformation can be painful. Our world needs to be transformed in order to match the God's Kingdom. References to destruction tell us that much of our world is contrary to God's command and Christ's Good News. Much of what we do needs to be transformed by the Sacred Scriptures. This is not easy to expect major changes from us as individuals and societies. That makes us vulnerable, and exposes us to risks. However, as followers of Christ, we have been marked with the "seal of the living God," as the first reading says, we are among this "great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue." We are among those, who "have washed their robes … in the Blood of the Lamb." Thus, nothing can harm us in difficult times, in times of transformation, as we try to change our society through the Good News.
The first reading also refers to us not as individuals but as a group, as the collective of followers of Christ. It is not about "me" or "you," it is about "us." In other words, we do not go through difficult times alone and by ourselves. We are a community and are expected to support each other as "children of God," as brothers and sisters, as the second reading says.
The first and second reading are quite general and do not specify what it means for Christ's followers, for the Church, to be part of this transformation process. However, the Sermon on the Mount in today's Gospel is very clear in identifying who will enter the Kingdom of God, who are those who transformed the world inspired by Christ's teaching.
As we read the Sermon on the Mount let us meditate over its relevance for us, the Church, who are called to change the world through Christ's teachings. Let us pray for our Christian communities, parishes, and the Church as a whole, to transform our society, our economic systems shaped by inequalities contrary to Christ's teaching, our political systems which often favour the elite and do not sufficiently protect those at the fringes of society who are God's priority. Let us pray for and recognize international relations which reflect global disparities in wealth and power, contradicting Christ's teaching on equality and equity.
As we endeavour to change the world, we do so knowing that God is on our side, that we are marked with the "seal of the living God," and that ultimately we will "rejoice and be glad, for [our] reward will be great in heaven." On this day, the Solemnity of All Saints, we remember those who transformed the world and who are now "rejoicing … in heaven." Their example inspires us and they accompany us through their prayer and intervention.
Saturday (All Souls Day)
Is 25: 6-9; Rom 5:5-11; Mt 11: 25-30
Yesterday we celebrated the feast of All Saints. Today is the commemoration of All Souls. The Church often speaks of the totality of the baptised as the Communion of Saints. The word 'saints' is used in the Scriptural sense as found in the New Testament when it generally refers to baptised members of Christian communities. The Communion of Saints is formed of three groups. The first are those who can properly be called 'saints', that is, those who have died and are now enjoying a face to face relationship with God for all eternity. We sometimes call that 'heaven' but it is less a place than a relationship.
The second group are those who are living on earth at the present time and are part of the Pilgrim Church on its way to ultimate union with God in unending happiness. The third group are those we are remembering today. They are those who have died but are not quite ready to meet God face to face. Most of us would probably acknowledge that we are far from perfect and that we still need to go through some purifying process before entering the eternal presence of God. What that process is like it is not for us to speculate.
What we are reminded of today is that those who are already in the eternal presence of God and those who are still on pilgrimage on earth can help the group we call 'Holy Souls' to reach the Vision of God sooner through our good works and prayers. And so, although it is a "holy and wholesome thought to prayer for the dead", it is especially appropriate on this day. Naturally, we will remember especially family members and good friends but we should also think of those who may not have anyone to remember them.
When our time comes to leave this world, it is the prayers of those people on whom we will depend.
Monday
Eph 2: 1-10; Lk 12: 13-21
Wealth and material resources are not really what Jesus is against of. Poverty as an avoidable state of life, a state of life that condemns one to live in dire need, is never preached by the gospel as something that we should pray for. It is a poverty that is a choice of being attached to God amidst all material needs that is hailed as a virtue. A beautiful prayer from the Book of Proverbs (30:7-9) states: "…..give me neither poverty nor riches; provide me only with the food I need; lest, being full, I deny you, saying: "Who is the Lord? Or being in want, I steal, and profane the name of the Lord."
Jesus had also rich friends and acquaintances: the family of Martha and Mary, Nicodemus who was a member of the Sanhedrin, Zachaeus whom tradition points out to be the husband of Veronica.
The point of Jesus is disposition. The rich and those who are abundantly gifted usually have the tendency to be too focused on the "I"! They tend to be self-sufficient. No wonder, God had to break the big "I" of St. Paul, the military "I" of Ignatius, the pleasure-seeking "I" of Augustine before God could use them.
Tuesday
Eph 2: 12-22; Lk 12: 35-38
More advice from Jesus today about readiness. There is an echo of the parable of the wise and foolish virgins (found in Matthew's gospel). We are to be ready, with our belts fastened like men waiting for the groom to return from the wedding. When the master comes and knocks we will be ready to admit him without delay. There is a reward, a surprising reward, for servants thus prepared. When the master comes back and finds his servant awake and ready, he will seat them at table and himself wait on them. "I have come to serve and not to be served" Jesus had said of himself. He is the one who, as Master and Lord, washes the feet of his disciples. And if the master comes in the middle of the night or before dawn, blessed are those servants who are ready for his return. This need for readiness is neither a reason to be anxious nor a reason to be afraid. Reason and experience tells us again and again that the Lord's call comes at the most unexpected times. The only solution is to be ready here and now and leave the future to take care of itself. In our relationships with God, it is always the present which counts. The prepared servant lives constantly in the present and seeks and finds God there. A life so lived takes care of itself – and its future.
Wednesday
Eph 3: 2-12; Lk 12: 39-48
A manager or steward was a slave who was left in charge of domestic affairs when the owner was away. His responsibility was to care for the other servants' welfare, especially to allot food to them. His job was to serve, not to exercise power.
This is a telling parable for all who hold leadership positions in the Church. When James and John were dreaming of power, "Jesus called them and said to them, 'You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognise as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all.'" (Mark 10:42-44). And he added that even he himself came "not to be served but to serve."
Power holds a dangerous fascination for many people, and the world has reason to know about it. Absolute power corrupts absolutely, it is said. Where does that leave God?
It is we who call God 'Almighty'. But God chose to become powerless in Jesus. "Though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death - even death on a cross" (Philippians 2:6-8). God is love, and love is powerless. We have all known powerful leaders who imagined that they were "strengthening their brethren," but who were actually weakening them. If we love God, or anyone, because they are powerful, we are alienating our own power. Love empowers, it does not disempower. St Paul learned even to talk about the powerlessness of God (1 Cor 1:25). "There is something about God," wrote Simon Tugwell, "that is better expressed in weakness than in strength."
Thursday
Eph 3: 14-21; Lk 12: 49-53
It is remarkable how frequently Jesus used the phrase "I have come…" in the gospels. "I have come to call not the righteous but sinners" (Lk 5:32); "I came to bring fire to earth" (today's reading); "I have come in my Father's name" (Jn 5:43); "It is for this reason that I have come to this hour" (Jn 12:27); "I came not to judge the world, but to save the world" (Jn 12:47); "I came from the Father and have come into the world" (Jn 16:28); "For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth" (Jn 18:37).... He knew where he came from, and why. To lack any sense of the meaning of one's life is to become weak and enervated; it is to lack passion. Jesus knew the meaning of his existence and this was why he could bring fire and passion to it.
"I have a baptism with which to be baptised, and what stress I am under until it is completed!" The word 'baptism' in Greek means a plunging. He was on fire to plunge into his life's work. His words were fire, like the words in the mouth of Jeremiah (5:15); "Is not my word like fire, says the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?" (23:29). The Prince of Peace is not bringing the kind of peace we have when nothing matters. Not that, but a sword to destroy it.
Friday
Eph 4: 1-6; Lk 12: 54-59
So many of Jesus' teachings are shot through with a sense of urgency. Though Jesus never seems to rush around, what he says challenges hearers to respond now to the proclamation: the kingdom of God is at hand! When Jesus asks in today's gospel, "Why do you not know how to interpret the present time?" (which is to say, "Why do you not sense the urgency?"), he illustrates with an example about someone being hauled before a magistrate. "Settle the matter on the way," is the advice given, as if to say, "Don't wait. Respond now!"
In our daily life, these many centuries after the coming of Jesus, we can lose the sense of urgency associated with the preaching of Jesus. Yet, the call to attend to the Lord in the present moment is no less vital. In his work, How well we know the paralysis of thinking about the future! We can find ourselves absorbed by thoughts, concerns and worries about the future. Such paralysis takes us out of the present which, ironically, is the place where we are most sure of encountering God. !"
Where is the Lord waiting to encounter us today? He waits in the place and circumstances in which we stand right now. "Why do you not know how to interpret the present time?" Now is the time, this is the place!
Saturday
Eph 4: 7-16; Lk 13: 1-9
The second part of the reading: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard…" The logical solution would have been to cut it down, since for three years it had borne no fruit. But the gardener still held out hope for it; with the right kind of help it might still bear fruit. The final judgment is not yet; there is hope of transformation. This is not about a fig-tree, of course, but about us. There is always hope of transformation. How is a person transformed? You can do the reverse of everything you were doing before; you can stand on your head: but it is the same old you, just inverted. The head goes from one extreme to the other, but the only real transformations are when the heart melts: it is the difference between reformation and transformation.
Monday
Rom 1: 1-7; Luke 11: 29-32
We hear, but we don't listen. Our eyes are open, but we don't see. In the Gospel today, Jesus talks about Jonah and the Ninevites. Jonah went to Nineveh and preached a message of repentance. Everyone listened, from the lowliest to the king. They put on sackcloth and fasted and prayed for God's compassion. They heard the message. They listened. They were saved. Jesus says he is bringing that message to our generation. But do we listen? Do we see?
We have the best message of love, of understanding, of compassion that we could ever ask for, but we sometimes don't listen. Or we don't want to hear, so we cover our ears and hum so the words don't come through. Or we let the noise of our lives drown out what we really should be listening to – our hearts. Oftentimes that's our biggest hurdle: we know what we should do, but we don't do it. We don't take time for prayer but watch cooking shows on TV. We avoid a sad co-worker because we are not in the mood. We laugh at someone else's expense.
We need to listen to ourselves, to the message of God's love. Instead of the Ninevites' sackcloth, we can wear a veil of compassion. We can fast from the distractions that keep us from listening and seeing what's important around us. We need to see when others are hurting and can use a shoulder to cry on or someone to listen. Let our prayer today be to ask God to help us to listen and to see, to hear his word and see the goodness all around us.
Tuesday (St. Teresa of Avila)
Rom 1: 16-25; Luke 11:37-41
For devout Jews, it is customary ceremony to wash cups and dishes before eating. Besides the hygienic reason, washing for them has a cultic or spiritual dimension. It indicates an external holiness that God requires from his people.
But here Jesus dispenses with this prescribed ritual washing which he considers as meaningless and empty. Jesus wants people to cleanse their interior life instead. It is necessary to purify one's soul, not only to wash the externals. Inner cleansing demands conversion, getting rid of hypocrisy, dishonesty, and pretensions. It involves God's works of love and mercy translated into action.
The Gospel calls us to harmonize our inner attitudes with our external actions. As we hear the Word of God, let us work it into our lives. As we pray, let us practice what we say and pray. As we know God's commandments, let us observe them and live by them.
Are you clean inside and out?
Wednesday
Rom 2: 1-11; Luke 11:42-46
There are not so many hypocrites around today, because there is no real pressure to be a hypocrite. When bad behaviour can even make you a celebrity why should you go to the trouble of pretending to be good? It is easy for us today to pour scorn on the historical Pharisees. We feel theirs is a vice we are particularly free of. Honesty, we feel, is our greatest virtue. It is an essential virtue, but it is easy when there's little or nothing at stake. Anyone can be a tennis player when there's no net and no rules. When we denounce hypocrisy today, it is quite different from Jesus excoriating the Pharisees. He criticised them severely, but he never cut them off as a class: he made friends with some of them, and sat down to eat with them. St Paul had been a prominent Pharisee and was not ashamed of it, any more than he was ashamed of his Hebrew birth (Philippians 3:5). The fire in him that burned for Christ had once burned for the Law; and it was the same fire, redirected.
Our suffering today is that we are in an age that has seen off a number of brutal ideologies, and consequently it is harder for us to believe with the kind of fire that was in Paul and in Jesus. This is our weakness, our suffering. It does not make us superior to the Pharisees.
Thursday (St. Ignatius of Antioch)
Rom 3: 21-30; Luke 11: 47- 54
There is a story told about a guru who ordered the Ashram cat to be tied during the evening worship so as not to disturb the worshippers. After the guru died, the cat continued to be tied during worship, and when the cat died, another was brought to the Ashram so that it could be tied during the evening worship. And so it was that after many years and years later, many treatises were written by the guru's scholarly disciples on the liturgical significance of tying up a cat during worship!
It can happen that we get so caught up on the externals that we lose sight of the essentials. Religion and tradition can give us false security and complacency. Remember, a lot of sins and injustices have been committed in God's name.
Today we are reminded about our role as prophets. Someone once said that the business of preaching is to comfort the disturbed and to disturb the comfortable. When we find ourselves comforting the comfortable and disturbing those who are already disturbed, this means we have ceased to be prophets. When we no longer do our role of challenging people to go beyond their comfort zones, when we no longer offer a vision to give hope and deeper meaning, then we have failed in our role to help people cross over their miseries and fears.
If we are not prophets, what are we? Prophets for profit who become perpetrators of untruthfulness, partners and accomplices of injustice, agents of the status quo and worse, just palliatives, court jesters and entertainers.
Friday (St. Luke, the Evangelist)
2 Tm 4: 10-17; Luke 10: 1-9
"The gospel according to St Luke has been called the loveliest book in the world," writes a commentator. "There is a legend that Luke was a skilled painter.... Certainly he had an eye for vivid things. It would not be far wrong to say that the third gospel is the best life of Christ ever written."
Luke was a Gentile, in fact the only non-Jewish writer in the New Testament. It is also clear that he wrote mainly for Gentiles. Examples of this: he seldom quotes the Old Testament, and he is not concerned to show that Jesus is the fulfilment of Jewish prophecy; he never uses the Jewish title Rabbi of Jesus (he uses a Greek word that means 'Master'); he traced the descent of Jesus not to Abraham, the founder of the Jewish race, as Matthew does, but to Adam, the 'founder' of the human race.
Other features: Luke's gospel is especially the gospel of prayer: he shows Jesus very often at prayer. He places a heavy emphasis on poverty. He gives a very special place to women. His is above all a gospel of praise: he uses the expression "praising God" more often than all the others put together. It was he who gave us those three great canticles: the Benedictus, the Magnificat and the Nunc Dimittis.
Saturday
Rom 4: 13. 16-18; Luke 12: 8-12
The gospel tells us that our Lord expects us to acknowledge him before others if we want Him to acknowledge us before His angels in heaven. And a good way of acknowledging Him is by giving witness to His teachings, by living a life worthy of our Christian vocation. Being a living contradiction to our Christian vocation is tantamount to denying Christ before others.
Once Mahatma Gandhi was asked about his opinion on the teaching of Jesus Christ and his followers, the Christians and whether he would not want to be a Christian himself. Mahatma answered: "About Jesus Christ and the teachings of Jesus Christ, I have the highest respect and highest admiration; but about Christians, I have only pity and disdain because they preach love and peace and yet they hate and are at war among themselves; they preach unity and brotherhood and yet they are divided and disunited among themselves; they preach forgiveness and compassion and yet they are harsh and unrelenting among themselves. Verily, I do not want to become a Christian like them."
Is it not a crying shame that we Christians who are supposed to acknowledge Jesus before others by being living witnesses of our Christian vocation have become living contradictions of what we profess? How can we expect Jesus to acknowledge us before His angels in heaven? Let us walk the walk and talk the talk.
Monday (Our Lady of the Rosary)
Acts 1: 12-14; Luke 1: 26-38
This feast was instituted by Pope St. Pius V in thanksgiving for the great naval victory of a Christian army over the Turks at the battle of Lepanto on this day, a favour attributed to the recitation of the Rosary. This victory saved Europe from being overrun by the forces of Islam.
The battle of Lepanto, a major victory over the Ottoman Empire, on October 7, 1571, is commemorated by the invocation "Help of Christians," inserted in the Litany of Loreto. At Belgrade the Turks were defeated on the Feast of Our Lady ad Nives in 1716. A second victory gained that year on the Octave of the Assumption impelled Pope Clement XI to order the Feast of the Rosary to be celebrated by the universal Church. Leo XIII added the invocation "Queen of the most Holy Rosary, pray for us," to the Litany of Loreto.
In modern times successive popes have urged the faithful to pray the Rosary. It is a form of contemplative prayer, mental and vocal prayer, which brings down God's blessing on the Church. It is biblically inspired because centred on meditation on the saving mysteries of Christ and Mary's close association with her Son in his mission.
Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us!!
Tuesday
Jon 3: 1-10; Luke 10:38-42
Our initial reflection on the story of Martha and Mary is to make both sisters quarrel more! We debate on which is better: prayer or action. The truth is that both are important. Prayer without action, wrote the Apostle James, is nothing. Likewise, work without prayer is activism, socialism, pragmatism.
In the gospel of St. John, Martha even emerged to be the woman of stronger faith. She went out to face Jesus at the death of Lazarus, while Mary stayed home absorbed in grief.
The issue is charity. Martha was doing good with great anxiety that led her to complain that she alone was doing the kitchen chores. St. Therese of Lisieux said that a small act done in pure love is better than all the services one can do in Church.
Whatever we do, whether it is action or prayer, we must do all out of love for God and for others. (cf. I Cor. 10:31). This is the secret of real happiness in a person's task.
Wednesday
Jon 4: 1-11; Luke 11:1-4
It seems to us a strange request: "Lord, teach us to pray." Jews prayed every day since childhood. Why would they ask him now to teach them to pray? The meaning of it seems to be this: they were asking him for a distinctive prayer as his disciples. John's disciples had a special kind of prayer, but Jesus' disciples apparently did not. In answer to their request he taught them the Our Father. This makes it very special: it is not just any prayer; it is a distinctively Christian prayer.
But look now: there is no mention in it of any of the Christian mysteries! There is no mention of Jesus, nor of his passion, death and resurrection, there is no mention of the Trinity.... What sense can we make of this?
If there is no mention of Jesus, his life, death or resurrection, nor of any of the Christian mysteries, it is because this was his own prayer. In prayer he was seized by a single awareness: the Father; he was not thinking about himself. When we pray the Our Father we are not praying to him, but with him; we are praying his prayer. We are so close to him that we cannot see him; like him, we see only the Father. We are, as it were, inside his head, looking out through his eyes: seeing the Father, and seeing the world as he sees it. We are totally identified with him – we are indeed his disciples. We are praying through him. All our prayers end with the phrase, "through Our Lord Jesus Christ…." At the end of the Eucharistic Prayer we say, "Through him, and with him, and in him...."
If Jesus sometimes seems absent it is because he is everywhere. He has drawn the whole world into his heart.
Thursday
Mal 3: 13-20; Luke 11: 5-13
In his parables on the power of persistence in prayer in the passages from Luke, Jesus helps us understand the need to continue to ask of God, to petition for help and guidance, to form good aspirations and expect good things from our prayer. These passages on one level help us understand that God will answer our requests with good gifts. But one difficult thing is that God gives us good gifts that only God might see as being good. There is a story from Anthony de Mello where the master reminds his followers that our lives are like beautiful tapestries that God weaves with our talents and gifts. We fail to see the beauty many times because we are viewing the tapestry from the reverse side, while God can see it in all its glory. So too the responses we might receive in our prayer – we fail to see their goodness because we look with mortal eyes instead from God's perspective.
In the first story, the visitor continues asking until he receives what he desires. In the second, those who ask, receive – if you don't ask (if you don't try, if you don't pray), you don't receive. Persistence – continuing to dialogue – God will answer, but we must initiate and ask. God is always there for us.
Fr. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, SJ, once said "We are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience." When we take greater satisfaction in what we have than in how we serve, in what we own than in what we give, in what we want than in what we need, we are ignoring our spiritual side in favour of our human side. When we place too much stock in our abilities to provide for ourselves, and forget to be like the birds of the sky that do not fear for their future but glory in the gift of their present, we are looking through the back side of our tapestry. When we forget we are spiritual creations of a loving God, then we prevent ourselves from fully realizing our unique identity and from serving our Creator in the way we are called to do.
And so let prayer be for clarity of vision, so we can more clearly realize our spiritual existence, more deeply discover our true selves, and more gratefully act to serve our loving Creator.
Friday
Joel 1: 13-15; 2: 1-2; Luke 11: 15-26
Beelzebul was the chief god of the Philistines, ancient enemies of the Israelites. By the time of Jesus, he had the title of the prince of devils. That opponents of Jesus would accuse him of casting demons by the power of Beelzebul shows us how deep was their hostility to him. It was difficult for Jesus to turn that argument around by asking them how Satan could be so stupid as to work against his own interests.
Then Jesus zeroes in on the crux of the matter, which his opponents have been avoiding by their not so clever arguments. It is the matter of the real source of Jesus' power. If it is by the finger of God that he expels, then truly the reign of God is upon them and the whole way of life will be challenged. So they resort to the old, familiar tactic: discredit the teacher.
We may find this coming home to us if we look into our hearts. What defence mechanism do we use to avoid accepting our sinfulness? How many people have we put down in one way or another so as not to accept the truth they witness to? The Lord offers us salvation. Take care that our blindness does not make our last state worse than our first.
Saturday
Joel 4: 12-21; Luke 11: 27-28
This short verse is one of the greatest compliments on our Mother Mary. Jesus praised her not because of the grace that she received from God but more importantly because of the interest and the living out in her life. Nothing is more precious and important to our Lord than to acknowledge his living words in our life. Jesus emphasizes the fact that Mary followed Jesus' words as no other person did. That makes Mary blessed. There is no point, therefore, in gaining special favours from God but simply to listen and practice what Jesus has told us.
MONDAY (St. Jerome)
Zech 8: 1-8; Luke 9: 46-50
Forty years ago, the Second Vatican Council strongly encouraged Catholics to read the Bible, because it's God's living Word through which he speaks to us as friends. Unfortunately, recent surveys reveal that many Catholics rarely read their Bibles, often because they think that it's a book for the clergy, and not for laypersons like them.
Today, we celebrate the life of a saint who loved the Bible very much: St Jerome. He was a great commentator on Scripture, and he was responsible for having translated the Bible into Latin, which was the common language in his day. His Latin translation, the Vulgate, is still the official text of the Scriptures used by the Church even now.
St. Jerome's passion for the Bible is an inspiration for us to become acquainted with Holy Scripture, and if we already are, to become acquainted even more. Because as St Jerome himself said: "Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ."
In the Gospel today, we come to know that the disciples of Jesus, like all of us, had a problem. They were "arguing about which of them was the most important." Jesus took a child and said, You must become like children. Children were not romanticised in those days: a child was a nobody. You must become nobody, then there will be room in you for you - and for all the others.
Tuesday (St. Teresa of the Child Jesus)
Zech 8: 20 -23; Luke 9: 51-56
There was deep religious hatred between the Jews and the Samaritans. The Samaritans were heretics in the eyes of the Jews, and their region a melting-pot of different cults and customs, and Jews despised Samaria as a blot on their country.
It was a very inconveniently situated blot: right in the middle. So when Jews wanted to travel between Galilee in the north and Judea in the south, they either had to pass through Samaria or to skirt it. Things could be unpleasant for them if they passed through, but the journey was twice as long if they went around.
Doesn't everyone have a Samaria right in the middle of his or her life? It is the part of your life that is a mess: where you are at your very weakest and worst, where your thoughts and motives are all mixed up and unclear, where you have never had peace and hardly dare to hope for it.
But Jesus went right into Samaria; and many of the heroes and heroines of his stories were Samaritans: the one leper, the Good Samaritan, the Samaritan woman. There is hope for us all.
Wednesday (Holy Guardian Angels)
Ex 23: 20-23; Mt 18: 1-5, 10
Today the Holy Mother Church remembers and celebrates the mission and ministry of the Holy guardian angels. The Church teaches us that to each soul is assigned an angel to guard and protect it from evil. Coincidentally, the gospel reading for today is the same on which we reflected two days ago. The focus then was Jesus' challenge to become 'nobody' if one wants to be great. The main focus of today's gospel can be found in the exhortation of Jesus found in the last verse of today's gospel. He tells us not to despise the 'little ones', because their angels in heaven see God face to face. Jesus, through these words, wants to tell us that those considered 'little, small, insignificant' are very special in the eyes of God.
Today's first reading from the book of Exodus too speaks of God's love and care for His people. Yahweh tells His chosen people: "I will send my angel before you to guard and protect you, to bring you to the land I promised". Remember that when this promise was made, the Israelites were on the long and dangerous journey through the desert.
God wants to guard us with his ever-attentive love and ever – loving protection. He is assisted in this by the guardian angels. Let us then thank the Lord for these heavenly protectors who show us the right path that leads us to our Lord and Master.
Thursday
Neh 8: 1-7, 12, Lk 10: 1-12
Jesus told His disciples they shouldn't expect Him to provide even a roof over their heads (Lk 9:58). Jesus told them to respond to His call immediately and that the slightest hesitation would make them unfit for God's kingdom (Lk 9:62). After making such extreme demands on His disciples, Jesus remarked: "The harvest is rich but the workers are few." The obvious reaction to this statement would be to blame Jesus for the scarcity of workers because He demands too much of them. Jesus has a different reaction. He doesn't see any need to water down the call to radical discipleship; He just exhorts us to pray for the Harvest-Master to send workers.
Jesus does not try to sell us but rather to "grace" us. He warned us we'll be like "lambs in the midst of wolves" (Lk 10:3). He promised to send us out without walking staff, traveling bag, or sandals (Lk 10:4). Jesus doesn't try to make discipleship easier. In fact, He seems to intentionally make it harder. True discipleship is impossible without His grace, which is always sufficient (2 Cor 12:9).
When we see a scarcity of priests, sisters, brothers, lay ministers, or parishioners, the answer to the problem is not to compromise and call for less commitment. Instead, the solution is to proclaim the radical nature of the gospel and pray more intensely for workers to obey God's call.
Friday (St. Francis of Assisi)
Bar 1: 15-22; Lk 10: 13-16
Francis Bernardone was born in 1181 at Assisi, Umbria, Italy. The son of a wealthy cloth merchant, he lived the same kind of spendthrift, irresponsible life as many sons of wealthy parents. At the age of twenty, in a local war against Perugia, he was captured and imprisoned. While in imprison he experienced a vision from Christ and completely changed his life. He left all his possessions and embraced complete poverty, taking the Gospel as his rule of life.
From his conversion, he wore sandals and the very simplest of clothes, begged for food and preached peace and reconciliation. He began to attract followers, and in 1209 founded the Friars Minor (Franciscans). Soon afterwards, with Clare of Assisi he founded the foundation of the Order of "Poor Ladies" (now Poor Clares.) Francis also founded the Franciscan Third Order for lay people wishing to live a more intensely spiritual life. Two years before his death he received the stigmata (the five wounds of Christ) on Mount Alvernia. He died on October 4, 1226 in Portiuncula, Italy. He was canonized by Gregory IX less than two years later.
Saturday
Bar 4: 5-12, 27 -29; Lk 10: 17-24
Our gospel today forms part of the conclusion of the sending of the 72 disciples. By this time, the disciples had returned to the company of Jesus, bringing along thrilling success stories from their missionary undertakings. But what they have accomplished did not flow from their own capabilities, but from a power whose source is Jesus.
At the outset, Jesus' words may appear more appropriate for those who are in the ministry and service of the Church. But a closer reflection later would reveal that the lesson is important for all Christians as well. We cannot be successful on our own: it is only with and through Jesus that we can accomplish great things. Remember, Jesus says in John 15:5 that, "…. apart from me you can do nothing."
Monday
Ezr 1: 1-6; Lk 8: 16-18 (St. Padre Pio)
We have received the light of the faith when we became Christians. The candle lighted after our baptism symbolizes this truth. And here the parable begins to speak to us. What do we do with the light of our faith? Many of us hide it conveniently, for to let our faith shine through our lives is a great responsibility. And in modern, more and more secular society, to show one's faith in daily life might invite ridicule. "My faith is my private affair," many think or say. "NO! Jesus responds, "Your faith is not your private affair. It must shine in your family, in your neighbourhood, in your place, in your society, in your country."
Today's parable tells us exactly this: Your good example as Christians, the light of your Christian life, must shine lightly.
Do not think of it as difficult. Just imagine that through your good example, through your faith, somebody finds Christ and is brought to faith in Christ.
Tuesday
Ezr 6: 7-8, 12, 14-20; Lk 8: 19-21 (Our Lady of Ransom)
The Persons closest to one's heart are certainly parents, brothers and sisters. This is also true for Jesus. The persons closest to him are his parents and relatives, or "brothers and sisters" as the Bible would call them.
What is wonderful in the gospel today is that Jesus expanded the number of persons closest to his heart, now to include "all those who hear the Word of God and put them into practice."
Desiring to be close to Jesus' heart like members of His own family, let us ask ourselves if indeed we love God's word. This love may be expressed concretely in having a copy of the Sacred Scriptures, taking time to read God's Word, meditate, pray and live them out in our daily life. Blessed are they who hear the Word of God and put them into practice for they will become members of God's household.
Wednesday
Ezr 9: 5-9; Lk 9: 1-6
Take nothing for the journey. To render hospitality to strangers and travellers is part of Middle Eastern culture. In the Bible, in the case of Abraham, hospitality to the stranger is equated with welcoming God. To refuse man hospitality in the hard desert conditions is to let him die. And biblical people know that the mistreatment of strangers is a sure way to incur divine displeasure.
In such a culture, Jesus sends the Twelve. Absolute detachment is required of them. They must have complete reliance on divine providence. God will provide for their needs through a culture of hospitality. In places where the apostles preach, people who show positive response to God's message must also show hospitality to the messengers.
God truly never stops to give us what we need in life. We have a duty to share with each other what we have. God's messengers must not concern themselves with material gain or wealth. They are called to be simple and to shun luxury. Earthly comforts and rewards should not compromise or distract the motives of service and sacrifice to people. God is the source of mission. God is its reward.
Thursday
Hg 1: 1-8, Lk 9: 7-9
Luke tells us that when Herod heard of all Jesus was doing, he was perplexed. He asks, "Who is this man about whom I hear all these reports?" and he was very curious to see him." Though he had heard very much about Him, Herod fails to recognize Jesus for what He really is, a man from God.
The Gospel shows us how important it is to internalize our faith – to turn everything, all that we see and hear and do – into faith experience. In this way, we come to be able to recognize Jesus when he appears in our midst.
Friday
Hg 2: 1-9; Lk 9: 18-22 (St. Vincent de Paul)
It is a fact that most people tend to judge others based on impressions. As a consequence, many people accept that "first impression lasts." Contrary to this, experience has taught us that impressions are neither right nor wrong. Instead, they could be used as tools in achieving the desired truth. But first, they should be verified so that biases and doubts are further clarified.
This is precisely the reason why Jesus asks peter who He is. The crowd seems to have been confused about the identity of Jesus because they only know him from second-had sources. Their faith is neither firm nor weak. Their indirect encounter with the Lord leads them to a doubtful claim that Jesus is neither John the Baptist nor Elijah nor one of the prophets.
Peter's declaration is a declaration of an authentic faith experience. Through his personal encounter with Jesus, Peter's faith has been deepened and strengthened.
In our day to day life, we are also invited to nurture our relationship with the Lord so as to deepen this relationship with Him. By living out the demands of the gospel constantly, our personal experience of his presence could help us achieve what Peter had confessed that Jesus is the 'Messiah of God."
Saturday
Zec 2: 1-5,10-11;Lk 9: 43-45
In his meditation on Meaning, Anthony de Mello wrote the following conversation: A traveller said to one of the disciples: "I have travelled a great distance to listen to the master but I find his words quite ordinary." "Don't listen to his words, the disciple said, Listen to his message." "How does one do that?" "Take hold of a sentence that he says, the disciple answered. Shake it well till all the words drop off. What is left will set your heart on fire."
Perhaps the reason why the disciples in today's gospel did not understand what Jesus was talking about is because they only listened to his words or saw his deeds but missed to discern the message. If we read the whole chapter 9 of Luke's gospel, the disciples were astonished with what they had seen and heard. But their amazement was simply a manifestation and a reaction of something which they did not expect. They failed to see the connection between what Jesus did and who Jesus was. It took time for them to see it. The message was not actually "hidden." Jesus himself was the message.
Understanding Jesus as the message requires constant reflection and love of the Word of God. St. Jerome illustrated this in his own life. More than once he was tempted to give up the whole wearisome task of translating the Sacred Scriptures, but his love of the Word of God and a certain tenacity of purpose kept him at it. With him we may say: "I threw myself in spirit at the feet of Jesus.. I am not now what I then was."
Monday
1 Tm 2: 1- 8; Lk 7: 1-10
Where can you ever find a master of the house who would take the trouble to beg somebody a favour on behalf of his slave? It would be more logical for a slave to beg and die for his master. Besides, a slave is nobody. He has no rights.
The master in today's gospel happened to be a Roman centurion who was indeed a different man. He possessed nobler qualities than his fellow commanders. He had high respect for every person, a slave or not, Jew or non-Jew. Furthermore, he was deeply a religious man.
It was no surprise then when his slave was dying, the centurion without hesitation and in all humanity approached Jesus for help. The officer admitted that he was unworthy to have Jesus enter his home. He had a strong faith in Jesus. He believed that Jesus' mere words were enough to heal his slave. "Say the word and let my servant be healed." Thus, his slave was healed from a distance by the mere word of Jesus, not by his actual presence in the house.
What does it mean for us? Let us remember that the slave was healed because of the genuine and steadfast faith of his master in Jesus. Does your profession hinder you from humbling yourself before the Lord? Do you seek God in faith to heal and to look over your loved ones? Faith is a gift from God that is meant not only to save us but to help the lives of others too. Do you have somebody in mind to pray at this moment? Be like the good centurion, lower yourself and intercede God on his/her behalf.
Tuesday
1Tm 3: 1-13; Lk 7: 11-17
The encounter of Jesus with the widow of Nain is one of the most touching scenes in the New Testament. Jesus saw the tearful woman and was moved with pity. Did he think of another widow who would soon accompany her only Son to the womb- his mother Mary? Jesus "touched the stretcher" on which the dead boy was carried to the cemetery. With this he violated a Jewish law and made himself unclean in the eyes of the religious leaders and people. Like the "Good Samaritan" in his famous parable, Jesus cannot just pass by when he sees misery, sorrow and suffering.
We are surrounded by suffering people. They are there in the streets, under the bridges, in the apartments of the middle class and in the mansion of the rich and famous. At times we belong to them when suffering enters our life. How lonely we feel when nobody cares, when others go their way and pretend not to see our pain and loneliness. But this is exactly what others feel when we have no time for them. When we choose to go our way and avoid getting involved in the problems of others. When we do not stop, reach out and touch with genuine pity a person who needs to be raised from the "stretcher."
Nain in Israel is nearly forgotten by the world. But Nain is where we live. And it is through us that Jesus wants to bring consolation, pity and love into the life of someone who needs it that very moment.
Wednesday
1 Tm 3: 14-16; Lk 7: 31-35
Today's gospel challenges us to open our closed hearts and minds and look again: what keeps us from opening to whatever changes God may want from our lives? Some of those who don't want conversion simply fear the legitimate adjustments they have to make to those changes. Habits can be really hard to break. Some fear the unknown conversion sometimes brings. The familiar can be very securing. Conversion can also be very humbling. It can make us realize how little we know and how helpless we can be.
When we put before the Lord our conversion, we realize that He can make something new of us. Following the Lord may show us new things to learn and master and emerge a better person. All He asks is our trust and confidence that He who has given us our lives will lead us to the right path. If indeed we love the Lord, it would be good to remember what St. Paul said: "Everything works for the good of those who love Him." (Rm 8: 28)
Thursday
1 Tm 4: 12-16; Lk 7: 36-50
This is a dramatic story. But we would miss the point if we concentrate on the drama only. It is a story that gives us much to think.
Simon- he was not conscious of any wrongdoing. He felt no love and so he closed himself to God's mercy and grace. He thought of himself as a good person. But self-righteousness and self-sufficiency shuts us off from God and His grace. One of the greatest sins is being convinced to have to no sin at all.
The woman- she has to be admired for her courage. She had realized that she had sinned, but she was not discouraged. She did not shrug her shoulders thinking, ' I am a hopeless case. It's too late for me to change.' She still believed that God would be willing to forgive her. There was real love and trust in her. She felt the need of God's intervention and was ready to go through even a shameful scene like the one created in the house of the Pharisee.
Admitting one's sins alone is not enough, because it can lead to spiritual pessimism. And to believe that is willing to forgive can lead to automatic confession and cheap grace. Both attitudes must come together, carried by love for God and trust in his mercy. Then the miracle of true repentance takes place. Life takes a different direction and a major step is done toward perfection and holiness.
Friday
1 Tm 6: 2-12; Lk 8: 1-3
In our Gospel today, the women who accompanied Jesus in his journeys from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom of God, were those whom he cured of evil spirits and infirmities. When they encountered Jesus, their lives were changed: they moved from darkness into light and from light into the limelight of Jesus' ministry by providing their time and financial support. Their concrete actions testified to their personal healing and commitment to follow Jesus. Therefore, a blotted life is not necessarily useless life. Jesus can make a life beautiful though marred by sin.
Saturday (St. Mathew, the apostle)
Eph 4: 1-7,11- 13; Mt 9: 9 - 13
Today is the feast of St. Mathew, an apostle and evangelist too. The name, Mathew means gift of God. Today's gospel narrates how Jesus called Mathew and then Jesus was criticized for befriending the alleged sinners, the friends of Mathew. In the book 'Lives of Saints, tells us that one day, when our Lord was passing Levi's customs post, He saw the publican seated there. His business was to collect taxes from the people for their Roman masters. Jesus said to him: 'Follow me." Mathew followed Jesus and left behind all that he had, thereby giving us an example on how we should respond to the call of God. This following, meant, imitating the pattern of his life and not just walking after him. Saint John tells us: "Whoever says he abides in Christ ought to walk in the same way in which He walked." He was Levi, as told to us in his Gospel, one of those tax collectors abhorred by the Jews as enemies of their country, outcasts and notorious sinners who enriched themselves by extortion and fraud. No Pharisee would sit with one at table; only Jesus who had compassion for them.
It is said in the Constitutions of Pope Saint Clement that St. Mathew instituted holy water for protection of soul and body. And the prayer he used for the purpose is reported in that document. His relics were for many years in the city of Naddaver in Ethiopia, where he suffered his martyrdom but were transferred to Salemo in the year 954 where they remained concealed in a cave for protection for over a hundred years.
In the New Testament, tax collectors were considered sinners. But why? It is because Pharisees criticized such kind of job as not honourable as collections were paid to Rome. But actually tax collectors seldom cheated because of the efficient auditing system of the Roman Empire. Although they didn't like their job of collecting tool fees, they did it for survival. So they were not sinners because they cheated in their work. They were stereotyped as such.
Jesus' call of Mathew and his good relations with Mathew's colleagues show us that all honest professions can be sanctified. It is true that some professions are more difficult than others because they provide more occasions for going astray. But there are ways and means of being straight even in the most difficult jobs. What is important is to be professionally competent. Then one will not need to have recourse to illicit measures to keep on top of one's professional field.
And so we have to leave behind all our sinfulness and be open to the call of Jesus, "Follow me!"
Monday
Col 1: 24-2:3; Lk 6: 6-11
This man's paralysed hand symbolised his lack of power. Jesus wanted to restore it to him. There was an objection from the Pharisees. He was breaking their rules by healing on the Sabbath; their position (their power) was being threatened. There are many like them, whose position and power depend on others remaining powerless. This kind of power always has an agenda: it is power over or against others. It is a jockeying for position and privilege; fundamentally it is aggression. This kind of power exists wherever there are people who have not been converted to the Gospel; it exists in society, it exists in the Church. The test of power is whether it is for oneself or for others.
Tuesday
Col 2: 6-15; Lk 6: 12-19
Jesus took the whole night to pray. The day ahead was an important day- the naming of the apostles. The day was full- a large crowd was waiting, everyone wanted to touch Jesus.
Just when we can not wait to start with the day's work, just when we are sure that the whole day would not be enough for the work to be done, just when we seem to have no time to pray, then we are most encouraged to sit and be silent, and to wait for God, the Lord of the Harvest.
Wednesday
Col 3: 1-11; Lk 6: 20-26
Luke said (in v. 17), "He came down and stopped at a piece of level ground." From that point to the end of chapter 6 is therefore called 'The Sermon on the Plain', in contrast to Matthew's 'Sermon on the Mount' (Mt 5-7). But it is the same sermon, with differences. In Luke's gospel the mountain is a place of prayer or revelation; it is as if he doesn't want the crowds to go up there, so he brings Jesus down!
Throughout his gospel Luke places an exceptional emphasis on poverty; and to ensure that we don't avoid the subject by spiritualising it, he says "Blessed are you who are poor," rather than "Blessed are the poor in spirit" (Mt 5:3). And for the hard of hearing, "Woe to you who are rich."
Why is wealth a problem? No, wealth is not the problem; we are the problem. Or rather, the problem is what we do and fail to do with wealth. We have a tendency to selfishness and greed, which blinds us to the needs of other people, as it blinded the rich man to the needs of Lazarus (Luke 16). It can help us believe that we are independent of other people and of events, and ultimately even of God. Thinking about the rich young man in the gospels (Lk 18, Mt 19, Mk 10), Sahajananda wrote, "He identified himself with his riches – without them he had no existence. With these riches he could not enter into the kingdom because the door to the kingdom is narrow. Not narrow in the sense of space, but in the sense that only the essential aspect of our being goes through it; all acquired things have to be left out…. The kingdom of God is the essential nature of all human beings…. This treasure can neither increase nor decrease. No thief can get there and no moth can cause its destruction."
Thursday
Col 3: 12-17; Lk 6: 27-38
Love your enemies. The Gospel tells us to examine how much we love or how we love for that matter. We are called to love God. Love for God is manifested by the way we love our neighbours. How? Jesus tells us "to do good." This means that we must not be selective in doing good. We must not be choosy whom we have to help, to pray for, to care of. No matter what a person does to us, no matter if he hurts or insults us, we must continue to accept, understand, or forgive that person. Our love must assume a Christian character, not in feeling good but in doing good to others no matter what. Like what Jesus preaches and does, our love must be compassionate, unconditional, limitless, healing, and forgiving.
Can you claim that you can love your enemies and forgive them? How do you feel when somebody forgives you?
Friday
1Tm 1: 1-2, 12-14; Lk 6: 39-42
The parable that begins this section is a rhetorical question. The blind who need someone else to lead them surely cannot lead another who is blind. What is worse is that if this is attempted both persons will be in trouble. This is why disciples who intend to lead others must first learn to be like the master. If they attempt to lead others without first learning from the master, their teaching will be erroneous.
The second parable reinforces the point made in 6:37-38 about not judging or condemning. Before one can point to the faults of others, introspection is called for. One must realise that often one might be guilty of greater misdeeds than the person to whom one is pointing.
Did you know that when you point a finger at someone there are three fingers pointing back at you?
Saturday (Triumph of the Cross)
Nm 21: 4-9; Phil 2: 6-11; Jn 3: 13-17
Today we are celebrating the Triumph of the Holy Cross which commemorates the victory of our Lord over death. This victory is accomplished through His death and resurrection. By cross, life won over death.
This feast was celebrated in Rome before the end of the 7th century. Its purpose is to commemorate the recovering of that portion of the Holy Cross, which was preserved at Jerusalem and which had fallen into the hands of the Persians. Emperor Heraclius recovered this precious relic which Saint Helen discovered in Calvary and brought it back to Jerusalem on May 3, 629.
Actually this Cross of Jesus was found by St. Helen, the mother of Emperor Constantine, in the 4th Century AD. According to legend, a Jew names Judah was the only person who knew about the location of the cross. Under pressure from St. Helen, he revealed that it had been buried under the temple of Venus which had been built by Emperor Hadrian at Golgotha. As she found three crosses buried at the site, it seemed impossible to determine which one was the cross of Christ. Just them a funeral procession was passing by the place, and Helen had all three of the crosses brought to the side of the dead body. When the third cross was placed upon the dead man, he rose to life, confirming that this was indeed the life-giving cross of Jesus.
The cross which in antiquity was the symbol of the worst sort of humiliation and ignominy became through Jesus death on it, the symbol of victory and triumph. Through the cross Jesus redeemed the world, gave each one of us victory over sin and death. To escape from death the Israelites had only to look at the bronze serpent Moses in the desert raised on a pole. We too shall escape death and win victory and triumph if we, following the example of Jesus, humble ourselves and embrace the cross of humiliations and sufferings in our life. The saints who are the real heroes and who have won the greatest victory in the eyes of God are people who loved the cross and embraced it. St. Paul gloried in nothing else but in the cross of Christ(Gat 6: 14). All the saints embraced the cross and advised others to do the same as there is no crown without the cross.
Monday
1Thes 4: 13-18; Lk 4: 16-30
When Jesus stood and read from Isaiah, He was announcing his mission in life, His life's mission programme to the people of His time, and to us in the here and now.
What should be our response? He cited two Old Testament figures, Naaman the Syrian and the widow of Zarephath as examples of responding to His mission. The woman of Zarephath responded in faith. She believed in the words of the prophet Elijah without the guarantee of proof. Same too with Naaman the Syrian, a leper who got healed through the intervention of Elisha, the prophet. Both heard God's word and even though God's demands on them seemed unreasonable, they believed, obeyed and got rewarded. Both are unlike Jesus' town mates who wanted the reward first and only then would they believe. God does not deal with us this way. God requires faith before rewards will be given in due time, in His time.
Tuesday(Gregory the Great)
1 Thes 5: 1-6, 9-11; Lk 4: 31-37
A popular theme of both Jesus and St. Paul is the need for keeping alert, in order to stay close to God and live our life according to God's will. Ironically, in today's Gospel story the person most alert to Jesus' presence is the unclean spirit which, as it was being driven out of a possessed man, makes a frenzied confession, "I know who you are, the Holy One of God!"
If we stay regularly aware of Jesus' unseen presence in our lives, it helps us to live by his values and guidance, and so, in Paul's phrase, live as "children of the light and children of the day". This is the lifestyle that brings people to God.
Wednesday
Col 1: 1-8; Lk 4: 38-44
It is as if Jesus' healing power was pent up from his experience in Nazareth, and now in Capernaum it rushes out in full flood. There, familiarity robbed him of his power. But here there is no barrier: first he heals Peter's mother-in-law, and then crowds of sick and demon-tormented people.
Dreadful thought: like the people of Nazareth we have the power to prevent miracles. The chances are that we all have prevented many miracles, just by filling the air with criticism, or cynicism, or discouragement. We can even do it with a belittling look; in short, with a habit of mind that reduces everything. Some people have a presence that is negative. In their atmosphere we die a little: we keep our stories and anecdotes to ourselves, we talk safe. This is how human community is corroded. It is also how faith is corroded. We talk about "denying the faith," as if words were the worst we could do. We can do much worse than that! Words at least are explicit. But by a look, by our very presence, our atmosphere, we can corrode the faith subtly and silently and deeply. And we may not even be aware that we have done it.
In Jesus' ministry, preaching and healing went together. It suggests that all preaching should be healing in some sense. But what if nobody feels especially sick? Well, to feel totally comfortable in today's weird world is a bit sick. St Paul castigated the Corinthians for "behaving like ordinary people" (1 Corinthians 3:3 JB). In some way all our words can be a prayer for healing, a plea to be free of life-draining atmospheres, and to build up the broken body of Christ.
Thursday (Blessed Mother Teresa)
Col 1:9-14; Lk 5:1-11
How important it is to come to the end of our resources! "Jesus allowed pitch darkness to sweep over my soul," wrote St Thérèse of Lisieux. "I wish I could express what I feel, but it is impossible. One must have travelled through the same sunless tunnel to understand how dark it is…. There is…a wall which towers to the sky and hides the stars." Her next words were (how amazing!), "I have never before felt so strongly how gentle and merciful God is. He sent me this heavy cross just at the time when I was strong enough to bear it…. Nothing now hinders me…. I no longer want anything except to love until I die of love. I am free and fear nothing."
A French biographer of St Thérèse said it was characteristic of her to be always at the end of her resources. It is because she always gave everything she had. She never had anything up her sleeve: no tricks, no escapes, no clever explanations, no blaming, no postponing…. She remained always fully present and vulnerable to experience. That is why God could give her so much.
"We worked hard all night and caught nothing," said Peter in today's reading. Peter was quite often at the end of his resources. He had given up everything to follow Jesus. It didn't matter that all he gave up was a boat and a few nets; it was everything he had. It is not these (or any material possession) that would hold him back, but his reliance on them. He had had the courage to come to the end of his resources. Later he would be dragged even further beyond. The man he followed would be killed, and having nothing else to do he would go back to fishing; but that terrible night too he would catch nothing (Jn 21:3). He would be without a past and without a future. That must have been like St Thérèse's wall reaching up to the sky and letting in no light. But for them both, it was the moment of recognition: "It is the Lord!" (Jn 21:7).
Friday
Col 1: 15-20; Lk 5: 33-39
Jews fasted for all kinds of reasons. Fasting was a sign of mourning for the dead, a sign of repentance for sin, a way of preparing for the coming of the Messiah and the kingdom. We can't be certain why John's disciples fasted but it was probably to prepare for the coming of the Messiah and God's kingdom. After all, John said, "Something big is about to happen."
This would explain Jesus response. In effect Jesus is saying, "Something big and important had happened. The Messiah has come; the kingdom is at hand. The reason for fasting is ended." To keep fasting now would be like continuing to bandage an arm after it is healed. It would be like continuing to hold an umbrella after the rain has stopped.
Do we perform certain religious practices routinely without reflecting on them?
Lord, keep us from letting our religious worship become mechanical or wooden!
Saturday (Blessed Frederic Ozanam)
Col 1: 21-23; Lk 6: 1-5
The Pharisees were watching Jesus and the influence He was having on people.
How do you take it when some people are observing you and waiting for you to make a mistake? That kind of scrutiny causes you to make mistakes; so the critical attitude finds only what it is looking for. If you often suffer from this kind of attack, it is interesting to see how Jesus handled it. He gave them no ground; he didn't apologise or concede any point – even though His own argument was not very strong! (David's action did not occur on a Sabbath.)
It is very difficult to engage in argument with fanatical legalists without becoming a legalist yourself. It is better not to enter into details, but simply to take the ground from under their whole system – which is what the Lord did.
"The Son of Man," he said, "is Lord of the Sabbath."
Monday
1Thes 1: 2-5, 8-10; Mt 23: 13-22
The Pharisees interpreted the law so strictly that no one could observe it, not even they themselves. There was certainly no hope of observing it, they felt, if one remained immersed in ordinary living, so they withdrew (the word 'Pharisee' means 'separated'). Of course they came to despise others who were still immersed in worldly affairs. They were constantly scandalised by Jesus' association with tax-collectors and sinners (Mt 9, Mk 2, Lk 5). They were consumed by zeal for the Law rather than zeal for God. Their interpretations were strict to the point of absurdity. We should be thankful to them: they exemplified perfectly a track that religious people are forever in danger of sliding into. They show us that it is quite possible (and easy) to be interested in religion without being interested in God.
Tuesday (St. Monica)
1 Thes 2: 1-8; Mt 23: 23-26
Strain out the gnat and swallow the camel! This expression is a hyperbole for neglecting one's main and principal duties. The scribes and Pharisees are preoccupied with small and insignificant matters, like paying tithes of mint and dill and cumin, rather than the essential points of God's laws, such as justice, mercy and fidelity.
The Gospel also shows that the primary concern of these religious leaders is on external appearances, thus ignoring the internal and essential. What matters to Jesus is change of heart, conversion and a reformed lifestyle.
Wednesday (St. Augustine of Hippo)
1Thes 2: 9-13; Mt 23: 27-32
The Pharisees have always been sitting ducks for Christian preachers. "The true prophet says humbly, 'To me, a sinner, God spoke.' But the scribes and Pharisees declare, 'When we speak, God agrees.' They feel no need of a special revelation, for they are always, in their own view, infallible. It is this self-righteousness of the pious that most breeds atheism, by inspiring all decent, ordinary people with loathing of the enormous lie." It is clear, of course, that the person who wrote that wasn't thinking only of the historical Pharisees. The reason they continue to be so popular is that they are still breeding.
Thursday (Beheading of John the Baptist)
Jer 1: 17-19; Mk 6: 17-29
John the Baptist was beheaded because he spoke the truth. He told King Herod that it was wrong that he got married with the wife of his brother Philip. It is difficult to tell the truth because truth hurts us. Most often we want that others may speak to us those things that please us. We want to hear nice things about us or how good we are and want to be praised. Others may hide the truth of the evil ways others have done because if they tell the truth they may lose their job positions or promotions or may not get financial support that they need. But the great British convert to Catholicism, writer and poet said: "I don't want a church that tells me when I am right. I want a church that tells me when I am wrong."
Let us ask the Holy Spirit so that we can see the truth and judge our intentions according to His guiding light. And let us ask the intercession of St. John the Baptist to be strong in carrying out the mission God has given us.
Friday
1 Thes 4: 1-8; Mt 25: 1-13
Jesus reminds us several times in the gospel to be always prepared, ready for both the end of the world and one's own death.
William Barclay in his analysis of this parable reminds us of two important truths:
- Some things cannot be gotten instantaneously but take time. For instance, studying for exams or expressing thanks to those who helped us take time. In case of accident, there may not be enough time to receiving the last rites or even to make an act of contrition.
- Certain things cannot be borrowed. You cannot borrow from others a relationship with God. He may say: " I do not know you." Having a pious mother or spouse, even a priest or nun in the family, is not enough. What we do or how we ourselves relate to God and to others is what counts.
Saturday
1Thes 4: 9-12; Mt 25: 14-30
Today's parable, like yesterday's, has an unpleasant tone at first sight. Instead of telling us that everything is a gift of God, it tells us about investments and profits. And worse: the punch-line could come from a director of a multinational company. "To all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away."
That's how the business world operates. How could this have anything to do with the world of the spirit? The business world is only about 'outer things' – property – but the spiritual world has to include also 'inner things'. How could the same rules apply?
To say that the spiritual world is all 'gift' is to say the truth. But to say no more would be to make it a purely passive thing. In reality we know that nothing deep or 'inner' can ever be given to us without our effort. You would love to give your knowledge of, say, a foreign language to someone you love, but it cannot be done without their labour. How much more your understanding, your wisdom, your experience? Even God's gifts, poured out without measure, cannot really become mine unless I interiorise them myself. Struggle is part of the spiritual life, even though it remains true that everything is gift. And it is a fact of experience (not a policy statement of a company) that the more I have the more I will receive. The more I know the more I am capable of knowing; the more I love the more I am capable of loving; the more I pray the more I am able to pray…. And likewise the less.
Monday of the twentieth Week of the Year
Judges 2: 11-19; Mt 19: 16-22
In today's gospel Jesus presents himself as the one who leads his disciples to perfection. The passage challenges all of us. It seems to indicate that the way to eternal life is to renounce one's wealth in order to follow Jesus. Are then, it may be asked, only those who take the vow of poverty guaranteed a place in heaven? An affirmative answer here is faulty on two levels. First, it misses Jesus' point that perfection is a matter not so much of being destitute but of following him. True, the young man in question is ostensibly called to poverty, but more generally the indispensable condition is adherence to Jesus, not forfeiting possessions. Second and as a corollary, taking a vow of poverty or even living in radical poverty does not necessarily mean having a virtuous life. Again, eternal life is a matter of taking one's cue from Jesus. Still we should not be overly consoled by the understanding that renunciation of wealth is not absolutely necessary for eternal life. The rich very often find their greatest satisfaction in what they can do for themselves and not in what God does for them through Christ. Such a stance is incongruent with following Jesus.
Tuesday of the twentieth Week of the Year
Jgs 6: 11-24; Mt 19: 23-30
It will be for one who is rich. In the Gospel Jesus is not condemning wealth or riches. Being rich could mean one is blessed here on earth, but it does not mean one is assured entry into heaven. Entry into God's kingdom is God's gift, not the result of possessions or material wealth. Jesus presents to us the danger of riches which could capture one's devotion to the point that it becomes an attachment that hinders us.
If a man is rich, he may think that anything can be bought. He may reach the conclusion that he does not need God anymore and can do everything without God. Being accustomed to material comforts, the rich man may forget the value of suffering and sacrifice. He may be tempted to cling to riches rather than live a life of sharing. A rich man may judge everything in terms of rewards and merits. He will not appreciate the truth everything is grace, that salvation is God's gift.
What do you consider as your security and success in this life? Can you detach yourself from your material wealth and worldly allurements?
Wednesday of the Twentieth Week of the Year
Jgs 9: 6 – 15; Mt 20: 1-16
In the parable of the vineyard labourers show the generosity of God and the jealousy of men. Envy or jealousy is a capital sin which is caused by one's inability to rejoice at the good fortunes of others. The envious person is not happy and even complains about what he perceives to be an injustice to himself. In the book of Job, Job said, " The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord!" We should have this attitude when we receive material blessings from God. We should be thankful to Him while being aware that material things do not last. When another person receives blessings from God, we should rejoice with him and praise God's generosity. God wants to shower His graces on all men. But to each person God gives something different because He treats us as individuals. So we must not be envious of what other people receive from God. Instead, we should mind our own business, do our Christian duties every day with dedication, and not expect anything in return. We must consider ourselves unworthy servants of the living God. Then if we ever do receive something for our efforts, we should be truly grateful, knowing that God is gracious.
Thursday of the Twentieth Week of the Year (Queenship of Mother Mary)
Is 9: 2-7; Lk 1: 26-38
Mary is the first disciple. In St. Ignatius' 'Call of the Kingdom,' Jesus asks his would-be followers to follow him in suffering, and so follow him in glory. This is precisely what Mary did in her life. Her status as a woman in Jewish society was low, but she allowed the Spirit to lead her, beginning at the Annunciation, and her whole life unfolded as a series of unfathomable events.
She gives birth in a stable, becomes a refugee when Herod goes after her infant son, is puzzled at Simeon's words in the temple and Jesus' own words after he is found there; she journeys with her son despite not understanding everything, and she ends up at the foot of the cross. This is not about having trails in life. It is a lifetime of trails; yet Mary remained steadfast in the hope that God's promise to her would be fulfilled.
So, when Jesus is raised from the dead, is it any wonder that he appears to his mother so that she can also share in his glory, she who has shared so much of his suffering? This is the meaning of Mary's queenship. She is our model of discipleship and hope. If we follow Jesus in his life, death and resurrection, if we allow the Spirit to work in us, then we shall have a share in the glory that God has reserved for those who love him.
Friday of the Twentieth week of the Year
Ruth 1: 1.3-6. 14-16.22; Mt 22: 34-40
Other Jewish teachers have picked out the two greatest commandments. Jesus was not original in that. The first was the most familiar verse of the Old Testament: the 'Shema', Deuteronomy 6:5. The second was Leviticus 19:18. When he quoted the Old Testament he quoted accurately of course. But when he spoke from himself he did not say, "Love your neighbour as yourself," but "Love one another as I have loved you" (Jn 13:34; 15:12). There's a colossal difference!
Saturday of the Twentieth Week of the Year (Feast of St. Bartholomew, the Apostle)
Rev. 21: 9-14; Jn 1: 45-51
The first three gospels never mention Nathanael, and the fourth gospel never mentions Bartholomew. It is probable, most scholars say, that they were one and the same person under different names. In the first three gospels Bartholomew is always mentioned with Philip, and in the fourth gospel Nathanael is always mentioned with Philip - a further reason to suspect that Bartholomew and Nathanael are one man.
Nathanael was puzzled that Jesus seemed to know him already - and indeed to have a high opinion of him. "Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?" Jesus said to him. "You will see greater things than these…. Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man." The word 'angel' means 'messenger'. You will see the transparency of the Son of Man to God. Not just peace and rest in the shade of a tree, but entry into the counsels of the Father.
What is that to us? It is everything, because everything that is about Jesus is about us too. Sometimes what brings us to meditation is the need for peace and quiet, or the need for a certain openness and transparency. But we can hope for more than this. We can hope to become transparent to our ultimate source, we can hope "to see the angels of God ascending and descending."
St. Bartholomew, pray for us.
Monday of the Nineteenth Week of the Year
Dt 10: 12-22; Mt 17: 22-27
The gospel sets before us a few practical lessons for our daily life. First, be a responsible citizen and do good to others even when you are not obliged to do so. We all do good either when it is asked of us or when it benefits us. But doing good will always increases our credibility and helps us to live in harmony and peace. Secondly, do sot seek or expect favours for the good we do. In the eyes of law every citizen is equal. Therefore, Jesus asks Peter to pay taxes even though it was not expected of him. What about me? Do I try to escape from my responsibility to observe the civil and the social laws of my State and society?
Tuesday of the Nineteenth Week of the Year
Dt 31: 1-8; Mt 18: 1-5.10.12-14
It comes as no surprise to many that the Church has chosen St. Therese of the Child Jesus as the millennial saint. When Mother Teresa was asked about the saint after whom she was named, she unhesitatingly answered: "After little Teresa, not the big one."
In this life most of us desire the best and the largest share of the proverbial pie. We fight for positions and glory; we love to occupy the places of honour. We want to be big rather than small, to be high rather than humble and lowly. This explains our crab mentality as a people; so we tend to pull them down.
Today's gospel is preaching the opposite of our natural inclination. Jesus, in this text, is teaching us to be like little children and to learn the Little Way of our millennial saint, Therese of Lisieux. Unless we become like these little ones, we shall not be able to enter our Father's home.
Wednesday of the Nineteenth Week of the Year (St. Maxmilian Kolbe)
Dt 34: 1-12; Mt 18: 15-20
There was an ancient Jewish saying that where two or three were gathered to study the Law, God was present among them. Jesus echoes this, but he says "I am there among them." He is himself the Presence of God. Jewish teachers often called God "the Place". Jesus is the place where we meet God; he is "God with us" (Mt 1:23; 28:20).
This is the only proper context in which the difficult subject of "fraternal correction" should be raised. We all have painful memories of being corrected, where the correction was an expression of superiority or control or anger or impatience or a critical spirit, or indeed anything but love. In a word, when there is ego in it, it is guaranteed to harm you in the end, even if it alters your behaviour in the short term. The ego doesn't know how to love, and therefore it doesn't know how to correct.
Happily we also have memories of being corrected with love: when someone, out of genuine goodness and concern, took us aside and put a respectful and loving word in our ear. That kind of correction cannot be an over-the-shoulder thing; it can only come from a life of love. If you don't love people don't try to correct them, leave it to someone who can do it. If you love someone, the love itself corrects them, often without your having to say a word. "The Lord corrects the one he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights" (Proverbs 3:12).
Thursday of the Nineteenth Week of the Year (Assumption of Mother Mary & Independence Day)
Rev 11: 19a; 12: 1-6a. 10 ab; 1 Cor 15: 20-27; Gospel Lk 1: 39-56
Today we celebrate the solemnity of the Assumption, that the Immaculate Mother of God, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.
She is represented in Revelation as a woman, clothed with the sun, standing on the moon, crowned with 12 stars. Who else could this woman be, the mother of a male child destined to rule all nations? Satan wants to destroy her child, but he is not allowed to. Nor is he allowed to hurt the woman herself. We are told that there is a place prepared for her by God. In this place she awaits the fullness of time when the world will end and all other people will rise in the body as she already has.
Our second reading, from 1 Corinthians, we are promised that "just as in Adam all die, so too in Christ shall all be brought to life." We see the fulfilment of that promise in Mary. Jesus rose from the dead, and that is why we can rise from the dead, but people wonder whether perhaps things are different for Jesus than for us; he is God after all. In the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we see the first example of a human person participating in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
We receive a further benefit from the Assumption, beyond this example which ought to confirm our hope: now we have a mother in heaven. Jesus gave his mother to us to be our mother, the mother of all people. The other saints in heaven are waiting to rise in their bodies, so they are, for now, pure souls, but Mary is more like us, as we are now, as we will be after the Resurrection of the body. With such a sympathetic figure drawing us in, what will prevent us from reaching heaven? We have in Jesus a Saviour who is the way to heaven, the only mediator between God and man, and we have in Mary a mother to help us approach Jesus.
We also pray today in a very special way for our Mother Land India as we remember and celebrate our Independence Day. May God bless all of us that we may put aside all our petty differences and work for the freedom and welfare of all.
Friday of the Nineteenth Week of the Year
Jos 24: 1-13; Mt 19: 3-12
One afternoon, according to an old Sufi tale, Nasruddin and his friend were sitting in a cafe, drinking and talking about life and love.
"How can you never got married, Nazaruddin?" asked his friend at one point. "Well," said Nazaruddin, "to tell you the truth, I spent my youth looking for the perfect woman. In Cairo, I met a beautiful and intelligent woman, with eye like dark olives but she was unkind."
Then in Baghdad, I met a woman who was a wonderful and generous soul, but we had no interest in common."
"One woman after another would seem just right, but there would always be something missing. Then one day, I met her. She was beautiful, intelligent, generous and kind. We had everything in common. In fact, she was perfect." "Well," said Nazaruddin's friend, "What happened? Why didn't you marry her?" Nazaruddin sipped his tea reflectively. "Well," he replied, "it's a sad thing. It seemed she was looking for the perfect man."
Marriages are not made in heaven. There is no perfect marriage, no perfect partners either. Marriage is a work in progress; it does not stop until… the two shall become one……so they are no longer two but one flesh.
Saturday of the Nineteenth Week of the Year
Jos 24: 14-29; Mt 19: 13-15
Let the children come to me. For the Jews, children are insignificant and sometimes a nuisance. But for Jesus, they are role models for discipleship. He welcomes them anytime and blesses them.
A child is considered helpless, powerless, and vulnerable. Children depend upon their parents and elders. We too, must present ourselves before God in the same manner. We must rely on God's power and providence, for without God, we are lost, helpless. Children are normally trustful of their parents, elders, guardian, or older siblings. They obey them and even imitate them. They are willing to learn. In the same manner, we, too, must trust God and willingly accept God's plans for us. God knows best. We only have to obey God's commandments and follow in Jesus' footsteps. We have to learn God's ways which include welcoming others to Jesus' community.
How much of a child are you in the sight of the Lord?
Do you teach the right values to your children?
How do you guide them to fulfil their roles in the community?
Monday of the Eighteenth Week of the Year
Numbers 11: 4-15; Gospel Mt 14: 13-21
When Peter felt threatened by the storm and the big waves, his faith faltered. Jesus censured him for his weakness: "Man of little faith, why did you doubt?"
Don't we tend to act very much the same? Isn't it true that when everything is going well for us, more often than not we forget God? But just as some strong wind, some big problem arises- a grave illness that strikes us, the sudden death of a loved one or a natural calamity like an earthquake, then we get scared; we turn to God.
As long as Peter kept his focus on the Lord, all went well. As soon as he forgot about Jesus and worried about the wind, he began to sink. Perhaps this is what faith means: keeping our focus on the Lord regardless of the turmoil around us."
Tuesday of the Eighteenth Week of the Year (The Transfiguration of the Lord)
Dn 7: 9,-10, 13-14; 2 Pet 1: 16-19; Gospel Lk 9: 28-36
We are told in the gospels that Jesus took with him Peter, James and John and went up a high mountain to pray. There in front of them Jesus was transfigured, His face shone like the sun and His garments became white as snow.
Transfiguration means 'a crossing of figure', or a change of figure – being lifted high above the things of this world; leaving the flesh and all creation behind and turning to the Creator. It is a foreshadowing of the glory which is to be ours in heaven.
At the glorious sight, Peter became ecstatic and exclaimed: "Lord, it is good for us to be here!" For here is all light and joy, happiness and bliss; here the heart is at rest, in peace serene; here we behold Christ our God, so much so that Peter is ready to pitch tent right there on the mountain. Really who would like to move away from joy, happiness, rest and peace!
One day we too will be transfigured like Christ. For as St Paul says, "We shall be like Him as He really is." But we have already the foreshadowing of it in the Eucharist. In the Eucharist we see it reflected as in a mirror. Let us adore and worship Christ present in the Eucharist and let us say with Peter, "It is good for us to be here."
Wednesday of the Eighteenth Week of the Year
Num 13: 1-2, 25-14: 1, 26-29, 34-35; Gospel Mt 15: 21-28
Have you been rejected? Psychologists would say that the most painful experience one can encounter is no other than rejection. Rejection can stifle the spontaneity of a person. It can even damage one's self worth, especially if the person has low self-confidence, or even worst, it can make the person angry and unreasonable, resorting to untoward incidents.
The Canaanite woman in the gospel must have been hurt so much by the seemingly indifferent attitude of Jesus and the very harsh words of the disciples. But Jesus must have a reason in treating her that way. Perhaps, he wanted to bring out the best in her. And sure enough, the woman transcended the common human reaction to rejection and discouragement because of love. More than faith, the woman loved her daughter so much that she was willing to do anything even to the extent of facing humiliation. What an expression of true love, a motherly love! Next, indeed, to the love of God is the love of a mother.
In the Canaanite woman, Jesus found the expression of love par excellence, and so he said: "Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish." And her daughter was healed from that moment.
Have you tried expressing your love to somebody to that extent? Have you tried swallowing your pride so that others may receive a favour or may live? 'Lord, make us TRUE instruments of your love!'
Thursday of the Eighteenth Week of the Year
Num 20: 1-13; Gospel Mt 16: 13-23
Peter's story illustrates how the Lord entrusted the Church he founded in the hands of imperfect humans. The history of the Church buffeted by internal dissent and confusion from the early centuries right down to our own times has proven Christ's words. "And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
There were numerous popes and religious leaders, who were paragons of virtues, but we can not gloss over certain church leaders who were totally devoid of the right qualifications to lead; even today, there are priests and bishops who by their misconduct and indiscretion have caused grave scandal. But through all the good and the bad, the Church has withstood the torrents and violent storms that have threatened it because it is founded on rock.
With God as our security we have a wall to lean on.
Friday of the Eighteenth Week of the Year
Dt 4: 32-40; Gospel Mt 16: 24 - 28
We are living in an age wherein pain or suffering is considered the downside of life and so it has to be avoided or as much possible less felt. Every attempt is made to avoid pain at any cost.
Denying the reality of pain might also have an adverse effect. The growing incidence of separation among married couples, the inability of young people for lifelong commitment like the religious life or marriage, the horrific data of substance or sexual abuse and addiction can be traced to modern man's incapacity to bear pain and to suffer for somebody, for something or for higher values such as freedom, justice, peace, equality and other noble pursuits.
Jesus rejected the direct connection between sin and suffering. He opposed suffering in all forms and yet he has given himself up to suffering including death on the cross. For Christian suffering or pain should not be shunned but to be overcome. The gospel today challenges us to embrace the cross because of its redemptive role in our life. The reality of pain in human existence would hopefully lead us to be patient in suffering and be compassionate with those who are suffering.
Saturday of the Eighteenth Week of the Year (St. Lawrence)
2 Cor 9: 6-10; Gospel Jn 12: 24-26
St Lawrence was martyred in Rome in 258 during the persecution under the Roman emperor Valerian. He was among the seven deacons serving Pope St Sixtus II, who was martyred a few days before Lawrence. When he was challenged to hand over the Church's treasure to the authorities, he asked for a few days' grace; then "he went all over the city, seeking out in every street the poor who were supported by the Church, and with whom no other was so well acquainted. On the third day, he gathered together a great number of them before the church and placed them in rows: the decrepit, the blind, the lame, the maimed, the lepers, orphans and widows; then he went to the prefect, invited him to come and see the treasure of the Church."
Although Lawrence was probably beheaded, St Ambrose of Milan and the Latin poet Prudentius, among others, recorded that he was roasted to death on a gridiron. Many conversions to Christianity throughout Rome reportedly followed Laurence's death, including those of several senators witnessing his execution. The Basilica of San Lorenzo, Rome, was built over his burial place. St Lawrence, pray for us!!
Monday of the Seventeenth Week of the Year (St. Martha, Memorial)
Exodus 32: 15 -24; Gospel Mt 13: 31-35
Jesus gives us two images today of the reign of god and of the gift of faith: the mustard seed and yeast kneaded into flour. He again speaks in the homey examples that his friends and neighbours can understand: the garden and the kitchen.
The image of the mustard seed tells us about the power of faith and its ability to change our lives and the lives of countless generations. That tiny seed grows and a magnificent tree of faith grows for us and all those in our lives to take shelter and be protected against the storms.
We are also called to the like the yeast, that mysterious and marvellous substance that brings life to the dough and causes it to rise. So too, do we bring true life into the world as we allow the power of Christ to live in us and to bring life to all around us. If there is one thing about faith, it is alive. Nothing can stay the same when it is touched by God's love. Neither can we be the same when the finger of God's love touches us and calls us to share that life in the world.
Tuesday of the Seventeenth Week of the Year
Exodus 33: 7-11:34: 5-9, 28; Gospel Mt 13:36-43
In the Gospel today, Jesus explains to his disciples the Parable of the Weeds. It is about seeds. Seeds are the beginning of things, not the end. Good and evil will be separated out only at the end of time. That means, in practical terms, never. In the ultimate, yes, in eternity; but not in time – at no time. We have heard politicians talk about "stamping out evil." I heard someone comment, "Jesus didn't do it, the Buddha didn't do it, but this politician is going to do it!" Only in the final sifting will it be done, and we don't know anything about that. Let's not be too surprised at evil deeds: we are part of the picture ourselves. Besides, many things that we call good today we will call evil tomorrow. We don't have the full picture. Only God has. To claim to have the full picture is to claim to be God.
This thought doesn't make evil any less evil, or less painful to its victims. But if we don't spend all our time wondering why there is so much evil in the world, we may have a little left over for wondering why there is so much good.
Wednesday of the Seventeenth Week of the Year ( St. Ignatius of Loyola)
Exodus 34: 29-35; Gospel Mt 13: 44-46
At crucial transitions in our life, and certainly at the hour of death, we must exchange all we own for the pearl of great price. While today's gospel clearly calls for radical dedication, the reading from Exodus illustrates the price paid for loyal service of the Lord. Moses, after intimate conversation with the Lord, already has a foretaste of heaven so that "the skin of his face has become radiant." The peace and strength, compassion and wisdom of God shone from the eyes and countenance of this "man of God."
Such radiance was too much for the Israelites. They backed away so that Moses had to call to them from a distance and even began to wear a veil over his face. Most of us do not want God too close as this, one who continually calls us to peace and forgiveness with our neighbour, to strength and fidelity with moral principles, to compassion towards those who harm us, day by day. Yet, when important decisions were pending, the people were anxious for God's guidance. We too are grateful for the saintly people who force us to put our life and its many demands into a healthy perspective wherein we are led to esteem most of all this "one really valuable pearl."
In seeking the pearl of great price there may be times when the struggle is not against what is evil or immoral, but is caused by the betrayal of friends or feeling abandoned even by God. In those circumstances we need a lot of faith to believe that, like the merchant in search of that pearl, it really is there to be found.
Thursday of the Seventeenth Week of the Year
Ex 40: 16-21, 34-38; Gospel Mt 13: 47-53
Today we conclude the Book of Exodus, as important to the Old Testament as are the gospels to the New. We also conclude another of the major sections in Matthew's gospel, on the reign or kingdom of God (Matthew 11:2–13:53). In these readings we find God's merciful way of drawing people to Godself, or into the Kingdom of God.
Biblical religion always had a forward vision about it. It never consecrated a past golden age but moved onwards towards its messianic age. Along the way it took monumental leaps forward. These changes were required at times by cultural or national crises. Other changes were required to renew and purify the people, as was the case when Jeremiah proposed the prophetic symbol of the potter: Whenever the object which the potter was making turned out badly in his hand, he tried again, making of the clay another object of whatever sort he pleased.
God is the divine potter and asks, "Can I not do to you, my people, as the potter does?" There is continuity. The clay is the same and the potter is the same, just as the ark carried memories of Moses. All changes and transitions can be difficult. But in Jesus' vision there is always hope for renewal, for the head of the household can bring from his treasures things new and old.
At transitional moments in our personal life as in church, we need the courage to suffer through the change, and vision to recognize the will of God drawing us into a future more precious even than the past.
Friday of the Sixteenth Week of the Year
Lev 23: 1, 4, 11, 15-16, 27, 34-37; Gospel Mt 13: 54-58
Like Moses, Elijah and Jeremiah, Jesus knew rejection by his own people. The family and the village are realities that cling close to you, but their loving embrace becomes a stranglehold when you disappoint them. The people were happy with Jesus while he was bringing credit on them, but when he compared foreigners favourably with Israelites they wanted to throw him over a cliff (Luke 4:29).
Matthew says Jesus "did not" (would not) act because of the people's unbelief. But Mark says he "could not" do a miracle in Nazareth (Mk 6:5). A village is able to choke up the sources of life itself.
The theme of rejection runs right through the gospels. "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first" (Jn 15:18). It was the expected thing that prophets were rejected. "Can you name a single prophet your ancestors never persecuted?" asked Stephen, just before they killed him (Acts 7:52).
We don't get the impression that Jesus was bitterly disappointed or angry about his treatment in his home town. Perhaps he expected it. In Luke's account he even seemed to provoke it. We start out in life with our ego-dream: we expect everyone to love us as much as our mothers did. When we discover that the world isn't like that we become bitter and disillusioned; and so begins the rollercoaster of emotions. If we had no expectations, but also no bitterness, we would be free of two major traps on the path of discipleship.
Saturday of the Sixteenth Week of the Year
Lev 25: 1, 8-17, Gospel Mt 14: 1-12
John's fate prefigures that of Jesus. If John was put to death, how could Jesus – who was "a prophet without honour in his own country" – be expected to escape a like fate? In each case their teaching was interpreted by politicians as political. To this day, this happens in the world.
At that time, nobody even nodded towards freedom of speech: to denounce a ruler's character was suicidal. Israel had a long-standing tradition exempting prophets from severe punishment for their speech, a rule that only the most vicious rulers broke. Herod was one such ruler. John reproached Herod for violating the law against incest (Lev. 18:16). We know how Herod thanked him for that.
But the story didn't end there. The father of Herod's repudiated wife, King Aretas, was aggrieved by Herod's treatment of his daughter, and he didn't hold his feelings in: he waged war and inflicted a humiliating defeat on him. This led many people to believe that God had used Aretas to punish Herod for the execution of John. The trouble with this interpretation – and all others like it – is that it sees God as part of the squabble; it sees God as just a more powerful politician. See what follows from mistaking moral and spiritual teaching for politics? – You make God a politician, just like the others, and frequently far worse. Politics is about power, spirituality and morality are not.
Monday of the sixteenth Week of the Year
Exodus 14: 5-18; Gospel Mt 12: 38-42
The scribes and Pharisees want to see a sign from Jesus. None of his many miracles up to that point were enough for them; what could he do that would satisfy them? Jesus responds that he will give them a sign: the sign of Jonah. None of the miracles of Jesus were enough for the Pharisees, so Jesus points to the greatest of his work: the cross. Perhaps, a great magician could have performed some if not all of the miracles Jesus worked, or at least convince a crowd that he had done so, but no one could accomplish the cross except Jesus. On the cross Jesus was tortured, but he forgave his tormentors. He was killed, but he rose again on the third day. No one could fake the cross.
So the Pharisees will have their perfect sign, and, for the most part, they will still not believe. This is because faith does not come from signs, but it is a gift of the Holy Spirit. Real faith can only be a gift from God.
The Ninevites repented not because of the eloquent preaching of Jonah, but because God put repentance in their hearts and they needed a small encouragement from Jonah. If God gives you faith, the smallest sign, seen with faith, will be more convincing than any proof ever done. So do not ask for signs from God; ask for faith, perfect faith.
Tuesday of the Sixteenth Week of the Year
Exodus 14: 21- 15: 1; Gospel Mt 12: 46-50
"I asked God how much he loved me. He stretched out his arms and said: "as much as this… then he died. He died for his friends… for his brothers and sisters whom he loves.
Jesus tells us in the gospel that there are different ways of being related to him: by blood, as was Mary: by faith, which involves total commitment to and trust in the will of the Father and by a combination of the two. Obviously, none of us can be related to Jesus by blood. But being his brother or sister through obedience to the will of the Father is open to any of us who is courageous enough to desire it. And it is a deeper relationship than by blood. Being the mothers, brothers or sisters of Jesus, what more can we ask?
Wednesday of the sixteenth Week of the Year
Exodus16: 1-5, 9-15; Gospel Mt 13: 1-9
It is said that no two persons are exactly alike, even identical twins. Every person is unique. This is true not only in the physical and external dimension but also in the internal make up of a person.
In the parable of today, Jesus makes a graphic illustration of how people differ in their hearing and accepting the word of God. Interior disposition as well as outside factors can influence and affect one's response. We humbly admit that we usually resemble the first three types. To listen to God's Word is not that easy, much less to put it into action. However, it is not impossible to realize the fourth type. God's grace is waiting four our cooperation. If we le go of our selfish preoccupations and keep our hearts open and receptive, God's word will grow and bear fruit in our lives. It is a good practice to examine what type of soil (listener) we are and ask ourselves why we are that type.
Thursday of the Sixteenth Week of the Year (St. James, Apostle)
2 Cor 4: 7-15; Mt 20: 20 -28
We celebrate the feast of James, the apostle today. In the gospel we have his mother approaching Jesus with a request. Which mother wouldn't want to see her children occupying positions of power and glory?
But her request wasn't easy as she thought, for a position in the Kingdom of Heaven is not one of power and glory but of service and sacrifice. Unlike in the temporal sphere, in the Kingdom of Heaven whoever wants to be great must serve the rest, because the standard has already been set by Jesus Himself.
We can be sure that the sons of Zebedee must have been deeply struck and moved by the words of Jesus, for James began preaching with great zeal. He gave up all earthly interests and he was martyred by King Herod about the year 42A.D.
Now it goes without saying that there is a struggle for power and glory in the political sphere. But is the desire and struggle for power confined to the political field? We can very well notice such a phenomenon even inn the religious sphere.
Let us pray that we may be willing to forgo all desire for power and glory and do everything for the spread of the Kingdom
Friday of the Fifteenth Week of the Year ( Sts. Joachim and Anne, Parents of Mother Mary)
Exodus 20: 1-17; Gospel Mt 13: 18-23
In the gospel today, Jesus explains the meaning of the Parable of the sower to his disciples. It requires a lot of honesty to admit which type of soil we are. If we look back at our lives, we see all four types of soil in us sometimes. There were times when the Lord sowed but it fell on the edge of the path because we thought it was uncool to be religious or we left other people to pray instead for us. There were times when we were a path of rock with shallow soil because although we believe in the Lord, when crosses come our way we were tempted to abandon him. There were times when the Lord sowed the seed in us and we choked it with thorns; we forgot him who gave the gifts, the very blessings to us. But there were also times when he sowed seed and produced a harvest in the rich soil of our lives. We need to see that as we grow older we become the rich soil for his word to yield a great harvest.
Saturday of the Fifteenth Week of the Year
Exodus 24: 3-8 Gospel Mt 13: 24-30
Cardinal Basil Hume of England wrote in his book, To be a pilgrim, "Deny Yourself. Keep in mind that other people can provide you with excellent opportunities for self-denial. It is harder to endure a bore than to give up sugar in one's tea."
We live in an imperfect world and we surrounded by all kinds of persons who rub on us one way or the other. We get irritated by others' imperfections often failing to see that we ourselves can be irritants to others. Unknowingly, we may end up judging others.
The gospel of today reminds us that God sees the mind and the hearts and yet allows the wheat and the weeds to grow together. Then, at harvest time he will separate one from the other.
When we are treated the wrong way or when we are burdened by our own limitations, may we remember the reaction of an oyster when irritated by intruding sand. It transforms the sand into a beautiful pearl.
Monday of the Fifteenth Week of the Year
Exodus 1: 8 -14, 22; Gospel Mt 10: 34- 11:1
"You are not worthy of me". We must look into the face of Christ and be able to understand these words of Christ. Yes, if I do not set Jesus as the absolute of my life, then I am not worthy of Him. The sword that cuts to the marrow of my bone is the absolute demand Jesus places upon my whole person and all the minutes and spaces of my life. There is no peace without the sword of divine love cutting deep within me. Each day it is relentless. Each day the cross, each day the following after. Yet there is no other way.
We pray that we become worthy of the promises of Christ.
Tuesday of the Fifteenth Week of the Year (Our Lady of Mount Carmel)
Exodus 2: 1- 15; Gospel 11: 20 -24
Today Jesus reproaches the two towns of Chorazin and Bethsaida. He does so because they have been the scenes of Jesus working miracles of grace and love in abundance. But he could not see any noticeable change of heart or conversion among the people. Many are the graces Jesus lavishes on us. So much has been given and so little has been returned. Indeed, we are a lot like Chorazin and Bethsaida.
This gospel is a reality check for us today. Today, the Lord confronts us with the truth of the gifts that he has given to us, and he asks us to reflect upon what we have done with those gifts. This does not mean to condemn us for past failures but to inspire us to begin again. Remember, every saint has a past and every sinner has a future in Christ Jesus.
Wednesday of the Fifteenth Week of the Year
Exodus3: 1-6, 9-12; Gospel Mt 11: 25-27
Jesus tells us today that what the Father has hidden from the clever and the learned he has revealed to the merest children. There were intellectual giants at the time of Jesus; people who knew the Law at their finger tips. But they failed to recognize the One who was promised to come and redeem them from the clutches of sin. What Jesus is talking about is a childlike quality that is present in the true believer. He is not talking about being childish or immature, but he is speaking about being childlike. This childlike quality is expected when he tells us to be innocent as doves but wise as serpents.
The journey to being childlike is well worth the trip. When we become like little children, then we can really accept and rejoice at being children in the arms of the beloved Parent. We can really celebrate the joy of being so loved and cherished by God who loves us so much and delights to hold us close.
Thursday of the Fifteenth Week of the Year
Exodus 3: 13-20; Mt 11: 28-30
"Come to me." These beautiful and consoling words of Jesus are among the most touching in all of scripture. If we really want to understand their depth, we have to think of ourselves in our most terrible moments- moments when we thought that we could not go on. Whatever it was, we have all gone through moments like these. The abandonment that Jesus suffered in the garden of Gethsemane and on the cross is part and parcel of everyone's life.
These moments are also tremendous moments of grace. They are the opportunity for us to allow God to love us and help us. God calls to us to come to him always, but especially when we are powerless and need him most. The temptation will be to think that we don't deserve God's love. Of course we are not worthy of God's love, and yet God loves us just the same unconditionally and completely. Why not allow God to hold us in his arms today and love us?
Friday of the Fifteenth Week of the Year
Exodus 11: 10 -12: 14; Gospel Mt 12: 1-8
"The Son of Man is the Lord of the Sabbath." What is Jesus up to? Revolution, plain and simple! Jesus is changing all the rules. At the heart of this new way is the obvious principle that people are more important than things and rules.
Simple hunger seemed to be more important to Jesus than centuries of religious practice and custom. In this we see the dilemma and problem that will eventually lead Jesus to the cross. He habitually breaks the law. Whether it is taking the grain from the stalks on the Sabbath or eating regularly with sinners, Jesus is saying that the Law has great limitations and that other values mean more than the law. The need of a suffering person or a sinner always has priority.
Unfortunately, there are still crucifixions in the community of love which is his holy Church. We must hear and understand the words of Jesus: "It is mercy I desire and not sacrifice."
Saturday of the Fifteenth Week of the Year
Exodus 12: 37-42; Gospel Mt 12: 14-21
Jesus follows the path of hiddeness and withdrawal in this gospel narrative. He is a lamb among the wolves, but he is shrewd and prudent as the serpent. His is not to be on the offensive, but ultimately to be obedient to the Father. Behold: my servant. The Son becomes the Servant. He gives his life for the victory of justice.
What a demanding and seemingly impossible role Jesus calls his disciples to! Can we ever achieve it? Of course not! But that does not mean we don't keep on trying. We never give up and we never stop. We try to be open to the unending call that Jesus gives us- to imitate him as the Suffering and Humble Servant.
Monday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Genesis 28: 10 – 22; Gospel Mt 9: 18-26
Today's first reading indicates in a mysterious way how eager God is to give himself to Jacob and be part of his life. God wants to be part of our life too. May we make our own the verse of the responsorial psalm: "In you, my God, I place my trust".
Today's gospel shows the true nature of the sacraments. A woman touches Jesus' garment with faith and she is healed of a haemorrhage. A man pleads with Jesus to come and heal his daughter. What Jesus did for these two, he is more than anxious to do for us. We come to him in all of life's crisis and needs saying in our hearts, if I can only touch the tassel of his cloak, I shall get well. In the sacraments the mercy and love of Christ are made flesh. Through them he enters into our lives now and lives with us.
The Lord indeed is kind and merciful.
Tuesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Genesis 32: 23 -33; Gospel Mt 9: 32-38
Our encounter with God many not be as exciting as Jacob's was, but if our eyes are open, we can meet God in our daily life, our work, above all we can meet God in any kind of service to his flock.
The gospel is about vocation. The Church needs priests and sisters and brothers, but she needs others as well. She needs any one who is willing to serve people in need. As Jesus was concerned about the needy and the poor, so must the Christians be concerned. We may grow old and ill, but concern for people never ceases. May that concern haunt us always even after we have received our final vocation – to live with our God forever.
Wednesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Genesis 41: 55-57; Gospel Mt 10: 1-7
The readings from Genesis cover only the high points in Jewish history and one of the greatest is the history of Joseph sold by his brothers to slavery in Egypt. But God uses Jacob to rescue his brothers and father from famine. Joseph is one of the most perfect fore type of Jesus the Saviour in the whole Old Testament.
This is the beginning of the 400 years of sojourn of the Hebrews in Egypt. It becomes a story that shows how God is the master of history. It will end with another rescue of his people by God working through Moses at the time of the Exodus, the Passover and the covenant God will make with the people on Mount Sinai. God still works in the world. We can make our own the prayer: "Lord let your mercy be on us as we place our trust in you".
Thursday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Genesis 44: 18 -21, 23-29, 45: 1-5; Gospel Mt 10: 7-15
The story of Joseph continues to unfold in today's first reading, and it is not hard for us (as it was for Jews) to remember the marvels the Lord has done.
In commissioning the apostles, Jesus says to them, "The gift you have received, give as a gift". That charge holds good for us today. We have to translate the Gospel into our lives and then hand it on as a gift to others. This is our obligation both as individuals and as a parish community. It is only in living the gospel this way, we can keep it and grow in its spirit.
Friday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Genesis 46: 1-7, 28 -30; Gospel Mt 10: 16-23
To leave behind an old way of life is never easy: to leave is to die a little. Like Jacob, we all have many calls from God. Perhaps, the most important and valuable one is the call to old age and retirement. The great temptation then will be to think that our life is no longer worthwhile, because we can do nothing. Then we have to remember as Jacob did, that it is not what we do that counts in God's eyes, it is what we are. And we are his beloved children.
Saturday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Genesis 49: 29-33; 50: 15-24; Gospel 10: 24 -33
Joseph's resemblance to Jesus emerges again today. As Jesus forgave those who crucified him, Joseph forgives his brothers for selling him to slavery. He also gives a hint of understanding into the mystery of evil when he says, "Even though you meant harm to me, God meant it for good, to achieve his present end, the survival of many people. Therefore have no fear". And his promise to "provide for you and for your children" is marvellously fulfilled in Christ's establishment of his Church whose purpose is to provide for people's needs to the end of time. One of our greatest needs is freedom from fear and this is what Jesus and Joseph promise us, that the Father cares for us, really cares, so " do not be afraid of anything"- practically the same words Joseph used, " give thanks to the Lord, invoke his name". (Responsorial Psalm)
Monday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Genesis 18: 16 -33; Gospel Mt 8: 18-22
There are several ways of looking at the story in today's reading. We could try to determine the enormity of the sins of the people of Sodom and be properly shocked at their wickedness. Or we might consider the social awareness and wonderful charity of Abraham in trying to rescue them. But, what appeals most to me is the attitude of the Lord- how eager and anxious God is to forgive the people, despite their degradation. This is our God, then, now and always- our God whose eagerness to forgive and forget is available to us now as it was for the people of Sodom then. It is incomprehensible that so many Christians seem to want to concentrate more on their sins than on God's loving kindness.
"Bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all my being, bless his holy name…
He pardons all your iniquities,
He heals all your ills." (Responsorial Psalm)
Tuesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Genesis 19: 15-29; Gospel Mt 8: 23-27
Satchel Paige once said, "Don't look back. Somebody might be gaining on you." The Lord told Lot and his family not to look back to Sodom, but Lot's wife looked back and was turned into salt. Not only did she disobey God but she did not want to leave the past behind and launch out into a new life. How typical she is of many of us! The past is important to us, and those who forget the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes. But we cannot remain in the past. Life is ongoing. Life is adventure. Every new day, every new year, presents new challenges. The responsorial psalm tells us, "Your kindness, Lord is before my eyes, and I walk in your truth hand in hand with you day by day." Unlike the apostles who do not realize the power of your presence we fear nothing. So remember Lot's wife. But most of all, remember Jesus who never forgets us.
Wednesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Genesis 21: 5, 8-20; Gospel Mt 8: 28-34
The Gospel depicts one of the strangest incidents in the New Testament, strange because it takes place in a pagan land. A herd of swine is destroyed, and the people beg Jesus to leave their neighbourhood. May be we should not try to seek out some deep meaning, but simply settle for the fact that Christ's mercy and compassion refuses to be confined to any place, any people, any time. This truth is also illustrated in today's first reading. Ishmael, Abraham's son by the slave girl is exiled by a jealous Sarah. But "the Lord hears the cry of the poor" (Responsorial Psalm). God takes care of Ishmael and promises to make a great nation of him. The Arabs today claim Ishmael as their father. If the Lord hears the cry of poor Ishmael, may we not expect similar loving care?
Thursday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Genesis 22: 1-19; Gospel Mt 9: 1-8
How could anyone put into words the anguish of Abraham whose hopes and life are dashed by the Lord's command? But God commands and Abraham will obey, even though this particular command will negate all God's promises. It is the ultimate test of faith and Abraham passes it gloriously. I don't pretend to try to solve whatever mystery there might be here. The whole incident may be a kind of preview of what God the Father will some day go through when his own son Jesus will be sacrificed. It is not for nothing that we see Isaac carrying the wood of the sacrifice. If you desire a moral from the incident, then, when the time comes in your own life that darkness covers all your hopes just remember Abraham our father in faith, call upon him and your faith will flower and in his name you will be blessed.
Friday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Genesis 23: 1-4,19; 24: 1-8, 62-67; Gospel Mt 9 : 9- 13
Today's first reading relates the continuing unfolding of God's promises to Abraham. Abraham loses Sarah his wife and arranges for his son Isaac's choice of a bride. Rebecca will be a worthy mate for him.
The Pharisees wonder why Jesus eats with tax collectors and sinners. The substance of his reply is, "That's where I belong. That's where I feel most at home." And he still does. The Eucharist is the family meal for sinners over which Jesus presides. The Church teaches that the Eucharist forgives sin. If tickets were required for Mass, they might read on one side, "Admit one sinner." And on the other, "Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed."
"Give thanks to the Lord for he is good,
For his kindness endures forever." (Responsorial Psalm)
Saturday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Genesis 27: 1-5, 15-29; Gospel Mt 9: 14-17
In trying to explain the dishonesty of Jacob and his mother in today's reading. St. Augustine writes, "It is not a lie, but a mystery." One can disagree. It certainly was a lie, but it may also be a mystery. Perhaps, as the New American Bible indicates (St. Joseph edition. P. 30), God does make use of weak, sinful humans to achieve his ultimate purpose. I suspect he prefers honesty at all time.
If the disciples of John are a little troubled at the laxity of Jesus disciples, one can hardly blame them. Their master John was a true man of God who prepared the Jews for Jesus and his teaching by preaching penance. Fasting was John's way of life. Jesus does not dispute that claim. Fasting is important and necessary for the follower of Christ, but it is not the whole of religious practice. The time will come when Jesus will be taken from the apostles, and then as a sign for their longing to be reunited with Jesus, they can fast.
Monday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
Genesis 12: 1 -9; Gospel Mt 7: 1-5
The realistic account of Abram's call in the first reading today hardly reveals the interior drama that took place in the hearts of Abram and Sarah. The Lord calls Abram to a new mission, and the old man accepts the call without hesitation. The call –and the promise- made no sense from the human point of view. But Abram trusted God; he believed; he put his whole life and future in God's hands. The result? "Happy the people the Lord has chosen to be his own". (Responsorial psalm) That is as true of us as it was of Abram. God has also chosen us to be his own. Are we happy to be chosen? Are we even aware of it? May the example and prayers of Abram, our father in faith, inspire us to let go our hold on the past, our hold on all possessions, and launch out into the unknown homeland of God's everlasting love for us.
Tuesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
Genesis 13: 2, 5 -18; Gospel Mt 7: 6, 12 -14
"Treat others the way you would have them treat you; this sums up the Law and the prophets". In the abstract, that principle does not seem very noble; however, when it is evident in the thought and practice of a noble person like Abram, it takes on considerable attractiveness. A quarrel between the herdsmen of Abram and Lot brings about a showdown between the two. Conflict is abhorrent to Abram and he comes to the decision described in the first reading. As the head of the clan, he could have had first choice of the land. He gives that choice to Lot. This generosity, based unconditionally on his reverence to Lot as a person, adds to the stature of Abram as one of the world's most attractive of all God's creatures. He presents an ideal for every Christian. Following his example and making Abram's values our own is one of the best ways for all of us to enter through the narrow gate that leads to life.
Wednesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
Genesis 15: 1 -12, 17 -18; Gospel Mt 7: 15 – 20
"Any sound tree bears good fruit, while a decayed tree bears bad fruit". Jesus might well have had Abram in mind when he proposed this truth. God's choice of Abram as the father of his people is justified in Abram's thinking and his whole manner of life. His finest fruit is his faith, his trust in the Lord's promise. Humanly speaking, there wasn't a chance in the world that God's promise could be fulfilled. But God speaks divinely, and Abram accept the promise. To bolster his faith, the Lord enters into a solemn covenant with Abram, telling him: "To your descendants I give this land…." God's covenant with Abram is sealed in the blood of animals. At the last supper, Jesus will make a new covenant with us, God's people now, and he seals it in his blood. "The Lord remembers his covenant forever." (Responsorial psalm). And he wants us to remember it too. That's why Jesus says, "Do this in remembrance of me."
Thursday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
Genesis 16: 1 -12, 15 -16; Gospel Mt 7: 21 – 29
Marriage customs change as humankind develops. What was approved for Abram then would hardly be acceptable today. Abram's lifelong desire for a son is gratified at long last, and he may well cry out, " Give thanks to the Lord for he is good" (Responsorial Psalm). It is a good prayer for us all. But what about poor Sarah? Just wait (till tomorrow). She who laughs last…..
Christ's words in the Gospel might well be the most terrifying warning he ever uttered. He tells us that following him is a way of life, consisting not in pious words but in acceptance of all that the Father chooses to ask of us. Being his followers implies being responsible for the faith he has given us and allowing that faith to shape our lives. "Anyone who hears my words and puts them into practice is like the wise man who built his house on rock". Building the house of religion on any other foundation makes no sense at all.
Friday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
Genesis 17: 1, 9-10, 15-22; Gospel Mt 8: 1 -4
The rite of circumcision was a sign with the very special religious meaning that Abram's descendants would be God's very own people. At last the moment has arrived for the fulfilment of God's promise to Abraham. Abraham's disbelieving laughter may seem disappointing after all the praise we have heaped on him. But, put yourselves into this. 99 year old shoes!! People his and Sarah's age do not ordinarily produce offspring. The Lord insists, however, and soon Abraham is going 'to see how the Lord blesses those who fear him' as he has feared and loved the Lord all his life. From preaching, now Jesus turns to healing. "Sir," the leper cries to him, "If you will to do so, you can cure me". Jesus touches him and says, "I do will it. Be cured". That saying, healing will of Jesus continues today. Jesus still holds out his healing hand in all the Sacraments.
Saturday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
Genesis 18: 1- 15; Gospel Mt 8: 5-17
God tells Sarah that she is going to have her promised child, and Sarah laughs. When God asks why she laughed, she says, "I didn't laugh". But God says," Yes, you did". I think God laughed too. Actually the meaning of the name Sarah is to give her child Isaac is "God has smiled". I like that. I suspect that God does more smiling than we think. I think he smiled at the centurion too. He was not even a descendant of Abraham and Sarah, but he had faith, which makes his a very special relative. "Just give an order," he says to Jesus, "and all will be well".
The last verses of today's Gospel fulfil a messianic prophecy and sum up Christ's life: "It was our infirmities that he bore, our sufferings he endured". What we suffer, he suffers. He walks by our side, and at the most difficult times, he carries us in his arms. This is the good news of the Lord.