4^th Sunday

in Ordinary Time – A

My next reflection on the 50 Saints with an Obligatory
Memorial and full set of orations is on Saints Timothy & Titus, Bishops, January 26. Their feast day is the day after the Conversion of Saint Paul
since, as the Bible attests, they were often Saint Paul’s
companions; Saint Timothy for 19 trips and Saint Titus for 7 journeys. The Bible also has three of Saint Paul’s Letters to these two episcopal leaders: Saint Timothy, the first Bishop of Ephesus, and Saint Titus, the first Bishop of Crete. Here are their Mass orations.

Collect – Saints Timothy & Titus, Bishops

O God, who adorned Saints Timothy and Titus

with apostolic virtues, grant, through

the intercession of them both, that, living

justly and devoutly in this present age,

we may merit to reach our heavenly homeland.

Through our Lord … for ever and ever. Amen.

TO LIVE JUSTLY & DEVOUTLY.
This phrase, taken from Saint Paul’s Letter to Titus, captures the tone of the Apostle’s Letter
to each Bishop. Saint
Paul
encouraged Saint
Timothy
to, among other things, ‘fight the good fight’
– and infuse faith into everyday, mundane tasks and into all church matters. In his first Letter
to Timothy,
Saint Paul
offers rubrics or liturgical guidelines and job descriptions for Bishops, Priests and Deacons, women and catechists. Paul
even told Timothy, who suffered from agita, to “stop drinking only water, but have a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.” [1 Timothy 5:23] Thus Saint Timothy
is the patron saint of those with stomach ailments.

Saint Paul’s
brief Letter
to Titus
gives us a glimpse of early Church life in which Saint Titus, as Bishop, had to settle quarrels, reunite factions, clarify dogma and keep order. Though Saint Titus
was born of Gentile parents, Saint Paul
defended his right NOT to be circumcised … which some almost forcefully did to him! Since Saint
Timothy
was of ‘mixed breed’ [his mother was a Jew] Saint Paul
had Saint
Timothy
circumcised.] Saint Titus
is the patron of the US Army Chaplain Corps, which is awarded to outstanding Chaplains who infuse realistic, doctrinally guided ideas into our soldiers, as Saint Titus
once did to those in his Diocese of Crete.

Prayer over the Offerings – Saints Timothy & Titus

Receive, O Lord, we pray, the offerings of

your people, which we bring in celebration

of Saints Timothy and Titus, and,

in your kindness, render us fully acceptable

by giving us sincerity of heart.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

LIVING HOLY LIVES.
As is the case with most, if not all, those who lived in the early centuries of Church history, we have very few, if any, historically verifiable facts … though there are loads of legends and pious tales that are, at best, loosely rooted in reality. But the Bible is not a history or science book, though it uses history and science; it is a book of FAITH – and the true story of how God’s love, God’s wisdom, God’s plan took on flesh in Jesus … and continued – and is still going on – through His disciples. So – just as future generations will know little, if anything, factual about us … do we strive to know our Faith, spread our Faith and give witness to our Faith as did Saint Timothy, Saint Titus and all the Saints?

Prayer after Communion – Saints Timothy & Titus

May the Sacrament we have received, O Lord our God, nourish in us that faith taught by

the preaching of the Apostles and kept safe

by the labors of Saints Timothy and Titus.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

DO WE ALSO PASS ON THE MESSAGE?

We do not personally hear the powerful words of Saint Paul or receive any of his Letters via email, snail mail, a text message, etc. Nor do we have the honor, as did Saints Timothy and Titus, to travel with an Apostle in spreading the Good News … or do we? Whenever we read the Bible, especially at holy Mass … Jesus, Saint Paul, Saint Peter and all the others DO speak to us! When we serve in a ministry overseen, mandated or instituted by a Bishop … we are travelling with an Apostle! What labor or labors do you offer through the Church so that – like Saint Timothy and Saint Titus – the Gospel is spread through you? Saint Timothy and Saint Titus, pray for us!

In His holy Name,

Rev. Thomas J. Serafin, KHS

3^rd Sunday

in Ordinary Time – A

My next reflection on the 50 Saints with an Obligatory
Memorial and full set of orations is the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul the Apostle, honored on January 25. The record of Saint Paul’s conversion
is recorded THREE times in the Bible: Acts: 9:1-22 – 22:1-30 – and 26:1-23. Read them to see each version’s slight variations … and to answer the trivia question: what color was the horse
Saint Paul
was knocked off of by the blinding Light, who was Jesus. [Keep reading to get the answer!]

Collect – The Conversion of Saint Paul the Apostle

O God, who taught the whole world through the preaching of the blessed Apostle Paul,

draw us, we pray, nearer to you through

the example of him whose conversion we celebrate today, and so make us witnesses

to your truth in the world.

Through our Lord … for ever and ever. Amen.

THERE’S HOPE FOR ALL SINNERS.
It is often said that given his sinful past, Saint Paul
would never get ordained in today’s Church! For he publicly condemned the Church, oversaw – and condoned – the stoning of our first martyr, Saint Stephen the Deacon, and did all he could to thwart, hinder and destroy the infant Church. He had men, women – and even children – bound in chains and put on trial – simply for being baptized! Can you imagine what the Vocation Board or Seminary would say to a candidate with Saint Paul’s
credentials? But for the grace of God … and the eventual trust of the other ‘original’ Apostles – Saint Paul’s conversion
was accepted as valid, and he was baptized [the ONLY Apostle whose Baptism is mentioned in the Bible!], admitted to the Apostolic band … and the rest is history. Which gives great hope to any and every REPENTANT sinner!

Prayer over the Offerings – Conversion of Saint Paul

As we celebrate the divine mysteries, O Lord,

we pray, may the Spirit fill us with

that light of faith with which he constantly enlightened the blessed Apostle Paul

for the spreading of your glory.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

LIGHT OF FAITH.
The future Apostle had so much going for him; known by the Hebrew or Jewish name Saul, he was a well-educated Pharisee or scholar of Jewish law; his knowledge of what we now call the Old Testament was second to none. Scripture suggests that through his father he was a Roman citizen, and with the Latin name Paul, he had civic and social perks and privileges no other original Apostle enjoyed. His many travels show he was a robust, healthy man who could support himself as a tentmaker. He seemed to suffer from poor vision or eyesight, but his worst liability was lacking the Light of Faith that comes to us in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Once Saint Paul
opened his eyes and mind, his heart and soul to the divine revelation offered by the Risen Lord … he used all his assets for the sake of the Gospel. We would do well to imitate his openness to God’s Word as revealed in Scripture and Church Teaching … and to use all our assets to promote the Good News.

Prayer after Communion – Conversion of Saint Paul

May the Sacrament we have received,

O Lord our God, stir up in us that fire of charity

with which the blessed Apostle Paul

burned ardently as he bore his concern

for all the Churches.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

THE UNITY OF CHRISTIANS.

How pained Saint Paul must be by the divisions that now mar Christ’s Body, His Church! In Letter after Letter Saint Paul
pleaded, to the point of tears, for unity and conformity to the essentials of the Faith, and for charitable, peaceful co-existence among those who differ on non-essential issues. During the annual ‘Week of Prayer for Christian Unity’ [01/18 – 01/25] we must pray for and model these two ideals: unity on core teachings; acceptance on all optional teachings.

Now it’s time to stop horsing around: the Bible never mentions a horse; it simply says Saul/Paul was knocked to the ground while he was on the road to Damascus … so he was probably just walking! Saint Paul the Apostle, pray for us and all who need to be converted.

In His holy Name,

Rev. Thomas J. Serafin, KHS

2^nd Sunday in Ordinary Time – A

My next reflection on the 50 Saints with an Obligatory
Memorial
and full set of orations is Saint Anthony, Abbot, [aka Saint Anthony of the Desert, not Saint Anthony of Padua] whose Feast Day is January 17. Born of wealthy parents in the mid 200’s, they died when he was about 20, and he inherited their fortune; when he was about 35, he radically answered Christ’s call to “leave all things and follow me.”
Saint Anthony
sold everything, established a trust fund [of sorts] for his only sister, and gradually entered more and more deeply into the monastic life as a hermit in Egypt’s deserts.

Since he so perfectly balanced the spiritual and secular life, Saint Anthony
is called the ‘father of monasticism.’ It is a heresy to reject creation’s goodness, for the Creator declared all He had made ‘good.’ What Saint Anthony
opposed was the demented, disordered, and self-destructive use of creation – caused by the fallout of Original Sin – especially the sins of the flesh. In his writings, he admitted that his struggles with ‘impure thoughts’ lasted until his death … and he died at 105 years of age! So he is the patron saint of those addicted to pornography and other misuses of God’s gift of our human sexuality. In art, he is often depicted with the devils and demons that plagued him … and us! Here are Saint Anthony, Abbot’s
orations.

Collect – Saint Anthony, Abbot

O God, who brought the Abbot Saint Anthony

to serve you by a wondrous way of life

in the desert, grant, through his

intercession, that, denying ourselves,

we may always love you above all things.

Through our Lord … for ever and ever. Amen.

SELF-DENIAL: A LOST ART?
We admire the athlete, who, as Saint Paul said, “exercises discipline in every way … to win a perishable crown” [1 Corinthians 9:25]; we praise our military for their grueling training and preparedness; we honor health care professionals who spend years – and a small fortune – to be prepared to help us. But do we follow their example? Is it any wonder that – unable to say ‘NO!’ to what can harm us or others, especially children – our lack of self-discipline has led to widespread obesity and other woes, drug and alcohol abuse, and epidemic entitlement expectations? May Saint Anthony: help us to deny ourselves by just saying “NO!” to all that can harm us!

Prayer over the Offerings – Saint Anthony, Abbot

May these offerings of our service, placed on your altar in commemoration of Saint Anthony,

be acceptable to you, O Lord, we pray, and grant that, released from earthly attachments, we may have our riches in you alone.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

DO YOUR POSSESSIONS ‘POSSESS’ YOU?
As noted above, earthly things are basically good … but we MUST use them properly. For while God permitted us to name and use all He created for us, He did not ask us to ‘own’ them or of our own accord determine their purpose. We cannot forget that we are stewards, from whom God will demand an account of all He entrusted to us. To be “released from earthly attachments”
means to let go of OUR plans for their use … to use them as God wills: for the common good.

Prayer after Communion – Saint Anthony, Abbot

Nourished for our healing by your Sacraments, O Lord, may we escape every snare of the enemy unharmed, just as by your grace

Saint Anthony won glorious victories

over the powers of darkness.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

DELIVER US FROM EVERY EVIL.

To conclude the Lord’s Prayer, the Priest prays that we be delivered from all evil, which expands the Our Father’s last lines: “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
Modern day flicks often represent evil in sinister, frightful, demonic ways … which is so misleading. For Satan tempted Jesus in the desert by using good things: food, power and prestige, in ungodly, selfish ways. The Devil, aka, the ‘Father of Lies’ – now tries to get us to abuse what God made with good intent. What joy to know that Saint Anthony of the Desert intercedes for us to Jesus, who was tempted in every way we are, but never sinned! Saint Anthony, pray for us.

In His holy Name,

Rev. Thomas J. Serafin, KHS

From the Pastor    January 8, 2017

Epiphany of the Lord

My next reflection on revised Roman Missal orations is on The Most Holy Name of Jesus, celebrated on January 3. The most common symbol of our Lord’s Most Holy Name is IHS, made famous by Saint Bernadine of Siena in the 1400’s. IHS is NOT an acronym for the Latin ‘Jesus Hominum Salvator’
[‘Jesus
Savior of Mankind’]
or the Greek ‘Jesus Hierosolyma Salvator’
[‘Jesus, Savior of Jerusalem’]
or the English ‘In His Service.’

Often embossed, embroidered or affixed on religious items, IHS are the first three letters for Jesus in Greek: Iota, Eta, Sigma; His full Name in Greek is ΙΗΣΟΥΣ.
Why it was shortened it to just three letters – IHS – remains a mystery, but since the 3^rd Century, the Most Holy Name of Jesus – IHS – has reverently adorned many holy items.

Collect – The Most Holy Name of Jesus

O God, who founded the salvation of the human race on the Incarnation of your Word,

give your peoples the mercy they implore,

so that all may know

there is no other name to be invoked

but the Name of your Only Begotten Son.

Who lives and reigns … for ever and ever. Amen.

‘THE’ NAME WE CALL UPON.
This Collect assures that all who invoke or call upon the Most Holy Name of Jesus will not be disappointed; however, His Name is not a magic formula to be used for one’s own wants! In biblical lingo, to call upon someone’s name is a public statement of reverence and total obedience to the person on whose name we call. For as Saint Peter said in his first ‘papal audience:’ “There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.” [Acts 4:12] The next oration explains why this Name is so holy.

Prayer over the Offerings – Most Holy Name of Jesus

Bringing you these offerings from what your bounty bestows on us, we pray, O Lord,

that, just as you have given to Christ,

obedient even until death, the Name that saves,

so you may grant us protection by its power.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

THE NAME THAT IS ABOVE ALL NAMES.
Saint Paul said God the Father gave Christ Jesus “the name that is above every name” [Philippians 2:9]
– which is, for two reasons, a power-packed statement. The first is: normally, human parents have the honor of giving children the name by which they will be known by God for all eternity. But God the Father rightly gave our Lord the Name of Jesus through the Angel Gabriel – directly to His Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and in a dream to His foster-father, Saint Joseph.

God only named 7 people: Ishmael [Genesis16:11]; Isaac [7:19]; Jezreel [Hosea 1:4]; Lo-Ruhamah [1:6]; Lo-Ammi [1:9]; John the Baptist [Luke 1:13, 60, 63]; and presumably Adam. But God gave the last and greatest name, Jesus, to His Son to set Him apart and above all others. For ‘Jesus’ not only means ‘Savior;’ His Most Holy Name has come to mean ‘King,’ ‘Redeemer,’ ‘Mediator,’ ‘great High Priest,’ ‘Intercessor,’ ‘Teacher,’ ‘Law Giver,’ ‘Mercy,’ – ‘Charity,’ – ‘Humility,’ – Brother,’ ‘Spouse’ and ‘Shepherd of souls,’ ‘Light and Life,’ ‘Judge,’ ‘final and eternal Reward.’ However, unless we who call upon His Most Holy Name must also exemplify these roles and ideals … we blaspheme His Most Holy Name!

Prayer after Communion – Most Holy Name of Jesus

May the sacrificial gifts offered to your majesty, O Lord, to honor Christ’s Name

and which we have now received, fill us,

we pray, with your abundant grace,

so that we may come to rejoice

that our names, too, are written in heaven.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

ARE WE WORTHY OF THE HOLY NAME? When the Sanhedrin who condemned Jesus ordered Peter, John and Paul not to preach about or perform miracles in “that man’s Name”
– or even mention it – the Apostles boldly ignored them – and even rejoiced to suffer – and die for- the Most Holy Name! [See Acts 5:27-28; 40-41]
Saint Peter also wrote, “If you are insulted for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.” [1 Peter 4:14]
Do we respect – and are we willing to suffer for the Holy Name of Jesus?

In His holy Name,

Rev. Thomas J. Serafin, KHS