Reading I
Gn 37:3-4, 12-13a, 17b-28a

Israel loved Joseph best of all his sons,
for he was the child of his old age;
and he had made him a long tunic.
When his brothers saw that their father loved him best of all his sons,
they hated him so much that they would not even greet him.

One day, when his brothers had gone
to pasture their father’s flocks at Shechem,
Israel said to Joseph,
“Your brothers, you know, are tending our flocks at Shechem.
Get ready; I will send you to them.”

So Joseph went after his brothers and caught up with them in Dothan.
They noticed him from a distance,
and before he came up to them, they plotted to kill him.
They said to one another: “Here comes that master dreamer!
Come on, let us kill him and throw him into one of the cisterns here;
we could say that a wild beast devoured him.
We shall then see what comes of his dreams.”

When Reuben heard this,
he tried to save him from their hands, saying,
“We must not take his life.
Instead of shedding blood,” he continued,
“just throw him into that cistern there in the desert;
but do not kill him outright.”
His purpose was to rescue him from their hands
and return him to his father.
So when Joseph came up to them,
they stripped him of the long tunic he had on;
then they took him and threw him into the cistern,
which was empty and dry.

They then sat down to their meal.
Looking up, they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead,
their camels laden with gum, balm and resin
to be taken down to Egypt.
Judah said to his brothers:
“What is to be gained by killing our brother and concealing his blood?
Rather, let us sell him to these Ishmaelites,
instead of doing away with him ourselves.
After all, he is our brother, our own flesh.”
His brothers agreed.
They sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 105:16-17, 18-19, 20-21

R. (5a) Remember the marvels the Lord has done.
When the LORD called down a famine on the land
and ruined the crop that sustained them,
He sent a man before them,
Joseph, sold as a slave.
R. Remember the marvels the Lord has done.
They had weighed him down with fetters,
and he was bound with chains,
Till his prediction came to pass
and the word of the LORD proved him true.
R. Remember the marvels the Lord has done.
The king sent and released him,
the ruler of the peoples set him free.
He made him lord of his house
and ruler of all his possessions.
R. Remember the marvels the Lord has done.

Gospel
Mt 21:33-43, 45-46

Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people:
“Hear another parable.
There was a landowner who planted a vineyard,
put a hedge around it,
dug a wine press in it, and built a tower.
Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey.
When vintage time drew near,
he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce.
But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat,
another they killed, and a third they stoned.
Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones,
but they treated them in the same way.
Finally, he sent his son to them,
thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’
But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another,
‘This is the heir.
Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.’
They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.
What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?”
They answered him,
“He will put those wretched men to a wretched death
and lease his vineyard to other tenants
who will give him the produce at the proper times.”
Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures:

The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
by the Lord has this been done,
and it is wonderful in our eyes?

Therefore, I say to you,
the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you
and given to a people that will produce its fruit.”
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables,
they knew that he was speaking about them.
And although they were attempting to arrest him,
they feared the crowds, for they regarded him as a prophet.

Farewell to Alleluia and Gloria
During the penitential seasons of the Church, the Gloria and the Alleluia are not said or sung. The Gloria is sung only at the Mass on Holy Thursday, usually with great ceremony, organ and sometimes trumpets, and often with the ringing of bells. After the singing of the Gloria, musical instruments are to be silent until the Alleluia at the Easter Vigil. (Catholic families might imitate this solemn silence by not playing instrumental music in their homes at this time.)

In the Middle Ages and throughout the 16th century, the "burying" of the Alleluia was a solemn ritual on Septuagesima Sunday. A procession of children carrying a wooden plaque bearing the word "Alleluia" laid it at the feet of the statue of the Blessed Virgin, covering it with a purple cloth. It remained there until Easter at the Gospel procession, when the plaque was carried as the priest intoned the three Alleluias before the Easter Gospel. In Paris, a straw figure inscribed with the word was carried out of the choir at the end of the service and burned in the church yard.

Although the practice of literally removing the Alleluia from the Church may have disappeared, even today in some parish celebrations of the Easter Vigil an Alleluia card is carried in procession and placed in front of the altar during the singing of the first Alleluias before the Gospel for Easter.

The hymn Alleluia, Song of Gladness and the one that follows date from the early 9th and 10th centuries; both refer to the farewell to the Alleluia in the liturgy.

From: Genesis 37:3-4, 12-13a, 17b-28a

Joseph and His Brothers

[3] Now Israel loved Joseph more than anyy other of his children, because he
was the son of his old age; and he made him a long robe with sleeves. [4]
But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his
brothers, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him.

Joseph is Sold to Egyptians as a Slave

[12] Now his brothers went to pasture their father's flock near Shechem.
[13a] And Israel said to Joseph, "Are not your brothers pasturing the flock
at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them."

[17b] So Joseph went after his brothers, and found them at Dothan. [18]
They saw him afar off, and before he came near to them they conspired
against him to kill him. [19] They said to one another, "Here comes this
dreamer. [20] Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits;
then we shall say that a wild beast has devoured him, and we shall see what
will become of his dreams." [21] But when Reuben heard it, he delivered him
out of their hands, saying, "Let us not take his life." [22] And Reuben said
to them, "Shed no blood; cast him into this pit here in the wilderness, but
lay no hand upon him"--that he might rescue him out of their hand, to
restore him to his father. [23] So when Joseph came to his brothers, they
stripped him of his robe, the long robe with sleeves that he wore; [24] and
they took him and cast him into a pit. The pit was empty, there was no water
in it.

[25] Then they sat down to eat; and looking up they saw a caravan: of
Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and
myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. [26] Then Judah said to his
brothers, "What profit is it if we slay our brother and conceal his blood?
[27] Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon
him, for he is our brother, our own flesh." And his brothers heeded him.
[28a] Then Midianite traders passed by; and they drew Joseph up and lifted
him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of
silver.

Commentary:

37:2-50:26 From here to the end of the book of Genesis, with the exception
of chapters 38 and 49, we have the story of Joseph. This concludes the
"history of the patriarchs", leaving them not exactly in the promised land,
Canaan, but in Egypt. This sets the scene for the narrative of the great
Exodus. The story of Joseph is, thus, the link between patriarchal history
and the departure from Egypt, and it therefore constitutes an important
stage in the development of salvation history as recorded in the Old Testament.

In the story of Joseph we can see, on the one hand, the testimony borne by
ancient accounts about the Israelites going down into Egypt and, on the
other, the skill of the narrator who describes the acts of a drama full of
emotion, which comes to a happy ending and from which the reader can draw
one fundamental lesson: God is guiding everything that happens (even events
which seem negative) towards good, towards salvation. "Omnia in bonum" might
well be the title of the story of Joseph (cf. 50:20).

The original source of this section may have been quite different from the
patriarchal traditions we have seen so far: there is no reference to places
of worship, no explanations as to the meaning of names of places and people,
no direct divine interventions (except in the case of Jacob in 46:2-4); it
assumes that Joseph's mother is still living (cf. 37:10) and shows Jacob to
have a number of daughters (cf. 37:35).

From the information provided in the story of Joseph and from other biblical
traditions (cf. for example,Gen 15:16; Ex 12:40-41), it is not possible to
say exactly when the Israelites went down into Egypt. The most likely period
is when Egypt was under the control of the Hyksos (l'720-l580 BC), invaders
who were partly Semitic. The Hyksos had their capital in Avaris, in the Nile
delta, and this is where the capital is in the biblical account. The account
reminds us of past events and their significance. The whole story of Joseph.
as told in the Bible, is very instructive about how God guided the steps of
Israel's ancestors, to work wonders among them, redeeming them from slavery
and making them into a people, the chosen people of God. The literary skill
with which this last part of the story is told, not only does not take from
the historical value of the account: it helps us to grasp the true meaning
of all that happened to the "fathers" of Israel, and shows us how the Word
of God is able to express itself in language which it knows will hold the
reader's attention.

37:2. "This is the history of ...": ten times over the course of Genesis the
final redactor of the book uses this formal phrase to impose order on its
content, dividing it into a number of genealogical sections (cf.
"Introduction", p. 29 above). Here he uses it for the last time, to notify
the reader that he has reached the last section, the story of how
Jacob-Israel went down into Egypt: one of his sons, Joseph, was sold by his
brothers and taken to Egypt (chap. 37); Joseph prospered in that country and
became very important (cf. chaps. 39-41); Jacob and his other sons went to
Egypt where they met Joseph and, through his good offices, received special
treatment from the pharaoh; finally, the patriarch Jacob died in Egypt but
was brought back to the land of Canaan to be buried (cf. chaps. 49-50).

37:3-4. The tunic with long sleeves made Joseph took like a prince, in some
way foretelling his glorious future. Although Jacob's preferential love for
Joseph is due to human causes, behind it we can see something which occurs
throughout the Bible--how some people, gratuitously, enjoy special favor,
including special divine favor and love, without this meaning that the love
shown to others is diminished. Joseph, the object of Jacob's special love,
thereby becomes a figure of Jesus Christ, the Beloved of the Father (cf. Mt
1:11). The sin of Jacob's sons, like Cain's in some way (cf
Gen 4:5), begins with their reacting against God's preferential love; it
then turns into hatred and envy (cf. vv. 8-Il) and ends up with their
getting rid of their brother (cf. v. 20).

37:12-36. This episode deals with the horrible crime of disposing of their
brother and the providential events which take Joseph to Egypt. We can see
that the narrative is drawing on two sources: one emphasizes the
intervention of Judah (v. 26), the other that of Reuben. The true key to
what is happening will emerge at the end of the story: "You meant evil
against me," Joseph tells his brothers, "but God meant it for good" (50:20).
In the light of the whole narrative we can see the way God's plan is being
put into operation: "Joseph," comments St Gregoxy the Great, "was sold by
his brothers because they did not want to do him honor; but that is exactly
what they do, by the very fact of selling him. [...] So too, when one wants
to avoid the divine will, then is when it is fulfilled" ("Moralia", 6, 18, 20).

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: Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46

The Parable of the Wicked Tenants

(Jesus told the chief priests and the elders,) [33] "Hear another
parable. There was a householder who planted a vineyard, and set a
hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and let it
out to tenants, and went into another country. [34] When the season of
fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants, to get his fruit;
[35] and the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another,
and stoned another. [36] Again he sent other servants, more than the
first; and they did the same to them. [37] Afterward he sent his son
to them, saying, `They will respect my son.' [38] But when the tenants
saw the son, they said to themselves, `This is the heir; come, let us
kill him and have his inheritance.' [39] And they took him and cast
him out of the vineyard, and killed him. [40] When therefore the owner
of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?" [41] They
said to Him, "He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and let
out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their
seasons."

[42] Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the scriptures: `The
very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the
corner; this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes'!
[43] Therefore I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from
you and given to a nation producing the fruits of it."

[45] When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they
perceived that He was speaking about them. [46] But when they tried to
arrest Him, they feared the multitudes, because they held Him to be a
prophet.

Commentary:

33-46. This very important parable completes the previous one. The
parable of the two sons simply identifies the indocility of Israel;
that of the wicked tenants focuses on the punishment to come.

Our Lord compares Israel to a choice vineyard, specially fenced, with a
watchtower, where a keeper is on the look-out to protect it from
thieves and foxes. God has spared no effort to cultivate and embellish
His vineyard. The vineyard is in the charge of tenant farmers; the
householder is God, and the vineyard, Israel (Isaiah 5:3-5: Jeremiah
2:21; Joel 1:7).

The tenants to whom God has given the care of His people are the
priests, scribes and elders. The owner's absence makes it clear that
God really did entrust Israel to its leaders; hence their
responsibility and the account He demands of them.

The owner used to send his servants from time to time to collect the
fruit; this was the mission of the prophets. The second despatch of
servants to claim what is owing to the owner--who meet the same fate as
the first--refers to the way God's prophets were ill-treated by the
kings and priests of Israel (Matthew 23:37; Acts 7:42; Hebrews
11:36-38). Finally he sent his son to them, thinking that they would
have more respect for him; here we can see the difference between Jesus
and the prophets, who were servants, not "the Son": the parable
indicates singular, transcendental sonship, expressing the divinity of
Jesus Christ.

The malicious purpose of the tenants in murdering the son and heir to
keep the inheritance for themselves is the madness of the leaders in
expecting to become undisputed masters of Israel by putting Christ to
death (Matthew 12:14; 26:4). Their ambition blinds them to the
punishment that awaits them. Then "they cast him out of the vineyard,
and killed him": a reference to Christ's crucifixion, which took place
outside the walls of Jerusalem.

Jesus prophesies the punishment God will inflict on the evildoers: He
will put them to death and rent the vineyard to others. This is a very
significant prophecy. St. Peter later repeats to the Sanhedrin: "This
is the stone which was rejected by you builders, but which has become
the head of the corner" (Acts 4:11; 1 Peter 2:4). The stone is Jesus
of Nazareth, but the architects of Israel, who build up and rule the
people, have chosen not use it in the building. Because of their
unfaithfulness the Kingdom of God will be turned over to another
people, the Gentiles, who WILL give God the fruit He expects His
vineyard to yield (cf. Matthew 3:8-10; Galatians 6:16).

For the building to be well-built, it needs to rest on this stone. Woe
to him who trips over it! (cf. Matthew 12:30; Luke 2:34), as first Jews
and later the enemies of Christ and His Church will discover through
bitter experience (cf. Isaiah 8:14-15).

Christians in all ages should see this parable as exhorting them to
build faithfully upon Christ and make sure they do not fall into the
sin of this Jewish generation. We should also be filled with hope and
a sense of security; for, although the building--the Church--at some
times seem to be breaking up, its sound construction, with Christ as
its cornerstone, is assured.

Office of Readings -- Awakening Prayer

Office of Readings

If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.

O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 37 (38)
The plea of a sinner in great peril
Lord, do not rebuke me in your wrath, do not ruin me in your anger: for I am pierced by your arrows and crushed beneath your hand. In the face of your anger there is no health in my body. There is no peace for my bones, no rest from my sins. My transgressions rise higher than my head: a heavy burden, they weigh me down. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 37 (38)

The plea of a sinner in great peril

Lord, do not rebuke me in your wrath,
do not ruin me in your anger:
for I am pierced by your arrows
and crushed beneath your hand.

In the face of your anger
there is no health in my body.
There is no peace for my bones,
no rest from my sins.
My transgressions rise higher than my head:
a heavy burden, they weigh me down.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Psalm 37 (38)
My wounds are corruption and decay because of my foolishness. I am bowed down and bent, bent under grief all day long. For a fire burns up my loins, and there is no health in my body. I am afflicted, utterly cast down, I cry out from the sadness of my heart. Lord, all that I desire is known to you; my sighs are not hidden from you. My heart grows weak, my strength leaves me, and the light of my eyes – even that has gone. My friends and my neighbours keep far from my wounds. Those closest to me keep far away, while those who would kill me set traps, those who would harm me make their plots: they plan mischief all through the day. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 37 (38)

My wounds are corruption and decay
because of my foolishness.
I am bowed down and bent,
bent under grief all day long.

For a fire burns up my loins,
and there is no health in my body.
I am afflicted, utterly cast down,
I cry out from the sadness of my heart.

Lord, all that I desire is known to you;
my sighs are not hidden from you.
My heart grows weak, my strength leaves me,
and the light of my eyes – even that has gone.

My friends and my neighbours
keep far from my wounds.
Those closest to me keep far away,
while those who would kill me set traps,
those who would harm me make their plots:
they plan mischief all through the day.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Psalm 37 (38)
But I, like a deaf man, do not hear; like one who is dumb, I do not open my mouth. I am like someone who cannot hear, in whose mouth there is no reply. For in you, Lord, I put my trust: you will listen to me, Lord, my God. For I have said, “Let them never triumph over me: if my feet stumble, they will gloat”. For I am ready to fall: my suffering is before me always. For I shall proclaim my wrongdoing: I am anxious because of my sins. All the time my enemies live and grow stronger; they are so many, those who hate me without cause. Returning evil for good they dragged me down, because I followed the way of goodness. Do not abandon me, Lord: my God, do not leave me. Hurry to my aid, O Lord, my saviour. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 37 (38)

But I, like a deaf man, do not hear;
like one who is dumb, I do not open my mouth.
I am like someone who cannot hear,
in whose mouth there is no reply.

For in you, Lord, I put my trust:
you will listen to me, Lord, my God.
For I have said, “Let them never triumph over me:
if my feet stumble, they will gloat”.

For I am ready to fall:
my suffering is before me always.
For I shall proclaim my wrongdoing:
I am anxious because of my sins.

All the time my enemies live and grow stronger;
they are so many, those who hate me without cause.
Returning evil for good they dragged me down,
because I followed the way of goodness.

Do not abandon me, Lord:
my God, do not leave me.
Hurry to my aid,
O Lord, my saviour.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Reading	Exodus 19:1 - 20:21 ©
Three months after they came out of the land of Egypt... on that day the sons of Israel came to the wilderness of Sinai. From Rephidim they set out again; and when they reached the wilderness of Sinai, there in the wilderness they pitched their camp; there facing the mountain Israel pitched camp. Moses then went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, ‘Say this to the House of Jacob, declare this to the sons of Israel, “You yourselves have seen what I did with the Egyptians, how I carried you on eagle’s wings and brought you to myself. From this you know that now, if you obey my voice and hold fast to my covenant, you of all the nations shall be my very own for all the earth is mine. I will count you a kingdom of priests, a consecrated nation.” Those are the words you are to speak to the sons of Israel.’ So Moses went and summoned the elders of the people, putting before them all that the Lord had bidden him. Then all the people answered as one, ‘All that the Lord has said, we will do.’ And Moses took the people’s reply back to the Lord. The Lord said to Moses, ‘I am coming to you in a dense cloud so that the people may hear when I speak to you and may trust you always’. And Moses took the people’s reply back to the Lord. The Lord said to Moses, ‘Go to the people and tell them to prepare themselves today and tomorrow. Let them wash their clothing and hold themselves in readiness for the third day, because on the third day the Lord will descend on the mountain of Sinai in the sight of all the people. You will mark out the limits of the mountain and say, “Take care not to go up the mountain or to touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain will be put to death. No one must lay a hand on him: he must be stoned or shot down by arrow, whether man or beast; he must not remain alive.” When the ram’s horn sounds a long blast, they are to go up the mountain.’ So Moses came down from the mountain to the people and bade them prepare themselves; and they washed their clothing. Then he said to the people, ‘Be ready for the third day; do not go near any woman’. Now at daybreak on the third day there were peals of thunder on the mountain and lightning flashes, a dense cloud, and a loud trumpet blast, and inside the camp all the people trembled. Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God; and they stood at the bottom of the mountain. The mountain of Sinai was entirely wrapped in smoke, because the Lord had descended on it in the form of fire. Like smoke from a furnace the smoke went up, and the whole mountain shook violently. Louder and louder grew the sound of the trumpet. Moses spoke, and God answered him with peals of thunder. All the people shook with fear at the peals of thunder and the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the smoking mountain; and they kept their distance. ‘Speak to us yourself’ they said to Moses ‘and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, or we shall die.’ Moses answered the people, ‘Do not be afraid; God has come to test you, so that your fear of him, being always in your mind, may keep you from sinning’. So the people kept their distance while Moses approached the dark cloud where God was.

Reading

Exodus 19:1 - 20:21 ©

Three months after they came out of the land of Egypt... on that day the sons of Israel came to the wilderness of Sinai. From Rephidim they set out again; and when they reached the wilderness of Sinai, there in the wilderness they pitched their camp; there facing the mountain Israel pitched camp.
Moses then went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, ‘Say this to the House of Jacob, declare this to the sons of Israel, “You yourselves have seen what I did with the Egyptians, how I carried you on eagle’s wings and brought you to myself. From this you know that now, if you obey my voice and hold fast to my covenant, you of all the nations shall be my very own for all the earth is mine. I will count you a kingdom of priests, a consecrated nation.” Those are the words you are to speak to the sons of Israel.’ So Moses went and summoned the elders of the people, putting before them all that the Lord had bidden him. Then all the people answered as one, ‘All that the Lord has said, we will do.’ And Moses took the people’s reply back to the Lord.
The Lord said to Moses, ‘I am coming to you in a dense cloud so that the people may hear when I speak to you and may trust you always’. And Moses took the people’s reply back to the Lord.
The Lord said to Moses, ‘Go to the people and tell them to prepare themselves today and tomorrow. Let them wash their clothing and hold themselves in readiness for the third day, because on the third day the Lord will descend on the mountain of Sinai in the sight of all the people. You will mark out the limits of the mountain and say, “Take care not to go up the mountain or to touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain will be put to death. No one must lay a hand on him: he must be stoned or shot down by arrow, whether man or beast; he must not remain alive.” When the ram’s horn sounds a long blast, they are to go up the mountain.’
So Moses came down from the mountain to the people and bade them prepare themselves; and they washed their clothing. Then he said to the people, ‘Be ready for the third day; do not go near any woman’.
Now at daybreak on the third day there were peals of thunder on the mountain and lightning flashes, a dense cloud, and a loud trumpet blast, and inside the camp all the people trembled. Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God; and they stood at the bottom of the mountain. The mountain of Sinai was entirely wrapped in smoke, because the Lord had descended on it in the form of fire. Like smoke from a furnace the smoke went up, and the whole mountain shook violently. Louder and louder grew the sound of the trumpet. Moses spoke, and God answered him with peals of thunder.
All the people shook with fear at the peals of thunder and the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the smoking mountain; and they kept their distance. ‘Speak to us yourself’ they said to Moses ‘and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, or we shall die.’ Moses answered the people, ‘Do not be afraid; God has come to test you, so that your fear of him, being always in your mind, may keep you from sinning’. So the people kept their distance while Moses approached the dark cloud where God was.

Reading	From the treatise Against Heresies by Saint Irenaeus, bishop
The covenant of the Lord
In the book of Deuteronomy Moses says to the people: The Lord your God made a covenant on Horeb; he made this covenant, not with your fathers but with you. Why did God not make this covenant with their fathers? Because the law is not aimed at the righteous. Their fathers were righteous: they had the power of the Decalogue implanted in their hearts and in their souls. That is, they loved the God who made them and did nothing unjust against their neighbour. For this reason they did not need to be admonished by written rebukes: they had the righteousness of the law in their hearts. When this righteousness and love for God had passed into oblivion and had been extinguished in Egypt, God had necessarily to reveal himself through his own voice, out of his great love for men. He led the people out of Egypt in power, so that man might once again become God’s disciple and follower. He made them afraid as they listened, to warn them not to hold their Creator in contempt. He fed them with manna, that they might receive spiritual food. In the book of Deuteronomy Moses says: He fed you with manna, which your fathers did not know, that you might understand that man will not live by bread alone but by every word of God coming from the mouth of God. He commanded them to love himself and trained them to practise righteousness toward their neighbour, so that man might not be unrighteous or unworthy of God. Through the Decalogue he prepared man for friendship with himself and for harmony with his neighbour. This was to man’s advantage, though God needed nothing from man. This raised man to glory, for it gave him what he did not have, friendship with God. But it brought no advantage to God, for God did not need man’s love. Man did not possess the glory of God, nor could he attain it by any other means than through obedience to God. This is why Moses said to the people: Choose life, that you may live and your descendants too; love the Lord your God, hear his voice and hold fast to him, for this is life for you and length of days. This was the life that the Lord was preparing man to receive when he spoke in person and gave the words of the Decalogue for all alike to hear. These words remain with us as well; they were extended and amplified through his coming in the flesh, but not annulled. God gave to the people separately through Moses the commandments that enslave: these were precepts suited to their instruction or their condemnation. As Moses said: The Lord commanded me at that time to teach you precepts of righteousness and of judgement. The precepts that were given them to enslave and to serve as a warning have been cancelled by the new covenant of freedom. The precepts that belong to man’s nature and to freedom and to all alike have been enlarged and broadened. Through the adoption of sons God had enabled man so generously and bountifully to know him as Father, to love him with his whole heart, and to follow his Word unfailingly.

Reading

From the treatise Against Heresies by Saint Irenaeus, bishop

The covenant of the Lord

In the book of Deuteronomy Moses says to the people: The Lord your God made a covenant on Horeb; he made this covenant, not with your fathers but with you. Why did God not make this covenant with their fathers? Because the law is not aimed at the righteous. Their fathers were righteous: they had the power of the Decalogue implanted in their hearts and in their souls. That is, they loved the God who made them and did nothing unjust against their neighbour. For this reason they did not need to be admonished by written rebukes: they had the righteousness of the law in their hearts.
When this righteousness and love for God had passed into oblivion and had been extinguished in Egypt, God had necessarily to reveal himself through his own voice, out of his great love for men. He led the people out of Egypt in power, so that man might once again become God’s disciple and follower. He made them afraid as they listened, to warn them not to hold their Creator in contempt.
He fed them with manna, that they might receive spiritual food. In the book of Deuteronomy Moses says: He fed you with manna, which your fathers did not know, that you might understand that man will not live by bread alone but by every word of God coming from the mouth of God.
He commanded them to love himself and trained them to practise righteousness toward their neighbour, so that man might not be unrighteous or unworthy of God. Through the Decalogue he prepared man for friendship with himself and for harmony with his neighbour. This was to man’s advantage, though God needed nothing from man.
This raised man to glory, for it gave him what he did not have, friendship with God. But it brought no advantage to God, for God did not need man’s love. Man did not possess the glory of God, nor could he attain it by any other means than through obedience to God. This is why Moses said to the people: Choose life, that you may live and your descendants too; love the Lord your God, hear his voice and hold fast to him, for this is life for you and length of days.
This was the life that the Lord was preparing man to receive when he spoke in person and gave the words of the Decalogue for all alike to hear. These words remain with us as well; they were extended and amplified through his coming in the flesh, but not annulled.
God gave to the people separately through Moses the commandments that enslave: these were precepts suited to their instruction or their condemnation. As Moses said: The Lord commanded me at that time to teach you precepts of righteousness and of judgement. The precepts that were given them to enslave and to serve as a warning have been cancelled by the new covenant of freedom. The precepts that belong to man’s nature and to freedom and to all alike have been enlarged and broadened. Through the adoption of sons God had enabled man so generously and bountifully to know him as Father, to love him with his whole heart, and to follow his Word unfailingly.

A concluding prayer may follow here.

American Catholic’s Saint of the Day

March 17, 2006

St. Patrick

(415?-493?)

Legends about Patrick abound; but truth is best served by our seeing two solid qualities in him: He was humble and he was courageous. The determination to accept suffering and success with equal indifference guided the life of God’s instrument for winning most of Ireland for Christ.

Details of his life are uncertain. Current research places his dates of birth and death a little later than earlier accounts. Patrick may have been born in Dunbarton, Scotland, Cumberland, England, or in northern Wales. He called himself both a Roman and a Briton. At 16, he and a large number of his father’s slaves and vassals were captured by Irish raiders and sold as slaves in Ireland. Forced to work as a shepherd, he suffered greatly from hunger and cold.

After six years, Patrick escaped, probably to France, and later returned to Britain at the age of 22. His captivity had meant spiritual conversion. He may have studied at Lerins, off the French coast; he spent years at Auxerre, France, and was consecrated bishop at the age of 43. His great desire was to proclaim the Good News to the Irish.

In a dream vision it seemed “all the children of Ireland from their mothers’ wombs were stretching out their hands” to him. He understood the vision to be a call to do mission work in pagan Ireland. Despite opposition from those who felt his education had been defective, he was sent to carry out the task. He went to the west and north, where the faith had never been preached, obtained the protection of local kings and made numerous converts.

Because of the island’s pagan background, Patrick was emphatic in encouraging widows to remain chaste and young women to consecrate their virginity to Christ. He ordained many priests, divided the country into dioceses, held Church councils, founded several monasteries and continually urged his people to greater holiness in Christ.

He suffered much opposition from pagan druids, and was criticized in both England and Ireland for the way he conducted his mission.

In a relatively short time the island had experienced deeply the Christian spirit, and was prepared to send out missionaries whose efforts were greatly responsible for Christianizing Europe.

Patrick was a man of action, with little inclination toward learning. He had a rocklike belief in his vocation, in the cause he had espoused.

One of the few certainly authentic writings is his Confessio, above all an act of homage to God for having called Patrick, unworthy sinner, to the apostolate.

There is hope rather than irony in the fact that his burial place is said to be in strife-torn Ulster, in County Down.

Comment:

What distinguishes Patrick is the durability of his efforts. When one considers the state of Ireland when he began his mission work, the vast extent of his labors (all of Ireland) and how the seeds he planted continued to grow and flourish, one can only admire the kind of man Patrick must have been. The holiness of a person is known only by the fruits of his or her work.

Quote:

“Christ shield me this day: Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I arise, Christ in the heart of every person who thinks of me, Christ in the eye that sees me, Christ in the ear that hears me” (from “The Breastplate of St. Patrick”).

Lauds -- Morning Prayer

Morning Prayer (Lauds)

If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.

O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 50 (51)
God, have mercy on me
Take pity on me, Lord, in your mercy; in your abundance of mercy wipe out my guilt. Wash me ever more from my guilt and cleanse me from my sin. For I know how guilty I am: my sin is always before me. Against you, you alone have I sinned, and I have done evil in your sight. Know this, so that you may give just sentence and an unbiased judgement. See, I was conceived in guilt, in sin my mother conceived me; but you love truth in the heart, and deep within me you have shown me your wisdom. You will sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be made clean; you will wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. You will make me hear the sound of joy and gladness; the bones you have crushed will rejoice. Turn your face away from my sins and wipe out all my transgressions; create a pure heart in me, God, put a steadfast spirit into me. Do not send me away from your presence, or withdraw your holy spirit from me; give me again the joy of your salvation, and be ready to strengthen me with your spirit. I will teach the unjust your ways, and the impious will return to you. Free me from the guilt of bloodshed, God, God my saviour, and my voice will glory in your justice. Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will proclaim your praise; for you do not delight in sacrifices: if I offered you a burnt offering, it would not please you. The true sacrifice is a broken spirit: a contrite and humble heart, O God, you will not refuse. Be pleased, Lord, to look kindly on Sion, so that the walls of Jerusalem can be rebuilt, Then indeed you will accept the proper sacrifices, gifts and burnt offerings; then indeed will bullocks be laid upon your altar. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 50 (51)

God, have mercy on me

Take pity on me, Lord, in your mercy; in your abundance of mercy wipe out my guilt.
Wash me ever more from my guilt and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know how guilty I am: my sin is always before me.

Against you, you alone have I sinned, and I have done evil in your sight.
Know this, so that you may give just sentence and an unbiased judgement.

See, I was conceived in guilt, in sin my mother conceived me;
but you love truth in the heart, and deep within me you have shown me your wisdom.

You will sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be made clean; you will wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
You will make me hear the sound of joy and gladness; the bones you have crushed will rejoice.

Turn your face away from my sins and wipe out all my transgressions;
create a pure heart in me, God, put a steadfast spirit into me.

Do not send me away from your presence, or withdraw your holy spirit from me;
give me again the joy of your salvation, and be ready to strengthen me with your spirit.

I will teach the unjust your ways, and the impious will return to you.
Free me from the guilt of bloodshed, God, God my saviour, and my voice will glory in your justice.

Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will proclaim your praise;
for you do not delight in sacrifices: if I offered you a burnt offering, it would not please you.
The true sacrifice is a broken spirit: a contrite and humble heart, O God, you will not refuse.

Be pleased, Lord, to look kindly on Sion, so that the walls of Jerusalem can be rebuilt,
Then indeed you will accept the proper sacrifices, gifts and burnt offerings; then indeed will bullocks be laid upon your altar.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Canticle	Habakkuk 3
The Lord will appear in judgement
Lord, I heard what you gave me to hear, and I was struck with awe of your work. In the midst of the years, bring it to life; in the midst of the years you will make it known. When you are angry, you will remember your mercy. God will come from Theman, the holy one from the mountain of Pharan. His glory has covered the heavens and the earth is full of his praise. His brightness shall be like light itself, rays shining from his hands – there is his strength hidden. You went forth for the salvation of the people, for salvation with your anointed one. You made a way through the sea for your horses, in the silt of many waters. I have heard you, Lord, and my stomach churns within me; at the sound of your voice my lips tremble. My bones rot away, my steps stumble. I will rest and be quiet on the day of tribulation and let it overtake those who have invaded us. For the fig will not flower, the vines will not fruit, the work of the olive will be lost. The fields will yield no food, the flocks will be cut off from the sheepfold, there will be no cattle in the stalls. But I will rejoice in the Lord, take joy in God my saviour. The Lord God is my strength. He will make me as sure-footed as the deer. He will lead me up to the heights. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Canticle

Habakkuk 3

The Lord will appear in judgement

Lord, I heard what you gave me to hear,
and I was struck with awe of your work.
In the midst of the years, bring it to life;
in the midst of the years you will make it known.
When you are angry, you will remember your mercy.

God will come from Theman,
the holy one from the mountain of Pharan.
His glory has covered the heavens
and the earth is full of his praise.
His brightness shall be like light itself,
rays shining from his hands –
there is his strength hidden.

You went forth for the salvation of the people,
for salvation with your anointed one.

You made a way through the sea for your horses,
in the silt of many waters.

I have heard you, Lord,
and my stomach churns within me;
at the sound of your voice my lips tremble.
My bones rot away, my steps stumble.

I will rest and be quiet on the day of tribulation
and let it overtake those who have invaded us.
For the fig will not flower,
the vines will not fruit,
the work of the olive will be lost.
The fields will yield no food,
the flocks will be cut off from the sheepfold,
there will be no cattle in the stalls.

But I will rejoice in the Lord, take joy in God my saviour.
The Lord God is my strength.
He will make me as sure-footed as the deer.
He will lead me up to the heights.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Psalm 147 (147B)
God, the foundation of Jerusalem
Praise the Lord, Jerusalem — Sion, praise your God. For he has strengthened the bars of your gates, he has blessed your children. He keeps your borders in peace, he fills you with the richest wheat. He sends out his command over the earth, and swiftly runs his word. He sends down snow that is like wool, frost that is like ashes. He sends hailstones like crumbs — who can withstand his cold? He will send out his word, and all will be melted; his spirit will breathe, and the waters will flow. He proclaims his word to Jacob, his laws and judgements to Israel. He has not done this for other nations: he has not shown them his judgements. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 147 (147B)

God, the foundation of Jerusalem

Praise the Lord, Jerusalem — Sion, praise your God.

For he has strengthened the bars of your gates, he has blessed your children.
He keeps your borders in peace, he fills you with the richest wheat.
He sends out his command over the earth, and swiftly runs his word.
He sends down snow that is like wool, frost that is like ashes.

He sends hailstones like crumbs — who can withstand his cold?
He will send out his word, and all will be melted; his spirit will breathe, and the waters will flow.
He proclaims his word to Jacob, his laws and judgements to Israel.
He has not done this for other nations: he has not shown them his judgements.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

A short Bible reading and responsory may follow here.

Canticle	Benedictus
The Messiah and his forerunner
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and brought about their redemption. He has raised up the sign of salvation in the house of his servant David, as he promised through the mouth of the holy ones, his prophets through the ages: to rescue us from our enemies and all who hate us, to take pity on our fathers, to remember his holy covenant and the oath he swore to Abraham our father, that he would give himself to us, that we could serve him without fear – freed from the hands of our enemies – in uprightness and holiness before him, for all of our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High: for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his path, to let his people know their salvation, so that their sins may be forgiven. Through the bottomless mercy of our God, one born on high will visit us to give light to those who walk in darkness, who live in the shadow of death; to lead our feet in the path of peace. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Canticle

Benedictus

The Messiah and his forerunner

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and brought about their redemption.
He has raised up the sign of salvation in the house of his servant David,
as he promised through the mouth of the holy ones, his prophets through the ages:
to rescue us from our enemies and all who hate us, to take pity on our fathers,
to remember his holy covenant and the oath he swore to Abraham our father,
that he would give himself to us, that we could serve him without fear – freed from the hands of our enemies –
in uprightness and holiness before him, for all of our days.

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High: for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his path,
to let his people know their salvation, so that their sins may be forgiven.
Through the bottomless mercy of our God, one born on high will visit us
to give light to those who walk in darkness, who live in the shadow of death;
to lead our feet in the path of peace.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Some short prayers may follow here, to offer up the day's work to God.

Our Father, who art in Heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those that trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

A concluding prayer may follow here.

May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life.

A M E N

Catholic Culture

Collect:
God our Father, you sent St. Patrick to preach your glory to the people of Ireland. By the help of his prayers, may all Christians proclaim your love to all men. 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.

Recipes:

less

Activities:

» What is a Nameday?

less

Prayers:

less

March 17, 2006

Optional Memorial of St. Patrick, bishop and confessor (Solemnity Aus, Ire, Feast Scot, Wales)

Old Calendar: St. Patrick

This day is not all about leprechauns, shamrocks and green beer. This is a day to honor and pray to St. Patrick. He was an influential saint who, 1,500 years ago, brought Christianity to the little country of Ireland. He was born about 385 in the British Isles, was carried off while still very young during a raid on England by the Irish and sold as a slave. At the end of six years he contrived to escape to Europe, became a monk and was ordained; he then returned to Ireland to preach the Gospel. During the thirty years that his missionary labors continued he covered the Island with churches and monasteries; in 444 he founded the metropolitan see of Armagh. St. Patrick died in 461. After fifteen centuries he remains for all Irishmen the great bishop whom they venerate as their father in the Faith.

The Station for today is in the church of St. Vitalis, martyr, the father of the two illustrious Milanese martyrs, Sts. Gervasius and Protasius. It was built about 400, and consecrated by Pope Innocent I in 401/2. The dedication to St. Vitalis and his family was given in 412. The church has been rebuilt several times, of which the most comprehensive rebuilding was that of Pope Sixtus IV before the 1475 Jubilee. It was then granted to Clerics Regular.

St. Patrick
Not many facts are known about the life of St. Patrick. We know that he was born around 415 AD, and was a Roman Briton. When he was about 16, while he was tending his sheep some Irish raiders captured him and made him a slave. He eventually was able to escape and return to Britain. There he heard the call to return and bring Christianity to Ireland. He was ordained a priest, consecrated a bishop and came back to Ireland around 435 AD. Many legends are associated around St. Patrick: how he drove the snakes out of Ireland, and the use of the shamrock to teach the mystery of the Trinity. Whether or not the legends are true, St. Patrick succeeded in bringing Catholicism to Ireland, and in time, the whole country converted from their pagan gods to the one true God.

Although a small country, Ireland has played a large role in saving and bringing Christianity throughout the world. During the early Dark Ages, the Irish monasteries preserved Western writings while Europe remained in darkness. But as the Catholic country remained solidly Catholic, the Irish spread the faith to all corners of the world. To learn more on this subject, read Thomas Cahill's How the Irish Saved Civilization.

We have a few works attributed to St. Patrick, one being his autobiography called Confessions. It is a short summary of the events in his life, written in true humility. Below is a short excerpt:

I am greatly God's debtor, because he granted me so much grace, that through me many people would be reborn in God, and soon after confirmed, and that clergy would be ordained everywhere for them, the masses lately come to belief, whom the Lord drew from the ends of the earth, just as he once promised through his prophets: "To you shall the nations come from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Our fathers have inherited naught hut lies, worthless things in which there is no profit." And again: "I have set you to be a light for the Gentiles that you may bring salvation to the uttermost ends of the earth."

Patron: Ireland; against snakes; against ophidiophobia; archdiocese of Boston, Massachusetts; diocese of Burlington, Vermont; engineers; excluded people; fear of snakes; diocese of Fort Worth, Texas; diocese of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; archdiocese of New York; Nigeria; diocese of Norwich, Connecticut; ophidiophobics; diocese of Portland, Maine; diocese of Sacramento, California; snake bites.

Symbols: A bishop trampling on snakes; bishop driving snakes away; shamrock; snakes; cross; harp; demons; baptismal font.

Things to Do:

This is a good day to honor the St. Patrick by trying typical Irish fare: corned beef and cabbage, soda bread, scones, stew, Shepherd's pie, potatoes in various forms and the famous beer and spirits of Ireland. For dessert, try making the Irish Porter Cake.
Read the Lorica (Breastplate) of St. Patrick. Here is an older translation — pray it with your family after your rosary tonight.
From the Catholic Culture library: The Conversion of Ireland by Warren Carroll, The Irish Soldiers of Mexico by Michael Hogan, The Irish Madonna of Hungary by Zsolt Aradi and Our Lady in Old Irish Folklore and Hymns by James F. Cassidy.

Regnum Christi

Spiritual Fruitfulness
March 17, 2006

We need to cultivate our spiritual lives and work hard to produce the fruit that will lead us closer to God

Friday of the Second Week of Lent
Father Christopher Scroggin, LC

Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46
Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people: "Hear another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey. When vintage time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce. But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat, another they killed, and a third they stoned. Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones, but they treated them in the same way. Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking, ´They will respect my son.´ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, ´This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.´ They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?" They answered him, "He will put those wretched men to a wretched death and lease his vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the proper times." Jesus said to them, "Did you never read in the scriptures: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes? Therefore, I say to you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit.” When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they knew that he was speaking about them. And although they were attempting to arrest him, they feared the crowds, for they regarded him as a prophet.

Introductory Prayer: Heavenly Father, you are the master of the vineyard, it is you who make the vine bear fruit that will last. Keep us ever connected to the vine, and grant that we will bear much fruit in our lives.

Petition: Lord Jesus, increase my faith and love.

1. A Vine and Its Branches. This is not the first time Jesus uses the image of a vine and its branches. It was an image that could easily be understood by the people of his time who primarily lived on the produce of the earth. If some of the branches did not produce fruit they simply were cut away from the vine. We need to produce spiritual “fruit” in our lives too.

2. God’s Desire for Our Fruitfulness. Our spiritual lives need to be fruitful. We need to cultivate our spiritual lives and work hard to produce the fruit that will lead us closer to God. Our Lord desires that we be fruitful as he states, “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples” (John 15:8), and also, “I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last” (John 15:16).

3. Cultivating the Soil of Our Soul. We need to cultivate the soil of our soul by good works, prayer and a more profound sacramental life. Using these means in our spiritual life is like being a gardener who takes care of his garden. Prayer plants the seed, the sacraments nourish it, and good works aid in taking care of the plant as it grows. As a result, the plant will bear fruit, with God’s grace, unto everlasting life.

Dialogue with Christ: Divine Gardener of my soul, aid me in cultivating my spiritual life so as to bear fruit that will last; fruit that will give glory to the Father and help in the salvation of souls.

Resolution: Today, I will strive to put these three means (good works, prayer, Sacraments) into practice in my spiritual life.

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.