Sept 29 Monday: Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, archangels:https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saints-michael-gabriel-and-raphael Jn 1:47-51: Jesus saw Nathaniel coming to him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!” 48 Nathaniel said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathaniel answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”50… 51 And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.”

The archangels: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael: The angels are spirits created by God before He created man. They are meant to be extensions of God’s love and provident care for us. Their role is to praise and worship God, act as God’s messengers, do God’s will, and protect human beings. “He will give His angels charge over you to guard you in all your ways” (Psalm 91:1). God sent His angels to destroy the evil cities Sodom and Gomorrah and to save Lot’s family. God gave Moses an angel to support and guide him: “My angel shall go before you” (Ex 32:34). It was an angel who helped Jesus in the desert and encouraged Jesus during his agony in Gethsemane: “And there appeared to him an angel from Heaven, strengthening him” (Lk 22:43). The Acts of the Apostles (1:14) describes how God sent an angel to liberate Peter from the prison. The archangels form one of the nine orders of angels. The most prominent among them in Scripture are Michael the protector, Gabriel the messenger of God, and Raphael, the healer and guide for humans.

Michael: Michael means “Who is like God?” from the challenge he flung at the rebel angels Lucifer and Lucifer’s supporters. In Daniel, he is the great prince who defended Israel. In Revelation, he is the mighty princewho fought with Lucifer and who dragged the serpent into hell.

Gabriel: He is God’s messenger. It was Gabriel who announced to Elizabeth’s husband, the priest Zechariah, the happy news that his barren wife would conceive a son, John the Baptist. He announced the “good news” to Mary that she was to bear the Son of God. Gabriel also announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds.

Raphael: He is man’s God-appointed guide and healer. He guided Tobiah’s journey, did Tobiah’s task of collecting his father’s money from Gabael of Rhages, arranged Tobiah’s marriage with Sarah, gave Tobiah the means to heal Tobit’s blindness and protected Sarah from the devil.

Life messages: 1) Dependable angelic assistance is a salutary, encouraging assurance for us to remember in our fears. 2) The truth that an angel is always watching us is an incentive for us to do good and to avoid evil. 3) Angelic protection and assistance form a great provision for which we must be always thankful to God. (Fr. Tony) L/25

Sept 30 Tuesday: Saint Jerome, priest and doctor of the Church For a short biography, click here:https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-jeromeLk 9:51-56 : Lk 9:51-56: 51 When the days drew near for him to be received up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him; 53 but the people would not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. 54 And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to bid fire come down from heaven and consume them?” 55 But he turned and rebuked them. 56 And they went on to another village. USCCB video reflections: http://www.usccb.org/bible/reflections/index.cfm; https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/ Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/21

The context: Today’s Gospel passage deals with the beginning of Jesus’ journey from the northern towns of Galilee to the southern city of Jerusalem in Judea through the land of Samaria. The Samaritans were hostile towards the Jews because the Jews considered them impure. The Samaritans were descendants of Jewish men and women who married Assyrian Gentile immigrants during the Assyrian captivity (721 BC). In addition, the Samaritans had mixed the religion of Moses with various superstitious practices of the Assyrians. When the “pure” Israelites of Judah rebuilt the Temple in Jerusalem (520-525 BC) after their Babylonian captivity (598 BC—538 BC), the Samaritans offered to help, but they were rejected because of their racial impurities. Hence, the angry Samaritans built their own temple on Mount Gerizim, in opposition to the Temple in Jerusalem (cf. Jn 4:20), and started offering sacrifices there. Because of this mutual hatred, the Jews from Galilee never took the shortcut through Samaria to go to Jerusalem. They took the long route east of the Jordan River. Jesus, however, chose the shortcut through Samaria. Hence, the Samaritans not only refused to honor Jesus as a prophet, but also violated the sacred duties of hospitality due to a rabbi. This made the Apostles angry, and two of them, James and John, asked if Jesus wanted them to command fire to come down from Heaven and consume these Samaritans as Elijah had done to destroy the messengers from the king of Samaria. (II Kgs 1:9-12). Jesus rebuked them because Jesus was not a destroyer but a Savior. Lesson in loving acceptance: In today’s Gospel, Jesus corrects the disciples’ desire for revenge because it is out of keeping with the mission of the Messiah, who came to save men and not to destroy them. Jesus knew that prejudices are cured through love, not force, through mercy, not punishment.

Life message: Today’s Gospel gives us the greatest passage in the Bible concerning brotherly, patient love, our “bearing with” one another. Quick anger over little incidents flares up – in the home between parents and children, in the workplace between the co-workers, and in the neighborhood between neighbors. Very often the anger explodes over nothing. The Spirit of Jesus is opposed to such feelings. Hence, let us have this beautiful prayer in our hearts and on our lips: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and a right spirit within me. Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation.” (Psalms 51: 10). (Fr. Tony)

Oct 1 Wednesday: Saint Theresa of the Child Jesus, virgin For a short biography, click herehttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-therese-of-lisieux Lk 9:57-62 57 As they were going along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head.” 59 To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 60 But he said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 Another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” 62 Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

The context: Today’s Gospel passage explains the cost of Christian discipleship and the wholehearted constancy, commitment, and sacrificial ministry that the Christian mission requires.

The requests and the challenge: “I will follow you wherever you go!” was the offer of a would-be follower. But Jesus made him no false promises. Instead, he told the man: “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has not whereon to lay His head.” Being a Christian is not an easy or comfortable affair: It calls for detachment, self-denial, self-control and putting God before everything else. No earthly gain is to be expected. Jesus’ answer to the second man whom he himself had invited to follow him – to be allowed more time before becoming a disciple – sounds harsh: “Let the dead bury their dead.” But this man’s father was neither dead nor sick. What the man was asking for was permission to stay with his father until the father’s death. Jesus knew that later he would find another reason to delay answering the call The man was setting conditions for his following of Jesus, the time and the circumstances. But Jesus’ unconditional love in inviting the man to follow him, while it can be refused at any time, but finally, can only be answered affirmatively with the unconditional love of willing everlasting surrender to him whose own love in asking wis always motivated by unconditional love. St. John Chrysostom comments, “it was not to have us neglect the honor due to our parents, but to make us realize that nothing is more important than the things of Heaven and that we ought to cleave to these and not to put them off even for a little while, though our engagements be ever so indispensable and pressing” (“Hom. on St. Matthew”, 27).]. To the third volunteer who wanted to “say farewell to those at my home” Jesus said, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the Kingdom of God.” Jesus wants exclusive service to his cause, giving family commitments only the second place. So, he did not allow the volunteer to say farewell to the family as Elijah allowed Elisha to do when he was called.

Life messages: 1) We need to honor our commitments: Today, more than ever, people make marriage commitments too easily and then break them. The problem today is that the couples do not have the courage to make the commitment of marriage work. We all know there is a tremendous shortage of priests because our young people are unwilling to make commitments to God by committing themselves to life-long celibacy, to a diocese or to the vowed life of a religious community. 2) We need to pray for strength to honor our commitments. We are here this morning because, in one way or another, we have said to Jesus, “I will follow you.” Sometimes we are faithful to him, but at other times we are not. Hence, we need to pray for strength to honor our commitments. We need to ask for forgiveness when we fail, and we need to renew our determination to walk with Jesus by being loyal to our spouse and family, by earning our living honestly, and by living, not only peacefully, but lovingly, with our neighbors.

Mt 18: 1-5: St. Teresa of Lisseau: Today we celebrate the feast of St. Therese of the Child Jesus and of the Holy Face – a woman whose commitment to discipleship in following Jesus in her Discalced Carmelite was heroic!

Marie Therese Martin was born on Jan 2, 1873 as the youngest of nine children of a watch-maker, Louis Martin, and his wife, a lace-maker, Zelie Guerin. Therese lost her mother at 4 and four of her siblings in their early childhood. She was the “little flower” of her father. One of her older sisters joined the Visitation convent and three others became Carmelite nuns. Therese joined the Carmelite convent at Lisieux at 15 with special permission from Pope Leo XIII. She died of tuberculosis when she was 24 years and 9 months old on September 30, 1897. Pope Pius XI declared her a saint on May 17, 1925, just 28 years after her death. Pope St. John Paul II declared her a “Doctor of the Church” in 1997.

Sources of her life history: 1) Autobiography of a Little Flower (The Story of a Soul); 2) 300 letters; 3) 8- One Act Plays; 4) 50 poems.

Secret of her Little Way and short-cut to Heaven: Do ordinary things in an extraordinary way out of love for God, with 100% dedication and child-like trust, being ever ready to undertake any type of sacrifice. Convert suffering into redemptive suffering and use it for the apostolate.

Conditions: 1) Be child-like and innocent with trusting Faith in a loving Heavenly Father. 2) Do everything with 100% dedication as being done for our caring and forgiving God, our Father. 3) Be ready to undertake sacrifice for others. St. Therese offered all her sacrifices a) in reparation for the sins of others and for her own sins b) for missionaries c) for the conversion of sinners.

Life message: Let us follow the shortcut of Little Flower by becoming child-like in our relationship with God by doing His will with 100% sincerity, commitment and love. (Fr. Tony) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/25

Oct 2 Thursday: The Holy Guardian Angels For a short account, click here: https://www.franciscanmedia.org/feasaint-of-the-guardian-angels/ Mt 18:1-5, 10: 1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them, 3 and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me; 10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven 1 angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven.

The Guardian Angel: Although the doctrine and traditional belief in the Guardian Angel is not a dogma of Faith, it is based on the Bible. Each person’s Guardian Angel is an expression of God’s enduring love and providential care extended to him or her every day. Today’s prayers in the Breviary and in the Roman Missal mention the three-fold function of the angels: a) they praise and worship God, b) they serve as His messengers, and c) they watch over human beings.

Historical note: Devotion to the Guardian Angels began to develop in the monasteries. St. Benedict gave it an additional impetus and St. Bernard of Clairvaux (12th century reformer), spread the devotion in its present form. The feast of the Guardian Angels originated in the 1500s. It was placed on the official liturgical calendar of the Church by Pope Paul V in 1607. “By God’s Providence, angels have been entrusted with the office of guarding the human race and of accompanying every human being so as to preserve him from any serious dangers […]. Our Heavenly Father has placed over each of us an angel under whose protection and vigilance we are” (“St. Pius V Catechism”, IV, 9, 4).

Biblical teaching: Jesus clearly states that even children have their Guardian Angels: “See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in Heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father Who is in Heaven” (Mt 16:10). Psalm 91:1 teaches: “For He has given His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.”

Life messages: 1) The conviction that we are each protected by an angel is an encouragement against our baseless fears and unnecessary anxieties. 2) The thought that a messenger from God is constantly watching our thoughts, words and deeds is an inspiration for us to lead holy lives and to do good for others and avoid evil. 3) We need to be grateful to God every day, thanking Him for His loving care given us through His angel. (Fr. Tony) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/25

Oct 3 Friday: Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/blessed-francis-xavier-seelosLk 10:13-16 13 “Woe to you, Chorazin! woe to you, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it shall be more tolerable in the judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades. 16 He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

The context: Jesus reminds three cities, including Capernaum, his headquarters, that they deserve God’s punishment because they have forgotten the responsibilities which their numerous meetings with the Messiah in their midst have laid upon them. They should have listened to his message, put it into practice, and borne witness to the miracles he had worked for them.

Chorazin and Bethsaida: Nothing is mentioned in any of the Gospels about the “wonders” Jesus worked in Chorazin and Bethsaida. Bethsaida was a fishing village on the west bank of Jordan at the northern end of the lake. Chorazin was a town one hour’s walking distance north of Capernaum. Jesus expresses his holy anger and sorrowful pity from a broken heart at the irresponsible disregard of, and indifference to, his Good News, which these two ungrateful cities have shown. Jesus also warns them, “it shall be more tolerable on the Day of Judgment for Tyre and Sidon,” than for them, because Tyre and Sidon were not fortunate enough to hear Jesus and to receive the opportunities for conversion given to Bethsaida and Chorazin.

Life Messages: Privileges always carry responsibilities: 1) We are privileged to have the Holy Bible, so we have the responsibility to make use of it. 2) We have the Eucharistic celebration every day in our Churches, so we have the responsibility to participate in it when we are able to do so. 3) We have the Sacrament of Reconciliation, so we have the responsibility to use it to be reconciled with God and His Church and to grow in holiness in correcting our sins and faults with His grace. 4) We are blessed with having the Holy Spirit to guide the teaching authority in the Church, so we have the responsibility to study and follow the Church’s directions. 5) We have Mary the mother of Jesus and numerous saints as our role models, so we have the responsibility to follow Jesus in their footsteps. (Fr. Tony) L/25

For additional reflections, click on: https://bible.usccb.org/podcasts/video; https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/; https://www.epriest.com/reflections

Oct 4 Saturday: Saint Francis of Assisi For a brief account click here: https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-francis-of-assisi

Lk 10:17-2417 The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” 18 And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall hurt you. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” 21 In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yea, Father, for such was thy gracious will. 22 All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” 23 Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see what you see! 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”

St. Francis of Assisi (1182-1226) (Giovanni Francesco Bernardone) is among the best-known and the most loved thirteenth century Italian saints. He was born in Assisi, Italy, the son of a wealthy cloth merchant, Pedro Bernardone. As a carefree young man, Francis loved singing, dancing and partying. He joined the local militia (which was defeated in a city-against-city battle), was imprisoned for one year, and returned home ill, as a changed man. He marked his conversion by hugging and kissing a leper. While at prayer in the Chapel of St. Damiano, he heard the message: “Francis, repair my Church because it is falling down.” Francis took the command literally, as referring to San Damiano, and got money by selling goods from his father’s warehouse to repair it. His father was furious and publicly disowned and disinherited Francis. Francis promptly gave back to his father everything except his hairshirt1 and started living as a homeless, poor man, wearing sackcloth and begging for food. Possessing nothing, he started preaching the Gospel and living it out literally. Strangely enough, a few youngsters were attracted to Francis’ way of life and joined him.

Pope Innocent III had a vision of a small man in sackcloth supporting on his shoulder the leaning walls of St. Johns Lateran — the Archbasilica Cathedral of the Most Holy Savior and of Saints John the Baptist and John the Evangelist, built AD 340. This first public Church in Rome was the Pope’s Cathedral Church as Bishop of Rome, and so the visible center of the Roman Catholic Church! When Francis approached the Pope to ask for permission to form a religious order which would live out the Gospel in poverty, the Pope recognized the “little man” of his dream and gave him immediate approval. Subsequently, Pope Innocent approved the Religious Order begun by Francis, namely the Friars Minor [Lesser Brothers] which practiced Charity as a fourth vow along with Poverty, Chastity and Obedience. Soon, the Franciscan Order became very popular, attracting large numbers of committed youngsters. The friars traveled throughout central Italy and beyond, preaching and inviting their listeners to turn from the world to Christ. Francis sent missionaries to preach in other European countries and England. In his life and preaching, Francis emphasized simplicity and poverty, relying on God’s providence rather than worldly goods. The brothers worked, or begged, for what they needed to live, and any surplus was given to the poor. Francis wrote a more detailed Rule, but it was so drastically altered by the new leaders of the Franciscans that it irrevocably changed Francis’ initial vision. So Francis surrendered his leadership of the Order and retired to the mountains to live the Gospel in poverty and secluded prayer. There he received the Stigmata (the five wounds of Christ), on September 14th, two years prior to his death. Francis became partially blind and ill during his last years. He died at Portiuncula on October 4th, 1226 at the age of 44 and was canonized in two years. Francis called for simplicity of life, poverty, and humility before God. In all his actions, Francis sought to follow, fully and literally, the way of life demonstrated by Christ in the Gospels. He loved God’s gifts to us of nature, animals, and all natural forces, praising God for these “brothers and sisters.” One of Francis’s most famous sermons is one he gave to a flock of birds during one of his journeys. “From that day on, he solicitously admonished the birds, all animals and reptiles, and even creatures that have no feeling, to praise and love their Creator.” Francis is well known for the “Canticle of Brother Sun” written late in his life, when blindness had limited Francis’ ability to see the beauties of the outside world. The canticle demonstrates Francis’ unfailing appreciation of the beauties of this created world, and reveals his soul, alive with love for God Who created this world and gave it to us for joy.

Life messages: 1) Let us learn to practice St.
Francis’ spirit of detachment, that we may be liberated from our sinful attachments, addictions, and evil habits. 2) In poverty, one makes oneself available for the Kingdom. Once the goods are no longer one’s own, they become available for all, for goods are made to be shared. 3) Let us preach the Good News of Jesus’ love, mercy and forgiveness as St. Francis did, by imbuing the true spirit of the Gospel, loving all God’s creation, and leading transparent Christian lives radiating Jesus all around us. Fr Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/25

For additional reflections, click on: https://bible.usccb.org/podcasts/video; https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/; https://www.epriest.com/reflections