From Lands that See the Sun Arise | hymn from the Roman Breviary (5th century)

FROM lands that see the sun arise, to earth’s remotest boundaries, the Virgin-born today we sing, the Son of Mary, Christ the King. Blest Author of this earthly frame, to take a servant’s form he came, that liberating flesh by flesh, whom he had made might live afresh. In that chaste parent’s holy womb, celestial grace hath found its home: and she, as earthly bride unknown, yet call that Offspring blest her own. The mansion of the modest breast becomes a shrine where God shall rest: the pure and undefiled one conceived in her womb the Son. That Son, that royal Son she bore, whom Gabriel’s voice had told afore: whom, in his Mother yet concealed, the Infant Baptist had revealed. The manger and the straw he bore, the cradle did he not abhor: a little milk his infant fare who feedeth even each fowl of air. The heavenly chorus filled the sky, the Angels sang to God on high, what time to shepherds watching lone they made creation’s Shepherd known. All honor, laud, and glory be, O Jesu, Virgin-born, to Thee; all glory, as is ever meet, to the Father and to Paraclete. Amen.   A solis ortus cardine adusque terrae limitem Christum canamus Principem, natum Maria Virgine. Beatus auctor saeculi servile corpus induit, ut carne carnem liberans non perderet quod condidit. Clausae parentis viscera caelestis intrat gratia; venter puellae baiulat secreta quae non noverat. Domus pudici pectoris templum repente fit Dei; intacta nesciens virum verbo concepit Filium. Enixa est puerpera quem Gabriel praedixerat, quem matris alvo gestiens clausus Ioannes senserat. Feno iacere pertulit, praesepe non abhorruit, parvoque lacte pastus est per quem nec ales esurit. Gaudet chorus caelestium et Angeli canunt Deum, palamque fit pastoribus Pastor, Creator omnium. Iesu, tibi sit gloria, qui natus es de Virgine, cum Patre et almo Spiritu, in sempiterna saecula. Amen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8vY8a2ZK-8

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How to Pray the Lord’s Prayer in Aramaic?

The first time you pray this ancient version of a prayer you might have memorized in English, focus on the sound of the words. Leave the busyness of your day and focus on being present with Christ, as you learn a few phrases in the language he spoke throughout his days on earth. Below, you’ll find the Lord’s Prayer in first century Aramaic translated by Rev. William Fulco, SJ. Abun di bashmayya nethqadash shmak. Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name. Tethey malkuthak. Thy / Your kingdom come. Newe tzevyanak aykan di bashmayya af ba’ara. Your will be done on earth as in heaven. Lakhman di sunkanan yamana hav lan yoma dheyn. Give us (this day) our daily bread. Wa-shbuk lan khavine aykana, d’af hanan shbukan l’khayvine. And forgive us our trespasses/ debts, as we forgive our debtors. Ulo ellan lanisyana l’heyn atzeyl lan min beesha. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us /protect us from the evil one. Amin. Amen. Read more…

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An Offering of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary| by St. John Eudes

O Jesus, only Son of God, only Son of Mary,I offer Thee the most loving Heart of Thy divine Motherwhich is more precious and pleasing to Thee than all hearts.O Mary, Mother of Jesus,I offer Thee the most adorable Heart of Thy well-beloved Son,who is the life and love and joy of Thy Heart.Blessed be the Most Loving Heartand Sweet Name of Our Lord Jesus Christand the most gloriousVirgin Mary, His Mother,in eternity and forever. Amen

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Daily Prayer To Become A Saint

by St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori from ‘The Great Means of Salvation and Perfection’ O my God! reject me not, as I deserve, for I will amend. I know well that so negligent a life as mine cannot satisfy Thee. I know that I have myself, by my lukewarmness, shut the door against the graces which Thou didst desire to bestow upon me. O Lord! do not yet abandon me, continue to be merciful towards me; I will rise from this miserable state. I will for the future be more careful to overcome my passions, to follow Thy inspirations, and never will I through slothfulness omit my duties, but I will fulfil them with greater diligence. In short, I will, from this time forward, do all I can to please Thee, and I will neglect nothing which I may know to be pleasing to Thee. Since thou, O my Jesus! hast been so liberal with Thy graces towards me, and hast deigned to give Thy blood and Thy life for me, there is no reason I should act with such reserve towards Thee. Thou art worthy of all honor, all love, and to please Thee one ought gladly to undergo every labor, every pain. But, O my Redeemer! Thou knowest my weakness, help me with Thy powerful grace; in Thee I confide. O Immaculate Virgin Mary! thou who hast helped me to leave the world, help me to overcome myself and to become a Saint. Amen

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This Is Why The Demons Asked Jesus For The Pigs

Christ’s journey into “the country of the Gerasenes” (Mark 5:1) was somewhat unusual. The Gospels tell us that Jesus did most of His work among the Jewish people. Although He encountered and ministered to Gentiles such as the centurion who had a paralyzed servant (Matt. 8:5–13) and the Syrophoenician woman whose daughter was possessed (Mark 7:24–30), the Jews received the bulk of His attention, and He spent most of His time in the predominantly Jewish regions of Galilee and Judea. The Gerasenes, however, was located in the territory of the Decapolis, a group of ten cities with a majority population of Gentiles. Thus, we are not surprised that there was “a great herd of pigs” feeding near the tombs where the Gerasene demoniac was living (5:11). Pigs, of course, were unclean for the Jews (Lev. 11:7–8). No Jewish farmer would keep swine, and no Jewish region would tolerate the presence of pigs, let alone two thousand of them (Mark 5:13). In light of these facts, Jesus’ ministry in the Gerasenes reveals the Lord’s remarkable concern not only for the Jews but also for the Gentiles. Christ’s primary focus was on “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matt. 15:24), but He was concerned for all peoples. The story of the Gerasene demoniac thereby foreshadows the mission to the Gentiles that would begin in full force with the conversion of the Apostle Paul and Peter’s ministry to Cornelius (Acts 9–10). When Jesus healed the possessed man, He allowed Legion to possess the nearby herd of swine. The demons sent the pigs off the banks of the sea and into the water, where they drowned (Mark 5:12–13). From the start, the evil spirits wanted to bring death and destruction, and they finally got their chance. It seems Jesus allowed the demons to destroy the pigs so that the people could see just what demons are up to when they assault people. They are out to steal, kill, and destroy, so we dare not trifle with evil spirits. Jesus’ action also shows the importance of human beings relative to animals. Two thousand pigs dead for one person to live is not an even trade—and that is the point. Being made in God’s image, we are more important to the Lord than any animal. Dr. R.C. Sproul writes in his commentary Mark that the compassion of Jesus “drove Him to destroy the pigs for the sake of one human life. That is how valuable human life is.” For our Creator, one lost person saved is worth the death of many animals. Read more… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FOsUOrO41Y

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