Daily Reading for Thursday, October 15th, 2015

Reading 1, Romans 3:21-29

21 God's saving justice was witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, but now it has been revealed altogether apart from law:

22 God's saving justice given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.

23 No distinction is made: all have sinned and lack God's glory,

24 and all are justified by the free gift of his grace through being set free in Christ Jesus.

25 God appointed him as a sacrifice for reconciliation, through faith, by the shedding of his blood, and so showed his justness; first for the past, when sins went unpunished because he held his hand;

26 and now again for the present age, to show how he is just and justifies everyone who has faith in Jesus.

27 So what becomes of our boasts? There is no room for them. On what principle- that only actions count? No; that faith is what counts,

28 since, as we see it, a person is justified by faith and not by doing what the Law tells him to do.

29 Do you think God is the God only of the Jews, and not of gentiles too? Most certainly of gentiles too,

---

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6

1 [Song of Ascents] From the depths I call to you, Yahweh:

2 Lord, hear my cry. Listen attentively to the sound of my pleading!

3 If you kept a record of our sins, Lord, who could stand their ground?

4 But with you is forgiveness, that you may be revered.

5 I rely, my whole being relies, Yahweh, on your promise.

6 My whole being hopes in the Lord, more than watchmen for daybreak; more than watchmen for daybreak

---

Gospel, Luke 11:47-54

47 'Alas for you because you build tombs for the prophets, the people your ancestors killed!

48 In this way you both witness to what your ancestors did and approve it; they did the killing, you do the building.

49 'And that is why the Wisdom of God said, "I will send them prophets and apostles; some they willslaughter and persecute,

50 so that this generation will have to answer for every prophet's blood that has been shed since thefoundation of the world,

51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the Temple." Yes, I tell you, this generation will have to answer for it all.

52 'Alas for you lawyers who have taken away the key of knowledge! You have not gone in yourselves and have prevented others from going in who wanted to.'

53 When he left there, the scribes and the Pharisees began a furious attack on him and tried to force answers from him on innumerable questions,

54 lying in wait to catch him out in something he might say.

St. Teresa of Avila

Short Cuts

Facts

Feastday: October 15

Patron of Headache sufferers, Spanish Catholic Writers

Birth: March 28, 1515

Death: October 4, 1582

Canonized By: Pope Paul VI on September 27, 1970

---

Teresa of Ávila was born Teresa Ali Fatim Corella Sanchez de Capeda y Ahumada in Ávila, Spain. Less than twenty years before Teresa was born in 1515, Columbus opened up the Western Hemisphere to European colonization. Two years after she was born, Luther started the Protestant Reformation. Out of all of this change came Teresa pointing the way from outer turmoil to inner peace.

Teresa's father was rigidly honest and pious, but he may have carried his strictness to extremes. Teresa's mother loved romance novels but because her husband objected to these fanciful books, she hid the books from him. This put Teresa in the middle -- especially since she liked the romances too. Her father told her never to lie but her mother told her not to tell her father. Later she said she was always afraid that no matter what she did she was going to do everything wrong.

Injili ya Familia ni kiini cha maadhimisho ya Sinodi ya Maaskofu

Injili ya familia ni kiini cha maadhimisho ya Sinodi ya Maaskofu, changamoto kwa wanafamilia kuwa ni mashuhuda amini. - OSS_ROM

Mababa wa Sinodi katika taarifa yao kutoka kwenye makundi madogo madogo wanasema Injili ya familia ni kiini cha maadhimisho ya Sinodi ya familia, inayojikita katika Neno la Mungu, mwaliko na changamoto kwa vijana wa kizazi kipya kukumbatia maisha ya ndoa na familia, pamoja na familia kuendelea kushuhudia uzuri na utakatifu wa maisha ya ndoa unaojikita katika mapendo thabiti na dumifu.

Kuzeni ari na moyo wa kimissionari, ili kutangaza Injili ya Furaha!

Zaidi ya wadau elfu mbili na mia mbili wa Uinjilishaji nchini Argentina, kwa muda wa siku tatu, kuanzia tarehe 10 hadi tarehe 12 Oktoba, 2015 wamekuwa wakikisanyika kwenye mji wa Santiago del Estero, ili kushiriki katika kongamano la nne la kimissionari kitaifa, lililokuwa linaongozwa na kauli mbiu “Utume ni mtindo wa maisha”. Kongamano hili limehitimishwa kwa Ibada ya Misa Takatifu iliyoadhimishwa kwenye Uwanja wa michezo wa “Quimsa” huko Santiago del Estero sanjari na kuwatuma wamissionari wapya kutoka kimasomaso ili kuwatangazia Watu wa mataifa Habari Njema ya Wokovu inayojikita katika ushuhuda wa maisha. Itakumbukwa kwamba, kongamano la kwanza la kimissionari kitaifa lilifanyika nchini Argentina kunako mwaka 1990.

Baba Mtakatifu Francisko katika ujumbe wake kwa maadhimisho haya anawakumbusha wajumbe kwamba, wanayo dhamana ya kuwashirikisha wengine kile ambacho wamekishuhudia kwa kuona na kusikia, kama ilivyokuwa kwa Mitume wa Yesu na kwamba, waendelee kutumainia na kujiaminisha katika nguvu inayobubujika kutoka kwa Yesu, ili kuwaimarisha katika udhaifu na mapungufu yao ya kibinadamu.

Yesu daima anaendelea kufanya hija na waja wake katika maisha yao ya kiimani, changamoto kwa waamini kuhakikisha kwamba, wanashirikisha jirani zao ile furaha ya kukutana na Yesu kwa mara ya kwanza katika maisha. Waamini wawe wadumifu katika maisha ya Sala na Tafakari ya Neno la Mungu; tayari kumwachia nafasi ili kuwafunda kuwa ni vyombo vya huruma na mapendo; tayari kuondokana na ubinafsi pamoja na kukumbatia malimwengu.

Baba Mtakatifu anahitimisha ujumbe wake kwa kuwataka waamini kujenga utamaduni wa kutoka, tayari kuwatangazia jirani zao Injili ya matumaini; kwa kujenga Kanisa linalojikita katika mshikamano wa umoja, udugu na upendo, ili kushirikiana na wengine katika furaha ambayo Yesu amewakirimia katika mioyo yao!

Kongamano hili limezinduliwa na Askofu Vicente Bokalic Iglic, Mwenyekiti wa Tume ya Utume wa walei, Baraza la Maaskofu Katoliki Argentina, ambaye kwa namna ya pekee kabisa, amefafanua mchango wa shughuli za kimissionari zilizotekelezwa na Mashirika mbali mbali ya kitawa na kazi za kitume nchini Argentina. Anawataka waamini walei kujitosa kimasomaso kwa ajili ya kushiriki katika mchakato wa kutangaza Injili ya furaha kwa watu wa mataifa kama anavyokazia Baba Mtakatifu Francisko.

Vyama vya kimissionari vimekuwa na mchango mkubwa katika ustawi na maendeleo ya Kanisa nchini Argentina, licha ya magumu na changamoto mbali mbali wanazokabiliana nazo. Vijana wanahamasishwa kuitikia wito wa Kipadre na Maisha ya kitawa, ili kushiriki katika azma ya Uinjilishaji. Utume wa Kanisa unapaswa kuwa ni sehemu ya vinasaba vya maisha ya waamini, kwa kutambua kwamba, wao pia ni wadau wa Uinjilishaji, kwani maisha ya Yesu mwenyewe yalijikita katika utume uliokuwa unapania utekelezaji wa mapenzi ya Baba yake wa mbinguni.

Katika kongamano hili, mada kuu tatu zimechambuliwa: Utambulisho wa vyama vya kimissionari katika Kanisa linalotoka ili kuinjilisha; mwelekeo wa maisha ya kiroho katika Waraka wa kichungaji Injili ya furaha “Evangelii gaudium” pamoja na umuhimu wa utangazaji wa Habari Njema ya wokovu, “Ad gentes”. Kongamano hili limetajirishwa na shuhuda za kimissionari kutoka kwa wadau mbali mbali. Makongamano ya kimissionari hufanyika kila baada ya miaka minne nchini Argentina ili kuimarisha ari na mwamko wa kimissionari miongoni mwa waamini.

Na Padre Richard A. Mjigwa, C.PP.S.

Idhaa ya Kiswahili ya Radio Vatican.

SAMSON AND DELILAH

Kanisa linahamasishwa kuwa ni shuhuda wa huruma ya Mungu katika ukweli!

Baada ya Baba Mtakatifu Francisko kuzindua maadhimisho ya Sinodi ya Maaskofu, Kardinali Peter Erdo, mwezeshaji mkuu alitoa tafakari ya utangulizi iliyogawanyika katika sehemu kuu tatu: changamoto, wito na utume wa familia. Hii ni tafakari elekezi inayofumbatwa katika huruma ya Mungu kwa wanandoa wanaoishi katika mazingira magumu ya kifamilia, lakini katika ukweli. Ni mwaliko kwa Kanisa kuendelea kushikamana na familia maskini sanjari na kusimama kidete kulinda maisha tangu pale mtoto anapotungwa mimba tumboni mwa mama yake, hadi mauti inapomfika kadiri ya mpango wa Mungu.

Familia zinakabiliana na changamoto nyingi zinazoendelea kujitokeza katika ulimwengu mamboleo, kati ya changamoto hizi ni: uhamiaji, ukosefu wa haki msingi za kijamii, ujira kiduchu usiokidhi mahitaji msingi ya familia; nyanyaso na ukatili dhidi ya wanawake; mazingira magumu ya kazi; utoaji mimba kwa shuruti; mimba za chupa, idadi ndogo ya watoto wanaozaliwa; hamu ya kupata mtoto kwa gharama yoyote ile na madhara yake.

Mambo yote haya yanapelekea taasisi ya familia kuwa dhaifu, kiasi kwamba, baadhi ya watu wanakuwa wagumu kufanya maamuzi machungu katika maisha. Baadhi ya wanandoa wanaonesha utashi wa kuwa na haki zao binafsi, hali inayopelekea ubinafsi wa kutupwa, kiasi cha kushindwa kutambua mipaka kati ya ndoa na familia. Jamii ambayo kwa sasa inajikita katika suala la ulaji inashindwa kutambua tofauti kati ya tendo la ndoa na dhamana ya uumbaji ambayo wanandoa wamekabidhiwa, kiasi cha kugeuza maisha ya binadamu kuwa kama bidhaa.

Kardinali Erdo anaendea kukaza kwa kusema, ndoa na familia ni mambo ambayo yana mwambata mwanadamu katika hija ya maisha yake na hivyo kusaidia katika mchakato wa kurithisha tunu msingi za maisha ya kijamii na kwamba, ndoa inasimikwa katika udumifu ambao kimsingi ni zawadi kutoka kwa Mwenyezi Mungu na wala si mzigo kama wanavyodai baadhi ya watu.

Kutokana na ukweli huu, Kanisa linapenda kusimama kidete kulinda, kutetea na kudumisha tunu msingi za maisha ya ndoa na familia, kielelezo cha Jumuiya inayojikita katika maisha yanayofumbata upendo. Familia kama Kanisa la nyumbani linajikita katika msingi wa Sakramenti ya Ndoa, mahali ambapo, wanafamilia wanajifunza kujikita katika kutafuta na kudumisha mafao ya wengi.

Kardinali Erdo anasema kwamba, kuna haja kwa Mama Kanisa kuhakikisha kwamba, anatoa majiundo makini ya awali na endelevu kwa wanandoa watarajiwa, kwa kugusa mambo msingi katika maisha yao: kiroho, kimwili na Kikanisa. Wakleri waandaliwe vyema ili waweze kuwasaidia wanandoa katika makuzi yao, hususan waweze kuwa makini kuwasaidia wanandoa wanaoishi katika mazingira magumu ya kifamilia, daima wakijitahidi kuwasaidia waamini hao kwa kuzingatia huruma na haki. Hii ni changamoto kubwa kwa Wakleri na wahudumu wa Neno la Mungu, wanaopaswa kuanza kutafuta mfumo mpya wa Katekesi na shuhuda kwa kuonesha uaminifu na ukweli mfunuliwa kutoka kwa Kristo.

Dhamana ya familia ni pamoja na kuendelea kushirikiana na taasisi nyingine, hasa katika maeneo ambayo dhana na uelewa wa familia haushibani wala kuendana na Mafundisho ya Kanisa au mpango wa Mungu katika maisha ya binadamu. Lengo ni kusaidia kuonesha umuhimu wa familia katika jamii. Familia za Kikristo anakaza kusema Kardinali Erdo, zinapaswa kuonesha mshikamano wa dhati kwa familia maskini, familia zisizokuwa na fursa ya ajira; zinazokabiliwa na magonjwa au ambazo zimejikuta zikifilisika kwa kutumbukia katika mchezo wa kamali. Familia za Kikristo ziwe mstari wa mbele kuzisaidia familia zinazoishi katika vita na machafuko ya kisiasa, kijamii na kidini.

Kwa namna ya pekee kabisa, Kanisa linahamasishwa kuwa karibu zaidi na familia ambazo zimejeruhiwa, kwa kuzionjesha huruma na ukarimu pamoja na kuzisaidia kutambua ukweli wa maisha ya ndoa na familia. Kilele cha hali ya juu kabisa cha huruma ni kusema ukweli katika upendo, kwani upendo wa kweli unaunganisha, unabadilisha, unainua na kutoa mwaliko wa toba na wongofu wa ndani.

Kardinali Erdo anasema kwamba, huruma inajikita katika wongofu kwa mdhambi kutambua mapungufu yake, jambo linalohitaji majiundo makini, ili kutambua mpango wa Mungu katika maisha ya mwanadamu hususan kwa wanandoa waliotengana na kuamua kuoa au kuoana tena. Majimbo yatenge vituo vya kuwasikiliza wanandoa wanaokabiliana na changamoto katika maisha na utume wao. Huu uwe ni mwanzo wa hija ya msamaha na upatanisho pale inapowezekana. Kwa wale waliooa na kuachika na baadaye wakaamua kuoa au kuolewa wanapaswa kusaidiwa kwa kuzama katika mikakati ya kichungaji inayobainisha kweli za maisha ya ndoa kadiri ya Mafundisho ya Kanisa sanjari na huruma inayotolewa na Mwenyezi Mungu kwa msamaha wa dhambi, unaojikita katika toba na wongofu wa ndani.

Kardinali Erdo anasema kwa wanandoa wanaotamani kupokea Ekaristi Takatifu wanapaswa kufuata hija ya toba itakayowawezesha kupokea Sakramenti ya Upatanisho, bila kusababisha makwazo. Sakramenti ya Kitubio inaweza kutolewa kwa wale wanaotaka kufanya mabadiliko ya kweli katika maisha kwa kuzingatia kanuni maadili, utu wema na wajibu wa wahusika; mambo yanayohitaji majiundo makini ya dhamiri ya wahusika.

Kanisa linahamasishwa kuwa na mbinu mkakati makini kwa ajili ya kuwasaidia mashoga; kwa kuonesha heshima bila kuwabagua, lakini watambue kwamba, ndoa za watu wa jinsia moja si sehemu ya mpango wa Mungu kwa binadamu katika maisha ya ndoa na familia. Kanisa halitakubali shinikizo kutoka katika mashirika ya kimataifa kama sehemu ya masharti ya msaada wa kiuchumi hususan kwa nchi changa zaidi duniani.

Kardinali Peter Erdo katika tafakari yake elekezi anakazia kwa namna ya pekee Injili ya uhai inayopaswa kulindwa, kutetewa na kudumishwa tangu pale mtoto anapotungwa mimba hadi mauti ya kawaida inapomfika kadiri ya mpango wa Mungu. Kanisa linapinga kwa nguvu zote vitendo vya utoaji mimba na kifo laini kwa kukumbatia Injili ya uhai. Ni mwaliko kwa Kanisa kuendelea kutoa huduma kwa watoto wanaotelekezwa na wazazi wao; kwa kuwasaidia wanawake wanatoa mimba na familia zihakikishe kwamba, zinaendelea kuwahudumia wagonjwa wao. Kanisa litaendelea kuwahudumia wagonjwa: kiroho na kimwili.

Kardinali Erdo anawahamasisha waamini kuwasaidia watoto wanaoishi katika mazingira hatarishi kama kielelezo cha mshikamano wa upendo unaofumbata Injili ya uhai dhidi ya utamaduni wa kifo. Kanisa linaendelea kuwataka wanandoa kuwajibika barabara kwa kuzingatia mpango wa uzazi kwa njia ya asili. Kanisa linapaswa kila wakati kuwa ni kielelezo cha huruma ya Mungu kwa waja wake na kumbe, wazazi ni wahusika wa kwanza wanaowajibika kutoa malezi makini kwa watoto wao. Wawe makini kuangalia elimu inayotolewa kwa watoto wanapokuwa shuleni.

Kardinali Peter Erdo anahitimisha tafakari elekezi kwa kulitaka Kanisa kutubu na kuongoka, ili liweze kuwa hai kama mtu binafsi na kama jumuiya ya waamini. Tayari kushuhudia huruma ya Mungu kwa binadamu.

Na Padre Richard A. Mjigwa, C.PP.S.

Idhaa ya Kiswahili ya Radio Vatican.

Je wajua:Miujiza ya Bwana Mtume Muhammad S.A.W!

Hakika Muujiza mkubwa kuliko yote wa Bwana Mtume S.A.W ni hii Quraan tukufu ambayo haibadiliki kama vitabu vyinginevyo na kila zama zikenda ndio inafahamisha zaidi kinyume na vitabu viandikwavyo na mwanadamu ambavyo kila siku zikipita hubidi kufanyiwa marekibisho fulani ili viweze kwenda na wakati.

Muujiza mkubwa wa Bwana Mtume Muhammad S.A.W ni Quraan tukufu lakini kuna Miujiza mengi aliifanya ingawa hayadhukuriwi lakini hayo aliyoyatenda yalikuwa ni Miujiza hata kwa kule kusema kutakuwa na jambo fulani litakuja kutokea huo nao ni Miujiza, kwani utapoangalia Taarifu nilisema Miujiza hudhihiri katika baadhi ya mikono ya Mitume, hiyo ni sawa na hata kule kutabiri kuelezea kitachotokea nako huko kunakuwa Miujiza.

Wasomi mbali mbali waliweza kuyanukulu hayo akiwemo Ibn Taymiyyah, Al-Jawab as-Sahih li man Baddala Din al Masih iliyoelezwa na Ibn Kathir, Tarikh na Adh-Dhahabi, Tarikh al-Islam , Ibn Hajar Fathul Bari {6/582). Vile vile rudia Khayru-d-Din Wanili, Mujazat al-Mustapha 
(kopi ya 3, iliyochapishwa Maktaba as-Sawadi Jeddah).

Vitabu vingi vimeelezea juu ya Miujiza ya Bwana Mtume Muhammad S.A.W na baadhi ya miujiza ni kama ifuatayo:

·                     Kupasuka kwa mwezi

·                     Maji kuchuruzika katika pacha ya vidole vyake

·                     Kuongeza chakula kidogo kuwa chingi

·                     Jiwe kumsalimu

·                     Kuzungumza kwa mguu wa kondoo aliyona sumu

·                     Mti kutembea na kumfikia yeye Bwana Mtume

·                     Kondoo tasa kumfanya atoe maziwa

·                    Kulirejesha jicho la Qatidah bin an-Numan kwa mkono baada ya kudondoka na kurejea jicho hilo hali ya kawaida

·                    Alilitemea mate jicho la Syd Ali baada ya kuvimba na jicho hilo kurudia hali yake ya kawaida

·                    Kubashiri kabla ya tokeo la vita vya Badr kwa kusema hapa ndipo watapokufa wanaomshirikisha "Allah" na kuwataja baadhi yao kwa majina

·                     Alibashiri kuwa utajiri wa Chosroes utaangukia mikononi mwa waislam na utajiri huo utatumiwa kwa manufaa ya waislam, pamoja na kusema kuwa Wa-Farsy na Wa-Roma mali zao zitaangukia mikononi mwa waislam na Suraqah bin Malik atavaa kivazi cha Chosroes

·                     Alifahamisha kuwa Hassan bin Ali atapatanisha makundi yaliokuwa yaki talifiana baina ya waislam

·                     Alieleza kuwa Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas ataishi na hivyo vikundi vilivyokuwa viki talifiana na baadhi yao watafaidika na wengineo watadhurika

·                     Alibashiri siku aliyokufa Najash wa Ethopia na siku ya kuuwawa kwa al-Aswad al-Ansi akiwa yupo Yemen

·                     Alibashiri kutekwa kwa Turks, kutekwa kwa Iraq na Syria

·                     Alieleza kuwa Ammar bin Yassir atauwawa na wavamizi na hapo taifa la kiislam litagawanyika katika makundi (madheheb) na kupigana baina yao

·                     Alibashiri kuwa Ruwayfi bin Thabit kuwa ataishi umri mrefu na ikawa hivyo

·                     Alibashiri kuanza kwa moto mkubwa kutokea sehemu za Hijjaz yakawa hayo

·                     Alifahamisha kuwa Thabit bin Qays, kuwa ataheshimika na kusifiwa na atakufa kama shahidi yakawa hayo kwani alisifika na kuuwawa sehemu ikijulikana kama al-Yamamah

·                     Alibashiri juu ya misukosuko ya Sayyidna Uthman RA na yakatokea

·                     Aliwaeleza wakeze kuwa "Aliyemwepesi wa kutoa sadaka kati yenu ndio atayenifwata mwanzo, baada ya kufa kwangu". Aliyekufa mwanzo akawa ni Zaynab bint Jahsh (ra) huyu ndio kati ya wake wa Mtume aliyekuwa mwepesi wa kutasadak na ndio aliyekufa mara tu baada ya Bwana Mtume kufariki

·                     Mtume alimuelezea Anas kuwa atakuwa tajiri na kuwa na watoto wengi na vile vile ataishi umri mrefu. Inafahamishwa kuwa Anas aliishi zaidi ya miaka mia na ziada, na hakutokea kati ya Ansar aliyekuwa tajiri zaidi yake na aliwazika watoto wake wa idadi ya 120 kabla ya kutokea kwa Hajjaj nchini Basra (sahih Bukhari 1982)

·                     Aliomba moja kati ya Umar asilimu kwa kuupa nguvu uislam na Syd Umar Bin Khatab alisimu na uislam kushika nguvu

·                     Baridi ilishtadi na akamtuma Hudhayfa kwenda kufanya upelelezi akiwa hana nguo nzito za kumzuia baridi na akaomba awe hahisi baridi, na ikawa katika kipindi chote alichotumwa baridi inavuma naye kutohisi kabisa

·                     Alimuombea Ibn Abass awe ndio kigingi cha elimu ikawa hivyo

·                     Aliomba mvua kunyesha wakati wa ukame, na wakati anaomba hayo kulikuwa shwari mawingu kutoenekana na mara alipomaliza dua yake mawingu yalijikusanya na mvua kuanza kumiminika.

·                     Aliwaombea Abu Talha na mkewe Umm Sulaym waruzukiwe kizazi chema pale walipokutana katika usiku, matokeo yake alizaliwa Abdullah, na Abu Talha kupata watoto wengine 9 na wote wakawa wasomi

·                     Alimuombea Umm Qays bint Muhsin dada wa Ukkasha aishi umri mrefu haiaminiki kuwa alitokea mwanamke kuishi umri mrefu au kutaokea mwanamke ataoishi umri mrefu zaidi ya bibi huyu. Imepatikana kwa msaada wa

http://www.mawaidha.info/muujizawamtume.htm

 

Tukutana Jumatano ijayo kwa Je wajua...!

Tunamuomba "Allah" atufanikishe na haya "Amin"

Daily Reading for Wednesday, October 7th, 2015

Reading 1, Jonah 4:1-11 ¹ This made Jonah very indignant; he fell into a rage.
² He prayed to Yahweh and said, 'Please, Yahweh, isn't this what I said would happen when I was still in my own country? That was why I first tried to flee to Tarshish, since I knew you were a tender, compassionate God, slow to anger, rich in faithful love, who relents about inflicting disaster.
³ So now, Yahweh, please take my life, for I might as well be dead as go on living.'
⁴ Yahweh replied, 'Are you right to be angry?'
⁵ Jonah then left the city and sat down to the east of the city. There he made himself a shelter and sat under it in the shade, to see what would happen to the city.
⁶ Yahweh God then ordained that a castor-oil plant should grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head and soothe his ill-humour; Jonah was delighted with the castor-oil plant.
⁷ But at dawn the next day, God ordained that a worm should attack the castor-oil plant -- and it withered.
⁸ Next, when the sun rose, God ordained that there should be a scorching east wind; the sun beat down so hard on Jonah's head that he was overcome and begged for death, saying, 'I might as well be dead as go on living.'
⁹ God said to Jonah, 'Are you right to be angry about the castor-oil plant?' He replied, 'I have every right to be angry, mortally angry!'
¹⁰ Yahweh replied, 'You are concerned for the castor-oil plant which has not cost you any effort and which you did not grow, which came up in a night and has perished in a night.
¹¹ So why should I not be concerned for Nineveh, the great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, to say nothing of all the animals?'

---

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 86:3-4, 5-6, 9-10

³ take pity on me, Lord, for to you I cry all the day.
⁴ Fill your servant's heart with joy, Lord, for to you I raise up my heart.
⁵ Lord, you are kind and forgiving, rich in faithful love for all who call upon you.
⁶ Yahweh, hear my prayer, listen to the sound of my pleading.
⁹ All nations will come and adore you, Lord, and give glory to your name.
¹⁰ For you are great and do marvellous deeds, you, God, and none other.

---

Gospel, Luke 11:1-4

¹ Now it happened that he was in a certain place praying, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said, 'Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.'
² He said to them, 'When you pray, this is what to say: Father, may your name be held holy, your kingdom come;
³ give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins,
⁴ for we ourselves forgive each one who is in debt to us. And do not put us to the test.'

St. Artaldus

Short Cuts

Facts

Feastday: October 7

Birth: 1101

Death: 1206

---

Artaldus (also called Arthaud) was born in the castle of Sothonod in Savoy. At the age of eighteen, he went to the court of Duke Amadeus III, but a year or two after, he became a Carthusian at Portes. After many years, being a priest and an experienced and holy religious, he was sent by the prior of the Grande Chartreuse to found a charterhouse near his home, in a valley in the Valromey significantly called "the cemetery". Here Artaldus established himself with six of his brethren from Portes. The community was no sooner well settled down, than there buildings were destroyed by fire, and St. Artaldus had to begin all over again. He chose a fresh site on the Arvieres River, and his second foundation was soon built and occupied. But a Carthusian cell could not contain the ever-increasing reputation of Artaldus: like his master St. Bruno, he was consulted by the Pope, and when he was well over eighty, he was called from his monastery to be bishop of Belley, in spite of his vehement and reasonable protest. However, after less than two years of episcopate, his resignation was accepted, and he thankfully returned to Arvieres, where he lived in peace for the rest of his days. During his last years, he was visited by St. Hugh of Lincoln, who had come into France, and who, while he was prior of the charterhouse of Witham, had induced Henry IIto become a benefactor of Arvieres. The Magna vita of St. Hugh records a gentle rebuke administered by Hugh when Artaldus asked him for political news in the presence of the community who had turned their backs upon the world to give themselves entirely to God. The cultus of St. Artaldus, called simply Blessed by the Carthusians, was confirmed for the diocese of Belley in 1834. He was 105 years old when he died and his feast day is October 7th.