Ember Week

Wednesday, Friday and Saturday of this week are traditionally days of fasting, abstinence, and corporal acts of mercy. What gift can you bring to the King of Kings?

A Mild Day in November

We have had chilly days already, and there is no question that winter approaches, but today it warmed to 65°F.

Thank You, heavenly Father, that our lives include the comfort of days like today. Grant that we may bless Thy holy name in every season.
Through Christ our Lord.

Ember Friday

At that time Mary rising up went into the hill country with haste into a city of Judah: and she entered into the house of Zachary, and saluted Elizabeth. And it came to pass, that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb: and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: and she cried out with a loud voice, and said: Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed art thou that hast believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord. And Mary said: My soul doth magnify the Lord: and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.

Luke 1:37-47

Today's gospel is my favorite mystery of the rosary: the eye sees only two women of modest means meeting in the back country of a weak nation, but four human souls are present, the least of them a saint of God, the greatest of them beyond comprehension, and the Holy Ghost is at work among them.

Ember Wednesday

From today's Mass, a collect:

Hasten, we beseech Thee, O Lord, tarry not: and grant us the help of Thy heavenly power, that they who trust in Thy loving kindness may be relieved by the consolations of Thy coming. Who livest and reignest, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, through all the ages of ages.

A gradual:

The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in truth.
V.: My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord: and let all flesh bless His holy Name.

and the offertory:

Take courage, and now fear not: for behold our God will bring judgment: He Himself will come and will save us.

Rogation Days

These next three days leading up to Ascension Thursday are the minor Rogation Days, introduced by St. Mamertus, bishop of Vienne, in the fifth century, to petition God for protection for natural disaster.

We could use some protection here in the United States, where we are in the deadliest season for tornadoes in over 50 years (520 killed, compared to 519 in 1953). At Mass today, our priest told us that at another parish staffed by his order, the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter, two very young children were killed this week and their pregnant mother hospitalized when their house was destroyed.

Please pray for them. If you would like to send a kind note or a donation to the family here is their parish information:

The Hamil Family
c/o St. Damien of Molokai Catholic Church
Fr. Casavantes, FSSP
8455 NW 234th Street
Edmond, OK 73025
http://www.stdamiens.org/contactus.html

R.: Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.
V.: May they rest in peace.
Amen.

God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us

O God, whose property is always to have pity and to spare, receive our humble petition: that we, and all Thy servants who are bound by the chains of sin, may by the compassion of Thy goodness mercifully be absolved.

Graciously hear, we beseech Thee, O Lord, the prayers of Thy suppliants, and pardon the sins of them that confess to Thee: that, in Thy bounty, Thou mayest grant us both pardon and peace.

Mass of Rogation
Catholic Encyclopedia
Fisheaters

In Thy clemency, O Lord, show unto us Thine unspeakable mercy: that Thou mayest both loose us from all our sins, and deliver us from the punishments which we deserve for them.

O God, who by sin art offended and by penance pacified, mercifully regard the prayers of Thy people making supplication to Thee, and turn away the scourges of Thine anger, which we deserve for our sins.

Almighty, everlasting God, who hast dominion over the living and the dead, and art merciful to all, of whom Thou foreknowest that they will be Thine by faith and good works: we humbly beseech Thee, that they for whom we intend to pour forth our prayers, whether this present world still detain them in the flesh, or the world to come hath already received them out of their bodies, may, through the intercession of all Thy Saints, by the clemency of Thy goodness, obtain the remission of all their sins. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Crowned with Praise

On Thy way to die, they crowned Thee with praise.
      We raise our song to Thee, now King on high.

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And on the next day, a great multitude that was to come to the festival day, when they had heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried: Hosanna, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, the king of Israel. And Jesus found a young ass, and sat upon it, as it is written:

Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy king cometh, sitting on an ass's colt.

John 12:12-15
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The multitude praises our Lord today, but will soon turn the praises to curses.

Mercifully forgive them, O Lord who this day at least speak the truth, even if it is without understanding: that Thou art the true King of Israel, the true Son of God, forever blessed. Forgive us, O Lord, make us constant in devotion, and merciful in imitation of Thy utterly pure and holy mercy.

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Glory, praise and honor to Thee, O King Christ, the Redeemer: to whom children poured their glad and sweet hosanna's song.

Laetare Sunday

Today's epistle:

Brethren, It is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman and the other by a free woman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh; but he of the free woman was by promise; which things are said by an allegory. For these are the two testaments. The one from Mount Sinai, engendering unto bondage: which is Agar; for Sinai is a mountain in Arabia, which hath affinity to that Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But that Jerusalem which is above is free, which is our mother. For it is written:

“Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not: break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for many are the children of the desolate, more than of her that hath a husband.”

Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born according to the flesh persecuted him that was after the spirit: so also it is now. But what saith the Scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. So then, brethren, we are not the children of the bondwoman but of the free: by the freedom wherewith Christ has made us free.

Galatians 4:22-31

Commentary of Saint Thomas Aquinas: 1, 2, 3

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What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who followed not after justice, have attained to justice, even the justice that is of faith. But Israel, by following after the law of justice, is not come unto the law of justice. Why so? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were of works. For they stumbled at the stumblingstone. As it is written: Behold I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and a rock of scandal; and whosoever believeth in him shall not be confounded.

Romans 9:30-33

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And if I should distribute all my goods to feed the poor, and if I should deliver my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:3

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May all our works be born out of faith in Christ, performed under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and directed towards the glory of God, the Father Almighty.

Third Sunday in Lent

Lesson from the Epistle of Blessed Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians:

Brethren, Be ye followers of God, as most dear children: and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us and hath delivered Himself for us, an oblation and a sacrifice to God for an odor of sweetness. But fornication, and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not so much as be named among you, as becometh saints: or obscenity, or foolish talking, or scurrility, which is to no purpose: but rather giving of thanks. For know you this, and understand, that no fornicator, or unclean, or covetous person, which is a serving of idols, hath inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the anger of God upon the children of unbelief. Be ye not therefore partakers with them. For you were heretofore darkness: but now light in the Lord. Walk then as children of the light: for the fruit of the light is in all goodness, and justice, and truth. [Ephesians 5:1-9]

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Wretched that I am, I remembered not that God seeth the mind and observeth the voice of the soul. Allying myself with sin, I said unto myself: God is merciful, and will bear with thee: and because I was not immediately smitten, I ceased not, but rather despised pardon, and exhausted the long-suffering of God.

Saint Peter [a.d. 260-311], bishop of Alexandria [300-311]
(as quoted by Saint John of Damascus [a.d. 676-749])

Sancte Petre et Sancte Joánnes, orate pro nobis.

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My son, hast thou sinned? do so no more: but for thy former sins also pray that they may be forgiven thee. Flee from sins as from the face of a serpent: for if thou comest near them, they will take hold of thee. The teeth thereof are the teeth of a lion, killing the souls of men. All iniquity is like a two-edged sword, there is no remedy for the wound thereof. [Ecclesiasticus 21:1-4]

Annunciation Poem

From the Annunciation, by "Long Skirts" [Hilary Flanery]

“Blessed art thou…”
Gabriel hailed,
And at that moment
The enemy railed,

For he remembered,
The garden free,
‘Tween him and the woman
Enmity.

But who the woman?
God did not tell,
Then Gabriel’s “Ave”
Shook the depths of Hell.

(You can read the whole poem here)

Friday of Ember Week in Lent

Today's Gospel:

At that time there was a festival day of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is at Jerusalem a pond, called Probatica, which in Hebrew is named Bethsaida, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of sick, of blind, of lame, of withered; waiting for the moving of the water. And an angel of the Lord descended at certain times into the pond; and the water was moved. And he that went down first into the pond after the motion of the water, was made whole, of whatsoever infirmity he lay under.

And there was a certain man there, that had been eight and thirty years under his infirmity. Him when Jesus had seen lying, and knew that he had been now a long time, he saith to him: Wilt thou be made whole?

The infirm man answered him: Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pond. For whilst I am coming, another goeth down before me.

Jesus saith to him: Arise, take up thy bed, and walk.

And immediately the man was made whole: and he took up his bed, and walked.

And it was the sabbath that day. The Jews therefore said to him that was healed: It is the sabbath; it is not lawful for thee to take up thy bed. He answered them: He that made me whole, he said to me, Take up thy bed, and walk. They asked him therefore: Who is that man who said to thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? But he who was healed, knew not who it was; for Jesus went aside from the multitude standing in the place.

Afterwards, Jesus findeth him in the temple, and saith to him: Behold thou art made whole: sin no more, lest some worse thing happen to thee.

The man went his way, and told the Jews, that it was Jesus who had made him whole. [John 5:1-15]

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Omnipotent and eternal God, the everlasting Salvation of those who
believe, hear us on behalf of Thy sick servant, Rebecca, for whom we beg the aid of Thy pitying mercy, that, with her bodily health restored, she may give thanks to Thee in Thy church.

Through Christ our Lord,

Amen

Quadragesima

Quadragesima, Latin for fortieth, signifies this first Sunday of Lent, which is 40 days before Good Friday, and is also a name for the whole season of Lent.

The number 40 in the Bible is associated with probation and purification, and with the time needed to accomplish some important part of God's plan.

Even when God chastises His people, He does not destroy them, and offers them hope of renewal if they will mend their ways.

Noah
After giving mankind three times forty years to repent from the great evil in which it had fallen (Genesis 6:3), God sent rain upon the earth for 40 days and 40 nights to destroy the sinful, but He preserved a faithful remnant. (Genesis 7:12)

The waters of the great flood prefigured the waters of baptism (1 Peter 3:20-21).

Moses
When Moses had lived 40 years, he sought out his people. 40 years after that, God sent him back to Egypt to deliver his people out of bondage.

After the Israelites had spied out the promised land for 40 days (Numbers 13:25), and still feared to enter in despite God's promise, God made His people wander in the desert for 40 years. (Numbers 14:26-34, 32:6-15, Deuteronomy 8:2-10, Psalm 95:8-10).

Moses twice went up Mount Sinai and stayed there for 40 days each time to receive the Ten Commandments. (Exodus 24:12-18, 34:27-34, Deuteronomy 10:10)

When Moses came down from the mountain, people were afraid to approach him. His face shone because he had been talking with God.

During their time in the desert, God's people was nourished by manna (Exodus 16:35), prefiguring the Eucharist.

Elijah
Fed by an angel, Elijah was strengthened for a 40 day journey to the mountain that Moses had climbed, and there he also encountered the one true living God. (1 Kings 19:4-16)

Jonah
Jonah warned the people of the Assyrian capital city of Nineveh that they had 40 days to repent of their sins. (Jonah 3:4, 10) They listened and acted on what they heard, and God spared them.

(Years later, they fell back into sin and this time were destroyed).

Ezekiel
The prophet Ezekiel lay on his right side 40 days to represent 40 years of sin by Judah. (Ezekiel 4:6)


Our Lord and Savior
Jesus fasted for 40 days in the wilderness for forty days and forty nights before he began his public ministry. (Matthew 3:13-4:11, Luke 4:1-12)

After His death and resurrection, our Lord appeared to His disciples for 40 days, speaking of things pertaining to God's kingdom. (Acts 1:2)


More occurences of the number 40:

Judges
Israel enjoyed 40 years of peace under the first of its judges, Othniel (Judges 3:11), and 40 years each again later under Debbora (Judges 5:31) and Gideon (Judges 8:28). In each case, Israel fell away from God's path and God's protection, and had to repent and then struggle against her enemies before there was peace. Under another judge, Ehud, the land of Israel had peace for twice forty years.

Yet another time when the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, He delivered them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years, before giving them Samson to deliver them. (Judges 13)

One of the last of this group of leaders of Israel, Heli, judged his nation for 40 years. (1 Samuel 4:18) He began his years of service faithfully, but grew lax, and at the end of his years the high-priesthood was taken from his family and the ark of the covenant from Israel.

Saul
The first king of Israel reigned for 40 years. (Acts 13:21) He did not follow God's commands, so God's grace and blessing was withdrawn from him and his sons did not rule after him.

David
For 40 days, Goliath, champion of the Philistine army, challenged the Israelite army before David answered his challenge and defeated him. (1 Samuel 17)

King David ruled Judah for 40 years (2 Samuel 5:4).

Solomon
David's son Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years. (1 Kings 11:42)

Jehoash
King Jehoash, or Joash, repaired the temple and reigned in Jerusalem for 40 years. But after the death of the high priest, he strayed and worshipped other gods. After his death, he was not found worthy to be buried in the sepulchres of kings. (2 Kings 12, 2 Chronicles 24)

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God has a plan for us. He gives us time to do our part. His plan for us is repentance, and penance, and healing, and the enjoyment of His peace and blessing. It is today 40 days until Good Friday. These days are set aside so we can repair our lives, if we are not living them the way we should. I pray that you, dear reader, will use these days wisely. And that what you begin, you will also end well. May God bless you.
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Finally:

It is about 40 weeks from conception to birth of a baby.

40 days was the period required for purification after the birth of a baby boy (Leviticus 12:2,4), twice 40 days for after the birth of a baby girl. (Leviticus 12:5)

After our Lord's crucifixion, it was about 40 years until the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed.

It has been about 40 years since the Catholic Church started using corrupted translations of the Mass into English and other vernacular languages. That ends this year. Deo gratias.

May God uproot all that is flawed in us and raise us up to a new life in holiness.

Saint John of God

The Catholic Encyclopedia website briefly summarizes his life: "Portuguese shepherd, soldier, bookseller, finally found his niche caring for the health of the poor in Granada, became de facto founder of a religious order, d. 1550."

Another article on his life begins: "From the time he was eight to the day he died, John followed every impulse of his heart. The challenge for him was to rush to follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit gave him, not his own human temptations. But unlike many who act impulsively, when John made a decision, no matter how quickly, he stuck with it, no matter what the hardship."

Over the years of his life, John progressed from worldliness to compassion to deliberate, steadfast service to God to laying down his life in an attempt to save another.

He is famous for emerging unscathed from a burning hospital after first rescuing patients, then salvaging supplies.

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As John was preserved from the flames, O Lord, do Thou in Thy mercy likewise preserve us from the heat of our disordered passions and the destructive impulses of others. As John's will was brought into conformity with Thy will, do Thou likewise lift our hearts to Thee and direct our lives towards Thee. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord Who with the Holy Spirit reigns in Heaven with Thee, almighty Father, one God forever and ever. Amen.

Quinquagesima & Shrovetide

Quinquagesima arrives late this year, one day short of the latest it can arrive, March 7th. I'm reminded of how God delays the arrival of His justice, giving us time to turn to Him of our own free will, but He does not delay forever.

The days between today and Ash Wednesday are known as Shrovetide. Like today, they are days of voluntary penance. Being voluntary, they are disregarded, and many people go in the opposite direction with excesses of Carnival and Mardi Gras. People don't understand the purpose of freedom.

(Now, of course, there is very little in the way of mandatory self-denial during Lent, and even "mandatory" rules are matter of private conscience, so there is little excuse these days for self-indulgence before the supposed austerity of Lent).

A curious blindness has afflicted God's people since the early days of the Church. Sometimes we ourselves are the cause of this affliction, sometimes not, but regardless of the cause, we can always hope for a cure.

Calling people blind may sound somewhat harsh, but harshness is not intended. May all who wish it by the grace of God be made free and self-controlled, and no longer the puppets of their passions. Friend, Easter is the fiftieth day from today. Will the risen Christ our Savior find us then to be any better men than we are today?

Today's epistle:

Brethren, If I speak with the tongues of men and of Angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. And if I should have prophecy, and should know all mysteries and all knowledge: and if I should have all faith so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And if I should distribute all my goods to feed the poor, and if I should deliver my body to be burned and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity is patient, is kind: Charity envieth not, dealing not perversely, is not puffed up, is not ambitious, seeketh not her own, is not provoked to anger, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth with the truth: beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never falleth away: whether prophecies shall be made void, or tongues shall cease, or knowledge shall be destroyed. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child. But when I became a man, I put away the things of a child. We see now through a glass in a dark manner: but then face to face. Now I know in part: but then I shall know even as I am known. And now there remain faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

I Cor. 13:1-13

Today's Gospel:

At that time Jesus took unto Him the twelve men and said to them: Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things shall be accomplished which were written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man. For He shall be delivered to the Gentiles, and shall be mocked and scourged and spit upon: and after they have scourged Him, they will put Him to death, and he third day He shall rise again. And they understood none of those things, and this word was hid from them, and they understood not the things that were said. Now it came to pass, when He drew nigh to Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the wayside, begging. And when he heard the multitude passing by, he asked what this meant. And they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. And he cried out, saying: Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.1 And they that went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace. But he cried out much more: Son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus standing, commanded him to be brought unto Him. And when he was come near, He asked him, saying: What wilt thou that I do to thee? But he said: Lord, that I may see. And Jesus said to him: Receive thy sight, they faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he saw and followed Him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.

Luke 18:31-43

Prayers and thanksgiving for those Anglican priests who celebrate their last Mass as Anglicans today, before entering into the Catholic Church. May many follow you in and find unity and peace in the spotless bride of Christ.

Sexagesima

Sexagesima Sunday is the second Sunday of the pre-Lenten season. As we approach the penitential season of Lent, now is a suitable time to lift our imperfect eyes from our imperfect circumstances and remember by Whom we were made and towards Whom we should set our hearts.

Lift up your eyes to the heavens,
    look at the earth beneath;
the heavens will vanish like smoke,
    the earth will wear out like a garment
    and its inhabitants die like flies.
But my salvation will last forever,
    my righteousness will never fail.

Isaiah 51:6

And do not despair that the burdens of this life are too heavy to carry:

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

2 Corinthians 12:9

May God bless you, kind visitor, with a humble and contrite heart, and strength to bear your burdens with hope.

Septuagesima Sunday

Psalm 50 (Douay Rheims)

¹ Unto the end, a psalm of David,

² When Nathan the prophet came to him after he had sinned with Bethsabee.

³ Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy. And according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my iniquity.

⁴ Wash me yet more from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

⁵ For I know my iniquity, and my sin is always before me.

⁶ To thee only have I sinned, and have done evil before thee: that thou mayst be justified in thy words and mayst overcome when thou art judged.

⁷ For behold I was conceived in iniquities; and in sins did my mother conceive me.

⁸ For behold thou hast loved truth: the uncertain and hidden things of thy wisdom thou hast made manifest to me.

⁹ Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow.

¹⁰ To my hearing thou shalt give joy and gladness: and the bones that have been humbled shall rejoice.

¹¹ Turn away thy face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.

¹² Create a clean heart in me, O God: and renew a right spirit within my bowels.

¹³ Cast me not away from thy face; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

¹⁴ Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and strengthen me with a perfect spirit.

¹⁵ I will teach the unjust thy ways: and the wicked shall be converted to thee.

¹⁶ Deliver me from blood, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall extol thy justice.

¹⁷ O Lord, thou wilt open my lips: and my mouth shall declare thy praise.

¹⁸ For if thou hadst desired sacrifice, I would indeed have given it: with burnt offerings thou wilt not be delighted.

¹⁹ A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit: a contrite and humbled heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

²⁰ Deal favourably, O Lord, in thy good will with Sion; that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up.

²¹ Then shalt thou accept the sacrifice of justice, oblations and whole burnt offerings: then shall they lay calves upon thy altar.

Show with Haydock Commentary or the Latin Vulgate Bible
Bible passage courtesy of VeritasBible.com

Candlemas

The first prayer for the Blessing of the Candles on the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary:

O holy Lord, Father almighty, everlasting God, Who hast created all things out of nothing, and Who through the labor of bees at thy command hast caused this fluid to come to the perfection of wax, and Who, on this day, didst fulfill the request of the just Simeon, we humbly beseech Thee, that Thou wouldst vouchsafe to bless † and sanctify † these candles prepared for the service of man, and for the health of their bodies and souls, whether by land or sea, through the invocation of thy holy Name, and through the intercession of blessed Mary, Ever-Virgin, whose feast is this day devoutly celebrated, and through the prayers of all thy Saints; and that from thy holy heaven, and from the seat of thy majesty, Thou wouldst hear the voice of this thy people, who desire in thy honor to bear them in their hands, and to praise and exalt Thee; and that Thou wouldst be propitious unto all who call upon Thee, whom Thou has redeemed with the precious blood of thy Son. Who with Thee and the Holy Spirit liveth in glory, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The candles to be used this year in Church are blessed today and there is also a custom of bringing beeswax candles from home to be blessed. They should be made of at least mostly beeswax. Worker bees do not mate and are considered a symbol of virginity.

Our Lady, ever virgin, needed no purification, but she did not place herself above the law, which came from God, and in in humble obedience presented herself at the temple with her Son. There they encountered Saint Simeon and Saint Anna, who recognized that the messiah had at last come.

Saint Simeon blessed God for keeping him to see this day. Speaking as a prophet, he hailed the glory of Israel: our Lord, Who was to be a light for revelation to all the nations. And he warned our Lady of bitter sorrow to follow. Recalling his words, our thoughts are turned from the joy of the Christmas season now ending to the somberness of the approaching Lenten season.

Baptism of Our Lord

On the Feast of the Epiphany, the revelation of the Lord to the world is celebrated and three events are remembered: the adoration of the magi from the east, the baptism of our Lord, and His first recorded miracle at Cana. In Western Christianity, the visit of the Magi is emphasized on January 6th, and our Lord's baptism is traditionally celebrated today, on the octave of the Epiphany. The wedding feast at Cana will be remembered again this Sunday.

Although our Lord was not a sinner, He humbled Himself for our sakes, and suffered all that He asks of us. He did not need baptism; baptism, rather, needed the power of Christ [St. John Chrysostom]. By His power, baptism can now wash away our sins, making our souls a fit habitation for the Holy Spirit.

After having humbled Himself, He was exalted. Coming out of the water, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him as a Dove, and a voice from Heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." [Matthew 3:16-17]

May we follow His path through the troubles and humiliations of this life towards God the Father, Who has made us and has prepared a lasting home for us.

Feast of the Holy Family

"And not finding Him, they returned into Jerusalem, seeking Him."
(Luke 2:45, from today's Gospel reading)

May all who do not have Jesus seek him in the new Jerusalem, which is the Church, and there may we be unified as one family, at peace with one another and doing God's will.

Epiphany Prayer

Thou, O Lord, art the Star of truth, that riseth out of Jacob, and the man that springeth from Israel. In the new Star thou showest thyself as God, and lying in the Crib God and Man, we confess thee to be the one Christ. In thy great mercy grant us the grace of seeing thee, and show unto us the radiant sign of thy light, whereby all the darkness of our sins may be put to flight: that so we who now languish with the desire of seeing thee, may be refreshed with the enjoyment of that blissful vision. Amen.

(From the Mozarabic Breviary - source).

The Holy Name of Jesus

In the Name of Jesus let every knee bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth: and let every tongue confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father.

O Lord our Lord: how admirable is Thy Name in the whole earth!

(The last hymn of the last Mass in St. William's Catholic Church
Dorchester, Massachusetts, August 30, 2004).