Posted on 08/17/2007 8:13:26 AM PDT by Salvation
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Friday of the Nineteenth Week
in Ordinary Time
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Reading 1
Jos 24:1-13
Joshua gathered together all the tribes of Israel at Shechem,
summoning their elders, their leaders,
their judges and their officers.
When they stood in ranks before God, Joshua addressed all the people:
“Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel:
In times past your fathers, down to Terah,
father of Abraham and Nahor,
dwelt beyond the River and served other gods.
But I brought your father Abraham from the region beyond the River
and led him through the entire land of Canaan.
I made his descendants numerous, and gave him Isaac.
To Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau.
To Esau I assigned the mountain region of Seir in which to settle,
while Jacob and his children went down to Egypt.
“Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and smote Egypt with the prodigies
which I wrought in her midst.
Afterward I led you out of Egypt, and when you reached the sea,
the Egyptians pursued your fathers to the Red Sea
with chariots and horsemen.
Because they cried out to the LORD,
he put darkness between your people and the Egyptians,
upon whom he brought the sea so that it engulfed them.
After you witnessed what I did to Egypt,
and dwelt a long time in the desert,
I brought you into the land of the Amorites
who lived east of the Jordan.
They fought against you, but I delivered them into your power.
You took possession of their land, and I destroyed them,
the two kings of the Amorites, before you.
Then Balak, son of Zippor, king of Moab,
prepared to war against Israel.
He summoned Balaam, son of Beor, to curse you;
but I would not listen to Balaam.
On the contrary, he had to bless you, and I saved you from him.
Once you crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho,
the men of Jericho fought against you,
but I delivered them also into your power.
And I sent the hornets ahead of you that drove them
(the Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites,
Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites and Jebusites)
out of your way; it was not your sword or your bow.
“I gave you a land that you had not tilled
and cities that you had not built, to dwell in;
you have eaten of vineyards and olive groves
which you did not plant.”
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 136:1-3, 16-18, 21-22 and 24
R. His mercy endures forever.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever;
Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his mercy endures forever;
Give thanks to the LORD of lords,
for his mercy endures forever.
R. His mercy endures forever.
Who led his people through the wilderness,
for his mercy endures forever;
Who smote great kings,
for his mercy endures forever;
And slew powerful kings,
for his mercy endures forever.
R. His mercy endures forever.
And made their land a heritage,
for his mercy endures forever;
The heritage of Israel his servant,
for his mercy endures forever;
And freed us from our foes,
for his mercy endures forever.
R. His mercy endures forever.
Gospel
Mt 19:3-12
Some Pharisees approached Jesus, and tested him, saying,
“Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?”
He said in reply, “Have you not read that from the beginning
the Creator made them male and female and said,
For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother
and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh?
So they are no longer two, but one flesh.
Therefore, what God has joined together, man must not separate.”
They said to him, “Then why did Moses command
that the man give the woman a bill of divorce and dismiss her?”
He said to them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts
Moses allowed you to divorce your wives,
but from the beginning it was not so.
I say to you, whoever divorces his wife
(unless the marriage is unlawful)
and marries another commits adultery.”
His disciples said to him,
“If that is the case of a man with his wife,
it is better not to marry.”
He answered, “Not all can accept this word,
but only those to whom that is granted.
Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so;
some, because they were made so by others;
some, because they have renounced marriage
for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven.
Whoever can accept this ought to accept it.”
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The Immaculate Heart [of Mary]
This devotion has received new emphasis in this century from the visions given to Lucy Dos Santos, oldest of the visionaries of Fatima, in her convent in Tuy, in Spain, in 1925 and 1926. In the visions Our Lady asked for the practice of the Five First Saturdays to help make amends for the offenses given to her heart by the blasphemies and ingratitude of men. The practice parallels the devotion of the Nine First Fridays in honor of the Sacred Heart.
On October 31, 1942, Pope Pius XII made a solemn Act of Consecration of the Church and the whole world to the Immaculate Heart. Let us remember this devotion year-round, but particularly through the month of August.
INVOCATIONS
O heart most pure of the Blessed Virgin Mary, obtain for me from Jesus a pure and humble heart.
Sweet heart of Mary, be my salvation.
ACT OF CONSECRATION
Queen of the most holy Rosary, help of Christians, refuge of the human race, victorious in all the battles of God, we prostrate ourselves in supplication before thy throne, in the sure hope of obtaining mercy and of receiving grace and timely aid in our present calamities, not through any merits of our own, on which we do not rely, but only through the immense goodness of thy mother's heart. In thee and in thy Immaculate Heart, at this grave hour of human history, do we put our trust; to thee we consecrate ourselves, not only with all of Holy Church, which is the mystical body of thy Son Jesus, and which is suffering in so many of her members, being subjected to manifold tribulations and persecutions, but also with the whole world, torn by discords, agitated with hatred, the victim of its own iniquities. Be thou moved by the sight of such material and moral degradation, such sorrows, such anguish, so many tormented souls in danger of eternal loss! Do thou, O Mother of mercy, obtain for us from God a Christ-like reconciliation of the nations, as well as those graces which can convert the souls of men in an instant, those graces which prepare the way and make certain the long desired coming of peace on earth. O Queen of peace, pray for us, and grant peace unto the world in the truth, the justice, and the charity of Christ.
Above all, give us peace in our hearts, so that the kingdom of God may spread its borders in the tranquillity of order. Accord thy protection to unbelievers and to all those who lie within the shadow of death; cause the Sun of Truth to rise upon them; may they be enabled to join with us in repeating before the Savior of the world: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will."
Give peace to the nations that are separated from us by error or discord, and in a special manner to those peoples who profess a singular devotion toward thee; bring them back to Christ's one fold, under the one true Shepherd. Obtain full freedom for the holy Church of God; defend her from her enemies; check the ever-increasing torrent of immorality; arouse in the faithful a love of purity, a practical Christian life, and an apostolic zeal, so that the multitude of those who serve God may increase in merit and in number.
Finally, even as the Church and all mankind were once consecrated to the Heart of thy Son Jesus, because He was for all those who put their hope in Him an inexhaustible source of victory and salvation, so in like manner do we consecrate ourselves forever to thee also and to thy Immaculate Heart, O Mother of us and Queen of the world; may thy love and patronage hasten the day when the kingdom of God shall be victorious and all the nations, at peace with God .and with one another, shall call thee blessed and intone with thee, from the rising of the sun to its going down, the everlasting "Magnificat" of glory, of love, of gratitude to the Heart of Jesus, in which alone we can find truth, life, and peace. — Pope Pius XII
IN HONOR OF THE IMMACULATE HEART
O heart of Mary, mother of God, and our mother; heart most worthy of love, in which the adorable Trinity is ever well-pleased, worthy of the veneration and love of all the angels and of all men; heart most like to the Heart of Jesus, of which thou art the perfect image; heart, full of goodness, ever compassionate toward our miseries; deign to melt our icy hearts and grant that they may be wholly changed into the likeness of the Heart of Jesus, our divine Savior. Pour into them the love of thy virtues, enkindle in them that divine fire with which thou thyself dost ever burn. In thee let Holy Church find a safe shelter; protect her and be her dearest refuge, her tower of strength, impregnable against every assault of her enemies. Be thou the way which leads to Jesus, and the channel, through which we receive all the graces needful for our salvation. Be our refuge in time of trouble, our solace in the midst of trial, our strength against temptation, our haven in persecution, our present help in every danger, and especially) at the hour of death, when all hell shall let loose against u its legions to snatch away our souls, at that dread moment; that hour so full of fear, whereon our eternity depends. An,; then most tender virgin, make us to feel the sweetness of thy motherly heart, and the might of thine intercession with Jesus, and open to us a safe refuge in that very fountain of mercy, whence we may come to praise Him with thee in paradise, world without end. Amen.
Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954
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Sacred Heart Of Jesus |
Immaculate Heart of Mary |
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Blessed be the Most Loving Heart and Sweet Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the most glorious Virgin Mary, His Mother, in eternity and forever. Amen. ....Only the Heart of Christ who knows the depths of his Father's love could reveal to us the abyss of his mercy in so simple and beautiful a way ----From the Catechism. P:1439 From the depth of my nothingness, I prostrate myself before Thee, O Most Sacred, Divine and Adorable Heart of Jesus, to pay Thee all the homage of love, praise and adoration in my power. The prayer of the Church venerates and honors the Heart of Jesus just as it invokes his most holy name. It adores the incarnate Word and his Heart which, out of love for men, he allowed to be pierced by our sins. Christian prayer loves to follow the way of the cross in the Savior's steps.-- >From the Catechism. P: 2669 |
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The first is that we ought to love and honor whatever God loves and honors, and that by which He is loved and glorified. Now, after the adorable Heart of Jesus there has never been either in heaven or on earth, nor ever will be, a heart which has been so loved and honored by God, or which has given Him so much glory as that of Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Never has there been, nor will there ever be a more exalted throne of divine love. In that Heart divine love possesses its fullest empire, for it ever reigns without hindrance or interruption, and with it reign likewise all the laws of God, all the Gospel maxims and every Christian virtue.
This incomparable Heart of the Mother of our Redeemer is a glorious heaven, a Paradise of delights for the Most Holy Trinity. According to St. Paul, the hearts of the faithful are the dwelling place of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ Himself assures us that the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost take up Their abode in the hearts of those who love God. Who, therefore, can doubt that the Most Holy Trinity has always made His home and established the reign of His glory in an admirable and ineffable manner in the virginal Heart of her who is the Daughter of the Father, the Mother of the Son, the Spouse of the Holy Ghost, who herself loves God more than all other creatures together?
How much then are we not obliged to love this exalted and most lovable Heart?
— St. John Eudes
The History of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Catholic Caucus)
Homilies preached by Father Robert Altier on the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Marian Associations Unite to Celebrate Immaculate Heart
Solemnity Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary
From: Joshua 24:1-13
Joshua and the renewal of the Covenant
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Commentary:
24:1-28 The book of Joshua is not so much a report about a military campaign as
a vivid lesson in theology about how faithfully God keeps his promises, and a call
to respond to that faithfulness. This is borne out by the fact that the book ends
with a ratification of the Covenant: the nation that has taken possession of the
promised land renews the undertakings given by their fathers at Sinai. This cere-
mony takes place at Shechem. After an historical introduction recalling what God
has done for the Israelites (vv. 2-13), Joshua asks the people about their deter-
mination to stay faithful to the Lord (vv. 14-24). Once they have all made a com-
mitment to serve the Lord and obey him in everything, the Covenant is ceremon-
ially ratified (vv. 25-27). Elements of this rite are to be found in Hittite rites of
vassalage of the second millennium BC. So, the Covenant is not only a religious
act; it also has the force of secular law.
The Covenant lies at the basis of Christian morality, because it implies the con-
viction that God directs the course of history and he chooses people who are to
make a specific commitment of fidelity: “There is no doubt that Christian moral
teaching, even in its Biblical roots, acknowledges the specific importance of a
fundamental choice which qualifies the moral life and engages freedom on a
radical level before God. It is a question of the decision of faith, of the obedience
of faith (cf. Rom 16:26) ‘by which man makes a total and free self-commitment to
God, offering “the full submission of intellect and will to God as he reveals” (Dei
Verbum, 5). […] In the Decalogue one finds, as an introduction to the various
commandments, the basic clause: ‘I am the Lord your God . . . ‘ (Ex 20:2),
which, by impressing upon the numerous and varied particular prescriptions their
primordial meaning, gives the morality of the Covenant its aspect of complete-
ness, unity and profundity. Israel’s fundamental decision, then, is about the
fundamental commandment (cf. Jos 24:14-25; Ex 19:3-8; Mic 6:8)” (John Paul II,
Veritatis splendor, 66).
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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
From: Matthew 19:3-12
Marriage and Virginity
[10] The disciples said to Him, “If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is not
expedient to marry.” [11] But He said to them, “Not all men can receive this
precept, but only those to whom it is given. [12] For there are eunuchs who have
been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men,
and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the
Kingdom of Heaven. He who is able to receive this, let him receive it.”
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Commentary:
4-5. “Marriage and married love are by nature ordered to the procreation and
education of children. Indeed children are the supreme gift of marriage and
greatly contribute to the good of the parents themselves. God Himself said:
`It is not good that man should be alone’ (Genesis 2:18), and `from the beginning
(He) made them male and female’ (Matthew 19:4); wishing to associate them in
a special way with his own creative work, God blessed man and woman with
the words: `Be fruitful and multiply’ (Genesis 1:28). Without intending to under-
estimatethe other ends of marriage, it must be said that true married life and the
whole structure of family life which results from it is directed to disposing the
spouses to cooperate valiantly with the love of the Creator and Savior, who
through them will increase and enrich His family from day to day” (Vatican II,
“Gaudium Et Spes”, 50).
9. Our Lord’s teaching on the unity and indissolubility of marriage is the main
theme of this passage, apropos of which St. John Chrysos- tom comments that
marriage is a lifelong union of man and woman (cf. “Hom. on St. Matthew”, 62).
On the meaning of “except for unchastity”, see the note on Matthew 5:31-32).
11. “Not all men can receive this precept”: our Lord is fully aware that the
demands involved in His teaching on marriage and His recommendation of
celibacy practised out of love of God run counter to human selfishness. That
is why He says that acceptance of this teaching is a gift from God.
12. Our Lord speaks figuratively here, referring to those who, out of love for
Him, renounce marriage and offer their lives completely to Him. Virginity
embraced for the love of God is one of the Church’s most precious charisms
(cf. 1 Corinthians 7); the lives of those who practise virginity evoke the state
of the blessed in Heaven, who are like the angels (cf. Matthew 22:30). This
is why the Church’s Magisterium teaches that the state of virginity for the sake
of the Kingdom of Heaven is higher than the married state (cf. Council of Trent,
“De Sacram. Matr.”, can. 10; cf. also Pius XII, “Sacra Virginitas”). On virginity
and celibacy the Second Vatican Council teaches: “The Church’s holiness is
also fostered in a special way by the manifold counsels which the Lord
proposes to His disciples in the Gospel for them to observe. Towering among
these counsels is that precious gift of divine grace given to some by the Father
(cf. Matthew 19:11; 1 Corinthians 7:7) to devote themselves to God alone more
easily in virginity or celibacy [...]. This perfect continence for love of the King-
dom of Heaven has always been held in high esteem by the Church as a sign
and stimulus of love, and as a singular source of spiritual fertility in the world”
(”Lumen Gentium”, 42; cf. “Perfectae Caritatis”, 12). And, on celibacy
specifically, see Vatican II’s “Presbyterorum Ordinis”, 16 and “Optatam
Totius”, 10.
However, both virginity and marriage are necessary for the growth of the Church,
and both imply a specific calling from God: “Celibacy is precisely a gift of the
Spirit. A similar though different gift is contained in the vocation to true and
faithful married love, directed towards procreation according to the flesh, in the
very lofty context of the sacrament of Matrimony. It is obvious that this gift is
fundamental for the building up of the great community of the Church, the people
of God. But if this community wishes to respond fully to its vocation in Jesus
Christ, there will also have to be realized in it, in the correct proportion, that other
gift, the gift of celibacy `for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven’” (John Paul II,
“Letter To All Priests”, 1979).
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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
| First reading | Joshua 24:1 - 13 © |
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| Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel together at Shechem; then he called the elders, leaders, judges and scribes of Israel, and they presented themselves before God. Then Joshua said to all the people: ‘The Lord, the God of Israel says this, “In ancient days your ancestors lived beyond the River – such was Terah the father of Abraham and of Nahor – and they served other gods. Then I brought your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan. I increased his descendants and gave him Isaac. To Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. To Esau I gave the mountain country of Seir as his possession. Jacob and his sons went down into Egypt. Then I sent Moses and Aaron and plagued Egypt with the wonders that I worked there. So I brought you out of it. I brought your ancestors out of Egypt, and you came to the Sea; the Egyptians pursued your ancestors with chariots and horsemen as far as the Sea of Reeds. There they called to the Lord, and he spread a thick fog between you and the Egyptians, and made the sea go back on them and cover them. You saw with your own eyes the things I did in Egypt. Then for a long time you lived in the wilderness, until I brought you into the land of the Amorites who lived beyond the Jordan; they made war on you and I gave them into your hands; you took possession of their country because I destroyed them before you. Next, Balak son of Zippor the king of Moab arose to make war on Israel, and sent for Balaam son of Beor to come and curse you. But I would not listen to Balaam; instead, he had to bless you, and I saved you from his hand. ‘“When you crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho, those who held Jericho fought against you, as did the Amorites and Perizzites, the Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites and Jebusites, but I put them all into your power. I sent out hornets in front of you, which drove the two Amorite kings before you; this was not the work of your sword or your bow. I gave you a land where you never toiled, you live in towns you never built; you eat now from vineyards and olive-groves you never planted.”’ |
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| Psalm or canticle: Psalm 135 |
| Gospel | Matthew 19:3 - 12 © |
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| Some Pharisees approached Jesus, and to test him they said, ‘Is it against the Law for a man to divorce his wife on any pretext whatever?’ He answered, ‘Have you not read that the creator from the beginning made them male and female and that he said: This is why a man must leave father and mother, and cling to his wife, and the two become one body? They are no longer two, therefore, but one body. So then, what God has united, man must not divide’. They said to him, ‘Then why did Moses command that a writ of dismissal should be given in cases of divorce?’ ‘It was because you were so unteachable’ he said ‘that Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but it was not like this from the beginning. Now I say this to you: the man who divorces his wife – I am not speaking of fornication – and marries another, is guilty of adultery.’ The disciples said to him, ‘If that is how things are between husband and wife, it is not advisable to marry’. But he replied, ‘It is not everyone who can accept what I have said, but only those to whom it is granted. There are eunuchs born that way from their mother’s womb, there are eunuchs made so by men and there are eunuchs who have made themselves that way for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.’ |
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O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
| Psalm 68 (69) |
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| I am consumed with zeal for your house |
| Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. I am stuck in bottomless mud; I am adrift in deep waters and the flood is sweeping me away. I am exhausted with crying out, my throat is parched, my eyes are failing as I look out for my God. Those who hate me for no reason are more than the hairs of my head. They are strong, my persecutors, my lying enemies: they make me give back things I never took. God, you know my weakness: my crimes are not hidden from you. Let my fate not put to shame those who trust in you, Lord, Lord of hosts. Let them not be dismayed on my account, those who seek you, God of Israel. For it is for your sake that I am taunted and covered in confusion: I have become a stranger to my own brothers, a wanderer in the eyes of my mother’s children. Because zeal for your house is consuming me, and the taunts of those who hate you fall upon my head. I have humbled my soul with fasting and they reproach me for it. I have made sackcloth my clothing and they make me a byword. The idlers at the gates speak against me; for drinkers of wine, I am the butt of their songs. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Psalm 68 (69) |
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| But I turn my prayer to you, Lord, at the acceptable time, my God. In your great kindness, hear me, and rescue me with your faithful help. Tear me from the mire, before I become stuck; tear me from those who hate me; tear me from the depths of the waters. Do not let the waves overwhelm me; do not let the deep waters swallow me; do not let the well’s mouth engulf me. Hear me, Lord, for you are kind and good. In your abundant mercy, look upon me. Do not turn your face from your servant: I am suffering, so hurry to answer me. Come to my soul and deliver it, rescue me from my enemies’ attacks. You know how I am taunted and ashamed; how I am thrown into confusion. You can see all those who are troubling me. Reproach has shattered my heart – I am sick. I looked for sympathy, but none came; I looked for a consoler but did not find one. They gave me bitterness to eat; when I was thirsty, they gave me vinegar to drink. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Psalm 68 (69) |
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| I am weak and I suffer, but your help, O God, will sustain me. I will praise the name of God in song and proclaim his greatness with praises. This will please the Lord more than oxen, than cattle with their horns and hooves. Let the humble see and rejoice. Seek the Lord, and your heart shall live, for the Lord has heard the needy and has not despised his captive people. Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and all that swims in them. For the Lord will make Sion safe and build up the cities of Judah: there they will live, the land will be theirs. The seed of his servants will inherit the land, and those who love his name will dwell there. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Reading | Micah 6:1 - 15 © |
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| Now listen to what the Lord is saying: Stand up and let the case begin in the hearing of the mountains and let the hills hear what you say. Listen, you mountains, to the Lord’s accusation, give ear, you foundations of the earth, for the Lord is accusing his people, pleading against Israel: My people, what have I done to you, how have I been a burden to you? Answer me. I brought you out of the land of Egypt, I rescued you from the house of slavery; I sent Moses to lead you, with Aaron and Miriam. My people, remember: what did Balak plot, that king of Moab? What did Balaam answer, that son of Beor? From Shittim to Gilgal, for you to know the rightness of the ways of the Lord. ‘With what gift shall I come into the Lord’s presence and bow down before God on high? Shall I come with holocausts, with calves one year old? Will he be pleased with rams by the thousand, with libations of oil in torrents? Must I give my first-born for what I have done wrong, the fruit of my body for my own sin?’ What is good has been explained to you, man; this is what the Lord asks of you: only this, to act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with your God. The voice of the Lord. He is calling to the city: Listen, tribe, and assembly of the city whose rich men are crammed with violence, whose citizens are liars. Must I put up with fraudulent measure, or that abomination the short-weight bushel? Must I hold the man honest who measures with false scales and a bag of faked weights? I have therefore begun to strike you down, to bring you to ruin for your sins. You will eat but never be satisfied, store away but never preserve – and what is preserved I shall give to the sword. You will sow but never reap, press the olive but never rub yourself with oil, press the grape but never drink wine from it. |
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| Reading | St Pacian's sermon on Baptism |
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| Let us follow a new way of life through the Spirit | |
| The sin of Adam passed on to the whole human race. As St Paul says, Sin entered the world through one man, and through sin death, and thus death has spread through the whole human race. So the righteousness of Christ has to pass on to the whole human race also; and as Adam ruined all his descendants by sin, so must Christ, through righteousness, give life to his entire race. St Paul makes this point, saying As by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by one man’s obedience many will be made righteous. Just as sin reigned and brought death, so grace will reign to bring eternal life through righteousness. Someone might object as follows: “The sin of Adam deservedly passed on his posterity, because they were born of him. And are we then born of Christ, that we can be saved through him?” Stop thinking simply in terms of the body: then you will see in what sense Christ is our parent and we are born of him. In these last days Christ took a soul and body from Mary. It is this flesh that he came to save, that he did not abandon to the underworld: he united it with his own spirit and made it his own. This is the marriage of the Lord, united with the flesh of man, a mystery uniting the two — Christ and the Church — in one flesh. From this marriage and from the coming of the Spirit of the Lord from above, the Christian people is born. The substance of our souls receives the seed of heaven: we are conceived in the womb of our mother and born of that womb we receive life in Christ. So St Paul says, The first man, Adam, as scripture says, “became a living soul;” but the last Adam has become a life-giving spirit. It is through his priests that Christ sows his seed in the Church. St Paul, again, says: It was I who begot you in Christ Jesus. It is the seed of Christ, that is, the Spirit of God, that produces the new man through the priest’s hands, conceived in the womb of his mother and born in the baptismal font under the auspices of faith. We must receive Christ so that he can give us birth, as the Apostle John says: To all who accepted him he gave power to become children of God. But this cannot be brought about except by the sacrament of cleansing and anointing, the sacrament which the bishop administers. Sins are washed away by the cleansing waters of the font; the Holy Spirit is infused by oil of chrism; and we receive both at the bishop’s hands and through his words. Thus the whole man is born again and made new in Christ: so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. That is, having put behind us the errors of our former life, we should through the Spirit follow a new way of life in Christ. |
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| Concluding Prayer |
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| Almighty and eternal God, we presumptuously call you our father. Make us in our hearts truly your adopted children, so that we deserve the inheritance you have promised us. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen. |
| Friday, August 17, 2007 Feria |
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Collect: Almighty and ever-living God, your Spirit made us your children, confident to call you Father. Increase your Spirit within us and bring us to our promised inheritance. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Friday of the Nineteenth Week of Ordinary Time
Old Calendar: St. Hyacinth
While a canon at the cathedral of Cracow, Hyacinth journeyed to Rome, was impressed by the preaching and miracles of St. Dominic, and from the hand of Dominic himself received the habit of the newly-founded Order. Upon returning to his native land (1219), he established monasteries of his Order beyond the Alps at Friesach, Prague, Olmiitz, and Cracow. From the Breviary we have this miracle. With three companions Hyacinth had arrived at the banks of the river Weichsel during their journey to Vischegrad, where they were expected to preach. But the waters had risen so high and had become so violent that no ferryman dared to cross. The saint took his mantle, spread it out before him, and with his companions rode across the raging waters. After saying his Office for the day, he died in 1257 with these words on his lips: "Into Your hands, Lord, I rest my spirit!"
Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch.
Patron: Poland
Symbols: Pyx; staff; cloak; scorpion.
Things to Do:
O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
| Psalm 50 (51) |
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| God, have mercy on me |
| Take pity on me, Lord, in your mercy; in your abundance of mercy wipe out my guilt. Wash me ever more from my guilt and cleanse me from my sin. For I know how guilty I am: my sin is always before me. Against you, you alone have I sinned, and I have done evil in your sight. Know this, so that you may give just sentence and an unbiased judgement. See, I was conceived in guilt, in sin my mother conceived me; but you love truth in the heart, and deep within me you have shown me your wisdom. You will sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be made clean; you will wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. You will make me hear the sound of joy and gladness; the bones you have crushed will rejoice. Turn your face away from my sins and wipe out all my transgressions; create a pure heart in me, God, put a steadfast spirit into me. Do not send me away from your presence, or withdraw your holy spirit from me; give me again the joy of your salvation, and be ready to strengthen me with your spirit. I will teach the unjust your ways, and the impious will return to you. Free me from the guilt of bloodshed, God, God my saviour, and my voice will glory in your justice. Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will proclaim your praise; for you do not delight in sacrifices: if I offered you a burnt offering, it would not please you. The true sacrifice is a broken spirit: a contrite and humble heart, O God, you will not refuse. Be pleased, Lord, to look kindly on Sion, so that the walls of Jerusalem can be rebuilt, Then indeed you will accept the proper sacrifices, gifts and burnt offerings; then indeed will bullocks be laid upon your altar. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Canticle | Jeremiah 14 |
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| Lamentation of the people in the time of famine and war | |
| Let my eyes shed tears, night and day, let them never cease, for the daughter of my people is afflicted with a great affliction, with the worst of all wounds. If I go out into the fields – behold, those slain by the sword; if I go into the city – behold, those wasted by famine. Prophet and priest go through the land, they know nothing. Surely you have not rejected Judah, thrust him from you? Surely Sion has not become hateful to your heart? Why have you struck us down beyond all hope of healing? We have looked for peace, but no good came; we have looked for the time of healing, but trouble came instead. We acknowledge, O Lord, our wickedness, and the evil done by our fathers: we acknowledge that we have sinned. Do not make us a reproach, for your name’s sake, and do not make us a disgrace before the throne of your glory. Remember the covenant you made with us: do not bring it to an end. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
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| Psalm 99 (100) |
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| Enter the Temple with joy |
| Rejoice in the Lord, all the earth. Exult in his presence and serve him with joy. Know that the Lord is God. He made us and we are his – his people, the sheep of his flock. Cry out his praises as you enter his gates, fill his courtyards with songs. Proclaim him and bless his name; for the Lord is our delight. His mercy lasts for ever, his faithfulness through all the ages. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Short reading | 2 Corinthians 12:9 - 10 © |
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| I shall be very happy to make my weaknesses my special boast so that the power of Christ may stay over me, and that is why I am quite content with my weaknesses, and with insults, hardships, persecutions, and the agonies I go through for Christ’s sake. For it is when I am weak that I am strong. | |
| Canticle | Benedictus |
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| The Messiah and his forerunner | |
| Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and brought about their redemption. He has raised up the sign of salvation in the house of his servant David, as he promised through the mouth of the holy ones, his prophets through the ages: to rescue us from our enemies and all who hate us, to take pity on our fathers, to remember his holy covenant and the oath he swore to Abraham our father, that he would give himself to us, that we could serve him without fear – freed from the hands of our enemies – in uprightness and holiness before him, for all of our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High: for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his path, to let his people know their salvation, so that their sins may be forgiven. Through the bottomless mercy of our God, one born on high will visit us to give light to those who walk in darkness, who live in the shadow of death; to lead our feet in the path of peace. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
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| Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. |
| Almighty Father, let your light soak deeply into our minds. Stepping forward in the light of your commandments, may we follow you always, our leader and our guide. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen. |
| May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life. |
| A M E N |
great commentaries and references. thanks Salvation
| Mt 19:3-12 | ||
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| # | Douay-Rheims | Vulgate |
| 3 | And there came to him the Pharisees tempting him, saying: Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? | et accesserunt ad eum Pharisaei temptantes eum et dicentes si licet homini dimittere uxorem suam quacumque ex causa |
| 4 | Who answering, said to them: Have ye not read, that he who made man from the beginning, made them male and female? And he said: | qui respondens ait eis non legistis quia qui fecit ab initio masculum et feminam fecit eos |
| 5 | For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they two shall be in one flesh. | et dixit propter hoc dimittet homo patrem et matrem et adherebit uxori suae et erunt duo in carne una |
| 6 | Therefore now they are not two, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder. | itaque iam non sunt duo sed una caro quod ergo Deus coniunxit homo non separet |
| 7 | They say to him: Why then did Moses command to give a bill of divorce, and to put away? | dicunt illi quid ergo Moses mandavit dari libellum repudii et dimittere |
| 8 | He saith to them: Because Moses by reason of the hardness of your heart permitted you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. | ait illis quoniam Moses ad duritiam cordis vestri permisit vobis dimittere uxores vestras ab initio autem non sic fuit |
| 9 | And I say to you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and he that shall marry her that is put away, committeth adultery. | dico autem vobis quia quicumque dimiserit uxorem suam nisi ob fornicationem et aliam duxerit moechatur et qui dimissam duxerit moechatur |
| 10 | His disciples say unto him: If the case of a man with his wife be so, it is not expedient to marry. | dicunt ei discipuli eius si ita est causa homini cum uxore non expedit nubere |
| 11 | Who said to them: All men take not this word, but they to whom it is given. | qui dixit non omnes capiunt verbum istud sed quibus datum est |
| 12 | For there are eunuchs, who were born so from their mothers womb: and there are eunuchs, who were made so by men: and there are eunuchs, who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven. He that can take, let him take it. | sunt enim eunuchi qui de matris utero sic nati sunt et sunt eunuchi qui facti sunt ab hominibus et sunt eunuchi qui se ipsos castraverunt propter regnum caelorum qui potest capere capiat |
You’re so welcome, FRiend. Have a blessed weekend.
Beautiful.
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Raising the Bar to a Sacramental Level
Matthew 19: 3-12
1. Marriage Made Sacrament The sacrament of Matrimony signifies the union of Christ and the Church. This is why our Lord defended its indissolubility so strongly before the Pharisees. The sacrament confers to spouses the grace to love each other with the love with which Christ has loved his Church. The image of Christ dying on the cross and Mary beneath the cross is a perpetual icon of love for all married couples. When I experience difficulties in loving others, I should look at these marvelous examples of forgetfulness of self and service to others. 2. Your Standard of Love Is Christ St. Paul said: “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the Church and handed himself over for her” (Ephesians 5:25). Marriage requires of couples a fundamental life of grace and an integral moral character if it is to be a true Christian witness to the world. The grace of the sacrament perfects the human love of the spouses, strengthens their indissoluble unity, and sanctifies them on the way to eternal life. For those who are married: Is your marriage Christ-centered? Is your love modeled after Christ? Do you know how to leave aside pride and egotism, in order to be more like Christ in the way you love your spouse? For those preparing for marriage: Am I making the right moral decisions now in my life to prepare a solid foundation for a future marriage? Do I take time to study and assimilate the Church’s teaching on married love? 3. A Higher Love To a select group of souls, our Lord gives a special grace. Not by their own merit, but by the very gift of God, do souls receive this calling. He calls these souls to renounce marriage “for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven”, to accept the Church as their spouse. These souls are his consecrated souls, souls set apart for the Lord’s work, a work of his choosing. By this gift and calling, men and women leave home, sometimes even their country, and go to mission lands to spread the word of God. Esteem for virginity for the sake of the kingdom and the Christian understanding of marriage are inseparable, and they reinforce each other. Do I have enough faith to believe all that our Lord and the Church has taught on married life and love?
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| Other Articles by Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D. Printer Friendly Version |
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| Deliver Your Gifts | ||
Jos 24:1-13 / Ps 136:1-3, 16-18, 21-22 and 24 / Mt 19:3-12
"I gave you a land you had not tilled and cities you had not built to dwell in. You have eaten of vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant." So said the Lord to the Israelites, and so might he speak to us all. Everything we have: life, breath, family, hopes, dreams, loves, and every sort of gift and talent. God gave it all to us, all unearned. He gave it and he continues to give it day-by-day even when we're at our worst.
When we catch a glimpse of the immensity of God's gifts and how little we've done to earn them, our minds stumble. From the depths of our souls, we want to SAY thanks and GIVE thanks, but how do we do that?
We shrug our shoulders and shake our heads. What do we have to give to God? Just one thing: the very gifts that God is giving us, we can give to his people. God is a good father and that's all he asks: "Carry your gifts to those of my children who need them."
And we must respond: "I will, Lord. I will."
O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
| Psalm 134 (135) |
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| Praise the Lord, the wonder-worker |
| Praise the name of the Lord: praise it, servants of the Lord, you who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God. Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing to his name, for it brings happiness. For the Lord chose Jacob for his own, he chose Israel for his possession. I know how great is the Lord, how great is our God above all gods. The Lord accomplishes all that he wills, in the heavens and on the earth, in the sea and the depths of the oceans. He brings in clouds from the ends of the earth, makes lightning for the rain-clouds, from his storehouse he calls forth the winds. He struck down the first-born of Egypt, of man and of beast alike. He sent signs and wonders among them, to Pharaoh and all his servants. He shattered nation after nation, killed powerful kings: Sihon, king of the Amorites, Og, the king of Bashan, all the kingdoms of Canaan. He gave their lands as a birthright, as a birthright for Israel his people. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Psalm 134 (135) |
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| Lord, your name is for ever; Lord, your name will be remembered by generation after generation. For the Lord will give judgement for his people, he will look with kindness upon his servants. The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of the hands of men. They have mouths but will not speak, they have eyes and will not see. They have ears and will not hear, there is no breath in their mouths. They will be like them, those who make them; and all who put their trust in them. House of Israel, bless the Lord; house of Aaron, bless the Lord; house of Levi, bless the Lord; you who fear the Lord, bless the Lord. Blessed be the Lord from Sion, whose abode is Jerusalem. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Canticle | Apocalypse 15 |
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| A hymn of adoration | |
| Great and wonderful are your works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are your ways, King of all nations! Who, Lord, will not revere and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship in your presence, for your judgements have been seen by all. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
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| Short reading | James 1:2 - 4 © |
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| My brothers, you will always have your trials but, when they come, try to treat them as a happy privilege; you understand that your faith is only put to the test to make you patient, but patience too is to have its practical results so that you will become fully-developed, complete, with nothing missing. | |
| Canticle | Magnificat |
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| My soul rejoices in the Lord | |
| My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation. For he has shown me such favour – me, his lowly handmaiden. Now all generations will call me blessed, because the mighty one has done great things for me. His name is holy, his mercy lasts for generation after generation for those who revere him. He has put forth his strength: he has scattered the proud and conceited, torn princes from their thrones; but lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel, he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
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| Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. |
| Lord, holy Father, you decreed Christ your Son as the price to be paid for our salvation. May his Passion be part of our lives and bring us the strength of his Resurrection. He lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen. |
| May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life. |
| A M E N |
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Friday, August 17, 2007 Meditation Joshua 24:1-13 Near the end of his life, Joshua gathered the entire people of God to tell them their story, the true story of God’s leading and protection right up to the present moment. Many of these events had happened centuries earlier, but for Joshua they were a living reality. He knew that the same God was still guiding his people. Toward the end of this passage, Joshua reminds his listeners of a danger: taking credit for something that is not their doing. “I gave you a land which you had not tilled and cities which you had not built, to dwell in; you have eaten of vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant” (Joshua 24:13). We too are often tempted to take credit for what God has done for, in, and through us. The flip side is that we are also tempted to blame ourselves when things go awry. God certainly does give us responsibilities and expects us to be faithful—and he certainly does hold us accountable for the effects of our wrongdoing. But we should be careful not to take on more than he gives us. The pitfalls of pride and despair are clear when we consider our children. How easy it is for us to take credit for their intelligence, their accomplishments, or even their natural gifts—and to feel guilty when they fail or turn away from the Lord! But the truth is that no matter how well we train and nurture them, our children ultimately bear responsibility for their choices. When they choose well, we need to encourage them and give the glory to God. When it seems they’ve chosen poorly, we need to respect their freedom, commend them to God, and trust that he will never abandon them. From time to time it is good to look back over the story of our lives. God has called each of us into being and brought us to the place where we could know him and choose to respond to his love. At every moment and through every circumstance of our lives he has been present, working with us for his greater glory. “Glory to you, the All-powerful, the All-merciful. I accept the gift of your love in my life. I know you are able to bring about far more than I could ever ask or imagine.” Psalm 136:1-3,16-18,21-22,24; Matthew 19:3-12 |
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