TODAY’S GOSPEL READING (MARK 7:1-8.14-15.21-23)

The Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered round Jesus, and they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with unclean hands, that is, without washing them.

For the Pharisees, and the Jews in general, follow the tradition of the elders and never eat without washing their arms as far as the elbow; and on returning from the market place they never eat without first sprinkling themselves. There are also many other observances which have been handed down to them concerning the washing of cups and pots and bronze dishes. So the Pharisees and scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not respect the tradition of the elders but eat their food with unclean hands?” He answered, “It was of you hypocrites that Isaiah so rightly prophesied in this passage of scripture:

This people honours me only with lip-service,
while their hearts are far from me.
The worship they offer me is worthless,
the doctrines they teach are only human regulations.
You put aside the commandment of God to cling to human traditions.”

He called the people to him again and said, “Listen to me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that goes into a man from outside can make him unclean; it is the things that come out of a man that make him unclean For it is from within, from men’s hearts, that evil intentions emerge: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, malice, deceit, indecency, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within and make a man unclean.”

V. The Gospel of the Lord.
R. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

 

FOR A THOUSAND YEARS IN THY SIGHT ARE AS YESTERDAY, WHICH IS PAST. (PSALM 89:4)

TIME AND ETERNITY

Johannes Major reports that a certain monk being at matins, with the other religious of his monastery, and coming to that verse of the psalm (Psalm 89 [90]) where it is said,

“A thousand years in the presence of God are but as yesterday,” which is already past, began to imagine with himself, how it might be possible; and remaining in the choir (as his manner was) after the end of matins, to perfect his devotions, he humbly besought the Lord to grant him the true understanding of that place.

Which he had no sooner done, but he perceived a little bird in the choirthat with flying up and down before him, by little and little, with her melodious singing, insensibly drew him out of the church, into a wood not far off, where perching herself upon a bough , she for some short time, as it seemed to him, continued her music, to the unspeakable delight of the monk, and then flew away, leaving him, by her absence, no less sad and pensive.

But seeing she came no more, he returned back, thinking he had left his monastery the same morning, immediately after matins, and that it was now about the third hour.

But coming to the convent, which was near the wood, he found the gate, by which he was accustomed to enter, to be closed up, and another opened in some other part.

Where calling upon the porter, he was asked who he was, from whence he came, and what was his business.

He answered, that he was the sacristan of the church, and that having that morning gone abroad after matins, he found all things at his return changed.

The porter demanded of him the name of the abbot, the prior, the procurator. He named them all, and wondered he was neither understood nor permitted to enter, and when they feigned not to know those religious, whom he mentioned, desired to be brought to the abbot.

But coming into his presence, neither the abbot knew him nor he the abbot; whereat the good monk, being much astonished, knew not what to say or do.

The abbot asked him his name, and that of his abbot; and turning the annals of the monastery, found it was more than three hundred years since the death of those persons whom he named.

Whereupon the monk making a relation of what had happened to him concerning the psalm, they acknowledged him, and admitted him as a brother into their profession, where, having received the sacraments of the church, he with much peace ended his days in our Lord.

(From: “The Difference Between Time and Eternity” by Fr. Eusebius Nieremberg)

 

HOW SHOULD I BEGIN THE DAY?

HOW SHOULD I BEGIN THE DAY?

355. How should I begin the day? I should begin the day by making the sign of the cross as soon as I awake in the morning, and by saying some short prayer, such as, ‘O my God, I offer my heart and soul to you’.
356. How should you rise in the morning? I should rise in the morning diligently, dress myself modestly, and then kneel down and say my morning prayers.
357. Should you also hear [Weekday] Mass if you have time and opportunity? I should also hear Mass if I have time and opportunity, for to hear Mass is by far the best and most profitable of all devotions.
358. Is it useful to make daily meditation? It is useful to make daily meditation, for such was the practice of all the Saints.
359. On what ought we to meditate? We ought to meditate especially on the four last things, and the Life and Passion of our Blessed Lord.
360. Ought we frequently to read good books? We ought frequently to read good books, such as the Holy Gospels, the Lives of the Saints, and other spiritual works, which nourish our faith and piety, and arm us against the false maxims of the world.
361. And what should you do as to your eating, drinking, sleeping and amusements? As to my eating, drinking, sleeping, and amusements, I should use all these things with moderation, and with a desire to please God.
362. Say the grace before meals. ‘Bless us, O Lord, and these your gifts, which we are about to receive from your bounty, through Christ our Lord. Amen.’
363. Say the grace after meals. ‘We give you thanks, almighty God, for all your benefits, who live and reign, world without end. + May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.’
364. How should you sanctify your ordinary actions and employments of the day? I should sanctify my ordinary actions and employments of the day by often raising up my heart to God whilst I am about them, and saying some short prayer to him.
365. What should you do when you find yourself tempted to sin? When I find myself tempted to sin I should make the sign of the cross on my heart, and call on God as earnestly as I can, saying, ‘Lord, save me, or I perish’.
366. If you have fallen into sin, what should you do? If I have fallen into sin I should cast myself in spirit at the feet of Christ, and humbly beg his pardon by a sincere act of contrition.
367. When God sends you any cross, or sickness, or pain, what should you say? When God sends me any cross, or sickness, or pain, I should say, ‘Lord, your will be done; I take this for my sins’.
368. What prayers would you do well to say often to yourself during the day? I should do well to say often to myself during the day such prayers as:
369. 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.
370. In all things may the most holy, the most just, and the most lovable Will of God be done, praised, and exalted above all for ever.
371. O Sacrament most holy, O Sacrament divine, all praise and all thanksgiving be every moment thine.
372. Praised be Jesus Christ, praised for evermore.
373. My Jesus, mercy; Mary, help.
374. How should you finish the day?
     I should finish the day by kneeling down and saying my night prayers.
375. After your night prayers, what should you do?
     After my night prayers I should observe due modesty in going to bed; occupy myself with the thoughts of death; and endeavour to compose myself to rest at the foot of the Cross, and give my last thoughts to my crucified Saviour.”
     (From the Penny Catechism, Imprimatur: John Cardinal Heenan, Archbishop of Westminster, 18th July 1971)

 

PRAYER TO THE EUCHARISTIC HEART

O Eucharistic Heart, O Sovereign love of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hast instituted the august Sacrament in order to dwell here below in our midst, in order to give to our souls thy Flesh as food, and thy Blood as drink; we believe firmly, Lord Jesus, in that supreme Love which has caused thee to institute the Most Holy Eucharist.

Here before this Victim, it is just that we should adore this Love, that we should acknowledge and exalt it as the life-giving centre of thy Church. This Love urges us to approach thee. Thou seemest to say to us: “Behold how I love you! In giving you My Flesh to eat and My Blood to drink, I desire by this close relation to awaken your love and to unite you to Myself. I wish to effect the transformation of your souls into that of your crucified Saviour, Who is the Bread of eternal life. Give me then your hearts, have life by living in Me, and you will live in God.”

We recognise, O Lord, that such is the call of thine Eucharistic Heart. We thank thee, and we are ready – yes, we will respond to it. Grant us the grace that we may be fully penetrated with thy sovereign Love, by which, on the eve of thy Passion, thou didst invite us to partake and to eat of thy Sacred Body. Imprint deeply in our inmost souls the firm resolve to respond faithfully to this invitation. Grant us the devotion and reverence necessary to honour and receive worthily the gift of thine Eucharistic Heart, bestowed as a last mark of thy Love.

May we thus be enabled by thy grace to celebrate effectually the remembrance of thy Passion, to repair our offences and coldness, to nourish and increase our love for thee, and to keep for ever alive in our hearts the seed of a blessed immortality. Amen.

[Three hundred days Indulgence every time when recited before the Blessed Sacrament exposed. A Plenary Indulgence if recited once a day for an entire month, together with at least half an hour spent in adoration once a week before the Blessed Sacrament under the usual condition of Confession and Communion. These Indulgences are applicable to the souls in Purgatory. (Rescript June, 1902.)]

– From: St Anthony’s Treasury, 1916

 

PRAYER FOR THE CANONISATION OF BL. ISIDORE BAKANJA

PRAYER FOR THE CANONISATION OF BL. ISIDORE BAKANJA

PRAYER:

Loving God, your servant, blessed Isidore, gave his life because of his faith in you. Through his intercession I ask for your mercy and help. Father, in his name, I come to you with my needs:

(mention requests.)

Lord, help me always to imitate the great faith of Isidore. Glorify your servant as he wished to glorify you. Amen.

Dear Mary, Mother of Carmel, pray for us.
Dear Isidore, Martyr, pray for us.
Amen.

ABOUT BL. ISIDORE BAKANJA, MEMORIAL: 15th AUGUST

“One of the holy men remembered by the Church… on 15th August, is Blessed Isidore Bakanja. He was born in 1887 at Bokendela, now in the Democratic Republic of Congo. At the age of 18 years Blessed Isidore was baptised and welcomed into the Catholic Church through the missionary work of Cistercians.

Blessed Isidore was a devout convert and catechist. He had a great love for the Blessed Virgin Mary, expressed through his frequent praying of the Rosary and being invested in the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

At his first employment Blessed Isidore was permitted by his supervisor to speak of Jesus to the other co-workers which led to many converts to the Faith. At his next employment, however, the supervisor, who was intolerant of religion, forbade Blessed Isidore from teaching other workers how to pray, ‘You’ll have the whole village praying and no one will work’, he was told.

Blessed Isidore refused to stop and also refused to take off his scapular, as ordered by the supervisor. The supervisor then flogged Blessed Isidore twice and then pinned Blessed Isidore on the ground, ripping the scapular from his neck. Blessed Isidore was then beaten over 100 times with a whip with nails at the end. He was then put in chains.

His wounds became severely infected and the supervisor wished to keep Blessed Isidore from the view of the plantation inspector who was visiting. Blessed Isidore was taken outside of the plantation for this visit but he managed to hide in the forest and then dragged himself back and was seen by the plantation inspector, who was horrified at what he saw.

The plantation inspector took Blessed Isidore to his own home and looked after him. The inspector wrote, ‘I saw a man come from the forest with his back torn apart by deep, festering, malodorous wounds, covered with filth, assaulted with flies. He leaned on two sticks in order to get near me – he wasn’t walking; he was dragging himself.’ Blessed Isidore said to the plantation inspector, ‘If you see my mother, or if you go to the judge, or if you meet a Priest, tell them that I am dying because I am a Christian.’

Missionaries came to be with Blessed Isidore and reported that he devoutly received his last sacraments. The Missionaries asked Blessed Isidore to forgive the supervisor who had beaten him and he assured them that he had already done so. ‘I shall pray for him. When I am in heaven, I shall pray for him very much’, Blessed Isidore replied. After six months of suffering, Blessed Isidore died from his wounds at the age of 21 years with his Rosary beads in his hands and a Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel around his neck. Blessed Isidore Bakanja was beatified in 1994 by Pope John Paul II.”
(from “Spiritual Thought from Fr Chris”)

 

PRAYER FOR PEOPLE WHO SUFFER FROM CHRONIC PAIN

St Alphonsus, patron of Arthritis sufferers

Saint Alphonsus, loving Father of the poor and sick, all your life you devoted yourself with charity towards those who suffer sickness.

I invoke you as the patron of those who suffer with arthritis since you were afflicted with this disease in your lifetime.

Look with compassion on me in my suffering. Full of confidence in your intercession I come to you for help in my present need (mention need).
Amen.