“They didn’t know who they were.” This is how Hilary summed up the problem with the Arian heretics of the fourth century. Hilary, on the other hand, knew very well who he was — a child of a loving God who had inherited eternal life through belief in the Son of God. He hadn’t been raised as a Christian but he had felt a wonder at the gift of life and a desire to find out the meaning of that gift. He first discarded the approach of many people who around him, who believed the purpose of life …
Daily Readings for Wednesday, January 13, 2021
Reading 1: Hebrews 2:14-18, Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 105:6-9, Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 105:1-4, Gospel: Mark 1:29-39
St. Marguerite Bourgeoys: Saint of the Day for Tuesday, January 12, 2021
Marguerite had survived many threats in the twenty-six years she had been in wilderness of Canada. She had lived through Iroquois attacks, a fire that destroyed her small village, plagues on the ships that she took back and forth to France, but nothing threatened her dreams and hopes more than what her own bishop said to her in 1679. He told her that she had to join her Congregation of Notre Dame with its teaching sisters to a cloistered religious order of Ursulines. This was not the first time …
Daily Readings for Tuesday, January 12, 2021
Reading 1: Hebrews 2:5-10, Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 8:2, Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 8:5-9, Gospel: Mark 1:21-28
St. Theodosius the Cenobiarch: Saint of the Day for Monday, January 11, 2021
Abbot and founder. Born at Garissus, Cappadocia (modern Turkey), in 423, he undertook a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and after meeting with the famed St. Simeon Stylites, he entered a monastery. Later, he was named the head of a church between Jerusalem and Bethlehem, but departed to live as a hermit near the Dead Sea. As he attracted a large number of followers, Theodosius established a monastery which was divided among the various nationalities of the monks (Greek, Armenian, etc.), each with …
Daily Readings for Monday, January 11, 2021
Reading 1: Hebrews 1:1-6, Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 97:1-2, Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 97:6-7, Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 97:9, Gospel: Mark 1:14-20
St. William of Bourges: Saint of the Day for Sunday, January 10, 2021
William Berruyer, of the illustrious family of the ancient counts of Nevers, was educated by Peter the hermit, archdeacon of Soissons, his uncle by the motherĂ‚?s side. He learned from his infancy to despise the folly and emptiness of the riches and grandeur of the world, to abhor its pleasures, and to tremble at its dangers. His only delight was in exercises of piety and in his studies, in which he employed his whole time with indefatigable application. He was made canon, first of Soissons, and …
Daily Readings for Sunday, January 10, 2021
Reading 1: Isaiah 42:1-4, Reading 1: Isaiah 42:6-7, Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 29:9-10, Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 29:1-4, Gospel: Mark 1:7-11, Reading 2: Acts of Apostles 10:34-38
St. Adrian, Abbot: Saint of the Day for Saturday, January 09, 2021
Born in Africa, Adrian became abbot of the monastery at Nerida, near Naples. He declined an appointment as archbishop of Canterbury, but accompanied St. Theodore to England when the latter was appointed Archbishop. Theodore appointed him Abbot of SS. Peter and Paul Monastery (later changed to St. Augustine’s) in Canterbury, and during his thirty-nine years’ abbacy, the monastery became renowned as a center of learning. He died on January 9 in Canterbury, and his tomb soon became famous for the …
Daily Readings for Saturday, January 09, 2021
Reading 1: 1 John 5:14-21, Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 149:1-6, Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 149:9, Gospel: John 3:22-30