Monday, September 19, 2011 {St. Francis Mary Croese of Camporosso (Memorial)}

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
The Infinite Mass causes the whole heavenly court to rejoice. It alleviates the pain of the souls in purgatory. It draws down all types of blessings upon earth, and gives more glory to God than all the sufferings of all the martyrs together, more glory than the penances of all the saints, than all the tears shed by them since the beginning of the world and all that they may do till the end of time.
-- St. John Vianney
READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: Ezra 1:1-6
(Cyrus Commands the Jews to Return)
1 In the first year that Cyrus of Persia was emperor,  the Lord made what he had said through the prophet Jeremiah come true. He prompted Cyrus to issue the following command and send it out in writing to be read aloud everywhere in his empire:
2 “This is the command of Cyrus, Emperor of Persia. The Lord, the God of Heaven, has made me ruler over the whole world and has given me the responsibility of building a temple for him in Jerusalem in Judah. 
3 May God be with all of you who are his people. You are to go to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is worshiped in Jerusalem.