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July Devotion: The Precious Blood

Like the Sacred Wounds of Jesus, His Precious Blood deserves special honor because of its close relation to the Sacred Passion. That honor was given to it from the beginning by the Apostles who praised its redeeming power. (Rom. 5:9 "we are justified by His blood"; Heb. 13:12 "and so Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people by His blood, suffered outside the gate"; 1 John 1:7 "and the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin.")

The Church has always held devotion to the Precious Blood in high esteem. We continue to recognize and publicly acknowledge the profound indebtedness of the whole human race to Christ, Priest and Victim.

Standing at the foot of the cross, we see Jesus' head, hands, feet, and side pouring out streams of precious blood. It is precious because it:

· Redeems us and atones for our sins. Through His precious blood we are reconciled to God, made one with Him. Death ceases to be death and heaven's gates are opened to us.

· Cleanses us from all sin.

· Preserves us and keeps us safe from the grasp of evil. When the Father sees us washed in the Blood of the Lamb we are spared.

· Comforts us. It is the constant reminder that Jesus - true God and true man suffered and died to save us and to open heaven to us because He loves us.

· Sanctifies us. The same blood that justifies by taking away sin, continues to work within us. Its action gives us the grace to continue on the path toward the Kingdom of God. It assists us in achieving our new nature, leading us onward in subduing sin and in following the commands of God.

Jesus shed His precious blood seven times during His life on earth. They events were:

· Jesus shed His Blood in the Circumcision

· Jesus shed His Blood whilst praying in the Garden of Olives

· Jesus shed His Blood in the scourging

· Jesus shed His Blood in the crowning with thorns

· Jesus shed His Blood while carrying His cross

· Jesus shed His Blood in the crucifixion

· Jesus shed His Blood and water when His side was pierced

The Power of the Precious Blood

"I adore You, O Precious Blood of Jesus, flower of creation, fruit of virginity, ineffable instrument of the Holy Spirit, and I rejoice at the thought that You came from the drop of virginal blood on which eternal Love impressed its movement; You were assumed by the Word and deified in His person. I am overcome with emotion when I think of Your passing from the Blessed Virgin's heart into the heart of the Word, and, being vivified by the breath of the Divinity, becoming adorable because You became the Blood of God." (St. Albert the Great)

At their recent meeting, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops had continuous Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament for "healing and peace." They encouraged parishes and communities to have ongoing Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. In these dark months of woundedness, pain and violence we need to turn to the Precious Blood of Jesus in the Eucharist, for healing, peace, and light.

"What power we have in the Precious Blood of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist! He is there to protect us, to be our refuge and our redemption. (In Exodus 12, God told Moses to have His chosen people mark their door posts with the blood of an unblemished lamb, during the first Passover. Those who did this were spared when the Angel of the death passed by). This is why Archbishop Sheen said that we must call down the Blood of the Lamb, Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament. For, he warned, when we stop calling down the Blood of the Lamb, we start calling down the blood of each other." (From our book Bread of Life)

"And the Lamb on the throne will shepherd them. He will lead them to springs of life-giving water" (Rev 7:17).

"In the tumultuous events of our time, it is important to look to the Eucharist: it must be at the heart of the life of priests and consecrated people; the light and strength of spouses in putting into practice their commitment to fidelity, chastity and the apostolate; the ideal in education and in training children, adolescents and young people; the comfort and support of those who are troubled, of the sick and all who are weeping in the Gethsemane of life." (Pope John Paul II)

Precious Blood of Jesus, save us!

"The only time our Lord asked the Apostles for anything was the night when He went into His agony. But as often in the history of the church since that time, evil was awake, but the disciples were asleep. That is why there came out of His anguished and lonely Heart a sigh: 'Could you not watch one hour with Me?'" (Mt 26:40). Not for an hour of activity did he plead, but for an hour of friendship (Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen).

St. Maria Goretti, Patroness of Youth & Children of Mary, Feast-July 6 St. Maria of Italy (1890-1902), couldn't wait to make her First Communion. She wanted to receive Jesus in the Holy Eucharist so that she could become more beautiful and pure like Him; she wanted Him to live in her, close to her heart. After she received Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament for the first time, she stayed in Church for a long time after Mass to talk to Him. Maria's family lived with and worked for a farmer. His son Alessandro kept trying to make Maria sin against purity. One day, when everyone else was working, Alessandro grabbed Maria and tried to make her sin. Maria kept crying out for him to stop, and each time she did, he stabbed her. Courageously, Maria resisted him and was stabbed fourteen times. St. Maria died the next day.

"Look at Maria Goretti.... Like her, be capable of defending your purity of heart and body. Be committed to the struggle against evil and sin. Always esteem and love, purity and virginity." (Pope John Paul II, 1990)

A Prayer for Priests

O my God, help those priests who are faithful to remain faithful; to those who are falling, stretch forth Your Divine Hand that they may grasp it as their support. In the great ocean of Your mercy, lift those poor unfortunate ones who have fallen, that being engulfed therein they may receive the grace to return to Your Great Loving Heart. Amen. Precious Blood of Jesus, protect them!A

menHe

"Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you" (Jn 6:53).

The Eucharist is the fruit of our Lords Passion. Jesus gave up His Body on the cross so that He may give you His Body in the Holy Eucharist. Jesus poured out His very last drop of Blood on the cross so that He may fill you with His Divine Love each time that you receive Him in Holy Communion and visit Him in Eucharistic Adoration!

"The Eucharist, in the Mass and outside of the Mass, is the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, and is therefore deserving of the worship that is given to the living God, and to Him alone" (Pope John Paul II, September 29, 1979, Phoenix Park, Ireland)

"The bread and wine, fruit of human hands, transformed through the power of the Holy Spirit into the body and blood of Christ, become a pledge of the 'new heaven and new earth,' announced by the Church in her daily mission." "In Christ, whom we adore present in the mystery of the Eucharist, the father uttered his final word with regard to humanity and human history." "To live the Eucharist, it is necessary, as well, to spend much time in adoration in front of the Blessed Sacrament, something which I myself experience every day drawing from it strength, consolation and assistance." "How could the Church fulfill her vocation without cultivating a constant relationship with the Eucharist, without nourishing herself with this food which sanctifies, without founding her missionary activity on this indispensable support?" "To evangelize the world there is need of apostles who are 'experts' in the celebration, adoration and contemplation of the Eucharist" (Pope John Paul II, World Mission Message 2004).

The Power of the Precious Blood of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist

"The Precious Blood belongs in an especial manner to men. Much more, therefore, does God invite them to come to its heavenly baths, and receive therein, not only the cleansing of their souls, but the power of a new and amazing life. Every doctrine in theology is a call to the Precious Blood. Every ceremony in the Church tells of it . . . . Every supernatural act is a growth of it. Everything that is holy on earth is either a leaf, bud, blossom or fruit of the Blood of Jesus. To its fountains God calls the sinner, that he may be lightened of his burdens. There is no remission of him in anything else. Only there is his lost sonship to be found. The saints are no less called by God to these invigorating streams. It is out of the Precious Blood that men draw martyrdoms, vocations, celebacies, austerities, heroic charities, and all the magnificent graces of high sanctity. The secret nourishment of prayer is from those fountains" (Father Faber, The Precious Blood).

LITANY OF THE MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

God, the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.

Blood of Christ, only-begotten Son of the Eternal Father, save us.
Blood of Christ, Incarnate Word of God, save us.
Blood of Christ, of the New and Eternal Testament, save us.
Blood of Christ, falling upon the earth in the Agony, save us.
Blood of Christ, shed profusely in the Scourging, save us.
Blood of Christ, flowing forth in the Crowning with Thorns, save us.
Blood of Christ, poured out on the Cross, save us.
Blood of Christ, price of our salvation, save us.
Blood of Christ, without which there is no forgiveness, save us.
Blood of Christ, Eucharistic drink and refreshment of souls, save us.
Blood of Christ, stream of mercy, save us.
Blood of Christ, victor over demons, save us.
Blood of Christ, courage of Martyrs, save us.
Blood of Christ, strength of Confessors, save us.
Blood of Christ, bringing forth Virgins, save us.
Blood of Christ, help of those in peril, save us.
Blood of Christ, relief of the burdened, save us.
Blood of Christ, solace in sorrow, save us.
Blood of Christ, hope of the penitent, save us.
Blood of Christ, consolation of the dying, save us.
Blood of Christ, peace and tenderness of hearts, save us.
Blood of Christ, pledge of eternal life, save us.
Blood of Christ, freeing souls from purgatory, save us.
Blood of Christ, most worthy of all glory and honor, save us.

Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord!.
Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord!.
Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. .

V. You have redeemed us, O Lord, in your Blood.
R. And made us, for our God, a kingdom.

Let us pray.
Almighty and Eternal God, you have appointed your only-begotten Son the Redeemer of the world, and willed to be appeased by His Blood. Grant we beg of You, that we may worthily adore this price of our salvation, and through its power be safeguarded from the evils of the present life, so that we may rejoice in its fruits forever in heaven. Through the same Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

Chaplet of the Most Precious Blood

The Traditional Feast of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Catholic Caucus)

Devotion to the Precious Blood

DOCTRINE OF THE BLOOD OF CHRIST

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,And More on the Precious Blood

Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ

NOTHING IS MORE POTENT AGAINST EVIL THAN PLEADING THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST

FORMER PENTECOSTAL RELATES MIRACLE THAT OCCURRED WITH THE PRECIOUS BLOOD

Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus

St.Gaspar:Founder of the Society of the Precious Blood[AKA The Hammer of Freemasons]

JULY 2008

General:

That there may be an increase in the number of those who volunteer to serve the Christian community with generous and prompt availability.

Mission:

That World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia, may kindle the fire of divine love in numerous young people and render them sowers of hope for a new humanity.

From: Wisdom 12:13, 16-19

God, Just and Forbearing (Continuation)

[13] “For neither is there any god besides thee, whose care is for all men, to whom
thou shouldst prove that thou hast not judged unjustly; [16] For thy strength is the
source of righteousness, and thy sovereignty over all causes thee to spare all. [17]
For thou dost show thy strength when men doubt the completeness of thy power,
and dost rebuke any insolence among those who know it. [18] Thou who art sove-
reign in strength dost judge with mildness, and with great forbearance thou dost
govern us; for thou hast power to act whenever thou dost choose. [19] Through
such works thou has taught thy people that the righteous man must be kind, and
thou hast filled thy sons with good hope, because thou givest repentance for sins.

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

12:12-27. This passage is imbued with very solid faith in the goodness and power
of God, who is the only God, almighty, and has to account to no one for what he
does (vv. l2-1’4. Here the book of Wisdom connects up with sapiential tradition (cf.
Job 9) and with prophecy (cf. e.g. Is 45:-13; Jer 18: 5-11). His all-embracing power
does not make God an unjust tyrant: on the contrary, God is always righteous (vv.
15-17). Nor is his justice in any sense at odds with his mercy and kindness. He
shows this in his dealings with Israel, especially, but also in his dealings with
mankind at large, whose evil actions he punishes gently, to give people a chance
to change (vv. 18-25). However, he will indeed punish those who are obdurate in
their unbelief and wickedness (vv. 26-27). We find the same teaching in the New
Testament (cf. e.g., Mt 16:15-16).

*********************************************************************************************
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: Romans 8:26-27

Christians are Children of God (Continuation)

[26] Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to
pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for
words. [27] And he who searches the hearts of men knows what is the mind of
the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of
God.

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

“The action of the Holy Spirit may pass unnoticed because God does not reveal
to us his plans, and because man’s sin obscures the divine gifts. But faith tells
us that God is always acting. He has created us and maintains us in existence,
and he is leading all creation by his grace towards the glorious freedom of the
children of God” (St J. Escriva, “Christ Is Passing By”, 130).

*********************************************************************************************
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 13:24-30

The Parable of the Weeds

[24] Another parable he (Jesus) put before them, saying, “The kingdom of
heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field; [25]
but while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the
wheat, and went away. [26] So when the plants came up and bore grain, then
the weeds appeared also. [27] And the servants of the householder came and
said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then has it
weeds?’ [28] He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to
him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ [29] But he said, ‘No; lest
in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. [30] Let both
grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers,
“Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather
the wheat into my barn.’”

The Mustard Seed; The Leaven

[31] Another parable He (Jesus) put before them saying, “The Kingdom of
Heaven is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his
field; [32] it is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is the grea-
test of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and
make nests in its branches.”

[33] He told them another parable. “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a leaven
which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till it was all leavened.”

[34] All this Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed He said nothing to
them without a parable. [35] This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet:
“I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter what has been hidden since the
foundation of the world.”

The Parable of the Weeds Explained

[36] Then He (Jesus) left the crowds and went into the house. And His dis-
ciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the
field.” [37] He answered, “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man;
[38] the field is the world, and the good seed means the sons of the King-
dom; the weeds are the sons of the evil one, [39] and the enemy who sowed
them is the devil; the harvest is the close of the age, and the reapers are
angels. [40] Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it
be at the close of the age. [41] The Son of Man will send His angels, and
they will gather out of His Kingdom all causes of sin and evildoers, [42] and
throw them out into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their
teeth. [43] Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their
Father. He who has ears, let him hear.”

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

24-25. “The situation is clear: the field is fertile and the seed is good; the
Lord of the field has scattered the seed at the right moment and with great
skill. He even has watchmen to make sure that the field is protected. If,
afterwards, there are weeds among the wheat, it is because men have failed
to respond, because they—and Christians in particular—have fallen asleep and
allowed the enemy to approach” (St. J. Escriva, “Christ Is Passing By”, 123).

25. This weed—cockle—looks very like wheat and can easily be mistaken for
it until the ears appear. If it gets ground up with wheat it contaminates the
flour and any bread made from that flour causes severe nausea when eaten.
In the East personal vengeance sometimes took the form of sowing cockle
among an enemy’s wheat. Roman law prescribed penalties for this crime.

28. “When the careless servants ask the Lord why weeds have grown in his
field, the explanation is obvious: ‘inimicus homo hoc fecit: an enemy has
done this.’ We Christians should have been on guard to make sure that the
good things placed in this world by the Creator were developed in the service
of truth and good. But we have fallen asleep—a sad thing, that sluggishness
of our heart while the enemy and all those who serve him worked incessantly.
You can see how the weeds have grown abundantly everywhere” (St. J. Es-
criva, “Christ Is Passing By”, 123).

29-30. The end of this parable gives a symbolic explanation of why God allows
evil to have its way for a time—and for its ultimate extirpation. Evil is to run its
course on earth until the end of time; therefore, we should not be scandalized
by the presence of evil in the world. It will be obliterated not in this life, but
after death; at the Judgment (the harvest) the good will go to Heaven and the
bad to Hell.

31-32. Here, the man is Jesus Christ and the field, the world. The grain of
mustard seed is the preaching of the Gospel and the Church, which from very
small beginnings will spread throughout the world.

The parable clearly refers to the universal scope and spread of the Kingdom
of God: the Church, which embraces all mankind of every kind and condition,
in every latitude and in all ages, is forever developing in spite of obstacles,
thanks to God’s promise and aid.

33. This comparison is taken from everyday experience: just as leaven gra-
dually ferments all the dough, so the Church spreads to convert all nations.

The leaven is also a symbol of the individual Christian. Living in the middle
of the world and retaining his Christian quality, he wins souls for Christ by his
word and example: “Our calling to be children of God, in the midst of the world,
requires us not only to seek our own personal holiness, but also to go out on-
to all the ways of the earth, to convert them into roadways that will carry souls
over all obstacles and lead them to the Lord. As we take part in all temporal
activities as ordinary citizens, we are to become leaven acting on the mass”
(St. J. Escriva, “Christ Is Passing By”, 120).

34-35. Revelation, God’s plans, are hidden (cf. Matthew 11:25) from those who
are disposed to accept them. The Evangelist wishes to emphasize the need
for simplicity and for docility to the Gospel. By recalling Psalm 78:2, he tells
us once more, under divine inspiration, that the Old Testament prophecies find
their fulfillment in our Lord’s preaching.

36-43. While making its way on earth, the Church is composed of good and
bad people, just men and sinners: they are mixed in with one another until the
harvest time, the end of the world, when the Son of Man, in His capacity as
Judge of the living and the dead, will divide the good from the bad at the Last
Judgment—the former going to eternal glory, the inheritance of the saints; the
latter, to the eternal fire of Hell. Although the just and the sinners are now
side by side, the Church has the right and the duty to exclude those who
cause scandal, especially those who attack its doctrine and unity; this is
can do through ecclesiastical excommunication and other canonical penalties.
However, excommunication has a medicinal and pastoral function—to correct
those who are obstinate in error, and to protect others from them.

*****************************************************************************************
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	Wisdom 12:13 - 19 ©
There is no god, other than you, who cares for every thing, to whom you might have to prove that you never judged unjustly; Your justice has its source in strength, your sovereignty over all makes you lenient to all. You show your strength when your sovereign power is questioned and you expose the insolence of those who know it; but, disposing of such strength, you are mild in judgement, you govern us with great lenience, for you have only to will, and your power is there. By acting thus you have taught a lesson to your people how the virtuous man must be kindly to his fellow men, and you have given your sons the good hope that after sin you will grant repentance.

First reading

Wisdom 12:13 - 19 ©

There is no god, other than you, who cares for every thing,
to whom you might have to prove that you never judged unjustly;
Your justice has its source in strength,
your sovereignty over all makes you lenient to all.
You show your strength when your sovereign power is questioned
and you expose the insolence of those who know it;
but, disposing of such strength, you are mild in judgement,
you govern us with great lenience,
for you have only to will, and your power is there.
By acting thus you have taught a lesson to your people
how the virtuous man must be kindly to his fellow men,
and you have given your sons the good hope
that after sin you will grant repentance.

Psalm or canticle: Psalm 85

Second reading	Romans 8:26 - 27 ©
The Spirit comes to help us in our weakness. For when we cannot choose words in order to pray properly, the Spirit himself expresses our plea in a way that could never be put into words, and God who knows everything in our hearts knows perfectly well what he means, and that the pleas of the saints expressed by the Spirit are according to the mind of God.

Gospel	Matthew 13:24 - 43 ©
Jesus put another parable before them, ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everybody was asleep his enemy came, sowed darnel all among the wheat, and made off. When the new wheat sprouted and ripened, the darnel appeared as well. The owner’s servants went to him and said, “Sir, was it not good seed that you sowed in your field? If so, where does the darnel come from?” “Some enemy has done this” he answered. And the servants said, “Do you want us to go and weed it out?” But he said, “No, because when you weed out the darnel you might pull up the wheat with it. Let them both grow till the harvest; and at harvest time I shall say to the reapers: First collect the darnel and tie it in bundles to be burnt, then gather the wheat into my barn.”’ He put another parable before them, ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the biggest shrub of all and becomes a tree so that the birds of the air come and shelter in its branches.’ He told them another parable, ‘The kingdom of heaven is like the yeast a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour till it was leavened all through.’ In all this Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables; indeed, he would never speak to them except in parables. This was to fulfil the prophecy: I will speak to you in parables and expound things hidden since the foundation of the world. Then, leaving the crowds, he went to the house; and his disciples came to him and said, ‘Explain the parable about the darnel in the field to us.’ He said in reply, ‘The sower of the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world; the good seed is the subjects of the kingdom; the darnel, the subjects of the evil one; the enemy who sowed them, the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; the reapers are the angels. Well then, just as the darnel is gathered up and burnt in the fire, so it will be at the end of time. The Son of Man will send his angels and they will gather out of his kingdom all things that provoke offences and all who do evil, and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth. Then the virtuous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Listen, anyone who has ears!’

Gospel

Matthew 13:24 - 43 ©

Jesus put another parable before them, ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everybody was asleep his enemy came, sowed darnel all among the wheat, and made off. When the new wheat sprouted and ripened, the darnel appeared as well. The owner’s servants went to him and said, “Sir, was it not good seed that you sowed in your field? If so, where does the darnel come from?” “Some enemy has done this” he answered. And the servants said, “Do you want us to go and weed it out?” But he said, “No, because when you weed out the darnel you might pull up the wheat with it. Let them both grow till the harvest; and at harvest time I shall say to the reapers: First collect the darnel and tie it in bundles to be burnt, then gather the wheat into my barn.”’
He put another parable before them, ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the biggest shrub of all and becomes a tree so that the birds of the air come and shelter in its branches.’
He told them another parable, ‘The kingdom of heaven is like the yeast a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour till it was leavened all through.’
In all this Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables; indeed, he would never speak to them except in parables. This was to fulfil the prophecy:
I will speak to you in parables
and expound things hidden since the foundation of the world.

Then, leaving the crowds, he went to the house; and his disciples came to him and said, ‘Explain the parable about the darnel in the field to us.’ He said in reply, ‘The sower of the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world; the good seed is the subjects of the kingdom; the darnel, the subjects of the evil one; the enemy who sowed them, the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; the reapers are the angels. Well then, just as the darnel is gathered up and burnt in the fire, so it will be at the end of time. The Son of Man will send his angels and they will gather out of his kingdom all things that provoke offences and all who do evil, and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth. Then the virtuous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Listen, anyone who has ears!’

Faith sharing bump.

God is Patient and Merciful, but He Wants Change

July 19th, 2008 by Fr. Jack Peterson

“God bears with imperfect beings even when they resist His goodness. We ought to imitate this merciful patience and endurance. It is only imperfection that complains of what is imperfect. The more perfect we are, the more gentle and quiet we become toward the defects of other people.” Bishop Francois de Fenelon, the archbishop of Camray, penned these words in the 18th century, but they speak just as loudly to us today.

If God’s approach to us, His children, was determined simply by His justice, we would be in a hopeless situation. When I think of the number of times that I have gone to confession, stated my sins and sincerely pledged to never commit them again, I am brought to my knees as I ponder God’s patience with me. God has every right to be perfectly upset with me, to treat me as an ungrateful, hard-hearted, spoiled brat. He has blessed me in countless ways, and I have rebelled in so many ways. In God’s justice, I should be nothing but dried up bones, but in His love, I am the recipient of abundant patience and mercy.

The Old Testament book of Wisdom captures this particular dimension of the goodness of God. “There is no God besides you … your mastery over all things makes you lenient to all … But though you are master of might, you judge with clemency, and with much lenience you govern us … you gave your children good ground for hope that you would permit repentance for their sins” (Wis 12: 13, 16-19).

The Gospel for this week also proclaims the patience of Our Heavenly Father. Jesus tells a parable about a farm owner (who represents God) who sows good seed into his field. At night, his enemy comes and sows weeds all through the wheat. When the crop begins to grow, the workers ask the owner if they should pull up the weeds. The farm owner responds, “No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them. Let them grow together until harvest.”
God knows very well about the presence of evil in our world. He decides to let the good and the bad seed co-exist while constantly nourishing the good seed with an abundance of grace. He lets the sun and the rain fall on the good seed and the bad in order to let the good seed grow, become strong, and bear much fruit. God’s patience is directed at our salvation. He does everything that He can, without intruding on our freedom, to nurture us so that we can become mature in faith and produce an abundant harvest for our Master.

Our response to God’s amazing patience and mercy should be a heightened desire to change our lives and live completely for Christ. We should be overwhelmed by God’s merciful love and radically commit ourselves to seek His will in every aspect of our lives. We should be willing to stand tall among the weeds in our world and produce an abundant harvest of virtue, prayer and charitable deeds.

It is true that God must satisfy the demands of justice. That is why He sent his only-begotten Son who died and rose for us. Christ became our justice. Now, God, in His great mercy, constantly invites us back to Him after we wander. He is remarkably patient. May we be His grateful children who recognize the marvels of His love, humbly repent of our sins, and respond to the gift of the Holy Spirit by living radically for the King with every fiber of our being, and cultivating a harvest of justice, peace and prayer in our world.

Fr. Peterson is Campus Minister at Marymount University in Arlington and interim director of the Youth Apostles Institute. (This article courtesy of the Arlington Catholic Herald.)

The Work of God

Year A

- 16th Sunday in ordinary time

The Word of God – The seed, the weed, the harvest

Matthew 13:24-43

24 He put before them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field;
25 but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away.
26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well.
27 And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?'
28 He answered, 'An enemy has done this.' The slaves said to him, 'Then do you want us to go and gather them?'
29 But he replied, 'No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them.
30 Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.' "
31 He put before them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field;
32 it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches."
33 He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took
and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened."
34 Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables; without a parable he told them nothing.
35 This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet: "I will open my mouth to speak in parables; I will proclaim what has been hidden from the foundation of the world."
36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field."
37 He answered, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man;
38 the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one,
39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.
40 Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age.
41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers,
42 and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen! (NRSV)

Inspiration of the Holy Spirit - From the Sacred Heart of Jesus

16th Sunday in ordinary time - The Word of God – The seed, the weed, the harvest

My dear child, you who listen to my word and put it in your heart, you are the good seed of my kingdom, you bear my word, you bear me.

Those who reject my word are the weeds of my kingdom, they listen to the word of the evil one and follow his ways, they are destined to perdition; they are the obstacles for my good seeds to grow. At the time of the harvest, the weeds will be thrown into the fire while the good wheat will be the offering to God, he will be pleased to see the glory of his kingdom.

My word is a seed of goodness that going into a good man’s heart finds fertile soil to grow and begins to thrive unobstructed. My word becomes an integral part of that man who makes it a treasure; it will bless him constantly and guide him through the good paths of life.

My word is my presence within you, it is alive and active, it is powerful beyond compare; it has the capacity to heal and to sanctify you. I am the Word of God, therefore when you accept my word in your heart you accept me, when you place my word reverently in your heart you place me reverently in your heart too.

My word is wisdom and you who love me will find a live fountain of wisdom in your heart. My word is love and you who love me will become a living fountain of love. The living waters of my spirit will flow constantly from within you to be the glory of my presence.

Become a bearer of my word, bear my presence within you, do not walk alone in the darkness of this world; let the light of my word always shine heavenly light on your path.

Author: Joseph of Jesus and Mary

Catholic homilies - gospel inspirations - list

Sunday, July 20, 2008
Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading:
Psalm:
Second Reading:
Gospel:

Wisdom 12:13, 16-19
Psalm 86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16
Romans 8:26-27
Matthew 13:24-43 or 13:24-30

The quiet solitude of the night make it a favorable time for prayer and most suitable for those who watch. With worldly occupations put aside and the attention undivided, the whole man, at night, stands in the divine presence.

-- St. Niceta of Remesiana

The Angelus

The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary:
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of
our death. Amen.

Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word.

Hail Mary . . .

And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary . . .

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:

Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord.

Amen.

Office of Readings and Invitatory Psalm

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 94 (95)
A call to worship
Come, let us rejoice in the Lord, let us acclaim God our salvation. Let us come before him proclaiming our thanks, let us acclaim him with songs. For the Lord is a great God, a king above all gods. For he holds the depths of the earth in his hands, and the peaks of the mountains are his. For the sea is his: he made it; and his hands formed the dry land. Come, let us worship and bow down, bend the knee before the Lord who made us; for he himself is our God and we are his flock, the sheep that follow his hand. If only, today, you would listen to his voice: “Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, on the day of Massah in the desert, when your fathers tested me – they put me to the test, although they had seen my works”. “For forty years they wearied me, that generation. I said: their hearts are wandering, they do not know my paths. I swore in my anger: they will never enter my place of rest”. 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 94 (95)

A call to worship

Come, let us rejoice in the Lord, let us acclaim God our salvation.
Let us come before him proclaiming our thanks, let us acclaim him with songs.

For the Lord is a great God, a king above all gods.
For he holds the depths of the earth in his hands, and the peaks of the mountains are his.
For the sea is his: he made it; and his hands formed the dry land.

Come, let us worship and bow down, bend the knee before the Lord who made us;
for he himself is our God and we are his flock, the sheep that follow his hand.

If only, today, you would listen to his voice: “Do not harden your hearts
as you did at Meribah, on the day of Massah in the desert, when your fathers tested me –
they put me to the test, although they had seen my works”.

“For forty years they wearied me, that generation.
I said: their hearts are wandering, they do not know my paths.
I swore in my anger: they will never enter my place of rest”.

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 65 (66)
Hymn for a sacrifice of thanksgiving
Cry out to God, all the earth, sing psalms to the glory of his name, give him all glory and praise. Say to God, “How tremendous your works! Faced with the greatness of your power your enemies dwindle away. Let all the earth worship you and sing your praises, sing psalms to your name”. Come and see the works of God, be awed by what he has done for the children of men. He turned the sea into dry land, and they crossed the waters on foot: therefore will we rejoice in him. In his might he will rule for all time, his eyes keep watch on the nations: no rebellion will ever succeed. Bless our God, you nations, and let the sound of your praises be heard. Praise him who brought us to life, and saved us from stumbling. For you have tested us, O Lord, you have tried us by fire, as silver is tried. You led us into the trap, heaped tribulations upon us. You set other men to rule over us – but we passed through fire and water, and you led us out to our rest. 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 65 (66)

Hymn for a sacrifice of thanksgiving

Cry out to God, all the earth,
sing psalms to the glory of his name,
give him all glory and praise.
Say to God, “How tremendous your works!
Faced with the greatness of your power
your enemies dwindle away.
Let all the earth worship you and sing your praises,
sing psalms to your name”.

Come and see the works of God,
be awed by what he has done for the children of men.
He turned the sea into dry land,
and they crossed the waters on foot:
therefore will we rejoice in him.
In his might he will rule for all time,
his eyes keep watch on the nations:
no rebellion will ever succeed.

Bless our God, you nations,
and let the sound of your praises be heard.
Praise him who brought us to life,
and saved us from stumbling.

For you have tested us, O Lord,
you have tried us by fire, as silver is tried.
You led us into the trap,
heaped tribulations upon us.
You set other men to rule over us –
but we passed through fire and water,
and you led us out to our rest.

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 65 (66)
I shall enter your house with burnt-offerings. I shall fulfil my vows to you, the vows that I made with my lips, the vows that I uttered in my troubles. I shall offer you rich burnt-offerings, the smoke of the flesh of rams; I shall offer you cattle and goats. Draw near and listen, you who fear the Lord, and I will tell all that he has done for me. I cried out aloud to him, and his praise was on my tongue. If I looked upon sin in the depths of my heart, the Lord would not hear me – but the Lord has listened, he has heard the cry of my appeal. Blessed be God, who has not spurned my prayer, who has not kept his mercy from 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.

Psalm 65 (66)

I shall enter your house with burnt-offerings.
I shall fulfil my vows to you,
the vows that I made with my lips,
the vows that I uttered in my troubles.
I shall offer you rich burnt-offerings,
the smoke of the flesh of rams;
I shall offer you cattle and goats.

Draw near and listen, you who fear the Lord,
and I will tell all that he has done for me.
I cried out aloud to him,
and his praise was on my tongue.
If I looked upon sin in the depths of my heart,
the Lord would not hear me –
but the Lord has listened,
he has heard the cry of my appeal.

Blessed be God, who has not spurned my prayer,
who has not kept his mercy from 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.

Reading	2 Corinthians 1:1 - 14 ©
From Paul, appointed by God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from Timothy, one of the brothers, to the church of God at Corinth and to all the saints in the whole of Achaia. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, a gentle Father and the God of all consolation, who comforts us in all our sorrows, so that we can offer others, in their sorrows, the consolation that we have received from God ourselves. Indeed, as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so, through Christ, does our consolation overflow. When we are made to suffer, it is for your consolation and salvation. When, instead, we are comforted, this should be a consolation to you, supporting you in patiently bearing the same sufferings as we bear. And our hope for you is confident, since we know that, sharing our sufferings, you will also share our consolations. For we should like you to realise, brothers, that the things we had to undergo in Asia were more of a burden than we could carry, so that we despaired of coming through alive. Yes, we were carrying our own death warrant with us, and it has taught us not to rely on ourselves but only on God, who raises the dead to life. And he saved us from dying, as he will save us again; yes, that is our firm hope in him, that in the future he will save us again. You must all join in the prayers for us: the more people there are asking for help for us, the more will be giving thanks when it is granted to us. There is one thing we are proud of, and our conscience tells us it is true: that we have always treated everybody, and especially you, with the reverence and sincerity which come from God, and by the grace of God we have done this without ulterior motives. There are no hidden meanings in our letters besides what you can read for yourselves and understand. And I hope that, although you do not know us very well yet, you will have come to recognise, when the day of our Lord Jesus comes, that you can be as proud of us as we are of you.

Reading

2 Corinthians 1:1 - 14 ©

From Paul, appointed by God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from Timothy, one of the brothers, to the church of God at Corinth and to all the saints in the whole of Achaia. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, a gentle Father and the God of all consolation, who comforts us in all our sorrows, so that we can offer others, in their sorrows, the consolation that we have received from God ourselves. Indeed, as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so, through Christ, does our consolation overflow. When we are made to suffer, it is for your consolation and salvation. When, instead, we are comforted, this should be a consolation to you, supporting you in patiently bearing the same sufferings as we bear. And our hope for you is confident, since we know that, sharing our sufferings, you will also share our consolations.
For we should like you to realise, brothers, that the things we had to undergo in Asia were more of a burden than we could carry, so that we despaired of coming through alive. Yes, we were carrying our own death warrant with us, and it has taught us not to rely on ourselves but only on God, who raises the dead to life. And he saved us from dying, as he will save us again; yes, that is our firm hope in him, that in the future he will save us again. You must all join in the prayers for us: the more people there are asking for help for us, the more will be giving thanks when it is granted to us.
There is one thing we are proud of, and our conscience tells us it is true: that we have always treated everybody, and especially you, with the reverence and sincerity which come from God, and by the grace of God we have done this without ulterior motives. There are no hidden meanings in our letters besides what you can read for yourselves and understand. And I hope that, although you do not know us very well yet, you will have come to recognise, when the day of our Lord Jesus comes, that you can be as proud of us as we are of you.

Reading	From the beginning of a letter to the Magnesians by Saint Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyr
We should be Christians in deed, as well as in name
Ignatius, also called Theophorus, to the church at Magnesia on the Meander, a church blessed with the grace of God the Father in Christ Jesus, our Saviour, in whom I salute you. I send you every good wish in God the Father and in Jesus Christ. I was delighted to hear of your love of God, so well-ordered and devout, and so I decided to address you in the faith of Jesus Christ. Honoured as I am with a name of the greatest splendour, though I am still in chains I sing with the praises of the churches, and pray that they be united with the flesh and the spirit of Jesus Christ, who is our eternal life; a union in faith and love, to which nothing must be preferred; and above all a union with Jesus and the Father, for if in him we endure all the power of the prince of this world, and escape unharmed, we shall make our way to God. I have had the honour of seeing you in the person of Damas your bishop, a man of God, and in the persons of your worthy presbyters, Bassus and Apollonius, and my fellow-servant, the deacon Zotion; may I continue to take delight in him for he is obedient to the bishop as to the grace of God, and to the presbyters as to the law of Jesus Christ. Now it hardly becomes you to presume on your bishop’s youth, but rather, having regard to the power of God the Father, to show him every mark of respect. This, I understand, is what your holy presbyters do, not taking advantage of his youthful condition but deferring to him with the prudence which comes from God, or rather not to him but to the Father of Jesus Christ, to the bishop of all. So then, for the honour of him who loves us, it is proper to obey without hypocrisy; for a man does not so much deceive the bishop he can see as try to deceive the bishop he cannot see. In such a case he has to reckon not with a man, but with God who knows the secrets of the heart. We should then really live as Christians and not merely have the name; for many invoke the bishop’s name but do everything apart from him. Such men, I think, do not have a good conscience, for they do not assemble lawfully as commanded. All things have an end, and two things, life and death, are side by side set before us, and each man will go to his own place. Just as there are two coinages, one of God and the other of the world. each with its own image, so unbelievers bear the image of this world, and those who have faith with love bear the image of God the Father through Jesus Christ. Unless we are ready through his power to die in the likeness of his passion, his life is not in us.

Reading

From the beginning of a letter to the Magnesians by Saint Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyr

We should be Christians in deed, as well as in name

Ignatius, also called Theophorus, to the church at Magnesia on the Meander, a church blessed with the grace of God the Father in Christ Jesus, our Saviour, in whom I salute you. I send you every good wish in God the Father and in Jesus Christ.
I was delighted to hear of your love of God, so well-ordered and devout, and so I decided to address you in the faith of Jesus Christ. Honoured as I am with a name of the greatest splendour, though I am still in chains I sing with the praises of the churches, and pray that they be united with the flesh and the spirit of Jesus Christ, who is our eternal life; a union in faith and love, to which nothing must be preferred; and above all a union with Jesus and the Father, for if in him we endure all the power of the prince of this world, and escape unharmed, we shall make our way to God.
I have had the honour of seeing you in the person of Damas your bishop, a man of God, and in the persons of your worthy presbyters, Bassus and Apollonius, and my fellow-servant, the deacon Zotion; may I continue to take delight in him for he is obedient to the bishop as to the grace of God, and to the presbyters as to the law of Jesus Christ.
Now it hardly becomes you to presume on your bishop’s youth, but rather, having regard to the power of God the Father, to show him every mark of respect. This, I understand, is what your holy presbyters do, not taking advantage of his youthful condition but deferring to him with the prudence which comes from God, or rather not to him but to the Father of Jesus Christ, to the bishop of all. So then, for the honour of him who loves us, it is proper to obey without hypocrisy; for a man does not so much deceive the bishop he can see as try to deceive the bishop he cannot see. In such a case he has to reckon not with a man, but with God who knows the secrets of the heart.
We should then really live as Christians and not merely have the name; for many invoke the bishop’s name but do everything apart from him. Such men, I think, do not have a good conscience, for they do not assemble lawfully as commanded.
All things have an end, and two things, life and death, are side by side set before us, and each man will go to his own place. Just as there are two coinages, one of God and the other of the world. each with its own image, so unbelievers bear the image of this world, and those who have faith with love bear the image of God the Father through Jesus Christ. Unless we are ready through his power to die in the likeness of his passion, his life is not in us.

Hymn	Te Deum
God, we praise you; Lord, we proclaim you! You, the Father, the eternal – all the earth venerates you. All the angels, all the heavens, every power – The cherubim, the seraphim – unceasingly, they cry: “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts: heaven and earth are full of the majesty of your glory!” The glorious choir of Apostles – The noble ranks of prophets – The shining army of martyrs – all praise you. Throughout the world your holy Church proclaims you. – Father of immeasurable majesty, – True Son, only-begotten, worthy of worship, – Holy Spirit, our Advocate. You, Christ: – You are the king of glory. – You are the Father’s eternal Son. – You, to free mankind, did not disdain a Virgin’s womb. – You defeated the sharp spear of Death, and opened the kingdom of heaven to those who believe in you. – You sit at God’s right hand, in the glory of the Father. – You will come, so we believe, as our Judge. And so we ask of you: give help to your servants, whom you set free at the price of your precious blood. Number them among your chosen ones in eternal glory. Bring your people to safety, Lord, and bless those who are your inheritance. Rule them and lift them high for ever. Day by day we bless you, Lord: we praise you for ever and for ever. Of your goodness, Lord, keep us without sin for today. Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us. Let your pity, Lord, be upon us, as much as we trust in you. In you, Lord, I trust: let me never be put to shame. 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.

Hymn

Te Deum

God, we praise you; Lord, we proclaim you!
You, the Father, the eternal –
all the earth venerates you.
All the angels, all the heavens, every power –
The cherubim, the seraphim –
unceasingly, they cry:
“Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts:
heaven and earth are full of the majesty of your glory!”

The glorious choir of Apostles –
The noble ranks of prophets –
The shining army of martyrs –
all praise you.
Throughout the world your holy Church proclaims you.
– Father of immeasurable majesty,
– True Son, only-begotten, worthy of worship,
– Holy Spirit, our Advocate.

You, Christ:
– You are the king of glory.
– You are the Father’s eternal Son.
– You, to free mankind, did not disdain a Virgin’s womb.
– You defeated the sharp spear of Death, and opened the kingdom of heaven to those who believe in you.
– You sit at God’s right hand, in the glory of the Father.
– You will come, so we believe, as our Judge.

And so we ask of you: give help to your servants, whom you set free at the price of your precious blood.
Number them among your chosen ones in eternal glory.
Bring your people to safety, Lord, and bless those who are your inheritance.
Rule them and lift them high for ever.

Day by day we bless you, Lord: we praise you for ever and for ever.
Of your goodness, Lord, keep us without sin for today.
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us.
Let your pity, Lord, be upon us, as much as we trust in you.
In you, Lord, I trust: let me never be put to shame.

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.

Concluding Prayer
O Lord, be merciful to your servants and give them yet more of the gifts of your grace. On fire with faith, hope and love, may they keep your commandments with unceasing watchfulness. 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.

Catholic Culture

Daily Readings (on USCCB site):
» July 20, 2008
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Collect: Lord, be merciful to your people. Fill us with your gifts and make us always eager to serve you in faith, hope, and love. 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.

« July 20, 2008 »

Sixteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
Old Calendar: Tenth Sunday after Pentecost

PRAYERS
- » Litany of the Saints
  » Prayer for Troops
  » Prayer for Peace
  » The Chaplet of The Divine Mercy

"Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears ought to hear." (Matt 13:40-43)

Sunday Readings
The first reading is taken from the Book of Wisdom 12:13, 16-19 where the author reminds us that the kind of judgment we receive depends not on the scales of godless justice, but instead on the mercy and love of God for those who strive to live life in response to His love. — A Celebrants Guide to the New Sacramentary - A Cycle by Kevin W. Irwin

The second reading is from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans 8:26-27. The theme is the activity of the Spirit in helping us in our weakness to pray as we ought, for it is the Spirit who makes intercession for us and intercedes for us before God. — A Celebrants Guide to the New Sacramentary - A Cycle by Kevin W. Irwin

The Gospel is from St. Matthew 13:24-43. Today's parable is Christ's answer to the question so frequently asked: "Why does God permit evil to triumph so often in this world, why are the wicked allowed to prosper?" The triumph of the wicked is short-lived, the reward of the Christian who suffers from their wickedness is everlasting. The very wickedness and injustices of evil-doers are one of the ways that God uses to perfect his elect. It is only on a battlefield that a true soldier can be proved.

In the parable, the weed does not destroy the wheat. It only makes it more difficult for the wheat to grow to maturity. So it is with the Christian. No one can take his faith from him, but living up to it is made more difficult by the evil influence and bad example of sinners. If some succumb to this evil influence and give up the practice of their faith, the fault is theirs. God can force no man to serve him.

The patience of the farmer in letting the weed grow on until harvest time, exemplifies the infinite mercy of God toward sinners. The weed could not change its nature, but the sinner can change his ways and God gives him every chance and every help to do this, up to his last moment of life. No sinner will be excluded from heaven because of the sins he committed but because he did not repent of these sins while he had the opportunity.

We must learn a double lesson of patience from this parable. First, to be patient with those who make our spiritual progress more difficult for us—they are actually helping us to be better Christians if we bear with patience the injuries they inflict on us. Second, we must try to imitate the patience God shows in his dealings with sinners. While we must not approve of their evil deeds, or their sins, we must still look on them as our brothers and do all in our power to put them back on the right road to heaven. We can do this by good example, and by fervent prayer for their conversion. This is not easy for human nature, but we can be certain that God will give us the necessary grace and strength to subdue our natural weakness and aversion, if we try to act with charity and true brotherly interest toward our erring fellowmen.

By acting thus, we will not only be helping a weak brother on the rugged road to heaven, we will also be making doubly sure of our own arrival there, for God will never be outdone in generosity.

Excerpted from The Sunday Readings by Fr. Kevin O'Sullivan, O.F.M.

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 117 (118)
A cry of rejoicing and triumph
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, and his kindness is for ever. Now let Israel say, he is good and his kindness is for ever. Now let the house of Aaron say it too: that his kindness is for ever. Now let all who fear the Lord say it too: that his kindness is for ever. In my time of trial I called out to the Lord: he listened, and led me to freedom. The Lord is with me, I will fear nothing that man can do. The Lord, my help, is with me, and I shall look down upon my enemies. It is good to seek shelter in the Lord, better than to trust in men. It is good to seek shelter in the Lord, better than to trust in the leaders of men. All the nations surrounded me, and in the Lord’s name I slew them. They crowded in and besieged me, and in the Lord’s name I slew them. They surrounded me like swarms of bees, they burned like a fire of dry thorns, and in the Lord’s name I slew them. They chased and pursued me, to make me fall, and the Lord came to my help. The Lord is my strength and my rejoicing: he has become my saviour. A cry of joy and salvation in the dwellings of the righteous: “The Lord’s right hand has triumphed! The Lord’s right hand has raised me up; the Lord’s right hand has triumphed”. I shall not die, but live, and tell of the works of the Lord. The Lord chastised me severely but did not let me die. Open the gates of righteousness: I will go in, and thank the Lord. This is the gate of the Lord; it is the upright who enter here. I will thank you, for you listened to me, and became my saviour. The stone that the builders rejected has become the corner-stone. It was the Lord who did this – it is marvellous to behold. This is the day that was made by the Lord: let us rejoice today, and be glad. Lord, keep me safe; O Lord, let me prosper! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord. The Lord is God, he shines upon us! Arrange the procession, with close-packed branches, up to the horns of the altar. You are my God, I will give thanks to you; my God, I will give you praise. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, and his kindness 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.

Psalm 117 (118)

A cry of rejoicing and triumph

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good,
and his kindness is for ever.

Now let Israel say, he is good
and his kindness is for ever.
Now let the house of Aaron say it too:
that his kindness is for ever.
Now let all who fear the Lord say it too:
that his kindness is for ever.

In my time of trial I called out to the Lord:
he listened, and led me to freedom.
The Lord is with me,
I will fear nothing that man can do.
The Lord, my help, is with me,
and I shall look down upon my enemies.

It is good to seek shelter in the Lord,
better than to trust in men.
It is good to seek shelter in the Lord,
better than to trust in the leaders of men.

All the nations surrounded me,
and in the Lord’s name I slew them.
They crowded in and besieged me,
and in the Lord’s name I slew them.
They surrounded me like swarms of bees,
they burned like a fire of dry thorns,
and in the Lord’s name I slew them.
They chased and pursued me, to make me fall,
and the Lord came to my help.
The Lord is my strength and my rejoicing:
he has become my saviour.

A cry of joy and salvation
in the dwellings of the righteous:
“The Lord’s right hand has triumphed!
The Lord’s right hand has raised me up;
the Lord’s right hand has triumphed”.

I shall not die, but live,
and tell of the works of the Lord.
The Lord chastised me severely
but did not let me die.
Open the gates of righteousness:
I will go in, and thank the Lord.

This is the gate of the Lord;
it is the upright who enter here.

I will thank you, for you listened to me,
and became my saviour.

The stone that the builders rejected
has become the corner-stone.
It was the Lord who did this –
it is marvellous to behold.
This is the day that was made by the Lord:
let us rejoice today, and be glad.

Lord, keep me safe;
O Lord, let me prosper!

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
We bless you from the house of the Lord.

The Lord is God, he shines upon us!
Arrange the procession, with close-packed branches,
up to the horns of the altar.

You are my God, I will give thanks to you;
my God, I will give you praise.

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good,
and his kindness 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.

Canticle	Daniel 3
Let every creature praise the Lord
Blessed are you, Lord God of our fathers, praised and exalted for ever. Blessed is the holy name of your glory praised above all things and exalted for ever. Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory praised and glorious above all things for ever. Blessed are you who gaze on the depths, seated on the cherubim, praised and exalted for ever. Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven praised and glorious for ever. Bless the Lord, all his works, praise and exalt him 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

Daniel 3

Let every creature praise the Lord

Blessed are you, Lord God of our fathers,
praised and exalted for ever.
Blessed is the holy name of your glory
praised above all things and exalted for ever.
Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory
praised and glorious above all things for ever.
Blessed are you who gaze on the depths,
seated on the cherubim,
praised and exalted for ever.
Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven
praised and glorious for ever.
Bless the Lord, all his works,
praise and exalt him 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.

Psalm 150
Praise the Lord
Praise the Lord in his sanctuary, praise him in his mighty firmament. Praise him for his mighty deeds, praise him for all his greatness. Praise him with trumpet-blasts, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with timbrel and dance, praise him with strings and pipes, praise him with cymbals resounding, praise him with cymbals of jubilation. All that breathes, praise 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 150

Praise the Lord

Praise the Lord in his sanctuary,
praise him in his mighty firmament.
Praise him for his mighty deeds,
praise him for all his greatness.

Praise him with trumpet-blasts,
praise him with the harp and lyre,
praise him with timbrel and dance,
praise him with strings and pipes,
praise him with cymbals resounding,
praise him with cymbals of jubilation.

All that breathes, praise 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.

Short reading	2 Timothy 2:8 - 13 ©
Remember the Good News that I carry, ’Jesus Christ risen from the dead, sprung from the race of David’; Here is a saying that you rely on: ‘If we have died with him, then we shall live with him. If we hold firm, then we shall reign with him. If we disown him, then he will disown us. We may be unfaithful, but he is always faithful, for he cannot disown his own self.’

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

?

Our God is a God of power and goodness, who loves us and knows our souls. We praise him with joyful hearts: - We praise you, Lord, and we trust in you.
We bless you, almighty God, King of all things. We are in the wrong; we have sinned; but you have called us: to know your truth and serve you in your greatness.
God, you chose to open wide the doors of your compassion:: do not let us stray from the path of true life.
As we celebrate the resurrection of your beloved Son,: let us spend this day in spiritual rejoicing.
Lord, give your faithful a spirit of prayer and praise,: and let us always give you thanks.

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.

O Lord, be merciful to your servants and give them yet more of the gifts of your grace.
On fire with faith, hope and love,
may they keep your commandments with unceasing watchfulness.

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

Vultus Christi

Listen, You That Have Ears

By

Father Mark

on July 20, 2008 10:03 AM

Sixteenth Sunday of the Year A

Wisdom 12:13, 16-19
Psalm 85: 5-6, 9-10, 15-16a
Romans 8:26-27
Matthew 13: 24-43

Holding One's Ear to the Word

Wisdom speaks, saying, "Never should thy own children despair" (Wis 12:19). The psalmist sings, "Thou, O Lord, art sweet and mild" (Ps 85:5). The Apostle says, "The Spirit comes to the aid of our infirmity, for we know not how to pray as we ought" (Rom 8:26). Finally, the Word himself, arriving in the Gospel, speaks to those who have ears to hear: "He who sows good seed is the Son of Man. And the field is the world. And the good seed are the children of the Kingdom" (Mt 13:37-38). The Word given us today is not easily synthesized. One must be willing to hold one's ear to today's Word for a good long while before certain harmonics begin to make themselves heard.

The Demon of Routine

The Gospel obliges us to exchange the meaning attached to the images given us in last Sunday's parable of the sower for another level of meaning. Our Lord plays with the same images -- sower and seed, field and harvest -- but today, through them, He is communicating another mystery. The Divine Teacher obliges us at every moment to listen with ears that are quick to hear, and to look with eyes wide open, lest the demon of routine, the enemy of our souls, slip in to sow the confusion of cockle among the wheat.

Sown in the Field of the World

In last Sunday's parable, the seed was the Word. Christ was the sower sent by the Father to sow the seed of the Word profusely, lavishly, almost carelessly, in every human heart. In today's parable, the sower of the seed is again Christ, but the field is the world and the good seed are the children of the Kingdom (Mt 13:37-38). It is not the Word that is sown far and wide; in today's Gospel it is rather the hearers of the Word who are sown in the vast field of the world. The disciples, hearers of the Word, are the seed Christ scatters abroad. Christ implants in the world those in whom His Word has been fruitful, yielding "in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty" (Mt 13:23).

Alongside the Weeds

By planting His Church in every place, Christ has sown His own good seed among the nations, "from the rising of the sun to its setting" (Mal 1:11). We are the seed sown by the Son of Man. We are the seed tossed into the field of the world to "grow together until the harvest" (Mt 13:30) alongside of weeds sown by the enemy.

The Priestly Prayer in the Cenacle

Today's parable is, I think, best illumined by the priestly prayer of Jesus in the Cenacle. It is a prayer for the good seed, "the children of the kingdom" (Mt 13:38), sown in the field of the world. "I have given them thy message, and the world has nothing but hatred for them, because they do not belong to the world, as I, too, do not belong to the world. I am not asking that thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst keep them clear of what is evil. They do not belong to the world, as I, too, do not belong to the world; keep them holy, then, through the truth; it is thy word that is truth (Jn 17:14-17). Jesus' priestly prayer shines on today's parable and brings it into focus. Jesus prays not that the seed be taken out of the world, but that the seed be protected from the evil one. He prays for the children of the Kingdom, the seed of His Church, a seed sprouting holiness.

Grace in Weakness

What are the signs of a sprouting holiness in others and in ourselves? The First Reading offers some elements of discernment. First, holiness is the fruit not of striving and straining, nor of any natural talent or psychological predisposition, nor of accumulated good works, nor of a strong will, but of grace. "Of all justice, thy power is the true source" (Wis 12:16). The Vulgate has, "Thy power is the beginning of justice" (Wis 12:16). "My grace is enough for thee," said Christ to Paul, "my strength finds it full scope in thy weakness" (2 Cor 12:9).

Mildness and Forbearance

Second, true holiness is marked by mildness and by forbearance, by what the Vulgate calls the humanitas of God our Saviour (Tit 3:4). "A lenient judge thou provest thyself, riding us with a light rein" says our text from Wisdom (Wis 12:18). Holiness in the children of the kingdom is but the reflection of Christ who alone is holy. The holiness of Our Lord Jesus Christ is characterized, above all, by clemency, mildness, indulgence and mercy. In authentic holiness there is nothing harsh, nothing overbearing, nothing that crushes the spirit or extinguishes hope. We heard the prophecy of Isaiah in yesterday's Gospel: "He will not snap the staff that is already crushed, or put out the wick that still smoulders" (Is 42:3; Mt 12:20). The refrain of today's Responsorial Psalm bears this out, more strikingly in the editio typica. There, we read, Tu, Domine, suavis et mitis es. "Thou, O Lord, art sweet and mild" (Ps 85:5).

To Those Who Pray

Holiness is the Father's gift communicated in Christ Jesus through the inward operations of the Holy Spirit to those accept it, that is, to those who pray. This is where today's passage from Romans comes in. Saint Paul knows the dilemma of those beset by infirmity: those who would pray but do not know how to pray. "The Spirit," he says, "helps us in our infirmity, and intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words" (Rom 8:26-27).

Pray Always

One who stops praying seals his own fate. One who prays is certain of obtaining help in infirmity. Pray for the grace never to stop praying. Listen to the reflection of the saintly Jesuit, Père de Ravignan (1795-1858):

Believe me, my dear friends, believe an experience ripened by thirty years in the sacred ministry. I do here affirm that all deceptions, all spiritual deficiencies, all miseries, all falls, all faults, and even the most serious wanderings out of the right path, all proceed from this single source -- a want of constancy in prayer.

The Holy Spirit

Our Lord does not abandon the good seed scattered by His hand in the vast field of the world. "He who is to befriend you, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send on my account, will in His turn make everything plain, and recall to your minds everything that I have said to you" (Jn 14:25). Even as the good seed grows together with the weeds until the harvest, it is secretly nourished and protected by the Holy Spirit.

The Children of the Kingdom

Drawn down by the epiclesis, the Church's solemn invocation in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the Divine Paraclete, the Source of all fecundity, is poured out upon the good seed. The Mass is the summit of the intercession made by the Spirit "for the saints according to the will of God" (Rom 8:27). The Father who searches the heart of every child of the kingdom, is pleased, in the celebration of the Holy Mysteries, to mark His own with the sweetness and mildness of His Christ. By this are "the children of the kingdom" distinguished from "the children of the evil one" (Mt 13:38). On the day of the great harvest, the angels will be sent out to reap the fruits of holiness sprung from the good seed. And on that day, "the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen" (Mt 13:43).

Regnum Christi

Thy Kingdom Come!
July 20, 2008

U. S. A. | SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY

I will proclaim what has been hidden from the foundation of the world.

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Father Roderick Ermatinger, LC

Matthew 13: 24-43
He put before them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, ´Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?´ He answered, ´An enemy has done this.´ The slaves said to him, ´Then do you want us to go and gather them?´ But he replied, ´No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.´" He put before them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches." He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened." Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables; without a parable he told them nothing. This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet: "I will open my mouth to speak in parables; I will proclaim what has been hidden from the foundation of the world." Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field." He answered, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!”

Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus, I come before you wanting to grow in my knowledge of you and wanting to grow in my love for you. I want to show my love by truly loving others as you have loved me. My falls are many; yet I trust in your grace, and I always want to get up. I trust that your mercy will change my heart, so that over time I will stand more than fall. I stand before you, ready to listen to your words and ready to unite myself more perfectly to your most holy will.

Petition: Lord Jesus, forge in me a new heart, one that is on fire for your Gospel and for your mission.

1. Uproot the Weeds
Jesus pours his grace upon each one of us; even a drop is enough to transform our lives. Why, then, are there so many weeds in our gardens? That little ugly guy we call the devil cannot plant weeds without our permission. How are we going to identify the weeds? How are we going to uproot them? First we need to ask these questions: Do we want to find those nasty weeds? Do we want to do the work necessary to uproot them? Jesus wants to know.

2. Our Hearts Were Made for God
After Jesus talks with us about the weeds, he moves the discussion to a new plane. He wants us to try to penetrate the mystery of his Kingdom, which he wants to plant in our hearts. Jesus wants us to appreciate that since he is God, he is infinite, and even though we are finite, we are blessed with immortal souls that are equipped to grasp, desire, identify with and surrender to God and his will.

3. The Heart of an Apostle
Christ sent his apostles into a hostile world: a world that believed in many gods, a world that had just crucified Christ. Still, the apostles sowed the Gospel message far and wide, and it took root in the hearts of many. The Kingdom of God grew. Now it is our turn. Jesus calls us to be apostles, to sow his Gospel far and wide. We form part of an unbreakable chain of faith. Let’s live our lives as true and fearless apostles. Lord Jesus, how I can be your ever faithful and courageous apostle?

Conversation with Christ: Jesus, pluck out the weeds in my heart and plant your mission within me. Fill me with your thirst for the salvation of souls, and move me to quench your thirst with my every breath.

Resolution: Today I will talk with someone about how we need to build and extend your Kingdom.

Homily of the Day

Forget

July 19th, 2008 by Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.

Wis 12:13,16-19 / Rom 8:26-27 / Mt 13:24-30

When a boss is at a dead end with an employee, it can inspire some real eloquence. Here are a few samples of frustrated bosses’ evaluations of their less than competent employees:

1) This employee is a few fries short of a “Happy Meal.”

2) If he were any more passive, we’d have to water him twice a week.

3) When she opens her mouth, it’s only to change feet.

4) Some people drink from the fountain of wisdom and knowledge. He only gargles.

5) This employee is depriving some village of an idiot.

6) It takes her an hour and a half to watch “60 Minutes.”

7) And finally: I would not allow this employee to breed!

+ + +

We can only imagine what those employees must have been like. Yet there’s not one of us who hasn’t merited a similar evaluation at some time or other. Not one of us! How can that be? We’re smart, well motivated, and good hearted. It’s the very same question the farmers were asking in Sunday’s gospel: “Where did those weeds come from?

It’s the mystery that we face every day of our lives, as we look at ourselves, our kids, our spouses, our friends! How can such good people strive so hard and still screw up so badly? It’s the human condition: God made us good, but we’re just not done yet — not near done.

That’s not the best of news! But if we come to terms with it, we know what we have to do: Forget the word “perfect” forever! There is no perfect husband, wife, child, friend, or golf pro. No perfect marriage, no perfect family, no perfect anything — and there never will be. So what are we going to do with the messy reality of life, with all the loose ends and gravelly parts of our relationships — all the stuff that frustrates and makes us angry?

Jesus showed us what to do. He had a very clear fix on every one of the people around him. He knew that Peter was something of a blowhard, but he saw something more in him. He knew Judas was a thief, but he saw something more in him too. So Jesus focused on that “something more.” He walked with them both, and day by day tried to bring out the good in them — it was there in both. With Peter he succeeded in drawing it out. With Judas he failed.

That’s all that Jesus asks of us as we struggle with the frustrations of our own weaknesses and those of our spouses, kids, and friends. Instead of attacking or ridiculing or walking away from them, focus on that “something more” in them. Walk with them, gently, as Jesus walked with his people. Walk patiently as Jesus walks with you and me. We owe it to them, precisely because Jesus is doing it for us every day.

The marvel is that as we walk with folks and leave our judgments and verdicts behind, they’ll get better — slowly. They’ll get better because we’re walking with them and hoping in them. And, almost miraculously, we’ll get better too.

So let us walk kindly and humbly, remembering our own endless need for forgiveness and understanding. Hope and healing are the gifts we have to give. Let us give them with understanding hearts!

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 109 (110)
The Messiah, king and priest
The Lord has said to my lord: “Sit at my right hand while I make your enemies into your footstool”. From Sion the Lord will give you a sceptre, and you will rule in the midst of your foes. Royal power is yours in the day of your strength, glorious and holy; from the time of your birth, before the dawn. The Lord has sworn, and he will not repent: “You are a priest for ever, a priest of the priesthood of Melchisedech”. The Lord is at your right hand, and on the day of his anger he will shatter kings. He will judge the nations, he will pile high their skulls; he will drink from the stream as he goes – he will hold his head high. 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 109 (110)

The Messiah, king and priest

The Lord has said to my lord: “Sit at my right hand while I make your enemies into your footstool”.

From Sion the Lord will give you a sceptre, and you will rule in the midst of your foes.
Royal power is yours in the day of your strength, glorious and holy; from the time of your birth, before the dawn.

The Lord has sworn, and he will not repent: “You are a priest for ever, a priest of the priesthood of Melchisedech”.
The Lord is at your right hand, and on the day of his anger he will shatter kings.

He will judge the nations, he will pile high their skulls;
he will drink from the stream as he goes – he will hold his head high.

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 111 (112)
How blessed are the just
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord and loves his commands above all things. His seed will be powerful on earth: the descendants of the just will be blessed. Glory and riches will fill his house, and his righteousness will stand firm for ever. He rises up in the darkness, a light for the upright, compassionate, generous, and just. Happy the man who takes pity and lends, who directs his affairs with wisdom – he will never be shaken. The just man will be remembered for ever, no slander will he fear. His heart is ready, hoping in the Lord; his heart is strong, it will not fear, until he looks down on his defeated enemies. He gives alms and helps the poor: his righteousness will endure for ever, his future will be glorious. The transgressor will see, and be enraged: he will grind his teeth and fade away. The desires of the wicked will 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 111 (112)

How blessed are the just

Blessed is the man who fears the Lord and loves his commands above all things.
His seed will be powerful on earth: the descendants of the just will be blessed.
Glory and riches will fill his house, and his righteousness will stand firm for ever.

He rises up in the darkness, a light for the upright,
compassionate, generous, and just.
Happy the man who takes pity and lends, who directs his affairs with wisdom –
he will never be shaken.

The just man will be remembered for ever, no slander will he fear.
His heart is ready, hoping in the Lord; his heart is strong, it will not fear,
until he looks down on his defeated enemies.
He gives alms and helps the poor: his righteousness will endure for ever,
his future will be glorious.

The transgressor will see, and be enraged: he will grind his teeth and fade away.
The desires of the wicked will 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 19)
The wedding of the Lamb
Alleluia. Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, because his judgements are true and just. Alleluia. Alleluia. Praise our God, all his servants, and you who fear him, small and great. Alleluia. Alleluia. For the Lord reigns, our God, the Almighty: let us rejoice and exult and give him glory. Alleluia. Alleluia. The marriage of the Lamb has come, and his spouse has made herself ready. Alleluia. 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 19)

The wedding of the Lamb

Alleluia.
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, because his judgements are true and just.
Alleluia.

Alleluia.
Praise our God, all his servants, and you who fear him, small and great.
Alleluia.

Alleluia.
For the Lord reigns, our God, the Almighty: let us rejoice and exult and give him glory.
Alleluia.

Alleluia.
The marriage of the Lamb has come, and his spouse has made herself ready.
Alleluia.

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	Hebrews 12:22 - 24 ©
What you have come to is Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem where the millions of angels have gathered for the festival, with the whole Church in which everyone is a ’first-born son’ and a citizen of heaven. You have come to God himself, the supreme Judge, and been placed with spirits of the saints who have been made perfect; and to Jesus, the mediator who brings a new covenant and a blood for purification which pleads more insistently than Abel’s.

Short reading

What you have come to is Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem where the millions of angels have gathered for the festival, with the whole Church in which everyone is a ’first-born son’ and a citizen of heaven. You have come to God himself, the supreme Judge, and been placed with spirits of the saints who have been made perfect; and to Jesus, the mediator who brings a new covenant and a blood for purification which pleads more insistently than Abel’s.

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