The cross and our daily sacrifices on this earthly journey are a profound gift that Christ has given us. When we carry our crosses, we participate in the redemptive path Jesus walked, learning to become less selfish and more selfless. No matter how difficult our crosses may be to bear, we must remember that we are not alone & are following Jesus on this path of sanctification. Today, let us take a moment to reflect on this sacred truth. Many may wear the cross as a symbol or fashion statement, but few are willing to truly bear it. Let us humbly come before the Lord and ask for the grace to carry not only our own crosses but also those of others. For His yoke is easy, and His burden is light.
Lk. 14:27 “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.”
1 Pet. 2:24 “He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross, so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”
Gal. 6:14 “But may I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which* the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”
From the office of readings, A Discourse by St. Andrew of Crete:
Had there been no cross, Christ could not have been crucified. Had there been no cross, life itself could not have been nailed to the tree. And if life had not been nailed to it, there would be no streams of immortality pouring from Christ’s side, blood and water for the world’s cleansing. The legal bond of our sin would not be cancelled, we should not have attained our freedom, we should not have enjoyed the fruit of the tree of life and the gates of paradise would not stand open. Had there been no cross, death would not have been trodden underfoot, nor hell despoiled.
Therefore, the cross is something wonderfully great and honourable.
There is a certain irony that a feast that celebrates a birthday, something one may find at least mundane, or at best an historical remembrance is framed and defined by one of the most pithy eschatological (end-time) statements in Paul’s corpus, this selection from Romans:
God’s Indomitable Love in Christ. We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined he also called; and those he called he also justified; and those he justified he also glorified.—- Romans 8:28–30 (NABRE)
This short passage is ultimately a call to hope; a hope based in the knowledge that God has an eternal plan which has been set in motion by the very voice or command or God who calls it into being. It began when God called for the universe to be created, when he “called” all things into being. But more to the point, it continued with the call of the Jewish people to be a people set apart. From there we see his interlinking argument about the meaning of that call.
God claimed a people whom he foreknew and from that people, he called out a nation. When St. Paul says that he then predestined those to be conformed to the image of his Son, he did not merely mean that they would imitate Jesus, or be holy people like Jesus. The phrase he uses is symmorphous tes eikonos autou. This is a technical phrase for St. Paul which is roughly translated as “sharing in the same way of being as the icon, or the inner reflection, of the Son.”
The whole passage is meant to reassure Christians in their times of suffering that a plan has been unfolding for a long time of which the individual Christian is a small part of a grand plan wherein the whole universe is remade. But this remake is not a spackle job or a painting over—it is a renewal from the inside out. Those who belong to Christ will be transformed as he was at the resurrection into a totally new creation in the fullness of time. Firstborn refers to Jesus as the first to experience this Glory but it is something which others will share as his brothers and sisters.
One cannot help but then connect today’s liturgy with that of three weeks ago. The Solemn Feast of the Assumption, which celebrates the other side of Mary’s journey, is the quintessential Marian eschatological feast because it is not about the death of Mary, but is instead about the fact that the unusual occasion of her Dormition points to the fact that she was allowed to share in the life of grace of her Son in powerful and significant ways. The Assumption is a feast which shows us the promise of the future. And it seems that the Feast of the Nativity brings that to mind as well.
Indeed, based on the scriptures provided for us today, one can take two roads in celebrating this feast, but they both tend to converge. The other scriptures today do well to establish the genealogy of Mary and the place of the Lord in the plan of salvation history which parallels to the Great Design theme of our reading from Romans above. We are meant to understand that there has always been a great plan and that this plan is for us and for our salvation.
And as an eschatological or end-time liturgy, the over-riding virtue of the day is hope. When all seems lost, when all seems confusing, and when all seems to be absurd, to know that there is a plan is a comforting thought. And when one sees the complex web of history and salvific actions implied by our First Reading today (which would include everything from creation to the history of the Jewish people to the choice of Mary to say yes to Gabriel) it is moving. Then we must couple that with the knowledge we get from the Genealogy provided for us in Gospel today.
The Matthean genealogy differs from that provided by St. Luke but it still surprises. It includes Rahab (a “harlot of Jericho who hides spies) and the Moabite Ruth who follows Yahweh, Tamar (a very unlucky bride), and the wife of Uriah. Salvation history often includes unexpected heroes, including women, who may seem like they are only playing a small role in the grand story of life, but whom, upon a second look, are important links in a chain of relationships which are necessary for the whole fabric of history to hold together.
What do we learn when we couple our knowledge of salvation with the knowledge from the genealogy, the reason to honor Mary for her part in weaving this great fabric of history, of gratitude for her agreeing to do her part in saying Fiat to the angel, and to greatly honor her for who she became in becoming the First Disciple of her own Son and therefore, in a sense a “sister” to him in the glory of the Resurrection which we know she shared in through the mystery of the Assumption.
I would conclude this celebration then with a review of the Prayer over the Gifts written for today’s liturgy. It emphasizes the humanity of Jesus and Mary which I think adds just the right kind of seasoning to an eschatological celebration like this one.
May the humanity of your Only Begotten Son
come, O Lord, to our aid,
and may he, who at his birth from the Blessed Virgin
did not diminish but consecrated her integrity,
by taking from us now our wicked deeds,
make our oblation acceptable to you.
When one gets lost in talk of great plans and generations working together toward a lofty goal, theology can turn into talk about destiny and eschatology and hope can turn into talk about destiny, fate, and predetermination which makes the contributions of human beings seem like nothing. If nothing else, we hold this Feast, mindful of all that salvation history behind it, to remember that each person born is a link in a chain, a thread in a long-woven fabric. And their birth is worthy of celebration.
In the United States of America, Labor Day is acknowledged as a national holiday in which President Grover Cleveland signed the act into law in 1894 (https://www.dol.gov/general/laborday/history). The painting, the Angelus by Millet captures the lowly farmers in the field hearing the bells from the nearby church and giving praise to God after a long day. Such a scene reminds us of our mission in the world as well from which our Creator blesses us with each day.
From scripture, we are reminded of God’s plan and work in the creation narratives with the role that man plays toward this goal.
Gen. 2:3 “God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work he had done in creation.”
Gen. 2:5: …there was no field shrub on earth and no grass on the field had sprouted, for the Lord God had sent no rain upon the earth and there was no man to till the ground.”
Gen. 3:19 “By the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread, until you return to the ground, from which you were taken…”
It is oftentimes easy for us Christians to lack empathy and find meaning in the dignity of our labor. Do we simply work for a paycheck or is there a greater purpose for our labor? As 1 Cor 12:20 reminds us there are many parts but the same body regarding imagery about the various tasks and talents God has given to us in building up the one body. So to is our labor from the lowly office clerk in a cubicle to the person sweeping the floors. Our work has meaning and dignity not just from our labor, but from our interactions made with others in which we are made in His image. In Friends Of God, St. Josemaría Escrivá states that “in our inner life, in our external behavior, in our dealings with others, in our work, each of us must try to maintain a constant presence of God…(Friends of God Homilies, Scepter Publishers, Princeton NJ 1981, p.23).
If our work does not satisfy us or bring us fulfillment, could it be due to our hearts not being open to God’s presence in our midst? Perhaps we should have a contemplative nature where we might pause during the day like the couple in the Angelus painting to reflect upon a God of creation where by in our own work we resemble that productive power of God in our midst.
The earliest monastic tradition and motto of the Benedictines of Ora et labora or prayer and work is also a great reminder of what labor means for us as Christians. Joan Chittister, OSB describes Benedictine spirituality in this manner in which work doesn’t define the Benedictine charism. She states that a Benedictine quest and single minded search for the Divine is what defines such a vocation where “creative and productive work are simply meant to enhance the Garden and sustain us while we grow in God (p. 214).” “In today’s culture in which people are identified more by what they do than what they are, this is a lesson of profound importance. Once the retirement dinner is over and the company watch is engraved, there has to be something left in life that makes us human and makes us happy or life may well have been in vain (pgs. 214-215).” (Chittister, Joan, The Rule of Benedict: A Spirituality For The 21st Century, Crossroad Publishing, New York, 1992).
Our work is so much more than just a title or description. A Christian therefore, according Chittister, never ceases the creative and productive nature of work that always leads us back to the Creator and our path to God. I too have oftentimes taken work for granted. It is easy to be overwhelmed and oftentimes disappointed in the limitations of one’s work unless it is centered around the reminder that everything leads back to the creative nature of our God.
The noontime & evening bell and recitation of the Angelus prayer is a good tradition to take up as our labor should always be mindful of the sanctification for which God glorifies us (see history of the Angelus https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/short-history-of-the-angelus-9114). After all, Mary’s fiat and humility at saying yes to God’s work of bringing forth our Savior & Lord Jesus is a great prayer devotion to practice…
V. The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary. R. And she conceived of the Holy Spirit. Hail Mary, full of grace, The Lord is with Thee; Blessed art thou among women, And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us sinners, Now and at the hour of our death. Amen V. Behold the handmaid of the Lord. R. Be it done unto me according to thy word. Hail Mary, etc. V. And the Word was made Flesh. R. And dwelt among us. Hail Mary, etc. V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. LET US PRAY Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts, that we to whom the Incarnation of Christ Thy Son was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection. Through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.
Let us give thanks to the Lord God this day for the dignity and sanctity of our labor. As Paul so eloquently reminds us of in his communication to Timothy, “the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6).
Today the Catholic Church commemorates Saint Teresa of Calcutta, better known to many of us as Mother Teresa. Born Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu in 1910 in Skopje, she devoted her life to serving Christ through the poorest, sickest, and most forgotten people of society. She founded the Missionaries of Charity and spent her life reminding the world that every human person possesses a dignity given by God.
Mother Teresa understood something that our modern world can easily forget. The person who is suffering, abandoned, elderly, sick, poor, or forgotten is not a burden. That person is an opportunity to encounter Christ.
Jesus tells us in the Gospel of Matthew:
“Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” — Matthew 25:40
This was not simply a Scripture passage for Mother Teresa. It became a way of life.
How often do we overlook the person right in front of us because we are too busy, too distracted, or too concerned with our own problems? We can become so focused on changing the world that we fail to love the person God has placed directly in our path.
Mother Teresa reminds us that holiness often begins with something very small. A kind word. A helping hand. A visit to someone who is lonely. Patience with someone who is difficult. Caring for a parent. Forgiving someone who has hurt us. Sitting beside someone who simply needs to know that they are not alone.
These ordinary acts can become extraordinary when they are done with love.
Mother Teresa once said:
“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”
What if this is where God is calling us today?
We do not have to travel to Calcutta to find someone who needs Christ’s love. The mission field may be our own home, our workplace, our parish, our neighborhood, or the person sitting beside us.
Saint Teresa of Calcutta teaches us that we cannot always solve another person’s suffering, but we can refuse to let them suffer alone.
May we learn to see the face of Christ in those whom the world overlooks. May we become instruments of His mercy rather than simply observers of another person’s pain. And may our love become more than words, becoming prayer in action and faith in action.
Saint Gregory the Great was a pope who lived more than 1,400 years ago. He was born around the year 540 in Rome and became Pope in 590. He is remembered as a humble man who loved God and cared deeply for people, especially the poor. September 3 is the day of his episcopal ordination and was moved from the March 12 date of his death so the memorial would not coincide with Lent.
Gregory worked hard to strengthen the Church and spread the Christian faith. He supported missionaries who traveled to other countries to share the Gospel. He also helped improve the way Christians worshiped and is traditionally connected with Gregorian chant, a form of Church music.
Because of his work and influence, Saint Gregory is the patron saint of musicians, singers, teachers, students, scholars, and church musicians.
Saint Gregory the Great teaches us that leadership is not about power or fame. It is about serving others with humility, kindness, and faith.
From a Sermon from Saint Gregory the Great, taken from the Liturgy of the Hours, Office of Readings
‘Son of man, I have appointed you as watchman to the house of Israel.’ Note that Ezekiel, whom the Lord sent to preach his word, is described as a watchman. Now a watchman always takes up his position on the heights so that he can see from a distance whatever approaches. Likewise whoever is appointed watchman to a people should live a life on the heights so that he can help them by taking a wide survey.
These words are hard to utter, for when I speak it is myself that I am reproaching. I do not preach as I should nor does my life follow the principles I preach so inadequately.
I do not deny that I am guilty, for I see my torpor and my negligence. Perhaps my very recognition of failure will win me pardon from a sympathetic judge. When I lived in a monastic community I was able to keep my tongue from idle topics and to devote my mind almost continually to the discipline of prayer. Since taking on my shoulders the burden of pastoral care, I have been unable to keep steadily recollected because my mind is distracted by many responsibilities.
I am forced to consider questions affecting churches and monasteries and often I must judge the lives and actions of individuals; at one moment I am forced to take part in certain civil affairs, next I must worry over the incursions of barbarians and fear the wolves who menace the flock entrusted to my care; now I must accept political responsibility in order to give support to those who preserve the rule of law; now I must bear patiently the villainies of brigands, and then I must confront them, yet in all charity.
Saint Augustine of Hippo by Philippe de Champagne located in the Los Angeles Museum of Art in the public domain and retrieved from Wikimedia Commons
Today the Church commemorates the solemnity of Saint Augustine of Hippo. Yesterday we recognized Saint Augustine’s mother who wept and prayed fervently for her son’s conversion experience. As a Bishop and Doctor of the Church, Saint Augustine is influential in setting the foundational theological principles of the early church in which topics of predestination, grace, the sacramental life, the mystery of the Trinity were explained. His well known work, Confessions describes his journey from being a pagan to finding the truth of our Catholic Christian faith with the famous line, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” After his baptism and conversion in 386, he was instrumental in defining and contemplating early church doctrines and principles of the faith. Saint Augustine was influential in discerning the mystery of the Holy Trinity which were discussed at the Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople. Saint Augustine also wrote about original sin, grace, predestination, just war theory, infant baptism and the formation of religious communities. Saint Ambrose of Milan was also a big part of his conversion experience as an orator. Saint Augustine heard a child’s voice that said “take up and read” in discovering the writings of the monastic Saint Anthony of the Desert.
Late Have I Loved You
Accordingly I looked for a way to gain the strength I needed to enjoy you, but I did not find it until I embraced the mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, who is also God, supreme over all things and blessed for ever. He called out, proclaiming I am the Way and Truth and the Life, nor had I known him as the food which, though I was not yet strong enough to eat it, he had mingled with our flesh, for the Word became flesh so that your Wisdom, through whom you created all things, might become for us the milk adapted to our infancy.
Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created. You were with me, but I was not with you. Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you they would not have been at all.
You called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness. You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for you. I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me, and I burned for your peace.
Excerpt from the Confessions, Roman Office of Readings for the solemnity of Saint Augustine.
Today the Church commemorates the life of Saint Monica, mother of Saint Augustine of Hippo who was instrumental in converting her son to the faith. Monica was born circa 322 AD in in North Africa & died in 387 AD in Italy. Monica was given in marriage to an ill tempered pagan named Patricius and bore thee sons, one of whom is Saint Augustine of Hippo. As a Christian witness to the faith she prayed for the conversion of her husband who came to know the Lord on his deathbed and of her sons. Saint Augustine wrote his well know work Confessions in which he wrote about his mother, St. Monica in his own conversion experience. Below is an excerpt describing Saint Monica from the Confessions
“‘You put forth your hand from on high, and you drew my soul out of that pit of darkness, when before you my mother, your faithful servant, wept more for me than mothers weep over their children’s dead bodies. By that spirit of faith which she had from you, she saw my death, and you graciously heard her, O Lord. Graciously you hear her, and you did not despise her tears when they flowed down from her eyes and watered the earth beneath, in whatsoever place she prayed.” (Book III, Chapter 11)
We too should have the same courage & conviction of thy holy servant Monica where we can only weep & pray for the conversion of our family to come to know the Lord Jesus in a deep & profound way.
Saint Monica is known as the patroness of wives, abuse victims, alcoholics, mothers, and widows.
From the collect at Mass:
O God, who console the sorrowful and who mercifully accepted the motherly tears of Saint Monica for the conversion of her son Augustine, grant us, through the intercession of them both, that we may bitterly regret our sins that we may bitterly regret our sins and find the grace of your pardon. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
Bartholomew the Apostle located Casa de Colón, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria ca 1520-1550 from the public domain
As my daughter was getting ready for the third week of her new Catholic school, we learned about the martyr & apostle Bartholomew.
Bartholomew, one of the Twelve Apostles, is traditionally identified with Nathanael. Bartholomew was brought to Jesus by Philip, who told him, “Come and see.” When Nathanael encountered Jesus, he quickly came to recognize Him as the Son of God, proclaiming, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God.” Tradition tells us that Bartholomew later preached the Gospel and was martyred for his faith, suffering even the loss of his skin rather than denying Christ.
His life reminds us that true strength is not found in our outward appearance, comfort, or reputation. Scripture tells us, “The Spirit gives life; the flesh is of no avail” (John 6:63). Even when life strips away what is visible and temporary, our spirit can remain strong in Christ Jesus. Saint Bartholomew teaches us to be faithful even when it hurts, because what is on the outside will eventually fade, but the soul and spirit that belong to God will prevail.
This martyr of the faith is typically portrayed holding a tanner’s knife & human skin. He is the patron saint of nervous diseases, twitching, butchers, cobblers, leather workers, tanners, trappers, bookbinders, etc. He was believed to have been born in Galilee & martyred for the faith in Armenia. His relics are located at Saint Bartholomew-on-the-Tiber Church, in Rome, Italy, and in the cathedral in Canterbury, England.
Image of Bernard of Clairvaux, as shown in the church of Heiligenkreuz Abbey near Baden bei Wien, Lower Austria. Georg Andreas Wasshuber (1650-1732), (painted after a statue in Clairvaux with the true effigy of the saint) from Public Domain at Wikimedia Commons
St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090–1153) was a French abbot, theologian, and mystic, and one of the most influential churchmen of the 12th century. He is recognized as a Doctor of the Church for his profound spiritual writings and teachings.
Key points of his life:
Early Life: Born into a noble family near Dijon, France, Bernard was well-educated and drawn to a life of piety and study.
Monastic Vocation: In 1113, he joined the Cistercian Order at the monastery of Cîteaux, bringing with him around 30 companions, including relatives. His zeal reinvigorated the order.
Founding Clairvaux: In 1115, Bernard was sent to found a new monastery in Clairvaux, where he became abbot. His leadership turned it into a center of spiritual renewal and influence.
Influence in the Church: Bernard became a powerful voice in Church affairs:
Preached against heresies.
Advised popes and kings.
Played a major role in resolving disputes, including supporting Pope Innocent II during a schism.
Preached the Second Crusade in 1146, though its failure later brought him criticism.
Theology and Writings: Bernard emphasized love of God, contemplation, and humility. His writings, such as On Loving God and Sermons on the Song of Songs, had a lasting impact on Christian mysticism and theology.
Death and Legacy: He died in 1153. In 1174, he was canonized, and in 1830, he was declared a Doctor of the Church.
From an excerpt from the Divine Office, Liturgy of the Hours, Office of Readings:
A sermon of St Bernard of Clairvaux
“I love because I love, I love that I may love
Love is sufficient of itself, it gives pleasure by itself and because of itself. It is its own merit, its own reward. Love looks for no cause outside itself, no effect beyond itself. Its profit lies in its practice. I love because I love, I love that I may love. Love is a great thing so long as it continually returns to its fountainhead, flows back to its source, always drawing from there the water which constantly replenishes it. Of all the movements, sensations and feelings of the soul, love is the only one in which the creature can respond to the Creator and make some sort of similar return however unequal it may be. For when God loves, all he desires is to be loved in return; the sole purpose of his love is to be loved, in the knowledge that those who love him are made happy by their love of him.
The Bridegroom’s love, or rather the love which is the Bridegroom, asks in return nothing but faithful love. Let the beloved, then, love in return. Should not a bride love, and above all, Love’s bride?”
St Bernard beautifully personifies this emotion of love. Among all human emotions, love uniquely enables the soul to respond to God, who desires only to be loved in return. The love between the soul and God is likened to that of a bride and bridegroom, where faithful, mutual love is both the goal and the joy.
The two times a Pope has spoken ex cathedra or from the chair of Peter are when the Immaculate Conception was declared under Pope Pius IX in 1854. This tenet of papal infallibility was solidified with the first Vatican Council in 1870. The second time occurred in 1950 under Pope Pius XII with the dogma explained in Munificentissimus Deus with the Assumption of Mary. The Eastern Orthodox Church defines this as the Dormition or the Falling Asleep of the Virgin Mary.
The teachings of Mary’s Assumption was an established teaching by the early church in the 600s.
Saint John of Damascene on The Dormition of Mary (Office of Readings from the Roman Breviary)
“It was fitting that the she, who had kept her virginity intact in childbirth, should keep her own body free from all corruption even after death. It was fitting that she, who had carried the Creator as a child at her breast, should dwell in the divine tabernacles. It was fitting that the spouse, whom the Father had taken to himself, should live in the divine mansions. It was fitting that she, who had seen her Son upon the cross and who had thereby received into her heart the sword of sorrow which she had escaped when giving birth to him, should look upon him as he sits with the Father, It was fitting that God’s Mother should possess what belongs to her Son, and that she should be honored by every creature as the Mother and as the handmaid of God” (Dormition of Mary [A.D. 697])
Such a miracle of Mary’s glorious Assumption reminds us of the Christian mystery of being raised from the dead. The heavenly birthday of Mary in which she is received into heaven both body and soul is one that we should all celebrate. Mary as the new Eve is a sign for us Christians that the fall from grace by our first parents Adam & Eve is not lost. Through Mary’s obedience to the divine will of the Father her gift of being full of grace is shone with no stain of sin upon her soul nor corruption of her earthly body. How can Mary not be assumed into heaven when she was chosen as the Theotokos or God bearer of our Lord Jesus the Christ?
Catechism of the Catholic Church
“Finally the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death.” The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her Son’s Resurrection and an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians: In giving birth you kept your virginity; in your Dormition you did not leave the world, O Mother of God, but were joined to the source of Life. You conceived the living God and, by your prayers, will deliver our souls from death. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 966)
Excerpts from APOSTOLIC CONSTITUTION OF POPE PIUS XII MUNIFICENTISSIMUS DEUS DEFINING THE DOGMA OF THE ASSUMPTION, November 1, 1950
4. That privilege has shone forth in new radiance since our predecessor of immortal memory, Pius IX, solemnly proclaimed the dogma of the loving Mother of God’s Immaculate Conception. These two privileges are most closely bound to one another. Christ overcame sin and death by his own death, and one who through Baptism has been born again in a supernatural way has conquered sin and death through the same Christ. Yet, according to the general rule, God does not will to grant to the just the full effect of the victory over death until the end of time has come. And so it is that the bodies of even the just are corrupted after death, and only on the last day will they be joined, each to its own glorious soul.
5. Now God has willed that the Blessed Virgin Mary should be exempted from this general rule. She, by an entirely unique privilege, completely overcame sin by her Immaculate Conception, and as a result she was not subject to the law of remaining in the corruption of the grave, and she did not have to wait until the end of time for the redemption of her body.
14. Christ’s faithful, through the teaching and the leadership of their pastors, have learned from the sacred books that the Virgin Mary, throughout the course of her earthly pilgrimage, led a life troubled by cares, hardships, and sorrows, and that, moreover, what the holy old man Simeon had foretold actually came to pass, that is, that a terribly sharp sword pierced her heart as she stood under the cross of her divine Son, our Redeemer. In the same way, it was not difficult for them to admit that the great Mother of God, like her only begotten Son, had actually passed from this life. But this in no way prevented them from believing and from professing openly that her sacred body had never been subject to the corruption of the tomb, and that the august tabernacle of the Divine Word had never been reduced to dust and ashes. Actually, enlightened by divine grace and moved by affection for her, God’s Mother and our own dearest Mother, they have contemplated in an ever clearer light the wonderful harmony and order of those privileges which the most provident God has lavished upon this loving associate of our Redeemer, privileges which reach such an exalted plane that, except for her, nothing created by God other than the human nature of Jesus Christ has ever reached this level.
15. The innumerable temples which have been dedicated to the Virgin Mary assumed into heaven clearly attest this faith. So do those sacred images, exposed therein for the veneration of the faithful, which bring this unique triumph of the Blessed Virgin before the eyes of all men. Moreover, cities, dioceses, and individual regions have been placed under the special patronage and guardianship of the Virgin Mother of God assumed into heaven. In the same way, religious institutes, with the approval of the Church, have been founded and have taken their name from this privilege. Nor can we pass over in silence the fact that in the Rosary of Mary, the recitation of which this Apostolic See so urgently recommends, there is one mystery proposed for pious meditation which, as all know, deals with the Blessed Virgin’s Assumption into heaven.
16. This belief of the sacred pastors and of Christ’s faithful is universally manifested still more splendidly by the fact that, since ancient times, there have been both in the East and in the West solemn liturgical offices commemorating this privilege. The holy Fathers and Doctors of the Church have never failed to draw enlightenment from this fact since, as everyone knows, the sacred liturgy, “because it is the profession, subject to the supreme teaching authority within the Church, of heavenly truths, can supply proofs and testimonies of no small value for deciding a particular point of Christian doctrine.”
17. In the liturgical books which deal with the feast either of the dormition or of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin there are expressions that agree in testifying that, when the Virgin Mother of God passed from this earthly exile to heaven, what happened to her sacred body was, by the decree of divine Providence, in keeping with the dignity of the Mother of the Word Incarnate, and with the other privileges she had been accorded. Thus, to cite an illustrious example, this is set forth in that sacramentary which Adrian I, our predecessor of immortal memory, sent to the Emperor Charlemagne. These words are found in this volume: “Venerable to us, O Lord, is the festivity of this day on which the holy Mother of God suffered temporal death, but still could not be kept down by the bonds of death, who has begotten your Son our Lord incarnate from herself.”
18. What is here indicated in that sobriety characteristic of the Roman liturgy is presented more clearly and completely in other ancient liturgical books. To take one as an example, the Gallican sacramentary designates this privilege of Mary’s as “an ineffable mystery all the more worthy of praise as the Virgin’s Assumption is something unique among men.” And, in the Byzantine liturgy, not only is the Virgin Mary’s bodily Assumption connected time and time again with the dignity of the Mother of God, but also with the other privileges, and in particular with the virginal motherhood granted her by a singular decree of God’s Providence. “God, the King of the universe, has granted you favors that surpass nature. As he kept you a virgin in childbirth, thus he has kept your body incorrupt in the tomb and has glorified it by his divine act of transferring it from the tomb.”
19. The fact that the Apostolic See, which has inherited the function entrusted to the Prince of the Apostles, the function of confirming the brethren in the faith,(13) has by its own authority, made the celebration of this feast ever more solemn, has certainly and effectively moved the attentive minds of the faithful to appreciate always more completely the magnitude of the mystery it commemorates. So it was that the Feast of the Assumption was elevated from the rank which it had occupied from the beginning among the other Marian feasts to be classed among the more solemn celebrations of the entire liturgical cycle. And, when our predecessor St. Sergius I prescribed what is known as the litany, or the stational procession, to be held on four Marian feasts, he specified together the Feasts of the Nativity, the Annunciation, the Purification, and the Dormition of the Virgin Mary.(14) Again, St. Leo IV saw to it that the feast, which was already being celebrated under the title of the Assumption of the Blessed Mother of God, should be observed in even a more solemn way when he ordered a vigil to be held on the day before it and prescribed prayers to be recited after it until the octave day. When this had been done, he decided to take part himself in the celebration, in the midst of a great multitude of the faithful.(15) Moreover, the fact that a holy fast had been ordered from ancient times for the day prior to the feast is made very evident by what our predecessor St. Nicholas I testifies in treating of the principal fasts which “the Holy Roman Church has observed for a long time, and still observes.”
20. However, since the liturgy of the Church does not engender the Catholic faith, but rather springs from it, in such a way that the practices of the sacred worship proceed from the faith as the fruit comes from the tree, it follows that the holy Fathers and the great Doctors, in the homilies and sermons they gave the people on this feast day, did not draw their teaching from the feast itself as from a primary source, but rather they spoke of this doctrine as something already known and accepted by Christ’s faithful. They presented it more clearly. They offered more profound explanations of its meaning and nature, bringing out into sharper light the fact that this feast shows, not only that the dead body of the Blessed Virgin Mary remained incorrupt, but that she gained a triumph out of death, her heavenly glorification after the example of her only begotten Son, Jesus Christ-truths that the liturgical books had frequently touched upon concisely and briefly.
21. Thus St. John Damascene, an outstanding herald of this traditional truth, spoke out with powerful eloquence when he compared the bodily Assumption of the loving Mother of God with her other prerogatives and privileges. “It was fitting that she, who had kept her virginity intact in childbirth, should keep her own body free from all corruption even after death. It was fitting that she, who had carried the Creator as a child at her breast, should dwell in the divine tabernacles. It was fitting that the spouse, whom the Father had taken to himself, should live in the divine mansions. It was fitting that she, who had seen her Son upon the cross and who had thereby received into her heart the sword of sorrow which she had escaped in the act of giving birth to him, should look upon him as he sits with the Father. It was fitting that God’s Mother should possess what belongs to her Son, and that she should be honored by every creature as the Mother and as the handmaid of God.”
22. These words of St. John Damascene agree perfectly with what others have taught on this same subject. Statements no less clear and accurate are to be found in sermons delivered by Fathers of an earlier time or of the same period, particularly on the occasion of this feast. And so, to cite some other examples, St. Germanus of Constantinople considered the fact that the body of Mary, the virgin Mother of God, was incorrupt and had been taken up into heaven to be in keeping, not only with her divine motherhood, but also with the special holiness of her virginal body. “You are she who, as it is written, appears in beauty, and your virginal body is all holy, all chaste, entirely the dwelling place of God, so that it is henceforth completely exempt from dissolution into dust. Though still human, it is changed into the heavenly life of incorruptibility, truly living and glorious, undamaged and sharing in perfect life.”(18) And another very ancient writer asserts: “As the most glorious Mother of Christ, our Savior and God and the giver of life and immortality, has been endowed with life by him, she has received an eternal incorruptibility of the body together with him who has raised her up from the tomb and has taken her up to himself in a way known only to him.”
27. Moreover, the scholastic Doctors have recognized the Assumption of the Virgin Mother of God as something signified, not only in various figures of the Old Testament, but also in that woman clothed with the sun whom John the Apostle contemplated on the Island of Patmos.(24) Similarly they have given special attention to these words of the New Testament: “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women,”(25) since they saw, in the mystery of the Assumption, the fulfillment of that most perfect grace granted to the Blessed Virgin and the special blessing that countered the curse of Eve.
28. Thus, during the earliest period of scholastic theology, that most pious man, Amadeus, Bishop of Lausarme, held that the Virgin Mary’s flesh had remained incorrupt-for it is wrong to believe that her body has seen corruption-because it was really united again to her soul and, together with it, crowned with great glory in the heavenly courts. “For she was full of grace and blessed among women. She alone merited to conceive the true God of true God, whom as a virgin, she brought forth, to whom as a virgin she gave milk, fondling him in her lap, and in all things she waited upon him with loving care.”
29. Among the holy writers who at that time employed statements and various images and analogies of Sacred Scripture to Illustrate and to confirm the doctrine of the Assumption, which was piously believed, the Evangelical Doctor, St. Anthony of Padua, holds a special place. On the feast day of the Assumption, while explaining the prophet’s words: “I will glorify the place of my feet,”(27) he stated it as certain that the divine Redeemer had bedecked with supreme glory his most beloved Mother from whom he had received human flesh. He asserts that “you have here a clear statement that the Blessed Virgin has been assumed in her body, where was the place of the Lord’s feet. Hence it is that the holy Psalmist writes: ‘Arise, O Lord, into your resting place: you and the ark which you have sanctified.”‘ And he asserts that, just as Jesus Christ has risen from the death over which he triumphed and has ascended to the right hand of the Father, so likewise the ark of his sanctification “has risen up, since on this day the Virgin Mother has been taken up to her heavenly dwelling.”
30. When, during the Middle Ages, scholastic theology was especially flourishing, St. Albert the Great who, to establish this teaching, had gathered together many proofs from Sacred Scripture, from the statements of older writers, and finally from the liturgy and from what is known as theological reasoning, concluded in this way: “From these proofs and authorities and from many others, it is manifest that the most blessed Mother of God has been assumed above the choirs of angels. And this we believe in every way to be true.”(29) And, in a sermon which he delivered on the sacred day of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s annunciation, explained the words “Hail, full of grace”-words used by the angel who addressed her-the Universal Doctor, comparing the Blessed Virgin with Eve, stated clearly and incisively that she was exempted from the fourfold curse that had been laid upon Eve.
31. Following the footsteps of his distinguished teacher, the Angelic Doctor, despite the fact that he never dealt directly with this question, nevertheless, whenever he touched upon it, always held together with the Catholic Church, that Mary’s body had been assumed into heaven along with her soul.
32. Along with many others, the Seraphic Doctor held the same views. He considered it as entirely certain that, as God had preserved the most holy Virgin Mary from the violation of her virginal purity and integrity in conceiving and in childbirth, he would never have permitted her body to have been resolved into dust and ashes.(32) Explaining these words of Sacred Scripture: “Who is this that comes up from the desert, flowing with delights, leaning upon her beloved?”(33) and applying them in a kind of accommodated sense to the Blessed Virgin, he reasons thus: “From this we can see that she is there bodily…her blessedness would not have been complete unless she were there as a person. The soul is not a person, but the soul, joined to the body, is a person. It is manifest that she is there in soul and in body. Otherwise she would not possess her complete beatitude.
34. The above-mentioned teachings of the holy Fathers and of the Doctors have been in common use during more recent times. Gathering together the testimonies of the Christians of earlier days, St. Robert Bellarmine exclaimed: “And who, I ask, could believe that the ark of holiness, the dwelling place of the Word of God, the temple of the Holy Spirit, could be reduced to ruin? My soul is filled with horror at the thought that this virginal flesh which had begotten God, had brought him into the world, had nourished and carried him, could have been turned into ashes or given over to be food for worms.”
35. In like manner St. Francis de Sales, after asserting that it is wrong to doubt that Jesus Christ has himself observed, in the most perfect way, the divine commandment by which children are ordered to honor their parents, asks this question: “What son would not bring his mother back to life and would not bring her into paradise after her death if he could?”(38) And St. Alphonsus writes that “Jesus did not wish to have the body of Mary corrupted after death, since it would have redounded to his own dishonor to have her virginal flesh, from which he himself had assumed flesh, reduced to dust.”
39. We must remember especially that, since the second century, the Virgin Mary has been designated by the holy Fathers as the new Eve, who, although subject to the new Adam, is most intimately associated with him in that struggle against the infernal foe which, as foretold in the protoevangelium,(44) would finally result in that most complete victory over the sin and death which are always mentioned together in the writings of the Apostle of the Gentiles.(45) Consequently, just as the glorious resurrection of Christ was an essential part and the final sign of this victory, so that struggle which was common to the Blessed Virgin and her divine Son should be brought to a close by the glorification of her virginal body, for the same Apostle says: “When this mortal thing hath put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory.”
40. Hence the revered Mother of God, from all eternity joined in a hidden way with Jesus Christ in one and the same decree of predestination, immaculate in her conception, a most perfect virgin in her divine motherhood, the noble associate of the divine Redeemer who has won a complete triumph over sin and its consequences, finally obtained, as the supreme culmination of her privileges, that she should be preserved free from the corruption of the tomb and that, like her own Son, having overcome death, she might be taken up body and soul to the glory of heaven where, as Queen, she sits in splendor at the right hand of her Son, the immortal King of the Ages.
44. For which reason, after we have poured forth prayers of supplication again and again to God, and have invoked the light of the Spirit of Truth, for the glory of Almighty God who has lavished his special affection upon the Virgin Mary, for the honor of her Son, the immortal King of the Ages and the Victor over sin and death, for the increase of the glory of that same august Mother, and for the joy and exultation of the entire Church; by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and by our own authority, we pronounce, declare, and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma: that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.
From the Collect at today’s mass: Almighty ever-living God, who assumed the Immaculate Virgin Mary, the Mother of your Son, body and soul into heavenly glory, grant, we pray, that, always attentive to the things that are above, we may merit to be sharers of her glory. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
Saint Dominic by Gaspar de Crayer ca 1665 located in the Museo del Prado
Saint Dominic de Guzmán (1170–1221) was a Spanish priest and the founder of the Order of Preachers, commonly known as the Dominicans. He devoted his life to preaching the Gospel, teaching the faith, a man of prayer, and bringing people closer to Jesus Christ. In 1216, Pope Honorius III formally approved the Dominican Order, and Dominic continued to serve as its leader until his death in 1221. His deep love for the Blessed Virgin Mary became an important part of Dominican spirituality.
According to Dominican tradition, while Dominic was praying and preaching in southern France, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to him and encouraged him to spread the Rosary as a powerful prayer for conversion. The story tells that Dominic then preached the Rosary and helped make it an important part of the Church’s devotional life. Although the Rosary developed gradually over many centuries, the Dominican Order has played an important role in promoting it. Today, the Rosary remains a beloved prayer that leads Christians, through Mary, to meditate on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
Image from Rafael Sanzio, The Transfiguration (1516-1520)
Matthew 17:1–9
Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother, John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him. Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them, then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate and were very much afraid. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and do not be afraid.” And when the disciples raised their eyes, they saw no one else but Jesus alone.
As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, “Do not tell the vision to anyone until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
Oftentimes, we become so caught up in the routines of daily life that we fail to notice what is happening around us. Peter, James, and John experienced something similar when they were astonished by the transfigured Lord Jesus in their midst. The distractions and preoccupations of everyday life can act like a blindfold, preventing us from recognizing those moments of transfiguration when God chooses to reveal His grace.
One of the most important lessons from Matthew’s account of the Transfiguration is that Jesus Himself leads Peter, James, and John up the high mountain. Before they witness His glory, they first choose to follow Him. The same is true in our own lives. Encounters with God’s grace often begin when we allow Christ to lead us, even when we do not fully understand where He is taking us. As we continue to walk with Him in faith, He gradually opens our eyes to His presence and reveals His grace in ways we might otherwise overlook.
Jesus desires to lead us as well throughout our earthly pilgrimage. Perhaps you have already experienced a moment when the Lord revealed Himself to you through prayer, the quiet movements of grace, or an unexpected encounter that deepened your faith. If not, are you willing to place your doubts, fears, and weaknesses before Him in prayer and trust Him with them?
The invitation of the Transfiguration is the same invitation Christ extends to each of us today: Will you allow Him to lead you? Are you willing to follow Him up the mountain of this life, trusting that as you walk with Him, He will reveal His presence, strengthen your faith, and transform your heart?
We are reminded of another amazing moment in Matthew’s Gospel when the divine identity of Jesus is revealed: His baptism in the Jordan River. Before Jesus begins His public ministry, He enters the waters of baptism, and the Father proclaims from heaven: “this is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased.”
The Transfiguration echoes this same heavenly proclamation. At His baptism, Jesus emerges from the waters as the beloved Son. At the Transfiguration, He ascends the mountain, and His divine glory shines forth before Peter, James, and John. as the Father’s voice again identifies Him.
These two events illuminate our own Christian journey. Christ first leads us through the waters of Baptism, where we are washed clean, adopted as sons and daughters of God, and given new life. He then continues to lead us up the mountain of discipleship, gradually opening our eyes to His presence and transforming us by His grace. As our spiritual vision is renewed, we begin to see beyond the shadows of this world and behold the radiance of the Son of God. Just as the rising sun dispels the darkness of night, the Son of God dispels the darkness of sin and illuminates the path that leads to eternal life.
The invitation of the Transfiguration remains before us today. Will we allow Jesus to lead us through the waters of Baptism, up the mountain of faith, and into the light of His glory? If we continue to follow Him, He will not only reveal His radiance to us but also transform us so that we may reflect His light to a world longing for hope.
St. John Vianney (the Curé of Ars) was born on May 8, 1786, in Dardilly, France, and died on August 4, 1859, in Ars, France.
He is one of my favorite saints in learning of his humility as a parish priest & being a patron of parish priests. The beloved Curé of Ars lived a simple lifestyle & would oftentimes just eat boiled potatoes, sometimes rotten as a form of penance & humility. His holiness was profound & he had a deep love for God. He is known to have spent 10 to 16 hours a day hearing confessions, & inviting pilgrims from across France. He also endured frequent spiritual attacks from the devil, whom he called “the Grappin,” but remained faithful through prayer and perseverance. St. John Vianney’s feast is celebrated on August 4.
From St. John Vianney on prayer (from the breviary office of readings)
Consider, children, a Christian’s treasure is not on earth, it is in heaven. Well then, our thoughts should turn to where our treasure is.
Man has a noble task: that of prayer and love. To pray and to love, that is the happiness of man on earth.
Prayer is nothing else than union with God. When the heart is pure and united with God it is consoled and filled with sweetness; it is dazzled by a marvellous light. In this intimate union God and the soul are like two pieces of wax moulded into one; they cannot any more be separated. It is a very wonderful thing, this union of God with his insignificant creature, a happiness passing all understanding.
We had deserved to be left incapable of praying; but God in his goodness has permitted us to speak to him. Our prayer is an incense that is delightful to God.
My children, your hearts are small, but prayer enlarges them and renders them capable of loving God. Prayer is a foretaste of heaven, an overflowing of heaven. It never leaves us without sweetness; it is like honey, it descends into the soul and sweetens everything. In a prayer well made, troubles vanish like snow under the rays of the sun.
Prayer makes time seem to pass quickly, and so pleasantly that one fails to notice how long it is. When I was parish priest of Bresse, once almost all my colleagues were ill, and as I made long journeys I used to pray to God, and, I assure you, the time did not seem long to me. There are those who lose themselves in prayer, like a fish in water, because they are absorbed in God. There is no division in their hearts. How I love those noble souls! Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Colette saw our Lord and spoke to him as we speak to one another.
As for ourselves, how often do we come to church without thinking what we are going to do or for what we are going to ask. And yet, when we go to call upon someone, we have no difficulty in remembering why it was we came. Some appear as if they were about to say to God: ‘I am just going to say a couple of words, so I can get away quickly.’ I often think that when we come to adore our Lord we should get all we ask if we asked for it with a lively faith and a pure heart.
Engraving 18th century (unknown) By N.N. – Own work, Public Domain, Link
Saint Alphonsus Liguori (1696–1787) was a renowned Italian bishop, theologian, and spiritual writer who founded the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, also known as the Redemptorists. Originally trained as a lawyer, he left his legal career to dedicate himself to preaching the Gospel and serving the poor. He authored many influential books on moral theology, prayer, and Christian living, always emphasizing God’s mercy and compassion. Because of his profound teachings and service to the Church, he was declared a Doctor of the Church.
From a Sermon by Alphonsus Liguori from the Office of Readings
All holiness and perfection of soul lies in our love for Jesus Christ our God, who is our Redeemer and our supreme good. It is part of the love of God to acquire and to nurture all the virtues which make a man perfect.
Has not God in fact won for himself a claim on all our love? From all eternity he has loved us. And it is in this vein that he speaks to us: “O man, consider carefully that I first loved you. You had not yet appeared in the light of day, nor did the world yet exist, but already I loved you. From all eternity I have loved you.”
Since God knew that man is enticed by favours, he wished to bind him to his love by means of his gifts: “I want to catch men with the snares, those chains of love in which they allow themselves to be entrapped, so that they will love me.” And all the gifts which he bestowed on man were given to this end. He gave him a soul, made in his likeness, and endowed with memory, intellect and will; he gave him a body equipped with the senses; it was for him that he created heaven and earth and such an abundance of things. He made all these things out of love for man, so that all creation might serve man, and man in turn might love God out of gratitude for so many gifts.
But he did not wish to give us only beautiful creatures; the truth is that to win for himself our love, he went so far as to bestow upon us the fullness of himself. The eternal Father went so far as to give us his only Son. When he saw that we were all dead through sin and deprived of his grace, what did he do? Compelled, as the Apostle says, by the superabundance of his love for us, he sent his beloved Son to make reparation for us and to call us back to a sinless life.
By giving us his Son, whom he did not spare precisely so that he might spare us, he bestowed on us at once every good: grace, love and heaven; for all these goods are certainly inferior to the Son. He who did not spare his own Son, but handed him over for all of us: how could he fail to give us along with his Son all good things?
Today the Church recalls the memorial of Saint Ignatius of Loyola. This soldier turned saint portrays a remarkable story for us as at any time, the Holy Spirit can turn our life around to do His will. Injured from a cannonball at the battle of Pampolona and bedridden for nearly a year, Saint Ignatius eventually become immersed in the writings of saintly heroes. Ignatius wrote The Spiritual Exercises and founded the Society of Jesus in 1534.
Saint Peter, Bishop of Ravenna, Italy, until 433 in the year of Our Lord was nicknamed Chrysologus or golden words for his rich homilies and is known as patron of homilies. As Bishop he was responsible for converting many of the last pagans in his diocese and winning souls to Christ Jesus! St. Peter once said, “anyone who wishes to frolic with the devil, cannot rejoice with Christ” (https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=464). In 1729 he was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Benedict XIII (https://marian.org/articles/peter-golden-words-st-peter-chrysologus-bishop).
From a sermon by Saint Peter Chrysologus, bishop (Sermo 148: PL 52, 596-598) from the Office of Readings of the Roman Breviary:
The Incarnation and Human Dignity
A virgin conceived, bore a son, and yet remained a virgin. This is no common occurrence, but a sign; no reason here, but God’s power, for he is the cause, and not nature. It is a special event, not shared by others; it is divine, not human. Christ’s birth was not necessity, but an expression of omnipotence, a sacrament of piety for the redemption of men. He who made man without generation from pure clay made man again and was born from a pure body. The hand that assumed clay to make our flesh deigned to assume a body for our salvation. That the Creator is in his creature and God is in the flesh brings dignity to man without dishonor to him who made him.
Why then, man, are you so worthless in your own eyes and yet so precious to God? Why render yourself such dishonor when you are honored by him? Why do you ask how you were created and do not seek to know why you were made? Was not this entire visible universe made for your dwelling? It was for you that the light dispelled the overshadowing gloom; for your sake was the night regulated and the day measured, and for you were the heavens embellished with the varying brilliance of the sun, the moon and the stars. The earth was adorned with flowers, groves and fruit; and the constant marvellous variety of lovely living things was created in the air, the fields, and the seas for you, lest sad solitude destroy the joy of God’s new creation. And the Creator still works to devise things that can add to your glory. He has made you in his image that you might in your person make the invisible Creator present on earth; he has made you his legate, so that the vast empire of the world might have the Lord’s representative. Then in his mercy God assumed what he made in you; he wanted now to be truly manifest in man, just as he had wished to be revealed in man as in an image. Now he would be in reality what he had submitted to be in symbol.
And so Christ is born that by his birth he might restore our nature. He became a child, was fed, and grew that he might inaugurate the one perfect age to remain for ever as he had created it. He supports man that man might no longer fall. And the creature he had formed of earth he now makes heavenly; and what he had endowed with a human soul he now vivifies to become a heavenly spirit. In this way he fully raised man to God, and left in him neither sin, nor death, nor travail, nor pain, nor anything earthly, with the grace of our Lord Christ Jesus, who lives and reigns with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and for ever, for all the ages of eternity. Amen.
Image retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saints-Anne-and-Joachim Caption credit: Lippi, Filippino: The Meeting of Joachim and Anne Outside the Golden Gate of Jerusalem The Meeting of Joachim and Anna Outside the Golden Gate of Jerusalem, tempera on panel by Filippino Lippi, 1497; in the National Gallery of Denmark, Copenhagen. Statens Museum for Kunst (National Gallery of Denmark); http://www.smk.dk (Public domain)
Today the Church recalls the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saints Joachim and Anne.
Not much is known about Joachim and Anne other than from folklore and apocryphal writings. What we do know is that God’s plan of salvation history and the ability for all of us to become saints one day is shaped and molded in our hearts by those who surround us. The parents of Mary and her ability to say yes to God’s will must have had a profound impact in her upbringing. Oftentimes, we as a culture take for granted the role of the family unit and how our domestic church at home calls us to something greater – to be open to God’s will and to be Saints! Mary’s parents taught her the ways of the Lord in which she had the courage to say yes to God and bring forth Christ Jesus into our life as the Virgin Mother, undefiled, & Queen of Heaven that she is.
Saint John Damascene offers this reflection on the parents of Mary, the theotokos (God-bearer) of our Lord Jesus:
Joachim and Anne, how chaste a couple! While safeguarding the chastity prescribed by the law of nature, you achieved with God’s help something which transcends nature in giving the world the Virgin Mother of God as your daughter. While leading a devout and holy life in your human nature, you gave birth to a daughter nobler than the angels, whose queen she now is. Girl of utter beauty and delight, daughter of Adam and mother of God, blessed the loins and blessed the womb from which you come! Blessed the arms that carried you, and blessed your parents’ lips, which you were allowed to cover with chaste kisses, ever maintaining your virginity. Rejoice in God, all the earth. Sing, exult and sing hymns. Raise your voice, raise it and not be afraid. (Retrieved from the Office of Readings in the Roman Breviary and Orat. 6 in Nativitatem B. Mariae V. 2, 4, 5, 6: PG 96, 663, 667, 670).
St. Anne and Joachim, pray for us and enable us the same chaste and fervent example you bestowed upon your daughter, Mary.
From a homily on Matthew by Saint John Chrysostom, bishop (Hom. 65, 2-4: PG 58, 619-622), Roman Breviary
The sons of Zebedee press Christ: Promise that one may sit at your right side and the other at your left. What does he do? He wants to show them that it is not a spiritual gift for which they are asking, and that if they knew what their request involved, they would never dare make it. So he says: You do not know what you are asking, that is, what a great and splendid thing it is and how much beyond the reach even of the heavenly powers. Then he continues: Can you drink the cup which I must drink and be baptized with the baptism which I must undergo? He is saying: “You talk of sharing honours and rewards with me, but I must talk of struggle and toil. Now is not the time for rewards or the time for my glory to be revealed. Earthly life is the time for bloodshed, war and danger.”
Consider how by his manner of questioning he exhorts and draws them. He does not say: “Can you face being slaughtered? Can you shed your blood?” How does he put his question? Can you drink the cup? Then he makes it attractive by adding: which I must drink, so that the prospect of sharing it with him may make them more eager. He also calls his suffering a baptism, to show that it will effect a great cleansing of the entire world. The disciples answer him: We can! Fervour makes them answer promptly, though they really do not know what they are saying but still think they will receive what they ask for.
How does Christ reply? You will indeed drink my cup and be baptized with my baptism. He is really prophesying a great blessing for them, since he is telling them: “You will be found worthy of martyrdom; you will suffer what I suffer and end your life with a violent death, thus sharing all with me. But seats at my right and left are not mine to give; they belong to those for whom the Father has prepared them.” Thus, after lifting their minds to higher goals and preparing them to meet and overcome all that will make them desolate, he sets them straight on their request.
Then the other ten became angry at the two brothers. See how imperfect they all are: the two who tried to get ahead of the other ten, and the ten who were jealous of the two! But, as I said before, show them to me at a later date in their lives, and you will see that all these impulses and feelings have disappeared. Read how John, the very man who here asks for the first place, will always yield to Peter when it comes to preaching and performing miracles in the Acts of the Apostles. James, for his part, was not to live very much longer; for from the beginning he was inspired by great fervour and, setting aside all purely human goals, rose to such splendid heights that he straightway suffered martyrdom.
Saint James the greater, the first apostle to be martyred and killed by the sword by King Herod Aggripa as described in Acts chapter 12 verse 2 is a saint to reflect on. While this “son of thunder” may have had a short temper and been eager to follow Jesus, his commitment and faith even unto martyrdom and dying for Jesus is remarkable. Saint James is the patron saint of Spain (the tomb of Saint James was relocated to Compostela) and of pilgrims. It is believed that James was called “greater” because he was most likely older and the first disciple to follow the call of our Lord Jesus compared to the other James (Mk. 15:40). (https://faith.nd.edu/s/1210/faith/interior.aspx?sid=1210&gid=609&pgid=15679&cid=31728&ecid=31728&crid=0#:~:text=James%20the%20Greater%20is%20patron,John%2C%20and%20cousin%20to%20Jesus).
The Interior of the Shrine to St James the Greater at Santiago de Compostela. Image: Wikimedia Commons
Today the Roman Church remembers the life of St. Mary Magdalene, formerly a person whose title was associated with the “penitent.” It is reported that St. Thomas Aquinas gave Mary the title of “Apostle of the Apostles.” On July 22 of 2016, Pope Francis elevated the day to a Feast to “stress the importance of this faithful disciple of Christ.”
In Mark’s Gospel chapter 16 verse 9, the evangelist indicates that Jesus “appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons.” In John’s Gospel chapter 20, we have the image of Mary appearing early outside of the tomb while still dark before the other disciples. We know that Mary holds an important status for Christian salvation history as presented in the story of Jesus’s appearance to her before the others. Simon Peter and the other disciple were only able to view the burial clothes, but did not quite have a sense of what occurred. Mary, on the other hand, does not leave but stays weeping and mourning for our Lord. Two angels appear to Mary and state” Woman, why are you weeping?” Her reply is classic based on our limited perceptions of God’s will in which she replies “they have taken my Lord, and I don’t know where they laid him” (Jn 20:14). After such a moment, Jesus appears to her and questions her weeping. Mary for a second time does not understand and assumes such a character is a gardener with her reply “Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.” The third occurrence Jesus just has to state her name for her human nature to see the divine person of Jesus in which her reply is “Rabbouni” or teacher.
It is remarkable that Mary of Magdala is the first message bearer to proclaim our salvation and hope in the Risen Lord! Jesus sends her on the church’s first mission to proclaim the good news to the other disciples in which he states “go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God'” (Jn 20:17). Mary, although a person with a troubled past and a sinner like all of us, is a remarkable saint to reflect on. Culturally speaking, Jesus gives such an important task to a woman which was not reflective of the time period’s societal decorum. During this time period, women did not possess the same stature as the male dominated society. Secondly, Mary’s revelation of seeing our risen Lord and her encounter at the tomb shows us that possessing a deep love for our Lord can only come from someone that wears one’s emotion on their sleeve. We must soften our hardened hearts and become dependent upon His great agape love to not only weep when necessary, but also to stay vigilant in our faith at all times. Mary’s deep faith and love for our Lord is something for us to consider this day as we try to stand watch and seek the risen Lord who shows us the way to the Father. May we have the humility, steadfast love & courage to go and tell others about the risen Christ to our brothers & sisters in the Lord. Take some time to reflect upon these readings & find quiet time of how God has been there with you in your life where you wept and then during times where you rejoiced. Ask the risen Lord, especially in the Eucharistic host come down from heaven to help you proclaim how Jesus is fully alive in our Churches. Come Holy Spirit, enlighten in us today the wonder and awe of the risen Lord Jesus in our midst. Help us, like Saint Mary of Magdala to proclaim the good news!
May the Lord Bless us and protect us from all evil this day and lead us to eternal life.
Image of Saint Bonaventure by Giovanni Antonio Pordenone (1530-1535) in the public domain
Saint Bonaventure (c. 1217–1274), born Giovanni di Fidanza in Bagnoregio, Italy. He was healed from a serious childhood illness through the prayers of Saint Francis of Assisi. In gratitude, he entered the Order of Friars Minor at about 22 years of age. He studied philosophy and theology at the University of Paris, where he later became a professor and earned the degree of Doctor of Theology. A contemporary and friend of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Bonaventure became one of the Church’s greatest theologians and spiritual writers. At just 35, he was elected Minister General of the Franciscan Order, guiding it with wisdom and helping preserve the spirit of Saint Francis. Among his most important works are The Journey of the Mind into God and The Major Legend of Saint Francis, the official biography of the Franciscan founder.
Known as the Seraphic Doctor for the depth of his wisdom and love of God, Bonaventure declined Pope Clement IV’s appointment as Archbishop of York out of humility. Pope Gregory X later appointed him Bishop of Albano and created him a cardinal. He played a leading role at the Second Council of Lyons, working for unity in the Church, but died before the council concluded on July 15, 1274. Bonaventure was canonized by Pope Sixtus IV in 1482 and declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Sixtus V in 1588. His writings continue to inspire Christians to unite learning with prayer and contemplation.
An excerpt from the Mind of God:
Christ is both the way and the door. Christ is the staircase and the vehicle, like the throne of mercy over the Ark of the Covenant, and the mystery hidden from the ages. A man should turn his full attention to this throne of mercy, and should gaze at him hanging on the cross, full of faith, hope and charity, devoted, full of wonder and joy, marked by gratitude, and open to praise and jubilation. Then such a man will make with Christ a pasch, that is, a passing-over. Through the branches of the cross he will pass over the Red Sea, leaving Egypt and entering the desert. There he will taste the hidden manna, and rest with Christ in the sepulchre, as if he were dead to things outside. He will experience, as much as is possible for one who is still living, what was promised to the thief who hung beside Christ: Today you will be with me in paradise.
For this passover to be perfect, we must suspend all the operations of the mind and we must transform the peak of our affections, directing them to God alone. This is a sacred mystical experience. It cannot be comprehended by anyone unless he surrenders himself to it; nor can he surrender himself to it unless he longs for it; nor can he long for it unless the Holy Spirit, whom Christ sent into the world, should come and inflame his innermost soul. Hence the Apostle says that this mystical wisdom is revealed by the Holy Spirit.
If you ask how such things can occur, seek the answer in God’s grace, not in doctrine; in the longing of the will, not in the understanding; in the sighs of prayer, not in research; seek the bridegroom not the teacher; God and not man; darkness not daylight; and look not to the light but rather to the raging fire that carries the soul to God with intense fervour and glowing love. The fire is God, and the furnace is in Jerusalem, fired by Christ in the ardour of his loving passion. Only he understood this who said: My soul chose hanging and my bones death. Anyone who cherishes this kind of death can see God, for it is certainly true that: No man can look upon me and live.
Let us die, then, and enter into the darkness, silencing our anxieties, our passions and all the fantasies of our imagination. Let us pass over with the crucified Christ from this world to the Father, so that, when the Father has shown himself to us, we can say with Philip: It is enough. We may hear with Paul: My grace is sufficient for you; and we can rejoice with David, saying: My flesh and my heart fail me, but God is the strength of my heart and my heritage for ever. Blessed be the Lord for ever, and let all the people say: Amen. Amen!
This selection on prayer is an excerpt from St. Bonaventure’s Journey of the Mind to God (Cap. 7,1 2.4.6: Opera Omnia, 5, 312-313). It appears in the Roman Office of Readings for the Feast (liturgical memorial) of St. Bonaventure on July 15.
From the Collect:
Grant, we pray, almighty God,
that, just as we celebrate the heavenly birthday
of the Bishop Saint Bonaventure,
we may benefit from his great learning
and constantly imitate the ardour of his charity.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
Early Christians and many faith traditions deeply understand a fundamental truth: our time on earth is both mortal and brief. The ancient mottos Tempus fugit (time flies) and Memento mori (remember death) serve as vital reminders of this reality, and while confronting our mortality can be uncomfortable, it is a truth that should actively shape our thoughts and actions. Why, then, are we so often shocked when someone passes away? Perhaps the true surprise stems not from the event itself, but from our own deep-seated reluctance to acknowledge that our time here is limited.
Whenever we see news of tragic losses and find our hopes for a better outcome shattered, we are naturally left in a state of shock, sadness, and grief. Yet, in the midst of this sorrow, many overlook a profound truth: as mortal beings, we are ultimately destined for something far greater—an eternity in the presence of a loving Creator.
Practical tips to consider:
1. Develop a Faithful Prayer Life
How can we expect to recognize the face of God in eternity if we do not seek to know Him now? In the Gospel of John, Jesus reminds us, “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5). To bear fruit, we must remain deeply connected to the vine through daily prayer. Even in His divinity, Christ’s humanity drew strength from prayer. Before entering His Passion, He lifted His eyes to heaven and prayed, “Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you, just as you gave him authority over all people, so that he may give eternal life to all you gave him” (Jn 17:1–2). If our Lord prioritized prayer in His final hours, how much more should we?
Death is not merely a tragedy, but a transition toward the day we will finally behold the Beatific Vision. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us:
The Christian meaning of death is revealed in the light of the Paschal Mystery of the Death and Resurrection of Christ in whom resides our only hope. The Christian who dies in Christ Jesus is ‘away from the body and at home with the Lord’ (2 Cor 5:8).” – Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 1681
2. Outline Your Final Wishes for a Christian Funeral
Take the time to document your specific wishes for a Christian burial. Catholic teaching emphasizes that our bodies remain sacred in death; therefore, ashes should never be scattered or kept on a mantle at home, as these practices diminish the dignity of the final farewell to which all baptized Christians are called. Once you have finalized these plans, do not simply leave them in a will or trust—provide physical copies directly to your loved ones and your parish church so they can be carried out faithfully.
To help you get started, you can use this comprehensive Catholic Funeral Planning Guide, which includes fill-in sheets for your selections.
“At the death of a Christian, whose life of faith was begun in the waters of Baptism and strengthened at the Eucharistic table, the Church intercedes on behalf of the deceased because of its confident belief that death is not the end, nor does it break the bonds forged in life. The Church also ministers to the sorrowing and consoles them in the funeral rites with the comforting Word of God and the Sacrament of the Eucharist.” (Order of Christian Funerals, no. 4)
3. Establish a Living Will and Choose a Healthcare Surrogate
Prepare a living will and formally designate a trusted healthcare surrogate to make medical decisions on your behalf if you become unable to do so. In moments of medical crisis, grief and heightened emotions can easily lead to family conflict when difficult choices arise; having your wishes clearly documented alleviates this burden from your loved ones. When drafting these documents, it is vital to ensure they align with your faith values.
For a deeper look at navigating this process from a faithful perspective, review this insightful guide on Should a Catholic Have a Living Will? from the Catholic News Agency.
4. Organize Your Financial Affairs and Power of Attorney
Prepare your financial matters now by ensuring all beneficiary designations are fully updated and a durable financial power of attorney is established. In the midst of acute grief, the last thing you want is for your loved ones to face the added stress of searching through old boxes or cluttered filing cabinets for critical accounts and legal documents. Organizing these files today is a profound act of care that gives your family clear direction when they need it most.
For a step-by-step approach to structuring these assets faithfully, you can utilize the estate planning resources provided by the Catholic Community Foundation of Minnesota.
As the Gospel of Matthew reminds us, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal” (Mt 6:19). Ultimately, we cannot take our earthly wealth or possessions with us into the next life. To reflect this detachment from worldly goods, consider including a final tithe to your parish or a favored Catholic charity in your estate plans, ensuring your last earthly legacy supports the building of God’s kingdom.
Death is not the end, but the beautiful beginning of our eternal calling to be with a loving and merciful God in heaven.
Image Retrieved from Wikimedia Commons from author Fikos
The theme from this Sunday’s readings, especially the Gospel from the Parable of the Sower remind us to examine the condition of our soil, or the inner disposition of our soul.
One season, a section of my yard developed a grass fungus. After consulting with experts, I learned that the dead grass had to be removed, the soil aerated, and the ground treated before planting new seed. Simply scattering fresh seed onto unhealthy and diseased soil would only result in dead grass again.
The same analogy applies to our spiritual lives. How are we preparing our souls to receive the seed of God’s Word and the graces given through the Holy Spirit so that the garden of our heart may bear abundant fruit? Do we cast aside our worries and failings and turn to the Lord in prayer? Do we cultivate our hearts through Sacred Scripture, the Sacraments, and the graces we receive by honoring the Sabbath?
Or are we simply going through the motions, where the seed lands in the right place and brings us new life for a time, yet never takes deep root? If our faith is not nourished, even the best seed can struggle to produce a lasting harvest.
The Divine Sower, Jesus Christ, desires to plant within us the rich seeds of His Word, while the Holy Spirit nourishes those seeds throughout our journey of faith. In his Letter to the Romans, Saint Paul reminds us that we possess the firstfruits of Creation, yet we continue to wait with eager hope, like a mother in labor, for our full adoption as God’s children and the resurrection of our bodies at the end of the age.
The spiritual life unfolds in seasons, just as the Church follows a liturgical calendar marked by different seasons. Ordinary Time is anything but ordinary. The green vestments worn during this season remind us to grow in holiness, mature in virtue, and bear fruit for the Kingdom of God.
The Responsorial Psalm beautifully summarizes this call: “The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.” The Divine Sower continually pours out His boundless love and grace upon us, regardless of the condition of our soil. He patiently invites each of us to receive His grace, cultivate our hearts, and bear lasting fruit. The question is whether we will respond.
Saint Benedict. Engraving by F.L. Schmitner. (1703-1761)
Saint Benedict of Nursia
The Church commemorates Saint Benedict of Nursia, the Father of Western Monasticism, whose life continues to remind us that holiness is cultivated through faithful perseverance in the ordinary moments of daily life. Born around AD 480 in Italy, Benedict withdrew from the distractions of the world to seek God in silence, prayer, and solitude. His desire was not to escape the world, but to know the Lord more deeply and to conform his life completely to Christ.
As disciples gathered around him, Benedict founded monasteries and composed the Rule of Saint Benedict, a spiritual guide centered upon prayer, humility, obedience, charity, hospitality, and diligent work. His simple yet profound motto, Ora et Labora or Pray and Work, has inspired Christians for more than fifteen centuries and reminds us that every task, no matter how ordinary, can become an offering to God.
In a culture filled with noise, constant activity, and distraction, Saint Benedict invites us to rediscover the beauty of silence and the gentle whisper of the Holy Spirit. His witness encourages us to order our lives around Christ, making time each day for prayer, Sacred Scripture, meaningful work, and loving service to our neighbor.
Today, let us ask ourselves: Do I make room for God in the busyness of my day? Where is Christ inviting me to greater balance, deeper prayer, and more faithful discipleship?
Saint Benedict of Nursia, pray for us.
From the Rule of Saint Benedict :
Put Christ before everything. Whenever you begin any good work you should first of all make a most pressing appeal to Christ our Lord to bring it to perfection; that he, who has honoured us by counting us among his children, may never be grieved by our evil deeds. For we must always serve him with the good things he has given us in such a way that he may never – as an angry father disinherits his sons or even like a master who inspires fear – grow impatient with our sins and consign us to everlasting punishment, like wicked servants who would not follow him to glory.
So we should at long last rouse ourselves, prompted by the words of Scripture: Now is the time for us to rise from sleep. Our eyes should be open to the God-given light, and we should listen in wonderment to the message of the divine voice as it daily cries out: Today, if you shall hear his voice, harden not your hearts; and again: If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. And what does the Spirit say? Come my sons, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Hurry, while you have the light of life, so that death’s darkness may not overtake you.
And the Lord as he seeks the one who will do his work among the throng of people to whom he makes that appeal, says again: Which of you wants to live to the full; who loves long life and the enjoyment of prosperity? And, if when you hear this you say, I do, God says to you: If you desire true and everlasting life, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from deceit; turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. And when you have done these things my eyes will be upon you and my ears will be attentive to your prayers; and before you call upon my name I shall say to you: Behold, I am here. What could be more delightful, dearest brothers, than the voice of our Lord’s invitation to us? In his loving kindness he reveals to us the way of life.
And so, girded with faith and the performance of good works, let us follow in his paths by the guidance of the Gospel; then we shall deserve to see him who has called us into his kingdom. If we wish to attain a dwelling-place in his kingdom we shall not reach it unless we hasten there by our good deeds.
Just as there exists an evil fervour, a bitter spirit, which divides us from God and leads us to hell, so there is a good fervour which sets us apart from evil inclinations and leads us towards God and eternal life. Monks should put this fervour into practice with an overflowing love: that is, they should surpass each other in mutual esteem, accept their weaknesses, either of body or of behaviour, with the utmost patience; and vie with each other in acceding to requests. No one should follow what he considers to be good for himself, but rather what seems good for another. They should display brotherly love in a chaste manner; fear God in a spirit of love; revere their abbot with a genuine and submissive affection. Let them put Christ before all else; and may he lead us all to everlasting life.
John Trumbull, The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776, 1786–1820, oil on canvas, 20 7/8 x 31 inches / 53 x 78.7 cm (Yale University Art Gallery)
The signing of the Declaration of Independence nearly 250 years ago marked the beginning of a bold political experiment. Its purpose was not merely to separate from Great Britain, but to establish a new nation founded on the principles of self-government and individual liberty. The newly independent states first united as a confederation before eventually forming the United States under the Constitution, underscored the notion that nation-building was a deliberate and carefully considered process.
The decision to declare independence did not emerge as a novel idea. It was shaped by the ideas of the Enlightenment, particularly the writings of John Locke, whose theory of the social contract and natural rights profoundly influenced the Founders. They also drew upon the works of Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Montesquieu, whose ideas about popular sovereignty and the separation of powers helped shape modern political thought. While the American Revolution later inspired the French Revolution, the philosophical foundations of American independence were already well established in Enlightenment thought.
The idea that human beings possess natural, inalienable rights endowed by their Creator developed over centuries. Aristotle’s teleological ethics in the Nicomachean Ethics and Politics laid an important philosophical foundation by arguing that human nature has an objective purpose and that the good life consists in living according to reason and virtue. Building on this tradition, Thomas Aquinas integrated Aristotelian philosophy with Christian theology, teaching that God’s eternal law is reflected in the natural law, which human beings can know through reason and which grounds the dignity of every person. Later, thinkers such as John Locke further articulated the concept of natural rights that profoundly influenced America’s Founders.
As we celebrate our nation’s founding this year, the Declaration of Independence invites us to reflect on this enduring principle: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Despite the tumultuous seasons of upheaval and strife that the United States has endured, from the Civil War to two World Wars and periods of intense political polarization and partisan division, our nation’s grand experiment has endured and prospered. We should never take this remarkable inheritance for granted.
As we celebrate our Nation’s independence today, may we reflect on the liberties with which we have been endowed and the responsibilities that accompany them. Consider taking a few moments to read the Declaration of Independence that our Founding Fathers adopted and reflect on the principles that continue to shape our republic.
Do not take for granted what the United States of America and its Founding Fathers envisioned. In keeping with your own faith tradition, pray for our leaders and for all those who strive to govern our society with justice, wisdom, and peace.
May God bless our country and all who celebrate this milestone of American independence and the enduring ideals of American exceptionalism.
On December of 1674, Saint Margaret Mary received the first visitation from our Lord Jesus regarding His unconditional love through His sacred heart. St. Margaret Mary didn’t have the best life at home and had rheumatic fever off and on for four years until pledging a vow to the Blessed Virgin Mary to enter religious life. She was humble and had a fondness for Eucharistic adoration at an early age. Her work La Devotion au Sacre-Coeur de Jesus or Devotion to the Sacred Heart is a popular work among many Catholics. (https://www.newmanministry.com/saints/saint-margaret-mary-alacoque).
Stained glass, depiction Christ appearing to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and showing her His Sacred Heart | St. Francis Xavier Basilica, Vincennes, IN
The US Catholic Bishops recently consecrated our Nation to the protection of His Sacred Heart on June 11 for the 250th occasion of the independence of the USA.
It is customary to start a novena to the Sacred Heart at the beginning of the Feast of Corpus Christi.
The Sacred Heart Solemnity and reparation to His sacred Heart reminds us of His merciful love where we unite our sacrifices for another. It was through Jesus’s redemptive suffering and amazing love that he bore the weight of sin for all mankind. On this day we can fast and pray a rosary for someone. We can do a charitable act for someone. We can visit the tabernacle & offer our heart to His divine heart. We can perform an examination of conscience and look at our sins and the virtues for which we should strive to abide by.
The Sacred Heart reminds us of the true essence of love which is one of sacrifice and mortification for the love and good of one another. Such a love is not superficial, but a love surrounded by thorns symbolizing the agony of our Lord’s passion & death. Pierced by a lance, his blood was shed for the sin of all. Surrounded by the flame of the Holy Spirit, a heart that burns for all humanity. The cross on top of the heart symbolizes the ultimate sacrifice for all. His sacred heart beats to the eternal drum of merciful love for all. Making reparations to His sacred heart is akin to making merciful love offerings for the good of our soul & our neighbor’s soul as members of the Body of Christ, the church. We are called to share in His redemptive suffering. St. Paul in his letter to the Colossians states “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church” (Col. 1:24). The prophet Joel reminds us of the following as well: “Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the LORD, your God, For he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love, and relenting in punishment.” (Jl. 2:13). Truly, our suffering in this life is nothing unless lifted up to His Sacred heart.
Pope Leo XIII’s encyclical Annum Sacrum has the following to reflect upon:
“ Jesus Christ, our God and our Redeemer, is rich in the fullest and perfect possession of all things: we, on the other hand, are so poor and needy that we have nothing of our own to offer Him as a gift. But yet, in His infinite goodness and love, He in no way objects to our giving and consecrating to Him what is already His, as if it were really our own; nay, far from refusing such an offering, He positively desires it and asks for it: “My son, give me thy heart.” We are, therefore, able to be pleasing to Him by the good will and the affection of our soul.”
“And since there is in the Sacred Heart a symbol and a sensible image of the infinite love of Jesus Christ which moves us to love one another, therefore is it fit and proper that we should consecrate ourselves to His most Sacred Heart – an act which is nothing else than an offering and a binding of oneself to Jesus Christ, seeing that whatever honor, veneration and love is given to this divine Heart is really and truly given to Christ Himself.” (https://www.papalencyclicals.net/leo13/l13annum.htm).
Let us humbly unite our hearts to His Saving Heart this day. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops advised the faithful to make a reparation to His Sacred Heart and pray this beautiful Litany: https://www.usccb.org/prayers/litany-sacred-heart-jesus
A Solemn Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus by Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque:
I give myself and consecrate to the Sacred Heart of our Lord Jesus Christ, my person and my life, my actions, pains and sufferings, so that I may be unwilling to make use of any part of my being other than to honor, love and glorify the Sacred Heart. This is my unchanging purpose, namely, to be all His, and to do all things for the love of Him, at the same time renouncing with all my heart whatever is displeasing to Him. I therefore take You, O Sacred heart, to be the only object of my love, the guardian of my life, my assurance of salvation, the remedy of my weakness and inconstancy, the atonement for all the faults of my life and my sure refuge at the hour of death. Be then, O Heart of goodness, my justification before God the Father, and turn away from me the strokes of his righteous anger. O Heart of love, I put all my confidence in You, for I fear everything from my own wickedness and frailty, but I hope for all things from Your goodness and bounty. Remove from me all that can displease You or resist Your holy will; let Your pure love imprint Your image so deeply upon my heart, that I shall never be able to forget You or to be separated from You. May I obtain from all Your loving kindness the grace of having my name written in Your Heart, for in You I desire to place all my happiness and glory, living and dying in bondage to You. Amen.
The Solemnity of Corpus Christi, the Body and Blood of Christ, reminds us that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist. Through the mystery of transubstantiation at Mass, the bread and wine become His Body and Blood while retaining the appearance of bread and wine.
In John’s Bread of Life discourse, Jesus teaches us the following:
Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.” (Jn. 6:53-54)
The Old Testament reading from Deuteronomy reminds us of God’s providence and divine will. Through the manna that came down from heaven, God nourished His people in the wilderness and demonstrated that He would never abandon them in their time of need.
In today’s Gospel from John, Jesus reveals the fulfillment of a new covenant. His Body and Blood become the source of everlasting life, reflected in the breaking of the bread and the new manna come down from heaven. God’s people no longer need to offer animal sacrifices for the atonement of sins, for Jesus, the Lamb of God, became the perfect and ultimate sacrifice who takes away the sins of the world and restores what is broken within us.
Every Mass is a commemoration of Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary. It reminds us that Jesus has never left His people and remains with us always. At every Eucharistic celebration, heaven meets earth as ordinary bread and wine become life-giving spiritual nourishment, drawing us into deeper communion with God and strengthening us for the journey of faith.
Saint Carlo Acutis, a millennial Saint born in 1991 passed from this life due to leukemia and had a great devotion to the Eucharist. Carlo once said, “The more Eucharist we receive, the more we will become like Jesus, so that on earth we will have a foretaste of heaven.” If our hearts & souls are not ready to receive His body & blood in holy communion, Carlo reminds us of the following “Our soul is like a hot air balloon. If by chance there is a mortal sin, the soul falls to the ground. Confession is like the fire underneath the balloon enabling the soul to rise again. . . It is important to go to confession often.” His website documents the miracles of the Eucharist http://www.miracolieucaristici.org/en/Liste/list.html
Let us reflect more deeply today at the pinnacle of our faith where Jesus becomes truly present for us in the Holy Eucharist. Let our Amen be strong as we receive Jesus, the living bread come down from heaven.
One of the prayers I recite after receiving Holy Communion is the following:
Anima Christi
Soul of Christ, sanctify me. Body of Christ, save me. Blood of Christ, inebriate me. Water from the side of Christ, wash me. Passion of Christ, strengthen me. O good Jesus, hear me. Within Thy wounds hide me. Separated from Thee let me never be. From the malignant enemy, defend me. At the hour of death, call me. And close to Thee bid me. That with Thy saints I may be Praising Thee, forever and ever. Amen.
Jerónimo Cósida (1570), The Holy Trinity (located Cisterian Monastery of Tulebras, Spain)
The unique renaissance fresco painting of Jerónimo Cósida’s The Holy Trinity capturing the face of Jesus with three faces symbolizes the mystery of this occasion. The Latin message for ‘non est’ or ‘it is not’ followed by the unique centering of ‘est’ for ‘it is’ in the above image portrays such a mystery of our faith. Oftentimes, we can get caught up in the logic of the Holy Trinity and how it is even possible for the Lord to reveal such a nature for our limited human understanding to grasp. Such questions were posed to the early church and addressed during various church councils. Those such as Pope St. Damasus I with his tome of the Holy Trinity in fully embracing the mystery of the Triune God is one example. Such theological disagreements and schisms concerning the filioque theology of from where the Spirit comes and ensuing disagreements (https://www.catholic.com/encyclopedia/filioque) in the eastern and western churches further occurred over time.
From the beginning of the creation story, we see the unity and plurality of the interchange of language connotations being used with the use of El and Elohim. In Genesis, the singular El in which God did various things compared to the symbolism of the Trinity in Genesis 1:26 in which Elohim is used is presented in the following verse in “let us make man in our image” is given. The hermeneutical debate over such translations and the intent of language in the scripture (https://blogs.cuit.columbia.edu/db2296/elohim-is-a-plural-do-not-translate-it-with-god-an-interview-with-mauro-biglino/) will continue to this day. In other Old Testament readings such as in Exodus 3:2, we see the natures of Father & Spirit taking the form of a fire in the bush in which reason and logic defy any human understanding. Moses could not grasp how a bush was not consumed by fire, hence the spiritual revelation of God as a burning bush is made. How can Moses directly set his sight on God without being struck down in fear? How are we to understand such events or even begin to ponder God’s nature?
With the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan in which the Spirit comes down upon Jesus, the mystery of the revealed triune God is made manifest. The Holy Spirit descends upon Jesus and the voice from the heavens proclaims, “this is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Mt 3:17). Such a moment reminds us of our baptismal call as Christians in which we are sealed by the mystery of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit that removes the stain of sin on our heart. We are reminded in Paul’s letter to the Romans that the Spirit allows us to be adopted sons and daughters of God in which we too can cry, Abba, Father! (Rom. 8:14-17).
In order to fully embrace such a mystery of the Trinity, we should look to our own self and the mystery by which we are created in God’s image. We are told various lies about how we are defined by our skin color, allegiance to a political party, allegiance to a certain nationality, or to our own sexual identification to fully identify with who and what we are. While such external components and characteristics are important for living an earthly life; they are only a mere facade that separates us from our true ontological destiny. We are even told that we must use certain gender pronouns in order to feel complete and be made whole as if it would change our human nature.
What if such external traits and characteristics didn’t matter in light of our true destiny of being reunited to our Triune God? Perhaps we should let go of our distractions and roadblocks in life to seek the awe and wonder of the mysterious and holy trinitarian Godhead? By rediscovering the ousia (substance, being, essence) of the reasons we were made in order to more fully appreciate the mystery of the Trinity is a first step in such a faith journey. The Gospel of John speaks of the Spirit of Truth coming to the disciples at the appointed time.
When will the Spirit of truth come to you and overshadow you so as to reveal His nature and purpose for your life, or will you be caught off-guard? Fundamentally in seeking out the nature of the revealed persons of God in understanding the Trinity is about our relationships we form with others. It is clear that Jesus intends for us to be action makers and difference makers when the Spirit of truth may come upon us. The early church was met with much adversity and most were martyred for the faith that led them to start this Christian movement (Jn. 15:13…no greater love than to lay down one’s life for a friend).
Oftentimes, our blindness due to sin and various imperfections allow us to lose sight of such mysteries of our faith. Our minds wander and our logical and inferential brain can interrupt our quest in wanting to try and decipher God’s very nature instead of having an introspective look at our own nature. We think we can conquer the greatest heights and unlock the various mysteries of the earth in which we assume we are the masters of our own fate. The commemoration of the Most Holy Trinity is about remembering God’s nature revealed to us in every sacrament, word and deed in which we are sealed by the trinitarian Godhead. In all that we do, both in liturgy and in life, we are blessed in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Each and every time we remember to mark ourselves with the sign of the cross, the sign in which God sends forth His only begotten Son to save all of mankind and pour forth His Spirit of truth is our mystery we recall today. Such a mystery of our faith journey is one of love, dependence on God’s mercy, and petition to align our life in recalling His very nature as being three in One in undivided unity per the liturgical song O God, almighty Father. (See composition and history by Irvin M. Udulutsch http://www.catholicnewsworld.com/2021/05/one-of-most-beautiful-and-famous-hymns.html). It matters not if we will ever make sense of the Trinitarian mystery of God’s nature, but only that we continue on our journey of faith in how we resemble God’s love in our personhood to others. God is still guiding us through our earthly pilgrimage toward our heavenly destiny. We should attempt to resemble our best self just as the Triune God resembles His loving presence to us throughout salvation history to the present.
There is a story of when St. Augustine was writing De Trinitate that he saw a young boy on the beach. The boy was running back and forth filling a small hole on the beach with water from the ocean. St. Augustine told the boy that he could never fill the entire ocean into the small hole. The boy told him he could never understand the mystery of the Trinity and then disappeared. Such is our human quest to fully understand God’s nature.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states the following regarding the Trinity:
237 “The Trinity is a mystery of faith in the strict sense, one of the “mysteries that are hidden in God, which can never be known unless they are revealed by God”. To be sure, God has left traces of his Trinitarian being in his work of creation and in his Revelation throughout the Old Testament. But his inmost Being as Holy Trinity is a mystery that is inaccessible to reason alone or even to Israel’s faith before the Incarnation of God’s Son and the sending of the Holy Spirit.”
While we can never fully understand the Trinity, we can understand aspects of the Trinity through our faith life and God’s eternal love. “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” (Jn. 3:16). Today let us reflect more deeply on this mystery of our faith and God’s divinity in revealing Himself to us in God the Father, Son & Spirit as we make the sign of the cross and ponder His infinite love for His creation. Let us reflect on our own nature and who we are called to be as creations of His image.
From the collect at mass today:
God our Father, who by sending into the world the Word of truth and the Spirit of sanctification made known to the human race your wondrous mystery, grant us, we pray, that in professing the true faith, we may acknowledge the Trinity of eternal glory and adore your Unity, powerful in majesty. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Ascension by Benjamin West 1801 from the public domain
From a Sermon by Saint Augustine of Hippo
Today our Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven; let our hearts ascend with him. Listen to the words of the Apostle: If you have risen with Christ, set your hearts on the things that are above where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God; seek the things that are above, not the things that are on earth. For just as he remained with us even after his ascension, so we too are already in heaven with him, even though what is promised us has not yet been fulfilled in our bodies.
Christ is now exalted above the heavens, but he still suffers on earth all the pain that we, the members of his body, have to bear. He showed this when he cried out from above: Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? and when he said: I was hungry and you gave me food. Why do we on earth not strive to find rest with him in heaven even now, through the faith, hope and love that unites us to him?
While in heaven he is also with us; and we while on earth are with him. He is here with us by his divinity, his power and his love. We cannot be in heaven, as he is on earth, by divinity, but in him, we can be there by love.
He did not leave heaven when he came down to us; nor did he withdraw from us when he went up again into heaven. The fact that he was in heaven even while he was on earth is borne out by his own statement: No one has ever ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven. These words are explained by our oneness with Christ, for he is our head and we are his body. No one ascended into heaven except Christ because we also are Christ: he is the Son of Man by his union with us, and we by our union with him are sons of God.
So the Apostle says: Just as the human body, which has many members, is a unity, because all the different members make one body, so is it also with Christ. He too has many members, but one body. Out of compassion for us he descended from heaven, and although he ascended alone, we also ascend, because we are in him by grace. Thus, no one but Christ descended and no one but Christ ascended; not because there is no distinction between the head and the body, but because the body as a unity cannot be separated from the head.
Retrieved from Sermo de Ascensione Domini, Mai 98, 1-7: PLS 2, 429-495 and found within the Liturgy of the Hours Office of Readings
Prayer from the Collect at Mass:
Gladden us with holy joys, almighty God,
and make us rejoice with devout thanksgiving,
for the Ascension of Christ your Son
is our exaltation,
and, where the Head has gone before in glory,
the Body is called to follow in hope.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
Georges de Latour, Saint Joseph the Carpenter; retrieved from the public domain
In 1955 Pope Pius XII declared Saint Joseph the Worker to coincide with International Worker’s Day on May 1. Christians must not lose sight of the dignity of their labor mandated by God to Adam & Eve. Our labor resembles the creative aspect of God our Creator. Saint Joseph humbly cared for the holy family from his trade as a carpenter & provided for their wellbeing. We too should turn to Saint Joseph, a humble servant & laborer in God’s vineyard who cared for the Holy Family. Saint Joseph faithfully carried out his daily labor without complaint and we too should approach our labor with prayer & ask the Lord God to help us grow in holiness just as Saint Joseph.
Here is a prayer attributed to Saint Joseph, patron of workers:
O Glorious St. Joseph, model of all those who are devoted to labor, obtain for me the grace to work conscientiously, putting the call of duty above my natural inclinations, to work with gratitude and joy, in a spirit of penance for the remission of my sins, considering it an honor to employ and develop by means of labor the gifts received from God, to work with order, peace, moderation and patience, without ever shrinking from weariness and difficulties, to work above all with purity of intention and detachment from self, having always death before my eyes and the account that I must render of time lost, of talents wasted, of good omitted, of vain complacency in success, so fatal to the work of God. All for Jesus, all through Mary, all after thine example, O Patriarch, St. Joseph. Such shall be my motto in life and in death. Amen.
Image retrieved from: Jesus: The Good Shepherd (op.org) “The image above is from the stalls of the Thisle Chapel in Edinburgh’s St Giles Cathedral. “
Today’s readings in the Catholic church during this Easter season are oftentimes known as “Good Shepherd” Sunday per the selection from sacred scripture. Today is also the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. We must always remember to pray for our men and women called by God that receive the spiritual call to imitate Jesus as the Divine Shepherd.
In the Gospel passage from John, chapter 10 verses 11-18 Jesus proclaims the following:
Jesus said: “I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd. This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father.”
Oftentimes, as human beings, we are much like sheep. We tend to lose focus of the important aspects of our Christian life and wander off into danger. We let the petty distractions of the world and vainglory dull our senses and higher calling of being an Easter people with eyes always pointed to God and the Parousia or second coming. We are one Christian church despite the many rites, denominations and faith traditions that should always seek the goal of evangelizing others as our primary call. Bringing our fellow “sheep” closer to knowing who our great and awesome God is through the second person of the Trinity, Jesus, should be our ultimate task. Today, as we reflect on the good news, are you like the hired shepherd that wishes to flee and run from danger? Perhaps, we are not ready to have steadfast courage to face the many wolves in our life and possibly lay down our very own life for the “sheep”, or our brothers and sisters in need of His saving mercy in distress or danger? As the first letter from John reminds us, the love that God the Father has bestowed upon us allows us to be called children of God (1 Jn. 3:1). Jesus is the Good Shepherd who will never lead us astray. Those holy men and women that follow the model of our Good Shepherd to find the lost sheep among the wolves and danger should receive our heartfelt prayers and support.
According to the Vatican’s Pontifical Yearbook of 2024 and Statistical Yearbook of 2022 there are more Catholics with fewer vocations. The number of baptized Catholics increased by 1% from 1.376 billion in 2021 to 1.390 billion in 2022. The number of priests globally declined from 407,872 to 407,730. Africa and Asia saw an increase in vocations while the Americas, Europe and Oceania saw declines. Religious communities for men saw a decrease from 49,774 to 49,414. For women religious, there was a 1.6% decrease from 608,958 to 599,228 globally from 2021 to 2022 (https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2024-04/vatican-central-statistical-office-church-pontifical-yearbook.html).
Let us pray for those who work in the Lord’s harvest, that they may fully imitate our Good Shepherd, who brings life to others in a troubled world. Let us examine our own Christian worldview and take up our mission to not only serve others, but to boldly and courageously defend ourselves and others from the wolves that distract us from our mission. May we bring our brothers and sisters closer to knowing Him through our very actions, words and deeds this day for Jesus is our Good Shepherd.
Pray for all priests that they may receive God’s grace to be good and holy priests. Pray for those discerning a vocation to the priesthood and religious life. Sometimes we may not like certain priests at a parish – have you prayed for them lately or provided words of encouragement? According to a study conducted by the Catholic Project at the Catholic University of America in Washington DC regarding burnout, “the report says that 45% of priests surveyed reported at least one symptom of ministry burnout, unevenly distributed between diocesan (50%) and religious (33%) priests. Only 9% exhibited severe burnout, the report says, but the report’s authors cautioned that younger priests were significantly more likely than older priests to experience burnout.” (https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/252588/major-survey-of-catholic-priests-finds-trust-issues-burnout-fear-of-false-allegations).
Prayer for Priests by Saint John Vianney God please give your Church today many more priests after your own heart. May they be worthy representatives of Christ the Good Shepherd. May they wholeheartedly devote themselves to prayer and penance; Being examples of humility and poverty; Shining models of holiness; Tireless and powerful preachers of the Word of God; Zealous dispensers of your grace in the sacraments. May their loving devotion to your Son Jesus in the Eucharist and to Mary his Mother Be the twin fountains of fruitfulness for their ministry. Amen.
Today in the Catholic church’s calendar, St. Mark the Evangelist is recalled in prayer. History indicates that his gospel may have been one of the earliest writings completed sometime around 70 ad (https://www.britannica.com/topic/Gospel-According-to-Mark).
When I was to be confirmed and had to choose a saint name, it was Mark that I chose. Some attribute his name to John Mark (Acts 12:25) The image of the strength of a winged lion representing this saintly man (imagery is also taken from Ezekiel’s prophetic account in 1:6-10) was a choice any young man might pick for a saintly confirmation name.
It was not until later that I began to enjoy the simplicity of this gospel’s message that are full of climactic moments in the life of Jesus. The literary style of Mark’s gospel are definitely way different with much more detail given than the other synoptic gospels of Matthew and Luke’s gospels.
St. Mark is also the patron of Venice Italy. It is believed that on his journey, he made it to the shores of Venice. Legend states that upon his arrival he was greeted by an angelic messenger in the form of a winged lion whom stated “Pax tibi Marce, evangelista meus. Hic requiescet corpus tuum” (Peace be with you Mark my evangelist, here your body will rest) (https://imagesofvenice.com/the-lion-of-st-mark/).
The reading from 1 Peter 5:12-14 describing Mark’s encounters with Silvanus are interesting to note :
“ I write these few words to you through Silvanus, who is a brother I know I can trust, to encourage you never to let go this true grace of God to which I bear witness. Your sister in Babylon, who is with you among the chosen, sends you greetings; so does my son, Mark. Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to you all who are in Christ.”
A prayer on this day from the collect of the Roman Missal:
O God, who raised up Saint Mark, your Evangelist, and endowed him with the grace to preach the Gospel, grant, we pray, that we may so profit from his teaching as to follow faithfully in the footsteps of Christ. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
O death, where is your sting? (1 Corinthians 15:55)
Our Lord Jesus Christ has conquered sin and shattered the power of death. Through His Resurrection from the grave, He has revealed to us the way, and the narrow path that leads to eternal life (Matthew 7:14). The empty tomb is not merely a sign of what has happened; it is a promise of what is to come and what shall be for all of us who follow the way of Christ.
We are an Easter people, and Alleluia is our song, as Pope John Paul II once proclaimed. In the light of the Resurrection, despair gives way to hope, and sorrow is transformed into joy.
No matter the trials we carry, let us lay them before the empty tomb. For there, we encounter not absence, but presence, Christ alive, victorious, and calling us forward. Today, we remember not only His Resurrection, but also the promise entrusted to us: “For if we have died with Him, we shall also live with Him” (2 Timothy 2:11). We too are destined to rise on the last day when the Master returns in glory (John 6:40).
So take heart, and do not be afraid. The Risen Lord speaks to us even now: “I am with you always, to the end of the age”(Matthew 28:20). This is our hope. This is our joy. This is the victory we celebrate in this holy season of Easter.
Why is Good Friday “good” despite the somber and sad occasion where Jesus the Christ – our friend, brother, teacher, Master & God’s Beloved Son who took on our human condition was crucified?
It is Good because Jesus shows us that the power of sin and death shall not prevail. Today, reflect on this solemn occasion & lay your sins, human frailties, weaknesses and trepidations at the foot of the cross.
Jesus, have mercy on me a sinner. Remember me, when you come into your kingdom.
Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Woodcut for “Die Bibel in Bildern”, 1860
The Church ushers in the holiest time of the year with Palm Sunday. From the joyful cries of Hosanna in the highest to the haunting shouts of Crucify Him, we are invited to enter deeply into the Paschal Mystery. Our King, Jesus, came to dwell among us, taking on human flesh so that He might become the perfect offering, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.
It is easy to become lost in a torrent of guilt and remorse. Yet we are not alone. We journey with our Lord Jesus on the road to Calvary. In many ways, we are like the tethered colt, uncertain of the path yet called to carry Christ to the place of supreme love, where He gave His life for all. At times we resemble Saint Peter, tempted to deny our Lord, only to weep bitterly when we recognize our weakness and are invited to rise again. Or like Simon of Cyrene, we may be called unexpectedly to carry a cross not our own, only to discover that sharing in another’s burden reveals the depth of agape love, a love that surpasses all understanding.
The Paschal Mystery of the Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension of our Lord transcends time and space. Though these events occurred in history, they are made present in a profound way in the Divine Liturgy. Each Holy Mass does more than recall these sacred moments. It draws us into them through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, inviting us to take up our cross and go forth as witnesses to the love of the Father and the Son. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us:
“The Paschal mystery of Christ cannot remain only in the past, because by his death he destroyed death. All that Christ is, everything he did and suffered for humanity, participates in the divine eternity, transcending all time while being made present in every moment. The event of the Cross and Resurrection abides, drawing all things toward life.” (CCC 1085)
The single liturgy of the Triduum, encompassing Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil, invites us into the mystery of love, sacrifice, and joy. As we walk with our Lord toward Calvary this Holy Week, we are called to reflect:
Are we willing to die with Him, surrendering our faults, desires, and human frailty, so that we may rise to new life in Christ?
Am I willing to be transformed, to seek God’s will rather than my own, and to draw closer to Jesus?
It is not too late. Turn to Jesus and say, “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.” “Remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” With Him, we overcome sin and death and are raised to new life.
Good Friday, April 3, 2026 is more profound than in year’s past as some scholars believe that April 3, AD 33 is a date which coincides to the actual date of Jesus’s crucifixion. What sin will you lift up to Jesus and present to Him at the foot of the cross this week?
This Holy Week, go deeper. Pray more, tithe more, love more, and sacrifice more as we wait in eager anticipation for Resurrection Day, when the stench and death of sin are vanquished and we rise to new life with Jesus Christ, our Sovereign King!
Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci c. 1495-1498The Crucifixion Fra Angelico (Guido di Pietro) c. 1420-1423Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, Hubert and Jan Van Eyck, 1432
Annunciation by Giambattista Pittoni 1757 from public domain
Luke 1:26-38
The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end.” But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “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, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
On this Solemnity of the Annunciation, Mary’s “yes” to God, her fiat, reveals a profound model of unconditional surrender and complete trust in God’s will. For us today, Mary’s fiat is an invitation to deepen our own trust. It challenges us to listen with openness, to respond with faith, and to surrender our fears and plans into God’s loving hands. Her example reminds us that God’s will, though sometimes mysterious, always leads to grace and new life.
As a Christian husband and father, I am reminded that Saint Joseph was a humble man that didn’t have much written about him per the gospel writers. Saint Joseph was a man of action & humility that didn’t question his dream and took action despite life’s obstacles. The importance of the angelic messenger coming to Joseph in a dream shows us that Joseph must have been a man of faith & prayer to actually carry out his part of God’s mission for God’s plan of salvation history. Undoubtedly, Joseph’s many nicknames as “terror of demons,” is quite appropriate given his role as a stalwart of the holy family. After all, this is a man who fled with Mary and Jesus from the throes of danger from Herod’s slaughter of the holy innocents to Egypt. Joseph continuously did the Lord’s will without complaint as a pious and devout servant that he was. Most men today would have questioned such things and not have been a humble servant as was Joseph. I myself might have questioned God’s will & certainly would have been fearful to take Mary as my wife.
St. Joseph, Rhineland, TX
Joseph holds a special fondness and place in my heart as not only a saintly role model, but one in which my father’s side of the family had a history with as well. My great grandparents helped to build a church named after the saint in Rhineland, TX. My wife and I were also married at St. Joseph in another city in a Texas town. I also had the opportunity to play this saintly man in a living nativity play one year surrounded by actual livestock (luckily it was a silent part and true to the man who didn’t have much to say in holy scripture). Saint Joseph is patron of many things including the universal Church, fathers, workers, immigrants, unborn children, and a happy death (https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=4). Saint Joseph should serve as a role model to all father figures who wish to unite their own families under the protection and guidance of the holy family. One great book one should have is Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father by Father Donald Calloway.
Let us ask St. Joseph for his intercession to always allow our dreams to reflect God’s will. St. Joseph is a saintly hero that takes action no matter how difficult the task with little attention to himself as the guardian of the Holy family. As we prepare to recall this saintly man of humble and pure heart, let us pray the Litany of St. Joseph:
Saint Joseph, pray for us!
May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
Saint Patrick Catholic Church (Junction City, Ohio) – stained glass, Saint Patrick
Patrick, born in the late 4th century in Britain was captured by Irish pirates at about the age of 16. While not religious or spiritual himself, it was in these moments of tending sheep and other work during his years of captivity that he received a deep spiritual awakening and sense of God’s holy presence.
In a dream, God told Patrick to escape in which he returned to Britain, only with a fervent desire to go back and convert the Irish people to Christ and the one and true faith.
Studying for the priesthood and eventually being ordained a Bishop, Patrick became a missionary and went back to Ireland to do God’s will and good work.
Saint Patrick was said to have used simple explanations to explain the faith, such as the explanation of the Trinity in comparing it with the three leaves of a shamrock. Believed to have died on March 17, today we recall the solemnity of this servant of God and ask God to do His will despite how difficult the struggle may be.
Saint Patrick Breastplate Prayer (attributed to Saint Patrick, however not certain on authenticity)
I arise today Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, Through belief in the Threeness, Through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation.
I arise today Through the strength of Christ’s birth with His baptism, Through the strength of His crucifixion with His burial, Through the strength of His resurrection with His ascension, Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.
I arise today Through the strength of the love of cherubim, In the obedience of angels, In the service of archangels, In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward, In the prayers of patriarchs, In the predictions of prophets, In the preaching of apostles, In the faith of confessors, In the innocence of holy virgins, In the deeds of righteous men.
I arise today, through The strength of heaven, The light of the sun, The radiance of the moon, The splendor of fire, The speed of lightning, The swiftness of wind, The depth of the sea, The stability of the earth, The firmness of rock.
I arise today, through God’s strength to pilot me, God’s might to uphold me, God’s wisdom to guide me, God’s eye to look before me, God’s ear to hear me, God’s word to speak for me, God’s hand to guard me, God’s shield to protect me, God’s host to save me From snares of devils, From temptation of vices, From everyone who shall wish me ill, afar and near.
I summon today All these powers between me and those evils, Against every cruel and merciless power that may oppose my body and soul, Against incantations of false prophets, Against black laws of pagandom, Against false laws of heretics, Against craft of idolatry, Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards, Against every knowledge that corrupts man’s body and soul; Christ to shield me today Against poison, against burning, Against drowning, against wounding, So that there may come to me an abundance of reward.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.
In today’s first reading from Exodus, we see the Israelites journeying in the wilderness and complaining to Moses about being thirsty and hungry. They fear for their children and are tired of the long and arduous journey. Their Lent is very different from our Lent. As God’s chosen people, they are nearly ready to stone Moses and cast aside their faith, despite having witnessed the power of the Father who freed them from captivity in Egypt. Moses, along with the elders, journeys to the place called Massah and Meribah and strikes the rock with the same staff he used at Horeb. Water flows from the rock so that the people may drink.
The Gospel reading from John tells of the Samaritan woman who stops at Jacob’s well to draw water. Jews and Samaritans were deeply divided and hostile toward one another, almost like rival tribes that refused to associate. Jesus, knowing the depths of this woman’s soul, asks her for a drink of water. In her humility she is astonished that a Jew, and especially a Jewish man, would ask her for a drink. Jesus reminds her that it is the Holy Spirit who gives the living water, and that he himself is the source and fountain of that eternal spring. The woman desires this living water. When Jesus asks her to call her husband, he already knows that she does not have one. She has had five husbands, and the man she now lives with is not her husband. This reveals not only the disorder in her life but also the deeper spiritual reality that she does not yet worship the one true God, Yahweh. Yet this encounter transforms her. The Samaritan woman runs back to her town and tells others about this great prophet and rabbi, Jesus, who is the living water come down from heaven.
In the second reading from Paul’s letter to the Romans, chapter five, we are reminded that we are justified by faith. Through the grace of the Holy Spirit, God’s love is poured into our hearts through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. The responsorial Psalm calls us to harden not our hearts but to listen to his voice.
Like the Samaritan woman and the Israelites, we are called to search for the living water and not grow weary. It is easy to complain and to close our hearts when the journey becomes difficult. Perhaps, our Lenten season has taken a different path, and we have fallen off course. It is not too late to turn back to the path that Jesus calls us to walk and to quench our thirst with the living water from heaven.
This living water is the same grace we received at our baptism through the Spirit of truth, which makes us new again. Now is the time to return to the Lord in prayer and quiet trust, opening our hearts to his gentle outstretched hand and invitation. From the deserts of our own lives, only Jesus can satisfy the deep and unquenchable thirst of our souls.
Lord Jesus, you are the living water. Nourish the deepest well of our souls and strengthen us for this Lenten journey. Help us cast aside the distractions and shortcomings that draw us away from your living stream. Walk with us on the road to Calvary so that we may share in the glory of Easter with you. Amen.
Temptation in the Garden, print, Jean Mignon, after Luca Penni (MET, 49.50.250) from Wikimedia CommonsThe Temptation of Jesus, print, Wenceslaus Hollar, inscribed as after Adam Elsheimer, more likely after David Teniers the Younger (MET, 17.50.18-157) from Wikimedia Commons
When we sin and fall from God’s grace, shame and vulnerability often follow. Like our first parents in Adam & Eve, we can begin to see ourselves as independent & self-sufficient. We forget that everything we are and have originates from God. Pride distorts our vision, tempting us to believe we stand alongside God’s grace as equals rather than living in complete dependence upon it. Compare this to the image of the vine to John’s gospel where God is the vine (source of our being) & we are the branches (Jn. 25:5). We cannot bear fruit without the source.
In the first reading from Genesis 2–3, Adam and Eve live in full communion with God. They are given every good gift, including the tree of life, with one mandate: they are not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:16–17). The serpent deceives them, suggesting that God is withholding something good and that they can “be like gods” (Genesis 3:5). When they eat the forbidden fruit, “the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked” (Genesis 3:7). Their nakedness symbolizes more than physical exposure; it reveals a spiritual vulnerability with the loss of original holiness. The vine has been severed and cut as the trust between humanity and God has been broken.
The Catechism reminds us that through original sin our human nature was wounded and our image, though not destroyed, was distorted by concupiscence and an inclination toward sin. It is like looking into a cracked mirror. The reflection is still ours, but it is fractured and impaired. Sin leaves us spiritually exposed, no longer fully reflecting the divine likeness in which we were created. Through the sin of Adam and Eve, humanity lost original holiness and justice and our friendship with God was broken (CCC 396–400).
Yet this is not the end of the story. In the waters of Baptism and through the gift of the Holy Spirit, we are cleansed of original sin and restored to divine life. We are made adopted sons and daughters, drawn into the loving communion of the Most Holy Trinity (CCC 1262–1266).
The Gospel account of Jesus’ temptation in the desert today found in Matthew’s gospel (4:1–11) presents a striking contrast. Led by the Spirit, Jesus fasts for forty days. The number forty recalls the forty days of the flood in the time of Noah (Gen. 7:17), a period of purification that led to covenant renewal, and Israel’s forty years in the wilderness. Where Adam failed in a garden of abundance, Christ triumphs in a desert of deprivation and desolation.
Jesus, the “new Adam” (Rom 5:12–19) resists the tempter by entrusting Himself completely to the Father. He declares, “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test” (Deuteronomy 6:16; Matthew 4:7). In Him, we see perfect & filial obedience. This filial obedience was lost with Adam & Eve. The second reading from Paul’s epistle reminds us that Christ’s temptation restores Adam & Eve’s broken nature for God remains faithful throughout the course of salvation history
This first week of Lent and the forty days that follow call us to fortitude and perseverance. We do not walk into the desert alone. Just as angels ministered to Christ (Matthew 4:11), God sends His holy angels to guard and guide us (cf. Psalm 91:11). We can confidently seek the intercession of our guardian angel, trusting that God desires our restoration, our holiness, and our joy.
Lent reveals our nakedness not to leave us in shame. It reveals our need so that we may be clothed once more in grace. We are no longer looking into a broken mirror. The reflection of God’s light and salvation through that prism reflects our true nature, a nature longing and waiting for our friend, God the Father.
Image Courtesy of Google Gemini AI
As we reflect on our fallen nature and our need for grace, the tradition of the Church invites us to examine our hearts through the lens of the seven deadly sins. These capital vices distort the image of God within us. If sin is like a cracked mirror, each of these vices represents another fracture across the surface of the glass. The image is still there, but it is splintered, warped, and unable to reflect clearly the divine likeness in which we were created.
Pride cracks the mirror at its center, placing the self where God alone belongs. It is healed by humility, which restores proper perspective and dependence on God.
Greed (avarice) clouds the mirror with possessiveness, fearing loss rather than trusting providence. It is healed by generosity, which clears the glass through self-giving love.
Lust distorts the mirror by reducing others to objects rather than persons made in God’s image. It is healed by chastity, which restores reverence and purity of heart.
Envy scratches the mirror with comparison and resentment. It is healed by charity, which rejoices in the good of others.
Gluttony dulls the mirror through excess and lack of self-restraint. It is healed by temperance, which brings balance and clarity.
Wrath shatters the mirror with anger and vengeance. It is healed by patience, which reflects God’s mercy.
Sloth (acedia) allows dust to gather over the mirror, neglecting the call to love and holiness. It is healed by diligence, which responds faithfully to grace.
Lent invites us to look honestly into this cracked mirror. We may see distortion, weakness, and fracture, but we also see the enduring imprint of God’s image. Through prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and the Sacrament of Reconciliation, grace does not merely cover the cracks. It begins to mend them. As we cooperate with God’s grace, the mirror becomes clearer, and the radiant image of Christ within us shines forth once again. Once more, with the breaking of the bread & the receiving of the true manna come down from heaven with our Eucharistic banquet and reception of Jesus’s Body & Blood, soul & divinity, restores this broken image once more as we go back once more on our desert pilgrimage, waiting for the hope of the Easter & paschal mystery.
The Fight Between Carnival & Lent by Pieter Bruegel The Elder (1559) from the Public Domain
Today we stand on the threshold of Lent, a day known by many names such as Pancake Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday, and Mardi Gras. Beneath the festivity lies a deeper spiritual meaning. Traditionally, the faithful would use up rich foods like milk, eggs, butter, and other indulgences in preparation for the simplicity and discipline of the Lenten fast. These luxuries symbolize the comforts and excesses that can dull our spiritual hunger and draw our senses toward overindulgence rather than toward God.
The word shrive gives Shrove Tuesday its name. In earlier times, the ringing of the shrove bell summoned townspeople to the parish church to confess their sins and receive absolution. This day was not merely about clearing the pantry, but about clearing the soul.
As we prepare to enter the Lenten season, we are called to examine our hearts with honesty and humility. What attachments, habits, or patterns of selfishness weigh us down? What distractions keep us from deeper communion with Christ? Lent invites us into the wilderness with Our Lord, a desert journey of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, so that we may shed what is not of God and grow in holiness.
Tomorrow, many faithful on Ash Wednesday will hear the solemn call of the prophet: “Return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments” Joel 2:12 to 13. The ashes placed upon our foreheads remind us that we are dust and to dust we shall return, but they also mark us as those who desire true repentance.
May this day be more than a farewell to rich food & animal flesh (Carnival – carne). May it be a turning of the heart.
St. Blaise illustration by John D. Batten, 1860-1932, image in the public domain.
Saint Blaise stands quietly in the tradition of healers, not as one who erased suffering, but as one who met it without fear. In the story of his blessing of throats, we glimpse a deeper truth that care given at the right moment can loosen what feels stuck. Whether in the body, the voice, or the soul; His life reminds us that faith is often practiced not in grand speeches but in attentive presence.
Saint Blaise lived in the early fourth century in the city of Sebaste, in what is now modern Turkey. He was first known as a physician, and later chosen as a bishop. Blaise was admired for both his skill in healing and his quiet faith. During a period of Roman persecution, he withdrew to live in prayer and solitude where tradition says he continued to care for the sick and suffering. He was eventually arrested for refusing to deny his Christian faith. After imprisonment and hardship he was put to death. His witness of courage and compassion led the early Christian community to recognize him as a saint. His devotion spread especially through the blessing of throats which recalls an act of healing associated with his life.
The story of Saint Blaise reminds us that holiness is often shaped through service rather than recognition. He did not seek greatness, yet his care for others gave him a lasting voice. Reflecting on his life invites us to consider how we respond to pain and vulnerability in those around us. Like Blaise, we may not remove suffering but we can meet it with patience faith and gentle presence. We can allow hope and healing to take root in our own lives where it is most needed if we let go & let God.
Reflecting on Saint Blaise invites us to ask where we might become gentler healers ourselves. Perhaps we cannot cure, but we can listen. Perhaps we cannot save, but we can stand close. Like Blaise, we are called to protect the fragile places in others and in ourselves so that life, breath, and truth may flow freely again.
Saint Thomas Aquinas, the scholastic powerhouse and Dominican Saint was influential in laying the groundwork for the theological thought in the 13th century. Scholasticism was a movement aimed at bridging the gap between early classical philosophy like Aristotle to Christian thought. One of Saint Thomas’s great works is the Summa Theologica. Saint Thomas also composed Pangue Lingua, a hymn for the Eucharistic presence for the feast of Corpus Christi. The last two verses Tantum Ergo sung at benediction are profound.
Tantum Ergo
TANTUM ergo Sacramentum Veneremur cernui: Et antiquum documentum Novo cedat ritui: Praestet fides supplementum Sensuum defectui.
Genitori, Genitoque Laus et iubilatio, Salus, honor, virtus quoque Sit et benedictio: Procedenti ab utroque Compar sit laudatio.
Amen.
DOWN IN ADORATION FALLING
DOWN in adoration falling, Lo! the sacred Host we hail, Lo! oe’r ancient forms departing Newer rites of grace prevail; Faith for all defects supplying, Where the feeble senses fail.
To the everlasting Father, And the Son Who reigns on high With the Holy Spirit proceeding Forth from each eternally, Be salvation, honor blessing, Might and endless majesty.
The Baptism of Christ – painting by Sebastiano Ricci ca 1713-1714 in the public domain displayed at the MET
The opening verse for today’s Solemnity of the Baptism of our Lord Jesus, which marks the beginning of his public ministry and brings our Christmas season to a close, draws us back to the mystery of the Epiphany or Theophany. At Epiphany, Christ is revealed to the nations as the light of the world, while in his Baptism he is revealed by the Father as the beloved Son, upon whom the Holy Spirit descends. Isaiah’s opening words, “Here is my servant with whom I am pleased” (Is. 42:1), and Matthew’s Gospel, in which the Lord proclaims, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased” (Mt. 3:17), invite us to reflect on this unfolding revelation of Christ and on our own human condition, as well as God’s sacrament and sign of Baptism within the saving plan of salvation history.
For Jesus, this symbolic washing was the moment in which God revealed his human Son. Though he came into the world without sin, he took upon himself the weight of our sin and our fallen condition (2 Cor. 5:21). This grace filled sign, revealed to us in the second Person of the Trinity, helps us understand why Jesus the Christ was baptized. All who become Christian and are baptized for the removal of original sin become adopted sons and daughters of God through that same Holy Spirit, by whom the Father’s agape love is made known in the public ministry of Christ (Eph. 1:5).
The reading from the Acts of the Apostles, in Peter’s account, reminds us that this same Holy Spirit anointed our Lord Jesus with “Spirit and power, enabling him to heal all those oppressed by the devil, because God was with him” (Acts 10:36 to 38). Therefore, the sacred gift of the Baptism of Jesus calls us to reflect on our own baptism. As a family, we recall the day we were anointed and made adopted sons and daughters of our Lord. For myself, I was baptized one month after I was born. When was the date of your baptism? When were you made into a new creation, an adopted son or daughter of God our Father?
Domingos Sequeira – The Adoration of the Magi from the public domain
Today the Church recalls Epiphany Sunday in which the magi from the east saw the star and brought our Lord Jesus gifts. The word epiphany from the Greek means appearance or manifestation. In the eastern church they use the word theophany or revelation of God. Gold symbolizes the earthly treasure typically given to a king, but our King Jesus is Lord of Heaven as well as earth. The gift of frankincense used in worship symbolize Jesus’s divinity. The myrrh represents his sacrifice for our sin and his humanity with his anointing of the body when being laid in the tomb.
How have you had a manifestation of God working in your life through the power of the Holy Spirit? Have you been seeking those signs in prayer that allow you to do homage before King Jesus and dwell in His loving presence? Perhaps, this year, we can find ways to be open to how the Holy Spirit might remove our blinders so that we can be more open and attentive to the manifestation of Jesus being present for us. It is especially difficult during those times of trial and times of chaos with earthly distractions where it is harder to seek those signs where God is present, yet He is here and wishes to manifest Himself during those unpleasant times as well.
Today’s liturgical feast and commemoration is also a special day where you can bless your household with holy chalk to mark the threshold of the door and seek God’s blessing upon your home and family for the coming year.
Come let us adore Christ Jesus, the Lord on this day. Let our souls be open to His appearance in which He wants us to bow down and do him homage in which we cast aside those earthly distractions and offer our greatest treasure to the King – the gift of ourselves and entire will, being and whole heart!
Blessing of the Christian Home & Meaning on Epiphany Sunday:
20 + C + M + B + 26
The letters C, M, B have two definitions. They are the initials of the names of the three magi or kings from the east: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar. They also come from the Latin, “Christus mansionem benedicat” which means “May Christ bless the house.” The “+” signs symbolize the cross and the 20 and the 26 represent the year, 2026 in which blessed chalk is used to mark the threshold of the doorstep of your house just as the ancient Israelites blessed their homes with the blood of the lamb at Passover.
Below is a link for blessing your house this day and asking the great King Jesus to be a part of your household for the coming year:
Adoration of the Shepherds by Giorgione from the public domain
Today, brothers and sisters in Christ, we have completed our Advent season of waiting in joyful anticipation—a season in which the world begins to make sense. Our confusion and search for truth find their answer in the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ (cf. Jn 1). No longer do sin and death hold victory over us, for in this miraculous revelation God takes on human flesh and becomes one of us. Jesus shows us the way to the Father and to His Kingdom by revealing the greatest love of all: the total gift of Himself, culminating in His sacrifice on the cross.
We may at times lose sight of this miraculous gift, as we reflect not only on the first coming of Christ but also on His promised second coming (cf. Mt 24 25; Rev 19 22). The Holy Spirit bestows upon us grace, along with signs and wonders, to guide us on our journey if only we have the fortitude and patience to lift our eyes and seek Jesus in our lives. Just as the wise men followed the light of a star to find the King of Kings, so too is our journey of faith. Will we make room for the Word made flesh to dwell in our hearts?
As we gather today, let us reflect upon the Scripture readings that reveal how God becomes one of us as a humble baby, dependent upon His chosen parents, Joseph and Mary. That same dependence is a sign for us to place our trust in God’s great love this Christmas Day. Let us cast aside our troubles, worries, and shortcomings, laying them before the manger in exchange for the light and truth found in God’s Son, who has taken on human flesh. Truly, God became man so that we might become like God (St. Athanasius), created in His holy image (Gen 1).
May the light of Christ born this Christmas dwell in our hearts and lead us ever closer to the Father.
From the public domain: Original Picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe (also known as the Virgin of Guadalupe) shown in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in México City. Wikimedia Commons
Recently, Holy Mother Church recalled the Patroness of The Immaculate Conception on December 8. On December 12 we recognize Mary’s appearance to Aztec Native American, Cuauhtlatohuac, who was later christened Juan Diego. Such a day commemorate Mary’s apparition to Juan on Tepeyac Hill in Mexico City. La Virgen del Tepeyac is Queen of Mexico and Patroness of the Americas having appeared to St. Juan Diego in 1531. The Archbishop of Mexico City, Juan de Zumárraga, doubted Juan’s story. Mary asked Juan to gather a multitude of flowers in the dead of winter which were Castilian roses not native to Mexico in Juan’s tilma or cloak with her image imprinted. Such a miracle in which millions of people make a pilgrimage to the Basilica in Mexico City and other areas with processions of prayer and song show the importance of this great Marian apparition. Mary’s appearance to the outcast, impoverished and lowly servants throughout history represent the Father’s love for all of His children. Nothing can separate us from His love per the reminder of the apparition of Mary to St. Juan Diego (Rom. 8:38-39).
My son, I love you. I desire you to know who I am. I am the ever-Virgin Mary; mother of the true God who gives life and maintains its existence. He created all things. He is in all places. He is Lord of Heaven and Earth and I desire a church in this place where your people may experience my compassion. All those who sincerely ask for my help in their work and in their sorrows will know their mother’s near in this place. Here I will see their fears and I will console men and they will be at peace.
Words of Mary to Juan Diego: “Know and understand well, you the most humble of my son, that I am the ever virgin Holy Mary, Mother of the True God for whom we live, of the Creator of all things, Lord of heaven and the earth.”
In a world that is in desperate need of unity and love, what better way than uniting behind Our Mother Mary who leads us to her Son, Jesus the Christ and risen Lord. On December 12, my wife and I closed on the sale of our current home which is not merely a coincidental date, but one in which God’s providence through the workings of the Queen of Saints like Our Lady of Guadalupe are a continuous reminder of His presence. The book of Revelation reminds us that God will always triumph against those forces that wish to separate us from His presence with Mary’s powerful fiat of saying yes to bringing forth the light for all nations, King Jesus.
A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars (Rev. 12:1).
In the Dallas Diocese of Texas, the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe has the status of a National shrine by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Such monumental milestones demonstrate the faith filled fervor and zeal for area Catholics. Que viva la Virgen de Guadalupe!
In the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is a beautiful prayer in the upper church’s chapel:
“Dearest Lady of Guadalupe, fruitful Mother of Holiness, teach me your ways of gentleness and strength. Hear my prayer offered with deepfelt confidence to beg this favor…. O Mary, conceived without sin, I come to your throne of grace to share the fervent devotion of your faithful Mexican children who call to you under the glorious Aztec title of “Guadalupe” the virgin who crushed the serpent. Queen of Martyrs, whose Immaculate heart was pierced by seven wounds of grief, help me to walk valiantly amid the sharp thorns thrown across my pathway. Queen of Apostles aid me to win souls for the Sacred Heart of my Savior. I plead this through the merits of your merciful Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.”
Today the church recalls that Mary, as the Theotokos or God bearer, was free from the stain of original sin. Many Christians may question such a dogma declared by the church in 1854 by Pope Pius IX in his Ineffabilis Deus. However, it seems only natural that God’s grace would keep Mary free from sin who is representative of our human destiny to be in full communion with a God that wanted to vanquish our sin by walking among us in human form. The Patroness of the Immaculate Conception is also the Patroness of the United States. While the United States is far from perfect, such an example reminds those citizens living within her borders that they should all strive for seeking God’s grace and to do His will just as Mary did. Mary’s fiat and acceptance of saying yes to bearing Jesus in her womb can only result in receiving sanctifying grace and being in perfect union with God from the moment of her conception.
And indeed it was wholly fitting that so wonderful a mother should be ever resplendent with the glory of most sublime holiness and so completely free from all taint of original sin that she would triumph utterly over the ancient serpent
As St. Anselm describes about Mary in the Office of Readings in the Roman Breviary:
God, then, is the Father of the created world and Mary the mother of the re-created world. God is the Father by whom all things were given life, and Mary the mother through whom all things were given new life. For God begot the Son, through whom all things were made, and Mary gave birth to him as the Saviour of the world. Without God’s Son, nothing could exist; without Mary’s Son, nothing could be redeemed.
Let us reflect on this gift of grace that God has bestowed upon Mary today. Mary’s triumphant victory over sin with the reception of bearing God’s Son is a reminder to all of us of our destiny.
Let us reflect on today’s Collect from the mass as we go about our day:
O God, who by the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin prepared a worthy dwelling for your Son, grant, we pray, that, as you preserved her from every stain by virtue of the Death of your Son, which you foresaw, so, through her intercession, we, too, may be cleansed and admitted to your presence. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
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