'As coals to burning coals, and wood to fire, so an angry man stirreth up brawls. The words of the whisperer as it were simple, and the same come to the inmost parts of the belly. Swelling lips joined with a corrupt heart, are like an earthen vessel adorned with silver dross. An enemy is known by his lips, when in his heart he entertaineth deceit.
When he shall speak low, trust him not: because there are seven mischiefs in his heart.
He that covereth hatred fraudulently, his malice shall be revealed in the Council. He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it: and he that rolleth a stone, it shall return to him. A deceitful tongue loveth not truth: and a slippery mouth worketh ruin.'

Proverbs 26:21-28

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.

"Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you" (Lk 1:28)

"Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb"
(Lk 1:42).

Luke
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Luke 5
27.	And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom, and he said to him: Follow me.	Et post hæc exiit, et vidit publicanum nomine Levi, sedentem ad telonium, et ait illi : Sequere me.	και μετα ταυτα εξηλθεν και εθεασατο τελωνην ονοματι λευιν καθημενον επι το τελωνιον και ειπεν αυτω ακολουθει μοι
28.	And leaving all things, he rose up and followed him.	Et relictis omnibus, surgens secutus est eum.	και καταλιπων απαντα αναστας ηκολουθησεν αυτω
29.	And Levi made him a great feast in his own house; and there was a great company of publicans, and of others, that were at table with them.	Et fecit ei convivium magnum Levi in domo sua : et erat turba multa publicanorum, et aliorum qui cum illis erant discumbentes.	και εποιησεν δοχην μεγαλην λευις αυτω εν τη οικια αυτου και ην οχλος τελωνων πολυς και αλλων οι ησαν μετ αυτων κατακειμενοι
30.	But the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying to his disciples: Why do you eat and drink with publicans and sinners?	Et murmurabant pharisæi et scribæ eorum, dicentes ad discipulos ejus : Quare cum publicanis et peccatoribus manducatis et bibitis ?	και εγογγυζον οι γραμματεις αυτων και οι φαρισαιοι προς τους μαθητας αυτου λεγοντες δια τι μετα των τελωνων και αμαρτωλων εσθιετε και πινετε
31.	And Jesus answering, said to them: They that are whole, need not the physician: but they that are sick.	Et respondens Jesus, dixit ad illos : Non egent qui sani sunt medico, sed qui male habent.	και αποκριθεις ο ιησους ειπεν προς αυτους ου χρειαν εχουσιν οι υγιαινοντες ιατρου αλλ οι κακως εχοντες
32.	I came not to call the just, but sinners to penance.	Non veni vocare justos, sed peccatores ad pœnitentiam.	ουκ εληλυθα καλεσαι δικαιους αλλα αμαρτωλους εις μετανοιαν

27. And after these things he went forth, and saw a Publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said to him, Follow me.
28 And he left all, rose up, and followed him.
29 And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of Publicans and of others that sat down with them.
30. But their Scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do you eat and drink with Publicans and sinners?
31. And Jesus answering said to them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.
32. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

AUG. After the healing of the sick of the palsy, St. Luke goes on to mention the conversion of a publican, saying, And after these things, he went forth, and saw a publican of the name of Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom. This is Matthew, also called Levi.

THEOPHYL; Now Luke and Mark, for the honor of the Evangelist, are silent as to his common name, but Matthew is the first to accuse himself, and gives the name of Matthew and publican, that no one might despair of salvation because of the enormity of his sins, when he himself was changed from a publican to an Apostle.

CYRIL; For Levi had been a publican, a rapacious man, of unbridled desires after vain things, a lover of other men's goods, for this is the character of the publican, but snatched from the very worship of malice by Christ's call. Hence it follows, And he said to him, Follow me. He bids him follow Him, not with bodily step, but with the soul's affections. Matthew therefore, being called by the Word, left his own, who was wont to seize the things of others, as it follows, And having left all, he rose, and followed him.

CHRYS. Here mark both the power of the caller, and the obedience of him that was called. For he neither resisted nor wavered, but forthwith obeyed; and like the fishermen, he did not even wish to go into his own house that he might tell it to his friends.

BASIL; He not only gave up the profits of the customs, but also despised the dangers which might occur to himself and his family from leaving the accounts of the receipts uncompleted.

THEOPHYL. And so from him that received toll from the passers by, Christ received toll, not money, but entire devotion to His company.

CHRYS. But the Lord honored Levi, whom He had called, by immediately going to his feast. For this testified the greater confidence in him. Hence it follows, And Levi made him a great feast in his own house. Nor did He sit down to meat with him alone, but with many, as it follows, And there was a great company of Publicans and others that sat down with them. For the publicans came to Levi as to their colleague, and a man in the same line with themselves, and he too glorying in the presence of Christ, called them all together. For Christ displayed every sort of remedy, and not only by discoursing and displaying cures, or even by rebuking the envious, but also by eating with them, He corrected the faults of some, thereby giving us a lesson, that every time and occasion brings with it its own profit. But He shunned not the company of Publicans, for the sake of the advantage that might ensue, like a physician, who unless he touch the afflicted part cannot cure the disease.

AMBROSE; For by His eating with sinners, He prevents not us also from going to a banquet with the Gentiles.

CHRYS. But nevertheless the Lord was blamed by the Pharisees, who were envious, and wished to separate Christ and His disciples, as it follows, And the Pharisees murmured, saying, Why do you eat with Publicans, &c.

AMBROSE; This was the voice of the Devil. This was the first word the Serpent uttered to Eve, Yea has God said, You shall not eat. So they diffuse the poison of their father.

AUG. Now St. Luke seems to have related this somewhat different from the other Evangelists. For he does not say that to our Lord alone it was objected that He eat and drank with publicans and sinners, but to the disciples also, that the charge might be understood both of Him and them. But the reason that Matthew and Mark related the objection as made concerning Christ to His disciples, was, that seeing the disciples ate with publicans and sinners, it was the rather objected to their Master as Him whom they followed and imitated; the meaning therefore is the same, vet so much the better conveyed, as while still keeping to the truth, it differs in certain words.

CHRYS. But our Lord c refutes all their charges, showing, that so far from its being a fault to mix with sinners, it is but a part of His merciful design, as it follows, And Jesus answering said to them, They that are whole need not a physician; in which He reminds them of their common infirmities, and shows them that they are of the number of the sick, but adds, He is the Physician.

It follows, I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. As if He should say, So far am I from hating sinners, that for their sakes only I came, not that they should remain sinners, but be converted and become righteous.

AUG. Hence He adds, to repentance, which serves well to explain the passage, that no one should suppose that sinners, because they are sinners, are loved by Christ, since that similitude of the sick plainly suggests what our Lord meant by calling sinners, as a Physician, the sick, in order that from iniquity as from sickness they should be saved.

AMBROSE; But how does God love righteousness, and David has never seen the righteous man forsaken, if the righteous are excluded, the sinner called; unless you understand that at He meant by the righteous those who boast of the law, and seek not the grace of the Gospel. Now no one is justified by the law, but redeemed by grace. He therefore calls not those who call themselves righteous, for the claimers to righteousness are not called to grace. For if grace is from repentance, surely he who despises repentance renounces grace.

AMBROSE; But He calls those sinners, who considering their guilt, and feeling that they cannot be justified by the law, submit themselves by repentance to the grace of Christ.

CHRYS. Now He speaks of the righteous ironically, as when He says, Behold Adam is become as one of us. But that there was none righteous upon the earth St. Paul shows, saying, All have sinned, and need the grace of God.

GREG. NYSS. Or, He means that the sound and righteous need no physician, i.e. the angels, but the corrupt and sinners, i. e. ourselves do; since we catch the disease of sin, which is not in heaven.

THEOPHYL; Now by the election of Matthew is signified the faith of the Gentiles, who formerly gasped after worldly pleasures, but now refresh the body of Christ with zealous devotion.

THEOPHYL. Or the publican is he who serves the prince of this world, and is debtor to the flesh, to which the glutton gives his food, the adulterer his pleasure, and another something else. But when the Lord saw him sitting at the receipt of custom, and not stirring himself to greater wickedness, He calls him that he might be snatched from the evil, and follow Jesus, and receive the Lord into the house of his soul.

AMBROSE; But he who receives Christ into his inner chamber, is fed with the greatest delights of overflowing pleasures. The Lord therefore willingly enters, and reposes in his affection; but again the envy of the treacherous is kindled, and the form of their future punishment is prefigured; for while all the faithful are feasting in the kingdom of heaven, the faithless will be cast out hungry. Or, by this is denoted the envy of the Jews, who are afflicted at the salvation of the Gentiles.

AMBROSE; At the same time also is shown the difference between those who are zealous for the law and those who are for grace, that they who follow the law shall suffer eternal hunger of soul, while they who have received the word into the inmost soul, refreshed with abundance of heavenly meat and drink, can neither hunger nor thirst. And so they who fasted in soul murmured.

Catena Aurea Luke 5

Calling of Matthew, Livre d'images of Madame Marie,

Belgian (Hainault), ca. 1285-1290

Paris, Bibliotheque Nationale de France,
MS Nouvelle acquisition francaise 16252, fol. 69v

Saint Casimir

Fr. Don Miller, OFM

Image: Reliquary of Saint Casimir | Vilnius Cathedral | photo by Albertus teolog

Saint Casimir

Saint of the Day for March 4

(1458 – 1483)

Saint Casimir’s Story

Casimir, born of kings and in line to be a king himself, was filled with exceptional values and learning by a great teacher, John Dlugosz. Even his critics could not say that his conscientious objection indicated softness. As a teenager, Casimir lived a highly disciplined, even severe life, sleeping on the ground, spending a great part of the night in prayer and dedicating himself to lifelong celibacy.

When nobles in Hungary became dissatisfied with their king, they prevailed upon Casimir’s father, the king of Poland, to send his son to take over the country. Casimir obeyed his father, as many young men over the centuries have obeyed their governments. The army he was supposed to lead was clearly outnumbered by the “enemy”; some of his troops were deserting because they were not paid. At the advice of his officers, Casimir decided to return home.

His father was irked at the failure of his plans, and confined his 15-year-old son for three months. The lad made up his mind never again to become involved in the wars of his day, and no amount of persuasion could change his mind. He returned to prayer and study, maintaining his decision to remain celibate even under pressure to marry the emperor’s daughter.

He reigned briefly as king of Poland during his father’s absence. He died of lung trouble at 25 while visiting Lithuania, of which he was also Grand Duke. He was buried in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Reflection

For many years, Poland and Lithuania faded into the gray prison on the other side of the Iron Curtain. Despite repression, the Poles and Lithuanians remained firm in the faith which has become synonymous with their name. Their youthful patron reminds us: Peace is not won by war; sometimes a comfortable peace is not even won by virtue, but Christ’s peace can penetrate every government repression of religion.

Saint Casimir is the Patron Saint of:

Lithuania
Poland
Russia

St. Casimir of Poland

Information: St. Casimir

Feast Day: March 4

Born: October 3, 1458(1458-10-03), Wawel, Kraków

Died: March 4, 1484, Hrodna, Belarus

Canonized: 1522, Rome by Pope Adrian VI

Major Shrine: Vilnius Cathedral

Patron of: patron saint of Poland and Lithuania

Holy Spirit Interactive Kids: A Saint a Day

St. Casimir

Feast Day: March 04
Born: 1458 : : Died: 1484

St. Casimir was born a Polish prince and was one of thirteen children. His father Casimir IV was king of Poland. With the help of his good and holy mother the queen and his loyal teacher; Casimir received a very good education.

When he was about fifteen years old noblemen from Hungary asked Casmir’s father to send his son to be their king. But Casimir refused. Instead, Casimir spent the rest of his life in prayer and study, trying to live as a good Christian.

He tried always to be cheerful and friendly with everybody. Under cover of his busy life, he did whatever he could to grow spiritually. He was very strict with himself and often fasted and slept on the floor of his room as penance.

He prayed daily, sometimes spending many hours of the night in prayer. He loved to think and pray about the passion of Jesus – this made his love for God grow strong. Casimir also loved the Blessed Virgin Mary with a special love. He showed his love by frequently singing a beautiful hymn named "Daily, Daily, Sing to Mary." His hand-written copy of it was buried with him.

By the power of the Holy Spirit, Casimir burned with a sincere and true love for God. So rich was his love and so abundantly did it fill his heart, that it flowed out from his inner spirit toward his fellow men.

As a result, nothing was more pleasant, nothing more desirable for him, than to share his belongings, and even to dedicate and give his entire self to Christ's poor, to strangers, to the sick, to those in captivity, and to all who suffer. To widows, orphans, and the afflicted, he was not only a guardian and patron but a father, son, and brother.

Casimir fell sick often, but he was brave and strong in character always doing what he knew was right. Sometimes, with great respect, he would advise his father, the king, to rule the people fairly and his father listened to him.

St. Casimir’s mother found a very beautiful and virtuous young woman who was the Emperor’s daughter, for her son to marry. But Casimir who had decided to give his heart to God alone, refused.

While in Lithuania on an assignment of service for that country, Casimir became ill with tuberculosis. He died at the age of twenty-six and is buried in the cathedral of Vilna.

CATHOLIC ALMANAC

Saturday, March 4

Liturgical Color: Violet

Today is the optional memorial
of St. Casimir. St. Casimir was a
prince third in line to the Polish
throne. He gave up the riches of
royalty and lived a life deep in
prayer with a great devotion to
the Blessed Mother. He died in
1484.

Catholic Culture

Lent: March 4th

Optional Memorial of St. Casimir of Poland

MASS READINGS

March 04, 2017 (Readings on USCCB website)

COLLECT PRAYER

Almighty God, to serve you is to reign; grant that, with the help of Saint Casimir's intercession, we may constantly serve you in holiness and justice. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

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Today in Poland There is a Need for True Heralds of the Gospel and Messengers of the Truth | Pope John Paul II

Old Calendar: St. Casimir; St. Lucius I, pope & martyr

Today is the feast of St. Casimir who was born in 1458 and was the son of the King of Poland. At an early age he saw through the superficiality and corruption of court life. Throughout his short life—he died of consumption at the age of 26—he dedicated himself wholly to the service of God and of his fellow-men. His love for the poor was immense. He was also renowned for his devotion to the Eucharist and to the Blessed Virgin. It is also the feast of St. Lucius I, pope in the 3rd century reputed to be a martyr.

Stational Church

St. Casimir
St. Casimir, to whom the Poles gave the title of "The Peace-maker," was the third of the thirteen children of Casimir IV, King of Poland, and of Elizabeth of Austria, daughter of the Emperor Albert II. ...Devout from his infancy, the boy gave himself up to devotion and penance, and had a horror of anything approaching softness or self-indulgence. His bed was often the ground, and he was wont to spend a great part of the night in prayer and meditation, chiefly on the passion of our Saviour. His clothes were plain, and under them he wore a hairshirt. Living always in the presence of God, he was invariably serene and cheerful, and pleasant to all. The saint's love of God showed itself in his love of the poor who are Christ's members, and for the relief of these the young prince gave all he possessed, using in their behalf the influence he had with his father and with his brother Ladislaus when he became king of Bohemia. In honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Casimir frequently recited the long Latin hymn "Omni die dic Mariae," a copy of which was by his desire buried with him. This hymn, part of which is familiar to us through Bittleston's version, "Daily, daily sing to Mary," is not uncommonly called the Hymn of St Casimir, but it was certainly not composed by him; it is three centuries older than his time.

The nobles of Hungary, dissatisfied with their king, Matthias Corvinus, in 1471 begged the King of Poland to allow them to place his son Casimir on the throne. The saint, at that time not fifteen years old, was very unwilling to consent, but in obedience to his father he went to the frontier at the head of an army. There, hearing that Matthias had himself assembled a large body of troops, and finding that his own soldiers were deserting in large numbers because they could not get their pay, he decided upon the advice of his officers to return home. The knowledge that Pope Sixtus IV had sent an embassy to his father to deter him from the expedition made the young prince carry out his resolution with the firmer conviction that he was acting rightly. King Casimir, however, was greatly incensed at the failure of his ambitious projects and would not permit his son to return to Cracow, but relegated him to the castle of Dobzki. The young man obeyed and remained in confinement there for three months. Convinced of the injustice of the war upon which he had so nearly embarked, and determined to have no further part in these internecine conflicts which only facilitated the further progress into Europe of the Turks, St Casimir could never again be persuaded to take up arms though urged to do so by his father and invited once more by the disaffected Hungarian magnates. He returned to his studies and his prayers, though for a time he was viceroy in Poland during an absence of his father. An attempt was made to induce him to marry a daughter of the Emperor Frederick III, but he refused to relax the celibacy he had imposed on himself.

St Casimir's austerities did nothing to help the lung trouble from which he suffered, and he died at the age of twenty-six in 1484 and was buried at Vilna, where his relics still rest in the church of St Stanislaus. Miracles were reported at his tomb, and he was canonized in 1521.

Excerpted from Butler's Lives of the Saints

Patron: Poland, Lithuania, bachelors, kings, princes

Symbols: Lily (for purity)

Things to Do:

St. Casimir died at age 26 due to tuberculosis. Teach the young people in your family about this saint who was so ready to die at such a young age, that they may realize that sanctity is fully attainable regardless of their state in life.
The story of Esther interceding on behalf of her people in today's reading is a real example of how morally influential a woman can be by virtue of her femininity. Not through leaving her femininity behind and seeking power did Esther impact her world for the good, but it was directly through her beautiful, pure womanhood that Esther swayed the King, her husband, to save her people. Tell this story to your daughters, if you have been blessed with any — they will love hearing it! Read Pope John Paul II's encyclical On the Dignity of Woman, and his message Women: Teachers of Peace to learn more about the mission of women in society today.
Don't be a Catholic who doesn't know Scripture! In the Gospel today there is a good Scripture verse to memorize that will deepen your trust in your Heavenly Father: "If you, with all your sins, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to anyone who asks him!" — Matt 7:11

St. Lucius I
St. Lucius, according to the "Liber Pontificalis," was a Roman, the son of Porphyrius. When he succeeded St. Comelius, the persecution of Trebonianus Gallus was still raging, and the new Pope was exiled. Soon, however, the persecution died away and Lucius was able to return to Rome. There is extant a letter from St. Cyprian congratulating the Pope on his return from exile and praising him for his confession of Christ.

St. Lucius continued the policy of Cornelius in admitting repentant apostates to communion after due penance. St. Cyprian praises him for this.

The "Liber Pontificalis" attributes to Pope Lucius a decree ordering that two priests and three deacons should live with a bishop that they might be witnesses for him. Duchesne, however, considers this decree apocryphal.

According to the "Liber Pontificalis," Pope Lucius was beheaded in the persecution of Valerian. This is almost certainly inaccurate, for Lucius died before the persecution of Valerian broke out. At any rate, St. Lucius died some time in the beginning of March 254, and was buried in the Cemetery of Calixtus. His tombstone has been discovered. The feast of St. Lucius is kept on March 4.

Excerpted from Popes Through the Ages, by Joseph Brusher

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Isaiah 58:9-14

Saint Casimir (Optional Memorial)

If you call the sabbath a delight . . . if you honor it by not following your ways . . . then you shall delight in the Lord. (Isaiah 58:13, 14)

Today is Saturday, the day of the Jewish Sabbath. All across the world, the people of Israel will gather to worship, be instructed by the Hebrew Scriptures, and rest. So why do we Christians consider Sunday as “the Lord’s day”?

The practice of gathering to worship on Sunday began almost immediately in the early Church and became common by the end of the first century. As best we know, it’s because of a few factors working together. Even as the New Testament was being written, Christianity and Judaism were quickly growing apart. Many Gentiles, with no ties to Jewish tradition, were converting to Christianity. So adopting a new day wouldn’t necessarily be inconceivable. But why Sunday?

It goes back to Genesis, where Sunday is portrayed as the dawn of creation. It’s the first day, when God brought light into the darkness. It’s also the day that Jesus rose from the dead—a day that all four Gospels attest to. So the first Christians took this image of light breaking through as a way to describe Jesus’ resurrection and our entry into new life. It was the dawning of the age of the Church, the day that the darkness of sin was defeated and the gates of heaven were opened. The power of sin and the grave were broken two millennia ago, on a Sunday, when Jesus rose victorious.

This weekend, as you rest from the weekly rhythm of work, school, or other duties, remember that God has already finished the job for the ages. “In the beginning” he formed the cosmos. Through Jesus, he redeemed it back to himself on the first day of the week—and all in a day’s work.

So try your best to set aside some time to rest with the Lord. Let his love and his holiness move you to awe. Let him fill the beginning of this new week with the light of his smile toward you. Whatever way, whichever day you’re able to celebrate the Sabbath, it will become a delight and nourishment to your spirit.

“Lord, I delight in you. I put aside my own duties to rest with you this Sabbath!”

Psalm 86:1-6
Luke 5:27-32

Marriage = One Man and One Woman Until Death Do Us Part

Daily Marriage Tip for March 4, 2017:

What’s your favorite religious or spiritual book other than the Bible? Why has it touched you so? Has your spouse also read it? If your favorite is not the same, time to try a new book!

Regnum Christi

March 4, 2017 – Forgiveness: The First Step to Love

04 Mar 2017

Saturday after Ash Wednesday

Father Paul Hubert, LC

Luke 5:27-32

Jesus saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him. Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were at table with them. The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus said to them in reply, “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.”

Introductory Prayer: Sunny days, cloudy days and rainy days all come from you, Lord. You surprise us each day as you make each day different to bring us closer to your coming, in which we hope. Lord, your love explains everything and guides all things. I wish to respond to your infinite mercy and love by loving you more each day.

Petition: Lord you know how difficult it is for me to forgive. Help me to do so always.

1. The Doctor Who Cures the Sick: What a great reply: “I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.” It is a statement open to all humanity in need of redemption. It is an affirmation that shows us that God is not exclusive. Christ has come for all sinners, and he extends to everyone his call to repent and be transformed by his grace. It shows us that Christ wants to reach everybody and forgive everybody. He is not like us, who discriminate and hold grudges. When someone sins more, God makes particular efforts to reach that person and offer his pardon and his elevating grace. What an example for us to follow when we have difficult moments in our dealings with others! Christ teaches us patience. Christ teaches us that we must love and build bridges whenever the opportunity arises.

2. We Must Evangelize the Sick: Christ sets the example and sends us to evangelize people who do not know him, or who offend him knowingly, half-knowingly, or even unknowingly. Interestingly enough, it is those who oppose Christ whom he calls the “righteous,” because they are inflexible, and their criteria cannot be bent. Christ calls us, on the other hand, to forgive, as often as is necessary (Luke 17:4). We need to learn how to forgive in a world that tells us to be tough and not to let anything get past us.

3. Forgiveness Can Only Come from Love and Lead to Love: This Gospel reminds us of the story of the adulterous woman who was brought before Jesus. The Law of Moses was clear, yet Jesus knew that something had to be changed in order for man to be able to reach heaven. He knew that only forgiveness and love for everyone would unite all men in paradise. He knew all men had sinned, and therefore they could not accuse someone else without indirectly accusing themselves. That is why Christ answered to those who accused the adulterous woman, “Let the one who is sinless cast the first stone” (John 8:7). We are all sinners. We all need to be forgiven and to forgive one another. We all need to allow love to invade our hearts so that it may be the bond that reunites us.

Conversation with Christ: Thank you, Lord, for giving me the solution to my life. Help me to forgive wholeheartedly those who have done me wrong. Help me to love them, pray for them and do good to them even though they hinder and harm me. Help me to strive tirelessly to bring to the world your solution to division, discrimination, hatred and war.

Resolution: I will think of the people I dislike or am indifferent to, and I will consider at least one of their good qualities. If the opportunity arises, I will speak well of them, and if I can, I will do a good deed for them.

One Bread, One Body

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All Issues > Volume 33, Issue 2

<< Saturday, March 4, 2017 >>

St. Casimir

Isaiah 58:9-14
View Readings

Psalm 86:1-6

Luke 5:27-32
Similar Reflections

FOLLOWING THE LEADER

"The Pharisees and the scribes of their party said to His disciples, 'Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and non-observers of the law?' " —Luke 5:30

Jesus dined with sinners. He healed on the Sabbath. He touched lepers and spoke to a Samaritan woman. He did not condemn even an adulterous woman, but he labeled the Pharisees "blind guides" and "whitened sepulchers" (see Mt 23:24, 27). What it all boils down to is that Jesus refused to be "politically correct."

Are there ways in which you have bought into the anti-gospel values of the current political ideologies? Do you accept homosexual acts as part of an "alternative lifestyle" while rejecting the rights of pre-born babies in the womb? Do you see a need for embryonic stem cell research and human cloning, but fail to recognize your duty to protect the handicapped, sick or dying from euthanasia? (see Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2277) Do you think the Church needs to "get with it," and accept contraception, divorce, and remarriage?

Impossible! The Church is the pillar and bulwark of truth! (1 Tm 3:15) She does not pander to political notions which violate the dignity of the human person. "The Lord brings to nought the plans of nations; He foils the designs of peoples. But the plan of the Lord stands forever; the design of His heart, through all generations" (Ps 33:10-11).

Until political policies follow the design of the Lord's heart, the Church will refuse to be "politically correct." After all, she follows her Leader.

Prayer: Jesus, "though none go with me, still I will follow" You.

Promise: "I have not come to invite the self-righteous to a change of heart, but sinners." —Lk 5:32

Praise: St. Casimir, prince of Poland, would often kneel for hours before the locked doors of churches regardless of the time or the weather.