Feast Day of St. Stephen

Saint Stephen, martyr of Christ, ora pro nobis. Amen

Feast (1969 Calendar): December 26

Double of the II Class (1955 Calendar): December 26

Today is the second day in the Octave of Christmas, and today is also the Feast of St. Stephen, the first martyr. What we know about him comes from the Acts of the Apostles. His account is recorded in Chapter 6 and Chapter 7. Today in times past was also a Holy Day of Obligation.

"If you know what witness means, you understand why God brings St. Stephen, St. John, and the Holy Innocents to the crib in the cave as soon as Christ is born liturgically. To be a witness is to be a martyr. Holy Mother Church wishes us to realize that we were born in baptism to become Christ — He who was the world's outstanding Martyr" (Love Does Such Things by Rev. M. Raymond, O.C.S.O.)

"We have only just celebrated the birth of our Lord and already the liturgy presents us with the feast of the first person to give his life for this Baby who has been born. Yesterday we wrapped Christ in swaddling clothes; today, he clothes Stephen with the garment of immortality. Yesterday, a narrow manger cradled the baby Christ; today, the infinite heaven has received Stephen in triumph" (St. Fulgentius, Sermon 3)

Today is also the most appropriate day for the hymn Good King Wenceslas.

"The painting is by Blessed Fra Angelico (1400-1455). Saint Peter is ordaining Stephen to the diaconate while Saint John the Beloved (whose feast we will keep tomorrow), holding his Gospel, looks on. The composition is remarkable: the three heads of Peter, John and Stephen form a triangle, a symbol of communion in the Three Divine Persons. Peter is handing over the chalice and paten; they are very large. Fra Angelico makes the Most Holy Eucharist central; he paints what Saint Thomas Aquinas taught, i.e. that the unity of the Church is constituted and held together by participation in the adorable Body and Blood of Christ" (Vultus Christi Blog)

Collect:

Grant us, we beseech Thee, O Lord, so to imitate what we revere, that we may learn to love even our enemies: for we celebrate the heavenly Birthday of him who knew how to pray for his very persecutors to our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son: Who with Thee liveth and reigneth.

Prayer Source: 1962 Roman Catholic Daily Missal

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Christmas 2005: Urbi et Orbi

I finish my Christmas blogging today with a link to the Urbi et Orbi (to the city and the world) address by Pope Benedict XVI for Christmas Day. May His words help lead us all closer to Christ, the Lord.

Some of his words from his address:

"At Christmas we contemplate God made man, divine glory hidden beneath the poverty of a Child wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger; the Creator of the Universe reduced to the helplessness of an infant. Once we accept this paradox, we discover the Truth that sets us free and the Love that transforms our lives. On Bethlehem Night, the Redeemer becomes one of us, our companion along the precarious paths of history. Let us take the hand which he stretches out to us: it is a hand which seeks to take nothing from us, but only to give.

"With the shepherds let us enter the stable of Bethlehem beneath the loving gaze of Mary, the silent witness of his miraculous birth. May she help us to experience the happiness of Christmas, may she teach us how to treasure in our hearts the mystery of God who for our sake became man; and may she help us to bear witness in our world to his truth, his love and his peace."

Image Source: MSNBC

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Christmas Appeal: Pray for the Souls in Purgatory Today

The above image of Holy Mass is of a Tridentine Catholic Mass for Christmas Mass at Midnight.

As Catholics, we acknowledge Purgatory, a temporary state where those that die with venial sin may be cleansed/purified before entering Heaven. Those in purgatory, however, may be helped by our prayers. 

According to private revelation, there are more souls released from Purgatory during the Consecration of the Mass than at any other time. Christmas is the day of the year when most souls are delivered, followed by feast days of Our Lord, Our Lady, and great saints. Souls receive much grace from prayers offered for them on their birthdays, the day of baptism, and the anniversary of death. The more we work for the poor souls now, the more others will pray for us, and the more merciful Christ will be with us if we make it to Purgatory.

Our Lady asked that we pray very much for the poor souls; she asked that we pray:
5 Apostle's Creed
1 Hail Holy Queen
1 Our Father
1 Glory Be
1 Requiem

Our Lady said that if we pray the prayers, "we’ll deliver so many souls, so many souls. The Holy wounds are the treasure of treasurers for the souls in Purgatory." As Scripture states, "It is a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from their sins" (2 Mac 12:46)

In an approved apparition by the Church, Our Savior, Jesus Christ, gave St. Gertrude the Great this prayer. We would do well to say this on Christmas as well:

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus Christ, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the Universal Church, for those in my own home and within my family. Amen.

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St. John Chrysostom's Christmas Homily

"What shall I say? And how shall I describe this birth to you? The Eternal One has become an infant. He who sits upon the sublime and heavenly throne now lies in the manger. For this He assumed my body, that I may become capable of His word, taking my form He gives me His spirit, and so, He bestowing and I receiving, He prepares me for the treasure of life. He takes my form to sanctify me. He gives me His spirit, that he may save me."

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Midnight Mass 2005 from the Vatican

Tonight was Pope Benedict XVI's first Christmas Mass as pope. It was a beautiful ceremony in the heart of Vatican City. And, in his homily, our Holy Father offered prayers for the Middle East and for the unborn. Read his homily through the Vatican's website.

He reminded those present that the splendor of Christmas "shines on every child, even on those still unborn." It was that moment the Word was made Flesh. Tonight we recall the awesome miracle of Christ being born in Bethlehem in the richest of poverty.

He ended his homily with a prayer to God: "Lord, fulfill your promise! Where there is conflict, give birth to peace. Where there is hatred, make love spring up! Where darkness prevails, let light shine." If you didn't know, the tradition of a midnight Mass goes back to Pope St. Telesphorus in the early 100's AD.




Image Sources: Reuters

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Advent Ends

Today is the last day of Advent, as at last, we have arrived at the Birth of Christ. Let the joy of this Christmas Season fill your heart and may the joy of our ultimate meeting with our God fill our heart with unceasing splendor.

+ Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, O my God! to hear my prayer and grant my desires, through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of His blessed Mother. Amen. +

Merry Christmas to all of my readers. May God Bless you all.

Image Source: Believed to be in the Public Domain, Title Unknown

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Bethlehem Turnout highest since 2000!

Pilgrims are pouring in Bethlehem, the highest number since 2000. As many as 30,000 are coming into the city as we celebrate the Solemnity of the Birth of Christ. Please keep these pilgrims in your prayers as we all, regardless, are journeying spiritually with them to Bethlehem.

Read the Story at CBS News

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Nashville Dominicans

I was watching EWTN last night and a short 10 minute special was on the Dominicans Sisters of St. Cecilia in Nashville, Tennessee. They are also called the Nashville Dominicans. Their website is full of great information, and I love how they spend so much time in daily prayer. If you are thinking of a vocation as a nun or someone you know, I'd recommend this site.

In that short TV special, one of the sisters quoted St. Catherine of Sienna, and her words have been in my mind all night long.

"If you are what you should be, you will set the whole world on fire" -- St Catherine of Sienna

Image Source: Nashville Dominicans

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Hurricane Update

It seems to have been a little while since Hurricane Rita and Katrina devoured parts of the United States. But, the devestation is still there. With Christmas just around the corner, please say a prayer for those people that may not have a home this year. Let us all unite with the true poverty of Christ.

I received this news in an email:

1. Of the 84 elementary schools in New Orleans, only 16 are open now-and 43 have no projected re-opening date, stranding 25,000 students.

2. Twenty-three New Orleans parishes have been destroyed.

Image Source: In the Public Domain NASA

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St. John of Kanty

"Fight all error, but do it with good humor, patience, kindness, and love. Harshness will damage your own soul and spoil the best cause." (Saint John of Kanty)

Double (1955 Calendar): October 20
Optional Memorial (1969 Calendar): December 23

Today the Church remembers St. John of Kanty, also called St. John Cantius. St. John Kanty (June 23, 1390 - December 24, 1473) was born in Kanty, Silesia, Poland. He became a priest and professor of theology at the University of Cracow although he greatly feared the responsibility. But, he took the responsibility seriously and soon won over the hearts of his parishioners.

St. John of Kanty kept only enough money and clothes on him to support him while all the rest was available to anyone that needed help. He ate sparingly, took in no meat, and slept little. When he did sleep, he slept on the floor. During his life, he made four trips to Rome and one trip to Jerusalem hoping to be martyred. He died on December 24, 1473, in Cracow of natural causes. He was declared patron of Poland and Lithuania in 1737 by Pope Clement XII.

Traditional Matins Reading:

John was born at Kenty, a town in the diocese of Cracow; and hence his surname Cantius. His parents were pious and honorable persons, by name Stanislaus and Anna. From his very infancy, his sweetness of disposition, innocence, and gravity, gave promise of very great virtue. He studied philosophy and theology at the university of Cracow, and taking all his degrees proceeded professor and doctor. He taught sacred science for many years, enlightening the minds of his pupils and enkindling in them the flame of piety, no less by his deeds than by his words. When he was ordained priest, he relaxed nothing of his zeal for study, but increased his ardour for Christian perfection. Grieving exceedingly over the offences everywhere committed against God, he strove to make satisfaction on his own behalf and that of the people, by daily offering the unbloody Sacrifice with many tears. For several years he had charge of the parish of Ilkusi, which he administered in an exemplary manner; but fearing the responsibility of the cure of souls, he resigned his post; and, at the request of the university, resumed the professor’s chair.

Whatever time remained over from his studies, he devoted partly to the good of his neighbour, especially by holy preaching; partly to prayer, in which he is said to have been sometimes favoured with heavenly visions and communications. He was so affected by the Passion of Christ, that he would spend whole nights without sleep in the contemplation of it; and in order the better to cultivate this devotion, he undertook a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. While there, in his eagerness for martyrdom he boldly preached Christ crucified even to the Turks. Four times he went to Rome on foot, and carrying his own baggage, to visit the threshold of the apostles; in order to honour the apostolic See to which he was earnestly devoted, and also (as he himself used to say), to save himself from purgatory by means of the indulgences there daily to be gained. On one of these journeys he was robbed by brigands. When asked by them whether he had anything more, he replied in the negative; but afterwards remembering that he had some gold pieces sewn in his cloak, he called back the robbers, who had taken to flight, and offered them the money. Astonished at the holy man’s sincerity and generosity, they restored all they had taken from him. After St. Augustine’s example, he had verses inscribed on the walla in his house, warning others, as well as himself, to respect the reputation of their neighbours. He fed the hungry from his own table; and clothed the naked not only with garments bought for the purpose, but even with his own clothes and shoes; on these occasions he would lower his cloak to the ground, so as not to be seen walking home barefoot.

He took very little sleep, and that on the ground. His clothing was only sufficient to cover him, and his food to keep him alive. He preserved his virginal purity, like a lily among thorns, by using a rough hair-shirt, disciplines, and fasting; and for about thirty-five years before his death, he abstained entirely from fleshmeat. At length, full of days and of merits, he prepared himself long and diligently for death, which he felt drawing near; and that nothing might be a hindrance to him, he distributed all that remained in his house to the poor. Then, strengthened with the Sacraments of the Church, and desiring to be with Christ, he passed to heaven on Christmas Eve. He worked many miracles both in life and after death. His body was carried to St. Anne’s, the church of the university, and there honourably interred. The people’s veneration for the saint, and the crowds visiting his tomb, increased daily; and he is honoured as one of the chief patrons of Poland and Lithuania. As new miracles continued to be wrought, Pope Clement XIII solemnly enrolled him among the saints, on the seventeenth of the Kalends of August, in the year 1767.

Prayer:

Grant, we beseech Thee, O almighty God, that by the example of St. John, Thy Confessor we may make progress in the science of the Saints, and by showing mercy to others may obtain through his merits forgiveness from Thee. Through our Lord.

Prayer Source: 1962 Roman Catholic Daily Missal

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