FEAST OF SAINTS PAULINUS OF NOLA, JOHN FISHER AND THOMAS MORE.
FEAST OF SAINTS PAULINUS OF NOLA, JOHN FISHER, THOMAS MORE.
"Jesus said to his disciples: “No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
"Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they?
"Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them.
"If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?
"So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’ All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
"But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.
"Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.” (Matthew 6: 24 - 34).
Thursday 22nd June 2023, of the 11th Week in Ordinary Time is the feast day of three giants of the Christian Church:
St Paulinus of Nola (355 - 431). French Bishop. Over a thousand years separated him from the two English martyrs we honor today. St John Fisher (1469 - 1535). Bishop and scholar. And his friend, St Thomas More (1477 - 1535). Lawyer, Statesman and Chancellor of Exchequer of King Henry VIII.
St Thomas More is revered all over the world as the patron saint of lawyers.
St John Fisher and St Thomas More were martyred under Henry VIII for refusing to compromise the teachings of the Church.
When a Bishop lacks the grace of fortitude of his high office, he succumbs to the threats of tyrants like King Henry VIII. That is what the world saw in the England of the 1520s.
King Henry VIII, one single man born of a woman succeeded in intimidating the whole of the English hierarchy.
About 300 Bishops denied their Catholic Faith. Only Bishop John Fisher stood up to him and stood his ground. He refused to deny his holy faith. St Thomas More a layman stood his ground too. Both men suffered martyrdom.
Today both men are celebrated all over the world. Henry VIII, where is your kingdom? Where are your 7 wives?
The Gospel of today from Matthew 6: 24 - 34 is the crème de la crème of the Sermon on the Mount.
Why are we full of fear, worry and doubt? Because we are of little faith.
We may go to Church and live in the Church. We may be involved deeply in several ministries in our parish.
But deep deep down, we are no different from the pagans if we do not trust in the promises of God. How? Jesus says in the Gospel of today that pagans worry a lot about what to eat, what to wear, which car to drive or fine house to live in. Stop behaving like pagans. You have a Father in Heaven who knows exactly what you need and when you need it.
How do we come by the faith that trusts God the Provident and Gentle Father and stop behaving like pagans?
Go back to the basics. Start praying. Mother St Teresa of Kolkata says: "The fruit of prayer is faith." As you commit to daily prayer and listening to God in His word, your faith start growing and fears, worries and doubts start receding.
Jesus concludes the teaching in today's Gospel by giving the supreme remedy for trusting and enjoying the merciful and powerful Providence of God:
"Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.” (Matthew 6: 33 - 34).
6. 18. "TRUE devotion to the Sacred Heart demands, further, reparation and atonement. If you truly love the Heart of Jesus, you will grieve that this Divine Heart is so little loved, so often forgotten, reviled, grieved and offended, and you will grieve in particular at the infidelity, the ingratitude and the outrages that are committed against this loving Heart in the Most Blessed Sacrament." (DEVOTION TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS).
The Holy Catholic Church honors the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus every June.
Read of the abundant promises made to people who honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus especially in June.
For Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link below.
No comments:
Post a Comment
23-Psalm1to2