Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 02-11-19, OM, Our Lady of Lourdes

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

KEYWORDS: blessedvirginmary; catholic; mk6; ordinarytime; prayer; saints;

From: Genesis 1:1-19

The Creation Account

[1] In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. [2] The earth was
without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the Spi-
rit of God was moving over the face of the waters.

[3] And God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. [4] And God saw that
the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. [5] God called
the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there
was morning, one day.

[6] And God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it
separate the waters from the waters.” [7] And God made the firmament and se-
parated the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were
above the firmament. And it was so. [8] And God called the firmament Heaven.
And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.

[9] And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into
one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. [10] God called the dry
land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And
God saw that it was good. [11] And God said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation,
plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each ac-
cording to its kind, upon the earth.” And it was so. [12] The earth brought forth
vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing
fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was
good. [13] And there was evening and there was morning, a third day.

[14] And God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to se-
parate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for
days and years, [15] and let them be lights in the firmament of the heavens to
give light upon the earth.” And it was so. [16] And God made the two great lights,
the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night; he made
the stars also. [17] And God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give
light upon the earth, [18] to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate
the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. [19] And there was
evening and there was morning, a fourth day.

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Commentary:

1:1-2:4a. Creation is the beginning of salvation history and the foundation on
which are built God’s salvific plans, which reach their climax in Jesus Christ.
The biblical accounts of creation focus on the action of God; it is he who sets
the scene and he is the creator, too, of those who will act out the drama and
with whom he will enter into dialogue.

The sacred text incorporates ancient traditions about the origin of the world;
scholars identify two separate accounts in the early chapters of Genesis. The
first of these emphasizes God’s transcendence over all created things, and is
written in a very schematic style; this account (1:1-2:4a) is attributed to the
“Priestly” tradition. The second, which also covers the fall and the expulsion
from paradise, speaks of God in an anthropomorphic way; this more vivid, more
popular account (2:4b-4:26) is considered to belong to the “Yahwistic” tradition.
Here we have two different ways in which the Word of God (not intending to pro-
vide a scientific explanation of the origin of the world and of man) expounds the
basic facts and truths on the subject in a way people can readily understand,
inviting us to see the greatness and love of God manifested first in creation and
then in the history of mankind. “Our faith teaches us,” St. Josemaria Escriva
writes, “that all creation, the movement of the earth and the other heavenly bo-
dies, the good actions of creatures and all the good that has been achieved in
history, in short everything, comes from God and directed toward him” (”Christ
Is Passing By”, 130).

In the first account the Bible offers profound teaching about God, about man and
about the world. About God, who is the only God, creator of all things and man
in particular; he transcends the created world and is its supreme master. About
man, who is the image and likeness of God, above all other created beings and
placed in the world to rule all creation. About the world, which is something good
and is at the service of man.

1.1. “Three things are affirmed in these first words of Scripture: the eternal God
gave a beginning to all that exists outside of himself; he alone is Creator (the
verb ‘create’ — Hebrew “bara” — always has God for its subject). The totality of
what exists (expressed by the formula ‘the heavens and the earth’) depends on
the One who gives it being” (”Catechism of the Catholic Church”, 290).

“In the beginning” means that creation marks the start of time and the course of
history. Time and history have a beginning and they are headed towards a final
goal, which the Bible will tell us more about, especially in its last book, Revela-
tion. At the end, we are told: ‘Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the
first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more”
(Rev 21:1).

God the Creator is the same God as will manifest himself to the patriarchs, to
Moses and to the prophets and make himself known to as through Jesus Christ.
In the light of the New Testament we know that God created all things through
his eternal Word, his beloved Son (cf. Jn 1:1; Col 1:16-17). God the Creator is
Father and Son and (the relationship of love between them) the Holy Spirit. Cre-
ation is the work of the Blessed Trinity, and all of creation (particularly man,
created in the image and likeness of God) in some way bears their seal. Some
Fathers of the Church (Augustine, Ambrose and Basil, for example), in the light
of the New Testament, saw the words “in the beginning” as having a deeper
meaning — namely, “in the Son”.

The “action of creating” belongs exclusively to God; man cannot create; he can
only “change” or “develop” something that already exists. In the creation ac-
counts of other Near East religions the world and gods developed out of preexis-
tent matter. The Bible, however, records gradual revelation of the mystery of cre-
ation interpreted in the light of God’s choice of Israel and his covenant with man-
kind; it roundly asserts that everything was made by God. Later on it will draw
the conclusion that everything was created out of nothing: “I beseech you, my
child, to look at the heavens and the earth and see everything that is in them,
and to recognize that God did not make them out of things that existed” (2 Mac
7:28). This creative power of God is also able to give sinful man a pure heart (cf.
Ps 51:12), to restore the dead to life and to give the light of faith to those who
do not know him (cf. 2 Cor 4:6).

It was God’s love and wisdom that moved him to create the world, thereby com-
municating his goodness and making his glory manifest. The world, therefore,
“is not the product of any necessity whatever, nor of blind fate or chance. We
believe that it proceeds from God’s free will; he wanted to make his creatures
share in his being, wisdom and goodness” (”Catechism of the Catholic Church”,
295).

The expression “the heavens and the earth” means everything that exists. The
earth is the world of men; the sky (or the heavens) can mean the firmament or
the divine world, God’s own “place”, his glory and all spiritual (non-material)
creatures — the angels.

1:2. The Bible teaches not just that God created all things, but also that the se-
paration and ordering of the elements of nature is something established by God
once and for all. The presence of the loving power of God, symbolized by a gen-
tle breeze or a breath (the text refers to it as a spirit; “ruah” in Hebrew) which ho-
vers and keeps watch over the world when it is still in chaos, shows that, as the
text will go on to say, the Word of God and his Breath are present in the origin
of being and in the origin of every creature’s life. That is why many Fathers of the
Church (Jerome and Athanasius, for example) saw this passage as reflecting
the presence of the Holy Spirit as a divine Person who, along with the Father and
the Son, is at work in the creation of the world, “This biblical concept of creation”,
John Paul II explains, “includes not only the call to existence of the very being
of the cosmos, that is to say, “the giving of existence”, but also the presence of
the Spirit of God in creation, that is to say, the beginning of God’s salvific self-
communication to the things he creates. This is true “first of all concerning man”,
who has been created in the image and likeness of God” (”Dominum Et Vivifican-
tem”, 12).

1:3-5. At this point strictly speaking begins the description of the creation, which,
according to the literary plan of this account, is going to take place over six days.
These six days are meant to indicate the orderliness with which God went about
his work, and to show a rhythm of work and rest: the Jewish Law laid down Satur-
day, the sabbath, as a day of rest and a day dedicated to the Lord. In the Chris-
tian Church this day was shifted to Sunday, because Sunday was the day on
which our Lord rose from the dead, thereby inaugurating the new Creation: Sun-
day, the “dies dominica” (Latin), the Lord’s day.

On the first day God creates light and separates light from darkness (the latter,
being something negative—the absence of light—cannot be created). Light is seen
here as being a thing in its own right (without reference to the fact that daylight
comes from the sun, which will not be created until the fourth day). The fact that
God puts names on things (or in this case on situations caused by some ele-
ments being separated from others) indicates that he wields absolute power over
them. God is in authority, whether it be day or night.

Here we meet for the first time a phrase which is going to be used seven times
over the course of the narrative: “And God saw that it was good.” This means
that everything that God creates is good because in some way it bears his seal
and shares in his own goodness, for it has come from divine goodness. The good-
ness of the world proclaimed here by Holy Scripture has important consequences
for the Christian: “We must love the world and work and all human things. For the
world is good. Adam’s sin destroyed the divine balance of creation; but God the
Father sent his only Son to re-establish peace, so that we, his children by adop-
tion, might free creation from disorder and reconcile all things to God” (St. J. Es-
criva, “Christ Is Passing By”, 112).

1:6-8. In line with the culture of their time, the early Hebrews thought that rain
came from huge containers of water in the vault of heaven; when trapdoors were
opened, the rain poured down. When it says here that God separated the water
which were above the firmament from those below, what is really being taught is
that God imposed order on the natural world and is responsible for the phenome-
non of rain. It is also making it clear from the outset that the firmament must not
be thought to involve any divinity (as was believed in the nations roundabout
Israel); the firmament is part of the created world.

1:11. As the inspired author depicts here, a distinction is made between God’s
action in separating and ordering the elements (creating the vast spaces of sky,
sea and land) and his action of filling or adorning these spaces with different
kinds of creatures. These creatures introduced in an increasing order of dignity
(in line with the thinking of the time)—first the vegetable kingdom, then the stellar
kingdom, and, lastly, the animal kingdom. Everything is perfectly arranged; the
world of Creation invites to contemplate the Creator.

1:14-17. Against the neighboring religions, which regarded the heavenly bodies
as divinities exerting influence over human life, the biblical author, enlightened
by inspiration, teaches that the sun, moon and stars are simply created things;
their purpose is to serve man by giving him light by day and night, and to be a
way of measuring time. Put in their proper, natural place heavenly bodies (like
all the rest of creation) lead man to appreciate the greatness of God, and to
praise him for his awesome works: “The heavens are telling the glory of God;
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork...” (Ps 19:1; cf. Ps 104). It follows
that all forms of divination are to be rejected—consulting horoscopes, astrology,
clairvoyance etc. (cf. “Catechism of the Catholic Church”, 2116).

*********************************************************************************************
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: Mark 6:53-56

Cures at Gennesaret

[53] And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret, and
moored to the shore. [54] And when they got out of the boat, immediately the
people recognized Him (Jesus), [55] and ran about the whole neighborhood and
began to bring sick people on their pallets to any place where they heard He
was. [56] And wherever He came in, in villages, cities, or country, they laid the
sick in the market places, and besought Him that they might touch even the
fringe of His garment; and as many as touched it were made well.

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

The Navarre has no commentary for this reading. Please reflect on God’s word
and invite the Holy Spirit to enter your heart with His inspiration.

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

Readings at Mass
Liturgical Colour: Green.

First reading
Genesis 1:1-19 ©
God saw that it was good
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was a formless void, there was darkness over the deep, and God’s spirit hovered over the water.
God said, ‘Let there be light’, and there was light. God saw that light was good, and God divided light from darkness. God called light ‘day’, and darkness he called ‘night.’ Evening came and morning came: the first day.
God said, ‘Let there be a vault in the waters to divide the waters in two.’ And so it was. God made the vault, and it divided the waters above the vault from the waters under the vault. God called the vault ‘heaven.’ Evening came and morning came: the second day.
God said, ‘Let the waters under heaven come together into a single mass, and let dry land appear.’ And so it was. God called the dry land ‘earth’ and the mass of waters ‘seas’, and God saw that it was good.
God said, ‘Let the earth produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants, and fruit trees bearing fruit with their seed inside, on the earth.’ And so it was. The earth produced vegetation: plants bearing seed in their several kinds, and trees bearing fruit with their seed inside in their several kinds. God saw that it was good. Evening came and morning came: the third day.
God said, ‘Let there be lights in the vault of heaven to divide day from night, and let them indicate festivals, days and years. Let them be lights in the vault of heaven to shine on the earth.’ And so it was. God made the two great lights: the greater light to govern the day, the smaller light to govern the night, and the stars. God set them in the vault of heaven to shine on the earth, to govern the day and the night and to divide light from darkness. God saw that it was good. Evening came and morning came: the fourth day.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 103(104):1-2,5-6,10,12,24,35 ©
May the Lord rejoice in his works!
Bless the Lord, my soul!
Lord God, how great you are,
clothed in majesty and glory,
wrapped in light as in a robe!
May the Lord rejoice in his works!
You founded the earth on its base,
to stand firm from age to age.
You wrapped it with the ocean like a cloak:
the waters stood higher than the mountains.
May the Lord rejoice in his works!
You make springs gush forth in the valleys;
they flow in between the hills.
On their banks dwell the birds of heaven;
from the branches they sing their song.
May the Lord rejoice in his works!
How many are your works, O Lord!
In wisdom you have made them all.
The earth is full of your riches.
Bless the Lord, my soul!
May the Lord rejoice in his works!

Gospel Acclamation
Jn8:12
Alleluia, alleluia!
I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
anyone who follows me will have the light of life.
Alleluia!
Or:
cf.Mt4:23
Alleluia, alleluia!
Jesus proclaimed the Good News of the kingdom
and cured all kinds of sickness among the people.
Alleluia!

Gospel
Mark 6:53-56 ©
All those who touched him were cured
Having made the crossing, Jesus and his disciples came to land at Gennesaret and tied up. No sooner had they stepped out of the boat than people recognised him, and started hurrying all through the countryside and brought the sick on stretchers to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went, to village, or town, or farm, they laid down the sick in the open spaces, begging him to let them touch even the fringe of his cloak. And all those who touched him were cured.

For #5

Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible by Darton, Longman & Todd

Alleluia Ping

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doesn’t this belong in the religious forum?

Mark
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Mark 6
53.	And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Genezareth, and set to the shore.	Et cum transfretassent, venerunt in terram Genesareth, et applicuerunt.	και διαπερασαντες ηλθον επι την γην γεννησαρετ και προσωρμισθησαν
54.	And when they were gone out of the ship, immediately they knew him:	Cumque egressi essent de navi, continuo cognoverunt eum :	και εξελθοντων αυτων εκ του πλοιου ευθεως επιγνοντες αυτον
55.	And running through that whole country, they began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was.	et percurrentes universam regionem illam, cœperunt in grabatis eos, qui se male habebant, circumferre, ubi audiebant eum esse.	περιδραμοντες ολην την περιχωρον εκεινην ηρξαντο επι τοις κραββατοις τους κακως εχοντας περιφερειν οπου ηκουον οτι εκει εστιν
56.	And whithersoever he entered, into towns or into villages or cities, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch but the hem of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole.	Et quocumque introibat, in vicos, vel in villas aut civitates, in plateis ponebant infirmos, et deprecabantur eum, ut vel fimbriam vestimenti ejus tangerent, et quotquot tangebant eum, salvi fiebant.	και οπου αν εισεπορευετο εις κωμας η πολεις η αγρους εν ταις αγοραις ετιθουν τους ασθενουντας και παρεκαλουν αυτον ινα καν του κρασπεδου του ιματιου αυτου αψωνται και οσοι αν ηπτοντο αυτου εσωζοντο

53. And after they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore.
54. And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew him,
55. And ran through that the region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was.
56. And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole.

GLOSS. The Evangelist, having shown the danger which the disciples had sustained in their passage, and their deliverance from it, now shows the place to which they sailed, saying, And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore.

THEOPHYL. The Lord remained at the above-mentioned place for some time. Therefore the Evangelist subjoins, And when they had come out of the ship, straightway they knew him, that is, the inhabitants of the country.

BEDE; But they knew Him by report, not by His features; or through the greatness of His miracles, even His person was known to some. See too how great was the faith of the men of the land of Gennesaret, so that they were not content with the healing of those who were present, but sent to other towns round about, that all might hasten to the Physician; wherefore there follows, And ran through the whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was.

THEOPHYL. For they did not call Him to their houses that He might heal them, but rather the sick themselves were brought to Him. Wherefore it also follows, And whithersoever he entered into villages, or cities, or country try, &c. For the miracle which had been wrought on the woman with an issue of blood, had reached the ears of many, and caused in them that great faith, by which they were healed. It goes on, And as many as touched him were made whole.

BEDE; Again, in a mystical sense, do they understand by the hem of His garment the slightest of His commandments, for whoever shall transgress it shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven, or else His assumption of our flesh, by which we have come to the Word of God, and afterwards, shall have the enjoyment of His majesty.

PSEUDO-JEROME; Furthermore that which is said, And as many as touched him were made whole, shall be fulfilled, when grief and mourning shall fly away.

Catena Aurea Mark 6

On the Gennesaret Lake

Vassily Polenov

1888
Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow

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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.

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 Joyful Mysteries

(Mondays and Saturdays)

1. The Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38) [Spiritual fruit - Humility]
2. The Visitation (Luke 1: 39-56) [Spiritual fruit - Love of Neighbor]
3. The Nativity (Luke 2:1-20) [Spiritual fruit - Poverty of Spirit]
4. The Presentation (Luke 2:21-38) [Spiritual fruit - Purity of mind & body]
5. The Finding of Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:41-52) [Spiritual fruit - Obedience ]

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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