Matters India - Jan 29

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	Pope asks Cardinal Gracias to continue as Bombay archbishop By Nirmala Carvalho Mumbai, Jan 28, 2020: Church leaders in India have welcomed Pope Francis asking Cardinal Oswald Gracias to continue as the Bombay archdiocese. "“It is good news. We welcome the cardinal's extension as the Archbishop ... Read more
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3rd Week, Thursday, 30-01-20

2 Sam 7:18-19, 24-29 / Mark 4:21-25

David sits before the Lord: David prayed to the Lord.

In a Washington, D.C., cathedral there’s a statue of Abraham Lincoln at prayer. It’s the work of artist Spencer Houk. Houk got his inspiration for the statue from a story that his grandfather told over and over. One day he was walking through a woods in Gettysburg. Suddenly he came upon a kneeling figure. It was President Lincoln. Lincoln was a man of prayer. Like David, he drew strength from God by going off alone and praying.

Vatican Dossier by Zenit - Jan 28

Pope and Holy See Pope Francis Names Fr. Aemilius New Personal Secretary Deborah Castellano Lubov Priest of Uruguay Used to Help Youth on the Street	Catholic Church US Bishops Stress Importance of Consecrated Life ZENIT Staff Latest Survey of Vocations	Francis Pope Receives President of Republic of Iraq ZENIT Staff Discussion Focuses on Importance of Achieving Stability

UCA Asia News - Jan 28

China's war on religion backfires in Wuhan Beijing's rejection of religion-backed organizations and charities is limiting its ability to tackle the deadly coronavirus Read More >>

Matters India - Jan 28

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	328 cases of violence against Christians in India: Study By Matters India Reporter New Delhi, Jan 27, 2020: The year 2019 witnessed at least 328 incidents of targeted violence against Christians in India, including 230 mob attacks and 2 murders, said in its latest ... Read more
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Presentation of the Lord

John Littleton
Journeying through the year of Matthew

Reflection

Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, which occurs forty days after our celebration of the birth of Jesus at Christmas. The feast is also known as Candlemas Day because the blessing and procession of candles is included in the Mass. Jesus Christ is the light of the nations, ‘the light to enlighten the pagans’ (Lk 2:32). That is why we have the blessing and procession of candles on this day.

The Presentation of the Lord brings to an end the celebration of the Nativity — although Christmas officially ends with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. In obedience to the Law, as was customary with first-born male children, Jesus was presented in the Temple in Jerusalem by his mother, Mary, and his foster father, Joseph.

4 Sunday A - Blessed Are you ....

Gospel Text: Matthew 5:1-12
  

 
  **************************************************
Michel DeVerteuil 
General comments
On this Sunday the “continuous reading” of St Matthew’s gospel (see last week’s “guidelines”) leads us to the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus’ long discourse which runs from chapters 5 to 7 and has always been recognised as a summary of all his teaching.

3rd Week, Wednesday: Reflection & Liturgy

2 Sam 7:4-17 / Mark 4:1-21

God makes a promise to David: “Your kingdom will last forever.”

God’s promise to David is the cornerstone of Israel’s hope for a messiah. He will come from David’s line, establish God’s kingdom in Israel, and extend it to the ends of the earth. The word messiah is Hebrew. It’s rendered christos in Greek, from which we get our word Christ. The word messiah is best translated “anointed” in English. The fulfillment of God’s promise to David was realized in Jesus. The angel told Mary: “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High God. The Lord God will make him a king, as his ancestor David was, and . . . his kingdom will never end!” Luke 1:32-33

3rd Week, Tuesday: Reflection & Liturgy

2 Sam 6:12-15, 17-19 / Mark 3:31-35

David brings the ark to Jerusalem: Everyone rejoiced.

The film Raiders of the Lost Ark rekindled interest in the ark of the covenant. The ark was a wooden box, about four feet by two feet by two feet, overlaid with gold. On the top of the ark were two cherubim whose wings formed a canopy. (Exodus 25:20) “There was nothing inside . . .except the two stone tablets which Moses had placed there at Mount Sinai, when the Lord made a covenant with the people of Israel.” 1 Kings 8:9.

Jan 27- Feb 1: 3rd Week - Reflections

Jan 27 Monday (Angela Merici Virgin, 

https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-angela-merici/ ): Mk 3:22-30: 22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul, and by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.” 23 And he called them to him, and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 26 And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end. 27 But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods unless he first binds the strong man; then indeed he may plunder his house.