June: Month of the HUMILITY of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
St Margaret Mary Alacoque Contemplating the Sacred Heart of Jesus Corrado Giaquinto [ Web Gallery of Art ] This morning I celebrated the Mass for the memorial of St Justin Martyr. He was born of Greek parents in Palestine around AD100, was a philosopher who taught and defended Christian teaching and was martyred around AD165. As I did not have a congregation I used the readings that may be used for this saint instead of the readings for Thursday of Week 8 in Ordinary Time. The readings for the memorial are extraordinarily apt for the first day of June, the beginning of the Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Christ in Agony on the Cross El Greco [ Web Gallery of Art] The First Reading is from 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 . Some quotations: For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God . . . For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,