Dom Donald's Blog: Saint Joseph Solemnity Feast in Scotland 19th. Mar...

Saint Joseph - Update 2015
Mass and Night Office, 
Dom Donald's Blog: Saint Joseph Solemnity Feast in Scotland 19th. Mar...: The carpentry shop in the monastery, Nunraw Abbey' Inscribed picture of St. Joseph's Church in Nazareth. http://www.biblewalks....

               ++++++++

Wednesday, 19 March 2014

Saint Joseph Solemnity Feast in Scotland 19th. March.

The carpentry shop in the monastery, Nunraw Abbey'

Inscribed picture of St. Joseph's Church in Nazareth.

http://www.biblewalks.com/Sites/StJosephChurch.html

A painting of Virgin Mary, St. Joseph and the young Jesus in the carpenter's workshop. Early traditions identified the site of the church as the place of the carpenter workshop of the Holy family.

Mass and Night Office, 
  

St Joseph by Bernard of Clairvaux

SAINT JOSEPH Solemnity 19 March 2010 Night Office - Second Reading Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary Homily by Saint Bernard (Hom. 2 super Missus est, 11.16: PL 183, 69-70) v Joseph's character and qualities can be deduced from the fact that God honoured him with the title of father, and, although his doing so was a mere matter of convenience, this was what he was known as and believed to be.Joseph's own name, which as you know means "increase”, supplies further indications. Call to mind the great patriarch of old who was sold into Egypt, and you will realize that it was not only his name that our saint received but also his chastity, innocence, and grace. v His brothers' envy had caused the earlier Joseph to be sold and taken to Egypt, thus symbolizing the selling of Christ: the later Joseph carried Christ into Egypt, fleeing before Herod's envy. The former Joseph kept faith with his master and would not become involved with his master's wife, while his namesake faithfully protected his own spouse, the mother of his Lord, acknowledging her virginity and remaining continent himself. The first Joseph had the gift of interpreting dreams: the second was given a revelation of the divine plan and a share in its accomplishment. v Joseph the patriarch stored up grain, not for himself but for all the people: our Joseph was given custody of the living bread from heaven to keep safe both for himself and the whole world. v There is no doubt that the Joseph to whom the Saviour’s mother was engaged was a good and faithful man. He was, I say, the wise and faithful steward whom the Lord appointed to support his mother and care for himself in childhood, singling him out for his complete reliability to help him with his momentous plan. v Added to all this, scripture tells us that he was of David's house. Joseph was obviously of David's house, a true descendant of the royal line, a man of noble birth and still nobler disposition. That he was David's son was seen from the fact that he in no way failed to maintain his standard: he was a true son of David not only as regards physical descent, but also in his faith, holiness, and devotion. In him the Lord found, as it were, a second David, a man after his own heart, to whom he could safely confide his most holy and secret design. To him as to another David he revealed the unfathomable, hidden depths of his wisdom, and granted him knowledge of that mystery which was known to none of the princes of this world. In a word, that which many kings and prophets had longed to see and had not seen, to hear and had not heard - that was granted to Joseph. He was all owed not only to see and hear him, but also to carry him, guide his steps, embrace and kiss him, cherish and protect him. v It is not only Joseph, however, but Mary as well whom we believe to be a descendant of David, for she would not have been engaged to a man of David's line unless she herself had been of that line. Both of them, then, belonged to David's family, but it was in Mary that the oath which the Lord had v Sworn to David was fulfilled, while Joseph was privy to the promise and witnessed its fulfilment.

Magnificat com, with thanks.

MEDITATION OF THE DAY

By FATHER MAURICE ZUNDEL. Father Zundel (+ 1975) was a Swiss mystic, poet, philosopher. liturgist, and author.

Joseph

There is not a word too many or too few. In one movement we are brought to the heart of the Mystery: just so it had suddenly confronted Joseph. But we know what the issue was, and Joseph at that time did not.

He loved Mary. From the first moment of their first meeting he had felt that she was unique and that God was entrusting her to him. Was he now called upon to sacrifice her as Abraham had had to steel himself to the immolation of Isaac?

The wound in his heart was immeasurable. The plain fact was there. No denial, no tenderness could alter it. Her very innocence made his anguish more poignant. Another must be guilty, who should take the responsibility for what he had done.

Joseph could not speak of it to her, since she had chosen to be silent. Any word would have been an outrage. Silence, his silence, shouldgive him back his liberty, for it attested his utter confidence in her.

Thus he came to his decision. And he slept the sleep that relaxes the body but not the soul's pain.

Only if we could concentrate in one heart all the admiration, devotion, fervour that Christian souls were to feel through all generations towards Mary could we form any idea of the love she must have inspired in Joseph, could we divine the immensity of the drama being acted in that hour.

What Dante sang of Beatrice, Joseph could have said in the richest fullness of meaning:

     He sees perfectly all salvation

     Who sees my Lady among women.

More than any other he felt that human nature was ennobled by her. If he had dared to enter into the espousal, it was to guard the treasure-the treasure which now seemed irremediably lost. ...

Meanwhile Mary watched in prayer, suffering in his suffering, living all the agony that her sealed lips could not abate in him.

The yes that bound her soul to Joseph's was all the more irrevocable in that it engaged her fidelity to God, who was the strong foundation of their union.

Father Zundel (+ 1975) was a Swiss mystic, poet, philosopher. liturgist, and author.

Dom Donald's Blog: St Patricks Day Poem - Greetings of Donegal friend...

Dom Donald's Blog: St Patricks Day Poem - Greetings of Donegal friend...:                                                                                                                                             ...

For the Feasf Day of Saint Patrick:

From the Confession of Saint Patrick, bishop
(Cap 14-16:PL 53, 808-809)

Through me many peoples have been reborn in God

I give unceasing thanks to my God, who kept me faithful in the day of my testing. Today I can offer him sacrifice with confidence, giving myself as a living victim to Christ, my Lord, who kept me safe through all my trials. I can say now: Who am I, Lord, and what is my calling, that you worked through me with such divine power? You did all this so that today among the Gentiles I might constantly rejoice and glorify your name wherever I may be, both in prosperity and in adversity. You did it so that, whatever happened to me, I might accept good and evil equally, always giving thanks to God. God showed me how to have faith in him for ever, as one who is never to be doubted. He answered my prayer in such a way that in the last days, ignorant though I am, I might be bold enough to take up so holy and so wonderful a task, and imitate in some degree those whom the Lord had so long ago foretold as heralds of his Gospel, bearing witness to all nations.
 

 
How did I get this wisdom, that was not mine before? I did not know the number of my days, or have knowledge of God. How did so great and salutary a gift come to me, the gift of knowing and loving God, though at the cost of homeland and family? I came to the Irish peoples to preach the Gospel and endure the taunts of unbelievers, putting up with reproaches about my earthly pilgrimage, suffering many persecutions, even bondage, and losing my birthright of freedom for the benefit of others.

If I am worthy, I am ready also to give up my life, without hesitation and most willingly, for his name. I want to spend myself in that country,even in death, if the Lord should grant me this favor. I am deeply in his debt, for he gave me the great grace that through me many peoples should be reborn in God, and then made perfect by confirmation and everywhere among them clergy ordained for a people so recently coming to believe, one people gathered by the Lord from the ends of the earth. As God had prophesied of old through the prophets: The nations shall come to you from the ends of the earth, and say: “How false are the idols made by our fathers: they are useless.” In another prophecy he said: I have set you as a light among the nations, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.

It is among that people that I want to wait for the promise made by him, who assuredly never tells a lie. He makes this promise in the Gospel:They shall come from the east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This is our faith: believers are to come from the whole world.

RESPONSORY
Romans 15:15-16; 1:9

God has given me the grace
to be a minister of Christ Jesus among the Gentiles,
and to assume the priestly duty of preaching the Gospel,
– so that the Gentiles might be received as an acceptable offering,
consecrated by the Holy Spirit.

In my spirit I serve the Father
by preaching the Gospel of his Son.
– So that the Gentiles might be received as an acceptable offering,
consecrated by the Holy Spirit.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Let us pray.

God our Father,
you sent Saint Patrick
to preach your glory to the people of Ireland.
By the help of his prayers
may all Christians proclaim your love to all men.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
– Amen.

---

Stational Church

The Station today is in St. Lawrence's in Damaso—a church built by Pope St. Damascus in honour of the martyred deacon. It was one of the first parish churches in Rome and was rebuilt in the late 15th century by Bramante, and has since been restored several times. Pope St. Damasus' relics are beneath the altar. Today the church is part of the Cancelleria, or the chancery, and houses the Holy Father's Tribunals: the Roman Rota, Apostolic Signatura, and Apostolic Penitentiary.

SCIAF - Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund 15 March 2015

SCIAF Sunday
Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund

Internationalis SClAF is the official overseas aid and

development charity of the Catholic Church in Scotland and a proud member of the Caritas family

TO BE READ AT ALL MASSES IN PARISHES
ON 14/15 MARCH 2015

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

On the fourth Sunday of Lent, I write to you on behalf of the Bishops of Scotland, to thank you for your support of SCIAF -:- the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund - in its 50^th anniversary year.

In today's Gospel Jesus says "For God sent his Son into the world not to condemn the world, but so that through him the world might be saved."

It is by spreading the good news of Jesus' saving power and by living in the truth that we come in to the light. SCIAF is a beacon of that light and a living witness to the saving power of Jesus' love. It is by the grace of God that we are able to live in the truth and witness to the fact that what we do is done in God.

SCIAF's mission has always been to reach out to the most vulnerable of our global neighbours. I have just visited Malawi where I was able to see for myself the great things that SCIAF is able to achieve with your help. It is through a partnership of respect and friendship, based on our love for Christ, that we are able to give families the hand up that they desperately need.

   

Just a couple of weeks ago, I was in Malawi and met Mary Jackson and her family, whom you see on this year's WEE BOX. With a little support from you, through SCIAF, Mary has worked hard to grow good food for her children and to build a small business. Although her life is still hard, she can earn a little money to provide for her family, to send her children to school and to save for their future.

Thanks to your generosity and their hard work, women like Mary are freeing their families from poverty. Today, which is also Mother's Day, I will remember in my prayers all the inspirational and loving mothers I met in Malawi, and all those I have met in Scotland.

When in Malawi, I also met some survivors of the terrible recent floods. 200,000 people have lost their homes, but those I met were already working to rebuild their homes and communities. We too have a part to play in caring for our

environment, to minimise the dangers faced by the poorest people. Our Holy Father Pope Francis has said: "Each of us has a personal responsibility to care for creation, this precious gift which God has entrusted to us." This Lent, we can each pledge to live our lives more simply, to care for creation and live in solidarity with others.

SCIAF belongs to all of us in our Catholic community. It puts Catholic teaching into practice and shows what our faith, our prayers and our generosity can achieve. From immediate emergency responses to long-term assistance we are helping people across the world to find their own ways to live life to the full.

Finally, this year's Lenten appeal is special because every penny in your WEE BOX or in the collection plate for SCIAF will be doubled by the UK Government. This allows us to reach twice as many families like Mary's, and to make twice as much of a difference. To qualify, our donations must reach SCIAF by 17 May, so please remember to count up your coins and send in the funds as soon as you can.

I urge you this Lent, in your prayers and in your actions, to commit yourselves once again to the work of SCIAF, for the love of God and the love of our fellow men, women and children in need.

May God bless you and your families abundantly during this holy season of Lent.

+Leo Cushley

Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh

on behalf of the Bishops' Conference of Scotland

SCIAF 19 Park Circus, Glasgow, G3 6BE. Tel: 0141 354 5555 email: sciaf@sciaf.org.uk Registered Scottish Charity No: 5C012302. Company No: 5C197327 www.sciaf.org.uk

Priesthood of Melchizedek Hebrews 7:1-28 Lent Readings

Homilies, Patristic Lectionary,  

Meeting of Abraham and Melchizedek 
by Dieric Bouts the Elder, 1464–67

   

FOURTH WEEK OF LENT          SUNDAY

SUNDAY Year I

First Reading Hebrews 7:1-11

          Responsory   See Gn 14:18; Heb 7:3; Ps 110:5; Heb 7:16

Melchizedek, the king of Salem, offered bread and wine. He was a priest of God Most High like Christ the Son of God, t to whom the Lord has sworn an oath:

V. You are a priest for ever, of the order of Melchizedek. He became a priest, not in virtue of a law concerning physical descent, but by the power of an indestructible life. t To whom the ...

Second Reading From the writings of Cardinal Jean Danielou, S.J. (Le myslm de I'Avenl, 60-66)

Homilies, Patristic Lectionary, 

When Abraham inaugurated sacred history by leaving Haran in response to the call of God and arriving in Canaan, he was greeted by a mysterious personage about whom the sum of our knowledge is contained in two verses of the book of Genesis: Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of the most high God, brought bread and wine and gave his blessing to Abraham, saying: May Abraham be blessed by the most high God, who made heaven and earth.

This mysterious character assumes a major importance for biblical thought. The hundred and tenth psalm sees in his priesthood the symbol and type of the Messianic priesthood: You are a priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedek. The New Testament invests Melchizedek with outstanding signifi­cance, declaring through the writer to the Hebrews that he remains a priest for ever. What is more, the same author pro­nounces the priesthood of Melchizedek to be superior to the priesthood of the Levites, because the latter was only provi­sional and would be rendered obsolete by the coming of Christ, whereas Melchizedek's priesthood is eternal. This priesthood of Melchizedek's therefore was a prefiguration of the priesthood of Christ, the true high priest, who has entered the tabernacle as our forerunner, having been made high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. The correspondence lies in the fact that Melchizedek's priesthood was established not in accor­dance with the legal requirements of physical descent, but according to the power of an indestructible life. That is why Melchizedek

resembles the Son of God.

Although the covenant between God and Abraham marked a new stage and a step forward in God's plan, it may also appear in some respects as if it were a step backward. Based on a covenant made with all the nations, the religion of Melchizedek embraced the whole human race, whereas the covenant with Abraham was confined to a single people. It marked a narrowing of scope which, while admittedly of a provisional nature, would exclude the gentile nations from the new covenant for nineteen hundred years.

The priesthood of Melchizedek was not the privilege of a special caste; his was a sacrifice every human being can offer, for all are priests of the natural creation. "Melchizedek had not been chosen by men," wrote Eusebius, "nor anointed with man-made oil." In Israel, on the contrary, the carrying out of religious rites was to become the exclusive prerogative of one tribe, the tribe of Levi, and members of other tribes were to be debarred from the ministry. The sacrifice of Melchizedek was not restricted to a particular place; it could be offered any­where on earth.

It is clear then that in many respects the Christian liturgy more nearly resembles the worship of Melchizedek than that of the Levites. Now we begin to see why Paul set Melchizedek above Abraham. Melchizedek can well be regarded as the figure, imperfect it is true but reflecting the likeness, of him who was destined to be high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

Responsory   Heb 5:5-6; 7:21

Christ did not take upon himself the honor of becoming high priest; he received it from the One who said to him: _t You are a priest for ever, a priest like Melchizedek of old.

    V. No oath was taken when others were made priests, but the priest­hood of Jesus was confirmed by the oath of God, who said to him: t You are a ...

FOURTH WEEK OF LENT

MONDAY

Year I

First Reading Hebrews 7:11-28

          Responsory     Ps 110:4; see Heb 7:17

The Lord has sworn an oath he will not retract: + You are a priest for ever in the line of Melchizedek.

V. Melchizedek was the first to offer sacrifice to God. +You are a priest ...

Second Reading From the writings of Saint Cyril of Alexandria (Glaphororum in Genesim, lib. 2, 7-9: PG 69,99-108)

Melchizedek, a foreshadowing of Christ

We have to understand that even the Son himself, the Word of God the Father, is not said to be a priest and to belong to a priestly order except insofar as he has become like one of us. It was his human nature that made it possible for him to be called a prophet and an apostle, and it also enables him to be a priest. When he had taken upon himself the nature of a slave; then servile duties were suitable for him. This is what is meant by his stripping himself of his divine dignity. He was one in nature with the Father and his equal; he had even the heavenly seraphim as his attendants and he was waited on by angels in their thousands. But as scripture says, it was when he had stripped himself of all his glory that he was proclaimed our priest, the priest of the true tabernacle.

It was then too that he who is above the whole universe was sanctified together with us: as it is written, He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all members of the one human race. That is why he is not ashamed to call us his brothers and sisters: "I will proclaim your name," he declares, "to my brothers and sisters. 11 He who, as God, sanctifies others became a man and dwelt among us; and being a man he called himself our brother, and was sanctified, we are told, together with us. He was a priest, therefore, and he was sanctified with us, in virtue of his having taken a human body.

Now the reason Paul saw a likeness to Christ in Me1chizedek is that he was called king of justice and peace. This title, in its deeper, spiritual sense, is fitting for none but Emmanuel, who was proclaimed prince of justice and peace to all who dwell upon earth. Through him we have shaken off the burden of sin and have been justified. The impurity of our lives, which separated us from God the Father, has now been washed away and we are at peace with him; indeed we have, in a sense, been made one with him through the Spirit, according to the words of Scripture: He who is joined to the Lord is one spir­it with him.

Me1chizedek gave Abraham his blessing and offered him bread and wine. Christ, the great and true priest, gives us a similar blessing in the Eucharist, the heavenly gift that supports us on our journey through life. Saint Paul therefore took Melchizedek's blessing as a symbol of the priesthood that is greater than the law. Another way in which Christ blesses us is by interceding for us with the Father. The blessing Me1chizedek gave Abraham was, Blessed be the most high God, who has delivered your enemies into your power; but our Lord Jesus Christ, himself the atonement for the whole human race, made the prayer, Holy Father, keep them in your truth.

Responsory

We have as our high priest Jesus, the Son of God. + Let us then approach the throne of grace with perfect confidence, to receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.

Y. God made Christ's sacrificial death the means of expiating the sins of all believers. +Let us then ...

Shewing of God's Love, Julian of Norwich, longer version

Books, Art, 
PROBLEM:

    
Fr. Thomas enjoying reading Julian of Norwich.
The difficulty is find a Copy of the LONGER VERSION  OF REVELATION.

Longmans, Green and Co 1958 is the Shorter Version.
We cannot find 'A Shewing of God's Love', (ed. A.M. Reynolds, Sheed and Ward, London 1991 (fourt impression) anywhere.
 The Cenacle copy below not the one.

We need to scour Second-hand Bookshops for the Longer Version.
           Yours...... Donald


Showing of Love, Julian of Norwich

Cenacle co uk

Saints Angels Mystics > Christian Mystics and
Christian Mysticism > Showing of Love

---

(click to enlarge)

Showing of Love    Julian of Norwich      trans. Julia Bolton Holloway. Julian's work covers all the main areas of Christian doctrine and integrates them into a coherent whole, showing the interconnectedness of theology and spirituality.  Paperback. 133 pages. ISBN: 9780232525038   Code: B0541     £9.95       Add To Order (UK) Sent by First Class Royal Mail as standard - if courier required, please select Courier delivery :

Fourth Sunday of Lent (B) - March 15, 2015 Fr. William Grimm MM. "God Loved The World" Benedict XVI

The Station is in the church of St. Susanna, virgin and martyr of Rome. The first Christian place of worship was built here in the 4th century. It was probably the titulus of Pope Caius (283-296). Caius was St. Susanna's uncle, and tradition claims that the church stands on the site of her martyrdom.

      

    "God Loved the World", the title from MAGNFICAT (com)  has been excerpted from  Benedict XVI.

Below, the paragraphs emphasised....

 Pope Benedict XVI 2009 April

WAY OF THE CROSS AT THE COLOSSEUM

ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI

Good Friday, 10 April 2009

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

At the end of his dramatic Passion narrative, the Evangelist Saint Mark tells us: “The centurion, who stood facing him, saw that he thus breathed his last, and said: ‘Truly this man was the Son of God!’” (Mk 15:39). We cannot fail to be surprised by the profession of faith of this Roman soldier, who had been present throughout the various phases of the Crucifixion. When the darkness of night was falling on that Friday so unlike any other in history, when the sacrifice of the Cross was already consummated and the bystanders were making haste to celebrate the Jewish Passover in the usual way, these few words, wrung from the lips of a nameless commander in the Roman army, resounded through the silence that surrounded that most singular death. This Roman army officer, having witnessed the execution of one of countless condemned prisoners, was able to recognize in this crucified man the Son of God, who had perished in the most humiliating abandonment. His shameful end ought to have marked the definitive triumph of hatred and death over love and life. But it was not so! Hanging from the Cross on Golgotha was a man who was already dead, but that man was acknowledged to be the “Son of God” by the centurion, “on seeing that he thus breathed his last”, as the Evangelist specifies.  

We are reminded of this soldier’s profession of faith every time we listen anew to the Passion according to Saint Mark. This evening, like the centurion, we pause to gaze on the lifeless face of the Crucified One at the conclusion of this traditional Via Crucis which, through the radio and television coverage, has brought many people together from every part of the world. We have re-lived the tragic event of a man unique in the history of all times, who changed the world not by killing others but by letting himself be killed as he hung from a cross. This man, seemingly one of us, who while he was being killed forgave his executioners, is the “Son of God”, who, as the Apostle Paul reminds us, “did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant … he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross” (Phil 2:7-8). 

The anguish of the Passion of the Lord Jesus cannot fail to move to pity even the most hardened hearts, as it constitutes the climax of the revelation of God’s love for each of us. Saint John observes: “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life” (Jn 3:16). It is for love of us that Christ dies on the cross! Throughout the course of the millennia, a great multitude of men and women have been drawn deeply into this mystery and they have followed him, making in their turn, like him and with his help, a gift to others of their own lives. They are the saints and the martyrs, many of whom remain unknown to us. Even in our own time, how many people, in the silence of their daily lives, unite their sufferings with those of the Crucified One and become apostles of a true spiritual and social renewal! What would man be without Christ? Saint Augustine observes: “You would still be in a state of wretchedness, had He not shown you mercy. You would not have returned to life, had He not shared your death. You would have passed away had He not come to your aid. You would be lost, had He not come” (Discourse 185:1). So why not welcome him into our lives? 

Let us pause ... to contemplate his disfigured face: it is the face of the Man of sorrows, who took upon himself the burden of all our mortal anguish. His face is reflected in that of every person who is humiliated and offended, sick and suffering, alone, abandoned and despised. Pouring out his blood, he has rescued us from the slavery of death, he has broken the solitude of our tears, he has entered into our every grief and our every anxiety.  

Brothers and Sisters! As the Cross rises up on Golgotha, the eyes of our faith are already turned towards the dawning of the new Day, and we begin to taste the joy and splendour of Easter. “If we have died with Christ”, writes Saint Paul, “we believe that we shall also live with Him” (Rom 6:8). In this certainty, let us continue our journey. Tomorrow, on Holy Saturday, we will watch and pray. And now, let us pray together with Mary, the Sorrowful Virgin, let us pray with all who are sorrowful, and especially with all the suffering people from the earthquake zone in L’Aquila: let us pray that in this dark night, the star of hope will appear also to them, the light of the Risen Lord.

I wish all of you, even now, a Happy Easter in the light of the Risen Lord!

© Copyright 2009 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana

Stational Church  

---

The Station at Rome is in the basilica of Holy Cross in Jerusalem, one of the seven principal churches of the holy city. It was built in the fourth century, by the emperor Constantine. The emperor's mother, St. Helen, enriched it with most precious relics, and wished to make it the Jerusalem of Rome.