BIG C CATHOLICS

Reflecting on the Feast of the Holy Family Pope Benedict XVI observed: "When he was 12 years old, [Christ] stayed behind in the Temple and it took his parents all of three days to find him. With this act he made them understand that he 'had to see to his Father's affairs.' …This Gospel episode reveals the most authentic and profound vocation of the family: that is, to accompany each of its members on the path of the discovery of God and of the plan that he has prepared for him or her. Mary and Joseph taught Jesus primarily by their example: in his parents he came to know the full beauty of faith, of love for God and for his Law, as well as the demands of justice, which is totally fulfilled in love. From them he learned that it is necessary first of all to do God's will..." — Pope Benedict XVI __________________________________ Prayer to the Holy Family Lord Jesus Christ, who, was made subject to Mary and Joseph, did so consecrate domestic life

From 1955 until her death, Flannery O’Connor maintained a correspondence with Betty Hester, a personal friend with whom she discussed various issues including God, the Church and theology. The following quotation is from a letter to Hester written days before O’Connor’s passing at the age of 41, on August 3, 1964. For me it is the virgin birth, the Incarnation, the resurrection which are the true laws of the flesh and the physical. Death, decay, [and] destruction are the suspension of these laws. I am always astonished at the emphasis the Church puts on the body. It is not the soul she says that will rise but the body, glorified. — Flannery O’Connor ________________________________________ St. Augustine's Prayer to the Holy Spirit Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy. Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy. Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love but what is holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy.

Saint Thomas Becket was a 12th century English archbishop and martyr who chose Christ and Christ's Church over the King. This courageous act of fidelity and deep seed devotion would ultimately lead to his martyrdom. Facing the enemies of the Church and forces opposed to God, Becket remained faithful. Do you not know that the largest trees, which have required years to grow, are cut down in one hour? It is foolish to look for their fruits and yet to be unprepared for their fall. Let it be your consolation, then, that God's enemies, however honorable and exalted they may have been, shall nevertheless fade away like the smoke. — St. Thomas Becket ________________________________________ Prayer for St. Thomas Becket's Intercession Almighty ever-living God, who gave Saint Thomas Becket the courage to give up his life for the sake of your holy Church, grant, through his intercession, that, in renouncing our life for Christ in this world, we may see God face to fac

Optional Memorial - December 29th  There was a time in England when being a friend of the king could easily lead to martyrdom. Such was the case of Saint Thomas Becket, whose 12th-century conflict with Henry II would result in his murder at the hand of the king’s men in the Cathedral at Canterbury. In so doing Becket went from being "a patron of play-actors and a follower of hounds" to become an heroic "shepherd of souls." Born in 1118, Thomas was appointed Archdeacon of Canterbury in 1154, and became Lord Chancellor of England the following year. When the Archbishop of Canterbury died in 1162, King Henry II saw an opportunity to solidify the crown’s control of the Church, and made his good friend Thomas the next archbishop. But Thomas, who had accepted the position reluctantly, turned out to be more loyal to his Church than to his king. After thwarting the king once too often, Henry reportedly said, "Will no one rid me of this troublesome priest?&qu

On this feast, holy Mother Church honors the memory of Bethlehem’s innocent children slaughtered by the wicked monarch, Herod. Their blameless lives bear witness to Christ who was also persecuted by a world which would not receive Him. St. Augustine tells us that Herod’s evil was surpassed by the love of God. Today, dearest brethren, we celebrate the birthday of those children who were slaughtered, as the Gospel tells us, by that exceedingly cruel king, Herod. Let the earth, therefore, rejoice and the Church exult — she, the fruitful mother of so many heavenly champions and of such glorious virtues. Never, in fact, would that impious tyrant have been able to benefit these children by the sweetest kindness as much as he has done by his hatred. For as today's feast reveals, in the measure with which malice in all its fury was poured out upon the holy children, did heaven's blessing stream down upon them. — St. Augustine ________________________________________ Collec

Although Christmas is a joyous season celebrating the birth of the Infant Savior, it is nevertheless a holiday tinged with sadness. After all, it is the beginning of a journey, the sacred life of Christ, which must pass through Good Friday in order to reach the glory of Easter Sunday. For Christians, the Passion of Our Lord is foreshadowed by the Feast of the Holy Innocents, a somber commemoration that is solemnly observed a mere three days after the Incarnation, on December 28th. While the number of these holy innocents is unknown, some Biblical scholars speculate that there may have been as few as six, the reason for their death is what causes the Church to venerate them as martyrs. Matthew’s Gospel tells us that Herod, the king of Judea, was "greatly troubled" by the news, delivered to him by the Wise Men, that a different "king of the Jews" had been born. Insecure as he was on his throne, any threat to his power was cause for alarm. When the Magi did not re

Fr. René J. Butler, M.S. Provincial Superior, La Salette Missionaries of North America Hartford, Connecticut ( Click here for today’s readings ) (Note: I have chosen the readings from Sirach and Colossians) It is my custom on the feast of the Holy Family to offer “words of wisdom” for family life. Underlying them is what I call the Snowflake Principle : People are like snowflakes, no two are alike. Clearly, God loves variety. We need to respect God’s variety, respecting one another, “bearing with one another,” as St. Paul writes. We need to minimize our faults and capitalize on our strengths. Other principles: 2. Elbows and Toes.  You can’t rub elbows with the same people day in and day out without sometimes stepping on each other’s toes. We need to be realistic about family life, learn to say “of course,” and “I’m sorry,” and “I forgive you.” Tensions inevitable. What happens after is what really matters. 3. I’m nobody, who are you? (from a poem by Emily Dic

◗ Pray more ◗ Read Scripture ◗ Keep holy the Sabbath ◗ Sin less ◗ Go to confession frequently ◗ Attend Eucharistic adoration ◗ Eat less ◗ Honor your father and mother ◗ Spend less ◗ Spend more time with family ◗ Read a Psalm a day ◗ Live more simply ◗ Find a patron saint ◗ Go on a spiritual retreat ◗ Find a good Catholic smartphone app [and use it] ◗ Add a new devotion to your prayer routine [Rosary, Divine Mercy Chaplet, Novenas, etc.] A New Year's Prayer Almighty God, who through the fruitful virginity of Blessed Mary bestowed on the human race the grace of eternal life, grant, we pray, that we may experience the intercession of her, through whom we were found worthy to receive the author of life, our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, be especially blesses in this new year. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever. Amen.

Prayer to Saint John the Beloved Disciple O Glorious Apostle, who, on account of your virginal purity, was most beloved by Jesus as to deserve to lay your head upon His divine breast, and to be left, in His place, as son to His most holy Mother; I beg you to inflame within me a true and ardent love towards Jesus and Mary. Obtain for me from our Lord that I, too, with a heart purified from earthly affections, may be made worthy to be ever united to Jesus as a faithful disciple, and to Mary as a devoted son, both here on earth and eternally in heaven. Amen. St. John, the beloved disciple of our Lord, pray for us. Hymn of Praise to St. John the Evangelist An exile for the faith Of thy Incarnate Lord, Beyond the stars, beyond all space, Thy soul imprisoned soared: There saw in glory Him Who liveth, and was dead; There Judah's Lion, and the Lamb That for our ransom bled. There of the Kingdom learnt The mysteries sublime; How, sown in martyrs' blood

Feast Day - December 27th  Saint John the Apostle, the son of Zebedee and Salome, was one of the twelve Apostles of Jesus. John was called by our Lord in the first year of His ministry. He is also known as John the Evangelist, John of Patmos and the Beloved Disciple. John's older brother and fellow Apostle was Saint James the Great. Jesus referred to the brothers as "Boanerges," meaning "sons of thunder." John was the longest living Apostle and the only one that did not receive the crown of martyrdom. Together with Peter and James, John witnessed the raising Jairus’ Daughter, the Transfiguration of Christ, the Olivet Discourse and the Agony of our Lord in the Garden of Gethsemane. John was the disciple who reported to Jesus that they had "'forbidden' a non-disciple from casting out demons in Jesus' name." Jesus stated in reply, "There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. He