One of the most unusual true stories in the annals of Catholic hagiography is that of Bl. Carino, the assassin of the Saint whose feast is traditionally kept today, Peter the Martyr. Carino was one of the two men hired to kill Peter for his work against the Cathars, as he was traveling in the area of Milan; the other, Albertino, fled in fear at the moment of the attack, and it was Carino who dealt the martyr his death-blow with a knife to the skull, and fatally wounded his companion, brother Dominic. Carino was taken to Milan, where he would certainly have been tried and executed, if not lynched by popular uprising beforehand; the mayor of the city, however, was involved in the plot against St Peter, and arranged for Carino’s escape.

Intending to make his way to Rome and obtain a Papal pardon, he took gravely ill at Forlì, where he confessed his sin to the local Dominican prior. After recovering, he respected the promise made as part of his penance, to enter a religious house as a “conversus”; he then lived forty years in the Dominican house of Forlì. The totality of his conversion after his terrible deed, and the humility of his life of penance, were popularly recognized after his death in 1293. The story is told that at his own insistence, he was buried in the unconsecrated ground reserved for violent criminals, but the people of Forlì prevailed upon the Dominican Fathers to move him into their church, first in the sacristy, and later in a chapel with two other blesseds of the same house, James Salomoni and Marcolino Amanni.

In 1879, before the Dominican house of Forlì was confiscated by the Italian state, the relics of Bl. Carino were moved to the cathedral. In 1934, at the behest of the Blessed Ildefonse Schuster, his head and part of his body were translated to the church of St Martin in Balsamo, his native town, to be followed by the rest of the relics thirty years later. The seminary of Seveso, close to where the actual martyrdom took place, retains one of the most particular relics in history, the weapon which he used to kill St Peter.


The knife which Carino used to kill St Peter the Martyr
From Italian Wikipedia, two images of the translation of Carino’s relics in 1934, before their transfer, and newly arrived at San Martino in Balsamo.

Friday of the Third Week of Easter
Lectionary: 277



Reading 1 (Acts 9:1-20)

Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord,
went to the high priest and asked him
for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, that,
if he should find any men or women who belonged to the Way,
he might bring them back to Jerusalem in chains.
On his journey, as he was nearing Damascus,
a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him.
He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him,
"Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?"
He said, "Who are you, sir?"
The reply came, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do."
The men who were traveling with him stood speechless,
for they heard the voice but could see no one.
Saul got up from the ground,
but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing;
so they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus.
For three days he was unable to see, and he neither ate nor drank.

There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias,
and the Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias."
He answered, "Here I am, Lord."
The Lord said to him, "Get up and go to the street called Straight
and ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul.
He is there praying,
and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias
come in and lay his hands on him,
that he may regain his sight."
But Ananias replied,
"Lord, I have heard from many sources about this man,
what evil things he has done to your holy ones in Jerusalem.
And here he has authority from the chief priests
to imprison all who call upon your name."
But the Lord said to him,
"Go, for this man is a chosen instrument of mine
to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and children of Israel,
and I will show him what he will have to suffer for my name."
So Ananias went and entered the house;
laying his hands on him, he said,
"Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me,
Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came,
that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
Immediately things like scales fell from his eyes
and he regained his sight.
He got up and was baptized,
and when he had eaten, he recovered his strength.

He stayed some days with the disciples in Damascus,
and he began at once to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues,
that he is the Son of God.

Responsorial Psalm (Ps 117:1bc, 2)

R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Praise the LORD, all you nations;
glorify him, all you peoples!
R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
or:
R. Alleluia.

For steadfast is his kindness toward us,
and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever.
R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Alleluia (Jn 6:56)

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood,
remains in me and I in him, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel (Jn 6:52-59)

The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying,
"How can this man give us his Flesh to eat?"
Jesus said to them,



Just as the living Father sent me
and I have life because of the Father,
so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.
This is the bread that came down from heaven.
Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died,
whoever eats this bread will live forever."
These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.



REFLECTION

Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life. The second part of the discourse on the Bread of Life (Jn 6:51-59) carries a Eucharistic theme: Jesus speaks of his Body (Flesh) and Blood which he invites the people to eat and drink that they may have life. This is the “living” bread, that is, the bread that gives life, in contrast with the manna that supported the wandering Israelites for 40 years in the desert but did not prevent them from dying. The living bread, too, is the bread that comes down from heaven, that is, Jesus, the Word of God become flesh. The manna, again in contrast, was “earthly”: material food that becomes rotten.

From “believing,” Jesus now requires human beings to “eat” and “drink.” The Bread come down from heaven at the Incarnation now gives his human life in death in order to give life to the world (cf Jn 3:16). Jesus’ gift of life will come at the expense of his own life. As eating human flesh and drinking human blood is abhorrent and strictly forbidden by the Law, Jesus meets it in the sacramental participation in the Eucharist where he gives himself as food and drink.

“Eucharistic communion was given
so that we might be ‘sated’ with God here
on earth, in expectation of our complete
fulfillment in heaven” (St. John Paul II).

SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2017,” ST. PAULS Philippines, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.) http://www.ssp.ph/

This post has been edited by khool: May 5 2017, 10:00 AM

John 6:47-52

" ... Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever believes has eternal life.
I am the bread of life.
Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died;
this is the bread that comes down from heaven
so that one may eat it and not die.
I am the living bread that came down from heaven;
whoever eats this bread will live forever;
and the bread that I will give
is my Flesh for the life of the world ..."

“I have waited so long for this moment!”

Vivian Wong was baptised by Pope Francis during the Easter Vigil, 2017. “I am so grateful to become a child of God and finally be able to receive our Lord in Holy Communion; I have waited so long for this moment!”



At 8:30 pm on Holy Saturday evening, during the Solemn Easter Vigil presided by Pope Francis in St. Peter's Basilica, he administered the sacraments of Christian initiation to eleven neophytes from Spain, the Czech Republic, Italy, the United States, Albania, Malta, Malaysia and China.

Vivian Wong from Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, was one of the eleven baptised by the Pope. “I am so grateful to become a child of God and finally be able to receive our Lord in Holy Communion; I have waited so long for this moment! I feel so loved by Him and I always pray that He will give me the heart to love Him as much as I can. I am not so good in expressing my feelings, so every time I receive our Lord, all I can tell Him repeatedly is just ‘Thank you!’ and ‘I love you’. I really hope to be able to bring more people closer to Him through my testimony.”

Growing up in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, and schooled in the Chinese stream, Vivian never thought she would one day be a Catholic. Her father being Christian and her mother, Buddhist, her contact and exposure to the Catholic faith was nearly non-existent. For a while she followed her father to his church, and later went with her mother to the Buddhist temple, but religion never really played a role in her life.

At eighteen, in January 2015, she signed up for a residential on-the-job training program in hospitality skills at a retreat house in Ulu Tiram, Johor. Part of the program included optional courses for personal development, and one of those was a course about the Catholic Faith. Vivian started attending the classes on the Creed, the Sacraments and the Commandments with some interest but bit by bit, the subject began to really hold her attention, much to her surprise. She was moved when she learnt that the Eucharist comes all the way from Christ through the Apostles and has remained the same for over 2000 years.She reasoned that if it were a human invention, it would have died a natural death shortly after the last Apostle died.

Being a thorough person by nature, she enjoys dwelling into the details of everything she does. Just as she is meticulous and has high standards in setting a dining table or making a tray of pastries, she started reading and studying the Faith to clarify whatever uncertainties she had and to reach a deeper understanding.

Her friendship with the other trainees eased many things for her. Nearly all the Catholic trainees went for Mass daily, prayed the Rosary and participated in outreach projects like visits to the homes for the aged and disabled, helping out in a club for young girls of the neighbourhood or were catechists in the nearby parish. Vivian joined in as well, at the beginning as a passive spectator, then gradually as someone who was discovering God and the beauty of a personal relationship with Him.

In Easter 2016, some trainees wanted to participate in Incontro Romano, a yearly meeting for young people who wish to spend Easter close to the Pope in Rome.Vivian decided to join them, aware that it would be a ‘total immersion’ experience in the Catholic Faith.She had many questions about the Pope: who he was, why he was so important, what he did in the Vatican… During Holy Week in Rome, the group saw the Pope three times: once at the Wednesday general audience in St. Peter’s square; another during the Easter Vigil, where the Pope baptized, among others, a Chinese girl; and finally in the Easter Sunday Urbi et Orbi blessing in St Peter’s Square. At this last event, the group was joyfully waving the Malaysian flag in a corner by the railings when Pope Francis passed very close by. There was a frenzy of enthusiasm, cheering and photos, and Vivian recalled, “All of a sudden I understood who the Pope is: Christ’s representative on earth. And I felt a strong desire to have him as my guide, to be part of the Catholic family and, if possible, be baptized by him.”



Back in Ulu Tiram, Vivian enrolled in the parish program for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. The coordinator for the English group, Therese, even volunteered one-to-one classes for Vivian whenever she could not make it to the group classes. The target was to be ready for the following Easter, regardless of whether the Baptism would be in Rome or in Ulu Tiram. Vivian surmised, “I will be as much a child of God either way!”

In the application to the Vatican for Baptism by the Pope, Vivian approached the parish priest, Fr. Michael, and Bishop Bernard Paul, whom she has met in the weekday Masses in Majodi Centre occasionally.Both were most supportive and they assisted in all the necessary documents that needed to be sent to Rome. She had also decided on the Baptismal name of “Francesca” if the Pope was the one to baptise her.

For quite a while, there was no reply from the Vatican and Fr. Michael suggested contacting someone in Rome who could make inquiries. The Malaysian Embassy to the Holy See had recently started in 2016, and Vivian wrote to the Ambassador, Tan Sri Bernard Giluk Dompok. Through the good office of his Embassy, the Baptism by the Pope was granted.

A frenzy of preparations then started: air tickets for everyone including her god-mother-to-be, Sylvia, a fellow trainee, from Sarawak; winter clothes; informing Vivian’s mother, who could barely comprehend why Vivian wanted to put all her little savings to go to Rome again just to be baptized there...Finally everything was in place for the big day.

The Easter Vigil in Rome was wonderful beyond dreams. Vivian had decided to wear a baju kabaya (traditional blouse and skirt of South East Asia) for the event. The accompanying trainees were given seats of honour the main altar in the grand basilica and they had a clear view of the entire ceremony. Then it started: the lights went off as required by the Easter liturgy on the sacred night and candles lit from the Easter candle spread like a wave through the Basilica as the Pope processed with it up to the main altar, the eleven candidates for Baptism as part of the procession. After the Liturgy of the Word, the Liturgy of Baptism started... Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Communion followed one another. Francesca was finally welcomed into the Catholic Church as a child of God on 16th April.

Sylvia, her god-mother, was feeling nervous just before the Vigil Mass started. “During the long waiting time inside St. Peter’s before the ceremony, many people were busy taking photos or enjoying the moment.But I felt the need to prepare myself to meet the Pope which would take place after the Baptism and I tried to live the Mass well and pray a lot. It was going to be the most special moment ever in my life. I had already seen the Pope at a distance several times amidst the crowd, but this one was going to be different: we will be few, and be very close to him and will be receiving his direct attention... Everything happened in a solemn way, like the rehearsal, yet the moment in front of the Pope was for me truly like a daughter being with her father. I could see that the Holy Father was a bit tired, yet praying for the new children of God and all of us around. I did not get a direct blessing from the Pope, but I consider it given through Msgr. Marini at the final rehearsal, who knew little English thus communication was minimal; he blessed each of the catechumens and god-parent making the sign of the cross on our foreheads. The family spirit of the Catholic Church was clearly palpable.”

After the ceremony, the excited Malaysians went on and on with embraces, kisses and photos in front of Bernini’s bronze baldacchino... till the Vatican’s usher came to announce that St. Peter’s had to be closed for the night! Looking around, Vivian and her group of friends realized that they were the last ones to leave, with the Italian usher encouraging them, “andiamo, signorinas, andiamo” (come along now, ladies, come along).

Francesca now feels the joyful responsibility of sharing the Faith with all who come her way.She asks the Holy Spirit to be able to convey to others the happiness she feels being close to God and living her life according to Our Lord’s inspirations.

“I am so grateful to become a child of God and finally be able to receive our Lord in Holy Communion; I have waited so long for this moment! I feel so loved by Him and I always pray that He will give me the heart to love Him as much as I can. I am not so good in expressing my feelings, so every time I receive our Lord, all I can tell Him repeatedly is just ‘Thank you!’ and ‘I love you’. I really hope to be able to bring more people closer to Him through my testimony.”

Nelly, 20 years old, a fellow trainee in Bukit Tiram House since February 2016 was moved when she witnessed Vivian’s Baptism. “I prayed for her to become a Catholic without much intensity at the beginning. Then, as the day drew nearer, I really prayed for her, and I see the fruit of the prayers in her joy now. I sensed it very specially the second time she received Holy Communion at the Mass on Easter Monday at the Basilica of St. John Lateran. The joy on her face and the awareness that now she is truly one of us was so clear!” It was clearly an unforgettable experience for them all.

Source: http://opusdei.org.sg/en-sg/article/i-have...or-this-moment/

a kind reminder is for those that goes to Churches with parking issue, please do be considered when parking illegal on side of the road and ensure minimal blockage on the traffic.

thx for ur kind cooperation.

Off-topic. I believe what you're referring to is more of a civic-sense issue, and has nothing to do with the religion itself. You may have to open a new topic to highlight that your reminder.

This post has been edited by Hoka Nobasho: May 7 2017, 03:11 PM

Does anyone know if St John's Cathedral near bukit nanas is open for visit tomorrow?

Kindly advise, thanks.

You can refer to their weekly bulletin or you could call up the office ...

http://www.stjohnkl.com.my/weekly-bulletin

Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter
Lectionary: 280



Reading 1 (Acts 11:19-26)

Those who had been scattered by the persecution
that arose because of Stephen
went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch,
preaching the word to no one but Jews.
There were some Cypriots and Cyrenians among them, however,
who came to Antioch and began to speak to the Greeks as well,
proclaiming the Lord Jesus.
The hand of the Lord was with them
and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.
The news about them reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem,
and they sent Barnabas to go to Antioch.
When he arrived and saw the grace of God,
he rejoiced and encouraged them all
to remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of heart,
for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith.
And a large number of people was added to the Lord.
Then he went to Tarsus to look for Saul,
and when he had found him he brought him to Antioch.
For a whole year they met with the Church
and taught a large number of people,
and it was in Antioch that the disciples
were first called Christians.

Responsorial Psalm (Ps 87:1b-3, 4-5, 6-7)

R. All you nations, praise the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.

His foundation upon the holy mountains
the LORD loves:
The gates of Zion,
more than any dwelling of Jacob.
Glorious things are said of you,
O city of God!
R. All you nations, praise the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.

I tell of Egypt and Babylon
among those who know the LORD;
Of Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia:
"This man was born there."
And of Zion they shall say:
"One and all were born in her;
And he who has established her
is the Most High LORD."
R. All you nations, praise the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.

They shall note, when the peoples are enrolled:
"This man was born there."
And all shall sing, in their festive dance:
"My home is within you."
R. All you nations, praise the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Alleluia (Jn 10:27)

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel (Jn 10:22-30)

The feast of the Dedication was taking place in Jerusalem.
It was winter.
And Jesus walked about in the temple area on the Portico of Solomon.
So the Jews gathered around him and said to him,
"How long are you going to keep us in suspense?
If you are the Christ, tell us plainly."
Jesus answered them, "I told you and you do not believe.
The works I do in my Father's name testify to me.
But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep.
My sheep hear my voice;
I know them, and they follow me.
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.
No one can take them out of my hand.
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all,
and no one can take them out of the Father's hand.
The Father and I are one."



REFLECTION

My sheep hear my voice; I know them. Because sheep continually live with their shepherd, they are able to distinguish his voice. They do not recognize or heed a stranger.

Speaking of his sheep, Jesus refers to his disciples and the reciprocal relationship between them. The disciples hear Jesus’ voice and follow him as their shepherd. On the other hand, Jesus knows them. The biblical word “to know” (Hebrew yadah) means more than intellectual knowledge. It refers to an intimate relationship, so that it is used to describe the bond between husband and wife, their being “one flesh.” Jesus declares that he knows the disciples through and through, to the very depths of their being. This knowledge is even a reflection of his knowledge of the heavenly Father. With this “divine” knowledge, Jesus knows his disciples better than they can know themselves. He can relate with them as no other person can.

How much do you “know” of persons close to you and of persons committed to your guidance?

SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2017,” ST. PAULS Philippines, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.) http://www.ssp.ph/

Thursday of the Fourth Week of Easter
Lectionary: 282



Reading 1 (Acts 13:13-25)

From Paphos, Paul and his companions
set sail and arrived at Perga in Pamphylia.
But John left them and returned to Jerusalem.
They continued on from Perga and reached Antioch in Pisidia.
On the sabbath they entered into the synagogue and took their seats.
After the reading of the law and the prophets,
the synagogue officials sent word to them,
"My brothers, if one of you has a word of exhortation
for the people, please speak."

So Paul got up, motioned with his hand, and said,
"Fellow children of Israel and you others who are God-fearing, listen.
The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors
and exalted the people during their sojourn in the land of Egypt.
With uplifted arm he led them out,
and for about forty years he put up with them in the desert.
When he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan,
he gave them their land as an inheritance
at the end of about four hundred and fifty years.
After these things he provided judges up to Samuel the prophet.
Then they asked for a king.
God gave them Saul, son of Kish,
a man from the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.
Then he removed him and raised up David as their king;
of him he testified,
I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart;
he will carry out my every wish.
From this man's descendants God, according to his promise,
has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus.
John heralded his coming by proclaiming a baptism of repentance
to all the people of Israel;
and as John was completing his course, he would say,
'What do you suppose that I am? I am not he.
Behold, one is coming after me;
I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his feet.'"

Responsorial Psalm (Ps 89:2-3, 21-22, 25 and 27)
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.

The favors of the LORD I will sing forever;
through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness.
For you have said, "My kindness is established forever";
in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.

"I have found David, my servant;
with my holy oil I have anointed him,
That my hand may be always with him,
and that my arm may make him strong."
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.

"My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him,
and through my name shall his horn be exalted.
He shall say of me, 'You are my father,
my God, the Rock, my savior.'"
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Alleluia (Rv 1:5ab)

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus Christ, you are the faithful witness,
the firstborn of the dead,
you have loved us and freed us from our sins by your Blood.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel (Jn 13:16-20)

When Jesus had washed the disciples' feet, he said to them:
"Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master
nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him.
If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it.
I am not speaking of all of you.
I know those whom I have chosen.
But so that the Scripture might be fulfilled,
The one who ate my food has raised his heel against me.
From now on I am telling you before it happens,
so that when it happens you may believe that I AM.
Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send
receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me."



REFLECTION

The one who ate my food. At the Last Supper, Jesus washes the feet of the disciples so that they will be “made clean.” The washing anticipates Jesus’ “taking off his outer garments” on the cross: his death is really what cleanses them.

Jesus has full knowledge of his disciples’ weaknesses and strengths. He knows who will betray him. He quotes from the Psalms: “The one who ate my food has raised his heel against me” (Ps 41:10). The betrayal is rendered more acute because it is done not by an enemy but by a member of his intimate band, by one who has shared table fellowship with him.

The psalm is traditionally attributed to David, but is applied to the Messiah, David’s Son. In the light of Jesus’ quotation here, the disciples will later see it as fulfilled in Jesus’ passion, death, and resurrection, when he will be revealed as “I AM”—sharing God’s name and glory. Betrayal is such a tragedy, but it is not the last word. Jesus’ victory is.

Have you ever betrayed a loved one or a friend?
What lessons did you draw from such sad event?

SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2017,” ST. PAULS Philippines, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.) http://www.ssp.ph/

Consoling Thoughts on Suffering



All men suffer. The poor suffer because they lack the necessities of life. The rich suffer because of the “cares of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches” (Mark 4:19), which provoke thousands of anxieties. The young suffer because they don’t have the freedoms they wish to enjoy, or because they lack the intelligence to enjoy them well, while the old suffer because they have aches, pains, resentments, regrets, and ingratitude from the young.

Suffering is the universal lot of man. This truth has been said so many times and in such a variety of ways that its profundity and veracity risk being lost in a platitude.

What follows in a series of bulleted quotes are some thoughts that are in no way platitudes, because they come to us from God.

- “For the Spirit himself giveth testimony to our spirit, that we are the sons of God. And if sons, heirs also; heirs indeed of God, and joint heirs with Christ: yet so, if we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified with him. For I reckon that the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come, that shall be revealed in us.” — Romans 8:16-18
- “Amen, amen I say to you, unless the grain of wheat falling into the ground die, Itself remaineth alone. But if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. ” — John 12:24-25
- “And we will not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them that are asleep, that you be not sorrowful, even as others who have no hope.” — I Thessalonians 4:12
- “Persevere under discipline. God dealeth with you as with his sons; for what son is there, whom the father doth not correct? But if you be without chastisement, whereof all are made partakers, then are you bastards, and not sons.” — Hebrews 12:7-8
- “Now all chastisement for the present indeed seemeth not to bring with it joy, but sorrow: but afterwards it will yield, to them that are exercised by it, the most peaceable fruit of justice.” — Hebrews 12:11 (and the entire chapter!)
- “And who is he that can hurt you, if you be zealous of good? But if also you suffer any thing for justice’ sake, blessed are ye. And be not afraid of their fear, and be not troubled. But sanctify the Lord Christ in your hearts, being ready always to satisfy every one that asketh you a reason of that hope which is in you.” — I Peter 3:13-15
- “But if doing well you suffer patiently; this is thankworthy before God. For unto this are you called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example that you should follow his steps.” — I Peter 2:20-21
- “And he said to me: My grace is sufficient for thee; for power is made perfect in infirmity. Gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may dwell in me.” — 2 Corinthians 12:9
- “But if you partake of the sufferings of Christ, rejoice that when his glory shall be revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.” — 1 Peter 4:13
- “But the God of all grace, who hath called us into his eternal glory in Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little, will himself perfect you, and confirm you, and establish you.” — 1 Peter 5:10
- “I am the true vine; and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me, that beareth not fruit, he will take away: and every one that beareth fruit, he will purge it, that it may bring forth more fruit. — John 15:1-2
“Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up those things that are wanting of the sufferings of Christ, in my flesh, for his body, which is the church.” — Colossians 1:24
- “Can a woman forget her infant, so as not to have pity on the son of her womb? and if she should forget, yet will not I forget thee.” — Isaias 49:15
- “My brethren, count it all joy, when you shall fall into divers temptations; Knowing that the trying of your faith worketh patience. And patience hath a perfect work; that you may be perfect and entire, failing in nothing.” — James 1:2-4
- “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes: and death shall be no more, nor mourning, nor crying, nor sorrow shall be any more, for the former things are passed away.” — Apocalypse 21:4

The Buddhists know of suffering. The Vedas, the Upanishads, and other sacred texts of the Orient speak of suffering. But, for all its faux Asiatic profundity, none of this esoteric pantheism can actually make sense of suffering. Suffering only makes sense in the light of the Cross. And it is there that it must be contemplated, as we with Mary behold Truth Incarnate, who suffered for us: “Looking on Jesus, the author and finisher of faith, who having joy set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and now sitteth on the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

In our highly commercial culture, advertisers work to profit from suffering, even as they augment it. They hold up to you your sadness, suffering, anxieties, and cares, and then promise you a product that will make you happy, painless, placid, and carefree, just like the actors in their commercials, whose real lives may well be more empty than your own. In the midst of your self-perceived inferiority to these happy denizens of a Capitalist Paradise, you are directed to find true joys only a click or a toll free number away. This is standard fare in the marketing world.

Consider this: If the guys on Madison Avenue know that this works (and it does!) — if, that is, they know how vulnerable the self-pitying sufferer is to their crass and profiteering commercial manipulations — then do not those far more intelligent beings, the fallen pure spirits we call demons, know at least as much?

Yes, we are vulnerable when we suffer. Perhaps this is what Saint James had in mind when he offered that simple advice, “Is any of you sad? Let him pray” (James 5:13). The childlike but generous abandonment of self to God at such moments — through Mary’s Immaculate Heart — can be very fruitful for the soul. If we become gloomy or morose, we become more vulnerable:

When Satan fails to make us bad,
He is most content to keep us sad;
For a heavy heart cannot contain
Buoyant thoughts from the high domain,
And must perforce gravitate
To matters of a lower state.

Our Lord admonishes us to “become as little children” (Matthew 18:3), who have confidence and trust in their parents. A similar confidence and trust, the result of supernatural faith, hope, and charity, is what God wants of us amid our suffering — and He is ready to give it to us if we ask for it.

In the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
Brother André Marie, M.I.C.M.

Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter
Lectionary: 283



Reading 1 (Acts 13:26-33)

When Paul came to Antioch in Pisidia, he said in the synagogue:
"My brothers, children of the family of Abraham,
and those others among you who are God-fearing,
to us this word of salvation has been sent.
The inhabitants of Jerusalem and their leaders failed to recognize him,
and by condemning him they fulfilled the oracles of the prophets
that are read sabbath after sabbath.
For even though they found no grounds for a death sentence,
they asked Pilate to have him put to death,
and when they had accomplished all that was written about him,
they took him down from the tree and placed him in a tomb.
But God raised him from the dead,
and for many days he appeared to those
who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem.
These are now his witnesses before the people.
We ourselves are proclaiming this good news to you
that what God promised our fathers
he has brought to fulfillment for us, their children, by raising up Jesus,
as it is written in the second psalm,
You are my Son; this day I have begotten you."

Responsorial Psalm (Ps 2:6-7, 8-9, 10-11ab)

R. You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
or:
R. Alleluia.

"I myself have set up my king
on Zion, my holy mountain."
I will proclaim the decree of the LORD:
The LORD said to me, "You are my Son;
this day I have begotten you."
R. You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
or:
R. Alleluia.

"Ask of me and I will give you
the nations for an inheritance
and the ends of the earth for your possession.
You shall rule them with an iron rod;
you shall shatter them like an earthen dish."
R. You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
or:
R. Alleluia.

And now, O kings, give heed;
take warning, you rulers of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice before him;
with trembling rejoice.
R. You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Alleluia (Jn 14:6)

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the way and the truth and the life, says the Lord;
no one comes to the Father except through me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel (Jn 14:1-6)

Jesus said to his disciples:
"Do not let your hearts be troubled.
You have faith in God; have faith also in me.
In my Father's house there are many dwelling places.
If there were not,
would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?
And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come back again and take you to myself,
so that where I am you also may be.
Where I am going you know the way."
Thomas said to him,
"Master, we do not know where you are going;
how can we know the way?"
Jesus said to him, "I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me."



REFLECTION

Many Dwelling Places. At the Last Supper, Jesus intimates to His disciples His coming “departure.” It is the “taking away of the Bridegroom,” and the disciples are certainly sad. But Jesus consoles them that His death actually is but a passage to the Father’s house where He will prepare dwelling places (Greek monai) for them. The word is related to menein which means to stay, remain, or abide with. So John refers here to the place (state or situation) where the disciples can abide with the Father and with Jesus.

“Dwelling places” is a type of Jewish imagery that refers to the destination of the holy and the just. In the New Testament, it is equivalent to “Paradise” or “bosom of Abraham,” that is, eternal habitation or heaven.

Heaven is our eternal destination. It is there that Jesus awaits us, even as He is with us always. Believers, therefore, are to fix their sight on this eternal goal. Here on earth, we do not have a lasting home; instead, we seek the One that is to come (cf Heb 13:14).

“Imagine there’s no heaven …” goes a famous line from John Lennon of The Beatles. Is this really a solution to life’s vicissitudes and contradictions?

Some parents feel that their child is not coming at the best time. They should ask the Lord to heal and strengthen them to accept their child fully and wholeheartedly. It is important for that child to feel wanted. He or she is not an accessory or a solution to some personal need (AL 170).

SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2017,” ST. PAULS Philippines, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.) http://www.ssp.ph/

What was Sr. Lucia's advice after Fatima visions? Pray. Everyday.



Fatima, Portugal, May 11, 2017 / 05:02 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The niece of Fatima visionary Sr. Lucia dos Santos said her aunt was a normal person like everyone else, but shared some personal advice that her saintly relative used to give: to pray at least something every day.

“She always asked me to pray the rosary every day, because there were many who did not pray,” Maria dos Anjos, niece of Fatima visionary Lucia dos Santos, told CNA in an interview.

“This was what Our Lady asked: that we pray the rosary every day. Because there were many who didn't pray and because of this many souls went to hell because there was no one to pray for them,” she said.

Anjos, who only saw her aunt when they went to visit her in the convent, said the advice Lucia always gave her was to pray daily, and “that I not forget.”

She recalled that in a few of the conversations she had with her aunt, she confessed to not finishing the rosary because she was tired, having worked hard in the fields all day.

In response, Lucia didn’t reproach, but instead told her to “always start it, and if you don’t finish, Our Lady will finish it.”

Anjos, 97, is the daughter of one of Lucia’s older sisters. She grew up in the house directly across the street from where Lucia and her family used to live, and continues to live there with one of her sons today. Every evening she can be seen sitting on the front porch area with a rosary in hand.

While now there are paved streets and cars driving past the houses and tourist shops set up near Lucia’s house, which is now preserved as a museum and is open to the public for visits, Anjos said that when she was growing up, “there wasn’t anything here...just a mountain and some sheep and donkeys.”

Although she was only one year old at the time Lucia entered the convent, Anjos said her family would go to visit whenever they could.

Lucia, she said, “was a sister like the others. There was no difference. She was just like the other sisters who were in the convent,” and was always “joyful” – both as a child and as a religious sister.

Recalling memories that her mother had shared of her and Lucia’s childhood, Anjos said Lucia was a normal child like everyone else, and never lacked playmates.

“Many children came to play with her because their parents went to the wine estates and left their children here, because there was always someone at the house of Lucia’s mother who looked after the kids,” Anjos said.

Her grandmother and mother to Lucia, Maria Rosa Farreira, was catechist, and would also teach the children who came to the house while their parents were away.

Faith was always a big part of their family, even before the apparitions, Anjos said, explaining that “we always prayed the rosary, we went to Mass every Sunday, we did what we saw that could be done.”

After the apparitions of Mary, “we continued, doing more, and remembering that Our Lady asked us to pray more and to make more sacrifices,” she said, jesting that “we do our homework well.”

She recalled being able to attend Mass with Pope John Paul II during one of his three visits to Fatima, saying she was able to receive communion from him alongside her aunt, Sister Lucia.

“When communion came, I received communion from his hands, from the hands of the Holy Father. I liked it a lot,” she said, adding “you always like good things, do you not?”

Though she wasn’t able to speak with John Paul, Anjos said she was still “very happy,” and is equally content to welcome Pope Francis during his May 12-13 visit for the centenary of the Fatima apparitions.

During the visit, Francis will also canonized the two other Fatima visionaries – Francisco and Jacinta Marto – who were Lucia’s younger cousins, but died shortly after the apparitions took place.

“I am very glad they will be canonized,” she said, explaining that in her and her family’s mind, the siblings were already saints. Though it will now become official, she said she believes devotion to them will be “the same,” since people had already viewed them as holy.

While she’s sad she won’t be able to attend this Mass personally, Anjos said she’ll be watching it on TV, which she said is enough to make her happy.

Noting an uptick in visits to the shrine, Anjos said that many people, her family included would pray the rosary and visit the shrine after the apparitions, but “it seems that we have more devotion.”

“I think that faith has increased here and in the whole world,” she said. “At least I think it has, because many people come here, and that’s why we have to (pray) more and more. I think it did a lot of good for people to have Our Lady appear here.”

Source: http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/wha...everyday-17504/

Fatima and the Atheists

https://cruxnow.com/commentary/2017/05/08/f...d-the-atheists/

This post has been shared at the LYN Atheist and & Agnostic thread for people to take a look at it.

It's an old miracle that has been long debunked, and the article was committing a huge Argument from Ignorance or Personal Incredulity fallacy, in addition to the argumentum ad populum fallacy.



This post has been edited by Hoka Nobasho: May 14 2017, 10:57 PM

I guess you didn't read the article because the video you posted debunked nothing about that.