Blessed be the most holy Name of Jesus without end!

January Devotion: The Holy Name of Jesus

The month of January is traditionally dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus. This feast is also celebrated on January 3. Here is an explanation of the devotion.

Since the 16th century Catholic piety has associated entire months to special devotions. The devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus has been traditionally associated with the month of January, due to its celebration on January 3. The name Jesus was given to the Holy Child at God's command (Luke 1:31). The Holy Name is all-powerful because of the Person who bears it; we honor it because of the command of Christ, that we should pray in His Name and because it reminds us of all the blessings we receive through our Holy Redeemer. Hence St. Paul was able to write to the Philippians: ". . . at the name of Jesus every knee should bend of those in heaven, on earth, and under the earth" (Phil. 2:10). By means of this devotion we also make amends for improper use of the Holy Name.

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

Prayer/Hymn in Honor of the Most Holy Name of Jesus - Iesu, Dulcis Memoria

Iesu, Dulcis Memoria is a celebrated 12th century hymn attributed to St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153), Doctor Mellifluus. The entire hymn has some 42 to 53 stanzas depending upon the manuscript. Parts of this hymn were used for the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus, which was formerly celebrated on the Sunday between the Circumcision and Epiphany, or failing such a Sunday, on January 2. The part below was used at Vespers. In the liturgical revisions of Vatican II, the feast was deleted, though a votive Mass to the Holy Name of Jesus had been retained for devotional use. With the release of the revised Roman Missal in March 2002, the feast was restored as an optional memorial on January 3.

Jesus, the very thought of Thee
With sweetness fills the breast!
Yet sweeter far Thy face to see
And in Thy presence rest.

No voice can sing, no heart can frame,
Nor can the memory find,
A sweeter sound than Jesus' name,
The Savior of mankind.

O hope of every contrite heart!
0 joy of all the meek!
To those who fall, how kind Thou art!
How good to those who seek!

But what to those who find? Ah! this
Nor tongue nor pen can show
The love of Jesus, what it is,
None but His loved ones know.

Jesus! our only hope be Thou,
As Thou our prize shalt be;
In Thee be all our glory now,
And through eternity. Amen.

---Roman Breviary

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

O Divine Jesus, Thou hast promised that anything we ask of the Eternal Father in Thy name shall be granted.

O Eternal Father. In the name of Jesus, for the love of Jesus, in fulfillment of this promise, and because Jesus has said it, grant us our petitions for the sake of Jesus, Thy Divine Son. Amen.

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

The Name of Jesus: Its Power in Our Lives

The Holy Name of Jesus

Devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus

The Holy Name of Jesus

Mass Readings

First reading	Nehemiah 8:2 - 10 ©
Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, consisting of men, women, and children old enough to understand. This was the first day of the seventh month. On the square before the Water Gate, in the presence of the men and women, and children old enough to understand, he read from the book from early morning till noon; all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law. Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden dais erected for the purpose; beside him stood, on his right, Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; on his left, Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. In full view of all the people – since he stood higher than all the people – Ezra opened the book; and when he opened it all the people stood up. Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people raised their hands and answered, ‘Amen! Amen!’; then they bowed down and, face to the ground, prostrated themselves before the Lord. And Ezra read from the Law of God, translating and giving the sense, so that the people understood what was read. Then (Nehemiah – His Excellency – and) Ezra, priest and scribe (and the Levites who were instructing the people) said to all the people, ‘This day is sacred to the Lord your God. Do not be mournful, do not weep.’ For the people were all in tears as they listened to the words of the Law. He then said, ‘Go, eat the fat, drink the sweet wine, and send a portion to the man who has nothing prepared ready. For this day is sacred to our Lord. Do not be sad: the joy of the Lord is your stronghold.’

First reading

Nehemiah 8:2 - 10 ©

Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, consisting of men, women, and children old enough to understand. This was the first day of the seventh month. On the square before the Water Gate, in the presence of the men and women, and children old enough to understand, he read from the book from early morning till noon; all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.
Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden dais erected for the purpose; beside him stood, on his right, Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; on his left, Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. In full view of all the people – since he stood higher than all the people – Ezra opened the book; and when he opened it all the people stood up. Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people raised their hands and answered, ‘Amen! Amen!’; then they bowed down and, face to the ground, prostrated themselves before the Lord. And Ezra read from the Law of God, translating and giving the sense, so that the people understood what was read.
Then (Nehemiah – His Excellency – and) Ezra, priest and scribe (and the Levites who were instructing the people) said to all the people, ‘This day is sacred to the Lord your God. Do not be mournful, do not weep.’ For the people were all in tears as they listened to the words of the Law.
He then said, ‘Go, eat the fat, drink the sweet wine, and send a portion to the man who has nothing prepared ready. For this day is sacred to our Lord. Do not be sad: the joy of the Lord is your stronghold.’

Psalm or canticle: Psalm 18

Second reading	1 Corinthians 12:12 - 30 ©
Just as a human body, though it is made up of many parts, is a single unit because all these parts, though many, make one body, so it is with Christ. In the one Spirit we were all baptised, Jews as well as Greeks, slaves as well as citizens, and one Spirit was given to us all to drink. Nor is the body to be identified with any one of its many parts. If the foot were to say, ‘I am not a hand and so I do not belong to the body’, would that mean that it stopped being part of the body? If the ear were to say, ‘I am not an eye, and so I do not belong to the body’, would that mean that it was not a part of the body? If your whole body was just one eye, how would you hear anything? If it was just one ear, how would you smell anything? Instead of that, God put all the separate parts into the body on purpose. If all the parts were the same, how could it be a body? As it is, the parts are many but the body is one. The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I do not need you’, nor can the head say to the feet, ‘I do not need you’. What is more, it is precisely the parts of the body that seem to be the weakest which are the indispensable ones; and it is the least honourable parts of the body that we clothe with the greatest care. So our more improper parts get decorated in a way that our more proper parts do not need. God has arranged the body so that more dignity is given to the parts which are without it, and that there may not be disagreements inside the body, but that each part may be equally concerned for all the others. If one part is hurt, all parts are hurt with it. If one part is given special honour, all parts enjoy it. Now you together are Christ’s body; but each of you is a different part of it. In the Church, God has given the first place to apostles, the second to prophets, the third to teachers; after them, miracles, and after them the gift of healing; helpers, good leaders, those with many languages. Are all of them apostles, or all of them prophets, or all of them teachers? Do they all have the gift of miracles, or all have the gift of healing? Do all speak strange languages, and all interpret them?

Second reading

1 Corinthians 12:12 - 30 ©

Just as a human body, though it is made up of many parts, is a single unit because all these parts, though many, make one body, so it is with Christ. In the one Spirit we were all baptised, Jews as well as Greeks, slaves as well as citizens, and one Spirit was given to us all to drink.
Nor is the body to be identified with any one of its many parts. If the foot were to say, ‘I am not a hand and so I do not belong to the body’, would that mean that it stopped being part of the body? If the ear were to say, ‘I am not an eye, and so I do not belong to the body’, would that mean that it was not a part of the body? If your whole body was just one eye, how would you hear anything? If it was just one ear, how would you smell anything?
Instead of that, God put all the separate parts into the body on purpose. If all the parts were the same, how could it be a body? As it is, the parts are many but the body is one. The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I do not need you’, nor can the head say to the feet, ‘I do not need you’.
What is more, it is precisely the parts of the body that seem to be the weakest which are the indispensable ones; and it is the least honourable parts of the body that we clothe with the greatest care. So our more improper parts get decorated in a way that our more proper parts do not need. God has arranged the body so that more dignity is given to the parts which are without it, and that there may not be disagreements inside the body, but that each part may be equally concerned for all the others. If one part is hurt, all parts are hurt with it. If one part is given special honour, all parts enjoy it.
Now you together are Christ’s body; but each of you is a different part of it. In the Church, God has given the first place to apostles, the second to prophets, the third to teachers; after them, miracles, and after them the gift of healing; helpers, good leaders, those with many languages. Are all of them apostles, or all of them prophets, or all of them teachers? Do they all have the gift of miracles, or all have the gift of healing? Do all speak strange languages, and all interpret them?

Gospel	Luke 1:1 - 4:21 ©
Seeing that many others have undertaken to draw up accounts of the events that have taken place among us, exactly as these were handed down to us by those who from the outset were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word, I in my turn, after carefully going over the whole story from the beginning, have decided to write an ordered account for you, Theophilus, so that your Excellency may learn how well founded the teaching is that you have received. Jesus, with the power of the Spirit in him, returned to Galilee; and his reputation spread throughout the countryside. He taught in their synagogues and everyone praised him. He came to Nazara, where he had been brought up, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day as he usually did. He stood up to read and they handed him the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Unrolling the scroll he found the place where it is written: The spirit of the Lord has been given to me, for he has anointed me. He has sent me to bring the good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives and to the blind new sight, to set the downtrodden free, to proclaim the Lord’s year of favour. He then rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the assistant and sat down. And all eyes in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to speak to them, ‘This text is being fulfilled today even as you listen’.

Gospel

Luke 1:1 - 4:21 ©

Seeing that many others have undertaken to draw up accounts of the events that have taken place among us, exactly as these were handed down to us by those who from the outset were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word, I in my turn, after carefully going over the whole story from the beginning, have decided to write an ordered account for you, Theophilus, so that your Excellency may learn how well founded the teaching is that you have received.
Jesus, with the power of the Spirit in him, returned to Galilee; and his reputation spread throughout the countryside. He taught in their synagogues and everyone praised him.
He came to Nazara, where he had been brought up, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day as he usually did. He stood up to read and they handed him the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Unrolling the scroll he found the place where it is written:
The spirit of the Lord has been given to me,
for he has anointed me.
He has sent me to bring the good news to the poor,
to proclaim liberty to captives
and to the blind new sight,
to set the downtrodden free,
to proclaim the Lord’s year of favour.

He then rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the assistant and sat down. And all eyes in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to speak to them, ‘This text is being fulfilled today even as you listen’.

Read the Directions

Fr. Paul Scalia

Other Articles by Fr. Paul Scalia
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Read the Directions

January 19, 2007

The preface or prologue of a book hardly makes for exciting reading. Most of us probably skip it entirely and go straight to the real stuff — to the book itself. Likewise with the directions for some toy or machine. We usually leave them in the box, often to our regret. So we may be tempted to do the same with the preface to St. Luke's Gospel. These first four verses have no action or excitement. They make no mention of angels, temptations, miracles, etc. Yet we neglect them at our own risk, because they contain important principles — directions, if you will — for reading the rest of the book — and indeed all of Sacred Scripture.

St. Luke indicates, first, the importance of the Church and of Tradition. As he explains, many before him had already "undertaken to compile a narrative of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning and ministers of the word have handed them down to us" (Lk 1:1-2). Before St. Luke ever put pen to paper, so to speak, there already existed the Church and the oral tradition — literally, the "handing down" — of the faith. He did not invent a story or teach something new. Rather, as a faithful Christian he handed on the truth he received from the Church. From the start, then, St. Luke conveys the simple fact that the Church existed before the Gospels, and in fact wrote the Gospels.

It follows, then, that to read Scripture outside of the Church's Tradition is to read it out of context — or, more accurately, without a teacher. And if most of us need help to understand human authors such as Dante or Shakespeare — and we do — then how much more do we need a teacher to explain Scripture? That teacher is the Church, and her method of instruction is Tradition. When we fail to seek her direction, we inevitably come up with fanciful and absurd interpretations. When, on the other hand, we allow Mother Church to guide us through Scripture, illuminating its pages by way of her teachings, the liturgy and the Church Fathers, then we better perceive what the Divine Author intends.

In the preface, St. Luke also indicates what we need to read Scripture profitably. He dedicates his Gospel to a certain man named Theophilus. Whoever the original Theophilus was, his name remains a fitting description of what we need to be. For "Theophilus" means "lover of God" or "beloved of God." Further, as he explains to Theophilus, St. Luke writes "so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings you have received" (Lk 1:4). In other words, he writes to strengthen the faith of a man who already believes.

What, then, must we have to understand Scripture better? Faith and love.

Faith, first of all, that the words we read are not merely human, that they do in fact carry divine grace and truth, that we can trust them. Here again the Church comes to our assistance. She guarantees by her authority the inerrancy of Scripture. In response to modern "scholars" who empty the Bible of any authority, the Church testifies that Scripture brings not the mere opinions of men but the revelation of God Himself.

Second, we must, like Theophilus, desire to love God and be loved by Him. God does not reveal Himself in Scripture for our intellectual amusement or debate, but to bring us into union with Him. The Bible is a love story. If we do not desire that union of love, the words of Scripture will sound awfully odd. And the challenging passages of Scripture will shock us. We will quickly doubt or reject Scripture.

God does not reserve Scripture only for those with advanced degrees. In fact, He hides His truths from the "wise and learned" (Lk 10:21). As St. Luke indicates, Scripture remains open and profitable to those who in faith and love willingly apply themselves to its study under the tutelage of Mother Church and her Tradition.

The Work of God

Year C

- 3rd Sunday in ordinary time

The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me.

Luke 1:1-4 4:14-21

1 Since many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us,
2 just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word,
3 I too decided, after investigating everything carefully from the very first, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,
4 so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you have been instructed.
Luke 4:14-21 Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country.
15 He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.
16 When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read,
17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:
18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
20 And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.
21 Then he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." (NRSV)

Inspiration of the Holy Spirit - From the Sacred Heart of Jesus

3rd Sunday in ordinary time - The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me.

After my Baptism I returned to Galilee filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. I went to the temple on the Sabbath and started to read from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. At the end I told them that the passage of Scripture was fulfilled as I read it.

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me.”
In Baptism I received the fullness of the Holy Spirit, I had the power, the wisdom and the love of God in me. I was the God Man empowered to carry out the work of Salvation.

I came to announce the Good News; that the Kingdom of Heaven is very near to those who repent. I came to free the captives of sin by making my Mercy available to all sinners who acknowledge their guilt and ask for pardon. I came to heal the sick not only in their bodies but also in their souls. I came to open the eyes of the blind not just physically but spiritually, to bring them from darkness into the light. I came to free those oppressed by the evil one, those who are totally lost except for my intervention. I came to proclaim the goodness, the mercy and the grace of God.

I came to change the world for good. I am still here to transform the hearts of all those who listen to my word and believe that I am the same: yesterday, today and forever. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end of every thing, the One with the power to save what is lost, to give life to what is dead, the One who paid the ransom for your Salvation.

I am the Lord your God, I am Spirit. I have come to offer you my Holy Spirit so that you partake of my gifts, that you may open your eyes and see what I am offering you. I give you everything in proportion to your faith. You see it is by believing in me that you acknowledge who I am. It is by trusting in me, that you come to enjoy the physical and spiritual healing that I give. My miracles are still available to the believers. I am the Son of God, the only way to Him, sent to give testimony of His Power, Wisdom and Love.

Everyone who is baptised is anointed with the Holy Spirit, he is a living temple of the Presence of God, he is invited to grow in the faith, to achieve knowledge of God and to become like Him.

Author: Joseph of Jesus and Mary

Catholic homilies - gospel inspirations - list

Regnum Christi

Bringing Good News
January 21, 2007

A Year Acceptable to the Lord.

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Father Ernest Daly, LC

Luke 1:1-4, 4:14-21
Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning and ministers of the word have handed them down to us, I too have decided, after investigating everything accurately anew, to write it down in an orderly sequence for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings you have received. Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news of him spread throughout the whole region. He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all. He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the sabbath day. He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord." Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. He said to them, "Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing."

Introductory Prayer:Lord, I come to discover you more deeply today. I believe that you are really present in your word. I trust that you guide my life. I love you for taking the initiative to look for me by your Incarnation.

Petition:Lord, fill me the joy of your presence.

1. Telling the Story. The Gospels tell us the truth about Jesus Christ: his life, teachings, death and resurrection. In Jesus Christ, God has personally become involved in human history. He has come to make a path to eternal union with the Father. We can thank Our Lord for becoming man and strengthening the relationship between God and man. We should read the Gospels with reverence and take seriously Christ’s invitation to become his followers.

2. Glad Tidings to the Poor. All of us are poor in God’s eyes. We need his grace, friendship and mercy. Our spiritual neediness is a source of blessings. Christ has come to enrich each of us with the presence of his love, the love of the Father for his children. When I am in need I can now turn with confidence to Christ. I can learn from him how to make my life fruitful. Do I turn to him in confidence in my needs? Do I allow the greatness of his presence in my heart to fill me with joy?

3. A Year Acceptable to the Lord. For three short years Jesus walked among the people of Palestine. How many people really discovered him for who he was? I too only have a short time to come to know the Lord. Our human existence is short. Jesus gives me many ways to come into contact with him: his word in Scripture, the sacraments, the good example of other Christians, the providential circumstances of my life, etc. Christ is present for the asking. Do I attempt to discover him more deeply each day?

Conversation with Christ: Lord, thank you for looking for me. I know that you give me so many ways to discover you. Help me to look for you more this day through the eyes of faith. I want to commit to following you.

Resolution: Today I will review my New Year’s resolutions and work on abiding by one in a particular way.

From: 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13

[31] But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you still a
more excellent way.

Hymn to Charity

[1] If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love,
I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. [2] And if I have prophetic
powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have
all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
[3] If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned,
but have not love, I gain nothing. [4] Love is patient and kind; love
is not jealous or boastful; [5] it is not arrogant or rude. Love does
not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; [6] it
does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. [7] Love bears
all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

[8] Love never ends; as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for
tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. [9] For
our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect; but when the
perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away. [11] When I was a child,
I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when
I became a man, I gave up childish ways. [12] For now we see in a
mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall
understand fully, even as I have been fully understood. [13] So faith,
hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Commentary:

31. "Earnestly desire the higher gifts": according to some Greek
manuscripts this can be translated "earnestly seek the greater gifts."
St Paul is encouraging his Christians to put greater value on those
gifts of the Holy Spirit which contribute most to the goal of the Church
than on those which are spectacular. He probably has in mind the
teaching he will develop (chap. 14) about the superiority of graces and
charisms to do with teaching and catechesis.

"A still more excellent way": this undoubtedly refers to charity, which
he goes on to describe and praise (chap. 13). Therefore, what is called
his "hymn to charity" is not a digression, much less a later addition,
but an outpouring of the Apostle's soul, which perfectly explains why
charity is the greatest of all gifts, a sure route to holiness and
salvation, and the identifying mark of the Christian: "the first and
most necessary gift is charity, by which we love God above all things
and our neighbor because of him. [...] This is because love, as the
bond of perfection and fullness of the law (cf. Col 3:14, Rom. 13:10),
governs, gives meaning to, and perfects all the means of
sanctification. Hence the true disciple of Christ is marked by love
both of God and of his neighbor" (Vatican II, "Lumen Gentium", 42).

1-13. This wonderful hymn to charity is one of the most beautiful
pages in Pauline writing. The literary style of the chapter is designed
to present charity in all its splendor. St Paul sings the praises of
love as seen from three points of view--the superiority and absolute
need of this gift (vv. 1-3); its features and practical expression
(vv. 4-7); and the fact it endures for ever (vv. 8-13).

Love, the charity of which St Paul is speaking, has nothing to do with
selfish desire for physical passionate possession; nor is it restricted
to mere philanthropy, whose motivation is purely humanitarian: charity
is a love which is to be found in the new order of things established
by Christ; its origin, context and purpose are radically new; it is
born of the love of God for men, a love so intense that he sacrificed
his only-begotten Son (In 3:16). The Christian is enabled to respond to
this love of God by this gift of the Holy Spirit, charity (cf. Gal
5:22; Rom 15:30), and by virtue of this divine love he discovers God in
his neighbor: he recognizes that all are children of the one Father and
brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ: "Our love is not to be confused
with sentimentality or mere good fellowship, nor with that somewhat
questionable zeal to help others in order to convince ourselves of our
superiority. Rather, it means living in peace with our neighbor,
venerating the image of God that is found in each and every person and
doing all we can to get them in their turn to contemplate that image
and learn to turn to Christ" ([St] J. Escriva, "Friends of God", 230).

To make this clear St Paul mentions those gifts which appear to be most
exceptional--the gift of tongues; knowledge; and heroic actions.

Firstly, the gift of tongues. St Thomas Aquinas comments that the
Apostle "rightly compares words lacking in charity to the sound of
lifeless instruments, to the sound of a bell or cymbals, whose sound
though clear is a dead sound. The same occurs in the speech of some-
one who has no charity; no matter how brilliant it be, it comes across as
something dead, because it is of no help as far as meriting eternal life
is concerned" ("Commentary on 1 Cor, ad loc."). By way of emphasis
St Paul speaks of the tongues of angels as the highest degree of the
gift of tongues.

"I am nothing": this conclusion could not be more emphatic. A little
further on (1 Cor 15:10), St Paul will himself say that "by the grace
of God I am what I am", to make us see that from God's love for man
(grace) derives man's love for God and for his neighbor for God's sake
(charity).

Knowledge and faith, which need not ever be separated, also acquire
their full meaning in the Christian who lives by love: "Each one
according to his own gifts and duties must steadfastly advance along
the way of a living faith, which arouses hope and works through love"
(Vatican II, "Lumen Gentium", 41).

Strictly speaking, martyrdom is the supreme act of love. St Paul is
referring here as in the previous points to hypothetical cases or
merely external gestures, which seem to be token detachment and
generosity, but are in fact mere appearances: "If someone does not have
charity", St Augustine says, "even though he may have these gifts at
the moment, they will be taken away from him. What he has will be taken
away because he is missing the main thing, that whereby he will have
everything and which will keep him safe [...]. He has the power to
possess, but he has no charity in what he does; and because he lacks
charity, what he has in his possession will be taken from him"
("Enarrationes in Psalmos", 146, 10).

4-7. In his listing of the qualities of charity, St Paul, under the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit, begins with two general features--
patience and kindness--which the Bible attributes to God. Both of
these lead on to thirteen particular ways in which love expresses itself.

Patience is a quality often praised in the Bible: in the Psalms God is
said to be slow to anger (Ps 145:8); patience means great serenity in
the face of injury; kindness has to do with being inclined to do good
to others. St Thomas Aquinas explains this by starting with the
etymology of the word: "Kindness ["benignitas", benignity] is like good
fuel ["bona igneitas"]: just as fire causes solid substances to become
liquid and start to melt, charity sees to it that a person does not
keep his things for himself but distributes them to others"
("Commentary on 1 Cor, ad loc."). Since to charity are attributed
qualities which in the first instance apply to God, we can see the
excellence of this virtue: "Charity towards our neighbor is an
expression of our love of God. Accordingly, when we strive to grow in
this virtue, we cannot fix any limits to our growth. The only possible
measure for the love of God is to love without measure: on the one
hand, because we will never be able to thank him enough for what he
has done for us; and on the other, because this is exactly what God'
own love for us, his creatures, is like: it overflows without calculation
or limit" ([St] J. Escriva, "Friends of God", 232).

"Love is patient", St Gregory the Great comments, "because it bears
serenely the injury it suffers. It is kind, because it repays evil with
good. It is not jealous, because it covets nothing in this world: it
does not know what it is to envy worldly prosperity. It is not
boastful, because it yearns only for spiritual reward and it is not
carried away by external things. It is not arrogant, because it thrives
only on the love of God and neighbor and avoids whatever would take it
from the path of righteousness. It is not covetous, because although it
ardently pursues its own spiritual goals, it does not desire the goods
of others. It does not insist on its own way, because it scorns as
alien those things it temporarily possesses here below: it seeks to
hold on only to what is enduring. It is not irritable, and even though
injuries seek to provoke it, it does not let itself have any desire for
vengeance, for no matter how difficult a time it may have in this life,
it hopes for greater rewards in the next. It is not resentful, because
it has invested its thought in the love of purity, and having rooted
out all hatred it is incapable of harboring in its heart any type of
aversion. It does not rejoice at wrong, because it feels affection for
others and does not rejoice at seeing the ruin of its enemies. It
rejoices in the right, because by loving others as it loves itself, it
is as pleased to see goodness in them as if it were indeed something
to its own personal advantage" ("Moralia", X, 7-8, 10).

7. The repetition of the word "all" reinforces the absolute, essential,
value of charity. This is not hyperbole, much less a depiction of
utopia: it is recognition of the fact, as the Word of God confirms,
that love lies at the very source of all Christian virtue. "Since we
are all children of God," the founder of Opus Dei reminds us, "our
fraternity is not a clichi or an empty dream; it beckons as a goal
which, though difficult, is really ours to achieve.

"As Christians we must show that affection of this kind is in fact
possible, whatever cynics, skeptics, those disappointed in love or
those with a cowardly outlook on life might say. It may be quite
difficult to be truly affectionate, for man was created free and he can
rebel against God in a useless and bitter way. But it is possible and
people can attain it, because it flows as a necessary consequence
of God's love for us and our love for God. If you and I want it, Jesus
also wants it. Then we will obtain a full and fruitful understanding
of the meaning of suffering, sacrifice and unselfish dedication in
ordinary life" ("Friends of God", 233).

8-13. Love is enduring; it will never disappear. In this sense it is
greater than all God's other gifts to man; each of those gifts is
designed to help man reach perfection and eternal beatitude; charity,
on the other hand, is beatitude, blessedness, itself. A thing is imperfect,
St Thomas comments, for one of two reasons either because it contains
certain defects, or because it will later be superseded. In this second
sense knowledge of God and prophecy are overtaken by seeing God
face to face. "Charity, on the other hand, which is love of God, does not
disappear but, rather, increases; the more perfect one's knowledge of
God, the more perfectly does one love him" (St Thomas Aquinas,
"Commentary on 1 Cor, ad loc.").

St Paul is constantly reminding us to pursue the goal of charity, the
bond of perfection (cf. Col. 3:14). Following his example the saints
teach the same message; St Teresa of Avila puts it in this way: "I only
want you to be warned that, if you would progress a long way on this
road and ascend to the mansions that we desire, it is not a matter of
thinking much, but of loving much; do, then, whatever most arouses you
to love. Perhaps we do not know what it is to love; that would not
greatly surprise me; for love consists, not in what most pleases us,
but in the strength of our determination to desire to please God in
everything and to endeavor to do everything we can not to offend him,
and to pray him ever to advance the honor and glory of his Son and the
growth of the catholic Church" ("Interior Castle", IV, 1, 7).

11-12. "Then I shall understand fully, even as I have been fully under-
stood": the Old Testament usually avoids mentioning God by name;
these words in effect mean "Then I will know God as he knows me."
The knowledge which God has of men is not merely speculative: it
involves an intimate, personal union which embraces a person's mind and
will and all his or her noble aspirations. Thus in Sacred Scripture God
is said to know someone when he shows a preferential love for him
(1 Cor 8:3), particularly when he chooses him out to be a Christian
(Gal 4:8).

Happiness in heaven consists in this direct knowledge of God. To
explain this better St Paul uses the simile of the mirror: in those
times mirrors were made of metal and produced a reflection which was
blurred and dark; but it is still easy for us to understand what St Paul
means; as St Thomas explains, in heaven "we shall see God face to
face, because we shall see him directly, just as we see a man face to
face. And by seeing in this way we become very like God, becoming
sharers in his beatitude: for God has knowledge of his own substance
in its very essence and therein his happiness lies. Therefore does St
John (1 Jn 3:2) write: 'When he appears we shall be like him, for we
shall see him as he is"' ("Summa Contra Gentiles", III, 51).

In this connection the Church's Magisterium teaches that "in the usual
providence of God, the souls of all the saints who departed this world
[...] see the divine essence with an intuitive and even face-to-face
vision, without the interposition of any creature in the function of
object seen; rather, the divine essence immediately manifests itself to
them plainly, clearly, openly [...]. We also define that those who see
the divine essence in this way take great joy from it, and that because
of this vision and enjoyment the souls of those who have already died
are truly blessed and possess life and eternal rest" (Benedict XII,
"Benedictus Deas, Dz-Sch", I000f).

13. Faith, hope and charity are the most important virtues in the
Christian life. They are called "theological" virtues, "because they
have God as their direct and principal object" ("St Pius X Catechism",
85 9), and it is he himself who infuses them into the soul together
with sanctifying grace (cf. ibid., 861).

When discussing the superiority of charity over faith and hope, St
Thomas Aquinas says that the greatest of these virtues is that which
most directly unites one to good: "Faith and hope attain God in so far
as we derive from him the knowledge of truth or the acquisition of
good; whereas charity attains God himself that it may rest in him not
that something else should come to us from him" ("Summa Theologiae",
II-II, q. 23, a.6).

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.

From: Luke 4:21-30

Jesus Preaches in Nazareth (Continuation)

[21] And He (Jesus) began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been
fulfilled in your hearing." [22] And all spoke well of Him, and wondered at the
gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth; and they said, "Is this not
Joseph's son?" [23] And He said to them, "Doubtless you will quote to me this
proverb, 'Physician, heal yourself; what we have heard you did at Capernaum,
do here also in your own country.'" [24] And He said, "Truly, I say to you, no
prophet is acceptable in his own country. [25] But in truth, I tell you, there were
many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three
years and six months, when there came a great famine over all the land; [26]
and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon,
to a woman who was a widow. [27] And there were many lepers in Israel in the
time of the prophet Elisha; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman
the Syrian." [28] When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with
wrath. [29] And they rose up and put Him out of the city, and led Him to the
brow on the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down
headlong. [30] But passing through the midst of them He went away.

Commentary:

20-22. Christ's words in verse 21 show us the authenticity with which He
preached and explained the Scriptures: "Today this scripture has been fulfilled
in your hearing." Jesus teaches that this prophecy, like the other main prophe-
cies in the Old Testament, refers to Him and finds its fulfillment in Him (cf. Luke
24:44ff). Thus, the Old Testament can be rightly understood only in the light of
the New--as the risen Christ showed the Apostles when He opened their minds
to understand the Scriptures (cf. Luke 24:45), an understanding which the Holy
Spirit perfected on the day of Pentecost (cf. Acts 2:4).

22-29. At first the people of Nazareth listened readily to the wisdom of Jesus'
words. But they were very superficial; in their narrow-minded pride they felt hurt
that Jesus, their fellow-townsman, had not worked in Nazareth the wonders He
had worked elsewhere. They presume they have a special entitlement and they
insolently demand that He perform miracles to satisfy their vanity, not to change
their hearts. In view of their attitude, Jesus performs no miracle (His normal res-
ponse to lack of faith: cf., for example, His meeting with Herod in Luke 23:7-11);
He actually reproaches them, using two examplestaken from the Old Testament
(cf. 1 Kings 17:9 and 2 Kings 5:14), which show that one needs to be well-
disposed if miracles are to lead to faith. His attitude so wounds their pride that
they are ready to kill Him. This whole episode is a good lesson about under-
standing Jesus. We can understand Him only if we are humble and are genuinely
resolved to make ourselves available to Him.

30. Jesus does not take flight but withdraws majestically, leaving the crowd
paralyzed. As on other occasions men do Him no harm; it was by God's decree
that He died on a cross (cf. John 18:32) when His hour had come.

Ignore #14 -- Here is the correct commentary.....sorry.

From: Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21

Prologue

[1]Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things
which have been accomplished among us, [2]just as they were delivered to
us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the
word, [3]it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for
some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,
[4]that you may know the truth concerning the things of which you have been
informed.

[14]And Jesus returned in the power of the Holy Spirit into Galilee, and a report
concerning Him went out through all the surrounding country. [15]And He taught
in their synagogues, being glorified by all.

Jesus Preaches in Nazareth

[16]And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and He went to
the synagogue, as His custom was, on the Sabbath Day. And He stood up to
read; [17]and there was given to Him the book of the prophet Isaiah. He opened
the book and found the place where it was written, [18]"The Spirit of the Lord is
upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He
has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the
blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, [19]to proclaim the acceptable
year of the Lord." [20]And He closed the book, and gave it back to the atten-
dant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him.
[21]And He began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in
your hearing."

Commentary:

1-4. St. Luke is the only evangelist to give his book a preface or prologue.
What is usually described as the "prologue" to St. John isreally a summary of
what the Gospel contains. St. Luke's prologue, which is very short and very
elegantly written, describes why he has written the book--to provide an orderly,
documented account of the life of Christ, starting at the beginning.

These verses help us realize that Jesus Christ's message of salvation, the
Gospel, was preached before it came to be written down: cf. the quotation
from Vatican II's "Dei Verbum", 19 (p. 21 above). God, then, wanted us to
have written Gospels as a permanent, divine testimony providing a firm basis
for our faith. "He does not tell Theophilus new things, things he did not pre-
viously know; he undertakes to tell him the truth concerning the things in
which he has already been instructed. This he does so that you can know
everything you have been told about the Lord and His doings" (St. Bede, "In
Lucae Evangelium Expositio, in loc.").

2. The "eyewitnesses" the evangelist refers to would have been the Blessed
Virgin, the Apostles, the holy women and others who shared Jesus' life du-
ring His time on earth.

3. "It seemed good to me": "When he says `it seemed good to me' this does
not exclude God's action, because it is God who prepares men's will [...]. He
dedicates his Gospel to Theophilus, that is, to one whom God loves. But if
you love God, it has also been written for you; and if it has been written for
you, then accept this present from the evangelist, keep this token of friend-
ship very close to your heart" (St. Ambrose, "Expositio Evangelii Sec. Lucam,
in loc.").

16-30. For the Jews the Sabbath was a day of rest and prayer, as God com-
manded (Exodus 20:8-11). On that day they would gather together to be ins-
tructed in Sacred Scripture. At the beginning of this meeting they all recited
the "Shema", a summary of the precepts of the Lord, and the "eighteen bles-
sings". Then a passage was read from the Book of the Law--the Pentateuch
-- and another from the Prophets. The president invited one of those present
who was well versed in the Scriptures to address the gathering. Sometimes
someone would volunteer and request the honor of being allowed to give this
address--as must have happened on this occasion. Jesus avails Himself of
this opportunity to instruct the people (cf. Luke 4:16ff), as will His Apostles
later on (cf. Acts 13:5, 14, 42, 44; 14:1; etc.). The Sabbath meeting conclu-
ded with the priestly blessing, recited by the president or by a priest if there
was one present, to which the people answered "Amen" (cf. Numbers 6:22ff).

18-21. Jesus read the passage from Isaiah 61:1-2 where the prophet announ-
ces the coming of the Lord, who will free His people of their afflictions. In
Christ this prophecy finds its fulfillment, for He is the Anointed, the Messiah
whom God has sent to His people in their tribulation. Jesus has been anoin-
ted by the Holy Spirit for the mission the Father has entrusted to Him. "These
phrases, according to Luke (verses 18-19), are His first messianic declaration.
They are followed by the actions and words known through the Gospel. By
these actions and words Christ makes the Father present among men" (John
Paul II, "Dives In Misericordia", 3).

The promises proclaimed in verses 18 and 19 are the blessings God will send
His people through the Messiah. According to Old Testament tradition and
Jesus' own preaching (cf. note on Matthew 5:3), "the poor" refers not so much
to a particular social condition as to a very religious attitude of indigence and
humility towards God, which is to be found in those who, instead of relying on
their possessions and mer its, trust in God's goodness and mercy. Thus,
preaching good news to the poor means bringing them the "good news" that
God has taken pity on them. Similarly, the Redemption, the release, which
the text mentions, is to be understood mainly in a spiritual, transcendental
sense: Christ has come to free us from the blindness and oppression of sin,
which, in the last analysis, is slavery imposed on us by the devil. "Captivity
can be felt", St. John Chrysostom teaches in a commentary on Psalm 126,
"when it proceeds from physical enemies, but the spiritual captivity referred
to here is worse; sin exerts a more severe tyranny, evil takes control and
blinds those who lend it obedience; from this spiritual prison Jesus Christ
rescued us" ("Catena Aurea"). However, this passage is also in line with
Jesus' special concern for those most in need. "Similarly, the Church encom-
passes with her love all those who are afflicted by human misery and she re-
cognizes in those who are poor and who suffer the image of her poor and suf-
fering Founder. She does all in her power to relieve their need and in them
she strives to serve Christ" (Vatican II, "Lumen Gentium", 8).

18-19. The words of Isaiah which Christ read out on this occasion describe
very graphically the reason why God has sent His Son into the world -- to re-
deem men from sin, to liberate them from slavery to the devil and from eternal
death. It is true that in the course of His public ministry Christ, in His mercy,
worked many cures, cast out devils, etc. But He did not cure all the sick peo-
ple in the world, nor did He eliminate all forms of distress in this life, because
pain, which entered the world through sin, has a permanent redemptive value
when associated with the sufferings of Christ. Therefore, Christ worked mira-
cles not so much to release the people concerned from suffering, as to demon-
strate that He had a God-given mission to bring everyone to eternal salvation.

The Church carries on this mission of Christ: "Go therefore and make disciples
of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of
the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and
lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age" (Matthew 28:19-20). These
simple and sublime words, which conclude the Gospel of St. Matthew, point
out "the obligation to preach the truths of faith, the need for sacramental life,
the promise of Christ's continual assistance to His Church. You cannot be
faithful to our Lord if you neglect these supernatural demands--to receive ins-
truction in Christian faith and morality and to frequent the sacraments. It is
with this mandate that Christ founded His Church [...]. And the Church can
bring salvation to souls only if she remains faithful to Christ in her constitu-
tion and teaching, both dogmatic and moral.

"Let us reject, therefore, the suggestion that the Church, ignoring the Sermon
on the Mount, seeks a purely human happiness on earth, since we know that
her only task is to bring men to eternal glory in Heaven. Let us reject any purely
naturalistic view that fails to value the supernatural role of divine grace. Let us
reject materialistic opinions that exclude spiritual values from human life. Let
us equally reject any secularizing theory which attempts to equate the aims of
the Church with those of earthly states, distorting its essence, institutions and
activities into something similar to those of temporal society" ([St] J. Escriva,
"In Love with the Church", 23 and 31).

18. The Fathers of the Church see in this verse a reference to the three per-
sons of the Holy Trinity: the Spirit (the Holy Spirit) of the Lord (the Father) is
upon Me (the Son); cf. Origen, "Homily 32". The Holy Spirit dwelt in Christ's
soul from the very moment of the Incarnation and descended visibly upon Him
in the form of a dove when He was baptized by John (cf. Luke 3:21-22).

"Because He has anointed Me": this is a reference to the anointing Jesus re-
ceived at the moment of His Incarnation, principally through the grace of the
hypostatic union. "This anointing of Jesus Christ was not an anointing of the
body as in the case of the ancient kings, priests and prophets; rather it was
entirely spiritual and divine, because the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Him
substantially" ("St. Pius X Catechism", 77). From this hypostatic union the
fullness of all graces derives. To show this, Jesus Christ is said to have been
anointed by the Holy Spirit Himself--not just to have received the graces and
gifts of the Spirit, like the saints.

19. "The acceptable year": this is a reference to the jubilee year of the Jews,
which the Law of God (Leviticus 25:8) lays down as occurring every fifty years,
symbolizing the era of redemption and liberation which the Messiah would
usher in. The era inaugurated by Christ, the era of the New Law extending to
the end of the world, is "the acceptable year", the time of mercy and redemp-
tion, which will be obtained definitively in Heaven.

The Catholic Church's custom of the "Holy Year" is also designed to proclaim
and remind people of the redemption brought by Christ, and of the full form it
will take in the future life.

20-22. Christ's words in verse 21 show us the authenticity with which He
preached and explained the Scriptures: "Today this scripture has been fulfilled
in your hearing." Jesus teaches that this prophecy, like the other main prophe-
cies in the Old Testament, refers to Him and finds its fulfillment in Him (cf. Luke
24:44ff). Thus, the Old Testament can be rightly understood only in the light of
the New--as the risen Christ showed the Apostles when He opened their minds
to understand the Scriptures (cf. Luke 24:45), an understanding which the Holy
Spirit perfected on the day of Pentecost (cf. Acts 2:4).

Catholic Culture

Collect:
All-powerful and ever-living God, direct your love that is, within us, that our efforts in the name of your Son may bring mankind to unity and peace. 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.

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Prayers:

January 21, 2007

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

"Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. He said to them, 'Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing (Luke 4:20-21).'"

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Today's theme is "The silence of the forgotten and the cries of the suffering. 'If one member suffers all suffer together'" (1 Cor 12: 26).

The first reading is taken from the Book of Nehemiah, 8:2-4a, 5-6, 8-10. Nehemiah and Ezra lived in the time when the people of Israel had been returned to their land after the years of the Babylonian Captivity and it was a time of rebuilding. The people had lost their connections to their faith. The Torah, also known as The Law, had not been taught to them. Ezra and Nehemiah were given an important mission by the Lord. They were to teach what had been lost, to rebuild the communal structures, to reinspire the people to the high ideals of their ancestral religion--so that once again they could begin to live a healthy social and religious life. — Fr. Jerome Day, OSB

The second reading is from the first Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians, 12:12-30 and refers to the Mystical Body of Christ. St. Paul concludes his description of the different parts of the body by applying it to the Church, where variety of functions does not detract from unity. It would be a serious mistake not to recognize in the visible structure of the Church, which is so multifaceted, the fact that the Church founded by Christ is one, visible at the same time as it is spiritual. — The Navarre Bible, Corinthians

The Gospel reading is from St. Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21. Christ's words in v. 21 show us the authenticity with which he preached and explained the Scriptures: "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing". Jesus teaches that this prophecy, like the other main prophecies in the Old Testament, refer to him and find their fulfillment in him. Thus, the Old Testament can be rightly understood only in the light of the New — as the risen Christ showed the Apostles when he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, an understanding which the Holy Spirit perfected on the day of Pentecost. — The Navarre Bible, St. Luke

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. Alleluia.

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 92 (93)
The magnificence of the Creator
The Lord reigns! He is robed in splendour, clothed in glory and wrapped round in might. He set the earth on its foundations: it will not be shaken. Your throne is secure from the beginning; from the beginning of time, Lord, you are. The rivers have raised, O Lord, the rivers have raised their voices. The rivers have raised their clamour. Over the voices of many waters, over the powerful swell of the sea, you are the Lord, powerful on high. All your promises are to be trusted: and holy is your habitation, O Lord, to the end of time. 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 92 (93)

The magnificence of the Creator

The Lord reigns! He is robed in splendour,
clothed in glory and wrapped round in might.
He set the earth on its foundations:
it will not be shaken.
Your throne is secure from the beginning;
from the beginning of time, Lord, you are.

The rivers have raised, O Lord,
the rivers have raised their voices.
The rivers have raised their clamour.
Over the voices of many waters,
over the powerful swell of the sea,
you are the Lord, powerful on high.

All your promises are to be trusted:
and holy is your habitation,
O Lord, to the end of time.

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	Daniel 3
All creatures, bless the Lord
Bless the Lord, all his works, praise and exalt him for ever. Bless the Lord, you heavens; all his angels, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, you waters above the heavens; all his powers, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, sun and moon; all stars of the sky, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, rain and dew; all you winds, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, fire and heat; cold and warmth, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, dew and frost; ice and cold, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, ice and snow; day and night, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, light and darkness; lightning and storm-clouds, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, all the earth, praise and exalt him for ever. Bless the Lord, mountains and hills; all growing things, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, seas and rivers; springs and fountains, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, whales and fish; birds of the air, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, wild beasts and tame; sons of men, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, O Israel, praise and exalt him for ever. Bless the Lord, his priests; all his servants, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, spirits of the just; all who are holy and humble, bless the Lord. Ananias, Azarias, Mishael, bless the Lord, praise and exalt him for ever. Let us bless Father, Son and Holy Spirit, praise and exalt them for ever. Bless the Lord in the firmament of heaven, praise and glorify him for ever.

Canticle

Daniel 3

All creatures, bless the Lord

Bless the Lord, all his works, praise and exalt him for ever.

Bless the Lord, you heavens; all his angels, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, you waters above the heavens; all his powers, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, sun and moon; all stars of the sky, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, rain and dew; all you winds, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, fire and heat; cold and warmth, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, dew and frost; ice and cold, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, ice and snow; day and night, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, light and darkness; lightning and storm-clouds, bless the Lord.

Bless the Lord, all the earth, praise and exalt him for ever.

Bless the Lord, mountains and hills; all growing things, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, seas and rivers; springs and fountains, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, whales and fish; birds of the air, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, wild beasts and tame; sons of men, bless the Lord.

Bless the Lord, O Israel, praise and exalt him for ever.

Bless the Lord, his priests; all his servants, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, spirits of the just; all who are holy and humble, bless the Lord.

Ananias, Azarias, Mishael, bless the Lord, praise and exalt him for ever.

Let us bless Father, Son and Holy Spirit, praise and exalt them for ever.
Bless the Lord in the firmament of heaven, praise and glorify him for ever.

Psalm 148
An anthem to the Lord, the Creator
Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise him in the highest heavens. Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his powers. Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all stars that shine. Praise him, waters of the heavens, and all the waters above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded and they were made. He set them firm for all ages, he made a decree that will last for ever. Praise the Lord from the earth, sea-serpents and depths of the sea, fire, hail, snow and fog, storms and gales that obey his word, mountains and hills, fruit-trees and cedars, wild beasts and tame, serpents and birds. Kings of the earth, all peoples, all leaders and judges of the earth, young men and women, old people with the young – praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted. His splendour is above heaven and earth, he has raised up the strength of his people. This song is for all his chosen ones, the children of Israel, the people close to him. 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 148

An anthem to the Lord, the Creator

Praise the Lord from the heavens,
praise him in the highest heavens.
Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his powers.

Praise him, sun and moon,
praise him, all stars that shine.
Praise him, waters of the heavens,
and all the waters above the heavens.

Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for he commanded and they were made.
He set them firm for all ages,
he made a decree that will last for ever.

Praise the Lord from the earth,
sea-serpents and depths of the sea,
fire, hail, snow and fog,
storms and gales that obey his word,
mountains and hills,
fruit-trees and cedars,
wild beasts and tame,
serpents and birds.

Kings of the earth, all peoples,
all leaders and judges of the earth,
young men and women,
old people with the young –
praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted.

His splendour is above heaven and earth,
he has raised up the strength of his people.
This song is for all his chosen ones,
the children of Israel, the people close to him.

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.

Short reading	Ezekiel 37:12 - 14 ©
The Lord says this: I am now going to open your graves; I mean to raise you from your graves, my people, and lead you back to the soil of Israel. And you will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and raise you from your graves, my people. And I shall put my spirit in you, and you will live, and I shall resettle you on your own soil; and you will know that I, the Lord, have said and done this – it is the Lord who speaks.

Short reading

The Lord says this: I am now going to open your graves; I mean to raise you from your graves, my people, and lead you back to the soil of Israel. And you will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and raise you from your graves, my people. And I shall put my spirit in you, and you will live, and I shall resettle you on your own soil; and you will know that I, the Lord, have said and done this – it is the Lord who speaks.

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.

Prayers and Intercessions

Let us pray to God, who sent the Holy Spirit to be a light shining in every heart: - Lord, be our light.
Blessed are you, God our light:: for the sake of your glory you have brought us to this new day.
By the incarnation of your Son you sent light into this world:: through your Church, spread that light to all mankind.
You enlightened your Son’s disciples by your Spirit:: send your Spirit into the Church and keep her faithful to you.
Light of the nations, remember those who dawdle in the shadows:: open their eyes and their hearts, so that they see you are the one true 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.

Almighty and ever-living God, guide our actions and make them pleasing to you,
so that in the name of your beloved Son
we may overflow with good works.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.
Amen.

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

A M E N

Homily of the Day

Homily of the Day

Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.

Other Articles by Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.
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Building Blocks for God's Kingdom

January 19, 2007

Neh 8:2-4a, 5-6, 8-10 / 1 Cor 12:12-30 / Lk 1:1-4,4:14-21

There's an old story that makes its way around ecclesiastical circles from time to time. It seems that someone in the Vatican got word that the Second Coming of CHRIST was about to happen. Within minutes, of course, everyone in the Vatican had heard the rumor and the corridors and offices were crackling with tension and panic. Finally, one of the most senior cardinals knocked very quietly and very respectfully on the door of the pope's private apartment.

"Your Holiness," he said breathlessly, "we have reason to believe that the Second Coming of Christ is about to happen. What shall we do?"

The Holy Father looked up from his papers and said, "Look busy!"
+ + + +

Busy is what we are from day to day with the ordinary business of life. We have our regular routines and established patterns for just about everything. We read the same sections of the paper in the same order day after day. We come to Mass at the same time, park in the same place, and sit in the same pew week after week.

We buy the same toothpaste and toast the same kind of bread month after month. We play cards and walk the golf course with the same friends at the same time on the same day of the week year after year. We eat the same menu from the same dishes every Christmas decade after decade.

No doubt about it, almost the whole of life is a series of habitual routines large and small that are rarely interrupted by anything more drastic than the newspaper's coming late or some "stranger" sitting in "our place" at the 5 o'clock Mass!

Our habits and routines are like old shoes, comfortable and comforting. They get our daily business done -- if not the easy or the best way -- at least without a lot of thought or stress. And they give us a sense of stability and at-homeness which is quite a comfort when the world feels too big and too much for us.

But there's another side to our habitual routines that's not so pretty, and that is their power to blind us, to hold us hostage, to make us very poor on the inside. Our routines have the power to trap us inside tiny ideas and even tinier hopes, the power to persuade us that this is all there is, and that life is very small and very narrow indeed.

Over time, our routines and the endless cycle of everyday tasks that have to be done can persuade us that the best we can hope for is a life of quiet desperation.

That is why we need to hear what Jesus is saying to us in Sunday's gospel: "I have come to give sight to the blind," He says, "to set captives free, and to bring good news to all who are poor," whatever the shape of their poverty may be.

Jesus is reminding us that our lives are meant to be very large inside. He's telling us that if we are being true to the gifts God has entrusted to us, every one of our moments has purpose, large purpose. Every one of those ordinary tasks that have to be done again and again is a building block for God's kingdom, a building block for eternity, if our eyes are open, if our hearts are open, and if we're being true to the gifts God has entrusted us to carry.

So let that be our prayer:

Open our eyes, Lord, that we may see the value of each day. Open our hearts that we may give our best to each person and each task. And, in Your good time, Lord, let us rejoice in the completion of the kingdom that You and we have been building together, one moment at a time. Amen.

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