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  Tacloban City, Philippines after Typhoon Hayan/Yolanda [ Wikipedia ;  photo ] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Mark 12:38-44 (shorter form: 12:41-44)   (English Standard Version, Anglicised)    [In his teaching Jesus said,  “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the market-places   and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honour at feasts,   who devour widows' houses and for a pretence make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.” ] And Jesus sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums.   And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny.   And he called his disciples to him and said...

The Calling of Saint Matthew (detail) Caravaggio [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Gospel   Matthew 10:37-42 ( New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition) Jesus said to his Apostles: ‘ Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;  and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me.  Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. ‘Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.  Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive th...

The Repentant Peter , El Greco  [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Gospel   Matthew 16:21-27 ( New Revised  Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition )   From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, ‘God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.’ But he turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling-block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’ Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cr...

The Crucifixion of St Peter , Caravaggio, 1600-01 Cerasi Chapel, Santa Maria del Populo, Rome [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa)  Gospel   Matthew 16:21-27  (New Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition: Canada)     From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.   And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.”   But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.” Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to be...

The Virgin of the Immaculate Conception , El Greco, painted 1608-13 Introit Gaudens gaudébo in Dómino, et exsultábit ánima mea in Deo meo; quia índuit me vestiméntis salútis, et induménto iustítiæ circúmdedit me, quasi sponsam ornátam monílibus suis. Entrance Antiphon I rejoice heartily in the Lord,  in my God is the joy of my soul;  for he has clothed me with a robe of salvation, and wrapped me in a mantle of justice,  like a bride adorned wit her jewels. Full post here .

A repost from Costing Not Less Than Everything Seventh-century Abbess of Gwytherin in Denbighshire, miraculously restored to life by Saint Bueno after being beheaded by an angry rejected suitor. Her miraculous healing well is still busy today at Holywell, known as the Lourdes of Wales, and remains a place of pilgrimage. There is also a healing well named after the saint at Woolston in Shropshire. For fans of Brother Cadfael, the monk detective, her relics feature in A Morbid Taste for Bones , by Ellis Peters. Here is an ancient hymn to St Winifred: Virgo Venans Velut Rosa – Virgin Blossoming as the Rose More fair than all the vernal flowers  Embosom’d in the dales,  St. Winifred in beauty bloom’d  The rose of ancient Wales.  With every loveliest grace adorn’d,  The Lamb’s unsullied Bride,  Apart from all the world she dwelt  Upon this mountain side.  Till Caradoc, with impious love,  Her ...

Sir Thomas More , Hans Holbein the Younger, painted 1527 Readings (New American Bible, used in the Philippines and USA). Gospel Matthew 16:21-27 (Jerusalem Bible, used in Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, Scotlanc)  Jesus began to make it clear to his disciples that he was destined to go to Jerusalem and suffer grievously at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, to be put to death and to be raised up on the third day. Then, taking him aside, Peter started to remonstrate with him. 'Heaven preserve you, Lord;' he said 'this must not happen to you'. But he turned and said to Peter, 'Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle in my path, because the way you think is not God's way but man's.' Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me. For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake will...

On Sunday July 31st, the Catholic Church in England and Wales marks its annual Day for Life, an observance called for by the late Pope John Paul II to celebrate the dignity of every human life.  This year, the theme of the Day for Life focuses on the meaning of authentic happiness – a theme that Pope Benedict discussed with children and students from Catholic schools during his pastoral visit to Britain in September last year: "Happiness is something we all want, but one of the great tragedies in this world is that so many people never find it, because they look for it in the wrong places. The key to it is very simple – true happiness is to be found in God. We need to have the courage to place our deepest hopes in God alone, not in money, in a career, in worldly success, or in our relationships with others, but in God. Only he can satisfy the deepest needs of our hearts". Fr John Sherrington is a moral theologian from the diocese of Nottingham and is shortly to become auxi...