Announcement to Mary Readings

Ephesians 2:11-16
One in Christ
Brothers and Sisters:
Remember that at one time you Gentiles by birth, called “the uncircumcision” by those who are called “the circumcision” — a physical circumcision made in the flesh by human hands — remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. Praise be to God always!

Luke 19:1-10
He came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town. Now a man there named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man, was seeking to see who Jesus was; but he could not see him because of the crowd, for he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus, who was about to pass that way. When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.” And he came down quickly and received him with joy. When they all saw this, they began to grumble, saying, “He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner.” But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.”

Prayer of the Faithful, vol. 1
HOOSOYO
PROEMION
Praise, glory and honor to the One who is eternally
merciful and ever pours out his goodness.
Of his own free will he became incarnate for sinners;
he said: “I have not come to call the just, but the sinners
and evildoers.”
We beg that his kindness may deliver us
and his goodness heal our wounds.
Then we shall praise, glorify and adore him, the Father
and the Holy Spirit, this evening,
and all the days of our lives,
now and for ever.
Amen.

Saint of the Day:
Saint Andrew Stratelates, also known as Andrew the Tribune or Saint Andrew the Commander is a 3rd-century Roman soldier who is commemorated with his 2,593 soldiers as martyrs by the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Little is known about his early life except that he was a Syrian by birth and a military commander in the Roman army during the reign of emperor Maximian (284-305). When a large Persian army invaded the Syrian territories, the governor Antiochus entrusted St. Andrew with the command of the Roman army, giving him the title of “Stratelates” (“Commander”). Invoking Christ to aid him and a small detachment of pagan soldiers in battle, St Andrew proceeded against the adversary and routed the numerous host of Persians. Although he gloriously returned to Antioch, having gained a total victory, certain men denounced him to the governor Antiochus, saying that he was a Christian who had converted the soldiers under his command to his faith.
St. Andrew was summoned to trial and then tortured. Some of his soldiers were crucified while others were locked in prison. Antiochus sent the report of charges to the emperor to decide whether to impose the death sentence upon the imprisoned commander. The emperor, who knew how the army loved St. Andrew, feared a rebellion, thus freeing them, while secretly ordering their execution on different pretexts. St. Andrew went with his faithful soldiers to Tarsus to be baptized by the local bishop Peter and Bishop Nonos of Beroea, but later fled towards Mt. Taurus after local persecutions in the Cilician city. In a deep gorge inside the mountains, the Roman army ambushed them, slaughtering St. Andrew and all of the 2,593 soldiers that were with him on that day.

Meditation:
You are the vessel and tabernacle containing all mysteries. You know what the Patriarchs never knew; you have experienced what was never revealed to the Angels; you have heard what the Prophets never heard. In a word, all that was hidden from preceding generations was made known to you; even more, most of these wonders depended on you. (270 A.D.) St. Gregory Thaumaturgus

“Eve was called the mother of the living …after the fall this title was given to her. True it is…the whole race of man upon earth was born from Eve; but in reality it is from Mary the Life was truly born to the world. So that by giving birth to the Living One, Mary became the mother of all living” – St. Epiphanius, “Against Eighty Heresies

The Greek term Theo-tokos means “God-bearer” or Mother of God. It is still the most popular title given to Our Lady in the Eastern Christian Churches. It was affirmed in early Church Councils precisely because it confirmed the Christian claim about who Jesus Christ is and protected the meaning and implications of His Incarnation. The Catechism of the Catholic Church puts it simply,” What the Catholic faith believes about Mary is based on what it believes about Christ, and what it teaches about Mary illumines in turn its faith in Christ” (CCC#487).