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September Devotion: Our Lady of Sorrows

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

Litany of Our Lady Of 7 Sorrows

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. Have mercy on us. Have mercy on us. Have mercy on us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
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

Our Mother of Sorrows

ST. ALPHONSUS LIGUORI, OF THE DOLOURS OF MARY, The Glories [Sorrows] of Mary

Our Lady of Sorrows - Sep 15

From: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6, 9-11

The Second Coming of the Lord (Continuation)

[1] But as to the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need to
have anything written to you. For you yourselves know well that the day
of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. [3] When people say,
“There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon
them as travail comes upon a woman with child, and there will be no
escape. [4] But you are not in darkness, brethren, for that day to
surprise you like a thief. [5] For you are all sons of light and sons
of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. [6] So then let us
not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. [9] For
God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our
Lord Jesus Christ, [10] who died for us so that whether we wake or
sleep we might live with him. [11] Therefore encourage one another and
build one another up, just as you are doing.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

1-3. “The day of the Lord” is an expression used a number of times in
Sacred Scripture to refer to that point at which God will intervene
decisively and irreversibly. The prophets speak of the “day of Yahweh”
sometimes fearfully (cf. Amos 5:18-20), sometimes hopefully (cf. Is 6:
13). In his eschatological sermon (cf. Mt 24; Mk 13; Lk 21), Jesus
foretold the destruction of Jerusalem in a style very reminiscent of
that used by the prophets (cf. Amos 8:9ff) when speaking of the “day of
Yahweh”. The destruction of the city brings to an end the Jewish era in
the history of salvation and prefigures the second coming of Christ as
Judge of all. In St Paul’s letters, as in other New Testament writings,
the “day of the Lord” is the day of the general judgment when Christ
will appear in the fullness of glory as Judge (cf. 1 Cor 1:8; 2 Cor 1:
14). The Apostle brings in some examples used by our Lord in his
preaching about the fall of Jerusalem and the end of the world (the
“thief in the night”: cf. Mt 24:43; the pains of childbirth: cf. Mt 24:
19) to warn people that that day will come unexpectedly, and to exhort
them to be always ready.

The Christian, therefore, should always be on the watch, for he never
knows for sure when the last day of his life will be. The second coming
of the Lord will take people by surprise; it will catch them doing good
or doing evil. So, it would be rash to postpone repentance to some time
in the future.

4-6. A thief works by night because he thinks that darkness will find
the householder unprepared. Our Lord also used this metaphor when
he said that if the father of the family had known when the thief would
come, he would have kept a look-out (cf. Mt 24:43)—in other words, we
need to be always alert, in the state of grace, surrounded by light. So,
“if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one
another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 Jn
1:7)

On the same subject the Church teaches that our souls are “illumined
by the light of faith” (”St Pius V Catechism”, II, 2, 4).

We should therefore live a transparent life, with the divine light shining
clearly through it; if we do, the “day of the Lord” (which can also be
applied to the day each person dies) will not find us unprepared, even
if it comes suddenly. “A true Christian is always ready to appear before
God. Because, if he is fighting to live as a man of Christ, he is ready
at every moment to fulfill his duty” ([St] J. Escriva, “Furrow”, 875).

9-10. “Wrath” refers to the condemnation earned by those who die in
sin; and “salvation”, in the New Testament, means being protected from
danger and able to live free from anxiety. Being saved from wrath means
obtaining eternal salvation.

Salvation comes to us “through our Lord Jesus Christ”. The name Jesus
(”God saves”) conveys this mission which Christ attributed to himself
(cf. Mt 1:21): “The Son of man came to seek and to save the lost” (Lk
19:10). Christ is the Savior: “there is no salvation in no one else,
for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which
we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). He will give us forgiveness of sins (cf.
Acts 5:31); that was why he “died for us”. “Through suffering” (Heb
2:10) he fulfilled the mission entrusted to him. By dying in obedience
to the Father “he became the source of eternal salvation” (Heb 5:9).
“Therefore he had to be made like his brethren in every respect, so
that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service
of God, to make expiation for the sins of the people. For because he
himself has suffered and been tempted, he is able to help those who
are tempted (Heb 2:17-18). So it is that Jesus intercedes for all
believers until the end of time (cf. Heb 7:25).

When he receives the sacrament of Baptism, the Christian becomes
identified with Christ, the eternal high priest, in a special way: the
“character” or mark conferred by the sacrament indicates that he
is destined to live with Christ. As he makes his pilgrim way through
this life he is able to enjoy, through grace, a foretaste of that divine
life which he will enjoy permanently and much more fully in heaven.

Verse 10 contains another of St Paul’s plays on words. The word
“sleep” here (unlike vv. 6-7) means “die”, and “being awake” means
“being alive”. For a Christian, death is a step which enables him to
“live with Christ” forever, in eternal beatitude.

*********************************************************************************************
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: Luke 4:31-37

Jesus Preaches in Capernaum

[31] And He (Jesus) went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And He
was teaching them on the Sabbath; [32]and they were astonished at His
teaching, for His word was with authority.

The Cure of the Demoniac

[33] And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean
demon; and he cried out with a loud voice, [34] “Ah! What have You to do with
us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are, the
Holy One of God.” [35] But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come
out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in the midst, he came
out of him, having done him no harm. [36]And they were all amazed and said to
one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power He commands
the unclean spirits, and they come out.” [37] And reports of Him went out into
every place in the surrounding region.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

33-37. Jesus now demonstrates by His actions that authority which was evident
in His words.

34. The demon tells the truth here when he calls Jesus “the Holy One of God”,
but Jesus does not accept this testimony from the “father of lies” (John 8:44).
This shows that the devil usually says something partially true in order to disguise
untruth; by sowing confusion in this way, he can more readily deceive people. By
silencing and expelling the demon, Jesus teaches us to be prudent and not let
ourselves by deceived by half-truths.

*********************************************************************************************
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.

Mass Readings

First reading	1 Thessalonians 5:1 - 11 ©
You will not be expecting us to write anything to you, brothers, about ‘times and seasons’, since you know very well that the Day of the Lord is going to come like a thief in the night. It is when people are saying, ‘How quiet and peaceful it is’ that the worst suddenly happens, as suddenly as labour pains come on a pregnant woman; and there will be no way for anybody to evade it. But it is not as if you live in the dark, my brothers, for that Day to overtake you like a thief. No, you are all sons of light and sons of the day: we do not belong to the night or to darkness, so we should not go on sleeping, as everyone else does, but stay wide awake and sober. God never meant us to experience the Retribution, but to win salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that, alive or dead, we should still live united to him. So give encouragement to each other, and keep strengthening one another, as you do already.

First reading

1 Thessalonians 5:1 - 11 ©

You will not be expecting us to write anything to you, brothers, about ‘times and seasons’, since you know very well that the Day of the Lord is going to come like a thief in the night. It is when people are saying, ‘How quiet and peaceful it is’ that the worst suddenly happens, as suddenly as labour pains come on a pregnant woman; and there will be no way for anybody to evade it.
But it is not as if you live in the dark, my brothers, for that Day to overtake you like a thief. No, you are all sons of light and sons of the day: we do not belong to the night or to darkness, so we should not go on sleeping, as everyone else does, but stay wide awake and sober. God never meant us to experience the Retribution, but to win salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that, alive or dead, we should still live united to him. So give encouragement to each other, and keep strengthening one another, as you do already.

Psalm or canticle: Psalm 26

Gospel	Luke 4:31 - 37 ©
Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath. And his teaching made a deep impression on them because he spoke with authority. In the synagogue there was a man who was possessed by the spirit of an unclean devil, and it shouted at the top of its voice, ‘Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God.’ But Jesus said sharply, ‘Be quiet! Come out of him!’ And the devil, throwing the man down in front of everyone, went out of him without hurting him at all. Astonishment seized them and they were all saying to one another, ‘What teaching! He gives orders to unclean spirits with authority and power and they come out.’ And reports of him went all through the surrounding countryside.

Gospel

Luke 4:31 - 37 ©

Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath. And his teaching made a deep impression on them because he spoke with authority.
In the synagogue there was a man who was possessed by the spirit of an unclean devil, and it shouted at the top of its voice, ‘Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God.’ But Jesus said sharply, ‘Be quiet! Come out of him!’ And the devil, throwing the man down in front of everyone, went out of him without hurting him at all. Astonishment seized them and they were all saying to one another, ‘What teaching! He gives orders to unclean spirits with authority and power and they come out.’ And reports of him went all through the surrounding countryside.

Office of Readings and Invitatory Prayer

Office of Readings

If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.

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 36 (37)
The fate of the evil and the righteous
Do not envy the wicked; do not be jealous of those that do evil. They will dry up as quickly as hay; they will wither like the grass. Put your trust in the Lord and do good, and your land and habitation will be secure. Take your delight in the Lord, and he will give you what your heart desires. Entrust your journey to the Lord, and hope in him: and he will act. He will make your uprightness shine like the light, your judgement like the sun at noon. Take your rest in the Lord, and hope in him: do not envy the one who thrives in his own way, the man who weaves plots. Abstain from wrath, abandon anger: do not envy him who turns to evil, for those who do evil will be destroyed, but those on the side of the Lord will inherit the earth. A moment yet – and the sinner will be gone: you will look where he was and find nothing. But the needy will inherit the land and delight in abundant 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.

Psalm 36 (37)

The fate of the evil and the righteous

Do not envy the wicked;
do not be jealous of those that do evil.
They will dry up as quickly as hay;
they will wither like the grass.

Put your trust in the Lord and do good,
and your land and habitation will be secure.
Take your delight in the Lord,
and he will give you what your heart desires.

Entrust your journey to the Lord, and hope in him:
and he will act.
He will make your uprightness shine like the light,
your judgement like the sun at noon.

Take your rest in the Lord, and hope in him:
do not envy the one who thrives in his own way,
the man who weaves plots.
Abstain from wrath, abandon anger:
do not envy him who turns to evil,
for those who do evil will be destroyed,
but those on the side of the Lord
will inherit the earth.

A moment yet – and the sinner will be gone:
you will look where he was and find nothing.
But the needy will inherit the land
and delight in abundant 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.

Psalm 36 (37)
The wicked will plot against the righteous and gnash his teeth at him; but the Lord will deride him in his turn, for the Lord has seen what awaits him. The wicked have pulled out their swords, the wicked have drawn their bows, to throw down the poor and the destitute, to murder whoever follows the straight path. But their swords will enter their own hearts, and their bows will splinter. For the righteous, the little they have is better than the abundant wealth of the wicked. The limbs of the wicked will be broken while the Lord gives his strength to the just. The Lord knows when the day of the perfect will come; and their inheritance will be eternal. They will not be troubled in evil times, and in times of famine they will have more than enough. For the wicked will perish: the enemies of the Lord will be like the flowers of the fields, and like smoke they will vanish away. The wicked man borrows and does not return; but the righteous takes pity and gives. The blessed ones of the Lord will inherit the earth, but those whom he curses will be cut off. It is the Lord who strengthens the steps of man and chooses his path. Even if he trips he will not fall flat, for the Lord is holding his hand. I was young and I have grown old, but I have not seen the righteous man abandoned nor his children seeking for bread. All day long he takes pity and lends, and his seed will be blessed. Shun evil and do good, and you will live for ever. For the Lord loves right judgement, and will not abandon his chosen ones. The unjust will be destroyed for ever, and the seed of the wicked will be cut off, but the righteous will inherit the earth and live there from age to age. 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 36 (37)

The wicked will plot against the righteous
and gnash his teeth at him;
but the Lord will deride him in his turn,
for the Lord has seen what awaits him.

The wicked have pulled out their swords,
the wicked have drawn their bows,
to throw down the poor and the destitute,
to murder whoever follows the straight path.
But their swords will enter their own hearts,
and their bows will splinter.

For the righteous, the little they have is better
than the abundant wealth of the wicked.
The limbs of the wicked will be broken
while the Lord gives his strength to the just.

The Lord knows when the day of the perfect will come;
and their inheritance will be eternal.
They will not be troubled in evil times,
and in times of famine they will have more than enough.

For the wicked will perish:
the enemies of the Lord will be like the flowers of the fields,
and like smoke they will vanish away.

The wicked man borrows and does not return;
but the righteous takes pity and gives.
The blessed ones of the Lord will inherit the earth,
but those whom he curses will be cut off.

It is the Lord who strengthens the steps of man
and chooses his path.
Even if he trips he will not fall flat,
for the Lord is holding his hand.

I was young and I have grown old,
but I have not seen the righteous man abandoned
nor his children seeking for bread.
All day long he takes pity and lends,
and his seed will be blessed.

Shun evil and do good,
and you will live for ever.
For the Lord loves right judgement,
and will not abandon his chosen ones.

The unjust will be destroyed for ever,
and the seed of the wicked will be cut off,
but the righteous will inherit the earth
and live there from age to age.

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 36 (37)
The mouth of the righteous will speak wisdom, and his tongue will utter right judgement. The law of his God is in his heart and his steps will not stumble. The wicked man watches the just and seeks to kill him; but the Lord will rescue the just man from his hands and not condemn the just in the time of judgement. Put your hope in the Lord and follow his paths, and he will raise you up and make the land your inheritance, let you watch as the wicked are cut off. I have seen the sinner triumph, flourish like a green cedar, but he is gone, he is there no longer: I have looked for him but have not found him. Preserve innocence, follow uprightness: for the future belongs to the man of peace. The unrighteous will be destroyed altogether, their posterity will be cut off. The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord, and their protection in time of trouble. The Lord will come to their help and free them, rescue them from the wicked and save them, because they have put their trust in him. 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 36 (37)

The mouth of the righteous will speak wisdom,
and his tongue will utter right judgement.
The law of his God is in his heart
and his steps will not stumble.
The wicked man watches the just
and seeks to kill him;
but the Lord will rescue the just man from his hands
and not condemn the just in the time of judgement.

Put your hope in the Lord and follow his paths,
and he will raise you up and make the land your inheritance,
let you watch as the wicked are cut off.
I have seen the sinner triumph,
flourish like a green cedar,
but he is gone, he is there no longer:
I have looked for him but have not found him.

Preserve innocence, follow uprightness:
for the future belongs to the man of peace.
The unrighteous will be destroyed altogether,
their posterity will be cut off.
The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord,
and their protection in time of trouble.
The Lord will come to their help and free them,
rescue them from the wicked and save them,
because they have put their trust in him.

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 20:7 - 18 ©
You have seduced me, the Lord, and I have let myself be seduced; you have overpowered me: you were the stronger. I am a daily laughing-stock, everybody’s butt. Each time I speak the word, I have to howl and proclaim: ‘Violence and ruin!’ The word of the Lord has meant for me insult, derision, all day long. I used to say, ‘I will not think about him, I will not speak in his name any more’. Then there seemed to be a fire burning in my heart, imprisoned in my bones. The effort to restrain it wearied me, I could not bear it. I hear so many disparaging me, ‘“Terror from every side!” Denounce him! Let us denounce him!’ All those who used to be my friends watched for my downfall, ‘Perhaps he will be seduced into error. Then we will master him and take our revenge!’ But the Lord is at my side, a mighty hero; my opponents will stumble, mastered, confounded by their failure; everlasting, unforgettable disgrace will be theirs. But you, O Lord of Hosts, you who probe with justice, who scrutinise the loins and heart, let me see the vengeance you will take on them, for I have committed my cause to you. Sing to the Lord, praise the Lord, for he has delivered the soul of the needy from the hands of evil men. A curse on the day when I was born, no blessing on the day my mother bore me! A curse on the man who brought my father the news, ‘A son, a boy has been born to you!’ making him overjoyed. May this man be like the towns that the Lord overthrew without mercy; may he hear alarms in the morning, the war cry in broad daylight, since he did not kill me in the womb; my mother would have been my tomb while her womb was swollen with me. Why ever did I come out of the womb To live in toil and sorrow and to end my days in shame!

Reading

Jeremiah 20:7 - 18 ©

You have seduced me, the Lord, and I have let myself be seduced;
you have overpowered me: you were the stronger.
I am a daily laughing-stock,
everybody’s butt.
Each time I speak the word, I have to howl
and proclaim: ‘Violence and ruin!’
The word of the Lord has meant for me
insult, derision, all day long.
I used to say, ‘I will not think about him,
I will not speak in his name any more’.
Then there seemed to be a fire burning in my heart,
imprisoned in my bones.
The effort to restrain it wearied me,
I could not bear it.

I hear so many disparaging me,
‘“Terror from every side!”
Denounce him! Let us denounce him!’
All those who used to be my friends
watched for my downfall,
‘Perhaps he will be seduced into error.
Then we will master him
and take our revenge!’
But the Lord is at my side, a mighty hero;
my opponents will stumble, mastered,
confounded by their failure;
everlasting, unforgettable disgrace will be theirs.
But you, O Lord of Hosts, you who probe with justice,
who scrutinise the loins and heart,
let me see the vengeance you will take on them,
for I have committed my cause to you.
Sing to the Lord,
praise the Lord,
for he has delivered the soul of the needy
from the hands of evil men.

A curse on the day when I was born,
no blessing on the day my mother bore me!
A curse on the man who brought my father the news,
‘A son, a boy has been born to you!’
making him overjoyed.
May this man be like the towns
that the Lord overthrew without mercy;
may he hear alarms in the morning,
the war cry in broad daylight,
since he did not kill me in the womb;
my mother would have been my tomb
while her womb was swollen with me.
Why ever did I come out of the womb
To live in toil and sorrow
and to end my days in shame!

Reading	The Imitation of Christ
The Truth of the Lord endures for ever
You thunder your judgements upon me, O Lord; you shake all my bones with fear and dread, and my soul becomes severely frightened. I am bewildered when I realise that even the heavens are not pure in your sight. If you discovered iniquity in the angels and did not spare them, what will become of me? The stars fell from heaven, and I, mere dust, what should I expect? Those whose works seemed praiseworthy fell to the depths, and I have seen those who once were fed with the bread of angels take comfort in the husks of swine. There is no holiness where you have withdrawn your hand, O Lord; no profitable wisdom if you cease to rule over it; no helpful strength if you cease to preserve it. If you forsake us, we sink and perish; but if you visit us, we rise up and live again. We are unstable, but you make us firm; we grow cool, but you inflame us. All superficial glory has been swallowed up in the depths of your judgement upon me. What is all flesh in your sight? Can the clay be glorified in opposition to its Maker? How can anyone be stirred by empty talk if his heart is subject in the truth to God? If a man is subject to truth, possession of the whole world cannot swell him with pride; nor will he be swayed by the flattery of his admirers, if he has established all his trust in God. For those who do nothing but talk amount to nothing; they fail with their din of words, but ‘the truth of the Lord endures for ever’.

Reading

The Imitation of Christ

The Truth of the Lord endures for ever

You thunder your judgements upon me, O Lord; you shake all my bones with fear and dread, and my soul becomes severely frightened. I am bewildered when I realise that even the heavens are not pure in your sight.
If you discovered iniquity in the angels and did not spare them, what will become of me? The stars fell from heaven, and I, mere dust, what should I expect? Those whose works seemed praiseworthy fell to the depths, and I have seen those who once were fed with the bread of angels take comfort in the husks of swine.
There is no holiness where you have withdrawn your hand, O Lord; no profitable wisdom if you cease to rule over it; no helpful strength if you cease to preserve it. If you forsake us, we sink and perish; but if you visit us, we rise up and live again. We are unstable, but you make us firm; we grow cool, but you inflame us.
All superficial glory has been swallowed up in the depths of your judgement upon me.
What is all flesh in your sight? Can the clay be glorified in opposition to its Maker?
How can anyone be stirred by empty talk if his heart is subject in the truth to God?
If a man is subject to truth, possession of the whole world cannot swell him with pride; nor will he be swayed by the flattery of his admirers, if he has established all his trust in God.
For those who do nothing but talk amount to nothing; they fail with their din of words, but ‘the truth of the Lord endures for ever’.

Concluding Prayer
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.

Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Feria

First Reading:
Psalm:
Gospel:

1 Thessalonians 5:1-6, 9-11
Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14
Luke 4:31-37

We should strive to keep our hearts open to the sufferings and wretchedness of other people, and pray continually that God may grant us that spirit of compassion which is truly the Spirit of God.

-- St Vincent de Paul

Catholic Culture

Daily Readings (on USCCB site):
» September 04, 2007
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Collect: Almighty God, every good thing comes from you. Fill our hearts with love for you, increase our faith, and by your constant care protect the good you have given us. We ask 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.

« September 04, 2007 »

Tuesday of the Twenty Second Week of Ordinary Time

Saint Rosalia, born in 1130 at Palermo in Sicily, was the daughter of a noble family descended from Charlemagne. While still very young she despised worldly vanities. When her remarkable beauty caused her to be sought in marriage by several lords of Sicily, the Blessed Virgin appeared to her and advised her to leave the world. She obeyed, taking with her only a crucifix and her instruments of penance; and guided by Angels, she made her first dwelling in a nearby grotto, which the snows of winter concealed. Then, when she began to be the object of searches instigated all over Sicily by her desolate family, she was advised by Angels to move to a low cave on Mount Pellegrino, three miles from Palermo. There, during sixteen years’ time, she completed the sacrifice of her heart to God by austere penance and manual labor, sanctified by assiduous prayer and the constant union of her soul with God. She died in 1160. — Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints

St. Rosalia's feast is included in the Roman Martyrology.

St. Rosalia

St. Rosalia is the patroness of Palermo, and the citizens of that place annually celebrate two feasts in her honour. One of these was raised to the rank of a holy day of obligation by Pius XI in 1927. It is celebrated by a procession of unequalled magnificence, heralded by cannon fire. The saint's shrine, atop a gigantic carriage filled with musicians, is drawn through the town by forty mules, accompanied by prayers, hymns, and acclamations. The top of the carriage is level with the roofs of the houses; fireworks are set off everywhere; the musicians blow ceaselessly on their trumpets; and for the five days during which this celebration lasts, enthusiasm mounts to an increasingly high pitch.

The saint of Palermo thus honoured, seems to have delivered her country from the plague in 1625 and, since then, to have brought about innumerable cures. Her legend states that she was born around 1130 at the court of Roger II, king of Sicily, of a father called Sinibald, who was descended from Charlemagne. As her beauty constituted a danger to her soul, the Virgin appeared to her to urge her to leave the world. Rosalia was just fourteen. She took her crucifix, her discipline, and a few books and left her father's castle by night. Two angels, one armed like a knight, the other disguised as a pilgrim, were waiting to escort her to the summit of Mount Quisquita. There they left her at the entrance of a grotto hidden among the trees, buried under the snow. The young girl remained hidden there several months, after which the angels came to warn her that she was sought by her parents and had better flee elsewhere. They led her to the top of Mount Pellegrino. There, it is said, Rosalia, devoting herself to penances and miraculously nourished by the Host, passed the last sixteen years of her life. She died at the age of thirty; her body, long sought in vain, was found in the 17th century encased in a sheath of rock crystal; and it is the recovery of this relic which is commemorated by the procession mentioned above.

— Excerpted from Lives of the Saints, Omer Englebert

Patron: Isola delle Femine; Palermo; Sicily.

Symbols: A young girl with a wreath of roses; receiving the wreath from the Blessed Virgin and Christ Child as angels bring roses and with a skull near her; with a distaff, book, and palm; holding a double Greek cross, distaff and book or palm; or writing her name on the wall of the cave.

Things to Do:

Visit this website to read more about the Feast of St. Rosalia.

Lauds -- Morning Prayer

Morning Prayer (Lauds)

If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.

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 42 (43)
Longing for the temple
Vindicate me, Lord: judge my case against an unholy nation, rescue me from betrayers, from the wicked. For you are the God of my refuge; why have you rejected me? why must I suffer while my enemies torment me? Send forth your light and your truth; let them lead me away, let them lead me up your holy mountain, up to your sanctuary. I shall go in to the altar of God, to the God of my gladness and joy. I will sing out to you on the lyre, O God, my God. Why are you so sad, my soul, and anxious within me? Put your hope in the Lord, I will praise him still, my saviour and my God. 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 42 (43)

Longing for the temple

Vindicate me, Lord:
judge my case against an unholy nation,
rescue me from betrayers, from the wicked.
For you are the God of my refuge;
why have you rejected me?
why must I suffer while my enemies torment me?

Send forth your light and your truth;
let them lead me away,
let them lead me up your holy mountain,
up to your sanctuary.
I shall go in to the altar of God,
to the God of my gladness and joy.
I will sing out to you on the lyre,
O God, my God.

Why are you so sad, my soul,
and anxious within me?
Put your hope in the Lord, I will praise him still,
my saviour and my God.

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	Isaiah 38
The psalm of Hezekiah on recovering from sickness
I said, in the middle of my days I am going to the gates of the underworld. Where shall I find the remainder of my years? I said, I will not see the Lord God in the land of the living, I will never see another of the inhabitants of the earth. My dwelling-place is taken away, taken far away from me, like the tent of a shepherd. Like a weaver, he has rolled up my life and cut it off from the loom. From morning to night, you have made an end of me. I cried for help till daybreak; like a lion, he has crushed all my bones. From morning to night, you have made an end of me. I twitter like a fledgling sparrow, make noises like a dove. My eyes are weak from looking upward. But you have pulled my soul out of the pit of destruction, you have put all my sins behind you. For after all, the underworld will not proclaim you, nor death praise you; those who go down there do not wait in hope for your faithfulness. It is the living, the living who will proclaim you, as I do today. Fathers will pass on to their children the truth of your faithfulness. Save me, Lord, and to the sound of the harp we will sing to you, all the days of our life, in the house of the Lord. 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

Isaiah 38

The psalm of Hezekiah on recovering from sickness

I said, in the middle of my days I am going to the gates of the underworld.
Where shall I find the remainder of my years?

I said, I will not see the Lord God in the land of the living,
I will never see another of the inhabitants of the earth.

My dwelling-place is taken away, taken far away from me, like the tent of a shepherd.
Like a weaver, he has rolled up my life and cut it off from the loom.

From morning to night, you have made an end of me.

I cried for help till daybreak; like a lion, he has crushed all my bones.
From morning to night, you have made an end of me.

I twitter like a fledgling sparrow, make noises like a dove.
My eyes are weak from looking upward.

But you have pulled my soul out of the pit of destruction,
you have put all my sins behind you.

For after all, the underworld will not proclaim you, nor death praise you;
those who go down there do not wait in hope for your faithfulness.

It is the living, the living who will proclaim you, as I do today.
Fathers will pass on to their children the truth of your faithfulness.

Save me, Lord, and to the sound of the harp we will sing to you,
all the days of our life, in the house of the Lord.

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 64 (65)
A solemn thanksgiving
To you we owe praise, O God, in Sion; to you we will fulfil our vows, in Jerusalem. It is you who answer prayers: to you must all men come, because we are sinners; even if our transgressions overwhelm us, you will blot them out. Blessed is the man you have taken up and chosen: he will live within your halls. We shall be filled with the good things of your house, with the holiness of your temple. Marvellous is the justice with which you listen to us, God of our salvation, hope of all the earth and far-off coasts. You make firm the mountains in their place, clothed in your power and might. You make still the roaring of the sea, the crash of its waves; and the tumult of the peoples. Those who live at the ends of the earth will tremble at your wonders. You will fill the east and the west with joy. You have come to the earth, you have filled it, saturated it with fruitfulness. The river of God is filled with water, as you prepare the harvest: for thus you have prepared the land, watering its furrows, smoothing its roughnesses, softening it with showers, blessing the seeds within it. You have crowned the year with your kindness. Your footsteps will drip with fruitfulness. The desert pastures will be soaked, the hills will be wrapped in rejoicing. The fields will be clothed with flocks, the vales overflow with corn. They will cry out, and sing your praise. 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 64 (65)

A solemn thanksgiving

To you we owe praise, O God, in Sion;
to you we will fulfil our vows, in Jerusalem.

It is you who answer prayers:
to you must all men come,
because we are sinners;
even if our transgressions overwhelm us,
you will blot them out.

Blessed is the man you have taken up and chosen:
he will live within your halls.
We shall be filled with the good things of your house,
with the holiness of your temple.
Marvellous is the justice with which you listen to us,
God of our salvation,
hope of all the earth and far-off coasts.

You make firm the mountains in their place,
clothed in your power and might.
You make still the roaring of the sea,
the crash of its waves; and the tumult of the peoples.
Those who live at the ends of the earth
will tremble at your wonders.
You will fill the east and the west with joy.

You have come to the earth, you have filled it,
saturated it with fruitfulness.
The river of God is filled with water,
as you prepare the harvest:
for thus you have prepared the land,
watering its furrows,
smoothing its roughnesses,
softening it with showers,
blessing the seeds within it.

You have crowned the year with your kindness.
Your footsteps will drip with fruitfulness.
The desert pastures will be soaked,
the hills will be wrapped in rejoicing.
The fields will be clothed with flocks,
the vales overflow with corn.
They will cry out, and sing your praise.

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	1 Thessalonians 5:4 - 5 ©
It is not as if you live in the dark, my brothers, for that Day to overtake you like a thief. No, you are all sons of light and sons of the day: we do not belong to the night or to darkness.

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.

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.

Prayers and Intercessions

?

Let us bless our Saviour, who by his resurrection has brought light to the world. Let us humbly ask him: - Lord, lead us in your footsteps.
Lord, in our morning prayer we recall your resurrection:: may the hope of glory illuminate our entire day.
Receive, Lord, our prayers and promises,: the first-fruits of our day.
Grant that today we may journey forward in your love:: may all that happens be for our good and the good of others.
Grant, Lord, that our light may shine before men: so that they see our good deeds and give glory to the Father.

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 Jesus Christ, you are the true light that lights all men’s paths to salvation.
Give us the power, we pray you,
to prepare for you the ways of peace and justice.

You live and reign with God the Father 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

Lk 4:31-37
#	Douay-Rheims	Vulgate
31	And he went down into Capharnaum, a city of Galilee: and there he taught them on the sabbath days.	et descendit in Capharnaum civitatem Galilaeae ibique docebat illos sabbatis
32	And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his speech was with power.	et stupebant in doctrina eius quia in potestate erat sermo ipsius
33	And in the synagogue there was a man who had an unclean devil: and he cried out with a loud voice,	et in synagoga erat homo habens daemonium inmundum et exclamavit voce magna
34	Saying: Let us alone. What have we to do with thee, Jesus of Nazareth? Art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the holy one of God.	dicens sine quid nobis et tibi Iesu Nazarene venisti perdere nos scio te qui sis Sanctus Dei
35	And Jesus rebuked him, saying: Hold thy peace and go out of him. And when the devil had thrown him into the midst, he went out of him and hurt him not at all.	et increpavit illi Iesus dicens obmutesce et exi ab illo et cum proiecisset illum daemonium in medium exiit ab illo nihilque illum nocuit
36	And there came fear upon all; and they talked among themselves, saying: What word is this, for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they go out?	et factus est pavor in omnibus et conloquebantur ad invicem dicentes quod est hoc verbum quia in potestate et virtute imperat inmundis spiritibus et exeunt
37	And the fame of him was published into every place of the country.	et divulgabatur fama de illo in omnem locum regionis

Jesus Heals the Demon Possessed

Regnum Christi

The Authority of Humility
September 4, 2007

Tuesday of the Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time
Father Matthew Green, LC

Luke 4: 31-37
Jesus then went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee. He taught them on the sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching because he spoke with authority. In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out in a loud voice, "Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are-- the Holy One of God!" Jesus rebuked him and said, "Be quiet! Come out of him!" Then the demon threw the man down in front of them and came out of him without doing him any harm. They were all amazed and said to one another, "What is there about his word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out." And news of him spread everywhere in the surrounding region.

Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus, open my heart and mind to your word, that I may know and love your will in my life. I believe that you are always with me, and I trust in your love to guide and strengthen me. Help me to love you above all things.

Petition: Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart more like yours!

1. The Authority of Holiness Wherever Jesus preaches, the gospels tell us that those who hear him are astonished or amazed: when he was lost in the Temple at age twelve; when he preached in Nazareth; when the guards were sent to take him prisoner in the Temple and were so amazed they left him alone. What was it that so impressed them? Although he must have been a good rhetorician, there were plenty of other skilled public speakers around. What distinguished him was his authority. Authority in speaking is characterized by intimate knowledge of the subject about which one is speaking, by coherence between one’s life and one’s words, and by confidence. Knowledge of God, living God’s will, and absolute confidence in God are signs of holiness, and that was the source of Jesus’ authority. He is Holiness in Person. Can we speak of God and the things of God with authority?

2. Choosing Our Master With that same divine authority he is able to cast out demons, in a simple way, without fanfare. God commands demons irresistibly; their freedom is permanently corrupted by sin. However, he respects human freedom until the end of one’s earthly life. He transforms hearts from within by challenging us to love and strengthening us to do good. He wants willing obedience. He exercises his authority over us through service, using force only for our good. The devil aims at domination by force to satisfy his pride, preying on our weakness through our passions and pressure from our peers and society. He breaks us down to make us slaves, while God builds us up to make us his children. It’s easier to let ourselves be broken down than to rise to the challenge of love, but which kind of master do we want?

3. The Power of Humility As paradoxical as it may seem, then, Jesus has shown us that true authority is inextricably linked to the virtue of humility. He taught us: “Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart” (Matthew 11:29). Humility is the path to holiness. For us, this means submitting ourselves to God’s will, recognizing our own weakness, and leading through love. True humility is our greatest defense against the devil. We can do nothing for God, and hence nothing lastingly good for others, unless we acquire this virtue with the help of his grace – particularly in the sacraments. Pride, on the contrary, leads to violence and hate, which makes us like the devil and eventually grants us a share in his fate: eternal separation from God. Right now, on which side of the divide do we stand?

Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, grant me true humility. Help me willingly and lovingly accept your authority in my life. I desire to bring your word and your strength to others by living in a way consistent with the truths of my faith.

Resolution: I will go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, recognizing my weakness and seeking God’s pardon and grace to make me more like him, especially in humility.

Vultus Christi

What God Expects of You in Christ Jesus

At the Monastery of the Glorious Cross, O.S.B., September 4, 5, and 6 will be marked by a triduum of Votive Masses in honour of the Holy Spirit.

The triduum is being celebrated in supplication for the forthcoming General Chapter of the Congregation of the Benedictines of Jesus Crucified, which will be held in Brou-sur-Chantereine, France from September 19th until October 2nd.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-6, 9-11
Psalm 26: 1-4, 13-14
Luke 4:31-37

Come, Holy Spirit

We begin today a triduum of Votive Masses in honour of the Holy Spirit in supplication for the forthcoming General Chapter of the Congregation of the Benedictines of Jesus Crucified, which will be held in France from September 19th to October 2nd. In a certain sense, a General Chapter must have the same characteristics as the apostolic assembly that preceded the first Pentecost in the Cenacle. What exactly are these? From the description given us by Saint Luke in the Acts of the Apostles 1:13-14, we can learn quite a lot.

In the Light of the Eucharistic Face of Christ

The Blessed Virgin Mary and the Apostles went into retreat in the Cenacle immediately following the Ascension of the Lord from Mount Olivet. Each one carried in his heart the memory of that last glimpse of the Face of Jesus, and each one longed to see His Face again. In the time that stretches from the Ascension to the return of Our Lord in glory, His Face is turned toward us in the adorable mystery of the Eucharist. It is in the Eucharist that our gaze meets His. The Eucharist celebrated, adored, and contemplated must be at the heart of the General Chapter, just as it must be at the heart of our life from day to day.

Under the Leadership of Peter

The second characteristic is a reference to the unique mission of Peter in the Apostolic College. Saint Peter is named first in the list of those who went into the Cenacle. The successor of Saint Peter is the Pope, the bishop of Rome. If we consider the example of the saints through the ages, we see that the most accurate measure of one’s attachment to the Church, one, holy, catholic, and apostolic, is the degree of one’s attachment to the Holy Father. Saint Catherine of Siena referred to the Pope as her “sweet Christ on earth.”

Hans Urs von Balthasar warned prophetically of the critical danger of the “anti-Roman complex.” The core of the Protestant heresy was and remains the assertion of the individual’s perception of truth over the “Splendour of Truth” taught and defended by the Successor of Saint Peter and by the bishops in communion with him. The individual Protestant persists in saying, “I know, I choose, I prefer, and I believe,” over and above what Christ teaches and defines through the mouth of Peter. The Protestant body or sect does the same thing; it is a group of individuals who persist in saying, “We know, we choose, we prefer, and we believe,” over and against what Christ teaches and defines through the mouth of Peter.

When Blessed John XXIII convoked the Second Vatican Council, he composed a beautiful prayer to the Holy Spirit; in that prayer he affirmed that a second Pentecost could take place only “under the leadership of Peter.” We must be wary of a certain kind of creeping Protestantism that sets parts of the body against the whole; it causes certain members of the Body to resist the direction given by the Head. Positively, we must renew the vow of obedience in all its ecclesial implications. History demonstrates that religious institutes flourish in proportion to their attachment to the See of Peter; they decline in proportion to the degree to which they are infected with the “anti-Roman complex.”

With Confidence in Mary

The third characteristic of the apostolic assembly in the Cenacle is its attachment and attention to the Mother of Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mary. During his long pontificate marked by extensive apostolic journeys, the Servant of God Pope John Paul II repeatedly made acts of consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary. As a disciple of Saint Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort from the time of his youth, Pope John Paul II understood that where Mary is welcomed, loved, and invoked, the Holy Spirit rushes in and pours out His gifts. If there is often little evidence of the action of the Holy Spirit in various religious assemblies, it is because so little attention is paid to the Holy Mother of God, the Aqueduct of the Water of Life, the Mediatrix of All Graces.

The divine plan of our salvation was able to unfold because Saint Joseph obeyed the word of the Angel: “Joseph, son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost” (Mt 1:20). The divine plan of our salvation continued to unfold after the sacrifice of Calvary because Saint John obeyed the word of Jesus Crucified: “‘Behold thy mother.’ And from that hour, the disciple took her to his own” (Jn 19:27). The best preparation for any kind of ecclesial or monastic assembly is a deliberate and conscious act of consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Encouraging One Another

Saint Paul says to us today in the First Reading: “Go on then, encouraging one another and building up one another’s faith.” In presenting the three characteristics of the apostolic assembly in the Cenacle — Eucharistic, Petrine, and Marian — I have tried to do just that. We must beg the Holy Spirit over the next three days to suffuse us with these three graces of the first Pentecost so that we may go forward with eyes focused on the Eucharistic Face of Jesus, in submission to Peter, and with Mary.

Ten Rules for Community Living

If you read on to the very end of First Thessalonians in your lectio divina this morning, you will have discovered the ten rules for community living given us in preparation for the General Chapter. Here they are, as Saint Paul lays them out for us in 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22:

1. Pay deference to those who work among you, those who have charge of you in the Lord, and give you directions.
2. Make it a rule of charity to hold them in special esteem, in honour of the duty they perform, and maintain unity with them.
3. Warn the vagabonds, encourage the fainthearted.
4. Support the waverers, be patient towards all
5. See to it that nobody repays injury with injury.
6. Aim always at what is best, for one another and for all around you.
7. Joy be with you always.
8. Never cease praying.
9. Give thanks upon all occasions, this is what God expects of you in Christ Jesus.
10. Do not stifle the utterances of the Spirit, do not hold prophecy in low esteem; and yet you must scrutinize it all carefully, retaining only what is good, and rejecting all that has a look of evil about it.

Do these things then, with your gaze fixed on the Face of Jesus, in obedience to Peter, and with confidence in the Virgin Mary and “the God of peace will sanctify you wholly, keeping your spirit and soul and body unimpaired, to greet the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ without reproach” (Th 5:23-24).

Posted by Father Mark on September 4, 2007 3:03 PM | Permalink

Homily of the Day

Homily of the Day

Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.

Other Articles by Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.
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Good News: Have You Really Heard It?

September 3, 2007

1 Thes 5:1-6, 9-11 / Lk 4:31-37

By the time Jesus came, the Jews had evolved a very complex system of religious law. In fact, it was so complex, and detailed, and often seemingly contradictory, that most ordinary folk despaired of ever getting it all straight and staying out of trouble with God.

So when Jesus came along, he was an astonishing breath of fresh air. With him there was none of the dithering about things like how many angels could stand on the head of a pin. Jesus talked about real life, and he explained, over and over, that God is a Father whose love for his children can be trusted.

No wonder the ordinary folk were so thrilled: if God can be trusted, everything else falls into place, and no matter what comes, everything will ultimately be all right.

Have you got to that point yet? Are you confident enough in God's love that can entrust your life into his hands — peacefully? If not, you're wasting a lot of time worrying and second guessing God.

The alternative is surely a lot happier. So why not relax in the Lord and begin to experience here and now what a real life feels like. It's wonderful. It's what God wants for you right now. And it's just a taste of what comes next!

Vespers -- Evening Prayer

Vespers (Evening Prayer)

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 48 (49)
The uselessness of riches
All peoples, listen – all who live in the world, hear what I have to say: humble and great together, rich and poor alike! My mouth will speak wisdom, my inmost thoughts will bring good counsel. I will turn my ears to a mystery, I will expound a riddle on the lyre. Why should I be fearful in times of trouble, when the crimes of usurpers hem me in? They trust in their own strength and glory in their great riches. But, after all, man cannot redeem himself, he cannot ransom himself before God. The price of his soul’s redemption is too great, he cannot pay it – the price of eternal death avoided. He will see that even the wise die; the foolish and the stupid too will perish, and their riches will pass to others. Their tombs will be homes to them for ever, their dwelling-place for all generations, even if the lands they owned are named after them. Though he be full of honour, man will not endure: he is like the beasts of burden, that die; he is like the beasts that perish. 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 48 (49)

The uselessness of riches

All peoples, listen –
all who live in the world, hear what I have to say:
humble and great together,
rich and poor alike!

My mouth will speak wisdom,
my inmost thoughts will bring good counsel.
I will turn my ears to a mystery,
I will expound a riddle on the lyre.

Why should I be fearful in times of trouble,
when the crimes of usurpers hem me in?
They trust in their own strength
and glory in their great riches.

But, after all, man cannot redeem himself,
he cannot ransom himself before God.
The price of his soul’s redemption is too great, he cannot pay it –
the price of eternal death avoided.
He will see that even the wise die;
the foolish and the stupid too will perish,
and their riches will pass to others.

Their tombs will be homes to them for ever,
their dwelling-place for all generations,
even if the lands they owned are named after them.
Though he be full of honour, man will not endure:
he is like the beasts of burden, that die;
he is like the beasts that perish.

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 48 (49)
Those who trust in themselves – this is the road they take. This is the end of those who boast. Like sheep they go down into the underworld, and death is their shepherd. They will fall headlong into the grave: their faces will be eaten away, and the underworld will be their dwelling-place. But God will ransom my life; truly he will lift me from the grasp of the underworld. Do not fear, when a man becomes rich and the glory of his house increases. When he dies, he will not take it with him, his glory will not follow him down to the grave. Even if he calls himself blessed, says “see how they praise me for my success”, still he will join his fathers, cut off from light, for ever. Though he be full of honour, yet he does not understand. He is like the beasts of burden, that die; he is like the beasts that perish. 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 48 (49)

Those who trust in themselves – this is the road they take.
This is the end of those who boast.
Like sheep they go down into the underworld,
and death is their shepherd.
They will fall headlong into the grave:
their faces will be eaten away,
and the underworld will be their dwelling-place.

But God will ransom my life;
truly he will lift me from the grasp of the underworld.
Do not fear, when a man becomes rich
and the glory of his house increases.
When he dies, he will not take it with him,
his glory will not follow him down to the grave.
Even if he calls himself blessed,
says “see how they praise me for my success”,
still he will join his fathers,
cut off from light, for ever.

Though he be full of honour, yet he does not understand.
He is like the beasts of burden, that die;
he is like the beasts that perish.

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 4,5
The song of the redeemed
You are worthy, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honour and power; for you made all things, and it is by your will that they existed and were created. You are worthy, Lord, to receive the book and open its seals, for you were killed, and with your blood you have ransomed people from every tribe and language and people and nation, and made them rulers and priests for God; and they will rule over the earth. The Lamb is worthy, who was killed, to receive power and riches and wisdom, strength and honour, glory and blessing. 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 4,5

The song of the redeemed

You are worthy, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honour and power;
for you made all things, and it is by your will that they existed and were created.

You are worthy, Lord, to receive the book and open its seals,
for you were killed, and with your blood you have ransomed people from every tribe and language and people and nation,
and made them rulers and priests for God; and they will rule over the earth.

The Lamb is worthy, who was killed, to receive power and riches and wisdom, strength and honour, glory and blessing.

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	Romans 3:23 - 25 ©
All have sinned and forfeited God’s glory, and all are justified through the free gift of his grace by being redeemed in Christ Jesus who was appointed by God to sacrifice his life so as to win reconciliation through faith.

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.

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.

Prayers and Intercessions

?

Christ is the guardian and shepherd of our souls: he loves his people and keeps them safe. Let us give him praise and with hope and trust let us ask him: - Lord, protect your people.
Eternal Shepherd, protect our Bishop, N.,: and all the pastors of your church.
Look with kindness on those who suffer persecution:: swiftly free them from their tribulations.
Take pity, Lord, on the destitute: and give food to the hungry.
Give light to legislators,: so that they perceive what is wise and just.
Raise up the dead whom you redeemed with your blood:: make them worthy to join you at your feast in heaven.

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 God, the day belongs to you and so does the night.
May the Sun of Justice shine always in our hearts
so that we may reach the eternal light where you dwell.

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

The Word Among Us

Tuesday, September 04, 2007

Meditation
Luke 4:31-37

They were astonished at his teaching. (Luke 4:32)

When was the last time Jesus astonished you? When was the last time he showed you that he was not just another philosopher or religious figure? The people of Galilee were surprised because his word had authority. He didn’t just give suggestions for moral living, he said, “Rise and walk”! He didn’t just proclaim a favorable year of the Lord, he brought it about by casting out a demon from the man in the synagogue.

Jesus has power. The gospel is not weak or ineffective. Because we are Jesus’ witnesses in the world, he wants us to be convinced of his power to transform, heal, and bring life. How else can we bring the good news to those still in darkness? Jesus doesn’t want us to be resigned to mediocrity. He wants us to see him for who he is, the one who can transform any life by the power of his word. Why? Because he wants to do something astonishing in our lives, even today!

Have you felt deflated in your spiritual life? Maybe there’s a pattern of sin that just keeps tripping you up, and you feel stuck. Let Jesus speak his healing words and give you the power to rise and walk away from your failings. Do you struggle with negative thoughts? Maybe you can’t seem to avoid accusations or judgments against other people. Let Jesus silence the devil’s whisperings and fill your mind with his mercy and love instead. Is it sometimes hard to believe that Jesus will intervene in a difficult situation? Perhaps a loved one is ill; a family member can’t find work; or a coworker has a substance abuse problem. Let Jesus give you greater expectation that he really can bring healing, and go ahead and pray for healing, deliverance, and freedom!

Jesus is just as able to astonish us now as he was thousands of years ago. As we turn to him and ask him to show us his power, we will see not only our own lives changing. We will also become more powerful witnesses for him in our everyday lives!

“Heavenly Father, you sent Jesus as your Word made flesh. As he speaks his healing in my life, let my transformation bring his presence into the world around me!”

1 Thessalonians 5:1-6,9-11; Psalm 27:1,4,13-14

Imitation of Christ -- Foreword [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ, 1,1 - Imitating Jesus Christ and Despising All Vanities on Earth [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1,2, Having A Humble Opinion of Self [Devotional]

One Bread, One Body

<< Tuesday, September 4, 2007 >>

1 Thessalonians 5:1-6, 9-11

Psalm 27

Luke 4:31-37

View Readings

TO TELL THE TRUTH

"You are not in the dark." —1 Thessalonians 5:4

The devil is the father of lies (Jn 8:44). Yet we are not to let ourselves be outwitted by Satan (2 Cor 2:11). The devil is such a talented liar that for a challenge he'll sometimes tell lies by telling the truth. However, he times his telling of the truth to create a false impression.

For example, what the demons said to Jesus in the synagogue was true. They said Jesus wanted to destroy them and they recognized Jesus as "the Holy One of God" (Lk 4:34). At the very first temptation in the garden of Eden, Satan told Eve the truth. He said she would have her eyes opened and be able to recognize good and evil when she tasted the forbidden fruit (Gn 3:5). Her eyes were opened alright, but Satan "forgot" to tell her she would be separated from God.

Today Satan will try this trick on you. When you're watching something perverse on TV and feeling guilty, he will tell you: "Don't bother to change the channel. A commercial will come on soon." When you're not forgiving your family, the devil says: "There's no need to repent right now. It will come out alright." When you're committing sexual sin, the devil reminds you that God will forgive you. So although his statements are true, they are used to increase sin.

Jesus is the Truth (Jn 14:6), the whole Truth, and nothing but the Truth. Put your life in His hands. That's the only way you will outwit the devil.

Prayer: Jesus, the Truth, really set me free (Jn 8:32, 36).

Promise: "God has not destined us for wrath but for acquiring salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ." —1 Thes 5:9

Praise: The devil had Joan half-convinced that she was unlovable and unloving. Then she encountered Love Himself and was healed.