Treasures of Our Faith with Deacon Richard Vehige

On the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to read and   reflect on a passage from the book of the prophet Isaiah (6:1-13) entitled   "The call of the prophet Isaiah". Our treasure, which follows, is from a homily by Saint John Chrysostom, bishop. Saint John Chrysostom was an important, fourth century, Early Church Father who served as Archbishop of Constantinople. He is known...

Today, August 16, as our church celebrates the Memorial of Stephen of Hungary, we are invited to read and reflect on passage taken from a letter of the apostle Paul to the Colossians (3:1–17), entitled "Your life is hidden with Christ in God". Our treasure, which follows, is from the admonitions to his son by Saint Stephen. Saint Stephen was born in Pannonia around the year 969. After his baptism...

Today, August 15, as our church celebrates the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary we are invited to read and reflect on a passage from the letter of the apostle Paul to the Ephesians (1:16–2:10) entitled "In Christ Jesus God has given us a seat in the heavenly places". Our treasure, which follows, is from the apostolic constitution Munificentissimus Deus (The most beautiful God...

Today, August 14, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of Saint Maximillian Kolbe, priest and martyr, we are invited to read and reflect on a passage from the second letter of the apostle Paul of the Corinthians (4:7 – – 5:8) entitled "The power of Christ is made manifest in our suffering". Our treasure, which follows, is from a sermon by Saint Augustine, bishop. Saint Maximilian Kolbe was a Poli...

On Wednesday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a scripture passage from the book of the prophet Micah (4:1-7) entitled "The nations go up to the mountain of the Lord". 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 restlessl...

On Tuesday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a scripture passage from the book of the prophet Micah (3:1-12) entitled "Jerusalem will be destroyed because of its leaders sins". Our treasure, which follows, is from a treatise On the Incarnation of the Lord by Theodoret of Cyr, bishop. Theodoret of Cyr was fifth century influential theologian...

On Monday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a scripture passage from the book of the prophet Hosea (14:2-10) entitled "The call to repentance and the promise of healing". Our treasure, which follows, is from a treatise On the Incarnation of the Lord by Theodoret of Cyr, bishop. Theodoret of Cyr was fifth century influential theologian of the...

On the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a scripture passage from the book of the prophet Hosea (11:1-11) entitled "God is always merciful". Our treasure, which follows, is a dialogue On Divine Providence by Saint Catherine of Sienna, virgin. Saint Catherine was born at Siena in 1347. While still a young girl, she sought the way of perfection and...

On Saturday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a scripture passage from the beginning of the book of the prophet Hosea (6:1---7:2) entitled "The emptiness of an insincere conversion". Our treasure, which follows, is from a treatise by Saint Irenaeus bishop. Saint Irenaeus was a late second century Greek bishop noted for his role in guiding an...

Today, August 8, as our church celebrates the Memorial of Dominic, Priest, our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the first letter of Peter (5:1-11) entitled "The duties of pastors and the laity". Our treasure, which follows,   is from various writings on the history of the Order of Preachers. Saint Dominic , also known as  Dominic de Guzmán , was a Spanish Catholic prie...

On Thursday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a scripture passage from the beginning of the book of the prophet Hosea (1:1-9; 3:1-5) entitled "The prophet, a sign of God's love for his people". Our treasure, which follows, is from a treatise by Baldwin, bishop Canterbury. Baldwin of Forde was  Archbishop of Canterbury  between 1185 and 1190....

Today, August 6, as our Church celebrates the Feast of the Transfiguration, we are invited to first read and reflect on a passage from the second letter of the apostle Paul to the Corinthians (3:7 – 4:6), entitled "Christ is the splendor of the new covenant". Our treasure, which follows, is from a sermon on the transfiguration of the Lord by Anastasius of Sinai, bishop. The Feast of the Transfigur...

Today, August 5, as our Church celebrates the Dedication of Saint Mary Major, we are invited to first read and reflect on a passage from the letter of the apostle Paul to the Galatians (3:22---4:7) entitled "Through faith we are the sons and heirs of God. Our treasure, which follows, is from a homily delivered at the council of Ephesus by Saint Cyril of Alexandria, bishop. The Council of Ephesus,...

Today, August 4, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of John Vianney, Priest, we are invited to read and reflect on a passage from the first letter of the apostle Peter (5:1-11) entitled "The duties of pastors and laity". Our treasure which follows, is from the catechetical instructions by Saint John Mary Vianney, priest. Saint John Vianney, also known as the Curé of Ars, was a French Catholic p...

On the Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a scripture passage from the beginning of the book of the prophet Amos (1:1-2; 3) entitled "The Lord's judgement on the nations". Our treasure, which follows, is from the beginning of   a letter attributed to Barnabas. Born in Cyprus, Barnabas is numbered among the first of the faithful at Jerusalem. He pr...

On Saturday of the Seventeenth Week of Ordinary Time our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a scripture passage from the second letter of the apostle Paul to the Corinthians (12: 14*13: 13) entitled "Paul's forthcoming visit to the   Corinthians". Our treasure, which follows, is from Saint Ignatius of Antioch's letter to Polycarp. Saint Ignatius was a successor of Saint Peter as the bi...

Today, July 31, as we celebrate the Memorial of Ignatius of Loyola, Priest, our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a scripture passage from the second letter of the apostle Paul to the Corinthians (11:7-29) entitled "Against false apostles". Our treasure, which follows, is from the life of Saint Ignatius by Luis Gonzales. Saint Ignatius was born in Azpeitia, Spain in 1491. The founder...

Today, July 30, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of Peter Chrysologus, Bishop and Doctor, we are invited to 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 a sermon by Saint Peter Chrysologus, bishop. Saint Peter Chrysologus, also known as the "Doctor of Homilies," was a 5th-century Itali...

T oday, July 29, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, our Church first invites us to read and reflect on a passage from the Apostle Paul's second letter to the Corinthians (9:1-15) entitled "The collection's spiritual fruits". Our treasure, which follows, is from a sermon by Saint Augustine, bishop. Martha, Mary, and their brother Lazarus were evidently close friends...

On Monday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a scripture passage from the second letter of the apostle Paul to the Corinthians (8:1-24) entitled "Paul requests a collection for the relief of Jerusalem". Our treasure, which follows, is from a sermon by Saint Caesarius of Arles, bishop. Archbishop and church man, the first in western  Europe  ...

On the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a scripture passage from the second letter of the apostle Paul to the Corinthians (7:2-16) entitled "Paul is encouraged by the repentance of the Corinthians". Our treasure, which follows, is from a homily on the second letter to the Corinthians by Saint John Chrysostom, bishop. Saint John Chrysostom was a...

Today, July 26, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of Joachim and Anne, Parents of Mary, our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the letter of the apostle Paul to the Ephesians (5:21-32) entitled " The sanctity of Christian marriage". Our treasure, which follows, is from a sermon by Saint John Damascene, bishop Mary's parents were named Anne and Joachim. They are recog...

Today, July 25, as our Church celebrates the Feast of James, Apostle, we are encouraged to first read and reflect on a passage from the first letter of the apostle Paul to the Corinthians (4:1-16) entitled " Let us imitate the Apostle just as he imitates Christ.   Our treasure, which follows, is from a homily on Matthew by Saint John Chrysostom, bishop. Saint James, son of Zebedee and brother of S...

On Thursday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to reflect on a scripture passage from the beginning of the second letter of the apostle Paul to the Corinthians (4:5-18) entitled "The weakness of Paul and his strength". Our treasure, which follows, is from the Explanations of the Psalms by Saint Ambrose, bishop. Saint Ambrose was born of a Roman family at Trier about the y...