Wednesday, August 24th, 2022

FEAST OF SAINT BARTHOLOMEW

Acts, Chapter 5, verse 10-11

¹⁰At once, she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men entered they found her dead, so they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. ¹¹ And great FEAR came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.

Many years ago, there used to be a TV commercial the used the expression, “Don’t mess with mother nature,” for if you do bad things will happen. Others might call it Karma. In Luke’s “Acts” we see that the leadership of the early church produced growth naturally.

Growth: Seven Signs of Leadership[1]

1. Purity-the leaders didn’t settle for anything less than integrity.

2. Power-the leaders modeled an attractive, supernatural power that met human needs.

3. Persecution-opposition served to strengthen the leaders and their convictions.

4. Proclamation-the leaders eagerly communicated their message.

5. Priorities-the leaders clearly laid out their top priority, which made decisions easier.

6. Praise-in the midst adversity, leaders maintained an attitude of gratitude and praised God for everything.

7. Perseverance-the leaders kept right on influencing others, living a life of conviction, not caution.

Feast of Saint Bartholomew[2]

BARTHOLOMEW, of Cana, in Galilee, is probably that Nathaniel WHO was brought to Christ by Philip (John i. 45). Chosen an apostle, he journeyed to India, preached the gospel everywhere, and converted great numbers to Christ. Returning thence, he came, after many labors and sufferings for Christ’s sake, to Greater Armenia, where he converted a great multitude of persons to the faith. At last, he was cruelly tormented, flayed alive, and then beheaded by Astyages, brother to the king, at the instigation of the idolatrous priests.

Prayer. Almighty, everlasting God, Who hast granted us a venerable and holy joy on this day, in the festival of Thy blessed apostle Bartholomew, grant to Thy Church, we beseech Thee, both to love what he believed and to preach what he taught. Amen.

EPISTLE, i. Cor. xii. 27-31.

Brethren: You are the body of Christ, and members of member. And God indeed hath set some in the Church, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly doctors, after that miracles, then the graces of healings, helps, governments, kinds of tongues, interpretations of speeches. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all doctors? Are all workers of miracles? Have all the grace of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But be zealous for the better gifts.

GOSPEL. Luke vi. 12-19.

At that time: Jesus went out into a mountain to pray, and He passed the whole night in the prayer of God. And when day was come, He called unto Him His disciples; and He chose twelve of them (whom also He named apostles): Simon whom He surnamed Peter, and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alpheus, and Simon who is called Zelotes, and Jude the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot who was the traitor. And coming down with them, He stood in a plain place, and the company of His disciples, and a very great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and the seacoast both of Tyre and Sidon, who were come to hear Him, and to be healed of their diseases. And they that were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all the multitude sought to touch Him, for virtue went out from Him, and healed all.

Prayer.

O St. Bartholomew, who out of love to Christ didst not only part with thy goods, but didst also endure the most cruel death, pray God for me, a vain child of this world, that for love to my Savior I may readily and joyfully renounce everything earthly and temporal, crucify my flesh, and become thereby worthy to follow thee in heaven. Amen.

St Bart[3]

The Feast of St. Bartholomew commemorates the life of Jesus' disciple Bartholomew. It is observed in both the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches. St. Bartholomew is thought to have been from Galilee and was probably one of Jesus' first followers. Traditionally, Bartholomew is believed to have been a Jewish law scholar who was a close friend with the apostle Philip. He is credited with converting many to Christianity, in particular in Armenia as well as parts of India and Asia Minor.

St Bartholomew Facts

· Bartholomew is simply just listed by name in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke as well as in Acts. He is not mentioned in the Gospel of John, but some theologians believe that he is referred to by the name Nathaniel. Most of the information the church has about Bartholomew/Nathaniel is based on early sermons and writings.

· In the Gospel of John, Bartholomew (known as Nathaniel) is identified as being from Galilee. He was one of Jesus' first disciples.

· Bartholomew is thought to have been martyred in Armenia. His skin was flayed from his body while he was still alive.

· St. Bartholomew is the patron saint of Armenia because early church writers placed him there spreading the gospel.

· Bartholomew is celebrated in the Orthodox Church on June 30. In the Roman Catholic tradition, his feast day is August 24.

St Bartholomew Top Events and Things to Do

· Travel to Rome and visit St Bartholomew's relics. They are thought to be entombed in the basilica, St Bartholomew on the Island (in Rome, Italy).

· Visit the Sistine Chapel at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome or look at its images online. St. Bartholomew appears in Michelangelo's "The Last Judgment" with his skin flayed.

· Gingerbread is a food associated with the St Bartholomew. Bake some gingerbread men on his feast day.

More Things to Do[4]

· In Sandwich, Kent, England, there is a St Bartholomew's Bun Race. The Bartlemas Bun Race for children takes place around the chapel of St. Bartholomew's Hospital on this feast day. Each participant receives a currant bun, while the attendants are each given a St Bart's Biscuit, which has an imprint of the hospital's ancient seal.

· St. Bartholomew's relics are in Rome, in the Church of St. Bartholomew-on-the-Tiber, or San Bartolomeo all'Isola (translated as: St. Bartholomew's on the Island). This site provides some pictures this church.

· Read the Life of St. Bartholomew from The Golden Legend.

· Since gingerbread is one food associated with this saint, read this short history of gingerbread.

· In England St. Bartholomew's day was a harvest feast for shepherds and farmers, celebrating their flocks. Athletic contests before feasting with England's favorite meat: grilled juicy mutton. This feast falls during the grilling season, so why not serve something from the barbecue.

Catechism of the Catholic Church

PART TWO: THE CELEBRATION OF THE CHRISTIAN MYSTERY

SECTION TWO-THE SEVEN SACRAMENTS OF THE CHURCH

Article 4-THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE AND RECONCILIATION

X. Indulgences

1471 The doctrine and practice of indulgences in the Church are closely linked to the effects of the sacrament of Penance.

What is an indulgence?

"An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints."
"An indulgence is partial or plenary according as it removes either part or all of the temporal punishment due to sin." Indulgences may be applied to the living or the dead.

The punishments of sin

1472 To understand this doctrine and practice of the Church, it is necessary to understand that sin has a double consequence. Grave sin deprives us of communion with God and therefore makes us incapable of eternal life, the privation of which is called the "eternal punishment" of sin. On the other hand every sin, even venial, entails an unhealthy attachment to creatures, which must be purified either here on earth, or after death in the state called Purgatory. This purification frees one from what is called the "temporal punishment" of sin. These two punishments must not be conceived of as a kind of vengeance inflicted by God from without, but as following from the very nature of sin. A conversion which proceeds from a fervent charity can attain the complete purification of the sinner in such a way that no punishment would remain.

1473 The forgiveness of sin and restoration of communion with God entail the remission of the eternal punishment of sin, but temporal punishment of sin remains. While patiently bearing sufferings and trials of all kinds and, when the day comes, serenely facing death, the Christian must strive to accept this temporal punishment of sin as a grace. He should strive by works of mercy and charity, as well as by prayer and the various practices of penance, to put off completely the "old man" and to put on the "new man."

In the Communion of Saints

1474 The Christian who seeks to purify himself of his sin and to become holy with the help of God's grace is not alone. "The life of each of God's children is joined in Christ and through Christ in a wonderful way to the life of all the other Christian brethren in the supernatural unity of the Mystical Body of Christ, as in a single mystical person."

1475 In the communion of saints, "a perennial link of charity exists between the faithful who have already reached their heavenly home, those who are expiating their sins in purgatory and those who are still pilgrims on earth. between them there is, too, an abundant exchange of all good things." In this wonderful exchange, the holiness of one profits others, well beyond the harm that the sin of one could cause others. Thus recourse to the communion of saints lets the contrite sinner be more promptly and efficaciously purified of the punishments for sin.

1476 We also call these spiritual goods of the communion of saints the Church's treasury, which is "not the sum total of the material goods which have accumulated during the course of the centuries. On the contrary the 'treasury of the Church' is the infinite value, which can never be exhausted, which Christ's merits have before God. They were offered so that the whole of mankind could be set free from sin and attain communion with the Father. In Christ, the Redeemer himself, the satisfactions and merits of his Redemption exist and find their effficacy."

1477 "This treasury includes as well the prayers and good works of the Blessed Virgin Mary. They are truly immense, unfathomable, and even pristine in their value before God. In the treasury, too, are the prayers and good works of all the saints, all those who have followed in the footsteps of Christ the Lord and by his grace have made their lives holy and carried out the mission the Father entrusted to them. In this way they attained their own salvation and at the same time cooperated in saving their brothers in the unity of the Mystical Body."

Obtaining indulgence from God through the Church

1478 An indulgence is obtained through the Church who, by virtue of the power of binding and loosing granted her by Christ Jesus, intervenes in favor of individual Christians and opens for them the treasury of the merits of Christ and the saints to obtain from the Father of mercies the remission of the temporal punishments due for their sins. Thus the Church does not want simply to come to the aid of these Christians, but also to spur them to works of devotion, penance, and charity.

1479 Since the faithful departed now being purified are also members of the same communion of saints, one way we can help them is to obtain indulgences for them, so that the temporal punishments due for their sins may be remitted.

Every Wednesday is Dedicated to St. Joseph

The Italian culture has always had a close association with St. Joseph perhaps you could make Wednesdays centered around Jesus’s Papa. Plan an Italian dinner of pizza or spaghetti after attending Mass as most parishes have a Wednesday evening Mass. You could even do carry out to help restaurants. If you are adventurous, you could do the Universal Man Plan: St. Joseph style. Make the evening a family night perhaps it could be a game night. Whatever you do make the day special.

· Devotion to the 7 Joys and Sorrows of St. Joseph

· Do the St. Joseph Universal Man Plan.

· Total Consecration to St. Joseph Day 9