Consecrating the ordinary...

"Our life must reach out toward the Infinite,

and from that source we must draw whatever we can expect

of merit and dignity." - Bl Contardo Ferrini

"Then the sacred moment arrives when we receive our Lord

and are united with Him.  The moment itself is fleeting;

it takes just a quick swallow, a short turn, and we walk back to our seats.

To transform this ordinary routine... At the moment 

of communion, we could use some mental or vocal aspiration

such as that of St Francis de Sales:

Who am I, Lord, and who are you?

 or perhaps that of St Elizabeth: 

Where does this blessing come from -

that my Lord should come to me? (Luke 1:43)

or that of St John the Evangelist: 

Yes, come, Lord Jesus. (Rev 22:20)

...the actual thought or saying can be anything that helps us

to focus on the moment immediately before us."

Fr Thomas F Dailey, O.S.F.S.

Excerpt from book: Live Today Well,

St Francis de Sales's Simple Approach to Holiness (2015)

Really live! ...

"Live on Him that you 

may live for Him."- St John Vianney

And as they were eating, He took bread,

and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them, and said,

"Take; this is My Body."

And He took a chalice, and when He had given thanks

He gave it to them, and they all drank of it. 

And He said to them,

"This is My Blood of the covenant,

which is poured out for many."
Gospel of Mark 14:22-24

St Mark the Evangelist

Evangelist, Martyr (+68 AD)
Disciple of St Peter, Cousin of Barnabus

Symbol:  lion, often winged*

*The Gospel of St Mark begins with St John the Baptist,
"the voice of one crying in the wilderness,"
a voice that St Jerome compared to the roar of a lion.
Feast Day - April 25

Read St Mark's Gospel today in gratitude 
and for the sake of love - and life!

Image above:  The Last Supper ~ Frans Pourbus

Go out into the whole world and 

proclaim the Gospel to every creature.  ~ Mark 16:15

  

Click here: St Mark - YouTube (2 mins)

Click here: Feast of St. Mark, evangelist - Catholic Culture

Prayer over the Offerings (Today's Liturgy)

As we venerate the glory of Saint Mark,

we offer you, Lord, the sacrifice of praise

and humbly beseech you,

that your Church may always persevere

in the preaching of the Gospel.

Through Christ our Lord.

Basilica San Marco ~ Venice, Italy
Contains the reliquary of St Mark's body

Click here: Saint Mark's Basilica, Venice, begun 1063 - YouTube  (5 mins)

St Mark the Evangelist, pray for us!

Worth remembering...

"May your heart be an altar, from which the bright flame 
of unending thanksgiving ascends to heaven." ~ St Mary Euphrasia

“Draw near to our Lord,

thoroughly aware of your own nothingness,

and you may hope all things

from His Goodness and Mercy.

Never forget

that Jesus Christ is no less generous

in the Blessed Sacrament

than He was during His mortal life on earth.”

St Mary Euphrasia Pelletier

France ~ 1796-1868

Foundress ~ Sisters of the Good Shepherd

Motto: "One person is of more value than a world." 

Feast Day - April 24

 

"Go after the lost sheep without other rest than the cross,

other consolation than work,

other thirst than for justice." ~ St Mary Euphrasia

Click here: Life of St.Mary Euphrasia Pelletier - YouTube (4:41 mins)

Click here: Prayer of St.Mary Euphrasia Pelletier - YouTube

St Mary Euphrasia, pray for us!

Life: heart-whole, mind-whole...

Jesus said to him:  Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, 

and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind.  - Matt 22:37

"There is something to be done on our side.  

The wheat must be ground into bread, the wine must be pressed out 

of the grape, before we can give our Lord the opportunity 

to work His miracle of Transubstantiation.  

The offertory first, 

man stretching out his hands to God; 

then the consecration, 

God accepting and transforming man's gift. 

We must come to meet Him, 

come to meet Him early in the morning, 

when sleep has smoothed away for us the memories of yesterday, 

and no cares have yet assailed us to disturb the equilibrium of our lives.  

We must hand over the direction of our lives to Him, 

if we are to know what it means to live an ordered life, 

heart-whole and mind-whole in a world like ours.  

Then we can go to Communion."

From The Window in the Wall, Reflections on the Holy Eucharist

by Ronald Knox (Sheed & Ward: 1956) - pg 51-52.

Good Shepherd: nourishes, guards, guides...

4th Sunday of Easter
GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY

“For He hears the lamb’s innocent call,

And He hears the ewe’s tender reply.

He is watchful while they are in peace.

For they know when their Shepherd is nigh.”

- William Blake

"We adore You, Jesus,

eternal Shepherd of the human race.

You are present in the Eucharist

to dwell continually 

in the midst of Your people.

You nourish us,

You guard us,

You guide us to the heavenly fold."

Ven. James Alberione

Painting above: Good Shepherd (Detail) ~ Champaigne

Click here: The King of Love My Shepherd Is - A Homily 
(Msgr Charles Pope)

Also ... today...

55th WORLD DAY of

PRAYER for VOCATIONS

 
 Good Shepherd Sister, Sr Rose Vu, rejoices with Fr Spencer Howe 

on his day of Ordination 05/25/13 

"Every vocation in the Church has its origin in the

compassionate gaze of Jesus." - Pope Francis

Pope Francis' Message

for 55th World Day of Prayer for the Vocations

World Day of Prayer for Vocations 2018

TODAY (Roma)

Sixteen men ordained to priesthood by Pope Francis
"Think of your own sins, your own miseries, the miseries that 
Jesus has pardoned.  Be merciful!" (Pope Francis to the newly ordained today)

Let us hold them in prayer

and offer thanksgiving for their 'YES' -

that they may nourish, guard and guide us!

Painting: "Ordinatio" ~ Nielsen Carlin