Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 02-17-04, Optional Seven Founders of Servites

Reading I
Jas 1:12-18

Blessed is he who perseveres in temptation,
for when he has been proven he will receive the crown of life
that he promised to those who love him.
No one experiencing temptation should say,
"I am being tempted by God";
for God is not subject to temptation to evil,
and he himself tempts no one.
Rather, each person is tempted when lured and enticed by his desire.
Then desire conceives and brings forth sin,
and when sin reaches maturity it gives birth to death.

Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers and sisters:
all good giving and every perfect gift is from above,
coming down from the Father of lights,
with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change.
He willed to give us birth by the word of truth
that we may be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 94:12-13a, 14-15, 18-19

R (12a) Blessed the man you instruct, O Lord.
Blessed the man whom you instruct, O LORD,
whom by your law you teach,
Giving him rest from evil days.
R Blessed the man you instruct, O Lord.
For the LORD will not cast off his people,
nor abandon his inheritance;
But judgment shall again be with justice,
and all the upright of heart shall follow it.
R Blessed the man you instruct, O Lord.
When I say, "My foot is slipping,"
your mercy, O LORD, sustains me;
When cares abound within me,
your comfort gladdens my soul.
R Blessed the man you instruct, O Lord.

Gospel
Mk 8:14-21

The disciples had forgotten to bring bread,
and they had only one loaf with them in the boat.
Jesus enjoined them, "Watch out,
guard against the leaven of the Pharisees
and the leaven of Herod."
They concluded among themselves that
it was because they had no bread.
When he became aware of this he said to them,
"Why do you conclude that it is because you have no bread?
Do you not yet understand or comprehend?
Are your hearts hardened?
Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear?
And do you not remember,
when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand,
how many wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up?"
They answered him, "Twelve."
"When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand,
how many full baskets of fragments did you pick up?"
They answered him, "Seven."
He said to them, "Do you still not understand?"

From: James 1:12-18

The Value of Suffering (Continuation)

[12] Blessed is the man who endures trial, for when he has stood the
test he will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those
who love Him.

The Source of Temptation

[13] Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God
cannot be tempted with evil and He Himself tempts no one; [14] but each
person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.
[15] Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin; and sin when it
is full-grown brings forth death.

[16] Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. [17] Every good
endowment and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the
Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to
change. [18] Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth
that we should be a kind of first fruits of His creatures.

Commentary:

12. These words, which expand on the idea contained in verses 2-4, echo
our Lord's own words: "Blessed are you when men revile you and
persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on My
account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in Heaven"
(Matthew 5:11-12). The simile of the crown--a mark of victory and
kingship--is used to convey the idea of definitive triumph with Christ:
the Lord will appear crowned in glory (Revelation 14:14); the Woman of
the Apocalypse, symbolizing the Church and the Blessed Virgin, is also
described as crowned (cf. Revelation 12:1); and this reward is promised
to those who stay true to God in this life (cf. Revelation 2:10;
3:11). It is also to be found in other New Testament passages to
convey the idea of the ultimate reward of Heaven (cf. 1 Corinthians
9:25; 2 Timothy 4:8; 1 Peter 5:4).

This means that Christians should not be depressed or cowed by the
difficulties which God permits them to experience; on the contrary,
they should see them as a series of tests which with God's help they
should surmount in order to receive the reward of Heaven. "The Lord
does not allow His followers to experience these trials and temptations
unless it be for their greater good," St. John of Avila comments.
"[...] He disposed things in this way: endurance in adversity and
struggle against temptation prove who His friends are. For the mark of
a true friend is not that he keeps you company when times are good, but
that he stands by you in times of trial [...]. Companions in adversity
and later in the Kingdom, you should strive to fight manfully when you
meet opposition that would separate you from God, for He is your help
here on earth and your reward in Heaven" ("Audi, Filia", 29).

13-18. These verses identify the source of the temptations man
experiences: they cannot come from God but are, rather, the effect of
human concupiscence (verses 16-18).

Sometimes temptation means putting a person's faithfulness to the test;
in this sense it can be said that God "tempts" certain people, as
happened in the case of Abraham (cf. Genesis 22:1 ff). However, here
the reference is to temptation in the strict sense of incitement to
sin: God never tempts anyone in this way, He never encourages a person
to do evil (cf. Sirach 15:11-20). Therefore, we cannot attribute to
God our inclination to sin, nor can it be argued that by endowing us
with freedom He is the cause of our sin. On the contrary, the natural
and supernatural gifts we have received are resources which help us act
in a morally good way.

14-15. St. James' teaching is that the source of temptation is to be
found in our own passions. Elsewhere he says that the world (cf. 1:27;
4:4) and the devil (4:7) are causes of temptations; but to actually
commit sin the complicity of one's own evil inclinations is always
necessary.

Concupiscence ("desire"), here as elsewhere in the New Testament (cf.,
e.g., Romans 1:24; 7:7 ff; 1 John 2:16), means all the disordered
passions and appetites which, as a result of original sin, have a place
in men's hearts. Concupiscence as such is not a sin; but rather,
according to the Council of Trent, "since it is left to provide a
trial, it has no power to injure those who do not consent and who, by
the grace of Jesus Christ, manfully resist"; and if it is sometimes
called sin (cf. Romans 6:12 ff) it is "only because it is from sin and
inclines to sin" ("De Peccato Originali", 5).

Using the simile of generation St. James describes the course of sin
from the stage of temptation to that of the death of the soul. When
one gives in to the seduction of concupiscence sin is committed; this
in turn leads to spiritual death, to the soul's losing the life of
grace. This is the opposite process to the one described earlier (cf.
verses 2-12), which begins with trials (temptations in the broad sense:
cf. note on 1:2-4) and ends up in Heaven; whereas in this passage, the
process also begins with temptation but because of sin ends up with the
death of the soul. [Pope] John Paul II describes the process as
follows: "Man also knows, through painful experience, that by a
conscious and free act of the will he can change course and go in a
direction opposed to God's will, separating himself from God ("aversio
a Deo"), rejecting loving communion with Him, detaching himself from
the life-principle which God is, and consequently choosing "death"
("Reconciliatio Et Paenitentia", 17).

16-18. "The Father of lights": a reference to God as Creator of the
heavenly bodies (cf. Genesis 1:14 ff; Psalm 136:7-9) and, in the
symbolism of light, as the source of all good things, material and,
especially, spiritual. Unlike heavenly bodies, which change position
and cast shadows, there is no variation or shadow in God: no evil can
be attributed to Him (cf. verse 13), but only good things.

"First fruits of His creatures": Christians, who have been recreated by
God by "the word of truth" (the Gospel) already constitute the
beginning of the New Heaven and the New Earth (cf. Revelation 21:1) and
are a sign of hope for all mankind and for the whole of Creation (cf.
Romans 9:19-23).

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.

From: Mark 8:14-21

The Leaven of the Pharisees (Continuation)

[14] Now they had forgotten to bring bread; and they had only one loaf
with them in the boat. [15] And He (Jesus) cautioned them, saying,
"Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of
Herod." [16] And they discussed it with one another, saying, "We have no
bread." [17] And being aware of it, Jesus said to them, "Why do you
discuss the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or
understand? Are your hearts hardened? [18] Having eyes do you not see,
and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? [19] When I
broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of
broken pieces did you take up?" They said to Him, "Twelve." [20] And
the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces
did you take up?" And they said to Him, "Seven." [21] And He said to
them, "Do you not yet understand?"

Commentary:

15-16. In another Gospel passage--Luke 13:20-21 and Matthew
31:33--Jesus uses the simile of the leaven to show the vitality of His
teaching. Here "leaven" is used in the sense of bad disposition. In
the making of bread, leaven is what causes the dough to rise; the
Pharisees' hypocrisy and Herod's dissolute life, stemming from their
personal ambition, were the "leaven" which was poisoning from within
the "dough" of Israel and which would eventually corrupt it. Jesus
seeks to warn His disciples about these dangers, and to have them
understand that if they are to take in His doctrine they need a pure
and simple heart.

But the disciples fail to understand: "They weren't educated; they
weren't very bright, if we judge from their reaction to supernatural
things. Finding even the most elementary examples and comparisons
beyond their reach, they would turn to the Master and ask: `Explain the
parable to us.' When Jesus uses the image of the `leaven' of the
Pharisees, they think that He's reproaching them for not having
purchased bread....These were the disciples called by our Lord. Such
stuff is what Christ chose. And they remain just like that until they
are filled with the Holy Spirit and thus become pillars of the Church.
They are ordinary people, full of defects and shortcomings, more eager
to say than to do. Nevertheless, Jesus calls them to be fishers of
men, co-redeemers, dispensers of the grace of God" ([St] J. Escriva, "Christ
Is Passing By", 2). The same thing can happen to us. Although we may not
be very gifted, the Lord calls us, and love of God and docility to His words
will cause to grow in our souls unsuspected fruit of holiness and
supernatural effectiveness.

FEAST OF THE DAY

The seven founders of the Order of Servites are Buonfiglio Monaldo,
Alexis Falconieri, Benedict dell'Antella, Bartholomew Amidei,
Ricovera Uguccione, Geradino Sostengni and John Buonagiunta.
These prominent Florentine cloth merchants were praying together
on the Feast of the Assumption around the year 1233 when the
Virgin Mary appeared to them and called upon them to devote
themselves to her service.

These men set out to devote themselves to God through prayer and
service and maintained a special devotion to the Blessed Mother. In
1244, this group of men organized themselves and adopted a
religious life similar to that of the recently formed Dominican order.
These men became mendicant friars dependent on charity for their
daily survival and chose to follow the rule of St. Augustine.

Eventually the group, who began to call themselves Servites or
Servants of Mary, gained approval from the bishop for their rule and
their way of life. This order had a special devotion to the Seven
Sorrows of Our Lady and helped encourage the devotion to Our
Lady of Sorrows to other people. Currently, this order has more than
a thousand members and still continues its original mission
throughout the world. This date was chosen for the feast because it
was the date when the last of the Seven Founders died.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Idleness begets a life of discontent. It develops self-love, which is the
cause of all our miseries, and renders us unworthy to receive the
favors of divine love. -St. Ignatius Loyola

TODAY IN HISTORY

1714 Parliament of Paris accepts Pope Clemens XI's "Unigenitus" degree
1913 1st minimum wage law in US takes effect (Oregon)
1947 Dutch Roman Catholic bishops publish document against "godless
communism"

TODAY'S TIDBIT

The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary are, the prophecy of
Simeon; the flight into Egypt; losing Jesus in Jerusalem; meeting
Jesus on his way to Calvary; standing at the foot of the Cross; Jesus
being taken from the Cross; and the burial of Christ.

INTENTION FOR THE DAY

Please pray for all those moving to a new home.

The Word Among Us

Tuesday, February 17, 2004

Meditation
James 1:12-18

Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life. (James 1:12)

He had witnessed the leader of his group killed. A friend and protector had tried to take his life. The enemy was drawing near, and he had no idea whom he could trust! Yet Frodo Baggins was determined to complete his mission. One of the main themes in the novel, The Lord of the Rings, is heroic perseverance despite many trials. At key points in the book, we see characters finding unexpected strength and courage—all because they would not give up hope.

If this is what can happen in the world of fiction, imagine how much more we can do in the real world when we are united with Jesus, the Lord of all Creation! Perhaps there are times when we feel discouraged, lost, or beyond help. Yet Scripture assures us that God is mighty and able to save us. He is always ready to give us relief from trouble and support us in times of difficulty (Psalm 94:14-18).

How many times have we had to discover that persevering on our own strength is inadequate for the challenges we face? Our enemies are just too powerful. And yet, Jesus tells us, “Take courage, I have conquered the world!” (John 16:33). Ultimately, perseverance is not something we can drum up on our own. It happens only as we begin each day with God in prayer and Scripture reading, and it continues as we do our best to stay close to God during the day.

So how do we persevere? By claiming in faith the victory Jesus has won for us. By grasping the hem of Jesus’ garment and following him into victory. What does this mean for each of us? It means we are called to live for Jesus wherever he has placed us and in whatever he has called us to do. Are you a parent? Never stop caring for your children. Do you go to work? Never stop demonstrating Jesus’ love to those around you. Are you in a convent or monastery? Never forget that Jesus is your special possession and that every hidden act of love or prayer has amazing power to move spiritual mountains.

“Lord, give us hope in you, that we might persevere at all times.”

One Bread, One Body

All Issues > Volume 20, Number 2

<< Tuesday, February 17, 2004 >>

Seven Founders of the Servites

James 1:12-18

Psalm 94

Mark 8:14-21

View Readings

THE HOLY SPIRIT OR TOTALITARIAN DICTATORS?

“The tug and lure of his own passion tempt every man.” —James 1:14

Our desires are dangerous because they can conceive and bring forth sin (Jas 1:15). As sin grows, “it begets death” (Jas 1:15). We must control our desires, or we will live a living death (see 1 Jn 3:14).

Naturally, our desires seek to be totalitarian dictators — to dictate every aspect of our lives. Only the Lord, Who created our desires, can redeem them and free us from their determination for dictatorship. The Father through the Son sends the Holy Spirit to strongly desire in opposition to our natural, fallen desires (Gal 5:17). If we live in the Spirit (Gal 5:25) by living our Baptism, we crucify our “flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal 5:24).

Thus, life is either freedom in the Spirit or slavery to desires. “Doing our own thing” is not freedom but thinly disguised slavery. Doing God’s thing by the power of the Holy Spirit is a freedom so profound that it frees us even from death and for eternal life.

Do you want true freedom? Then you want to deny yourself (Lk 9:23) and be docile to the Holy Spirit.

Prayer: Father, may I not be foolish enough to think that slavery is freedom.

Promise: “He wills to bring us to birth with a word spoken in truth so that we may be a kind of first fruits of His creatures.” —Jas 1:18

Praise: The Servites opted for freedom by putting themselves under the authority of the Queen Mother and the King of Kings.

Homily of the Day

Homily of the Day

Title:	What Makes You Tick?
Author:	Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.
Date:	Tuesday, February 17, 2004

James 1:12-18 / Mk 8:14-21

Often when we meet someone new or when we’re observing a prominent public figure from a distance, we wonder what makes that person “tick.” What are his or her motivations? Why does he do what he does, or not do something else that would seem so obvious? What is she at the core, underneath all the masks and pretensions? We wonder and we guess, and sometimes we’re delighted and sometimes we’re appalled.

In today’s gospel, Jesus is telling us that we ought to be appalled as well as wary of getting sucked into the worldview of certain of His powerful contemporaries. “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.” The apostles thought He was talking about bread, but He was pointing to what made those people “tick” at the deepest levels. And His verdict was: All that grasping for power, and prestige, and recognition, that’s not for you! There’s no life there.

So what is it that should make us “tick”? What should be the energizing vision that moves us to do great deeds and live noble lives? Our vision should be communion, big family with all God’s people gathered around His table, with no one left outside. It’s the only vision that lasts, the only vision that will ever bring us peace.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.