 from Franciscanmedia.org | | A Prayer in the Last Hour When I am in my last hour, when I am very near death, when I am so soon to change form and travel in unaccountable ways and places, I hope I will be of sound enough mind to murmur this, to our three children, and perhaps, if the Mercy has been especially ridiculously generous, our grandchildren: It was for you that I was here, and for you I prayed every day of your life, and for you I will pray in whatever form I am next to take. Lift the rock, and I am there; cleave the wood, and I am there; call for me, and I will listen; for I hope to be a prayer for you and yours long after I am dust and ash. Amen. —from the book Eight Whopping Lies and Other Stories of Bruised Grace | ✞ "Make friends with the angels, who though invisible are always with you. Often invoke them, constantly praise them, and make good use of their help and assistance in all your temporal and spiritual affairs."
— St. Francis de Sales ✞ MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"Great things are done through grace, and one attribute of the great things which grace enables the soul to do is their lastingness, their continuance, their permanent life and strength, as years roll past. I say, the works of grace are permanent."
— Bl. John Henry Newman, p. 184
AN EXCERPT FROM
The Quotable Newman ⛪ TODAY'S FEAST DAY HOLY NAME OF MARY
On September 12th the Church venerates the Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary because of her unique privilege as the holiest of creatures, the Mother of God, and the Queen of Heaven and Earth. Her name is therefore a royal one of the highest order, and as such should be given the greatest honor after that of her Divine Son, Jesus Christ. Instituted in 1513, the feast commemorates all the privileges given to Mary by God, and all the graces we have received through her intercession and mediation. ✞VERSE OF THE DAY
"Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 4:6-7 |  click to read more | | Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary Saint of the Day for September 12 The Story of the Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary This feast is a counterpart to the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus; both have the possibility of uniting people easily divided on other matters. The feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary began in Spain in 1513 and in 1671 was extended to all of Spain and the Kingdom of Naples. In 1683, John Sobieski, king of Poland, brought an army to the outskirts of Vienna to stop the advance of Muslim armies loyal to Mohammed IV of Constantinople. After Sobieski entrusted himself to the Blessed Virgin Mary, he and his soldiers thoroughly defeated the Muslims. Pope Innocent XI extended this feast to the entire Church. Reflection Mary always points us to God, reminding us of God's infinite goodness. She helps us to open our hearts to God's ways, wherever those may lead us. Honored under the title "Queen of Peace," Mary encourages us to cooperate with Jesus in building a peace based on justice, a peace that respects the fundamental human rights of all peoples. | Tuesday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Col 2:6-15 Brothers and sisters:
As you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him,
rooted in him and built upon him
and established in the faith as you were taught,
abounding in thanksgiving.
See to it that no one captivate you with an empty, seductive philosophy
according to the tradition of men,
according to the elemental powers of the world
and not according to Christ. For in him dwells the whole fullness of the deity bodily,
and you share in this fullness in him,
who is the head of every principality and power.
In him you were also circumcised
with a circumcision not administered by hand,
by stripping off the carnal body, with the circumcision of Christ.
You were buried with him in baptism,
in which you were also raised with him
through faith in the power of God,
who raised him from the dead.
And even when you were dead in transgressions
and the uncircumcision of your flesh,
he brought you to life along with him,
having forgiven us all our transgressions;
obliterating the bond against us, with its legal claims,
which was opposed to us,
he also removed it from our midst, nailing it to the cross;
despoiling the principalities and the powers,
he made a public spectacle of them,
leading them away in triumph by it. Responsorial Psalm Ps 145:1b-2, 8-9, 10-11
R. (9) The Lord is compassionate toward all his works.
I will extol you, O my God and King,
and I will bless your name forever and ever.
Every day will I bless you,
and I will praise your name forever and ever.
R. The Lord is compassionate toward all his works.
The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.
R. The Lord is compassionate toward all his works.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. The Lord is compassionate toward all his works. Alleluia See Jn 15:16
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I chose you from the world,
that you may go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Lk 6:12-19 Jesus departed to the mountain to pray,
and he spent the night in prayer to God.
When day came, he called his disciples to himself,
and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles:
Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew,
James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,
Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus,
Simon who was called a Zealot,
and Judas the son of James,
and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. And he came down with them and stood on a stretch of level ground.
A great crowd of his disciples and a large number of the people
from all Judea and Jerusalem
and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon
came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases;
and even those who were tormented by unclean spirits were cured.
Everyone in the crowd sought to touch him
because power came forth from him and healed them all.
| Meditation: Colossians 2:6-15 The Most Holy Name of Mary As you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him, rooted in him. (Colossians 2:6-7) In today's first reading, St. Paul encourages us to remain rooted in Jesus, whatever our circumstances. But that can be easier said than done. Here's one reader's story about how she and her family sought to do just this during a journey with cancer. "There we stood, just a few hours after surgery. My sister and I looked at each other as the surgeon left the waiting room. How would we tell our sister that her lengthy surgery had revealed not one, but two different cancers? Ellen would need both radiation and chemotherapy. Active, devout, and an avid bicyclist, she never expected this. How would she handle the news? We prayed, took a deep breath, and walked into the recovery room. "As soon as she woke up, Ellen wanted the full report. So we told her, with some trepidation. My sister was clearly shaken, but she resolved to trust God. I reassured her—and myself—saying, 'We believe in miracles, and we are going to pray for one.' "The next days involved discomfort and pain as she recovered and began treatment. Her new reality required her to walk closely with Jesus and somehow remain 'rooted in him.' We would need to do the same: walking with her, but leaning on him. In the days that followed, we watched as Jesus entered into the darkness and fear and loss of control she felt—this mess she found herself in—and comforted her. "We witnessed moments when fear would creep in, understandably. Yet Jesus remained present in concrete ways. He was present in the caring and competent nurses. He was present in the visitors who prayed with her. He was present in the chaplain who brought Communion. And he was present in the Eucharist. Receiving Jesus in the Eucharist imparted strength and courage—to her as well as to us. He was with us. "Ellen continues to battle cancer, and some days are better than others. But God's presence still shines in the darkness of disease. Even when we are struggling, weary, or afraid, our family can see that Jesus has kept Ellen, and all of us, rooted in him. And he won't stop now." "Deepen my roots of faith, Lord. Help me to lean on you, even in times of uncertainty." Psalm 145:1-2, 8-11
Luke 6:12-19 | my2cents: "As you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him, rooted in him and built upon him..." We pray today "The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness. The LORD is good to all and compassionate toward all his works." In the Holy Gospel, our Lord chooses the 12 apostles, and then begins healing. The 12 would learn to do what Jesus did. And the descendants of the Apostles exist in the Catholic Bishops today, and they can heal too, and Jesus still exists in healing. But what Jesus heals, is the soul. He heals with the aim of gaining Heaven for us, eternity with Him.
As I read today is the day of the Holy Name of Mary, I remembered it is my mom's birthday, because they named her, as most Catholics used to, according to the day of the saint. Her name is "Maria Dulces Nombres" (Maria Sweet Name" sweet name of Mary. She is Queen of the majestical Heavens. Queen because she was an intricate design of God, more holy than we care to imagine, because God said so. So is the sentiment I am getting now that I'm reading the book of the Blessed Virgin Mary according to Sister Anne Emerich. It is even changing my whole idea I had of the Jewish faith before Christ. There existed holiness like never before. Because in extreme darkness, God can exist to bring light...out of nothing.
I pray today, that we take advantage, to seize the day, capture the possibility to be holy, a stranger sojourner. One who rocks the world by the light of Christ. And mostly it won't be by what you say, but what you do...
Jesus began His ministry, and began with me and you....this day.... | |
