Treasures of Our Faith with Deacon Richard Vehige

On Friday of the Thirty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the second letter of the apostle Peter (3: 1-18) entitled   "A reflection on the coming of the Lord". Our treasure, which follows, is from a sermon on man's immortality by Saint Cyprian, bishop. Saint Cyprian is important in the development of Christian thought and practice in the...

On Thursday of the Thirty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the second letter of the apostle Peter (2: 9-22) entitled   "The condemnation of the wicked". Our treasure, which follows, is from a homily on Matthew by Saint John Chrysostom, bishop. Saint John Chrysostom was an important, fourth century, Early Church Father who served as Arch...

On Wednesday of the Thirty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the second letter of the apostle Peter (2: 1-9) entitled   "False teachers". Our treasure, which follows, is from a homily attributed to Saint Macarius, bishop. Saint Macarius was born in  Lower Egypt . A late tradition places his birthplace in the village of Shabsheer around 3...

Today, November 25, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of Catherine of Alexandria , Virgin and Martyr, we are invited to read and reflect on a passage from the first letter of the apostle Paul to the Corinthians (7: 25-40), entitled "Christian chastity". Our treasure, which follows, is from sermon by Saint Caesarius of Arles. St. Catherine of Alexandria was early 4th century virgin and martyr i...

Today, November24, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of Andrew Dung-Lac, priest, and Companions, Martyrs, our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the first letter of Peter (2:1-17), entitled "We are built as living stones". Our treasure, which follows is from a letter by Saint Paul Le-Bao-Tinh. St. Andrew Dung-Lac worked in missions in Vietnam with priests from the Fo...

On the Thirty-fourth or last Sunday in Ordinary Time   as our Church celebrates the Solemnity of Christ the King we are invited to first read and reflect on a passage from the book of Revelation (1: 4b-6, 10, 12-18; 2--: 26, 28: 3: 5b, 12, 20-21) entitled   "A vision of the Son of Man in his majesty". Our treasure, which follows, is from a notebook On Prayer by Origen, priest. Origen of Alexandria...

Today, November 22, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr, we are invited to read and reflect on a passage from the first letter of the apostle Paul to the Corinthians (7: 25-40), entitled "Christian chastity". Our treasure, which follows, is from a discourse on the psalms by Saint Agustine, bishop. In the early third century there was in the city of Rome a virgin nam...

On Thursday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the book of the prophet Zechariah (11:4---12:8) entitled "The parable of the shepherds". Our treasure, which follows, is from a commentary on the Song of Songs by Saint Gregory of Nyssa, bishop. Saint Gregory of Nyssa was a fourth century archbishop of Constantinople and a theolo...

On Wednesday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the book of the prophet Zechariah (10: 3—11: 3) entitled   "Israel's deliverance and restoration". Our treasure, which follows, is from a sermon by Saint Augustine, bishop. Saint Augustine was born at Tagaste in Africa in 354. He was unsettled and restlessly searched for the tru...

Today, November 18, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of Rose Philippine Duchesne, religious, we are invited to read and reflect on a passage from the letter of the apostle Paul, to the Corinthians (12:31---13:13) entitled "The primacy of charity". Our treasure, which follows, is from a homily on the Letter to the Romans by Saint John Chrysostom, bishop. Born in Grenoble, France, of a family t...

Today, November 18, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of Elizabeth of Hungary, we are first invited to read and reflect on a passage from the letter of the apostle Paul to the Corinthians (12:31---13:13), entitled "The primacy of charity". Our treasure, which follows, is from a letter by Conrad of Marburg, spiritual director of Saint Elizabeth. Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, also known as Elisabe...

On the Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the book of the prophet Joel (2: 21—3: 5) entitled   "Concerning the last days". Our treasure, which follows, is from a discourse on the Psalms by Saint Augustine, bishop. Saint Augustine was born at Tagaste in Africa in 354. He was unsettled and restlessly searched for the truth until he...

Today, November 15, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of Albert the Great, Bishop and Doctor, we are invited to first read and reflect on a passage from the book of Sirach (39: 4-10), entitled "The wisdom of a man who is learned in the Scriptures". Our treasure, which follows, is from a commentary on the gospel of Luke by Saint Gregory the Great, bishop. Saint Albert the Great was a 13th-centu...

On Friday of the Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the book of the prophet Daniel (10:1-21) entitled   "The vision of a man and the apparition of the angel". Our treasure, which follows, is from a homily written in the second century. The book of the prophet Daniel takes its name not from the author, who is actually unknown, but f...

On Thursday of the Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the book of the prophet Daniel (9: 1-4a, 18-27) entitled   "Daniel's prayer and vision". Our treasure, which follows, is from a homily written in the second century. The book of the prophet Daniel takes its name not from the author, who is actually unknown, but from its hero, wh...

Today, November 12, as our church celebrates the Memorial of Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr, we are encouraged to first read and reflect on a passage from the second letter of the apostle Paul to the Corinthians (4:7—5:8), entitled "The power of Christ is made manifest in our sufferings". Our treasure, which follows, is from the Encyclical Letter Ecclesiam by Pope Pius XI. Saint Josaphat Kuntsevych w...

Today, November 11, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of Martin of Tours, bishop, we are invited to read and reflect on a passage from the letter of the apostle Paul to Titus (1:7-11; 2:1-8), entitled "The teaching of the Apostle on the qualities and duties of bishops". Our treasure, which follows, is from a letter by Sulpicius Severus. Saint Martin of Tours was born of pagan parents in what i...

Today, November 10, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor, we are invited to first read and reflect on a passage from the book of Sirach (39: 1-10), entitled "The wisdom of a man who is learned in the Scriptures". Our treasure, which follows, is from sermon by Saint Leo the Great, pope. Saint Leo became pope in the year 440. Saint Leo was a Roman aristocrat, and w...

Today, November 9, as our Church celebrates the Feast of the Dedication of Saint John Lateran, we are invited to first read and reflect on a passage from the second letter of the apostle Peter (2:1-17), entitled "We are built of living stones". Our treasure, which follows, is from a sermon by Saint Caesarius of Arles. The anniversary of the dedication of the Lateran Basilica, which was erected by...

On Saturday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the beginning of the book of Maccabees (9:1-22) entitled "The death of Judas in battle". Our treasure, which follows, is from a treatise on death as a by Saint Ambrose, bishop. Saint Ambrose was born of a Roman family at Trier about the year 340. He studied at Rome and served in...

On Friday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the beginning of the book of Maccabees (12:32-46) entitled "The sacrifice for the dead". Our treasure, which follows, is from a sermon by Saint Gregory Nazianzen, bishop. Gregory of Nazianzus, was an early Roman Christian theologian and prelate who served as Archbishop of Constanti...

On Thursday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the beginning of the book of Maccabees (4:36-59) entitled   "The purification and dedication of the temple". Our treasure, which follows, is from a catechetical instruction by Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, bishop. Cyril of Jerusalem was a theologian of the Early Church. About the end...

On Wednesday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the beginning of the book of Maccabees (3:1-26) entitled   "The deeds of Judas Maccabees". Our treasure, which follows, is from a catechetical instruction by Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, bishop. Cyril of Jerusalem was a theologian of the Early Church. About the end of AD 350, he su...

Today, November 4, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of Charles Borromeo, bishop, we are invited to first read and reflect on a passage from the letter of the apostle Paul to Titus (1:7-11; 2:1-8), entitled "The teaching of the Apostle on the qualities and duties of bishops". Our treasure, which follows, is from a sermon given during the last synod he attended, by Saint Charles, bishop. St. Ch...

Today, November 3, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of Martin de Porres, religious, we are invited tofirst read and reflect on a passage from the letter of the apostle Paul, to the Philippians (3:7—4:1, 4-9), entitled "Rejoice in the Lord always". Our treasure, which follows, is from a homily at the Canonization of Saint Martin de Porres by Pope John XXIII. Saint Martin de Porres was born in...