June 2021 - Overview for the Month
St. Anthony
Called
the Wonder Worker because of the numerous miracles attributed to
him while he was living and since his death. He is one of the most
popular saints in the Catholic Church and is implored as the patron
of lost things and a hundred other causes. He was a preacher and
theologian and was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius
XII.
The month of June is dedicated to The Sacred Heart of Jesus. This month falls within the liturgical season of Ordinary Time, which is represented by the liturgical color green. This symbol of hope is the color of the sprouting seed and arouses in the faithful the hope of reaping the eternal harvest of heaven, especially the hope of a glorious resurrection. It is used in the offices and Masses of Ordinary Time.
The Beauty of Marriage —Let us pray for young people who are preparing for marriage with the support of a Christian community: may they grow in love, with generosity, faithfulness and patience.
(See also Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network)
The feasts on the General Roman Calendar celebrated during the month of June are:
1. Justin, Memorial
2. Marcellinus and Peter, Opt. Mem.
3. Charles Lwanga and Companions, Memorial
5. Boniface, Memorial
6. Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, Solemnity
9. St. Ephrem, Memorial
11. Sacred Heart of Jesus, Memorial
13. Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, Sunday
19. Romuald, Opt. Mem.
20. Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time; Father's Day, Sunday
21. Aloysius Gonzaga, Memorial
22. Paulinus of Nola; John Fisher and Thomas More, Opt. Mem.
24. Solemnity of St. John the Baptist, Solemnity
26. Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer, Opt. Mem.
27. Thirteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time, Sunday
28. Irenaeus, Memorial
29. Peter and Paul, Solemnity
30. First Martyrs of the Church of Rome, Opt. Mem.
The readings for the Sundays in June 2021, are taken from St. Mark and are from Year B, Cycle 1.
June 6th - Corpus Christi |
This Gospel recounts the events of the Last Supper when Jesus changed bread and wine into His Body and Blood. |
June 13th - 11th Sunday of Ordinary Time |
Jesus tells the parable of the mustard seed. |
June 20th - 12th Sunday of Ordinary Time |
The Gospel is about Jesus asleep on the boat being awakened and calming the storm because of the apostles' fear. |
June 27th - 13th Sunday of Ordinary Time |
Jesus raises the daughter of Jarius from the dead. |
As we begin to feel the warmth of summer, we can reflect that we celebrate the feasts of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (June 11) and the Immaculate Heart of Mary
( June 12) . God is Love and the Sacred Heart of Jesus — present on earth in the Blessed Sacrament — is the human manifestation of God's Love for men. Appropriately June is considered the month for weddings where human hearts join and cooperate with the Creator in bringing forth new life. The family they create is a human reflection of the Blessed Trinity.
Also on June 1 we celebrate the Memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church. This feast is to be celebrated on the Monday following Pentecost.
Other principle feasts of this month are St. Justin (June 1), Sts. Marcellinus and Peter (June 2), St. Boniface (June 5),St. Ephrem (June 9), St. Romuald (June 19), Sts. John Fisher and Thomas More (June 22), the Birth of St. John the Baptist (June 24), St. Josemaria Escriva (June 26), the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul (June 29) and the First Martyrs of the Church of Rome (June 30).
The feast of St. Barnabas (June 11) is superseded by the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The feasts of St. Norbert (June 6), St. Anthony of Padua (June 13) and St. Cyril of Alexandria (June 27), are superseded by the Sunday liturgy.
Following
Pentecost, the Church begins her slow descent from the great peaks
of the Easter Season to the verdant pastures of Ordinary Time, the
longest of the liturgical seasons. Like the lush June
growth all around us, the green of the liturgical season points
to the new life won for us by the Redemption of Jesus Christ, the
new life of Charity. For Our Lord came to cast the fire of His love
on the earth, and to that end, sent His Holy Spirit at Pentecost
in the form of tongues of fire.
Ordinary Time is the hour to “go out to all the world and tell the good news.” The feasts of June highlight this expansion of the Church. At least ten times, the Church vests in the red of the martyrs whose blood is the very seed of her growth. She also celebrates the feasts of the apostles Peter and Paul, and the birth of St. John the Baptist, proto-disciple and prophet.
We too are called to be witnesses like the apostles and martyrs. May the Heart of Jesus inflame our hearts so that we may be worthy of our Baptismal call to holiness. Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.
