Catholic Caucus: Sunday Mass Readings, 02-11-07, Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

USCCB.org/New American Bible ^ | 02-11-07 | New American Bible

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February 11, 2007

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Psalm: Sunday 6

Reading 1
Jer 17:5-8

Thus says the LORD:
Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings,
who seeks his strength in flesh,
whose heart turns away from the LORD.
He is like a barren bush in the desert
that enjoys no change of season,
but stands in a lava waste,
a salt and empty earth.
Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD,
whose hope is the LORD.
He is like a tree planted beside the waters
that stretches out its roots to the stream:
it fears not the heat when it comes;
its leaves stay green;
in the year of drought it shows no distress,
but still bears fruit.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6

R. (40:5a) Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked,
nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
but delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
that yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Not so the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.

Reading II
1 Cor 15:12, 16-20

Brothers and sisters:
If Christ is preached as raised from the dead,
how can some among you say there is no resurrection of the dead?
If the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised,
and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain;
you are still in your sins.
Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
If for this life only we have hoped in Christ,
we are the most pitiable people of all.

But now Christ has been raised from the dead,
the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

Gospel
Lk 6:17, 20-26

Jesus came down with the twelve
and stood on a stretch of level ground
with a great crowd of his disciples
and a large number of the people
from all Judea and Jerusalem
and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon.
And raising his eyes toward his disciples he said:
“Blessed are you who are poor,
for the kingdom of God is yours.
Blessed are you who are now hungry,
for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who are now weeping,
for you will laugh.
Blessed are you when people hate you,
and when they exclude and insult you,
and denounce your name as evil
on account of the Son of Man.
Rejoice and leap for joy on that day!
Behold, your reward will be great in heaven.
For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way.
But woe to you who are rich,
for you have received your consolation.
Woe to you who are filled now,
for you will be hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now,
for you will grieve and weep.
Woe to you when all speak well of you,
for their ancestors treated the false
prophets in this way.”

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February Devotion: The Holy Family

Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. The month of February has been primarily asociated with the holy Family, probably due to the feast of Our Lord's presentation at the temple, celebrated on February 2. At the very outset of Christ's work on earth, God showed the world a family in which, as Pope Leo XIII teaches, "all men might behold a perfect model of domestic life, and of all virtue and holiness." The harmony, unity, and holiness which characterized this holy Family make it the model for all Christian families.

INVOCATION
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph most kind, Bless us now and in death's agony.

FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE HOLY FAMILY
Grant unto us, Lord Jesus, ever to follow the example of Thy holy Family, that in the hour of our death Thy glorious Virgin Mother together with blessed Joseph may come to meet us and we may be worthily received by Thee into everlasting dwellings: who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.
Roman Missal

CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY FAMILY
O Jesus, our most loving Redeemer, who having come to enlighten the world with Thy teaching and example, didst will to pass the greater part of Thy life in humility and subjection to Mary and Joseph in the poor home of Nazareth, thus sanctifying the Family that was to be an example for all Christian families, graciously receive our family as it dedicates and consecrates itself to Thee this day. Do Thou defend us, guard us and establish amongst us Thy holy fear, true peace, and concord in Christian love: in order that, by conforming ourselves to the divine pattern of Thy family, we may be able, all of us without exception, to attain to eternal happiness.

Mary, dear Mother of Jesus and Mother of us, by thy kindly intercession make this our humble offering acceptable in the sight of Jesus, and obtain for us His graces and blessings.

O Saint Joseph, most holy guardian of Jesus and Mary, assist us by thy prayers in all our spiritual and temporal necessities; that so we may be enabled to praise our divine Savior Jesus, together with Mary and thee, for all eternity.

Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be, three times.

IN HONOR OF THE HOLY FAMILY
O God, heavenly Father, it was part of Thine eternal decree that Thine only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, should form a holy family with Mary, His blessed mother, and His foster father, Saint Joseph. In Nazareth home life was sanctified, and a perfect example was given to every Christian family. Grant, we beseech Thee, that we may fully comprehend and faithfully imitate the virtues of the Holy Family so that we may be united with them one day in their heavenly glory. Through the same Christ our Lord. 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

Imitating the Holy Family; Four Traits that Make It Possible

Lots of Graphics: Post your favorite image of the St. Mary and Child, the Holy Family...

[Salvation]

From: Jeremiah 17:5-8

God Rewards People as They Deserve (Continuation)

---

[5] Thus says the LORD: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes
flesh his arm, whose heart turns away from the LORD. [6] He is like a shrub
in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched
places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land.

[7] ”Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. [8]
He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and
does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious
in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit."

---

Commentary:

17:1-13. This passage includes a number of short oracles in the style of wisdom
writing, graphically expressing themes that were constant in Jeremiah’s prea-
ching. Judah’s sin of idolatry was quite obvious: anyone travelling the country
could see people frequenting the places where Canaanite gods were worshipped;
they were everywhere one went (vv. 1-3a). That is why the Lord will abandon the
Israelites, who will be uprooted from their land and enslaved (vv. 3b-4).

Using words similar to those of Psalm 1, the prophet describes the misfortune
that will befall those who trust in themselves, as against the prosperity of those
who trust in God (vv. 5-8). St Thomas Aquinas’ commentary on Psalm 1 fits in
nicely with the simile here of the tree planted beside water (v. 8): “We are asked
to consider three things in the image of the tree--its being well-rooted, its fruit-
fulness, and the sustaining of its life. To be well-rooted, the tree must be well-
watered, otherwise it will dry up and wither away; thus, we are told that the tree
is planted beside running waters, which symbolize the currents of grace. ‘He
who believes in me...out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water’ (Jn 7:38).
The one whose roots draw on the living waters will bear much fruit in all the
good works that he does, and fruitfulness is the second aspect of the image
that we are asked to contemplate. ‘But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness’, etc. (Gal 5:22). The tree does not
wither away: it is sustained in life. Some trees lose their leaves, but others ne-
ver lose their leaves; and thus it is with righteous men [...]; they will not be for-
gotten by God even in their tiniest and least significant actions. ‘The righteous
will flourish like a green leaf’ (Prov 11:28)” ("Postilla super Psalmos", 1, 3).

God cannot be deceived; he sees right into a person’s heart, and he will judge
each on his merits (vv. 9-11). The hope of Israel is the Lord (vv. 12-13), the fount
of water (ef. 2:13; Ps 42:2; Jn 4:10) without which none can live (cf. v. 8). To
show that those who forsake God will be judged and condemned, Jeremiah uses
an image (they “shall be written in the earth”: v. 13) that is reminiscent of Jesus’
gesture when he “judges” the men who accuse the woman caught in adultery
(Jn 8:6). The wind will blow their names away: they will have no place in the
book of life.

---

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, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

[Salvation]

From: 1 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20

The Basis of our Faith

---

[12] Now if Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some of you
say that there is no resurrection of the dead? [16] For if the dead are not raised,
then Christ has not been raised. [17] If Christ has not been raised, your faith is
futile and you are still in your sins. [18] Then those who have fallen asleep in
Christ have perished. [19] If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of
all men most to be pitied.

The Cause of our Resurrection

---

[20] But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those
who have fallen asleep.

---

Commentary:

12-19. St Paul very forcefully states that the resurrection of Christ is an essen-
tial truth of the Christian faith; without it that faith is vain. For, by rising from the
dead Christ completes the work of Redemption. Dying on the cross meant vic-
tory over sins; but it was necessary also that he should rise from the dead and
thereby conquer death, the outcome of sin (cf. Rom 5:12). "It was necessary
that Christ should rise again in order to manifest the justice of God; for it was
most appropriate that he who through obedience to God was degraded, and
loaded with ignominy, should by him be exalted. [...] He rose also to confirm
our faith, which is necessary for justification; for the resurrection of Christ from
the dead by his own power affords an irrefutable proof that he was the Son of
God. Again the resurrection nourishes and sustains our hope. As Christ rose
again, we rest on an assured hope that we too shall rise again; the members
must necessarily arrive at the condition of their head. [...] Finally, the resur-
rection of our Lord, it should also be taught, was necessary to complete the
mystery of our salvation and redemption. By his death Christ liberated us from
sin, by his resurrection he restored to us the most important of those privileges
which we had forfeited by sin" ("St Pius V Catechism", I, 6, 12).

In these verses St Paul is really giving indirect arguments in support of Christ's
resurrection, by pointing out what an absurd situation we would be in if Jesus
Christ had not risen: our faith would be in vain (vv. 14,17,18), as would our hope
(v.19); the Apostles would be false witnesses and their preaching valueless (vv
14-15); and we would still be in our sins (v. 17). Christians, in other words, would
be "of all men most to be pitied" (v. 19).

20-28. The Apostle insists on the solidarity that exists between Christ and
Christians: as members of one single body, of which Christ is the head, they
form as it were one organism (cf. Rom 6:3-11; Gal 3:28). Therefore, once the
resurrection of Christ is affirmed, the resurrection of the just necessarily follows.
Adam's disobedience brought death for all; Jesus, the new Adam, has merited
that all should rise (cf. Rom 5:12-21). "Again, the resurrection of Christ effects
for us the resurrection of our bodies not only because it was the efficient cause
of this mystery, but also because we all ought to arise after the example of the
Lord. For with regard to the resurrection of the body we have this testimony of
the Apostle: 'As by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrec-
tion of the dead' (1 Cor 15:21). In all that God did to accomplish the mystery
of our redemption he made use of the humanity of Christ as an effective instru-
ment, and hence his resurrection was, as it were, an instrument for the accom-
plishment of our resurrection" ("St Pius V Catechism", I, 6, 13).

Although St Paul here is referring only to the resurrection of the just (v. 23), he
does speak elsewhere of the resurrection of all mankind (cf. Acts 24:15). The
doctrine of the resurrection of the bodies of all at the end of time, when Jesus
will come in glory to judge everyone, has always been part of the faith of the
Church; "he [Christ] will come at the end of the world, he will judge the living
and the dead; and he will reward all, both the lost and the elect, according to
their works. And all those will rise with their own bodies which they now have
so that they may receive according to their works, whether good or bad; the
wicked, a perpetual punishment with the devil; the good, eternal glory with
'Christ" (Fourth Lateran Council, "De Fide Catholica", chap. 1).

---

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.

[Salvation]

From: Luke 6:17, 20-26

The Sermon on the Mount

---

[17] And He came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great
crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and
Jerusalem and the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and
to be healed of their diseases; [18] and those who were troubled with unclean
spirits were cured. [19] And all the crowd sought to touch Him, for power
came forth from Him and healed them all.

The Beatitudes and the Curses

---

[20] And He (Jesus) lifted up His eyes on His disciples, and said: "Blessed
are you poor, for yours is the Kingdom of God. [21] Blessed are you that
hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you that weep now, for
you shall laugh. [22] Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they
exclude you and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, on account of
the Son of Man! [23] Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your
reward is great in Heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets. [24] But
woe to you that are rich, for you have received your consolation. [25] Woe
to you that are full now, for you shall hunger. Woe to you that laugh now,
for you shall mourn and weep. [26] Woe to you, when all men speak well
of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets."

---

Commentary:

20-49. These thirty verses of St. Luke correspond to some extent to the
Sermon on the Mount, an extensive account of which St. Matthew gives
us in Chapters 5 to 7 in his Gospel. It is very likely that in the course of
His public ministry in different regions and towns of Israel Jesus preached
the same things, using different words on different occasions. Under the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit each evangelist would have chosen to report
those things which he considered most useful for the instruction of his
immediate readers--Christians of Jewish origin in the case of Matthew,
Gentile converts in the case of Luke. There is no reason why one evan-
gelist should not have selected certain items and another different ones,
depending on his readership, or why one should not have laid special
stress on some subjects and shortened or omitted accounts of others.

In this present discourse, we might distinguish three parts--the Beatitudes
and the curses (6:20-26); love of one's enemies (6:27-38); and teaching on
uprightness of heart (6:39-49).

Some Christians may find it difficult to grasp the need of practising the
moral teaching of the Gospel so radically, in particular Christ's teaching in
the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus is very demanding in what He says, but
He is saying it to everyone, and not just to His Apostles or to those disci-
ples who followed Him closely. We are told expressly that "when Jesus
finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at His teaching" (Mat-
thew 7:28). It is quite clear that the Master calls everyone to holiness,
making no distinction of state-in-life, race or per- sonal circumstances.
This teaching on the universal call to holiness qas a central point of the
teaching of (St) Monsignor Escriva de Bala- guer. The Second Vatican
Council expressed the same teaching with the full weight of its authority:
everyone is called to Christian holiness; consider, for example, just one
reference it makes, in "Lumen Gentium", 11: "Strengthened by so many
and such great means of salvation, all the faithful, whatever their condition
or state--though each in his or her own way--are called by the Lord to that
perfection of sanctity by which the Father Himself is perfect."

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus is not proposing an unattainable ideal,
useful though that might be to make us feel humble in the light of our ina-
bility to reach it. No. Christian teaching in this regard is quite clear: what
Christ commands, He commands in order to have us do what He says.
Along with His commandment comes grace to enable us to fulfill it. There-
fore, every Christian is capable of practising the moral teaching of Christ and
of attaining the full height of his calling--holiness--not by his own efforts alone
but by means of the grace which Christ has won for us, and with the abiding
help of the means of sanctification which He left to His Church. "If anyone
plead human weakness to excuse Himself for not loving God, it should be
explained that He who demands our love pours into our hearts by the Holy
Spirit the fervor of His love, and this good Spirit our Heavenly Father gives to
those that ask Him. With reason, therefore, did St. Augustine pray: `Give
Me what Thou command, and command what You please.' As, then, God
is ever ready to help us, especially since the death of Christ our Lord, by
which the prince of this world was cast out, there is no reason why anyone
should be disheartened by the difficulty of the undertaking. To him who
loves, nothing is difficult" ("St. Pius V Catechism", III, 1, 7).

20-26. The eight Beatitudes which St. Matthew gives (5:3-12) are summed
up in four by St. Luke, but with four opposite curses. We can say, with St.
Ambrose, that Matthew's eight are included in Luke's four (cf. "Expositio
Evangelii Sec. Lucam, in loc."). In St. Luke they are in some cases stated
in a more incisive, more direct form than in the First Gospel, where they are
given with more explanation: for example, the first beatitude says simply
"Blessed are you poor", whereas in Matthew we read, "Blessed are the poor
in spirit", which contains a brief explanation of the virtue of poverty.

20. "The ordinary Christian has to reconcile two aspects of this life that can
at first seem contradictory. There is on the one hand "true poverty", which
is obvious and tangible and made up of definite things. This poverty should
be an expression of faith in God and a sign that the heart is not satisfied with
created things and aspires to the Creator; that it wants to be filled with love of
God so as to be able to give this same love to everyone. On the other hand,
an ordinary Christian is and wants to be "one more among his fellow men",
sharing their way of life, their joys and happiness; working with them, loving
the world and all the good things that exist in it; using all created things to
solve the problems of human life and to establish a spiritual and material
environment which will foster personal and social development [...].

"To my way of thinking the best examples of poverty are those mothers and
fathers of large and poor families who spend their lives for their children and
who with their effort and constancy--often without complaining of their needs
-- bring up their family, creating a cheerful home in which everyone learns to
love, to serve and to work" ([St] J. Escriva, "Conversations", 110f).

24-26. Our Lord here condemns four things: avarice and attachment to the
things of the world; excessive care of the body, gluttony; empty-headed joy
and general self-indulgence; flattery, and disordered desire for human glory
-- four very common vices which a Christian needs to be on guard against.

24. In the same kind of way as in verse 20, which refers to the poor in the
sense of those who love poverty, seeking to please God better, so in this
verse the "rich" are to be understood as those who strive to accumulate pos-
sessions heedless of whether or not they are doing so lawfully, and who seek
their happiness in those possessions, as if they were their ultimate goal. But
people who inherit wealth or acquire itthrough honest work can be really poor
provided they are detached from these things and are led by that detachment
to use them to help others, as God inspires them. We can find in Sacred
Scriptures a number of people to whom the beatitude of the poor can be ap-
plied although they possessed considerable wealth--Abraham, Isaac, Moses,
David, Job, for example.

As early as St. Augustine's time there were people who failed to understand
poverty and riches properly: they reasoned as follows: The Kingdom of Heaven
belongs to the poor, the Lazaruses of this world, the hungry; all the rich are
bad, like this rich man here. This sort of thinking led St. Augustine to explain
the deep meaning of wealth and poverty according to the spirit of the Gospel:
"Listen, poor man, to my comments on your words. When you refer to your-
self as Lazarus, that holy man covered with wounds, I am afraid your pride
makes you describe yourself incorrectly. Do not despise rich men who are
merciful, who are humble: or, to put it briefly, do not despise poor rich men.
Oh, poor man, be poor yourself; poor, that is, humble [...]. Listen to me, then.
Be truly poor, be devout, be humble; if you glory in your ragged and ulcerous
poverty, if you glory in likening yourself to that beggar lying outside the rich
man's house, then you are only noticing his poverty, and nothing else. What
should I notice you ask? Read the Scriptures and you will understand what I
mean. Lazarus was poor, but he to whose bosom he was brought was rich.
`It came to pass, it is written, that the poor man died and he was brought by
the angels to Abraham's bosom.' To where? To Abraham's bosom, or let us
say, to that mysterious place where Abraham was resting. Read [...] and
remember that Abraham was a very wealthy man when he was on earth: he
had abundance of money, a large family, flocks, land; yet that rich man was
poor, because he was humble. `Abraham believed God and he was reckoned
righteous.' [...] He was faithful, he did good, received the commandment to
offer his son in sacrifice, and he did not refuse to offer what he had received
to Him from whom he had received it. He was approved in God's sight and
set before us as an example of faith" ("Sermon", 14).

To sum up: poverty does not consist in something purely external, in having
or not having material goods, but in something that goes far deeper, affecting
a person's heart and soul; it consists in having a humble attitude to God, in
being devout, in having total faith. If a Christian has these virtues and also
has an abundance of material possessions, he should be detached from his
wealth and act charitably towards others and thus be pleasing to God. On
the other hand, if someone is not well-off he is not justified in God's sight on
that account, if he fails to strive to acquire those virtues in which true poverty
consists.

---

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, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

[Salvation]

Happiness of Sacrifice

The Danger of Spiritual Sloth [Reflection on The Beatitudes]

The Eight Beatitudes

Beatitudes for the Home {locked}

Satan's version of the sermon on the mount [Difficult read]

[Salvation]

The Sermon on the Mount

[Salvation]

Sunday, February 11, 2007
Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading: Psalm: Second Reading: Gospel:

Jeremiah 17:5-8 Psalm 1:1-4, 6 1 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20 Luke 6:17, 20-26 God "from the beginning of time made at once (simul) out of nothing both orders of creatures, the spiritual and the corporeal, that is, the angelic and the earthly, and then (deinde) the human creature, who as it were shares in both orders, being composed of spirit and body." -- Lateran Council IV

[Salvation]

The Work of God

Year C

 -  6th Sunday in ordinary time

Be glad in that day and rejoice; for behold, your reward is great in heaven.

Luke 6:17 20-26

17 He came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon.
20 Then he looked up at his disciples and said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
21 "Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. "Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
22 "Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man.
23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.
24 "But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
25 "Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry. "Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep.
26 "Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets. (NRSV)

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

Blessed are the poor, because the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
The world has always been a very rich place, abundant in natural resources, a place that was created lavishly in order to provide all human beings with plenty of food and shelter. I look at the hearts of men, who from the very beginning have been plagued with the evils of injustice, envy, avarice and selfishness. I don’t like what I see.

For those who have more than what they need, there is a constant opportunity to help the poor and all those in need. I love the poor and the outcast, because they are my disadvantaged children who in the end put all their trust in the Divine Providence. It is good to have, but don’t be too happy if you have more than you need and do nothing about your brother who is in need. The quest for riches blinds man with materialism, I find no place in a heart that is full of greed. The reward for the poor will be the riches of Heaven; however in contrast, those who neglect charity won’t have a treasure in their future life.

Blessed are those who hunger now, they shall be filled.
I look around and see the world full of riches but so blind to the poor who are starving, they do nothing and let them die. How great is the injustice of man, it kindles my anger. Therefore I have prepared the reward for those who are generous and care for their brothers.

Blessed are those who suffer and weep. They shall be consoled. Blessed are those who are rejected for following me.

There are those who suffer in their spiritual poverty, they hunger for God, they suffer for this unwise humanity. They are persecuted because they want a better world, a world where God’s laws are obeyed. They are truly blessed.

If you want to be my disciple, you will have to take up your cross daily and follow me. The road we trod is narrow and difficult to travel, it is full of temptation and suffering, it is very similar to my ascent to Calvary. The soul must travel this spiritual road and overcome all the obstacles in order to purify itself by humility and obedience. While human beings are subject to bodily sufferings because of the struggles of life, there is a parallel in the unseen part of humanity, that of the soul, which must constantly struggle to attain perfection while in the physical body.

Blessed are the pure of heart who listen to my voice and need my spiritual food more than the body needs physical food, Blessed are those who believe in me, and accept the Will of God as the power that rules their lives.

Author: Joseph of Jesus and Mary

Catholic homilies - gospel inspirations - list

[Salvation]

Scripture readings taken from the Jerusalem Bible, published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd

Mass Readings

First reading

Jeremiah 17:5 - 8 ©

The Lord says this: A curse on the man who puts his trust in man, who relies on things of flesh, whose heart turns from the Lord. He is like dry scrub in the wastelands: if good comes, he has no eyes for it, he settles in the parched places of the wilderness, a salt land, uninhabited. A blessing on the man who puts his trust in the Lord, with the Lord for his hope. He is like a tree by the waterside that thrusts its roots to the stream: when the heat comes it feels no alarm, its foliage stays green; it has no worries in a year of drought, and never ceases to bear fruit.

Psalm or canticle: Psalm 1

Second reading

1 Corinthians 15:12 - 20 ©

Now if Christ raised from the dead is what has been preached, how can some of you be saying that there is no resurrection of the dead? For if the dead are not raised, Christ has not been raised, and if Christ has not been raised, you are still in your sins. And what is more serious, all who have died in Christ have perished. If our hope in Christ has been for this life only, we are the most unfortunate of all people. But Christ has in fact been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of all who have fallen asleep.

Gospel

Luke 6:17 - 26 ©

Jesus came down with them and stopped at a piece of level ground where there was a large gathering of his disciples with a great crowd of people from all parts of Judaea and from Jerusalem and from the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon Then fixing his eyes on his disciples he said: ‘How happy are you who are poor: yours is the kingdom of God. Happy you who are hungry now: you shall be satisfied. Happy you who weep now: you shall laugh. Happy are you when people hate you, drive you out, abuse you, denounce your name as criminal, on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice when that day comes and dance for joy, for then your reward will be great in heaven. This was the way their ancestors treated the prophets. ‘But alas for you who are rich: you are having your consolation now. Alas for you who have your fill now: you shall go hungry. Alas for you who laugh now: you shall mourn and weep. ‘Alas for you when the world speaks well of you! This was the way their ancestors treated the false prophets.

[Salvation]

Does anyone else have a problem with the Jerusalem Bible translation of "happy" for the word "blessed"?

To me the two words do not have the same meaning at all. Not even close.

I am startled by this translation............I thought the Jerusalem Bible was the more traditional of the two.

[Salvation]

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 103 (104)

Hymn to God the Creator

Bless the Lord, my soul!
 Lord, my God, how great you are!
You are robed in majesty and splendour;
 you are wrapped in light as in a cloak.

You stretch out the sky like an awning,
 you build your palace upon the waters.
You make the clouds your chariot,
 you walk upon the wings of the wind.
You make the breezes your messengers,
 you make burning fire your minister.

You set the earth upon its foundation:
 from age to age it will stand firm.
Deep oceans covered it like a garment,
 and the waters stood high above the mountains;
but you rebuked them and they fled;
 at the sound of your thunder they fled in terror.
They rise to the mountains or sink to the valleys,
 to the places you have decreed for them.
You have given them a boundary they must not cross;
 they will never come back to cover the earth.

You make springs arise to feed the streams,
 that flow in the midst of the mountains.
All the beasts of the field will drink from them
 and the wild asses will quench their thirst.
Above them will nest the birds of the sky,
 from among the branches their voices will sound.

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 103 (104)

From your palace you water the mountains,
 and thus you give plenty to the earth.
You bring forth grass for the cattle,
 and plants for the service of man.
You bring forth bread from the land,
 and wine to make man’s heart rejoice.
Oil, to make the face shine;
 and bread to make man’s heart strong.

The trees of the Lord have all that they need,
 and the cedars of Lebanon, that he planted.
Small birds will nest there,
 and storks at the tops of the trees.
For wild goats there are the high mountains;
 the crags are a refuge for the coneys.

He made the moon so that time could be measured;
 the sun knows the hour of its setting.
You send shadows, and night falls:
 then all the beasts of the woods come out,
lion cubs roaring for their prey,
 asking God for their food.
When the sun rises they come back together
 to lie in their lairs;
man goes out to his labour,
 and works until evening.

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 103 (104)

How many are your works, O Lord!
 You have made all things in your wisdom,
 and the earth is full of your creatures.
The sea is broad and immense:
 sea-creatures swim there, both small and large,
 too many to count.
Ships sail across it;
 Leviathan lives there, the monster;
 you made him to play with.

All of them look to you
 to give them their food when they need it.
You give it to them, and they gather;
 you open your hand, they are filled with good things.
But turn away, and they are dismayed;
 take away their breath, and they die,
 once more they will turn into dust.
You will send forth your breath, they will come to life;
 you will renew the face of the earth.

Glory be to the Lord, for ever;
 let the Lord rejoice in his works.
He turns his gaze to the earth, and it trembles;
 he touches the mountains, and they smoke.
I will sing to the Lord all my life;
 as long as I exist, I will sing songs to God.
May my praises be pleasing to him;
 truly I will delight in the Lord.

Let sinners perish from the earth,
 let the wicked vanish from existence.
Bless the Lord, my soul!

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

Proverbs 1:1 - 33 ©

The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: for learning what wisdom and discipline are,  for understanding words of deep meaning, for acquiring an enlightened attitude of mind  – virtue, justice and fair-dealing; for teaching sound judgement to the ignorant,  and knowledge and sense to the young; for perceiving the meaning of proverbs and obscure sayings,  the sayings of the sages and their riddles. Let the wise listen and he will learn yet more,  and the man of discernment will acquire the art of guidance. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools spurn wisdom and discipline. Wisdom calls aloud in the streets,  she raises her voice in the public squares; she calls out at the street corners,  she delivers her message at the city gates, ‘You ignorant people, how much longer will you cling to your ignorance?  How much longer will mockers revel in their mocking  and fools hold knowledge contemptible? Pay attention to my warning:  now I will pour out my heart to you,  and tell you what I have to say. Since I have called and you have refused me,  since I have beckoned and no one has taken notice, since you have ignored all my advice  and rejected all my warnings, I, for my part, will laugh at your distress,  I will jeer at you when calamity comes, when calamity bears down on you like a storm  and your distress like a whirlwind,  when disaster and anguish bear down on you. Then they shall call to me, but I will not answer,  they shall seek me eagerly and shall not find me. They despised knowledge,  they had no love for the fear of the Lord, they would take no advice from me,  and spurned all my warnings: so they must eat the fruits of their own courses,  and choke themselves with their own scheming. For the errors of the ignorant lead to their death,  and the complacency of fools works their own ruin; but whoever listens to me may live secure,  he will have quiet, fearing no mischance.’

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Reading	From a commentary on the Diatessaron by Saint Ephrem, deacon
God's word is an inexhaustible spring of life
Lord, who can comprehend even one of your words? We lose more of it than we grasp, like those who drink from a living spring. For God’s word offers different facets according to the capacity of the listener, and the Lord has portrayed his message in many colours, so that whoever gazes upon it can see in it what suits him. Within it he has buried manifold treasures, so that each of us might grow rich in seeking them out. The word of God is a tree of life that offers us blessed fruit from each of its branches. It is like that rock which was struck open in the wilderness, from which all were offered spiritual drink. As the Apostle says: They ate spiritual food and they drank spiritual drink. And so whenever anyone discovers some part of the treasure, he should not think that he has exhausted God’s word. Instead he should feel that this is all that he was able to find of the wealth contained in it. Nor should he say that the word is weak and sterile or look down on it simply because this portion was all that he happened to find. But precisely because he could not capture it all he should give thanks for its riches. Be glad then that you are overwhelmed, and do not be saddened because he has overcome you. A thirsty man is happy when he is drinking, and he is not depressed because he cannot exhaust the spring. So let this spring quench your thirst, and not your thirst the spring. For if you can satisfy your thirst without exhausting the spring, then when you thirst again you can drink from it once more; but if when your thirst is sated the spring is also dried up, then your victory would turn to harm. Be thankful then for what you have received, and do not be saddened at all that such an abundance still remains. What you have received and attained is your present share, while what is left will be your heritage. For what you could not take at one time because of your weakness, you will be able to grasp at another if you only persevere. So do not foolishly try to drain in one draught what cannot be consumed all at once, and do not cease out of faintheartedness from what you will be able to absorb as time goes on.

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Canticle

Te Deum

God, we praise you; Lord, we proclaim you! You, the Father, the eternal – all the earth venerates you. All the angels, all the heavens, every power – The cherubim, the seraphim – unceasingly, they cry: “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts: heaven and earth are full of the majesty of your glory!” The glorious choir of Apostles – The noble ranks of prophets – The shining army of martyrs – all praise you. Throughout the world your holy Church proclaims you. – Father of immeasurable majesty, – True Son, only-begotten, worthy of worship, – Holy Spirit, our Advocate. You, Christ: – You are the king of glory. – You are the Father’s eternal Son. – You, to free mankind, did not disdain a Virgin’s womb. – You defeated the sharp spear of Death, and opened the kingdom of heaven to those who believe in you. – You sit at God’s right hand, in the glory of the Father. – You will come, so we believe, as our Judge. And so we ask of you: give help to your servants, whom you set free at the price of your precious blood. Number them among your chosen ones in eternal glory. Bring your people to safety, Lord, and bless those who are your inheritance. Rule them and lift them high for ever. Day by day we bless you, Lord: we praise you for ever and for ever. Of your goodness, Lord, keep us without sin for today. Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us. Let your pity, Lord, be upon us, as much as we trust in you. In you, Lord, I trust: let me never be put to shame. 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.

---

Concluding Prayer

Lord, it is your desire to dwell in humble and sincere hearts.
 Give us your grace and make us
 a fit habitation for you.

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.

[Salvation]

Catholic Culture

Collect: God our Father, you have promised to remain for ever with those who do what is just and right. Help us to live in your presence. 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. Activities: » Teaching Children About Sickness and Death Prayers: » Prayer for a Sick Person » Ordinary Time, Pre-Lent: Table Blessing 2 » Litany for the Sick and Afflicted

February 11, 2007 Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Catholics who participate in prayer services for the World Day of the Sick today — ordinarily the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes — can obtain a plenary indulgence. The same plenary indulgence is available to those who cannot participate in the special prayer services, “if on that day they generously provide, at least for a few hours, their charitable assistance to the sick as if they were tending to Christ the Lord Himself.” The decree issued late on February 5 by the Apostolic Penitentiary calls for participation in the official World Day of the Sick ceremonies that will be held in Seoul, Korea, or “at any other place decided by the ecclesiastical authorities” where similar prayer services will be held. Those who are themselves sick or otherwise infirm can obtain the indulgence if they unite themselves to the Pope’s intentions, offer up their suffering, and “pray devotedly for the sick.” The plenary indulgences are available under the usual conditions: that the individual make a sacramental Confession, receive Communion, prayer for the Holy Father’s intention, and be free from attachment to sin. A partial indulgence is available to anyone who, between February 9 and 11, prays fervently for the sick, “especially those suffering incurable and terminal disease.” The decree announcing the indulgence observes that “human remedies have a limit,” and Christians must help those who are terminally ill with their prayers, “so that their transit from this world to the Father is comforted by divine consolation and so that, as the Church's prayer for the dying implores, they may see the gentle face of Jesus Christ and clearly hear the voice calling them to eternal glory and joy." Sunday Readings The first reading is from the book of Jeremiah (Jer 17:5-8). Jeremiah lived through one of the most troubled periods of the ancient Near East as he witnessed the fall of Assyria and the rising of Babylon. In the midst of this turmoil, the kingdom of Judah, came to its downfall by resisting this overwhelming force of history. The two predominant themes of Jeremiah's message are to precisely define true Yahwehism, and to proclaim the imminent wars as punishments of Judah's aberrations. Today's reading falls into the category of true Yahwehism and is a wisdom saying on true justice. The second reading is from the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians (1 Cor 15:12, 16-20). This reading continues the teaching we heard last week on the resurrection of the dead. St. Paul addresses the Corinthian claim that there is no such thing as resurrection from the dead. The Gospel reading is taken from St. Luke (Lk 6:17, 20-26). Jesus then went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also designated apostles: Simon, his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot. He then came down the mountain with them and delivered the sermon on the plain which is our reading for today. Things to Do: Read the more detailed, corresponding passage in Matthew 5:3-12 on the Beatitudes. Choose a beatitude to focus on for the rest of this month. Write it in conspicuous places throughout your house — desk, home altar, fridge, bathroom mirror. Think of some small practical ways to put this beatitude into action in your daily life. For some ideas on how to live the poverty and detachment prescribed by the first beatitude (Blessed are the poor in spirit), read this interview with spiritual director and writer Fr. Dubay. Read a summary of St. Bernard's advice for living the Beatitudes, and the Holy Father's exhortation to the youth at Toronto's World Youth Day to be people of the Beatitudes.

[Salvation]

American Catholic’s Saint of the Day

February 11, 2007

Our Lady of Lourdes

On December 8, 1854, Pope Pius IX proclaimed the dogma of the Immaculate Conception in the apostolic constitution Ineffabilis Deus. A little more than three years later, on February 11, 1858, a young lady appeared to Bernadette Soubirous. This began a series of visions. During the apparition on March 25, the lady identified herself with the words: “I am the Immaculate Conception.”

Bernadette was a sickly child of poor parents. Their practice of the Catholic faith was scarcely more than lukewarm. Bernadette could pray the Our Father, the Hail Mary and the Creed. She also knew the prayer of the Miraculous Medal: “O Mary conceived without sin.”

During interrogations Bernadette gave an account of what she saw. It was “something white in the shape of a girl.” She used the word aquero, a dialect term meaning “this thing.” It was “a pretty young girl with a rosary over her arm.” Her white robe was encircled by a blue girdle. She wore a white veil. There was a yellow rose on each foot. A rosary was in her hand. Bernadette was also impressed by the fact that the lady did not use the informal form of address (tu), but the polite form (vous). The humble virgin appeared to a humble girl and treated her with dignity.

Through that humble girl, Mary revitalized and continues to revitalize the faith of millions of people. People began to flock to Lourdes from other parts of France and from all over the world. In 1862 Church authorities confirmed the authenticity of the apparitions and authorized the cult of Our Lady of Lourdes for the diocese. The Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes became worldwide in 1907.

Comment:

Lourdes has become a place of pilgrimage and healing, but even more of faith. Church authorities have recognized over 60 miraculous cures, although there have probably been many more. To people of faith this is not surprising. It is a continuation of Jesus’ healing miracles—now performed at the intercession of his mother. Some would say that the greater miracles are hidden. Many who visit Lourdes return home with renewed faith and a readiness to serve God in their needy brothers and sisters. There still may be people who doubt the apparitions of Lourdes. Perhaps the best that can be said to them are the words that introduce the film Song of Bernadette: “For those who believe in God, no explanation is necessary. For those who do not believe, no explanation is possible.”

Quote:

“Lo! Mary is exempt from stain of sin, Proclaims the Pontiff high; And earth applauding celebrates with joy Her triumph, far and high. Unto a lowly timid maid she shows Her form in beauty fair, And the Immaculate Conception truth Her sacred lips declare.” (Unattributed hymn from the Roman Breviary)

[Salvation]

Since our Lady of Lourdes gets pre-empted by the Sunday readings -- I am posting the links for Our Lady of Lourdes.

Our Lady of Lourdes

OUR LADY OF LOURDES:[Saint Bernardette Soubirous]

Paralyzed Woman Cured at Lourdes Shrine

Lourdes Has Its 66th Officially Recognized Miracle

Our Lady of Lourdes – February 11

Woman whose healing is 67th Lourdes miracle tells her story

Catholic Church vets 67th Lourdes 'miracle'

Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes

[Salvation]

Regnum Christi

Spiritual Poverty Is Enriching
February 11, 2007

"Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours."


Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Father Jason Brooks, LC

Luke 6:17, 20-26
Jesus came down with them and stood on a stretch of level ground. A great crowd of his disciples and a large number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon. And raising his eyes toward his disciples he said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours. Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way. But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. But woe to you who are filled now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will grieve and weep. Woe to you when all speak well of you, for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way.”

Introductory Prayer:Christ Jesus, I believe that you know me by name and that you created me out of love to live in communion with you. I hope that I can live this day, and all the days of my life, united to you by fulfilling your most holy will for me.

Petition: Lord, please help me to be a better person today so that I can give you glory and honor in all that I think, say and do.

1. Blessed Are the Poor.   You don’t have to be lacking in material possessions to be poor in spirit. However, we do have to be poor in spirit in order enter the Kingdom of God. To be poor in spirit means recognizing God as the author of your life and the Giver of every good gift. To be poor in spirit, you have to humble yourself. No matter how successful you have been in the eyes of the world, you have to realize that God has given you everything you have. If you hope to inherit the Kingdom of God and enjoy everlasting happiness, then you have to humble yourself. This is one of the secrets of the spiritual life: You have to humble yourself if you hope to be exalted. Like Mother Mary, we have to acknowledge that the Almighty has done great things for us and holy is his name (cf. Luke 1:49).

2. Blessed Are the Hungry.   What is it for which we all hunger? All of us truly hunger for God. There is a hole in our hearts that can only be filled by God. We all want to love and be loved. We can’t stop hungering for a closer relationship with him. We can’t be satisfied with the level we have achieved so far. God doesn’t just want to be a part of our lives; he wants to be at the center of our lives. He wants to be the desire of our hearts and he longs to be longed for by us. He wants to live in communion with us and fully possess our hearts so that we can become all that he created us to be.

3. Blessed Are Those Who Mourn.  When we suffer, be it physically or spiritually, we frequently turn inside ourselves and reflect upon the causes. Suffering is a consequence of sin. This affliction can -- and often times does -- lead to repentance. God does not reject a humble and contrite heart. Just as a caring father pays closer attention to his child when he or she is hurting or sick, so does our heavenly Father come close to us when we are in pain and comfort us when we are afflicted. Thus, the presence of the Cross and suffering are not something to be avoided at all costs. Rather they are blessings from God. They are a sign that he is close to us, that he loves us, for God reproves and chastises those whom he loves (cf. Revelation 3:19).

Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, you are my true joy and my only hope. I want to take greater pride in my relationship with you, and not in the things that I have or the things that I do. Help me to humble myself so that you can better love others through me, with me, and in me. May I be your true companion in good times and in bad; in sickness and in health; for richer or poorer; all the days of my life.

Resolution: I will extend myself today to comfort somebody and let them know that I care about them.

[Salvation]

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 117 (118)

A cry of rejoicing and triumph

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good,
 and his kindness is for ever.

Now let Israel say, he is good
 and his kindness is for ever.
Now let the house of Aaron say it too:
 that his kindness is for ever.
Now let all who fear the Lord say it too:
 that his kindness is for ever.

In my time of trial I called out to the Lord:
 he listened, and led me to freedom.
The Lord is with me,
 I will fear nothing that man can do.
The Lord, my help, is with me,
 and I shall look down upon my enemies.

It is good to seek shelter in the Lord,
 better than to trust in men.
It is good to seek shelter in the Lord,
 better than to trust in the leaders of men.

All the nations surrounded me,
 and in the Lord’s name I slew them.
They crowded in and besieged me,
 and in the Lord’s name I slew them.
They surrounded me like swarms of bees,
 they burned like a fire of dry thorns,
 and in the Lord’s name I slew them.
They chased and pursued me, to make me fall,
 and the Lord came to my help.
The Lord is my strength and my rejoicing:
 he has become my saviour.

A cry of joy and salvation
 in the dwellings of the righteous:
“The Lord’s right hand has triumphed!
 The Lord’s right hand has raised me up;
 the Lord’s right hand has triumphed”.

I shall not die, but live,
 and tell of the works of the Lord.
The Lord chastised me severely
 but did not let me die.
Open the gates of righteousness:
 I will go in, and thank the Lord.

This is the gate of the Lord;
 it is the upright who enter here.

I will thank you, for you listened to me,
 and became my saviour.

The stone that the builders rejected
 has become the corner-stone.
It was the Lord who did this –
 it is marvellous to behold.
This is the day that was made by the Lord:
 let us rejoice today, and be glad.

Lord, keep me safe;
 O Lord, let me prosper!

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
 We bless you from the house of the Lord.

The Lord is God, he shines upon us!
 Arrange the procession, with close-packed branches,
 up to the horns of the altar.

You are my God, I will give thanks to you;
 my God, I will give you praise.

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good,
 and his kindness is for ever.

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
Let every creature praise the Lord
Blessed are you, Lord God of our fathers,  praised and exalted for ever. Blessed is the holy name of your glory  praised above all things and exalted for ever. Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory  praised and glorious above all things for ever. Blessed are you who gaze on the depths,  seated on the cherubim,  praised and exalted for ever. Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven  praised and glorious for ever. Bless the Lord, all his works,  praise and exalt him for ever. 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.

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Psalm 150

Praise the Lord

Praise the Lord in his sanctuary,
 praise him in his mighty firmament.
Praise him for his mighty deeds,
 praise him for all his greatness.

Praise him with trumpet-blasts,
 praise him with the harp and lyre,
praise him with timbrel and dance,
 praise him with strings and pipes,
praise him with cymbals resounding,
 praise him with cymbals of jubilation.

All that breathes, praise the Lord!

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 36:25 - 27 ©
I shall pour clean water over you and you will be cleansed; I shall cleanse you of all your defilement and all your idols. I shall give you a new heart, and put a new spirit in you; I shall remove the heart of stone from your bodies and give you a heart of flesh instead. I shall put my spirit in you, and make you keep my laws and sincerely respect my observances.

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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.

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Prayers and Intercessions

?

Let us give thanks to our Saviour who came down into this world as God in our midst. Let us cry out to him: - Christ, king of glory, be our light and our joy! Christ our Lord, you are the light dawning from on high, the first-fruits of the resurrection that is to come: may we not remain in shadow but follow you and walk in the light of true life. Make us perceive your goodness in every created thing, so that we see your glory wherever we look. Lord, do not let evil defeat us today, but may we, armed with goodness, defeat evil ourselves. You were baptized in Jordan and anointed with the Holy Spirit: make us give thanks to that same Spirit today.

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.

Lord, it is your desire to dwell in humble and sincere hearts.
 Give us your grace and make us
 a fit habitation for you.

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

[Salvation]

[Salvation]

Marian Apparitions
Question from Adam on 06-23-2003:

Dear Mr. Bunson, What are some of the approved Marian apparitions? Adam

Answer by Matthew Bunson on 06-25-2003:

The Blessed Virgin Mary has appeared throughout the world and throughout history. The seven best-known Marian apparitions are:

Banneux, near Liège, Belgium, in 1933. She appeared to an 11-year-old peasant girl, Mariette Beco, in a garden behind the family cottage in Banneux. She called herself the Virgin of the Poor, and has since been venerated as Our Lady of the Poor, the Sick, and the Indifferent.

Beauraing, Belgium, in 1932 and 1933. She appeared to five children in the garden of a convent school in Beauraing.

Fátima, Portugal, in 1917; one of the most famous of apparitions. Our Lady appeared to three children (Lucia dos Santos, 10, who is now a Carmelite nun; Francisco Marto, 9, who died in 1919; and his sister Jacinta, 7, who died in 1920; Jacinta and Francisco were beatified by Pope John Paul II in 2000) in a field called Cova da Iria near Fátima.

Guadalupe, Mexico, in 1531. Our Lady appeared to an Indian, Juan Diego (declared Blessed in 1990 and canonized in 2002), on Tepeyac hill outside of Mexico City.

La Salette, France, in 1846. Mary appeared as a sorrowing and weeping figure to two peasant children, Melanie Matthieu, 15, and Maximin Giraud, 11, at La Salette.

Lourdes, France, in 1858. Mary, identifying herself as the Immaculate Conception, appeared 18 times to 14-year-old Bernadette Soubirous (canonized in 1933) at the grotto of Massabielle near Lourdes.

Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, France, in 1830. Mary appeared three times to Catherine Labouré (canonized in 1947) in the chapel of the motherhouse of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, Rue de Bac, Paris.

Finally, mention should be made of the alleged apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary to six young people of Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina. The apparitions were first reported in June 1981, initially in the neighboring hillside field, subsequently in the village church of St. James and even distant places. In 1987, the bishops of Yugoslavia declared: “On the basis of research conducted so far, one cannot affirm that supernatural apparitions are involved” at Medjugorje. Currently, the events remain under on-going investigation by the Holy See to determine their authenticity. Nevertheless, the site of Medjugorje remains a popular destination for Catholic pilgrims from Europe and the United States.