Episode Transcript
[00:00:04] Speaker A: Welcome to Sundays with Bishop Ken, a weekly podcast brought to you by the publishers of little books of the Diocese of Saginaw.
This Lent, we use our Sundays to learn more about the parts of the Mass and their significance to our faith, life and journey.
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We are pleased to spend this quiet time with you today.
Good day. It's March 10, and we begin today learning about seven courageous women of our faith.
Early followers of Jesus lived in the Roman Empire, and from 100 to 313 AD, it was illegal to be a Christian. In fact, many early christians were jailed.
[00:01:32] Speaker B: Or exiled, and some, refusing to pay.
[00:01:35] Speaker A: Homage to Caesar, witnessed to their faith as they were tortured and killed in the public stadiums for all to see.
The names of some of these saints, and specifically seven women, can be mentioned as part of the first eucharistic prayer of the Mass. The roman canon.
In addition to Mary, Joseph, and the twelve apostles, the names of twelve other martyrs of the early church can be included before the consecration.
After the consecration, the priest then recites another list of 15 saints, including seven women.
Their names are Felicity, perpetua, Agatha, Lucy, Agnes, Cecilia, and Anastasia.
All seven were young and courageous and.
[00:02:33] Speaker B: Died horrible deaths for the faith.
[00:02:36] Speaker A: An ancient tradition celebrated each year on the feast of St. Agnes is the blessing of the lambs.
The pope blesses two lambs whose wool is used to make palliums stoles for newly appointed archbishops.
This weekend is the annual catholic relief services collection.
We turn now to our continuing tradition of praying the Mass on Sundays.
Today's focus for this fourth Sunday of Lent is the eucharistic prayer.
During a eucharistic prayer, the barriers of time are washed away.
The action of Christ on the cross.
[00:03:22] Speaker B: As he gives himself entirely to the.
[00:03:25] Speaker A: Father, is made present to us so that we can join with him in this same action.
If asked the question at mass, who offers what? Some might respond that the priest offers Christ.
Actually, the proper response is through the ministry of the bishop or priest presider the whole Christ.
Christ, and all of us join to him, offers the whole Christ, Christ, and all of us join to him.
The general instruction of the roman missile says the church's intention, indeed, is that the faithful not only offer this unblemished, sacrificial victim, but also learn to offer their very selves.
[00:04:25] Speaker B: That's what we do at every mass.
[00:04:28] Speaker A: We make an act of faith that.
[00:04:30] Speaker B: God is life and that the surest.
[00:04:33] Speaker A: Thing we can ever do is join.
[00:04:36] Speaker B: Ourselves with Jesus on the cross and together with him place ourselves in God's hands.
[00:04:46] Speaker A: And when we approach death, we should.
[00:04:49] Speaker B: Be able to say, I've done this offering over and over, and I do.
[00:04:55] Speaker A: It now with the same faith that.
[00:04:57] Speaker B: I expressed a thousand times at the altar.
[00:05:02] Speaker A: Into your hands. I commend my spirit.
[00:05:10] Speaker B: Spend some quiet time entrusting yourself into God's hands.
[00:05:20] Speaker A: A rehearsal of the offering you want to make in your death.
Thank you for sharing some quiet time with the Lord today.
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May your day be blessed.