All posts by Vicki Scheenstra

Vicki Scheenstra is a former Catholic Bookstore owner and has been active in Catholic Education.

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Stephen, Feast Day December 26




Stoning of St. Stephen

The feast day of St. Stephen is celebrated on December 26.  He was a disciple of Jesus.

St. Stephen is believed to be one of the 72 original disciples of Our Lord. After the ascension of Jesus he became one of the first seven deacons of the Catholic Church. He is considered the first to be martyred for the faith.  In the book of Acts:6 we learn the story of the plot against St. Stephen. He was accused of blasphemy against the Jewish temple. This resulted in him being condemned and then stoned to death. Before his death he cried out to the Lord to forgive those persecuting him.

 

Look! I see an opening in the sky, and the Son of Man standing

at God’s right hand…Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

Lord, do not hold this sin against them.

Quote of St. Stephen

 

December is the Month of the Divine Infancy

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: The Feast of the Nativity, Feast Day December 25




Unlike Easter which has always been celebrated by the Church, the feast day of Christmas was not firmly established until the fourth century. Because the birthday of Jesus was unknown, it was decided to celebrate the birth of Jesus on the shortest day of the year, the winter solstice. This would also coincide with the winter solstice festivals. The date symbolizes that Jesus is the Light of the World. In the Gospel of John 8:12 Jesus said;

I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.

Christmas also focuses on the two natures of Jesus Christ. He is both full divine and fully human. It states in Luke 2:9:

Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them,

“Do not be afraid; for see…I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you; you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.”

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying;

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another;

“Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.”

So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them, but Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

 

The Word of God,

the Day whose light shines

upon the angel…

put on flesh and was born

of the the Virgin Mary.

Quote of St. Augustine; Feast day August 28

December is the Month of the Divine Infancy

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Emiliana and St. Trasila, Feast Day December 24




St. Emiliana

 

 

The feast day of St. Emiliana and Trasila is celebrated on December 24.  They were both Aunts of St. Gregory the Great.

 

St. Gregory the Great’s father had three sisters, Emiliana, Trasila and Gordiana.  Gordiana eventually married.  Trasila and Emilana lived in their father’s house living a life of prayer.  They lived as if in a convent, praying  many hours with joy and peace.  They both made great spiritual progress.

Tarsilla had a vision of her great grandfather inviting her to join him in heaven.  She died on Dec. 24th.  This left her sister in grief on Christmas day.  However, Tarsilla appeared to Emiliana several days after her death, asking her to celebrate Epiphany with her in heaven.  Emiliana died on the eve of Epiphany, Jan. 5.

 

The feast day for both St. Emiliana and St. Tarsilla is celebrated on Dec. 24.

 

“Since I began to love, love has never forsaken me.  It has grown to its own fullness within my innermost heart.”

Quote of St. Catherine of Genoa;  Feast Day September 15

 

December is the Month of the Divine Infancy

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. John Cantius, Feast Day December 23




St. John Cantius

The feast Day of St. John Cantius is celebrated on December 23.  He was a priest in Poland.

St. John Cantius was born in 1397 in the Polish town of Kanty. He is also known as St. John of Kanty. He studied at a university in Krakow, Poland. After being ordained a priest, he was offered a position as rector of a school in Miechow. During this time he studied the writings and spirituality of St. Augustine. In 1429, he returned to Krakow, accepting a position in the Philosophy Department at Jagiellonian University. Eventually, he became the head of the Philosophy Dept. then the directorship of the University’s Theology Department.

St. John led a very austere life. He kept only what he absolutely needed, sleeping little and on the floor. He ate very little, consuming no meat. He was known for his kindness and generosity and was taken advantage of because of it. St. John had an affinity to the less fortunate and to the students.

At the time of his death in 1472, he was beloved and considered a holy man. Veneration began immediately after his death.

Pope John Paul II had a devotion to this saint from Poland.

 

Fight all error, but do it with good humor,
patience, kindness, and love.
Harshness will damage your own soul
and spoil the best cause.

Quote of St. John Cantius

 

December is the Month of the Divine Infancy

 

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Flavian, Feast Day December 22




St. Flavian

The feast day of St. Flavian is celebrated on December 22.

St. Flavian became the Patriarch of Constantinople after the death of Patriarch Proclus. It was a time of great turmoil in the church. St. Flavian convened a Local Council at Constantinople to discuss the heresy of Eutyches, which believed Jesus was Divine but not human.

When Eutyches persisted in his belief, he was excommunicated from the Church. Chrysathius, a friend of Eutyches, defended him and won his equital and the condemnation of Patrizrch Flavian.

Flavian suffered sever beatings and then he was chained and sentenced to banishment.

St. Flavian suffered martyrdom in August, 449.

 

Let us who are about to greet

the birthday of the Lord

clean our consciences.

Quote of St. Maximus of Turin; Feast day June 25

 

December is the Month of the Divine Infancy

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Celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas




The Catholic Church celebrates Christmas for twelve days.

While the Nativity of Our Lord is celebrated Dec. 25, the Twelve days of Christmas begins on Christmas Day, Dec. 25(beginning at sundown), and ends at sunrise on Jan. 6, the Feast of the Epiphany. During the Christmas season the priest’s vestments are gold to symbolize the sacredness of the Christmas season. The change in the color of vestments indicates that Advent is over. During Advent, the priest’s vestments are purple to symbolize the holy season of waiting and prayer.

According to legend, the song The Twelve Days of Christmas was actually written by Jesuit priests in England during the sixteenth century. It was a time of persecution and the song was used to secretly teach basic facts regarding the Catholic faith. If someone studied all the items represented in the song they knew the basics of the catholic faith.

Each number had a secret meaning:

Twelve represented the twelve teachings mentioned in the Apostles Creed;

Eleven represented the faithful Apostles;

Ten represented the commandments;

Nine represented the choirs of angels;

Eight represented the Beatitudes;

Seven represented the seven sacraments;

Six represented the six days of creation;

Five represented the first books of the Old Testament;

Four represented the four gospels;

Three represented the Trinity;

Two represented the two natures of Christ…human and divine;

and One represented Jesus himself, our Lord and our God.

The Pear Tree represented the cross we must carry when we follow Christ.

The Apostles’ Creed is a summary of the faith taught by the Apostles. When we pray the Apostles Creed we are professing our faith in the church begun by the Apostles.

The Apostles’ Creed

  1. We believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
  2. We believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
  3. He suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified, died and was buried.
  4. He descended into hell.
  5. On the third day he rose again.
  6. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
  7. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
  8. We believe in the Holy Spirit,
  9. The holy catholic Church,
  10. The communion of saints,
  11. The resurrection of the body
  12. and life everlasting. Amen

The Catholic Church has feast days throughout the year. Many of its feast days are in honor of the saints. The feast day given to a saint is usually the day he or she died and entered heaven.

Take a small amount of time each day during the twelve days of Christmas to meditate on the actual feast day we are celebrating.

 

Nativity

The Nativity of Our Lord;  December 25

The Word of God,

the Day whose light shines

upon the angels…

put on flesh and was born

of the Virgin Mary.

Quote of St. Augustine (Feast day August 28)

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Feast day of St. Stephen;  December 27

St. Stephen; First Martyr

Look! I see an opening in the sky,

and the Son of Man standing

at God’s right hand…

Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

Lord, do not hold

this sin against them.

Quote of St. Stephen

St. John the Evangelist

St. John the Evangelist;  December 27

Apostle and Evangelist

St. John the Evangelist was one of the twelve Apostles. He wrote the fourth gospel: The Gospel of John. He is also known as the ‘Beloved Disciple’.

In the beginning

was the Word,

and the Word was God.

Gospel of John

 

The Holy Innocents

The Holy Innocents;  December 28

The Holy Innocents are the innocent children murdered by King Herod after the Magi told him about birth of the new King of the Jews, called the Christ child. The little children were murdered in an attempt to find and murder Christ, “The King of the Jews”.

The star of Bethlehem

shines

in the night of sin.

Quote of St. Edith Stein (Feast day August 9)

St. Thomas Becket

St. Thomas Becket;  Feast Day December 29

St. Thomas Becket was the Archbishop of Canterbury.  He was also a martyr.  He was murdered with swords in the year 1170.

I feel as though I am with Mary and Joseph beside the Crib.

It is good to be there. Outside are the cold and the snow,

images of the world, but in the little cave,

lit by the light of Jesus, it is sweet and warm and light.

Quote of Bl. Charles de Foucauld (Feast day December 1)

St. Anysiz

St. Anysia;  Feast Day December 30

St. Anysia was a martyr in Greece. She lived from 284-309. She was killed with a sword after being accosted by a soldier. She used her wealth to help the poor.

The prayer of a good innocent,and obedient child is like dew from heaven falling upon his whole family.

Quote of Bl. John XIII

St. Sylvester I

St. Sylvester I;  Feast Day December 31

St. Sylvester I was the Bishop of Rome.  He died in the year 335 after helping to define doctrine at the Council of Nicea which proclaimed the Nicean Creed.

Call of Peter (Luke 5:20)

Do not be afraid;

from now on,

you will be catching people.”

Call of Levi (Luke 4:27)

“Follow me.”

Quote of Jesus Christ

Mary, Mother of God

Mary, Mother of God;  Feast Day January 1

Mary was the Mother of Jesus and wife of St. Joseph.  She was chosen by God the Father to bring Jesus into the world and raise him.

“Why should we be astonished if the God

who could work marvels in the scripture

and through His saints should choose to

reveal Himself even more marvelous

by means of His Mother?”

Quote of St. Bernard (Feast day August 20)

St. Basil the Great

Feast day of St. Basil the Great;  Feast Day January 2

St. Basil was the Bishop of Constantinople.  He was known for his preaching and defending the two natures of Christ…both human and divine.

Troubles are usually the brooms

and shovels that smooth the road

to a good man’s fortune;

and many a man curses the rain that

falls upon his head,

and knows not

that it brings abundance.

Quote of St. Basil the Great

Most Holy Name of Jesus

Most Holy Name of Jesus;  Feast Day January 3

Jesus in the soul’s abyss is sweeter far than earthly bliss.

A flower strong is that name mild. Ne’er disturbed by

tempest wild. far lovelier than a diamond bright.

That name adorns the soul with light.

The name of Jesus sweetly rings like rarest zither’s silver strings.

Ah, Jesus, for your names blest sake, forgive my sins,

exceeding great.

Grant, dear Lord, that your fair name may wound my

heart with holy pain. Jesus, choicest love be ever thine.

Bless me Jesus, God of power, now and in

death’s departing hour.

Quote of Bl. Henry Suso (Feast day March 2)

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton;  Feast Day January 4

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is the first native born American to be canonized. She lived in New York, dying in 1821. She is the Founder and first Superior of the Sister of Charity in the U.S.

“Be attentive to the voice of Grace.”

Quote of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

St. John N. Neumann

St. John N. Neumann;  Feast Day January 5

St. John N. Neumann was born in Bohemia. He emigrated to the U.S. becoming a Redemptorist priest and the fourth Bishop of Philadelphia. He is the first American bishop to be canonized.

A man must always

be ready for death,

for death comes

when and where God wills it.

Quote of St. John N. Neumann

The Epiphany

Feast of the Epiphany;  Feast Day January 6

The Feast of the Epiphany celebrates the Three Kings following the star to visit Jesus. They brought the King of the Jews gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

The simple shepherds

heard the voice of an angel

and found their lamb;

the wise men saw the light of

a star and found their wisdom.

Quote of Bishop Fulton J. Sheen

 

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