“When Herod realized that the wise men had deceived him, he flew into a rage and issued an order to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and the surrounding area who were two years old or less, in accordance with the information that he had obtained from the wise men.” (Matthew 2:16)
Tag: Gothic Revival
St Timothy, the student of St Paul (Acts 16:1-4)
St Timothy was a younger co-worker and friend of St Paul. Two of the ‘Pastoral Epistles’ included in the New Testament, First and Second Timothy, are named after him. They contain personal advice from St Paul to the man he came to regard as his beloved and faithful son in the faith (1 Timothy 1:2; … Continue reading St Timothy, the student of St Paul (Acts 16:1-4)
The Martyrdom of St Stephen (Acts 6:1-8:3)
The story of St Stephen’s martyrdom is found with the Acts of the Apostles. St Stephen was one of the Church’s first deacons and also, the first Christian to die for the faith. He helped to convert many new disciples, but his death also led to a great persecution of the Church. The Book of … Continue reading The Martyrdom of St Stephen (Acts 6:1-8:3)
Malachi foretells the Mass (Malachi 1:10-11)
The book of Malachi was written in the 5th century BC, after the reconstruction of the Temple of Jerusalem by Zerubbabel. Malachi was the last of the Twelve Minor Prophets and his name means ‘messenger’. In his book, he wrote about acceptable worship, faithfulness in marriage, the coming of the Messiah and the Day of … Continue reading Malachi foretells the Mass (Malachi 1:10-11)
King Solomon asks for wisdom (1 Kings 3:1-15)
Solomon was the son of King David, the musical monarch of Israel. When his father died, he succeeded him as king. At the beginning of his reign, Solomon was a man of great faith. Naturally, therefore, he turned to God for guidance as to how he should rule. As Pope Benedict XVI observed: “Solomon inherited … Continue reading King Solomon asks for wisdom (1 Kings 3:1-15)
✙ 3rd Station of the Cross: Christ falls for the first time
The third station pictures Christ losing his strength and falling to the ground under the heavy weight of the cross. This was due to his earlier ordeals, which had left him wounded, weak and covered in blood.
✙ 5th Station of the Cross: Simon of Cyrene helps Christ
This station tells the story of Simon of Cyrene, who was plucked from the crowd to help Christ to carry the cross, who was clearly struggling with its weight.
✙ 10th Station of the Cross: Christ is stripped of his clothes
Christ went out through the city gate to the hill of Golgotha, which we know in English as ‘Calvary’. When he reached the summit, the soldiers stripped him of his clothes, leaving him naked and defenceless.
+ First Joyful Mystery of the Rosary: The Annunciation
The First Joyful Mystery of the Rosary is the Annunciation. It's a meditation on the visit of the angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary, to share the news that she was pregnant with the Christ Child.
St Peter heals a disabled beggar (Acts 3:1-10)
According to the Book of Acts, shortly after St Peter’s first great sermon and the conversion of three thousand people, a miracle occurred that underlined Christ’s continued power to both relieve suffering and transform lives. Pope Francis begins the story: “Peter and John go to pray at the Temple, the centre of Israel’s experience of … Continue reading St Peter heals a disabled beggar (Acts 3:1-10)