https://x.com/Sanothomas/status/1933702559438426119
https://x.com/Sanothomas/status/1933702559438426119
"The world would have peace if men of politics would only follow the Gospels." - St. Bridget of Sweden
✠ St. Anthony's Exorcism Prayer ✠ Ecce Crucem Domini, Fugite, partes adversae, Vicit Leo de Tribu Juda, Radix David, alleluia. Behold the Cross of the Lord! Flee ye adversaries! The Lion of the Tribe of Juda, The Root of David has conquered, alleluia!
https://x.com/advoluntas/status/1933660931290247653
The devil makes use of the past to cast down the soul, of the present to distract it,and of the future to fill it with fear. Resist him firmly by trusting entirely on God St. Ignatius of Loyola
Djävulen använder det förflutna för att slå ner själen, nuet för att distrahera den och framtiden för att fylla den med rädsla. Stå emot honom bestämt genom att helt och hållet lita på Gud Ignatius av Loyola
https://x.com/JustAdaugoijele/status/1933545668020482264
https://x.com/advoluntas/status/1933660931290247653
"Jesus is with me. I have nothing to fear." - Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati (1901-1925)
https://x.com/NelonMinck/status/1933658375159755012
"Mänskligt liv är endast av kort varaktighet. ' Allt kött är gräs ... Gräset vissnar, blomman vissnar; men vår Guds ord skall bestå för evigt" (Jes. xl. ). Låt oss hålla fast vid det bud som består och förakta den overklighet som förgår." - Basileios den store
"Human life is but of brief duration. 'All flesh is grass . . . The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God shall stand forever' (Isa. xl. ). Let us hold fast to the commandment that abides and despise the unreality that passes away." - St. Basil the Great
Du har varit trogen i det lilla, gå in i din herres glädje
g
Publicerad 14 juni 2025
Foto: freebibleimages.org
Dagens evangelium för lördagen den 14 juni 2025 Du har varit trogen i det lilla, stig in i din herres glädje. (Matteus 25:14–30)
Läsning av Matteusevangeliet
Vid det tillfället: Jesus talade den här liknelsen till sina lärjungar: "En man som gav sig ut på en resa kallade till sig sina tjänare och gav dem sina ägodelar. Åt den ene gav han fem talenter, åt den andre två och åt den tredje en, åt var och en efter hans förmåga. Och reste. Den som har fått de fem talenterna går genast därifrån, använder dem och förvärvar de andra fem. På samma sätt får den som har de andra två de andra två. Tvärtom, den som fick en gick och grävde upp marken och gömde undan husbondens pengar."
"Efter en lång stund kom dessa tjänares herre och bad dem om en räkenskap. Och han som hade fått de fem talenterna kom fram till honom och bar fram de andra fem och sade: 'Herre! Du har gett mig fem talenter. Här har jag förvärvat de andra fem talenterna!" Mästaren sade till honom: "Du är en god, god och trogen tjänare! Du har varit trogen i en liten ton, och jag skall göra dig till många till överman. Gå in i din Mästares glädje.'"
"Och han som hade de två talenterna kom och sade: 'Herre! Du har gett mig två talanger. Här har jag förvärvat de andra två talangerna!" Mästaren sade till honom: "Du är en god, god och trogen tjänare! Du har varit trogen i en liten ton, och jag skall göra dig till många till överman. Gå in i din Mästares glädje.'"
"Och han som hade fått en talent gick fram och sade: 'Herre! Jag kände dig: du är en sträng man, du skördar där du inte har sått, och du köper där du inte har sått. Därför blev jag förskräckt, och jag gick och gömde din talent i jorden. Här är din!" Och husbonden sade till honom: 'Du ogudaktige och late tjänare! Ni visste att jag skördar där jag inte har sått och köper där jag inte har sått! Så du skulle ha lagt mina pengar hos penningmännen, och jag skulle ha tagit ut mina med vinsten när jag kom tillbaka.'"
"Ta därför talenten från honom och ge den åt den som har tio. Den som har skall ges mer, han skall få i överflöd, och den som inte har, och från den som inte har, skall till och med det han har tas bort. Och kasta ut den oduglige tjänaren i mörkret, så skall det bli gråt och tandagnisslan.'" (Matteus 25:14–30)
Dagens evangelium – kommentar
Denna liknelse är placerad i Jesu eskatologiska predikan, eftersom han instruerar sina lärjungar att uthärda svåra tider och att leva i väntan på Herrens återkomst. Liksom alla liknelser i det här avsnittet visar den vissheten om Herrens ankomst och hur lärjungarna kommer att leva under tiden.
Undervisningen om talenterna påminner om liknelsen om den trogne och vise tjänaren som fortsätter att utföra Mästarens arbete tills Mästaren kommer (24:45-51). Trots att husbonden är sen kommer han och finner en vis tjänare som utför de uppgifter som tilldelats honom i hans herres frånvaro.
Men den onde tjänaren försummade sitt arbete och missbrukade sin makt. Han får ett strängt straff. På samma sätt, i liknelsen om talenterna, anförtror mästaren sina ägodelar till sina tjänare, och straff väntar dem som har misslyckats med att fortsätta mästarens arbete (24:49-51).
Liksom liknelsen om de tio jungfrurna framför henne, skildrar liknelsen om talenterna Guds rike (25:14). I den här berättelsen är en rik man på väg att ge sig ut på en resa genom att anförtro sina ägodelar till sina tjänare. I Lukas version av denna liknelse (Luk 19:12-27) får tio tjänare var en mina för att utföra sin herres arbete. I Matteus version finns det dock bara tre tjänare, och de får delar i enlighet med sina förmågor (25, 15).
Även om den förstnämnda får fem gånger mer än den senare, får var och en en betydande summa pengar. Liksom de två föregående liknelserna (24:45-51; 25:1-13), är Mästarens återkomst säker, men tidpunkten är okänd. Efter en lång frånvaro upptäcker han vad varje tjänare har gjort med hans ägodelar. De två första tjänarna gör affärer med husbondens talanger och fördubblar hans pengar. Även om den förste tjänaren tjänade mer än den andre, gjorde var och en anmärkningsvärt bra ifrån sig med det som gavs till honom. De handlade i enlighet med sin potential och gjorde troget det som mästaren krävde av dem. Mästarens svar är alltid detsamma: han berömmer tjänarna för att de är goda och trogna, anförtror dem större auktoritet och inbjuder dem att gå in i hans "glädje".
Den tredje tjänaren är inte lika lyckligt lottad. Som svar på denna tjänare får publiken lära sig ännu mer om mästaren. Han är en man som skördar där han inte har sått och skördar där han inte har sått. Han försöker utöka sina ägodelar och tar allt han kan, var han än kan, för att tjäna pengar. Han tillrättavisar till och med tjänaren för att han inte satte in pengar hos bankiren så att han kunde få ränta – en praxis som är förbjuden i Bibeln (2 Mosebok 22:25; 3 Mosebok 25:5-38).
En tredje tjänare erkänner att han var rädd för att förlora sin herres pengar. För att skydda sig själv grävde han ner talangen i marken. Även om detta kan tyckas konstigt för dagens åhörare, var det ganska vanligt att gräva ner skatter på den tiden (Matteus 13:44).
Mästaren blir rasande. Han anförtrodde denne tjänare en del av sina ägodelar, men han var för rädd för att ta risken. I stället försökte han se till sitt eget välbefinnande. Till slut var det hans otrohet att fortsätta arbeta som kostade honom (25, 30).
Husbonden förväntade sig att hans tjänare skulle fortsätta hans arbete, ta risker för att tjäna pengar och imitera hans beteende. Två tjänare befanns vara trogna och blev belönade. Deras lojalitet ökade husbondens rikedom och utökade hans ägodelar.
LÄS: "Du är en god, god och trogen tjänare!": Vad måste vi göra för att höra de här orden?
Jesus berättar den här berättelsen för sina lärjungar för att förbereda dem för de dagar som kommer – när deras tro kommer att prövas. Den här liknelsen visar hur lärjungarna bör visa sin trofasthet i väntan på Herrens återkomst.
Hur ser troheten ut i väntetiden? I Matteusevangeliet är trofasthet en imitation av Jesu tjänst. Jesus förkunnade Guds rikes ankomst genom att mätta de hungriga, bota de sjuka, välsigna de ödmjuka och betjäna de små.
Alla som vill följa Jesus bör predika de goda nyheterna om riket för hela världen (24:14) och utföra det arbete som Mästaren har kallat dem till (24:24-51). Detta arbete innebär att besöka de sjuka och fångarna, klä de nakna, välkomna främlingar och ge mat till de hungriga (25:31-46). De som befinns vara trofasta kommer att få höra Herren säga: "Du är en god, god och trogen tjänare. Du har varit trogen i det lilla, och jag skall sätta dig över många. Gå in i din Herres glädje."
Bön för dagens evangelium
Käre Gud, vi tackar Dig för alla gåvor du har gett oss: för vår dagliga mat, för vår hälsa, för varje andetag... Vi tackar Dig för Din förlåtelse och Din kärlek. Våra hjärtan flödar verkligen över, o Gud, när vi tänker på hur du har anförtrott oss så mycket. Hjälp oss, o Gud, som Jesu efterföljare, att mångfaldiga allt som du har gett oss, att riskera att sprida de goda nyheterna, att spela genom att älska dem som andra tycker är värda att hata, att ta risker genom att göra gott mot dem som inte har gjort oss gott. Gör oss till dem som i ord och handling har del i det som ni har anförtrott oss.Amen.
Hallelujah! Stigma Removed from All Croatian Historic Coats of Arms!
Published by
inavukic
on
June 14, 2025
The historic Croatian coat of arms, known as the šahovnica, is a checkerboard pattern of red and white squares. Despite it being a part of Croatian historic heraldic tradition, part and parcel of communist oppression and lies, that continued even after Croatia’s independence in the 1990’s, the version of it that starts with the white instead of the red square has falsely associated it exclusively with the WWII-era Ustasha regime, leading to its cruel stigmatisation. All who held dear the historic coats of arms beginning with the white field have been labelled fascists, Nazis … by those who attached themselves to communist Yugoslavia and loathed those who in WWII fought for an independent Croatia despite the fact that white-first square version predates the WWII Independent State of Croatia and has been used in various historical contexts throughout Croatian history.
Big news hit the Croatian and world’s public scene on June 5, 2025. After decades of silence, Croatian academics finally proclaimed the Declaration on the Croatian Historical Coat of Arms at the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts conference on the Croatian Historical Coat of Arms, which declared the scruple between the first white or red field false, and both coats of arms equally valuable, thus demanding an end to the stigmatisation of the coat of arms with the initial white field.
It is to be hoped, for peace’s sake and political stability in Croatia, that the historic salute “Za dom spremni!” (“For the Homeland, Ready!”), for utterance or display of which many have been subjected to criminal manhunt and arrests during recent times, will receive the same overdue courtesy in Croatia as the coat of arms did. This would, I am sure, finally silence to a great extent and incapacitate persecutions by the Yugoslav and Greater Serbian provocateurs.
D E C L A R A T I O N June 5, 2025, Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts – translation into English:
“In numerous scientifically supported heraldic studies, domestic and foreign authors have answered questions about the genesis, development and appearance of the Croatian checkered coat of arms throughout history. The checkered coat of arms of Croatia is a stylised depiction of a fortress, fortification or rampart. Towards the end of the 15th century, it was designed according to the then metaphor of Croatia as a fortress, rampart or the rampart of Christianity (Antemurale Christianitatis), most often in a variant with an initial silver (white) and a final red field (when there is an even number of fields). Checkered coats of arms of Croatia with an initial silver (white) or red field have been present and used almost equally since the beginning of the 16th century. Therefore, the disputes related to the initial field (white or red) – which implies that the use of one variant would exclude the other – are a false dilemma.
Historiographical insights are confirmed by the centuries-old practice of highlighting different variants of the checkered coat of arms. All of this refutes recent theses about the special meaning of the initial field of our coat of arms, so they can be considered pseudoscientific and political.
Namely, since the beginning of the 21st century, these theses have begun to impose themselves on the public by repeating incorrect claims and drawing false conclusions from them. These are mostly malicious media problematisation of the initial silver (white) field of the Croatian historical coat of arms, which link it exclusively to the period of World War II. In doing so, the version with the initial silver field is incorrectly declared the coat of arms and symbol of the Independent State of Croatia.
The historical Croatian coat of arms with the initial silver field is thus ideologised and serves daily political needs. Such an ahistorical approach also reduces the diversity of the centuries-long continuous use of the coat of arms with checkered fields and excludes the five hundred years of history of equal use of the versions of this Croatian heraldic symbol. The false problem with the initial fields of the checkered coat of arms can also be viewed as an example of the historical tension between the permanence of symbols and the changeability of context, or as evidence of the irrational dimension that contemporary manipulation of symbols has taken on.
The imposition of a tendentiously ideological debate aimed at narrowing and contaminating the symbols of Croatian identity requires the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts to clearly separate historical facts from malicious forgeries.
The Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts believes that such debates about the Croatian coat of arms, especially about the colour of the initial field on it, are not motivated by scientific, historical, and cultural goals, but by political and politicised ones. For all of this, with this Declaration, the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts announces an end to the stigmatisation of various variants of the Croatian historical coat of arms and the contemporary ideologization of historical symbols in general.
The official coat of arms of the Republic of Croatia is prescribed by law and has no variants, but the Croatian historical coat of arms in private and public use, with reason and pride, can and should be displayed in the way that Croats have displayed, respected and considered their own throughout history, regardless of whether its initial field is white or red.”
Hallelujah! Finally! Ina Vukic
Hallelujah! Stigma Removed from All Croatian Historic Coats of Arms! https://inavukic.com/2025/06/14/hallelujah-stigma-removed-from-all-croatian-historic-coats-of-arms/… via
@IVukic
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Statement on the conflict between Israel and Iran
Bishop Joseph Strickland
Jun 13
READ IN APP
June 13, 2025
The land of the prophets is soaked again in blood, and men speak of war while forgetting the justice of God. But the true war is not of flesh and blood, “but against principalities and powers, and the rulers of the world of this darkness” (Eph. 6:12).
The Church must not be silent. She must cry out with the voice of her Lord: “Unless you do penance, you shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3).
Let not your hearts be hardened by nationalism, vengeance, or fear. Neither Israel nor Iran is innocent, and neither are the nations who arm them. But more than their weapons, it is their sins that provoke the just wrath of Heaven.
The Lord has said: “I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord” (Zeph. 1:17).
The solution is not military might, nor fragile treaties, but repentance. Let the Church raise her voice and call all peoples to fast, to weep, and to turn again to the Lord. For Christ alone is our peace, who hath reconciled us in His Blood (cf. Eph. 2:14-16).
I call upon all of the faithful to pray for the conversion of all Jews and Muslims and all those who know not the Lord and the true faith, for the sword that matters is not of iron, but the Word of God which pierces the heart.
And I speak to all earthly leaders in positions of power: Woe to you who make alliances but not by the Spirit of God. The day of the Lord shall come as a thief in the night, and you shall not escape. “Kiss the Son lest He be angry, and you perish from the way when His wrath shall be kindled in a short time” (Ps. 2:12).
“Let your loins be girt, and lamps burning in your hands … for the Son of Man cometh at an hour that you know not” (Luke 12:35, 40).
In the love of Christ and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
Bishop Emeritus
Pin på A Few of My Favorite Things
By Michele In A Divine Mercy message from St. Faustina every other day
Priests
Diary 980
"My loving host, pray for priests, especially during this time of harvest. My heart is pleased with you, and for your sake I am blessing the earth.
O Blood and Water
O Blood and Water,
which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus
as a fount of Mercy for us, I trust in You” (Diary 187).
Prayed
House launches probe of Catholic nongovernmental organizations’ role aiding migrants
Volunteers and staff with Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley assist Latin American and Haitian migrants at a migrant shelter in McAllen, Texas. | Credit: Peter Pinedo/CNA
By Madalaine Elhabbal
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jun 13, 2025 / 18:09 pm
The U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security and Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Accountability have announced the launch of an investigation into more than 200 nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), including two major Catholic nonprofits, that provided taxpayer-funded services to migrants during the Biden administration.
Catholic Charities USA and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) are among those named in the investigation. According to a June 11 press release, the probe will investigate whether the NGOs “used taxpayer dollars to facilitate illegal activity” by migrants who entered the U.S. during the Biden administration.
All the NGOs named in the investigation have been sent a letter requesting that they fill out a survey. The letter also expresses concern that some of the NGOs continue to actively advise “illegal aliens on how to avoid and impede law enforcement officials, which can only be seen as an attempt to undermine the work of the federal government.”
“The chairmen request each NGO complete a survey that includes questions on the government grants, contracts, and disbursements they have received; any lawsuits against the U.S. federal government they are petitioning; amicus briefs they have filed in any lawsuit brought against the U.S. federal government; any legal service, translation service, transportation, housing, sheltering, or any other form of assistance provided to illegal immigrants or unaccompanied alien children since January 2021; and more,” the press release stated.
USCCB spokesperson Chieko Noguchi told CNA that “we have received the questionnaire and will respond.”
“For over 45 years the USCCB has entered into agreements with the federal government to serve groups of people specifically authorized by the federal government to receive assistance,” Noguchi said. She added that “this included refugees, people granted asylum, unaccompanied children, victims of human trafficking, and Afghans who assisted the U.S. military abroad.”
The investigation comes after the USCCB announced in April that it would not renew its cooperative agreements with the federal government on migration and refugee services, which had been ongoing for nearly half of a century. The USCCB began phasing out its programs shortly after.
The Biden administration provided the USCCB with more than $100 million annually, which the bishops allocated to affiliated Catholic nongovernmental organizations, according to the USCCB’s audited financial statements. In recent years, federal funding covered more than 95% of the bishops’ spending on the programs.
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Other non-Catholic NGOs named as subjects of the probe include the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), and the Haitian Bridge Alliance.
Tags: USCCB - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Catholic News, U.S. Congress, Catholic Charities USA, Illegal Immigration
Madalaine Elhabbal is a staff reporter for Catholic News Agency based at EWTN’s Washington, D.C., bureau.
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Friday, June 13
Saint Anthony of Padua
Prayer for the Morning
Let us proclaim the greatness of our God!
Glory to the Father…. Alleluia!
HymnMeter: 87 87 D
This hymn can be sung to the tune used for
There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy
Praise to God the mighty Father,
Who did call Saint Anthony
From a life of sore temptation
To the way of purity.
Humble work and meek obedience
Marked his holy way of love;
Now, his earthly task completed,
Works his wonders from above.
Praise to Jesus Christ our Savior,
Who did give Saint Anthony
Grace to preach with zeal and boldness,
Giving truth new charity.
Men, once lost, who heard the Gospel
From the lips of Francis’ son
Came to know God’s grace and favor,
And the life which Christ had won.
CanticleDeuteronomy 32:1-4
As for God, his ways are perfect;/ the word of the Lord, purest gold. (Ps 18:31)
Although associated in devotional prayer with the finding of lost objects, Saint Anthony was in fact an extremely gifted preacher and teacher of God’s Word. He sought out those lost in unbelief and denial and brought them back to the fold of faith by the power of the word he preached.
Give ear, O heavens, while I speak;
let the earth hearken to the words of my mouth!
May my instruction soak in like the rain,
and my discourse permeate like the dew,
like a downpour upon the grass,
like a shower upon the crops.
For I will sing the Lord’s renown.
Oh, proclaim the greatness of our God!
The Rock—how faultless are his deeds,
how right all his ways!
A faithful God, without deceit,
how just and upright he is!
Glory to the Father….
Word of GodIsaiah 50:4
The Lord God has given me/ a well-trained tongue,/ That I might know how to speak to the weary/ a word that will rouse them./ Morning after morning/ he opens my ear that I may hear.
Only say the word and your servant will be healed.
(cf. Mt 8:8)
Canticle of Zechariah
I speak the truth in Christ. (Rom 9:1)
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
You, my child, shall be called the prophet
of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness
and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Glory to the Father…
Intercessions
The preacher’s is the voice, but the Word of life is Christ. Let us pray for the grace to hear Christ in his word and live by what we hear:
R/Grant us a heart that hears and obeys!
Your Word carved creation out of chaos: R/
Your Word brought light from darkness and stilled the storm: R/
Your Word healed the sick and raised the dead to life: R/
Personal intentions
Our Father….
O God, you speak the Word of life through the eloquence of the faithful servants whom you call to proclaim the Good News of salvation. By the example and intercession of Saint Anthony, raise up courageous and convincing preachers in our day to stir faith to life, to heal the brokenhearted, and to offer new life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
meditation of the day
How We Remain Firm in Our “Yes” to God
Love of the Blessed Virgin produces a marvelous tenderness in our whole spiritual life. Little by little, this love enriches our heart with a sentiment of trust and submission previously unknown. It leads us step by step to the joyful acceptance and love of the many trials which beset us.
O Mary, I owe you so much! May I always be grateful to you. O Mary, I love you, I love you… forgive my negligence.
The one who loves Mary follows the path of salvation; the one who disdains her love, even if he had the gift of miracles, does not deserve any trust. Why yield to fear still when we love Mary with a sincere love? The person whom Mary has won to her love remains always held in the net of her affection, and the more the devil tries to tear him away from her influence, the more the net of the Virgin closes around him to protect him.
Mother like no other, Mother most admirable, pray for us!
O quam suavis es! O how sweet you are! Why is it that the servants of Mary obey in everything with such joyful simplicity? What is it that gives them such filial tenderness in their relations with God? Why are they so understanding, so kind and friendly with the worst people in the same way? O Mary, it is you. Through the maternal protection with which you enfold them, you communicate to them, without their knowledge, your signature humility and your unequalled sweetness.
Blessed Edward Poppe
Blessed Edward Poppe († 1924) was a Belgian priest who worked tirelessly to teach the faith, especially through devotion to the Eucharist and the Blessed Virgin. / From Under the Gaze of God, C.M. Colombe, tr. © 2020 by Arouca Press, Waterloo, ON, Canada. Used with permission. www.aroucapress.com.
Prayer for the Evening
Vigil of the Most Holy Trinity
Holy God! Holy and strong!
Holy immortal one: come, let us adore!
Glory to the Father…. Alleluia!
HymnMeter: CM
This hymn can be sung to the tune used for
Lord, Who throughout These Forty Days
Most ancient of all mysteries,
Before your throne we lie;
Have mercy now, most merciful,
Most holy Trinity.
When heaven and earth were yet unmade,
When time was yet unknown,
You in your bliss and majesty
Did live and love alone.
You were not born; there was no fount
From which your being flowed;
There is no end which you can reach:
But you are simply God.
How wonderful creation is,
The work which you did bless!
And O what then must you be like,
Eternal Loveliness!
Canticle of Isaiah45:15-19, 23
Glory be to you, O Trinity in Unity, one God, before all ages, now and for ever! (Traditional Antiphon)
God is wrapped in holy mystery: the reality of the Blessed Trinity, one God in three Persons, eludes our comprehension, spills over our limited words, and commands our awe, expressed in reverent worship.
Truly with you God is hidden,
the God of Israel, the savior!
Those are put to shame and disgrace
who vent their anger against him.
Those go in disgrace
who carve images.
Israel, you are saved by the Lord, saved forever!
You shall never be put to shame or disgrace
in future ages.
For thus says the Lord,
the creator of the heavens,
who is God,
the designer and maker of the earth
who established it,
not creating it to be a waste,
but designing it to be lived in:
I am the Lord, and there is no other.
I have not spoken from hiding
nor from some dark place of the earth.
And I have not said to the descendants of Jacob,
“Look for me in an empty waste.”
I, the Lord, promise justice,
I foretell what is right.
By myself I swear,
uttering my just decree
and my unalterable word:
To me every knee shall bend;
by me every tongue shall swear.
Glory to the Father….
Word of GodRomans 11:33-36
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways!/ “For who has known the mind of the Lord/ or who has been his counselor?”/ “Or who has given him anything/ that he may be repaid?”/ For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
Hold fast to the mystery of faith! (cf. 1 Tm 3:9)
Te Deum
Blessed be God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and for all eternity! (Traditional Antiphon)
You are God: we praise you;
You are the Lord: we acclaim you;
You are the eternal Father:
All creation worships you.
To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.
Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you:
Father, of majesty unbounded,
your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,
and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.
You, Christ, are the king of glory,
the eternal Son of the Father.
When you became man to set us free
you did not spurn the Virgin’s womb.
You overcame the sting of death,
and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
You are seated at God’s right hand in glory.
We believe that you will come, and be our judge.
Come then, Lord, and help your people,
bought with the price of your own blood,
and bring us with your saints
to glory everlasting.
Intercessions
Blessed are you, all-powerful Father: your holiness is infinite, and you offer us the gift of sharing in it.
R/Eternal is your love, alleluia!
Blessed are you, beloved Son of the Father:
– you have given us the gift of becoming children of God. R/
Blessed are you, Spirit of the Father and the Son:
– you dwell within us, that we might live in God. R/
Blessed are you, God One and Holy:
– you are the life of the living and the dead. R/
Personal intentions
Our Father….
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of us! Amen. (cf. 2 Cor 13:13)
Marian Antiphon
But Mary kept all these words,
pondering them in her heart.
Translated by James Monti
Salve, Regina, mater misericordiae;
vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve.
Ad te clamamus, exsules filii Evae.
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
in hac lacrimarum valle.
Eia ergo, advocata nostra,
illos tuos misericordes oculos
ad nos converte.
Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,
nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.
O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria.
Hail, holy Queen, mother of mercy,
our life, our sweetness, and our hope.
To you do we cry,
poor banished children of Eve.
To you do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn then, O most gracious advocate,
your eyes of mercy toward us,
and after this our exile
show unto us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
V/ Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,
R/ That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
She Pondered These Things
in Her Heart (see Lk 2:51)
A Hard Lesson
Helen Alvaré
When the Church tells you that spouses are supposed to work to get each other into heaven, you never imagine it will be by means of widowhood. Nor should anyone unnecessarily frighten engaged or newly married couples with this possibility. But it’s a possible route all the same.
During our long marriage, I was cheerleader for keeping our family’s faith front and center. Getting to Mass on time. Introducing my husband to wonderful Catholics he could both admire and enjoy. Introducing him to the world of Catholic schools for our children. Cajoling him to pray novenas together for the children (always his favorite cause), no matter how tired he was or how much he thought we should just “double up” on the prayers tomorrow. And in turn, he kept me honest about my faith. Asking whether something I thought or planned or said was as Christian as it should be. Practicing self-emptying love to the point that it put me to shame. Understanding the grace of what Pope Francis calls “accompaniment” like no one I’ve ever met.
But since his passing, I find that God and my husband have teamed up to teach me ever more direct though painful lessons. That only love and service mean anything. That no “thing” I have ever owned is capable of bringing happiness. That God has a purpose for my little life that he will allow me to glimpse from time to time even on days when I feel I don’t want my life at all.
Helen Alvaré is a law professor at Antonin Scalia Law School, and writes and assists the Church on matters concerning the family and religious freedom.
And today we celebrate...Saturday, June 14
Blessed Francisca de Paula de Jesus Isabel
Nhá Chica of Baependi (1810-1895) Holy Woman
Shutterstock
Her life:
+ Francisca was born in São João del Rei, Brazil. As a child she entrusted herself to the care of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
+ A lay woman through her life, she lived as a modern-day anchoress in Baependi, Brazil, devoting her life to prayer and to the construction of a church dedicated to Mary.
+ Beloved by those who knew her for her wisdom and holiness, she died on June 14, 1895, and was buried in the church she helped to build. Blessed Francisca was beatified in 2013.
For prayer and reflection:
“Here is a wise virgin, from among the number of the prudent, who went forth with lighted lamp to meet Christ.”—Entrance Antiphon for the Mass in honor of Virgins
Spiritual bonus:
On this day, we also remember the Prophet Elisha. The disciple and protégé of the Prophet Elijah, Elisha took up the mantle of Elijah and he became the great prophet of the people of Israel. The stories of Elisha are recounted in the Books of Kings.
Prayer
Hear us, God our Savior, that, as we rejoice in commemorating the Virgin blessed Francisca, we may be instructed by her loving devotion. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
(from The Roman Missal: Common of Virgins)
Saint profiles prepared by Father Silas Henderson, S.D.S.
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