Archive for December, 2011
Honor Jesus, Mary, and Joseph on the Feast of the Holy Family
Today we celebrate the feast of The Holy Family in which we honor Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.
Veneration of the Holy Family was recorded in history to have begun in the 17th century by a Canadian bishop, Francois de Laval. And, the feast day was dedicated to the Holy Family in 1893 by Pope Leo XII.
It is most fitting that we honor the most perfect of all families and to do so within the octave of the birth of Jesus, our Savior. We honor Mary who gives us the example of perfect love and whose heart is most like that of her Son, Jesus – meek and humble. We honor Joseph, who was chosen by God to be the foster father of Jesus because of his tender heart and great humility. Both Mary and Joseph, with great faith, responded to their call to be the parents of Jesus and to guide Him during his childhood.
Reflection: Let us pray to The Holy Family and ask them to guide our family and keep us on the path to holiness. Dear Holy Family help us love one another more, and help us to build peace within our family. And, Jesus, let us see You in each other everyday. And, we can express our devotion and honor for the Holy Family as we display this beautiful Holy Family Figurine.
St. John Instructs Us to Walk as Christ Walked
St. John the evangelist surely tells it as it is. I love this quote from the second letter of St. John, chapter 2, verses 3-7 “And by this we may be sure that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He who says “I know him” but disobeys his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps his word, in him truly love for God is perfected. By this we may be sure that we are in him: he who says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.”
How many of us represent ourselves as followers of Christ, Christians, religious, or even holy. And, yet, as St. John so correctly states, if we say we know Christ but, fail to love our neighbor, we are liars. For, to know Him is to be united with Him. And, we cannot be united to Christ if we do not love unconditionally all of those who God has placed in our lives. St. John further explains that we abide in Him and His commandments when we walk as He walked. In walking as He walked we understand that we are to live in service to our neighbors, perform acts of love and mercy.
What a wonderful word of instruction St. John gives us in the first reading of today’s liturgy as he reminds us to obey God’s commandments, walk as Christ walked, and then find the love for God perfected in us. Let us express our love for dear St. John the evangelist who was so loved by Jesus as we wear a beautiful St. John saint medal.
St. Lucy – Virgin and Martyr
St. Lucy was born in Sicily of noble parents in 283 AD. Her father died at a young age and she was raised by her mother, Eutychia. She was a devoted Christian and consecrated herself to God in a pledge of virginity. She desired to devote her life and all of her belongings to the poor. Her mother, however, betrothed her to marry a pagan man. Lucy refused to marry him. In his anger the pagan man informed the Roman governor Paschius that Lucy was a Christian. Paschius had her sentenced to a brothel. However, Lucy retained her virginity and refused to cooperate with the demands of the brothel to make her act as a prostitute. She was given the strength by God which allowed her to withstand their attempts to move her. In their anger, Lucy was sentenced to death. She escaped death by burning, but was finally killed by the sword as a martyr and virgin.
There are additional writings which indicate that Lucy also endured additional torture prior to her death for refusing to lose her virginity. As she was a woman of great beauty and recognized for her beautiful eyes, the governors’ men tortured her by gouging out her eyes. But, God performed a miracle and restored her eyes.
St. Lucy was added to the Canon of The Mass in the 6th century by Pope Gregory the Great as a great virgin and martyr saint. She is often pictured holding a tray with her eyes on it. She is the patron saint for vision and disorders of the eyes. Her feast day is Dec. 13.
For Reflection: St. Lucy exemplifies the great love that the saints have for God. They are willing to endure pain, torture, and even death to live according to His commandments and His divine will. Let us strive to imitate the great love and fortitude of St. Lucy as we follow God’s will for our lives. And, you can express your faith, devotion, and love for St. Lucy as you wear this beautiful St. Lucy saint medal.
Honor Mary With the Legion of Mary and Pray The Rosary
The Legion of Mary is a lay apostolate dedicated to serving the Church and performing a corporal work of mercy focusing on the marginalized of society – the poor, elderly, sick, homeless. Members of the legion are required to perform such an act of service once a week. In doing so The Legion of Mary provides for the spiritual and social welfare of the needy members of the church. This lay apostolic association looks to Mary as Mediatrix of all graces through the Holy Spirit based on the teachings of St. Louis de Montfort who encouraged devotion to Jesus through Mary and total consecration to Mary.
The legion was founded 90 years ago in Dublin, Ireland by Frank Duff. It has members in over 170 countries around the world with several million members. Members of the Legion of Mary are guided by clergy who act as spiritual directors. The legion is administered by means of local, regional, and national level councils. The local unit of the legion is called a praesidium which is usually based within a Catholic Church parish. Meetings are held weekly. During the meeting members pray with focus on the prayer of the rosary, and discuss recent apostolic work and future needs of the community. The heart of the legion is its focus on Mary as our intercessor. The missionary and evangelization of the legion is carried out therefore, by prayer and works of service to the Church and community.
For Reflection: Mary, Our Blessed Mother is the most perfect of all intercessors to Jesus on our behalf. It is fitting therefore, to honor her and seek her aide often in prayer. And, Mary herself has asked us to come to her in our time of need with humility and sacrifice as we pray the rosary. What a glorious way to express our devotion and love for Mary as we pray the mysteries and life of Jesus on a beautiful gold rosary.