Daily Gospel for Tuesday, 29 April 2014

Daily Gospel for Tuesday, 29 April 2014

" Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life." (John 6:68)

Tuesday of the Second week of Easter

Saints of the Day:

SAINT CATHERINE OF SIENA 

Virgin and Doctor of the Church

Co patron of Europe - Feast in Europe

(1347-1380)

Catherine, the daughter of a humble tradesman, was raised up to be the guide and guardian of the Church in one of the darkest periods of its history, the fourteenth century. As a child, prayer was her delight. She would say the "Hail Mary" on each step as she mounted the stairs, and was granted in reward a vision of Christ in glory. When but seven years old, she made a vow of virginity, and afterwards endured bitter persecution for refusing to marry. Our Lord gave her his heart in exchange for her own, communicated her with his own hands, and stamped on her body the print of his wounds.
At the age of fifteen she entered the Third Order of St. Dominic, but continued to reside in her father's shop, where she united a life of active charity with the prayer of a contemplative Saint. From this obscure home the seraphic virgin was summoned to defend the Church's cause. Armed with Papal authority, and accompanied by three confessors, she travelled through Italy, reducing rebellious cities to the obedience of the Holy See, and winning hardened souls to God.
In the face well-nigh of the whole world she sought out Gregory XI. at Avignon, brought him back to Rome, and by her letters to the kings and queens of Europe made good the Papal cause. She was the counsellor of Urban VI., and sternly rebuked the disloyal cardinals who had part in electing an antipope. Long had the holy virgin foretold the terrible schism which began ere she died.
Day and night she wept and prayed for unity and peace. But the devil excited the Roman people against the Pope, so that some sought the life cf Christ's Vicar. With intense earnestness did St. Catherine beg our Lord to prevent this enormous crime. In spirit she saw the whole city full of demons tempting the people to resist and even slay the Pope. The seditious temper was subdued by Catherine's prayers; but the devils vented their malice by scourging the Saint herself, who gladly endured all for God and his Church.
She died at Rome, in 1380, at the age of thirty-three.

Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]

SAINT HUGH 

Abbot of Cluny

(1024-1109)

St. Hugh was a prince related to the sovereign house of the dukes of Burgundy, and had his education under the tuition of his pious Mother, and under the care of Hugh, Bishop of Auxerre, his great-uncle. From his infancy he was exceedingly given to prayer and meditation, and his life was remarkably innocent and holy.
One day, hearing an account of the wonderful sanctity of the monks of Cluny, under St. Odilo, he was so moved that he set out that moment, and going thither, humbly begged the monastic habit. After a rigid novitiate, he made his profession in 1039, being sixteen years old.
His extraordinary virtue, especially his admirable humility, obedience, charity, sweetness, prudence, and zeal, gained him the respect of the whole community; and upon the death of St. Odilo, in 1049, though only twenty-five years old, he succeeded to the government of that great abbey, which he held sixty-two years.
He received to the religious profession Hugh, Duke of Burgundy, and died on the twenty-ninth of April, in 1109, aged eighty-five.
He was canonized twelve years after his death by Pope Calixtus II.

Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]

Bl. Mary Magdalene of the Incarnation 

Foundress, Perpetual Adorers of the Blessed Sacrament 

(1770-1824)

Caterina Sordini was born on 16 April 1770 at Grosseto, Italy, the fourth of nine children born into a deeply Catholic family. When she was 17 her father arranged for her to marry a maritime merchant. At first she was against it, but later complied with her father's wishes. The young man gave her a casket of jewels and, having adorned herself, turned to admire her reflection in the mirror but saw the image of the Crucified Christ who asked: "Do you want to leave me for another?".
She took the question seriously and in February 1788 visited the Franciscan Tertiary Monastery in Ischia di Castro. Caterina entered then and there, thus shocking her father who had thought it was merely a visit. She was clothed six months later, taking the name of Sr Mary Magdalene of the Incarnation.
On 19 February 1789, she fell into ecstasy and saw a vision of "Jesus seated on a throne of grace in the Blessed Sacrament, surrounded by virgins adoring him" and heard him telling her: "I have chosen you to establish the work of perpetual adorers who, day and night, will offer me their humble adoration...". Thus, she was called to become a foundress and to spend her life adoring Jesus in the Eucharist. In that turbulent period for the Church she set an example to all.
She was elected Abbess on 20 April 1802. The period of her governance was accompanied by extraordinary phenomena and an increasingly fervent spiritual life, and the abbey thrived. With the consent of her spiritual director and the local Bishop she drafted the rules of the new Institute and set out for Rome on 31 May 1807.
On 8 July that year, she and a few Sisters moved into Sts Joachim and Anne convent, near the Trevi Fountain. Under the French occupation it was confiscated and the Napoleonic laws suppressed her Order. She was exiled to Tuscany.
There she formed a new group of Adorers. On 19 March 1814, when they could return to Rome they settled at Sant'Anna al Quirinale. On 13 February 1818, Pope Pius VII approved the Institute dedicated to perpetual, solemn, public exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament.
Mother Mary Magdalene died in Rome on 29 April 1824. She was buried at Sant'Anna al Quirinale and in 1839 her remains were translated to the Church of Santa Maria Maddalena, the new generalate of the Perpetual Adorers in Rome.
Pope John Paul II decreed her heroic virtues in 2001 and Pope Benedict XVI beatified her on May 3, 2008 at Rome. - Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana
Tuesday of the Second week of Easter
Acts of the Apostles 4:32 The multitude of those who believed were of one heart and soul. Not one of them claimed that anything of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. 33 With great power, the apostles gave their testimony of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Great grace was on them all. 34 For neither was there among them any who lacked, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, 35 and laid them at the apostles’ feet, and distribution was made to each, according as anyone had need. 36 Joses, who by the apostles was also called Barnabas (which is, being interpreted, Son of Encouragement), a Levite, a man of Cyprus by race, 37 having a field, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
Psalm 93:1 Yahweh reigns!
    He is clothed with majesty!
    Yahweh is armed with strength.
The world also is established.
    It can’t be moved.
2 Your throne is established from long ago.
    You are from everlasting.
5 Your statutes stand firm.
    Holiness adorns your house,
    Yahweh, forever more.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 3:7 Don’t marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’ 8 The wind[a] blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but don’t know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
9 Nicodemus answered him, “How can these things be?”
10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and don’t understand these things? 11 Most certainly I tell you, we speak that which we know, and testify of that which we have seen, and you don’t receive our witness. 12 If I told you earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven, but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven. 14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Footnotes:
a. John 3:8 The same Greek word (pneuma) means wind, breath, and spirit
Tuesday of the Second week of Easter
Commentary of the Day:

Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross [Edith Stein] (1891-1942), Carmelite, martyr, co-patron of Europe 

From a Pentecost Novena (copyright ICS publications, 1992)

"You do not know where it comes from or where it goes"

Who are you, sweet light, that fills me 

And illumines the darkness of my heart? 

You lead me like a mother's hand, 

And should you let go of me, 

I would not know how to take another step. 

You are the space 

That embraces my being and buries it in yourself. 

Away from you it sinks into the abyss 

Of nothingness, from which you raised it to the light. 

You, nearer to me than I to myself 

And more interior than my most interior 

And still impalpable and intangible 

And beyond any name: 

Holy Spirit-eternal love! 

Are you not the sweet manna 

That from the Son's heart 

Overflows into my heart, 

The food of angels and the blessed? 

He who raised himself from death to life, 

He has also awakened me to new life 

From the sleep of death. 

And he gives me new life from day to day, 

And at some time his fullness is to stream through me,

Life of your life-indeed, you yourself: 

Holy Spirit, eternal life!

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