THE FEAST OF ST DAMASUS 1ST, ROMAN PONTIFF.
FEAST OF ST DAMASUS 1ST, ROMAN PONTIFF AND MARTYR.
«J«sus said to the crowds:
“Amen, I say to you,
among those born of women
there has been none greater than John the Baptist;
yet the least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
From the days of John the Baptist until now,
the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence,
and the violent are taking it by force.
All the prophets and the law prophesied up to the time of John.
And if you are willing to accept it,
he is Elijah, the one who is to come.
Whoever has ears ought to hear.” (Matthew 11: 11‐15).
Thursday11th December 2025 2nd Week of Advent is the feast of St Damasus 1 (305 - 384). Pope.
Born in Rome but of Spanish descent. Damasus presided over the See of Peter when the Church was rocked by many heresies. Arian heresy had not yet been crushed.
He defended the Church against schismatics. Damasus is the Pope who commissioned St Jerome to translate the Bible into common Latin. This translation called the Vulgate made the Latin language the official language of the Church.
From the days of
John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force." (Matthew 11: 12).
Thursday 11th December 2025, 2nd Week of Advent.
In the Gospel for today (Matthew 11: 11 - 15), Jesus praised His cousin John as the greatest prophet. No surprise when you line up all the prophets along with their profiles.
From the prophecy of the birth of John to his naming and dedication, there were many supernatural signs. His lifestyle and ministry were extraordinary.
After praising John the Baptist, Jesus said something curious and difficult to understand: "From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force." (Matthew 11: 12).
What does Jesus mean? The kingdom of God suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force?
First, we know that the Church is the seed of the kingdom of God on earth. We know that the Church suffers lots and lots of persecutions?
But how are the violent taking the kingdom of God by force? The kingdom of God is the ultimate destination of all men. Men should set their hearts, minds and energy to reach it by all means. And people who understand this urgency are seizing the kingdom of God by force.
What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world (kingdom of man) which is temporary and limited and misses the kingdom of God which is limitless and everlasting?
John the Baptist left us an example of how to take the kingdom of God by force: Singleness of purpose, tremendous courage, radical evangelical poverty, humility and martyrdom.
The Church honors the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary every day in December.
Mary was conceived without original sin. This grace and privilege are fitting in view of the birth and death of her Son Jesus Christ, who is the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity.
"O God, who by the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, did prepare a worthy dwelling place for Your Son, we beseech You that, as by the foreseen death of this, Your Son, You did preserve Her from all stain, so too You would permit us, purified through Her intercession, to come unto You."
For the Immaculate Conception Devotions and Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link below:
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