Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 06-09-04, Optional, St. Ephrem

USCCB.org/New American Bible ^ | 06-09-04 | New American Bible

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June 9, 2004
Wednesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

Psalm: Wednesday 26 Reading I Responsorial Psalm Gospel

Reading I
1 Kgs 18:20-39

Ahab sent to all the children of Israel
and had the prophets assemble on Mount Carmel.

Elijah appealed to all the people and said,
"How long will you straddle the issue?
If the LORD is God, follow him; if Baal, follow him."
The people, however, did not answer him.
So Elijah said to the people,
"I am the only surviving prophet of the LORD,
and there are four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal.
Give us two young bulls.
Let them choose one, cut it into pieces, and place it on the wood,
but start no fire.
I shall prepare the other and place it on the wood,
but shall start no fire.
You shall call on your gods, and I will call on the LORD.
The God who answers with fire is God."
All the people answered, "Agreed!"

Elijah then said to the prophets of Baal,
"Choose one young bull and prepare it first,
for there are more of you.
Call upon your gods, but do not start the fire."
Taking the young bull that was turned over to them, they prepared it
and called on Baal from morning to noon, saying,
"Answer us, Baal!"
But there was no sound, and no one answering.
And they hopped around the altar they had prepared.
When it was noon, Elijah taunted them:
"Call louder, for he is a god and may be meditating,
or may have retired, or may be on a journey.
Perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened."
They called out louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears,
as was their custom, until blood gushed over them.
Noon passed and they remained in a prophetic state
until the time for offering sacrifice.
But there was not a sound;
no one answered, and no one was listening.

Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come here to me."
When the people had done so, he repaired the altar of the LORD
that had been destroyed.
He took twelve stones, for the number of tribes of the sons of Jacob,
to whom the LORD had said, "Your name shall be Israel."
He built an altar in honor of the LORD with the stones,
and made a trench around the altar
large enough for two measures of grain.
When he had arranged the wood,
he cut up the young bull and laid it on the wood.
"Fill four jars with water," he said,
"and pour it over the burnt offering and over the wood."
"Do it again," he said, and they did it again.
"Do it a third time," he said,
and they did it a third time.
The water flowed around the altar,
and the trench was filled with the water.

At the time for offering sacrifice,
the prophet Elijah came forward and said,
"LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel,
let it be known this day that you are God in Israel
and that I am your servant
and have done all these things by your command.
Answer me, LORD!
Answer me, that this people may know that you, LORD, are God
and that you have brought them back to their senses."
The LORD's fire came down
and consumed the burnt offering, wood, stones, and dust,
and it lapped up the water in the trench.
Seeing this, all the people fell prostrate and said,
"The LORD is God! The LORD is God!"

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 16:1b-2ab, 4, 5ab and 8, 11

R (1b) Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge;
I say to the LORD, "My Lord are you."
R Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
They multiply their sorrows
who court other gods.
Blood libations to them I will not pour out,
nor will I take their names upon my lips.
R Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
O LORD, my allotted portion and cup,
you it is who hold fast my lot.
I set the LORD ever before me;
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.
R Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
You will show me the path to life,
fullness of joys in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.
R Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.

Gospel
Mt 5:17-19

Jesus said to his disciples:
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.
I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,
not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter
will pass from the law,
until all things have taken place.
Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments
and teaches others to do so
will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.
But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments
will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven."

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

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From: Matthew 5:17-19


Jesus and His Teaching, the Fulfillment of the Law

---

(Jesus said to His disciples,) [17] "Think not that I have come to
abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but
to fulfill them. [18] For truly I say to you, till Heaven and earth
pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is
accomplished. [19] Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these
commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the Kingdom
of Heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great
in the Kingdom of Heaven."

---

Commentary:


17-19. In this passage Jesus stresses the perennial value of the Old
Testament. It is the word of God; because it has a divine authority it
deserves total respect. The Old Law enjoined precepts of a moral,
legal and liturgical type. Its moral precepts still hold good in the
New Testament because they are for the most part specific
divine-positive promulgations of the natural law. However, our Lord
gives them greater weight and meaning. But the legal and liturgical
precepts of the Old Law were laid down by God for a specific stage in
salvation history, that is, up to the coming of Christ; Christians are
not obliged to observe them (cf. "Summa Theologiae", I-II, q. 108, a. 3
ad 3).


The law promulgated through Moses and explained by the prophets was
God's gift to His people, a kind of anticipation of the definitive Law
which the Christ or Messiah would lay down. Thus, as the Council of
Trent defined, Jesus not only "was given to men as a redeemer in whom
they are to trust, but also as a lawgiver whom they are to obey" ("De
Iustificatione", can. 21).

---

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.

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Saint Ephrem: Doctor Of The Church

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Also spelled St. Ephraim.

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FEAST OF THE DAY

St Ephrem of Syria was born of a Christian family at Nisibis, in Syria,
around the year 306. He was ordained a deacon and provided
service throughout the country and in Edessa.

During his lifetime, St. Ephrem founded a theological school in
Nisibis and published many works. His published materiel spanned
from biblical commentaries to homilies and hymns. Many of his
hymns were well known throughout the country. To create his hymns
St. Ephrem took popular tunes and added lyrics telling Christian
teachings. Ephrem was one of the first to introduce song into the
Church's public worship as a means of instruction for the faithful.

Throughout his life St. Ephrem tirelessly preached and wrote in order
to combat errors of the time. He especially worked against the
Gnostic and Arian heresies by converting those who had accepted
them and by educating people about the errors held by these
heresies. St. Ephrem was proclaimed a doctor of the Church in 1920
and is often called "Deacon of Edessa" or "Harp of the Holy Spirit."
His writings also touch upon the subjects of the Eucharist and Mary.
St. Ephrem is the only doctor of the church from Syria. He died in
373.


QUOTE OF THE DAY

Lay me not with sweet spices,
For this honor avails me not,
Nor yet use incense and perfumes,
For the honor befits me not.
Burn yet the incense in the holy place;
As for me, escort me only with your prayers,
Give your incense to God,
And over me send up hymns.
Instead of perfumes and spices,
Be mindful of me in you intercessions. -St. Ephrem


TODAY IN HISTORY

1784 John Carroll appointed supervisor of US Catholic Missions


TODAY'S TIDBIT

In the Bible, the Holy Spirit is represented in several ways. At the
Baptism of Jesus, he is represented in the form of a dove. At
Pentecost, he is represented by the tongues of fire. The Holy Spirit is
also commonly represented by wind, and water, symbols also
present in the biblical passages mentioned above.


INTENTION FOR THE DAY

Please pray for all men ordained to the permanent deaconate.

[Salvation]

Deacon of Edessa bump!

[sinkspur]

To create his hymns St. Ephrem took popular tunes and added lyrics telling Christian teachings.

We could sure have some fun with this today.

Think Sting would let us use a couple of his melodies?

[siunevada]

Comment:

Many Catholics still find singing in church a problem, probably because of the rather individualistic piety that they inherited. Yet singing has been a tradition of both the Old and the New Testament. It is an excellent way of expressing and creating a community spirit of unity as well as joy. Ephrem's hymns, an ancient historian testifies, "lent luster to the Christian assemblies." We need some modern Ephrems—and cooperating singers—to do the same for our Christian assemblies today.

AmericanCatholic.org

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LOL! How about the Beattles?

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"Raise a joyful voice unto the Lord."

It doesn't say a good soprano, alto, tenor, baritone or bass voice.

Just a joyful voice. Everyone needs to sing joyfully, regardless of their vocal abilities in my opinion!

[Salvation]

Wednesday, June 9, 2004
Feria

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

1 Kings 18:20-39 Psalm 16:1-2, 4-5, 8, 11 Matthew 5:17-19 Don't worry about me no matter what happens in this world. Nothing can happen to me that God doesn't want. And all that He wants, no matter how bad it may appear to us, is really for the best.  -- St. Thomas More

[Salvation]

Wednesday, June 09, 2004

Meditation
I Kings 18:20-39



An old reconstructed altar, twelve stones, wood, a bull cut in pieces, all doused with twelve large jars of water. Elijah certainly knew how to be dramatic, didn’t he? But really, he was only doing what God had told him to do (1 Kings 18:36). So the logical question is, Why would God give Elijah such bizarre commands? Wouldn’t it have been enough for him just to set the bull on fire? Was God really trying to prove himself?

Unlike us—especially in our more insecure moments—God didn’t need to prove who he was. Rather, he wanted to show how extravagant his love is for his people. He wanted this amazing feat to show the people that he can overcome anything, even a sopping wet bull and waterlogged wood.

Notice how after he made the sacrifice as flame resistant as possible, he prayed, “Answer me, O Lord, so this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back” (1 Kings 18:37). Yes, God longed to turn the people’s hearts back to him. He wanted to shatter any doubt. More than showing that he is the true God, he wanted his people to know he was completely committed to them. He wanted them to know that his love had not diminished in the least, even after his people had run after false gods.

God has not changed in his love or in his desire to show himself to us. Imagine yourself to be the sacrifice on the altar. We may have given our lives to him, but our weaknesses and sins may feel like water, drenching the wood and making it impervious to the fire of his love. Nothing is impossible for God! Nothing is greater than his abundant love for us. Just as the fire he sent down consumed everything—even the stones and every drop of water—he has placed his Holy Spirit inside us to consume us with his love and presence. God isn’t hidden from us after all! What great trust and confidence we can have in him because his heart is always turned toward us!

“Father, I praise you for your overflowing, all-consuming love! I praise you for your unquenchable desire to set my heart on fire. Lord, you truly are wonderful!”

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One Bread, One Body

One Bread, One Body

All Issues > Volume 20, Number 4

<< Wednesday, June 9, 2004 >>

St. Ephrem

1 Kings 18:20-39

Psalm 16

Matthew 5:17-19

View Readings

LIGHT MY FIRE

“Elijah appealed to all the people and said, ‘How long will you straddle the issue? If the Lord is God, follow Him; if Baal, follow him.’ ” —1 Kings 18:21

The chosen people of Elijah’s time straddled the issue of total commitment to the Lord. By calling down fire from heaven (see 1 Kgs 18:24ff), Elijah tried to move the people from lukewarmness to a zealous, total commitment to the Lord. Unfortunately, although Elijah was successful in bringing down fire from heaven, he was unsuccessful in putting fire into the hearts of God’s people.

The Lord is sick of and nauseated by lukewarmness (see Rv 3:16). In total love, He died on the cross for each of us. He rightly expects us to accept the grace to love Him with all our hearts, all our souls, all our minds, and all our strength (Lk 10:27). He commands us “to stir into flame” the fire of the Holy Spirit within us (2 Tm 1:6), Whom we received in Baptism and Confirmation. “Our God is a consuming Fire” (Heb 12:29), and He lives within us (Jn 17:23). So let the fire of His presence, power, and love burn in us forever (see Lk 12:49). Let the fire of Pentecost blaze in us and from us to “renew the face of the earth” (Ps 104:30).

Prayer: Father, set our hearts on fire as Jesus interprets for us the Scriptures (Lk 24:32).

Promise: “Of this much I assure you: until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter of the law, not the smallest part of a letter, shall be done away with until it all comes true.” —Mt 5:18

Praise: Living in a cave by choice, St. Ephrem was so wholehearted for God that he was eventually declared a Doctor of the Church.

[Salvation]

American Cathlic's Saint of the Day

June 9, 2004

St. Ephrem

(306?-373)

Poet, teacher, orator and defender of the faith, Ephrem is the only Syrian recognized as a doctor of the Church. He took upon himself the special task of opposing the many false doctrines rampant at his time, always remaining a true and forceful defender of the Catholic Church.

Born in Nisibis, Mesopotamia, he was baptized as a young man and became famous as a teacher in his native city. When the Christian emperor had to cede Nisibis to the Persians, Ephrem, along with many Christians, fled as a refugee to Edessa. He is credited with attracting great glory to the biblical school there. He was ordained a deacon but declined becoming a priest (and was said to have avoided episcopal consecration by feigning madness!).

He had a prolific pen and his writings best illumine his holiness. Although he was not a man of great scholarship, his works reflect deep insight and knowledge of the Scriptures. In writing about the mysteries of humanity’s redemption, Ephrem reveals a realistic and humanly sympathetic spirit and a great devotion to the humanity of Jesus. It is said that his poetic account of the Last Judgment inspired Dante.

It is surprising to read that he wrote hymns against the heretics of his day. He would take the popular songs of the heretical groups and, using their melodies, compose beautiful hymns embodying orthodox doctrine. Ephrem became one of the first to introduce song into the Church’s public worship as a means of instruction for the faithful. His many hymns have earned him the title “Harp of the Holy Spirit.”

He preferred a simple, austere life, living in a small cave overlooking the city of Edessa. It was here he died around 373.

Comment:

Many Catholics still find singing in church a problem, probably because of the rather individualistic piety that they inherited. Yet singing has been a tradition of both the Old and the New Testament. It is an excellent way of expressing and creating a community spirit of unity as well as joy. Ephrem's hymns, an ancient historian testifies, "lent luster to the Christian assemblies." We need some modern Ephrems—and cooperating singers—to do the same for our Christian assemblies today.

Quote:

Lay me not with sweet spices,
For this honor avails me not,
Nor yet use incense and perfumes,
For the honor befits me not.
Burn yet the incense in the holy place;
As for me, escort me only with your prayers,
Give ye your incense to God,
And over me send up hymns.
Instead of perfumes and spices,
Be mindful of me in your intercessions.
(From The Testament of St. Ephrem)

[Salvation]

Homily of the Day

Homily of the Day

Title:	Just Say Yes!
Author:	Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.
Date:	Wednesday, June 9, 2004

1 Kings 18:20-39 / Mt 5:17-19

The New York Times recently reprinted a few lines from the will of a renaissance gentleman who left to a "friend" all of his own leftover oaths and promises because, he said, it was obvious that his friend had "never kept any of his own!" Fidelity and commitment are qualities we say we treasure, but sometimes they seem in awfully short supply.

It has always been thus, and so it's no surprise when we hear the prophet Elijah saying to the people in today's Old Testament reading, "How long will you straddle the issue? If the Lord is God, follow Him. If Baal, follow him."

It's not only politicians who are chronic fence-straddlers. Too much of the time, we ourselves are neither off nor on, in nor out. Jesus had a clear response to that ailment: "Be either hot or cold. If you are lukewarm, I will spit you out of my mouth."

It's time to make a choice about the Lord and about your life. Don't stall and don't quibble anymore. Just say "yes." It will be the beginning of a new life.

 

 

[siunevada]

Everyone needs to sing joyfully, regardless of their vocal abilities in my opinion!

I have a rather low opinion of my singing ability. I still sing.

[Salvation]

**I still sing.**

Wonderful!

[Salvation]

The Prayer of St. Ephrem the Syrian

O Lord and Master of my life, give me not a spirit of sloth, vain curiosity, lust for power, and idle talk.

But give to me Thy servant a spirit of soberness, humility, patience, and love.

O Lord and King, grant me to see my own faults and not to condemn my brother:
For blessed art Thou to the ages of ages. Amen

[siunevada]

Also spelled St. Ephraim.

An excerpt from an Eastern website (www.roca.org):

St. Ephraim was born early in the fourth century in the ancient city of Nisibis in Mesopotamia, where the Roman Empire bordered on the Persian Kingdem. At one time Mesopotamia belonged to Syria and for this reason St. Ephraim is known as "the Syrian." He was born of Christian parents before the Edict of Milan was issued (313), establishing official toleration of religion, and, as he later wrote, his ancestors "confessed Christ before the judge; I am related to martyrs."

When he was still a baby, his parents had a prophetic dream: from the boy's tongue sprang a lush vine which produced abundant clusters of grapes. The more the birds ate the fruit, the more it multiplied. Later it was revealed that these clusters were his sermons, the leaves of the vine--his hymns.

Remember not O Lord the sins of my youth. (Ps. 25:7)

Judging from his youth, however, one could never have guessed his future greatness. In spite of his parents' having educated him in Christian precepts, he was impetuous and even rather wild, like an unruly colt which resists the bridle: "I would quarrel over trifles, acted foolishly, gave in to bad impulses and lustful thoughts .... My youth nearly convinced me that life is ruled by chance. But God's Providence brought my impassioned youth to the light of wisdom." He relates the story of his conversion:

"One day my parents sent me out of town and I found a pregnant cow feeding along the road. I took up stones and began pelting the cow, driving it into the woods till evening when it fell down dead. During the night it was eaten by wild beasts. On my way back, I met the poor owner of the cow. 'My son,' he asked, 'did you drive away my cow?' I not only denied it, but heaped abuse and insult upon the poor man."

A few days later he was idling with some shepherds. When it grew too late to return home, he spent the night with them. That night some sheep were stolen and the boy was accused of being in league with the robbers. He was taken before the magistrate and cast into prison. In a dream an angel appeared to Ephraim and asked him why he was there. The boy began at once to declare that he was, innocent. "Yes," said the angel, "you are innocent of the crime imputed to you, but have you forgotten the poor man's cow?"

When Ephraim saw the tortures to which criminals were subjected, he became terrified. He turned to God and vowed that he would become a monk if God would spare him such a cruel ordeal. The magistrate, however, just laughed at the youth's tears and ordered that he be stretched on the rack.

But just then a servant came to announce that dinner was ready. "Very well," said the magistrate, "I will examine the boy another day." And he ordered him back to prison. Providentially, the next time the magistrate saw Ephraim, he thought he had been punished enough and dismissed him. Although he was spared the rack, Ephraim had learned his lesson and, like the Prophet David, he entreated the Lord to overlook his youthful folly. True to his vow, upon his release he went straightway to the hermits living in the mountains where he became a disciple of St. James (Jan. 12), who later became a great bishop of Nisibis.

Born again in repentance, Ephraim began to train as an athelete of virtues, exorcizing himself in the study of the Holy Scriptures and in prayer and fasting. The passionate and wayward youth was transformed into a humble and contrite monk, weeping day and night for his sins and entirely surrendered to God. Ephraim's earnest resolve pleased the Lord Who rewarded him with the gifts of wisdom; grace flowed from his mouth like a sweet stream, in fulfillment of his parents' dream.

St. James recognized his disciple's God given talents, and as a bishop he entrusted Ephraim with preaching the Word of God and instructing children in school. In 325 he took Ephraim with him to the First Ecumenical Council in Nicea. Returning to Nisibis, Ephraim continued with his missionary work until 363 when the Persians conquered the city and most of its Christian inhabitants departed.