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

KEYWORDS: catholic; lent; lk5; prayer; saints;

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From: Isaiah 58:9b-14

Misguided Fasting Denounced (Continuation)

(Thus says the LORD God),
[9b] If you take away from the midst of you the yoke,
the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
[10] if you pour yourself out for the hungry
and satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
then shall your light rise in the darkness
and your gloom be as the noonday.”
[11] And the LORD will guide you continually,
and satisfy your desire with good things,
and make your bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
like a spring of water,
whose waters fall not.
[12] And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;
you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
you shall be called the repairer of the breach,
the restorer of streets to dwell in.
[13] “If you turn back your foot from the sabbath,
from doing your pleasure on my holy day,
and call the sabbath a delight
and the holy day of the LORD honorable;
if you honor it, not going your own ways,
or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly;
[14] then you shall take delight in the LORD,
and I will make you ride upon the heights of the earth;
I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father,
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

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

58:1-14. This new denunciation, very much in the style of this part of the book,
criticizes fasting done in the wrong spirit; it is uncompromising (vv. 1-7) but it
ends with words of encouragement. The Lord cannot go along with the hypocrisy
of a purely external religion—with people going through the motions of religious
observance while being unjust in their dealings with others and ignoring those in
need. Those who act in this way cannot know much about God this is why the
prophet feels compelled to speak out and use every opportunity to correct them.

“They seek me daily” (v. 2), that is, they are keen to hear the oracles spoken by
the prophets, to learn what God is saying, but they do not act on them — which
shows that they do not really know what religion is all about. Conversion to God
is not a matter of engaging in many external acts of worship and fasting, while
being unjust, exploiting workers and neglecting the poor. It is not surprising that
God ignores fasts if those who perform them commit sins against justice and
charity (vv. 3-6). In this poem different people’s voices are heard at different points:
first God tells the prophet to keep on condemning hypocrisy (vv. 1-2); then men
speak, complaining that God ignores their fasting (v. 3) and at the end God tea-
ches and reproaches: he will have nothing to do with the hypocrisy of those who
perform fasts but behave wickedly (vv. 4-7); whereas he will certainly listen to
prayers if they are accompanied by acts of justice and charity (vv. 8-14).

The works of mercy recommended in this oracle are echoed in Jesus’ discourse
on the Last Judgment in Matthew 25:23-45. Christian spirituality has always
stressed that love of neighbor and works of mercy are clear proof of a person’s
love of God and are a touchstone of true religion, for “...works of mercy are proof
of a truly holy life” (Rabanus Maurus, recorded by St Thomas Aquinas in the
“Catena Aurea”). And St Leo the Great taught: “Let each of the faithful examine
his own conscience, seeking out his deepest desires; if he finds the fruits of love
within his soul, he will know that God is with him, and he should strive even har-
der to be worthy of so great a guest, being ever more generous in his works of
mercy” (”Sermones”, 48, 3).

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

From: Luke 5:27-32

The Calling of Matthew

[27] After this He (Jesus) went out, and saw a tax collector, named Levi, sitting
at the tax office; and He said to him, “Follow Me.” [28] And Levi left everything,
and rose and followed Him.

[29] And Levi made Him a great feast in His house; and there was a large com-
pany of tax collectors and others sitting at table with them. [30] And the Phari-
sees and their scribes murmured against His disciples saying, “Why do you
eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” [31] And Jesus answered them,
“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; [32]
I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

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

27-29. Levi, better known as Matthew, responds generously and promptly to the
call from Jesus. To celebrate and to show how appreciative he is for his vocation
he gives a banquet. This passage of the Gospel shows us that a vocation is some-
thing we should be very grateful for and happy about. If we see it only in terms of
renunciation and giving things up, and not as a gift from God and something which
will enhance us and redound to others’ benefit, we can easily become depressed,
like the rich young man who, not wanting to give up his possession, went away
sad (Luke 18:18). Matthew believes in quite the opposite way, as did the Magi
who “when they saw the star rejoiced exceedingly with great joy” (Matthew 2:10)
and who gave much more importance to adoring the new-born God than to all the
inconveniences involved in travelling to see Him. See also the notes on Matthew
9:9; 9:10-11; 9:12, 9:13; and Mark 2:14; 2:17.

32. Since this is how Jesus operates, the only way we can be saved is by admit-
ting before God, in all simplicity, that we are sinners. “Jesus has no time for cal-
culations, for astuteness, for the cruelty of cold hearts, for attractive but empty
beauty. What He likes is the cheerfulness of a young heart, a simple step, a na-
tural voice, clean eyes, attention to His affectionate word of advice. That is how
He reigns in the soul” (St. J. Escriva, “Christ Is Passing By”, 181).

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

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

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: Violet.

First reading	Isaiah 58:9-14 ©

You will be like a spring whose waters never run dry

The Lord says this:

If you do away with the yoke,

the clenched fist, the wicked word,

if you give your bread to the hungry,

and relief to the oppressed,

your light will rise in the darkness,

and your shadows become like noon.

The Lord will always guide you,

giving you relief in desert places.

He will give strength to your bones

and you shall be like a watered garden,

like a spring of water

whose waters never run dry.

You will rebuild the ancient ruins,

build up on the old foundations.

You will be called ‘Breach-mender’,

‘Restorer of ruined houses.’

If you refrain from trampling the sabbath,

and doing business on the holy day,

if you call the Sabbath ‘Delightful’,

and the day sacred to the Lord ‘Honourable’,

if you honour it by abstaining from travel,

from doing business and from gossip,

then shall you find your happiness in the Lord

and I will lead you triumphant over the heights of the land.

I will feed you on the heritage of Jacob your father.

For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 85(86):1-6 ©

Show me, Lord, your way so that I may walk in your truth.

Turn your ear, O Lord, and give answer

for I am poor and needy.

Preserve my life, for I am faithful;

save the servant who trusts in you.

Show me, Lord, your way so that I may walk in your truth.

You are my God, have mercy on me, Lord,

for I cry to you all the day long.

Give joy to your servant, O Lord,

for to you I lift up my soul.

Show me, Lord, your way so that I may walk in your truth.

O Lord, you are good and forgiving,

full of love to all who call.

Give heed, O Lord, to my prayer

and attend to the sound of my voice.

Show me, Lord, your way so that I may walk in your truth.

Gospel Acclamation	cfPs94:8

Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!

Harden not your hearts today,

but listen to the voice of the Lord.

Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!

Or:	Ezk33:11

Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!

I take pleasure, not in the death of a wicked man

– it is the Lord who speaks –

but in the turning back of a wicked man

who changes his ways to win life.

Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!

Gospel	Luke 5:27-32 ©

Jesus comes not to call the virtuous, but sinners to repentance

Jesus noticed a tax collector, Levi by name, sitting by the customs house, and said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And leaving everything he got up and followed him.

In his honour Levi held a great reception in his house, and with them at table was a large gathering of tax collectors and others. The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples and said, ‘Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?’ Jesus said to them in reply, ‘It is not those who are well who need the doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the virtuous, but sinners to repentance.’

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

See the excellent paper on the sacred art dedicated to St. Matthew at Ad Imaginem Dei

40 DAYS FOR LIFE: MAR. 6 – APR. 14 -- Prayer to End Abortion

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Perpetual Novena for the Nation (Ecumenical)
Novena asking for St Michael The Archangel to stand with us and bring us victory

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7 Powerful Ways to Pray for Christians Suffering in the Middle East

Pray the Rosary!

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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 ]

Or: