Author name: Sani Militante

Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Gosples & Readings

First Reading Wisdom 1:13-15; 2:23-24

God did not make death,
nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the living.
For he fashioned all things that they might have being;
and the creatures of the world are wholesome,
and there is not a destructive drug among them
nor any domain of the netherworld on earth,
for justice is undying.
For God formed man to be imperishable;
the image of his own nature he made him.
But by the envy of the devil, death entered the world,
and they who belong to his company experience it.

Responsorial Psalm Psalms 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11, 12, 13

R. (2a) I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

I will extol you, O LORD, for you drew me clear
and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.
O LORD, you brought me up from the netherworld;
you preserved me from among those going down into the pit.

R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

Sing praise to the LORD, you his faithful ones,
and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger lasts but a moment;
a lifetime, his good will.
At nightfall, weeping enters in,
but with the dawn, rejoicing.

R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

Hear, O LORD, and have pity on me;
O LORD, be my helper.
You changed my mourning into dancing;
O LORD, my God, forever will I give you thanks.

R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

Second Reading 2 Corinthians 8:7, 9, 13-15

Brothers and sisters:
As you excel in every respect, in faith, discourse,
knowledge, all earnestness, and in the love we have for you,
may you excel in this gracious act also.

For you know the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that though he was rich, for your sake he became poor,
so that by his poverty you might become rich.
Not that others should have relief while you are burdened,
but that as a matter of equality
your abundance at the present time should supply their needs,
so that their abundance may also supply your needs,
that there may be equality.
As it is written:
Whoever had much did not have more,
and whoever had little did not have less.

Alleluia Cf. 2 Timothy 1:10

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Our Savior Jesus Christ destroyed death
and brought life to light through the Gospel.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mark 5:21-43

When Jesus had crossed again in the boat
to the other side,
a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea.
One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward.
Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying,
“My daughter is at the point of death.
Please, come lay your hands on her
that she may get well and live.”
He went off with him,
and a large crowd followed him and pressed upon him.

There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years.
She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors
and had spent all that she had.
Yet she was not helped but only grew worse.
She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd
and touched his cloak.
She said, “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.”
Immediately her flow of blood dried up.
She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.
Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him,
turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who has touched my clothes?”
But his disciples said to Jesus,
“You see how the crowd is pressing upon you,
and yet you ask, ‘Who touched me?'”
And he looked around to see who had done it.
The woman, realizing what had happened to her,
approached in fear and trembling.
She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth.
He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you.
Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.”

While he was still speaking,
people from the synagogue official’s house arrived and said,
“Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?”
Disregarding the message that was reported,
Jesus said to the synagogue official,
“Do not be afraid; just have faith.”
He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside
except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James.
When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official,
he caught sight of a commotion,
people weeping and wailing loudly.
So he went in and said to them,
“Why this commotion and weeping?
The child is not dead but asleep.”
And they ridiculed him.
Then he put them all out.
He took along the child’s father and mother
and those who were with him
and entered the room where the child was.
He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum,”
which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!”
The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around.
At that they were utterly astounded.
He gave strict orders that no one should know this
and said that she should be given something to eat.

Source: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/063024.cfm

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First Martyrs of the Church of Rome

Daily Saints

Died c. 64; Pre-Congregation canonizations

Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus was the fifth Roman Emperor who reigned from 54–68 A.D. He was known to be extravagant, impulsive, tyrannical, violent, and a madman. He murdered his first wife and even his own mother. In the year 64, when Nero was twenty-seven and had been Roman emperor for ten years, a fire broke out in Rome. The fire burned for nine days, destroying most of the city. Many believe that Nero himself had the fire set to make room for a new palace. When people started to question him, he blamed the Christians for the fire. At that time, Christians were a small minority within Rome and were seen as a menace and disruption to the traditional Roman way of life and the traditional Roman gods. Nero then systematically had as many Christians as he could arrested, tried, and murdered in the most brutal ways. One ancient pagan historian from that time named Tacitus recounts it this way:

Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace…Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind. Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired.

Nero offered his gardens for the spectacle, and was exhibiting a show in the circus, while he mingled with the people in the dress of a charioteer or stood aloft on a car. Hence, even for criminals who deserved extreme and exemplary punishment, there arose a feeling of compassion; for it was not, as it seemed, for the public good, but to glut one man’s cruelty, that they were being destroyed.

These first Christian martyrs in the city of Rome are remembered and honored by the Church today. Saints Peter and Paul were among them, but numerous unknown others also gave their lives. Some of them were sewn into the bellies of animals while still alive and then fed to wild dogs to be torn to pieces. Others were coated with wax and lit on fire at night as torches in Nero’s gardens while he entertained guests. Still others were crucified like our Lord. These persecutions went beyond mere execution for a crime. They manifested an evil of the most diabolical nature.

Though these martyrdoms were expected to eliminate Christianity from the Roman Empire, those expectations were never realized. Instead, the courageous witness of these men and women planted and watered the seeds of faith that would continue to grow, blossom, and produce an abundance of good fruit.

For nearly three centuries, the persecution of Christians varied under different Roman Emperors. The most severe persecutions within the empire would occur two centuries later during the reigns of Emperors Decius (249–251) and Diocletian (284–305). It was not until the year 313, when Emperor Constantine the Great legalized Christianity with the Edict of Milan, that imperial persecutions ceased.

Today’s feast is strategically placed just one day after the Church honors Saints Peter and Paul, the two most notable martyrs during this Neronian persecution. By celebrating Saints Peter and Paul first, followed by a feast for every other martyr who died alongside them, the Church invites us to place ourselves not only in the shadow of Saints Peter and Paul, but also to join with these many unknown Christians who shed their blood for their faith. Though the physical shedding of one’s blood for Christ is a rare occurrence today, the depth of resolve Christians must have is the same. Every Christian, of every time and circumstance, must be so completely devoted to Christ that nothing, not even martyrdom, must deter us from our resolve.

As we ponder these unnamed heroes of our faith, prayerfully unite yourself to them. Look to Saints Peter and Paul as your chief inspiration and then resolve to become one of these unnamed witnesses who follow behind them. In Heaven, every sacrifice will be known and will become a cause for the glory of God. For now, many of our sacrifices are hidden and known only to us and to God. Rejoice in your own hidden sacrifices and know that those sacrifices unite you with those whom we honor today.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/june-30—first-martyrs-of-the-church-of-rome/

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Mark 5:41-43

Daily Reflections, Verse

The Faith of Jairus

He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!” The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. At that they were utterly astounded. He gave strict orders that no one should know this and said that she should be given something to eat.

Reflection:

Jairus was the leader of the synagogue in Capernaum. In that position, he would have been pressured to be in opposition to Jesus. But his daughter was ill, and his daughter was more important to him than the opinions of the other religious leaders of the time. So he humbly came to Jesus by himself, fell at Jesus’ feet and pleaded with Him to heal his daughter.

Jairus makes two acts of faith in Jesus. The first was his request that Jesus heal his infirmed daughter. But the second took even more faith. On the journey with Jesus to see his daughter, he received the sorrowful news that his daughter had died. Jesus’ response to this was to turn to Jairus and say, “Do not be afraid; just have faith.” Clearly, Jairus responded to this command of love with faith and trusted that Jesus could even raise his daughter from the dead.

As you ponder the faith of Jairus, consider this interior tension he must have been experiencing. He was tempted by the political and peer pressure of the scribes and Pharisees who opposed Jesus. He was tempted to despair while his daughter’s illness became increasingly worse. And when he heard she had died, he would have been tempted even more to despair when faced with the apparent fact that Jesus was too late. But he didn’t give in to these temptations. He remained in hope and trust.

When Jesus arrived at Jairus’ home, He saw many people who were “weeping and wailing loudly.” When Jesus questioned their acts of despair, He said to them, “The child is not dead but asleep.” But upon hearing this, they ridiculed Him. Clearly, the other people present did not have the hope and the faith that Jairus had. Therefore, it is also helpful to prayerfully meditate upon the contrast of Jairus and the others present.

The story concludes with Jesus raising the girl from the dead. He then told those present to keep this miracle quiet. Jesus did not heal her to gain fame. He did not heal her to prove to the people who were despairing and without faith that they were wrong. Instead, He primarily healed her on account of the faith manifested by the girl’s father.

Finally, Jesus’ divine love shining through His humanity is clearly seen when He says that “she should be given something to eat.” Jesus did not stand there expecting praise from those present. Rather, His loving compassion shone through as He expressed His concern that this little girl must have been hungry. His love led Him to address this minor detail.

Reflect, today, upon how you would have acted were you Jairus. What would you have done in the face of spiritual and moral opposition? Would you have turned to our Lord in trust and confidence? And when all human hope seemed lost, would you have maintained your trust in our Lord? Pray that the faith and hope of Jairus will inspire you, and commit yourself to follow his holy example.

Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2024/06/29/the-faith-of-jairus/

Mark 5:41-43 Read More »

Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles

Daily Saints

Saint Peter: c. 1–c. 64; Patron Saint of Rome, bakers, brickmakers, masons, bridge-builders, butchers, clockmakers, cobblers, fishermen, harvesters, watchmakers, locksmiths, netmakers, the papacy, and the Universal Church Invoked against feet problems, fevers, and frenzy

Saint Paul: c. 3–c. 64 Patron Saint of Rome, evangelists, theologians, musicians, public relations personnel, writers, publishers, and reporters; rope-, saddle-, and tentmakers; Gentiles; Cursillo movement; and Catholic Action Invoked against snakes and hailstorms Pre-Congregation canonizations

According to ancient Roman mythology, in the seventh century BC, King Numitor was forcefully removed from his throne by his brother, Amulius. Amulius then forced Numitor’s daughter, Rhea Silvia, to become a Vestal Virgin so that she would not have children who could later attempt to reclaim the throne. However, one myth relates that Mars, the god of war, impregnated Rhea Silvia, and she bore twin sons Romulus and Remus. Amulius threw them into the river, but they were rescued by a she-wolf. When they grew up, they killed Amulius and restored their grandfather to his throne. They then decided to found a city but disagreed on its location, so Romulus killed Remus and founded a city, calling it Rome, after his own name. After his death, or ascension, he was said to have been deified as the god Quirinus. To this day, one of the seven hills of Rome is named after him, the Quirinal Hill. This ancient myth helped make up the religious beliefs of the people of Rome at the time when today’s saints, Saints Peter and Paul, entered Rome and preached the Gospel, laying down their lives as martyrs.

Myths that explained a city’s founding were important. These myths were often central aspects to the cultural and historical festivities in ancient times. This was especially true in Rome. Therefore, as the early Church began to take root in Rome, rather than dismissing this cultural practice, the early Church Christianized the story of Romulus and Remus by introducing a new festival for the new founders of Rome, Peter and Paul, on June 29.

Simon was born in Bethsaida, near the Sea of Galilee. He was a fisherman by trade, along with his brother Andrew. Matthew’s Gospel records that Simon and Andrew were the first whom Jesus invited to follow Him. After Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist and completed His forty days of prayer and fasting in the desert, He went to the Sea of Galilee, saw Simon and Andrew fishing and called to them saying, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). At that, these two brothers dropped everything and became Jesus’ first disciples. John’s Gospel relates a slightly different timeline, stating that Andrew first followed Jesus and brought Simon to Jesus the next day. When Jesus met Simon, He said, “‘You are Simon the son of John; you will be called Cephas (which is translated Peter)” (John 1:42). Matthew’s Gospel relates that Jesus changed Simon’s name to Peter when He said to him, “I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:18–19).

With his new name and unique spiritual authority in which he held the “keys to the kingdom of heaven,” Peter emerged as the central leader of the Church after Pentecost. He spent about a decade in Jerusalem, preaching powerfully, performing miracles, and converting many. He eventually traveled to Rome where he established the Church there, becoming its first bishop. Around the year 64, he was martyred during the persecutions of Emperor Nero. Tradition states that Peter requested to be crucified upside down because he did not consider himself to be worthy of dying the same way Jesus died. His tomb is located under the main altar of Saint Peter’s Basilica.

Saul was born as a Roman citizen in Tarsus, modern-day Turkey. As a young man, he went to Jerusalem to study at the renowned school of the rabbi Gamaliel. After Jesus’ ascension into Heaven, Saul became one of the fiercest persecutors of the early Church, being partly responsible for the death of the proto-martyr Saint Stephen (Acts 7:58). However, within a few years, as Saul was traveling to Damascus to persecute other Christians, he was knocked to the ground and struck blind. He heard Jesus say to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 9:4). Jesus then directed him to a disciple of the Lord in Damascus named Ananias who baptized Saul. Saul spent about three years in Arabia where he went through an intense time of prayer and study, eventually returning to Damascus and then to Jerusalem where Barnabus introduced him to the other disciples, testifying to the veracity of his conversion.

In Jerusalem, Saul began to use his Roman name, Paul, and then spent approximately the next ten years as a missionary throughout the Mediterranean. Back in Jerusalem, he was imprisoned for a couple of years and then was sent to Rome for trial since he was a Roman citizen. In Rome, he met up with Saint Peter. According to tradition, Paul was beheaded just outside the city of Rome. When his head fell to the ground, it bounced three times, each time giving rise to a spring of water. The place is marked today by the Abbey of the Three Fountains.

Saints Peter and Paul are considered the foundational pillars of the Church. Peter represents the stability of the Church and the office of the Vicar of Christ. Paul represents the mission of evangelization that was entrusted to the Church by Jesus Himself. He was also the Church’s first theologian, which is seen in his numerous letters that expound on the Gospels. Though unlikely, one tradition states that they were both martyred on June 29, in Rome, making them twin martyrs. Their twin martyrdom reminds us that the Church must be both stable and mission-oriented. It must remain grounded in the ancient Truth, yet grow and flower with an ongoing understanding of the mysteries of faith.

As we honor these two pillars of the Church, recall the fact that, though they are great saints, they were also ordinary men called to extraordinary vocations. They responded and God used them in ways they could have never imagined. Ponder your own calling in light of theirs and resolve to lay your life down for the Church, joining yourself to these two men so that God can continue their holy mission through you.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/june-29—saints-peter-and-paul-apostles–solemnity/

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Matthew 16:17-19

Daily Reflections, Verse

Pillars of the Church

“And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Reflection:

Saints Peter and Paul are often referred to as two of the great “Pillars of the Church.” They each played an incredibly essential role in the establishment of the early Church. And though each of their roles was essential and foundational, their roles were as different as they were different as persons.

Peter was a family man, a local fisherman, uneducated and quite ordinary. From what we know about him prior to being called by Jesus, there was nothing that made him uniquely qualified to become one of the pillars of the new Church to be established by the Son of God. Jesus simply called him, and he responded. Jesus got into Peter’s boat, ordered him to lower the nets, and produced a huge catch of fish. When Peter saw this miracle, he fell down at Jesus’ feet and acknowledged that he was “a sinful man” who was unworthy of being in Jesus’ presence (See Luke 5:8). But Jesus informed Peter that he would from now on be catching men. Peter immediately left everything behind and followed Jesus.

Paul describes himself as “a Jew, born at Tarsus in Cili′cia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gama′li-el, educated according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as you all are this day” (Acts 22:3). Paul was well educated in the strictest interpretation of the Jewish law, understood philosophy and was quite zealous as a young man. Recall, also, that prior to becoming a convert to Christianity, he “persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it” (Galatians 1:13). In many ways, Paul would have been seen as the most unlikely person to be chosen to be a pillar of the Church, because he so vigorously opposed it at first. He even supported the killing of Saint Stephen, the first Christian martyr.

Though each of these men would have been considered by many as very unlikely founders of the Christian Church, this is exactly what they became. Paul, after his conversion, traveled far and wide to preach the Gospel, founding several new Churches throughout Asia Minor and Europe. Eventually he was arrested in Jerusalem, brought to Rome for trial and was beheaded. Over half of the New Testament books are attributed to Paul and half of the Acts of the Apostles detail Paul’s missionary journeys. Paul is especially known for his missionary activity to the Gentiles, those who were not Jews.

Peter’s role was truly a unique one. His name was changed from “Simon” to “Peter” by Jesus. Recall Jesus saying, “And I tell you, you are Peter (Petros), and on this rock (petra) I will build my church…(Matthew 16:18). “Peter” in Greek is Petros, meaning a single stone that is movable. However, the Greek word petra means a rock as a solid formation that is fixed, immovable, and enduring. Therefore, Jesus chose to make Peter, this single stone, into a solid foundation of immovable rock on which the Church was to be built.

You, too, have been called by our Lord to a unique mission within the Church that has not been entrusted to another. In your own way, God wants to use you to reach certain people with the Gospel as He did with Saint Paul. And like Saint Peter, God wants to continue to establish His Church upon you and your faith.

Reflect, today, upon these two holy and unique pillars of our Church. As you do, ponder how God may want to use you to continue their mission in this world. Though Saints Peter and Paul are among the greatest and most consequential Christians within our world, their mission must continue, and you are among the instruments that God wants to use. Commit yourself to this mission so that the preaching of the Gospel and the rock foundation of our Church will remain strong within our day and age just as it was of old.

Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2024/06/28/pillars-of-the-church-3/

Matthew 16:17-19 Read More »

Saint Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr

Daily Saints

c. 135–c. 202; Patron Saint of those who work for the unity of the Eastern and Western Churches; Invoked against Christological heresies, and by apologists and catechists; Pre-Congregation canonization; Declared a Doctor of the Church (Doctor of Unity) by Pope Francis in 2022

After Pentecost, the Apostles preached the Gospel and established the Church in numerous cities. Saint John the Apostle is believed to have preached in Ephesus, modern-day Turkey. It was there that Saint Polycarp learned from him about Christ, was ordained a bishop, and was sent to the town of Smyrna, just fifty miles north, to govern the Church for approximately sixty-five years. In Smyrna, a young man named Irenaeus, raised in a Christian family, became Polycarp’s disciple, learning more about the faith from this disciple of the Apostle John. After his ordination as a priest, Irenaeus ministered in modern-day Lyon, France, under Bishop Pothinus.

Around the year 177, the Christian community of Lyon sent Irenaeus to Rome to assist the pope with a theological dispute over a heretical teaching. The teaching, later referred to as Montanism, claimed that certain individuals possessed superior prophetic insights directly inspired by the Holy Spirit. This mission attests to the respect Irenaeus commanded among the Christians of Lyon and his grasp of vital theological concepts. Providentially, the mission to Rome likely spared Irenaeus’s life. While Irenaeus was in Rome, a severe persecution of the Church broke out in Lyon and roughly fifty Christians were martyred, among them Bishop Pothinus. Upon returning to Lyon, Irenaeus was chosen as the next bishop.

As Bishop of Lyon, Irenaeus was a faithful pastor with a profound understanding of the Gospel as communicated from Jesus through the Apostles, and he articulated the faith with great clarity. He was energetic in his evangelization efforts throughout the region, sending missionaries to convert the many citizens who adhered to pagan beliefs. As the faith began to spread, errors concerning the faith started to emerge alongside Apostolic teachings. Although many of the early heretics might have had good intentions, they were not rooted in the pure faith and required correction to ensure the Church stayed on the straight and narrow path towards salvation. Irenaeus was one of the most influential figures in the early Church to guide the newly formed Christian communities down that safe road. He is especially known for two of his surviving writings: “Against Heresies” and “Demonstration of the Apostolic Teaching.” These two works constitute what is considered the very first catechism of the Catholic faith.

The most prevalent heresy in the early Church was what is now known as Gnosticism. Gnosticism is a broad term for many smaller deviations, all sharing similar premises. Generally, Gnosticism claimed that true knowledge was beyond the grasp of the ordinary person, and that the true intellectuals were privileged to possess a secret knowledge or insight necessary for eternal salvation. This secret knowledge was related to human nature, God, and the universe. 

Irenaeus begins his defense of the faith by highlighting the “absurd ideas” of the heretical group called the Valentinians: “They maintain, then, that in the invisible and ineffable heights above there exists a certain perfect, pre-existent Æon, whom they call Proarche, Propator, and Bythus, and describe as being invisible and incomprehensible. Eternal and unbegotten, he remained throughout innumerable cycles of ages in profound serenity and quiescence.” Irenaeus went on to describe the Valentinians’ fantasy-like view that an offspring of one of these Æons, named the Demiurge, foolishly created the universe. The Valentinians identified this Demiurge as the evil god of the Old Testament. Jesus and His Father, by contrast, were good and were attempting to rescue humanity from their physical natures by helping them to obtain full knowledge of this spiritual history so that the enlightened ones could then enter into a purely spiritual realm, shedding the evil of the material world. After exposing the errors of the Valentinians, Irenaeus went on to expose the errors of others who fell into similar Gnostic camps.

Irenaeus’ approach was first to explain the errors by demonstrating the absurdity of the complex and confusing views of the Gnostics, that they employed poor reasoning in their beliefs, borrowed their ideas from other popular stories, and rejected the Rule of Faith handed down through Tradition from the Apostles. He then took a more positive approach by clearly articulating that the life, sufferings, death, and resurrection of Christ were central to human salvation, and that, in the humanity of Christ, we are all saved and made one with Him, being reunited with the Father. This was achieved by carefully expounding on the Scriptures, both the Old and the New Testaments, and showing that the faith handed down from Jesus to the Apostles to the wider Church was comprehensible by all and easily embraced with simplicity and faith.

In a General Audience, Pope Benedict XVI explained it this way: “Irenaeus tells us, there is no secret doctrine concealed in the Church’s common Creed. There is no superior Christianity for intellectuals. The faith publicly confessed by the Church is the common faith of all. This faith alone is apostolic, it is handed down from the Apostles, that is, from Jesus and from God” (March 28, 2007). Thus, this so-called special “knowledge” that the Gnostics claimed to possess was purely fabricated by them, as it did not originate from the Apostles.

It’s hard to overestimate the importance of Irenaeus’ teachings for two main reasons. First, he aided the early Church in navigating through the initial confusion it encountered as new and erroneous ideas emerged. Second, his writings were among the first comprehensive catechetical instructions of the early Church, and those writings enabled numerous others who came after him to build upon what he had taught. Jesus promised the Apostles that the Holy Spirit would lead the Church into all truth. This happens when holy men and women listen to all that is handed down to them, remain faithful to that sacred Tradition, build upon it, and pass it on to others to develop it further. The Gospels were the first and most important foundation for this ongoing process. Irenaeus’ writings came shortly afterwards and remain an important foundation today. In fact, even in the most recent Church council, the Second Vatican Council, Irenaeus was one of the most quoted of the Church Fathers, showing an unbroken succession of faith from the early Church until today. Interestingly, it was not until 2022 that Saint Irenaeus was declared a Doctor of the Church under the title “Doctor of Unity.” This unique title particularly points Catholics of the East and West to the foundations of faith that we share with every other Apostolic Church, such as the Orthodox, with whom reunification is continuously sought.

As we honor this great Doctor of the Church, ponder the fact that your own faith has been believed and lived since the time of Christ. At times, our modern world seeks to undermine this ancient faith by labeling it as “old-fashioned” or “out-of-date.” Nothing could be further from the truth. The Truth that was revealed by Christ and His Apostles is as true today as it was at that time. Seek to immerse yourself in that unchanging yet ever-deepening deposit of faith, and you will discover that your family of faith includes all Christians of every era, making up the one Body of Christ.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/june-28—saint-irenaeus-bishop-and-martyr/

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Matthew 8:1-4

Daily Reflections, Verse

Homage, Reverence, and Respect

When Jesus came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And then a leper approached, did him homage, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.”

Reflection:

To do homage to another is to publicly express reverence and respect. This is what this leper did to Jesus. He “did him homage.” But the leper went even further. He also expressed his certain faith that Jesus could cure him if He wished to do so. And Jesus did desire this. Jesus stretched out His hand to touch the leper and pronounced the words, “I will do it. Be made clean.” And with that, the leper was cleansed.

The first thing to note in this passage is that Jesus “touched” the leper. This was a forbidden practice, since lepers were unclean, and touching them could spread their disease. But Jesus broke the norm and touched the man, revealing to him his innate dignity.

It’s interesting to consider the question: Who paid whom a greater act of homage? Was the act of homage shown by the leper greater? Or the act of touching and cleansing the leper greater? Though we need not compare these two acts, it is helpful to reflect upon the profound fact that Jesus did show a form of homage to this unclean leper.

As was said above, to do homage to another is to publicly express reverence and respect to them. Without a doubt, Jesus did just this. He not only honored the leper by His touch and healing, but He publicly expressed His love and respect for this man through this act.

Of course, the homage we owe to God is unique. It is the homage of worship. We must bow down before Him, surrendering our lives in total abandonment and trust. We must honor Him as God and express our love accordingly. But, in addition to Jesus showing His almighty power by this miracle, He also sets for us an example of how we must treat others. Every person, because they are made in the image and likeness of God, deserves our utmost respect, and they deserve to receive that respect in a public way. We must continually seek to honor and respect others and express that honor and respect for others to see. This is especially difficult when the person we are called to show respect for is considered by others as “unclean.” The leper is only a symbol of the many types of people whom the world considers unclean and unworthy. Criminals, the poor, the confused, the sinner, the homeless, the political opponent and every other person in our world deserves our utmost respect and reverence. Doing so does not justify their sin; rather, it cuts through the surface and looks at their innate dignity.

Reflect, today, upon the act of homage done by this leper to Jesus. And then reflect upon the act of homage Jesus offers this leper by publicly confirming his innate dignity. Who in your life is represented by this leper? Who is “unclean” because of the condition of their life, the sin they commit, or the public stigma they have? Whom is God calling you to reach out and touch with love and respect, for others to see? Seek out the leper in your life and do not be afraid to imitate this holy act of homage exemplified by our Lord.

Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2024/06/27/homage-reverence-and-respect-3/

Matthew 8:1-4 Read More »

Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Bishop and Doctor

Daily Saints

c. 376–444; Patron Saint of Alexandria, Egypt; Invoked against Christological heresies; Pre-Congregation canonization; Declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Leo XIII in 1883

After Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, it is believed that Saint Mark, the Evangelist and Gospel writer, preached in Alexandria, Egypt, thus establishing the Christian faith in that city. Alexandria, founded in 331 BC by Alexander the Great, was situated on the northern edge of Africa, along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. This strategic location rapidly turned it into an important trade center for Egypt, as well as a renowned hub for science, the arts, and learning. In 30 BC, Alexandria became a province of the Roman Empire, a status it would maintain for the next 700 years.

Christianity was legalized in the Roman Empire by Constantine the Great in 313. After that, major centers of Christian learning, such as Rome, Jerusalem, Antioch, Constantinople, and Alexandria became the stage for intense debates and developments in theology. Notably, these debates often revolved around Christ’s divine and human natures, His relationship with the Father and the Holy Spirit, and the appropriate title for the Blessed Virgin Mary. The outcomes of these debates provided the Church with a clear and foundational understanding of faith, which continues to deepen and evolve even today.

The fourth century saw the emergence of the Arian heresy, which taught that the Son was subordinate to the Father and not co-eternal. Saint Athanasius, then Bishop of Alexandria, tirelessly fought this heresy, enduring years of exile as a result. After the defeat of Arianism, other heresies surfaced. Fifty years after Athanasius’ death, Bishop Cyril of Alexandria would battle Nestorianism. 

Cyril was born in the town of Theodosius, about eighty-five miles east of Alexandria. Given its proximity to Alexandria, Theodosius shared in the rich Greco-Roman culture and learning. Its close location to the Nile Delta also meant that farming and fishing were common activities. As a youth, Cyril’s uncle, Theophilus, the Patriarch of Alexandria, ensured that Cyril received an excellent education in theology, philosophy, rhetoric, and science. However, his uncle was a controversial figure in the Church. Less of an intellectual and more of a politician, Theophilus was power-hungry, harsh, often antagonizing Jews and pagans, and was known for stirring up controversy and violence. He was even responsible for deposing Saint John Chrysostom as Patriarch of Constantinople.

Around the year 412, Cyril succeeded his uncle as Patriarch, quickly discovering the challenge of following in his controversial footsteps. After a group of violent monks murdered a prominent pagan philosopher, astronomer, and mathematician, Cyril was blamed, despite his lack of involvement. Being the nephew of Patriarch Theophilus had its drawbacks, and Cyril proceeded in his ministry with caution. He eventually moved out of the shadow of his uncle, establishing himself to be an intelligent and faithful servant of God and His Church. He began to write Scripture commentaries with theological precision, especially when it came to the nature of Christ, addressing the various heresies of the time. Within a decade of being a bishop, Cyril had established the reputation of being a trustworthy and articulate teacher of the faith.

In 428, the emperor appointed Nestorius as Patriarch of Constantinople. Shortly afterward, Patriarch Nestorius assigned a priest from Antioch to preach throughout Constantinople. The priest began challenging the widely accepted notion that Mary was rightly called the Mother of God (Theotokos), suggesting instead she should only be referred to as the Mother of Christ (Christotokos). This proclamation stirred controversy among the faithful in Constantinople, and news quickly spread across the empire, eventually reaching Patriarch Cyril, over 1,000 miles away in Alexandria.

Cyril vehemently disagreed with this new heresy, which later became known as Nestorianism. He began to preach and teach against it among his own people, clarifying that Mary was rightfully termed the Mother of God. He explained that this title was not solely about the Blessed Mother, but also about the essence of Christ. If Mary wasn’t the Mother of God, then Christ’s essence was divided. Nestorianism proposed that Jesus was a divine person somehow united with a distinct human person, and Mary was only the mother of His humanity. Cyril corrected this misinterpretation, emphasizing that there was only one Person in Christ, both human and divine. This made Mary not only the mother of her human Son but also the mother of His personhood, thereby justifying her title as the Mother of God. After teaching his people, Cyril wrote private letters to Nestorius to correct him. Nestorius rejected the correction. Consequently, Cyril broadened his correspondence, involving other bishops, members of the emperor’s court, and the pope in Rome. This pleased the faithful in Constantinople but enraged Nestorius. The pope investigated and authorized Cyril to deal with Nestorius with the pope’s authority.

In 431, the Roman emperor felt the need to intervene and called a Church Council in Ephesus to settle the dispute. Ephesian Christians were known for their devotion to the Mother of God, partly due to the deeply held tradition that Mary had settled in Ephesus later in life with Saint John. Thus, the council’s location signaled the emperor’s opposition to Nestorius. Once many of the bishops from across the empire had gathered, but before Nestorius and his supporters arrived, Cyril opened the council. He took the lead and eloquently articulated his position, which was consistent with the teachings of earlier Church Fathers. The bishops present at the council accepted his explanation and voted to condemn Nestorius. On arrival, Nestorius and his supporters were outraged that the council had proceeded without them. In retaliation, they held their own meeting, voted in opposition, and attempted to depose Cyril. When the emperor heard of this, his representative attempted to resolve the dispute by jailing both Nestorius and Cyril to force an agreement. Eventually, however, the emperor sided with Cyril, due to his popular support among the people. When Nestorius refused to accept this position, he was exiled to the Egyptian desert.

Upon returning to Alexandria, Cyril continued to write and teach. Later generations conferred upon him the titles “Guardian of Exactitude” and “Seal of the Fathers,” for he successfully synthesized the teachings of the Church Fathers who preceded him, applying those teachings to the present disputes. As we honor him today, ponder the significance of precision in your faith. Without precision that is consistent with all that has been taught before us, we risk failing to fully understand Christ. Reflect on your commitment to a deep and clear understanding of God and our faith, and reaffirm your fidelity to the truth.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/june-27—saint-cyril-of-alexandria-bishop-and-doctor/

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Matthew 7:28-29

Daily Reflections, Verse

An Authoritative New Law

When Jesus finished these words, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

Reflection:

These lines conclude the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew’s Gospel chapters 5–7. In that lengthy sermon, Jesus touches on many topics and presents us with a summary of all we need to know in our lives of faith. In these concluding lines of His sermon, the words “astonished” and “authority” should stand out. Why were the crowds astonished at Jesus’ teaching? Because His teaching was new and relied upon a new authority that the people hadn’t experienced before.

The authority with which the scribes taught was based upon their knowledge of the traditions handed down to them from earlier teachers. The scribes studied long and hard and then presented what they had learned. This was the form of religious teaching that the people were used to receiving.

Jesus, however, arrived on the scene and astonished the crowds, because He spoke with a new authority that they had not seen before. Jesus’ authority came forth from His very Person. It was not based upon what He had studied and learned from those who preceded Him. Instead, when He spoke, it was He Himself Who was not only the mouthpiece of the New Law of grace, He was also the Author of the Law and its source.

Try to ponder the idea of authority. For example, a child knows that a parent has authority over them. They may not like it at times, but they understand that they do not set the rules of the house but must abide by the rules set by their parents. Or consider the authority of civil leaders. Law enforcement officers, for example, have an authority entrusted to them by their office. They are not only well versed in the rule of law, they can also enforce it and everyone knows it.

Similarly, Jesus did not just know about the new and glorious truths He taught. He did not simply learn them from the Father in Heaven and then pass them on verbally. Instead, when He taught, He did so as the One Who knew the New Law of grace, the One from Whom it originated, and the one and only Person sent to enact and enforce this New Law.

Reflect, today, upon the New Law of grace and mercy taught by our Lord, especially as it is contained in the lengthy Sermon on the Mount. Reading those words is much more than something we study and learn. The words themselves are alive; they are the Word of God. Reading them makes present to us the same authority that the crowds experienced in Jesus’ time. Everything Jesus taught was and is new, deep, profound, transforming and alive. And when He teaches it, He also establishes His divine authority to enforce it upon the world. This is good news, because His New Law is not an imposition; it is the one and only source of freedom and new life. Reflect upon this New Law of our Lord and pray that you will more fully come under its authority.

Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2024/06/26/an-authoritative-new-law/

Matthew 7:28-29 Read More »

Saint Josemaria Escriva, Priest

Daily Saints

1902–1975; Patron Saint of diabetics; "The earth is our altar, and work is our sacrifice"

When today’s saint was a young priest, he was a rather well-known speaker in Madrid, Spain. Besides being an excellent homilist, he also preached retreats, gave parish missions, and taught classes. A young woman heard that Father Josemaria was scheduled to give some lectures nearby and, in light of his reputation, was eager to hear him. But first she went to one of his Masses. After that, the woman had no interest in hearing him lecture; instead she wanted to discover God’s will for her life. Saint Josemaria’s example of intense devotion and prayerfulness in saying Mass made her rethink her entire vocation. A good priest disappears into his vocation, submerges himself in Christ, and communicates a divine, not a personal, message. He makes people think of God, not him. At Mass the priest is not himself, yet is fully himself. He performs a sacrament because he is a sacrament. The Sacrament of Holy Orders is hidden behind the aspects of a man, the Holy Eucharist under the aspects of bread and wine.

It is the theology of the Church that every sacrament validly performed is efficacious, that it transmits sanctifying grace to the soul. But the fruitfulness of a sacrament for its recipient, either psychologically or spiritually, fluctuates. It can hinge on any number of factors, from the beauty of a Church, the quality of a homily, the sacredness of the music, or the intellectual preparation and ardor of the one receiving the sacrament. A holy, charitable, and educated priest infuses every sacrament he celebrates with a theological meaning that yields spiritual fruit that goes beyond efficaciousness. Saint Josemaria’s writings, preaching, lectures, and talks were so rich, so chock-full of practical purpose and high meaning, that a great international family gathered around him, harvesting from his sustained example and insights an abundant banquet for their spiritual table.

Josemaria Escriva was born in a small town in rural Spain. He attended diocesan seminaries in the nearby city of Zaragoza and was ordained a priest in 1925. In 1928, he experienced a vision which spurred him to found Opus Dei, an institution that quickly spread to all the major Christian countries. Opus Dei consists primarily of married lay men and women, while some members are unmarried and consecrated celibates. A few members are priests.  After two thousand years of Catholic spirituality, it might be asked what new insight warranted the foundation of a new Church institution? It is a sign of the Church’s theological and spiritual fecundity that Saint Josemaria did offer a new, innovative approach to living as a disciple of Christ nineteen hundred years after Christ returned to the Father.

In a homily from 1967, Josemaria states his spirituality in clear terms: “…God is calling you to serve Him ‘in and from’ the ordinary, material, and secular activities of human life. He waits for us every day in the laboratory, in the operating room, in the army barracks, in the university, in the factory, in the workshop, in the fields, in the home and in the immense panorama of work. Understand this well: there is something holy, something divine hidden in the most ordinary situations, and it is up to each one of you to discover it.”

In other words, there is no need for a serious lay Catholic to abandon his work and routine, his family life, or his everyday relationships to fulfill God’s will. God is found in and through ordinary life. Cardinal Albino Luciani, later Pope John Paul I, perceptively noted that Saint Josemaria was not teaching a ‘spirituality for lay people,’ as Francis de Sales taught, but a ‘lay spirituality.’ It is not a question of praying the rosary while sweeping the floor, or contemplating scripture while driving. It is about “materializing” holiness by converting ordinary, well-done work into a sacrifice and prayer to God. Ordinary work, then, is not just the context, but the raw material, for lay holiness. All jobs are important. Daily life is not a distraction from God’s will for us. Daily life is God’s will for us. When we get to work, we get to God.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/june-26—josemara-escriv-priest—optional-memorial/

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Contact us

Location:

1235 S.Magnolia Ave. Anaheim, CA 92804-5115

Contact #

 (657) 208-2038

Email:

 [email protected]

Ways to Donate

Using Zelle

Add San Jose Filipino Ministry as a new recipient, Send your donation using"[email protected]"

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Payable to - San Jose Filipino Ministry 
Address - 1235 S Magnolia Ave
Anaheim, CA 92804-5115 

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