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Tuesday, August 19, 2025

Candace’s Corner ·           10 coolest summer getaways in Arizona: Mountains, lakes and a chilly cave trek ·           Foodie:   Catholic R...

Iceman's 33 Days to Eucharistic Glory Day 33

Iceman's 33 Days to Eucharistic Glory Day 33
Start March 19 for Easter ending (Easter)

Monday, August 25, 2025

 


Christopher’s Corner

·         Eat waffles and Pray for the assistance of the Angels

·         Religion in the Home for Preschool: August

·         Spirit Hour: Whiskey sour

o   Chambord

§  Happy Days Herbal Mocktail

·         Foodie-National Catfish Month

·         MondayLitany of Humility

·         National Fishing Month

o   Newport Fishing

Drops of Christ’s Blood     · 

·         How to celebrate Aug 25th

·         Rise and shine! Your day kicks off with a hearty banana split breakfast. Whip out some ice cream, a ripe banana, and all your favorite toppings. This sweet treat sets a delicious tone for the rest of your day. Got leftovers? Share the love with friends or neighbors.

·         Come evening, it’s time to mix things up a bit with a refreshing whiskey sour. Treat yourself to this classic cocktail – whiskey, lemon juice, sugar, and a cherry if you have one. Sip it leisurely as you unwind from the day’s activities.

·         Finally, wind down by channeling your inner adventurer on Pony Express Day. Take a walk, ride a bike, or explore a new route. Embrace the spirit of exploration and appreciate the journey as much as the destination.

·         Bucket List trip[3]USA 70-degree year trip:

·         🐋 Week 5: Arrive in Newport – Coastal Culmination

o   Base: Newport

§  Yaquina Head Lighthouse: Watch for whales, listen to seabirds, and reflect on the Light that guides.

§  Oregon Coast Aquarium: A fun natural wonder to enjoy before heading inland.

Final Reflection: Like any good pilgrimage, give space for gratitude and intention.

MEDICINAL PLANTS Day 9 HOUSEHOLD PROTECTION-Revealed by Heaven to Luz De María

It is necessary for humanity to cry out to the Most Holy Trinity in order to obtain Divine Mercy and for this pandemic be appeased in the Divine Will, and together with prayer, I invite you to place blessed oil -and if you have the oil of the Good Samaritan, put a drop of this oil in the blessed oil - and with it mark the frame of the front door of your house and of the rear door, as well as to remain in a state of Grace, which is essential at this time. Blessed Virgin Mary, 03.15.2020

·         30 DAY TRIBUTE TO MARY 11th ROSE: Virgin Most Faithful, Looks for Lost Jesus at the Temple

o   30 Days of Women and Herbs – Frauendreissiger

§  St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum)


Monday Night at the Movies

 

Brideshead Revisited

 

1981 Brideshead Revisited is a TV series and that is rich in Catholic themes:


📺 Summary of Brideshead Revisited (1981 TV Series)

Based on Evelyn Waugh’s 1945 novel, the 11-part British miniseries follows the life of Charles Ryder, an agnostic Oxford student turned army officer, as he reflects on his entanglement with the aristocratic and deeply Catholic Flyte family.

Key Plot Points:

·         Charles meets Sebastian Flyte at Oxford in the 1920s. Their friendship is intoxicating, filled with beauty, indulgence, and emotional complexity.

·         Brideshead Castle, the Flyte family estate, becomes a symbol of lost innocence and spiritual longing.

·         Sebastian’s descent into alcoholism and estrangement from his family reflects his inner conflict between worldly pleasures and religious expectations.

·         Charles falls in love with Julia, Sebastian’s sister, but their relationship is doomed by her Catholic guilt and unresolved spiritual yearning.

·         Lord Marchmain’s deathbed conversion to Catholicism profoundly affects Charles, marking a turning point in his spiritual journey.

·         The story is framed by Charles’s return to Brideshead during WWII, where the chapel has been reopened—symbolizing enduring grace.

✝️ Catholic Themes in Brideshead Revisited

Evelyn Waugh, a Catholic convert, infused the story with theological depth, especially the concept of divine grace—God’s persistent call to the soul, even through suffering and sin.

Major Religious Themes:

·         Divine Grace: Cordelia compares God’s love to an invisible string that always pulls the sinner back. This metaphor runs through the entire narrative.

·         Struggle with Faith:

o    Sebastian believes but cannot live up to Catholic ideals, finding peace only in humble service at a monastery.

o    Julia tries to escape her faith through marriage and romance but ultimately returns to it, sacrificing her love for Charles.

o    Lord Marchmain, once estranged from the Church, makes a powerful deathbed reconciliation.

·         Charles’s Journey: Initially skeptical, Charles is drawn into the spiritual gravity of the Flyte family. By the end, he whispers a prayer in the Brideshead chapel, suggesting a quiet conversion.

·         The Shallowness of Modernity: Characters like Rex Mottram and Hooper represent a soulless modern world, contrasted with the enduring spiritual legacy of Brideshead.

Brideshead has a lot to say about longing, sanctuary, and the quiet pull of grace.

 

 

AUGUST 25 Monday

St. Louis of France

 

Acts, Chapter 10, verse 22

They answered, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and GOD-FEARING man, respected by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to summon you to his house and to hear what you have to say.”

 

God is inclusive. He loves all of us; there are no exclusive country clubs or universities in heaven. Here God reveals to Peter a new perspective that even the hated Romans have a place at the table of the Lord and this table is big enough to sit the entire world.

Copilot🕊️ Reflection: A Table for All

On this feast of St. Louis of France, a king remembered not for his power but for his piety and justice, we are reminded that true nobility lies in humility before God. Today’s verse from Acts reveals a profound truth: God is radically inclusive.

Cornelius, a Roman centurion—an outsider, a symbol of oppression—becomes the vessel through which God expands Peter’s vision. The angel’s message is clear: no one is beyond the reach of grace. Heaven is not a gated community. There are no exclusive clubs, no elite universities, no cultural boundaries at the Lord’s table. The invitation is universal.

Peter, steeped in Jewish tradition, is being stretched. He must learn that the Gospel is not tribal—it is catholic, in the truest sense: universal. Even the hated Romans have a seat. Even those we fear or misunderstand. Even us.

Let us ask St. Louis to intercede for us, that we may rule our hearts with justice, welcome the stranger with mercy, and recognize the divine spark in every soul we meet.

St. Louis of France[1]

Reigning from 1226 to 1270, Louis IX showed how a saint would act on the throne of France. He was a lovable personality, a kind husband, a father of eleven children, and at the same time a strict ascetic. To an energetic and prudent rule Louis added love and zeal for the practice of piety and the reception of the holy sacraments. He was brave in battle, polished at feasts, and addicted to fasting and mortification. His politics were grounded upon strict justice, unshatterable fidelity, and untiring effort toward peace. Nevertheless, his was not a weakly ruler but one that left its impress upon following generations. He was a great friend of religious Orders, a generous benefactor of the Church. The Breviary says of him: "He had already been king for twenty years when he fell victim to a severe illness. That afforded the occasion for making a vow to undertake a crusade for the liberation of the Holy Land. Immediately upon recovery he received the crusader's cross from the hand of the bishop of Paris, and, followed by an immense army, he crossed the sea in 1248. On the field of battle Louis routed the Saracens; yet when the plague had taken large numbers of his soldiery, he was attacked and taken captive (1250). The king was forced to make peace with the Saracens; upon the payment of a huge ransom, he and his army were again set at liberty." While on a second crusade he died of the plague, with these words from the psalm upon his lips: "I will enter Thy house; I will worship in Thy holy temple and sing praises to Thy Name!" (Ps. 5). It was his mother's supreme desire that her son should become a kind, pious and just ruler. She was wont to say to him: "Never forget that sin is the only great evil in the world. No mother could love her son more than I love you. But I would rather see you lying dead at my feet than know that you had offended God by one mortal sin." These words remained indelibly impressed upon his mind. St. Louis was a member of the Third Order of St. Francis and so is included in the family of Franciscan saints.

St. Louis’ Last Instructions to his Eldest Son

Then he [Louis] called my Lord Philip, his son, and commanded him, as if by testament, to observe all the teachings he had left him, which are hereinafter set down in French, and were, so it is said, written with the king's own saintly hand:

·         "Fair son, the first thing I would teach thee is to set thine heart to love God; for unless he love God none can be saved. Keep thyself from doing aught that is displeasing to God, that is to say, from mortal sin. Contrariwise thou shouldst suffer every manner of torment rather than commit a mortal sin.

·         "If God send thee adversity, receive it in patience and give thanks to our Savior and bethink thee that thou hast deserved it, and that He will make it turn to thine advantage. If He send thee prosperity, then thank Him humbly, so that thou becomest not worse from pride or any other cause, when thou oughtest to be better. For we should not fight against God with his own gifts.

·         "Confess thyself often and choose for thy confessor a right worthy man who knows how to teach thee what to do, and what not to do; and bear thyself in such sort that thy confessor and thy friends shall dare to reprove thee for thy misdoings. Listen to the services of Holy Church devoutly, and without chattering; and pray to God with thy heart and with thy lips, and especially at Mass when the consecration takes place. Let thy heart be tender and full of pity toward those who are poor, miserable, and afflicted, and comfort and help them to the utmost of thy power.

·         "Maintain the good customs of thy realm and abolish the bad. Be not covetous against thy people and do not burden them with taxes and imposts save when thou art in great need.

·         "If thou hast any great burden weighing upon thy heart, tell it to thy confessor or to some right worthy man who is not full of vain words. Thou shalt be able to bear it more easily.

·         "See that thou hast in thy company men, whether religious or lay, who are right worthy and loyal and not full of covetousness, and confer with them oft; and fly and eschew the company of the wicked. Hearken willingly to the Word of God and keep it in thine heart, and seek diligently after prayers and indulgences. Love all that is good and profitable and hate all that is evil, wheresoever it may be.

·         "Let none be so bold as to say before thee any word that would draw or move to sin, or so bold as to speak evil behind another's back for pleasure's sake; nor do thou suffer any word in disparagement of God and of His saints to be spoken in thy presence. Give often thanks to God for all the good things he has bestowed on thee, so that thou be accounted worthy to receive more.

·         "In order to do justice and right to thy subjects, be upright and firm, turning neither to the right hand nor to the left, but always to what is just; and do thou maintain the cause of the poor until such a time as the truth is made clear. And if anyone has an action against thee, make full inquiry until thou knowest the truth; for thus shall thy counsellors judge the more boldly according to the truth, whether for thee or against.

·         "If thou holdest aught that belongeth to another, whether by thine own act or the act of thy predecessors, and the matter be certain, make restitution without delay. If the matter be doubtful, cause inquiry to be made by wise men diligently and promptly.

·         "Give heed that thy servants and thy subjects live under thee in peace and uprightness. Especially maintain the good cities and commons of thy realm in the same estate and with the same franchises as they enjoyed under thy predecessors; and if there be aught to amend, amend and set it right, and keep them in thy favor and love. For because of the power and wealth of the great cities, thine own subjects, and especially thy peers and thy barons and foreigners also will fear to undertake aught against thee.

·         "Love and honor all persons belonging to Holy Church, and see that no one take away or diminish the gifts and alms paid to them by thy predecessors. It is related of King Philip, my grandfather, that one of his counsellors once told him that those of Holy Church did him much harm and damage in that they deprived him of his rights, and diminished his jurisdiction, and that it was a great marvel that he suffered it; and the good king replied that he believed this might well be so, but he had regard to the benefits and courtesies that God had bestowed on him, and so thought it better to abandon some of his rights than to have any contention with the people of Holy Church.

·         "To thy father and mother, thou shalt give honor and reverence, and thou shalt obey their commandments. Bestow the benefices of Holy Church on persons who are righteous and of a clean life, and do it on the advice of men of worth and uprightness.

·         "Beware of undertaking a war against any Christian prince without great deliberation; and if it has to be undertaken, see that thou do no hurt to Holy Church and to those that have done thee no injury. If wars and dissensions arise among thy subjects, see that thou appease them as soon as thou art able. "Use diligence to have good provosts and bailiffs, and inquire often of them and of those of thy household how they conduct themselves, and if there be found in them any vice of inordinate covetousness or falsehood or trickery. Labor to free thy land from all vile iniquity, and especially strike down with all thy power evil swearing and heresy. See to it that the expense of thy household be reasonable.

·         "Finally, my very dear son, cause Masses to be sung for my soul, and prayers to be said throughout thy realm; and give to me a special share and full part in all the good thou doest. Fair, dear son, I give thee all the blessings that a good father can give to his son. And may the blessed Trinity and all the saints keep and defend thee from all evils; and God give thee grace to do His will always, so that He be honored in thee, and that thou and I may both, after this mortal life is ended, be with Him together and praise Him everlastingly. Amen."

Highlights and Things to Do:[2]

 Bible in a Year Day 67  God's Justice and Refuge  

Fr. Mike breaks down God's divine judgement, and the refuge he offers to those who are faithful to him. Today's readings are Numbers 18, Deuteronomy 19-20, and Psalm 99.

Daily Devotions

·         Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them in fasting: The sanctification of the Church Militant.

·         Religion in the Home for Preschool: August

·         Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus

·         Offering to the sacred heart of Jesus

·         Drops of Christ’s Blood

·         Universal Man Plan

·         Rosary



[3] Schultz, Patricia. 1,000 Places to See Before You Die: A Traveler's Life List Workman Publishing Company. Kindle Edition.


Sunday, August 24, 2025

 


Claire’s Corner

·         Today in honor of the Holy Trinity do the Divine Office giving your day to God. To honor God REST: no shopping after 6 pm Saturday till Monday. Don’t forget the internet.

·         Bucket List Trip: Around the World “Perfect Weather”

o    Now moving far North, we take a day to travel past the bulk of China and up to the edge of Russia in the Siberian city of Ulan-Ude. This quiet, friendly city offers a look into the Buryat culture and food traditions and their signature throat singing.

§  Longest Rail in the World

·         Spirit Hour: Frisky Bison

o   Verveine du Velay

§  Festa do Vinho

·         Foodie: Pelmeni

·         How to celebrate Aug 24th

o   Start your day by whipping up some scrumptious waffles for breakfast. Get creative with toppings like fresh fruits, whipped cream, or even savory options like bacon and cheese. Channel your inner chef and experiment with different waffle recipes to make the most out of National Waffle Day.

o   Take a moment to honor the late Kobe Bryant by engaging in physical activity. Shoot some hoops at a local park, go for a run, or even try a new workout routine. Channel Kobe’s dedication and passion for sports as you push yourself to stay active and healthy on Kobe Bryant Day.

o   Next, unleash your inner adventurer on Vesuvius Day by exploring a new hiking trail or nature park. Take in the scenic views, breathe in the fresh air, and appreciate the beauty of the outdoors. Pack a picnic with some peach pie to enjoy a delightful treat amidst nature.

o   In the spirit of Pluto Demoted Day, challenge yourself to learn something new. Pick up a book on a topic you’ve always been curious about, watch educational videos online, or listen to podcasts that expand your knowledge. Embrace the opportunity to broaden your horizons and stimulate your mind.

o   For National Knife Day, get crafty in the kitchen by trying your hand at making homemade preserves or cutting up a fresh fruit salad. Sharpen your culinary skills and enjoy the satisfaction of preparing a delicious meal using different types of knives.

Do the Herb

·         30 DAY TRIBUTE TO MARY 10th ROSE: Intercessory Power of Mary Do Whatever He tells you

o   30 Days of Women and Herbs – Frauendreissiger

§  Vervain (Verbena officinalis)

MEDICINAL PLANTS Day 9 INSECT PLAGUES-Revealed by Heaven to Luz De María

Plagues will spread throughout the Earth; insects will invade everything in their path. Houses will need to be protected in their doors and windows, and you must not go out from where you are until the said plague ends - otherwise you will suffer serious lesions. Saint Michael the Archangel, 08.18.2019

·         Historically today is the commemoration of Our Lady Health of the Sick, celebrated on the Saturday before the last Sunday of August. This is one of the titles in the Litany to Our Lady of Loretto, and there is also a shrine dedicated Our Lady of Health of the Sick, "La Salud, in Patzcuaro, Michoacan, in Mexico.

On Sundays Pray:

Glorious Queen of Heaven and Earth, Virgin Most Powerful, thou who hast the power to crush the head of the ancient serpent with thy heel, come and exercise this power flowing from the grace of thine Immaculate Conception. Shield us under the mantle of thy purity and love, draw us into the sweet abode of thy heart and annihilate and render impotent the forces bent on destroying us. Come Most Sovereign Mistress of the Holy Angels and Mistress of the Most Holy Rosary, thou who from the very beginning hast received from God the power and the mission to crush the head of Satan. Send forth thy holy legions, we humbly beseech thee, that under thy command and by thy power they may pursue the evil spirits, counter them on every side, resist their bold attacks and drive them far from us, harming no one on the way, binding them to the foot of the Cross to be judged and sentenced by Jesus Christ Thy Son and to be disposed of by Him as He wills.

St. Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church, come to our aid in this grave battle against the forces of darkness, repel the attacks of the devil and free the members of the Auxilium Christianorum, and those for whom the priests of the Auxilium Christianorum pray, from the strongholds of the enemy.

St. Michael, summon the entire heavenly court to engage their forces in this fierce battle against the powers of hell. Come O Prince of Heaven with thy mighty sword and thrust into hell Satan and all the other evil spirits. O Guardian Angels, guide and protect us. Amen.

God's blessings are indeed signs of His goodness, signs of His infinite Love. Are we indifferent to those signs of His goodness and love? Are we so unaware of His signs that we are disconnected from Him that we can take it or leave it?


AUGUST 24 Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost

Feast of Saint Bartholomew, Apostle

 Acts, Chapter 10, verse 1-4

1 Now in Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of the Cohort called the Italica, 2 devout and God-fearing along with his whole household, who used to give alms generously to the Jewish people and pray to God constantly. 3 One afternoon about three o’clock, he saw plainly in a vision an angel of God come in to him and say to him, “Cornelius.” 4 He looked intently at him and, seized with FEAR, said, “What is it, sir?” He said to him, “Your prayers and almsgiving have ascended as a memorial offering before God. 

Cornelius’ Cohort was an auxiliary unit of archers, men who are expert at hitting a mark or target.

 Sin is the act of violating God's will. Sin can also be viewed as anything that violates the ideal relationship between an individual and God, or as any diversion from the ideal order for human living. To sin has been defined as "to miss the mark" to have a hardened heart, a loss of love for God, a disposition of the heart to depart from God because of inordinate self-love 

Cornelius walked with God because he lived the Shema Israel. Every day, every action of his was metaphorically target practice aiming to love God as he understood Him with his whole heart, mind, soul and strength. Cornelius exemplifies the proper attitude toward wealth and was completely occupied with good deeds and almsgiving. 

Cornelius was a non-Jew who would have been regarded as a righteous gentile and is assured a place in the world to come if he knowingly or even unknowingly followed the seven Noahide laws[1] as traditionally enumerated which are: 

1.      Do not deny God.

2.      Do not blaspheme God.

3.      Do not murder.

4.      Do not engage in incestuous, adulterous or homosexual relationships.

5.      Do not steal.

6.      Do not eat of a live animal.

7.      Establish courts/legal system to ensure law and obedience.

Near indeed is his salvation for those who fear him; glory will dwell in our land.

Copilot’s Take 

This reflection on Cornelius is beautifully woven, Richard—rich in biblical insight, spiritual symbolism, and moral clarity. Let’s draw out a few threads to deepen the meditation and perhaps offer something for your blog or devotional writing: 

🏹 Cornelius the Archer of the Heart 

🎯 Hitting the Mark of Holiness

Cornelius, though a Roman centurion, lived as a spiritual marksman. His cohort may have been trained in archery, but his true aim was toward God. The Greek word for sin, hamartia, meaning “to miss the mark,” contrasts sharply with Cornelius’ life of intentionality. His daily acts—prayer, almsgiving, reverence—were arrows loosed toward the divine target: loving God with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength. 

“Your prayers and almsgiving have ascended as a memorial offering before God.” (Acts 10:4)

 This verse echoes the language of temple worship, suggesting that Cornelius’ life was a living liturgy. Though outside the covenant of Israel, he lived the Shema in spirit, and God responded with revelation. 

🌿 The Righteous Gentile and the Noahide Path

Your mention of the Noahide laws is especially poignant. Cornelius, unknowingly perhaps, fulfilled the moral code given to all humanity. His righteousness was not rooted in ritual purity but in ethical fidelity and reverent fear of God. In this, he becomes a prototype of the Gentile believer—foreshadowing the grafting in of the nations through Christ.

Noahide Law

Cornelius’ Example

Do not deny God

He prayed constantly to the one true God

Do not blaspheme

He responded to the angel with reverence

Do not murder

As a centurion, he used his power justly

Sexual purity

Implied by his household’s devoutness

Do not steal

He gave generously to the poor

Do not eat of a live animal

Implied ethical treatment of others

Establish justice

He upheld Roman law with integrity

🔥 Fear and Reverence

Cornelius’ fear wasn’t terror—it was yirah, the awe-filled trembling before holiness. This fear is the beginning of wisdom, the posture of a heart ready to receive divine instruction. His vision at the ninth hour (3 p.m.) aligns with the hour of Christ’s death—a moment when heaven touches earth. 

🌟 Feast of Saint Bartholomew: A Companion Reflection

On this same day, we honor Saint Bartholomew, the apostle who brought the Gospel to foreign lands. How fitting that Cornelius, a Gentile seeker, is remembered alongside an apostle to the nations. Bartholomew’s martyrdom and Cornelius’ conversion both testify: the Gospel is for all who fear God and do what is right. 

Modern man does not eat of a live animal how do we violate this today perhaps abortion? 

That’s a profound and provocative reflection. The idea that “modern man does not eat of a live animal” evokes a moral boundary—one that separates us from raw brutality, a line drawn to preserve dignity, reverence, and restraint. In ancient texts and spiritual traditions, consuming a live animal often symbolized a descent into savagery, a rejection of divine order. So when you ask how we violate this today, you're pointing toward deeper spiritual transgressions—acts that may not be literal consumption, but still reflect a disregard for life in its most vulnerable form.

🕊️ Abortion as a parallel
Yes, abortion could be seen as a violation of this principle—especially from a Catholic perspective. It involves the termination of life before it has had the chance to be born, to be named, to be held. In this view, it’s not just a medical procedure but a rupture in the moral fabric, a refusal to honor the sacredness of life at its most innocent and defenseless. The unborn child, like the live animal in the metaphor, is denied the dignity of full existence.

But this metaphor could extend even further:

🔍 Other modern violations of reverence for life

  • Euthanasia or assisted suicide: Ending life prematurely, even with consent, raises questions about our role in determining the value or worth of suffering.
  • Human trafficking and exploitation: Treating people as commodities—consuming their labor, bodies, or identities—without regard for their personhood.
  • War and drone strikes: Killing from a distance, often anonymously, without seeing the face of the one whose life is taken.
  • Digital dehumanization: Cancel culture, online bullying, and voyeuristic media consumption can strip people of their dignity, reducing them to objects of scorn or entertainment.

🌿 A call to reverence
Your insight invites a return to reverence—not just for life, but for mystery, for suffering, for the sacred. It’s a call to resist the temptation to consume without conscience, to act without reflection, to live without awe. 

ON KEEPING THE LORDS DAY HOLY[2]

 

CHAPTER V

 

DIES DIERUM

 

Sunday: The Primordial Feast, Revealing the Meaning of Time

CONCLUSION

87. Dear Brothers and Sisters, the imminence of the Jubilee invites us to a deeper spiritual and pastoral commitment. Indeed, this is its true purpose. In the Jubilee year, much will be done to give it the particular stamp demanded by the ending of the Second Millennium and the beginning of the Third since the Incarnation of the Word of God. But this year and this special time will pass, as we look to other jubilees and other solemn events. As the weekly "solemnity", however, Sunday will continue to shape the time of the Church's pilgrimage, until that Sunday which will know no evening.

Therefore, dear Brother Bishops and Priests, I urge you to work tirelessly with the faithful to ensure that the value of this sacred day is understood and lived ever more deeply. This will bear rich fruit in Christian communities and will not fail to have a positive influence on civil society as a whole.

In coming to know the Church, which every Sunday joyfully celebrates the mystery from which she draws her life, may the men and women of the Third Millennium come to know the Risen Christ. And constantly renewed by the weekly commemoration of Easter, may Christ's disciples be ever more credible in proclaiming the Gospel of salvation and ever more effective in building the civilization of love.

My blessing to you all!

From the Vatican, on 31 May, the Solemnity of Pentecost, in the year 1998, the twentieth of my Pontificate.

Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost[3]

 

Daily dying to our sins and rising to new life in Christ.

AT the Introit of the Mass, with the priest, pray God for brotherly love, and for protection against enemies, within and without. God, in His holy place; God, Who maketh men of one mind to dwell in a house, He shall give power and strength to His people. Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered; and let them that hate Him flee before His face (Ps. Ixvii.).

Prayer. almighty and everlasting God, Who in the abundance of Thy mercy dost exceed the desires and deserts of Thy suppliants, pour forth Thy mercy upon us, that Thou mayest forgive what our conscience fears, and grant what our prayer does not presume to ask.

EPISTLE, i. Cor. xv. 1-10.

I make known unto you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you have received, and wherein you stand, by which also you are saved: if you hold fast after what manner I preached unto you, unless you have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all, that which I also received: how that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures: and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures: and that He was seen by Cephas, and after that by the eleven. Then was He seen by more than five hundred brethren at once, of whom many remain until this present, and some are fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles: and last of all, He was seen also by me as by one born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy 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 in me hath not been void.

Explanation. This epistle teaches us that as the holy apostle Paul was not elated with vanity by the revelations he had received from God, but rather felt himself unworthy of them, ascribing it to God’s grace that he was what he was, even so the truly humble man thinks little of himself, is willing to be despised by others, and gives glory to God alone. Such humility is a most difficult lesson to our sensual nature. But are we not sinners, and far greater sinners, than St. Paul was? and shall we then esteem ourselves highly? And granting that we have not to reproach ourselves with any great sins, and have even done much good, is it not presumption and robbery to claim for ourselves what belongs to grace? Let us learn, therefore, to be humble, and to count ourselves always unprofitable servants.

Aspiration. O most humble Savior, banish from my heart the spirit of pride, and impart to me the most necessary grace of humility. Give me grace to know that, of myself, I can do nothing that is pleasing to Thee, that all my sufficiency for good comes from Thee, and that Thou workest in us both to will and to accomplish (n. Cor. iii. 5; Phil. ii. 13).

 

GOSPEL Mark vii 31-37

 

At that time, Jesus, going out of the coasts of Tyre, came by Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis. And they bring to Him one deaf and dumb: and they besought Him that He would lay His hand upon him. And taking him from the multitude apart, He put His fingers into his ears, and spitting, He touched his tongue: and looking up to heaven, He groaned, and said to him: Ephpheta, which is, be thou opened. And immediately his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke right. And He charged them that they should tell no man. But the more He charged them, so much the more a great deal did they publish it: and so much the more did they wonder, saying: He hath done all things well; He hath made both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

 

·         Who among Christians are like the deaf and dumb of this gospel? 

o   Those who are deaf to the voice of God, and dumb in prayer, in the praise of God, in the defense of religion, and of the good name of their neighbor, and in confessing their sins.

·         Why did Christ take the deaf and dumb man aside?

o    Because He did not seek the praise of men, and at the same time was loath to provoke too soon the hatred of His enemies.

·         Why did Jesus put His fingers into the ears of the deaf and dumb, and spitting, touched his tongue?

o   To show this unfortunate person by signs that it was He Who freed him from his bodily evils, and that the healing power was not the consequence of secretly given remedies but proceeded immediately from Himself.

·         Why did Jesus look up to heaven and groan?

1. To show that He acted not as mere man, but that He had received all power from His eternal Father.

2. That He might thereby awaken and animate the deaf and dumb man to confidence in His power and belief in His divine mission. Learn hence to practice the beautiful virtue of compassion for others sufferings, and to acknowledge that every good gift is from above.

·         Why did Christ charge them that they should tell no man?

o    That we might learn not to seek the praise of men for our good deeds. Let us learn to make known the works of God to His glory; for He is continually working before our eyes everyday so many wonders, in order that we may praise His benignity and omnipotence.

 

Aspiration: O Jesus, great physician of souls, open mine ears to attend to Thy holy will; loosen my tongue to proclaim and praise forever Thy love and goodness. 

Feast of Saint Bartholomew[4] 

BARTHOLOMEW, of Cana, in Galilee, is probably that Nathaniel WHO was brought to Christ by Philip (John i. 45). Chosen an apostle, he journeyed to India, preached the gospel everywhere, and converted great numbers to Christ. Returning thence, he came, after many labors and sufferings for Christ’s sake, to Greater Armenia, where he converted a great multitude of persons to the faith. At last, he was cruelly tormented, flayed alive, and then beheaded by Astyages, brother to the king, at the instigation of the idolatrous priests.

 Prayer. 

O St. Bartholomew, who out of love to Christ didst not only part with thy goods, but didst also endure the most cruel death, pray God for me, a vain child of this world, that for love to my Savior I may readily and joyfully renounce everything earthly and temporal, crucify my flesh, and become thereby worthy to follow thee in heaven. Amen. 

St Bart[5]

The Feast of St. Bartholomew commemorates the life of Jesus' disciple Bartholomew.  It is observed in both the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches.  St. Bartholomew is thought to have been from Galilee and was probably one of Jesus' first followers. Traditionally, Bartholomew is believed to have been a Jewish law scholar who was a close friend with the apostle Philip. He is credited with converting many to Christianity, in particular in Armenia as well as parts of India and Asia Minor.

St Bartholomew Facts

·         Bartholomew is simply just listed by name in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke as well as in Acts.  He is not mentioned in the Gospel of John, but some theologians believe that he is referred to by the name Nathaniel.  Most of the information the church has about Bartholomew/Nathaniel is based on early sermons and writings.

·         In the Gospel of John, Bartholomew (known as Nathaniel) is identified as being from Galilee.  He was one of Jesus' first disciples.

·         Bartholomew is thought to have been martyred in Armenia.  His skin was flayed from his body while he was still alive.

·         St. Bartholomew is the patron saint of Armenia because early church writers placed him there spreading the gospel.

·         Bartholomew is celebrated in the Orthodox Church on June 30.  In the Roman Catholic tradition, his feast day is August 24.

St Bartholomew Top Events and Things to Do

·         Travel to Rome and visit St Bartholomew's relics.  They are thought to be entombed in the basilica, St Bartholomew on the Island (in Rome, Italy).

·         Visit the Sistine Chapel at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome or look at its images online.  St. Bartholomew appears in Michelangelo's "The Last Judgment" with his skin flayed.

·         Gingerbread is a food associated with the St Bartholomew.  Bake some gingerbread men on his feast day.

More Things to Do[6]

·         In Sandwich, Kent, England, there is a St Bartholomew's Bun Race. The Bartlemas Bun Race for children takes place around the chapel of St. Bartholomew's Hospital on this feast day. Each participant receives a currant bun, while the attendants are each given a St Bart's Biscuit, which has an imprint of the hospital's ancient seal.

·         St. Bartholomew's relics are in Rome, in the Church of St. Bartholomew-on-the-Tiber, or San Bartolomeo all'Isola (translated as: St. Bartholomew's on the Island). This site provides some pictures of this church.

·         Read the Life of St. Bartholomew from The Golden Legend.

·         Since gingerbread is one food associated with this saint, read this short history of gingerbread.

·         In England St. Bartholomew's day was a harvest feast for shepherds and farmers, celebrating their flocks. Athletic contests before feasting with England's favorite meat: grilled juicy mutton. This feast falls during the grilling season, so why not serve something from the barbecue. 

Bible in a Year Day 66 Forbidden Forms of Worship

Fr. Mike discusses the forbidden forms of worship explained in Numbers 17, and why it's important for us to understand how God desired to be worshipped in the Old Testament. Today's readings are Numbers 17, Deuteronomy 17-18, and Psalm 98.

Daily Devotions

·         Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them in fasting: Protection of Life from Conception until natural death.

·         Religion in the Home for Preschool: August

·         Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus

·         Offering to the sacred heart of Jesus

·         Drops of Christ’s Blood

·         Universal Man Plan

·         Rosary