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This sounds beautiful. Wish I could hear the music.

One Bread, One Body

<< Wednesday, May 25, 2005 >>

Venerable Bede
Pope St. Gregory VII
St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi

Sirach 36:1, 4-5, 10-17

Psalm 79

Mark 10:32-45

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NOT ME

“It cannot be like that with you.” —Mark 10:43

Christian leaders are to be totally different from worldly leaders. We are to stand out in an obvious contrast to worldly leaders in many ways, such as:

trusting God to provide what we need (Mt 6:10), rather than building our own financial security,
giving rather than saving,
surrendering control to God rather than amassing control (Lk 1:38),
serving humbly from weakness (Mk 10:43; 2 Cor 12:9-10) rather than ruling from a position of strength,
praising God rather than receiving praise ourselves (Mt 6:5),
giving even our lives for the problem people we lead, rather than getting rid of them (Mk 10:45),
serving “the needs of all” — directly and personally (Mk 10:44),
showing no favoritism (Jas 2:1), but treating all with the same interest and love, and
being always ready to hand over the leadership role to another if God requires.

Those in the world who “exercise authority lord it over them” (Mk 10:42). “It cannot be like that with you” (Mk 10:43).

Prayer: Father, “reward those who have hoped in You, and let Your prophets be proved true” (Sir 36:15).

Promise: “The Son of Man has not come to be served but to serve — to give His life in ransom for the many.” —Mk 10:45

Praise: St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi had to persevere through long periods of spiritual barrenness. Her relentless love of Jesus enabled her to endure her crosses.

I just rechecked the link on the tune name (near the bottom of my post) and it is working. Click it and you will hear the music. It is the same tune often used with the hymn "All Creatures of our God and King" based on St. Francis' "Brother Sun..." prayer.