Sani Militante – Page 8 – Catholic | San Jose Filipino Ministry

Twenty-eight Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading Wisdom 7:7-11

   I prayed, and prudence was given me;
       I pleaded, and the spirit of wisdom came to me.
   I preferred her to scepter and throne,
   and deemed riches nothing in comparison with her,
       nor did I liken any priceless gem to her;
   because all gold, in view of her, is a little sand,
       and before her, silver is to be accounted mire.
   Beyond health and comeliness I loved her,
   and I chose to have her rather than the light,
       because the splendor of her never yields to sleep.
   Yet all good things together came to me in her company,
       and countless riches at her hands.

Responsorial Psalm Psalms 90:12-13, 14-15, 16-17

R. (14)   Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!
Teach us to number our days aright,
   that we may gain wisdom of heart.
Return, O LORD! How long?
   Have pity on your servants!
R. Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!
Fill us at daybreak with your kindness,
   that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.
Make us glad, for the days when you afflicted us,
   for the years when we saw evil.
R. Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!
Let your work be seen by your servants
   and your glory by their children;
and may the gracious care of the LORD our God be ours;
   prosper the work of our hands for us!
   Prosper the work of our hands!
R. Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!

Second Reading Hebrews 4:12-13

Brothers and sisters:
Indeed the word of God is living and effective,
sharper than any two-edged sword,
penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow,
and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.
No creature is concealed from him,
but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him
to whom we must render an account.

Alleluia Matthew 5:3

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mark 10:17-30

As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up,
knelt down before him, and asked him,
“Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good?
No one is good but God alone.
You know the commandments: You shall not kill;
you shall not commit adultery;
you shall not steal;
you shall not bear false witness;
you shall not defraud;
honor your father and your mother.”
He replied and said to him,
“Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.”
Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him,
“You are lacking in one thing.
Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor
and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”
At that statement his face fell,
and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

Jesus looked around and said to his disciples,
“How hard it is for those who have wealth
to enter the kingdom of God!”
The disciples were amazed at his words.
So Jesus again said to them in reply,
“Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!
It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle
than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves,
“Then who can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said,
“For human beings it is impossible, but not for God.
All things are possible for God.”
Peter began to say to him,
“We have given up everything and followed you.”
Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you,
there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters
or mother or father or children or lands
for my sake and for the sake of the gospel
who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age:
houses and brothers and sisters
and mothers and children and lands,
with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come.”

Source: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101324.cfm

Twenty-eight Sunday in Ordinary Time Read More »

Saint Hedwig, Religious

Daily Saints

1174–1243; Patron Saint of brides, widows, duchesses, those whose children have died, and difficult marriages; Invoked against jealousy; Canonized by Pope Clement IV on March 26, 1267

Hedwig of Andechs, later known as Hedwig of Silesia, was born at Andechs Castle in the Duchy of Bavaria within the Holy Roman Empire, in what is modern-day Germany. She was the daughter of Berthold IV, Count of Andechs and later Duke of Merania and Margrave of Istria and Carniola, and his wife, Agnes. Hedwig had at least six siblings who led influential lives: Ekbert became the Bishop of Bamberg; Berthold became the Archbishop of Kalocsa and Patriarch of Aquileia; Otto I became Duke of Merania and Margrave of Istria and Carniola; Agnes became Queen of France; Matilda became the abbess of the Benedictine Abbey of Kitzingen; and Gertrude became Queen of Hungary. Gertrude’s daughter and Hedwig’s niece was Saint Elizabeth of Hungary.

Raised by noble and faith-filled parents, Hedwig received a cultured and pious upbringing, along with an excellent education. Her early education might have taken place at the Benedictine Abbey of Kitzingen, where her sister would later become abbess. The Catholic faith was central to her family’s life, making her devout from a young age. Around the age of twelve, Hedwig married Henry I the Bearded, Duke of Silesia, thereby becoming the Duchess of Silesia. Their marriage was a political arrangement to form an alliance between two powerful ruling families. Silesia, in modern-day Poland, was almost 500 miles from Hedwig’s hometown of Andechs, which is in modern-day Germany.

Duke Henry and Duchess Hedwig were both deeply faithful. They had at least seven children together, four of whom survived to adulthood. Understanding well that the Church and state needed to be united, they used their authority and wealth primarily for advancing the Gospel, particularly through charitable works. They not only governed their lands effectively but also built hospitals and monasteries, lived out their Catholic faith, cared for the poor, led a life of daily prayer, and centered their primary mission around sharing the love of Christ with everyone.

After their seventh child was born, Henry and Hedwig took mutual vows of chastity in the presence of the local bishop to more fully devote themselves to the service of the Church. Hedwig moved close to a convent they had founded in Trebnitz, in present-day Wrocław, Poland. Hedwig’s faith and charity continued to blossom. She engaged in severe penances, cared for the poor, visited prisoners, and even washed the feet of lepers on Holy Thursday. She attended Mass daily and took joy in supplying bread and wine for the Eucharist. One of her greatest joys was caring for monasteries, including supplying them with food and clothing.

In 1238, when Hedwig was sixty-four, her husband Henry died. Her son, Henry II the Pious, succeeded his father as Duke of Silesia. Hedwig chose to spend her later years in greater solitude at the monastery in Trebnitz where her daughter was abbess. She did not take formal vows but lived as a lay sister, giving her the freedom to continue her abundant charitable works.

Hedwig died five years after her husband and was buried next to him in the Cistercian monastery of Trzebnica. She was canonized twenty-four years after her death. During the canonization ceremony, it is said that Pope Clement IV called upon her intercession for the cure of a blind girl, and the cure was immediate.

As we honor this holy woman, we are reminded that earthly wealth and power do not have to be obstacles to a deep love of God. Saint Hedwig shows us that our greatest temptations can also be the things that draw us closer to God if used rightly. As Jesus said, “Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:24). Saint Hedwig is among those who were both rich and powerful, yet entered through that eye of the needle and achieved great holiness. Ponder your own temptations in life. You might not have power or wealth to tempt you, but whatever it is, God can use every good thing and every cross we carry as a means of greater holiness. Allow Saint Hedwig to inspire you by her example.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/october-17–st-hedwige/

Saint Hedwig, Religious Read More »

Mark 10:24-27

Daily Reflections, Verse

Exceedingly Astonished

“Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “For human beings it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God.”

Reflection:

Have you ever been “exceedingly astonished” by the demands of the Christian life? Hopefully you have been. And if you have been, hopefully you are no longer. Being exceedingly astonished is one of many purifications we must go through in order to enter the Kingdom of God.

The “eye of a needle” is a reference to one of the gates in the wall surrounding the city of Jerusalem. After dark, the gate would be closed and the only way to enter was through a small door in the center of that gate. A person could pass through by ducking down, but a camel could not enter unless it got down on the ground and literally crawled through. This took much effort and direction from the master of that camel, but it was possible.

The point of this story is to emphasize that we will not be able to easily stroll into Heaven. In this case, Jesus was speaking about how easy it is for a person with money to become so attached to that money that they fail to obtain the riches of Heaven. The rich young man, to whom Jesus was just speaking, went away sad because Jesus lovingly invited him to detach from his earthly wealth so as to obtain the riches of Heaven. Jesus said to him, “Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” To that, the rich young man went away sad.

Greed and an all-consuming attachment to material wealth clearly have the potential to destroy your soul. That’s a fact. There is no way around it. But this teaching applies to every other form of attachment also. When we are attached to any sin to a serious degree and refuse to separate ourselves from that sin, we will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, if love of God does not motivate us to turn from sin, perhaps fear of hell will.

When the disciples witnessed this rich young man preferring his wealth over Heaven, and then Jesus standing His ground and making it clear that it is very hard to make it to Heaven, their astonishment would have challenged them personally. But that is good. It is good because it reveals that they were also convicted of their own unholy attachments and their astonishment arose from a holy fear within. As they saw the rich young man walk away, they would have thought about those things that they also held onto that needed to be purged from their lives. “Astonishment” in this case is the holy realization that they needed to change. The good news, however, is that when a person does change and becomes freed from the attachments that keep them from God, then they will no longer have any attachment that will lead them to be astonished at God’s demands. The ultimate goal is to overcome the astonishment caused by the demands of discipleship so that conformity to these demands becomes a way of life.

Reflect, today, upon anything that our Lord has taught that is difficult for you to face. Is there any commandment that you tend to ignore? Any teaching that you attempt to rationalize? Any demand that appears to you to be too much? If you are to enter the eye of the needle, you must be wholeheartedly committed. Jesus will not shy away from demanding a total surrender of your life to Him. Reflect upon those attachments that you continue to hold onto and try to see Jesus speaking to you about those attachments as He spoke to this rich young man. Overcome all astonishment and make unwavering submission to the will of God your way of life. This is the only way to enter the gates of the Kingdom of God.

Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2024/10/12/exceedingly-astonished/

Mark 10:24-27 Read More »

Saint John Henry Newman

Daily Saints

1801–1890; Patron Saint of Newman Centers; Canonized by Pope Francis on October 13, 2019

John Henry Newman, born in London, England, was the eldest of three sons and had three sisters. His father was a banker, and his mother’s family were engravers and papermakers. His early education was given by his Anglican mother who was descended from French Calvinist Huguenots. As a child, he became well versed in the Bible, although his religious convictions were not definitive. At the age of seven, he was sent to Great Ealing School, a boarding school considered to be the best private school in England at that time. John was a serious student who loved to read, devouring everything from Arabian tales to philosophical and theological works. He especially loved stories that sparked his imagination.

When John Henry was fifteen, during his final year at Ealing, he went through a profound conversion. Of that conversion, he later wrote, “I fell under the influences of a definite creed, and received into my intellect impressions of dogma, which, through God’s mercy, have never been effaced or obscured” (Apologia #3). His conversion came through reading Evangelical books in which he came to a personal conviction about eternal glory. That year he continued to read and was introduced to Saint Augustine and other Church Fathers, though most of his reading was in Evangelical theology. His reading even led him to conclude that the “Pope was the Antichrist predicted by Daniel, St. Paul, and St. John.” Finally, he sensed that his life mission would require him to remain celibate, perhaps so he could be a missionary or for some other reason.

After his personal conversion, John Henry continued his studies at Trinity College, Oxford. Because he struggled, he graduated without distinctions. Desiring to continue with his intellectual pursuits, he began working as a private tutor and preparing for a fellowship at Oriel College, Oxford, which he received in 1822 at the age of twenty-one. In 1824, he was ordained an Anglican deacon and became a priest in 1825. After his Anglican ordination, he became curate of Saint Clement’s Church, Oxford. As curate, he assisted the parish priest with various pastoral duties, which gave him time to reflect upon his theological concepts within the context of real life with real people. His time as a curate won him much respect, and in 1828, he was appointed Vicar of the University Church of Saint Mary the Virgin, Oxford. He remained in this position until 1843.

In the early 1830s, some leaders within the Church of England were growing increasingly concerned about what appeared to be a laxity of faith among the Anglican community, as well as state interference in the Anglican Church. On July 14, 1833, an Anglican priest named John Keble preached a sermon at the University of Oxford that caught the interest of a number of Anglican leaders, including John Henry Newman. This sermon sparked what became known as the Oxford Movement. Over the next several years, John Henry and others began to write and publish “Tracts for the Times.” These tracts were a series of pamphlets that defended Anglican apostolic succession and argued for a return to the liturgical traditions with a renewed interest in the Church Fathers. Little by little, however, his writings appeared to sound more like Catholic teaching than Anglican. Though this caused controversy, John Henry continued to develop his doctrinal convictions.

It was Newman’s study and articulation of the teachings of the Church Fathers that had the biggest impact upon him. In 1842, he retired from his positions at Oxford and retreated to Littlemore, where he spent the next few years living a quasi-monastic life of prayer, study, and writing. After a thorough study of the Church Fathers and the development of the doctrines he deeply believed in, he was convinced that the Roman Catholic Church was the Church instituted by Christ. Despite the shock and disapproval of those close to him, on October 9, 1845, he was received into the Catholic Church in a small ceremony at Littlemore by Blessed Dominic Barberi. He then traveled to Rome for further studies, was ordained a Catholic priest in 1847, and returned to Birmingham, England, to form the Birmingham Oratory of St. Philip Neri in 1848.

In the years that followed, Father Newman helped found the Catholic University of Ireland and published the Apologia Pro Vita Sua, a theological defense of his personal conversion. He also published several other works, including The Idea of a University, in which he especially articulates the purpose of a university. He argued that a university was not just to teach useful knowledge but to cultivate the mind in its pursuit of knowledge, ultimately arriving at “a great and firm belief in the sovereignty of Truth.” It is for this reason that Catholic chaplaincies at colleges are called Newman Centers.

Before his death, Father Newman received two important honors. In 1877, he was given an honorary fellowship at Trinity College as a way of reconciling him with Oxford and his former colleagues. An even greater honor came in 1879 when Pope Leo XIII made him a cardinal, despite the fact that he was not a bishop.

Saint John Henry Newman could have lived a comfortable life as an Anglican priest and scholar. However, he chose to follow the convictions of faith that God planted in his mind and heart.

As we honor Saint John Henry Newman, ponder his process of personal discovery and conversion. We all need ongoing conversion and transformation. Allow Saint John Henry Newman’s courage to inspire you to always seek out the fullness of the truth and go wherever it leads you.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/saint-john-henry-newman/

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Luke 11:27-28

Daily Reflections, Verse

Living a Truly Blessed Life

While Jesus was speaking, a woman from the crowd called out and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.” He replied, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”

Reflection:

This short Gospel reading reveals much about what makes one “blessed” in life. Specifically, Jesus considers those truly blessed who do two things: “hear the word of God” and then “observe it.” Though this seems quite obvious at first read, it is often harder than it seems.

The first step to a blessed life is hearing the Word of God. To “hear” implies that we do much more than become familiar with the Gospels. Hearing means we are not only aware of all that our Lord has revealed, it also means that we have truly internalized it, understanding all that our Lord requires of us.

Have you heard our Lord? It’s important to understand that the Gospel is alive. In other words, becoming familiar with the Word of God is not the same as reading some ancient book of lessons. Rather, hearing the Word of God means we hear a Person: the Son of God, speaking to us and guiding us each step of our lives. God’s Word is something that must speak to us every moment of every day, inspiring us to do this and avoid that. It is accomplished through a lifelong habit of prayerful communion with our Lord through which we are attentive to His voice always.

Hearing the very Person of the Son of God, the Word made flesh, necessarily implies that we also observe all that He speaks to us. In fact, failure to follow His continuous and gentle command to love will result in us being unable to clearly hear Him at all. We will become confused and will easily become directed by the many other voices in our world, unable to discern the glorious path chosen for us by our Lord.

Reflect, today, upon whether or not you struggle in any way with both hearing and observing the voice of God. If this is your struggle, then recommit yourself to a time of humble and wholehearted discovery. Tell our Lord that you are sorry for not being attentive to Him and set yourself on a mission to seek and find Him. Reject the confusion and anxiety of life, reject the many other voices of “wisdom” within our world, and listen for His gentle but clear voice. He is always speaking. He is always calling you. He is always present. Open the eyes of your soul and give Him your full attention. And when you sense Him speaking to you, respond with the utmost generosity and obedience. Doing so will result in you discovering what it means to be truly blessed by our Lord.

Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2024/10/11/living-a-truly-blessed-life-3/

Luke 11:27-28 Read More »

Saint John XXIII, Pope

Daily Saints

1881–1963; Patron Saint of papal delegates; Canonized by Pope Francis on April 27, 2014

Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli was born in Sotto il Monte, a small village in the province of Bergamo, Italy. He came from a materially poor but spiritually rich family of tenant farmers who worked in vineyards and cornfields and who tended cattle. He was the fourth of thirteen children. As a child, he received an excellent education from his parish priest. He was confirmed at the age of eight and received his First Holy Communion a month and a half later. At the age of eleven, he began his eight years at a high school seminary in Bergamo. During this time, he also became a member of the Secular Franciscans. When he was fourteen, he began keeping a journal that he kept throughout his life and which was published after his death. One journal entry at the age of eighteen reflected, “And you, O God…opened my eyes to this light which sheds its radiance around me, you created me. So you are my Master and I am your creature. I am nothing without you, and through you I am all that I am. I can do nothing without you; indeed, if at every moment you did not support me I should slip back whence I came, into nothingness.”

At the age of nineteen, given Angelo’s strong potential for higher studies and priestly ordination, he received a scholarship to study at the Apollinaris Seminary in Rome. Shortly after Angelo arrived in Rome, his brother was drafted into military service. Because his brother was needed at home, Angelo volunteered to take his place and served for one year. After returning to Rome, he completed his studies for the priesthood, earning a doctorate in theology. He was ordained a priest on August 10, 1904, and completed studies in canon law the following year.

In 1905, Father Roncalli was appointed as the secretary to the Bishop of Bergamo and assigned to teach history and patrology in the Bergamo seminary. He served in these roles for the next ten years, assisting the bishop in numerous ways. He participated in a diocesan synod, helped edit the diocesan journal, La Vita Diocesana, assisted with pilgrimages, and engaged in various social works, about which his bishop was passionate. In 1910, he received the additional assignment of the pastoral care of the Catholic Action movement that sought to involve the laity in timely social needs within the Church and wider community. After ten years as a priest, he wrote in his journal, “My dominant thought, in my joy of having accomplished ten years as a priest, is this: I do not belong to myself, or to others; I belong to my Lord, for life and death. The dignity of the priesthood, the ten years full of graces which he has heaped upon me, such a poor, humble creature—all this convinces me that I must crush the self and devote all my energies to nothing else but work for the Kingdom of Jesus in the minds and hearts of men.”

In 1915, the year after the start of World War I, Father Roncalli was drafted into the Italian army, first as a medic, then as a chaplain for soldiers. Upon completing his service in 1918, he returned to Bergamo where he opened a hostel for students, taught in the seminary, and became a chaplain and spiritual director.

In 1921, Father Roncalli’s life moved from service of his local church to the universal church. Pope Benedict XV called him to Rome and appointed him as the President for Italy of the central council of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith. In that role, he made many pastoral visits to the Italian dioceses, where he helped to organize missionary activity. In 1925, he was named a bishop by Pope Pius XI and assigned as the Apostolic Visitor to Bulgaria. He chose as his episcopal motto, Oboedientia et Pax (Obedience and Peace), which summarized his ministry for the rest of his life.

After nine years of service in Bulgaria, Bishop Roncalli was appointed as Apostolic Delegate in Turkey and Greece, where he not only cared for the Catholics but also entered into ongoing dialogue with Muslims and Eastern Orthodox. During World War II, he became especially concerned for the welfare of Jews and, according to some estimates, personally assisted several thousand Jews in escaping the Holocaust by providing them with forged baptismal certificates and visas in order to help get them to Palestine. Years later, his actions were honored by the State of Israel when, in 2011, he was posthumously awarded the honor “Righteous Among the Nations.”

In 1944, several months after France was liberated from Nazi Germany, Bishop Roncalli was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to France by Pope Pius XII, where he assisted with the liberated prisoners of war and helped France rebuild after four years of occupation. His love of priestly ministry shone forth during this time as he worked to inspire the faithful and help them renew their faith after an excruciating period of national suffering. He remained in France for nine years, was named a cardinal in 1953, and subsequently made Patriarch of Venice, a traditionally prestigious position in the Church. At the age of seventy-one, Cardinal Roncalli threw himself into the pastoral ministry in Venice, where he planned to spend the rest of his life.

When Pope Pius XII died in 1958, Cardinal Roncalli was among the cardinal-electors. To his surprise and that of many, the seventy-seven-year-old Cardinal Roncalli was elected pope and took the name of his father, Giovanni, making him Pope Giovanni (John) XXIII. He soon became known as the “good pope” because of his humble, kind, and active papacy. His pastoral heart led him to visit the sick and imprisoned, his diplomatic background enabled him to see the world as his family, and his courage led him to make profound changes within the Church and world.

During the four and a half years he served as pope, John XXIII issued eight encyclicals. Among them, two stand out. Mater et magistra (Mother and Teacher) addressed the Church’s role in social progress amidst a time of rapid technological change and increasing social and economic inequality. Pacem in terris (Peace on Earth) dealt with human dignity, rights, and responsibilities of all peoples and nations to seek peace and harmony. He also convened the first Synod of the Diocese of Rome and began a revision of the Code of Canon Law.

The greatest surprise during his papacy came just three months after he was elected when, on January 25, 1959, while making a pastoral visit to the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, he announced the twenty-third Ecumenical Council, which came to be known as Vatican II. In 1962, he wrote in his journal, “After three years of preparation, certainly laborious but also joyful and serene, we are now on the slopes of the sacred mountain. May the Lord give us strength to bring everything to a successful conclusion!” Though Pope John XXIII died before the conclusion of the Council, his courageous and pastoral heart is to be credited for the inspiration and instigation of the process that changed the Church in ways never seen before. Though some have criticized some aspects of the aftermath of Vatican II, this pastoral council, initiated by a pastoral pope, has transformed the Church in profound ways. Pope John XXIII was canonized in 2014 by Pope Francis, on the same day that Pope John Paul II was canonized. Many have suggested that their shared canonization prophetically illustrates that Saint John XXIII initiated the Council and Saint John Paul II definitively implemented it.

As we honor this holy pastor of the universal Church, ponder the amazing fact that God could use a poor, humble, and simple man in such a profound way. As a divine institution, God always has and always will guide the Church through the Vicar of Christ. Sinful and weak though even popes are, God’s grace suffices where human weakness is present. Pray for the pope today, and know that he is God’s gift to the Church in our day and age.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/october-11—st-john-xxiii-pope/

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Luke 11:23

Daily Reflections, Verse

Overcoming "Neutrality"

“Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”

Reflection:

These words are embedded within several powerful teachings of Jesus, but, in many ways, this single sentence can stand alone as an important Christian truth. Specifically, it tells us that we cannot be neutral in our position regarding Jesus and all that He has taught us. This is an important message in the world today.

Today, there seems to be a growing secular value that we might call “neutrality.” We are told by many in the world that we must accept any morality, any lifestyle, any choice that others make. And though it is true that we must always love and accept every person and treat them with the utmost dignity and respect, it is not true that we should be neutral to the choices and secular values that some choose to live and express. Sadly, when we do speak the full truth, especially the many moral truths our Lord has revealed, we are often labeled as judgmental. But this is not the truth.

This quote above from today’s Gospel makes it clear that we cannot remain indifferent to the teachings of our Lord and still remain in His good graces. In fact, Jesus makes it clear that the opposite is true. He says that if we are not with Him, meaning, if we do not accept all that He has revealed, then we are, in fact, against Him. Being neutral on matters of faith and morality is not actually being neutral at all. It’s a choice that some make that has the clear effect of separating them from Jesus.

For example, regarding matters of faith, if someone were to say, “I do not believe in the Eucharist,” then they are, in fact, rejecting God. And though it is not our duty to be their judge, it is our duty to acknowledge that they have expressed a belief contrary to the truth. They are in error, and if they persist in this error, then they do separate themselves from God. That’s what Jesus is saying.

The same is true regarding morality. There are many examples in the moral life that are becoming more and more blatant in their opposition to our Lord’s teaching. Thus, we must remind ourselves that when we reject a moral teaching given to us by our Lord, we reject Jesus Himself.

Jesus goes even further when He says that “whoever does not gather with me scatters.” In other words, it’s not enough to simply personally believe all that Jesus taught, we must also teach it to others. If we do not and if we, instead, offer a false form of “acceptance” of another’s error, then we are actually working against Jesus. We all have a moral duty to actively promote the truths of the Gospel given to us by our Lord.

Reflect, today, upon how fully you are “with” our Lord and “gather” with Him. Do you fully accept all that He has taught and also seek to gather many others for the Kingdom of God? If you do not see yourself actively believing in and participating in the mission of our Lord, then heed these words of Jesus and allow them to gently but firmly challenge you, so that you will more fully work to build up God’s Kingdom in your own heart and in the world all around you.

Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2024/10/10/overcoming-neutrality-3/

Luke 11:23 Read More »

Saint John Leonardi, Priest

Daily Saints

1541–1609; Patron Saint of pharmacists; Canonized by Pope Pius XI on April 17, 1938

The early sixteenth century saw the beginning of the Protestant Reformation, which resulted in religious and political chaos in northern Europe. Following the revolt of Martin Luther and others, the Catholic Church took a good look at itself and began a thorough process of internal reform. The foundation for this reform was laid by the Council of Trent during the years 1545–1563. Additionally, the Holy Spirit sparked a spiritual renewal of piety and personal devotion among the faithful, as well as the formation of several new religious orders, such as the Jesuits, Oratorians, Ursulines, Theatines, Barnabites, Somaschi Fathers, and the Discalced Carmelites. Among the newly formed religious orders was the Clerks Regular of the Mother of God, founded by today’s saint, Saint John Leonardi.

Giovanni (John) Leonardi was born into a middle-class family in the small town of Diecimo, Republic of Lucca, modern-day Italy. When John was four, the Council of Trent held its first session, and when he turned twenty-two, it held its last. Around the age of seventeen, John began studying to become a pharmacist, a well-respected occupation at that time. After ten years of study, he became certified and worked as a pharmacist’s assistant for the next few years. However, the work of providing medicine for the body soon deepened a desire he had held for years—the mission of providing spiritual medicine for the soul as a priest. After a few years of theological preparation, John was ordained a priest in 1572 at the age of thirty-one.

At the heart of Father Leonardi’s personal convictions was a desire to enter into a personal relationship with Christ. He not only lived this conviction, he also promoted it within his priestly ministry. After he was ordained, he served in his local parish in Lucca where he worked with youth and visited the sick and imprisoned. His devotion to Christ and desire for personal and ecclesiastical reform drew a group of young men whom he spiritually directed and formed in the faith. By 1574, the community of young men led to the formation of a group that would later evolve into a new diocesan congregation called the Clerks Regular of the Mother of God of Lucca. They rented the church of Santa Maria della Rosa, where a community life took shape.

Because the Council of Trent had recently concluded, mandating various reforms, a newly inspired religious order might seem like a good way to help implement those reforms. Indeed, it was! However, Father Leonardi and his companions soon discovered that not everyone in Lucca was ready for reform, and some saw the formation of this new congregation as a threat. Therefore, other religious and even civil authorities began to oppose it. Opposition became so fierce that Father John spent much of the rest of his life in exile from Lucca, by mandate of the local government. Change and internal Church reform are difficult. Father John pressed on, however, and eventually gained wider support, including support from the local bishop and the pope.

In 1583, the new congregation was canonically established by the Bishop of Lucca with the approval of Pope Gregory XIII. They were not yet a formal religious order, so they only took simple vows. They were, however, encouraged in their mission and worked to implement the reforms of the Council of Trent, including forming the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine within Lucca, just as many other saintly reformers had been doing in other dioceses.

Over the next two and a half decades, bishops, cardinals, and popes called upon Father Leonardi to assist with the reform of the Church, including other religious orders. Most of his later years were spent in Rome, due to ongoing opposition in Lucca. In Rome, he worked with the future Saint Philip Neri, founded a seminary for the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, and promoted Forty Hours Devotion and frequent Communion. In 1606, a serious plague ravaged Rome, and Father John contracted it while ministering to the sick. He remained sickly for the next few years, dying in 1609. In 1621, Pope Gregory XV elevated the Clerks Regular of the Mother of God of Lucca to the status of a religious order, enabling them to take formal vows. The congregation continues its good work today.

Saint John Leonardi was inspired by the Holy Spirit to assist in the reform of the Church and to foster a deeply personal relationship with Christ, especially through adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, frequent Communion, and good catechesis. It often happens that the work the Holy Spirit inspires in one person is then opposed by those who do not listen to the promptings of that same Spirit. The life of Saint John Leonardi displays a prime example of this conflict. His perseverance throughout lends more credence to his holiness and divine mission.

As we honor this religious founder and confessor, ponder the fact that God’s will is not always embraced by the world with open arms. Therefore, when we act as instruments of God’s will and Truth, others will not always embrace us. This opposition can, at times, lead to discouragement. As you ponder Saint John’s life today, allow his fidelity and perseverance in the face of persecution to inspire you to press on with the mission God has given to you. Reject discouragement, pray for courage, and seek to implement God’s will in your life.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/october-9—saint-john-leonardi/

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Luke 11:5-6

Daily Reflections, Verse

Praying with Fervor and Detachment

Jesus said to his disciples: “Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him…’”

Reflection:

Unless your friend were truly a very close friend, you may hesitate in waking them and their family at midnight to ask to borrow some food. And even if it were a very close friend, you would probably hesitate for fear of disturbing them. But in this parable, the “friend” is God. Jesus just finished giving His disciples the “Our Father” prayer, and now He adds this parable as a way of expressing the great confidence and determination with which we must pray to the Father. The parable concludes by stating that even if the person in bed does not get up to meet the request, they will do so “because of his persistence.” And though God always is attentive to our prayer, our persistence is an essential quality we must have.

When we pray to God with persistence, never doubting the goodness and generosity of God, God will pour forth upon us everything that is good. Of course, if our prayer is for something that is selfish or not in accord with the will of God, then all the begging in the world will not be effective. But when we pray as the “Our Father” prayer teaches us, then we can be certain that our fidelity to that prayer, prayed with the utmost trust and persistence, will effect the good gifts of the will of God in our lives.

One of the seven petitions of the “Our Father” prayer is “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” This is a truly beautiful petition that requires not only ongoing persistence but also detachment from our preference in life. To pray that “God’s” will be done and that “His” Kingdom come is a way of also saying that you surrender all of your preferences to God. You come to God acknowledging that your will may not be God’s will. Thus, this petition expresses detachment in a powerful way.

Reflect, today, upon the importance of praying with the utmost fervor and persistence to God. Reflect, also, upon the importance of doing so with detachment. What does God want of you? What is His holy will for your life? Seek that will and that will alone with all your heart and you will discover that His will truly will come to be in your life.

Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2024/10/09/praying-with-fervor-and-detachment-3/

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Saint Denis, Bishop and Companions, Martyrs

Daily Saints

Third Century; Patron Saint of France, Paris, and possessed people; Invoked against frenzy, headaches, hydrophobia, rabies, and strife; Pre-Congregation canonization

Saint Denis, whose Latin name is Dionysius, was most likely a Roman citizen who was born within the Roman Empire, possibly modern-day Italy. Nothing certain is known about his early life, and the mixture of fact and legend about his later life and martyrdom comes from at least the sixth century. He is believed to have been martyred sometime in the middle- to late-third century. Most sources suggest that he was martyred during the reign of Emperor Decius, who ruled from 249 to 251 and initiated a widespread persecution of Christians. Others suggest that his martyrdom might have been during the reign of Valerian, who ruled from 253 to 260 and also persecuted Christians. Still others suggest a later date.

Pope Fabian served as pope from 236–250. As a layman and a farmer, he was an unlikely candidate for the papacy. However, he had traveled to Rome to attend the election of the new pope in 236, and, during the debate, a dove miraculously landed upon him. Everyone present believed this to be a divine sign, and he was immediately chosen by popular consent to be the new Vicar of Christ.

During his pontificate, Pope Fabian was deeply committed to evangelization. The sixth-century historian, Gregory of Tours, writes that Pope Fabian sent out seven bishops to evangelize seven cities in modern-day France: Tours, Arles, Narbonne, Toulouse, Paris, Clermont, and Limoges. Bishop Denis was sent to Lutetia (modern-day Paris) and made bishop of that territory. He brought with him two companions: a priest named Rusticus and a deacon named Eleutherius. Upon arrival, they took up residence in the heart of Lutetia on an island in the Seine River.

On that island, Bishop Denis and his companions built a church and began to celebrate the Sacred Liturgy. They preached the Gospel to the inhabitants and won over many converts to the faith. Not all approved of their success. The pagan priests, or druids, became envious and began to revolt. The druids practiced a mixture of Celtic and Roman polytheistic religions that promoted the worship of various gods and goddesses in natural settings, such as forests, rivers, and hilltops. Rituals often involved offerings of food, drink, or valuable objects to appease the gods and to seek favors. As a result of the druids’ envy, they stirred up the people who feared that if they did not put an end to this new religion, their gods and goddesses would be angered.

The uproar led to the arrest and imprisonment of Bishop Denis, the priest Rusticus, and the deacon Eleutherius. While in prison, the men suffered many tortures in an attempt to get them to renounce their faith, but they remained strong. Finally, all three were beheaded on the highest hill in Lutetia, which would have been a druid holy place. Gregory of Tours writes it this way, “Blessed Dionysius, the bishop of the Parisians, after suffering various punishments for the name of Christ, ended his present life by the imminent sword.”

Two stories have emerged regarding the aftermath of Denis’ death. One pious legend states that after he was beheaded, he remained alive, picked up his head, and walked several miles to the cemetery in which he wanted to be buried. Along the way, as he walked carrying his head, he preached the Gospel and expressed his unwavering forgiveness of his persecutors.

Another story relates that after the three were beheaded, their bodies were thrown into the Seine River, but a pious woman named Catalla found their bodies and buried them in a nearby cemetery. A chapel was later built over their tombs. Regardless of which story is true, the spot quickly became a place of pilgrimage as Christianity spread in the fourth and fifth centuries. In 469, through the efforts of Saint Geneviève, a larger chapel was erected on the spot, and, over the centuries to come, the church was rebuilt and expanded. Today, the spot is marked by the Basilica of Saint-Denis, located in the northern suburbs of Paris. It became such an important place of pilgrimage and devotion over the centuries that kings, queens, and other royalty chose it as their burial place. For that reason, it is known as the “royal necropolis of France” because almost every French king and queen from the sixth to the nineteenth centuries is buried there, as well as other members of the royal family.

Saint Denis and his companions were early clerics, missionaries, and martyrs. Though they had a powerful effect upon the people of their time, their more profound effect came afterwards as faithful Christians were inspired by their witness and enthralled by their stories. Regardless of whether some details of their martyrdom are more legend than fact, their stories are inspirational. Though most historians deny the historicity of Saint Denis carrying his head, God is All-Powerful and could easily perform such a miracle. The greater miracle, however, is the witness they gave and the forgiveness this legend conveys.

As we honor Saint Denis and his companions, ponder the depth of your own faith and how willing you are to go, so as to embrace martyrdom rather than sin. Ponder, also, whether you are willing to forgive anyone and everyone who has sinned against you. These are the central messages of Saint Denis’ legend. Allow those messages to penetrate your own soul.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/october-9—st-denis-and-companions/

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Author name: Sani Militante

First Reading Wisdom 7:7-11

Responsorial Psalm Psalms 90:12-13, 14-15, 16-17

Second Reading Hebrews 4:12-13

Alleluia Matthew 5:3

Gospel Mark 10:17-30

1174–1243; Patron Saint of brides, widows, duchesses, those whose children have died, and difficult marriages; Invoked against jealousy; Canonized by Pope Clement IV on March 26, 1267

Exceedingly Astonished

1801–1890; Patron Saint of Newman Centers; Canonized by Pope Francis on October 13, 2019

Living a Truly Blessed Life

1881–1963; Patron Saint of papal delegates; Canonized by Pope Francis on April 27, 2014

Overcoming "Neutrality"

1541–1609; Patron Saint of pharmacists; Canonized by Pope Pius XI on April 17, 1938

Praying with Fervor and Detachment

Third Century; Patron Saint of France, Paris, and possessed people; Invoked against frenzy, headaches, hydrophobia, rabies, and strife; Pre-Congregation canonization

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