Treasures of Our Faith with Deacon Richard Vehige

On the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to read and reflect on a passage from the beginning of the book of Deuteronomy (1:1, 6-18) entitled "The last words of Moses in Moab". 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...

Today, January 17, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of Saint Anthony, abbot, we are first invited to read and reflect on a passage from the first 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 the Life of Saint Anthony by Saint Athanasius, bishop. St. Anthony was born in Egypt around the year 250.After...

On Friday of the First Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us first to read and reflect on a passage from the book of Sirach (43:13-35), entitled. "All creation gives praise to God". Our treasure, which follows, is from a Discourse Against Pagans by Saint Athanasius, bishop.   Saint Athanasius was born at Alexandria in 295. He accompanied Alexander to the Council of Nicaea and succeeded him a...

On Thursday of the First Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us first to read and reflect on a passage from the book of Sirach (42:15---43:12), entitled "All creation gives praise to God". Our treasure, which follows, is from a Discourse Against Pagans by Saint Athanasius, bishop.   Saint Athanasius was born at Alexandria in 295. He accompanied Alexander to the Council of Nicaea and succeeded...

On Wednesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us first to read and reflect on a passage from the book of Sirach (24:1-22), entitled." Wisdom in creation and in the history of Israel". Our treasure, which follows, is from a treatise Against Heresies by Saint Irenaeus, bishop.   Saint Irenaeus was a late second century Greek bishop noted for his role in guiding and expanding Chr...

On Tuesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us first to read and reflect on a passage from the book of Sirach (11:12-28), entitled "Put your trust in God alone."   Our treasure, which follows, is from the Detailed Rules for Monks by Saint Basil the Great, bishop.   Saint Basil the Great was a fourth century Church Father and a Doctor of the Church. Because of the majesty and k...

On Monday of the First Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us first to read and reflect on a passage from the book of Sirach (1: 1-18), entitled "The mystery of divine wisdom"   Our treasure, which follows, is from a letter to the Corinthians by Saint Clement 1, pope.   Saint Clement of Rome is primarily known for being the fourth Pope and one of the Apostolic Fathers, a group of early Church...

Today, Sunday, as our Church celebrates the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, we are invited to first read and reflect on a passage from the book of the prophet Isaiah (42:1-9; 49:1-9) entitled "The gentle servant of the Lord is a light to the nations". Our treasure, which follows, is from a sermon by Saint Gregory of Nazianzus, bishop. Saint Gregory of Nazianzus, was an early Roman Christian theo...

On Saturday in the week after Epiphany to the Baptism of the Lord, our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the book of the prophet Isaiah (66:10-14, 18-23) entitled "Salvation for all people". Our treasure, which follows, is from a sermon by Faustus of Riez, bishop. Saint Faustus was born in Britian between 400 and 410. In his youth he was devoted to the study of elocutio...

On Friday in the week after Epiphany to the Baptism of the Lord, our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the book of the prophet Isaiah (63:13-25) entitled "A new heaven and a new earth". Our treasure, which follows, is from a sermon by Saint Maximus of Turin, bishop. Saint Maximus was a fifth century bishop of Turin, a city in northwest Italy famous for the shroud of Tur...

On Thursday in the week after Epiphany to the Baptism of the Lord, our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the book of the prophet Isaiah (63:19b---64:11) entitled "God's people plead for his coming". Our treasure, which follows, is from a commentary on John by Saint Cyril of Alexander, bishop. Saint Cyril was born in 370 and lived a monastic life. He was ordained a pries...

On Wednesday in the week after Epiphany to the Baptism of the Lord, our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the book of the prophet Isaiah (63: 7-19) entitled "The mercy of the Lord is remembered by prophet forsaken". Our treasure, which follows, is from a sermon by Saint Peter Proclus of Constantinople, bishop. Saint Proclus, was a fifth century Archbishop of Constantino...

On Tuesday in the week after Epiphany to the Baptism of the Lord, our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the book of the prophet Isaiah (62: 1-12) entitled "The approach of redemption". Our treasure, which follows, is from a sermon on the Epiphany attributed Hippolytus, priest. Saint Hippolytus is one of the most important second–third centuries Christian theologians, wh...

Today, January 5, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of John Newman, Bishop and Doctor, we are invited to read and reflect on a passage from the book of Isaiah (61: 1-11), entitled "The spirit of the Lord is upon his servant". Our treasure, which follows, is from a letter to Cardinal Barnabo by Saint John Newman, bishop. Saint John Henry Newman was born on February 21, 1801, in London. He was a...

Today, Sunday, as our Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, we are invited to first read and reflect on a passage from the book of the prophet Isaiah (60: 1-22) entitled "The revelation of God's glory over Jerusalem". Our treasure, which follows, is from a sermon by Saint Leo the Great, pope. The Epiphany of the Lord is a Christian feast day that celebrates the manifestation...

Today, January 3, as our Church celebrates The Most holy Name of Jesus we are invited to reflect on a passage from the letter of the apostle Paul to the Colossians (3: 5-16), entitled "The new life of man". Our treasure, which follows, is from the sermons of St. Bernardine of Sienna, priest. Reverence for the Holy Name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, arose in the apostolic times.  St. Paul in his Lette...

Today, January 2, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of Bazil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops and Doctors, we are invited to first read and reflect on a passage from the book of Wisdom (7: 7-16, 22-30), entitled "The joy of the just united to God". Our treasure is from a sermon by Saint Gregory Nazianzen, bishop. Basil was born of a Christian family at Caesarea in Cappadocia in 330. Co...

Today, January 1, during the Octave of Christmas , when our Church celebrates the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God, we are invited to first read and reflect on a passage from the first letter of the apostle Paul to the Hebrews (2: 9-17) entitled "Christ is like his brothers in every way". Our treasure, which follows, is from a letter by Saint Athanasius, bishop. Mary's divine motherhood b...

Today, December 31, as our Church celebrates the Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas, we are invited to first read and reflect on a passage from the beginning of the letter of the apostle Paul to the Colossians (2: 4-15) entitled "Our faith in Christ". Our treasure, which follows, is from a sermon by Saint Leo the Great, pope. Saint Leo became pope in the year 440. Saint Leo was a Roman aristoc...

Today, December 30, as our Church celebrates the Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas, we are invited to first read and reflect on a passage from the letter of the apostle Paul to the Colossians (1: 15—2:3) entitled "Christ, the head of the Church; Paul the servant of the Church". Our treasure, which follows, is from a treatise On the Refutation of All Heresies by Saint Hippolytus, priest. Saint H...

Today, December 29, as our Church celebrates the Commemoration of Thomas Becket, 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 a letter by Saint Thomas Becket, bishop. Saint Thomas Becket was b...

Today, on the Sunday during the Octave of Christmas (the eight days beginning with Christmas Day and ending on New Year's Day, January 1), when our Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Family, we are invited to first read and reflect on a passage from the first letter of the apostle Paul to the Ephesians (5: 21---6: 4) entitled " Christian life in the family and in society". Our treasure, which...

Today, December 27, as our church celebrates the Feast of John, Apostle and Evangelist, our Church invites us to read and reflect on a passage from the first letter of the apostle John (1: 1-2:3), entitled "Word of life and light of God". Our treasure, which follows, is from a tractates on the first letter of John by Saint Augustine, bishop. St. John the Apostle was  one of the Twelve Apostles of...

Today, December 26, as our church celebrates the Feast of Stephen First Martyr, during the Octave of Christmas, we are encouraged to read and reflect on a passage from the Acts of the Apostles (6: 8---7, 2a, 44-59), entitled "The martyrdom of Stephen". Our treasure, which follows, is from a sermon by Saint Fulgentius of Ruspe, bishop. Stephen is traditionally venerated as the protomartyr or first...

Today, Christmas Day, as our Church celebrates The Nativity of the Lord we are invited to first read and reflect on a passage from the book of the prophet Isaiah (11: 1-10) entitled "The root of Jesse". Our treasure, which follows, is from a sermon by Saint Leo the Great, pope. The announcement of the Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord from the  Roman Martyrology  draws upon Sacred Scripture to...