The Memorial Of Ss. Timothy and Titus

Today in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite, we celebrate the Memorial of Ss. Timothy and Titus, close collaborators of Saint Paul, the Apostle.

The Epistles to Timothy and Titus are such important directives to bishops and priests. It would be good to read through them and meditate upon them; both for those who are ordained (bishops and priests) and the lay faithful.

The importance of "spiritual fatherhood" and being a "good shepherd" of the People of God is a central theme. We need spiritual fathers today, more than ever, in the persons of our bishops (who share apostolic succession with the first Apostles) and priests, who are their co-workers and representatives in the parishes, institutions and religious communities of the Holy Church throughout the world.

Pray for bishops, priests and deacons today. And please pray for a holy bishop for our Diocese of La Crosse, WI. We are presently without a bishop. Today is a very opportune moment for us to raise our minds, hearts and hands in imploring the Lord that he send us a bishop in the example of the Saints we celebrate today.

Ss. Timothy and Titus, pray for us!

Icon: from http://godzdogz.op.org/uploaded_images/tim-and-titus-766406.jpg

Verily, you are a hidden God, the God of Israel, the Savior

Today is the feast of the Holy Family in the Extraordinary form of the Roman Rite.
The "Alleluia verse" for today's Mass is "Verily, you are a hidden God, the God of Israel, the Savior, alleluia".

This is the "masthead" of our community's blog.

The Holy Family is such a rich treasure; so deep, so meaningful.

Jesus, our Lord, lived thirty years in his "hidden life", with his Holy Mother, Mary, and St. Joseph, His Guardian (although the tradition of the Church indicates that St. Joseph died before He began His public ministry).

The awesome reality that God made Man lived in the midst of a family, that He was subject to them as a child and as a young man, is revealed in this feast.

The Epistle from Saint Paul exhorts us: "Whatever you do in word or work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, while you give thanks to God the Father through Him."

That is the vocation of the members of the Institute of Saint Joseph, our pubic association of the faithful. Family life, religious life, the life of the diocesan priest, the life of consecrated single person must reflect the "thanks" to God the Father, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We are called to live the life of Nazareth: silence, contemplation, poverty, chastity, obedience, prayer, study, work and charity. These are the nine elements of our charism. And it is to strengthen the Church, the lives of families, religious and priests, the lives of single men and women consecrated to His service.

Mary contemplated all these things in Her Heart; this is the contemplative vocation of a member of our Institute.

He is truly a "hidden God": hidden in the Most Holy Eucharist; hidden in the daily duty of our lives; hidden in His presence within our souls.

May we love the home of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph; the home of Nazareth, that gives us the inspiration to "be" for God; to love Him in every instance and circumstance of our lives; to know Him, hidden, yet present, in the struggles, crosses, and tribulations of life.

This is the challenge: to love Jesus even when He is hidden; to know He is present even when our senses tell us otherwise; to see His every Word, His every action in the joys and sorrows of life.

This, then, is to live at Nazareth.
God bless you!

One Word Comment

Friday, 8 January 2010
One word comment
Let's see how forthcoming my blog buddies are. Leave a ONE word comment that you think best describes me. It can only be one word. No more than one word. Then copy & paste this post on your blog so I can leave a word about you. This should be interesting.

From:
http://michaelgabrielraphael.blogspot.com/

The Holy Name of Jesus

Today in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus.
St. Bernard of Clairvaux is credited with the hymn, "Jesu Dulcis Memoria", which means how sweet the memory of Jesus' Name.

http://www.preces-latinae.org/thesaurus/Filius/PsalterIesu.html

St. Berndadine of Siena made this image pictured here very popular: the symbol of Jesus' Name (IHS) with the star bursts. It is the Latin abbreviation of the Name of Jesus (Ihesus) which is originally from the Greek.

Before the Incarnation, God was not addressed by His Name, except for a few; it was so holy that it was kept was something "set apart".
But with the Word made Flesh, Jesus Christ, our Lord, God has a human face. He is approachable, the Infant lying in the manger and in the arms of His Holy Mother.
How great it is that we are able to say, "Jesus", and God-is-with-us!
St. Bernard, in a sermon on the Holy Name, says that the Name of Jesus is Light, Food, and Medicine. He gives us light to know Him and to be bathed in His Love; He gives us food by nourishing us spiritually by simply saying his Name; He heals our souls of the wounds of sin.

Today the Name of Jesus is so terribly misused. It is, for many, a form of blasphemy, contempt, and hatred.

Let us say the Name of Jesus with great love. Let us open our hearts to the wonders of His love. Let us be aware that with every sincere invocation of that sweet name, "Jesus", we honor Him, make reparation for the sins against Him, and make Him present in a greater way.

There is a medieval devotion called the "Jesus Psalter". It invokes the name of Jesus with fifteen petitions. The English Catholics especially prayed this most sublime devotion. It was a devotion of those who died as martyrs during the English Reformation.

http://www.preces-latinae.org/thesaurus/Filius/PsalterIesu.html

Let us call upon the name of Jesus. For ourselves, our families, our countries, our world.
Blessed be the Name of Jesus!



Image from: http://www.jesus8880.com/chapters/gematria/images/ihs-decoration.jpg

Ora pro nobis, Sancta Dei Genitrix! Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God

Today is the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite and the Feast of the Circumcision (the Eighth Day of the Octave of Christmas) in the Extraordinary Form. Both have prayers in honor of the Mother of God, Mary, most Holy.

Each evening, after Vespers, we sing this chant to our Blessed Mother, asking her intercession and protection. Know that you all are included in our nightly petitions to her, the Mother of God, the Mother of the Church, OUR Mother!








Translation: We take refuge under thy protection,
holy Mother of God:
Do not despise our prayers
in time of necessity:
but always free us
from all dangers,
O blessed and glorious Virgin.

Happy Feast!