Blog Archives

Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord

1/10/2016

Baptism of Christ by Andrea del Verrocchio and Leonardo da Vinci

Today is the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.

For many years, the Church combined three events in the life of Jesus (the visit of the Magi, the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan, and his first miracle at the wedding in Cana) as one feast, known as the Epiphany.

In Rome, the feast of the Baptism of Our Lord was shifted to the octave (the eight day) of the Epiphany around the eighth century. In 1955, when the Vatican's Sacred Congregation of Rites suppressed all octaves (except for Christmas and Easter), the commemoration of the Baptism of Jesus began to be celebrated on January 13.

After the Second Vatican Council, the feast of the Baptism of Our Lord was transferred to the Sunday after the Epiphany and designated as the conclusion of the Christmas season.

- Little Blue Book, Diocese of Saginaw

Saturday - Last Week of the Christmas Season

1/9/2016

We know that anyone begotten by God does not sin; but the one begotten by God he protects, and the Evil One cannot touch him. We know that we belong to God, and the whole world is under the power of the Evil One. We also know that the Son of God has come and has given us discernment to know the one who is true. And we are in the one who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life
- 1 John 5:14-21

Most people think sin is a specific action that breaks a divine law - sort of like a spiritual "crime."

But the root meaning of "sin" in the Hebrew Scriptures means to fail to live up to the covenant with God which, briefly put, says: "I will be your God and you will be my people."

With the coming of Jesus, you can now be even more specific and say that sin is the failure to live up to your connection with Jesus - the failure to live up to the gift of his own Spirit that is within you, the failure to live the way of life that flows from the holiness that God has given you.

"Holiness" means to be like God. This God-likeness has been given to you as a gift because Jesus has taken you as his brother, his sister. If you realize that "sin" is not so much the specific violation of a specific divine law, but rather a failure to live up to the holiness/God-likeness which you have received, then you see sin differently. Much differently.

That's worth thinking about.

- Little Blue Book, Diocese of Saginaw

Feast of the Black Nazarene

1/9/2016

By Constantine Agustin [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Catholics in the Philippines celebrate the feast of the Black Nazarene today.

The Black Nazarene is a wooden statue of the suffering Christ as he carries his cross up to Mount Calvary.

In the 17th century, a ship left Mexico, carrying this life-sized figure of Jesus. It arrived in Manila on May 31, 1606, and was delivered to the Augustinian Recollect Friars who ministered there.

At first, people thought the statue's dark color had been purposely done by its Aztec carver. But that wasn't true. On the trip, the ship caught fire and the statue's wood was charred. Over the years, the statue would survive two more fires (which destroyed two of the churches where the statue had been venerated), two earthquakes, and the liberation of Manila in 1945.

Today the Black Nazarene is located at the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in Manila. It's thought to have miraculous healing powers, curing the person who touches it.

Besides today, January 9, the Black Nazarene statue is also featured in processions on New Year's Day and on Good Friday.

- Little Blue Book, Diocese of Saginaw

Friday - Last Week of Christmas Season

1/8/2016

Who indeed is the victor over the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is the one who came through water and blood, Jesus Christ, not by water alone, but by water and blood. The Spirit is the one who testifies, and the Spirit is truth. So there are three who testify, the Spirit, the water, and the blood, and the three are of one accord.
- 1 John 5:5-13

The heart of John's writings is the story of the interior life, the divine life which the Lord brings to us. He emphasizes that the Spirit, who lives within us, is the guide to truth.

Now you might be inclined to say that if you simply stay with interior (divine) life and the Spirit's guidance, you would do much better than trying to live up to man-made rules and regulations give to you be the Church.

The truth us, you need both. You need authoritative guidance from those whose roots in the wider community protect against distortions - otherwise, you can become fragmented and/or go off course.

But, as John reminds us today, you also need a vibrant interior life. Without the Spirit's living guidance, your life can become sterile - so fixed in the past and worried about new insights, that you lose sigh of the much bigger picture.

How are you doing in keeping this balance?

- Little Blue Book, Diocese of Saginaw

Ancient Letter Writing

1/8/2016

Writing a letter in the first century was not easy.

The ancient pen was a reed that was cut to a point (and needed continuous resharpening). The paper was usually animal skin. The ink was generally made by mixing soot with some kind of gum or glue. Writing legibly with a reed dipped in this kind of ink and applying it to parchment was difficult. Trained scribes were often used for writing letters.

Writing a "personal letter" could mean many things:

writing it oneself;
dictating it word-for word to a scribe;
dictating the general content and letting the scribe put it into words.

Dictating a letter could be a wearisome task. One had to speak very slowly, which demanded concentration and care.

- Little Blue Book, Diocese of Saginaw

St. Bernadette Soubirous

1/7/2016

Bernadette Soubirous was born on this day in 1844 to a poor family in southern France. The oldest of six children, she worked as a shepherdess to help support her family.

On February 11, 1858 (around the time of her first Communion), the 14-year-old had a vision of the Blessed Mother near a cave along the Gave River in Lourdes. The Blessed Mother appeared to her 18 more times in the next two months.

During one vision, Bernadette was led to a spring of healing waters. During another vision, Mary stated she was the Immaculate Conception, and that a church should be built on the site. Authorities tried to shut down access to the spring and to delay construction of the chapel. But Empress Eugenie of France, the wife of Napoleon III, interceded and construction continued.

In 1866, Bernadette entered the Sisters of Notre Dame in Nevers. After a prolonged illness, Bernadette died on this date in 1879. She was 35. When her body was exhumed 30 years later, it was perfectly preserved.

In six of the nine Marian apparitions recognized by the Church, Mary appeared to children.

- Little Blue Book, Diocese of Saginaw

Thursday - Last week of the Christmas Season

1/7/2016

Beloved, we love God because he first loved us. If anyone say, "I love God," but hates his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not love a brother whom he can see cannot love God whom he has not seen. This is the commandment we have from him: Whoever loves God must also love his brother. Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is begotten by God, and everyone who loves the Father loves also the one begotten by him. In this way we know that we love the children of God when we love God and obey his commandments. - 1 John 4:19-5:4

Did you notice? This is now one of the commandments: "Love one another as I love you."

The First Letter of John says that we love God because God first loved us. The initiative lies with Jesus. Directing that same love toward others is my response.

The Trappist monk and author, Thomas Merton, said that Christina love doesn't happen because you simply make an act of the will to love others. The key, he said, is faith. You have to believe - truly believe - that you are loved by God. If you believe that, the rest follows.

To put is another way, the origin of your love for others is God: The Father loves the Son ... and the Son loves you ... and you love others.

That's a pretty good source - God.

It really does come to faith: The Lord loves you. If you believe that, then the rest follows.

Do you believe it?

- Little Blue Book, Diocese of Saginaw

Wednesday - Last Week of the Christmas Season

1/6/2016

Love Sculpture by Robert Indiana

God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him. In this love brought perfection among us, that we have confidence on the day of judgment because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love
- 1 John 4:11-18

Today's passage gives the only definition of God in the New Testament: God is love.

Some people say that true, unselfish, complete love is impossible. They say that no one can unselfishly give themselves to another person. They say, "Who could love a person like me?" Sinners often say, "How can God forgive me after everything I've done?" They can't believe in this type of love, and yet this is exactly the kind of love God has for us.

No matter what you do wrong, no matter how long you continue doing it, God is always there with the fullness of love. Even if you never come back, God's love remains unchanged.

Why? Because God truly loves you, not for what God can get out of you, not because you fulfill God's needs.

God loves you because God is love.

- Little Blue Book, Diocese of Saginaw

Women's Little Christmas

1/6/2016

In Ireland, January 6 is also known as Women's Little Christmas.

The holiday acknowledges women's hard work during he Christmas season, and gives them a "day off."

Women's Little Christmas originated decades ago when irish families were large, and men weren't expected to help with housework. On the feast of the Epiphany, men would stay home to take over the household and child-caring chores, giving their weary wives a day's break. The women would often get together at a local pub, forget their responsibilities, and have fun. Or the family would serve a dinner with the woman's favorite food.

As times changed, Women's Little Christmas became less popular, although it is still celebrated in some areas of Ireland such as County Cork.

- Little Blue Book, Diocese of Saginaw

Tuesday - Last Week of the Christmas Season

1/5/2016

Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love. In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his only-begotten Son into the world so that we might have life through him. In this love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins. - 1 John 4:7-10

Sometimes the deepest truths of your faith can be stated very simply.

And vice-versa. Sometimes the simplest truths of your faith are the deepest.

Here's an example of such a truth: God loves us.

That statement comes easily to our lips. We learned it as little children. God's love is with us, and Jesus tells us to let that love shine on others. If the whole human race caught hold of this truth, imagine how different the world would be.

It's that simple ... and it's that deep.

- Little Blue Book, Diocese of Saginaw