St. Magdalene of Nagasaki (Feast Day October 20) 

1611 - 1634 

Magdalene of Nagasaki was a Japanese woman who, in spite of great danger and difficulty, remained faithful to Jesus Christ until her martyrdom. Magdalene was born in the early seventeenth century into a devout Christian family. Her parents were martyred around 1620, when Magdalene was in her teens. 

It was around this time that the first Augustinians arrived in Japan. As a committed Christian, Magdalene made herself known to them. She served as a catechist and interpreter for the early Augustinian missionaries. She found their Augustinian spirituality appealing, with its emphasis on the interior search for God and community. She asked to be accepted into the Order of Saint Augustine, and in 1625 was formally received into the Augustinian Third Order. She considered becoming a full-fledged Dominican sister, but continued religious persecution kept her from doing so.

As persecution of Christians in Japan became stronger, Magdalene fled to the hills, where she worked at bringing the Word of God to those who did not know Jesus and strengthening the faith of those who did. As a follower of Jesus, she was threatened, ridiculed, tortured, and killed, but through it all, her Christian witness was strong. Pope John Paul II canonized her in 1987. 

·       Do you think it was wrong for James and John to ask Jesus to do whatever they asked? Why or why not?

·       In the Bible, a “cup” is a metaphor for what God has in store for someone. What do you think Jesus meant when he told James and John that they will drink the cup that he will drink?

·       Jesus is asking leaders to be in the service of their people. In what way is this statement opposite of how people normally behave?

·       Why have Christians been persecuted in every age of history? 

Family Game Night

The apostles James and John were competitive and wanted to be considered the greatest of the disciples. Create a spirit of friendly competition by playing some family games. Parents can pick one game and the kids can pick another. Consider an outdoor game, a card game, or a board game. Hit a discount or dollar store to get fun prizes for winners and losers.

Hummus and Tabbouleh 

Serve this dish with one dip on the left and one of the right and some warm pita bread in the middle. 

Easy to Make Hummus:

1 lb. canned chickpeas

1/3 cup tahini

juice of 1-2 large lemons

1 small clove garlic, minced

Kosher salt to taste

1/8 tsp. ground cumin (optional)

2- 3 Tbsp. olive oil

Boil chickpeas in canned juice for five minutes on medium heat. Drain. Please chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, and salt in blender blend to make an almost smooth thick paste. Place hummus in a shallow bowl and garnish with parsley, radishes, pickles, or toasted pine nuts. Drizzle with olive oil. Serves 4 to 6 people.

Tabbouleh:

1/2 cup fine bulgur wheat

2 large tomatoes, diced

1 bunch green onions, chopped

4 bunches of parsley, chopped

1/2 cup mint chopped or 2 Tbsp. dried mint

1 large cucumber peeled and chopped (optional)

1/2 cup olive oil

juice of three lemons

1/2 Tbsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

Wash bulgur wheat. Drain and place in a large bowl. Add all chopped vegetables and mix well. Add oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Allow bulgur to soak and absorb the juice about an hour, serve over fresh lettuce or with hummus and pita bread.

Family Rosary

The month of October is the Month of the Rosary. Pray the rosary as a family, reflecting on the Glorious Mysteries. Visit https://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/prayers-and-devotions/rosaries/a-rosary-for-life-the-glorious-mysteries

In today’s Gospel, Jesus talks about drinking from a cup. At what point at Mass does the priest first drink from the cup?

Challenge your family members to try to outdo one another in service and random acts of kindness this week.

The name "tertiary" comes from the Latin word for "third." It is used to denote those who belong to a third order religious community. Third order religious communities are generally made up of people who are either married or single and have an interest in the religious order’s way of life. These lay people do not take monastic vows but offer support to the work of the Order in terms of voluntary work, gifts of money and goods, and of study and promotion of the Order’s teaching.