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Some of the 46 newly appointed Archbishops who will receive the pallium this year, with Pope Francis blessing the vestments during Mass on the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, June 29. The pallium is a white woolen strip, worn around the neck in liturgical functions, symbolizing the union between a metropolitan archbishop and the Bishop of Rome. For years, each new archbishop had received his pallium directly from the Pontiff, during Mass on the patronal feast of the Church of Rome. But this year Pope Francis set a new policy, saying that each archbishop should receive the pallium in his own archdiocese, from the apostolic nuncio, the Pope’s representative in the country. Msgr. Guido Marini, the master of liturgical ceremonies, explained in a letter to new archbishops that Pope Francis thought this ceremony would “greatly favor the participation of the local Church.” Nevertheless the Holy Father invited the new archbishops to join him in Rome for the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul. Those who attend the ceremony in the Vatican basilica will receive the pallium privately from the Pontiff after the Mass, with the formal vesting to take place later in their own archdioceses..............http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=25376
On June 29 the Church celebrates the feast day of Sts. Peter & Paul. As early as the year 258, there is evidence of an already lengthy tradition of celebrating the solemnities of both Saint Peter and Saint Paul on the same day. Together, the two saints are the founders of the See of Rome, through their preaching, ministry and martyrdom there. Peter, who was named Simon, was a fisherman of Galilee and was introduced to the Lord Jesus by his brother Andrew, also a fisherman. Jesus gave him the name Cephas (Petrus in Latin), which means ‘Rock,’ because he was to become the rock upon which Christ would build His Church. Peter was a bold follower of the Lord. He was the first to recognize that Jesus was “the Messiah, the Son of the living God,” and eagerly pledged his fidelity until death. In his boldness, he also made many mistakes, however, such as losing faith when walking on water with Christ and betraying the Lord on the night of His passion. Yet despite his human weaknesses, Peter was chosen to shepherd God's flock. The Acts of the Apostles illustrates his role as head of the Church after the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ. Peter led the Apostles as the first Pope and ensured that the disciples kept the true faith. St. Peter spent his last years in Rome, leading the Church through persecution and eventually being martyred in the year 64. He was crucified upside-down at his own request, because he claimed he was not worthy to die as his Lord. He was buried on Vatican hill, and St. Peter's Basilica is built over his tomb. St. Paul was the Apostle of the Gentiles. His letters are included in the writings of the New Testament, and through them we learn much about his life and the faith of the early Church. Before receiving the name Paul, he was Saul, a Jewish pharisee who zealously persecuted Christians in Jerusalem. Scripture records that Saul was present at the martyrdom of St. Stephen. Saul's conversion took place as he was on his way to Damascus to persecute the Christian community there. As he was traveling along the road, he was suddenly surrounded by a great light from heaven. He was blinded and fell off his horse. He then heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” He answered: “Who are you, Lord?” Christ said: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” Saul continued to Damascus, where he was baptized and his sight was restored. He took the name Paul and spent the remainder of his life preaching the Gospel tirelessly to the Gentiles of the Mediterranean world. Paul was imprisoned and taken to Rome, where he was beheaded in the year 67. He is buried in Rome in the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. In a sermon in the year 395, St. Augustine of Hippo said of Sts. Peter and Paul: “Both apostles share the same feast day, for these two were one; and even though they suffered on different days, they were as one. Peter went first, and Paul followed. And so we celebrate this day made holy for us by the apostles' blood. Let us embrace what they believed, their life, their labors, their sufferings, their preaching, and their confession of faith.”
Readings for the Vigil Mass on the evening before the feast:
JUNE 28
First Reading Acts 3:1-10
Once, when Peter and John were going up to the Temple for the prayers at the ninth hour, it happened that there was a man being carried past. He was a cripple from birth; and they used to put him down every day near the Temple entrance called the Beautiful Gate so that he could beg from the people going in. When this man saw Peter and John on their way into the Temple he begged from them. Both Peter and John looked straight at him and said, ‘Look at us.’ He turned to them expectantly, hoping to get something from them, but Peter said, ‘I have neither silver nor gold, but I will give you what I have: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, walk!’ Peter then took him by the hand and helped him to stand up. Instantly his feet and ankles became firm, he jumped up, stood, and began to walk, and he went with them into the Temple, walking and jumping and praising God. Everyone could see him walking and praising God, and they recognised him as the man who used to sit begging at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple. They were all astonished and unable to explain what had happened to him.
Psalm 18:2-5
Their word goes forth through all the earth.
The heavens proclaim the glory of God,
and the firmament shows forth the work of his hands.
Day unto day takes up the story
and night unto night makes known the message.
Their word goes forth through all the earth.
No speech, no word, no voice is heard
yet their span extends through all the earth,
their words to the utmost bounds of the world.
Their word goes forth through all the earth.
Second Reading
Galatians 1:11-20
The Good News I preached is not a human message that I was given by men, it is something I learnt only through a revelation of Jesus Christ. You must have heard of my career as a practising Jew, how merciless I was in persecuting the Church of God, how much damage I did to it, how I stood out among other Jews of my generation, and how enthusiastic I was for the traditions of my ancestors.
Then God, who had specially chosen me while I was still in my mother’s womb, called me through his grace and chose to reveal his Son in me, so that I might preach the Good News about him to the pagans. I did not stop to discuss this with any human being, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were already apostles before me, but I went off to Arabia at once and later went straight back from there to Damascus. Even when after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and stayed with him for fifteen days, I did not see any of the other apostles; I only saw James, the brother of the Lord, and I swear before God that what I have written is the literal truth.
Gospel Acclamation
Jn 21:17
Alleluia, alleluia!
Lord, you know everything:
you know I love you.
Alleluia!
Gospel
John 21:15-19
After Jesus had shown himself to his disciples and eaten with them, he said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?’ He answered, ‘Yes Lord, you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ A second time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He replied, ‘Yes, Lord, you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Look after my sheep.’ Then he said to him a third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was upset that he asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ and said, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.
‘I tell you most solemnly,
when you were young
you put on your own belt
and walked where you liked;
but when you grow old
you will stretch out your hands,
and somebody else will put a belt round you
and take you where you would rather not go.’
In these words he indicated the kind of death by which Peter would give glory to God. After this he said, ‘Follow me.’
Jn 21:15-19 -- Jesus Reinstates Peter - Ġesù u Pietru
Ġesù u Pietru [Ġw:21:15] Wara li kielu xi ħaġa, Ġesù qal lil Xmun Pietru: "Xmun bin Ġwanni, tħobbni int aktar minn dawn?" "Iva, Mulej," wieġbu, "int taf li nħobbok." Qallu: "Irgħa l-ħrief tiegħi." [Ġw:21:16] Staqsieh għat-tieni darba: "Xmun bin Ġwanni, tħobbni int?" "Iva, Mulej," wieġbu,"int taf li nħobbok." Qallu: "Irgħa n-nagħaġ tiegħi." [Ġw:21:17] Għat-tielet darba staqsieh: "Xmun bin Ġwanni, tħobbni?" Pietru ħass għafsa ta' qalb għax staqsieh għat-tielet darba, 'Tħobbni?' u qallu: "Mulej, int taf kollox, inti taf li nħobbok." Qallu Ġesù: "Irgħa n-nagħaġ tiegħi. Ġw:21:18] Tassew tassew ngħidlek, meta kont żagħżugħ, kont titħażżem waħdek u tmur fejn trid; imma meta tixjieħ, int tiftaħ idejk u ħaddieħor iħażżmek u jieħdok fejn ma tkunx trid!" [Ġw:21:19] Dan qalu biex ifisser b'liema mewta kien sejjer jagħti glorja lil Alla. Mbagħad Ġesù ssokta jgħidlu: "Ejja warajja."
King Herod started persecuting certain members of the Church. He beheaded James the brother of John, and when he saw that this pleased the Jews he decided to arrest Peter as well. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread, and he put Peter in prison, assigning four squads of four soldiers each to guard him in turns. Herod meant to try Peter in public after the end of Passover week. All the time Peter was under guard the Church prayed to God for him unremittingly.
On the night before Herod was to try him, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, fastened with double chains, while guards kept watch at the main entrance to the prison. Then suddenly the angel of the Lord stood there, and the cell was filled with light. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him. ‘Get up!’ he said ‘Hurry!’ – and the chains fell from his hands. The angel then said, ‘Put on your belt and sandals.’ After he had done this, the angel next said, ‘Wrap your cloak round you and follow me.’ Peter followed him, but had no idea that what the angel did was all happening in reality; he thought he was seeing a vision. They passed through two guard posts one after the other, and reached the iron gate leading to the city. This opened of its own accord; they went through it and had walked the whole length of one street when suddenly the angel left him. It was only then that Peter came to himself. ‘Now I know it is all true’ he said. ‘The Lord really did send his angel and has saved me from Herod and from all that the Jewish people were so certain would happen to me.’
Psalm 33:2-9
The angel of the Lord rescues those who revere him.
I will bless the Lord at all times,
his praise always on my lips;
in the Lord my soul shall make its boast.
The humble shall hear and be glad.
The angel of the Lord rescues those who revere him.
Glorify the Lord with me.
Together let us praise his name.
I sought the Lord and he answered me;
from all my terrors he set me free.
The angel of the Lord rescues those who revere him.
Look towards him and be radiant;
let your faces not be abashed.
This poor man called, the Lord heard him
and rescued him from all his distress.
The angel of the Lord rescues those who revere him.
The angel of the Lord is encamped
around those who revere him, to rescue them.
Taste and see that the Lord is good.
He is happy who seeks refuge in him.
The angel of the Lord rescues those who revere him.
Second Reading
2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18
My life is already being poured away as a libation, and the time has come for me to be gone. I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith; all there is to come now is the crown of righteousness reserved for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that Day; and not only to me but to all those who have longed for his Appearing.
The Lord stood by me and gave me power, so that through me the whole message might be proclaimed for all the pagans to hear; and so I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from all evil attempts on me, and bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Gospel Acclamation
Mt16:18
Alleluia, alleluia!
You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church.
And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it.
Alleluia!
Gospel
Matthew 16:13-19
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi he put this question to his disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say he is John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ ‘But you,’ he said ‘who do you say I am?’ Then Simon Peter spoke up, ‘You are the Christ,’ he said ‘the Son of the living God.’ Jesus replied, ‘Simon son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.’
Mt 16:13-19 -- Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah - Stqarrija tal-fidi minn Pietru
EVANĠELJU
Inti Pietru: jiena nagħtik l-imfietaħ tas-Saltna tas-smewwiet.
Mt 16,13-19
Qari mill-Evanġelju skont San Mattew
F’dak iż-żmien: [Mt:16:13] Meta wasal fl-inħawi ta' Ċesarija ta' Filippu, Ġesù staqsa lid-dixxipli tiegħu u qalilhom: "In-nies min jgħidu li hu Bin il-bniedem?" [Mt:16:14] U huma weġbuh: "Xi wħud, Ġwanni l-Battista; oħrajn, Elija; u oħrajn, Ġeremija jew wieħed mill-profeti." [Mt:16:15] "Imma intom," qalilhom, "intom min tgħidu li jien?" [Mt:16:16] U qabeż Xmun Pietru u qallu: "Inti l-Messija, l-Iben ta' Alla l-ħaj." [Mt:16:17] U wieġbu Ġesù u qallu: "Imbierek int, Xmun bin Ġona, għax mhux il-laħam u d-demm urewk min jien, imma Missieri li hu fis-smewwiet. [Mt:16:18] U min-naħa tiegħi ngħidlek: Inti Pietru, u fuq din il-ġebla jiena nibni l-Knisja tiegħi, u l-bibien ta' l-infern ma jegħlbuhiex. [Mt:16:19] Lilek nagħtik l-imfietaħ tas-Saltna tas-Smewwiet, u kulma torbot fuq l-art ikun marbut fis-smewwiet, u kulma tħoll fuq l-art ikun maħlul fis-smewwiet."
Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
R/. Tifħir lilek Kristu.
In his Angelus address delivered in St. Peter’s Square on June 29, the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Pope Francis recalled that the two saints came from distant lands to proclaim the Gospel in Rome and that they remain examples of faith and charity today. St. Peter, the Pope recalled, knew the Blessed Virgin Mary and conversed with her before Pentecost, and St. Paul spoke of the Virgin in his Letter to the Galatians. “In the evangelization of the two Apostles here in Rome, there are also the roots of the deep and age-old devotion of the Romans to the Virgin, invoked especially as Salus Populi Romani,” Pope Francis said.
God's revolutionary love Pope Francis celebrated Mass for the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul June 29, 2018
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During the corona virus pandemic - June 29 2020 Holy Mass on the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul Apostles Pope Francis
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FULL Video | Pope Francis’ Homily on the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul 2022 from the Vaticanhttps://youtu.be/TvufG3CGNfI
A Call Out To Grandparents - Published on 28 May 2014
Catherine Wiley, founder of the Catholic Grandparents Association, speaks about her ministry at the Marians' Divine Mercy Conference on April 5, in Bronx, N.Y.
Catholic grandparents pass on the faith- Published on 26 Jun 2015 Irish grandparents talk about the evangelizing mission of the Catholic Grandparents Association, a fast-growing group with a special link to Pope Francis.
The Pope's 7 most tender messages to grandparents - Published on 27 Jul 2015
Preżentazzjoni tal-Enċiklika Laudato Si' minn Monsinjur Arċisqof Charles J. Scicluna - Published by THE CHURCH IN MALTA youtube channel on 25 Jun 2015
Proposti għas-soċjetà ċivili u għall-Gvern, ispirati mill-Enċiklika Laudato Si' -Kummissjoni Ambjent - Published by THE CHURCH IN MALTA youtube channel on Dec 6, 2015
Konferenza Laudato S' - Published on Dec 16, 2015 from Laikos
Critics and supporters gather in Rome for dialogue on “Laudato Si - Published on Dec 23, 2015
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Christian hope and faith in the afterlife mean
the sting of losing a loved one does not have to leave behind a
poisonous venom in our lives, Pope Francis said.
“Our loved ones have not disappeared into dark nothingness: Hope
assures us that that they are in God’s good and strong hands. Love is
stronger than death,” he said at his general audience June 17.
As part of a series of talks about the family and problems they face,
the pope looked at death, particularly the loss of a close family
member.
When a loved one dies, especially a child or a parent of young
children, “death is never able to appear as something natural,” he said.
It is “heart-rending” when a mother and father lose a child: “It’s as
if time has stopped. An abyss opens that swallows up the past and the
future,” he said.
Losing a child seems to go against everything life is supposed to be
about, he said. “It’s a slap in the face to all the promises, gifts, and
sacrifices of love joyously given to the life we have given birth to,”
he said.
Just as traumatic is when a child loses one or both parents, he said.
They ask, “Where is daddy? Where is mommy?'” or “‘When will mommy
come back home?’ Oh, what do you say? The child suffers” and he or she
lacks the experience or understanding “to give a name to what has
happened,” the pope said.
These experiences of death are particularly distressing — “like a
black hole that opens in the life of a family and for which we don’t
know how to give any explanation.”
Sometimes family members will blame God. “I understand. They get mad
at God, they curse him,” or begin to question or doubt his existence,
the pope said.
“This anger is a bit of what comes from the heart of huge heartache” of losing a family member, he said.
Unfortunately, death has a number of evil “accomplices, who are even
worse” and their names are hatred, envy, pride, greed, indifference —
basically “the sin of the world that works for death and makes it even
more painful and unjust.”
Death’s “auxiliary forces” render so many families helpless and, so
often, such horror in some parts of the world starts to seem like an
“absurd normality.”
“May the Lord free us from getting used to this” kind of loss of life, he said.
For the people of God, death never has the last word, the pope said.
However, it still takes an enormous amount of love to face “the darkness
of death.”
Pope Francis reflects on death
He asked that today’s priests and all Christians find ways to better
express what the faith means when facing the death of a loved one.
People need to mourn, “you must never deny people the right to cry,” he said.
Christians must become “accomplices” of love, armed with the faith
and able to help families navigate the “very difficult path of death as
well as the sure path of the Lord, crucified and risen, with his
irreversible promise of resurrection.”
The Lord will reunite everyone once again, and it is this Christian
hope and faith that will “protect us from a nihilistic view of death as
well as false worldly consolation,” myths or superstition, he said.
The pope reminded people that June 20 marked World Refugee Day, and
he asked people pray for all those forced to flee as they search for a
new home “where they can live without fear.”
He asked that the dignity of refugees always be respected and
encouraged the international community to cooperate and work effectively
to “prevent the causes of forced migrations.”
“I invite everyone to ask forgiveness for the people and institutions
that close the doors to these people who are seeking a family, who want
to be cared for,” he said to applause.
Editor's
Note: So many of us are like Martha today: “Help me understand this
one, Jesus.” We doubt and yet we trust. Jesus weeps. He weeps with the
families of the fallen in Charleston. He weeps with a grieving
community. He weeps for them. He weeps with you. He weeps for you. How
does it make you feel to know that Jesus weeps over human tragedy? What
does it mean that Jesus weeps “with” us? What does it mean that Jesus
weeps “for” us?
The community at FaithGateway lifts up prayers today for the
people of Charleston. We’ve selected the reading below, “Jesus Weeps,”
by Max Lucado and hope it brings some comfort to you, the people of
Charleston, and to all those facing tragic circumstances around the
world.
- - -
Read John 11:1-44, The Death of Lazarus
You
never know what to say at funerals. This one is no exception. The
chapel is library quiet. People acknowledge each other with soft smiles
and nods. You say nothing.
What’s to be said? There’s a dead body in the place, for crying
out loud! Just last month you took the guy out to lunch. You and Lazarus
told jokes over nachos. Aside from a bad cough, you thought he was
healthy.
Within a week you learned of the diagnosis. The doctor gave him
sixty days. He didn’t make it that long. Now you’re both at his funeral.
He in the casket. You in the pew. Death has silenced you both.
The
church is full, so you stand at the back. Stained glass prisms the
afternoon sun, streaking faces with shafts of purple and gold. You
recognize many of them. Bethany is a small town. The two women on the
front pew you know well. Martha and Mary are the sisters of Lazarus.
Quiet, pensive Mary. Bustling, busy Martha. Even now she can’t sit
still. She keeps looking over her shoulder. Who for? you wonder.
In a matter of moments the answer enters. And when He does, she
rushes up the aisle to meet Him. Had you not known His name, the many
whispers would have informed you. “It’s Jesus.” Every head turns.
He’s wearing a tie, though you get the impression He rarely does.
His collar seems tight and His jacket dated. A dozen or so men follow
Him; some stand in the aisle, others in the foyer. They have a well-traveled, wrinkled look, as if they rode all night. Jesus
embraces Martha, and she weeps. As she weeps, you wonder. You wonder
what Jesus is going to do. You wonder what Jesus is going to say. He
spoke to the winds and the demons. Remarkable. But death? Does he have
anything to say about death?
Your thoughts are interrupted by Martha’s accusation:
Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. — John 11:21
You can’t fault her frustration. Are she and Jesus not friends? When
Jesus and His followers had nowhere else to go, “Martha welcomed them
into her home” (Luke 10:38). Mary and Martha know Jesus. They know Jesus
loves Lazarus. “Lord,” they told the courier to tell him, “the one you
love is very sick” (John 11:3). This is no fan-mail request. This is a
friend needing help.
Desperately needing help. The Greek language has two principle
words to express sickness: one describes the presence of a disease, the
other its effects. Martha uses the latter. A fair translation of her
appeal would be, “Lord, the one you love is sinking fast.”
Friends send Christ an urgent appeal in a humble fashion, and what
does he do? “He stayed where he was for the next two days and did not
go to them” (John 11:6). By the time He arrives, Martha
is so broken up she hardly knows what to say. With one breath she
rebukes: “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died”
(John 11:21). With the next she resolves:
But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You. — John 11:22
Every funeral has its Marthas. Sprinkled among the bereaved are the bewildered.
Help me understand this one, Jesus.
This
has been the prayer of Karen Burris Davis ever since that November
morning when her son — and, consequently, her sun — failed to rise.
Jacob was thirteen. The picture of health. Four medical examiners have
found no cause of death. Her answer, she says, is no answer.
I miss Jacob so much that I am not sure I can do this. I stand
at the cemetery, knowing his body is down there, and think how insane
it is to feel like if I start digging, I could see him just one more
time. I just so much want to smell his hair and touch him... How quickly
the scent of someone goes away. I would have thought it would have
lingered forever, that sour boy smell and those stinky tennis shoes. Of
course, sometimes he actually did smell of soap and shampoo. The house
is so empty without all his noise and plans.
"Grief
fogs in the heart like a Maine-coast morning. The mourner hears the
waves but sees no water. Detects voices but no faces. The life of the
brokenhearted becomes that of a “footwatcher, walking through airports
or the grocery store staring at feet, methodically moving through a
misty world. One foot, then the other.” (Billy Sprague, Letter to a Grieving Heart: Comfort and Hope for Those Who Hurt)
Martha sat in a damp world, cloudy, tearful. And Jesus sat in it with her.
I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die like everyone else, will live again. — John 11:25
Hear those words in a Superman tone, if you like. Clark Kent
descending from nowhere, ripping shirt and popping buttons to reveal the
S beneath. “I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE!!!” Do you see a Savior
with Terminator tenderness bypassing the tearsof Martha and Mary and, in doing so, telling them and all grievers to buck up and trust?
I don’t. I don’t because of what Jesus does next.
He weeps.
He sits on the pew between Mary and Martha, puts an arm around
each, and sobs. Among the three, a tsunami of sorrow is stirred; a
monsoon of tears is released. Tears that reduce to streaks the watercolor conceptions of a cavalier Christ. Jesus weeps.
He weeps with them.
He weeps for them.
He weeps with you.
He weeps for you.
He weeps so we will know: Mourning is not disbelieving.
Flooded eyes don’t represent a faithless heart. A person can enter a cemetery Jesus-certain of life after death
and still have a Twin Tower crater in the heart. Christ did. He wept,
and he knew he was ten minutes from seeing a living Lazarus!
And
His tears give you permission to shed your own. Grief does not mean you
don’t trust; it simply means you can’t stand the thought of another day
without the Jacob or Lazarus of your life.
If Jesus gave the love, He understands the tears. So grieve, but
don’t grieve like those who don’t know the rest of this story.
Jesus touches Martha’s cheek, gives Mary a hug, stands,
and turns to face the corpse. The casket lid is closed. He tells Martha
to have it opened. She shakes her head and starts to refuse but then
pauses. Turning to the funeral home director, she says, “Open it.”
Since
you are standing, you can see the face of Lazarus. It’s waxy and white.
You think Jesus is going to weep again. You never expect Him to speak
to his friend. But He does. A few feet from the casket Jesus yells,
Lazarus, come out! — John 11:43
Preachers always address the living. But
the dead? One thing is sure. There better be a rumble in that casket,
or this preacher is going to therapy. You and everyone else hear the
rumble. There is movement in the coffin.
He who had died came out. — John 11:44
Dead men don’t do that — do they? Dead men don’t come out. Dead
men don’t wake up. Dead hearts don’t beat. Dried blood doesn’t rush.
Empty lungs don’t inhale. No, dead men don’t come out — unless they hear
the voice of the Lord of life. The ears of the dead may be deaf to your
voice and mine but not to His. Christ is
Lord of both the dead and the living. — Romans 14:9
When Christ speaks to the dead, the dead listen.
Indeed, had Jesus not addressed Lazarus by name, the tenant of
every tomb on earth would have stepped forth. Lazarus jolts up in the
coffin, blinks, and looks around the room as if someone carted him there
during a nap. A woman screams. Another faints. Everyone shouts. And
you? You learned something. You learned what to say at funerals.
You learned there is a time to say nothing. Your words can’t dispel a fog, but your presence can warm it. And your words can’t give a Lazarus back to his sisters. But God’s can. And it’s just a matter of time before He speaks.
The
Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout... All
the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. — 1 Thessalonians 4:16
Till then, we grieve, but not like those who have no hope.
And we listen. We listen for His voice. For we know who has the final say about death.
John 8:44b ... the devil was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
From the dawn of Man at Eden, Satan has been seeking the ruin of humanity. Today, Satan remains active, continuing to instigate rebellion against God and sowing evil around the globe; Satan’s evil influence is evidenced by the depressive decay of the culture and the growing violence and strife that is engulfing the world. Despite appearances, Jesus Christ has decisively conquered Satan but, through His mysterious Providence, allows Satan to continue roam about the world, seeking the destruction of souls. Every man who is willing to give himself to Christ can be protected from the Evil One. The choice is ours.
Satan – The Ancient Enemy
Satan, the Evil One, and his demons, are fallen angels who freely chose to rebel against God’s reign (CCC 391-395). When Adam failed in his vocation to protect Eve and the Garden, Satan (Hebrew: adversary, one who plots against) treacherously enticed Eve to rebel against God (Gen 3:1-24; CCC 1707). Adam and Eve’s Original Sin to side with Satan led to a loss of Original Holiness and evil took root in the world, pitting men and women against each other in hostile world of pain and death (CCC 400). The Old Testament documents Satan’s action in the world (Lev 17:7; 1 Chr 21:1; 2 Chr 11:15; Tob 3:17; Job 1:6-12, 2:1-7; Wis 2:24; Isa 13:21; Bar 4:35; Zech 3:1-2).
Satan in the Modern World
Satan continues to vigorously corrupt Man to rebel against God (CCC 414) in overt ways: the barbarous murders of Christians by Islamic terrorists; the institutionalized murder of abortion; government endorsement of sinful sexual behaviors (e.g. contraception, pornography as free speech, the legalization of homosexual acts); the growing euthanasia movement; legal attacks against God and Christians; coercion to accept same-sex faux marriage; Satan worship.
Satan is also acts in subtle ways to corrupt: contraception as a “right”; mainstreaming of single parenthood; radical feminism that divides women and men; “gender theory” that proliferates “orientations”; increasing control and manipulation by governments and corporations; rampant materialism; stifling of free speech and religion; education systems that indoctrinate but fail to teach; the earth-worship of perverted environmentalism; political systems built on divisive identity politics; selective acceptance of racism and sexism; the expansion of no-fault divorce; technology-powered propaganda of perverted causes; growing totalitarianism of pluralism/relativism.
Satan has also corrupted some Catholic bishops and priests to teach lies and not Truth and to stand idly by while millions of Catholics leave the Church: the downplay of the existence of Satan, Sin and the reality of Hell; de-sacralizing the liturgy; de-emphasis of Confession; promotion of “pastoral” acceptance of divorce and homosexuality as a “gift”; the failure to vigorously rebuke predator priests; acceptance of heretical Catholic education leaders; the abject failure to evangelize men.
Jesus Christ – Conqueror of Satan
Jesus Christ decisively conquers Satan and unequivocally warns Man about Satan. Jesus: Allows Satan to roam the earth…for now – While Satan can influence, his power is nothing compared to the power of God. Christ, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, allows Satan to exist in the world for His own providential and mysterious purpose (CCC 395). Incarnates to conquer Satan – Predicted in the Protoevangelium (the first Gospel; Gen 3:15), Jesus incarnates through Mary to decisively conquer and destroy Satan and to teach the redemptive goodness of God in the face of evil (CCC 309; 385; 394). Rebukes Satan in the Temptation – Satan attacks Jesus after a 40-day fast, twisting scripture with appeals to hunger, pride and power (Matt 4:1-11); Christ rebukes and dismisses Satan. Dominates demons in every encounter – Scripture documents many of the times that Christ specifically casts out demons in a variety of circumstances (Matt 4:24; 9:32-34; 12:22-28; 17:14-21; Mark 1:21-28; 1:32-34; 1:39; 3:22-26; 5:1-20; 7:24-30; 9:14-29; Luke 4:31-37; 4:41; 6:17-19; 8:1-3; 8:26-39; 9:37-43; 11:14-19; 13:10-17; Acts 10:34-38). On a number of occasions, the demons recognize and fear Christ (Matt 8:29; Mark 1:21-28). Condemns the acts of Satan – Jesus rebukes Satan’s attempts to corrupt Peter (Matt 16:21-23). He accuses the Pharisees for acting on Satan’s behalf (John 8:43-51). Christ warns Peter that Satan has demanded Peter for himself (Luke 22:31-34). He calls Satan “a murderer” and “the father of lies” (John 8:44). Christ prays to the Father to protect the apostles from the Evil One (John 17:15). Warns men about Satan in the Lord’s Prayer – Christ specifically acknowledges Satan and man’s need for protection: “But deliver us from the Evil one” (Matt 6:13; CCC 2850-54). Strengthens the Apostles to recognize and confront Satan and his demons – Numerous examples exist of Christ’s warnings and the Apostle’s confirmation of Satan in their teachings:
Gives the Apostles the power to cast out demons – Christ allows and specifically equips the Apostles and other disciples to cast out demons (Matt 10:8; Mark 6:7; 9:38-41; Luke 9:1; 9:49-50; 10:17-20; Acts 5:16; 8:7).
Peter – Warns that the “devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” and that men must resist Satan (1 Peter 5:8-9).
Paul – Confirms that he is being used to turn people from Satan to God (Acts 26:16-18), rebukes Elymas for being the “son of the Devil” (Acts 13:8-18), exorcises demons (Acts 19:11-17), instructs the faithful to reject hardened sinners to Satan’s grasp (1 Cor 5:4-5; 1 Tim 1:19-20), warns the Satan disguises himself as “an angel of light” (2 Cor 11:14) and that in latter days “some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceitful spirits and doctrines of devils (1 Tim 4:1-2), confirms that some early disciples are corrupted by Satan (1 Tim 5:15), and acknowledges that he is being attacked by Satan (2 Cor 12:7-10; 1Thes 2:18). He instructs men to “put on the armor of God…to withstand the wiles of the Devil” (Eph 6:10-20).
St. James – Instructs men to be “subject to God, but resist the Devil, and he will flee from you” (Jas 4:7).
St. John – Confirms that Jesus came to “destroy the works of the Devil” (1 John 3:8), that men can resist the Devil in Christ (1 John 2:13) and that the whole world is currently influenced by the Evil One (1 John 5:19; Rev 2:10-11).
Decisively conquers Satan – Christ will ultimately put an end to Satan’s evil attacks (Rev 12:1-17) and counterfeit signs (Rev 16:13-14), bounding Satan and casting him into a lake of fire (Rev 20:1-10). Strengthens the Church to teach the reality about Satan – The Church in the fullness of Truth, continues to profess the reality of Satan who acts in the world today and that God has dominion over Satan (CCC 391-395; 414; 1708).
On June 11th we celebrate the feast of St. Barnabas. The Church sees him as an apostle though he was not one of the twelve. We first hear about him in the Acts of the Apostles, where he is given the name Barnabas which means “Son of Encouragement” (Acts 4). And he lived up to his name. When Paul needed someone to support him after his conversion, it was St. Barnabas who supported Paul and had him received by the apostles. St. Barnabas was also sent on a mission to investigate the new converts at Antioch. He persuaded St. Paul to go to Antioch and begin the missionary work with him; and there, in Antioch was where the followers of Christ were first called Christians (Acts 11). As disciples of Jesus Christ, we need to live our faith like St. Barnabas to:
1) Be an encourager. To encourage one another in the faith, avoid being judgmental or gossiping about people and to build bridges, not barriers.
2) Study the faith. St. Barnabas encouraged the early Christians to remain faithful to the Lord. We need to practice our faith by celebrating the sacraments worthily. The Holy Eucharist and Reconciliation are God’s gracious gifts to the Church. Celebrating them will help us get closer to the Lord, while reading Sacred Scripture and the Catechism will help us remain faithful to Him and His teachings.
3) Witness to the gospel. St. Barnabas encountered hardships but he continued to persevere in spreading the gospel. The secular world of today needs the good news of Christ. We need to witness with boldness and love; and at all times, avoid being harsh. For this, we must always pray to the Holy Spirit for guidance.
4) Dialogue with others. Without undermining or compromising our Catholic beliefs, we need to dialogue with people of opposing views.
Published on 11 Jun 2015 - St Barnabas, Apostle Pope Francis: Christians cannot lead fulfilling lives without service
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JUNE 11 - ST BARNABAS, APOSTLE - HOLY MASS READINGS
First reading Acts 11:21-26, 13:1-3
A great number believed and were converted to the Lord.
The church in Jerusalem heard about this and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. There he could see for himself that God had given grace, and this pleased him, and he urged them all to remain faithful to the Lord with heartfelt devotion; for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and with faith. And a large number of people were won over to the Lord.
Barnabas then left for Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him he brought him to Antioch. As things turned out they were to live together in that church a whole year, instructing a large number of people. It was at Antioch that the disciples were first called ‘Christians.’
In the church at Antioch the following were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. One day while they were offering worship to the Lord and keeping a fast, the Holy Spirit said, ‘I want Barnabas and Saul set apart for the work to which I have called them.’ So it was that after fasting and prayer they laid their hands on them and sent them off.
Psalm
Psalm 97:1-6
The Lord has shown his salvation to the nations.
Sing a new song to the Lord
for he has worked wonders.
His right hand and his holy arm
have brought salvation.
The Lord has shown his salvation to the nations.
The Lord has made known his salvation;
has shown his justice to the nations.
He has remembered his truth and love
for the house of Israel.
The Lord has shown his salvation to the nations.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
Shout to the Lord, all the earth,
ring out your joy.
The Lord has shown his salvation to the nations.
Sing psalms to the Lord with the harp
with the sound of music.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
acclaim the King, the Lord.
The Lord has shown his salvation to the nations.
Gospel Acclamation
Mt28:19,20
Alleluia, alleluia!
Go, make disciples of all the nations.
I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.
Alleluia!
Gospel
Matthew 10:7-13
Jesus said to his disciples, ‘As you go, proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils. You received without charge, give without charge. Provide yourselves with no gold or silver, not even with a few coppers for your purses, with no haversack for the journey or spare tunic or footwear or a staff, for the workman deserves his keep.
‘Whatever town or village you go into, ask for someone trustworthy and stay with him until you leave. As you enter his house, salute it, and if the house deserves it, let your peace descend upon it; if it does not, let your peace come back to you.’
JUNE 11 - St Barnabas, Apostle -- Mt 10:7-13 -- ‘As you go, proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand - Intom u sejrin xandru u għidu lis-saltna tas-smewwiet waslet.'
JUNE 11 - PROPER GOSPEL on the Mem. of ST. BARNABAS, APOSTLE
Evanġelju
Intom u sejrin xandru u għidu lis-saltna tas-smewwiet waslet.
Mt 10:7-13
Qari mill-Evanġelju skont San Mattew
F’dak iż-żmien: Ġesù qal lid-dixxipli tiegħu: [Mt:10:7] Intom u sejrin, xandru u għidu li s-Saltna tas-Smewwiet waslet. [Mt:10:8] Fejjqu l-morda, qajjmu l-mejtin, fejjqu l-lebbrużi, keċċu x-xjaten. B'xejn ħadtu, b'xejn agħtu. [Mt:10:9] Tfittxux li jkollkom flus fuqkom, la tad-deheb, la tal-fidda u lanqas tar-ram; [Mt:10:10] u la ħorġa għat-triq, la żewġ ilbiesi, la qrieq u lanqas ħatar, għax il-ħaddiem ħaqqu ħobżu. [Mt:10:11] Fil-bejt jew raħal fejn tidħlu, araw ikunx hemm min jixraqlu tmorru għandu, u ibqgħu f'daru sa ma titilqu minn hemm. [Mt:10:12] Meta tidħlu f'dar, sellmu lin-nies tagħha, [Mt:10:13] u jekk tkun dar li jixirqilha, ħa jiġi fuqha s-sliem tagħkom. Imma jekk tkun dar li ma jixirqilhiex, ħa jerġa' lura għandkom is-sliem tagħkom.
Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
R/. Tifħir lilek Kristu
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