Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 06-25-15

USCCB.org/RNAB ^ | 06-25-15 | Revised New American Bible

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June 25, 2015

Thursday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 Gn 16:1-12, 15-16

Abram’s wife Sarai had borne him no children. She had, however, an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar. Sarai said to Abram: “The LORD has kept me from bearing children. Have intercourse, then, with my maid; perhaps I shall have sons through her.” Abram heeded Sarai’s request. Thus, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, his wife Sarai took her maid, Hagar the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his concubine. He had intercourse with her, and she became pregnant. When she became aware of her pregnancy, she looked on her mistress with disdain. So Sarai said to Abram: “You are responsible for this outrage against me. I myself gave my maid to your embrace; but ever since she became aware of her pregnancy, she has been looking on me with disdain. May the LORD decide between you and me!” Abram told Sarai: “Your maid is in your power. Do to her whatever you please.” Sarai then abused her so much that Hagar ran away from her.

The LORD’s messenger found her by a spring in the wilderness, the spring on the road to Shur, and he asked, “Hagar, maid of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?” She answered, “I am running away from my mistress, Sarai.” But the LORD’s messenger told her: “Go back to your mistress and submit to her abusive treatment. I will make your descendants so numerous,” added the LORD’s messenger, “that they will be too many to count. Besides,” the LORD’s messenger said to her:

“You are now pregnant and shall bear a son; you shall name him Ishmael, For the LORD has heard you, God has answered you.

This one shall be a wild ass of a man, his hand against everyone, and everyone’s hand against him; In opposition to all his kin shall he encamp.”

Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram named the son whom Hagar bore him Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael.

Or Gn 16:6b-12, 15-16 Abram told Sarai: “Your maid is in your power. Do to her whatever you please.” Sarai then abused her so much that Hagar ran away from her.

The LORD’s messenger found her by a spring in the wilderness, the spring on the road to Shur, and he asked, “Hagar, maid of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?” She answered, “I am running away from my mistress, Sarai.” But the LORD’s messenger told her: “Go back to your mistress and submit to her abusive treatment. I will make your descendants so numerous,” added the LORD’s messenger, “that they will be too many to count. Besides,” the LORD’s messenger said to her:

“You are now pregnant and shall bear a son; you shall name him Ishmael, For the LORD has heard you, God has answered you.

This one shall be a wild ass of a man, his hand against everyone, and everyone’s hand against him; In opposition to all his kin shall he encamp.”

Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram named the son whom Hagar bore him Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael.

Responsorial Psalm PS 106:1b-2, 3-4a, 4b-5 R. (1b) Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. or: R. Alleluia. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. Who can tell the mighty deeds of the LORD, or proclaim all his praises? R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. or: R. Alleluia. Blessed are they who observe what is right, who do always what is just. Remember us, O LORD, as you favor your people. R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. or: R. Alleluia. Visit me with your saving help, that I may see the prosperity of your chosen ones, rejoice in the joy of your people, and glory with your inheritance. R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. or: R. Alleluia.

Alleluia Jn 14:23 R. Alleluia, alleluia. Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him and we will come to him. R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mt 7:21-29 Jesus said to his disciples: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’ Then I will declare to them solemnly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’

“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”

When Jesus finished these words, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

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For your reading, reflection, faith-sharing, comments, questions, discussion.

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Alleluia Ping

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From: Genesis 16:1-12, 15-16

The Birth of Ishmael

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[1] Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, bore him no children. She had an Egyptian maid
whose name was Hagar; [2] and Sarai said to Abram, “Behold now, the Lord has
prevented me from bearing children; go in to my maid; it may be that I shall ob-
tain children by her.” And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. [3] So, after A-
bram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar
the Egyptian, her maid, and gave her to Abram her husband as a wife. [4] And he
went in to Hagar, and she conceived; and when she saw that she had conceived,
she looked with contempt on her mistress. [5] And Sarai said to Abram, “May
the wrong done to me be on you! I gave my maid to your embrace, and when
she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May the Lord
judge between you and me!” [6] But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your maid is
in your power; do to her as you please.” Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and
she fled from her.

[7] The angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the
spring on the way to Shur. [8] And he said, “Hagar, maid of Sarai, where have
you come from and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from my mis-
tress Sarai.” [9] The angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and
submit to her.” [10] The angel of the Lord also said to her, “I will so greatly multi-
ply your descendants that they cannot be numbered for multitude.” “And the an-
gel of the Lord said to her, “Behold, you are with child, and shall bear a son; you
shall call his name Ishmael; because the Lord has given heed to your affliction.
[12] He shall be a wild ass of a man, his hand against every man everyman’s
hand against him; and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen.”

[15] And Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram called the name of his son, whom
Hagar bore, Ishmael. [16] Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ish-
mael to Abram.

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Commentary:

16:1-6. Sarah, too, seems to be impatient about the delay in the fulfillment of the
divine promise to give Abraham descendants. Therefore, she resorts to a custom
of the time designed to increase the number of children. It was not strictly spea-
king polygamy but rather a means the lawful wife used in order to give her hus-
band children. From what we know of Babylonian laws of the time, if the slave-
girl became pregnant and then began to look down on her mistress, she could
be punished and revert to being treated as a slave. That is what Hagar fears will
happen, so she runs away.

The patriarchs follow the customs of their time; some of which (as in this case)
were morally defective. In the light of the teaching of the Bible taken as a whole,
we can see that behavior of this sort was a consequence of man’s original sin,
and we can also see that God gradually led man back to a morality that was ful-
ly in keeping with human dignity as reflected in the Creation accounts. Consider,
for example, what Jesus has to say on the subject of marriage (Mt 5:31-32).
However, prior to that, God educates mankind bit by bit and to do so he tolerates
imperfect customs and types of behavior “in order” to lead mankind towards
those higher goals. “The books of the Old Testament provide an understanding of
God and man and make clear to all men how a just and merciful God deals with
mankind. These books, even though they contain matters imperfect and provisio-
nal, nevertheless show us authentic divine teaching” (”De Verbum”, 15).

16:7-16. This is the first appearance in the Bible of the “angel of the Lord”; here
it means God himself coming out to meet man by making himself visible in some
way. Also, the passage includes a tradition which explains the name of a place
in the Negeb desert linked to stories about the patriarchs. According to 25:11
Beer-Iahai-roi was where Isaac was based. Both this place-name (Lahai-roi in
Hebrew sounds like “the living one who sees me”) and Ishmael’s name (”God
heard”) are given an etymological explanation.

Ishmael is the ancestor of the desert Arabs who live on the fringes of cultivated
lands. By stressing the link between Abraham and lshmael the text wants to
show the connections (sometimes tense, yet always familial) between the Jews
and these Arabs. The main thing the biblical account shows us is that God loves
and protects this people too and he has compassion towards anyone who suffers
— in this case, the Egyptian slave.

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

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From: Matthew 7:21-29

Doing the Will of God

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(Jesus said to His disciples,) [21] “Not every one who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’
shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who
is in Heaven. [22] On that day many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not pro-
phesy in Your name, and cast out demons in Your name, and do many mighty
works in Your name?’ [23] And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you;
depart from Me, you evildoers.’

Building on Rock

---

[24] “Every one then who hears these words of Mine and does them will be like a
wise man who built his house upon the rock; [25] and the rain fell, and the floods
came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because
it had been founded on the rock. [26] And every one who hears these words of
mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon
the sand; [27] and the rain fell, and the floods came, and winds blew and beat
against that house, and it fell; and great was the fall of it.”

[28] And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at His
teaching, [29] for He taught them as one who had authority, and not as their
scribes.

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Commentary:

21-23. To be genuine, prayer must be accompanied by a persevering effort to
do God’s will. Similarly, in order to do His will it is not enough to speak about
the things of God: there must consistency between what one preaches—what
one says—and what one does: “The Kingdom of God does not consist in talk
but in power” (1 Corinthians 4:20); “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only,
deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22).

Christians, “holding loyally to the Gospel, enriched by its resources, and joining
forces with all who love and practice justice, have shouldered a weighty task on
earth and they must render an account of it to Him who will judge all men on the
last day. Not every one who says, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven,
but those who do the will of the Father, and who manfully put their hands to the
work” (Vatican II, “Gaudium Et Spes”, 93).

To enter the Kingdom of Heaven, to be holy, it is not enough, then, to speak elo-
quently about holiness. One has to practice what one preaches, to produce fruit
which accords with one’s words. Fray Luis de Leon puts it very graphically: “No-
tice that to be a good Christian it is not enough just to pray and fast and hear
Mass; God must find you faithful, like another Job or Abraham, in times of tribu-
lation” (”Guide for Sinners”, Book 1, Part 2, Chapter 21).

Even if a person exercises an ecclesiastical ministry that does not assure his
holiness; he needs to practice the virtues he preaches. Besides, we know from
experience that any Christian (clerical, religious or lay) who does not strive to
act in accordance with the demands of the faith he professes, begins to weaken
in his faith and eventually parts company also with the teaching of the Church.
Anyone who does not live in accordance with what he says, ends up saying
things which are contrary to faith.

The authority with which Jesus speaks in these verses reveals Him as sovereign
Judge of the living and the dead. No Old Testament prophet ever spoke with His
authority.

22. “That day”: a technical formula in biblical language meaning the day of the
Judgment of the Lord or the Last Judgment.

23. This passage refers to the Judgment where Jesus will be the Judge. The sa-
cred text uses a verb which means the public proclamation of a truth. Since in
this case Jesus Christ is the Judge who makes the declaration, it takes the form
of a judicial sentence.

24-27. These verses constitute the positive side of the previous passage. A per-
son who tries to put Christ’s teaching into practice, even if he experiences per-
sonal difficulties or lives during times of upheaval in the life of the Church or is
surrounded by error, will stay firm in the faith, like the wise man who builds his
house on rock.

Also, if we are to stay strong in times of difficulty, we need, when things are calm
and peaceful, to accept little contradictions with a good grace, to be very refined
in our relationship with God and with others, and to perform the duties of our state
in life in a spirit of loyalty and abnegation. By acting in this way we are laying
down a good foundation, maintaining the edifice of our spiritual life and repairing
any cracks which make their appearance.

28-29. Jesus’ listeners could clearly see the radical difference between the style
of teaching of the scribes and Pharisees, and the conviction and confidence with
which Jesus spoke. There is nothing tentative about His words; they leave no
room for doubt.

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

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Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman &Todd

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Readings at Mass
EITHER:
First reading
Genesis 16:1-12,15-16 ©
Abram’s wife Sarai had borne him no child, but she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar. So Sarai said to Abram, ‘Listen, now! Since the Lord has kept me from having children, go to my slave-girl. Perhaps I shall get children through her.’ Abram agreed to what Sarai had said.
Thus after Abram had lived in the land of Canaan for ten years Sarai took Hagar her Egyptian slave-girl and gave her to Abram as his wife. He went to Hagar and she conceived. And once she knew she had conceived, her mistress counted for nothing in her eyes. Then Sarai said to Abram, ‘May this insult to me come home to you! It was I who put my slave-girl into your arms but now she knows that she has conceived, I count for nothing in her eyes. Let the Lord judge between me and you.’ ‘Very well,’ Abram said to Sarai ‘your slave-girl is at your disposal. Treat her as you think fit.’ Sarai accordingly treated her so badly that she ran away from her.
The angel of the Lord met her near a spring in the wilderness, the spring that is on the road to Shur. He said, ‘Hagar, slave-girl of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?’ ‘I am running away from my mistress Sarai’ she replied. The angel of the Lord said to her, ‘Go back to your mistress and submit to her.’ The angel of the Lord said to her, ‘I will make your descendants too numerous to be counted.’ Then the angel of the Lord said to her:
‘Now you have conceived, and you will bear a son,
and you shall name him Ishmael,
for the Lord has heard your cries of distress.
A wild-ass of a man he will be,
against every man, and every man against him,
setting himself to defy all his brothers.’
Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram gave to the son that Hagar bore the name Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael.
OR:
Alternative First reading
Genesis 16:6-12,15-16 ©
Sarai treated Hagar so badly that she ran away from her.
The angel of the Lord met her near a spring in the wilderness, the spring that is on the road to Shur. He said, ‘Hagar, slave-girl of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?’ ‘I am running away from my mistress Sarai’ she replied. The angel of the Lord said to her, ‘Go back to your mistress and submit to her.’ The angel of the Lord said to her, ‘I will make your descendants too numerous to be counted.’ Then the angel of the Lord said to her:
‘Now you have conceived, and you will bear a son,
and you shall name him Ishmael,
for the Lord has heard your cries of distress.
A wild-ass of a man he will be,
against every man, and every man against him,
setting himself to defy all his brothers.’
Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram gave to the son that Hagar bore the name Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael.

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Pray for the women and the children who are being harmed.

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Pray for the women and the children who are being harmed.

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Jesus, High Priest

We thank you, God our Father, for those who have responded to your call to priestly ministry. Accept this prayer we offer on their behalf: Fill your priests with the sure knowledge of your love.

Open their hearts to the power and consolation of the Holy Spirit.

Lead them to new depths of union with your Son.

Increase in them profound faith in the Sacraments they celebrate as they nourish, strengthen and heal us.

Lord Jesus Christ, grant that these, your priests, may inspire us to strive for holiness by the power of their example, as men of prayer who ponder your word and follow your will.

O Mary, Mother of Christ and our mother, guard with your maternal care these chosen ones, so dear to the Heart of your Son.

Intercede for our priests, that offering the Sacrifice of your Son, they may be conformed more each day to the image of your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Saint John Vianney, universal patron of priests, pray for us and our priests

This icon shows Jesus Christ, our eternal high priest.

The gold pelican over His heart represents self-sacrifice.

The border contains an altar and grapevines, representing the Mass, and icons of Melchizedek and St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney.

Melchizedek: king of righteousness (left icon) was priest and king of Jerusalem. He blessed Abraham and has been considered an ideal priest-king.

St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney is the patron saint of parish priests.

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Pray a Rosary each day for our nation.

1. Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

2. The Apostles Creed: I BELIEVE in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

3. The Lord's Prayer: 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 who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

4. (3) Hail Mary: HAIL Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen. (Three times)

5. Glory Be: 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.

6. Fatima Prayer: Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of your mercy.

Announce each mystery, then say 1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, 1 Glory Be and 1 Fatima prayer. Repeat the process with each mystery.

End with the Hail Holy Queen:
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve! To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears! Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus!

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Final step -- The Sign of the Cross

The Mysteries of the Rosary By tradition, Catholics meditate on these Mysteries during prayers of the Rosary. The biblical references follow each of the Mysteries below.

The Luminous Mysteries or Mysteries of Light (Thursdays) see Rosarium Virginis Mariae
1. Jesus' Baptism in the Jordan (II Corinthians 5:21, Matthew 3:17 and parallels) [Spiritual fruit - Gratitude for the gift of Faith]
2. Jesus' self-manifestation at the wedding of Cana (John 2:1- 12) [Spiritual fruit - Fidelity]
3. Jesus' proclamation of the Kingdom of God, with His call to conversion (Mark 1:15, Mark 2:3-13; Luke 7:47- 48, John 20:22-23) [Spiritual fruit - Desire for Holiness]
4. Jesus' Transfiguration (Luke 9:35 and parallels) [Spiritual fruit - Spiritual Courage]
5. Jesus' institution of the Eucharist, as the sacramental expression of the Paschal Mystery. (Luke 24:13-35 and parallels, 1 Corinthians 11:24-25) [Spiritual fruit - Love of our Eucharistic Lord]

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St. Michael the Archangel

~ PRAYER ~

St. Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle
 Be our protection against the wickedness
and snares of the devil;
May God rebuke him, we  humbly pray,
 and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
 by the power of God,
 Cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits
who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls.
 Amen
+

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From an Obama bumper sticker on a car:
"Pray for Obama. Psalm 109:8"

PLEASE JOIN US - Evening Prayer
Someone has said that if people really understood the full extent of the power we have available through prayer, we might be speechless.
Did you know that during WWII there was an advisor to Churchill who organized a group of people who dropped what they were doing every day at a prescribed hour for one minute to collectively pray for the safety of England, its people and peace?

There is now a group of people organizing the same thing here in America. If you would like to participate: Every evening at 9:00 PM Eastern Time (8:00 PM Central) (7:00 PM Mountain) (6:00 PM Pacific), stop whatever you are doing and spend one minute praying for the safety of the United States, our troops, our citizens, and for a return to a Godly nation. If you know anyone else who would like to participate, please pass this along. Our prayers are the most powerful asset we have. Please forward this to your praying friends.

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Monthy Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

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June 2015
Pope’s Intentions

Universal: Immigrants and refugees — That immigrants and refugees may find welcome and respect in the countries to which they come.

Evangelization: Vocations — That the personal encounter with Jesus may arouse in many young people the desire to offer their own lives in priesthood or consecrated life.

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http://dailygospel.org/main.php?language=AM&module=commentary&localdate=20150625
Thursday of the Twelfth week in Ordinary Time
Commentary of the day
Philoxenes of Mabbug (?-c.523), Bishop in Syria
Homily 1, 4-8
“Awake, O sleeper!” (Eph 5:14)
      “Anyone who hears my words and puts them into practice is like the wise man who built his house on rock.” So according to what our Master says, we must apply ourselves not only to listening to the word of God, but also to conforming our lives to it… Listening to the law is a good thing, for it incites us to virtuous actions. We are right when we read and meditate the Scriptures, for that is how we purify our deepest soul of bad thoughts.

      But assiduously reading, listening to and meditating on the word of God without putting it into practice is a fault, which the Spirit of God condemned in advance… He even forbade the person with such a disposition to take the holy book into his hands. God says to the wicked: “Why do you recite my statutes, and profess my covenant with your mouth, though you hate discipline and cast my words behind you?” (Ps 50:16-17) … The person who assiduously reads the Scriptures without putting them into practice is accused by his reading; he deserves all the more serious condemnation because every day he despises and scorns what he hears every day. He is like a dead person, a corpse without a soul. You can blow thousands of trumpets and horns next to the ears of a dead person, he won’t hear them. In the same way, the soul that is dead in sin, the heart which has lost the memory of God, does not hear the sound or the cries of the divine words, and the trumpet and the spiritual word make no impression on him. That soul is plunged in the sleep of death…

      Thus, God’s disciple must have anchored in his soul the memory of his Master, Jesus Christ, and he must think of him day and night.