Daily Gospel for Monday, 7 July 2014"Peter replied, 'Master, to whom would we go? You have the words of real life, eternal life. We’ve already committed ourselves, confident that you are the Holy One of God.'"(John 6:68)
Monday of the Fourteenth week in Ordinary Time
Saints of the day:
SAINT PANTÆNUS
Father of the Church
(+c. 216)
This learned father and apostolic man flourished in the second century. He was by birth a Sicilian, by profession a Stoic philosopher. His esteem for virtue led him into an acquaintance with the Christians, and being charmed with the innocence and sanctity of their conversation, he opened his eyes to the truth. He studied the Holy Scriptures under the disciples of the apostles, and his thirst after sacred learning brought him to Alexandria, in Egypt, where the disciples of St. Mark had instituted a school of the Christian doctrine.Pantænus sought not to display his talents in that great mart of literature and commerce; but this great progress in sacred learning was after some time discovered, and he was drawn out of that obscurity in which his humility sought to bury itself. Being placed at the head of the Christian school some time before the year 179, by his learning and excellent manner of teaching he raised its reputation above all the schools of the philosophers, and the lessons which he read, and which were gathered from the flowers of the prophets and apostles, conveyed light and knowledge into the minds of all his hearers.
The Indians who traded at Alexandria entreated him to pay their country a visit, whereupon he forsook his school and went to preach the Gospel to the Eastern nations. St. Pantænus found some seeds of the faith already sown in the Indies, and a book of the Gospel of St. Matthew in Hebrew, which St. Bartholomew had carried thither. He brought it back with him to Alexandria, whither he returned after he had zealously employed some years in instructing the Indians in the faith.
St. Pantænus continued to teach in private till about the year 216, when he closed a noble and excellent life by a happy death.
Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]
BLESSED MARÍA ROMERO MENESES
Salesian Sister
(1902-1977)
She was one of eight children of an upper class family of Nicaragua. She was beautifully educated by her aunts and her parents. Since she had artistic talent, her parents had María trained in drawing and painting as well as in piano and violin by outstanding teachers. She was also enrolled in the Salesian Sisters' school. In 1914 when she was 12, she underwent a year of sickness whose miraculous cure led to her total confidence in Our Lady, Help of Christians and to the vision of her Salesian vocation.
María came down with a serious form of rheumatic fever that paralyzed her for six months, a real source of trial and suffering because it made her miss a year at her beloved school. However, during this trial, María already showed a mature faith, character and will. She called her sufferings "gifts of God". Even when a doctor informed her that her heart had been seriously damaged, she did not complain, but put her confidence for a complete recovery in Our Lady, Help of Christians.
To a school friend who visited her, she said after receiving heavenly guidance, "I know that the Blessed Virgin will cure me". A few days later, María returned to school in good health; no one could believe she had ever been so sick.
On December 8th, 1915 María joined the Marian Association "Daughters of Mary" offering herself with great confidence to the Mother of God. Her Salesian spiritual director Don Emilio Bottari helped her discern her vocation and her mystical experiences. In 1920, at age of 18, María joined the Daughters of Mary, Help of Christians. Her spiritual director Fr Emilio Bottari gave her a prophetic recommendation: "Even though difficult moments will come and you will feel torn to pieces, be faithful and strong in your vocation". For María, these words sustained her for the rest of her religious life.
On January 6th, 1929 in Nicaragua, María made her final profession. Her interior life unfolded as each day she strived to live joyful union with God as his instrument, after the example of Don Bosco as is apparent from her spiritual writings.
In 1931 she was sent to San José, Costa Rica, which became her second country. In 1933 she was teaching music, drawing, and typing to the rich girls in the school, while beginning in the barrios with catechetics and practical trades. In 1934 Sr María began to win over the young girls who were her students in the school (misioneritas) to join her in the work of evangelizing, catechizing and advancing materially the oppressed, isolated and abused. She found the shape of her life's work: bringing about the revolution of charity by inspiring the have's to help the have-not's. In 1945 she began to set up recreational centres; in 1953 centres for the distribution of food. In 1961 she opened a casita as a school for poor girls. In 1966 a clinic where God's Providence helped her with the volunteer services of fine doctors and donations of needed medicines. Soon she started to plan a village so poor families could have decent homes. On a piece of land outside the city, María began to build homes. In 1973, the first seven homes were built in the Centro San José. Then a farm and a market along with school space for religious formation, catechesis and job training.
There was also a church dedicated to Our Lady, Help of Christians. María always joined love and devotion to the Eucharist and Mary with her social apostolate. María was very "limited" in terms of available funding; but, with total confidence, she always left everything in the hands of Our Lady since it was God's work. In her old age, she retired from full time teaching but never from catechesis of young and old. On July 7th, 1977, in Leon, Nicaragua in the Salesian house where she had been sent for a good rest, María died of a fatal heart attack at 75 years old. Her mortal remains were sent back to San José Costa Rica, to be buried in the Salesian Chapel.
She was beatified by John Paul II on April 14th, 2002. - Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana
Blessed Ralph Milner & Roger Dickenson
Facts
Feastday: July 7
Death: 1591
Ralph Milner was born in Flacsted, Hants, England, in the sixteenth century, during the reign of the Tudors. He spent the majority of his life as a farm laborer in his native village where he and his wife had 8 children. Ralph was raised as an Anglican but after observing the pious example of his Catholic neighbors he made the decision to enter the Church.
However, at the time, England was in the midst of the Catholic persecutions ordered by Queen Elizabeth I. Due to this, Ralph was arrested on the same day that he received his first Holy Communion.
Because the jailer took a liking to Ralph he was often let out on parole. It was during this time that he met the undercover Catholic priest "Mr." Roger Dickenson. Ralph would act as escort to Fr. Dickenson "conducting [him] to the different villages to minister to the spiritual needs of the scattered and persecuted flock."
Eventually both men were caught in the act and placed in close confinement while awaiting their trial. At the trial the judge had pity on Ralph because of his large family and offered him a deal. If Ralph would just once attend a Protestant Church he could go free. Ralph refused "to embrace a counsel so disagreeable to the maxims of the Gospel."
He and Fr. Dickenson were led to the gallows on July 7, 1591. Ralph's 8 children were brought to him as he awaited the hangman in a last-ditch attempt to convince him to renounce his faith. Instead, Ralph gave his children his final blessing and declared that "he could wish them no greater happiness than to die for the like cause." He and Fr. Dickenson then went bravely to their execution by means of hanging, drawing and quartering.
Monday of the Fourteenth week in Ordinary Time
Book of Hosea 2:16-20 “At that time”—this is God’s Message still—
“you’ll address me, ‘Dear husband!’
Never again will you address me,
‘My slave-master!’
I’ll wash your mouth out with soap,
get rid of all the dirty false-god names,
not so much as a whisper of those names again.
At the same time I’ll make a peace treaty between you
and wild animals and birds and reptiles,
And get rid of all weapons of war.
Think of it! Safe from beasts and bullies!
And then I’ll marry you for good—forever!
I’ll marry you true and proper, in love and tenderness.
Yes, I’ll marry you and neither leave you nor let you go.
You’ll know me, God, for who I really am.
21-23 “On the very same day, I’ll answer”—this is God’s Message—
“I’ll answer the sky, sky will answer earth,
Earth will answer grain and wine and olive oil,
and they’ll all answer Jezreel.
I’ll plant her in the good earth.
I’ll have mercy on No-Mercy.
I’ll say to Nobody, ‘You’re my dear Somebody,’
and he’ll say ‘You’re my God!’”
Psalms 145:2 I’ll bless you every day,
and keep it up from now to eternity.
3 God is magnificent; he can never be praised enough.
There are no boundaries to his greatness.
4 Generation after generation stands in awe of your work;
each one tells stories of your mighty acts.
5 Your beauty and splendor have everyone talking;
I compose songs on your wonders.
6 Your marvelous doings are headline news;
I could write a book full of the details of your greatness.
7 The fame of your goodness spreads across the country;
your righteousness is on everyone’s lips.
8 God is all mercy and grace—
not quick to anger, is rich in love.
9 God is good to one and all;
everything he does is suffused with grace.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 9:Just a Touch
18-19 As he finished saying this, a local official appeared, bowed politely, and said, “My daughter has just now died. If you come and touch her, she will live.” Jesus got up and went with him, his disciples following along.
20-22 Just then a woman who had hemorrhaged for twelve years slipped in from behind and lightly touched his robe. She was thinking to herself, “If I can just put a finger on his robe, I’ll get well.” Jesus turned—caught her at it. Then he reassured her: “Courage, daughter. You took a risk of faith, and now you’re well.” The woman was well from then on.
23-26 By now they had arrived at the house of the town official, and pushed their way through the gossips looking for a story and the neighbors bringing in casseroles. Jesus was abrupt: “Clear out! This girl isn’t dead. She’s sleeping.” They told him he didn’t know what he was talking about. But when Jesus had gotten rid of the crowd, he went in, took the girl’s hand, and pulled her to her feet—alive. The news was soon out, and traveled throughout the region.
Monday of the Fourteenth week in Ordinary Time
Commentary of the day:
Saint Augustine (354-430), Bishop of Hippo (North Africa) and Doctor of the Church
Sermons on Saint John’s Gospel, no.49, 1-3
"Come, lay your hand on her, and she will live"
“The hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth” (Jn 5,28)… We have read in the Gospel of three dead persons who were raised to life by the Lord, and, let us hope, to some good purpose. For surely the Lord's deeds are not merely deeds, but signs... We were listening with wonder… in the reading of the Gospel, how Lazarus was restored to life (Jn 11). If we turn our thoughts to the still more wonderful works of Christ, every one that believes rises again: if we all consider, and understand that more horrifying kind of death, everyone who sins dies.But every man is afraid of the death of the flesh; few, of the death of the soul... Man, destined to die, labors to avert his dying; and yet man, destined to live for ever, labors not to cease from sinning..! Oh that we could arouse men, and be ourselves aroused along with them, to be as great lovers of the life that abides, as men are of that which passes away..! Who has had it said to him: “Be off to sea if you would escape with your life”, and has delayed to do so? Who has had it said to him: “Set to work if you would preserve your life”, and has continued a sluggard? It is but little that God requires of us, that we may live for ever: and we neglect to obey Him...
If, then, the Lord in the greatness of His grace and mercy raises our souls to life, that we may not die for ever, we may well understand that those three dead persons whom He raised in the body, have some figurative significance of that resurrection of the soul which is effected by faith.
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