Daily Archives: November 15, 2024

St. Josaphat of Polotsk

Feast dayNovemeber 12
Birth1580
Death 1623

St. Josaphat of Polotsk:

Early Life and Monastic Career
Birth and Background: Ivan Kuntsevych was born around 1580 in Volodymyr, Ukraine. He was raised in a devout Ruthenian (Ukrainian) family. The Ruthenians were part of the Eastern Christian tradition.

Monastic Life: Ivan joined the Order of Saint Basil the Great in Vilnius (modern-day Lithuania) and took the name Josaphat. He quickly became known for his piety and dedication to the monastic life.

Episcopal Leadership
Archbishop of Polotsk: In 1617, Josaphat was appointed as the Archbishop of Polotsk, a significant and challenging role. During his tenure, he worked to unite the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church. He pursued this unity through the Union of Brest.

Reforms and Controversies:
Union of Brest: The Union of Brest was established in 1596. Its aim was to reunite Eastern Christians with the Roman Catholic Church. It allowed them to retain their Eastern liturgical traditions. Josaphat was a staunch supporter of this union and worked tirelessly to implement its principles in his archdiocese.

Resistance: His reforms and commitment to the Union of Brest were met with fierce opposition from both clergy and laity who were loyal to the Eastern Orthodox Church. Josaphat’s efforts to enforce the union’s decrees earned him the nickname “Thief of Souls” among his detractors.

Martyrdom and Legacy
Martyrdom: On November 12, 1623, Josaphat was brutally murdered by a mob in Vitebsk (present-day Belarus) during an anti-Catholic uprising. His death was a result of the intense religious and political tensions of the time.

Canonization: Josaphat’s martyrdom and unwavering commitment to Church unity led to his canonization by Pope Pius IX in 1867. He is honored as a martyr and a patron of Church unity.

Veneration
Feast Day: St. Josaphat is commemorated on November 12th in the Roman Catholic Church, and his feast day is a significant occasion for remembering his contributions to the Church.

Relics and Pilgrimages: His relics were transferred to St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, where they are venerated by pilgrims from around the world.

St. Josaphat of Polotsk remains a symbol of dedication to faith and the pursuit of unity within the Christian Church.

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St. Philip

Feast dayNovemeber 12
Birth1580
Death 1623

St. Philip the Apostle:

Early Life: Philip was born in Bethsaida, Galilee, a town by the Sea of Galilee. He was originally a follower of John the Baptist before becoming a disciple of Jesus.

Introduction of Nathanael: Philip is known for bringing Nathanael (often identified with Bartholomew) to Jesus. Nathanael was skeptical at first but became a believer after meeting Jesus2.

Miracles: Philip was present during several miracles, including the Feeding of the 5,000. Jesus tested Philip by asking him how to feed the multitude. This led to the miraculous multiplication of loaves and fishes2.

Missionary Work: After Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, Philip is believed to have preached in regions like Greece, Syria, and Phrygia. He played a significant role in spreading Christianity to the Greek-speaking world2.

Martyrdom: According to tradition, Philip was martyred for his faith. He is said to have been crucified upside down in Heliopolis, Egypt, around 54 A.D. His feast day is celebrated on May 3rd in the Western Christian tradition. It is celebrated on November 14th in the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Philip’s legacy is one of dedication and faith, and he is venerated in various Christian denominations.


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St. Paul of the Cross

Feast dayNovemeber 12
Birth1580
Death 1623

St. Paul of the Cross:

Early Life and Inspiration:
Paul Danei was born into a devout Catholic family. He exhibited a deep spiritual fervor from a young age. He was particularly moved by the Passion of Christ, the suffering and death of Jesus. This intense devotion inspired him to dedicate his life to spreading the message of God’s love through the Passion.

Founding of the Passionist Order:
In 1720, Paul had a series of mystical experiences and visions. He felt a divine calling to found a religious order. He retreated into a period of solitude and prayer. During this time, he wrote the rule for the new congregation. He also designed its distinctive habit—a black robe with a heart and cross emblem. The Passionists’ mission was to focus on preaching about the Passion of Christ. They meditated on it, living lives of contemplation, poverty, and humility.

Apostolic Work and Spiritual Legacy
Paul traveled extensively across Italy, preaching and establishing Passionist communities. He became renowned for his powerful sermons, which deeply moved his audiences and drew many to a more profound faith. His spiritual writings, including letters and meditations, continue to inspire Christians worldwide.

Recognition and Canonization
Paul’s holiness and the impact of his work led to his veneration even during his lifetime. He died on October 18, 1775, and was buried in Rome. Paul of the Cross was beatified in 1853 and canonized on June 29, 1867, by Pope Pius IX. His feast day is celebrated on October 19th. He is honored as one of the great mystics and spiritual teachers of the Catholic Church.

Passionist Spirituality
The Passionist order remains active today. Members continue Paul’s mission by reflecting on the Passion of Christ. They also preach about it. Passionists work in parishes, retreat centers, and mission fields. They help individuals deepen their spiritual lives. This is achieved through contemplation and understanding of Christ’s sufferings.

Paul of the Cross’s life and teachings emphasize the power of meditation on the Passion. It serves as a means to grow closer to God. It also helps find strength in the face of personal suffering.


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Bible readings

Daily mass readings for Nov 23, 2024

Daily mass readings : Saturday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time

Reading : Rv 11:4-12

I, John, heard a voice from heaven speak to me:
Here are my two witnesses:
These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands
that stand before the Lord of the earth.
If anyone wants to harm them, fire comes out of their mouths
and devours their enemies.
In this way, anyone wanting to harm them is sure to be slain.
They have the power to close up the sky
so that no rain can fall during the time of their prophesying.
They also have power to turn water into blood
and to afflict the earth with any plague as often as they wish.

When they have finished their testimony,
the beast that comes up from the abyss
will wage war against them and conquer them and kill them.
Their corpses will lie in the main street of the great city,
which has the symbolic names “Sodom” and “Egypt,”
where indeed their Lord was crucified.
Those from every people, tribe, tongue, and nation
will gaze on their corpses for three and a half days,
and they will not allow their corpses to be buried.
The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them
and be glad and exchange gifts
because these two prophets tormented the inhabitants of the earth.
But after the three and a half days,
a breath of life from God entered them.
When they stood on their feet, great fear fell on those who saw them.
Then they heard a loud voice from heaven say to them, “Come up here.”
So they went up to heaven in a cloud as their enemies looked on.

Responsorial Psalm : Psalm 144:1, 2, 9-10

R. (1b) Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
Blessed be the LORD, my rock,
who trains my hands for battle, my fingers for war.
R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
My mercy and my fortress,
my stronghold, my deliverer,
My shield, in whom I trust,
who subdues my people under me.
R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
O God, I will sing a new song to you;
with a ten stringed lyre I will chant your praise,
You who give victory to kings,
and deliver David, your servant from the evil sword.
R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!

Alleluia : See 2 Tm 1:10

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death
and brought life to light through the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel : Lk 20:27-40

Some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection,
came forward and put this question to Jesus, saying,
“Teacher, Moses wrote for us,
If someone’s brother dies leaving a wife but no child,
his brother must take the wife
and raise up descendants for his brother.
Now there were seven brothers;
the first married a woman but died childless.
Then the second and the third married her,
and likewise all the seven died childless.
Finally the woman also died.
Now at the resurrection whose wife will that woman be?
For all seven had been married to her.”
Jesus said to them,
“The children of this age marry and remarry;
but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age
and to the resurrection of the dead
neither marry nor are given in marriage.
They can no longer die,
for they are like angels;
and they are the children of God
because they are the ones who will rise.
That the dead will rise
even Moses made known in the passage about the bush,
when he called ‘Lord’
the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob;
and he is not God of the dead, but of the living,
for to him all are alive.”
Some of the scribes said in reply,
“Teacher, you have answered well.”
And they no longer dared to ask him anything.


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