Daily Gospel for Friday, 29 May 2015

Daily Gospel for Friday, 29 May 2015

"Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."[John 6:68]

Friday of the Eighth week in Ordinary Time

Saints of the day:

M. Orsola (Giulia) Ledóchowska 
Religious
(1865-1939)

"If only I knew how to love, to burn and consume oneself in love" - so the 24 year old Giulia Ledóchowska wrote before taking religious vows, novice in the Ursuline convent of Krakow. On the day of the religious profession she took the name 'Maria Ursula of Jesus', and the words stated above became the guide lines of her entire life. In her mothers' family (of Swiss nationality and of the dynasty of the Salis), as well as in her fathers' (an old Polish family) there were many politicians, military men, ecclesiastics and consecrated people, who were involved in the history of Europe and of the Church. She was raised in a family of numerous brothers and sisters where affectionate and disciplined love was dominant. The first three children, including M. Ursula, chose the consecrated life: Maria Teresa (beatified in 1975) founded the future 'Society of S. Peter Claver' and the younger brother Vladimiro became the general Preposito of the Jesuits.

M. Ursula lived in the convent at Krakow for 21 years. Her love for the Lord, her educational talent and sensibility towards the needs of youngsters in the changing social, political and moral conditions of those times put her at the centre of attention. When women earned the right to study in Universities, she succeeded in organising the first boarding-house in Poland for female students where they not only found a safe place to live and study, but also received a solid religious preparation. This passion, together with the blessing of Pope Pio X, gave her the strength to move into the heart of Russia which was hostile towards the Church. When, in civilian dress, she left with another Sister for Petersburg (where religious life was prohibited) she did not know that she was headed towards an unknown destination and that the Holy Spirit would lead her upon roads she had not foreseen. 

In Petersburg the Mother with the steadily growing community of nuns (soon established as an autonomous structure of the Ursulines) lived secretly, and even though under constant surveillance by the secret police, they brought forward an intense educational and religious project which was also directed towards the encouragement of relationships between Polish and Russians.

When war broke out starts in 1914, M. Ursula had to leave Russia. She headed for Stockholm and during her Scandinavian travels (Sweden, Denmark, Norway) her activity concentrated not only on education, but also on the life of the local Church, on giving aid to the war victims and on ecumenical work. The house where she lived with her nuns became a point of reference for people of different political and religious orientation. Her strong love for her country was the same as her tolerance towards 'diversity' and towards others. Once asked to speak of her political orientation, she promptly answered 'My policy is love'.

In 1920 M. Ursula, her sisters and a vast number of orphan children of immigrants returned to Poland. The Apostolic Headquarters transforms its autonomous convent of the 'Ursulines of the Sacred Agonising Heart of Jesus' The spirituality of the congregation is concentrated on the contemplation of the salvific love of Christ and participation in His mission by means of educational projects and service to others, particularly to the suffering, the lonely and the abandoned who were searching for the meaning of life. M. Ursula educated her sisters to love God above everything else and to find God in every human being and in all Creation. She gave a particularly credible testimony to the personal bond with Christ and to being an efficient instrument of both Evangelical and educational influence by means of her smile and serenity of soul. Her humility and capacity to live the ordinary everyday routine as a privileged road towards holiness made her a clear example of this life style. 

The congregation developed quickly. The communities of the Ursuline nuns in Poland and on the eastern frontiers of the country which were poor, multinational and multi-confessional were established. In 1928 the Generalate was established in Rome along with a boarding-house for girls who were economically less well-off, in order to give them the possibility to come into contact with the spiritual and religious richness of the heart of the Church and of European civilisation. The Sisters began to work in the poor suburbs of Rome. In 1930 the nuns accompanied girls in search of work and established themselves in France. Wherever possible M.Ursula founded educational and instructional work centres. She sent the nuns to Catechise and to work in the poor parts of town. She wrote books and articles for children and youngsters.

She initiated and sustained ecclesiastical organisations for children (Eucharistic Movement), for youngsters and for women. She actively participated in the life of the Church and State thus receiving great acknowledgement and decorations from both the State and the Church. When her laborious and not easy life came to an end in Rome on May 29, 1939, people said of her: "She died a saint".

John Paul II beatified M. Ursula on June 20, 1983 in Poznan and canonized her on May 18, 2003 at Rome. - Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana

Saint Raymond and companions

Feastday: August 31

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Raymond was born at Portella, Catalonia, Spain. He was delivered by caesarean operation when his mother died in childbirth. Hence his name non natus (not born). He joined the Mercedarians under St. Peter Nolasco at Barcelona. He succeeded Peter as chief ransomer and went to Algeria to ransom slaves. He remained as hostage for several slaves when his money ran out and was sentenced to be impaled when the governor learned that he had converted several Mohammedans. He escaped the deathsentence because of the ransom he would bring, but was forced to run the gauntlet. He was then tortured for continuing his evangelizing activities but was ransomed eight months later by Peter Nolasco. On his return to Barcelona in 1239, he was appointed Cardinal by Pope Gregory IX, but died at Cardona a short distance from Barcelona the next year while on the way to Rome. He was canonized in 1657. He is thepatron saint of expectant mothers and midwives because of the nature of his own birth. Although his mother died in labor, Raymond miraculously survived the ordeal. His feast day is August 31.

Friday of the Eighth week in Ordinary Time 

Book of Sirach 44: Hymn to the ancestors

44 Now allow us to praise

famous people and our ancestors,

generation by generation.[a][Footnotes:

Sirach 44:1 Heb in their generations]

9 For some there is no memory,

    and they perished as though

    they hadn’t existed.

    These have become as though

    they hadn’t been born,

        they and even their children after them.

10 But these were compassionate people

    whose righteous deeds

    haven’t been forgotten.

11 This will persist with their children;

    their descendants

    will be a good legacy.[a]

12 Their descendants stand

by the covenants,

    and their children also, for their sake.

13 Their descendants will last forever,

    and their glory will never be erased.[Footnotes:

Sirach 44:11 Heb Their goods will remain with their descendants, and their inheritance will be for their grandchildren.]

Psalms 149:1 Halleluyah!

Sing to Adonai a new song,

his praise in the assembly of the faithful.

2 Let Isra’el rejoice in their maker,

let Tziyon’s children take joy in their king.

3 Let them praise his name with dancing,

make melody to him with tambourine and lyre;

4 for Adonai takes delight in his people,

he crowns the humble with salvation.

5 Let the faithful exult gloriously,

let them sing for joy on their beds.

6 Let the high praises of God be in their throats,

but a two-edged sword in their hands

9 to execute the judgments decreed for them;

for this will glorify all his faithful.

Halleluyah!

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 11:11 Yeshua entered Yerushalayim, went into the Temple courts and took a good look at everything; but since it was now late, he went out with the Twelve to Beit-Anyah.

12 The next day, as they came back from Beit-Anyah, he felt hungry. 13 Spotting in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came up to it, he found nothing but leaves; for it wasn’t fig season. 14 He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And his talmidim heard what he said.

15 On reaching Yerushalayim, he entered the Temple courts and began driving out those who were carrying on business there, both the merchants and their customers. He also knocked over the desks of the money-changers, upset the benches of the pigeon-dealers, 16 and refused to let anyone carry merchandise through the Temple courts. 17 Then, as he taught them, he said, “Isn’t it written in the Tanakh, My house will be called a house of prayer for all the Goyim[a] But you have made it into a den of robbers!”[b] 18 The head cohanim and the Torah-teachers heard what he said and tried to find a way to do away with him; they were afraid of him, because the crowds were utterly taken by his teaching. 19 When evening came, they left the city.

20 In the morning, as the talmidim passed by, they saw the fig tree withered all the way to its roots. 21 Kefa remembered and said to Yeshua, “Rabbi! Look! The fig tree that you cursed has dried up!” 22 He responded, “Have the kind of trust that comes from God! 23 Yes! I tell you that whoever does not doubt in his heart but trusts that what he says will happen can say to this mountain, ‘Go and throw yourself into the sea!’ and it will be done for him. 24 Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, trust that you are receiving it, and it will be yours. 25 And when you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him; so that your Father in heaven may also forgive your offenses.” 26 [c][Footnotes:

Mark 11:17 Isaiah 56:7

Mark 11:17 Jeremiah 7:11

Mark 11:26 Some manuscripts include verse 11:26: But if you do not forgive, your Father in heaven will not forgive your offenses.”]

Friday of the Eighth week in Ordinary Time

Commentary of the day:

Saint Cyril of Jerusalem (313-350), Bishop of Jerusalem, Doctor of the Church 

Baptismal Catechesis 5 

"Have faith in God”

Scripture says, “A faithful person is difficult to find” (Pr 20:6): I do not say that so you should show your conscience to me, but so that you show the sincerity of your faith to God, who tries minds and hearts, and knows the thoughts of men (Ps 7:9;93:11). A great thing is a faithful man, the richest of all rich men. To the faithful belongs the whole world of wealth, which they trample and disdain. For those who appear to be rich in possessions are poor in soul. The more they gather, the more they pine for what is still lacking. But the faithful, most strange paradox, are rich even in poverty; knowing that we need only to have food and clothing and being content with that, they have trodden riches under foot. 

Nor is it only among us, who bear the name of Christ, that the dignity of faith is great. All things that are accomplished in the world, even by those who are not members of the Church, are accomplished by faith. Faith in marriage binds together spouses, who cannot know each other perfectly; they become life partners because of their faith in marriage. Agriculture is also based on faith ; farmers endure the toil because they believe in the harvest. By faith sailors, put their trust in the few planks of their boat... Most of human affairs are held together by faith; belief and trust are a part of every human life. 

Today the Scriptures invite you to true faith, by setting before you the way which truly pleases God... Faith shuts the mouths of lions, as in Daniel's case (Dn 6:23). By holding “faith as a shield, you will quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one” (Ep 6:16)... Faith is strong enough to buoy men up in walking on the sea (Mt 14:29). Some, like the paralytic, are saved by others' faith (Mt 9,2); the faith of Lazarus’ sisters had so much power, that he was called back from the dead (Jn 11)... This faith which is given freely by the Holy Spirit works things beyond our power. Whoever has this faith can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move (Mt 17:20).

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