Sunday, July 23, 2023
Parents' Day[1]
Parents’ Day celebrates
and recognizes the important role of
responsible parenting in everyday family life. Families are a fundamental human
institution; they are bonded by unconditional love and commitment. Parents' Day
was established in 1994 and the National Parents’ Day Coalition was developed
to support Parents’ Day by annually selecting ‘Parents’ of the Year’ at local,
national and state levels. The Coalition also provides educational
programs for parents and aims to promote the stability of family by encouraging
fidelity between husbands and wives, as well as abstinence in young people
prior to marriage. In addition to The National Parents’ Day Coalition,
other organizations use Parents’ Day to promote the traditional two parent
nuclear family model. Parents' Day is held annually on the fourth Sunday in
July.
Parents' Day Facts & Quotes
·
In 2015, 3.3 million unmarried or cohabiting
couples in America had children under the age of 18. This is in
comparison to 1.2 million cohabiting couples with children in 1996. In 1960,
73% of U.S. children lived in a traditional home with two married heterosexual
parents in their first marriage. By 1980, this figure had dropped to 61%.
By 2013, 46% of children lived in a traditional home.
·
All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel
mother. — Abraham Lincoln.
·
By the time a man realizes that maybe his father
was right, he usually has a son who thinks he's wrong. — Charles Wadsworth,
Classical Pianist
Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
ST. BRIDGET OF SWEDEN
Romans,
Chapter 8, verse 14-15
14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into FEAR, but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, “Abba, Father!”
By the sacrifice of Christ, we are the adopted children of God, who feared
none, and by whose sufferings and glory we share; by reason of the Holy Spirits
presence within us. We are thus giving a new life and relationship with God.
World
Day for Grandparents and the Elderly[1]
The
Apostolic Penitentiary, in order to increase the devotion of the faithful and
for the salvation of souls, by virtue of the faculties attributed to it by the
Supreme Pontiff Pope Francis by Divine Providence on the occasion of the World
Day of Grandparents and the Elderly the Supreme Pontiff graciously grants the
Plenary Indulgence, under the usual conditions (sacramental confession,
Eucharistic communion and prayer according to the intentions of the Supreme
Pontiff) to grandparents, the elderly and all the faithful who, motivated by a
true spirit of penance and charity, will participate on 23 July 2023, on the
occasion of the Third World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly, in the solemn
celebration that the Most Holy Father Francis will preside over in the Vatican
Papal Basilica or at the various functions that will be held throughout the
world, who may also apply it as suffrage for the souls in Purgatory.
See
the Decree here
Plenary
Indulgence,
A plenary indulgence (with the usual requirements) can be gained by visiting,
in presence or virtually, through the media, the elderly in need or in
difficulty.
Also,
those elderly who are sick elderly or housebound for serious reason, can also
gain a plenary indulgence when they "unite spiritually with the sacred
services of the World Day, offering to the Merciful God their prayers, and the
pains and sufferings of their lives, especially while the words of the Supreme
Pontiff and the various celebrations are broadcast through the media.”
ON KEEPING
THE LORD'S DAY HOLY[2]
CHAPTER III
DIES ECCLESIAE
The Eucharistic Assembly:
Heart of Sunday
From Mass to "mission"
45. Receiving the Bread of Life, the
disciples of Christ ready themselves to undertake with the strength of the
Risen Lord and his Spirit the tasks which await them in their ordinary life.
For the faithful who have understood the meaning of what they have done, the
Eucharistic celebration does not stop at the church door. Like the first
witnesses of the Resurrection, Christians who gather each Sunday to experience
and proclaim the presence of the Risen Lord are called to evangelize and
bear witness in their daily lives. Given this, the Prayer after Communion
and the Concluding Rite — the Final Blessing and the Dismissal — need to be
better valued and appreciated, so that all who have shared in the Eucharist may
come to a deeper sense of the responsibility which is entrusted to them. Once
the assembly disperses, Christ's disciples return to their everyday
surroundings with the commitment to make their whole life a gift, a spiritual
sacrifice pleasing to God (cf. Rom 12:1). They feel indebted to their
brothers and sisters because of what they have received in the celebration, not
unlike the disciples of Emmaus who, once they had recognized the Risen Christ
"in the breaking of the bread" (cf. Lk 24:30-32), felt the
need to return immediately to share with their brothers and sisters the joy of
meeting the Lord (cf. Lk 24:33-35).
Eighth Sunday after Pentecost[3]
The importance of intelligent foresight and the fascinating passage on "the mammon of iniquity" (Lk. 16.9).
IN the Introit of the Mass the Church praises God, whose mercy and justice extend to the ends of the world. “We have received Thy mercy, O God, in the midst of Thy temple. According to Thy name, O God, so also is Thy praise unto the ends of the earth; Thy right hand is full of justice. Great is the Lord and exceedingly to be praised, in the city of our God, in His holy mountain”. (Ps. xlvii. 11, 1).
Prayer. Grant us, we beseech Thee, O Lord, at all times, the spirit of thinking and doing what is right, that we, who cannot exist without Thee, may be able to live according to Thy will.
EPISTLE. Rom. viii. 12-17.
Brethren,
we are debtors not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you
live according to the flesh, you shall die but if by the spirit you mortify the
deeds of the flesh, you shall live. For whosoever are led by the Spirit of God,
they are the sons of God. For you have not received the spirit of bondage again
in fear, but you have received the spirit of adoption of sons, whereby we cry
Abba (Father). For the Spirit Himself giveth testimony to our spirit, that we
are the sons of God. And if sons, heirs also: heirs indeed of God, and joint
heirs with Christ.
“The works of the flesh are,” according to St. Paul, “fornication, uncleanness, immodesty, luxury, idolatry, witchcrafts, enmities, contentions, emulations, wraths, quarrels, dissensions, sects, envies, murders, drunkenness, reviling’s, and such like” (Gal. v. 19, 20). Those who practice such vices are not children of God, and will inherit, not heaven, but eternal death. Examine yourself, therefore, whether you are not living according to the flesh, and for the future resist sinful desires with God’s assistance, and you will gain a crown in heaven.
Aspiration. Grant me, Lord, Thy spirit, that I may always remember the happiness of Thy kingdom, may mortify the lusts of the flesh, and may walk as Thy child in holy chastity.
Luke xvi. 1-9.
At that time Jesus spoke to His disciples this parable: There was a certain rich man who had a steward: and the same was accused unto him, that he had wasted his goods. And he called him, and said to him: How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship: for now, thou canst be steward no longer. And the steward said within himself: What shall I do, because my lord taketh away from me the steward ship? To dig I am not able, to beg I am ashamed. I know what I will do, that when I shall be removed from the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. Therefore, calling together every one of his lord’s debtors, he said to the first: How much dost thou owe my lord? But he said: A hundred barrels of oil. And he said to him: Take thy bill and sit down quickly, and write fifty. Then he said to another: And how much dost thou owe? Who said: An hundred quarters of wheat. He said to him: Take thy bill and write eighty. And the lord commended the unjust steward, forasmuch as he had done wisely: for the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light. And I say to you: Make unto you friends of the mammon of iniquity, that when you shall fail they may receive you into everlasting dwellings.
Who are meant by the rich man and his steward?
By the rich man is meant God; by the steward, man. The goods untrusted to the steward are the different goods and gifts of soul and body, of nature and of grace.
Why did Christ use this parable?
To teach us that God requires of every man a strict account of whatever has been given to him, to encourage us to be liberal to the poor, and to warn us against dissipation and injustice.
How are we to understand the direction “to make unto us friends of the mammon of iniquity”?
Riches are called the mammon of iniquity because they so easily lead us to injustice, avarice, excess, and dissipation. Jesus intended to say that we should, according to our ability, employ in doing good those worldly goods which so easily carry us into sin. But He is not to be understood as saying that we should steal, or cheat, or use goods otherwise unjustly obtained, to give alms.
What friends are we thus to make?
The friends are the good works which render us pleasing to God, and open to us heaven; the poor, the saints of God; the angels, who rejoice in our benevolence, and become our intercessors; and finally Christ, Who regards what is given to the poor as so much given to Himself (Matt. xxv. 40). “The hands of the poor” says St. Chrysostom, “are the hands of Christ” through them we send our goods to heaven beforehand, and through their intercession we obtain the grace of salvation.
Aspiration. Grant me, O most just God and Judge, grace so to use the goods entrusted to me on earth, that with them I may make my self-friends to receive me, at the end of my life, into everlasting habitations.
INSTRUCTION ON CALUMNY
Is
calumny a grievous sin?
When the occasion is important, and the slander is deliberately uttered, with evil intention, when one’s neighbor is thereby grievously injured, and his good name damaged, everyone may see how grievous and detestable, in such a case, this sin is. (Hmm…Fake News?)
Is it sinful to disclose the faults of our neighbor?
To make public the faults and sins of our neighbor uselessly, merely for the entertainment of idle persons, is always sinful. But if, after trying in vain to correct his faults and sins by brotherly admonition, we make them known to his parents or superiors, for his punishment and amendment, so far from being a sin, it is rather a good work and a duty of Christian charity.
Is it a sin also to listen willingly to calumny?
Yes; for thereby we furnish the calumniator an occasion for sin and give him encouragement. For which reason St. Bernard says: “Whether to calumniate be a greater sin than to listen to the calumniator I will not lightly decide.”
What ought to restrain us from calumny? The thought,
1,
of the enormity of this sin;
2,
of the number of sins occasioned thereby of which the calumniator, as the
occasion of them, becomes partaker;
3,
of the difficulty of correcting the harm done, since we cannot know the full
extent of the injury, nor stop the tongues of people. Finally, we must
think on the eternal punishment which follows this sin. The holy Fathers say
that of young persons who are condemned the greater part is for impurity, but
of the old, for calumny.
St. Bridget of Sweden[4]
Bridget was born in Sweden of noble and pious parents and led a most holy life. While she was yet unborn, her mother was saved from shipwreck for her sake. At ten years of age, Bridget heard a sermon on the Passion of our Lord; and the next night she saw Jesus on the cross, covered with fresh blood, and speaking to her about his Passion. Thenceforward meditation on that subject affected her to such a degree, that she could never think of our Lord's sufferings without tears. She was given in marriage to Ulfo prince of Nericia; and won him, by example and persuasion, to a life of piety. She devoted herself with maternal love to the education of her children. She was most zealous in serving the poor, especially the sick; and set apart a house for their reception, where she would often wash and kiss their feet. Together with her husband, she went on pilgrimage to Compostela, to visit the tomb of the apostle St. James. On their return journey, Ulfo fell dangerously ill at Arras; but St. Dionysius, appearing to Bridget at night, foretold the restoration of her husband's health, and other future events. Ulfo became a Cistercian monk but died soon afterwards. Whereupon Bridget, having heard the voice of Christ calling her in a dream, embraced a more austere manner of life. Many secrets were then revealed to her by God. She founded the monastery of Vadstena under the rule of our Savior, which was given her by our Lord himself. At his command, she went to Rome, where she kindled the love of God in very many hearts. She made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem; but on her return to Rome she was attacked by fever and suffered severely from sickness during a whole year. On the day she had foretold, she passed to heaven, laden with merits. Her body was translated to her monastery of Vadstena; and becoming illustrious for miracles, she was enrolled among the saints by Boniface IX. Excerpted from the Liturgical Year, Abbot Gueranger O.S.B
Things to
do
·
From
the Catholic Culture Library, two articles by Pope John Paul II — St. Bridget: A Unique Model of
Feminine Holiness,
Three Co-Patronesses of Europe and Saint Birgitta.
·
St.
Bridget was a member of the Franciscan Third Order. If you have never
considered joining one of the Church's order's for lay people today might be a
good time to think about it. Learn more about becoming a secular
Franciscan.
·
You
may want to purchase a copy of which contains excerpts from her revelations.
·
You
might like to read about St. Birgitta
of Sweden's Influence in Finland.
·
The
Birgittine Order now has thirteen monasteries of contemplative nuns and a
congregation of contemplative-apostolic sisters whose motherhouse is in Rome,
in the actual former dwelling of St. Birgitta. For information about the
sisters here are some websites: About the Birgittine Nuns in
Vadstena, Birgittine Sisters and About the Brigittine sisters
·
The
Brigittine Monks existed from the 14th to the middle of the 19th century, when
they were dispersed, largely due to European wars. (In 1970, a Brigittine Monk,
Richard Reynolds, martyr, was declared a saint.) This monastery, the 1st in
over 100 years, was founded in 1976 and has the Canonical status of a Priory
“Sui Juris.” If you want to know about the monks visit Brigittine Monks of the Order of the Most Holy Savior.
·
Read
about the saints of the
Brigittine order
and more about Bl. Elizabeth Hesselblad who refounded the order.
·
The
Catholic Encyclopedia has this to say about the Brigittines.
·
You
may want to buy some delicious
fudge made by the
monks or purchase a Brigittine
Rosary.
Novena
of St. Ann[5]
Daily Prayer to Saint Ann
O
glorious St. Ann, you are filled with compassion for those who invoke you and
with love for those who suffer! Heavily burdened with the weight of my
troubles, I cast myself at your feet and humbly beg of you to take the present intention
which I recommend to you in your special care.
Please recommend it to your daughter, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and place it
before the throne of Jesus, so that He may bring it to a happy issue. Continue
to intercede for me until my request is granted. But, above all, obtain for me
the grace one day to see my God face to face, and with you and Mary and all the
saints to praise and bless Him for all eternity. Amen.
Our Father, . . . Hail Mary . . .
O Jesus, Holy Mary, St. Ann, help me now and at
the hour of my death. Good St. Ann, intercede for me.
SEVENTH DAY
Once again, Good St. Ann, I choose you for my
advocate before the throne of God. By the power and grace that God has placed
in you, extend to me your helping hand. Renew my mind and my heart.
Dear St. Ann, I have unbounded confidence in
your prayers. To your blessed hands I entrust my soul, my body and all my hopes
for this world and the next. Direct my actions according to your goodness and
wisdom. I place myself under your motherly care. Receive me, good mother. Cover
me with the mantle of your love. Look kindly on me. By your powerful
intercession, may I obtain from God grace and mercy. Obtain for me remission
for sin and release from the punishment my offenses have deserved. Pray that I
may receive grace to lead a devout life on earth and that I may obtain the
everlasting reward of heaven.
Catechism of the Catholic Church
PART ONE: THE PROFESSION
OF FAITH
SECTION
TWO-I. THE CREEDS
CHAPTER THREE-I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
ARTICLE 8-"I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT"
I. The Joint Mission of the
Son and the Spirit
689 The One whom the Father has
sent into our hearts, the Spirit of his Son, is truly God. Consubstantial
with the Father and the Son, the Spirit is inseparable from them, in both the
inner life of the Trinity and his gift of love for the world. In adoring the
Holy Trinity, life-giving, consubstantial, and indivisible, the Church's faith
also professes the distinction of persons. When the Father sends his Word, he
always sends his Breath. In their joint mission, the Son and the Holy Spirit
are distinct but inseparable. To be sure, it is Christ who is seen, the visible
image of the invisible God, but it is the Spirit who reveals him.
690 Jesus is Christ,
"anointed," because the Spirit is his anointing, and everything that
occurs from the Incarnation on derives from this fullness. When Christ is
finally glorified, he can in turn send the Spirit from his place with the
Father to those who believe in him: he communicates to them his glory, that
is, the Holy Spirit who glorifies him. From that time on, this joint
mission will be manifested in the children adopted by the Father in the Body of
his Son: the mission of the Spirit of adoption is to unite them to Christ and
make them live in him:
The notion of anointing suggests .
. . that there is no distance between the Son and the Spirit. Indeed, just as
between the surface of the body and the anointing with oil neither reason nor
sensation recognizes any intermediary, so the contact of the Son with the
Spirit is immediate, so that anyone who would make contact with the Son by
faith must first encounter the oil by contact. In fact there is no part that is
not covered by the Holy Spirit. That is why the confession of the Son's
Lordship is made in the Holy Spirit by those who receive him, the Spirit coming
from all sides to those who approach the Son in faith.
Daily
Devotions
·
Today in honor of the
Holy Trinity do the Divine Office giving your day to God. To honor God REST: no
shopping after 6 pm Saturday till Monday. Don’t forget the internet.
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: An end
to the use of contraceptives.
·
Let
Freedom Ring Day 17 Freedom from Lukewarmness
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
[3] Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896.
[4]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2016-07-23
Comments
Post a Comment