Feast of Sts Sixtus II, Pope & MARTYR & Cajetan, Priest.
"When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself.
"The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns.
"When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick.
"When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said, “This is a deserted place and it is already late; dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.”
"He said to them, “There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves.”
"But they said to him, “Five loaves and two fish are all we have here.”
"Then he said, “Bring them here to me,” and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass.
"Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds.
"They all ate and were satisfied.
"And they picked up the fragments left over—twelve wicker baskets full. Those who ate were about five thousand men, not counting women and children."
(Matthew 14: 13 - 21).
Monday August 7th 2023 in the 17th Week of Ordinary Time is the feast of St Sixtus II, Pope and Martyr. (+ 258). And St Cajetan, Priest.
Pope Sixtus with four of his deacons were arrested at the Altar while celebrating Mass and beheaded at the order of Emperor Valerian.
St Cajetan, Priest and Founder of the Theatines was born in 1480 and died in 1547. He was canonized by Pope Clement X.
St Cajetan was very dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary who bestowed upon him many favors. Called a "Saint" from his childhood, he never slackened in his desire for holiness.
To renew the lives of the Clergy, he formed the Congregation of Clerks Regular, known as the Theatines. Cajetan was the first to introduce the Forty Hours' Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament as an antidote to the heresy of Calvinism.
Our Scripture pick for today, reminds us of Eucharistic narrative where at the Last Supper:
Jesus Takes, Blesses, Breaks, Gives the Bread of life.
Is this sequence of actions accident or purposeful? The Church has interpreted the Feeding of the Crowd as type and shadow of the Eucharist which is the defining institution of the Kingdom to come. Note that it must have been this same sequence of actions that opened the eyes of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus to recognize Jesus. (See Luke 24).
But what do we learn about the Eucharist from the feeding of the crowd?
"They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the fragments left over—twelve wicker baskets full." (Matthew 14: 20).
You shall eat and be satisfied.
Nothing prefigures the Eucharist as closely as this Scripture from Isaiah:
"All you who are thirsty, come to the water! You who have no money, come, buy grain and eat; Come, buy grain without money, wine and milk without cost! Why spend your money for what is not bread; your wages for what does not satisfy?" (Isaiah 55: 1 - 2).
The Eucharist is the rich food and rich wine prefigured in Isaiah 55.
"You have given us, O Lord, bread from heaven, endowed with all delights and sweetness in every taste." (Wisdom 16: 20).
August is the Month dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Mary says: "In the end. My Immaculate Heart will triumph."
For Prayers of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Litany, Promises of Mary to those who say the Holy Rosary, etc click the link below:
http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2023/06/immaculate-heart-of-mary-consecration.html?m=10
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