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Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 11-21-06, Mem. Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
USCCB.org/New American Bible ^ | 11-21-06 | New American Bible

Posted on 11/20/2006 8:53:17 PM PST by Salvation

November 21, 2006

Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Psalm: Tuesday 46

Reading 1
Rev 3:1-6, 14-22

I, John, heard the Lord saying to me:
“To the angel of the Church in Sardis, write this:

“‘The one who has the seven spirits of God
and the seven stars says this: “I know your works,
that you have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.
Be watchful and strengthen what is left, which is going to die,
for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.
Remember then how you accepted and heard; keep it, and repent.
If you are not watchful, I will come like a thief,
and you will never know at what hour I will come upon you.
However, you have a few people in Sardis
who have not soiled their garments;
they will walk with me dressed in white,
because they are worthy.

“‘The victor will thus be dressed in white,
and I will never erase his name from the book of life
but will acknowledge his name in the presence of my Father
and of his angels.

“‘Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

“To the angel of the Church in Laodicea, write this:

“‘The Amen, the faithful and true witness,
the source of God’s creation, says this:
“I know your works;
I know that you are neither cold nor hot.
I wish you were either cold or hot.
So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold,
I will spit you out of my mouth.
For you say, ‘I am rich and affluent and have no need of anything,’
and yet do not realize that you are wretched,
pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich,
and white garments to put on
so that your shameful nakedness may not be exposed,
and buy ointment to smear on your eyes so that you may see.
Those whom I love, I reprove and chastise.
Be earnest, therefore, and repent.

“‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock.
If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,
then I will enter his house and dine with him,
and he with me.
I will give the victor the right to sit with me on my throne,
as I myself first won the victory
and sit with my Father on his throne.

“‘Whoever has ears ought to hear
what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 15:2-3a, 3bc-4ab, 5

R. (Rev. 3: 21) I will seat the victor beside me on my throne.
He who walks blamelessly and does justice;
who thinks the truth in his heart
and slanders not with his tongue.
R. I will seat the victor beside me on my throne.
Who harms not his fellow man,
nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
By whom the reprobate is despised,
while he honors those who fear the LORD.
R. I will seat the victor beside me on my throne.
Who lends not his money at usury
and accepts no bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
shall never be disturbed.
R. I will seat the victor beside me on my throne.

Gospel
Lk 19:1-10

At that time Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town.
Now a man there named Zacchaeus,
who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man,
was seeking to see who Jesus was;
but he could not see him because of the crowd,
for he was short in stature.
So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus,
who was about to pass that way.
When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said,
“Zacchaeus, come down quickly,
for today I must stay at your house.”
And he came down quickly and received him with joy.
When they saw this, they began to grumble, saying,
“He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner.”
But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord,
“Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor,
and if I have extorted anything from anyone
I shall repay it four times over.”
And Jesus said to him,
“Today salvation has come to this house
because this man too is a descendant of Abraham.
For the Son of Man has come to seek
and to save what was lost.”




TOPICS: Catholic; Evangelical Christian; Prayer; Worship
KEYWORDS: blessed; catholiclist; presentation; virginmary
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For your reading, reflection, faith-sharing, comments, questions, discussion.

1 posted on 11/20/2006 8:53:21 PM PST by Salvation
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To: nickcarraway; sandyeggo; Lady In Blue; NYer; american colleen; ELS; Pyro7480; livius; ...
Alleluia Ping!

Please notify me via FReepmail if you would like to be added to or taken off the Alleluia Ping List.

2 posted on 11/20/2006 8:54:27 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All

Titian - Presentation of the Virgin Mary

3 posted on 11/20/2006 8:55:02 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All
The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary [November 21]
4 posted on 11/20/2006 8:55:51 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Salvation
Happy Thanksgiving to you and all our other Freepers here. :-)
5 posted on 11/20/2006 8:59:58 PM PST by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: A CA Guy

Happy Thanksgiving to you too!

We do a huge Thanksgiving meal for people in the community -- delivered or had sit down meals for 1200 last year.

I am answering the telephone at church because the number of calls gets to be so high that the secretary can't get her regular work done. So I am going to be posting the Mass threads in the evening.

I'll add things in the morning.


6 posted on 11/20/2006 9:00:59 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Salvation

That is real nice of you to do that.

Lots of work for good causes. You are very special.


7 posted on 11/20/2006 9:02:28 PM PST by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: A CA Guy
EWTN
 

8 posted on 11/20/2006 9:03:17 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Memorial)
First Reading:
Psalm:
Gospel:
Revelation 3:1-6, 14-22
Psalm 15:2-5
Luke 19:1-10

We must be detached from ourselves because all our being and all our happiness depends, not on us, but on God, according to the words of our Lord: "He that loves his life shall lose it, and he that hates his life shall keep it unto life eternal. (Jn 12:25)

-- St. Ignatius Loyola


9 posted on 11/20/2006 9:04:43 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All
November Devotion: The Holy Souls in Purgatory


Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. As a reminder of our duty to pray for the suffering faithful in Purgatory, the Church has dedicated the month of November to the Holy Souls. The Holy Souls are those who have died in the state of grace but who are not yet free from all punishment due to their unforgiven venial sins and all other sins already forgiven for which satisfaction is still to be made. They are certain of entering Heaven, but first they must suffer in Purgatory. The Holy Souls cannot help themselves because for them the night has come, when no man can work (John 9:4). It is our great privilege of brotherhood that we can shorten their time of separation from God by our prayers, good works, and, especially, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

INVOCATION
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.

FOR THE SOULS IN PURGATORY
My Jesus, by the sorrows Thou didst suffer in Thine agony in the Garden, in Thy scourging and crowning with thorns, in the way to Calvary, in Thy crucifixion and death, have mercy on the souls in purgatory, and especially on those that are most forsaken; do Thou deliver them from the dire torments they endure; call them and admit them to Thy most sweet embrace in paradise.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Eternal rest, etc.

FOR ALL THE DECEASED
By Thy resurrection from the dead, O Christ, death no longer hath dominion over those who die in holiness. So, we beseech Thee, give rest to Thy servants in Thy sanctuary and in Abraham's bosom. Grant it to those, who from Adam until now have adored Thee with purity, to our fathers and brothers, to our kinsmen and friends, to all men who have lived by faith and passed on their road to Thee, by a thousand ways, and in all conditions, and make them worthy of the heavenly kingdom.
Byzantine Liturgy

DE PROFUNDIS
The psalmist is crying out here from the depression that grips him because of his sense of sin. He tells God that no man could be forgiven should strict justice be demanded; but, since God is forgiving and merciful, the psalmist (Israel) will hope for redemption from iniquities. We, who know the mercy of God far better than the g Israelites, may pray this psalm with even greater trust in God.
The Church uses this psalm in the liturgy as her official prayer for the souls in Purgatory.

Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my, voice!
Let Your ears be attentive to my voice in supplication:
If You, O Lord, mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?
But with You is forgiveness, that You may be revered.
I trust in the Lord; my soul trusts in His word.
My soul waits for the Lord more than sentinels wait for the dawn.
More than sentinels wait for the dawn, let Israel wait for the Lord,
For with the Lord is kindness and with Him is plenteous redemption;
And He will redeem Israel from all their iniquities.
Psalm 130

THE MISERERE
This psalm is a marvelous act of contrition, confession, and supplication by a repentant sinner. It was composed by David after his sin with Bethsabee. In reparation David promises to lead others back to God by telling them of the ways of divine justice. Instead of offering God an external sacrifice which he knows He will not accept, he offers instead the sacrifice of a contrite and humble heart, a sacrifice that will always be most pleasing in the eyes of God.
Have mercy on me, 0 God, in Your goodness; in the greatness of Your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me.
For I acknowledge my offense, and my sin is before me always:
"Against You only have I sinned, and done what is evil in Your sight"--
That You may be justified in Your sentence, vindicated when You condemn.
Indeed, in guilt was I born, and in sin my mother conceived me;
Behold, You are pleased with sincerity of heart, and in my inmost being You teach me wisdom.
Cleanse me of sin with hyssop, that I may be purified; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Let me hear the sounds of joy and gladness; the bones You have crushed shall rejoice.
Turn away Your face from my sins, and blot out all my guilt.
A clean heart create for me, 0 God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from Your presence, and Your holy spirit take not from me.
Give me back the joy of Your salvation, and a willing spirit sustain in me.
I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall return to You.
Free me from blood guilt, 0 God, my saving God; then my tongue shall revel in Your justice.
O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim Your praise.
For You are not pleased with sacrifices; should I offer a holocaust, You would not accept it.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; a heart contrite and humbled, 0 God, You will not spurn.
Be bountiful, O Lord, to Sion in Your kindness by rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem;
Then shall You be pleased with due sacrifices, burnt offerings and holocausts; then shall they offer up bullocks on Your altar.
Psalm 50

FOR THE SOULS IN PURGATORY
O Lord, who art ever merciful and bounteous with Thy gifts, look down upon the suffering souls in purgatory. Remember not their offenses and negligences, but be mindful of Thy loving mercy, which is from all eternity. Cleanse them of their sins and fulfill their ardent desires that they may be made worthy to behold Thee face to face in Thy glory. May they soon be united with Thee and hear those blessed words which will call them to their heavenly home: "Come, blessed of My Father, take possession of the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."

Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Little Litany of the Holy Souls

This litany was written by Dr. Blanche Jennings Thompson, Franciscan Tertiary. It is approved for private use and bears the imprimatur of Most Rev. Samuel Stritch, former Archbishop of Milwaukee.

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.

Holy Souls, Pray for us.
For the souls of our families We pray Thee, O God.
For the souls of our friends, We pray Thee, O God.
For the souls of our enemies, We pray Thee, O God.
For the souls of all pagans, We pray Thee, O God.
For the souls of all priests, We pray Thee, O God.
For the souls of all religious, We pray Thee, O God.
For the souls of the just, We pray Thee, O God.
For the souls of all sinners, We pray Thee, O God.
For the Holy Souls in Purgatory, We pray Thee, O God.
For those who have none to pray for them, We pray Thee, O God.

O almighty and eternal God, we beg Thee to have mercy on the Holy Souls in Purgatory, especially those for whom we are bound to pray; and we ask Thee also to listen to the prayers of the Blessed Souls in our behalf. Amen.

Prayer Source: Kyrie Eleison — Two Hundred Litanies by Benjamin Francis Musser O.F.M., The Magnificat Press, 1944


10 posted on 11/20/2006 9:06:21 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All
Scripture readings taken from the Jerusalem Bible, published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd

Mass Readings

First reading Apocalypse 3:1 - 22 ©
Write to the angel of the church in Sardis and say, “Here is the message of the one who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars: I know all about you: how you are reputed to be alive and yet are dead. Wake up; revive what little you have left: it is dying fast. So far I have failed to notice anything in the way you live that my God could possibly call perfect, and yet do you remember how eager you were. when you first heard the message? Hold on to that. Repent. If you do not wake up, I shall come to you like a thief, without telling you at what hour to expect me. There are a few in Sardis, it is true, who have kept their robes from being dirtied, and they are fit to come with me, dressed in white. Those who prove victorious will be dressed, like these, in white robes; I shall not blot their names out of the book of life, but acknowledge their names in the presence of my Father and his angels. If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.”
Write to the angel of the church in Laodicea and say, “Here is the message of the Amen, the faithful, the true witness, the ultimate source of God’s creation: I know all about you: how you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were one or the other, but since you are neither, but only lukewarm, I will spit you out of my mouth. You say to yourself, ‘I am rich, I have made a fortune, and have everything I want’, never realising that you are wretchedly and pitiably poor, and blind and naked too. I warn you, buy from me the gold that has been tested in the fire to make you really rich, and white robes to clothe you and cover your shameful nakedness, and eye ointment to put on your eyes so that you are able to see. I am the one who reproves and disciplines all those he loves: so repent in real earnest. Look, I am standing at the door, knocking. If one of you hears me calling and opens the door, I will come in to share his meal, side by side with him. Those who prove victorious I will allow to share my throne, just as I was victorious myself and took my place with my Father on his throne. If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.”
Psalm or canticle: Psalm 14
Gospel Luke 19:1 - 10 ©
Jesus entered Jericho and was going through the town when a man whose name was Zacchaeus made his appearance; he was one of the senior tax collectors and a wealthy man. He was anxious to see what kind of man Jesus was, but he was too short and could not see him for the crowd; So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus who was to pass that way. When Jesus reached the spot he looked up and spoke to him: ‘Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry, because I must stay at your house today.’ And he hurried down and welcomed him joyfully. They all complained when they saw what was happening. ‘He has gone to stay at a sinner’s house’ they said. But Zacchaeus stood his ground and said to the Lord, ‘Look, sir, I am going to give half my property to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody I will pay him back four times the amount’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek out and save what was lost’.

11 posted on 11/20/2006 9:08:36 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All
American Catholic’s Saint of the Day

God calls each one of us to be a saint.

November 21, 2006
Feast of the Presentation of Mary

Mary’s presentation was celebrated in Jerusalem in the sixth century. A church was built there in honor of this mystery. The Eastern Church was more interested in the feast, but it does appear in the West in the 11th century. Although the feast at times disappeared from the calendar, in the 16th century it became a feast of the universal Church.

As with Mary’s birth, we read of Mary’s presentation in the temple only in apocryphal literature. In what is recognized as an unhistorical account, the Protoevangelium of James tells us that Anna and Joachim offered Mary to God in the Temple when she was three years old. This was to carry out a promise made to God when Anna was still childless.

Though unhistorical, Mary’s presentation has an important theological purpose. It continues the impact of the feasts of the Immaculate Conception and of the birth of Mary. It emphasizes that the holiness conferred on Mary from the beginning of her life on earth continued through her early childhood and beyond.

Comment:

It is sometimes difficult for modern Westerners to appreciate a feast like this. The Eastern Church, however, was quite open to this feast and even somewhat insistent about celebrating it. Even though the feast has no basis in history, it stresses an important truth about Mary: From the beginning of her life, she was dedicated to God. She herself became a greater temple than any made by hands. God came to dwell in her in a marvelous manner and sanctified her for her unique role in God's saving work. At the same time, the magnificence of Mary redounds upon her children. They, too, are temples of God and sanctified in order that they might enjoy and share in God's saving work.

Quote:

"Hail, holy throne of God, divine sanctuary, house of glory, jewel most fair, chosen treasure house, and mercy seat for the whole world, heaven showing forth the glory of God. Purest Virgin, worthy of all praise, sanctuary dedicated to God and raised above all human condition, virgin soil, unplowed field, flourishing vine, fountain pouring out waters, virgin bearing a child, mother without knowing man, hidden treasure of innocence, ornament of sanctity, by your most acceptable prayers, strong with the authority of motherhood, to our Lord and God, Creator of all, your Son who was born of you without a father, steer the ship of the Church and bring it to a quiet harbor" (adapted from a homily by St. Germanus on the Presentation of the Mother of God).



12 posted on 11/20/2006 9:10:39 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Salvation

I had a request from my girlfriend to take her to church in the morning and I will remember this.


13 posted on 11/20/2006 9:21:13 PM PST by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: Salvation

Amen!


14 posted on 11/21/2006 3:55:42 AM PST by ethics
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To: A CA Guy

God bless you! That's evangelization in action!


15 posted on 11/21/2006 7:08:35 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: ethics
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. Alleluia.


A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 9B (10)
Thanksgiving
With what purpose, Lord, do you stay away, hide yourself in time of need and trouble?
The wicked in their pride persecute the weak, trap them in the plots they have devised.
The sinner glories in his desires, the miser congratulates himself.
The sinner in his arrogance rejects the Lord: “there is no God, no retribution”.
This is what he thinks – and all goes well for him.
Your judgements are far beyond his comprehension: he despises all who stand against him.

The sinner says to himself: “I will stand firm; nothing can touch me, from generation to generation”.
His mouth is full of malice and deceit, under his tongue hide trouble and distress.
He lies in ambush by the villages, he kills the innocent in some secret place.
He watches the weak, he hides like a lion in its lair, and makes plans.
He plans to rob the weak, lure him to his trap and rob him.
He rushes in, makes a dive, and the poor victim is caught.
For he has said to himself, “God has forgotten. He is not watching, he will never see”.

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 9B (10)
Rise up, Lord, raise your hand! Do not forget the weak.
Why does the wicked man spurn God? Because he says to himself, “you will not take revenge”.

But you do see: you see the trouble and the pain, and then you take things into your own hands.
The weak fall to your care, and you are the help of the orphan.
Break the arms of the sinner and evil-doer: seek out wickedness until there is no more to be found.

The Lord is King for ever and for ever. The Gentiles have perished from his land.
You have heard the prayer of the weak, Lord, and you will strengthen their hearts.
You will lend your ear to the pleas of the orphans and the helpless, so mere mortals can frighten them no longer.

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 11 (12)
A prayer against the proud
Save me, Lord, for the good men are all gone: there is no-one to be trusted among the sons of men.
Neighbour speaks falsehood to neighbour: with lying lips and crooked hearts they speak.

Let the Lord condemn all lying lips, all boastful tongues.
They say “Our tongues will make us great, our lips are ours, we have no master”.

“On account of the sufferings of the poor, the groans of the weak, I will rise up”, says the Lord. “I will bring to safety the one whom men despise”.
The words of the Lord are pure words, silver tried by fire, freed from dross, silver seven times refined.

You, Lord, will help us and guard us from now to all eternity –
while the wicked walk round outside, where the vilest are most honoured of the children of men.

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 Zechariah 9:1 - 10:2 ©
The Lord has passed
through the land of Hadrach
and Damascus is his dwelling-place;
for the cities of Aram belong to the Lord
no less than all the tribes of Israel;
Hamath too, which borders on it,
(Tyre) and Sidon also, despite her acumen.
Tyre has built herself a rampart,
has heaped up silver like dust
and gold like the dirt of the streets.
And now the Lord is going to take possession of her;
he will topple her power into the sea;
she herself will be consumed by fire.
Seeing this, Ashkelon will be terrified,
and Gaza be seized with trembling,
so will Ekron, at the ruin of her prospects;
the king will vanish from Gaza
and Ashkelon remain unpeopled,
but the bastard will live in Ashdod!
I mean to destroy the arrogance of the Philistine;
I intend to take his blood out of his mouth
and his abomination from between his teeth.
He too will become a remnant for our God
and be like a family in Judah.
Ekron shall be like the Jebusite.
Near my house I will take my stand
like a watchman on guard against prowlers;
the tyrant shall pass their way no more,
because I have now taken notice of its distress.

Rejoice heart and soul, daughter of Zion!
Shout with gladness, daughter of Jerusalem!
See now, your king comes to you;
he is victorious, he is triumphant,
humble and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
He’ will banish chariots from Ephraim
and horses from Jerusalem;
the bow of war will be banished.
He will proclaim peace for the nations.
His empire shall stretch from sea to sea,
from the River to the ends of the earth.

As for you, because of the blood of your covenant
I am sending back your prisoners from the pit
(in which there is no water).
To you, daughter of Zion,
the hopeful captives will return.
In compensation for your days of banishment
I will give you back double.
For I bend my bow; it is Judah;
I make Ephraim its arrow.
I am going to brandish your children, Zion,
(against your children, Javan);
I mean to make you like the sword of a hero.
The Lord will appear above them
and his arrow will flash out like lightning.
The Lord will sound the trumpet
and advance in the storms of the south.
The Lord (of Hosts) will protect them!
They will trample sling stones underfoot,
they will drink blood like wine,
they will be soaked in it like the horns of an altar.
The Lord their God will give them victory
when that day comes;
he will pasture his people like a flock
(like the flashing jewels of a diadem)
on his land.
What joy and what beauty shall be theirs!
Corn will make the young men flourish,
and sweet wine the maidens.

Ask the Lord for rain
at the time of the spring rains.
For it is the Lord who sends the lightning
and gives the showers of rain;
he gives bread to man,
and grass to the cattle.
Because the teraphim utter futile words
and the diviners have lying visions
and publish empty dreams
and voice misleading nonsense,
naturally the people stray like sheep;
they wander because they have no shepherd.

Reading A sermon of St Augustine
By faith she believed; by faith, conceived
Stretching out his hand over his disciples, the Lord Christ declared: Here are my mother and my brothers; anyone who does the will of my Father who sent me is my brother and sister and my mother. I would urge you to ponder these words. Did the Virgin Mary, who believed by faith and conceived by faith, who was the chosen one from whom our Saviour was born among men, who was created by Christ before Christ was created in her – did she not do the will of the Father? Indeed the blessed Mary certainly did the Father’s will, and so it was for her a greater thing to have been Christ’s disciple than to have been his mother, and she was more blessed in her discipleship than in her motherhood. Hers was the happiness of first bearing in her womb him whom she would obey as her master.
Now listen and see if the words of Scripture do not agree with what I have said. The Lord was passing by and crowds were following him. His miracles gave proof of divine power. and a woman cried out: Happy is the womb that bore you, blessed is that womb! But the Lord, not wishing people to seek happiness in a purely physical relationship, replied: More blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it. Mary heard God’s word and kept it, and so she is blessed. She kept God’s truth in her mind, a nobler thing than carrying his body in her womb. The truth and the body were both Christ: he was kept in Mary’s mind insofar as he is truth, he was carried in her womb insofar as he is man; but what is kept in the mind is of a higher order than what is carried in the womb.
The Virgin Mary is both holy and blessed, and yet the Church is greater than she. Mary is a part of the Church, a member of the Church, a holy, an eminent – the most eminent – member, but still only a member of the entire body. The body undoubtedly is greater than she, one of its members. This body has the Lord for its head, and head and body together make up the whole Christ. In other words, our head is divine – our head is God.
Now, beloved, give me your whole attention, for you also are members of Christ; you also are the body of Christ. Consider how you yourselves can be among those of whom the Lord said: Here are my mother and my brothers. Do you wonder how you can be the mother of Christ? He himself said: Whoever hears and fulfils the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and my sister and my mother. As for our being the brothers and sisters of Christ, we can understand this because although there is only one inheritance and Christ is the only Son, his mercy would not allow him to remain alone. It was his wish that we too should be heirs of the Father, and co-heirs with himself.
Now having said that all of you are brothers of Christ, shall I not dare to call you his mother? Much less would I dare to deny his own words. Tell me how Mary became the mother of Christ, if it was not by giving birth to the members of Christ? You, to whom I am speaking, are the members of Christ. Of whom were you born? “Of Mother Church”, I hear the reply of your hearts. You became sons of this mother at your baptism, you came to birth then as members of Christ. Now you in your turn must draw to the font of baptism as many as you possibly can. You became sons when you were born there yourselves, and now by bringing others to birth in the same way, you have it in your power to become the mothers of Christ.
A concluding prayer may follow here.

16 posted on 11/21/2006 7:12:05 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All
Catholic Culture

Collect:
Eternal Father, we honor the holiness and glory of the Virgin Mary. May her prayers bring us the fullness of your life and love. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

November 21, 2006 Month Year Season

Memorial of the Presentation of Mary

Old Calendar: The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary; St. Columban, Abbot

Today the Church celebrates the memorial of the Presentation of Mary. The three feasts of the birthday of Our Lady, the holy Name of Mary and her Presentation in the Temple correspond in the Marian cycle with the first three feasts of the cycle of feasts of our Lord: namely, Christmas, the Holy Name of Jesus, and His Presentation in the Temple (February 2).


Presentation of Mary
"Sacred Scripture contains no text concerning the event commemorated in today's liturgy. For something of a historical background one may consult the apocryphal works, particularly the Protoevangel of St. James (ch. 4:1ff). After an angel had revealed her pregnancy, Anna is said to have vowed her future child Mary to the Lord. Soon after birth the infant was brought to the sacred precincts at which only the best of Israel's daughters were admitted. At the age of three she was transferred to the temple proper (7:2). According to legend, here she was reared like a dove and received her nourishment from the hand of an angel (8:1).

"In the East, where the feast, celebrated since the eighth century, is kept as a public holiday, it bears the name, 'The Entrance of the Mother of God into the Temple'. It was introduced at Rome by a Cypriotic legate to the papal court of Avignon in 1371. In 1472, Sixtus IV extended its observance to the whole Church. Abolished by Pius V, it was reintroduced some years later (1585)."

Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch.

Things to Do:

  • Meditate on the mystery of Mary's temporary dwelling in the sanctuary of the Old Covenant as a preparation for the approaching season of Advent;

  • Locate the order of contemplative nuns closest to you and visit their monastery (you may want to request their prayers and you might consider supporting them financially), they are the privileged souls who, by the grace of their vocation, are even here below dwellers in the house of the Lord;

  • Spend 30 minutes reading the Bible;

  • Learn more about Mary in the Byzantine Liturgy and say one of the beautiful

17 posted on 11/21/2006 7:15:03 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Salvation
Regnum Christi

 

Looking in the Mirror
November 21, 2006


"Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham"

The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Father Todd Belardi, LC

Luke 19:1-10
At that time Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town. Now a man there named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man, was seeking to see who Jesus was; but he could not see him because of the crowd, for he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus, who was about to pass that way. When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house." And he came down quickly and received him with joy. When they all saw this, they began to grumble, saying, "He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner." But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over." And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost."

Introductory Prayer:Lord Jesus, may I spend this time with you in prayer in adoration and thanksgiving. Help me to accept myself as I am, to see where you want me to grow in my life of virtue, and to decide with all of my will to follow you on the path to holiness.

Petition:Lord, give me the grace to know myself.

1. Know Yourself.   Zacchaeus was short, not just in size, but in having peoples’ respect. Tax collectors were despised and looked down upon as outcasts because more often than not they were cheats and liars. So it was not really his short stature that prevented him from seeing Jesus, but rather his lack of virtue that closed off Christ to him – like our own personal sin does. Sin strangles grace from the soul. Zacchaeus realized this; he couldn’t see, and it bothered him. He had all of the things in the world, but sin closed off Christ. What closes off Christ in our souls?

2. Accept Yourself.   Zacchaeus finally had enough. Rather than muscling his way through the crowd through bribes or influence, he decided to make an act of humility. He climbed a tree and must have looked ridiculous. Jesus must have asked the crowd his name, and they must have had a laugh on seeing this man, who seemed to have everything, unable to catch a glimpse of the Master. But humility wins Christ’s heart. Humble people understand that they need to change and accept that they have many faults. Zacchaeus declares that he has made mistakes -- in other words has sinned -- in front of all of these people. He needs to change and he knows it. What do I need to change? Can I admit it to the Lord and to those around me whom I love?

3. Better Yourself.   He gave away half of his belongings. Even if it means departing from the vices we love most, Christ is worth it. Zacchaeus was ready to do anything he needed to do to overcome his dominant defect. What is most admirable about this is that he was not forced to do it. It came from his own heart, his own desire, his own initiative. Christ did not even have to tell him; he simply wanted to change. How much of our defects am I willing to give up in order to become holy?

Dialogue with Christ: Lord Jesus, help me to know myself better so as to know what makes me desire what I desire. Help me to accept and confess my own personal sins so that I can blot them out and receive your grace. Help me ask for forgiveness from those that I have hurt. May my desire today and always be to become more like you, even if the price is dying to myself and my own personal likes.

Resolution: I will ask for forgiveness today from someone I have hurt, promising Christ I will live a life of virtue.



18 posted on 11/21/2006 7:18:31 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All

From: Revelation 3:1-6, 14-22

Letter to the Church of Sardis



[1] "And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: 'The words of him
who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. "'I know your
works; you have the name of being alive, and you are dead. [2] Awake,
and strengthen what remains and is on the point of death, for I have not
found your works perfect in the sight of my God. [3] Remember then
what you received and heard; keep that, and repent. If you will not
awake, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I
will come upon you. [4] Yet you have still a few names in Sardis,
people who have not soiled their garments; and they shall walk with
me in white, for they are worthy. [5] He who conquers shall be clad
thus in white garments, and I will not blot his name out of the book of
life; I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.
[6] He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the
churches.'

Letter to the Church of Laodicea


[14] "And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: 'The words of
the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's
creation.

[15] "'I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you
were cold or hot! [16] So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold
nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth. [17] For you say, I am rich,
I have prospered, and I need nothing; not knowing that you are wret-
ched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. [18] Therefore I counsel you to
buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may be rich, and white gar-
ments to clothe you and to keep the shame of your nakedness from
being seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see. [19]
Those whom I love, I reprove and chasten; so be zealous and repent.
[20] Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears my voice
and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with
me. [21] He who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne,
as I myself conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. [22]
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'"



Commentary:

1. Sardis, about 50 kilometers (30 miles) south-east of Thyatira, was
an important hub in the highway system; it was also famous for its
acropolis, which was located in an unassailable position. Herodotus
describes its inhabitants as immoral, licentious people (cf. "History",
1, 55). The Christians of the city were probably somewhat infected by
the general atmosphere.

Christ is now depicted as possessing the fullness of the Spirit, with
the power to effect radical change by sanctifying the churches from
within (cf. note on 1:4). He is also portrayed as the sovereign Lord of
the universal Church (cf. note on 2:1), ever ready to imbue it with new
life.

The church of Sardis is accused of seeming to be alive but in fact
being dead: in other words, although its external practice of religion
makes it look Christian, most of its members (not all: cf. v. 4) are
estranged from Christ, devoid of interior life, in a sinful condition.
Anyone who lives like that is dead. Our Lord himself described the
situation of the prodigal son as being a kind of death: "my son was
dead, and is alive again", the father exclaims in the parable (Lk 15: 24);
and St Paul invites Christians to offer themselves to God "as men who
have been brought from death to life" (Rom 6:13). Now, in this passage
of Revelation, we are told that the cause of this spiritual, but real, death
is the fact that the works of this church are imperfect in the sight o
God (v. 2); they were works which led to spiritual death, that is, what
we would term mortal sins. "With the whole tradition of the Church",
John Paul II says, "we call 'mortal sin' the act by which man freely and
consciously rejects God, his law, the covenant of love that God offers,
preferring to turn in on himself or to some created and finite reality,
something contrary to the divine will ("conversio ad creaturam") [...].
Man perceives that this disobedience to God destroys the bond that
unites him with his life-principle: it is a mortal sin, that is, an act which
gravely offends God and ends in turning against man himself with a
dark and powerful force of destruction" ("Reconciliatio Et Paenitentia",
17).

2-3. Vigilance is always necessary, particularly in certain situations
like that of Sardis where there was a number of people who had not
fallen victim to sin. In this kind of peril, Christians need to be alerted
and confirmed in the faith. They need to remember what they learned
at the beginning, when they were instructed in the faith, and try to
bring their lives into line with that teaching. And so they are not simply
exhorted to conversion but told how to go about it--by comparing their
lives with the Word of God and making the necessary changes: "no
one is safe if he ceases to strive against himself. Nobody can save
himself by his own efforts. Everyone in the Church needs specific
means to strengthen himself--humility, which disposes us to accept
help and advice; mortifications, which temper the heart and allow
Christ to reign in it; the study of abiding, sound doctrine, which leads
us to conserve and spread our faith" ([St] J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing
By", 81).

"I will come like a thief": an image also found elsewhere in the New
Testament (cf. Mt 24:42-51, Mk 13:36; Lk 12:39ff; 1 Thess 5:2; 2 Pet
3: 10). This does not mean that our Lord is lying in wait, ready to
pounce on man when he is unawares, like a hunter waiting for his prey.
It is simply a warning to us to live in the grace of God and be ready to
render our account to him. If we do that we will not run the risk of being
found empty-handed at the moment of death. "That day will come for
us. It will be our last day, but we are not afraid of it. Trusting firmly in
God's grace, we are ready from this very moment to be generous and
courageous, and take loving care of little things: we are ready to go
and meet our Lord, with our lamps burning brightly. For the feast of
feasts awaits us in heaven" ([St] J. Escriva, "Friends of God", 40).

4-5. Despite the corrupt environment in which they were living, there
were some Christians who had not been contaminated by the immoral
cults and lifestyles of the pagans: their loyalty is symbolized by white
garments. In the course of narrating his visions St John mentions white
garments a number of times (cf. 7:9, 13; 15:6; 19:14); this color
symbolizes purity and also the joy of victory.

The symbol of the "book of life", which occurs often in the Apocalypse
(cf. 13:8; 17:8; 20:12, 15; 21:27; etc.), is taken from the Old Testament,
where those who belong to the people of Israel are described as en-
rolled in the "book of the living", which is also referred to as the book of
the Lord (cf. Ps 69:28; Ex 32:32ff). Those whose names are in the book
will share in the promises of salvation (cf. Is 4:3), whereas those who
are unfaithful to the Law will be excluded from the people of God and
their names blotted out of the "book of the living". Other New Testament
texts use the same image (cf., e.g., Lk 10:20; Phil 4:3).

The names of the victors will stay in the "book of life" which lists those
who have proved loyal to Christ, as well as those who belonged to the
people of Israel.

Finally, on Judgment Day, those Christians who have kept the faith,
will be spoken for by Christ (cf. Mt 10:32; Lk 12:8).

14. Laodicea was a city on the border of Phrygia, about 75 kilometers
(45 miles) south-west of Philadelphia. It is also mentioned by St Paul
when he suggests to the Colossians that they exchange his letter to
them for the one he sent the Laodiceans (cf. Col 4:16).

Jesus Christ is given the title of "the Amen"; a similar description is
applied to Christ in 2 Corinthians 1:20. Both texts are instances of a
divine name being applied to Christ, thereby asserting his divinity.
"Amen", so be it, is an assertion of truth and veracity and connects
with the title of "the true one" in the previous letter. It highlights the
fact that our Lord is strong, dependable and unchangeable; the words
that follow, "faithful and true witness", spell out the full meaning of
the "Amen" title (cf. 1:5).

The most satisfactory interpretation of the phrase "the beginning of
God's creation" is in terms of Jesus Christ's role in creation: for "all
things were made through him" (Jn 1:3) and therefore he, along with
the Father and the Holy Spirit, is the Creator of heaven and earth.

15-16. The prosperity Laodicea enjoyed may have contributed to the
laxity and lukewarmness the church is accused of here (Israel tended
to take the same direction when living was easy: the people would
become forgetful of Yahweh and adopt an easy-going lifestyle: cf.,
e.g., Deut 31:20; 32:15; Hos 13:6; Jer 5:7).

The presence of hot springs close to the city explains the language
used in this passage, which amounts to a severe indictment of luke-
warmness. It shows God's repugnance for mediocrity and bourgeois
living. As observed by Cassian, one of the founders of Western
monasticism, lukewarmness is something that needs to be nipped
in the bud: "No one should attribute his going astray to any sudden
collapse, but rather [...] to his having moved away from virtue little by
little, through prolonged mental laziness. That is the way bad habits
gain round without one's even noticing it, and eventually lead to a
sudden collapse. 'Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit
before a fall' (Prov 16:18). The same thing happens with a house: it
collapses one fine day due to some ancient defect in its foundation
or long neglect by the occupiers" ("Collationes", VI, 17).

Spiritual lukewarmness and mediocrity are very closely related: neither
is the route Christian life should take. As Monsignor Escriva puts it,
"'In medio virtus'.... Virtue is to be found in the middle, so the saying
goes, warning us against extremism. But do not make the mistake of
turning that advice into a euphemism to disguise your own comfort,
calculation, lukewarmness, easygoingness, lack of idealism and medio-
crity.

"Meditate on these words of Sacred Scripture: 'Would that you were
cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot,
I will spew you out of my mouth"' ("Furrow", 541).

17-19. The Christians of Laodicea did not realize how precarious their
spiritual situation was. The city's flourishing trade and industry, and the
fact that the church was not being persecuted in any way, made them
eel prosperous and content: they were proud as well as lukewarm.
They had fallen victim to that self-conceit the wealthy are always in-
clined to feel and which moved our Lord to say that rich people enter
heaven only with difficulty (cf. Mt 19:23); he often pointed to the dan-
gers of becoming attached to material things (cf. Lk 1:53; 6:24; 12:21;
16:19- 31; 18:23-25). The Laodiceans had become proud in their pros-
perity and did not see the need for divine grace (which is worth more
than all the wealth in the world). As St Paul says in one of his letters:
"Whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed
I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing
Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things,
and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ" (Phil 3:7-8).

There was an important textile industry in Laodicea which specialized
in the manufacture of black woolen cloth. Instead of wearing that mate-
rial, the Laodiceans must dress in garments which only our Lord can
provide and which are the mark of the elect (cf., e.g., Mt 17:2 and par;
Rev 3:4-5; 7:9). The city was also famous for its oculists, like Zeuxis
and Philetos, who had developed a very effective ointment for the eyes.
Jesus offers an even better ointment--one which will show them the
dangerous state they are in. This dire warning comes fromGod's love,
not his anger: it is his affection that leads him to reprove and correct
his people: 'the Lord reproves whom he loves, as a father the son in
whom he delights" (Prov 3:12). After quoting these same words the
Epistle to the Hebrews adds: "It is for discipline that you have to en-
dure. God is treating you as sons; for what son is there whom his
father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which
all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons"
(12:7-8).

"Be zealous": stop being lukewarm and enter the fervor of charity,
have an ardent zeal for the glory of God.

20-21. Christ knocking on the door is one of the most touching images
in the Bible. It is reminiscent of the Song of Songs, where the bride-
groom says, "Open to me, my sister, my dove, my perfect one; for my
head is wet with dew, my locks with the drops of the might" (Song
5:2). It is a way of describing God's love for us, inviting us to greater
intimacy with him, as happens in a thousand ways in the course of
our life. We should be listening for his knock, ready to open the door
to Christ. A writer from the Golden Age of Spanish literature evokes
this scene in poetry: "How many times the angel spoke to me:/'Look
out of your window now,/you'll see how lovingly he calls and calls.'/Yet,
sovereign beauty, how often/I replied, 'We'll open for you tomorrow',/ to
reply the same when the morrow came" (Lope de Vega, "Rimas
Sacras", Sonnet 18).

Our Lord awaits our response to his call, and when we make the effort
to revive our interior life we experience the indescribable joy of intimacy
with him. "At first it will be a bit difficult. You must make an effort to
seek out the Lord, to thank him for his fatherly and practical concern
for us. Although it is not really a matter of feeling, little by little the love
of God makes itself felt like a rustle in the soul. It is Christ who pursues
us lovingly: 'Behold, I stand at the door and knock' (Rev 3:20). How is
your life of prayer going? At times during the day don't you feel the
impulse to have a longer talk with him? Don't you then whisper to him
that you will tell him about it later, in a heart-to-heart conversation [...].
Prayer then becomes continuous, like the beating of our heart, like
our pulse. Without this presence of God, there is no contemplative
life; and without contemplative life, our working for Christ is worth very
little, for vain is the builder's toil if the house is not of the Lord's buil-
ding (cf. Ps 126:1)" ([St] J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 8).

Jesus promises that those who conquer will sit beside him on his
throne. He gave a similar promise to St Peter about how the Apostles
would sit on twelve thrones to Judge the twelve tribes of Israel (cf.
Mt 19:28; 20:20ff). The "throne" is a reference to the sovereign
authority Christ has received from the Father. Therefore, the promise
of a seat beside him is a way of saying that those who stay faithful
will share in Christ's victory and kingship (cf. 1 Cor 6:2-3).



Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries".
Biblical text from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate.
Commentaries by members of the Faculty of Theology, University
of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin,
Ireland.
Reprinted with permission from from Four Courts Press and Scepter
Publishers, the U.S. publishers.


19 posted on 11/21/2006 7:21:02 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All

From: Luke 19:1-10

The Conversion of Zacchaeus



[1] He (Jesus) entered Jericho and was passing through. [2] And there
was a rich man named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector, and
rich. [3] And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not, on
account of the crowd, because he was small of stature. [4] So he ran
on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was to
pass that way. [5] And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and
said to him, "Zacchaeus, make haste and come down; for I must stay at
your house today." [6] So he made haste and came down, and received
Him joyfully. [7] And when they saw it they all murmured, "He has gone
in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner." [8] And Zacchaeus stood
and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the
poor; and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore it fourfold."
[9] And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house,
since he also is a son of Abraham. [10] For the Son of Man came to
seek and save the lost."



Commentary:

1-10. Jesus Christ is the Savior of mankind; He has healed many sick
people, has raised the dead to life and, particularly, has brought
forgiveness of sin and the gift of grace to those who approach Him in
faith. As in the case of the sinful woman (cf. Luke 7:36-50), here He
brings salvation to Zacchaeus, for the mission of the Son of Man is to
save that which was lost.

Zacchaeus was a tax collector and, as such, was hated by the people,
because the tax collectors were collaborators of the Roman authorities
and were often guilty of abuses. The Gospel implies that this man also
had things to seek forgiveness for (cf. verses 7-10). Certainly he was
very keen to see Jesus (no doubt moved by grace) and he did everything
he could to do so. Jesus rewards his efforts by staying as a guest in
his house. Moved by our Lord's presence Zacchaeus begins to lead a
new life.

The crowd begin to grumble against Jesus for showing affection to a
man they consider to be an evildoer. Our Lord makes no excuses for
his behavior: He explains that this is exactly why He has come--to
seek out sinners. He is putting into practice the parable of the lost
sheep (cf. Luke 15:4-7), which was already prophesied in Ezekiel: "I
will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up
the crippled, and I will strengthen the weak" (34:16).

4. Zacchaeus wants to see Jesus, and to do so he has to go out and
mix with the crowd. Like the blind man of Jericho he has to shed any
kind of human respect. In our own search for God we should not let
false shame or fear of ridicule prevent us from using the resources
available to us to meet our Lord. "Convince yourself that there is no
such thing as ridicule for whoever is doing what is best" ([St] J.
Escriva, "The Way", 392).

5-6. This is a very good example of the way God acts to save men.
Jesus calls Zacchaeus personally, using his name, suggesting he
invite Him home. The Gospel states that Zacchaeus does so promptly
and joyfully. This is how we should respond when God calls us by
means of grace.

8. Responding immediately to grace, Zacchaeus makes it known that
he will restore fourfold anything he obtained unjustly--thereby going
beyond what is laid down in the Law of Moses (cf. Exodus 21:37f).
And in generous compensation he gives half his wealth to the poor.
"Let the rich learn", St. Ambrose comments, "that evil does not con-
sist in having wealth, but in not putting it to good use; for just as riches
are an obstacle to evil people, they are also a means of virtue for good
people" ("Expositio Evangelii Sec. Lucam, in loc."). Cf. note on Luke
16:9-11).

10. Jesus' ardent desire to seek out a sinner to save him fills us with
hope of attaining eternal salvation. "He chooses a chief tax collector:
who can despair when such a man obtains grace?" (St. Ambrose,
"Expositio Evangelii Sec. Lucam, in loc.").



Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries".
Biblical text from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate.
Commentaries by members of the Faculty of Theology, University
of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin,
Ireland.
Reprinted with permission from from Four Courts Press and Scepter
Publishers, the U.S. publishers.


20 posted on 11/21/2006 7:22:34 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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