FEAST OF ST MARIA GORETTI. VIRGIN AND MARTYR.
"The disciples of John approached Jesus and said, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast much, but your disciples do not fast?”
"Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.
"No one patches an old cloak with a piece of unshrunken cloth, for its fullness pulls away from the cloak and the tear gets worse.
"People do not put new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined. Rather, they pour new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.” (MATTHEW 9: 14 - 17).
WHY FAST?
Saturday July 6th 2024 in the 13th Week in Ordinary Time is the feast of St Maria Goretti (1890 - 1902). Italian. Virgin and Martyr
Maria was barely twelve years old when she was attacked by Alessandro Serenelli, a 19 years old man who tried to rape her. Maria resisted fiercely. Alessandro stabbed her to death.
Maria forgave him in her death bed. Alessandro spent 27 of 30 years in prison. Maria appeared to him in a dream and brought him flowers.
Alessandro went to Confession and became reconciled with God and with the Church.
Alessandro Serenelli was in the audience at the Vatican when Maria was canonized in 1950.
Alessandro later joined the Capuchin monastery.
St Maria Goretti is the patron saint of purity, young women, rape victims and youth.
In the Gospel of today, Jesus is queried about the fasting practices of His disciples. Jesus is saying: There is time for everything. A time to fast and a time to feast. As for the disciples not fasting, It seems as if the kid goats watch their mother as she chews the cud and do what they see their mother do. Be that as it may, Fasting, Prayer and Almsgiving are the 3 pillars of Christian spiritual life.
Do you fast? How often? When? What do you fast from?
On the three pillars of the spiritual life, the Church teaches:
"The interior penance of the Christian can be expressed in many and various ways. Scripture and the Fathers insist above all on three forms, fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, which express conversion in relation to oneself, to God, and to others. Alongside the radical purification brought about by Baptism or martyrdom they cite as means of obtaining forgiveness of sins: efforts at reconciliation with one’s neighbor, tears of repentance, concern for the salvation of one’s neighbor, the intercession of the saints, and the practice of charity “which covers a multitude of sins.” (CCC 1434).
Some Christians abstain from meat and alcohol on Fridays and Wednesdays. Others abstain also from television, movies and gambling instead of food.
Whatever your practice, fasting is part of our Christian armor.
The Church honors the Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ in July.
Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ purify and heal us.
“Let us fix our gaze on the Blood of Christ and realize how truly precious It is, seeing that it was poured out for our salvation and brought the grace of conversion to the whole world.” (Pope Clement).
“It is in this Blood that He has laid up His blessings for us, as in a storehouse. This is true, not only of spiritual blessings, but of all blessings whatsoever.” (St Peter Faber).
For Prayers and Prayer intentions for the Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ click the link below:
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