August 8 - Today is the feast of SAINT DOMINIC DE GUZMAN

ST DOMINIC Priest (1170-1221)

St. Dominic was born in Spain, in 1170. As a student, he sold his books to feed the poor in a famine, and offered himself in ransom for a slave.

At the age of twenty-five he became superior of the Canons Regular of Osma, and accompanied his Bishop to France. There his heart was well-nigh broken by the ravages of the Albigenian heresy, and his life was henceforth devoted to the conversion of heretics and the defence of the Faith. For this end he established his threefold religious Order.

The convent for nuns was founded first, to rescue young girls from heresy and crime. Then a company of apostolic men gathered around him, and became the Order of Friar Preachers. Lastly came the Tertiaries, persons of both sexes living in the world.

God blessed the new Order, and France, Italy, Spain, and England welcomed the Preaching Friars. Our Lady took them under her special protection, and whispered to St. Dominic as he preached. It was in 1208, while St. Dominic knelt in the little chapel of Notre Dame de la Prouille, and implored the great Mother of God to save the Church, that Our Lady appeared to him, gave him the Rosary, and bade him go forth and preach. Beads in hand, he revived the courage of the Catholic troops, led them to victory against overwhelming numbers, and finally crushed the heresy.

His nights were spent in prayer; and, though pure as a virgin, thrice before morning broke he scourged himself to blood. His words rescued countless souls, and three times raised the dead to life.

At length, on August 6, 1221, at the age of fifty-one, he gave up his soul to God.

PRAYER FOR RISING AGAIN

I failed again, O Lord. I made void again the promise I made to you. I fell short on doing what I should, and I yielded to my own whims and tendencies.

But to whom shall I go? It is only you who have the words of everlasting life. There's no one who would carry me to the waters. I am dependent on the morsels that fall from your table. I am weak, o Lord. And I am aware that without you, I cannot do anything good.

That's why I come to you again , O Lord. I come to you sinful and sorrowful. Clean me again from my filthiness, consume the darkness that is creeping again to my heart, purchase me again, and restore me, as I approach your great Sacrament of Reconciliation.

And when I come back, may I find the grace to maintain my guard, avoiding the occasion of sin and controlling my urges. May the concupiscence and my weakness be the cross that I bear, as I follow you, trying with all my best to follow your example. Help me and have mercy on me, Lord. Receive me again in your great love for me as I drop down at the foot of your cross. If you will it, you can make me clean. Amen.

PRAYER IN THE HOUR OF DISASTER AND TREMBLING

God the Father, when your Son is still with his chosen ones, he stilled the storm of the sea, and he imparted a valuable lesson: that in the midst of trembling, one has to foster faith above all else. He showed to us what we must fear above all else: doubt, since doubt is our way of not trusting you, Who is above all else.

Now we experience the familiar trembling in our hearts. In these hours of fear, we turn again to you, in the name of Jesus, that we may face the storms of life with faith and trust in You. We turn to you as nature accuses us of its weary lot, since we profess ourselves as your children, and You as our Father.

We invoke the most powerful name of Jesus, to calm the storms of life. And may every storm lead to the restoration of peace, and most of all -- to our unshakable faith in you.

We ask the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of all the saints, that they may send you their sweetest supplications. Look with love and mercy to us, who with them, are co-heirs to the heavenly promises. May your protection be ever felt like never before.

We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Propers For the Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord (August 6, 2012)

Introit (Psalms 76:19, 83:2-3)
Your lightening illumined the world; the earth quivered and quaked. How lovely is Your dwelling place, O Lord of Hosts! My soul yearns and pines for the courts of the Lord. Your lightening illumined the world; the earth quivered and quaked.

COLLECT
God, Who in the glorious Transfiguration of Your only-begotten Son strengthened the mysteries of faith by the testimony of the fathers, and, by the voice coming down in a shining cloud, miraculously betokened the complete adoption of Your children, mercifully grant that we be made co-heirs with that King of glory, and sharers in that same glory. Through the same Jesus Christ, thy Son, Our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

EPISTLE (2 Peter 1:16-19)
Beloved: We were not following fictitious tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of His grandeur. For He received from God the Father honor and glory, when from out the majestic glory a voice came down to Him, speaking thus: This is My beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased. And this voice we ourselves heard borne from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mount. And we have the word of prophecy, surer still, to which you do well to attend, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

GRADUAL (Psalms 44:3, Wisdom 7:26)
Fairer in beauty are You than the sons of men; grace is poured out upon Your lips. My heart overflows with a goodly theme; as I sing my ode to the King. Alleluia, alleluia. He is the refulgence of eternal light, the spotless mirror, and the image of His goodness. Alleluia.

GOSPEL (Matthew 17:1-9)
At that time, Jesus took Peter, James and his brother John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves, and was transfigured before them. And His face shone as the sun, and His garments became white as snow. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elias talking together with Him. Then Peter addressed Jesus, saying, Lord, it is good for us to be here. If You will, let us set up three tents here, one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elias. As he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased; hear Him. And on hearing it the disciples fell on their faces and were exceedingly afraid. And Jesus came near and touched them, and said to them, Arise, and do not be afraid. But lifting up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. And as they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus cautioned them, saying, Tell the vision to no one, till the Son of Man has risen from the dead.

OFFERTORY (Psalms 111:3)
Wealth and riches shall be in His house; His generosity shall endure forever. Alleluia.

SECRET
Hallow our offerings, we beseech You, O Lord, through the glorious Transfiguration of Your only-begotten Son, and cleanse us from the stains of our sins by the light of that same revelation. Through the same Jesus Christ, thy Son, Our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

COMMUNION (Matthew 17:9)
Tell the vision you have seen to no one, till the Son of Man has risen from the dead.

POSTCOMMUNION
Grant, we beseech You, almighty God, that by the understanding of our minds made pure, we may grasp the mystery of the Transfiguration of Your only-begotten Son, which we celebrate by these solemn rites. Through the same Jesus Christ, thy Son, Our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

Today's Gospel Reading - Sunday, August 5, 2012 with Reflection

 1^ST READING - Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15

P S A L M - Psalm 78:3-4, 23-24, 25, 54

R: The Lord gave them bread from heaven.

3 What we have heard and know, and what our fathers have declared to us, 4 we will declare to the generation to come the glorious deeds of the Lord and his strength and the wonders that he wrought. (R) 23 He commanded the skies above and opened the doors of heaven; 24 he rained manna upon them for food and gave them heavenly bread. (R) 25 Man ate the bread of angels, for he sent them in abundance. 54 And he brought them to his holy land, to the mountains his right hand had won. (R)

2^ND READING - Ephesians 4:17, 20-24

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.

John 6:24-35

24 When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into boats and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus. 25 And when they found him across the sea they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” 26 Jesus answered them and said, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled. 27 Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.” 28 So they said to him, “What can we do to accomplish the works of God?” 29Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.” 30 So they said to him, “What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you? What can you do? 31 Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” 32 So Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 So they said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” 35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”

SABBATH

BREAD THAT GIVES LIFE The readings of today open with a story of bitter complaints. They close with a story of contentment and satisfaction. Both stories have to do with food — from complaint to closure. The Israelites grumbled about lack of quality food. The disciples were promised food that lasts forever. We never doubt the power of food to make us grow. The lack of it makes us shrivel at the root and die. And this is true both for material and spiritual growth. There is this story of an old Indian man who bore two wolves atop his shoulders. One was black and evil who continually tempted him, and the other was white, who continually encouraged him to live up to his very best. When asked, “Which of these two has the greatest power over you?” the man replied without hesitation, “The one I feed.” St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians speaks about a similar burden atop each one of us: the old self and the new self. The old self lives like the pagans do. The new self is the self renewed in Christ. I don’t know about you, but as for me, there is no doubt about how I often cater to the needs of the “old man” in me. I give in to my usual angry, mistrustful and lustful self, and forget to nurture and nourish the new man redeemed by the blood of Christ. But just like the story of the Israelites of old, our complaints must lead to closure. And thankfully, God comes to put a definitive closure to our growlings, gruntings and grumblings. He comes to bring us food — food that lasts, food that brings life eternal, food that will make us hunger no more, complain no more, and cry no more. This is what I know. I need this food. I need it to keep alive that “new self” given me by God in Baptism. I already have enough to feed the old self as it is, with my sins and selfishness galore. I need to partake of that promised food come down from heaven, the Bread that gives life. Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB REFLECTION QUESTION: Which do you feed more — the evil or the good in you? Lord Jesus, help me to surrender my old self and focus on nurturing my new life in You. St. Addal, pray for us. Do you want to receive this in your email?  To get Bo Sanchez to send it to you personally, log-on to http://kerygmafamily.com. Lots of surprises await.

Why does God allow evil?

If God is all good, why does He allow evil? Why do even those who devote their lives to pleasing Him meet with setbacks and disasters? Why should you keep trusting God -- even when it all seems to go wrong? *     *     *  For centuries these questions have vexed souls, often leading well-meaning Christians down the path of unbelief. In Why Bad Things Happen to Good Catholics, Fr. Henri Morice banishes the idea that events unfold according to blind chance -- or that evil ultimately triumphs in this world. This book dispels some of the mystery surrounding human suffering to reveal how God draws goodness -- for your own soul and for the souls of others -- out of even the worst tragedies you suffer. You will also discover how to recognize God's love working in all the events of your life, day by day, moment by moment. Fr. Morice also explains how to... * Trust in God's Providence and receive peace more lasting than any worldly satisfaction; * Set aside -- forever! -- worry about the future; * Deal with misfortune even when you've hit rock bottom; * Develop a full and lasting confidence in God. Why Bad Things Happen to Good Catholics will charge you with renewed gratitude for the mysterious but unflagging love of God.   Why Bad Things Happen to Good Catholics   by Henri Morice 176 pgs pbk $14.95  Order today along with Finding Confidence in Times of Trial  and save 15%! (details below). St. John of Avila -- recently named the newest Doctor of the Church -- teaches you many lessons, including: * The life-giving habits of an authentic Christian life, which are found not through false "conversions" and "visions," but in the slow and steady steps on the path of holiness. * How suffering is frequently the means God chooses to reveal to His mercy and His design for our lives. * True beauty: for a Christians it will shine out in poverty, chastity, and fidelity, not in the luxuries and comforts of this world. * The easy graces of the liturgical year: one of the surest ways to develop in sanctity, and how Christians should ready themselves for the gifts which the Holy Spirit will send. * The dangers of personal resolutions: These are often built upon pride and mistaken notions, but God sends us every day trials to transform us into His spiritual champions. * How a Christian should prepare himself for Holy Mass, how to approach the Blessed Sacrament, and what real participation in the Sacrifice means. * That weakness, persecution, and infidelity are often found within the institutional Church, and what we can do to combat it or at least suffer it faithfully. Save 15% when you order the set! Click here to order BOTH books and enter code HLWhy15 at checkout.   (*Shipping not included. Not eligible for any other discount. Offer ends 8/15/12.) Order online above,  or call 1-800-888-9344  www.SophiaInstitute.com Sophia Institute Press Box 5284, Manchester, NH 03108 USA ____________   Fine Catholic Books  from SOPHIA INSTITUTE PRESS    1-800-888-9344 We always welcome contributions to our non-profit apostolate. If you would prefer not to use the PayPal button below, you can add a contribution  directly to your shopping cart at our on-line store.    Sophia Institute Press is the publishing division of

August 2 - Today is the feast of St. Eusebius of Vercelli

 SAINT EUSEBIUS Bishop(†; 371)

St. Eusebius was born of a noble family, in the island of Sardinia, where his father is said to have died in prison for the Faith. The Saint's mother carried him and his sister, both infants, to Rome.

Eusebius having been ordained, served the Church of Vercelli with such zeal that on the episcopal chair becoming vacant he was unanimously chosen, by both clergy and people, to fill it. The holy bishop saw that the best and first means to labor effectually for the edification and sanctification of his people was to have a zealous clergy.

He was at the same time very careful to instruct his flock, and inspire them with the maxims of the Gospel. The force of the truth which he preached, together with his example, brought many sinners to a change of life. He courageously fought against the heretics, who had him banished to Scythopolis, end thence to Upper Thebais in Egypt, where he suffered so grievously as to win, in some of the panegyrics in his praise, the title of martyr.

He died in the latter part of the year 371.