Reading 1 1 Thes 5:1-6, 9-11

Concerning times and seasons, brothers and sisters,
you have no need for anything to be written to you.
For you yourselves know very well
that the day of the Lord will come like a thief at night.
When people are saying, “Peace and security,”
then sudden disaster comes upon them,
like labor pains upon a pregnant woman,
and they will not escape.

But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness,
for that day to overtake you like a thief.
For all of you are children of the light
and children of the day.
We are not of the night or of darkness.
Therefore, let us not sleep as the rest do,
but let us stay alert and sober.
For God did not destine us for wrath,
but to gain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep
we may live together with him.
Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up,
as indeed you do.

Responsorial Psalm PS 27:1, 4, 13-14

R. (13) I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life’s refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
One thing I ask of the LORD;
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple.
R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.

Alleluia Lk 7:16

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A great prophet has arisen in our midst
and God has visited his people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Lk 4:31-37

Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee.
He taught them on the sabbath,
and they were astonished at his teaching
because he spoke with authority.
In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon,
and he cried out in a loud voice,
“What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?
Have you come to destroy us?
I know who you are–the Holy One of God!”
Jesus rebuked him and said, “Be quiet! Come out of him!”
Then the demon threw the man down in front of them
and came out of him without doing him any harm.
They were all amazed and said to one another,
“What is there about his word?
For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits,
and they come out.”
And news of him spread everywhere in the surrounding region.

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 4
31.	And he went down into Capharnaum, a city of Galilee, and there he taught them on the sabbath days.	Et descendit in Capharnaum civitatem Galilææ, ibique docebat illos sabbatis.	και κατηλθεν εις καπερναουμ πολιν της γαλιλαιας και ην διδασκων αυτους εν τοις σαββασιν
32.	And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his speech was with power.	Et stupebant in doctrina ejus, quia in potestate erat sermo ipsius.	και εξεπλησσοντο επι τη διδαχη αυτου οτι εν εξουσια ην ο λογος αυτου
33.	And in the synagogue there was a man who had an unclean devil, and he cried out with a loud voice,	Et in synagoga erat homo habens dæmonium immundum, et exclamavit voce magna,	και εν τη συναγωγη ην ανθρωπος εχων πνευμα δαιμονιου ακαθαρτου και ανεκραξεν φωνη μεγαλη
34.	Saying: Let us alone, what have we to do with thee, Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the holy one of God.	dicens : Sine, quid nobis et tibi, Jesu Nazarene ? venisti perdere nos ? scio te quis sis, Sanctus Dei.	λεγων εα τι ημιν και σοι ιησου ναζαρηνε ηλθες απολεσαι ημας οιδα σε τις ει ο αγιος του θεου
35.	And Jesus rebuked him, saying: Hold thy peace, and go out of him. And when the devil had thrown him into the midst, he went out of him, and hurt him not at all.	Et increpavit illum Jesus, dicens : Obmutesce, et exi ab eo. Et cum projecisset illum dæmonium in medium, exiit ab illo, nihilque illum nocuit.	και επετιμησεν αυτω ο ιησους λεγων φιμωθητι και εξελθε εξ αυτου και ριψαν αυτον το δαιμονιον εις μεσον εξηλθεν απ αυτου μηδεν βλαψαν αυτον
36.	And there came fear upon all, and they talked among themselves, saying: What word is this, for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they go out?	Et factus est pavor in omnibus, et colloquebantur ad invicem, dicentes : Quod est hoc verbum, quia in potestate et virtute imperat immundis spiritibus, et exeunt ?	και εγενετο θαμβος επι παντας και συνελαλουν προς αλληλους λεγοντες τις ο λογος ουτος οτι εν εξουσια και δυναμει επιτασσει τοις ακαθαρτοις πνευμασιν και εξερχονται
37.	And the fame of him was published into every place of the country.	Et divulgabatur fama de illo in omnem locum regionis.	και εξεπορευετο ηχος περι αυτου εις παντα τοπον της περιχωρου

31. And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days.
32. And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power.
33. And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice,
34. Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with you, you Jesus of Nazareth? are you come to destroy us? I know you who you are; the Holy One of God.
35. And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold your peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not.
36. And they were all amazed, and spoke among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.
37. And the fame of him went out into every place of the country round about.

AMBROSE; Neither indignation at their treatment, nor displeasure at their wickedness, caused our Lord to abandon Judea, but unmindful of His injuries, and remembering mercy, at one time by teaching, at another by healing, He softens the hearts of this unbelieving people, as it is said, And he went down to Capernaum.

CYRIL; For although He knew that they were disobedient and hard of heart, He nevertheless visits them, as a good Physician tries to heal those who are suffering from a mortal disease. But He taught them boldly in the synagogues, as Esaias said, I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth. On the sabbath day also He disputed with them, because they were at leisure. They wondered therefore at the mightiness of His teaching, His virtue, and His power, as it follows, And they were astonished at his doctrine, for his word was with power. That is, not soothing, but urging and exciting them to seek salvation. Now the Jews supposed Christ to be one of the saints or prophets. But in order that they might esteem Him higher, He passes beyond the prophetic limits. For he said not, "Thus said the Lord," but being the Master of the Law, He uttered things which were above the Law, changing the letter to the truth, and the figures to the spiritual meaning.

THEOPHYL; The word of the teacher is with power, when he performs that which he teaches. But he who by his actions belies what he preaches is despised.

CYRIL; But He generally intermingles with His teaching the performance of mighty works. For those whose reason does not incline to knowledge, are roused by the manifestation of miracles. Hence it follows, And there was in the synagogue a man which had a devil.

AMBROSE; The work of divine healing commenced on the sabbath, signifying thereby that he began anew where the old creation ceased, in order that He might declare at the very beginning that the Son of God was not under the Law, but above the Law. Rightly also He began on the sabbath, that He might show Himself the Creator, who interweaves His works one within another, and follows up that which He had before begun; just as a builder determining to reconstruct a house, begins to pull down the old one, not from the foundation, but from the top, so as to apply his hand first to that part, where he had before left off.: Holy men may through the word of God deliver from evil spirits, but to bid the dead rise again, is the work of Divine power alone.

CYRIL; But the Jews spoke falsely of the glory of Christ, saying, He casts out devils by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. To remove this charge, when the devils came beneath His invincible power, and endured not the Divine Presence, they sent forth a savage cry, as it follows: And he cried with a loud voice, saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with you, &c.

THEOPHYL; As if he said, Abstain a while from troubling me, you who have no fellowship with our designs.

AMBROSE; It ought not to shock any one that the devil is mentioned in this book as the first to have spoken the name of Jesus of Nazareth. For Christ received not from him that name which an Angel brought down from heaven to the Virgin. The devil is of such effrontery, that he is the first to use a thing among men and bring it as something new to them, that he may strike people with terror at his power. Hence it follows: For I know you who you are, the Holy One of God.

ATHAN. He spoke of Him not as a Holy One of God, as if He were like to the other saints, but as being in a remarkable manner the Holy One, with the addition of the article. For He is by nature holy by partaking of whom all others are called holy. Nor again did He speak this as if He knew it, but He pretended to know it.

CYRIL; For the devils thought by praises of this sort to make Him a lover of vainglory, that He might be induced to abstain from opposing or destroying them by way of grateful return.

CHRYS. The devil wished also to disturb the order of things, and to deprive the Apostles of their dignity, and to incline the many to obey Him.

ATHAN. Although he confessed the truth he controlled his tongue, lest with the truth he should also publish his own disgrace, which should teach us not to care for such, although they speak the truth, for we who know the divine Scripture, must not be taught by the devil, as it follows: And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Be silent, &c.

THEOPHYL; But by the permission of God, the man who was to be delivered from the devil is thrown into the midst, that the power of the Savior being manifested might bring over many to the way of salvation. As it follows: And when he had thrown him in the midst. But this seems to be opposed to Mark, who says, And the unclean spirit tearing him, and crying with a loud voice, went out of him, unless we understand that Mark meant by tearing him the same as Luke by these words, And when he had thrown him in the midst, so that what follows, and hurt him not, might be understood to mean, that that twisting of limbs, and sore troubling, did not weaken him, as is often the case when devils depart from a man, leaving him with limbs cut and torn off. Well then do they wonder at such complete restoration of health.

For it follows: And fear came upon all.

THEOPHYL. As if they said, What is this word by which he commands, Go out, and he went out?

THEOPHYL; Holy men were able by the word of God to cast out devils, but the Word Himself does mighty works by His own power.

AMBROSE; In a mystery, the man in the synagogue with the unclean spirit is the Jewish people, which being fast bound in the wiles of the devil, defiled its vaunted cleanliness of body by the pollution of the heart. And truly it had an unclean spirit, because it had lost the Holy Spirit. For the devil entered whence Christ had gone out.

THEOPHYL. We must know also that many now have devils, namely, such as fulfill the desires of devils, as the furious have the demon of anger; and so of the rest. But the Lord came into the synagogue when the thoughts of the man were collected, and then says to the demon that dwelt there, Hold your peace, and immediately throwing him into the middle he departs out of him. For it becomes not a man always to be angry, (that is, like the brutes,) nor always to be without anger, (for that is want of feeling,) but he must take the middle path, and have anger against what is evil; and so the man is thrown into the midst when the unclean spirit departs from him.

Catena Aurea Luke 4

Holy Spirit Interactive Kids: A Saint a Day

St. Giles

Feast Day: September 1
Born:/ Died: (Dates not known)

Giles was born in Athens, Greece, in early times. Since his family was very rich, when his parents died, they left him a large fortune. He used this money to help the poor.

Because of this and especially because he worked many miracles, Giles found that people admired him greatly and that he had become very famous.

He did not want their praise, so to be able to serve God in secret; he left Greece and sailed to France. There he went to live alone in a dark forest. He made his home in a rough cave behind a thick thorn bush.

Giles was happy living there alone praying to God, as he did not want to become proud because people praised him all the time. God was pleased with Giles and even sent him a deer to nourish him with her milk.

Many years later, a king and his men were hunting the forest. They chased the deer that quickly went into Giles' cave, which was hidden behind the large thorn bush. One of the men shot an arrow into the thorn bush, hoping to hit the deer. When they forced their way in, they found Giles sitting wounded by the arrow.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" demanded the King. St. Giles told them the story of his life and when they heard it, they asked his forgiveness. The king sent his doctors to take care of the saint's wound.

Although Giles begged to be left alone, the king felt such respect for him that he often came to see him. When the King visited, he brought Giles many gifts but Giles would never take any of the gifts.

But finally, Giles agreed to let the king build a large monastery there. Giles became its first abbot (or head priest). This monastery became so famous that a town soon grew up around it and many people from this town joined the monastery.

When the saint died, his grave at the monastery became a great shrine and people came to visit this holy place on pilgrimage.

In Spain shepherds believed that St. Giles was the protector of Rams and Deer and on his feast day, they tied lighted candles to their horns and brought them down the mountains to the chapels and churches to be blessed.

Day 244 - Nicodemus Visits Jesus (Part II) // Jesus and John the Baptist

Today’s Reading: John 3:16-30
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. 18 He who believes in him is not condemned; he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does what is true comes to the light, that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been wrought in God.

22 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the land of Judea; there he remained with them and baptized. 23 John also was baptizing at Ae non near Salim, because there was much water there; and people came and were baptized. 24 For John had not yet been put in prison. 25 Now a discussion arose between John’s disciples and a Jew over purifying. 26 And they came to John, and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you bore witness, here he is, baptizing, and all are going to him.”
27 John answered, “No one can receive anything except what is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him. 29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice; therefore this joy of mine is now full. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Today’s Commentary:
gave his only-begotten Son: The earthly mission of Jesus is part of the heavenly plan of the Father, who displays the depth of his love through the sacrifice of his Son (Rom 5:8; 1 Jn 3:16). This verse marks a transition from the dialogue between Jesus and Nicodemus (3:1-15) to an extended monologue by either Jesus or the evangelist himself (3:16-21).

the bridegroom: Jesus, whose bride is the Church (2 Cor 11:2; Eph 5:21-32). John the Baptist is the friend or “best man” of the groom who, in Jewish custom, arranges and manages the wedding celebration. John is content to fade into the background now that his duties are fulfilled (3:30).

Ordinary Time: September 1st

Tuesday of the Twenty Second Week of Ordinary Time Time

Daily Readings for: September 01, 2015
(Readings on USCCB website)

Collect: God of might, giver of every good gift, put into our hearts the love of your name, so that, by deepening our sense of reverence, and, by your watchful care, keep safe what you have nurtured. 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.

RECIPES

Soupe Basque

ACTIVITIES

PRAYERS

LIBRARY

None

Old Calendar: St. Giles, hermit and abbot; Twelve Holy Brothers, martyrs; St. Anna, prophetess (Hist)

God's great work is the creation and redemption of the world wrought through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The one essential work in which we are all callled to participate is God's transforming love.

According to the 1962 Missal of St. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is the feast of St. Giles who was an abbot of the seventh century. He probably lived in the neighborhood of Beziers on the coast of the Mediterranean. The little monastery of St. Peter, where his body rested, became one of the most popular shrines in Christendom and gave rise to a town. The cult of St. Giles, which was general in France, where there are upwards of one hundred and fifty churches dedicated to him, soon spread throughout the west.

Today is also the commemoration of the Twelve Holy Brothers, martyrs. They were a group of twelve martyrs whose bodies, discovered in various places in Italy, were translated to Benevento towards the middle of the eighth century. Historically today is the feast of St. Anna the prophetess, who along with Simeon was in the temple when Jesus was presented.

St. Giles
According to tradition, St. Giles was born in Athens, Greece, and was of noble extraction. After his parents died, he fled from his fatherland to avoid followers and fame. He went to France, and in a cave in a forest near the mouth of the Rhone he was able to lead the life of a hermit. Legend notes a hind came everyday to his cell and furnished him with milk. One day the King's hunters chased the hind and discovered St. Giles and his secret hermitage. The hunters shot at the hind, but missed and hit Giles' leg with an arrow, which kept him crippled the rest of his life. He then consented to King Theodoric's request of building a monastery (known later as "Saint Gilles du Gard") and he became its first Abbot. He died some eight years later towards 712.

In Normandy, France, women having difficulty becoming pregnant would sleep with a picture or statue of the saint.

In England, churches named for St. Giles were built so that cripples could reach them easily. St. Giles was also considered the chief patron of the poor. In his name charity was granted the most miserable. This is evidenced from the custom that on their passage to Tyburn for execution, convicts were allowed to stop at St. Giles' Hospital where they were presented with a bowl of ale called St. Giles' Bowl, "thereof to drink at their pleasure, as their last refreshment in this life."

St. Giles is included in the list of the fourteen "Auxiliary Saints" or "Holy Helpers." These are a group of saints invoked because they have been efficacious in assisting in trials and sufferings. Each saint has a separate feast or memorial day. The group was collectively venerated on August 8, until the 1969 reform of the Roman calendar, when the feast was dropped.

Patron: Beggars; breastfeeding; hermits; horses; physically disabled; woods; blacksmiths; against lameness; against leprosy; against sterility; against infertility.

Symbols: Hand pierced with arrows; hind pierced with arrows; gold doe, pierced by a silver arrow; Benedictine with crosier, arrow piercing hand, protecting hind.

Things to Do:

Pray to St. Giles for the conversion of England and Scotland.

Twelve Holy Brothers
Honoratus martyred with Arontius, Fortunatus, and Sabinian (c 303), commemorated as the Twelve Holy Brothers during the reign of Emperor Diocletian. The others were Felix, Januarius, Septimus, Repositus, Sator, Vitalis, Donatus, and a second Felix. Probably not related they are known as the Twelve Brothers (in the faith). Four were beheaded in Potenza, Italy, on August 27. Three were beheaded at Vanossa on August 28. The othes were beheaded at Sentiana on September 1. — Our Sunday Visitor's Encyclopedia of Saints, by Matthew Bunson, Stephen Bunson

St. Anna
St. Anna was the daughter of Phanuel, tribe of Aser. She married at age fourteen and was widowed at twenty-one. She never departed from the temple and spent night and day fasting and praying. She was in attendance at the Temple when Jesus was presented. Having all her life believed in the prophecies of the Old Testament, she was the only woman in the Temple to greet Jesus.

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14

22nd Week in Ordinary Time

The Lord is my light and my salvation. (Psalm 27:1)

From times tables to song lyrics to addresses and phone numbers, we learn so many things by rote. In fact, if you say or think something often enough, it will become ingrained in your memory—even statements about who you are and what life is about. So consider what might happen if you made the decision to repeat godly truths over and over again. Try it today, starting with “The Lord is my light” and “The Lord is my refuge.”

The Lord is my light. He shows me what to do. He gives me direction and lights the path when the way seems dark. His light can shine in my heart, offering wisdom when I’m not sure what to do. He gives me understanding and a heavenly perspective. When I feel too confused or afraid to move ahead, he can show me how to proceed.

The Lord is my refuge. I can run to him for safekeeping and strength. He is my strength when I feel too weak to keep on caring or when I don’t want to get out of bed in the morning. He will help me when the call of raising godly children or persevering in prayer seems too demanding. He keeps me safe amid hostility and opposition.

The Lord is my strength. I can exercise, finish rehab, or endure chemotherapy. When I need to repent, forgive, or simply bide my time, he is there with his own courage and power to help me.

When the shadow of fear or defeat threatens to spread itself over you, shout it out, “The Lord is my light!” When fear grips you or weakness overtakes you, declare it, “The Lord is my strength!” Whenever you hear yourself say or think, “I can’t,” “I don’t know how,” or “I give up,” just repeat this glorious verse: “The Lord is my light and my salvation… . The Lord is my life’s refuge (Psalm 27:1, 2).”

“Lord, you are my light and the strength of my life. With your help today, I will live in your light and strength.”

1 Thessalonians 5:1-6, 9-11
Luke 4:31-37

Regnum Christi

Christ at Home in Capernaum

U. S. A. | SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY

September 1, 2015 - Tuesday of Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time

Luke 4:31-37

Jesus then went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee. He taught them on the sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching because he spoke with authority. In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out in a loud voice, "Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are -- the Holy One of God!" Jesus rebuked him and said, "Be quiet! Come out of him!" Then the demon threw the man down in front of them and came out of him without doing him any harm. They were all amazed and said to one another, "What is there about his word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out." And news of him spread everywhere in the surrounding region.

Introductory Prayer: Lord, you have looked with favor on me. You have seen in my soul fertile ground, and you have sown your word in hope of an abundant harvest. I hope never to let you down by not responding in faith. I allow you to lead me to the fullness of my vocation as your disciple.

Petition: Christ, may zeal for your friendship consume me so much that I remove all sin from my life.

Great Hopes: Jesus had great plans for Capernaum –– a big city, situated by the lake on the “way of the sea,” a thoroughfare open to travelers. It was an ideal hub from which to spread the Gospel. Would anyone from such a big town have interest in his message? Christ made his home there. He exercised the greater part of his public ministry in Capernaum and graced it with more than one-third of his miracles. It was quite different from Nazareth. Christ asks us to find our Capernaum –– seeking that niche, using those talents, evangelizing that audience — where we can become the most effective apostles for him. This may demand a greater love from us, but we can see how Christ blesses this effort with his presence, teaching and healing.

Simple Faith: Christ chooses to cure a man on the Sabbath in Capernaum and nobody raises an eyebrow! How different this is from Jerusalem! These people here have a simple faith, unconcerned about the legalities of ritualistic orthodoxy. “Here I can preach. Here I can heal. Here I can work!” Christ feels at home and welcomed. Here Christ finds vocations: Peter, Andrew, James, John, Matthew. Here Christ finds faith even among the pagans: the centurion who asks for a cure. One can sense a special predilection of Christ toward this city. From those who have been given more, more will be expected.

Generosity Pushed to Its Limits: Once a soul responds in generosity, Christ opportunely draws it to the fullness of its vocation. Encouraged by Capernaum’s faith, Christ asks more of it; just as he asked of the rich young man. As we see later in the Gospel, what better place than faith-filled Capernaum for Christ to reveal to the world one of his most difficult teachings: presenting himself as the Living Bread come down from heaven? In the end, the majority leave him. “Will you go away too?” The present-day ruins of Capernaum testify to the truth of Christ’s warning: “As for you, Capernaum, ‘Are you to be exalted to the skies? You shall go down to the realm of death!’ If the miracles worked in you had taken place in Sodom, it would be standing today. I assure you, it will go easier for Sodom than for you on the Day of Judgment” (Matthew 11:23-4).

Conversation with Christ: Lord, you know me and you know everything about me. Let me not become blinded by the arrogance of my own opinions and ideas. Help me to keep you always before me as the goal of my life, the pearl of great price, for which I joyfully sell all I own to possess.

Resolution: I will use one of my talents to help somebody today.

One Bread, One Body

Language: English | Español

All Issues > Volume 31, Issue 5

<< Tuesday, September 1, 2015 >>

1 Thessalonians 5:1-6, 9-11
View Readings

Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14

Luke 4:31-37
Similar Reflections

ON GUARD!

"You are not in the dark, brothers, that the day should catch you off guard, like a thief." —1 Thessalonians 5:4

How much did you think about the Second Coming of Christ this week? If you're like many Catholics, the message of His coming again goes in one ear and out the other. However, through His Word and the Mass, Jesus constantly warns us that He is coming again. When you attend Sunday Mass, you hear the message of the Second Coming of Christ at least twice and as many as four times, depending upon the prayers and responses chosen. If you attend daily Mass, you heard about the Second Coming between nine and twenty-two times this week! In addition, numerous verses in Scripture are devoted to Jesus' Second Coming.

A good rule of thumb is for us to think about the Second Coming of Christ at least as much as Jesus and the Church think about it. If you haven't recently thought of the day of Jesus' Second Coming, or at least His coming at the day of your death, you are probably "off guard" (1 Thes 5:4). If so, it's not because the Lord and His Church haven't been warning you constantly. "You know very well that the day of the Lord is coming like a thief in the night" (1 Thes 5:2). "Therefore let us not be asleep like the rest, but awake and sober!" (1 Thes 5:6)

A good way to constantly think of the day of the Lord's return is to regularly tell others about it (see 1 Thes 4:18). Spread the good news of salvation (1 Thes 5:9) and "wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ."

Prayer: Father, may I "be ready to greet Him (Jesus) when He comes again."

Promise: "He commands the unclean spirits with authority and power, and they leave." —Lk 4:36

Praise: Eleanor contracted the potentially fatal Hepatitis C virus. She was prayed over at the bishop's healing service, and was healed.

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September 1, 2015

Tuesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time