Treasures of Our Faith with Deacon Richard Vehige

  Today, February 11, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes we are first invited to reflect on a passage from the book of Revelation (11:19---12:17a), entitled "The great sign of the woman in the heavens". Our treasure, which follows, is from a letter by Saint Marie Bernadette Soubirous, virgin. The Book of Revelation, also called the Apocalypse of John, is the final book of...

Today, February 10 th, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of Scholastica, Virgin, we are invited to first reflect on a passage from the first letter of apostle Paul to the Corinthians (7: 25-40), entitled "Christian Chastity".   Our treasure, which follows, is from the books of Dialogues by Saint Gregory the Great, pope. The primary message of St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians is a cal...

On Monday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the beginning of the first letter of the apostle Paul to the Galatians (1:13—2:10) entitled "The calling and apostleship of Paul". Our treasure, which follows, is from a short discourse by Saint Bonaventure, bishop. Saint Bonaventure was born about the year 1218 at Bagnorea in Tuscany. He...

On Sunday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the beginning of the first letter of the apostle Paul to the Galatians (1:1-12) entitled "Paul's preaching of the Gospel". Our treasure, which follows, is from an explanation of Paul's letter to the Galatians by Saint Augustine, bishop. Saint Augustine was born at Tagaste in Africa in 354...

On Saturday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to read and reflect on a passage from the second letter to the Thessalonians (3:1-18) entitled "Exhortations and counsels". Our treasure, which follows, is from the pastoral constitution on the Church in the modern world of the Second Vatican Council. Gaudium et spes  ("Joys and Hopes"), the Pastoral Constitution on the Church i...

Today, February 6 th, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of Paul Miki 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 av account of the martyrdom of Saint Paul Miki and his companions, by a contemporary writer. Nagasaki, Japan, is familiar...

Today, February 5, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of Agatha, Virgin and Martyr, we are invited to first 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 homily on Saint Agatha by Saint Methodius of Sicily, bishop. St. Agatha is cited in the martyrology of  St. Jerome ....

On Wednesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the letter to the Thessalonians (5:1-28) entitled "The life of the children of light". Our treasure, which follows, is from a treatise On Spiritual Perfection by Diadochus of Photice, bishop. Saint Diadochus w as a theologian, mystic, and bishop of Photice, Epirus, who was a staunch d...

Today, February 3 rd , as our church celebrates the optional Memorial of Blaise, bishop and martyr, we are invited to first 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. We know more about the devotion to Sain...

Today, February 2 nd, as our church celebrates the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, our Church invites us to first read reflect on a passage from the book of Exodus (13: 1-3a, 11-16), entitled "The consecration of the first-born". Our treasure, which follows, is from a sermon by Saint Sophronius, bishop. Born in Damascus, Syria, around the year 560, Saint Sophronius came from an esteemed fam...

On Sunday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to read and reflect on a passage from the beginning of the first letter of the apostle Paul to the Thessalonians (1:1—2:12) entitled "Paul's solicitude for the church at Thessaloncia". Our treasure, which follows, is from a letter to the Church of Smyrna by Saint Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyr. Saint Ignatius was a success...

Today, January 31, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of Saint John Bosco, priest, we are first invited to reflect on a passage from the 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 a letter by Saint John Bosco, priest. Saint John Bosco's theory of education could well be used in today's schools. I...

On Friday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the beginning of the book of Deuteronomy (31: 1-15, 23) entitled "The last words of Moses". Our treasure, which follows, is from a commentary on the psalms by John Fisher, bishop and martyr. Saint John Fisher was an English Catholic bishop, Cardinal, and theologian. St. John Fisher was al...

On Thursday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to read and reflect on a passage from the beginning of the book of Deuteronomy (30: 1-20) entitled "The promise of forgiveness after the exile". Our treasure, which follows, is from a sermon by John the Serene, bishop. Saint John IV called the Peacemaker, or the Serene is known in Italian as Giovanni Scriba. He was the Bishop of...

On Wednesday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to read and reflect on a passage from the beginning of the book of Deuteronomy (29:1-5, 9-28) entitled "A curse is called down upon the transgressors of the covenant". Our treasure, which follows, is from a sermon on the Song of Songs by Saint Bernard, abbot. Saint Bernard was born in 1090 near Dijon in France. After a religious...

Today, January 28 th, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of Thomas Aquinas, Priest 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 sermon on the Song of Songs by Saint Thomas Aquinas. Saint Thomas was born about the year 1225 into the fami...

Today, January 27 th, as our Church celebrates the optional Memorial of Saint Angela Merici, Virgin, we are first invited to read and reflect on a passage from the letter of the apostle Paul to the Corinthians (4: 1-24), entitled "Christian Chastity". Our treasure, which follows, is from the Spiritual Testament by Saint Angela Merici, virgin. Saint Angela Merici has the double distinction of found...

Today, January 26, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of Timothy and Titus, Bishops and Doctors, we are invited to first read and reflect on a passage from the first 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 is from a homily by Saint John Chrysostom, bishop. Timothy and Titus were key companio...

On Sunday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to read and reflect on a passage from the beginning of the book of Deuteronomy (18:1-22) entitled "Levitical priests. True and False prophets". Our treasure, which follows, is from the constitution on the sacred Liturgy of the Second Vatican Council. The "Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy" establishes the principle of greater part...

Today, January 24th , as our Church celebrates the Memorial of Francis de Sales, Bishop 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 The Introduction to the Devout Life by Saint Francis de Sales, bishop. Saint Francis was destined by his fat...

Today, January 23, as our church celebrates the optional Memorial of Vincent, Deacon and Martyr we are invited to read reflect on a scripture 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 suffering". Our treasure, which follows, is from a sermon by Saint Augustine, bishop. Saint Vincent was born in today's Spain...

On Thursday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to read and reflect on a passage from the book of Deuteronomy (9:7-21,25-29) entitled "he sins of the people and the mediation of Moses". Our treasure, which follows, is from a letter by Fulgentius of Ruspe, bishop. Saint Fulgentius was a follower of Saint Augustine's ideal of life and a student of Saint Augustine's theological...

Today, January 21, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of Agnes, 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 treatise On Virgins by Saint Ambrose, bishop. St. Agnes of Rome was born in 291 AD and raised in a Christian family. Agnes...

  Today, January 20, as our church celebrates the optional Memorial of Fabian, Pope and Martyr, we are encouraged to 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 a letter about the death of Saint Fabian, pope, by Saint Cyprian and the Rom...

On Monday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to read and reflect on a passage from the book of Deuteronomy (4:1-8, 32-40) entitled "The words of Moses to the people". Our treasure, which follows, is from a letter to the Ephesians by Saint Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyr. Saint Ignatius was a successor of Saint Peter as the bishop of Antioch. Condemned to death by bein...