Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 08-09-05, Opt. St. Teresa Benedicta (Edith Stein)

USCCB.org/New American Bible ^ | 08-09-05 | New American Bible

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August 9, 2005
Tuesday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Psalm: Tuesday 35

Reading I
Dt 31:1-8

When Moses had finished speaking to all Israel, he said to them,
"I am now one hundred and twenty years old
and am no longer able to move about freely;
besides, the LORD has told me that I shall not cross this Jordan.
It is the LORD, your God, who will cross before you;
he will destroy these nations before you,
that you may supplant them.
It is Joshua who will cross before you, as the Lord promised.
The LORD will deal with them just as he dealt with Sihon and Og,
the kings of the Amorites whom he destroyed,
and with their country.
When, therefore, the LORD delivers them up to you,
you must deal with them exactly as I have ordered you.
Be brave and steadfast; have no fear or dread of them,
for it is the LORD, your God, who marches with you;
he will never fail you or forsake you."

Then Moses summoned Joshua and in the presence of all Israel
said to him, "Be brave and steadfast,
for you must bring this people into the land
which the LORD swore to their fathers he would give them;
you must put them in possession of their heritage.
It is the LORD who marches before you;
he will be with you and will never fail you or forsake you.
So do not fear or be dismayed."

Responsorial Psalm
Deuteronomy 32:3-4ab, 7, 8, 9 and 12

R. (9a) The portion of the Lord is his people.
For I will sing the LORD's renown.
Oh, proclaim the greatness of our God!
The Rock–how faultless are his deeds,
how right all his ways!
R. The portion of the Lord is his people.
Think back on the days of old,
reflect on the years of age upon age.
Ask your father and he will inform you,
ask your elders and they will tell you.
R. The portion of the Lord is his people.
When the Most High assigned the nations their heritage,
when he parceled out the descendants of Adam,
He set up the boundaries of the peoples
after the number of the sons of Israel.
R. The portion of the Lord is his people.
While the LORD's own portion was Jacob,
his hereditary share was Israel.
The LORD alone was their leader,
no strange god was with him.
R. The portion of the Lord is his people.

Gospel
Mt 18:1-5, 10, 12-14

The disciples approached Jesus and said,
"Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?"
He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said,
"Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children,
you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven.
Whoever becomes humble like this child
is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.
And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.

"See that you do not despise one of these little ones,
for I say to you that their angels in heaven
always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.
What is your opinion?
If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray,
will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills
and go in search of the stray?
And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it
than over the ninety-nine that did not stray.
In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father
that one of these little ones be lost."

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

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Alleluia Ping!

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My Journey With St. Edith Stein

First Documents Emerge From Vatican Archives, Including Letter From Edith Stein

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Who is St. Teresa Benedicta (Edith Stein)

“A German Jewish convert who became a Carmelite and was killed at Auschwitz.”

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From: Deuteronomy 31:1-8


Joshua and His Mission

---

[1] So Moses continued to speak these words to all Israel. [2] And he said
to them, "I am a hundred and twenty years old this day; I am no longer able
to go out and come in. The LORD has said to me, 'You shall not go over this
Jordan.' [3] The LORD your God himself will go over before you; he will
destroy these nations before you, so that you shall dispossess them; and
Joshua will go over at your head, as the LORD has spoken. [4] And the LORD
will do to them as he did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, and to
their land, when he destroyed them. [5] And the LORD will give them over to
you, and you shall do to them according to all the commandment which I have
commanded you. [6] Be strong and of good courage, do not fear or be in dread
of them: for it is the Lord your God who goes with you; he will not fail you
or forsake you."


[7] Then Moses summoned Joshua, and said to him in the sight of all Israel,
"Be strong and of good courage; for you shall go with this people into the
land which the LORD has sworn to their
fathers to give them; and you shall put them in possession of it. [8] It is
the LORD who goes before you; he will be with you, he will not fail you or
forsake you; do not fear or be dismayed."

---

Commentary:


31:1-34:12. These chapters form a conclusion which seems to refer not just
to Deuteronomy but to the entire Pentateuch. The last editor of the text has
availed himself of material from earlier traditions (more from some than
from others).


The predominant type of material here is what we might call "historical",
including (as is common to both Eastern and Classical history writing) a
number of poetic pieces, notably the "Song of Moses" (32:1-43) and the
"Blessing of Moses" (33:2-29). The narrative sections cover the last days of
Moses, and the appointment of Joshua and his mission (31:1-9,14-15), the
ceremonial reading of the Law (31:9-13) and the death of the great deliverer
of Israel. (chap. 34).


31:1-8. Joshua will take over the leadership of Israel from Moses (cf. also
vv. 14, 23) and will bring about the conquest of the promised land.


The one hundred and twenty years of Moses' life are divided into three
periods of forty years each--in Egypt (Acts 7:28), in Midian (Ex 7:7) and in
the desert. It could be that the number forty is meant to indicate a
generation; but it is not easy to say exactly what the hagiographer had in
mind. Anyway, the three phases in the great lawgiver's life are fairly clear
to see. In each of them God made manifest his power and his choice of Moses,
and at every stage Moses proved docile and effective.

---

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]

From: Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14


The "Little Ones" and the Kingdom. The Lost Sheep

---

[1] At that time, the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is the
greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?" [2] And calling to Him a child, He
put him in the midst of them, [3] and said, "Truly, I say to you,
unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the
Kingdom of Heaven. [4] Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is
the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.


[5] "Whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me.


[10] "See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell
you that in Heaven their angels always behold the face of My Father who
is in Heaven.


[12] "What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them
has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go
in search of the one that went astray? [13] And if he finds it, truly,
I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that
never went astray. [14] So it is not the will of My Father who is in
Heaven that one of these little ones should perish."

---

Commentary:


1-35. The teachings of Jesus recorded in chapter 18 of St. Matthew are
often called the "discourse on the Church" or "ecclesiastical
discourse" because they are a series of instructions on the way in
which His Church is to be administered.


The first passage (Matthew 18:1-5), addressed to leaders, that is, the
future hierarchy of the Church, warns them against natural tendencies
to pride and ambition: even though they have positions of government,
they must act with humility. In verses 6-10 Jesus emphasizes the
fatherly care which pastors of the Church should have for the "little
ones"--a term which covers everyone in need of special care for
whatever reason (because they are recent converts, or are not well
grounded in Church teaching, or are not yet adults, etc.)... God takes
special care of the weak and will punish those who harm them.


Our Lord shows similar concern for those who are experiencing spiritual
difficulties. Every effort, even an heroic effort, must be made to
seek out the "lost sheep" (verses 12-14). If the Church in general and
each Christian in particular should be concerned to spread the Gospel,
all the more reason for them to try and see that those who already
embraced the faith do not go astray...


Thus, the whole of Chapter 18, the "discourse of the Church", is a
survey of the future history of the Church during its earthly stage,
and a series of practical rules for conduct for Christians--a kind of
complement to the Sermon on the Mount, (Chapters 5-7), which is a
"magna carta" for the new Kingdom established by Christ.


1-6. Clearly the disciples still suffer from human ambition: they want
to occupy key positions when Jesus comes to establish the Kingdom on
earth (cf. Acts 1:6). To correct their pride, our Lord shows them a
child and tells them that if they want to enter the Kingdom of Heaven,
they must decide to be like children: children are incapable of hating
anyone and are totally innocent of vice, particularly of pride, the
worst vice of all. They are simple and full of trust.


Humility is one of the main pillars of the Christian life. "If you ask
me", St. Augustine says, "what is the essential thing in the religion
and discipline of Jesus Christ, I shall reply: first humility, second
humility and third humility" ("Letter 118").


3-4. Applying these words to our Lord's virtues, Fray Luis de Granada
makes the point that humility is superior to virginity: "If you cannot
imitate the virginity of the humble, then imitate the humility of the
virgin. Virginity is praiseworthy, but humility is more necessary.
The former is recommended to us, the latter is an obligation for us; to
the former we are invited, to the latter we are obliged [...]. And so
we see that the former is celebrated as voluntary sacrifice, the latter
required as an obligatory sacrifice. Lastly, you can be saved without
virginity, but not without humility" ("Summa De La Vida Cristiana",
Book 3, Part 2, Chapter 10).


5. Receiving a child in Jesus' name is the same as receiving Jesus
Himself. Because children reflect the innocence, purity, simplicity
and tenderness of our Lord, "In children and in the sick a soul in love
sees Him" ([St] J. Escriva, "The Way", 419).


10. Jesus warns that giving scandal to little children is a very
serious matter, for they have angels who guard them, who will plead a
case before God against those who led them to commit sin.


In this context He speaks of children having guardian angels. However,
everyone, adult or child, has a guardian angel. "By God's providence
angels have been entrusted with the office of guarding the human race
and of accompanying every human being so as to preserve him from any
serious dangers [...]. Our Heavenly Father has placed over each of us
an angel under whose protection and vigilance we are" ("St. Pius V
Catechism", IV, 9, 4).


This means that we should have a trusting relationship with our
guardian angel. "Have confidence in your guardian Angel. Treat him as
a lifelong friend--that is what he is--and he will render you a
thousand services in the ordinary affairs of each day" ([St] J. Escriva,
"The Way", 562).


12-14. This parable clearly shows our Lord's loving concern for
sinners. It expresses in human terms the joy God feels when a wayward
child comes back to Him.


Seeing so many souls living away from God, Pope John Paul II comments:
"Unfortunately we witness the moral pollution which is devastating
humanity, disregarding especially those very little ones about whom
Jesus speaks."


"What must we do? We must imitate the Good Shepherd and give ourselves
without rest for the salvation of souls. Without forgetting material
charity and social justice, we must be convinced that the most sublime
charity is spiritual charity, that is, the commitment for the salvation
of souls. And souls are saved with prayer and sacrifice. This is the
mission of the Church!" ("Homily to the Poor Clares of Albano," 14
August 1979).


As the RSV points out, "other ancient authorities add verse 11, "For
the Son of Man came to save the lost"--apparently taken from Luke
19:10.

---

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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Tuesday, August 9, 2005
St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein), Virgin and Martyr (Optional Memorial)

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

Deuteronomy 31:1-8 Deuteronomy 32:3-4, 7-9, 12 Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14 God bestows more consideration on the purity of the intention with which our actions are performed than on the actions themselves. -- St. Augustine

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Catholic Culture

 

Collect: God of power and mercy, you gave Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, your martyr, victory over pain and suffering. Strengthen us who celebrate this day of her triumph and help us to be victorious over the evils that threaten us. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Activities: » Religion in the Home for Elementary School: August » Religion in the Home for Preschool: August » What is a Nameday? Prayers: » August Devotion: The Immaculate Heart

August 09, 2005 Optional Memorial of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, virgin and martyr Old Calendar: St. John Mary Vianney, confessor; St. Romanus, martyr; Vigil of St. Lawrence Edith Stein was born of Jewish parents in 1891, becoming an influential philosopher following her extensive studies at major German universities. After her conversion to Catholicism she became a major force in German intellectual life, entering the Discalced Carmelites in 1933. Sister Teresa Benedicta was arrested by the Nazi regime in 1942, along with all Catholics of Jewish extraction and transported by cattle train to the death camp of Auschwitz. She died in the gas chambers at Auschwitz that same year. Before the reform of the General Roman Calendar today was the feast of St. John Mary Vianney which is now celebrated on August 4 and the Vigil of St. Lawrence. It was also the commemoration of St. Romanus, a martyr who was buried on the Via Tiburtina outside the walls of Rome. St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross A brilliant philosopher who stopped believing in God when she was fourteen, Edith Stein was so captivated by reading the autobiography of Teresa of Avila that she began a spiritual journey that led to her Baptism in 1922. Twelve years later she imitated Teresa by becoming a Carmelite, taking the name Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. Born into a prominent Jewish family in Breslau (now Wroclaw, Poland), Edith abandoned Judaism in her teens. As a student at the University of Gottingen, she became fascinated by phenomenology, an approach to philosophy. Excelling as a protege of Edmund Husserl, one of the leading phenomenologists, Edith earned a doctorate in philosophy in 1916. She continued as a university teacher until 1922 when she moved to a Dominican school in Speyer; her appointment as lecturer at the Educational Institute of Munich ended under pressure from the Nazis. After living in the Cologne Carmel (1934-1938), she moved to the Carmelite monastery in Echt, Netherlands. The Nazis occupied that country in 1940. In retaliation for being denounced by the Dutch bishops, the Nazis arrested all Dutch Jews who had become Christians. Teresa Benedicta and her sister Rosa, also a Catholic, died in a gas chamber in Auschwitz on August 9, 1942. Pope John Paul II beatified Teresa Benedicta in 1987 and canonized her in 1998. Excerpted from the Saint of the Day, Leonard Foley, O.F.M.. Patron: Europe; loss of parents; martyrs. Things to Do: In the month of August we celebrate two martyrs of Auschwitz, St. Maximilian Kolbe and St. Teresa Benedicta. We need to pray, hard and often that our world does not return to the inhumanity to man. The acceptance of euthanasia and abortion, stem cell research, IVF, are the first steps to deciding who can live or who can die. Offer a Mass, say a rosary, offer sacrifices, etc. to end abortion and other sins against mankind. Read about Auschwitz and ponder the modern gas chambers in every state of our Union and resolve to do all that you can to end the killing. Read more about Edith Stein at this site. To teach the children more about this saint, discuss topics such as these at age-appropriate levels : Definition of a martyr. Discussion of the Jews as our older brothers and sisters in the Faith. In the Eucharistic Prayer I (the Roman Canon) we refer to "Abraham, our father in faith." Discussion of the call of Truth, its claim on us, despite the cost. Edith Stein's reason for taking the name "Teresa." Discussion of patron saints and what it means to our daily lives. For younger children, discuss on simpler terms ideas such as complete love of God; our daily crosses; meaning of sacrifice; and how to make small but meaningful sacrifices for God. Edith Stein (St. Teresa Benedicta) was a philosopher and prolific writer. Her writings are available from ICS Publications. Of special note is her Essays on Woman. Catholic Culture's library contains two writings of Edith Stein: The Vocation of the Soul to Eternal Life, and Verses For a Pentecost Novena For more about Edith Stein, see Catholic Culture's Search Engine and type "Edith Stein".

[rambo316]

Wonderful prayers and I thank you and the Lord Jesus Christ for them. God Bless you all.

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Welcome, FRiend.

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Homily of the Day

Homily of the Day

Title:	Aging and Maturing Don't Always Arrive Together
Author:	Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.
Date:	Tuesday, August 9, 2005

Dt 31:1-8 / Mt 18:1-5,10,12-14

We first encountered Moses when he was an infant being rescued by the pharaoh's daughter from a basket floating down the Nile. And as the book of Exodus unfolded, we watched Moses slowly evolve from an arrogant young courtier who thought nothing of committing murder to a man with quite a different view of life and of himself. In today's reading, we see the finished product of a life of living, most of it reverently in the presence of the Lord. How remarkably Moses changed! How clear he had become about the faithfulness and the trustworthiness of the Lord.

Watching Moses' lifelong saga unfold challenges us to ask where our own journey has led us thus far and where it yet needs to go. Is there excess baggage that needs to be abandoned at the side of the road? Are there holes in our inner fabric that need to be mended or filled in? For every human being, the answers to those questions will always be "yes" as long as we're in this world. The Lord understands this (even if we don't!) and he urges us every day to have no fear of looking within, for he has promised that, whatever the task, whatever the challenge, we will always have what we need for the work of the day. Trust that and open your eyes as Moses did.

 

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A Voice in the Desert

 

 

Father Altier is on retreat. No homilies will be available until Friday August 12. God Bless you. -DesertVoice Support

[annalex]

Mt 18:1-14
#	Douay-Rheims	Vulgate
1	At that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying: Who, thinkest thou, is the greater in the kingdom of heaven?	in illa hora accesserunt discipuli ad Iesum dicentes quis putas maior est in regno caelorum
2	And Jesus, calling unto him a little child, set him in the midst of them.	et advocans Iesus parvulum statuit eum in medio eorum
3	And said: amen I say to you, unless you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.	et dixit amen dico vobis nisi conversi fueritis et efficiamini sicut parvuli non intrabitis in regnum caelorum
4	Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, he is the greater in the kingdom of heaven.	quicumque ergo humiliaverit se sicut parvulus iste hic est maior in regno caelorum
5	And he that shall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me.	et qui susceperit unum parvulum talem in nomine meo me suscipit
6	But he that shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be drowned in the depth of the sea.	qui autem scandalizaverit unum de pusillis istis qui in me credunt expedit ei ut suspendatur mola asinaria in collo eius et demergatur in profundum maris
7	Woe to the world because of scandals. For it must needs be that scandals come: but nevertheless woe to that man by whom the scandal cometh.	vae mundo ab scandalis necesse est enim ut veniant scandala verumtamen vae homini per quem scandalum venit
8	And if thy hand, or thy foot, scandalize thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee. It is better for thee to go into life maimed or lame, than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into everlasting fire.	si autem manus tua vel pes tuus scandalizat te abscide eum et proice abs te bonum tibi est ad vitam ingredi debilem vel clodum quam duas manus vel duos pedes habentem mitti in ignem aeternum
9	And if thy eye scandalize thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee. It is better for thee having one eye to enter into life, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.	et si oculus tuus scandalizat te erue eum et proice abs te bonum tibi est unoculum in vitam intrare quam duos oculos habentem mitti in gehennam ignis
10	See that you despise not one of these little ones: for I say to you, that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.	videte ne contemnatis unum ex his pusillis dico enim vobis quia angeli eorum in caelis semper vident faciem Patris mei qui in caelis est
11	For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.	venit enim Filius hominis salvare quod perierat
12	What think you? If a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them should go astray: doth he not leave the ninety-nine in the mountains, and goeth to seek that which is gone astray?	quid vobis videtur si fuerint alicui centum oves et erraverit una ex eis nonne relinquet nonaginta novem in montibus et vadit quaerere eam quae erravit
13	And if it so be that he find it: Amen I say to you, he rejoiceth more for that, than for the ninety-nine that went not astray.	et si contigerit ut inveniat eam amen dico vobis quia gaudebit super eam magis quam super nonaginta novem quae non erraverunt
14	Even so it is not the will of your Father, who is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.	sic non est voluntas ante Patrem vestrum qui in caelis est ut pereat unus de pusillis istis

[annalex]

Joshua and dying Moses

Biblia Latina. Illuminated Manuscript Bible
Northern Italy, 1273

[Salvation]

Wow! You find the greatest pictures!

[rambo316]

Your tag line is awesome. Also Salvation, when you get the daily prayers, where do you find them? I've gone to church on weekdays and the prayers that were said, I could not find in the daily prayer book. I will tell you however that the prayers that you sent out on Saturday, were the prayers for church Sunday morning. It was awesome that I could read them over and over and then on Sunday, I was already prepared. It was awesome!!!!!

[InterestedQuestioner]

Thank you.

[Our_Man_In_Gough_Island]

Stein is a very good saint to study for our day and age.