October 1 Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus (LISIEUX)

Marie-Françoise Thérèse Martin was born in Normandy, France, in 1873, ninth and youngest child of Louis Martin, watchmaker, and Azélie-Marie Guérin, lacemaker. Her mather died when she was only five years old and the family moved to Lisieux where she was raised by her father, her sisters and an aunt. Three of her sisters became Carmelite nuns and the fourth joined the Visitandines.

At 15 Thérèse entered the Carmel of Lisieux. Her motto was phrase from the great Carmelite mystic John of the Cross, "love is repaid by love alone." Thérèse held special devotions to the heart of Jesus and to the spiritual Motherhood of Mary. Because of tuberculosis, Thérèse's activites were limited. She pioneered the ideal of the "little way": fidelity in the small things, trust and complete self'surrender to God.

Thérèse  had a gift for writing and the prioress, her sister Pauline, directed her to write first about her life in the convent. These were combined into The Story of a Soul, a modern spiritual autobiography.

The "Little Flower" died on September 30, 1897. Though Thérèse life spanned only 24 years, her faith and simplicity were remarkable. She was cannonized in 1925, and made Doctor of the Church in 1997. She is another patroness of missions in the Church, besides Saint Francis Xavier.

Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, pray for us!

Memories of the Pope's words

Benedict XVI: Christ saves us from the ills of the spirit
From: Vatican  September 27, 2009

Pope Benedict XVI celebrated Mass on Sunday morning at Brno in Moravia, the second city of the Czech Republic. The central theme of the Mass was Christian hope. In his homily, the Holy Father emphasized the need to build on Christ, our life. The Pope said that although technical developments and the improvement of social structures are certainly important and necessary but not sufficient to guarantee the moral well-being of society. Before the Angelus, the Pope recalled that Moravia is a land rich in Marian shrines, and was the place from which John Paul II began his travels in Central and Eastern Europe after the end of Communism. The Pope then urged the faithful in the land of Saints Cyril and Meth ... ...

教宗一点也不否认科技进步和社会结构改善的需要与好处，但他指出单凭这些并不足以保证国民在社会生活中能够享受伦理道德的益处。他强调：“人需要从物质压迫中获得自由，更深一点说，人必须从折磨他心灵的邪恶中得到救援。可是除了天主外，谁能救他呢？天主是爱，祂在耶稣基督身上彰显了自己全能和慈悲的面貌。所以，我们所怀的坚固希望乃是耶酥基督，在他身上天主爱我们到了极点，而且赐给我们丰富的生命。这个生命是每个人都渴望拥有的，即使有时候他不觉得”。

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wTpmAR8d44

September 29, Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael

Micheal, Gabriel and Raphael are three of the seven archangels who stand before God and are venerated in both Jewish and Christian traditions. While this date was once dedicated solely to Michael (Michaelmas), it now commemorates all three.

Michael (who is like the Lord?), considered the special protector of Israel (Dan 12:1) and of the Church, is known as the "captain of the heavenly host"(Rev 12: 7-9).

Gabriel (God is mighty) foretold the coming of the Messiah to the prophet Daniel (Dan 9). Luke records the appearences of this "angel of the Lord" to Zechariach and to Mary of Zazareth (Luke 1).

Raphael (God heals) identifies himself as one of the angels who bring prayers before God (Tobit 12). He is associated with the healing pool in Jerusalem (John 5).

Saint Vincent de Paul

The vocation of this genial initiator of charitable and social action yet lights the path of his sons and his daughters today, of laity living in his spirit, of young people seeking the key to an existence  usefully and radically expended in gift of self.

To serve the poor better, Vincent willed "to gather around him churchmn free of all benefices so as to be albe to apply themselves entirely under the good pleasure of the bishops, to the salvation of the poor people of the fields, through preaching, catechism and general confession,, without taking any reward of any sort or manner at all." That group of priests, called "Lazarists," developed rapidly into the Congregation of the Mission. Vincent never ceased from inculcating "the spirit of our Lord" into his companions. He summed up that spirit in five dundamental virtues: simplicity, gentleness toward one's neighbor, humility as regards oneself, and then, asa a condition of those three virtues, mortification ans zeal, which are in some way their dynamic aspects. His exhortations to those whom he sent to preach the Gospel are full of spiritual wisdom and pastral realism: it is not a question of being loved for one's own sake but of making Jesus Christ loved.

26th Sunday's Meditation

Most of the time, we are proud of ourselves, because we are christians, as the Israelites said we were God's peoples scelected. Because of this, we don't pay attention to the others that around our world, even other religions. Also, we can easily make the persumption or the judmente for the people. What do you think after the readings of this Sunday? And what is God saying to us through the discussion with John?

Jesus warns us in today's Gospel that to condemn the faith of others is to comdemn our own faith, also, the good, comes from God. For us christians, first of all, we should repect and cooperate with all non-christian institutions and people. To have part in Jesus's Kingdom, it is also necessary for us christians to be hospitable to all the other disciples of Jesus. As well, Christ's disciples must also be very careful not to be an obstacle to the faith of their follow christians.

As we see, Jesus Christ wants us to put the Kingdom of God at the top of our advantest behaviors. God, His will, His love must be our first concern in our lives. And for the Kingdom of God’s sake we should be ready and determined to renounce everything. O Lord, your word, is truth; sanctify us in the truth! (John 17.17)

Psalms 121

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, form whence cometh my help. My help cometh form the Lord, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy fott to be moved: he that keeppeth thee will not slumber.

The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in form this time forth, and even for evermore.

When you say "I am a Christian....."

(From the internet)

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I'm not shouting "I'm clean living"

I'm whispering "I was lost",

Now I'm found and forgiven.

When I say..."I am a Christian"

I don't speak of this with pride.

I'm confessing that I stumble

and need CHRIST to be my guide.

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I'm not trying to be strong.

I'm professing that I'm weak

and need HIS strength to carry on.

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I'm not bragging of success.

I'm admitting I have failed

and need God to clean my mess.

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I'm not claiming to be perfect,

My flaws are far too visible

but, God believes I am worth it.

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I still feel the sting of pain,

I have my share of heartaches

So I call upon His name.

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I'm not holier than thou,

I'm just a simple sinner

who received God's good grace, somehow.

Who do we know he loves us?

Read Romans 5: 6-11

"GOD DEMONSTRATES HIS LOVE FOR US...

THAT WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS

CHRIST DIED FOR US."

Calendar of Saints

Saint Pio of Pietrelcina

Fancesco Forgione (1887-1968) was born in the Italian village of Pietrelcina. He entered the noitiate of the Capuchin Friars at the age of 16, taking the name Pio (Pius), and was ordinated in 1910. He lived for over 50 years at the friary of San Giovanni Rotondo, devoted to a life of minstry through sacramental reconciliation and celebration of the ecucharist, and helipng countless people who sought his councel. Pope Paul VI sai of him: "Look what fame he had, what a wholewild following gathered around him! But why? Perhaps because ha was wise? Because he had resourcese at his disposal? Because ha said Mass humbly, hear confessions form dawn to dusk and was --it is not easy to say it--one who bore the wounds of our Lord. He was a man of prayer and suffering." Padre Pio was canonized by Pope John II in 2002.

Prayer for Our Priests

Divine Savoir Jesus Christ, Who hast entrusted the whole work of Thy Redemption, the welfare and salvation of the world, to priests as Thy represntatives; I offer Thee, through the hands of Thy Most Holy Mother, all the prayers, works, sacrifices, joys and sorrow of this day for the sanctidication of Thy priests.

Give us truly holy priests who seek nothing but Thy greater glory and the salvation of our souls. Bless their works and prayers at he altar, and bless all their work for the young, the sick, the aged and the dying.

Do thou, O Mary, Mother of The High Priest, protect all priests from dangers to their holy vocation. Obtain for me a true spirit od faith and humble obedience, so that I may ever behold the priest as the representative of God and willingly follow him in the Way, the Truth and the Life of Christ. Amen.

Calendar of Saints

September 21  Feast of saint Matthew

The apostle Matthew has two names in the gospels: Matthew and Levi. Since only the name Matthew is entered in the gospel lists of the 12 apostles, it is commonly held that this his name was Levi until Jesus called him to be a disciple, then he was called which means 'gift of God' in Aramaic.

Mark and Luke record that Levi, the son of Alphaeus, was sitting in the tax office when the Lord called him. Being a Jewish tax caollector for the Romans meant Matthew was considered impure and socially unacceptable by the Jewish commnunity. Jesus himself was rebuked for eating with tax collectors and sinners.

After Pentecost, Matthew worked in the church made up mostly of Jews who believed thah  Jesus was the Saviour. The gospel bearing his name was composed around AD 85 and was written for Jewish-Christians. In it, is shown as the fulfillment of God's Old Testament promises of a Messiah. Tradition holds that after the Resurrection, Matthew preached in Ethopia, where he was martyred. He is the parton of customs officers and accountants.