Emmaus, All Saints Catholic Church

12/25/2022

12/30/2020

Saint of the Day for December 30
(d. c. 720)
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Saint Egwin’s Story

You say you’re not familiar with today’s saint? Chances are you aren’t—unless you’re especially informed about Benedictine bishops who established monasteries in medieval England.

Born in the seventh century of royal blood, Egwin entered a monastery, and was enthusiastically received by royalty, clergy, and the people as the bishop of Worcester, England. As a bishop he was known as a protector of orphans and the widowed and a fair judge. Who could argue with that?

His popularity didn’t hold up among members of the clergy, however. They saw him as overly strict, while he felt he was simply trying to correct abuses and impose appropriate disciplines. Bitter resentments arose, and Egwin made his way to Rome to present his case to Pope Constantine. The case against Egwin was examined and annulled.

Upon his return to England, Egwin founded Evesham Abbey, which became one of the great Benedictine houses of medieval England. It was dedicated to Mary, who had reportedly made it known to Egwin just where a church should be built in her honor.

Egwin died at the abbey on December 30, 717. Following his burial many miracles were attributed to him: The blind could see, the deaf could hear, the sick were healed.

Reflection

Correcting abuses and faults is never an easy job, not even for a bishop. Egwin attempted to correct and build up the clergy in his diocese and it earned him the wrath of his priests. When we are called to correct someone or some group, plan on opposition, but also know that it might be the right thing to do.

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6TH DAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD
1 John 2:12-17
I am writing to you, children, because your sins have been forgiven for his name’s sake.

I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning.

I am writing to you, young men, because you have conquered the Evil One.

I write to you, children, because you know the Father.

I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning.

I write to you, young men, because you are strong and the word of God remains in you, and you have conquered the Evil One.

Do not love the world or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, sensual lust, enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life, is not from the Father but is from the world. Yet the world and its enticement are passing away. But whoever does the will of God remains forever.

Psalm 96
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Give to the Lord, you families of nations,
give to the Lord glory and praise;
give to the Lord the glory due his name! R.
Bring gifts, and enter his courts;
worship the Lord in holy attire.
Tremble before him, all the earth. R.
Say among the nations: The Lord is king.
He has made the world firm, not to be moved;
he governs the peoples with equity. R.

Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia.
A holy day has dawned upon us.
Come, you nations, and adore the Lord.
Today a great light has come upon the earth.
Alleluia, alleluia.

Luke 2:36-40
There was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.

When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

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DAILY MEDITATION: LUKE 2:36-40 . . Anna, the daughter of Phanuel. (Luke 2:36)

This past week, you’ve probably seen more than a few chubby-cheeked versions of baby Jesus’ face. The images found in pictures, statues, and Christmas cards may have started to feel commonplace. If that’s the case, Luke’s account of the prophetess Anna is a great help in recapturing the wonder we can experience when we behold the face of God in Christ.

Unlike when he described Simeon wrapping baby Jesus in his arms, Luke did not relate how Anna, Mary, and Joseph interacted at the Temple. But the details that he did include tell us a lot.

Luke calls Anna the “daughter of Phanuel” (2:36), a name that literally means “the face of God.” So from her very birth, Anna had figuratively beheld God. Now, in the Temple, she is privileged to gaze upon the one true God.

Luke also tells us that Anna is from the tribe of Asher—the son that caused Leah to say, “Women will call me fortunate,” or “happy,” as the Hebrew word is sometimes translated (Genesis 30:13).

The name Asher also means happy. So how much happier could an Asherite be than to find herself in the presence of God?

Finally, even Anna’s age is significant. She is eighty-four years old, which represents the number twelve—for the twelve tribes of Israel—multiplied by the number seven, which signifies completeness. Luke includes Anna’s age to remind us that God’s revelation of himself in Jesus was the completion of all his promises. It’s Luke’s way of telling us that seeing Jesus is to see his faithfulness. Seeing Jesus is the remarkable realization that God doesn’t want to be worshipped from afar; he wants to be with us in the most tangible, personal way.

In other words, seeing the face of Jesus this Christmas can bring us gratitude, awe, and peace. So why not put yourself in Anna’s shoes? Try to imagine what it would be like to see a little baby and to recognize that you are in the presence of God, who is fulfilling his promises right before your eyes. After all, God has brought his promise of salvation to completion in Christ, not just for Anna, but for all of his sons and daughters. Even for you.

“Lord, how happy I am to behold your face!”

1 John 2:12-17
Psalm 96:7-10

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MORE MEDITATIONS OF THE DAY
"When we serve the poor and the sick we serve Jesus. We must not fail to help our neighbors, because in them we serve Jesus."
— St. Rose of Lima

"If you would suffer with patience the adversities and miseries of this life, be a man of prayer. If you would obtain courage and strength to conquer the temptations of the enemy, be a man of prayer. If you would mortify your own will with all its inclinations and appetites, be a man of prayer. If you would know the wiles of Satan and unmask his deceits, be a man of prayer. If you would live in joy and walk pleasantly in the ways of penance, be a man of prayer. If you would banish from you soul the troublesome flies of vain thoughts and cares, be a man of prayer. If you would nourish your soul with the very sap of devotion, and keep it always full of good thoughts and good desires, be a man of prayer. If you would strengthen and keep up your courage in the ways of God, be a man of prayer. In fine, if you would uproot all vices from your soul and plant all virtues in their place, be a man of prayer. It is in prayer that we receive the unction and grace of the Holy Ghost, who teaches all things."
— St. Bonaventure, p. 25-26

11/05/2020

Thursday Saint of the Day, Mass Reading & Meditation for November 5, 2020

Philippians 3:3-8a
Brothers and sisters: We are the circumcision, we who worship through the Spirit of God, who boast in Christ Jesus and do not put our confidence in flesh, although I myself have grounds for confidence even in the flesh.

If anyone else thinks he can be confident in flesh, all the more can I. Circumcised on the eighth day, of the race of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrew parentage, in observance of the law a Pharisee, in zeal I persecuted the Church, in righteousness based on the law I was blameless.

But whatever gains I had, these I have come to consider a loss because of Christ. More than that, I even consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.

Psalm 105
R. Let hearts rejoice who search for the Lord.
or R. Alleluia.
Sing to him, sing his praise,
proclaim all his wondrous deeds.
Glory in his holy name;
rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord! R.
Look to the Lord in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly.
Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought,
his portents, and the judgments he has uttered. R.
You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the Lord, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail. R.

Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia.
Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest, says the Lord. Mt 11:28
Alleluia, alleluia.

Luke 15:1-10
The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So Jesus addressed this parable to them. “What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.

“Or what woman having ten coins and losing one would not light a lamp and sweep the house, searching carefully until she finds it? And when she does find it, she calls together her friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.’ In just the same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

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Meditation:
Philippians 3:3-8
We are the circumcision. (Philippians 3:3)

For many devout first-century Jews who had converted to Christianity, St. Paul’s teaching that baptized believers did not need to be ritually circumcised verged on blasphemy. Circumcision was one of God’s commandments, a visible sign of his covenant relationship with Israel. Circumcision was considered the entryway into their Jewish faith.

So it was a dramatic change when the Council of Jerusalem in AD 50 affirmed the apostles’ conviction that Baptism, rather than circumcision, was the true way into the kingdom of God. It was the way to set yourself apart as belonging to Jesus.

Jesus’ words in the Gospel of John can help us understand this crucial point. Speaking to Nicodemus, a respected member of the Sanhedrin, Jesus said, “No one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit” (John 3:5). John then elaborated by announcing that God had sent his Son into the world, “that everyone who believes in him . . . might have eternal life” (3:16).

Baptism, the Spirit, and faith in Christ: these are the key ingredients for entry into the Christian life. Not only that, but God wants these three ingredients to permeate our lives every day.

Baptism. Every day, affirm the truth that you have been washed clean of original sin and made into a new creation.

The Spirit. Every day, ask the Holy Spirit to keep softening your heart toward God so that you can learn how to hear his voice and follow his guidance.

Faith. Every day, throughout the day, keep believing that you are a child of God, unconditionally loved and deeply treasured.

Even if your spiritual life feels stale sometimes, keep up these practices. They aren’t just a matter of positive thinking. They are truths that can help you stay focused on the Lord and strengthen you in times of temptation. Paul says that you are “the circumcision” (Philippians 3:3). You are a visible sign of God’s love and mercy for everyone when you embrace these blessings and let them affect your everyday life.

“Jesus, my faith is in you. Help me to live out my baptism every day.”

Psalm 105:2-7
Luke 15:1-10

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Saint Peter Chrysologus


Saint Peter Chrysologus
Image: Saint Peter Chrysologus | it.wikipedia.org
Saint of the Day for November 5
(c. 406 – c. 450)
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Saint Peter Chrysologus’ Story

A man who vigorously pursues a goal may produce results far beyond his expectations and his intentions. Thus it was with Peter ” of the Golden Words,” as he was called, who as a young man became bishop of Ravenna, the capital of the empire in the West.

At the time there were abuses and vestiges of paganism evident in his diocese, and these Peter was determined to battle and overcome. His principal weapon was the short sermon, and many of them have come down to us. They do not contain great originality of thought. They are, however, full of moral applications, sound in doctrine, and historically significant in that they reveal Christian life in fifth-century Ravenna. So authentic were the contents of his sermons that some 13 centuries later, he was declared a doctor of the Church by Pope Benedict XIII. He who had earnestly sought to teach and motivate his own flock was recognized as a teacher of the universal Church.

In addition to his zeal in the exercise of his office, Peter Chrysologus was distinguished by a fierce loyalty to the Church, not only in its teaching, but in its authority as well. He looked upon learning not as a mere opportunity but as an obligation for all, both as a development of God-given faculties and as a solid support for the worship of God.

Some time before his death around A.D. 450, Saint Peter Chrysologus returned to his birthplace of Imola, in northern Italy.

Reflection

Quite likely, it was Saint Peter Chrysologus’ attitude toward learning that gave substance to his exhortations. Next to virtue, learning, in his view, was the greatest improvement to the human mind and the support of true religion. Ignorance is not a virtue, nor is anti-intellectualism. Knowledge is neither more nor less a source of pride than physical, administrative, or financial prowess. To be fully human is to expand our knowledge—whether sacred or secular—according to our talent and opportunity.

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MORE MEDITATIONS OF THE DAY
"We should strive to keep our hearts open to the sufferings and wretchedness of other people, and pray continually that God may grant us that spirit of compassion which is truly the spirit of God."
— St. Vincent de Paul
"When uncertain about God’s will, it is very important that we tell ourselves: ‘Even if there are aspects of God’s will that escape me, there are always others that I know for sure and can invest in without any risk, knowing that this investment always pays dividends.’ These certainties include fulfilling the duties of our state in life and practicing the essential points of every Christian vocation. There is a defect here that needs to be recognized and avoided: finding ourselves in darkness about God’s will on an important question . . . we spend so much time searching and doubting or getting discouraged, that we neglect things that are God’s will for us every day, like being faithful to prayer, maintaining trust in God, loving the people around us here and now. Lacking answers about the future, we should prepare to receive them by living today to the full."
— Fr. Jacques Philippe, p. 55

06/23/2020

Saint John Fisher
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Tuesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 372
Reading 12 KGS 19:9B-11, 14-21, 31-35A, 36
Sennacherib, king of Assyria, sent envoys to Hezekiah
with this message:
“Thus shall you say to Hezekiah, king of Judah:
‘Do not let your God on whom you rely deceive you
by saying that Jerusalem will not be handed over
to the king of Assyria.
You have heard what the kings of Assyria have done
to all other countries: they doomed them!
Will you, then, be saved?’”

Hezekiah took the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it;
then he went up to the temple of the LORD,
and spreading it out before him,
he prayed in the LORD’s presence:
“O LORD, God of Israel, enthroned upon the cherubim!
You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth.
You have made the heavens and the earth.
Incline your ear, O LORD, and listen!
Open your eyes, O LORD, and see!
Hear the words of Sennacherib which he sent to taunt the living God.
Truly, O LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations
and their lands, and cast their gods into the fire;
they destroyed them because they were not gods,
but the work of human hands, wood and stone.
Therefore, O LORD, our God, save us from the power of this man,
that all the kingdoms of the earth may know
that you alone, O LORD, are God.”

Then Isaiah, son of Amoz, sent this message to Hezekiah:
“Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel,
in answer to your prayer for help against Sennacherib, king of Assyria:
I have listened!
This is the word the LORD has spoken concerning him:

“‘She despises you, laughs you to scorn,
the virgin daughter Zion!
Behind you she wags her head,
daughter Jerusalem.

“‘For out of Jerusalem shall come a remnant,
and from Mount Zion, survivors.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this.’

“Therefore, thus says the LORD concerning the king of Assyria:
‘He shall not reach this city, nor shoot an arrow at it,
nor come before it with a shield,
nor cast up siege-works against it.
He shall return by the same way he came,
without entering the city, says the LORD.
I will shield and save this city for my own sake,
and for the sake of my servant David.’”

That night the angel of the LORD went forth and struck down
one hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp.
So Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, broke camp,
and went back home to Nineveh.

Responsorial Psalm48:2-3AB, 3CD-4, 10-11
R. (see 9d) God upholds his city for ever.
Great is the LORD and wholly to be praised
in the city of our God.
His holy mountain, fairest of heights,
is the joy of all the earth.
R. God upholds his city for ever.
Mount Zion, “the recesses of the North,”
is the city of the great King.
God is with her castles;
renowned is he as a stronghold.
R. God upholds his city for ever.
O God, we ponder your mercy
within your temple.
As your name, O God, so also your praise
reaches to the ends of the earth.
Of justice your right hand is full.
R. God upholds his city for ever.

AlleluiaJN 8:12
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
whoever follows me will have the light of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GospelMT 7:6, 12-14
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine,
lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces.

“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.
This is the Law and the Prophets.

“Enter through the narrow gate;
for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction,
and those who enter through it are many.
How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life.
And those who find it are few.”

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Enter through the narrow gate. (Matthew 7:13)

Most of us have experienced it: you come home from the store, arms laden with shopping bags, and you have to jostle through an entryway that’s about two bags too narrow. Bumping, yanking, turning sideways, you have to put things down to make your way. Perhaps that’s a little like what it is to try to make your way through the narrow gate that Jesus speaks about here. Yes, he really did mean it: the way to life is narrow. It’s so constricted that you have to let go of some heavy and awkward bags to make it through.

There isn’t enough room for you to pass through with the baggage of sin, complacency, or self-righteousness. The way to eternal life requires your attention and effort to be rid of those. Although it can be hard to let go, you don’t have to be stuck. God has given you a place to set down all the baggage: the Sacrament of Reconciliation. There you can be rid of the burdens of a lifetime or of a single heated moment.

It’s not just a matter of self-effort either. The Holy Spirit will help you. The Father has poured out his Holy Spirit to teach you all things (John 14:26). One of the ways he does this is by speaking to your conscience. The Spirit will help you see your sin and how it is hindering you. He will also guide you in the way of truth. Listen for his whispers in your thoughts or gentle nudges of your soul. Expect these, not only during your prayer times or at extraordinary moments, but throughout the day, every day, as you try to enter through that narrow gate.

God doesn’t just point out the narrow gate; he leads you to it and then through it. Because he is holy, he made the gate narrow to keep out that which hinders you from coming close to him. But he also has provided a sure way through that gate—the gift of repentance.

God loves you and wants you to enter into his life. So leave your bags at the gate!

“Lord, I want to set down my bags today. Help me to trust your Holy Spirit to lead me through the narrow gate.”

2 Kings 19:9-11, 14-21, 31-36
Psalm 48:2-4, 10-11

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Saint John Fisher
Saint of the Day for June 23
(1469 – June 22, 1535)
Saint John Fisher’s Story
John Fisher is usually associated with Erasmus, Thomas More, and other Renaissance humanists. His life therefore, did not have the external simplicity found in the lives of some saints. Rather, he was a man of learning, associated with the intellectuals and political leaders of his day. He was interested in the contemporary culture and eventually became chancellor at Cambridge. He had been made a bishop at 35, and one of his interests was raising the standard of preaching in England. Fisher himself was an accomplished preacher and writer. His sermons on the penitential psalms were reprinted seven times before his death. With the coming of Lutheranism, he was drawn into controversy. His eight books against heresy gave him a leading position among European theologians.

In 1521, Fisher was asked to study the question of King Henry VIII’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon, his brother’s widow. He incurred Henry’s anger by defending the validity of the king’s marriage with Catherine, and later by rejecting Henry’s claim to be the supreme head of the Church of England.

In an attempt to be rid of him, Henry first had Fisher accused of not reporting all the “revelations” of the nun of Kent, Elizabeth Barton. In feeble health, Fisher was summoned to take the oath to the new Act of Succession. He and Thomas More refused to do so because the Act presumed the legality of Henry’s divorce and his claim to be head of the English Church. They were sent to the Tower of London, where Fisher remained 14 months without trial. Finally both men were sentenced to life imprisonment and loss of goods.

When the two were called to further interrogations, they remained silent. On the supposition that he was speaking privately as a priest, Fisher was tricked into declaring again that the king was not supreme head of the church in England. The king, further angered that the pope had made John Fisher a cardinal, had him brought to trial on the charge of high treason. He was condemned and executed, his body left to lie all day on the scaffold and his head hung on London Bridge. More was executed two weeks later. His Liturgical Feast Day is June 22.

Reflection
Today many questions are raised about Christians’ and priests’ active involvement in social issues. John Fisher remained faithful to his calling as a priest and bishop. He strongly upheld the teachings of the Church; the very cause of his martyrdom was his loyalty to Rome. He was involved in the cultural enrichment circles as well as in the political struggles of his time. This involvement caused him to question the moral conduct of the leadership of his country.

“The Church has the right, indeed the duty, to proclaim justice on the social, national and international level, and to denounce instances of injustice, when the fundamental rights of man and his very salvation demand it” (Justice in the World, 1971 Synod of Bishops).

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PRAYER DURING CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
O clement, O loving, O sweet Mother Mary,
We, your children of every nation,
Turn to you in this pandemic.
Our troubles are numerous; our fears are great.
Grant that we might deposit them at your feet,
Take refuge in your Immaculate Heart,
And obtain peace, healing, rescue,
And timely help in all our needs.
You are our Mother.
Pray for us to your Son.
Amen.
PRAYER OF SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there, and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.
MORE MEDITATIONS OF THE DAY
"To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible."
— St. Thomas Aquinas

"I think all Christians would agree with me if I said that though Christianity seems at first to be all about morality, all about duties and rules and guilt and virtue, yet it leads you on, out of all that, into something beyond. One has a glimpse of a country where they do not talk of those things . . . Every one there is filled full with what we should call goodness as a mirror is filled with light."
— C.S. Lewis, p. 149
AN EXCERPT FROM
Mere Christianity

05/06/2020

Wednesday Saint of the Day, Mass Reading & Meditation for May 6, 2020

Saints Marian and James
Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Easter
Lectionary: 281
Reading 1ACTS 12:24—13:5A
The word of God continued to spread and grow.

After Barnabas and Saul completed their relief mission,
they returned to Jerusalem,
taking with them John, who is called Mark.

Now there were in the Church at Antioch prophets and teachers:
Barnabas, Symeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene,
Manaen who was a close friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said,
“Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul
for the work to which I have called them.”
Then, completing their fasting and prayer,
they laid hands on them and sent them off.

So they, sent forth by the Holy Spirit,
went down to Seleucia
and from there sailed to Cyprus.
When they arrived in Salamis,
they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues.

Responsorial Psalm67:2-3, 5, 6 AND 8
R. (4) O God, let all the nations praise you!
or:
R. Alleluia.
May God have pity on us and bless us;
may he let his face shine upon us.
So may your way be known upon earth;
among all nations, your salvation.
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
or:
R. Alleluia.
May the nations be glad and exult
because you rule the peoples in equity;
the nations on the earth you guide.
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
or:
R. Alleluia.
May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you!
May God bless us,
and may all the ends of the earth fear him!
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
or:
R. Alleluia.

AlleluiaJN 8:12
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
whoever follows me will have the light of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GospelJN 12:44-50
Jesus cried out and said,
“Whoever believes in me believes not only in me
but also in the one who sent me,
and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me.
I came into the world as light,
so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness.
And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them,
I do not condemn him,
for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world.
Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words
has something to judge him: the word that I spoke,
it will condemn him on the last day,
because I did not speak on my own,
but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak.
And I know that his commandment is eternal life.
So what I say, I say as the Father told me.”

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TODAY'S MEDITATION: ACTS 12:24–13:5
The word of God continued to spread and grow. (Acts 12:24)

Did you know that Christianity is the world’s largest religion? According to the most recent available data, it makes up nearly 32 percent of the global population. Clearly, the Holy Spirit is still very active drawing people of every nation to Jesus.

This theme runs through all three readings today. The first reading describes Paul and Barnabas being commissioned for their first missionary journey. The psalm prays that God’s ways will be known “among all nations” (Psalm 67:3). And in the Gospel, Jesus issues his final invitation to “everyone who believes in me” (John 12:46).

So how does the gospel spread? Through us! Jesus has left us in charge of his mission, and it’s good to ask how we are doing.

Look around, and it’s clear that we have work to do. In North America and Europe, the Church is struggling. It’s growing in the global South, but missionary challenges remain, and martyrdom is all too common.

The thought of evangelization might be scary, but you can make a difference. You can start by praying frequently for the growth of the Church as well as for your family and friends who seem far from the Lord.

You can also look for opportunities in your everyday life to plant the seeds of the gospel. Don’t think you have to do everything yourself—just do your part, and leave the rest to God and to anyone the Lord might send to them.

When the situation arises, ask the Holy Spirit for the courage and humility to share your faith. In the course of a conversation, you might be able to talk about a time when you felt God’s care or when you felt him blessing you in some way. Or you could share a favorite Bible verse. You don’t have to have perfect words or try to convert anyone—that’s the Holy Spirit’s job. But you can still be open and honest about your faith.

For the past two thousand years, God has been calling his people to go out and share the good news. May we commit ourselves to helping it spread and grow.

“Holy Spirit, show us how we can share God’s love with the world.”

Psalm 67:2-3, 5-6, 8
John 12:44-50

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Saints Marian and James
Saint of the Day for May 6
(d. May 6, 259)
Saints Marian and James’s Story

Saints Marian, an ordained lector, and James, a deacon, were martyred during the persecution of Valerian around the year 259. Few other facts are known about them.

It seems that while they were in prison, each had a vision regarding his martyrdom. They drew courage from these apparitions and were able to courageously face death. They were joined in their deaths by other Christians.

Reflection
The old saying that the more things change the more they stay the same may apply to today’s celebration. Two faithful people facing the hardships of life during persecution in the third century may have a lot in common with those facing persecution for their faith today.

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PRAYER DURING CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
O clement, O loving, O sweet Mother Mary,
We, your children of every nation,
Turn to you in this pandemic.
Our troubles are numerous; our fears are great.
Grant that we might deposit them at your feet,
Take refuge in your Immaculate Heart,
And obtain peace, healing, rescue,
And timely help in all our needs.
You are our Mother.
Pray for us to your Son.
Amen.
PRAYER OF SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there, and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.
MORE MEDITATIONS OF THE DAY
"We must faithfully keep what we have promised. If through human weakness we fail, we must always without delay arise again by means of holy penance, and give our attention to leading a good life and to dying a holy death. May the Father of all mercy, the Son by his holy passion, and the Holy Spirit, source of peace, sweetness and love, fill us with their consolation."

— St. Colette
"The glory of a good person is the evidence of a good conscience. Have a good conscience and you will always be happy. A good conscience can bear a great deal and still remain serene in the midst of adversity, while a bad conscience is fearful and easily ruffled. Only be glad when you have done well. Evil persons are never really happy, nor do they feel peace within them; for 'there is no peace for the wicked, says the Lord' (Isa. 48:22). Even though the wicked may protest that peace is theirs and that no evil shall harm them, do not believe them. For God's wrath will suddenly overtake them, and all they have done will be brought to nothing and their plans destroyed."
— Thomas á Kempis, p.76