Christ is the chief shepherd, the leader of his flock: come, let us adore him.
Year: A(I). Psalm week: 4. Liturgical Colour: White.
St Pio of Pietrelcina (1887-1968)
He was born in the small village of Pietrelcina in southern Italy, and joined the Capuchin friars at the age of 16. He became a priest seven years later, and spent fifty years at the monastery of San Giovanni Rotondo, where he was very much sought after as a spiritual advisor, confessor, and intercessor. Many miracles were popularly ascribed to him during his lifetime. He died a few days after the fiftieth anniversary of his receiving the stigmata, and over 100,000 people attended his funeral.
Other saints: Saint Adomnan of Iona (627/8 - 704)
(His name is written as Adamnan or Adomnan and anglicised as Eunan). He was educated by the Columban monks of his native place, subsequently becoming a novice at Iona in 650. In 679 he succeeded to the abbacy of Iona, which position he held up to his death. He was also president-general of all the Columban houses in Ireland. During his rule he paid three lengthy visits to Ireland, one of which is memorable for his success in introducing the Roman dating and celebration of Easter. On his third visit (697) he assisted at the Synod of Tara, when the Cain Adamnain, or Canon of Adamnan (the “Law of Innocents”) was adopted, which freed women and children from the evils inseparable from war, forbidding them to be killed or made captive in times of strife. He is famous for his Life of St Columba, written some time after 688, which has been praised as the best and most complete biography written in Europe for many centuries.
Liturgical colour: white
White is the colour of heaven. Liturgically, it is used to celebrate feasts of the Lord; Christmas and Easter, the great seasons of the Lord; and the saints. Not that you will always see white in church, because if something more splendid, such as gold, is available, that can and should be used instead. We are, after all, celebrating.
In the earliest centuries all vestments were white – the white of baptismal purity and of the robes worn by the armies of the redeemed in the Apocalypse, washed white in the blood of the Lamb. As the Church grew secure enough to be able to plan her liturgy, she began to use colour so that our sense of sight could deepen our experience of the mysteries of salvation, just as incense recruits our sense of smell and music that of hearing. Over the centuries various schemes of colour for feasts and seasons were worked out, and it is only as late as the 19th century that they were harmonized into their present form.
|Mid-morning reading (Terce)
|Daniel 6:27-28 ©
Our God is the living God, he endures for ever, his sovereignty will never be destroyed and his kingship never end. He saves, sets free, and works signs and wonders in the heavens and on earth.
|Noon reading (Sext)
|Romans 15:5-7 ©
May God, who helps us when we refuse to give up, help you all to be tolerant with each other, following the example of Christ Jesus, so that united in mind and voice you may give glory to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It can only be to God’s glory, then, for you to treat each other in the same friendly way as Christ treated you.
|Afternoon reading (None)
|Philippians 4:8,9 ©
My brothers, fill your minds with everything that is true, everything that is noble, everything that is good and pure, everything that we love and honour, and everything that can be thought virtuous or worthy of praise. Then the God of peace will be with you.
Kristo ndiye mchungaji mkuu, kiongozi wa kundi lake: njoo, tumwabudu. Mwaka: A(I). "Mwaka wa Zaburi 4: ""Mungu" Rangi ya Liturujia: Nyeupe. Pio wa Pietrelcina (1887-1968) alizaliwa katika kijiji kidogo cha Pietrelcina kusini mwa Italia, na alijiunga na watawa wa Capuchin akiwa na umri wa miaka 16. Baada ya miaka saba akawa kasisi na kukaa kwa miaka hamsini katika makao ya watawa ya San Giovanni Rotondo, ambako alitafutwa sana kama mshauri wa kiroho, mwandishi wa dhambi, na mwombezi. Miujiza mingi iliripotiwa kwa ujumla kuwa ilifanywa na yeye wakati wa maisha yake. Alifariki siku chache baada ya miaka 50 tangu kupewa alama za utambuzi, na watu zaidi ya 100,000 walihudhuria mazishi yake. "Mtakatifu Adonam wa Iona (627-870), ambaye jina lake limeandikwa ""Adonam"" au ""Adonam"" na Kiingereza ni ""Eunam.""" Alifundishwa na watawa wa Columbus wa mahali pake pa asili, na baadaye akawa mwanafunzi katika Iona mwaka wa 650. Mwaka 679 aliingia katika makao ya watawa wa Iona, na akaendelea kufanya hivyo hadi alipokufa. Pia alikuwa msimamizi mkuu wa nyumba zote za Columban katika Ireland. Wakati wa utawala wake, alifanya ziara tatu za muda mrefu nchini Ireland, mojawapo ikiwa ya kukumbukwa kwa mafanikio yake katika kuanzisha tarehe ya Kiroma na sherehe ya Pasaka. Katika ziara yake ya tatu (697), alisaidia katika Sinodi ya Tara, wakati Cain Adnanin, au Canon ya Adnan (Sheria ya wasio na hatia), ilipopitishwa, ambayo iliwaweka huru wanawake na watoto kutoka kwa uovu ambao hauwezi kutenganishwa na vita, na kuwalazimisha kuuawa au kufungwa katika nyakati za mapigano. "Kama ilivyoelezwa katika kitabu chake cha ""Life of St. Columba"" cha mwaka 688, kitabu hicho kilikuwa ni kitabu cha kwanza cha kihistoria cha Ulaya." Rangi ya ibada: nyeupe Rangi nyeupe ni rangi ya mbinguni. Katika ibada, hutumiwa kusherehekea sikukuu za Bwana; Krismasi na Pasaka, majira makuu ya Bwana; na watakatifu. Si kwamba utaona rangi nyeupe kila wakati kanisani, kwa sababu ikiwa kitu chenye kupendeza zaidi, kama vile dhahabu, kinapatikana, hicho kinaweza na kinapaswa kutumiwa badala yake. Baada ya yote, sisi ni kusherehekea. Katika karne za mapema mavazi yote yalikuwa meupe - nyeupe ya usafi wa ubatizo na ya mavazi yaliyotumiwa na majeshi ya waliokombolewa katika Ufunuo, yaliyosafishwa nyeupe katika damu ya Mwana-Kondoo. Kanisa lilipokuwa na uhakika wa kutosha kuweza kupanga ibada yake, lilianza kutumia rangi ili hisia zetu za kuona ziweze kuimarisha uzoefu wetu wa siri za wokovu, kama vile uvumba unavyofanya hisia zetu za kunusa na muziki wa kusikia. Kwa karne nyingi, rangi mbalimbali za sikukuu na majira ya mwaka zilitengenezwa, na ni mwishoni mwa karne ya 19 tu kwamba zilipatanishwa katika umbo lao la sasa. "Mwanzo wa kitabu cha Danieli 6:27-28 ""Mungu wetu ni Mungu aliye hai, yeye adumu milele; enzi yake ya enzi haitaangamizwa, na ufalme wake hautakuwa na mwisho." Yeye huokoa, huweka huru, na hufanya ishara na maajabu mbinguni na duniani. "Katika Warumi 15: 5 ""Mungu, ambaye hutusaidia wakati tunakataa kukata tamaa, na atusaidie sote kuwa na uvumilivu kwa kila mmoja, kwa kufuata mfano wa Kristo Yesu, ili kwa akili na sauti ya umoja mumpe utukufu Mungu na Baba wa Bwana wetu Yesu Kristo." Kwa hiyo, ni kwa utukufu wa Mungu tu kwamba mtendeane kwa urafiki kama vile Kristo alivyowatendea ninyi. "Kama ilivyoandikwa katika Wafilipi 4:8, 9 ""Ndugu zangu, jaza akili zenu kwa kila kitu kilicho kweli, na kila kitu kilicho cha heshima, na kila kitu kizuri na safi, na kila kitu kinachopendwa na kuheshimika, na kila kitu kinachoweza kuonwa kuwa kizuri au kinachostahili sifa." Ndipo Mungu wa amani atakuwa pamoja nanyi.