Posted on 07/21/2007 8:36:13 PM PDT by Salvation
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Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
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Reading 1
Gn 18:1-10a
The LORD appeared to Abraham by the terebinth of Mamre,
as he sat in the entrance of his tent,
while the day was growing hot.
Looking up, Abraham saw three men standing nearby.
When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them;
and bowing to the ground, he said:
“Sir, if I may ask you this favor,
please do not go on past your servant.
Let some water be brought, that you may bathe your feet,
and then rest yourselves under the tree.
Now that you have come this close to your servant,
let me bring you a little food, that you may refresh yourselves;
and afterward you may go on your way.”
The men replied, “Very well, do as you have said.”
Abraham hastened into the tent and told Sarah,
“Quick, three measures of fine flour! Knead it and make rolls.”
He ran to the herd, picked out a tender, choice steer,
and gave it to a servant, who quickly prepared it.
Then Abraham got some curds and milk,
as well as the steer that had been prepared,
and set these before the three men;
and he waited on them under the tree while they ate.
They asked Abraham, “Where is your wife Sarah?”
He replied, “There in the tent.”
One of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year,
and Sarah will then have a son.”
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 15:2-3, 3-4, 5
R. (1a) He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
One who walks blamelessly and does justice;
who thinks the truth in his heart
and slanders not with his tongue.
R. He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Who harms not his fellow man,
nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
by whom the reprobate is despised,
while he honors those who fear the LORD.
R. He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Who lends not his money at usury
and accepts no bribe against the innocent.
One who does these things
shall never be disturbed.
R. He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Reading II
Col 1:24-28
Brothers and sisters:
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake,
and in my flesh I am filling up
what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ
on behalf of his body, which is the church,
of which I am a minister
in accordance with God’s stewardship given to me
to bring to completion for you the word of God,
the mystery hidden from ages and from generations past.
But now it has been manifested to his holy ones,
to whom God chose to make known the riches of the glory
of this mystery among the Gentiles;
it is Christ in you, the hope for glory.
It is he whom we proclaim,
admonishing everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom,
that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.
Gospel
Lk 10:38-42
Jesus entered a village
where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.
She had a sister named Mary
who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.
Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said,
“Lord, do you not care
that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?
Tell her to help me.”
The Lord said to her in reply,
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.
There is need of only one thing.
Mary has chosen the better part
and it will not be taken from her.”
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Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. Like the Sacred Wounds of Jesus, His Precious Blood deserves special honor because of its close relation to the Sacred Passion. That honor was given to it from the beginning by the Apostles who praised its redeeming power. (Rom. 5:9 "we are justified by His blood"; Heb. 13:12 "and so Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people by His blood, suffered outside the gate"; 1 John 1:7 "and the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin.")
In recent times the devotion has been encouraged by Blessed Gaspar Buffalo, founder of the Congregation of the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. When Pope Pius IX was in exile from Rome in 1849, he had as his companion Don Giovanni Merlini, the third general of that Congregation. This saintly priest suggested to the pope that he make a vow to give the feast of the Precious Blood to the entire church, if he should regain the papal territory. Without binding himself by the vow, the pope immediately extended the feast to the whole Church. On the old calendar it was celebrated on July 1, but Catholics may still continue this tradition by increasing their devotion to the most precious Blood throughout the entire month of July.
See this article from the Catholic Culture library, Apostle of Devotion to His Most Precious Blood: St. Gaspar del Bufalo.
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
| Listen to the Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus in RealAudio |
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| Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Jesus, hear us. God, the Father of Heaven, God, the Son, Redeemer of the world, God, the Holy Spirit, Holy Trinity, One God, Blood of Christ, only-begotten Son of the Eternal Father, Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world. Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, You have redeemed us, O Lord, in your Blood. |
Lord, have mercy Christ, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy Jesus, graciously hear us. Have mercy on us. Have mercy on us. Have mercy on us. Have mercy on us. Save us. Save us. Save us. Save us. Save us. Save us. Save us. Save us. Save us. Save us. Save us. Save us. Save us. Save us. Save us. Save us. Save us. Save us. Save us. Save us. Save us. Save us. Save us. Spare us, O Lord Graciously hear us, O Lord. have mercy on us. And made us, for our God, a kingdom. |
| Let us pray, --- Almighty and eternal God, you have appointed your only-begotten Son the Redeemer of the world, and willed to be appeased by his Blood. Grant we beg of you, that we may worthily adore this price of our salvation, and through its power be safeguarded from the evils of the present life, so that we may rejoice in its fruits forever in heaven. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen. |
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The Traditional Feast of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Catholic Caucus)
Devotion to the Precious Blood
DOCTRINE OF THE BLOOD OF CHRIST
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,And More on the Precious Blood
Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ
NOTHING IS MORE POTENT AGAINST EVIL THAN PLEADING THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST
Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus
St.Gaspar:Founder of the Society of the Precious Blood[AKA The Hammer of Freemasons]
From: Genesis 18:1-15
The Apparition of God at Mamre
Isaac’s Birth is Promised
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Commentary:
18:1-19:38. These two episodes—God’s appearance to Abraham at Mamre and
the
destruction of Sodom—form a single account. Once again we can see the sort
of relationship that obtains between God and Abraham; this time, what is
emphasized is not just the promise of a son for Sarah, but also the
patriarch’s intercession on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah. This intercession
saves Lot and his family (cf. 19:29). Thus, Abraham is already a blessing
for all the descendants of Lot. This narrative is quite colorful, and
includes some curious little details—making it one of the most popular
passages in the story of the patriarchs.
18:1-15. This new appearance of God to Abraham is somewhat mysterious:
the three men stand for God. When Abraham speaks to them, sometimes he
addresses them in the singular (as if there were one person there: cf. v. 3), and
sometimes in the plural (as if there were three: cf. v. 4). That is why some
Fathers interpreted this appearance as an early announcement of the mystery
of the Holy Trinity; others, following Jewish tradition (cf. Heb 13:2) take
these personages to be angels. The sacred text says that one of the three
men (Yahweh, apparently) stays with Abraham (cf. v. 22), while the other
two, who are referred to as angels, go to Sodom (cf. 19:1). Although the
early chapters of Genesis do not expressly talk about the creation of
angels, that creation can be read into the word “heavens” in Gen 1:1: “at
the beginning of time, God created out of nothing both types of creatures,
spiritual and corporeal, that is, angelic and earthly,” says Lateran Council
IV (”De Fide Catolica”). In Holy Scripture angels are mentioned as being
servants and messengers of God, and, despite the way they are sometimes
described, such as in this passage, they should be understood as being
purely spiritual, personal and immortal creatures, endowed with intelligence
and will. “Angels have been present since creation (cf. Job 38:7, where the
angels are called ‘sons of God’) and throughout the history of salvation,
announcing this salvation from afar or near and serving the accomplishment
of the divine plan: they closed the earthly paradise (cf. Gen 3:24);
protected Lot (cf. Gen 19); saved Hagar and her child (cf. Gen 21:17);
stayed Abraham’s hand (cf. Gen 22.11); communicated the law by their
ministry (cf. Acts 7:53); led the people of God (cf. Ex 23:20-23); announced
births (cf. Judg 13) and callings (cf. Judg 6:11-24; Is 6:6); and assisted
the prophets (cf. 1 Kings 19:5), just to cite a few examples. Finally, the
angel Gabriel announced the birth of the Precursor and that of Jesus
himself (cf. Lk 1:11-26)” (”Catechism of the Catholic Church”, 332).
In the general context of Genesis, this episode points up the new situation
created by the Covenant. God speaks to Abraham directly, as he spoke to
Adam before he committed sin. Abraham, for his part, receives God through
his hospitality, and God again promises that Sarah will have a son (now
specifying when the child will be born). “Because Abraham believed in God
and walked in his presence and in covenant with him (cf. Gen 15:6; 17:1-2),
the patriarch is ready to welcome a mysterious Guest into his tent.
Abraham’s remarkable hospitality at Mamre foreshadows the annunciation of
the true Son of the promise (cf. Gen 18:1-15; Lk 1:26-38). After that, once
God has confided his plan, Abraham’s heart is attuned to his Lord’s
compassion for men and he dares to intercede for them with bold confidence
(cf. Gen 18:16-33)” (ibid., 2571).
18:6. The measure mentioned here, a “seah” (pl. “seim”) is a measure of dry
grain (cf. 1 Sam 25:18; 2 Kings 7:1, 16, 18) which was probably a third of
an ephah, that is, about seven liters or two gallons.
18:10. “In the spring”; this could also be translated as “next year”.
Literally, “the time of life”, which some interpret as “the time of a
woman’s pregnancy”, that is, nine months.
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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.
From: Colossians 1:24-28
St. Paul’s Response to His Calling
St. Paul’s Concern for the Faithful
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Commentary:
24. Jesus Christ our Lord perfectly accomplished the work the Father
gave Him to do (cf. John 17:4); as He said Himself when He was about to
die, “It is finished”, it is accomplished (John 19:30).
From the point onwards objective redemption is an accomplished fact.
All men have been saved by the redemptive death of Christ. However,
St. Paul says that he completes in his flesh “what is lacking in
Christ’s afflictions”; what does he mean by this? The most common
explanation of this statement is summarized by St. Alphonsus as
follows: “Can it be that Christ’s passion alone was insufficient to
save us? It left nothing more to be done, it was entirely sufficient
to save all men. However, for the merits of the Passion to be applied
to us, according to St. Thomas (”Summa Theologiae”, III, q. 49, a. 3),
we need to cooperate (subjective redemption) by patiently bearing the
trials God sends us, so as to become like our Head, Christ” (St.
Alphonsus, “Thoughts on the Passion”, 10).
St. Paul is applying this truth to himself. Jesus Christ worked and
strove in all kinds of ways to communicate His message of salvation,
and then He accomplished the redemption by dying on the Cross. The
Apostle is mindful of the Master’s teaching and so he follows in His
footsteps (cf. 1 Peter 2:21), takes up his cross (cf. Matthew 10:38)
and continues the task of bringing Christ’s teaching to all men.
Faith in the fact that we are sharing in the sufferings of Christ,
[Pope] John Paul II says, gives a person “the certainty that in the
spiritual dimension of the work of Redemption he is serving, like
Christ, the salvation of his brothers and sisters. Therefore
he is carrying out an irreplaceable service. In the Body of Christ, which is
ceaselessly born of the Cross of the Redeemer, it is precisely suffering
permeated by the spirit of Christ’s sacrifice that is the irreplaceable mediator
and author of the good things which are indispensable for the world’s salvation.
It is suffering, more than anything else, which clears the way for the grace
which transforms human souls. Suffering, more than anything else, makes
present in the history of humanity the force of the Redemption” (”Salvifici
Doloris”, 27).
26-27. The “mystery”, now revealed, is God’s eternal plan to give
salvation to men, both Jews and Gentiles, making all without
distinction co-heirs of glory and members of a single body which is the
Church (cf. Ephesians 3:6), through faith in Jesus Christ (cf. Romans
16:25-26).
In Christ, who has brought salvation to Gentile and Jew, the “mystery”
is fully revealed. His presence in Christians of Gentile origin is in
fact a very clear manifestation of the supernatural fruitfulness of the
“mystery” and an additional ground for Christians’ hope. Thanks to
this presence people who do not form part of Israel are enable to
attain salvation. Previously subject to the power of darkness and
slaves of sin (verses 13-14), they have now died to sin through Baptism
(cf. Romans 6:2-3) and Christ, through grace, dwells in their hearts
(on the salvific “mystery”, cf. notes on Ephesians 1:13-14 and
Ephesians 1:9, and “Introduction to the Letters of St. Paul” in “The
Navarre Bible: Romans and Galatians”, pages 32-33).
In His infinite love Christ lives in us through faith and grace,
through prayer and the Sacraments. Also, “He is present when the
Church prays and sings, for He has promised `where two or three are
gathered in My Name, there am I in the midst of them’ (Matthew 18:20)”
(Vatican II, “Sacrosanctum Concilium”, 7).
“Christ stays in His Church, its Sacraments, its liturgy, its
preaching—in all that it does. In a special way Christ stays with us
in the daily offering of the Blessed Eucharist [...]. The presence of
Christ in the host is the guarantee, the source and the culmination of
His presence in the world.
“Christ is alive in Christians”. Our faith teaches that man, in the
state of grace, is divinized—filled with God. We are men and women,
not angels. We are flesh and blood, people with sentiments and
passions, with sorrows and joys. And this divinization affects
everything human; it is a sort of foretaste of the final resurrection”
([St] J. Escriva, “Christ Is Passing By”, 102-103).
28: “In all wisdom”: St. Paul is exhorting and teaching each and every
one, communicating wisdom, the true teaching of Jesus Christ. The text
clearly shows St. Paul’s conviction that he is a faithful transmitter of
teachings revealed by God. Possessed of such wisdom he is confident
that he can lead his disciples to Christian perfection.
2-3. The term “mystery”, which St. Paul uses on other occasions (cf.
1:26; Ephesians 1:9), refers in this verse expressly to Christ: Christ
is the complete manifestation of the divine plan or “mystery” designed
to bring about the salvation of mankind. The name Jesus means Savior
and indicates His principal mission—to save the people of Israel (and
them all mankind) from their sins (cf. Matthew 1:21).
The assertion that in Christ “are hid all the treasures of wisdom and
knowledge” is based on the fact that Christ—God made man—is the
incarnation of divine Wisdom itself, for Wisdom is one of the names
applied in Sacred Scripture to the second Person of the Blessed
Trinity. Hence St. Athanasius’ comment that “God no longer chose to
make Himself know, as in times past, by the reflection and shadow of
wisdom to be seen in created things: He determined that Wisdom itself,
in person, should become incarnate, should be made man and suffer
death on the cross, so that from then on all the faithful might attain
salvation through faith grounded on the cross” (”Oratio II Contra
Arianos”).
The infinite riches of wisdom and knowledge hidden in Christ means that
meditation on his life and his teachings is an inexhaustible source of
nourishment for the life of the soul. “There are great depths to be
fathomed in Christ. For He is like an abandoned mine with many
recesses containing treasures, of which, for all that men try to fathom
them, the end and bottom is never reached; rather in each recess men
continue to find new veins of new riches on all sides” (St. John of the
Cross, “Spiritual Canticle”, 37, 3).
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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.
From: Luke 10:38-42
Martha and Mary Welcome Our Lord
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Commentary:
38-42. Our Lord was heading for Jerusalem (Luke 9:51) and His journey
took Him through Bethany, the village where Lazarus, Martha and Mary
lived—a family for whom He had a special affection, as we see in other
passages of the Gospel (cf. John 11:1-14; 12:1-9).
St. Augustine comments on this scene as follows: “Martha, who was
arranging and preparing the Lord’s meal, was busy doing many things,
whereas Mary preferred to find her meal in what the Lord was saying.
In a way she deserted her sister, who was very busy, and sat herself
down at Jesus’ feet and just listened to His words. She was faithfully
obeying what the Psalm said: `Be still and know that I am God’ (Psalm
46:10). Martha was getting annoyed, Mary was feasting; the former
coping with many things, the latter concentrating on one. Both
occupations were good” (”Sermon”, 103).
Martha has come to be, as it were, the symbol of the active life, and
Mary that of the contemplative life. However, for most Christians,
called as they are to sanctify themselves in the middle of the world,
action and contemplation cannot be regarded as two opposite ways of
practising the Christian faith: an active life forgetful of union with
God is useless and barren; but an apparent life of prayer which shows
no concern for apostolate and the sanctification of ordinary things
also fails to please God. The key lies in being able to combine these
two lives, without either harming the other. Close union between
action and contemplation can be achieved in very different ways,
depending on the specific vocation each person is given by God.
Far from being an obstacle, work should be a means and an occasion for
a close relationship with our Lord, which is the most important thing
in our life.
Following this teaching of the Lord, the ordinary Christian should
strive to attain an integrated life—an intense life of piety and
external activity, orientated towards God, practised out of love for
Him and with an upright intention, which expresses itself in
apostolate, in everyday work, in doing the duties of one’s state in
life. “You must understand now more clearly that God is calling you to
serve Him IN AND FROM the ordinary, material and secular activities of
human life. He waits for us every day, in the laboratory, in the
operating room, in the army barracks, in the university chair, in the
factory, in the workshop, in the fields, in the home and in all the
immense panorama of work. Understand this well: there is something
holy, something divine, hidden in the most ordinary situations, and it
is up to each of you to discover it [...]. There is no other way.
Either we learn to find our Lord in ordinary, everyday life, or else we
shall never find Him. That is why I can tell you that our age needs to
give back to matter and to the most trivial occurrences and situations
their noble and original meaning. It needs to restore them to the
service of the Kingdom of God, to spiritualize them, turning them into
a means and an occasion for a continuous meeting with Jesus Christ”
([St] J. Escriva, “Conversations”, 114).
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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.
| First reading | Genesis 18:1 - 10 © |
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| The Lord appeared to Abraham at the Oak of Mamre while he was sitting by the entrance of the tent during the hottest part of the day. He looked up, and there he saw three men standing near him. As soon as he saw them he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them, and bowed to the ground. ‘My lord,’ he said ‘I beg you, if I find favour with you, kindly do not pass your servant by. A little water shall be brought; you shall wash your feet and lie down under the tree. Let me fetch a little bread and you shall refresh yourselves before going further. That is why you have come in your servant’s direction.’ They replied, ‘Do as you say’. Abraham hastened to the tent to find Sarah.’ ‘Hurry,’ he said ‘knead three bushels of flour and make loaves.’ Then running to the cattle Abraham took a fine and tender calf and gave it to the servant, who hurried to prepare it. Then taking cream, milk and the calf he had prepared, he laid all before them, and they ate while he remained standing near them under the tree. ‘Where is your wife Sarah?’ they asked him. ‘She is in the tent’ he replied. Then his guest said, ‘I shall visit you again next year without fail, and your wife will then have a son’. Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent behind him. |
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| Psalm or canticle: Psalm 14 |
| Second reading | Colossians 1:24 - 28 © |
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| It makes me happy to suffer for you, as I am suffering now, and in my own body to do what I can to make up all that has still to be undergone by Christ for the sake of his body, the Church. I became the servant of the Church when God made me responsible for delivering God’s message to you, the message which was a mystery hidden for generations and centuries and has now been revealed to his saints. It was God’s purpose to reveal it to them and to show all the rich glory of this mystery to pagans. The mystery is Christ among you, your hope of glory: this is the Christ we proclaim, this is the wisdom in which we thoroughly train everyone and instruct everyone, to make them all perfect in Christ. | |
| Gospel | Luke 10:38 - 42 © |
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| In the course of their journey Jesus came to a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. She had a sister called Mary, who sat down at the Lord’s feet and listened to him speaking. Now Martha who was distracted with all the serving said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me.’ But the Lord answered: ‘Martha, Martha,’ he said ‘you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her.’ | |
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| Other Articles by Fr. Paul Grankauskas Printer Friendly Version |
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| Prayer in a Busy World | ||
Martha seems to be one of the Gospel characters we can easily identify with. There are at least two recorded conversations between her and Jesus, and both times it is easy to come away saying, “I hear you, sister.” Our Lord, however, uses both of those occasions to reveal some profound truths. On one occasion, recorded in chapter 11 of John’s Gospel, Jesus goes to the tomb of Martha’s brother, Lazarus. Lazarus has already been in the tomb several days by the time Our Lord arrives. Martha goes out to meet Him, saying, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. And even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” If we have ever lost a loved one, we can readily identify with Martha’s anguish. Maybe we prayed and prayed for healing that never seemed to come. Martha is hurting, and she lets Our Lord know that. Jesus tells her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.”
What a profound revelation Christ makes regarding His own self. He is eternal life, and He shares that life with those who believe in Him. That lesson is echoed elsewhere in the Scriptures: “For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will” (Jn 5: 21); and “(We) proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was made manifest to us — that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us; and our fellowship is with the Father and the Son Jesus Christ” (1 Jn 1:2-3).
What comfort these words can bring to us. Death takes our loved ones from us, but Christ has conquered death. We have good reason to hope that our loved ones are not lost forever. Rather, we have good reason to hope that they have gone on ahead of us, and that one day, through the grace and mercy of God, we shall see them again in Paradise. We identify with the anguish of Martha, but Christ is the source of hope.
The second conversation between Martha and Jesus is the one presented to us this Sunday. Jesus is in Bethany visiting with His friends. While Martha is bustling about the house trying to provide hospitality, her sister, Mary, is sitting at Jesus’ feet listening to His teaching. Martha takes note of this: “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone?” Again, we might be able to identify with Martha. We might live very busy lives, and finding time for good, solid meditative prayer seems almost like a luxury. There is just too much that needs to be done. This can certainly happen in family life with its many demands. It can just as easily happen even in priestly ministry. It is easy to get caught up in doing things — ministering to the many needs of others, administrative duties, teaching — and neglect personal prayer. Again, we need to make note of Jesus’ response to Martha: “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her.”
The “good portion” chosen by Mary is Jesus Himself. While He is so near, she has chosen to sit with Him and listen to Him. We might think of Peter’s words to Jesus after the Bread of Life discourse in John 6. When Jesus asks the apostles if they, too, will leave Him, Peter asks where they could possibly go. Jesus’ words are the words of everlasting life. This should be enough to tell us that time spent in personal prayer is not a luxury. When it comes to the interior, or spiritual, life, prayer and meditation are critical. There we hold up to Our Lord our daily activities and scrutinize them in the light of His teachings to see what needs to be discarded or strengthened, to see what is leading us closer to Him or taking us away from Him.
No time of prayer, especially prayer before the tabernacle, is ever wasted. What we bring with us each time may be a little different. At times we will readily praise and adore Jesus, our Savior and Redeemer. At times we will come in sorrow for our sinfulness and weakness, seeking His mercy. At times we will come in gratitude for the spiritual and material gifts He has given us. At times we will come with numerous petitions for ourselves and others. At all times, we give Jesus our hearts. He will give us the good things we need.
What are those good things? Pope Benedict XVI gives us an answer in his book Jesus of Nazareth: “The ‘good things’ that he gives us are himself. This reveals in a surprising way what prayer is really all about. It is not about this or that, but about God’s desire to offer us the gift of himself — that is the gift of all gifts, the ‘one thing necessary.’ Prayer is a way of gradually purifying and correcting our wishes and of slowly coming to realize what we really need: God and his Spirit” (p. 137). Yes, Martha is a character we can all identify with. And thanks to her, we have learned some important lessons about Our Lord.
Year C- Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Martha, Martha, you are careful, and are troubled about many things: but only one thing is necessary. Luke 10:38-4238 Now it came to pass as they went, that he entered into a certain town: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. |
Life is full of problems, occupations and needs, yet I say; only one thing is necessary: to find God. Mary chose the best part of life while Martha who was doing other very good things to serve me, was less spiritual. Author: Joseph of Jesus and Mary
| Sunday, July 22, 2007 Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time |
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Good morning, Catholics! (And anyone else reading this thread!)
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 23 (24) |
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| The Lord comes to his temple |
| The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness, the world and all who live in it. He himself founded it upon the seas and set it firm over the waters. Who will climb the mountain of the Lord? Who will stand in his holy place? The one who is innocent of wrongdoing and pure of heart, who has not given himself to vanities or sworn falsely. He will receive the blessing of the Lord and be justified by God his saviour. This is the way of those who seek him, seek the face of the God of Jacob. Gates, raise your heads. Stand up, eternal doors, and let the king of glory enter. Who is the king of glory? The Lord of might and power. The Lord, strong in battle. Gates, raise your heads. Stand up, eternal doors, and let the king of glory enter. Who is the king of glory? The Lord of hosts – he is the king of glory. 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 65 (66) |
|---|
| Hymn for a sacrifice of thanksgiving |
| Cry out to God, all the earth, sing psalms to the glory of his name, give him all glory and praise. Say to God, “How tremendous your works! Faced with the greatness of your power your enemies dwindle away. Let all the earth worship you and sing your praises, sing psalms to your name”. Come and see the works of God, be awed by what he has done for the children of men. He turned the sea into dry land, and they crossed the waters on foot: therefore will we rejoice in him. In his might he will rule for all time, his eyes keep watch on the nations: no rebellion will ever succeed. Bless our God, you nations, and let the sound of your praises be heard. Praise him who brought us to life, and saved us from stumbling. For you have tested us, O Lord, you have tried us by fire, as silver is tried. You led us into the trap, heaped tribulations upon us. You set other men to rule over us – but we passed through fire and water, and you led us out to our rest. 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 65 (66) |
|---|
| I shall enter your house with burnt-offerings. I shall fulfil my vows to you, the vows that I made with my lips, the vows that I uttered in my troubles. I shall offer you rich burnt-offerings, the smoke of the flesh of rams; I shall offer you cattle and goats. Draw near and listen, you who fear the Lord, and I will tell all that he has done for me. I cried out aloud to him, and his praise was on my tongue. If I looked upon sin in the depths of my heart, the Lord would not hear me – but the Lord has listened, he has heard the cry of my appeal. Blessed be God, who has not spurned my prayer, who has not kept his mercy from 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. |
| Reading | 2 Corinthians 1:1 - 14 © |
|---|---|
| From Paul, appointed by God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from Timothy, one of the brothers, to the church of God at Corinth and to all the saints in the whole of Achaia. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, a gentle Father and the God of all consolation, who comforts us in all our sorrows, so that we can offer others, in their sorrows, the consolation that we have received from God ourselves. Indeed, as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so, through Christ, does our consolation overflow. When we are made to suffer, it is for your consolation and salvation. When, instead, we are comforted, this should be a consolation to you, supporting you in patiently bearing the same sufferings as we bear. And our hope for you is confident, since we know that, sharing our sufferings, you will also share our consolations. For we should like you to realise, brothers, that the things we had to undergo in Asia were more of a burden than we could carry, so that we despaired of coming through alive. Yes, we were carrying our own death warrant with us, and it has taught us not to rely on ourselves but only on God, who raises the dead to life. And he saved us from dying, as he will save us again; yes, that is our firm hope in him, that in the future he will save us again. You must all join in the prayers for us: the more people there are asking for help for us, the more will be giving thanks when it is granted to us. There is one thing we are proud of, and our conscience tells us it is true: that we have always treated everybody, and especially you, with the reverence and sincerity which come from God, and by the grace of God we have done this without ulterior motives. There are no hidden meanings in our letters besides what you can read for yourselves and understand. And I hope that, although you do not know us very well yet, you will have come to recognise, when the day of our Lord Jesus comes, that you can be as proud of us as we are of you. |
|
| Reading | From the beginning of a letter to the Magnesians by Saint Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyr |
|---|---|
| We should be Christians in deed, as well as in name | |
| Ignatius, also called Theophorus, to the church at Magnesia on the Meander, a church blessed with the grace of God the Father in Christ Jesus, our Saviour, in whom I salute you. I send you ever good wish in God the Father and in Jesus Christ. I was delighted to hear of your love of God, so well-ordered and devout, and so I decided to address you in the faith of Jesus Christ. Honoured as I am with a name of the greatest splendour, though I am still in chains I sing with the praises of the churches, and pray that they be united with the flesh and the spirit of Jesus Christ, who is our eternal life; a union in faith and love, to which nothing must be preferred; and above all a union with Jesus and the Father, for if in him we endure all the power of the prince of this world, and escape unharmed, we shall make our way to God. I have had the honour of seeing you in the person of Damas your bishop, a man of God, and in the persons of your worthy presbyters, Bassus and Apollonius, and my fellow-servant, the deacon Zotion; may I continue to take delight in him for he is obedient to the bishop as to the grace of God, and to the presbyters as to the law of Jesus Christ. Now it hardly becomes you to presume on your bishop’s youth, but rather, having regard to the power of God the Father, to show him every mark of respect. This, I understand, is what your holy presbyters do, not taking advantage of his youthful condition but deferring to him with the prudence which comes from God, or rather not to him but to the Father of Jesus Christ, to the bishop of all. So then, for the honour of him who loves us, it is proper to obey without hypocrisy; for a man does not so much deceive the bishop he can see as try to deceive the bishop he cannot see. In such a case he has to reckon not with a man, but with God who knows the secrets of the heart. We should then really live as Christians and not merely have the name; for many invoke the bishop’s name but do everything apart from him. Such men, I think, do not have a good conscience, for they do not assemble lawfully as commanded. All things have an end, and two things, life and death, are side by side set before us, and each man will go to his own place. Just as there are two coinages, one of God and the other of the world. each with its own image, so unbelievers bear the image of this world, and those who have faith with love bear the image of God the Father through Jesus Christ. Unless we are ready through his power to die in the likeness of his passion, his life is not in us. |
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| Hymn | 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. |
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| Concluding Prayer |
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| O Lord, be merciful to your servants and give them yet more of the gifts of your grace. On fire with faith, hope and love, may they keep your commandments with unceasing watchfulness. 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. |
Are you a Martha or a Mary?
Collect: Lord, be merciful to your people. Fill us with your gifts and make us always eager to serve you in faith, hope, and love. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
Sixteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
The feast of St. Mary Magdalene is normally celebrated today but is superceded by the Sunday liturgy.
The second reading is from the letter of Paul to the Colossians, 1:24-28. Last week Paul used the occasion to answer the Judaizers and remind them of the absolute supremacy of Jesus Christ. Today Paul tells us his role in proclaiming the gospel. "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church."
The Gospel is from St. Luke, 10:38-42 and recounts the familiar story of Martha and Mary. St Augustine comments on this scene as follows: "Martha, who was arranging and preparing the Lord's meal, was busy doing many things, whereas Mary preferred to find her meal in what the Lord was saying. In a way she deserted her sister, who was very busy, and sat herself down at Jesus' feet and just listened to his words. She was faithfully obeying what the Psalm said: 'Be still, and know that I am God' (Ps 46:10). Martha was getting annoyed, Mary was feasting; the former coping with many things, the latter concentrating on one. Both occupations were good" (Sermon 103).
Martha has come to be, as it were, the symbol of the active life, and Mary that of the contemplative life. However, for most Christians, called as they are to sanctify themselves in the middle of the world, action and contemplation cannot be regarded as two opposite ways of practicing the Christian faith: an active life forgetful of union with God is useless and barren; but an apparent life of prayer which shows no concern for apostolate and the sanctification of ordinary things also fails to please God. The key lies in being able to combine these two lives, without either harming the other. Close union between action and contemplation can be achieved in very different ways, depending on the specific vocation each person is given by God.
Christ Transforms Those He Meets, Says Pope - Speaks of Mary Magdalene
Straight Answers: Who Was Mary Magdalene?
Mary Magdalene, a chaste, virgin, the hand maid of the Lord!
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. |
|
| 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 | 2 Timothy 2:8 - 13 © |
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| Remember the Good News that I carry, ’Jesus Christ risen from the dead, sprung from the race of David’; Here is a saying that you rely on: ‘If we have died with him, then we shall live with him. If we hold firm, then we shall reign with him. If we disown him, then he will disown us. We may be unfaithful, but he is always faithful, for he cannot disown his own self.’ | |
| 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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| 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. |
| O Lord, be merciful to your servants and give them yet more of the gifts of your grace. On fire with faith, hope and love, may they keep your commandments with unceasing watchfulness. 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 |
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“Only Jesus, Only Jesus.”
Luke 10: 38-42
Introductory Prayer:Lord, I believe that you are my God and my all. You created me, and you made me to be happy with you. Lord, I hope in you, because I trust that you will not lead me astray. I love you, Lord, because you are the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through you, Lord, and I love you for being the mediator before the Father. Petition:Lord, increase my love for you so that I may make you the center, standard, and example of my life. 1. “You Are Anxious About Many Things.” It seems that things are moving faster all the time and that more and more things vie for my time. I serve as a chauffeur for the household, I spend a large part of my time accompanying the children for extracurricular activities, and people left and right want to talk to me. There is so much going on. The culture almost demands that I do all these things. What is more, it seems at times like no one understands my dilemma. I am trying to do what is right, I am trying to be responsible, and it seems like no one else is. I identify myself with Martha, Lord, in a world which is so active and at times seems to fly by. Help me to make the right choices and to fulfill your will. 2. “There Is Need of Only One Thing.” Love Christ. Live for Him. As life progresses and eternity draws near only the love of Christ remains. Everything else turns into smoke, mist, nothing. Make Christ´s love the treasure you sell everything else for, even your egotism, your pride and vanity until you can take true pleasure in being seeds that die in the furrow. Lord, you are all I need. What else will matter when I finish my life? Who else can fill my soul with satisfaction and peace? Who else brings meaning to my life but you? Remind me of this, because many times it is so easy for me to lose my focus and direction in the world. It seems so easy for me to put other things first. 3. “Choose the Better Part.” Lord, your words to Martha strike a chord in my heart. I can let the noise and distractions around me nick at my heart and misdirect me, but all that will do is bring about more confusion and uneasiness. However, if I choose you, what great confidence it brings for me to know that you will not be taken from me. Everyone wants to be happy. Everyone wants to be fulfilled. Why should I fool myself looking for happiness in the things of this world when you supply it, Lord? Why should I settle for something less than the better part which you want to give me? Shouldn’t I be excited to be able to sit at your feet and spend time with you when you want to teach me what it means to be the best I can be, to be holy? Conversation with Christ: Lord, give me the confidence of knowing that you are all I need. I do not want to distract myself with anything else. I want to sit at your feet. I want to listen to what you want to tell me. I very much want to learn from you. Resolution: I will make a visit to Christ after Mass in thanksgiving for having received him in the Eucharist, and I will take a moment to listen to what he has to tell me. |
| Lk 10:38-42 | ||
|---|---|---|
| # | Douay-Rheims | Vulgate |
| 38 | Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain town: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. | factum est autem dum irent et ipse intravit in quoddam castellum et mulier quaedam Martha nomine excepit illum in domum suam |
| 39 | And she had a sister called Mary. who, sitting also at the Lord's feet, heard his word. | et huic erat soror nomine Maria quae etiam sedens secus pedes Domini audiebat verbum illius |
| 40 | But Martha was busy about much serving. Who stood and said: Lord, hast thou no care that my sister hath left me alone to serve? Speak to her therefore, that she help me. | Martha autem satagebat circa frequens ministerium quae stetit et ait Domine non est tibi curae quod soror mea reliquit me solam ministrare dic ergo illi ut me adiuvet |
| 41 | And the Lord answering, said to her: Martha, Martha, thou art careful and art troubled about many things: | et respondens dixit illi Dominus Martha Martha sollicita es et turbaris erga plurima |
| 42 | But one thing is necessary. Mary hath chosen the best part, which shall not be taken away from her. | porro unum est necessarium Maria optimam partem elegit quae non auferetur ab ea |
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