Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 03-13-04

USCCB.org/New American Bible ^ | 03-13-04 | New American Bible

[Salvation]

March 13, 2004
Saturday of the Second Week of Lent

Psalm: Saturday 13 Reading I Responsorial Psalm Gospel

Reading I
Mi 7:14-15, 18-20

Shepherd your people with your staff,
the flock of your inheritance,
That dwells apart in a woodland,
in the midst of Carmel.
Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead,
as in the days of old;
As in the days when you came from the land of Egypt,
show us wonderful signs.

Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt
and pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance;
Who does not persist in anger forever,
but delights rather in clemency,
And will again have compassion on us,
treading underfoot our guilt?
You will cast into the depths of the sea all our sins;
You will show faithfulness to Jacob,
and grace to Abraham,
As you have sworn to our fathers
from days of old.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12

R (8a) The Lord is kind and merciful.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.
R The Lord is kind and merciful.
He pardons all your iniquities,
he heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
he crowns you with kindness and compassion.
R The Lord is kind and merciful.
He will not always chide,
nor does he keep his wrath forever.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes.
R The Lord is kind and merciful.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.
R The Lord is kind and merciful.

Gospel
Lk 15:1-3, 11-32

Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus,
but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying,
"This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."
So to them Jesus addressed this parable.
"A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father,
‘Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.'
So the father divided the property between them.
After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings
and set off to a distant country
where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation.
When he had freely spent everything,
a severe famine struck that country,
and he found himself in dire need.
So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens
who sent him to his farm to tend the swine.
And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed,
but nobody gave him any.
Coming to his senses he thought,
‘How many of my father's hired workers
have more than enough food to eat,
but here am I, dying from hunger.
I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him,
"Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
I no longer deserve to be called your son;
treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers."'
So he got up and went back to his father.
While he was still a long way off,
his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion.
He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.
His son said to him,
‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you;
I no longer deserve to be called your son.'
But his father ordered his servants,
‘Quickly, bring the finest robe and put it on him;
put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
Take the fattened calf and slaughter it.
Then let us celebrate with a feast,
because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again;
he was lost, and has been found.'
Then the celebration began.
Now the older son had been out in the field
and, on his way back, as he neared the house,
he heard the sound of music and dancing.
He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean.
The servant said to him,
‘Your brother has returned
and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf
because he has him back safe and sound.'
He became angry,
and when he refused to enter the house,
his father came out and pleaded with him.
He said to his father in reply,
‘Look, all these years I served you
and not once did I disobey your orders;
yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends.
But when your son returns
who swallowed up your property with prostitutes,
for him you slaughter the fattened calf.'
He said to him,
‘My son, you are here with me always;
everything I have is yours.
But now we must celebrate and rejoice,
because your brother was dead and has come to life again;
he was lost and has been found.'"

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

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Alleluia Ping!

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Sorry, I'm so late this morning.

I got very involved in a thead over here.

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From: Luke 15:1-3; 11-32

Parables of God's Mercy

---

[1] Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear
Him (Jesus). [2] And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying,
"This man receives sinners and eats with them."

The Prodigal Son

---

[3] So He told them this parable: [11] "There was a man who had two
sons; [12] and the younger of them said to his father, `Father, give me
the share of property that falls to me.' And he divided his living
between them. [13] Not many days later, the younger son gathered all
he had and took his journey into a far country, and there he squandered
his property in loose living. [14] And when he had spent everything, a
great famine arose in that country, and he began to be in want. [15]
So he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country,
who sent him into his fields to feed swine. [16] And he would gladly
have fed on the pods that the swine ate; and no one gave him anything.
[17] But when he came to himself he said, `How can many of my father's
hired servants have bread enough and to spare, but I perish here with
hunger! [18] I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him,
"Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before you; [19] I am no
longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired
servants.'" [20] And he arose and came to his father. But while he
was yet at a distance, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran
and embraced him and kissed him. [21] And the son said to him,
`Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before you; I am no longer
worthy to be called your son.' [22] But the father said to his
servants, `Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a
ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; [23] and bring the fatted calf
and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; [24] for this my son was
dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began
to make merry.

[25] "Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near
to the house, he heard music and dancing. [26] And he called one of
the servants and asked what this meant. [27] And he said to him, `Your
brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because
he has received him safe and sound.' [28] But he was angry and refused
to go in. His father came out and entreated him, [29] but he answered
his father, `Lo, these many years I have served you, and I never
disobeyed your command; yet you never gave me a kid, that I might make
merry with my friends. [30] But when this son of yours came, who has
devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted
calf!' [31] And he said to him, `Son, you are always with me, and all
that is mine is yours. [32] It was fitting to make merry and be glad,
for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is
found.'"

---

Commentary:

1-32. Jesus' actions manifest God's mercy: He receives sinners in order
to convert them. The scribes and Pharisees, who despised sinners, just
cannot understand why Jesus acts like this; they grumble about Him; and
Jesus uses the opportunity to tell these Mercy parables. "The Gospel
writer who particularly treats of these themes in Christ's teaching is
Luke, whose Gospel has earned the title of `the Gospel of mercy'"
([Pope] John Paul II, "Dives In Misericordia", 3).

In this chapter St. Luke reports three of these parables in which Jesus
describes the infinite, fatherly mercy of God and His joy at the
conversion of the sinner.

The Gospel teaches that no one is excluded from forgiveness and that
sinners can become beloved children of God if they repent and are
converted. So much does God desire the conversion of sinners that each
of these parables ends with a refrain, as it were, telling of the great
joy in Heaven over a sinner who repents.

1-2. This is not the first time that publicans and sinners approach
Jesus (cf. Matthew 9:10). They are attracted by the directness of the
Lord's preaching and by His call to self-giving and love. The
Pharisees in general were jealous of His influence over the people
(cf. Matthew 26:2-5; John 11:47) a jealousy which can also beset
Christians; a severity of outlook which does not accept that, no
matter how great his sins may have been, a sinner can change and become
a saint; a blindness which prevents a person from recognizing and
rejoicing over the good done by others. Our Lord criticized this
attitude when He replied to His disciples' complaints about others
casting out devils in His name: "Do not forbid him; for no one who does
a mighty work in My name will be able soon after to speak evil of Me"
(Mark 9:39). And St. Paul rejoiced that others proclaimed Christ and
even overlooked the fact they did so out of self-interest, provided
Christ was preached (cf. Philippians 1:17-18).

11. This is one of Jesus' most beautiful parables, which teaches us
once more that God is a kind and understanding Father (cf. Matthew 6:8;
Romans 8:15; 2 Corinthians 1:3). The son who asks for his part of the
inheritance is a symbol of the person who cuts himself off from God
through sin. "Although the word `mercy' does not appear, this parable
nevertheless expresses the essence of the divine mercy in a
particularly clear way" ([Pope] John Paul II, "Dives In Misericordia",
5).

12. "That son, who receives from the father the portion of the
inheritance that is due him and leaves home to squander it in a far
country `in loose living', in a certain sense is the man of every
period, beginning with the one who was the first to lose the
inheritance of grace and original justice. The analogy at this point
is very wide-ranging. The parable indirectly touches upon every breach
of the covenant of love, every loss of grace, every sin" ("Dives In
Misericordia", 5).

14-15. At this point in the parable we are shown the unhappy effects of
sin. The young man's hunger evokes the anxiety and emptiness a person
feels when he is far from God. The prodigal son's predicament
describes the enslavement which sin involves (cf. Romans 1:25; 6:6;
Galatians 5:1): by sinning one loses the freedom of the children of God
(cf. Romans 8:21; Galatians 4:31; 5:13) and hands oneself over the
power of Satan.

17-21. His memory of home and his conviction that his father loves him
cause the prodigal son to reflect and to decide to set out on the right
road. "Human life is in some way a constant returning to our Father's
house. We return through contrition, through the conversion of heart
which means a desire to change, a firm decision to improve our life and
which, therefore, is expressed in sacrifice and self-giving. We return
to our Father's house by means of that sacrament of pardon in which, by
confessing our sins, we put on Jesus Christ again and become His
brothers, members of God's family" ([St] J. Escriva, "Christ is Passing By", 64).

20-24. God always hopes for the return of the sinner; He wants him to
repent. When the young man arrives home his father does not greet him
with reproaches but with immense compassion, which causes him to
embrace his son and cover him with kisses.

20. "There is no doubt that in this simple but penetrating analogy the
figure of the father reveals to us God as Father. The conduct of the
father in the parable and his whole behavior, which manifests his
internal attitude, enables us to rediscover the individual threads of
the Old Testament vision of mercy in a synthesis which is totally new,
full of simplicity and depth. The father of the prodigal son is
FAITHFUL TO THIS FATHERHOOD, FAITHFUL TO THE LOVE that he had always
lavished on his son. This fidelity is expressed in the parable not
only by his immediate readiness to welcome him home when he returns
after having squandered his inheritance; it is expressed even more
fully by that joy, that merrymaking for the squanderer after his
return, merrymaking which is so generous that it provokes the
opposition and hatred of the elder brother, who had never gone far away
from his father and had never abandoned the home.

"The father's fidelity to himself [...] is at the same time expressed
in a manner particularly charged with affection. We read, in fact,
that when the father saw the prodigal son returning home `he had
COMPASSION, ran to meet him, threw his arms around his neck and kissed
him.' He certainly does this under the influence of a deep affection,
and this also explains his generosity towards his son, that generosity
which so angers the elder son" ("Dives In Misericordia", 6).

"When God runs towards us, we cannot keep silent, but with St. Paul we
exclaim, "ABBA PATER": `Father, my Father!' (Romans 8:15), for, though
He is the creator of the universe, He doesn't mind our not using
high-sounding titles, nor worry about our not acknowledging His
greatness. He wants us to call Him Father; He wants us to savor that
word, our souls filling with joy [...].

"God is waiting for us, like the father in the parable, with open arms,
even though we don't deserve it. It doesn't matter how great our debt
is. Just like the prodigal son, all we have to do is open our heart,
to be homesick for our Father's house, to wonder at and rejoice in the
gift which God makes us of being able to call ourselves His children,
of really being His children, even though our response to Him has been
so poor" ([St] J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 64).

25-30. God's mercy is so great that man cannot grasp it: as we can see
in the case of the elder son, who thinks his father loves the younger
son excessively, his jealousy prevents him from understanding how his
father can do so much to celebrate the recovery of the prodigal; it
cuts him off from the joy that the whole family feels. "It's true that
he was a sinner. But don't pass so final a judgment on him. Have pity
in your heart, and don't forget that he may yet be an Augustine, while
you remain just another mediocrity" ([St] J. Escriva, "The Way", 675).

We should also consider that if God has compassion towards sinners, He
must have much much more towards those who strive to be faithful to
Him. St. Therese of Lisieux understood this very well: "What joy to
remember that our Lord is just; that He makes allowances for all our
shortcomings, and knows full well how weak we are. What have I to fear
then? Surely the God of infinite justice who pardons the prodigal son
with such mercy will be just with me `who am always with Him'?" ("The
Story of a Soul", Chapter 8).

32. "Mercy, as Christ has presented it in the parable of the prodigal
son, has THE INTERIOR FORM OF THE LOVE that in the New Testament is
called AGAPE. This love is able to reach down to every prodigal son,
to every human misery, and above all to every form of moral misery, to
sin. When this happens, the person who is the object of mercy does not
feel humiliated, but rather found again and `restored to value'. The
father first and foremost expresses to him his joy, that he has been
`found again' and that he has `returned to life'. This joy indicates a
good that has remained intact: even if he is a prodigal, a son does not
cease to be truly his father's son; it also indicates a good that has
been found again, which in the case of the prodigal son was his return
to the truth about himself" ("Dives In Misericordia", 6).

---

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.

[Salvation]

FEAST OF THE DAY

St. Euphrasia was born in the fourth century to a noble Christian
family. While she was still very young, the emperor, a relative of her
father, arranged a marriage for her. Because she was far to young
for marriage, Euphrasia was brought by her family to Egypt to wait
for the year of her marriage date and receive an education. The
family settled in a town near a group of cloistered nuns.

Around the age of seven, Euphrasia became deeply interested in the
lives of these nuns and did all she could to imitate them. After asking
permission from her mother, Euphrasia entered the convent. At the
age of twelve, Euphrasia was asked to return to the capital in order
to be married. Not wishing to give up the monastic life, Euphrasia
wrote a letter to the emperor pleading to be allowed to remain and
also asking that her dowry be distributed in charity.

The emperor granted her request and Euphrasia spent the rest of
her life happily worshiping God in the convent. Euphrasia died
around the year 420 ending a life that sought perfection and union
with God.


QUOTE OF THE DAY

Alms are an inheritance and a justice which is due to the poor and
which Jesus has levied upon us. -St. Francis of Assisi


TODAY IN HISTORY

483 Pope St. Felix III begins his reign
1904 The statue "The Christ of the Andes", located on the Argentina-Chile
border, formally dedicated.


TODAY'S TIDBIT

The three traditional ways of dedicating ourselves to the Lord during
the season of Lent are through prayer, fasting and almsgiving. All of
these actions serve to remind us of the great love that the Father has
for us and also remind us of the needs of our neighbors.


INTENTION FOR THE DAY

Please pray for all married peopl

[Salvation]

Please pray for all married people.

Interesting intention today. (or am I just being too cynical this morning?)

[Salvation]

Thought for the Day

The first step to be taken by one who wishes to follow Christ is, according to Our Lord's own words, that of renouncing himself - that is, his own senses, his own passions, his own will, his own judgement, and all the movements of nature, making to God a sacrifice of all these things, and of all their acts, which are surely sacrifices very acceptable to the Lord. And we must never grow weary of this; for if anyone having, so to speak, one foot already in Heaven, should abandon this exercise, when the time should come for him to put the other there, he would run much risk of being lost.

 -- St. Vincent de Paul

[Salvation]

Here are some other links about Lent:

The Holy Season of Lent Daily Reflections and Prayers

The Holy Season of Lent -- Fast and Abstinence

The Holy Season of Lent -- The Stations of the Cross

[Suffering] His Pain Like Mine Lent and Fasting

Ash Wednesday

All About Lent

Kids and Holiness: Making Lent Meaningful to Children

Mardi Gras' Catholic Roots [Shrove Tuesday]

You Are the Potter, We Are the Clay - Lent 2004, East and West

[Askel5]

---

As he stood there feeding those pigs, the prodigal son was a pearl before swine. But who knew it Only his father.

Only the one who generated him knew how precious he was. Only the one whose love was imbued with mercy and forgiveness … even when he disciplined.

Only the one who was willing to overlook what was worst about his child so that the experience of the father's love would make it better. Transform it.

The prodigal son knew he had to get back to his father – to where he belonged. And he knew being home was the last thing on earth he deserved. Miraculously, he decided to go anyway.

Thank God.

What if he had said as we often do, "No, I've done too many things wrong …. It won't make any difference … My sins don't matter anyway," and other lies. Hunger would have become despair.

However, he is wise enough to know one true thing: he needs to confess his sins. "Father, I have sinned against God and you."

The father responds by kissing his child. That kiss is like the breath of life that God breathed into Adam. The kiss turns the prodigal son into the pearl of great price.

"Bless me Father, for I have sinned … "

---

Father Peter John Cameron, O.P.
Magnificat Lenten Companion

Lord Jesus, help me to be sorry for my sins
and to make a good confession in the sacrament of penance.

[Salvation]

Wonderful reflection. Thank you.

[Salvation]

The Word Among Us

Saturday, March 13, 2004 Meditation Luke 15:1-3,11-32 You are always with me, and everything I have is yours. (Luke 15:31) The elder son really seems to have missed the point! Although he was free the whole time, he acted as if he were a slave in his father’s house. Mind you, he didn’t wander off or disobey as his brother did, but his lack of vision cost him quite a bit. In jealousy and resentment, he complained about never being able to throw a party for his friends, but he missed the fact that his father had never withheld anything from him. If he had only asked, he could have had anything he wanted or needed. But he was so caught up with working that he missed the opportunity to love—either to give it or to receive it. Sadly, his lack of vision prevented him from experiencing the relationship with his father that was his birthright. How many of us act that way? God says to each of us, “All I have is yours,” yet we find ourselves caught up with working hard and considering what we claim to be entitled to for our faithfulness. We behave like employees, not friends, not children or heirs of the Father. And because we have accepted such a small vision for our lives, we miss out on experiencing God’s powerful yet tender fatherly love. O that we would learn how generous our God is! It’s easy to think that God is only interested in the “prodigals.” We may even think that he gives them all the mercy and miracles and that he forgets those who have tried to remain faithful their whole lives. But nothing could be further from the truth. The Father loves those of us who are “elder sons” just as much. God has made us heirs of an eternal inheritance that comes with promises and blessings that we can stand on and enjoy every day. May we move away from a sense of joyless duty, from a sense of fear and suspicion of God’s intentions, to embrace a relationship of love. May we learn to trust in the magnanimous love of our Father and be grateful for his many blessings. “Father, how wonderful your love is for me! Thank you for your abundant provision. Thank you for calling me home and drawing me into your loving embrace!”

[Salvation]

One Bread, One Body

One Bread, One Body

All Issues > Volume 20, Number 2

<< Saturday, March 13, 2004 >>

Micah 7:14-15, 18-20

Psalm 103

Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

View Readings

A GUILT TRIP TO JESUS

“Who is there like You, the God Who removes guilt and pardons sin for the remnant of His inheritance?” —Micah 7:18

Guilt is the spiritual counterpart to physical pain. Both pain and guilt cry out to be stopped as soon as possible. The only good way to stop guilt is to repent and believe that the Lord treads underfoot our guilt, casts “into the depths of the sea all our sins” (Mi 7:19), and removes our sins from us “as far as the east is from the west” (Ps 103:12).

If we don’t go on a “guilt trip” to the Lord, we may try to repress or deny our guilt. This self-deception has such dire consequences as self-hatred, rage, various addictions, and other avenues of self-destruction, even directly committing suicide.

When some people refuse to repent and also see how humanly impossible it is to deal with guilt, they decide to stop any more guilt from starting. They do this by killing their consciences and surrendering the ability to know right from wrong. These people live in a preview of hell where they pretend there is no good or bad, right or wrong. Random violence and senseless injustices punctuate the lives of these people. They not only degrade themselves but also damage many other lives.

Let us in thanksgiving turn to Jesus and repent. “He is an Offering for our sins, and not for our sins only, but for those of the whole world” (1 Jn 2:2).

Prayer: Father, may I go to Confession frequently and joyfully. Make me a minister of reconciliation (2 Cor 5:18).

Promise: “But we had to celebrate and rejoice! This brother of yours was dead, and has come back to life. He was lost, and is found.” —Lk 15:32

Praise: Suicide seemed reasonable until Thomas was led to share his thoughts with a Christian brother, who led him to a greater hope and trust in the risen Lord.

[Salvation]

Homily of the Day

Homily of the Day

Title:	There Is a Door That Needs to Be Opened Now
Author:	Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.
Date:	Saturday, March 13, 2004

Lk 13:1-9

The son of a poor widow struck it rich, and he wanted to do something special for his mother. So he went to a pet shop and asked for the rarest, most expensive pet in the place. The owner showed him a rare parrot that could recite the Ten Commandments and the Lord's Prayer in English, Latin, and ancient Aramaic, and it was only $50,000.

"Nothing's too good for my dear mother," said the man. So he bought the bird and shipped it to her. The next day he called her. "Did you get the bird I sent?" he asked.

"I surely did, son," she replied. "Thank-you, dear boy. It was delicious!"

+ + +

We don't always see things very clearly! We miss so much, especially the good stuff. Too often we're just like that old woman who never realized all the nifty things her parrot could do.

God is not like that. What do you think is the first thing He sees when he looks at us? It's exactly what any good father sees, and that is all the good that's growing in His children and all the things we've already succeeded in getting right.

God sees all this and wants us to see it too. He wants us to see that in so many ways most of us really have been getting better. And why is it so important for us to see this? Because there's still a lot of work, a lot of growing up for all of us.

God doesn't want us to lose heart. He wants us to know that, with His help, we can open the next door without being afraid of what we'll find. Whatever we find we can work on together, just as we have in the past.

Much of what remains for us to do is still invisible to us - though probably not to those around us. So Jesus is urging us in today's gospel to take a closer look at ourselves. "Re-pent," He says, which means, "Re-think what you're about."

He's not asking us to complete our whole life's work in the next thirty days. He IS saying that for each of us, there is a door that needs to be opened now. There is in us something specific that's ready to be re-thought, re-formed, and re-shaped now.

If we pay attention, the Lord will show us what that is. And He'll give us the wisdom and the courage to walk through the right door and to do what needs to be done there.

So listen carefully. Let Him take you by the hand. Walk with confidence through that next door. You'll be glad you did, because your life is about to get a lot better!