Posted on 09/01/2007 9:36:41 AM PDT by Salvation
|
Saturday of the Twenty-first Week
in Ordinary Time
|
|
Reading 1
1 Thes 4:9-11
Brothers and sisters:
On the subject of fraternal charity
you have no need for anyone to write you,
for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another.
Indeed, you do this for all the brothers throughout Macedonia.
Nevertheless we urge you, brothers and sisters, to progress even more,
and to aspire to live a tranquil life,
to mind your own affairs,
and to work with your own hands,
as we instructed you.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 98:1, 7-8, 9
R. (9) The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.
Let the sea and what fills it resound,
the world and those who dwell in it;
Let the rivers clap their hands,
the mountains shout with them for joy.
R. The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.
Before the LORD, for he comes,
for he comes to rule the earth;
He will rule the world with justice
and the peoples with equity.
R. The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.
Gospel
Mt 25:14-30
Jesus told his disciples this parable:
“A man going on a journey
called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them.
To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one–
to each according to his ability.
Then he went away.
Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them,
and made another five.
Likewise, the one who received two made another two.
But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground
and buried his master’s money.
After a long time
the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them.
The one who had received five talents
came forward bringing the additional five.
He said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents.
See, I have made five more.’
His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant.
Since you were faithful in small matters,
I will give you great responsibilities.
Come, share your master’s joy.’
Then the one who had received two talents also came forward and said,
‘Master, you gave me two talents.
See, I have made two more.’
His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant.
Since you were faithful in small matters,
I will give you great responsibilities.
Come, share your master’s joy.’
Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said,
‘Master, I knew you were a demanding person,
harvesting where you did not plant
and gathering where you did not scatter;
so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground.
Here it is back.’
His master said to him in reply, ‘You wicked, lazy servant!
So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant
and gather where I did not scatter?
Should you not then have put my money in the bank
so that I could have got it back with interest on my return?
Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten.
For to everyone who has,
more will be given and he will grow rich;
but from the one who has not,
even what he has will be taken away.
And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’”
Please notify me via FReepmail if you would like to be added to or taken off the Alleluia Ping List.
Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. Due to her feast day on September 15, the month of September has traditionally been set aside to honor Our Lady of Sorrows. All the sorrows of Mary (the prophecy of Simeon, the three days' loss, etc.) are merged in the supreme suffering at the Passion. In the Passion, Mary suffered a martyrdom of the heart because of Our Lord's torments and the greatness of her love for Him. "She it was," says Pope Pius XII, "who immune from all sin, personal or inherited, and ever more closely united with her Son, offered Him on Golgotha to the Eternal Father together with the holocaust of her maternal rights and motherly love. As a new Eve, she made this offering for all the children of Adam contaminated through his unhappy fall. Thus she, who was the mother of our Head according to the flesh, became by a new title of sorrow and glory the spiritual mother of all His members."
INVOCATIONS
Mary most sorrowful, Mother of Christians, pray for us.
Virgin most sorrowful, pray for us.
TO THE QUEEN OF MARTYRS
Mary, most holy Virgin and Queen of Martyrs, accept the sincere homage of my filial affection. Into thy heart, pierced by so many swords, do thou welcome my poor soul. Receive it as the companion of thy sorrows at the foot of the Cross, on which Jesus died for the redemption of the world. With thee, O sorrowful Virgin, I will gladly suffer all the trials, contradictions, and infirmities which it shall please our Lord to send me. I offer them all to thee in memory of thy sorrows, so that every thought of my mind, and every beat of my heart may be an act of compassion and of love for thee. And do thou, sweet Mother, have pity on me, reconcile me to thy divine Son Jesus, keep me in His grace, and assist me in my last agony, so that I may be able to meet thee in heaven and sing thy glories. Amen.
TO THE MOTHER OF SORROWS
Most holy Virgin. and Mother, whose soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow in the Passion of thy divine Son, and who in His glorious Resurrection wast filled with never-ending joy at His triumph; obtain for us who call upon thee, so to be partakers in the adversities of Holy Church and the sorrows of the Sovereign Pontiff, as to be found worthy to rejoice with them in the consolations for which we pray, in the charity and peace of the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
IN HONOR OF THE SORROWS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
O most holy and afflicted Virgin! Queen of Martyrs! thou who didst stand motionless beneath the Cross, witnessing the agony of thy expiring Son--through the unceasing sufferings of thy life of sorrow, and the bliss which now more than amply repays thee for thy past trials, look down with a mother's tenderness and pity on me, who kneel before thee to venerate thy dolors, and place my requests, with filial confidence, in the sanctuary of thy wounded heart; present them, I beseech thee, on my behalf, to Jesus Christ, through the merits of His own most sacred death and passion, together with thy sufferings at the foot of the cross, and through the united efficacy of both obtain the grant of my present petition. To whom shall I resort in my wants and miseries if not to thee, O Mother of Mercy, who, having so deeply drunk of the chalice of thy Son, canst compassionate the woes of those who still sigh in the land of exile? Offer for me to my Savior one drop of the Blood which flowed from His sacred veins, one of the tears which trickled from His divine eyes, one of the sighs which rent His adorable Heart. O refuge of the universe and hope of the whole world, do not reject my humble prayer, but graciously obtain the grant of my petition.
TO OUR LADY OF SORROWS
O most holy Virgin, Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ: by the overwhelming grief you experienced when you witnessed the martyrdom, the crucifixion, and the death of your divine Son, look upon me with eyes of compassion, and awaken in my heart a tender commiseration for those sufferings, as well as a sincere detestation of my sins, in order that, being disengaged from all undue affection for the passing joys of this earth, I may sigh after the eternal Jerusalem, and that henceforward all my thoughts and all my actions may be directed towards this one most desirable object. Honor, glory, and love to our divine Lord Jesus, and to the holy and immaculate Mother of God. Amen. --Saint Bonaventure
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
| Lord, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. God, the Father of heaven, God the Son, Redeemer of the world, . God the Holy Ghost, Holy Mary, Mother of God, Holy Virgin of virgins, Mother of the Crucified, Sorrowful Mother, Mournful Mother, Sighing Mother, Afflicted Mother, Foresaken Mother, . Desolate Mother, Mother most sad, Mother set around with anguish, Mother overwhelmed by grief, Mother transfixed by a sword, Mother crucified in thy heart, Mother bereaved of thy Son, Sighing Dove, Mother of Dolors, Fount of tears, Sea of bitterness, Field of tribulation, Mass of suffering, Mirror of patience, Rock of constancy, Remedy in perplexity, Joy of the afflicted, Ark of the desolate, Refuge of the abandoned,. Shiled of the oppressed, Conqueror of the incredulous, Solace of the wretched, Medicine of the sick, Help of the faint, Strength of the weak, Protectress of those who fight, Haven of the shipwrecked, Calmer of tempests, Companion of the sorrowful, Retreat of those who groan, Terror of the treacherous, Standard-bearer of the Martyrs, Treasure of the Faithful, Light of Confessors, Pearl of Virgins, . Comfort of Widows, . Joy of all Saints, Queen of thy Servants, Holy Mary, who alone art unexampled, Pray for us, most Sorrowful Virgin, |
Christ, have mercy on us. Christ, graciously hear us. |
| Let us pray, --- O God, in whose Passion, according to the prophecy of Simeon, a sword of grief pierced through the most sweet soul of Thy glorious Blessed Virgin Mother Mary: grant that we, who celebrate the memory of her Seven Sorrows, may obtain the happy effect of Thy Passion, Who lives and reigns world without end, Amen. |
|
| The Seven Sorrows of Our Lady 1. The Prophecy of Simeon 2. The Flight into Egypt . 3. The Loss of Jesus in the Temple 4. Mary meets Jesus Carrying the Cross 5. The Crucifixion 6. Mary Receives the Dead Body of Her Son 7. The Burial of Her Son and Closing of the Tomb. |
|
| Consecration to Our Lady of Sorrows Most holy Virgin and Queen of Martyrs, Mary, would that I could be in Heaven, there to contemplate the honors rendered to thee by the Most Holy Trinity and by the whole Heavenly Court! But since I am still a pilgrim in this vale of tears, receive from me, thy unworthy servant and a poor sinner, the most sincere homage and the most perfect act of vassalage a human creature can offer thee. In thy Immaculate Heart, pierced with so many swords of sorrow, I place today my poor soul forever; receive me as a partaker in thy dolors, and never suffer that I should depart from that Cross on which thy only begotten Son expired for me. With thee, O Mary, I will endure all the sufferings, contradictions, infirmities, with which it will please thy Divine Son to visit me in this life. All of them I offer to thee, in memory of the Dolors which thou didst suffer during thy life, that every thought of my mind, every beating of my heart may henceforward be an act of compassion to thy Sorrows, and of complacency for the glory thou now enjoyest in Heaven. Since then, O Dear Mother, I now compassionate thy Dolors, and rejoice in seeing thee glorified, do thou also have compassion on me, and reconcile me to thy Son Jesus, that I may become thy true and loyal son (daughter); come on my last day and assist me in my last agony, even as thou wert present at the Agony of thy Divine Son Jesus, that from this painful exile I may go to Heaven, there to be made partaker of thy glory. Amen. |
|
Homilies on Our Lady of Sorrows
Starkenburg:Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Sorrows Shrine
ST. ALPHONSUS LIGUORI, OF THE DOLOURS OF MARY, The Glories [Sorrows] of Mary
From: 1 Thessalonians 4:9-11
Charity and Good Use of Time
*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:
9-10. “The greatest commandment of the law is to love God with one’s
whole heart and one’s neighbor as oneself (cf. Mt 22:37-40). Christ has
made this love of neighbor his personal commandment and has enriched
it with a new meaning when he willed himself, along with his brothers,
to be the object of this charity, saying, ‘When you did it to one of the
least of these my brethren, you did it to me’ (Mt. 25:40). In assuming
human nature he has united to himself all mankind in a supernatural
solidarity which makes of it one single family. He has made charity the
distinguishing mark of his disciples, in the words: ‘By this all men
will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another’
(Jn 13:35). In the early days the Church linked the ‘agape’ to the
eucharistic supper, and by so doing showed itself as one body around
Christ united by the bond of charity. So too, in all ages, love is its
characteristic mark” (Vatican II, “Apostolicam Actuositatem”, 8). Love
for the other members of the Church is fraternal love, a love which
brothers and sisters should have for one another, for the Church is one
large family. The Thessalonians practised this love not only among
themselves but also with the other believers living in Macedonia;
fraternal charity is absolutely necessary for the unity of Christians.
“No tongue can tell the heights to which love uplifts us”, St Clement
of Rome teaches. “Love unites us to God; love casts a veil over
innumerable sins; there are no limits to love’s endurance, no end to
its patience. There is nothing base, nothing proud, about love [...] It
was in love that all God’s chosen ones were made perfect. Without
love nothing is pleasing to God” (”Letter to the Corinthians”, 1, 49).
11-12. Everyone has certain obligations connected with his position in
life which he should conscientiously fulfill. They include, particularly,
duties to do with work and family, and they provide us with an
opportunity for conversation with God. St John Chrysostom teaches,
for example: “A woman working in the kitchen or doing some sewing
can always raise her thoughts to heaven and fervently invoke the Lord.
If someone is on the way to market or is traveling alone, he can
easily pray attentively. Someone else who is in his wine-cellar,
engaged in stitching wine skins, is free enough to raise his heart to
the Master” (”Fifth Homily on Anna”, 4, 6).
Work is something of immense human and supernatural value, for it is
a means readily at hand for personal sanctification and cooperation
with others. It would be unworthy of a Christian to live an idle life and
expect to be supported by the charity of others. St Paul counsels
everyone who can to look after his family and “be dependent on nobody”.
And so we find the following in one of the very earliest Christian
documents: “If someone wants to settle down among you, and is a
skilled worker, let him find employment and earn his bread. If he knows
no trade, use your discretion to make sure that he does not live in
idleness on the strength of being a Christian. If he does not want to
work, he is only trying to exploit Christ. Be on your guard against
people of that sort” (”Didache”, 12). So, a person cannot be regarded
as a good Christian if he does not try to work well, for “our
professional vocation is an essential and inseparable part of our
condition as Christians. Our Lord wants you to be holy in the place
where you are, in the job you have chosen” ([St] J. Escriva, “Friends
of God”, 60).
In addition to promoting personal sanctification and cooperation with
others, work gives the Christian a share in Christ’s work of Redemption.
“Sweat and toil, which work necessarily involves in the present condition
of the human race, present the Christian and everyone who is called to
follow Christ with the possibility of sharing lovingly in the work that
Christ came to do (cf. Jn 17:4). This work of salvation came about
through suffering and death on a Cross. By enduring the toil of work in
union with Christ crucified for us, man in a way collaborates with the
Son of God for the redemption of humanity. He shows himself a true
disciple of Christ by carrying the cross in his turn every day (cf. Lk
9:23) in the activity that he is called upon to perform” (John Paul II,
“Laborem Exercens”, 27).
*********************************************************************************************
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 25:14-30
The Parable of the Talents
*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:
14-30. A talent was not any kind of coin but a measure of value worth about
fifty kilos (one hundred pounds) of silver.
In this parable the main message is the need to respond to grace by making
a genuine effort right through one’s life. All the gifts of nature and grace which
God has given us should yield a profit. It does not matter how many gifts we
have received; what matters is our generosity in putting them to good use.
A person’s Christian calling should not lie hidden and barren: it should be
outgoing, apostolic and self-sacrificial. “Don’t lose your effectiveness; instead,
trample on your selfishness. You think your life is for yourself? Your life is for
God, for the good of all men, though your love for our Lord. Your buried talent,
dig it up again! Make it yield” ([St] J. Escriva, “Friends of God”, 47).
An ordinary Christian cannot fail to notice that Jesus chose to outline his
teaching on response to grace by using the simile of men at work. Here we
have a reminder that the Christian normally lives out his vocation in the context
of ordinary, everyday affairs. “There is just one life, made of flesh and spirit.
And it is this life which has to become, in both soul and body, holy and filled
with God. We discover the invisible God in the most visible and material things.
There is no other way. Either we learn to find our Lord in ordinary, everyday
life, or else we shall never find Him” ([St] J. Escriva, “Conversations”, 114).
*********************************************************************************************
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 | 1 Thessalonians 4:9 - 11 © |
|---|---|
| As for loving our brothers, there is no need for anyone to write to you about that, since you have learnt from God yourselves to love one another, and in fact this is what you are doing with all the brothers throughout the whole of Macedonia. However, we do urge you, brothers, to go on making even greater progress and to make a point of living quietly, attending to your own business and earning your living, just as we told you to. | |
| Psalm or canticle: Psalm 97 |
| Gospel | Matthew 25:14 - 30 © |
|---|---|
| Jesus said, ‘The kingdom of Heaven is like a man on his way abroad who summoned his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to a third is one; each in proportion to his ability. Then he set out. The man who had received the five talents promptly went and traded with them and made five more. The man who had received two made two more in the same way. But the man who had received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. Now a long time after, the master of those servants came back and went through his accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents came forward bringing five more. “Sir,” he said “you entrusted me with five talents; here are five more that I have made.” His master said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have shown you can be faithful in small things, I will trust you with greater; come and join in your master’s happiness”. Next the man with the two talents came forward. “Sir,” he said “you entrusted me with two talents; here are two more that I have made.” His master said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have shown you can be faithful in small things, I will trust you with greater; come and join in your master’s happiness”. Last came forward the man who had the one talent. “Sir,” said he “I had heard you were a hard man, reaping where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered; so I was afraid, and I went off and hid your talent in the ground. Here it is; it was yours, you have it back.” But his master answered him, “You wicked and lazy servant! So you knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered? Well then, you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have recovered my capital with interest. So now, take the talent from him and give it to the man who has the five talents. For to everyone who has will be given more, and he will have more than enough; but from the man who has not, even what he has will be taken away. As for this good-for-nothing servant, throw him out into the dark, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.”’ | |
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 130 (131) |
|---|
| Childlike trust in God |
| Lord, I do not puff myself up or stare about, or walk among the great or seek wonders beyond me. Truly calm and quiet I have made my spirit: quiet as a weaned child in its mother’s arms – like an infant is my soul. Let Israel hope in the Lord, now and for all time. 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 131 (132) |
|---|
| God's promise to the house of David |
| Lord, remember David and how he served you. He swore to the Lord, vowed a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob: “I will not go into my tent, my home, nor go up to my bed of rest; I will not let my eyes sleep or my eyelids grow heavy until I have found a place for the Lord, a dwelling-place for the Mighty One of Jacob”. We heard that it was in Ephratha, we found it in the plains of Jaar. So let us go into his dwelling-place and let us worship before his footstool. Rise up, Lord, and come to your place of rest. Come with the Ark of your power. Let your priests be robed in your justice, and let your chosen ones rejoice. Remember what David did for you, and do not turn your face from your Anointed. 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 131 (132) |
|---|
| The Lord swore David a true oath, he will not go back on his word: “The fruit of your body I will place on your throne. If your children keep my covenant and the commands I teach them, their children’s children will occupy your throne for ever”. For the Lord has chosen Sion, taken it for his dwelling-place: “Here will I take my rest for all time: here will I live, such is my desire. I will bless its crops with my blessing, I will fill its poor with bread. I will clothe its priests with righteousness. Its chosen ones will exult with joy. There will I plant the sign of David, and prepare a lamp for my anointed one. I will wrap his enemies in confusion, but over his head my crown will shine. 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 | Jeremiah 7:1 - 20 © |
|---|---|
| The word that was addressed to Jeremiah by the Lord: ‘Go and stand at the gate of the Temple of the Lord and there proclaim this message. Say, “Listen to the word of the Lord, all you men of Judah who come in by these gates to worship the Lord. The Lord Sabaoth, the God of Israel, says this: Amend your behaviour and your actions and I will stay with you here in this place. Put no trust in delusive words like these: This is the sanctuary of the Lord, the sanctuary of the Lord, the sanctuary of the Lord! But if you do amend your behaviour and your actions, if you treat each other fairly, if you do not exploit the stranger, the orphan and the widow (if you do not shed innocent blood in this place), and if you do not follow alien gods, to your own ruin, then here in this place I will stay with you, in the land that long ago I gave to your fathers for ever. Yet here you are, trusting in delusive words, to no purpose! Steal, would you, murder, commit adultery, perjure yourselves, burn incense to Baal, follow alien gods that you do not know? – and then come presenting yourselves in this Temple that bears my name, saying: Now we are safe – safe to go on committing all these abominations! Do you take this Temple that bears my name for a robbers’ den? I, at any rate, am not blind – it is the Lord who speaks. ‘“Now go to my place in Shiloh where at first I gave my name a home; see what I have done to it because of the wickedness of my people Israel! And now, since you have committed all these sins – it is the Lord who speaks – and have refused to listen when I spoke so urgently, so persistently, or to answer when I called you, I will treat this Temple that bears my name, and in which you put your trust, and the place I have given to you and your ancestors, just as I treated Shiloh. I will drive you out of my sight, as I drove all your kinsmen, the entire race of Ephraim.” ‘You, for your part, must not intercede for this people, nor raise either plea or prayer on their behalf; do not plead with me, for I will not listen to you. Cannot you see what they are doing in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? The children collect the wood, the fathers light the fire, the women knead the dough, to make cakes for the Queen of Heaven; and, to spite me, they pour libations to alien gods. Is it really me they spite – it is the Lord who speaks –-is it not in fact themselves, to their own confusion? Therefore, the Lord says this: My anger and my wrath shall be poured out on this place, over man and beast, trees of the countryside, fruits of the soil; it shall burn, and not be quenched.’ |
|
| Reading | From a homily on Matthew by Saint John Chrysostom, bishop |
|---|---|
| Do not adorn the church and ignore your afflicted brother | |
| Do you want to honour Christ’s body? Then do not scorn him in his nakedness, nor honour him here in the church with silken garments while neglecting him outside where he is cold and naked. For he who said: This is my body, and made it so by his words, also said: You saw me hungry and did not feed me, and inasmuch as you did not do it for one of these, the least of my brothers, you did not do it for me. What we do here in the church requires a pure heart, not special garments; what we do outside requires great dedication. Let us learn, therefore, to be men of wisdom and to honour Christ as he desires. For a person being honoured finds greatest pleasure in the honour he desires, not in the honour we think best. Peter thought he was honouring Christ when he refused to let him wash his feet; but what Peter wanted was not truly an honour, quite the opposite! Give him the honour prescribed in his law by giving your riches to the poor. For God does not want golden vessels but golden hearts. Now, in saying this I am not forbidding you to make such gifts; I am only demanding that along with such gifts and before them you give alms. He accepts the former, but he is much more pleased with the latter. In the former, only the giver profits; in the latter, the recipient does too. A gift to the church may be taken as a form of ostentation, but an alms is pure kindness. Of what use is it to weigh down Christ’s table with golden cups, when he himself is dying of hunger? First, fill him when he is hungry; then use the means you have left to adorn his table. Will you have a golden cup made but not give a cup of water? What is the use of providing the table with cloths woven of gold thread, and not providing Christ himself with the clothes he needs? What profit is there in that? Tell me: If you were to see him lacking the necessary food but were to leave him in that state and merely surround his table with gold would he be grateful to you or rather would he not be angry? What if you were to see him clad in worn-out rags and stiff from the cold, and were to forget about clothing him and instead were to set up golden columns for him, saying that you were doing it in his honour? Would he not think he was being mocked and greatly insulted? Apply this also to Christ when he comes along the roads as a pilgrim, looking for shelter. You do not take him in as your guest, but you decorate floor and walls and the capitals of the pillars. You provide silver chains for the lamps, but you cannot bear even to look at him as he lies chained in prison. Once again, I am not forbidding you to supply these adornments; I am urging you to provide these other things as well, and indeed to provide them first. No one has ever been accused for not providing ornaments, but for those who neglect their neighbour a hell awaits with an inextinguishable fire and torment in the company of the demons. Do not, therefore, adorn the church and ignore your afflicted brother, for he is the most precious temple of all. |
|
| Concluding Prayer |
|---|
| O God, through you your faithful are united and of one will. Grant to your people that they may love what you have taught and desire what you have promised: in this changeable world may our hearts be fixed on where true joy comes from. 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. |
| Mt 25:14-30 | ||
|---|---|---|
| # | Douay-Rheims | Vulgate |
| 14 | For even as a man going into a far country called his servants and delivered to them his goods; | sicut enim homo proficiscens vocavit servos suos et tradidit illis bona sua |
| 15 | And to one he gave five talents, and to another two, and to another one, to every one according to his proper ability: and immediately he took his journey. | et uni dedit quinque talenta alii autem duo alii vero unum unicuique secundum propriam virtutem et profectus est statim |
| 16 | And he that had received the five talents went his way and traded with the same and gained other five. | abiit autem qui quinque talenta acceperat et operatus est in eis et lucratus est alia quinque |
| 17 | And in like manner he that had received the two gained other two. | similiter qui duo acceperat lucratus est alia duo |
| 18 | But he that had received the one, going his way, digged into the earth and hid his lord's money. | qui autem unum acceperat abiens fodit in terra et abscondit pecuniam domini sui |
| 19 | But after a long time the lord of those servants came and reckoned with them. | post multum vero temporis venit dominus servorum illorum et posuit rationem cum eis |
| 20 | And he that had received the five talents coming, brought other five talents, saying: Lord, thou didst deliver to me five talents. Behold I have gained other five over and above. | et accedens qui quinque talenta acceperat obtulit alia quinque talenta dicens domine quinque talenta mihi tradidisti ecce alia quinque superlucratus sum |
| 21 | His lord said to him: Well done, good and faithful servant, because thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will place thee over many things. Enter thou into the joy of thy lord. | ait illi dominus eius euge bone serve et fidelis quia super pauca fuisti fidelis super multa te constituam intra in gaudium domini tui |
| 22 | And he also that had received the two talents came and said: Lord, thou deliveredst two talents to me. Behold I have gained other two. | accessit autem et qui duo talenta acceperat et ait domine duo talenta tradidisti mihi ecce alia duo lucratus sum |
| 23 | His lord said to him: Well done, good and faithful servant: because thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will place thee over many things. Enter thou into the joy of thy lord. | ait illi dominus eius euge serve bone et fidelis quia super pauca fuisti fidelis supra multa te constituam intra in gaudium domini tui |
| 24 | But he that had received the one talent, came and said: Lord, I know that thou art a hard man; thou reapest where thou hast not sown and gatherest where thou hast not strewed. | accedens autem et qui unum talentum acceperat ait domine scio quia homo durus es metis ubi non seminasti et congregas ubi non sparsisti |
| 25 | And being afraid, I went and hid thy talent in the earth. Behold here thou hast that which is thine. | et timens abii et abscondi talentum tuum in terra ecce habes quod tuum est |
| 26 | And his lord answering, said to him: Wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sow not and gather where I have not strewed. | respondens autem dominus eius dixit ei serve male et piger sciebas quia meto ubi non semino et congrego ubi non sparsi |
| 27 | Thou oughtest therefore to have committed my money to the bankers: and at my coming I should have received my own with usury. | oportuit ergo te mittere pecuniam meam nummulariis et veniens ego recepissem utique quod meum est cum usura |
| 28 | Take ye away therefore the talent from him and give it him that hath ten talents. | tollite itaque ab eo talentum et date ei qui habet decem talenta |
| 29 | For to every one that hath shall be given, and he shall abound: but from him that hath not, that also which he seemeth to have shall be taken away. | omni enim habenti dabitur et abundabit ei autem qui non habet et quod videtur habere auferetur ab eo |
| 30 | And the unprofitable servant, cast ye out into the exterior darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. | et inutilem servum eicite in tenebras exteriores illic erit fletus et stridor dentium |
| Saturday, September 1, 2007 Saturday Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary |
||
|
Collect: Father, help us to seek the values that will bring us lasting joy in this changing world. In our desire for what you promise, make us one in mind and heart. 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.
Saturday of the Twenty-First Week of Ordinary Time
Old Calendar: St. Giles, hermit and abbot; Twelve Holy Brothers, martyrs
St. Giles was an abbot of the seventh century who probably lived in the neighborhood of Beziers on the coast of the Mediterranean. The little monastery of St. Peter, where his body rested, became one of the most popular shrines in Christendom and gave rise to a town. The cult of St. Giles, which was general in France, where there are upwards of one hundred and fifty churches dedicated to him, soon spread throughout the west. Before the reform of the General Roman Calendar today was his feast.
Today was also the commemoration of the Twelve Holy Brothers, martyrs. They were a group of twelve martyrs whose bodies, discovered in various places in Italy, were translated to Benevento towards the middle of the eighth century.
According to tradition, St. Giles was born in Athens, Greece, and was of noble extraction. After his parents died, he fled from his fatherland to avoid followers and fame. He went to France, and in a cave in a forest near the mouth of the Rhone he was able to lead the life of a hermit. Legend has a hind came everyday to his cell and furnished him with milk. One day the King's hunters chased the hind and discovered St. Giles and his secret hermitage. The hunters shot at the hind, but missed and hit Giles' leg with an arrow, which kept him crippled the rest of his life. He then consented to King Theodoric's request of building a monastery (known later as "Saint Gilles du Gard") and he became its first Abbot. He died some eight years later towards 712. In Normandy, France, women having difficulty becoming pregnant would sleep with a picture or statues of the saint.
In England, churches named for St. Giles were built so that cripples could reach them easily. St. Giles was also considered the chief patron of the poor. In his name charity was granted the most miserable. This is evidenced from the custom that on their passage to Tyburn for execution, convicts were allowed to stop at St. Giles' Hospital where they were presented with a bowl of ale called St. Giles' Bowl, "thereof to drink at their pleasure, as their last refreshment in this life."
St. Giles is included in the list of the fourteen "Auxiliary Saints" or "Holy Helpers". These are a group of saints invoked because they have been efficacious in assisting in trials and sufferings. Each saint has a separate feast or memorial day. The group was collectively venerated on August 8, until the 1969 reform of the Roman calendar, when the feast was dropped.
Patron: Beggars; breastfeeding; hermits; horses; physically disabled; woods; blacksmiths; against lameness; against leprosy; against sterility; against infertility.
Symbols: Hand pierced with arrows; hind pierced with arrows; gold doe, pierced by a silver arrow; Benedictine with crosier, arrow piercing hand, protecting hind.
Things to Do:
Twelve Holy Brothers
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 118 (119): 145-152 |
|---|
| I call on you with all my heart – answer me, Lord. I will obey your laws. I call on you, save me so that I can keep your decrees. At dawn I cry to you, I put all my hope in your word. In the night I keep watch, pondering your sayings. In your mercy, Lord, hear my voice; in your justice, give me life. My persecutors come to do me harm: they are far from your law. But you, Lord, are near to me, and you are trustworthy in all your precepts. From the beginning I have known your decrees, how you have made them to last 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. |
| Canticle | Exodus 15 |
|---|---|
| Hymn of victory after crossing the Red Sea | |
| I will sing to the Lord, for his triumph is glorious. Horse and rider he has cast into the sea. The Lord is my support and my strength, and he has saved me. This is my God, and I will give him glory This is my father’s God, and I will exalt him. The Lord is a warrior – Yahweh is his name! Pharaoh’s chariots and army he has thrown into the sea. Your storm raged, and the waters were piled high, the flowing waters were a rampart, the sea-bed was exposed. The enemy said: “I will follow and surround them; I will divide their spoils, have my fill of booty, draw my sword and kill them all”. Your wind blew, and the sea covered them, they sank like lead in the raging waters. What god is like you, O Lord? What god is like you, so great in your holiness, a worker of miracles, terrible and worthy of praise? You stretched out your hand and the earth swallowed them. In your mercy you led your people whom you had redeemed, in your strength you brought them to your dwelling-place. You will lead them in and establish them on the mountain that is your inheritance, your solid dwelling-place, which you made, Lord; your sanctuary, Lord, which your hands made firm. The Lord will reign, to eternity and beyond! 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 116 (117) |
|---|
| Praise of the merciful Lord |
| Praise the Lord, all nations; all peoples, praise him. For his mercy is strong over us and his faithfulness is 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. |
| Short reading | 2 Peter 1:10 - 11 © |
|---|---|
| Brothers, you have been called and chosen: work all the harder to justify it. If you do all these things there is no danger that you will ever fall away. In this way you will be granted admittance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. | |
| Canticle | Benedictus |
|---|---|
| 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. |
|
|
||||
| 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, may the splendour of the Resurrection shine in our hearts. Make us worthy to escape the shadows of death and arrive in the brightness of eternity. 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 |
|
Accountability
Matthew 25:14-30 Introductory Prayer: Lord God, open my mind to hear your word and receive it in my heart. Let it be for me the word that gives life and the sure guide for my steps this day and every day of my life. Let my contemplation of your word put me on the safe and sure path to eternal life with you. Petition: Teach me Lord to take all that you have given me and make it produce fruits for your kingdom. 1. God’s Gifts. The Gospel tells us clearly that God distributes his gifts among us as he wills and entrusts each one of us with a mission. He gives us what we need to produce fruits for his kingdom, and he expects us to use those gifts responsibly and diligently. No two people are exactly alike and God treats each one individually as a unique person made in his image. We need to live before God and respond to him sincerely by using the talents he gave us to the maximum. Are we making the best use of all that God has given us? Or have we neglected some and taken others for granted? Might I be committing a sin of omission with regards to some of my talents? 2. Life as a Mission. The servants who invest the talents and make a return on them have understood the purpose of their lives and the time they have at their disposal. These servants were generous with everything God had given them, making it bear fruit, and they received the reward from God of greater intimacy and more responsibility. Each of us is also given a limited amount of time in life to use the various gifts we have been given to give glory to God and help save other souls. We too should work every day to hear those words: “Well done, good and faithful servant.” 3. The Useless Servant. How often we are paralyzed by fear or false prudence into doing nothing, in just trying to preserve ourselves! Sometimes we don’t take God’s gifts seriously, or we think we have been given very little, using that as a rationalization for making no effort or for producing little for God. We blame circumstances or others; but the fact is we are neglecting to produce the fruits God wanted. He didn’t expect a return of five talents from the man with one. He would have been happy with a return of one, but the lazy servant closed in on his egoism, self-love and laziness. We must resolve to use our talents wisely so as to net a big return. Conversation with Christ: Lord, give me the grace and love to work for your kingdom with all that you have given me. Let me return it all to you with real fruits for your kingdom. Resolution: I will make a plan for evangelizing other souls and look for fruits of holiness in others.
|
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 118 (119): 105-112 |
|---|
| A lamp to guide my feet is your word, a light for my journey. I have firmly sworn to keep your just laws. Lord, I am greatly afflicted: revive me as you have promised. Lord, accept the vows I make, and teach me your judgements. I hold my life in my hands, I remember your laws. The wicked placed a trap for me, but I did not wander from your commandments. Your decrees are my inheritance for ever, they are the joy of my heart: my heart is set on carrying them out, for ever, until the 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. |
| Psalm 15 (16) |
|---|
| The Lord, my inheritance |
| Preserve me, Lord, I put my hope in you. I have said to the Lord “You are my Lord, in you alone is all my good”. As for the holy and noble men of the land, in them is all my delight. But for those who run to alien gods, their sorrows are many. I will not share in their libations of blood. I will not speak their names. You, Lord, are my inheritance and my cup. You control my destiny, the lot marked out for me is of the best, my inheritance is all I could ask for. I will bless the Lord who gave me understanding; even in the night my heart will teach me wisdom. I will hold the Lord for ever in my sight: with him at my side I can never be shaken. Thus it is that my heart rejoices, heart and soul together; while my body rests in calm hope. You will not leave my soul in the underworld. You will not let your chosen one see decay. You will show me the paths of life, the fullness of joy before your face, and delights at your right hand until the end of time. 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 | Philippians 2 |
|---|---|
| Christ, God's servant | |
| Jesus Christ, although he shared God’s nature, did not try to seize equality with God for himself; but emptied himself, took on the form of a slave, and became like a man – not in appearance only, for he humbled himself by accepting death – even death on a cross. For this, God has raised him high, and given him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bend, in heaven, on earth, and under the earth, and every tongue will proclaim “Jesus Christ is Lord”, to the glory of God the Father. 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 | Colossians 1:2 - 6 © |
|---|---|
| Grace and peace to you from God our Father. We have never failed to remember you in our prayers and to give thanks for you to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, ever since we heard about your faith in Christ Jesus and the love that you show towards all the saints because of the hope which is stored up for you in heaven. It is only recently that you heard of this, when it was announced in the message of the truth. The Good News which has reached you is spreading and bearing fruit all over the world. | |
| Canticle | Magnificat |
|---|---|
| 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. |
|
|
||||
| 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. |
| God of power and might, all that is perfect belongs to you. Fill us with love of your name: increase our zeal and nourish what is good in us; watch over us and preserve what you have nourished. 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 |
 |
Saturday, September 01, 2007 Meditation Matthew 25:14-30 More often than not, our fears are based on false expectations. That’s definitely true of this unfaithful servant. Notice his words to the master: “I knew you were a demanding person, harvesting where you did not plant and gathering where you did not scatter.” Somehow, he got the idea that his master was a hardhearted man who expected him to magically produce vast amounts of wealth from his one talent. So instead of taking a chance, he did nothing. Unfortunately, this fellow got it all wrong. If his master were that exacting, he wouldn’t have been satisfied with the gains of the other two. But instead he told them: “Because you have been faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities.” He didn’t add up their returns; he just wanted to know if they put his wealth to good use. He wanted to know if he could trust them, because he had bigger things in mind for them. That’s the way it is with our relationship to God. While he expects us to bear fruit, he doesn’t play a numbers game. He simply wants us to understand the basic principle of spiritual investment: It is only as we give away what he has given to us that we will grow into his likeness. Only then will he give us more of his gifts. The unfaithful servant feared he could never please his master, so he didn’t even try. We do something similar when we wait for God to assign us some really important task, and ignore the small ones he gives us every day, or when we turn aside from his prompting because we think we’re not good enough. The reality is, God is already delighted with us! If we take our eyes off ourselves and simply start doing his will, he will multiply our efforts with an abundant harvest. But he cannot use our talents if they are buried in a hole marked “When I’m Ready.” “Lord, open my eyes to the great gifts you’ve given me and the many opportunities I have to use them. Show me how I can be a vessel of your grace and peace!” 1 Thessalonians 4:9-11; Psalm 98:1,7-9 |
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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.
| This is an excellent moment for an examination of conscience. In a communal celebration of Compline, one of the penitential acts given in the Missal may be recited. |
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
| Psalm 4 |
|---|
| Thanksgiving |
| Take pity on me, Lord, and listen to my prayer. |
| When I called out, he heard me, the God of my righteousness. When I was in trouble, you gave me freedom: now, take pity on me and listen to my prayer. Sons of men, how long will your hearts be heavy? Why do you seek for vain things? Why do you run after illusions? Know that the Lord has done marvellous things for those he has chosen. When I call upon the Lord, he will hear me. Be vigorous, but do not sin: speak in the silence of your heart, in your bed, be at rest. Offer righteousness as a sacrifice, and put your trust in the Lord. Many are saying, Who will give us good things? Let your face shine on us, Lord, let the light of your face be a sign. You have given me a greater joy than the others receive from abundance of wheat and of wine. In peace shall I sleep, Lord, in peace shall I rest: firm in the hope you have given 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. |
| Take pity on me, Lord, and listen to my prayer. |
| Psalm 133 (134) |
|---|
| Evening prayer in the Temple |
| Bless the Lord through the night. |
| Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord who stand through the night in the house of the Lord! Lift up your arms to the sanctuary and bless the Lord! May the Lord bless you from Sion – the Lord, who made heaven and earth. 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. |
| Bless the Lord through the night. |
| Reading | Deuteronomy 6:4-7 © |
|---|---|
| Listen, Israel: the Lord our God is the one Lord. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength. Let these words I urge on you today be written on your heart. You shall repeat them to your children and say them over to them whether at rest in your house or walking abroad, at your lying down or at your rising. | |
| Short Responsory | ? |
|---|---|
| Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. You have redeemed us, Lord, God of faithfulness. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. |
|
| Canticle | Nunc Dimittis |
|---|---|
| Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace. | |
| Now, Master, you let your servant go in peace. You have fulfilled your promise. My own eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all peoples. A light to bring the Gentiles from darkness; the glory of your people Israel. 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. |
|
| Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace. | |
| Prayer | |
|---|---|
| Let us pray. Come to us, Lord, this night, and give us the strength to rise at dawn rejoicing in the resurrection of your Anointed, who lives and reigns for ever and ever, Amen. |
|
| May the almighty Lord grant us a quiet night and a perfect end. |
| A M E N |
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.