St Mary Magdalene de Pazzi

St Mary Magdalen de Pazzi
short biography

O Mary, anyone who looks at you is comforted in any anxiety or tribulation, or pain, and is victorious over any temptation. Anyone who does not know something about God, let him have recourse to you, O Mary. Anyone who does not find mercy in God, let him have recourse to you, O Mary. Anyone whose will is not in conformity, let him have recourse to you, O Mary. Anyone who falters on account of weakness let him have recourse to you who are all strong and powerful. Anyone in constant struggle, let him have recourse to you who are a tranquil sea....Whoever is tempted,...let him have recourse to you, who are the mother of humility, and nothing drives away the devil more than humility. Let them, one and all, have recourse to you, O Mary!

***

Oh Mary, you have gone too high in telling me to love him as my Bridegroom loved him! And how did He love him? For them He left, so to speak in a certain way, the bosom of the Eternal Father, with His power, His wisdom and, in a way of speaking, His purity, in order to be able to dwell with the impurity of creatures. He left His substance and His faculties, and finally gave Himself and His own blood. And I too ought to leave myself and the love of all created things, and be prepared, should it be necessary for their salvation, to give my own blood.

***

O most pure Mary, I offer and give myself to you, not only with that purity and innocence that I received when I consecrated myself to you, but adorned beyond that, and then repurified, and then adorned you again. Receive me, therefore, O Mary, and keep me within yourself.

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Carmelite Saints and Our Lady

Bl Baptist Spagnoli of Mantua, O.Carm
short biography

MARY AND CARMEL

For a long time Carmel had been planning widespread honours for you, and in its happy caves it trains sons who in white cloaks will witness to perpetual chastity for you and will bind your name with the name of this Mount in everlasting covenant. You are purer than gold. You are whiter than snow. Your are brighter than the star of Venus. Your virginity was not vitiated by child-bearing, nor can your brightness be darkened by any stain. You certainly were not bound to this legitimate custom, and in all justice you could have renounced these gifts. Time will come when a future age will remember us and on this solemn day will offer you honour on the altars, and will carry candles in long procession of a well celebrated liturgy.
Then your priest, processing in golden vestments, will chant your hymns and will sent forth a sweet smelling cloud. Throughout the Church and the breeze will spread the pleasant scent far and wide, and because our path cross at his point, posterity will call this day Hypante*, in the Greek language, and it will be lit up with numberless torches.

Suuplication to the Most Blessed Virgin Mary

Glory to the world, Queen of heaven, Mother of Almighty, harbour for mankind, soothing breeze in adversity. As in my memory I call my sins to mind,
I am ashamed to open my lips in your sight. For you lack any stain. You are brighter than gold, which the smith submitted to the crackling fire ten times. However I am sacrificed by the consuming waves of the nether world, and my members are besmirched by the mud of hell. But as often as I call to mind your heart of mercy that shame of mine haunts me just a little less.
Hope gives me a pledge that you will prove to be benign and gentle and it promises your help to us. Thus, do not be disgusted by my uncleanness, always grant me your favour before your Son. Subdue my senses which seek pleasure in earthly goods which poison the mind and rush to the wrong doing. Make me look down on the earth; make me conquer hell, while anger seizes the evil spirits. Be my guide at the critical moments of my life, nor let any hand attack me in body. Under your care, may I be allowed to return to the kingdom of heaven, and with shattered yoke to submit my vows to you. May your Child, at your intercession, govern me and my house in every adversity.

* Hypante - refers to the Presentation of Child Jesus in the Temple and the prophecy of Simeon

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Cardinal Stafford comments on American Election of the most pro-abortion President in recent years - click for link

I encourage and ask prayers for good Cardinal Stafford who had a courage to criticise the election of the new US President. I have read somewhere, long time ago, the number of human casualties in the second World War equaled the number of aborted children.


It is clear we live in Apocalyptic times, we need to reflect on our lives, we need to pray more and change for better ways of life in better conformity to God's will. There is no doubt God loves us but He is also just, even in this life. I have read in the weekly Catholic newspaper, "The Universe" praising hymns for the election of the first black President of the biggest and richest country in the world, that the era of racism is finally at the end, everybody loves President elect, and those words were written by three Catholic commentators in their weekly columns. The pro-choice stance of the new President does not seem to bother them at all. It is amazing the Catholic commentators has only imaginative issue of racism on their minds in the ruling era of political correctness, nothing else bothers them at all. I feel repulse to buy this Catholic weekly again, although I will miss Lord Alton's, who is dedicated pro-life supporter, weekly column there. We must then remember these words of Saint Paul: "For there it will come a time when they will not endure sound doctrine: but, according to their own desires, they will heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears." "Preach the word: be instant in season, out of season: reprove, entreat, 'rebuke in all patience and doctrine."

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St Edmund, King and Martyr - click for EWTN link

Today is memorial of St Edmund, King of England and martyr. St Edmund pray for England!

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Consoling words from Our Lord -
Amen, amen, I say to you you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy (John 16:20).
So you also are now in anguish, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you (John 16:22).

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Week of St teresa of Avila

From Meditations on the Song of Songs.

Who is this that it is as bright as the sun?
O true King, and how right the bride was in giving You this name! For in a moment You can give riches and place them in a soul that they mamy be enjoyed forever. How well ordered love is in this soul!

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For Daily Reflection

We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal: but the things which are not seen, are eternal. (2Cor4:18)

The harvest indeed is great, but the labourers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he send labourers into his harvest. Go: Behold I send you as lambs among wolves. (Luke 10:2)

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St. Therese and the Missions
by Christine J. Murray

St. Therese of Lisieux had a special affinity with the missions even before she entered the convent. Her autobiography, Story of A Soul, relates her first retreat at an abbey in preparation of her First Communion. She stood out from the rest because she wore the big crucifix her sister Leonie had given her, "which, like the missionaries, I had fastened to my belt." And like most saints, the interpretation of the outward sign was misguided. She had entered the Lisieux Carmel, the saint wanted to go to the new Carmel in Saigon, but knew she would never be able to when she was diagnosed with tuberculosis about a year before she died in 1897 at the age of twenty-four. Pope John Paul II has directed the faithful to use St. Therese as a model for the missions. Hers was a life of intense prayer, which is necessary in any missionary work. As Christians, we must practice charity. Some missionary organizations have de-emphasized the role of bringing the Gospel into their lives, as Jesus exhorted to the Apostles. Recently, the director of a missionary home for orphaned and abandoned boys in Jamaica spoke at a parish. The nun explained the abject poverty and how many parents are abandoning their children at younger ages. Many of the children cared for there are homeless and without discipline. She spoke of the challenges of making them take direction, then teaching them to read, then learn a trade so their own children do not end up in the same boat. She also mentioned that she has learned to trust God to provide for the home and to keep it from closing.

This is all very noble, but she failed to mention whether these boys learn to trust God, or if they ever hear of Him. Do they learn, in the time that they learn and live there, about Jesus and Christian morality? Do they have the chance of not only living a more materially rich life, but also a spiritually rich one? Maybe they do learn these things. If so, why was not it deemed important enough to mention? After all, she had an audience of church-going Catholics. This oversight could be more easily excused if it were an isolated incident. Sadly, that is not the case. It is more pathetic that the people sitting in the pews do not notice. The Holy Father has called for new missionary zeal in the Catholic Church. In his message of the World Day for the Missions, which will be observed October 19, Pope John Paul II does point out that not all Christians are called to become missionaries in the traditional sense. However, the Second Vatican Council states that missions are "the special undertakings in which preachers of the Gospel, sent by the Church and going into the whole world, carry out the work of preaching the Gospel and implanting the Church among people who do not yet believe in Christ" (Ad gentes, no. 6). St. Therese participated in missionary work through her own prayer and sacrifice at the Carmel convent in Lisieux. She even "adopted" two missionary priests for this purpose, with all her good works and self-said "poor merits" offered for their work. This a large reason why the Little Flower is the patroness of the missions. Indeed, prayer is the "stone foundation" for any missionary work to truly succeed. She engaged in this work in the Martin home while growing up, in her work in Carmel, and while she lay dying in an infirmary bed. All of us can do this according to our own state of life. We need to see Jesus in everyone we meet, including the lady a few pews behind us singing terribly off key.

We also need to carry out mission work in today's pagan world. As the Holy Father said in his catechesis on missions, "There is the consideration that in the Churches of the first evangelization, from which came many missionaries working in Ômission countries', there is an increasing awareness that their territory is becoming Ôa mission land' requiring a Ônew evangelization'" (General audience May 3, 1995, no. 3). This is true in several dioceses, particularly in the United States, where the Faith has been lost. This can be more challenging missionary activity than going to a land where no one has ever heard of Jesus. People who have heard the Gospel, but have been misled about the Church's teachings, can be just as or more tenacious about holding on to their beliefs. And the religious relativism prevalent in today's world has many people feeling comfortable in believing and practicing "whatever" in the name of tolerance. Many children exposed to catechetical programs in the past 30 years have not received the fullness of the Catholic Faith, which makes it easier for them to turn away from it. As Pope John XXIII stated in his encyclical Princeps Pastorum in 1959, "The sheer number of Christians means little if they lack virtue; that is, if, while enjoying the name of Catholic, they do not stand firm in their determination." After baptism, they need solid catechesis.

But we cannot give up part of Christian teaching in a particular culture so the truth may be more easily accepted. And it is impossible to embrace customs that are in direct conflict with the Gospel. As St. Therese and every other saint has shown, it is not enough to believe that Jesus was a "good guy." Her simplicity and desire to do everything, no matter how little, totally in union with God's will shows us the way to reach eternal life.

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Today is memorial of two martyrs who died reconciled enemies, the Pope and antipope. Edifying story to meditate upon, the story of two Saints zealous for the faith each in different way.

Optional memorial of St Pontian and Hyppolytus (d.235)

Two men died for the faith after harsh treatment and exhaustion in the mines of Sardinia. One had been pope for five years, the other an antipope for 18. They died reconciled.

Pontian.
Pontian was a Roman who served as pope from 230 to 235. During his reign he held a synod which confirmed the excommunication of the great theologian Origen in Alexandria. Pontian was banished to exile by the Roman emperor in 235, and resigned so that a successor could be elected in Rome. He was sent to the “unhealthy” island of Sardinia, where he died of harsh treatment in 235. With him was Hippolytus (see below) with whom he was reconciled. The bodies of both martyrs were brought back to Rome and buried with solemn rites as martyrs.

Hippolytus.
As a presbyter in Rome, Hippolytus (the name means “a horse turned loose”) was at first “holier than the Church.” He censured the pope for not coming down hard enough on a certain heresy—calling him a tool in the hands of one Callistus, a deacon—and coming close to advocating the opposite heresy himself. When Callistus was elected pope, Hippolytus accused him of being too lenient with penitents, and had himself elected antipope by a group of followers. He felt that the Church must be composed of pure souls uncompromisingly separated from the world, and evidently thought that his group fitted the description. He remained in schism through the reigns of three popes. In 235 he was also banished to the island of Sardinia. Shortly before or after this event, he was reconciled to the Church, and died with Pope Pontian in exile. Hippolytus was a rigorist, a vehement and intransigent man for whom even orthodox doctrine and practice were not purified enough. He is, nevertheless, the most important theologian and prolific religious writer before the age of Constantine. His writings are the fullest source of our knowledge of the Roman liturgy and the structure of the Church in the second and third centuries. His works include many Scripture commentaries, polemics against heresies and a history of the world. A marble statue, dating from the third century, representing the saint sitting in a chair, was found in 1551. On one side is inscribed his table for computing the date of Easter, on the other a list of how the system works out until the year 224. Pope John XXIII installed the statue in the Vatican library.

Comment:
Hippolytus was a strong defender of orthodoxy, and admitted his excesses by his humble reconciliation. He was not a formal heretic, but an overzealous disciplinarian. What he could not learn in his prime as a reformer and purist, he learned in the pain and desolation of imprisonment. It was a fitting symbolic event that Pope Pontian shared his martyrdom.

Quote:
“Christ, like a skillful physician, understands the weakness of men. He loves to teach the ignorant and the erring he turns again to his own true way. He is easily found by those who live by faith; and to those of pure eye and holy heart, who desire to knock at the door, he opens immediately. He does not disdain the barbarian, nor does he set the eunuch aside as no man. He does not hate the female on account of the woman’s act of disobedience in the beginning, nor does he reject the male on account of the man’s transgression. But he seeks all, and desires to save all, wishing to make all the children of God, and calling all the saints unto one perfect man” (Hippolytus, Treatise on Christ and Antichrist).

The picture is of the famous statue of St Hyppolytus.
Text after American Catholic

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ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

At the Introit of the Mass, with the priest, pray to God for brotherly love, and for protection against enemies. Within and without. "God, in His holy place; God, Who maketh men of one mind to dwell in a house, He shall give power and strength to His people. Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered; and let them that hate Him flee before His face" (Ps 67). Glory be to the Father, etc

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

EPISTLE
1Cor. 15: 1-10

I make known unto you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you have received, and wherein you stand; By which also you are saved, if you hold fast after what manner I preached unto you, unless you have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all, which I also received: how that Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures: And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day, according to the scriptures: And that he was seen by Cephas; and after that by the eleven. Then he was seen by more than five hundred brethren at once: of whom many remain until this present, and some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen by James, then by all the apostles. And last of all, he was seen also by me, as by one born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God, I am what I am; and his grace in me hath not been void, but I have laboured more abundantly than all they: yet not I, but the grace of God with me.

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

Aspiration.
O most humble Saviour, banish from my heart the spirit of pride, and impart to me the most necessary grace of humility. Give me grace to know that, of myself, I can do nothing that is pleasing to Thee, that all my sufficiency for good comes from Thee, and that Thou worketh in us both to will and to accomplish (2 Cor. 3:5; Phil. 2:13).

GOSPEL
Mark 7: 31-37
And again going out of the coasts of Tyre, he came by Sidon to the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis. And they bring to him one deaf and dumb; and they besought him that he would lay his hand upon him. And taking him from the multitude apart, he put his fingers into his ears, and spitting, he touched his tongue: And looking up to heaven, he groaned, and said to him: Ephpheta, which is, Be thou opened. And immediately his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke right. And he charged them that they should tell no man. But the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal did they publish it. And so much the more did they wonder, saying: He hath done all things well; he hath made both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

Who among Christians are like the deaf and dumb of this Gospel?
Those who are deaf to the voice of God, and dumb in prayer, in the praise of God in the defence of religion, and of the good name of their neighbour, and in confessing their sins.

Why did Christ take the deaf man aside?
Because he did not seek the praise of men, and at the same time was loath to provoke too soon the hatred of His enemies.

Why did Jesus put His finger into the ears of the deaf and dumb, and spitting, touch his tongue?
To show this unfortunate person by signs that it was He Who freed him from bodily evils, and that the healing power was not the consequence of secretly given remedies, but proceeded immediately from Himself.

Why did Jesus look up to heaven and groan?
1. To show that He acted not as mere man, but that he had received all power from His eternal Father.
2. That he might thereby awaken and animate the deaf and dumb man to confidence in His power and belief in His divine mission. Learn hence to practice the beautiful virtue of compassion for other's sufferings, and to acknowledge that every good gift is from above.

Why did Christ charge them that they should tell no man?
That we might learn not to seek the praise of men for our good deeds. Let us learn to make known the works of God to His glory; for He is continually working before our eyes every day so many wonders, in order that we may praise His benignity and omnipotence.

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

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Feast of St Anne, mother of the Blessed Virgin

Beautiful, refreshing and encouraging meditation for every Catholic mother. St Anne, pray for us!

Spiritual Bouquet: He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me... And I will love him and manifest Myself to him (St. John 14:21)

Saint Anne, chosen by God to be the mother of Mary, His own Blessed Mother on earth, was the spouse of Saint Joachim. Ancestor of the Eternal King and High Priest, Joachim was of the royal house of David, while Anne was of Levitical descent. Their lives were wholly occupied with prayer and good works. One thing only was wanting to their union — they were childless, and this was held as a bitter misfortune among the Jews. At length, when Anne was well advanced in age, Mary was born, the fruit rather of grace than of nature, and the child more of God than of man. With the birth of Mary the holy matron began a new life; she watched Her every movement with reverent tenderness, and, aware of the little one’s destiny, felt herself hourly sanctified by the presence of her Immaculate Child. But she had vowed her daughter to God; to God the child Mary had already consecrated Herself, and to Him Anne gave Her back. Mary was three years old when Anne and Joachim led Her to the Temple steps, saw Her pass by Herself into the inner sanctuary, and then saw Her no more. Thus was Anne left childless in her old age, and deprived of her purest earthly joy. The holiest parents on earth could not, in the plan of God, raise this Child as was needed: Mary had to suffer from Her earliest years. Saint Anne and Saint Joachim humbly adored the Divine Will, and continued to watch and pray, until God called them to unending rest.

France and Canada possess the principal sanctuaries of Saint Anne: in France, at Apt in Provence, and at Auray in Britanny; in Canada at Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré in the Province of Quebec. At Apt the discovery in 792 of Saint Anne’s relics, brought by Lazarus and his two sisters to France, was wholly miraculous, authenticated by the presence of Charlemagne during the discovery, and the signature of Pope Adrian I on the written account of the facts.

Reflection: Saint Anne is glorious among the Saints, not only as the mother of Mary, but because she gave Mary to God. Learn from her to reverence a religious vocation as the highest privilege, and to sacrifice every natural bond, however holy, at the call of God.

Sources: Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints, a compilation based on Butler’s Lives of the Saints, and other sources by John Gilmary Shea (Benziger Brothers: New York, 1894).

Text after www.magnificat.ca

Beautiful wood carved 'Head of St Anne' - of Tilman workshop Read whole post......

It is good to reflect on the final instructions Our Lord gave to His disciples at the Last Supper. Someone said once the reason Romans persecuted Christians so severely was their inability to understand and accept Christ teaching concerning love of ones enemies, for their philosophy was to hate, to conquer and preferably to kill enemies. Therefore Christianity was considered as dangerous to the Roman Imperial integrity. For men of the world honours, riches and power are most desirable and worthy of every effort and pain. The disciples, acting like typical men of the world were busy distributing among themselves imaginary honours and riches in the promised Kingdom of their Master. How different was to be their future and how they were changed by Christ Death, Resurrection and the descent of the Holy Ghost. How huge is the gap between worldly and spiritual man....

Luke 22:24-30
And there was also a strife amongst them, which of them should seem to be the greater. And he said to them: The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and they that have power over them are called beneficent. But you not so: but he that is the greater among you, let him become as the younger: and he that is the leader, as he that serveth. For which is greater, he that sitteth at table or he that serveth? Is not he that sitteth at table? But I am in the midst of you, as he that serveth. And you are they who have continued with me in my temptations: And I dispose to you, as my Father hath disposed to me, a kingdom; That you may eat and drink at my table, in my kingdom: and may sit upon thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Picture by Duccio di Buoninsegna

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Feast of St Elizabeth of Portugal - Franciscan Tertiary

Prov. 31:10-31.
Who shall find a valiant woman? far, and from the uttermost coasts is the price of her. The heart of her husband trusteth in her, and he shall have no need of spoils. She will render him good, and not evil all the days of her life. She hath sought wool and flax, and hath wrought by the counsel of her hands. She is like the merchant's ship, she bringeth her bread from afar. And she hath risen in the night, and given a prey to her household, and victuals to her maidens. She hath considered a field, and bought it: with the fruit of her hands she hath planted a vineyard. She hath girded her loins with strength, and hath strengthened her arm. She hath tasted, and seen that her traffic is good: her lamp shall not be put out in the night. She hath put out her hand to strong things, and her fingers have taken hold of the spindle. She hath opened her hand to the needy, and stretched out her hands to the poor. She shall not fear for her house in the cold of snow: for all her domestics are clothed with double garments. She hath made for herself clothing of tapestry: fine linen, and purple, is her covering. Her husband is honourable in the gates, when he sitteth among the senators of the land. She made fine linen, and sold it, and delivered a girdle to the Chanaanite. Strength and beauty are her clothing, and she shall laugh in the latter day. She hath opened her mouth to wisdom, and the law of clemency is on her tongue. She hath looked well on the paths of her house, and hath not eaten her bread idle. Her children rose up, and called her blessed: her husband, and he praised her. Many daughters have gathered together riches: thou hast surpassed them all. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: the woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands: and let her works praise her in the gates.

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God is a jealous lover, but in this divine jealousy He is not like the neurotic human being who makes his beloved unhappy by his unlimited demands of attention and service. Divine jealousy is a love that enriches man.

If we were to regard charity as if it were only a purely human love, we might be tempted to think that charity is a love that makes man poor instead of rich. Or we might think that God is a jealous lover who resents the thought or affection that his friends give to anyone or anything else. In one way God is a jealous lover. He wants men to love Him above everything else, even above themselves. But this divine jealousy is not at all like the painful jealousy of the neurotic human being who makes his beloved unhappy by his unlimited demands of attention and service. Human jealousy, when carried to extremes, is a force that impoverishes the object of its affections. The jealous man will rob his wife of her parents, relatives and friends, her children, her work and her hobbies. He wants her to love nothing but himself. But the divine jealousy is a love that enriches man. God asks for man's love through charity not in order to take any good thing away from man but in order to give all good things to man. For through charity man attains God, and in God he finds all good both in this life and in the next. Charity is a share in divine love. But it is the love of God which is the source of all good in this life and in the next. It is love, the divine love, which has created the world and all good things in it. It is God's love which has made man himself and the world in which man is to seek for and find happiness. When a man loves God more than everything else, he finds everything else in God, everything else that can really make him happy.

Picture is by Gustave Dore

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Confession of Peter

Beautiful reading today, Peter confesses Divinity of Christ and Our Lord gives him charge over His flock.

Matthew 16:13-19
And Jesus came into the quarters of Cesarea Philippi:

and he asked his disciples, saying: Whom do men say that the Son of man is? But they said: Some John the Baptist, and other some Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

Jesus saith to them: But whom do you say that I am?

Simon Peter answered and said: Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answering said to him: Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven.

And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.

Pictures credit: Alexander Bida, Vasiliy Polenov, James Tissot and unknown illustrator.


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JESUS APPEARING TO HIS DISCIPLES AT THE SEA OF TYBERIAS - THE SECOND MIRACULOUS DRAUGHT OF FISH

Matt, 28:16; Jn, 21: 1-14

After this the eleven disciples went into Galilee. Jesus shewed Himself again to [them] at the sea of Tiberias. And He shewed Himself after this manner: there were together Simon Peter, and Thomas who is called Didymus, and Nathaniel who was of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples.

Simon Peter saith to them: "I go a fishing." They say to him: "-We also come with thee." And they went forth and entered into the ship: and that night they caught nothing.

But when the morning was come, Jesus stood on the shore: yet the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus therefore said to them: "Children, have you any meat?" They answered: "No." He saith to them: "Cast the net on the right side of the ship; and you shall find."


They cast therefore: and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. That disciples therefore whom Jesus loved said to Peter: "-It is the Lord."

Simon Peter, when he had heard that it was the Lord, girt his coat about him (for he was naked) and cast himself into the sea.

But the other disciples came in the ship (for they were not far from the land, but as it were two hundred cubits) dragging the net with fishes.

As soon as they came to land, they saw hot coals lying, and a fish laid thereon and bread. Jesus saith to them: "-Bring hither of the fishes which you have caught."

Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land, full of great fishes, one hundred fifty three. And although there were so many, the net was not broken.


Jesus saith to them: "Come and dine." And none of them who were at meat, durst ask Him: Who art thou? Knowing that it was the Lord. And Jesus cometh and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish in like manner. This is now the third time that Jesus was manifested to His disciples, after he was risen from the dead.

Fragments of St. Gregory, the Pope, Homily (from RB Matins, Lesson 3).

Again, it may be asked why, when the disciples were labouring on the sea, the Lord appeared, after his resurrection, standing upon the shore, while before his resurrection he had walked upon the waves of the sea in the sight of the disciples. We shall soon see the reason of this, if we consider the inner nature of the case. For what does the sea represent, if not this present world, surging with the tumult of its ever-shifting fortunes, and with the billows of this corruptible life? What is signified by the solidity of the shore, if not the everlasting peace of eternity? Since therefore the disciples were as yet surrounded by the bellows of this mortal life, they were struggling on the sea: but since our Redeemer had now passed beyond the corruption of the flesh after his resurrection he was standing on the shore.

Picture credit to following artists starting from the upper site of the post: Peter Bruegel the Elder, Alexander Bida, unknown, Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld, unknown illustrator of Jerome Nadal's Bible, Alexander Bida, Gustave Dore, James Tissot and unknown artist in Jerome Nadal edition of the Bible.

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Nothing is sweeter than to think well of others. St. Therese of Lisieux

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From Reading for this day, a beautiful reminder what is to be a good Catholic - excellent for daily reflection. This fragment also can be used as a nice petition prayer.

Coloss. 1:9-14

Therefore we also, from the day that we heard it, cease not to pray for you and to beg that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding: That you may walk worthy of God, in all things pleasing; being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God: Strengthened with all might according to the power of his glory, in all patience and longsuffering with joy, Giving thanks to God the Father, who hath made us worthy to be partakers of the lot of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love, In whom we have redemption through his blood, the remission of sins:

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In the reading today, St Paul reminds us how important it is to live lives worthy of Christ and be good example to others in the world. This is very important, for many people convert to Catholic faith being impressed by exemplary charity of good Catholics. Let us remember always the words of Christ from today's Gospel reading as encouragement and warning: "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt lose its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is good for nothing anymore but to be cast out, and to be trodden on by men". St Paul warns us also to resist false teaching and heresy. Very edifying text for daily meditation.

2 Tim 4:1-8

I charge thee, before God and Jesus Christ, who shall judge the living and the dead, by his coming and his kingdom: Preach the word: be instant in season, out of season: reprove, entreat, rebuke in all patience and doctrine. For there shall be a time when they will not endure sound doctrine but, according to their own desires, they will heap to themselves teachers having itching ears: And will indeed turn away their hearing from the truth, but will be turned unto fables. But be thou vigilant, labour in all things, do the work of an evangelist,
fulfil thy ministry. Be sober. For I am even now ready to be sacrificed: and the time of my dissolution is at hand. I have fought a good fight: I have finished my course: I have kept the faith. As to the rest, there is laid up for me a crown of justice which the Lord the just judge will render to me in that day: and not only to me, but to them also that love his coming. Make haste to come to me quickly.

Mt 5:13-19
You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt lose its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is good for nothing anymore but to be cast out, and to be trodden on by men. You are the light of the world. A city seated on a mountain cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but upon a candlestick, that it may shine to all that are in the house. So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Do not think that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets. I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For amen I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot, or one tittle shall not pass of the law, till all be fulfilled. He therefore that shall break one of these least commandments, and shall so teach men shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. But he that shall do and teach, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

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In today's reading we have beautiful and meaningful reminder what does it mean to be a good wife in God's eyes. We can also meditate on the Kingdom of God which is in the hearts of the faithful and on the value of true happiness which is finding God hidden in the soul.


Prov. 31:10-31.
Who shall find a valiant woman? far, and from the uttermost coasts is the price of her. The heart of her husband trusteth in her, and he shall have no need of spoils. She will render him good, and not evil all the days of her life. She hath sought wool and flax, and hath wrought by the counsel of her hands. She is like the merchant's ship, she bringeth her bread from afar. And she hath risen in the night, and given a prey to her household, and victuals to her maidens.
She hath considered a field, and bought it: with the fruit of her hands she hath planted a vineyard. She hath girded her loins with strength, and hath strengthened her arm. She hath tasted, and seen that her traffic is good: her lamp shall not be put out in the night. She hath put out her hand to strong things, and her fingers have taken hold of the spindle. She hath opened her hand to the needy, and stretched out her hands to the poor. She shall not fear for her house in the cold of snow: for all her domestics are clothed with double garments. She hath made for herself clothing of tapestry: fine linen, and purple, is her covering. Her husband is honourable in the gates, when he sitteth among the senators of the land. She made fine linen, and sold it, and delivered a girdle to the Chanaanite. Strength and beauty are her clothing, and she shall laugh in the latter day. She hath opened her mouth to wisdom, and the law of clemency is on her tongue. She hath looked well on the paths of her house, and hath not eaten her bread idle. Her children rose up, and called her blessed: her husband, and he praised her. Many daughters have gathered together riches: thou hast surpassed them all. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: the woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands: and let her works praise her in the gates.

Mt 13:44-52.
The kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hidden in a field. Which a man having found, hid it, and for joy thereof goeth, and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again the kingdom of heaven is like to a merchant seeking good pearls. Who when he had found one pearl of great price, went his way, and sold all that he had, and bought it. Again the kingdom of heaven is like to a net cast into the sea, and gathering together of all kinds of fishes. Which, when it was filled, they drew out, and sitting by the shore, they chose out the good into vessels, but the bad they cast forth. So shall it be at the end of the world. The angels shall go out, and shall separate the wicked from among the just. And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Have ye understood all these things? They say to him: Yes. He said unto them: Therefore every scribe instructed in the kingdom of heaven, is like to a man that is a householder, who bringeth forth out of his treasure new things and old.

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