MEMORIAL OF SAINT JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA; SAINT LUDOLPH, BISHOP OF RATZEBURG, MARTYR; SAINT BERTHOLD OF MOUNT CARMEL, PRIEST AND SAINT JONAS AND BARACHISIUS AND COMPANIONS, MARTYRS – FEAST DAY: MARCH 29TH: Today as we continue our Lenten journey, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Joseph of Arimathea (Patron Saint of Funeral Directors and Undertakers); Saint Ludolph, Bishop of Ratzeburg, Martyr ( a Priest of the Premonstratensian (Norbertines) Order, particularly invoked as a martyr for the freedom of the Church); Saint Berthold of Mount Carmel, Priest and Saints Jonas and Barachisius and their Companions, Martyrs. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for the conversion of sinners, for persecuted Christians and for all Christians during this season of Lent🙏
SAINT JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA: St. Joseph of Arimathea is a disciple of Jesus Christ who is mentioned in each account of the Passion narrative. After the Passion of the Lord, St. Joseph, a member of the Jewish council went to Pilate and asked for possession of the body of Jesus. After receiving this permission, St.Joseph had Jesus laid in a nearby tomb. Acccording to all four canonical gospels, St. Joseph of Arimathea was the man who assumed responsibility for the burial of Jesus after His crucifixion. The historical location of Arimathea is uncertain, although it has been identified with several towns. A number of stories that developed during the Middle Ages connect him with Glastonbury, England and also with the Holy Grail legend, he’s entrusted with the Holy Grail (cup) of the Last Supper. St. Joseph’s arrival in England with the Holy Grail and the building of the first church on the isle at Glastonbury. A mid-13th-century interpolation relates that St. Joseph went to Glastonbury (in Somerset, England), of which he is patron saint, as head of 12 missionaries dispatched there by St. Philip the Apostle.
Gospel narratives: Matthew 27:57 describes him simply as a rich man and disciple of Jesus, but according to Mark 15:43 Joseph of Arimathea was “a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God”; Luke 23:50–56 adds that he “had not consented to their decision and action”. According to John 19:38, upon hearing of Jesus’ death, this secret disciple of Jesus “asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission.” Joseph immediately purchased a linen shroud (Mark 15:46) and proceeded to Golgotha to take the body of Jesus down from the cross. There, according to John 19:39-40, Joseph and Nicodemus took the body and bound it in linen cloths with the spices that Nicodemus had bought. The disciples then conveyed the prepared corpse to a man-made cave hewn from rock in a garden of his house nearby. The Gospel of Matthew alone suggests that this was Joseph’s own tomb (Matthew 27:60). The burial was undertaken speedily, “for the Sabbath was drawing on”. The Gospels tell us that St. Joseph was a just and devout man waiting for the kingdom of God. He followed Jesus’ public ministry but feared the repercussions from the other members of the Jewish council. He’s the Patron Saint of Funeral Directors and Undertakers.
St Joseph of Arimathea, pray for us that our hearts will not be troubled by the burdens of this life; instead, that we will place all our trust in Jesus. Amen🙏
SAINT LUDOLPH, BISHOP OF RATZEBURG, MARTYR: St. Ludolph of Ratzeburg is also known as Saint Ludolf. He was Bishop and Martyr, Preacher and founder of a community of Norbertine Sisters, Reformer and Counseller. St Ludolph was a Priest of the Premonstratensian (Norbertines) Order, particularly invoked as a martyr for the freedom of the Church. St. Ludolph was a Norbertine Canon who was appointed to the See of the newly-formed Prince-Bishopric of Ratzeburg in 1236. He led such a strict religious life that his community was nicknamed the “carcer ordinis” (Prison of the Order). Nothing is known of the early years of Ludolph. He joined the Norbertine Cathedral Chapter of Ratzeburg where he was treasurer before being elected eighth bishop of Ratzeburg in 1236. He was renowned for his exemplary religious life and powerful preaching of the word of God. He also founded a community of Norbertine sisters at Rehna.
Like the Good Shepherd, St. Ludolph focused all his energies on the care of souls. He preached and made pastoral visitations. The pope entrusted him with several political missions, forcing him to fight for the rights and freedom of the Church. His most difficult trial involved standing up to Prince Albert, the “Bear of Saxony,” who had taken possession of cathedral properties—an act that St. Ludolph resisted. The prince’s insults and threats did not intimidate him. The Duke had him imprisoned, where he was beaten and later sent into exile. Prince Albert consequently ordered St. Ludolph thrown into a dungeon, where he had to suffer severe tortures. Realising that his treatment of the bishop was unpopular, the prince decided to set St. Ludolph free. After his release from prison, he was brought half-dead to the Franciscans at Wismar but he died shortly after on March 29, 1250 from the maltreatment to which he had been subjected. It was during this exile that St. Ludolph, weighed down by the infirmities suffered in prison and by his advancing old age, fell gravely ill. He celebrated his last Mass on Holy Thursday. His final words were “O great and good God, allow me, your useless servant, to belong to you for all eternity.”
His body was returned to Ratzeburg for burial. After his death, those who visited his grave in the Cathedral of Ratzeburg reported numerous favours received. He was canonized in the 14th century. The Church honors him as a Martyr. The centuries-old veneration of St. Ludolph was confirmed and extended to the whole order by Pope Benedict XIII on 12 April 1728. The head of St. Ludolph was kept in the possession of the Norbertine nuns of Meer in Prussia, beginning in the 17th century.
PRAYER: Almighty God, you made the bishop and martyr St. Ludolph a zealous and fearless witness of your Church and You enabled him to fight for justice to the death. Through his intercession grant that we may be filled with patience in all the trials of life and be found worthy to belong to you for all eternity. We ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen🙏
SAINT BERTHOLD OF MOUNT CARMEL, PRIEST: St. Berthold of Mt. Carmel (d. 1195), also known as Bartoldus of Calabria, was born at Limoges in France, the son of a Count. Studied in Paris and excelled at his studies and was ordained a priest. St. Berthold’s brother, Aymeric, became the Latin patriarch of Antioch. According to the legend, St. Berthold accompanied his brother, Aymeric on the crusades and found himself in Antioch when it was being besieged by the Saracens. Through his urgings, the Christians in Antioch turned to prayer and penance, and the city was delivered. The two joined together to participate in a Crusade to the Holy Land. While in the Holy Land, St. Berthold traveled to Mount Carmel and built a monastery and church dedicated in honor of the Prophet Elijah (Elias), who had defeated the priests of Baal there and seen the vision of the cloud out over the sea. This is confirmed in a letter of Peter Emilianus to King Edward I of England in 1282.
At the time, there were a number of hermits from the West scattered throughout Palestine, and St. Berthold gathered them together, founded a community of priests who settled on Mount Carmel and they lived together in imitation of the life of the great prophet as recorded in the Old Testament. St. Berthold became the group’s first superior and stayed with the community at Mount Carmel for 45 years until his death in 1195. It was the life and work of St. Berthold that laid the foundation for the Carmelite Order, his example and way of life stamped the beginnings of the Carmelite Order, leading to the drawing up of the order’s rule by St. Albert, Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, about 1210. That rule was approved by Pope Honorius III in 1226 and it is this primitive rule that is considered the foundation of the Order of Mount Carmel. But it seems to have been St. Berthold who first organized the monastic life of the hermits on Mount Carmel and governed them until his death. St. Brocard, who apparently was his successor, petitioned Albert to compose a rule for them, undoubtedly codifying and completing the work begun by St. Berthold.
Saint Berthold of Mount Carmel, Priest ~ Pray for us🙏
SAINTS JONAS AND BARACHISIUS AND COMPANIONS, MARTYRS: Saints Jonas and Barachisius (died 327), two brothers, were Persian martyrs during the persecutions of King Shapur II. King Shapur of Persia, in the year 327, the eighteenth of his reign, raised a bloody persecution against the Christians and laid waste their churches and monasteries. Sts. Jonas and Barachisius, two brothers of the city Beth-Asa, hearing that several Christians were under sentence of death at Hubaham, went there to encourage and serve them. Fear not, brothers, but let us combat for the name of Jesus crucified, and like our predecessors we shall obtain the glorious crown promised to valiant soldiers of the Faith. Fortified by these words, nine of that number received the crown of martyrdom. After their execution, Sts. Jonas and Barachisius were apprehended for having exhorted the martyrs to die. The president entreated the two brothers to obey the king of Persia, and to worship the sun, the moon, fire, and water. They answered that it was more reasonable to obey the immortal King of heaven and earth than a mortal prince. Saint Jonas was beaten with knotty clubs and with rods until his ribs were visible, but he blessed God. Then he was chained by one foot and dragged to a frozen pond to spend the night there.
Saint Barachisius had two red-hot iron plates and two red-hot hammers applied under each arm, and melted lead dropped into his nostrils and eyes; after which he was carried to prison, and there hung up by one foot. Despite these cruel tortures, the two brothers survived and remained steadfast in the Faith. New and more horrible torments were then devised; both finally expired under a terrible press. They yielded up their heroic lives, praying for their enemies, while their pure souls winged their flight to heaven, there to gain the martyr’s crown which they had so faithfully won. They died on December 24, 327 at Hubaham, Persia.
Saints Jonas and Barachisius, Martyrs ~ Pray for us🙏