TWELFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR B)
SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: JUNE 23, 2024
Greetings, beloved family and Happy Sunday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time!
On this special feast day, with special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, we pray for the sick and dying. We especially pray for our loved ones who have recently died and we continue to pray for the repose of their gentle souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, may the Lord receive them into the light of Eternal Kingdom. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon them. May their gentle souls through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯
PRAYER FOR THE DEAD: In your hands, O Lord, we humbly entrust our brothers and sisters. In this life you embraced them with your tender love; deliver them now from every evil and bid them eternal rest. The old order has passed away: welcome them into paradise, where there will be no sorrow, no weeping or pain, but fullness of peace and joy with your Son & the Holy Spirit forever & ever. Amen🙏
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN on YouTube | June 23, 2024 |
Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 23, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary from Lourdes, France” |June 23, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 23, 2024 |
Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy | from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 23, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteries VIRTUAL🌹JOYFUL🌹LUMINOUS🌹SORROWFUL🌹GLORIOUS” on YouTube |
Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) |
Today’s Bible Readings, Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B) | June 23, 2024
Reading 1, Job 38:1, 8-11
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 107:23-24, 25-26, 28-29, 30-31
Reading 2, Second Corinthians 5:14-17
Gospel, Mark 4:35-41
SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS
Bible Readings for today, Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B) | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading
Gospel Reading ~ Mark 4:35–41
Who is this whom even wind and sea obey?
“On that day, as evening drew on, Jesus said to his disciples: “Let us cross to the other side.” Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus with them in the boat just as he was. And other boats were with him. A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up. Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?” They were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”
In today’s Gospel reading, our Lord Jesus Christ and His disciples were struck by a great storm in the Sea of Galilee which battered their boat and threatened them with all the winds and the waves, all of which were greatly dangerous, and the disciples were all panicking, thinking that they would drown in that place with all that went against them. When they awakened the Lord, He rebuked them for their lack of faith in Him, their lack of trust in God’s power and providence, and then went on to calm the waves and the storm with the mere power of His words and will. During the storm, the disciples said to Jesus, ‘Master, do you not care? We are going down’. The panic of the disciples stands in sharp contrast to the attitude of Jesus – ‘in the stern, His head on a cushion, asleep’. The panic of the disciples revealed their anxiety that the chaos of the storm would overwhelm them; the sleep of Jesus indicated His deep conviction that all would be well. Different people can react to crises in different ways. Some remain calm and others go to pieces. In a crisis we need at least some people to remain calm and to have a calming influence on everybody else. This occasion is a reminder for us all, that God is always with His Church, represented and symbolised by that boat that was floating and battered by the great waves and the wind. The disciples were representing all of us, all the holy people of God, the members and parts of God’s Church. Those winds and great waves represent the great obstacles, trials and challenges which were facing us all in the Church, all the oppositions, persecutions and hardships that many among the faithful had to face. All those challenges and obstacles may indeed seem to be very daunting and terrible, scary and seemingly insurmountable, but we must never lose faith in the Lord, and remain firmly faithful in Him. We must not lose heart and give in to the temptations and challenges, or else, we may end up losing everything. According to the Gospel reading, the disciples undoubtedly learned something important from their traumatic experience on the Sea of Galilee. The storm made them question more deeply, ‘Who then is this?’ The church has had to grapple with many painful questions in recent times. A weakened, vulnerable church can come to recognize in a new way its total dependence on the Lord. When all is not well, we learn to seek the Lord with greater passion, like the disciples in the boat, rather than presuming that we already know Him. Difficult and painful times can deepen the church’s relationship with the Lord.
In our first reading today from the Book of Job, the Lord spoke to His servant Job, who had been afflicted greatly by many misfortunes affecting his property, family and personal health due to the attacks from the evil one, Satan, who wanted to test Job’s faith and trust in God. Job suffered greatly, but earlier on in the Book of Job, he did not waver in his faith and remained steadfast in trusting the Lord, not allowing all those misfortunes from tempting and misleading him down the path of rebellion and disobedience against God. He did not give in to despair, and while he struggled amidst the trials and challenges that he had faced, he continued to follow the Lord faithfully and blamed himself more for the misfortunes that he had faced. This was where God reminded Job of the vastness of His mysteries and all the things that were hidden from human understanding and perception, as something that is beyond our capacity and ability to know and understand. God told Job that He has the power and dominion over all things, and everything in this world happened because of what He has willed to be, and nothing is ever beyond His reach and ability. This is why through these words and reminders, we are also called to heed the fact that we must always put our faith and trust in the Lord, and we must never lose hope and the focus on Him, as it is in Him alone that we can find lasting and true peace that endures and saves.
In our second reading today from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful in the city of Corinth, the Apostle spoke of the salvation which everyone has received from the Lord through His Son, Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour, the Son of God, through Whom God had revealed His salvation to everyone, so that through His Son, all of us mankind, who have once been separated from Him, may find the sure path to be reunited once again with Him. It was indeed a great mystery of God’s salvation and saving works among His people that He has sent none other than His own Beloved and begotten Son to be Our Saviour, and through the amazing manner by which He had done so, in lovingly bearing for our sake, our many burdens and the punishments for our sins and wickedness. Again, we are all reminded that our hope is in the Lord, which He has made clear through His Son, through Christ’s Light and Hope, which has illuminated our path in the darkness surrounding us, all the evils and wickedness, the power of sin and corruption that have surrounded and dominated us all these while. Despite all these things arrayed against us and all the challenges and trials that we have to face in our path and journey, but God reminds us all that in Him alone that there is truly the path to eternal life and true happiness. Separated from God, we truly have nothing and we cannot persist amidst all the challenges and trials facing us, and without Him as the anchor of our lives, we will easily be swept away by the destructive forces and waves of sin, evil and wickedness around us.
As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures this Sunday, all of us are reminded that in God alone we have hope and salvation, and as His people, we must always have this strong faith and trust in Him, believing that it is in Him that we shall always have the assurance of true happiness and eternal glory, all of which shall be ours if we remain steadfast in our dedication and commitment to God. We need to have faith and trust in the Lord even when we are encountering difficulties, challenges, trials and tribulations, as it is during all those period of challenges that we often lose our faith in God and ended up veering off into the path towards destruction and damnation. This is why we are all reminded this Sunday that we must always stay steadfast to this faith that we have in the Lord. All of us are reminded that we must always establish our lives and our livelihood, our actions and everything in our lives upon the firm foundation that God alone can provide us. It has certainly been too often that we have been disappointed again and again by the many worldly means and provisions which had been our staple and our means of survival, and yet, none of those could truly provide us with true and lasting satisfaction and happiness besides that of the Lord and His loving providence. That is why we are reminded again and again this day that we should always strive to put God at the centre and as the focus of our whole lives and existence. May the Lord continue to be with us all, His beloved people and His Church, and may He empower each and every one of us so that by our whole lives, our actions and by our examples, we may always be good role models in leading and inspiring more and more people to be ever more faithful to the Lord, to commit themselves to Him and to do His will, as we have all been called to do. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and may bless our every efforts and endeavours, and may He be with His Church, and grant us all His strength and grace, now and always. Amen 🙏
SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT ETHELDREDA (AUDREY), VIRGIN; SAINT MARY OF OIGNIES, RELIGIOUS AND SAINT JOSEPH CAFASSO, PRIEST ~ FEAST DAY: JUNE 23RD Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Etheldreda (Audrey), Virgin; Saint Mary of Oignies, Religious and Saint Joseph Cafasso, Priest. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for the sick, especially those who are sick with diseases of the throat, seizures and those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases, we pray for their divine healing. We also pray for all expectant mothers and those seeking for the fruit of the womb. We pray for the poor and needy, for justice, peace and unity in our families and our world. And we continue to pray for the Church, the Clergy, with special intention for all Priests, for persecuted christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world.🙏
SAINT ETHELDREDA (AUDREY), VIRGIN: St. Etheldreda or Audrey (636-679) is the most popular of Anglo-Saxon women saints, an Anglo-Saxon queen and founder of a double monastery at Ely, who took a vow of celibacy despite being married twice. St. Etheldreda was born c. 636 near Newmarket, Suffolk. This holy virgin was the third daughter of Annas, the saintly King of East Anglia. Three of her sisters, Sexburga, Ethelburga, and Withburga, are numbered among the Saints. To comply with the desire of her parents she married Prince Tonbert, but she remained a virgin, for they lived in perpetual continence, it was said that the marriage was never consummated. After three years, her husband died and she was widowed. She lived a secluded life of contemplation for five years. She had taken a perpetual vow of virginity, but married again, this time for reasons of state. The Saint’s fame reached the ears of Egfrid, the King of Northumberland, who extorted her consent to marry him.
With her second husband she lived, as she had done with the first, more as his sister than as his wife, devoting her time to the exercises of devotion and charity. Her young husband soon grew tired of living as brother and sister and began to make advances on her. She continually refused. He eventually attempted to bribe the local bishop, Saint Wilfrid of York, to release St. Audrey from her vows. Saint Wilfrid refused, and helped Audrey escape. She fled south, with her husband following. They reached a promontory known as Colbert’s Head, where a heaven sent seven day high tide separated the two. Eventually, Audrey’s husband left and married someone more willing, while Audrey took the veil, after twelve years of weddedlife, upon the advice of St. Wilfrid and more or less with her husband’s consent, she embraced the religious life. She retired to the monastery of Coldinghan near Berwick, where she lived in obedience to the Abbes, St. Ebba. In the year 672, St. Etheldreda returned to the Isle of Ely and founded a monastery, the great abbey of Ely, where she lived an austere life. Her life henceforward was one of great austerity and perfection. She became a model of virtue to all he Sisters. Suffering were her delight. She thanked God when, in her last sickness, she had much to suffer, she had an enormous and unsightly tumor on her neck, which she gratefully accepted as Divine retribution for all the necklaces she had worn in her early years. After the lingering illness she expired in peace on June 23, 679 at her monastery in 679 where she had been abbess for seven years. She’s Patron Saint of throat and neck complaints.
PRAYER: Lord God, You showed heavenly gifts on St. Etheldreda. Help us to imitate her virtues during our earthly life and enjoy eternal happiness with her in heaven. Amen 🙏
SAINT MARY OF OIGNIES, RELIGIOUS: St. Mary of Oignies (1167-1213) was born in Belgium (Nivelles in the diocese of Liege) to a wealthy family in 1167. But while still very young, she rejected everything childish or vain — games, beautiful clothing, ornaments. From her early youth Mary felt called to the religious life, but she entered into an arranged marriage to a virtuous young lord at age 14. despite her desire to be a nun. Her holy life caused admiration in her spouse and decided him to follow her examples; and together they resolved to practice continence for life, to distribute their wealth to the poor and consecrate themselves to works of piety. She convinced her husband to live chastely, and to turn their home into a leper hospice, after giving away much of her fortune to the poor as she could, St. Mary spent her days caring for lepers. The demon tried every artifice to make them relent in their holy resolution, but failed. They drew down on themselves the most abundant blessings, as well as sarcasms and insults from the worldly.
St. Mary had the gift of tears, and could not look at a crucifix without breaking into a torrent of tears or being ravished in ecstasy. When a priest told her to cease these exhibitions, she asked God to make him understand that it is not possible for a creature to arrest tears which the Holy Spirit obliges to well up. And the priest, that same day while saying his Mass, began to shed so many tears that the altar cloths and his vestments were wet with them. She had a great devotion to Saint John the Evangelist and conversed with him as well as with her Guardian Angel. Noted for visions, especially of Saint John and her guardian angel, ecstacies, prophecies, and psychic gifts; she ate no meat, dressed exclusively in white, may have been a stigmatist, and reported cut off pieces of her flesh to rid herself of desire for the world. By vision and revelation she often knew the temptations and secrets of the hearts of the persons who consulted her. She converted many, obtained graces by her prayers for the living and especially for the dead, for whom she offered prayers and sacrifices, and suffered various illnesses with invincible patience. Her many visitors made her life of contemplation difficult, and she decided to change her residence. Later in life, with the permission of her husband, she moved into a hermit‘s cell near the Augustinian house at Oignies, France and spent the rest of her life there, where she lived in retreat amidst her heavenly favors and conversations, praying for souls in Purgatory, and giving advice to would-be spiritual students. She saw the place destined for her in heaven, and gave up her holy soul surrounded by angelic songs of bliss on June 23, 1213. The faithful who have addressed her were so impressed with the value of her intercession that her relics became the object of great respect. Buried at Oignies, her remains in 1609 were placed in a silver reliquary in its parish church of Our Lady; in 1817 they were transferred to the Church of Saint Nicolas at Nivelle, near her birthplace. She’s Patron Saint of women in labor and against fever.
St. Mary of Oignies, Religious ~ Pray for us 🙏
SAINT JOSEPH CAFASSO, PRIEST: St. Joseph Cafasso (1811–1860) was born in Castelnuovo d’Asti, Italy, to a peasant family near the city of Turin. Four years later, one of his most famous students St. John Bosco (feast day – March 31) was born in the same town. St. Joseph was born with a physical deformity of the spine, which caused him to grow into a stunted and crippled man for life. But he had loving parents who were willing to make big sacrifices so Joseph could study in Turin to become a priest. Discerning a call to Holy Orders, he entered the seminary in Turin where he later met another famous saint—John Bosco. St. Joseph talked to him at the church in 1827 when John was twelve. St. Joseph taught St. John Bosco and encouraged him in his mission to minister to the town’s impoverished street youth. At that time Joseph was studying at the seminary to become a priest. After they talked, the excited John ran all the way home. “Mom, Mom,” John called, “I met him, I met him!” “Who?” his mother asked. “Joseph Cafasso, mother. He’s a saint, I tell you.” Mrs. Bosco smiled and nodded gently.
In 1833, St. Joseph was ordained a priest. He began his priestly work and went to an excellent school of theology (religious studies) for priests. When Father Cafasso graduated, he became a theology professor at the college in Turin. He taught many young priests over the years. They could tell that he really loved them. St. Joseph was an excellent professor of moral theology, as well as a famed preacher and confessor. He performed his duties so well that he became known as the “Priest’s Priest.” He spent entire days preaching in prisons, offering comfort to the prisoners, hearing their confessions, and even advocating to improve the poor conditions of the prison. For this work he also earned the name, “Priest of the Gallows.” Father Cafasso was known as the priest who believed in the gentle and loving mercy of God. His kindness gave people courage and hope. He guided many priests, religious and lay people. He helped John Bosco begin his great priestly work with boys and guided him in starting his religious order known as the Salesians. Father Cafasso directed other founders, too.
There were many social needs in Father Cafasso’s time. One of the most urgent was the prison system. Prison conditions were disgusting and he worked hard to improve them. But what most moved Father Cafasso was the custom of hanging in public, prisoners sentenced to death. Father Cafasso went to them and heard their confessions. He stayed with them, telling them of God’s love and mercy until they died. He helped over sixty prisoners who repented and died in the peace of Jesus. Father Cafasso called them his “hanged saints.” Father Cafasso also became the pastor of St. Francis Church in 1848. He was a wonderful example for people to follow promoting devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. He also did some great works in the Church. Father Cafasso died on June 23, 1860. His faithful friend, St. John Bosco, preached the homily at his funeral. The life of this saint was marked by kindness and understanding of the people of his time. St. Joseph Cafasso is the Patron Saint of prisoners, prisons, and prison chaplains. His feast day is June 23rd.
PRAYER: We humbly ask you, almighty God, that at the intercession of blessed Joseph Cafasso you may multiply your gifts among us and order our days in peace. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen🙏
DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF JUNE: The month of June is set apart for devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. “From among all the proofs of the infinite goodness of our Savior none stands out more prominently than the fact that, as the love of the faithful grew cold, He, Divine Love Itself, gave Himself to us to be honored by a very special devotion and that the rich treasury of the Church was thrown wide open in the interests of that devotion.” These words of Pope Pius XI refer to the Sacred Heart Devotion, which in its present form dates from the revelations given to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque in 1673-75.
THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE – FOR MIGRANTS FLEEING THEIR HOMES: We pray that migrants fleeing from war or hunger, forced to undertake journeys full of danger and violence, find welcome and new opportunities in the countries that receive them.
https://www.usccb.org/prayers/popes-monthly-intentions-2024
PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ POPE FRANCIS:
Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!
We have tried so many times and over so many years to resolve our conflicts by our own powers and by the force of our arms. How many moments of hostility and darkness have we experienced; how much blood has been shed; how many lives have been shattered; how many hopes have been buried… But our efforts have beķķen in vain. Now, Lord, come to our ajnid! Grant us peace, teach us peace; guide our steps in the way of peace. Open our eyes and our hearts, and give us the courage to say: “Never again war!”; “With war everything is lost”. Instill in our hearts the courage to take concrete steps to achieve peace. Lord, God of Abraham, God of the Prophets, God of Love, you created us and you call us to live as brothers and sisters. Give us the strength daily to be instruments of peace; enable us to see everyone who crosses our path as our brother or sister. Make us sensitive to the plea of our citizens who entreat us to turn our weapons of war into implements of peace, our trepidation into confident trust, and our quarreling into forgiveness. Keep alive within us the flame of hope, so that with patience and perseverance we may opt for dialogue and reconciliation. In this way may peace triumph at last, and may the words “division”, “hatred” and “war” be banished from the heart of every man and woman. Lord, defuse the violence of our tongues and our hands. Renew our hearts and minds, so that the word which always brings us together will be “brother”, and our way of life will always be that of: Shalom, Peace, Salaam! Amen🙏
During this Ordinary Time, please let us all continue to pray for peace all over the world, particularly in Africa, the Middle East, for an end to the current war in Israel-Palestine, and the Ukraine-Russia conflicts and for peace in our families and throughout our divided and conflicted World. Amen 🙏
Prayers for Peace | https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/prayers-for-peace/
PRAYER INTENTIONS: During this season of the Ordinary Time, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for our children and children all over the world, we pray for their health, safety and well-being, we particularly pray for those who have no one to care for them and those who are terminally ill, we pray for God’s Divine healing upon them. Every life is a gift. We pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. We pray for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the gentle soul of our beloved family members who recently passed away and the souls of all the faithful departed, may the Lord receive them into the light of Eternal Kingdom. For all widows and widowers. And we continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Bishops, the Clergy and all those who preach the Gospel. We pray for Vocation to the Priesthood and Religious life. We particularly pray for all Youths and all Seminarians, with special intention for those Seminarians who will be ordained into Priesthood. For the Church, for persecuted Christians, for all the innocent who suffer violence due to political or religious unrest, for the conversion of sinners and Christians all over the world. Amen🙏
Let us pray:
My sleeping Lord, as I endure the many storms of life, may I always have faith in the saving power of Your Cross and Resurrection. May I always call upon You to calm the storms and hear You speak to me the many truths I need to hear. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏
Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Most Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Etheldreda (Audrey), Saint Mary of Oignies and Saint Joseph Cafasso ~ Pray for us🙏
Thanking God for the gift of this day and the gift of the Holy Spirit and praying for justice, peace, love and unity in our families and our world and for God’s Divine Mercy and Grace upon us all. Have a blessed, safe and grace-filled Sunday and week 🙏
Blessings and Love always, Philomena 💖