Wednesday, May 3, 2017
2 Samuel, Chapter
10, Verse 19
When Hadadezer’s vassal kings saw
themselves vanquished by Israel, they made peace with the Israelites and became
their subjects. After this, the Arameans were afraid to give further aid to the Ammonites.
God was with David and
he now defeats the Syrians and the Ammonites. The life of David was that of a
warrior and this was David’s last victory before his fall with Bathsheba and
the murder of Uriah from David’s hand. All life is a battle and sometimes we
fail but like David let us always return to the Lord.
Do
not be afraid of anything that you are going to suffer. Indeed, the devil will
throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will face an
ordeal for ten days. Remain faithful until death, and I will give you the crown
of life. (Rv. 2:10)
Let us build up our
gratitude to the Lord for his saving graces.
“Lord Jesus Christ, you
are the strength or the weak and the confidence of those who trust in you. Be
my secure confidence and my abundant strength! Teach me to understand myself
and to believe in effectiveness of your saving grace. Grant me the courage not
to stop trying and teach me the humility to trust in you when I tend to be
discouraged by my weakness.[1]
PHILIP,
born at Bethsaida, was one of the first followers of Our Lord. After receiving
the Holy Ghost he preached the Gospel in Scythia and Phrygia (Turkey, Syria and
Iran), converting great numbers to the faith, and was finally crucified and
then stoned at Hierapolis, in Phrygia.
Prayer
to St. Philip
O
St. Philip, chosen disciple of the Lord, who brought Nathaniel to Christ, who
most zealously preached thy Lord, Jesus Christ, and out of love to Him
willingly gave thyself to be nailed to the cross, and put to death, obtain, I
beseech thee, for me, and for all men, grace with zeal to bring others to the
practice of good works, to have a great desire after God and His truths, and,
in hope of the eternal blissful contemplation of God, to bear patiently the
adversities and miseries of this life. Amen.
JAMES,
the son of Cleophas, called the Less, and on account of his sanctity surnamed
the Just, and for his kinship with Christ known as His brother, was, with his
brother Judas Thaddeus, chosen an apostle in the second year of Christ’s
ministry. St. James was the first Bishop of Jerusalem. One day, being requested
to preach against Christ, he publicly proclaimed Him to be the Messiah, in Whom
men were bound to believe, at which the Jewish priests became so enraged that
they threw him down from a pinnacle of the temple, cast stones upon him, and
finally killed him outright with a fuller’s rod (tool used in wool making)
Prayer
to St. James
O
St. James, who lived so temperately and strictly, who, like thy master, prayed so
earnestly and constantly for thy tormentors, I beseech thee that thou wouldst
procure us from Jesus grace, after thy example, to live sober and penitential
lives, and to worship God in spirit and in truth. Obtain for us, therefore, the
spirit with which thou didst write thine epistle, that we may follow thy
doctrine, be diligent in good works, and, like thee, love and pray for our
enemies. Amen.
St
James TL / St Philip Facts & Quotes
·
The mother of St James, Mary was either a sister
or a close relative of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and for that reason, according
to Jewish custom, he was sometimes called the brother of Jesus.
·
In the Orthodox Church, St. James is
commemorated on October 22. St. Philip is revered on November 14.
·
The Roman Catholic feast day of St. Philip and
St. James, Apostles, is held May 3. It honors James, traditionally
considered to be the brother of Jesus, and Philip, considered by scripture to
be one of Jesus' earliest disciples (John: 1:43).
·
Philip teaches us ... to let ourselves be won
over by Jesus, to be with him and also to invite others to share in this
indispensable company; and in seeing, finding God, to find true life. - St.
Benedict XVI
St
James TL / St Philip Top Events and Things to Do
·
Read the Epistle of James. This is a
letter that addresses several problems occurring in the early church involving
the rich, lack of humility, and other issues.
·
Read the first chapter of the Gospel of John.
Philip invites others to come and see what Jesus was teaching, a common
theme in the Gospel of John.
·
Bake a pastry in honor of St. Philip since he is
the patron saint of bakers.
·
Say a prayer for the dying in honor of St.
James, who is the patron saint of those living their last days of mortal life.
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