St. Clare of Assisi was born in Assisi on July 16, 1194, as Chiara Offreduccio, the beautiful eldest daughter of Favorino Sciffi, Count of Sasso-Rosso and his wife Ortolana. Tradition says her father was a wealthy representative of an ancient Roman family and her mother was a very devout woman belonging to the noble family of Fiumi.
As a young girl, Clare dedicated herself to prayer. At 18-years-old, she heard St. Francis of Assisi preach during a Lenten service in the church of San Giorgio …
Almighty and eternal God,
those who take refuge in you will be glad
and forever will shout for joy.
Protect these soldiers as they discharge their duties.
Protect them with the shield of your strength
and keep them safe from all evil and harm.
May the power of your love enable them to return home
in safety, that with all who love them,
they may ever praise you for your loving care.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Twenty years ago today, on the feast of St. Lawrence, my dad was ordained a permanent deacon. I clearly remember the day because I got a “front row seat” as I was asked to photograph the liturgy. Part of me didn’t want him to be a deacon because I knew he would be involved in various ministries and wouldn’t be home as much. My dad and I were pretty close and I had just gotten home from my years as a missionary in Mexico a little over a year prior. Yet, I was also proud of him for all his years of study and taking this step to serve God’s people.
His answer to God’s call truly embodies today’s Gospel passage: “Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”
My dad had 8 children, a full time job and was involved in other ministries, yet my mom encouraged him to answer the call to be an ordained minister. Over the years, this has been a blessing to many, as together they have dedicated countless hours to mentoring engaged couples, visiting the sick, and getting more involved at their parish.
What is God calling me to do that might feel like a small “death” or sacrifice? Is He calling you to do something that feels like it might cause you to “lose” your life or alter it in a major way?
Often we are not called to move mountains or relocate to foreign lands, but rather to serve God in the small ways of everyday life. “Whoever serves me must follow me… My Father will honor the one who serves me.”
Lord, may I die to myself in order to serve you each and every day.
Hoy, hace veinte años, en la fiesta de San Lorenzo, mi papá fue ordenado diácono permanente. Recuerdo el día claramente porque tuve un “asiento de primera fila” cuando me pidieron que tomara fotos de la liturgia. Una parte de mí no quería que fuera diácono porque sabía que estaría involucrado en varios ministerios y no estaría mucho en casa. Mi papá y yo éramos bastante cercanos y hace unos meses yo acababa de llegar a casa después de unos años como misionera en México. Sin embargo, también estaba orgulloso de él por todos sus años de estudio y por dar este paso para servir al pueblo de Dios.
Su respuesta a la llamada de Dios encarna verdaderamente el pasaje evangélico de hoy: “Yo les aseguro que si el grano de trigo sembrado en la tierra no muere, queda infecundo; pero si muere, producirá mucho fruto.”
Mi papá tenía 8 hijos, un trabajo de tiempo completo y estaba involucrado en otros ministerios, pero mi mamá lo animó a responder al llamado para ser ministro ordenado. A lo largo de los años, esto ha sido una bendición para muchos, ya que juntos han dedicado innumerables horas a ser mentores de parejas comprometidas, visitar a los enfermos y participar más en su parroquia.
¿Qué me está llamando Dios a hacer que pueda parecer una pequeña “muerte” o sacrificio? ¿Te está llamando a hacer algo que parece que podría hacer que “pierdas” tu vida o alterarla de manera importante?
A menudo no estamos llamados a mover montañas o mudarnos a tierras extranjeras, sino a servir a Dios en las pequeñas cosas de la vida cotidiana. El que quiera servirme que me siga… El que me sirve será honrado por mi Padre.”
Señor, ayúdame a morir a mí misma para servirte cada día.
Tami Urcia grew up in Western Michigan, a middle child in a large Catholic family. She spent early young adulthood as a missionary in Mexico, studying theology and philosophy, then worked and traveled extensively before finishing her Bachelor’s Degree in Western Kentucky. She loves tackling projects, finding fun ways to keep her little ones occupied, quiet conversation with the hubby and finding unique ways to love. She works at for Christian Healthcare Centers, is a guest blogger on CatholicMom.com and BlessedIsShe.net, runs her own blog at https://togetherandalways.wordpress.com and has been doing Spanish translations on the side for over 20 years.
Feature Image Credit: Melissa Askew, unsplash.com/photos/1fBUD5Dcmys
By: Deacon Keith Fournier
The year was 258 A.D. It was a difficult beginning for what would become the First Christian Millennium. Hostility against the early followers of Jesus Christ was growing. The barbarism and severity of pagan Rome had begun to reach a fever pitch. It would soon lead to a blood lust. The newborn Christian Church, faithful to the One who had given Himself for the life of the world, continued the work of His redemption.
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Roman authorities charged Christians of that era …
O holy Guardian Angel,
my dear friend and solicitous guide on the dangerous way of life,
to thee be heartfelt thanks
for the numberless benefits
which have been granted me
through thy love and goodness
and for the powerful help by which thou hast preserved me
from so many dangers and temptations.
I beg of thee,
let me further experience thy love and thy care.
Avert from me all danger,
increase in me horror for sin
and love for all that is good.
Be a counselor and …
“Who is the greatest?” Who is the richest? Who is the fastest? Who is the thinnest? Who has the most followers? Who is the most beautiful? Who has the most “likes”? Who is the best?
These are very human questions, which the world tries to keep us focused on – being better, stronger, richer, happier, more attractive, MORE EVERYTHING, GREATER. And Jesus is repeatedly turning these worldly ideas upside down, just like he overturned the tables of the moneychangers. He keeps saying: YOU’VE GOT IT ALL WRONG. YOU’VE GOT IT ALL BACKWARDS. LOOK AT ME.
The disciples are still trying to understand the realities of the Kingdom Jesus came to establish, but they are still looking at it through very human lenses. They are still looking at what “greatest” means in human terms, making comparisons with the leaders of human kingdoms. And Jesus keeps turning their human ideas upside down. He keeps saying: You still don’t get it. Let me show you.
When they ask him who is the greatest in the Kingdom, Jesus points to the very last person they would have had in their minds, calling a child over as an example to them (and to us). We must become like trusting children who know they are loved, who rely on their Father for everything, respond promptly when called, and expect to be protected because they can do nothing on their own! This is what it should be like to walk with Jesus in His Kingdom.
The humblest are the greatest in this Kingdom, because they have not put any of their own ego, desires, belongings, resources, abilities, social pretenses, or achievements in the way of what GOD wants to do in them. We are all called into the Kingdom, we do not enter it by our own initiative. We cannot take one step forward without God’s grace and support. And we certainly cannot get into Heaven by our own efforts. We must be saved, and being saved demands malleability, gentleness of character, profound loving trust, spontaneous obedience, and availability to whatever God is asking of us in the moment.
The disciples were wondering in one moment about rank and authority, but in the next moment Jesus is showing them that unless they reject that whole mentality – unless they reject all self-reliance, self-promotion, self-assertion, self-protection, and self-love – they can’t even get IN to the Kingdom, much less earn some kind of “rank” in it. Only the anawim – the poor in spirit, the little ones – are free enough to pass through the eye of the needle. Only those who become humble like Mary understand that He casts down the mighty from their (self-appointed) thrones and sends the rich away empty; it is in bowing low that we are lifted up, because they rely wholly on Him.
“¿Quién es el mejor?” ¿Quién es el más rico? ¿Quién es el más rápido? ¿Quién es el más delgado? ¿Quién tiene más seguidores? ¿Quién es el más hermoso? ¿Quién tiene más “likes” en las redes sociales? ¿Quien es el mejor?
Estas son preguntas muy humanas, en las que el mundo trata de mantenernos enfocados: ser mejores, más fuertes, más ricos, más felices, más atractivos, MÁS TODO, MEJOR. Y Jesús está repetidamente volteando estas ideas mundanas, al igual que volcó las mesas de los cambistas. Él sigue diciendo: LO TIENES TODO MAL. LO TIENES TODO AL REVÉS. MÍRAME.
Los discípulos todavía están tratando de entender las realidades del Reino que Jesús vino a establecer, pero todavía lo miran a través de lentes muy humanos. Todavía están analizando qué significa “mejor” en términos humanos, haciendo comparaciones con los líderes de los reinos humanos. Y Jesús sigue poniendo patas arriba sus ideas humanas. Sigue diciendo: todavía no lo entiendes. Déjame enseñarte.
Cuando le preguntan quién es el mejor en el Reino, Jesús señala a la última persona que habrían tenido en mente, llamando a un niño como ejemplo para ellos (y para nosotros). ¡Debemos volvernos como niños confiados que se saben amados, que confían en su Padre para todo, responden con prontitud cuando los llaman y esperan ser protegidos porque no pueden hacer nada por sí mismos! Así debería ser caminar con Jesús en Su Reino.
Los más humildes son los mejores en este Reino, porque no han puesto nada de su propio ego, deseos, pertenencias, recursos, habilidades, pretensiones sociales o logros en el camino de lo que DIOS quiere hacer en ellos. Todos estamos llamados al Reino, no entramos por nuestra propia iniciativa. No podemos dar un paso adelante sin la gracia y el apoyo de Dios. Y ciertamente no podemos entrar al Cielo por nuestros propios esfuerzos. Tenemos que ser salvados, y ser salvado exige maleabilidad, mansedumbre de carácter, profunda confianza amorosa, obediencia espontánea y disponibilidad para lo que Dios nos pida en el momento.
Los discípulos se preguntaban en un momento acerca del rango y la autoridad, pero al momento siguiente Jesús les está mostrando que a menos que rechacen toda esa mentalidad, a menos que rechacen toda autosuficiencia, autopromoción, autoafirmación, autoprotección y amor propio – ni siquiera pueden entrar en el Reino, y mucho menos ganar algún tipo de “rango” en él. Sólo los anawim, los pobres de espíritu, los pequeños, son suficientemente libres para pasar por el ojo de la aguja. Sólo quien se vuelve humilde como María comprende que Él derriba a los poderosos de sus (autopropuestos) tronos y despide vacíos a los ricos; es al agacharnos que nos levantamos, al confiarnos totalmente en él.
Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including Father Rob), and four grandchildren. She is President of the local community of Secular Discalced Carmelites and has published five books and many articles. Over the last 30 years, she has worked as a teacher, headmistress, catechist, Pastoral Associate, and DRE, and as a writer and voice talent for Catholic Radio. Currently, she serves the Church by writing and speaking, and by collaborating with various parishes and to lead others to encounter Christ and engage their faith. Her website is www.KathrynTherese.com
Feature Image Credit: www.pexels.com/photo/battle-black-blur-board-game-260024/
Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein)Virgin and Martyr Edith Stein, born in 1891 in Breslau, Poland, was the youngest child of a large Jewish family. She was an outstanding student and was well versed in philosophy with a particular interest in phenomenology. Eventually she became interested in the Catholic Faith, and in 1922, she was baptized at the Cathedral Church in Cologne, Germany. Eleven years later Edith entered the Cologne Carmel. Because of the ramifications of politics in …
O Lord, I beseech Thee to grant me Thy Divine Light,
that I may know the designs of Thy providence concerning me,
and that, filled with a sincere desire for my soulÂ?s salvation,
I may say, with the young man in the Gospel:
What must I do to be saved?
All states of life are before me; but,
still undecided what to do, I await Thy commands,
I offer myself to Thee without restriction,
without reserve, with a most perfect submission.
Far be it from me, O Lord,
to …
Saint Dominic was born in Caleruega, Spain in 1170. His parents were members of the Spanish nobility and related to the ruling family. His father was Felix Guzman, and was the royal warden of the village. His mother, Bl. Joan of Aza, was a holy woman in her own right.
According to one legend, his mother made a pilgrimage to an abbey at Silos. Legend says there were many signs of the great child she would bear. One of the most common legends says that during the pilgrimage, Joan had a dream of …
Blessed Virgin Mary, who can worthily repay you with praise and thanks for having rescued a fallen world by your generous consent! Receive our gratitude, and by your prayers obtain the pardon of our sins. Take our prayers into the sanctuary of heaven and enable them to make our peace with God.
Holy Mary, help the miserable, strengthen the discouraged, comfort the sorrowful, pray for your people, plead for the clergy, intercede for all women consecrated to God. May all who venerate you feel …