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 20060930
The Catholic Calendar for Saturday, September 30, 2006
Saturday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
St. Jerome, priest and doctor of the Church
Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Ecclesiastes 11:9—12:8
Psalm 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14 and 17
Luke 9:43b-45
A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:
"But they did not understand this saying . . . ."
This is a very sad passage. Perhaps one of the saddest in the gospels before the Passion. What is so sad?
Jesus told them something very important, something they needed to understand and prepare for, something that would change their lives fundamentally, transforming them completely. But they didn't understand what was said. Not to understand is fine, but they were also too afraid to ask what it meant. They didn't understand, but they were frightened of its implications.
But what if they had had the courage to ask? What doors might have been opened? How might the course of the faith have been changed if these Apostles had been prepared and had gone forth boldly from the moment of the happening, understanding that the Death of Jesus was for the whole world and would transform the world? Yes, they came to understand this through time, but much time was lost.
Do you sometimes read something in the Word that sounds hard, or daunting, or frightening? Do you gloss over it, subduing it with prayer and other reading, rushing to another passage? Instead, rather than being afraid, why not turn to the Master and ask Him to explain? You might be surprised at what you hear. I've read the Bible steadily for more years than I care to say, and I've yet to encounter a hard word that did not encase a message of profound love and deep sympathy for our weakness.
Every word of the Bible is a word of deep and abiding love and faithfulness on the part of God. And where this exists, fear cannot abide. Hear something in your reading that disturbs you? Then it's probably the message you most need to hear. Stop and listen and ask for an explanation. In time it will come and you will rejoice in what God has for you!
- JuandelaCruz
(sriddle415 at yahoo dot com)
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©1986-2006 The Way, The Truth, The Life
posted by joachim at 4:52 AM
20060929
The Catholic Calendar for Friday, September 29, 2006
The Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, archangels
Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Revelation 12:7-12 or Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14
Psalm 138:1-5
John 1:47-51
A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:
"You will see greater things than this." (John 1:50)
Today we honor three prominent angels, messengers who helped carry out various aspects of God's salvation plan. Biblical texts suggest that angelic help is provided to every human soul. Most of us are totally unaware of our angel's presence as they prompt us to seek God and accept His grace to enter into an intimate, meaningful and loving relationship with Him.
Unknowingly we live immersed in a sea of grace, God's loving power that yearns for us to be united to Him in mind and heart. He seeks this union through obedience to His Word, not simply to assert power over us, but to share His blessed life with His beloved children. However, since love can neither be forced upon nor demanded from us, we have the choice of saying "Yes" or "No" to His offer. The present state of the world suggests that relatively few have chosen to deeply participate in His divine love.
God employs other ways of drawing souls to Himself. In today's Gospel, Nathaniel is introduced to Jesus by Philip, on fire with joy at having found Israel's Messiah. Nathaniel's initial reaction is amusing: "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" His bias against Jesus coming from a specific area did not hinder Christ, for God's choices aren't affected by human weakness or sin.
Jesus sees into our hearts and minds, and saw Nathaniel to be without guile, worthy of trust and open to receive and able to communicate, through grace, His message of salvation. Jesus told Nathaniel that prior to Philip's introducing him, He had observed him praying with a sincere and humble spirit. These words deeply touched Nathaniel, illumined his heart to see that, indeed, Christ is "the Son of God and King of Israel." Jesus assures him he will see greater wonders, "the sky opening and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man." In other words, Nathaniel will actually see (at His Ascension) that He is the Christ, fully human and also fully Divine.
Heavenly Father, illumine our hearts; deeply unite us in mind and heart to You; fill us with the joy of recognizing You as our one true hope and so abandoning ourselves to Your care. Amen
- Marie Bocko, OCDS
(mlbocko at earthlink dot net)
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©1986-2006 The Way, The Truth, The Life
posted by joachim at 4:37 AM
20060928
The Catholic Calendar for Thursday, September 28, 2006
Thursday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
St. Lawrence Ruiz and companions, martyrs
Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Ecclesiastes 1:2-11
Psalm 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14 and 17bc
Matthew 9:7-9
A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:
The ending of the gospel for today is interesting. Reference is made to Herod being concerned about Jesus, as to who He really was. Then the reading concludes by saying that Herod kept trying to see Jesus.
We might ask ourselves the questions, "Why did Herod want to see Him?" and "Where did he look for Him?"
We might also ask ourselves why we want to seek Christ. If we do, is it for understanding, consolation, healing, love, reparation, etc.? Just why do we want Him?
And the second question is, where do we look for Him? Do we seek Him only in a church, the Blessed Sacrament, in others, in ourselves, in scripture, in the media? We are reminded that Jesus said whenever we do a charitable work for the "least of my brothers, you do it for Me." If we are not finding Jesus as much as we would like, maybe it is because we are looking for Him in the wrong places.
- Joan of Jesus, OCDS
(jmurphy at utica dot edu)
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©1986-2006 The Way, The Truth, The Life
posted by joachim at 4:36 AM
20060927
The Catholic Calendar for Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Wednesday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
St. Vincent de Paul, priest
Readings from the Liturgy of the Word:
Proverbs 30:5-9
Psalm 119:29, 72, 89, 101, 104, 163
Luke 9:1-6
A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:
Our Lord certainly knew that the time He had on earth for His ministry would be short, only a couple years. He also knew that He had to rely on His people to continue the work, changing people’s hearts and the world in the process. As we hear today’s gospel, we learn how He started preparing them for their lifelong ministry and this preparation contained much of His teaching rolled up into one nice, neat package.
The Lord gave His disciples wonderful powers to heal and preach the gospel. But then He told them to take nothing with, to teach that their task could only be completed by relying totally on God and not on anything the world could provide. He then taught them the truth that they would sometimes face rejection and that when they did, they should move on and continue their ministry.
We would be wise to examine this in depth and contemplate what the Lord said. He gives wonderful gifts in the Eucharist, but we need to rely solely on Him and not worldly things. We will face rejection, at times, but we are not to get discouraged and continue the work. This was true 2000 years ago and it remains true today.
- Don Claunch, SFO
(dlclaunch at bresnan dot net)
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©1986-2006 The Way, The Truth, The Life
posted by joachim at 4:29 AM
20060926
The Catholic Calendar for Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Tuesday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Saints Cosmas and Damian, martyrs
Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Proverbs 21:1-6, 10-13
Psalm 119:1, 27, 30, 34, 35, 44
Luke 8:19-21
A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:
In today’s responsorial Psalm there is a phrase that is interesting to consider. It is, “The way of truth I have chosen.” It reminds me that as a follower of Jesus I have recognized the truth of His precepts and have “chosen” to follow them.
The idea of choosing and on what level and to what degree is the subject of my musing. First of all to recognize that I have made a choice and am not being forced, helps me to more readily embrace my choice and be satisfied with it.
Secondly, the level of my decision, be it rightfully and actively informed vs. a thoughtless, habitual reaction, is another consideration. The extent I have invested something into the choice portends the extent of my adherence with it, the degree I am committed to it.
The final consideration is, do I take the necessary steps to make as sure as I can that all my thoughts, words and actions are consistent with what I have chosen? This is a serious question and requires a serious response!
There is an energetic and joy-filled Charismatic song that reminds me of all this, and it helps me. The words are, “I have decided to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back.”
Perhaps we can incorporate it into our daily prayers so that we can hear ourselves making again a commitment, a choice. “I have decided to follow Jesus,” I have decided to seek and proclaim by my life, His truth.
“No turning back, no turning back!”
- Donna Nelson, OCDS
(drn3rd at hughes dot net)
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©1986-2006 The Way, The Truth, The Life
posted by joachim at 4:54 AM
20060925
The Catholic Calendar for Monday, September 25, 2006
Monday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Proverbs 3:27-34
Psalm 15:2-3a, 3bc-4ab, 5
Luke 8:16-18
A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:
Say not to your neighbor, "Go, and come again,
tomorrow I will give," when you can give at once. (Proverbs 3:28)
Today's readings are about grace, gratitude and generosity--the three elements that make up the spiritual cycle that draws our lives ever-closer to God. Whether we recognise it or not, we are all beneficiaries of God's grace. Grace is the steadfast love and loyalty, the mercy and the kindness, the goodness that emanates from God to all of us. It was grace at work when God created the world and everything in it.
What then is our response to God's grace? If we have a state of mind that sees God in everything as evidence of His great and abundant love for us, grace then manifests itself in the form of a thankful heart. A life lived in gratitude enables us to see God's grace all around us and enables us to experience the joys of contentment, peace and abundance in our everyday lives.
Giving of ourselves, our money, our talents and especially our time, are necessary aspects of a loving and grateful response to God's grace. In so doing we pay forward our gratitude for the love and the blessings we receive from God by enabling others to experience His abundant and steadfast love for us.
- Anne
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posted by joachim at 5:54 AM
20060924
The Catholic Calendar for Sunday, September 24, 2006
Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Wisdom 2:12, 17-20
Psalm 54:3-4, 5, 6 and 8
James 3:16—4:3
Mark 9:30-37
A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:
If a preacher this Sunday were to look for an image to bring with him for “show and tell," it might be the green-eyed monster named ENVY. In the first reading, the power people are plotting to get rid of a Holy One who is exposing their evil. Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us. Like corrupt back room politicians, they are saying, he’s a pain! Get rid of him! They plot to torture him, and eventually kill him! Of course, the just one wins out in the end since, in his wisdom, he is following the way that leads to eternal life.
In the second reading for this week, St. James warns the early Christians to avoid self-seeking, envy, and pleasure as an end in itself. This only leads to dissension, quarreling, and war. The true follower of Jesus will seek that wisdom that leads to peace.
But what is this “wisdom” that guides us away from the evils of envy, selfishness, and strife? In the Gospel, the disciples of Jesus are so busy arguing about which one is going to be greater in the Kingdom that they really miss what Jesus is trying to tell them—even as He is preparing to enter his Passion—that wisdom is found in serving others. The disciples were unable to understand this teaching, so Jesus gives them an object lesson. Placing a small child in the middle of the group, he declares that the trust and love they see in the eyes of this little one must be found in the hearts of all who would follow Him.
As we think about that dramatic teaching of Jesus, we realize how far we are from being truly childlike. Our Holy Father, speaking in Germany last week, said that “we are no longer able to hear God; there are too many frequencies filling our ears.” If we cannot hear the truth of His Wisdom, how can our hearts embrace it with joy and live it simply in childlike trust? May we silence our ambitions, our dissensions, and the clamor of a fearful world this week, and listen to God’s Wisdom. In so doing, we’re taking a big step toward peace.
Msgr. Paul Whitmore
(pwhitmore29 at yahoo dot com)
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posted by joachim at 4:22 AM
20060923
The Catholic Calendar for Saturday, September 23, 2006
Saturday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
St. Pio of Pietrelcina, priest
Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
1 Corinthians 15:35-37, 42-49
Psalm 56:10c-12, 13-14
Luke 8:4-15
A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:
"Bear fruit through perseverance . . . ."
At times in our spiritual lives, we have probably been all the different kinds of seeds the Lord describes. We hear the Word and it dries up within us, not given time to sprout and grow and flourish. We hear the word and the worries of the day, week, month, year--all rush in to choke out any hope, any light it may give us. You hear the Word; and then with many doubts, fears, and misgivings about our understanding, the Devil swoops in and takes the Word away from us.
But ultimately, if we are faithful in attending Mass, and faithful to the Lord, even if we pass through these times, He is a good Shepherd and Keeper of a great vineyard. He knows just how to weed and prune and nurture. If we wait in patience, knowing that what is happening now is not the best, the Lord will come and help us. His Holy Spirit will move within us and the Word will come alive. We will hear the song the Spirit sings to Father and Son, and we will be saved. We are loved, completely, without restraint. If we persevere, continuing despite our misgivings, we will bear fruit in joy.
- JuandelaCruz
(sriddle415 at yahoo dot com)
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©1986-2006 The Way, The Truth, The Life
posted by joachim at 4:43 AM
20060922
The Catholic Calendar for Friday, September 22, 2006
The Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
1 Corinthians 15:12-20
Psalm 17:1, 6-8, 15
Luke 8:1-3
A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:
"If for this life only we have hoped in Christ,
we are the most pitiable people of all." (1 Corinthians 15:19)
St. Paul's letter to the Corinthians goes to the very heart of Christ's mission, to fully reveal God's purpose in creating humanity. Simply put, God, being love, made us to share in His blessed life by giving us both the desire, and in Christ, the ability to participate in His divine virtues so that we can live joyfully in the goodness and glory of God. Christ was announced by John the Baptist who awakened us to our sin that we might repent, be forgiven and restored to God's favor. Christ's death sentence dramatizes the injustice and horror human sin can unleash on an innocent person and presents us with a choice. We can continue living in self-inflicted mayhem wrought by hatred, envy, violence and greed or we can lovingly respond to God by our being cleansed of sin, dying to our self-will and living in obedience to His divine Word. Choosing the latter, we begin living in Christ, making His resurrection life visible, "working out our salvation" through our genuine love for one another.
Though our participation in God's life begins on earth, it extends beyond the now, into eternity. It is this point that Paul vehemently defends in the above quotation. Because God's love for man is infinite and everlasting, He has given each of us an immortal soul and spirit that we may live eternally in union with Him. After our physical body perishes we can look forward to being raised again "on the last day" in new spiritual bodies. Disbelief in this is like saying Christ was a liar who falsely and cruelly raised human hope. It also destroys the worth, meaning and purpose of human life and makes of us a cosmic hoax, the product of a mindless, heartless, succession of random events destined only to end in the grave.
Let us say, for the purpose of silencing the hard core atheists among us, that a brilliant scientist has uncovered irrefutable facts disproving the existence of God and life beyond death. What then would be the reaction of those who still insist on remaining "believers?” We would simply say that for us Christianity has proven to be a truly wonderful way to live.
O Creator of all, make us to serve You with all our heart. You are our source of the dignity given to those who are poor in spirit, who live in abandonment to Your love. Amen.
- Marie Bocko, OCDS
(mlbocko at earthlink dot net)
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©1986-2006 The Way, The Truth, The Life
posted by joachim at 6:35 AM
20060921
The Catholic Calendar for Thursday, September 21, 2006
Thursday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
St. Matthew, apostle and evangelist
Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13
Psalm 19:2-3, 4-5
Matthew 9:9-13
A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:
There is a saying that "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts." We see this in the readings of today. In the first reading from Ephesians we are presented with the "glue," the means by which we can pull and hold the circle, namely humanity, together. We are told to "live in peace and gentleness, striving to preserve the unity of the Spirit." (see Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13)
Love conquers all.
Christ shows us how to do this in our own lives as He depicts how we are to reach out to the disenfranchised, the tax collectors and sinners of His day. In the first reading, the phrase is used that we are "to preserve the unity of the Spirit." The question could be raised as to why these people were disenfranchised. Did they separate themselves from the mainstream community by their behavior, or did they behave the way they did because we disenfranchised them first? That question remains to this day.
Christ cut through all of that theorizing and chose instead to sit down to the table and dine with them as one, much as He does when He calls us to the table of the Eucharist. Christ urges us to reach out with mercy and love, just as He has done with each of us.
"O Lord, have mercy on us!"
- Joan of Jesus, OCDS
(jmurphy at utica dot edu)
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©1986-2006 The Way, The Truth, The Life
posted by joachim at 7:34 AM
20060920
The Catholic Calendar for Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Wednesday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
St. Andrew Kim Taegon, priest and martyr
and St Paul Chong Hasang, martyr
and their companions, martyrs
Readings from the Liturgy of the Word:
1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13
Psalm 33:2-3, 4-5, 12 and 22
Luke 7:31-35
A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:
Almost thirty years ago my wife and I bought what became our family home. We were young and just starting a family and a life together and we wanted to celebrate by having all our friends and families over to the new house. We worked together for days cooking, cleaning and calling to invite our friends and relatives. When the evening for our party came we had tables of food and the best drinks possible. Only two people showed up. We were devastated. It was not all the food that bothered us as that would be eaten over the following days and unopened bottles of drinks would keep forever. Our disappointment came in, what seemed to us, our friends' and family members' lack of desire to celebrate our happiness with us.
In today's gospel reading, Jesus points out that He, and John the Baptist before Him, brought the Good News and were met with a lukewarm response. Jesus brought a message of love, joy and eternal salvation that many flatly ignored. While our housewarming celebration cannot compare to the “celebration” that Jesus brought, the response of those invited was the same. Perhaps this is human nature?
I know that there are times when my response to my Lord's invitation is nonexistent or lukewarm, and I am certain this is the case for many other Christians. My prayer is that when the Lord calls me, He also prods me a bit into hearing His word, to move me into action and respond as I should, not as I sometimes do (or don't do).
- Don Claunch, SFO
(dlclaunch at bresnan dot net)
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©1986-2006 The Way, The Truth, The Life
posted by joachim at 4:39 AM
20060919
The Catholic Calendar for Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Tuesday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
St. Januarius, bishop and martyr
Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 27-31a
Psalm 100:1b-2, 3, 4, 5
Luke 7:11-17
A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:
In today’s Gospel we see a side of Jesus that reveals His sensitivity toward those who suffer and mourn. It is a story about how Jesus came upon the funeral procession of a young man, the only son of the widow of Naim. The Gospel story gives us no information about Jesus having any real acquaintance with the widow and we get the impression that He just happened upon the scene.
In our own experiences, we may, like Jesus, suddenly witness the suffering of a stranger, but most of us would probably admit that we are only briefly moved by seeing the sadness and loss of others.
We see with Jesus that was not the case. He is never just casually touched, but always profoundly touched. He doesn’t pass by as if another’s sadness has nothing to do with Him, but responds instead, like it has everything to do with Him.
“Do not cry,” He tells the sorrowing mother and then extends His healing hand and revives what was lost and dead.
This is what we need to remember, that it is always that way with Jesus. No moment of sadness goes unnoticed, no moment of trial unappreciated or unattended.
Let us pray. Please Lord, give us faith that we may always trust in Your caring presence. Let my often-deaf and inattentive ears hear, as the grieving widow of Naim heard your loving voice, bidding us not to cry, but to believe. Amen.
- Donna Nelson, OCDS
(drn3rd at hughes dot net)
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©1986-2006 The Way, The Truth, The Life
posted by joachim at 5:28 AM
20060918
The Catholic Calendar for Monday, September 18, 2006
Monday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
1 Corinthians 11:17-26, 33
Psalm 40:7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 17
Luke 7:1-10
A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:
In today's readings we ponder on the very celebration of the Lord's Supper at Mass. We come to celebrate the Eucharist at Mass, but at what state of mind and body do we enter into this Feast? Do we come after sinful acts, and do we judge others who are present with condescending thoughts? Or do we try to prepare ourselves and enter into holiness in order to receive Jesus rightfully? "For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body (of Christ), eats and drinks judgment on himself." (Corinthians 11:29) We as the people of the Lord should mentally, spiritually, and physically internalize the meaning of His death in order to prepare to receive Him.
The Gospel reading of Luke extends the essential need for interior preparation when receiving Jesus' body and blood in the Eucharist. The centurion deeply valued and stressed that Jesus is Lord and Master over him, as he is over his slaves. He has such great faith that he humbled himself before Jesus as a sign of love and gratitude.
We, as Jesus' followers, must humble ourselves before Him in the Eucharist. He is our Lord and Saviour. Entering into a humbled state prepares us to receive Jesus as our Lord and strength; ". . . I did not consider myself worthy to come to you, but say the word and let my servant be healed." (Luke 7:7) In receiving Jesus, we, as humble servants, are healed of our spiritual and physical infirmities.
- Alicia
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