Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul

This is the day set aside to honor the holy Apostles Peter and Paul. We know that Peter is the head of the Church on earth; however, protestants seem to think that Paul should have been the first leader of the Church. They'll never get it; the Church had been in existence for many years before Paul showed up to persecute those pesky Christians, or Nazareans, or whatever the non-believers called them. After his conversion, it was still a long time before Paul even saw Peter. He knew that Peter was the head. These two were martyred on the same day in in Rome the year 67A.D. Peter was crucified like Christ. However, since he didn't want to be crucified exactly like Christ, he asked his executioners to be placed upside down. He was. Paul, being a Roman citizen, was beheaded. These two are the pillars of the early Church, and we should emulate them.


Saint Augustine of Hippo
Early Church Father & Doctor of the Church


Peter and Paul - June 29. This piece on Sts. Peter and Paul is an excerpt from a sermon (Sermo 295, 1-2, 4, 7-8; PL 38, 1348-1352) by St. Augustine, bishop of Hippo, who died in the year 430AD. It is used in the Roman Office of Readings for the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul on June 29 and shows that as early as the fourth century, Christians celebrated this day in honor of these two apostles and martyrs who laid down their lives for Christ in the Eternal City.


'This day has been consecrated for us by the martyrdom of the blessed apostles Peter and Paul. It is not some obscure martyrs we are talking about. "Their sound has gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world" (Psalm 19). These martyrs had seen what they proclaimed, they pursued justice by confessing the truth, by dying for the truth.


The blessed Peter, the first of the Apostles, the ardent lover of Christ, who was found worthy to hear, "And I say to you, that you are Peter" (Matthew 16:13-20). He himself, you see, had just said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Christ said to him, "And I say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church." Upon this rock I will build the faith you have just confessed. Upon your words, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God," I will build my Church; because you are Peter. Peter comes from petra, meaning a rock. Peter, Peter comes from the word for a rock in exactly the same way as the name Christian comes from Christ.


Before his passion the Lord Jesus, as you know, chose those disciples of his whom he called apostles. Among these it was only Peter who almost everywhere was given the privilege of representing the whole Church. It was in the person of the whole Church, which he alone represented, that he was privileged to hear, "To you will I give the keys of the kingdom of heaven." After all, it is not just one man that received these keys, but the Church in its unity. So this is the reason for Peter’s acknowledged pre-eminence, that he stood for the Church’s universality and unity, when he was told, "To you I am entrusting," what has in fact been entrusted to all. To show you that it is the Church which has received the keys of the kingdom of heaven, listen to what the Lord says in another place to all his apostles: "Receive the Holy Spirit"; and immediately afterwards: "Whose sins you forgive, they will be forgiven them; whose sins you retain, they will be retained" (John 20:22-23).


Quite rightly, too, did the Lord after his resurrection entrust his sheep to Peter to be fed (Jn. 21: 15-19). It is not, you see, that he alone among the disciples was fit to feed the Lord’s sheep; but when Christ speaks to one man, unity is being commended to us. And he first speaks to Peter, because Peter is the first among the apostles. Do not be sad, Apostle. Answer once, answer again, answer a third time. Let confession conquer three times with love, because self-assurance was conquered three times by fear. What you had bound three times must be loosed three times. Loose through love what you had bound through fear. And for all that, the Lord once, and again, and a third time, entrusted his sheep to Peter.


There is one day for the passion of two apostles. But these two also were as one; although they suffered in different ways, they were as one. Peter went first, Paul followed. We are celebrating a feast day, consecrated for us by the blood of the apostles. Let us love their Faith, their lives, their labors, their sufferings, their confession of faith, their preaching.'


When the time in Rome was all for killing these Christians, Peter's followers urged him to flee the city, at least for a while. According to St. Ambrose, Peter set out along the Appian Way. Just as he reached the Capuan gate, Christ suddenly appeared to him as if about to enter the city. 'Lord, whither goest thou?' cried out the Apostle. Christ replied: "to Rome, to be there crucified again." Peter understood his Master; he at once retracted his steps, having now no thought but to await his hour of martyrdom.

According to Abbot Gueranger, Peter started to set everything in order, because he now knew his time was short. He laid his hands on Clement, whose nobility of birth recommended him to the consideration of the Romans, while at the same time his zeal and learning merited the esteem of the faithful, was the one on whom the prince of the Apostles fixed his choice. Clement, then, is the first successor of Peter. His name is mentioned in Paul's letters, as well as in the Mass.

After the Church had been established for years, this was when Paul was converted; he went around and reaffirmed the Faith who had already been converted. Protestants don't know any history. They don't realize that the Church had been around way before Paul came along. He had been a persecutor of these same believers, so the Church must have already been established. DUH! Like all the saints say: 'if anyone were to read history and realize it, they would be streaming to Rome, where Christ's Church was and is today.'

But, they still do not bow to the Holy, Roman, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, because they think it is the whore of Babylon! IDIOTS! Hopefully they will find out and convert before they croak.


The following hymn was written by a Sicilian woman named Elpis, concerning the two great Apostles, St. Peter and St. Paul. The last part is attributed to St. Paulinus of Aquileia, and added by St. Pius V:

Lo! beauteous light eternal floods with sacred fires this golden day, which crowns the princes of Apostles and opens out unto the guilty a free path to heaven.

The teacher of the whole earth, as well as the doorkeeper of heaven, both of them fathers of Rome and judges of nations, each a victor of death, the one by the sword, the other by the cross: laurel-crowned, both take their seats in the senate of eternal life.

O happy Rome, by noble gore of princes twain art thou now consecrated; empurpled by the blood of such as these, thou alone dost surpass in beauty all the rest of the earth.

To the Trinity in Unity that governeth all things through ages of ages, may there be eternal glory, honour, power, and jublilation. Amen.



Here's another prayer, dedicated to these great Saints, for help in times of trouble within the Church. We can surely use their help these days:

Defend, O Lord, thy servants, we beseech thee, from all dangers both of body and soul; and, by the intercession of the blessed and glorious Virgin Mary, Mother of God, of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, of blessed N., and of all thy saints, mercifully grant us the blessings of peace and safety ; that all adversities and errors being removed, thy Church may freely and securely serve thee; through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

5th Sunday after Pentecost

The Jews have killed Jesus, this is true; He was buried, but He has risen from the tomb as He said. After many weeks, He has now sent the Holy Ghost to teach the world of its sin, and hopefully to bring them to within the fold of Christ. However, they, for the most part, will reject His teachings, Him, and whosoever He has sent. While Jesus was still walking the earth, according to our beloved Abbot Gueranger; 'He never lost an opportunity of denouncing, and castigating those hypocritical scribes and pharisees who took such pains to be ever cleaning the outside of the dish, but within were full of impurities, murder, and the like. the Divine Word, Who had come down from heaven to sanctify men in Truth, that is, in Himself, had to make this His first care: to restore what time had tarnished, to restore all the original brightness to the changeless principles of justice and right, which rest in Him as in their center. No sooner had He called disciples around Him, and chosen twelve out of their number as Apostles, than He began, with all possible solemnity, His Divine work of moral restoration. (Remember St. Pope Pius X, whose motto was to 'Restore all things in Christ? He tried. ) The passage from the Sermon on the Mount, which the Church has selected for the Gospel of this 5th Sunday, follows immediately after His declaring that He had come, not to find fault with, or to destroy, the Law, but to restore it to its true meaning, of which the scribes had misread (and mislead others). He had come that He might give it all in its fullness, which the very contemporaries of Moses were too hard to take in.'

EPISTLE for this Sunday; (I Peter III. 8-15.) Dearly beloved, Be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, being lovers of the brotherhood, merciful, modest, humble: not rendering evil for evil, nor railing for railing, but contrariwise, blessing: for unto this you are called; that you may inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile. Let him decline from evil, and do good: let him seek?after peace, and, pursue it: because the eyes of the Lord are upon the just, and his ears unto their. prayers: but the countenance of the Lord upon them that do evil, things. And, who is he that can, hurt you, if you: be zealous of good? But if also you suffer any thing for, justice's sake, blessed are ye. And be not afraid of their fear, and be not troubled; but sanctify the Lord Christ in your hearts. (Our current Holy Father, Francis, has recently said that quarreling is good for us; it leads to 'dialog'. What a PANTLOAD! St. Paul has also told us to avoid dissention within the fold repeatedly. I guess the current Papa knows better than Paul.?)

By practicing those virtues which Peter here recommends, and which he so exactly describes; for thereby we become true disciples of Christ, honor Him and edify others, who by our good example are led to admire Christianity, and to become His followers. Moreover, we thus render ourselves more worthy of God's grace and protection, so that if for justice' sake we are persecuted by, wicked men, we need not fear, because God is for us and will reward us with eternal happiness.

GOSPEL (Matt. V. 20-24.) At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: Except your justice abound more than that of the Scribesand Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou shalt not kill: and whosoever shall kill, shall be in danger of the judgment. But I say to you, that whosoever is angry with his brother, shall be in danger of the judgment. And whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council. And whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. If therefore, thou bring thy gift at the altar, and there thou remember that thy brother hath anything against thee, leave there thy offering before the altar, and go first to be reconciled to thy brother: and then coming, thou shaft offer thy gift.

Is anger always sinful?

No, anger is sinful only when we wish or actually inflict some evil to the body, property, or honor of our neighbor; when we make use of such insulting and abusive words as injure his character, provoke and irritate him. If we become angry at the vices and crimes of others, when our office or the duties of our station demand that we watch over the conduct of those under our care, to punish and correct them, (as in the case of parents, teachers, and superiors) then anger is no sin. When one through pure love of God, becomes irritated at the sins and vices of his fellowmen, like King David, or if one urged to wrong, repels the tempter with indignation, this is even a holy anger. Thus St. Gregory Says; "It is to be understood that anger created by impatience is a very different thing from anger produced by a zeal for justice. The one is caused by vice, the other by virtue." He, then, who becomes angry for justice' sake, commits no sin, but his conduct is holy and praiseworthy, for even our Lord was angry at those who bought and sold in the temple, (John II. 15.) Paul at the magician Elymas, (Acts XIII. 8.) and Peter at the deceit of Ananias and Saphira. (Acts V. 3.) Anger, then, to be without sin, must proceed from true zeal for God's honor and the salvation of souls, by which we seek to prevent others from sin, and to make them better. Even in this respect, we must be careful to allow our anger no control over our reason, but to use it merely as a means of doing good, for we are often apt to take the sting of anger for holy zeal, when it is really nothing but egotism and ambition.

Remember what I have said in the past; of course copying Christ in a way, that by their fruits you shall know them. We hope and pray that one day, maybe in our lifetimes, will see beautiful fruit from the Tree of Life, Christ. This, of course, is after much pain and suffering. We are experiencing some bad fruit from our poor leaders. Our Blessed Mother said that there would be peace some day, but only after more people prayed the Rosary. I don't think it is so much about how many rosaries we pray each day, but rather how many people pray it, which is minute in comparison to the number of 'Catholics' in the world. Last week, we heard about Peter and the disciples fishing, and when Jesus had them put out their nets again, they broke. Another time, these same caught in their full nets catch 153 fish. Think about it, that number is the same number of Aves we say in an entire Rosary. Just saying. I don't think it's just a coincidence. I really don't believe in 'coincidence' anyway.

(I just read something that would be better suited for last Sunday, when Jesus was preaching from the ship, but, since that Sunday is past, I am inserting it here. It is a quote by St. Hilary (300-368):

"Christ's teaching from the ship signifies that those who are outside the Church can never grasp the divine teaching; for the ship typifies the Church where the word of life is deposited and preached. Those who are outside are like sterile and worthless sand: they cannot comprehend." (I wonder if this applies to those within the Church walls, but outside the ship!?)



We also hope and pray that our current Holy Father, Francis, along with all the Bishops of the world, finally get around to teaching us the whole Truth which comes to us from the Apostles, with Peter as its earthy head. AND, maybe they could even get around to consecrating Russia to our Our blessed Mother and to her Immaculate Heart, in the way she requested at Fatima 97 years ago. All the Bishops of the world, on the same day, at the same time, consecrating Russia by name. This is what Our Lady requested in 1917. Or, actually, from Tuy, Spain in 1929, when she appeared to Sister Lucy. We need all the help we can get. (On a side note: If this had been done as our Lady requested, the world would be in an uproar. Don't you think?)

Pretty much says it all, doesn't it? God's version of a 'world' Cup.


I'd like to end with the Collect for this Sunday. Its what we all should ask for:

O God, Who hast prepared invisible good things for them that love Thee; pour forth into our hearts an affectionate love for Thee; that, loving Thee, in all things, and above all things, we may come to the enjoyment of Thy promises, which surpass all that we could desire.


Kyrie, Eleison

Saturday for our Lady

This is Saturday; let us turn to Mary, who was made for us Gentiles the seat of Wisdom. In her chaste womb was wrought the mystery of mercy, which had been the expectation of all the long ages past. Her most pure blood provided the substance of that spotless Body wherewith the most beautiful of the sons of men contracted the indissoluble alliance of our nature with eternal Wisdom. Mary's soul is enraptured at seeing the ineffable mystery of these divine nuptials effected in her chaste womb. She is that enclosed garden, where, more delightedly than in the early days of the universe, Wisdom enjoys light and love; the flowery couch of the Canticle (Cant. 1-15), perfumed, by the Holy Spirit, with the sweetest fragrance; the glorious tabernacle, incomparably more holy than that of Moses. It is within her, under the immaculate veil of her flesh, that, by the unspeakable embrace of the two natures in the unity of God's only-begotten Son, the Holy Ghost pours forth the unction, which makes Him Spouse, and, at the same time, Priest forever according to the order of Melchisedech.

Taken from 'The Liturgical' by Abbot Gueranger


And, always remember, that the Precious Blood that our Lord shed for each one of us was obtained through His Mother, just as we have all received from ours. I say this for those who think that Mary is just not that important for our salvation.

The United States of Sodom and Gomorrah

JUNE 26, 2015, a date that will live in infamy!

Well, they've done it! The Supreme Court of the United States of America, the 'once' pillar of right and wrong, has 'legitimized' homosexual marriage. Shame on them! But, I guess we're getting what we deserve, since the days when we expelled God from schools and court-houses in the last 50+ years.

We're going to have to step up prayers a lot. Just think of the vast number of souls that will be lost to the devil. He is probably salivating like a baby when getting strained foods for the first time. Maybe our countryside will be covered with pillars of salt in the near future. Our ONLY hope is our Lady holding back the mighty arm of her Son from destroying our once beautiful country. Although, we deserve it.

Just remember, our SCOTUS is NOT the voice of God. He is still the One Who will judge us when we croak, no matter what 'humanity' seems to think!

One of the few who seem to have morals, Justice Antonin Scalia, said this:

"A system of government that makes the people subordinate to a committee of nine unelected lawyers does not deserve to be called a democracy." (Pretty much says it all, given the point that we have become a 'socialist' country. And, do you think that the coloring of the 'white house' was already planned?)


PRAY MUCH! It's all we seem to have left.

Nativity of St. John the Baptist

This day is the feast day set aside for the nativity of St. John the Baptist. He is considered the greatest of all the prophets of the old Testament, since he actually got to see the Redeemer in Person. All the others foretold the coming of the 'Christ' and his precursor, but John saw Him and proclaimed in common words: "There He is; the one Who takes away the sins of the world." Before he said this, the Jews pretty much listened to him and accepted him. But, since he did NOT say that the Jews were to be saved only, but the whole world, they now have turned against him. Behold, Jesus now comes and makes 'all things new'.

Let's back up a few years now; back to the annunciation of St. John's conception. The angel Gabriel appears to Zachary while he is in the tabernacle (being a priest), offering incense and celebrating according to the rules of the day. When he probably snickers to the announcing of the conception of a son (since both he and his wife are old). He is struck dumb. He should know that nothing is impossible with God, and still Zachary balks. People wonder what has happened to him. In a few months time, even Mary held back her Magnificat until the infant John leapt in his mother's womb at Mary's greeting when she visited to help Elizabeth. This was an acknowledgement and announcement even then the coming of God in the persona of Jesus. Back again to St. John's birth. Nine months later, Zachary presents his new born son to the temple as was custom. In those days, sons were to be named after their dad. However, when Elizabeth is told that her son is to be Zachary, she says: "His name is to be John." They then look to Zachary, hand him something to write on since he had struck dumb, and he writes: "His name is John." Now, the vocal chords are working again, and he goes into the following canticle:


The Canticle of Zachary

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel:
because He hath visited and wrought the redemption of His people.
And hath raised up a horn of salvation to us, in the house of David His servant.
As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, who are from the beginning.
Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us.
To perform mercy to our fathers, and to remember His holy testament.
The oath which He swore to Abraham, our father; that He would grant to us.
That being delivered from the hand of our enemies, we may serve Him without fear.
In holiness and justice before Him, all our days.
And thou child, Precursor of the Emmanuel,
shalt be called the prophet of the Most High:
for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord, to prepare His ways.
To give unto His people the knowledge of salvation, unto the remission of their sins.
Through the bowels of the mercy of our God, in which the Orient from on high hath visited us.
To enlighten them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death;
to direct our feet in the way of peace.


Following is the Sequence attributed to Adam of St. Victor for this date; set aside for this great Saint:

In thine honour, O Christ, the Church doth celebrate the natal day of thy Precursor and Baptist.

The King's own praise is heralded when his herald is extolled, whom richly he hath endowed with gifts of virtue, and, sublime in office, hath exalted!

Lo! Gabriel unto the hoary sire a son doth promise. He, hesitating, anon doth forfeit power of speech.

The child is born; of the new Law, of the new King, herald, trumpet, standard-bearer he! The voice before the Word, the paranymph (ceremonial assistant) before the Spouse, the morning star before the rising sun, doth go!

The mother by word, the father by writing, the child's name doth declare; forthwith is loosed from bond the mute tongue of the father.

By heavenly oracle is John foretold; and by himself yet hidden in the womb is he fore-shown.

That in an age too far advanced, an heir should be given, that one so long sterile should become a mother, oh! mystery profound! Yea, contrary indeed to the law of flesh is this conception of John; such birth as this is produced by grace, not by nature.

The virgin in her womb holds God enclosed; the enclosed to the Enclosed doth clap applause, that narrow womb within. The voice crying in the wilderness, the heralding voice of the Word, doth point our the Lamb to open view.

Burning in faith, luminous in word, and unto the true Light leading, he teacheth many thousands. He was not the Light, but yet was indeed the lamp; for Christ is Light eternal, Light enlightening all.

Clad in garment of haircloth, girt with cincture of leather, he was fed on a banquet of locusts and wild honey.

List to Christ attesting of him: None hath arisen greater than this man, of all that are born of woman. Take good heed, however, Christ here excepts himself who of flesh did Flesh accept, yet without flesh's operation.

To capital punishment, in prison, is the just man condemned; whose head the king abhorred not to present as a gift at a banquet table.

Martyr of God! guilty though we be, nor apt unto thy praise, yet, of thy clemency, deign graciously to hear us confiding in thee and praising thee.

On this thy natal day, grant to us the promised joy; nor yet may thy triumphant martyrdom delight us less.

Oh! how many mysteries do we venerate and admire in thee! By thee may Christ grant unto us to enjoy his presence. Amen.

Homily on St. John the Baptist by St. Ambrose

Divine Scripture teaches us that we should praise the lives not only of those who are publicly honored, but also the lives of their parents; in order that, as it were, the transmitted heritage of spotless purity may stand out in those whom we wish to praise. For what other intention had the holy Evangelist in this place but to glorify St. John the Baptist in his parents, as in his miracles, his manner of life, his gifts, and his sufferings? So also Anna is praised, the mother of holy Samuel; so did Isaac receive from his parents that nobility of goodness, which he bequeathed to his descendants. Therefore the priest Zachary was not only a priest, but even of the course of Abia, that is, of a house distinguished among the noble families.

And his wife, says he, was of the daughters of Aaron. Therefore the nobility of St. John was inherited not only from his parents, but also from ancestors not distinguished by worldly power, but by a venerable religious succession. For it was fitting that the forerunner of Christ should have such ancestors; that it might be evident that the preaching of faith in the coming of the Lord was not a gift suddenly received, but one inherited from his ancestors, and implanted in him by the very law of nature. And they were, says he, both just before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord. What do they make of this who, to show some excuse for their own sins, think that man cannot live without sinning often; and make use of the verse, which is written in Job; No man is pure from sin even though his life on earth be but for one day?

We must answer such persons, first by asking what they mean by a man without sin: whether he is a man who has never sinned, or one who has stopped sinning. For if, by a man without sin, they mean one who has never sinned, I agree with them. For all have sinned, and are without the glory of God. But if they deny that he who has amended his old fault, and has changed his way of life, in order to refrain from sin, cannot keep from sins, I cannot concur in their opinion, since we read that: The Lord so loved the Church, that he might present it to himself a glorious one, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing: but that it should be holy and without blemish.




St. John the Baptist, pray for us, that we may know Christ when He comes.



Hi Kris. I have a question for you. When Herod demanded that babies under the age to be killed, and the holy Family left for Egypt, I'm wondering if the family of St. John had to leave also, or were they in another part of the territory. Just wondering, Jon


Interesting question. We have only tradition to tell us that Elizabeth fled with baby John the Baptist (and some say Zacharias too) further up into the hills a short distance from Ayn Karim, the village where they lived. She called out to God for help, and an opening appeared in a rock cliff, and she was able to get through it with John and hide there until Herod's soldiers were done.

The place is called the pietra del nascondimento, the "stone in which John was concealed, and it's a minor tourist site today because there's a nice church built over this spot, over the "cleft" in a rock. It's the Church of the Visitation.


No reason not to believe this is the place where John the Baptist was hid as a baby.

Eve of the nativity of John the Baptist

As we get ready for the feast day reserved for the nativity of St. John the Baptist, which led to the Redeemer coming to us, here are some prayers for this day. The first is the Capitula taken from the Mozarabic Breviary, and prepares us for this great feast, which I'm sure the current Church doesn't even bother with.

CAPITULA

Lo! the first beginnings of Christian joy, O Lord, whereby erstwhile the sanctified Voice preceded the Word about to be born of the flesh, and the herald of light signally announced the rising of the Day star he himself had witnessed: by him both Faith's mysteries and salvation's fountains have produced marvels: he is approved whose conception is miracle, whose birth is joy; therefore do we beseech thee, that we who with glad ovations hail the birthday of thy Precursor, may with purified hearts draw nigh likewise unto thine own Nativity: so that the Voice which preached thee in the desert may cleanse us in the world; and he who, preparing the way for the coming Lord, washed in his baptism the bodies of living men, may now by his prayers purify our hearts from vices and errors: so that, following in the footprints of the Voice, we may deserve to come to the promise of the Word.


The next prayers we have are from the Sacramentary of St. Gelasius:

May the prayer of blessed John Baptist, O Lord, plead for us, that we may both understand and merit the mystery of thy Christ.

O Almighty and eternal God, Who, in the days of blessed John Baptist, didst fulfill the institutions of the Law and the declarations of the holy Prophets, grant, we beseech Thee, that figures and signs being ended, Truth Himself, by His own manifestation, may speak: Jesus Christ our Lord.

Eco-Catholicism

I found this on a site I frequent. The site is 'Saint Louis Catholic'. His post is humorous, and I'm copying it for your enjoyment:

Never let it be said that Saint Louis Catholic stands on the sidelines while the great issues of the day are hanging in the balance. Now that Catholics are called to front for Global Warming, I will do my part.

But thetimman! What can I do? I'm just... (consults fingers and toes...)... one man!

Never fear, peeps. I give you a brutally practical way to do your part for the environment, and it is within the easy financial and logistical reach of any reader:

Step One:
Buy a case of Nutella. It is what peanut butter eaters ought to eat instead. It may be, in fact, Europe's last great contribution to Western Civilization. Now, like marriage and the rule of law, it is under attack. Take that Nutella, and eat it. Eat it all.

But wait! Don't throw those jars away! Do you hate the environment? Keep them, and proceed to...

Step Two:
Buy a case of your favorite canned beverage. I prefer Diet Rite. Don't hate me. Wash down that Nutella goodness, and chuck those cans. By launching the cans out your window, you will provide employment and money-making opportunities for youth and neglected old persons. See, they can recycle them and get some dough! Save the plastic rings, too. Save them, don't throw them away! Do you hate the environment? Keep them, and proceed to...

Step Three:
Buy a bag of party balloons and fill them with helium. Why? Because, friend, your labors in the climate change effort will now be rewarded. Take your Nutella Jars and fit them neatly within the orphaned can rings, then tie them to the balloons. Take them outside and release them into Brother Atmosphere. This festive bundle of colorful joy will let everyone know that Nutella, balloons, and soda can rings are dangerous to the environment.

Taking this practical action will do more good than merely droning on at family gatherings and berating your relatives about global warming, which is the usual tactic. Preach the eco-gospel without words!

(Optional) Step Four:
When you're finished, hit the combox to report on your results!

A friendly warning: Some people have no sense of humor. Good luck!


Me now: People need to reject a “magic conception of the market” in thinking that what’s good for business is good for the environment, the pope said, and instead recognize that “responsible stewardship” for the planet is not an option but is central to a life of faith. This is just one of the numerous silly things the Pope has said. It just never ends with him and his mockery of the Faith and all things serious.

GOTCHA!

4th Sunday after Pentecost

This Sunday we hear the Gospel from St. Luke (Luke V. 1-11.), when those fishermen who are chosen to be Apostles, and thus, become fishers of men. We are the fish. Some of us are easy catches, while others take much time to reel in. Some of us almost make it into the boat just to bite off the line which was bringing us in. I was one of these. I said no once to the Catholic Church, because I thought there was too much to learn. HA! I think Our Blessed Mother just kept reeling in the rod, wearing me down, and then successfully getting me into the ark of Salvation, the Holy Roman Catholic Church. Now, I don't seem to have enough time to learn. I hope there's still time for me, though. Go figure! I guess I was just stubborn enough that she thought I might be of some use in her Son's Church. The Church isn't for wimps, you know.

Anyway, enough about me; let's move on to our lesson of the fishers. I like what St. Augustine says about this topic: '...the fishers of men have cast forth their nets; they have taken the multitude of Christians which we see in wonderment; they have filled the two ships with them, the two peoples, Jew and Gentile. But what is this we are told? The multitude weighs down the ships, even to the risk of sinking them; it is what we witness now: the pressing and mingled crowd of the baptized is a burden to the Church. Many Christians there are who live badly; they are a trouble to, and keep back, the good. Worse than these, there are those who tear the nets by their schisms or their heresies; they are impatient of the yoke of unity, and will not come to the banquet of Christ; they are pleased with themselves. Under pretext that they cannot live with the bad, they break the net which kept them on the Apostolic track, and they die far off the shore. In how many countries have they not thus broken the great net of salvation?...and since their times, how many others have excelled in the work of rupture! Let us not imitate their folly. If grace has made us holy, let us be patient with the bad while living in this world's waters. Let the sight of them drive us neither to live as they do, nor to leave the Church. The shore is not far off, where those on the right, or the good, will alone be permitted to land, and from which the wicked will be repulsed, and cast into the abyss.'

How many do we know who fall into these categories; not caring about the Eternal Truth, but rather quite contented to do what please themselves. They decide what's right; they decide the meaning of Scripture; they decide who goes to heaven, which is most everybody since hell isn't around anymore. Much prayer is needed, my friends, even for those who are supposed to be herding us into the right Boat.

Why, you may ask, did the Apostles have such a hard time during the night fishing and catching nothing, but how things changed when Jesus entered the picture. Could it be because at first they trusted in themselves, and did not throw out their nets in the name of the Lord, relying on His blessing and assistance? "This example," says St. Ambrose, "proves how vain and fruitless is presumptuous confidence, and how powerful, on the contrary, is humility, since those who had previously labored without success, filled their nets at the word of the Redeemer." Let us learn from this our inability, that we begin our work only with God, that is, with confidence in His help, and with the intention of working only for love of Him, and for His honor. If we do this, the blessing of the Lord will not be wanting.



On a final note, something to think about. I found this little prayer on the Canadian Catholic Perspective, and I hope they don't mind if I copy the following:

Fisherman’s Prayer:
------------------------
I pray that I may live to fish
Until my dying day,
And when it comes to my last cast,
Then I most humbly pray;
When in the Lord’s great landing net
And peacefully asleep,
That in His mercy I be judged
Big enough to keep.


Incline my heart, O God, to Thy holy commandments. Guard me, that I work not in the night of sin, and thus gain nothing by my works. Assist all your pastors that by Thy divine will, they may win souls for Thy kingdom, and bring them to Thee.

Saturday to our Lady

Prayer to Mary

O most holy Mother Mary, how is it possible that I, having so holy a mother, should be so wicked? a mother all burning with the love of God, and I loving creatures; a mother rich in virtue, and I so poor? Ah, amiable Mother, it is true that I do not deserve any longer to be thy son, for by my wicked life I have rendered myself unworthy of so great an honor. I am satisfied that thou shouldst accept me for thy servant; and in order to be admitted amongst the vilest of them, I am ready to renounce all the kingdoms of the world. Yes, I am satisfied. But still thou must not forbid me to call thee mother. This name consoles and fills me with tenderness, and reminds me of my obligation to love thee. This name excites me to great confidence in thee. When my sins and the divine justice fill me most with consternation, I am all consoled at the thought that thou art my mother. Allow me then to call thee mother, my most amiable mother. Thus do I call thee, and thus will I always call thee. Thou, after God, must be my hope, my refuge, my love in this valley of tears. Thus do I hope to die, breathing forth my soul into thy holy hands, and saying, My Mother, my Mother Mary, help me, have pity on me! Amen.

St. Ephrem

SAINT EPHREM
Doctor of the Church
(†378)

Today we honor one of the great saints and Doctors of the Church, St. Ephrem the Syrian. He is also honored with the title: 'Doctor of the Church", in Latin and Greek. He was near the beginning of the 4th century, when the Arians began to take the churches out of the hands of believers, and teach that Jesus was NOT divine. He also was among the first to proclaim the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mother. From reading my limited resources, he sounded like someone you would want to be around, just to listen to him speak. Like Someone else we all know. I'm going to just put a couple of his sayings here, so you can know what I am talking about. In the first, he is paraphrasing Jesus when He gave Peter the keys to heaven. The second is here, mainly because he is talking about the Holy Eucharist. Since we have had recently the Feast day of Corpus Christi, I thought it appropriate.

With his energy and his remarkable doctrinal precision, he states(in the Person of Jesus):

"I have established you, Simon my disciple, as the foundation of holy Church. Formerly I called you Peter because you upheld my building, you are the overseer of those who construct the Church upon earth. If they wish to build that which is evil, you, who are the foundation, will prevent them. You are at the source of my doctrine, you are the chief of my disciples, it is through you that I will quench the thirst of all nations, the quickening sweetness that I give belongs to you, I have chosen you as the first-fruits of my disciples to be the inheritor of my treasures. I have given you the keys of my kingdom; I have given all my treasures into your power."

It is interesting to receive such testimony from the mouth of him whom all the Eastern Christians reverence as their greatest Doctor and consider their special glory. But few of the Fathers of the first centuries of Christianity have spoken so explicitly on the subject of the Holy Eucharist as the Deacon of Edessa. He discredits in advance all the sophristry(wise guys teaching philosophy) which was put forth at the time of the 'Reformation', and thus comments on the words of the institution of the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of our Lord:

"Do not believe that what I have just given to you is bread, receive it, eat it, do not crumble it away. That which I have called My Body, truly is so. The smallest morsel is sufficient to sanctify millions of souls and suffices to give life to those who receive it. Receive and eat with faith, do not waver, for it is my body, and he who partakes of it with faith partakes of the fire of the Holy Spirit. It seems to him who partakes without faith to be ordinary bread, but to him who with faith partakes of the Bread consecrated in My Name, if he be pure it preserves his purity; if a sinner it obtains his pardon. Let those who reject, despise or outrage this Bread know that of a certainty they do outrage to the Son, Who has called and has made bread to be His Body. Take and eat, and by it partake of the Holy Spirit, for it truly My Body, and he who eats thereof has eternal life. It is the Bread of heaven come down from on high unto us. The manna which the Israelites ate in the desert, the manna which they gathered and which they despised although it fell from heaven, was a figure of the spiritual food you have just received. Take ye all of it and eat, in eating this Bread you eat My Body, the True source of the redemption."

Never did Saint Ephrem think himself anything other than a great sinner; we can read in his various writings his self-accusations and his confessions. He had the gift of tears and for years he wept, literally without ceasing, according to the testimony of Saint Gregory of Nyssa, who wrote: "At times he was weeping over the sins of men, and again over his own. His sighs succeeded his tears, and then brought them forth again." It was also said that the tears he shed so profusely, instead of disfiguring his face, seemed to augment its serenity and grace; all who had seen or heard Saint Ephrem were inspired to venerate his holiness.

Saint Gregory of Nyssa remarked of the preaching of Saint Ephrem: "Although his tongue was prompt and the words flowed from his mouth like a torrent, these were too slow to express his thoughts. For this reason he prayed God: 'Hold back, Lord, the waves of Your grace!' The sea of understanding which was seeking an outlet through his tongue bore heavily upon him, because the organs of speech did not suffice for what his mind presented to him, for the benefit of others." In the Syrian Liturgy, Saint Ephrem still is called the Harp of the Holy Spirit.

See, something good can come out of Syria!

St. Ephrem, please pray for our leaders, that they be on fire for the Holy Ghost, and teach us what we need to know to reach eternal happiness.

3rd Sunday after Pentecost

This Sunday is the 3rd Sunday after Pentecost. We should be hearing about being a soldier of Christ, and how to give all we have to promote the Truth. The world's bishops are doing their best to stifle the old Rite, so I'm not really sure what we will get what in regards to what we should! Or, more likely, they don't care; except to push their agenda, which will entail at least getting all the Masses on the same calendar. This will be the start of them trying to end the Mass of all ages! They don't seem to mess with all of the other Rites within the fold, just the Traditional one. Shame on them! They will answer some day for their actions, however. Just sayin'.

(This next thing is from last year, but I think it's pertinent still today, and especially now that the weather is warming up)
I just this week contacted our local Bishop, concerning the 'dress' of those attending the 'new' Mass. You know, the shorts, the sun dresses, halter tops, etc. I mentioned to him that the respect due to our Lord in the tabernacle and in the Eucharist was sorely lacking, as well as being an occasion of sin to those of us who are weak. He pretty much said that he would rather have the people going to Mass instead of correcting them and maybe losing them because they got corrected. He said that the priests are in charge of this correction, even though he is the head priest in the diocese. I answered him back that as a successor of the Apostles that it was his duty to get the ball moving and instruct us as children of God and his 'spiritual children', as it were. I reminded him that he was a successor of the Apostles, so therefore it was his duty to instruct us. I told him that I could NOT imagine St. Peter, if seeing someone doing something unbecoming of a Christian, failing to correct him/her. His response pretty much said that he didn't like being chastised. All I can say further is: "Good luck with that opinion when you go to the Eternal Judge at your demise." Anyway, moving on:

This Sunday should be about when our first Holy Father, Peter, warns us in his Epistle to be on our toes. He tells us how the devil is to be going around the world seeking souls he can destroy. Up til now, we have learned about Christ, His Heart; His being in the Holy Eucharist; how He is the Bread that has come down from heaven to nourish us. The Holy Ghost has now come to teach us what we need to know. But first, we need to be clean of heart and seek the Eternal Truth, which we need to reach our end goal, heaven. Now, with this knowledge, we are to become soldiers for Christ. From this moment, NOTHING will come easy! As St. Jerome says:

"You are deceived if you think that a Christian can live without persecution. He suffers the greatest who lives under none. Nothing is more to be feared than too long a peace. A storm puts a man upon his guard, and obliges him to exert his utmost efforts to escape shipwreck."

GOOD SOLDIERS OF CHRIST


"A good soldier of Jesus Christ." 2 Timothy 2:3

This is quite additional to the preceding titles. A servant, a disciple, a friend, may become a soldier. But it is a new relationship. It requires peculiar qualities. It imposes peculiar duties. To be a soldier, implies exposure, contest, difficulty. To be a good soldier, implies also courage, fidelity, and success. Let me consider some of the attributes of a good soldier of Jesus Christ. He is one of the great army of the living God. He is engaged in a most important warfare. He has set up his standard toward Zion. He must press on through all opposition, to his glorious end. He will be made a conqueror through the Lord Jesus Christ, Who gives him the victory. Am I such a soldier of Christ?

1. A good soldier has made a final CHOICE of the service in which he is engaged. He has enlisted for a warfare. It is his own choice. He is not ashamed of his uniform, of his duty, of his officers, or of his cause. He glories in the stand which he has taken. He participates in every triumph. He rejoices over all its success. Thus have I enlisted for Christ. He is the great Captain of my salvation. He has a warfare on the earth, which he is carrying on to final victory. I have united with him in it. I bear his name. I am enrolled among his followers. I would not be ashamed of his cause, or of my service and duty for him. My enlistment is for actual duty. It is cheerfully made by the action of my own heart, under the guidance of his Spirit. It is recorded in his own book of remembrance. I am engaged to build up his kingdom, to gather his chosen, to bring in the vessels dedicated to his service, to maintain his authority, and to exalt the glory of his name. This is my final, faithful choice. Let me never shrink from it, or turn back in weariness from the duties which it imposes.

2. A good soldier must have true COURAGE. Ah, how important is this for me! I have many enemies to meet. My enemies are the enemies of Christ. I must continually contend if I would conquer at last. These enemies are temptations around, that would lead me away, or drive me back from my Savior. Evil propensities and habits of thought within, that would entangle and harass me. Evil men who surround me, and oppress me with their hostility to my Lord. The more faithful I am, the more my enemies will multiply, and the more earnestly they will oppose. If I am indolent and careless in my life, they will not trouble me. If they can make me a traitor, or induce me to desert my Master's cause, they will have accomplished their end. But if I strive to do my Master's will, and to follow him truly and fully, then my enemies seem more hostile, and more bitter, and more multiplied. When I would do good, evil is present with me. But what then? Why, I ought to be the more bold and the more decided as a soldier. I must fight on. There is no other path. I see my great Leader before me, and I must follow after him. Soon the contest will be over, and then the victory will be mine. I am resolved rather to displease and to forsake all others, than to forsake or deny my glorious Lord.

3. A good soldier must ENDURE HARDNESS. It is a hard life. The soldier has much to bear--sometimes very much. He must endure suffering without murmuring. His power of endurance is often the very means of his victory. The warfare in which I am engaged, may require me to bear much. It may be long and very trying. But my mind must be fixed and strengthened to bear even to the end. My great Leader, the Captain of my salvation, goes before me. He has endured the cross and despised the shame. Let me follow him to the end. I would make no terms with him for my obedience. I would go with him through all. Patiently abide his will. Resist even unto blood, striving against sin. And allow nothing to separate me from the service or love of my glorious Master and Lord. Other soldiers have freely laid down their lives upon the field. I desire to be willing to do so, if my Lord requires and appoints. Come what will come, by his strength, I am resolved to abide by him.

4. A good soldier has a confident HOPE OF TRIUMPH. He never is despondent. He fights not as uncertainly. He is saved and strengthened by hope. In all human contests there is great uncertainty. But in our warfare there is none. Our Captain has already triumphed. We follow him to the fruits of his own victory. We are sure of success by his power. This hope is an anchor to the soul. The warfare may now be very dark and discouraging. Circumstances and probabilities may be all against me. But God gives me the victory. The crown is certain. The kingdom is sure. And he appoints the darkest as well as the brightest periods of the battle. We cannot be overcome, if we stand our ground. Oh let me never flee, nor be discouraged. I would be found faithful, earnest, engaged, devoted. I have one voice to hear, and one Master to follow. I may lose all beside. It is of little consequence. Whatever can live with Christ, I shall get again in that great day. Oh let me never lose my interest in Christ himself.

5. I am a soldier of Christ. And thus I have enlisted myself for life. And with courage, endurance, and hope, I will press forward. I may not have to fight long. But I will fight faithfully. Let me rest upon his power. Let me give myself up to his care. Let me prize him even as chief among ten thousand. In his favor is life, and his loving-kindness is better than life. He will be my strength and my salvation.

We're soldiers fighting for our God,
Let trembling cowards fly–
We'll stand unshaken, firm, and fixed,
With Christ to live and die.

Let devils rage, and hell assail,
We'll fight our passage through;
Let foes unite, and friends desert,
We'll seize the crown in view.


As our beloved Abbot Gueranger states:

The miseries of this present life are the test to which God puts His soldiers; He passes judgment upon them, and classifies them, according to the degree of courage they have shown. Therefore is it, that we all have our share of suffering. The combat has commenced. God is looking on, watching how each of us comports himself. The day is not far off, when the Judge will pass sentence on the merits of each combatant, and award to each one the recompense he has won. Combat now; peace and rest and a crown, then. Happy they who, during these days of probation, have recognized the mighty hand of God in all the trials they have had, and have humbled themselves under its pressure, lovingly and confidingly! Against such Christians, who have been strong in faith, the roaring lion has not been able to prevail. They were sober, they were watchful, during this their pilgrimage. They were fully convinced of this, that every one has to suffer in the present life; they therefore never sighed and moaned, as though they were the only sufferers; they did not assume the attitude of victims, and call it resignation; but they took each trial as it came, and, without talking to every one about it, they quietly and joyously united it with the sufferings of Christ. O true Christians! you will be joyous for all eternity, when there will be made the manifestation of that eternal glory in Christ Jesus, which He will pass on to you, that you may share it with Him forever!

May God, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit have mercy on us and strengthen us til our appointed hour. Amen

(On a side note: I'm trying to live up to my name, Miles. It just happens to mean 'soldier' in Latin! Go figure. And, my initials spelled out in Latin mean 'NOW'. I better get busier, I guess.)

Saturday of our Mother

Since this is Saturday, here is a prayer to Our Blessed Mother, holy and Immaculate.

Prayer to Our Lady Immaculate

Most Holy Virgin, who wast pleasing to the Lord and became His Mother, immaculate in body and spirit, in faith and in love; look kindly on the wretched who implore thy powerful patronage.

The wicked serpent, against whom was hurled the first curse, continues fiercely to attack and ensnare the unhappy children of Eve.

Do thou, then, O Blessed Mother, our Queen and Advocate, who from the first instant of thy Conception didst crush the head of the enemy, receive the prayers which, united with thee in one single heart, we implore thee to present at the throne of God, that we may never fall into the snares which are laid out for us, and may all arrive at the port of salvation; and in so many dangers, may the Church and Christian society sing once again the hymn of deliverance, of victory, and of peace. Amen

Our Lady of Good Counsel

St. Anthony of Padua

SAINT ANTHONY of PADUA
Doctor of the Church and Miracle-Worker
(1195-1231)

Born in Lisbon, Portugal, in 1195, Fernando de Bouillon was of a noble family related to the famous Godefroy de Bouillon, founder and first sovereign of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem, who at the close of the Crusade of 1099 had refused to wear a crown, there where Christ had worn one of thorns.

Favored by nature and grace, Fernand resolved at the age of fifteen to leave the world and consecrate himself to God in the Order of Canons Regular of Saint Augustine. No flattery, threat or caress of his relatives could persuade him to leave that holy refuge. He asked to be transferred to another convent to avoid the family's solicitations, and was sent to Coimbra. Still young, his sanctity became evident through miracles; he cured a poor religious whom the devil was obsessing, by covering him with his cloak.

When this young monk decided, after witnessing the return of the martyred remains of five Franciscans who had gone to Africa, to join that Order so favored with the graces of martyrdom, the Augustinians were desolate but could not prevent his departure, for Saint Francis himself appeared to him in a vision in July 1220, and commanded him to leave. He was then sent by the Franciscans to Africa, but two years later was obliged to return to Italy because of sickness; thus he was deprived of the martyr's crown he would have been happy to receive.

In 1222, Anthony, as he was now called, went with other Brothers and some Dominican friars to be ordained at Forli. There Fra Antonio rose under obedience to preach for the first time to the religious, and took for his theme the text of Saint Paul: Christ chose for our sake to become obedient unto death. As the discourse proceeded, "the Hammer of Heretics," "the Ark of the Testament," "the eldest son of Saint Francis," stood revealed in all his sanctity, learning, and eloquence before his rapt and astonished brethren. He had been serving in the humblest offices of his community; now he was summoned to emerge from this obscurity. And then for nine years France, Italy, and Sicily heard his voice and saw his miracles, whose numbers can scarcely be counted. A crowd to which he was preaching outdoors one day, when the church was too small to hold all who came to hear him, amidst thunder and lightning felt not one drop of water fall upon them, while all around them the rain poured down. And men's hearts turned to God.

It was as an orator, however, rather than as professor, that Anthony reaped his richest harvest. He possessed in an eminent degree all the good qualities that characterize an eloquent preacher: a loud and clear voice, a winning countenance, wonderful memory, and profound learning, to which were added from on high the spirit of prophecy and an extraordinary gift of miracles. With the zeal of an apostle he undertook to reform the morality of his time by combating in an especial manner the vices of luxury, avarice, and tyranny. The fruit of his sermons was, therefore, as admirable as his eloquence itself. No less fervent was he in the extinction of heresy, notably that of the Cathares and the Patarines, which infested the centre and north of Italy, and probably also that of the Albigenses in the south of France, though we have no authorized documents to that effect. Among the many miracles St. Anthony wrought in the conversion of heretics.

The zeal with which St. Anthony fought against heresy, and the great and numerous conversions he made rendered him worthy of the glorious title of Malleus hereticorum (Hammer of the Heretics). Though his preaching was always seasoned with the salt of discretion, nevertheless he spoke openly to all, to the rich as to the poor, to the people as well as those in authority.

We may wonder why we always see Saint Anthony with the Child Jesus in his arms. The account of this heavenly visitation was told only after his death, at the official process concerning his virtues and miracles. It was narrated by the man who witnessed the marvel in question; the Saint himself had never spoken of it. Saint Anthony was in the region of Limoges in France, and was offered hospitality, rest and silence by this businessman of the region, in his country manor. He was given a room apart, to permit him to pray in peace; but during the night his host looked toward his lighted window and saw in the brilliance a little Infant of marvelous beauty in the arms of the Saint, with His own around the Friar's neck. The witness trembled at the sight, and in the morning Saint Anthony, to whom it had been revealed that his host had seen the visitation, called him and enjoined him not to tell it as long as he was alive. The town near Limoges where this occurred remains unknown; the original account of the inquiry does not name it, but says that the man in question narrated it, with tears, after Saint Anthony's death.

After a number of years of teaching of theology, unceasing preaching and writing, Saint Anthony, whose health was never strong, was spending a short time of retreat in a hermitage near Padua. He was overcome one day with a sudden weakness, which prevented him from walking. It progressed so rapidly that it was evident his last days had arrived. He died at the age of thirty-six, after ten years with the Canons Regular and eleven with the Friars Minor, on June 13, 1231. The voices of children were heard crying in the streets of Padua, "Our father, Saint Anthony, is dead." The following year, the church bells of Lisbon rang without ringers, while in Rome one of its sons was inscribed among the Saints of God.

Let us love to pray and labor unseen by the world, and cherish in the secret of our hearts the graces of God and the growth of our immortal souls. Like Saint Anthony, let us attend to this first of all and leave the rest to God.

Catholics know St. Anthony best as the Patron Saint of lost things. One story goes that St. Anthony had a Psalter, filled with his own notes, that a novice, upon leaving the monastery, took. St. Anthony prayed for its return and the novice came back, gave him his psalter, and rejoined the order.

Barren women claim St. Anthony for their Patron Saint as well, most probably because of his association with the Child Jesus. From the 17th century, statues of St. Anthony holding the Child Jesus have been popular. It is believed that one night, during Saint Anthony's lifetime, the Divine Child visited him, kissed him and told him He loved him. The story is so well loved that, aside from Mary, St. Anthony is the Saint most often depicted with the Child Jesus. He is also often shown carrying a lily, a symbol of purity, innocence and integrity, most likely assigned because he was once entrusted with the Child Jesus.

In keeping with his beloved Franciscan tradition, St. Anthony had a special love for poor and oppressed people. Knowing this, a shopkeeper named Louise Booffier of Toulon, France, who had lost her key, prayed to St. Anthony that she would give bread to the poor in his honor, if a locksmith could open her bolted shop door without force. The miracle happened, and she founded the charity of St. Anthony Bread in gratitude. On his feast day, June 13, some churches still bless loaves of bread to be given to the poor, although the term "St. Anthony Bread" is used to denote any offering made in thanksgiving for a favor from St. Anthony.

St. Anthony is also the Patron Saint of amputees. In Padua, a young man confessed to St. Anthony that he had kicked his mother. Later, in remorse at St. Anthony's remonstrance, he cut off his own foot. St. Anthony, hearing of this drastic action, came and reattached the amputated limb.

St. Anthony is, in addition, the Catholic patron saint against shipwrecks,
starvation, American Indians, boatmen, elderly people, expectant mothers, fishermen, harvests, horses, mail, mariners, pregnant women, sailors, herdsmen, travel hostesses, and travelers.


His most famous miracle may be the sermon to the fishes. We have been told that when a crowd refused to heed him, St. Anthony turned his back on them and preached from the shore to the fish in a lake. The fish responded by lifting up their heads from the water to hear him better.

Many miracles have been attributed to St. Anthony, including our countless, unrecorded, everyday miracles of finding lost articles. It is written that he rendered some poisoned food, given to him by heretics, harmless, with the sign of the cross. A horse, another story goes, knelt down to worship the Eucharist held up by St. Anthony.
(This really works, too. This great Saint is also fast in responding. Sometimes when looking for something and not finding it, imploring the Saint's help, and finding the item, and usually wondering to yourself: "How come I didn't see it there?")

The legend of Anthony and the Fishes:

St Anthony being at one time at Rimini, where there were a great number of heretics, and wishing to lead them by the light of faith into the way of truth, preached to them for several days, and reasoned with them on the faith of Christ and on the Holy Scriptures. They not only resisted his words, but were hardened and obstinate, refusing to listen to him.

At last St Anthony, inspired by God, went down to the sea-shore, where the river runs into the sea, and having placed himself on a bank between the river and the sea, he began to speak to the fishes as if the Lord had sent him to preach to them, and said: "Listen to the word of God, O ye fishes of the sea and of the river, seeing that the faithless heretics refuse to do so."

No sooner had he spoken these words than suddenly so great a multitude of fishes, both small and great, approached the bank on which he stood, that never before had so many been seen in the sea or the river. All kept their heads out of the water, and seemed to be looking attentively on St Anthony’s face; all were ranged in perfect order and most peacefully, the smaller ones in front near the bank, after them came those a little bigger, and last of all, were the water was deeper, the largest.

When they had placed themselves in this order, St Anthony began to preach to them most solemnly, saying: "My brothers the fishes, you are bound, as much as is in your power, to return thanks to your Creator, who has given you so noble an element for your dwelling; for you have at your choice both sweet water and salt; you have many places of refuge from the tempest; you have likewise a pure and transparent element for your nourishment. God, your bountiful and kind Creator, when he made you, ordered you to increase and multiply, and gave you his blessing. In the universal deluge, all other creatures perished; you alone did God preserve from all harm. He has given you fins to enable you to go where you will. To you was it granted, according to the commandment of God, to keep the prophet Jonas, and after three days to throw him safe and sound on dry land. You it was who gave the tribute-money to our Saviour Jesus Christ, when, through his poverty, he had not wherewith to pay. By a singular mystery you were the nourishment of the eternal King, Jesus Christ, before and after his resurrection. Because of all these things you are bound to praise and bless the Lord, who has given you blessings so many and so much greater than to other creatures."

At these words the fish began to open their mouths, and bow their heads, endeavoring as much as was in their power to express their reverence and show forth their praise. St Anthony, seeing the reverence of the fish towards their Creator, rejoiced greatly in spirit, and said with a loud voice: "Blessed be the eternal God; for the fishes of the sea honour him more than men without faith, and animals without reason listen to his word with greater attention than sinful heretics."

And whilst St Anthony was preaching, the number of fishes increased, and none of them left the place that he had chosen. And the people of the city hearing of the miracle, made haste to go and witness it. With them also came the heretics of whom we have spoken above, who, seeing so wonderful and manifest a miracle, were touched in their hearts; and threw themselves at the feet of St Anthony to hear his words. The saint then began to expound to them the Catholic faith. He preached so eloquently, that all those heretics were converted, and returned to the true Faith of Christ; the faithful also were filled with joy, and greatly comforted, being strengthened in the Faith.

After this St Anthony sent away the fishes, with the blessing of God; and they all departed, rejoicing as they went, and the people returned to the city. But St Anthony remained at Rimini for several days, preaching and reaping much spiritual fruit in the souls of his hearers.

- From the Fioretti, a collection of legends about early Franciscans.

FEAST OF THE SACRED HEART

Today we honor the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, our Redeemer. This is the Heart that has loved much, and, at the same time, is being misused and abused all over the globe by ungrateful souls who don't know what they doing or what they are giving up. This is why we pray for those who do not know what they are doing. In recent weeks, we have experienced the Death and Resurrection of Jesus; worshiped the Divine Trinity; the feast of Corpus Christi; and now, we acknowledge the Heart where all of our forgiveness comes from. His side was opened up after He died on the Cross, so that we may now start loving the Heart, and thus, maybe start to understand more about Jesus and His Church with its teachings. First we believe, then things will be made clear to us if we ask. As our beloved Abbot Gueranger says concerning this day:

'There is a mysterious connection between these three feasts; of the blessed Trinity, Corpus Christi, and the Sacred Heart. The aim of the Holy Ghost, in all three, is to initiate us more and more into that knowledge of God by faith, which is to fit us for the face-to-face vision in heaven. We have already seen how God, being made known to us, by the first, in Himself, manifests Himself to us, by the second, in His outward works; for the Holy Eucharist is the memorial, here below, in which He has brought together, and with all possible perfection, all those His wondrous works. But by what law can we pass so rapidly, so almost abruptly, from one feast, which is all directly regarding God, to another, which celebrates the works done by Him to and for us? Then again: how came the divine thought, the eternal Wisdom, from the infinite repose of the eternally blessed Trinity, to the external activity of a love for us poor creatures, which has produced what we call the mysteries of our redemption? The Heart of the God-Man is the solution of these difficulties; it answers all such questions, and explains to us the whole divine plan.'

St. Gertrude, who got the whole thing started concerning the Sacred Heart in the 13th century, states that 'It is the one only organum; the one only instrument which finds acceptance with the Most High. Through It must pass all the inflamed praises of the burning Seraphim, just as must the humble homage paid to its God by inanimate creation. By It alone are to come upon this world the favours of heaven. It is the mystic ladder between man and God, the channel of all graces, the way whereby man ascends to God, and God descends to man.'

St. Augustine says that the Evangelist (St. John) made use of a word which has a special import, when he said: 'the soldier opened Jesus' side with a spear. He did not say struck the Side, or wounded the Side, or anything else like that; but he said he opened Jesus' Side. He opened it; for that Side was like the door of life; and when it was opened, the Sacraments (the Mysteries) of the Church came through it...This was predicted by that door which Noe was commanded to make in the side of the Ark, through which were to go those living creatures which were not to be destroyed by the deluge; and all these things were a figure of the Church.'

Blessed Margaret-Mary continued to carry the torch of having this Heart richly honored a couple of centuries later, and, after approx. 15 years, finally getting this Feast instituted by the Church, died shortly after. I guess her work was done here on earth.

Let us honor this Sacred Heart of Jesus, both today on the Feast, and forevermore. Maybe some day we can get called to eternal peace. Amen.

-A partial indulgence is granted to those who recite the following prayer
-- A plenary indulgence is granted if it is publicly recited on the feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
--This prayer was prescribed to be recited on this feast by Pope Pius XI.



Act of Reparation to the Sacred Heart / Actus reparationis

Most sweet Jesus, whose overflowing charity for men is requited by so much forgetfulness, negligence and contempt, behold us prostrate before Thee, eager to repair by a special act of homage the cruel indifference and injuries to which Thy loving Heart is everywhere subject.

Mindful, alas! that we ourselves have had a share in such great indignities, which we now deplore from the depths of our hearts, we humbly ask Thy pardon and declare our readiness to atone by voluntary expiation, not only for our own personal offenses, but also for the sins of those, who, straying far from the path of salvation, refuse in their obstinate infidelity to follow Thee, their Shepherd and Leader, or, renouncing the promises of their baptism, have cast off the sweet yoke of Thy law.

We are now resolved to expiate each and every deplorable outrage committed against Thee; we are now determined to make amends for the manifold offenses against Christian modesty in unbecoming dress and behavior, for all the foul seductions laid to ensnare the feet of the innocent, for the frequent violations of Sundays and holy days, and the shocking blasphemies uttered against Thee and Thy Saints. We wish also to make amends for the insults to which Thy Vicar on earth and Thy priests are subjected, for the profanation, by conscious neglect or terrible acts of sacrilege, of the very Sacrament of Thy Divine Love; and lastly for the public crimes of nations who resist the rights and teaching authority of the Church which Thou hast founded.

Would that we were able to wash away such abominations with our blood. We now offer, in reparation for these violations of Thy divine honor, the satisfaction Thou once made to Thy Eternal Father on the Cross and which Thou continuest to renew daily on our Altars; we offer it in union with the acts of atonement of Thy Virgin Mother and all the Saints and of the pious faithful on earth; and we sincerely promise to make recompense, as far as we can with the help of Thy grace, for all neglect of Thy great love and for the sins we and others have committed in the past. Henceforth, we will live a life of unswerving faith, of purity of conduct, of perfect observance of the precepts of the Gospel and especially that of charity. We promise to the best of our power to prevent others from offending Thee and to bring as many as possible to follow Thee.

O loving Jesus, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mother, our model in reparation, deign to receive the voluntary offering we make of this act of expiation; and by the crowning gift of perseverance keep us faithful unto death in our duty and the allegiance we owe to Thee, so that we may all one day come to that happy home, where with the Father and the Holy Spirit Thou livest and reignest, God, forever and ever. Amen.

"Come to Me, and I will refresh you."
There's also a plenary indulgence if attending Mass on this day.

"Here is the Heart that so loved man."

Saint Barnabas

SAINT BARNABAS
Apostle
(†61)

We read that in the first days of the Church, the multitude of believers had but one heart and one soul; and none said that anything which he possessed was his own. (Acts 4:32) Amid this fervent company of Christians who practiced evangelical poverty, one only is singled out by name, Joseph, a rich Levite from Cyprus. He, having land, sold it, and bringing the price, laid it at the feet of the Apostles. They then gave him a new name, Barnabas, translated 'son of consolation'. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, and was soon chosen for an important mission, the rapidly growing Church of Antioch. Here he perceived the great work which was waiting to be done among the Greeks, and therefore he hastened to seek out and bring Saint Paul to Antioch, from his retirement at Tarsus.

When the prophet Agabus at Antioch foretold a great universal famine, Barnabas and Paul were selected by the faithful, to take to the Church of Jerusalem their generous offerings for the poor of that city. It was also at Antioch that the two Saints were named for the apostolate of the Gentiles; and they sailed together for Cyprus and then to the cities of Asia Minor. Their preaching struck men with amazement, and some cried out, "The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!" calling Paul Mercury, and Barnabas Jupiter. The Saints traveled together once again, to the Council of Jerusalem, and told of the "signs and wonders which God had wrought among the Gentiles" during their missionary journey. Shortly after this they separated; Barnabas with John Mark went to Cyprus, while Paul with Silas returned to Asia Minor.

The tradition of Milan, Italy, reveals that Saint Barnabas went from Cyprus to Italy, and in Milan founded its church; he is still honored there as its first Bishop. After seven years he consecrated Saint Anathalon to replace him, and returned to Cyprus to visit the churches. He crisscrossed the island several times to bring to every city and village the Holy Name of the Son of God. In Salamis, some of the recalcitrants plotted together to kill him. He was aware of the conspiracy; nonetheless, after foretelling to John Mark that he would die that same day, he went to the synagogue to preach as usual. It was there that he was stoned as a blasphemer, in the year 61 of our era. Saint John Mark succeeded in burying him near Salamis.

Beware SPIDER!

Beware during this time of year. This post is not for the light-hearted! This is that time of the year when we are outside, working and playing. It is also the time of the year when the critters come out of wherever they have been hiding. Beware of some of them! The following is from someone who met up with one of these creatures. The results were not good.

Very Important send out to everyone you know
'About 4 years ago I had a Doctor appointment. That morning they called and postponed it because our Dr. was in surgery. Two days later they called back and cancelled my appointment because our Doctor had died on the operating table. We thought that he was the one doing the operating. He had been bitten by a Brown Recluse spider. He had tried treating himself instead of getting help. He was fairly young (late 40’s) and the best Doctor we had ever had.'
Very sad.

Brown Recluse Spider . . ..
At this time of year, this is worth seeing.

Show these pictures to your spouse, your kids, grand kids, and friends. It could save their lives. Remember what this Spider looks like and be careful while cleaning, as told below.

It's summertime & cleanup is going on. Be careful where you put your hands. They like dark spaces & woodpiles.Also cool areas in the attic...................................This guy was bitten by a Brown Recluse spider.
Day 3:

The following illustrates the progression of a brown recluse spider bite.
The affected skin actually dies on his body.
Day 5:

Some of the pictures towards the end are pretty nasty, but take a look at the last one -- it is a picture of the spider itself!

Day 6:
The Brown Recluse Spider is the most dangerous spider that we have here in the USA.

Day 9: A person can die from it’s bite. We all should know what the spider looks like.

Day 10:

Send this around to people you love, because it is almost summer time.

People will be digging around, doing yard work, spring cleaning, and sometimes in their attics. And, even cutting wood for the upcoming winter.


The Dangerous Brown Recluse Spider

Please be careful.
Spider bites are dangerous and can have permanent and highly negative consequences.

They like the darkness and tend to live in storage sheds or attics or other areas that might not be frequented by people or light.

If you have a need to be in your attic, go up there and turn on a light and leave it on for about 30 minutes before you go in to do your work.
PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO YOUR RELATIVES AND FRIENDS!

2nd Sunday after Pentecost

Sunday within the Octave of Corpus Christi


This Sunday is the Sunday within the octave of Corpus Christi, or the Second Sunday after Pentecost. We will probably get the Corpus Christi Mass, along with all the readings, then. I personally think our leaders have once again missed the boat, since Thursday is the day Christ established the Holy Eucharist. Thursday should be the most honored day every week.

Watch the fishermen(Bishops) go off into the sunset, leaving behind their catch, the believers, to get choked in the net of today's indifference. This, apparently, is one boat they haven't missed!

There they go!


The Holy Eucharist has been instituted for the very purpose of ceaselessly applying, here on earth, the reality of Christ's Sacrifice.


I am going to insert the hymn for 'Compline' from yesterday because it says soooo much about the Holy Eucharist. If you want to read my thoughts on Corpus Christi, see Thursday's post. Here's the Compline:


Christ is truly our meat, Christ is truly our drink; the Flesh of Christ is truly our meat, the Blood of Christ is truly our drink.

The true Flesh which he took from the Virgin, is what we eat; the true Blood, which He shed for man, is what we drink.

In this banquet, the Word made Flesh is truly eaten; it is on Him that our worship rests, and by Him that we enter heaven.

This Bread, which is all full of sweetness and grace, is the King of eternal glory, that was carried in the Virgin's womb.

Let us feed on the richness of Angel's Bread; that we may find delight in the sweetness of a viaticum so full of mercy.

O thou heavenly banquet! O glory of the redeemed! O repose of the humble! grant us eternal joys.

Grant, O Father, through thy Son; grant, through the Spirit of love, that we, to whom thou givest such nourishment as this, may be brought by thee to a prosperous end. Amen.

In case we do hear the readings from this Sunday, we pretty much hear that we need to get off our rear ends and ACT! This can't be such a bad thing to do. We need to pray for perseverance, and for the conversion of the leaders in the Church, all the way to the top, that they realize their errors and reform before they croak and come 'face to Face' with their Maker.