"Jesus said, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of filth. Even so, on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing." (Matthew 23: 27 32).
Tuesday 25th August 2021, 21st Week in Ordinary Time. We celebrate the lives of two saints. Remember that in honoring these two saints, we are in fact glorifying our Lord Jesus Christ who is King of all the saints. He promised that those who follow Him will reign forever with Him. And those who honor the saints glorify Him. Never miss an opportunity to glorify Jesus through honoring the saints on their feast day.
St Louis of France (1214 - 1270). He lived a simple life characterized by prayer and penance. God was pleased with Louis and raised him from the cares of earthly rule to the glory of heavenly kingdom.
We celebrate also today:
St Joseph Calasanz (1557 - 1648). Spanish Priest who dedicated his life in charity and patience to the education of poor children.
What is the common factor between King Louis and Father Joseph? They were separated by nearly 300 years. The key is in the first Reading for today:
"As you know, we treated each one of you as a father treats his children, exhorting and encouraging you and insisting that you walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into his Kingdom and glory." (1Thessalonians 2: 9 - 13).
St Louis the king of France had eleven children. As king of a great European power in the 13th century, Louis lived a life of penance and prayer and treated the French people as his children as St Paul treated the Thessalonians. (Cf First Reading). His people loved him much. St Louis perished near Tunis in North Africa in the 2nd Crusade.
St Joseph Calasanz dedicated his life in charity and patience to the education of poor children. He founded a religious order to cater for the poor and the abandoned children of Rome. His confrères hated him and the problem precipitated the abolition of the religious order St Joseph founded. He surrendered the situation to God. His attitude was: God gives us everything. He takes them away whenever He wants. Blessed be the name of God forever!
Our key Scripture for today deals with hypocrisy and lawlessness. We live in a time that seems to be marred by both vices. St Philip Neri teaches that frequent Confession will lead us to truth and humility. The Church teaches that frequent Holy Communion will transform us into the copy image of the Person we receive in the Eucharist.
Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirstcommunity.com
I am interested I Church History. Can you recommend a publication wit perhaps an Imptramater
ReplyDeleteThere are many good books on Church history on Amazon. Browse. Read and if necessary research the authorship. If they are not Catholic, that is a disqualifying point. I recently read one very good author. I will look him up in my archive and give it to you.
ReplyDeleteAw many thanks. Look forward!
DeletePublisher's Summary
ReplyDeleteTake an unforgettable journey through the entire span of the Catholic Church's existence. In this essential course, The History of the Catholic Church: Tradition and Innovation, acclaimed historian and award-winning professor Dr. Christopher Bellitto (PhD, Fordham University) breathes new life into two millennia of history.
The chronicle of Catholicism can seem daunting: full of names, dates, places, and phrases. Getting ahold of such a rich and diverse history requires guidance and a skillful approach.
In this brilliant survey course, you'll explore traditions of belief and innovate ways to describe, share, and live that faith. With Dr. Bellitto as your guide, you'll look at the major periods of church history: early, medieval, reformation, and modern. As you take this journey, you'll examine changes and continuities across the centuries.
In "Early Church", you'll see how a small group of believers spread the faith in a hostile pagan world. Then, in "Medieval Church", you'll see how popes and kings, bishops, and local lords fought to control the church as believers in the pews and plazas rediscovered the human Jesus of the Gospels. Meanwhile, religious life adapted as Christianity encountered new cultures. "Reformation Church" considers how the church recovered from its late medieval controversies and bridged the gap between science and religion. Finally, "Modern Church" explores how Vatican II has transformed Catholicism as it strides into its third millennium.
Dynamic and insightful, this course is a must-have resource. By understanding the history of the church, you will understand its fascinating past as it journeys into the future.
I hope you understand the difference between Church History and the Life of Saints. If you are looking for a good life of Saints, there are many in Amazon. Our saints of today, St Louis of France and St Joseph Calasanz may not be mentioned in the History of the Catholic Church.
ReplyDelete