Anniversary of All Decased Dominican Brothers and Sisters

8 NOVEMBER 2011. On this date the Dominican Order commemorates all of the deceased brothers and sisters of the Order who, having completed the task of this life, have been born into eternity as children of our Holy Father Dominic, marked with the sign of faith. From today's Office of Readings in the Dominican Supplement to the Liturgy of the Hours, we read the following:

From the writings of our brother, Pierre Andre Liege.

"To die together with Christ."

Our faith in the sacrifice and death of Christ proclaims this event as the fountain and gate of all things which, in our life, take the form of sacrifice and renunciation. For does not the Living God, through the cross of Jesus, reveal a God who turns death, as well as the other evils and calamities in our life, into a living hope? Did not Jesus in his own sacrifice fully restore the relationships of humanity to God by accepting the ultimate spiritual agony?

To die together with Christ is to be bound over to the following of him, eagerly persisting in this very hope and in spiritual combat. Indeed, through spiritual combat we are freed together with Christ when for the love of God and of one another we expend ourselves, no matter what the cost, in opposing whatever falsehood or injustice, danger or violence, hatred or the plotting of the powerful, or fear that may stand in the way. In hope, however, we are bound over to Christ when from the depths of our death, or of our own hopelessness of weaknesses, or of the unbelief or hopelessness of others — all those things utterly blameworthy in our life — we entrust ourselves completely to the care of the Living God.

The paschal mystery shines forth in all renunciations whatsoever to which we give our consent, or in the frustrations we endure, or in the control we exercise over ourselves or in the discipline to which we subject ourselves. We are not speaking here of a certain kind of stoic wisdom or of a certain moral asceticism. Indeed, that life already renewed with Christ flows into the "dying with Christ." That life transforms our combat and our poverty; that life calls forth our sacrifice and our decision. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's.

To die in Christ is to conquer the apathy of existence, to put aside greed, to abstain from fickleness, to dismiss levity of mind, to reject what is useless and what is done for appearances' sake, and to choose the gospel with sincerity and faithfully cling to it.

To die with Christ is to free oneself from riches and human glory, and to moderate one's life for the kingdom of God.

To die with Christ is to accept the risk of human love which demands the denial of self, or to accept the danger of witnessing to truth and justice before others, or to experience the difficulty of holding steadfastly to the faith one has received.

To die with Christ concerns those things which in our daily lives are austerities, or to sustain difficulties and accept change which brings about the renewal of fidelity.

To die with Christ is to accept one's own death as a sacrifice and a trusting burying of self in God, and also to accept in hope the deaths of our brothers, sisters and friends.

To die with Christ is to bear with a serene spirit the process of aging, the rejections, the losses - even in apostolic labors.

To die with Christ is to be freed from egoism and self absorption through the various incentives to love, to share, to sympathize with and to be reconciled with others.

To die with Christ is to experience at times the darkness of faith and courageously to endure it.

So in every Christian life pursed with earnestness there are many occasions for self-denial and sacrifice even of what is necessary. Yet we must beware lest these occasions become merely routine actions. To everyone according to their own circumstances, or the time in which they live, or the vocation they have received, the Holy Spirit at the appropriate time makes a fitting appeal that each may hear. This happens more certainly in peace and joy than in external disturbances or in the excitement of the soul.

Truly the celebration of the Eucharist is by no means present where Christ, who shares his paschal sacrifice with believers who are joined together, does not assume to himself everything that in their life of sacrifice and evangelical self-denial gives that life its character. Indeed, everything must be changed into the fruit of life by the power of his resurrection. Is not this our way of celebrating the Eucharist?

 IMAGE: Friars praying at the Dominican cemetery in Washington, D,C., November 8, 2007.

Feast of All Saints of the Dominican Order

7 NOVEMBER 2011. Today we celebrate the Feast of All Saints of the Order of Preachers.

Saint Dominic has left us a legacy of teaching and preaching by word and by the example of our lives. It is, then, joyous and encouraging that so many of our Dominican brothers and sisters have been beatified and canonized by our Mother Church.

In A.D. 1670 the Master General of the Order, Juan Tomas Rocaberti, sought and obtained permission from the Holy See for the Order of Preachers to observe a feast in honor of all the saints of the order: friars, brothers, sisters, nuns, and laity, including many, many blesseds.

Relying necessarily on the favor of their intercessions and the prayers of the Blessed Virgin, let us pray:

Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

God, the heavenly Father
have mercy on us.
God, the Son, Redeemer of the world
have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Spirit
have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God
have mercy on us.

Holy Mary
pray for us.
Holy Mother of God
pray for us.
Holy Virgin of Virgins
pray for us.
All you holy angels and archangels
pray for us.
All you holy Patriarchs and Prophets
pray for us.
All you holy Apostles and Evangelists
pray for us.
All you holy martyrs
pray for us.
All you holy virgins and widows
pray for us.
All you holy men and women
pray for us.

Saint Michael
pray for us.
Saint Gabriel
pray for us.
Saint Raphael
pray for us.
Saint Joseph
pray for us.
Saint John the Baptist
pray for us.
Saint Mary Magdalen
pray for us.
Holy Father Augustine
pray for us.
Holy Father Francis
pray for us.
Blessed Jane of Aza
pray for us.
Blessed Reginald
pray for us.

Holy Father Dominic
pray for us.
Holy Father Dominic
pray for us.

Blessed Bertrand
pray for us.
Blessed Mannes
pray for us.
Blessed Diana
pray for us.
Blessed Jordan of Saxony
pray for us.
Blessed John of Salerno
pray for us.
Blessed William and Companions
pray for us.
Blessed Ceslaus
pray for us.
Blessed Isnard
pray for us.
Blessed Guala
pray for us.
Blessed Peter Gonzalez
pray for us.
Saint Zdislava
pray for us.
Saint Peter of Verona
pray for us.
Blessed Nicholas
pray for us.
Saint Hyacinth
pray for us.
Blessed Gonsalvo
pray for us.
Blessed Sadoc and Companions
pray for us.
Blessed Giles
pray for us.
Saint Margaret of Hungary
pray for us.
Blessed Batholomew of Vincenza
pray for us.
Saint Thomas Aquinas
pray for us.
Saint Raymond of Penyafort
pray for us.
Blessed Innocent V
pray for us.
Blessed Albert of Bergamo
pray for us.
Saint Albert the Great
pray for us.
Blessed John of Vercelli
pray for us.
Blessed Ambrose
pray for us.
Blessed Cecilia
pray for us.
Blessed Benvenuta
pray for us.
Blessed James of Varazze
pray for us.
Blessed James of Bevagna
pray for us.
Blessed Benedict XI
pray for us.
Blessed Jane of Orvieto
pray for us.
Blessed Jordan of Pisa
pray for us.
Saint Emily
pray for us.
Blessed James Salomonio
pray for us.
Saint Agnes of Montepulciano
pray for us.
Blessed Simon
pray for us.
Blessed Margaret of Castello
pray for us.
Blessed Augustine Kazotic
pray for us.
Blessed James Benefatti
pray for us.
Blessed Imelda
pray for us.
Blessed Dalmatius
pray for us.
Blessed Margaret Ebner
pray for us.
Blessed Villana
pray for us.
Blessed Peter Ruffia
pray for us.
Blessed Henry
pray for us.
Blessed Sibyllina
pray for us.
Blessed Anthony of Pavonio
pray for us.
Saint Catherine of Siena
pray for us.
Blessed Marcolino
pray for us.
Blessed Raymond of Capua
pray for us.
Blessed Andrew Franchi
pray for us.
Saint Vincent Ferrer
pray for us.
Blessed Clara
pray for us.
Blessed John Dominic
pray for us.
Blessed Alvarez
pray for us.
Blessed Maria
pray for us.
Blessed Peter of Castello
pray for us.
Blessed Andrew Abellon
pray for us.
Blessed Stephen
pray for us.
Blessed Peter Geremia
pray for us.
Blessed John of Fiesole
pray for us.
Blessed Lawrence of Ripafratta
pray for us.
Blessed Anthony della Chiesa
pray for us.
Saint Antoninus
pray for us.
Blessed Anthony Neyrot
pray for us.
Blessed Margaret of Savoy
pray for us.
Blessed Bartholomew of Cerverio
pray for us.
Blessed Matthew
pray for us.
Blessed Constantius
pray for us.
Blessed Christopher
pray for us.
Blessed Damian
pray for us.
Blessed Andrew of Peschiera
pray for us.
Blessed Bernard
pray for us.
Blessed Jane of Portugal
pray for us.
Blessed James of Ulm
pray for us.
Blessed Augustine of Biella
pray for us.
Blessed Aimo
pray for us.
Blessed Sebastian
pray for us.
Blessed Mark
pray for us.
Blessed Columba
pray for us.
Blessed Magdalen
pray for us.
Blessed Osanna of Mantua
pray for us.
Blessed John Liccio
pray for us.
Blessed Dominic Spadafora
pray for us.
Blessed Stephana
pray for us.
Saint Adrian
pray for us.
Blessed Lucy
pray for us.
Blessed Catherine Racconigi
pray for us.
Blessed Osanna of Kotor
pray for us.
Saint Pius V
pray for us.
Saint John of Cologne
pray for us.
Blessed Maria Bartholomew
pray for us.
Saint Louis Bertrand
pray for us.
Saint Catherine de Ricci
pray for us.
Blessed Robert
pray for us.
Blessed Alphonsus and Companions
pray for us.
Saint Rose
pray for us.
Saint Dominic Ibanez and Companions
pray for us.
Blessed Agnes of Jesus
pray for us.
Saint Lawrence Ruiz and Companions
pray for us.
Saint Martin de Porres
pray for us.
Blessed Peter Higgins
pray for us.
Blessed Francis de Capillas
pray for us.
Saint Juan Macias
pray for us.
Blessed Terence
pray for us.
Blessed Ann of the Angels
pray for us.
Blessed Francis de Posadas
pray for us.
Saint Louis de Montfort
pray for us.
Blessed Francis Gil
pray for us.
Saint Matteo
pray for us.
Blessed Peter Sanz and Companions
pray for us.
Saint Vincent Liem
pray for us.
Saint Hyacinth Castaneda
pray for us.
Blessed Marie
pray for us.
Blessed George
pray for us.
Blessed Catherine Jarrige
pray for us.
Saint Ignatius and Companions
pray for us.
Saint Dominic An-Kham and Companions
pray for us.
Saint Joseph Khang and Companions
pray for us.
Saint Francis Coll
pray for us.
Blessed Hyacinthe Cormier
pray for us.
Blessed Pier Giorgio
pray for us.
Blessed Bartolo
pray for us.
Blessed Michael Czartoryski
pray for us.
Blessed Julia Rodzinska
pray for us.
All holy Dominican brothers and sisters
pray for us.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.

Let us pray.--
God, source of all holiness, you have enriched your Church
with many gifts in the saints of the Order of Preachers.
By following the example of our brothers and sisters,
may we come to enjoy their company
for ever in the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Your Son, who lives and reigns with You
and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

Blessed Simon Ballacchi

5 NOVEMBER 2011. Today the Order of Preachers celebrates Blessed Simon Ballacchi, an Italian co-operator brother. His earlier profile by A.S. is here.

Blessed Simon Ballacchi, pray for us!

Saint Elizabeth

5 NOVEMBER 2011. Today is the feast day of Saint Elizabeth, the mother of Saint John the Baptist, and famously recorded to sing praise to Mary, our Queen. Elizabeth, a name taken by many saints, in Hebrew means "worshiper of God."

All that we know of Saint Elizabeth comes from Saint Luke. The Gospel of Saint Luke tells us that Elizabeth was a descendant of Aaron the high priest (Lk 1, 5-1), and that she and her husband, Zachariah, were "righteous in the eyes of God, observing all commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly," (Lk 1, 6) but were also childless and advanced in age. However, while serving as a priest in the sanctuary of the temple, Zachariah was visited by Saint Gabriel the archangel, who said to him:

Do not be afraid Zachariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of [the] Lord. He will drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.

(Lk 1, 13-16) Zachariah, however, questioned Saint Gabriel, asking how any of this could be possible since both he and his wife were advanced in years. The angel of the Lord then identified himself as Saint Gabriel and reproved Zachariah for his doubt:

I am Gabriel, who stand before God. I was sent to speak  to you and to announce to you this good news. But now you will be speechless and unable to talk until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time.

(Lk 1, 19-20) When Zachariah emerged from the sanctuary he was unable to speak and those in the temple knew that he had seen a vision. After Zachariah's days of service in the temple were completed he returned home and Elizabeth conceived a child.

After this time his wife Elizabeth conceived, and she went into seclusion for five months saying, "So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit to take away my disgrace before others."

Saint Luke's account continues as Saint Gabriel the Archangel is next sent to the Virgin Mary, the cousin of Elizabeth, who was betrothed to a man named Joesph of the house of David. Saint Gabriel brings the joy and presence of the Annunciation to Mary, revealing to her that the power of the Holy Spirit would overshadow her and that she would conceive son, who would be called Jesus, the son of God. (Lk 1, 28-35). Saint Gabriel also delivers the good news of Elizabeth: that she was in her sixth month, having conceived a son in her old age, "for nothing will be impossible for God." (Lk 1, 37)

After the Annunciation, Mary travels to the hill county to a town in Judah to greet Elizabeth:

When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled."

(Lk 1, 41-45) There is nothing in Saint Luke's account that reveals for us that Saint Elizabeth has been told that Mary's child is the Christ, the saviour of the world. So, Saint Elizabeth, "filled with the Holy Spirit," receives the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ's presence, which is manifested for us by the leap of joy by Saint John the Baptist while still in Saint Elizabeth's womb.

Mary's response to the greeting of Elizabeth is recorded as the Magnificat. In Saint Luke's account, Mary reacts to Elizabeth's greeting as a servant would with a psalm of praise. Scholars believe that Saint Luke may have decided to include the Magnificat, an Jewish Christian hymn (with the exception of verse 48), at this point in the story of Mary as appropriately reflecting the themses of the Gospel, shown in Mary and Saint Elizabeth: joy and exultation in the Lord, ; the lowly being singled out for God's favor; the reversal of human fortunes; and the fulfillment of Old Testament promises.

Saint Luke tells us that Mary remained with Saint Elizabeth about three months, then returned home.

Next in Saint Luke's account is the nativity of Saint John the Baptist:

When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord has shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zachariah after his father, but his mother said in reply, "No. He will be called John." But they answered her, "There is no one among your relatives who has this name." So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. He asked for a tablet and wrote, "John is his name," and all were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing to God. Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, "What, then, will this child be?" For surely the hand of the Lord was with him.

(Lk 1, 57-66) This is the last mention of Saint Elizabeth in the Gospels. She is not mentioned in any other chapter of the Bible. Saint Luke's account continues with the Canticle of Zachariah (Lk 1, 68-79) and ends with the statement that Saint John "grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel." (Lk 1, 80)

We have no other knowledge of Saint Elizabeth's life. Her life before the Gospel account; her age at death; when, where, and how she died are all historical details that have been lost the grains of time that pass away, as every living thing passes away. What we do possess, however, is Saint Luke's account of Saint Elizabeth's humble acknowledgment of Mary as the Mother of the Lord, and her depiction as the faith-filled and dutiful servant of the Lord, herself, as the mother of Saint John the Baptist: "the voice of one crying out in the desert." (Jn 1, 23)

Saint Elizabeth, mother of Saint John the Baptist, pray for us!

Prayer to the Holy Spirit for Courage

Holy Spirit of God,
life sustaining force in our world,
please be with me now, in this hour of need,
united with me in my suffering,
as once You were so closely united to Christ on the cross.
Provide for me the gift of courage,
to face the imminent trials and difficulties that lay ahead,
and to to be steadfast in faith in our Lord.
As You are one with the Father and the Son,
I humbly beg this favor.

Amen.

Saint Martin de Porres

3 NOVEMBER 2011. Today the Order of Preachers celebrates the Feast of Saint Martin de Porres.

From the Supplement to the Liturgy of the Hours for the Order of Preachers we find this about Saint Martin:

Martin de Pores was born in Lima, Peru, in 1579 of John, a Spanish nobleman, and Anna Velasquez, a freed slave. As a boy he studied medicine which later, as a member of the Order, he put to good use in helping the poor. Martin was received as a servant at the priory of the Holy Rosary in Lima where he was finally admitted to profession as a co-operator brother in 1603. In his life of prayer [ ] Martin was especially devoted to the Blessed Sacrament and to the passion of our Lord. He was noted for his care of the poor and the sick. He died at Lima on November 3, 1639.

During the homily given by Blessed Pope John XXIII on the occasion of Brother Martin's canonization, the Holy Father proclaimed the following:

The example of Martin's life is ample evidence that we can strive for holiness and salvation as Christ Jesus has shown us: first, by loving God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind; and second, by loving your neighbor as yourself.

When Martin had come to realize that Christ Jesus suffered for us and that he carried our sins on his body to the cross, he would meditate with remarkable ardor and affection about Christ on the cross. Whenever he would contemplate Christ's terrible torture he would be reduced to tears. He had an exceptional love for the great sacrament of the Eucharist and often spent long hours in prayer before the blessed sacrament. His desire was to receive the sacrament in communion as often as he could.

Saint Martin, always obedient and inspired by his divine teacher, dealt with his brothers with that profound love which comes from pure faith and humility of spirit. He loved men because he honestly looked on them as God's children and as his own brothers and sisters. Such was his humility that he loved them even more than himself and considered them to be better and more righteous than he was.

He excused the faults of others. He forgave the bitterest injuries, convinced that he deserved much severer punishments on account of his own sins. He tried with all his might to redeem the guilty; lovingly he comforted the sick; he provided food, clothing and medicine for the poor; he helped, as best he could, farm laborers and Negroes, as well as mulattoes, who were looked upon at that time as akin to slaves: thus he deserved to be called by the name the people gave him: 'Martin the Charitable.'"

The virtuous example and even the conversation of this saintly man exerted a powerful influence in drawing men to religion. It is remarkable how even today his influence can still come us toward the things of heaven.  Sad to say, not all of us understand these spiritual values as well as we should, nor do we give them a proper place in our lives. Many of us, in fact, strongly attracted by sin, may look upon these values as of little moment, even something of a nuisance, or we ignore them altogether. It is deeply rewarding for men striving for salvation to follow in Christ's footsteps and to obey God's commandments. If only everyone could learn this lesson from the example that Martin gave us.

Saint Martin de Porres is one of the saints that we Dominicans in the Southeast call upon daily; the Southern Province is officially named the Province of Saint Martin de Porres and takes Saint Martin as its patron saint.

Saint Martin de Porres, pray for us!

IMAGE: Image from the Province of Saint Martin de Porres website. Saint Martin is often shown with a broom and is sometimes affectionately referred to as a the Saint of the Broom because he believed all work to be sacred--offering honor and devotion to the Lord--no matter how menial.

Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed

2 NOVEMBER 2011. Today is the day set aside by the Church to commemorate the memory of all the faithful departed and pray for the souls in purgatory--the cleansing flame by which the Love of God rids the soul of its earthly attachments in preparation for sharing eternity with the Lord; praising Him with all the company of angels and saints.

Prayer

O gentle Heart of Jesus,
ever present in the Blessed Sacrament,
ever consumed with burning love for the poor
captive souls in Purgatory,
have mercy on them.

Be not severe in Your judgments,
but let some drops of Your precious Blood
fall upon the devouring flames.

And, Merciful Saviour,
send your angels to conduct them
to a place of refreshment, light and peace.

Amen.

IMAGE:  All Souls Day, Jules Bastien-Lepage, 1882.