Daily Reflections

Micah 4:2; John 4:25

Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
to the house of the God of Jacob.
– He will teach us His ways,
and we will walk in His paths.

The Messiah, who is called the Christ, is coming.
When He comes,
He will teach us everything.
– He will teach us His ways,
and we will walk in His paths.

Wednesday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Saint Joachim, Confessor, Father of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Traditional)

Saint Stephen of Hungary, King

SAINT JOACHIM, CONFESSOR, FATHER OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

The holy patriarch was the husband of St. Anne, and father of our Lady. The  excellence of a fruit is always a sign of the quality of the tree which bore it. In the case of Saint Joachim, the Immaculate Conception of Mary reflects a splendid glory on the chaste union of her parents. The Gospels, speak of a sister of Our Lady who accompanied her even to the foot of the Cross. According to some authorities she was a daughter of Anna and of Joachim. His feast was first introduced into the Breviary by Julius 11, who fixed the date of March 20. Leo X111 [Joachim Pecci] raised it to a double of the second class. In the reform of the Breviary carried out by Pius X, August 16th was the date fixed and transferred to the day following the Assumption, in order to associate the Blessed Daughter and her holy father in triumph.

The close relationship which existed between the Saviour and St. Joachim confers on the latter a great dignity, raising him above other saints, so that the honour paid to him is reflected upon Christ Himself in a special manner, and upon His Immaculate mother.

SAINT STEPHEN, KING

Stephen,  born at Pannonia around the year 969 was baptised at the age of ten alongside his father. As a young man he united the disparate tribes of the Hungarians. In the year 1000, Pope Sylvester II granted him the authority to establish episcopal sees, and acknowledged him as king. As a king, Stephen worked tirelessly to replace pagan practices with an authentic Christian culture. In his relationship with his subjects he was just, peaceful and pious, exactly observing the laws of the Church and ever seeking the welfare of his people. He founded many dioceses and spent great energy in fostering the work of the Church. He built and endowed churches, and established tithes to support priests. He gave tenderly to the poor from his own resources. After a long illness, Stephen died in 1038 at Szekesfehérvar, and he was canonised in 1083. He is the first king of Hungary and its patron saint.

From admonitions to his son by Saint Stephen
(Cap. 1, 2, 10; PL 151, 1236-1237, 1242-1244)

Son, listen to your father’s instruction

My dearest son, if you desire to honour the royal crown, I advise, I counsel, I urge you above all things to maintain the Catholic and apostolic Faith with such diligence and care that you may be an example for all those placed under you by God and that all the clergy may rightly call you a man of true Christian profession. Failing to do this, you may be sure that you will not be called a Christian or a son of the Church. Indeed, in the royal palace after the Faith itself, the Church holds second place, first propagated as she was by our head, Christ; then transplanted, firmly constituted and spread through the whole world by His members, the apostles and holy fathers. And though she always produced fresh offspring, nevertheless in certain places she is regarded as ancient.

However, dearest son, even now in our kingdom the Church is proclaimed as young and newly planted; and for that reason she needs more prudent and trustworthy guardians lest a benefit which the divine mercy bestowed on us undeservedly should be destroyed and annihilated through your idleness, indolence or neglect.

My beloved son, delight of my heart, hope of your posterity, I pray, I command, that at every time and in everything, strengthened by your devotion to me, you may show favour not only to relations and kin, or to the most eminent, be they leaders or rich men or neighbours or fellow-countrymen, but also to foreigners and to all who come to you. By fulfilling your duty in this way you will reach the highest state of happiness. Be merciful to all who are suffering violence, keeping always in your heart the example of the LORD who said: I desire mercy and not sacrifice. Be patient with everyone, not only with the powerful, but also with the weak.

Finally be strong lest prosperity lift you up too much or adversity cast you down. Be humble in this life, that God may raise you up in the next. Be truly moderate and do not punish or condemn anyone immoderately. Be gentle so that you may never oppose justice. Be honourable so that you may never voluntarily bring disgrace upon anyone. Be chaste so that you may avoid all the foulness of lust like the pangs of death.

All these virtues I have noted above make up the royal crown and without them no one is fit to rule here on earth or attain the heavenly Kingdom.

DAILY MEDITATION 

As soon as the time had come which the law prescribed, Saint Joachim and his holy spouse, carried their newborn child into the temple and offered it with great devotion to God, redeemed it again according to the custom, and returned with it to their home. Three years they kept their daughter with them, after which they brought the tender child, who was, however, gifted with the full use of mind, into the temple of Jerusalem, and, having consecrated her with the usual ceremonies to the service of the Almighty, gave her in charge of the priests for education and instruction. In this manner, Saint Joachim fulfilled his vow and showed how truly he loved God. For, although his love for his daughter, no doubt, surpassed the love of most parents for their children, yet he deprived himself of that which was most dear to him on earth, and consecrated it to the Most High. It cannot be doubted that God recompensed his self-sacrificing love with great graces and favours. After having made the sacrifice to the Almighty, Joachim and Anna lived for many years in great sanctity. 

It is believed that Saint Joachim expired in the eightieth year of his age; but proofs of things are wanting. His death, however, whenever it may have pleased the Almighty to call him, must have been precious in the sight of God, as so holy a  life had preceded it. It is also certain that the glory of Saint Joachim in Heaven, and his intercession with God are proportion to his merit and dignity, and having been chosen to be the father of the Mother of God, and therefore, the grandfather of Jesus Christ. Those who, in need and sorrow, invoke him with confidence, will surely find that he is ever ready to carry the petitions of the faithful to the Throne of the Most High.

Fr. Francis Xavier Weninger [d. 1888] – Austrian priest, Professor, and also author; joined the Jesuits as missionary preacher to the United States.

Tobit 4:8-9; Sirach 35:11, 12

Give alms in proportion to your means;
– if you have many possessions, give generously;
if you have little, give some of what you have.

And when you give, give with a cheerful face;
give to the Most High as He has given to you.
– If you have many possessions, give generously;
if you have little, give some of what you have.

“The refusal to take sides on great moral issues is itself a decision. It is a silent acquiescence to evil. The tragedy of our time is that those who still believe in honesty lack fire and conviction, while those who believe in dishonesty are full of passionate conviction.” – Ven. Archbishop Fulton Sheen