GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO

PRAYER OF THE DAY

2012-02-16T07:30:00.002-05:00

The Magnificat

My soul doth magnify the Lord

And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.

For He hath regarded the low estate of

His handmaiden. For behold, from henceforth

all generations will call me blessed;

for He who is mighty hath

done great things for me,

and holy is His name.

And His mercy is on them that fear Him

throughout all generations.

He hath shown strength with His arm;

He hath scattered the proud

in the imagination of their hearts;

He hath put down the mighty

from their thrones,

and exalted the humble and meek;

He hath filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich He hath sent empty away.

He hath helped His servant Israel,

in remembrance of His mercy,

as He spake to our forefathers,

to Abraham and his seed forever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning,

is now and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Luke 1:46-55

DAILY MASS READINGS

2012-02-16T07:28:00.005-05:00

Thursday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

Reading

Jas 2:1-9

My brothers and sisters, show no partiality

as you adhere to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.

For if a man with gold rings and fine clothes

comes into your assembly,

and a poor person with shabby clothes also comes in,

and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes

and say, "Sit here, please,"

while you say to the poor one, "Stand there," or "Sit at my feet,"

have you not made distinctions among yourselves

and become judges with evil designs?

Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters.

Did not God choose those who are poor in the world

to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom

that he promised to those who love him?

But you dishonored the poor.

Are not the rich oppressing you?

And do they themselves not haul you off to court?

Is it not they who blaspheme the noble name that was invoked over you?

However, if you fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture,

You shall love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well.

But if you show partiality, you commit sin,

and are convicted by the law as transgressors.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7

R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

I will bless the LORD at all times;

his praise shall be ever in my mouth.

Let my soul glory in the LORD;

the lowly will hear me and be glad.

R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

Glorify the LORD with me,

let us together extol his name.

I sought the LORD, and he answered me

and delivered me from all my fears.

R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,

and your faces may not blush with shame.

When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,

and from all his distress he saved him.

R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

Gospel

Mk 8:27-33

Jesus and his disciples set out

for the villages of Caesarea Philippi.

Along the way he asked his disciples,

"Who do people say that I am?"

They said in reply,

"John the Baptist, others Elijah,

still others one of the prophets."

And he asked them,

"But who do you say that I am?"

Peter said to him in reply,

"You are the Christ."

Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him.

He began to teach them

that the Son of Man must suffer greatly

and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,

and be killed, and rise after three days.

He spoke this openly.

Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.

At this he turned around and, looking at his disciples,

rebuked Peter and said,

"Get behind me, Satan.

You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do."

SAINT OF THE DAY

2012-02-16T07:26:00.000-05:00

February 16

St. Daniel (d. 309)

He and four companions, Elias, Isaias, Jeremy and Samuel were Egyptians who visited Christians condemned to work in the mines of Cilicia during Maximus persecution, to comfort them.

Apprehended at the gates of Caesarea, Palestine, they were brought before the governor, Firmilian and accused of being Christians. They were all tortured and then beheaded.

When Porphyry, a servant of St. Pamphilus demanded that the bodies be buried, he was tortured and then burned to death when it was found he was a Christian. Seleucus witnessed his death and applauded his constancy in the face of his terrible death; whereupon he was arrested by the soldiers involved in the execution, borught before the governor and was beheaded at Firmilian's order.

OFFICE OF READINGS

2012-02-16T07:23:00.005-05:00

O Lord, open my lips.

And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

Invitatory Psalm

Psalm 99 (100)

Let us exult in the Lord’s presence.

– Let us exult in the Lord’s presence.

Rejoice in the Lord, all the earth,

and serve him with joy.

Exult as you enter his presence.

– Let us exult in the Lord’s presence.

Know that the Lord is God.

He made us and we are his

– his people, the sheep of his flock.

– Let us exult in the Lord’s presence.

Cry out his praises as you enter his gates,

fill his courtyards with songs.

Proclaim him and bless his name;

for the Lord is our delight.

His mercy lasts for ever,

his faithfulness through all the ages.

– Let us exult in the Lord’s presence.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

– Let us exult in the Lord’s presence.

Hymn

The dusky veil of night hath laid

The varied hues of earth in shade;

Before thee, righteous Judge of all,

We contrite in confession fall.

Take far away our load of sin,

Our soiled minds make clean within:

Thy sovereign grace, O Christ, impart,

From all offence to guard our heart.

For lo! our mind is dull and cold,

envenomed by sin’s baneful hold:

Fain would it now the darkness flee

And seek, Redeemer, unto thee.

Far from it drive the shades of night,

Its inmost darkness put to flight;

Till in the daylight of the Blest

It joys to find itself at rest.

Almighty Father, hear our cry

Through Jesus Christ, our Lord most high,

Who with the Holy Ghost and thee

Doth live and reign eternally.

Psalm 43 (44)

In time of defeat

It was you who saved us, Lord: we will praise your name without ceasing.

Our own ears have heard, O God,

and our fathers have proclaimed it to us,

what you did in their days, the days of old:

how with your own hand you swept aside the nations

and put us in their place,

struck them down to make room for us.

It was not by their own swords that our fathers took over the land,

it was not their own strength that gave them victory;

but your hand and your strength,

the light of your face,

for you were pleased in them.

You are my God and my king,

who take care for the safety of Jacob.

Through you we cast down your enemies;

in your name we crushed those who rose against us.

I will not put my hopes in my bow,

my sword will not bring me to safety;

for it was you who saved us from our afflictions,

you who set confusion among those who hated us.

We will glory in the Lord all the day,

and proclaim your name for all ages.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

It was you who saved us, Lord: we will praise your name without ceasing.

Psalm 43 (44)

Spare us, Lord, do not let your people be put to shame.

But now, God, you have spurned us and confounded us,

so that we must go into battle without you.

You have put us to flight in the sight of our enemies,

and those who hate us plunder us at will.

You have handed us over like sheep sold for food,

you have scattered us among the nations.

You have sold your people for no money,

not even profiting by the exchange.

You have made us the laughing-stock of our neighbours,

mocked and derided by those who surround us.

The nations have made us a by-word,

the peoples toss their heads in scorn.

All the day I am ashamed,

I blush with shame

as they reproach me and revile me,

my enemies and my persecutors.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Spare us, Lord, do not let your people be put to shame.

Psalm 43 (44)

Arise, Lord! Redeem us because of your love.

All this happened to us,

but not because we had forgotten you.

We were not disloyal to your covenant;

our hearts did not turn away;

our steps did not wander from your path;

and yet you brought us low,

with horrors all about us:

you overwhelmed us in the shadows of death.

If we had forgotten the name of our God,

if we had spread out our hands before an alien god —

would God not have known?

He knows what is hidden in our hearts.

It is for your sake that we face death all the day,

that we are reckoned as sheep to be slaughtered.

Awake, Lord, why do you sleep?

Rise up, do not always reject us.

Why do you turn away your face?

How can you forget our poverty and our tribulation?

Our souls are crushed into the dust,

our bodies dragged down to the earth.

Rise up, Lord, and help us.

In your mercy, redeem us.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Arise, Lord! Redeem us because of your love.

Lord, to whom shall we go?

– You have the words of eternal life.

Reading

Proverbs 10:6-32

The blessings of the Lord are on the head of the virtuous man,

premature mourning stops the mouths of the wicked.

The virtuous man is remembered with blessings,

the wicked man’s name rots away.

The heart that is wise is obedient to instruction,

the gabbling fool is heading for ruin.

He walks secure whose ways are honourable,

but he who follows crooked ways is soon discovered.

A wink of the eye, and a man makes trouble,

a bold rebuke, and a man makes peace.

The mouth of the virtuous man is a life-giving fountain,

violence lurks in the mouth of the wicked.

Hatred provokes disputes,

love covers over all offences.

On the lips of a discerning man is wisdom found,

on the back of a fool, the stick.

Wise men store up knowledge,

but the mouth of a fool makes ruin imminent.

The rich man’s wealth is his stronghold,

poverty is the poor man’s undoing.

The virtuous man’s wage affords him life,

but destruction is all the wicked man earns.

The path of life is to abide by discipline,

and he who ignores correction goes astray.

The lips of just men silence hatred,

he who voices slander is a fool.

A flood of words is never without its fault,

he who has his lips controlled is a prudent man.

The virtuous man’s tongue is purest silver,

the heart of the wicked is of trumpery value.

The lips of the virtuous man nourish a multitude,

but fools die in poverty.

The blessing of the Lord is what brings riches,

to this hard toil has nothing to add.

The joy of the fool lies in doing wrong,

but the joy of the man of discernment in acquiring wisdom.

What the wicked man fears overtakes him,

what the virtuous desires comes to him as a present.

When the storm is over, the wicked man is no more,

but the virtuous stands firm for ever.

As vinegar to the teeth, smoke to the eyes,

so the sluggard to the one who sends him.

The fear of the Lord adds length to life,

the years of the wicked will be cut short.

The hope of virtuous men is all joy,

the expectations of the wicked are frustrated.

The Lord is a stronghold for the man of honest life,

for evildoers nothing but ruin.

The virtuous man will never be moved from his own place,

but the land will offer no home for the wicked.

The mouth of the virtuous man utters wisdom,

the deceitful tongue shall be torn out.

The lips of the virtuous man drip with kindness,

the mouth of the wicked with deceit.

Responsory

The just man’s mouth utters wisdom and his lips speak what is right;

the law of his God is in his heart.

The just man will be remembered for ever; he has no fear of evil news.

The law of his God is in his heart.

Reading

From the Explanations of the Psalms by Saint Ambrose, bishop

Open your lips, and let God's word be heard

We must always meditate on God’s wisdom, keeping it in our hearts and on our lips. Your tongue must speak justice, the law of God must be in your heart. Hence Scripture tells you: You shall speak of these commandments when you sit in your house, and when you walk along the way, and when you lie down, and when you get up. Let us then speak of the Lord Jesus, for he is wisdom, he is the word, the Word indeed of God.

It is also written: Open your lips, and let God’s word be heard. God’s word is uttered by those who repeat Christ’s teaching and meditate on his sayings. Let us always speak this word. When we speak about wisdom, we are speaking of Christ. When we speak about virtue, we are speaking of Christ. When we speak about justice, we are speaking of Christ. When we speak about peace, we are speaking of Christ. When we speak about truth and life and redemption, we are speaking of Christ.

Open your lips, says Scripture, and let God’s word be heard. It is for you to open, it is for him to be heard. So David said: I shall hear what the Lord says in me. The very Son of God says: Open your lips, and I will fill them. Not all can attain to the perfection of wisdom as Solomon or Daniel did, but the spirit of wisdom is poured out on all according to their capacity, that is, on all the faithful. If you believe, you have the spirit of wisdom.

Meditate, then, at all times on the things of God, and speak the things of God, when you sit in your house. By house we can understand the Church, or the secret place within us, so that we are to speak within ourselves. Speak with prudence, so as to avoid falling into sin, as by excess of talking. When you sit in your house, speak to yourself as if you were a judge. When you walk along the way, speak, so as never to be idle. You speak along the way if you speak in Christ, for Christ is the way. When you walk along the way, speak to yourself, speak to Christ. Hear him say to you: I desire that in every place men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarrelling. When you lie down, speak so that the sleep of death may not steal upon you. Listen and learn how you are to speak as you lie down; I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids until I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.

When you get up or rise again, speak of Christ, so as to fulfil what you are commanded. Listen and learn how Christ is to awaken you from sleep. Your soul says: I hear my brother knocking at the door. Then Christ says to you: Open the door to me, my sister, my spouse. Listen and learn how you are to awaken Christ. Your soul says: I charge you, daughters of Jerusalem, awaken or reawaken the love of my heart. Christ is that love.

Responsory

God gave us all Christ Jesus to be our wisdom,

our justification,

our sanctification, and our atonement,

so that the scripture might be fulfilled.

If anyone boasts, let him make his boast in the Lord.

We have all received something out of his abundance,

grace answering to grace,

so that the scripture might be fulfilled.

If anyone boasts, let him make his boast in the Lord.

Let us pray.

To those who love you, Lord,

you promise to come with your Son

and make your home within them.

Come, then, with your purifying grace

and make our hearts a place where you can dwell.

We make our prayer 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.

Let us bless the Lord.

– Thanks be to God.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

2012-02-15T06:55:00.001-05:00

Prayer of Saint Claude de la Colombiere

Lord, I am in this world to show Your mercy to others.

Other people will glorify You

by making visible the power of Your grace

by their fidelity and constancy to You.

For my part I will glorify You

by making known how good You are to sinners,

that Your mercy is boundless

and that no sinner no matter how great his offences

should have reason to despair of pardon.

If I have grievously offended You, My Redeemer,

let me not offend You even more

by thinking that You are not kind enough to pardon Me.

Amen.

DAILY MASS READINGS

2012-02-15T06:54:00.006-05:00

Wednesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

Reading

Jas 1:19-27

Know this, my dear brothers and sisters:

everyone should be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger

for anger does not accomplish

the righteousness of God.

Therefore, put away all filth and evil excess

and humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you

and is able to save your souls.

Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves.

For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer,

he is like a man who looks at his own face in a mirror.

He sees himself, then goes off and promptly forgets

what he looked like.

But the one who peers into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres,

and is not a hearer who forgets but a doer who acts;

such a one shall be blessed in what he does.

If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue

but deceives his heart, his religion is vain.

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this:

to care for orphans and widows in their affliction

and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 15:2-3a, 3bc-4ab, 5

R. Who shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord?

He who walks blamelessly and does justice;

who thinks the truth in his heart

and slanders not with his tongue.

R. Who shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord?

Who harms not his fellow man,

nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;

By whom the reprobate is despised,

while he honors those who fear the LORD.

R. Who shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord?

Who lends not his money at usury

and accepts no bribe against the innocent.

He who does these things

shall never be disturbed.

R. Who shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord?

Gospel

Mk 8:22-26

When Jesus and his disciples arrived at Bethsaida,

people brought to him a blind man

and begged Jesus to touch him.

He took the blind man by the hand

and led him outside the village.

Putting spittle on his eyes

he laid his hands on the man and asked,

"Do you see anything?"

Looking up the man replied,

"I see people looking like trees and walking."

Then he laid hands on the man's eyes

a second time and he saw clearly;

his sight was restored and he could see everything distinctly.

Then he sent him home and said,

"Do not even go into the village."

SAINT OF THE DAY

2012-02-15T06:51:00.001-05:00

February 15

St. Claude la Colombière (1641-1682)

This is a special day for the Jesuits, who claim today’s saint as one of their own. It’s also a special day for people who have a special devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus—a devotion Claude la Colombière promoted, along with his friend and spiritual companion, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. The emphasis on God’s love for all was an antidote to the rigorous moralism of the Jansenists, who were popular at the time.

Claude showed remarkable preaching skills long before his ordination in 1675. Two months later he was made superior of a small Jesuit residence in Burgundy. It was there he first encountered Margaret Mary Alacoque. For many years after he served as her confessor.

He was next sent to England to serve as confessor to the Duchess of York. He preached by both words and by the example of his holy life, converting a number of Protestants. Tensions arose against Catholics and Claude, rumored to be part of a plot against the king, was imprisoned. He was ultimately banished, but by then his health had been ruined.

He died in 1682. Pope John Paul the Second canonized Claude la Colombière in 1992.

OFFICE OF READINGS

2012-02-15T06:50:00.001-05:00

O Lord, open my lips.

And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

Invitatory Psalm

Psalm 23 (24)

Rejoice in God, all the earth: serve the Lord with gladness.

– Rejoice in God, all the earth: serve the Lord with gladness.

The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness,

the world and all who live in it.

He himself founded it upon the seas

and set it firm over the waters.

– Rejoice in God, all the earth: serve the Lord with gladness.

Who will climb the mountain of the Lord?

Who will stand in his holy place?

The one who is innocent of wrongdoing and pure of heart,

who has not given himself to vanities or sworn falsely.

He will receive the blessing of the Lord

and be justified by God his saviour.

This is the way of those who seek him,

seek the face of the God of Jacob.

– Rejoice in God, all the earth: serve the Lord with gladness.

Gates, raise your heads. Stand up, eternal doors,

and let the king of glory enter.

Who is the king of glory?

The Lord of might and power.

The Lord, strong in battle.

– Rejoice in God, all the earth: serve the Lord with gladness.

Gates, raise your heads. Stand up, eternal doors,

and let the king of glory enter.

Who is the king of glory?

The Lord of hosts

– he is the king of glory.

– Rejoice in God, all the earth: serve the Lord with gladness.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

– Rejoice in God, all the earth: serve the Lord with gladness.

Hymn

Thou madest all and dost control,

Lord, with thy touch divine.

Cast out the slumbers of the soul,

The rest that is not thine.

Look down, Eternal Holiness,

And wash the sins away,

Of those, who, rising to confess,

Outstrip the lingering day.

Our hearts and hands by night, O Lord,

We lift them in our need;

As holy Psalmist gives the word,

And holy Paul the deed.

Each sin to thee of years gone by,

Each hidden stain lies bare;

We shrink not from thine awful eye,

But pray that thou wouldst spare.

Grant this, O Father, Only Son

And Spirit, God of grace,

To whom all worship shall be done

In every time and place.

Psalm 38 (39)

A prayer in sickness

We groan inwardly and await the redemption of our bodies.

I said, “I will watch my ways,

I will try not to sin in my speech.

I will set a guard on my mouth,

for as long as my enemies are standing against me.”

I stayed quiet and dumb, spoke neither evil nor good,

but my pain was renewed.

My heart grew hot within me,

and fire blazed in my thoughts.

Then I spoke out loud:

“Lord, make me know my end.

Let me know the number of my days,

so that I know how short my life is to be.”

All the length of my days is a handsbreadth or two,

the expanse of my life is as nothing before you.

For in your sight all men are nothingness:

man passes away, like a shadow.

Nothingness, although he is busy:

he builds up treasure, but who will collect it?

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

We groan inwardly and await the redemption of our bodies.

Psalm 38 (39)

Lord, hear my prayer: do not be deaf to my tears.

What, now, can I look forward to, Lord?

My hope is in you.

Rescue me from all my sins,

do not make me a thing for fools to laugh at.

I have sworn to be dumb, I will not open my mouth:

for it is at your hands that I am suffering.

Aim your blows away from me,

for I am crushed by the weight of your hand.

You rebuke and chastise us for our sins.

Like the moth you consume all we desire

– for all men are nothingness.

Listen, Lord, to my prayer:

turn your ear to my cries.

Do not be deaf to my weeping,

for I come as a stranger before you,

a wanderer like my fathers before me.

Turn away from me, give me respite,

before I leave this world,

before I am no more.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Lord, hear my prayer: do not be deaf to my tears.

Psalm 51 (52)

Against calumny

I trust in the goodness of God for ever and ever.

Why do you take pride in your malice,

you expert in evil-doing?

All day long you plan your traps,

your tongue is sharp as a razor –

you master of deceit!

You have chosen malice over kindness;

you speak lies rather than the truth;

your tongue is in love with every deceit.

For all this, in the end God will destroy you.

He will tear you out and expel you from your dwelling,

uproot you from the land of the living.

The upright will see and be struck with awe:

they will deride the evil-doer.

“Here is the man who did not make God his refuge,

but put his hope in the abundance of his riches

and in the power of his stratagems.”

But I flourish like an olive in the palace of God.

I hope in the kindness of God,

for ever, and through all ages.

I shall praise you for all time for what you have done.

I shall put my hope in your name and in its goodness

in the sight of your chosen ones.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

I trust in the goodness of God for ever and ever.

My soul waits for his word;

– my soul puts its hope in the Lord.

Reading

Proverbs 9:1-18

Wisdom has built herself a house,

she has erected her seven pillars,

she has slaughtered her beasts, prepared her wine,

she has laid her table.

She has despatched her maidservants

and proclaimed from the city’s heights:

‘Who is ignorant? Let him step this way.’

To the fool she says,

‘Come and eat my bread,

drink the wine I have prepared!

Leave your folly and you will live,

walk in the ways of perception.’

Correct a mocker and you make an enemy;

rebuke a wicked man, you get insult in return.

Do not rebuke the mocker, he will only hate you,

rebuke a wise man and he will love you for it.

Be open with the wise, he grows wiser still,

teach a virtuous man, he will learn yet more.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;

the knowledge of the Holy One – perception indeed!

For days are multiplied by me

and years of life increased.

Are you wise? It is to your advantage.

A mocker? The burden is yours alone.

Dame Folly acts on impulse,

is childish and knows nothing.

She sits at the door of her house,

on a throne commanding the city,

inviting the passers-by

as they pass on their lawful occasions,

‘Who is ignorant? Let him step this way.’

To the fool she says,

‘Stolen waters are sweet,

and bread tastes better when eaten in secret.’

The fellow does not realise that here the Shades are gathered,

that her guests are heading for the valleys of Sheol.

Responsory

A man once gave a great banquet, and he sent his servants to tell his guests:

Come, for all is now ready.

Come, eat my bread and drink the wine I have mixed.

Come, for all is now ready.

Reading

The commentary on Proverbs by Procopius of Gaza

The Wisdom of God has mixed wine for us and set up a feast

Wisdom has built herself a house. God the Father’s Power, himself a person, has fashioned as his dwelling-place the whole world, in which he lives by his activity; and has fashioned man also, who was created to resemble God’s own image and likeness and has a nature which is partly seen and partly hidden from our eyes.

And she has set up seven pillars. To man, who was made in the image of Christ when the rest of creation was completed, Wisdom gave the seven gifts of the Spirit to enable him to believe in Christ and to keep his commandments. By means of these gifts, strength is stimulated by knowledge and knowledge is reflected in strength until the spiritual man is brought to completion, solidly founded on firm faith and on the supernatural graces in which he shares.

His nature is made more glorious by strength, by good counsel, and by prudence. Strength brings a desire to seek out all manifestations of the divine will through which all things were made. Good counsel distinguishes what is God’s will from what is not and leads him to ponder, to proclaim and to fulfil the will of God. Prudence, finally, leads him to turn towards the will of God and not to other things.

She has mingled her wine in a bowl and spread her table. Because the Word of God has mingled in man, as in a bowl, a spiritual and a physical nature and has given him a knowledge both of creation and of himself as the Creator, it is natural for the things of God to have on man’s mind the inebriating effect of wine. Christ himself, the bread from heaven, is his nourishment enabling him to grow in virtue, and it is Christ who quenches his thirst and gladdens him with his teaching. For all who desire to share in it, he has prepared this rich banquet, this spiritual feast.

She has sent forth her servants with the sublime message that all are to come to the bowl and drink. Christ has sent forth his apostles, the servants of his divine will, to proclaim the message of the Gospel which, because it comes from the Spirit, transcends both the natural and the written law. By this he calls us to himself: in him, as in a bowl, there was brought about by the mystery of the incarnation a marvelous mingling of the divine and human natures, although each still remains distinct. And through the apostles he cries out: Is anyone foolish? Let him turn to me. If anyone is so foolish as to think in his heart that there is no God, let him renounce his disbelief and turn to me by faith. Let him know that I am the maker of all things and their Lord.

And to those who lack wisdom he says: Come, eat my bread and drink the wine that I have prepared for you. To those who still lack the works of faith and the higher knowledge which inspires them he says ‘Come, eat my body, the bread that is the nourishment of virtue, and drink my blood, the wine that cheers you with the joy of true knowledge and makes you divine. For I have miraculously mingled my divinity with my blood for your salvation.’

Responsory

Wisdom has built herself a house, she has erected her seven pillars;

Wisdom has prepared her wine and laid her table.

He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in him, says the Lord.

Wisdom has prepared her wine and laid her table.

Let us pray.

To those who love you, Lord,

you promise to come with your Son

and make your home within them.

Come, then, with your purifying grace

and make our hearts a place where you can dwell.

We make our prayer 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.

Let us bless the Lord.

– Thanks be to God.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

2012-02-14T07:10:00.002-05:00

Prayer to St Valentine

O glorious advocate and protector,

St Valentine,

look with pity upon our wants,

hear our requests,

attend to our prayers,

relieve by your intercession the miseries

under which we labour,

and obtain for us the divine blessing,

that we may be found worthy to join you

in praising the Almighty for all

eternity: through the merits of

Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen.

DAILY MASS READINGS

2012-02-14T07:09:00.000-05:00

Memorial of Saint Cyril, monk, and Saint Methodius, Bishop

Reading

Jas 1:12-18

Blessed is he who perseveres in temptation,

for when he has been proven he will receive the crown of life

that he promised to those who love him.

No one experiencing temptation should say,

"I am being tempted by God";

for God is not subject to temptation to evil,

and he himself tempts no one.

Rather, each person is tempted when lured and enticed by his desire.

Then desire conceives and brings forth sin,

and when sin reaches maturity it gives birth to death.

Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers and sisters:

all good giving and every perfect gift is from above,

coming down from the Father of lights,

with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change.

He willed to give us birth by the word of truth

that we may be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 94:12-13a, 14-15, 18-19

R. Blessed the man you instruct, O Lord.

Blessed the man whom you instruct, O LORD,

whom by your law you teach,

Giving him rest from evil days.

R. Blessed the man you instruct, O Lord.

For the LORD will not cast off his people,

nor abandon his inheritance;

But judgment shall again be with justice,

and all the upright of heart shall follow it.

R. Blessed the man you instruct, O Lord.

When I say, "My foot is slipping,"

your mercy, O LORD, sustains me;

When cares abound within me,

your comfort gladdens my soul.

R. Blessed the man you instruct, O Lord.

Gospel

Mk 8:14-21

The disciples had forgotten to bring bread,

and they had only one loaf with them in the boat.

Jesus enjoined them,

"Watch out,

guard against the leaven of the Pharisees

and the leaven of Herod."

They concluded among themselves that

it was because they had no bread.

When he became aware of this he said to them,

"Why do you conclude that it is because you have no bread?

Do you not yet understand or comprehend?

Are your hearts hardened?

Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear?

And do you not remember,

when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand,

how many wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up?"

They answered him, "Twelve."

"When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand,

how many full baskets of fragments did you pick up?"

They answered him, "Seven."

He said to them,

"Do you still not understand?"

SAINT OF THE DAY

2012-02-14T07:06:00.001-05:00

February 14

Sts. Cyril and Methodius (d. 869; d. 884)

Because their father was an officer in a part of Greece inhabited by many Slavs, these two Greek brothers ultimately became missionaries, teachers and patrons of the Slavic peoples.

After a brilliant course of studies, Cyril (called Constantine until he became a monk shortly before his death) refused the governorship of a district such as his brother had accepted among the Slavic-speaking population. Cyril withdrew to a monastery where his brother Methodius had become a monk after some years in a governmental post.

A decisive change in their lives occurred when the Duke of Moravia (present-day Czech Republic) asked the Eastern Emperor Michael for political independence from German rule and ecclesiastical autonomy (having their own clergy and liturgy). Cyril and Methodius undertook the missionary task.

Cyril’s first work was to invent an alphabet, still used in some Eastern liturgies. His followers probably formed the Cyrillic alphabet (for example, modern Russian) from Greek capital letters. Together they translated the Gospels, the psalter, Paul’s letters and the liturgical books into Slavonic, and composed a Slavonic liturgy, highly irregular then.

That and their free use of the vernacular in preaching led to opposition from the German clergy. The bishop refused to consecrate Slavic bishops and priests, and Cyril was forced to appeal to Rome. On the visit to Rome, he and Methodius had the joy of seeing their new liturgy approved by Pope Adrian II. Cyril, long an invalid, died in Rome 50 days after taking the monastic habit.

Methodius continued mission work for 16 more years. He was papal legate for all the Slavic peoples, consecrated a bishop and then given an ancient see (now in the Czech Republic). When much of their former territory was removed from their jurisdiction, the Bavarian bishops retaliated with a violent storm of accusation against Methodius. As a result, Emperor Louis the German exiled Methodius for three years. Pope John VIII secured his release.

The Frankish clergy, still smarting, continued their accusations, and Methodius had to go to Rome to defend himself against charges of heresy and uphold his use of the Slavonic liturgy. He was again vindicated.

Legend has it that in a feverish period of activity, Methodius translated the whole Bible into Slavonic in eight months. He died on Tuesday of Holy Week, surrounded by his disciples, in his cathedral church.

Opposition continued after his death, and the work of the brothers in Moravia was brought to an end and their disciples scattered. But the expulsions had the beneficial effect of spreading the spiritual, liturgical and cultural work of the brothers to Bulgaria, Bohemia and southern Poland. Patrons of Moravia, and specially venerated by Catholic Czechs, Slovaks, Croatians, Orthodox Serbians and Bulgarians, Cyril and Methodius are eminently fitted to guard the long-desired unity of East and West. In 1980, Pope John Paul II named them additional co-patrons of Europe (with Benedict).

St. Valentine (d. 270)

Valentine was a holy priest in Rome, who, with St. Marius and his family, assisted the martyrs in the persecution under Claudius II. He was apprehended, and sent by the emperor to the prefect of Rome, who, on finding all his promises to make him renounce his faith ineffectual, commanded him to be beaten with clubs, and afterwards, to be beheaded, which was executed on February 14, about the year 270.

Pope Julius I is said to have built a church near Ponte Mole to his memory, which for a long time gave name to the gate now called Porta del Popolo, formerly, Porta Valetini. The greatest part of his relics are now in the church of St. Praxedes. His name is celebrated as that of an illustrious martyr in the sacramentary of St. Gregory, the Roman Missal of Thomasius, in the calendar of F. Fronto and that of Allatius, in Bede, Usuard, Ado, Notker and all other martyrologies on this day. To abolish the heathens lewd superstitious custom of boys drawing the names of girls, in honor of their goddess Februata Juno, on the fifteenth of this month, several zealous pastors substituted the names of saints in billets given on this day.

OFFICE OF READINGS

2012-02-14T07:02:00.004-05:00

O Lord, open my lips.

And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

Invitatory Psalm

Psalm 66 (67)

Come, let us worship Christ, the prince of shepherds.

– Come, let us worship Christ, the prince of shepherds.

O God, take pity on us and bless us,

and let your face shine upon us,

so that your ways may be known across the world,

and all nations learn of your salvation.

– Come, let us worship Christ, the prince of shepherds.

Let the peoples praise you, O God,

let all the peoples praise you.

Let the nations be glad and rejoice,

for you judge the peoples with fairness

and you guide the nations of the earth.

– Come, let us worship Christ, the prince of shepherds.

Let the peoples praise you, O God,

let all the peoples praise you.

The earth has produced its harvest:

may God, our God, bless us.

May God bless us,

may the whole world revere him.

– Come, let us worship Christ, the prince of shepherds.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

– Come, let us worship Christ, the prince of shepherds.

Hymn

O light of light, O Dayspring bright,

Co-equal in thy Father’s light:

Assist us, as with prayer and psalm

Thy servants break the nightly calm.

All darkness from our minds dispel,

And turn to flight the hosts of hell:

Bid sleepfulness our eyelids fly,

Lest overwhelmed in sloth we lie.

Jesu, thy pardon, kind and free,

Bestow on us who trust in thee:

And as thy praises we declare,

O with acceptance hear our prayer.

O Father, that we ask be done,

Through Jesus Christ, thine only Son,

Who, with the Holy Ghost and thee,

Doth live and reign eternally.

Psalm 36 (37)

The fate of the evil and the righteous

Commit your life to the Lord, and he will act on your behalf.

Do not envy the wicked;

do not be jealous of those that do evil.

They will dry up as quickly as hay;

they will wither like the grass.

Put your trust in the Lord and do good,

and your land and habitation will be secure.

Take your delight in the Lord,

and he will give you what your heart desires.

Entrust your journey to the Lord, and hope in him:

and he will act.

He will make your uprightness shine like the light,

your judgement like the sun at noon.

Take your rest in the Lord, and hope in him:

do not envy the one who thrives in his own way,

the man who weaves plots.

Abstain from wrath, abandon anger:

do not envy him who turns to evil,

for those who do evil will be destroyed,

but those on the side of the Lord

will inherit the earth.

A moment yet – and the sinner will be gone:

you will look where he was and find nothing.

But the needy will inherit the land

and delight in abundant peace.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Commit your life to the Lord, and he will act on your behalf.

Psalm 36 (37)

Turn away from evil and do good: the Lord will support the just.

The wicked will plot against the righteous

and gnash his teeth at him;

but the Lord will deride him in his turn,

for the Lord has seen what awaits him.

The wicked have pulled out their swords,

the wicked have drawn their bows,

to throw down the poor and the destitute,

to murder whoever follows the straight path.

But their swords will enter their own hearts,

and their bows will splinter.

For the righteous, the little they have is better

than the abundant wealth of the wicked.

The limbs of the wicked will be broken

while the Lord gives his strength to the just.

The Lord knows when the day of the perfect will come;

and their inheritance will be eternal.

They will not be troubled in evil times,

and in times of famine they will have more than enough.

For the wicked will perish:

the enemies of the Lord will be like the flowers of the fields,

and like smoke they will vanish away.

The wicked man borrows and does not return;

but the righteous takes pity and gives.

The blessed ones of the Lord will inherit the earth,

but those whom he curses will be cut off.

It is the Lord who strengthens the steps of man

and chooses his path.

Even if he trips he will not fall flat,

for the Lord is holding his hand.

I was young and I have grown old,

but I have not seen the righteous man abandoned

nor his children seeking for bread.

All day long he takes pity and lends,

and his seed will be blessed.

Shun evil and do good,

and you will live for ever.

For the Lord loves right judgement,

and will not abandon his chosen ones.

The unjust will be destroyed for ever,

and the seed of the wicked will be cut off,

but the righteous will inherit the earth

and live there from age to age.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Turn away from evil and do good: the Lord will support the just.

Psalm 36 (37)

Wait for the Lord, keep to his way.

The mouth of the righteous will speak wisdom,

and his tongue will utter right judgement.

The law of his God is in his heart

and his steps will not stumble.

The wicked man watches the just

and seeks to kill him;

but the Lord will rescue the just man from his hands

and not condemn the just in the time of judgement.

Put your hope in the Lord and follow his paths,

and he will raise you up and make the land your inheritance,

let you watch as the wicked are cut off.

I have seen the sinner triumph,

flourish like a green cedar,

but he is gone, he is there no longer:

I have looked for him but have not found him.

Preserve innocence, follow uprightness:

for the future belongs to the man of peace.

The unrighteous will be destroyed altogether,

their posterity will be cut off.

The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord,

and their protection in time of trouble.

The Lord will come to their help and free them,

rescue them from the wicked and save them,

because they have put their trust in him.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Wait for the Lord, keep to his way.

Teach me goodness and discernment and knowledge;

– for I trust in your commands.

Reading

Proverbs 8:1-5,12-36

Does Wisdom not call meanwhile?

Does Discernment not lift up her voice?

On the hilltop, on the road,

at the crossways, she takes her stand;

beside the gates of the city,

at the approaches to the gates she cries aloud,

‘O men! I am calling to you;

my cry goes out to the sons of men.

You ignorant ones! Study discretion;

and you fools, come to your senses!

‘I, Wisdom, am mistress of discretion,

the inventor of lucidity of thought.

Good advice and sound judgement belong to me,

perception to me, strength to me.

(To fear the Lord is to hate evil.)

I hate pride and arrogance,

wicked behaviour and a lying mouth.

I love those who love me;

those who seek me eagerly shall find me.

By me monarchs rule

and princes issue just laws;

by me rulers govern,

and the great impose justice on the world.

With me are riches and honour,

lasting wealth and justice.

The fruit I give is better than gold, even the finest,

the return I make is better than pure silver.

I walk in the way of virtue,

in the paths of justice,

enriching those who love me,

filling their treasuries.

‘The Lord created me when his purpose first unfolded,

before the oldest of his works.

From everlasting I was firmly set,

from the beginning, before earth came into being.

The deep was not, when I was born,

there were no springs to gush with water.

Before the mountains were settled,

before the hills, I came to birth;

before he made the earth, the countryside,

or the first grains of the world’s dust.

When he fixed the heavens firm, I was there,

when he drew a ring on the surface of the deep,

when he thickened the clouds above,

when he fixed fast the springs of the deep,

when he assigned the sea its boundaries

– and the waters will not invade the shore –

when he laid down the foundations of the earth,

I was by his side, a master craftsman,

delighting him day after day,

ever at play in his presence,

at play everywhere in his world,

delighting to be with the sons of men.

‘And now, my sons, listen to me;

listen to instruction and learn to be wise,

do not ignore it.

Happy those who keep my ways!

Happy the man who listens to me,

who day after day watches at my gates

to guard the portals.

For the man who finds me finds life,

he will win favour from the Lord;

but he who does injury to me does hurt to his own soul,

all who hate me are in love with death.’

Responsory

The Lord created me at the beginning of his works, before all else that he made, long ago.

When all things began, the Word already was. The Word dwelt with God; and what God was, the Word was, before all else that he made, long ago.

Reading

From an Old Slavonic Life of Constantine

Build up your church and gather all into unity

Constantine, already burdened by many hardships, became ill. At one point during his extended illness, he experienced a vision of God and began to sing this verse: “My spirit rejoiced and my heart exulted because they told me we shall go into the house of the Lord.”

Afterward he remained dressed in the vestments that were to be venerated later, and rejoiced for an entire day, saying: “From now on, I am not the servant of the emperor or of any man on earth, but of almighty God alone. Before, I was dead, now I am alive and I shall live for ever. Amen.”

The following day, he assumed the monastic habit and took the religious name Cyril. He lived the life of a monk for fifty days.

When the time came for him to set out from this world to the peace of his heavenly homeland, he prayed to God with his hands outstretched and his eyes filled with tears: “O Lord, my God, you have created the choirs of angels and spiritual powers; you have stretched forth the heavens and established the earth, creating all that exists from nothing. You hear those who obey your will and keep your commands in holy fear. Hear my prayer and protect your faithful people, for you have established me as their unsuitable and unworthy servant.

“Keep them free from harm and the worldly cunning of those who blaspheme you. Build up your Church and gather all into unity. Make your people known for the unity and profession of their faith. Inspire the hearts of your people with your word and your teaching. You called us to preach the Gospel of your Christ and to encourage them to lives and works pleasing to you.

“I now return to you, your people, your gift to me. Direct them with your powerful right hand, and protect them under the shadow of your wings. May all praise and glorify your name, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.”

Once he had exchanged the gift of peace with everyone, he said: “Blessed be God, who did not hand us over to our invisible enemy, but freed us from his snare and delivered us from perdition.” He then fell asleep in the Lord at the age of forty-two.

The Patriarch commanded all those in Rome, both the Greeks and Romans, to gather for his funeral. They were to chant over him together and carry candles; they were to celebrate his funeral as if he had been a pope. This they did.

Responsory

To your friends the prophets you said, I have exalted one chosen from the people. I have found David, my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him, and my hand shall always be with him.

I will give you shepherds after my own heart, and these shall feed you on knowledge and discretion; with my holy oil I have anointed him, and my hand shall always be with him.

Let us pray.

Saint Cyril and Saint Methodius were your instruments, Lord,

in bringing the light of the gospel to the Slavonic peoples.

May we take your word into our hearts

and be at one in professing the true faith.

We make our prayer 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.

Let us bless the Lord.

– Thanks be to God.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

2012-02-13T07:33:00.002-05:00

Prayer to Jesus in the Holy Eucharist

"This is My Body, given up for you." Lord Jesus, we hear Your words each day at Mass. You have used these words to teach us the meaning of Your love for us, a love that brought You to the cross to give Your life so we might live. You use these words also to teach us the meaning of our love for one another, a love which leads us to give ourselves away that others might live.

"This is my body." Lord, we also hear these words used by those who think they can take life, just because that life is growing within their body. We hear these words distorted by those who support abortion.

Grant that all Your people may learn that human fulfillment is never found by pushing someone else out of the way, but only and always by pushing ourselves out of the way. May all Your people live their lives according to Your most sacred words, "This is my body, given up for you!"

Priests for Life

DAILY MASS READINGS

2012-02-13T07:29:00.005-05:00

Monday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

Reading

Jas 1:1-11

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,

to the twelve tribes in the dispersion, greetings.

Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters,

when you encounter various trials,

for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

And let perseverance be perfect,

so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

But if any of you lacks wisdom,

he should ask God who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly,

and he will be given it.

But he should ask in faith, not doubting,

for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea

that is driven and tossed about by the wind.

For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord,

since he is a man of two minds, unstable in all his ways.

The brother in lowly circumstances

should take pride in high standing,

and the rich one in his lowliness,

for he will pass away "like the flower of the field."

For the sun comes up with its scorching heat and dries up the grass,

its flower droops, and the beauty of its appearance vanishes.

So will the rich person fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 119:67, 68, 71, 72, 75, 76

R. Be kind to me, Lord, and I shall live.

Before I was afflicted I went astray,

but now I hold to your promise.

R. Be kind to me, Lord, and I shall live.

You are good and bountiful;

teach me your statutes.

R. Be kind to me, Lord, and I shall live.

It is good for me that I have been afflicted,

that I may learn your statutes.

R. Be kind to me, Lord, and I shall live.

The law of your mouth is to me more precious

than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

R. Be kind to me, Lord, and I shall live.

I know, O LORD, that your ordinances are just,

and in your faithfulness you have afflicted me.

R. Be kind to me, Lord, and I shall live.

Let your kindness comfort me

according to your promise to your servants.

R. Be kind to me, Lord, and I shall live.

Gospel

Mk 8:11-13

The Pharisees came forward and began to argue with Jesus,

seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him.

He sighed from the depth of his spirit and said,

"Why does this generation seek a sign?

Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation."

Then he left them, got into the boat again,

and went off to the other shore.

SAINT OF THE DAY

2012-02-13T07:26:00.001-05:00

February 13

St. Catherine de Ricci (1522 - 1589)

St. Catherine was born in Florence in 1522. Her baptismal name was Alexandrina, but she took the name of Catherine upon entering religion.

From her earliest infancy she manifested a great love of prayer, and in her sixth year, her father placed her in the convent of Monticelli in Florence, where her aunt, Louisa de Ricci, was a nun. After a brief return home, she entered the convent of the Dominican nuns at Prat in Tuscany, in her fourteenth year. While very young, she was chosen Mistress of Novices, then subprioress, and at twenty-five years of age she became perpetual prioress.

The reputation of her sanctity drew to her side many illustrious personages, among whom three later sat in the chair of Peter, namely Cerveni, Alexander de Medicis, and Aldo Brandini, and afterward Marcellus II, Clement VIII, and Leo XI respectively. She corresponded with St. Philip Neri and, while still living, she appeared to him in Rome in a miraculous manner.She is famous for the "Ecstacy of the Passion" which she experienced every Thursday from noon until Friday at 4:00 p.m. for twelve years. After a long illness she passed away in 1589.

OFFICE OF READINGS

2012-02-13T07:23:00.004-05:00

O Lord, open my lips.

And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

Invitatory Psalm

Psalm 94 (95)

Let us rejoice in the Lord and extol him with songs.

– Let us rejoice in the Lord and extol him with songs.

Come, let us rejoice in the Lord,

let us acclaim God our salvation.

Let us come before him proclaiming our thanks,

let us acclaim him with songs.

– Let us rejoice in the Lord and extol him with songs.

For the Lord is a great God,

a king above all gods.

For he holds the depths of the earth in his hands,

and the peaks of the mountains are his.

For the sea is his: he made it;

and his hands formed the dry land.

– Let us rejoice in the Lord and extol him with songs.

Come, let us worship and bow down,

bend the knee before the Lord who made us;

for he himself is our God and we are his flock,

the sheep that follow his hand.

– Let us rejoice in the Lord and extol him with songs.

If only, today, you would listen to his voice:

“Do not harden your hearts

as you did at Meribah,

on the day of Massah in the desert,

when your fathers tested me –

they put me to the test,

although they had seen my works.”

– Let us rejoice in the Lord and extol him with songs.

“For forty years they wearied me,

that generation.

I said: their hearts are wandering,

they do not know my paths.

I swore in my anger:

they will never enter my place of rest.”

– Let us rejoice in the Lord and extol him with songs.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

– Let us rejoice in the Lord and extol him with songs.

Hymn

Our limbs refreshed with slumber now,

And sloth cast off, in prayer we bow;

And while we sing thy praises dear,

O Father, be thou present here.

To thee our earliest morning song,

To thee our hearts’ full powers belong;

And thou, O Holy One prevent

Each following action and intent.

As shades at morning flee away,

And night before the star of day;

So each transgression of the night

Be purged by thee, celestial light!

Cut off, we pray Thee, each offence,

And every lust of thought and sense;

That by their lips who thee adore

Thou mayst be praised forevermore.

Grant this, O Father ever One

With Christ, thy sole-begotten Son,

And Holy Ghost, whom all adore,

Reigning and blest forevermore.

Psalm 30 (31)

Trustful prayer in time of adversity

Hear me, Lord, and come to rescue me.

In you, Lord, I put my trust: may I never be put to shame.

In your justice, set me free,

Turn your ear to me,

make haste to rescue me.

Be my rampart, my fortification;

keep me safe.

For you are my strength and my refuge:

you will lead me out to the pastures,

for your own name’s sake.

You will lead me out of the trap that they laid for me –

for you are my strength.

Into your hands I commend my spirit:

you have redeemed me, Lord God of truth.

You hate those who run after vain nothings;

but I put my trust in the Lord.

I will rejoice and be glad in your kindness,

for you have looked on me, lowly as I am.

You saw when my soul was in need:

you did not leave me locked in the grip of the enemy,

but set my feet on free and open ground.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Hear me, Lord, and come to rescue me.

Psalm 30 (31)

Lord, let your face shine on your servant.

Take pity on me, Lord, for I am troubled:

my eyes grow weak with sorrow,

the very centre of my being is disturbed.

For my life is worn out with distress,

my years with groaning;

my strength becomes weakness,

my bones melt away.

I am a scandal and a disgrace,

so many are my enemies;

to my friends and neighbours,

I am a thing to fear.

When they see me in the street,

they run from me.

I have vanished from their minds as though I were dead,

or like a pot that is broken.

I know this – for I have heard the scolding of the crowd.

There is terror all around,

for when they come together against me

it is my life they are resolved to take.

But I put my trust in you, Lord;

I say: “You are my God,

my fate is in your hands.”

Tear me from the grip of my enemies,

from those who hound me;

let your face shine upon your servant,

in your kindness, save me.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Lord, let your face shine on your servant.

Psalm 30 (31)

Blessed be the Lord, who has shown me the wonders of his love.

How very many are the pleasures, Lord,

that you have stored up for those who fear you.

You have made these things ready for those who trust in you,

to give them in the sight of all men.

Far away from the plottings of men

you hide them in your secret place.

You keep them safe in your dwelling-place

far from lying tongues.

Blessed be the Lord,

for he has shown me his wonderful kindness

within the fortified city.

In my terror, I said

“I am cut off from your sight”;

but you heard the voice of my prayer

when I called to you.

Love the Lord, all his chosen ones.

The Lord keeps his faithful ones safe,

heaps rich revenge on the arrogant.

Be brave, let your hearts be strong,

all who trust in the Lord.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Blessed be the Lord, who has shown me the wonders of his love.

Guide me in your truth, Lord, and teach me;

– for you are my God and my salvation.

Reading

Proverbs 3:1-20

My son, do not forget my teaching,

let your heart keep my principles,

for these will give you lengthier days,

longer years of life, and greater happiness.

Let kindliness and loyalty never leave you:

tie them round your neck,

write them on the tablet of your heart.

So shall you enjoy favour and good repute

in the sight of God and man.

Trust wholeheartedly in the Lord,

put no faith in your own perception;

in every course you take, have him in mind:

he will see that your paths are smooth.

Do not think of yourself as wise,

fear the Lord and turn your back on evil:

health-giving, this, to your body,

relief to your bones.

Honour the Lord with what goods you have

and with the first-fruits of all your returns;

then your barns will be filled with wheat,

your vats overflowing with new wine.

My son, do not scorn correction from the Lord,

do not resent his rebuke;

for the Lord reproves the man he loves,

as a father checks a well-loved son.

Happy the man who discovers wisdom,

the man who gains discernment:

gaining her is more rewarding than silver,

more profitable than gold.

She is beyond the price of pearls,

nothing you could covet is her equal.

In her right hand is length of days;

in her left hand, riches and honour.

Her ways are delightful ways,

her paths all lead to contentment.

She is a tree of life for those who hold her fast,

those who cling to her live happy lives.

By wisdom, the Lord set the earth on its foundations,

by discernment, he fixed the heavens firm.

Through his knowledge the depths were carved out,

and the clouds rain down the dew.

Responsory

Do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.

God is treating you as sons, for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? For the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.

Reading

From a sermon by Saint Bernard, abbot

On the search for wisdom

Let us work for the food which does not perish – our salvation. Let us work in the vineyard of the Lord to earn our daily wage in the wisdom which says: Those who work in me will not sin. Christ tells us: The field is the world. Let us work in it and dig up wisdom, its hidden treasure, a treasure we all look for and want to obtain.

If you are looking for it, really look. Be converted and come. Converted from what? From your own wilfulness. “But,” you may say, “if I do not find wisdom in my own will, where shall I find it? My soul eagerly desires it. And I will not be satisfied when I find it, if it is not a generous amount, a full measure, overflowing into my hands.” You are right, for blessed is the man who finds wisdom and is full of prudence.

Look for wisdom while it can still be found. Call for it while it is near. Do you want to know how near it is? The word is near you, in your heart and on your lips, provided that you seek it honestly. Insofar as you find wisdom in your heart, prudence will flow from your lips, but be careful that it flows from and not away from them, or that you do not vomit it up. If you have found wisdom, you have found honey. But do not eat so much that you become too full and bring it all up. Eat so that you are always hungry. Wisdom says: Those who eat me continue to hunger. Do not think you have too much of it, but do not eat too much or you will throw it up. If you do, what you seem to have will be taken away from you, because you gave up searching too soon. While wisdom is near and while it can be found, look for it and ask for its help. Solomon says: A man who eats too much honey does himself no good; similarly, the man who seeks his own glorification will be crushed by that same renown.

Happy is the man who has found wisdom. Even more happy is the man who lives in wisdom, for he perceives its abundance. There are three ways for wisdom or prudence to abound in you: if you confess your sins, if you give thanks and praise, and if your speech is edifying. Man believes with his heart and so he is justified. He confesses with his lips and so he is saved. In the beginning of his speech the just man is his own accuser, next he gives glory to God, and thirdly, if his wisdom extends that far, he edifies his neighbor.

Responsory

I loved Wisdom more than health or beauty; I preferred her to the light of day; all good things came to me together with her.

Wisdom I loved; I sought her out when I was young, and I fell in love with her beauty; all good things came to me together with her.

Let us pray.

To those who love you, Lord,

you promise to come with your Son

and make your home within them.

Come, then, with your purifying grace

and make our hearts a place where you can dwell.

We make our prayer 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.

Let us bless the Lord.

– Thanks be to God.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

2012-02-12T09:07:00.001-05:00

Novena to the Holy Family

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,

bless us and grant us the grace of loving Holy Church,

as we are bound to do,

above every earthly thing,

and of ever showing forth our love by the witness of our deeds.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,

bless us and grant us the grace of openly professing,

as we are bound to do,

with courage and without human respect,

the faith that we received of Thy gift in Holy Baptism.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,

bless us and grant us the grace of sharing,

as we are bound to do,

in the defense and propagation of the Faith,

when duty calls,

whether by word or by the sacrifice of our fortunes and our lives.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,

bless us and grant us the grace of loving one another in mutual charity,

as we are bound to do,

and establish us in perfect harmony of thought,

will and action,

under the rule and guidance of our holy Pastors.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,

bless us and grant us the grace of conforming our lives fully,

as we are bound to do,

to the commandments of God's law and that of His holy church,

so as to live always in that charity which they set forth.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,

we ask in particular this special favor:

[state your request here].

DAILY MASS READINGS

2012-02-12T09:04:00.005-05:00

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading 1

Lv 13:1-2, 44-46

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron,

"If someone has on his skin a scab or pustule or blotch

which appears to be the sore of leprosy,

he shall be brought to Aaron, the priest,

or to one of the priests among his descendants.

If the man is leprous and unclean,

the priest shall declare him unclean

by reason of the sore on his head.

"The one who bears the sore of leprosy

shall keep his garments rent and his head bare,

and shall muffle his beard;

he shall cry out, 'Unclean, unclean!'

As long as the sore is on him he shall declare himself unclean,

since he is in fact unclean.

He shall dwell apart, making his abode outside the camp."

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 32:1-2, 5, 11

R. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.

Blessed is he whose fault is taken away,

whose sin is covered.

Blessed the man to whom the LORD imputes not guilt,

in whose spirit there is no guile.

R. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.

Then I acknowledged my sin to you,

my guilt I covered not.

I said, "I confess my faults to the LORD,"

and you took away the guilt of my sin.

R. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.

Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you just;

exult, all you upright of heart.

R. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.

Reading 2

1 Cor 10:31-11:1

Brothers and sisters,

Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do,

do everything for the glory of God.

Avoid giving offense, whether to the Jews or Greeks or

the church of God,

just as I try to please everyone in every way,

not seeking my own benefit but that of the many,

that they may be saved.

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

Gospel

Mk 1:40-45

A leper came to Jesus and kneeling down begged him and said,

"If you wish, you can make me clean."

Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand,

touched him, and said to him,

"I do will it. Be made clean."

The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean.

Then, warning the him sternly, he dismissed him at once.

He said to him,

"See that you tell no one anything,

but go, show yourself to the priest

and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed;

that will be proof for them."

The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter.

He spread the report abroad

so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly.

He remained outside in deserted places,

and people kept coming to him from everywhere.

SAINT OF THE DAY

2012-02-12T09:01:00.001-05:00

February 11

St. Buonfiglio Monaldo (d. 1256)

He was one of seven Florentines who had joined the Confraternity of the Blessed Virgin (the Laudesi) in a particularly lax period in the city's history and who were inspired by a vision on the feast of the Assumption to take up a life of solitude and prayer.

After nearly fifteen years of austerity at a hermitage on Monte Senario he took the name in 1240 of Servants of Mary, or Servites. Six were ordained, developed as mendicant friars under the direction of James of Poggibonsi and Bishop Ardingo of Florence and established many houses and foreign missions. Br. Bounfiglio served as its first prikor general from 1240 to 1256 and died on Jan 1.

St. John Bounagiunta succeded him, St. Bartholomew Amidei (Br. Hugh) established the order in Paris and St. Ricovero Ugoccione (Br. Sostenesw) in lGermany. SS. Benedict dell'Antella (Br. Manettus) were ordained; St. Alexis Falconieri became a lay brother and was the only one to live to see the order approved by Pope Benedict XI in 1304.

The "Seven Holy Founders" of the Servites were canonized in 1887 by Pope Leo XIII.

OFFICE OF READINGS

2012-02-12T08:58:00.002-05:00

O Lord, open my lips.

And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

Invitatory Psalm

Psalm 99 (100)

We are God’s people, the sheep of his flock: come, let us worship him, alleluia.

– We are God’s people, the sheep of his flock: come, let us worship him, alleluia.

Rejoice in the Lord, all the earth,

and serve him with joy.

Exult as you enter his presence.

– We are God’s people, the sheep of his flock: come, let us worship him, alleluia.

Know that the Lord is God.

He made us and we are his

– his people, the sheep of his flock.

– We are God’s people, the sheep of his flock: come, let us worship him, alleluia.

Cry out his praises as you enter his gates,

fill his courtyards with songs.

Proclaim him and bless his name;

for the Lord is our delight.

His mercy lasts for ever,

his faithfulness through all the ages.

– We are God’s people, the sheep of his flock: come, let us worship him, alleluia.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

– We are God’s people, the sheep of his flock: come, let us worship him, alleluia.

Hymn

Hail, day! whereon the One in Three

First formed the earth by sure decree,

The day its Maker rose again,

And vanquished death, and burst our chain.

Away with sleep and slothful ease!

We raise our hearts and bend our knees,

And early seek the Lord of all,

Obedient to the Prophet’s call:

That he may hearken to our prayer,

Stretch forth his strong right arm to spare,

And, every past offence forgiven,

Restore us to our home in heaven.

Assembled here this holy day,

This holiest hour we raise the lay;

And, O, that he to whom we sing,

May now reward our offering!

Most Holy Father, hear our cry,

Through Jesus Christ our Lord most High

Who, with the Holy Ghost and thee

Doth live and reign eternally.

Psalm 103 (104)

Hymn to God the Creator

Lord God, how great you are, clothed in majesty and glory, wrapped in light as in a robe. Alleluia.

Bless the Lord, my soul!

Lord, my God, how great you are!

You are robed in majesty and splendour;

you are wrapped in light as in a cloak.

You stretch out the sky like an awning,

you build your palace upon the waters.

You make the clouds your chariot,

you walk upon the wings of the wind.

You make the breezes your messengers,

you make burning fire your minister.

You set the earth upon its foundation:

from age to age it will stand firm.

Deep oceans covered it like a garment,

and the waters stood high above the mountains;

but you rebuked them and they fled;

at the sound of your thunder they fled in terror.

They rise to the mountains or sink to the valleys,

to the places you have decreed for them.

You have given them a boundary they must not cross;

they will never come back to cover the earth.

You make springs arise to feed the streams,

that flow in the midst of the mountains.

All the beasts of the field will drink from them

and the wild asses will quench their thirst.

Above them will nest the birds of the sky,

from among the branches their voices will sound.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Lord God, how great you are, clothed in majesty and glory, wrapped in light as in a robe. Alleluia.

Psalm 103 (104)

The Lord brought forth bread from the earth and wine, to cheer man’s heart. Alleluia.

From your palace you water the mountains,

and thus you give plenty to the earth.

You bring forth grass for the cattle,

and plants for the service of man.

You bring forth bread from the land,

and wine to make man’s heart rejoice.

Oil, to make the face shine;

and bread to make man’s heart strong.

The trees of the Lord have all that they need,

and the cedars of Lebanon, that he planted.

Small birds will nest there,

and storks at the tops of the trees.

For wild goats there are the high mountains;

the crags are a refuge for the coneys.

He made the moon so that time could be measured;

the sun knows the hour of its setting.

You send shadows, and night falls:

then all the beasts of the woods come out,

lion cubs roaring for their prey,

asking God for their food.

When the sun rises they come back together

to lie in their lairs;

man goes out to his labour,

and works until evening.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

The Lord brought forth bread from the earth and wine, to cheer man’s heart. Alleluia.

Psalm 103 (104)

God saw all he had made, and indeed it was very good. Alleluia.

How many are your works, O Lord!

You have made all things in your wisdom,

and the earth is full of your creatures.

The sea is broad and immense:

sea-creatures swim there, both small and large,

too many to count.

Ships sail across it;

Leviathan lives there, the monster;

you made him to play with.

All of them look to you

to give them their food when they need it.

You give it to them, and they gather;

you open your hand, they are filled with good things.

But turn away, and they are dismayed;

take away their breath, and they die,

once more they will turn into dust.

You will send forth your breath, they will come to life;

you will renew the face of the earth.

Glory be to the Lord, for ever;

let the Lord rejoice in his works.

He turns his gaze to the earth, and it trembles;

he touches the mountains, and they smoke.

I will sing to the Lord all my life;

as long as I exist, I will sing songs to God.

May my praises be pleasing to him;

truly I will delight in the Lord.

Let sinners perish from the earth,

let the wicked vanish from existence.

Bless the Lord, my soul!

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

God saw all he had made, and indeed it was very good. Alleluia.

Happy are your eyes, because they see.

– Happy are your ears, because they hear.

Reading

Proverbs 1:1-7,20-33

The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:

for learning what wisdom and discipline are,

for understanding words of deep meaning,

for acquiring an enlightened attitude of mind

– virtue, justice and fair-dealing;

for teaching sound judgement to the ignorant,

and knowledge and sense to the young;

for perceiving the meaning of proverbs and obscure sayings,

the sayings of the sages and their riddles.

Let the wise listen and he will learn yet more,

and the man of discernment will acquire the art of guidance.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;

fools spurn wisdom and discipline.

Wisdom calls aloud in the streets,

she raises her voice in the public squares;

she calls out at the street corners,

she delivers her message at the city gates,

‘You ignorant people, how much longer will you cling to your ignorance?

How much longer will mockers revel in their mocking

and fools hold knowledge contemptible?

Pay attention to my warning:

now I will pour out my heart to you,

and tell you what I have to say.

Since I have called and you have refused me,

since I have beckoned and no one has taken notice,

since you have ignored all my advice

and rejected all my warnings,

I, for my part, will laugh at your distress,

I will jeer at you when calamity comes,

when calamity bears down on you like a storm

and your distress like a whirlwind,

when disaster and anguish bear down on you.

Then they shall call to me, but I will not answer,

they shall seek me eagerly and shall not find me.

They despised knowledge,

they had no love for the fear of the Lord,

they would take no advice from me,

and spurned all my warnings:

so they must eat the fruits of their own courses,

and choke themselves with their own scheming.

For the errors of the ignorant lead to their death,

and the complacency of fools works their own ruin;

but whoever listens to me may live secure,

he will have quiet, fearing no mischance.’

Responsory

Do not think of yourselves as wise. If anyone among you thinks that he is a wise man by this world’s standards, he should become a fool, in order to be really wise, for what this world considers to be wisdom is nonsense in God’s sight.

We proclaim Christ on the cross, Christ who is the power of God and the wisdom of God, for what this world considers to be wisdom is nonsense in God’s sight.

Reading

From a commentary on the Diatessaron by Saint Ephrem, deacon

God's word is an inexhaustible spring of life

Lord, who can comprehend even one of your words? We lose more of it than we grasp, like those who drink from a living spring. For God’s word offers different facets according to the capacity of the listener, and the Lord has portrayed his message in many colours, so that whoever gazes upon it can see in it what suits him. Within it he has buried manifold treasures, so that each of us might grow rich in seeking them out.

The word of God is a tree of life that offers us blessed fruit from each of its branches. It is like that rock which was struck open in the wilderness, from which all were offered spiritual drink. As the Apostle says: They ate spiritual food and they drank spiritual drink.

And so whenever anyone discovers some part of the treasure, he should not think that he has exhausted God’s word. Instead he should feel that this is all that he was able to find of the wealth contained in it. Nor should he say that the word is weak and sterile or look down on it simply because this portion was all that he happened to find. But precisely because he could not capture it all he should give thanks for its riches.

Be glad then that you are overwhelmed, and do not be saddened because he has overcome you. A thirsty man is happy when he is drinking, and he is not depressed because he cannot exhaust the spring. So let this spring quench your thirst, and not your thirst the spring. For if you can satisfy your thirst without exhausting the spring, then when you thirst again you can drink from it once more; but if when your thirst is sated the spring is also dried up, then your victory would turn to harm.

Be thankful then for what you have received, and do not be saddened at all that such an abundance still remains. What you have received and attained is your present share, while what is left will be your heritage. For what you could not take at one time because of your weakness, you will be able to grasp at another if you only persevere. So do not foolishly try to drain in one draught what cannot be consumed all at once, and do not cease out of faintheartedness from what you will be able to absorb as time goes on.

Responsory

The word of the Lord remains for ever.

What is this word?

It is the Good News that has been brought to you.

This is the book of the commandments of God,

the Law that stands for ever: those who keep it live.

What is this word?

It is the Good News that has been brought to you.

Hymn

Te Deum

God, we praise you; Lord, we proclaim you!

You, the Father, the eternal –

all the earth venerates you.

All the angels, all the heavens, every power –

The cherubim, the seraphim –

unceasingly, they cry:

“Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts:

heaven and earth are full of the majesty of your glory!”

The glorious choir of Apostles –

The noble ranks of prophets –

The shining army of martyrs –

all praise you.

Throughout the world your holy Church proclaims you.

– Father of immeasurable majesty,

– True Son, only-begotten, worthy of worship,

– Holy Spirit, our Advocate.

You, Christ:

– You are the king of glory.

– You are the Father’s eternal Son.

– You, to free mankind, did not disdain a Virgin’s womb.

– You defeated the sharp spear of Death, and opened the kingdom of heaven to those who believe in you.

– You sit at God’s right hand, in the glory of the Father.

– You will come, so we believe, as our Judge.

And so we ask of you: give help to your servants, whom you set free at the price of your precious blood.

Number them among your chosen ones in eternal glory.

Bring your people to safety, Lord, and bless those who are your inheritance.

Rule them and lift them high for ever.

Day by day we bless you, Lord: we praise you for ever and for ever.

Of your goodness, Lord, keep us without sin for today.

Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us.

Let your pity, Lord, be upon us, as much as we trust in you.

In you, Lord, I trust: let me never be put to shame.

Let us pray.

To those who love you, Lord,

you promise to come with your Son

and make your home within them.

Come, then, with your purifying grace

and make our hearts a place where you can dwell.

We make our prayer 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.

Let us bless the Lord.

– Thanks be to God.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

2012-02-11T08:40:00.002-05:00

Prayer Before the Blessed Sacrament in Honor of the Holy Family

Grant us,

O Lord Jesus,

faithfully to imitate the examples of Thy Holy Family,

so that in the hour of our death,

in the company of Thy glorious Virgin Mother and St. Joseph,

we may deserve to be received by Thee into eternal tabernacles.

DAILY MASS READINGS

2012-02-11T08:39:00.003-05:00

Saturday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

Reading

1 Kgs 12:26-32; 13:33-34

Jeroboam thought to himself:

"The kingdom will return to David's house.

If now this people go up to offer sacrifices

in the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem,

the hearts of this people will return to their master,

Rehoboam, king of Judah,

and they will kill me."

After taking counsel, the king made two calves of gold

and said to the people:

"You have been going up to Jerusalem long enough.

Here is your God, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt."

And he put one in Bethel, the other in Dan.

This led to sin, because the people frequented those calves

in Bethel and in Dan.

He also built temples on the high places

and made priests from among the people who were not Levites.

Jeroboam established a feast in the eighth month

on the fifteenth day of the month

to duplicate in Bethel the pilgrimage feast of Judah,

with sacrifices to the calves he had made;

and he stationed in Bethel priests of the high places he had built.

Jeroboam did not give up his evil ways after this,

but again made priests for the high places

from among the common people.

Whoever desired it was consecrated

and became a priest of the high places.

This was a sin on the part of the house of Jeroboam

for which it was to be cut off and destroyed from the earth.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 106:6-7ab, 19-20, 21-22

R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.

We have sinned, we and our fathers;

we have committed crimes; we have done wrong.

Our fathers in Egypt

considered not your wonders.

R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.

They made a calf in Horeb

and adored a molten image;

They exchanged their glory

for the image of a grass-eating bullock.

R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.

They forgot the God who had saved them,

who had done great deeds in Egypt,

Wondrous deeds in the land of Ham,

terrible things at the Red Sea.

R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.

Gospel

Mk 8:1-10

In those days when there again was a great crowd without anything to eat,

Jesus summoned the disciples and said,

"My heart is moved with pity for the crowd,

because they have been with me now for three days

and have nothing to eat.

If I send them away hungry to their homes,

they will collapse on the way,

and some of them have come a great distance."

His disciples answered him, "Where can anyone get enough bread

to satisfy them here in this deserted place?"

Still he asked them,

"How many loaves do you have?"

They replied, "Seven."

He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground.

Then, taking the seven loaves he gave thanks, broke them,

and gave them to his disciples to distribute,

and they distributed them to the crowd.

They also had a few fish.

He said the blessing over them

and ordered them distributed also.

They ate and were satisfied.

They picked up the fragments left over--seven baskets.

There were about four thousand people.

He dismissed the crowd and got into the boat with his disciples

and came to the region of Dalmanutha.

SAINT OF THE DAY

2012-02-11T08:36:00.002-05:00

February 11

St. Gregory II (d. 731)

Born in Rome, Gregory became involved in Church affairs from an early age. It was Pope St. Sergius I who noticed the fine qualities of the pious young man and ordained Gregory a subdeacon. He served under the next four popes as treasurer of the church, then librarian. He was assigned important missions and accompanied Pope Constantine to Constantinople for discussions with Emperor Justinian II. Upon the death of Constantine, Gregory was chosen pope and installed in 715.

Gregory served as pope for 15 years. During that time he held synods to correct abuses, stop heresy and promote discipline and morality. He rebuilt a great portion of the walls of Rome to protect the city against attacks by the Lombards. He restored many churches, and was especially solicitous of the sick and aged. The great monastery near the church of St. Paul was reestablished, as was the abbey of Monte Cassino which had been destroyed by the Lombards 150 years before. He consecrated St. Boniface and St. Corbinian as bishops to go as missionaries to the tribes in Germany. Under Gregory, pilgrims from England increased in numbers to such an extent that they required a church, a cemetery and a school of their own.

It was in his dealings with Emperor Leo III that Gregory's spirit of strength and patience was best shown. Leo demanded the destruction of all holy images and severely penalized those who did not follow his orders. When bishops failed to convince him of his error, they disobeyed and appealed to the pope. On the one hand, Gregory tried his best to change the thinking of the emperor. On the other, he counseled the people to maintain their allegiance to the prince, all the time encouraging the bishops to oppose the heresy.

Gregory II died in 731.