Posted on 08/11/2007 2:25:02 PM PDT by Salvation
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Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
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Reading 1
Wis 18:6-9
The night of the passover was known beforehand to our fathers,
that, with sure knowledge of the oaths in which they put their faith,
they might have courage.
Your people awaited the salvation of the just
and the destruction of their foes.
For when you punished our adversaries,
in this you glorified us whom you had summoned.
For in secret the holy children of the good were offering sacrifice
and putting into effect with one accord the divine institution.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 33:1, 12, 18-19, 20-22
R. (12b) Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Exult, you just, in the LORD;
praise from the upright is fitting.
Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he has chosen for his own inheritance.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield.
May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us
who have put our hope in you.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Reading II
Heb 11:1-2, 8-19 or 11:1-2, 8-12
Brothers and sisters:
Faith is the realization of what is hoped for
and evidence of things not seen.
Because of it the ancients were well attested.
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place
that he was to receive as an inheritance;
he went out, not knowing where he was to go.
By faith he sojourned in the promised land as in a foreign country,
dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs of the same promise;
for he was looking forward to the city with foundations,
whose architect and maker is God.
By faith he received power to generate,
even though he was past the normal age
—and Sarah herself was sterile—
for he thought that the one who had made the promise was
trustworthy.
So it was that there came forth from one man,
himself as good as dead,
descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky
and as countless as the sands on the seashore.
All these died in faith.
They did not receive what had been promised
but saw it and greeted it from afar
and acknowledged themselves to be strangers and aliens on earth,
for those who speak thus show that they are seeking a homeland.
If they had been thinking of the land from which they had come,
they would have had opportunity to return.
But now they desire a better homeland, a heavenly one.
Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God,
for he has prepared a city for them.
By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac,
and he who had received the promises was ready to offer his only son,
of whom it was said,
“Through Isaac descendants shall bear your name.”
He reasoned that God was able to raise even from the dead,
and he received Isaac back as a symbol.
or
Brothers and sisters:
Faith is the realization of what is hoped for
and evidence of things not seen.
Because of it the ancients were well attested.
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place
that he was to receive as an inheritance;
he went out, not knowing where he was to go.
By faith he sojourned in the promised land as in a foreign country,
dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs of the same promise;
for he was looking forward to the city with foundations,
whose architect and maker is God.
By faith he received power to generate,
even though he was past the normal age
—and Sarah herself was sterile—
for he thought that the one who had made the promise was
trustworthy.
So it was that there came forth from one man,
himself as good as dead,
descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky
and as countless as the sands on the seashore.
Gospel
Lk 12:32-48 or 12:35-40
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not be afraid any longer, little flock,
for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.
Sell your belongings and give alms.
Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out,
an inexhaustible treasure in heaven
that no thief can reach nor moth destroy.
For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.
“Gird your loins and light your lamps
and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding,
ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks.
Blessed are those servants
whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.
Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself,
have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them.
And should he come in the second or third watch
and find them prepared in this way,
blessed are those servants.
Be sure of this:
if the master of the house had known the hour
when the thief was coming,
he would not have let his house be broken into.
You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect,
the Son of Man will come.”
Then Peter said,
“Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?”
And the Lord replied,
“Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward
whom the master will put in charge of his servants
to distribute the food allowance at the proper time?
Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so.
Truly, I say to you, the master will put the servant
in charge of all his property.
But if that servant says to himself,
‘My master is delayed in coming,’
and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants,
to eat and drink and get drunk,
then that servant’s master will come
on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour
and will punish the servant severely
and assign him a place with the unfaithful.
That servant who knew his master’s will
but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will
shall be beaten severely;
and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will
but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating
shall be beaten only lightly.
Much will be required of the person entrusted with much,
and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”
or
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Gird your loins and light your lamps
and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding,
ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks.
Blessed are those servants
whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.
Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself,
have the servants recline at table, and proceed to wait on them.
And should he come in the second or third watch
and find them prepared in this way,
blessed are those servants.
Be sure of this:
if the master of the house had known the hour
when the thief was coming,
he would not have let his house be broken into.
You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect,
the Son of Man will come.”
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The Immaculate Heart [of Mary]
This devotion has received new emphasis in this century from the visions given to Lucy Dos Santos, oldest of the visionaries of Fatima, in her convent in Tuy, in Spain, in 1925 and 1926. In the visions Our Lady asked for the practice of the Five First Saturdays to help make amends for the offenses given to her heart by the blasphemies and ingratitude of men. The practice parallels the devotion of the Nine First Fridays in honor of the Sacred Heart.
On October 31, 1942, Pope Pius XII made a solemn Act of Consecration of the Church and the whole world to the Immaculate Heart. Let us remember this devotion year-round, but particularly through the month of August.
INVOCATIONS
O heart most pure of the Blessed Virgin Mary, obtain for me from Jesus a pure and humble heart.
Sweet heart of Mary, be my salvation.
ACT OF CONSECRATION
Queen of the most holy Rosary, help of Christians, refuge of the human race, victorious in all the battles of God, we prostrate ourselves in supplication before thy throne, in the sure hope of obtaining mercy and of receiving grace and timely aid in our present calamities, not through any merits of our own, on which we do not rely, but only through the immense goodness of thy mother's heart. In thee and in thy Immaculate Heart, at this grave hour of human history, do we put our trust; to thee we consecrate ourselves, not only with all of Holy Church, which is the mystical body of thy Son Jesus, and which is suffering in so many of her members, being subjected to manifold tribulations and persecutions, but also with the whole world, torn by discords, agitated with hatred, the victim of its own iniquities. Be thou moved by the sight of such material and moral degradation, such sorrows, such anguish, so many tormented souls in danger of eternal loss! Do thou, O Mother of mercy, obtain for us from God a Christ-like reconciliation of the nations, as well as those graces which can convert the souls of men in an instant, those graces which prepare the way and make certain the long desired coming of peace on earth. O Queen of peace, pray for us, and grant peace unto the world in the truth, the justice, and the charity of Christ.
Above all, give us peace in our hearts, so that the kingdom of God may spread its borders in the tranquillity of order. Accord thy protection to unbelievers and to all those who lie within the shadow of death; cause the Sun of Truth to rise upon them; may they be enabled to join with us in repeating before the Savior of the world: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will."
Give peace to the nations that are separated from us by error or discord, and in a special manner to those peoples who profess a singular devotion toward thee; bring them back to Christ's one fold, under the one true Shepherd. Obtain full freedom for the holy Church of God; defend her from her enemies; check the ever-increasing torrent of immorality; arouse in the faithful a love of purity, a practical Christian life, and an apostolic zeal, so that the multitude of those who serve God may increase in merit and in number.
Finally, even as the Church and all mankind were once consecrated to the Heart of thy Son Jesus, because He was for all those who put their hope in Him an inexhaustible source of victory and salvation, so in like manner do we consecrate ourselves forever to thee also and to thy Immaculate Heart, O Mother of us and Queen of the world; may thy love and patronage hasten the day when the kingdom of God shall be victorious and all the nations, at peace with God .and with one another, shall call thee blessed and intone with thee, from the rising of the sun to its going down, the everlasting "Magnificat" of glory, of love, of gratitude to the Heart of Jesus, in which alone we can find truth, life, and peace. — Pope Pius XII
IN HONOR OF THE IMMACULATE HEART
O heart of Mary, mother of God, and our mother; heart most worthy of love, in which the adorable Trinity is ever well-pleased, worthy of the veneration and love of all the angels and of all men; heart most like to the Heart of Jesus, of which thou art the perfect image; heart, full of goodness, ever compassionate toward our miseries; deign to melt our icy hearts and grant that they may be wholly changed into the likeness of the Heart of Jesus, our divine Savior. Pour into them the love of thy virtues, enkindle in them that divine fire with which thou thyself dost ever burn. In thee let Holy Church find a safe shelter; protect her and be her dearest refuge, her tower of strength, impregnable against every assault of her enemies. Be thou the way which leads to Jesus, and the channel, through which we receive all the graces needful for our salvation. Be our refuge in time of trouble, our solace in the midst of trial, our strength against temptation, our haven in persecution, our present help in every danger, and especially) at the hour of death, when all hell shall let loose against u its legions to snatch away our souls, at that dread moment; that hour so full of fear, whereon our eternity depends. An,; then most tender virgin, make us to feel the sweetness of thy motherly heart, and the might of thine intercession with Jesus, and open to us a safe refuge in that very fountain of mercy, whence we may come to praise Him with thee in paradise, world without end. 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
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Sacred Heart Of Jesus |
Immaculate Heart of Mary |
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Blessed be the Most Loving Heart and Sweet Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the most glorious Virgin Mary, His Mother, in eternity and forever. Amen. ....Only the Heart of Christ who knows the depths of his Father's love could reveal to us the abyss of his mercy in so simple and beautiful a way ----From the Catechism. P:1439 From the depth of my nothingness, I prostrate myself before Thee, O Most Sacred, Divine and Adorable Heart of Jesus, to pay Thee all the homage of love, praise and adoration in my power. The prayer of the Church venerates and honors the Heart of Jesus just as it invokes his most holy name. It adores the incarnate Word and his Heart which, out of love for men, he allowed to be pierced by our sins. Christian prayer loves to follow the way of the cross in the Savior's steps.-- >From the Catechism. P: 2669 |
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The first is that we ought to love and honor whatever God loves and honors, and that by which He is loved and glorified. Now, after the adorable Heart of Jesus there has never been either in heaven or on earth, nor ever will be, a heart which has been so loved and honored by God, or which has given Him so much glory as that of Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Never has there been, nor will there ever be a more exalted throne of divine love. In that Heart divine love possesses its fullest empire, for it ever reigns without hindrance or interruption, and with it reign likewise all the laws of God, all the Gospel maxims and every Christian virtue.
This incomparable Heart of the Mother of our Redeemer is a glorious heaven, a Paradise of delights for the Most Holy Trinity. According to St. Paul, the hearts of the faithful are the dwelling place of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ Himself assures us that the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost take up Their abode in the hearts of those who love God. Who, therefore, can doubt that the Most Holy Trinity has always made His home and established the reign of His glory in an admirable and ineffable manner in the virginal Heart of her who is the Daughter of the Father, the Mother of the Son, the Spouse of the Holy Ghost, who herself loves God more than all other creatures together?
How much then are we not obliged to love this exalted and most lovable Heart?
— St. John Eudes
The History of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Catholic Caucus)
Homilies preached by Father Robert Altier on the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Marian Associations Unite to Celebrate Immaculate Heart
Solemnity Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary
| First reading | Wisdom 18:6 - 9 © |
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| That night had been foretold to our ancestors, so that, once they saw what kind of oaths they had put their trust in, they would joyfully take courage. This was the expectation of your people, the saving of the virtuous and the ruin of their enemies; for by the same act with which you took vengeance on our foes you made us glorious by calling us to you. The devout children of worthy men offered sacrifice in secret and this divine pact they struck with one accord: that the saints would share the same blessings and dangers alike; and forthwith they had begun to chant the hymns of the fathers. |
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| Psalm or canticle: Psalm 32 |
| Second reading | Hebrews 11:1 - 19 © |
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| Only faith can guarantee the blessings that we hope for, or prove the existence of the realities that at present remain unseen. It was for faith that our ancestors were commended. It was by faith that Abraham obeyed the call to set out for a country that was the inheritance given to him and his descendants, and that he set out without knowing where he was going. By faith he arrived, as a foreigner, in the Promised Land, and lived there as if in a strange country, with Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. They lived there in tents while he looked forward to a city founded, designed and built by God. It was equally by faith that Sarah, in spite of being past the age, was made able to conceive, because she believed that he who had made the promise would be faithful to it. Because of this, there came from one man, and one who was already as good as dead himself, more descendants than could be counted, as many as the stars of heaven or the grains of sand on the seashore. All these died in faith, before receiving any of the things that had been promised, but they saw them in the far distance and welcomed them, recognising that they were only strangers and nomads on earth. People who use such terms about themselves make it quite plain that they are in search of their real homeland. They can hardly have meant the country they came from, since they had the opportunity to go back to it; but in fact they were longing for a better homeland, their heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, since he has founded the city for them. It was by faith that Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac. He offered to sacrifice his only son even though the promises had been made to him and he had been told: It is through Isaac that your name will be carried on. He was confident that God had the power even to raise the dead; and so, figuratively speaking, he was given back Isaac from the dead. |
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| Gospel | Luke 12:32 - 48 © |
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| Jesus said: ‘There is no need to be afraid, little flock, for it has pleased your Father to give you the kingdom. ‘Sell your possessions and give alms. Get yourselves purses that do not wear out, treasure that will not fail you, in heaven where no thief can reach it and no moth destroy it. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. ‘See that you are dressed for action and have your lamps lit. Be like men waiting for their master to return from the wedding feast, ready to open the door as soon as he comes and knocks. Happy those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. I tell you solemnly, he will put on an apron, sit them down at table and wait on them. It may be in the second watch he comes, or in the third, but happy those servants if he finds them ready. You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what hour the burglar would come, he would not have let anyone break through the wall of his house. You too must stand ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.’ Peter said, ‘Lord, do you mean this parable for us, or for everyone?’ The Lord replied, ‘What sort of steward, then, is faithful and wise enough for the master to place him over his household to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? Happy that servant if his master’s arrival finds him at this employment. I tell you truly, he will place him over everything he owns. But as for the servant who says to himself, “My master is taking his time coming”, and sets about beating the menservants and the maids, and eating and drinking and getting drunk, his master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know. The master will cut him off and send him to the same fate as the unfaithful. The servant who knows what his master wants, but has not even started to carry out those wishes, will receive very many strokes of the lash. The one who did not know, but deserves to be beaten for what he has done, will receive fewer strokes. When a man has had a great deal given him, a great deal will be demanded of him; when a man has had a great deal given him on trust, even more will be expected of him.’ |
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| Sunday, August 12, 2007 Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time |
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| Other Articles by Fr. Paul Scalia Printer Friendly Version |
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| Gift and Task | ||
When God bestows a gift, He always gives a certain task along with it. The gift and the task can never be separated. We find this principle throughout Scripture, even from the beginning. God gave Adam the gifts of sanctifying grace, immortality, and above all, intimacy with Him. He also gave him the task of cultivating and caring for the garden. Likewise, God bestowed upon ancient Israel the gift of His covenant, of being His chosen people entrusted with the Law, the prophets and true worship. And these gifts carried with them the task of bearing witness to His truth before all nations, to be holy as He is holy.
Our Lord summarizes this principle in simple and sobering terms: "Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more" (Lk 12:48). The responsibility described here flows from the concept of stewardship. The talents and gifts we possess are not, in the end, our own. We are merely stewards who hold the master's goods — and not just for safekeeping, but for development and cultivation. When the master returns, He will, of course, expect to find His wealth safe and sound. But even more will He desire to see some increase of His wealth (cf. Mt 25:14-30; Lk 19:12-27). How shameful it would be to stand before Him holding His wasted and neglected gifts.
When we consider the gifts entrusted to us, we typically think first of natural goods: our time, wealth, talent, etc. And these are indeed gifts to be cultivated. To the extent we have been given them, we are expected to invest them for the glory of God. We know well, for example, just what a gift time is. In fact, we never seem to have enough of it. God entrusts us with time, however, not just for our enjoyment, nor only for getting a lot of work done and making more money. Ultimately, He entrusts us with time (and we never know how much that will be) for the cultivation of His life within us. Time affords us the opportunity to repent and to grow in grace. We ought to be, as St. Paul says, "redeeming the time" (Eph 5:16).
"Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more." We should hear these words not only as regards natural gifts, but also and even more so in reference to supernatural gifts. God's gifts of the faith, the sacraments and the Church far surpass any natural gifts we may enjoy. And they also bring with them a greater task.
He has entrusted the Church to us as our mother. So we should bear in our hearts the corresponding love for and fidelity to the Church, and desire to defend her from her foes. He has entrusted to us the Catholic faith as a bulwark against error and uncertainty, so that we can travel the road to salvation securely and confidently. As good stewards of this gift, we ought to deepen our knowledge of that faith, and make it known to others.
By baptism, He at once entrusts Himself to us and gives the task of cultivating a constant awareness of His presence within. In confession, He bestows the gift of forgiveness and the grace to overcome sin — and with it He confers the task of avoiding sin and seeking freedom from sinful inclinations. Most of all, in Holy Communion, He gives us His body, blood, soul and divinity — to nourish us and mold us evermore into His likeness. The proper response to this sublime gift is not to race out of Mass immediately, nor to return to the pew and daydream or watch others go to Communion. Rather, this is a gift to be cultivated — to be planted deep within us and nourished with prayer and devotion, that it may bear fruit worthy of the giver.
Every gift imparts a task. This principle works in reverse as well: every task is indeed a gift. The task of cooperating with God's grace is a privilege granted to no other creatures in the world. We alone have received the gift of participating in God's work of salvation. May we thank God for the gift of the task, and the task of the gift — and pray that His grace render us faithful stewards of what we have received.
Year C- Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sell what you possess and give alms. Luke 12:32-48 or 12:35-4032 Fear not, little flock, for it has pleased your Father to give you a kingdom. |
Do not be afraid my children, indeed my Father is pleased to give you the Kingdom of Heaven. He loved the world so much that He sent me to open the eternal gates to all those who believe in me. He sent me to free you from the slavery of sin and to proclaim the good news of my Kingdom. All you have to do is to follow me: your way, your truth and your life. Trust in me and remain in my love, I will help you to overcome all your obstacles. Author: Joseph of Jesus and Mary
**Fr. Scalia is parochial vicar of St. Rita parish in Alexandria, VA. **
Yes, Fr. Scalia IS the son of Antonin Scalia, Supreme Court Justice. He jokes about calling one of his sons, “Father.”
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 144 (145) |
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| The greatness and goodness of God |
| I will praise you to the heights, O God, my king – I will bless your name for ever and for all time. I will bless you, O God, day after day – I will praise your name for ever and all time. The Lord is great, to him all praise is due – he is great beyond measuring. Generation will pass to generation the praise of your deeds, and tell the wonders you have done. They will tell of your overwhelming power, and pass on the tale of your greatness. They will cry out the story of your great kindness, they will celebrate your judgements. The Lord takes pity, his heart is merciful, he is patient and endlessly kind. The Lord is gentle to all – he shows his kindness to all his creation. 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 144 (145) |
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| Let all your creatures proclaim you, O Lord, let your chosen ones bless you. Let them tell of the glory of your reign, let them speak of your power – so that the children of men may know what you can do, see the glory of your kingdom and its greatness. Your kingdom stands firm for all ages, your rule lasts for ever and 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 144 (145) |
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| The Lord is faithful in all his words, the Lord is holy in all his deeds. The Lord supports all who are falling, the Lord lifts up all who are oppressed. All look to you for help, and you give them their food in due season. In your goodness you open your hand, and give every creature its fill. The Lord is just in all his ways, the Lord is kind in all that he does. The Lord is near to those who call on him, to all those who call on him in truth. For those that honour him, he does what they ask, he hears all their prayers, and he keeps them safe. The Lord keeps safe all who love him, but he dooms all the wicked to destruction. My mouth shall tell the praises of the Lord. Let all flesh bless his holy name, for ever and 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. |
| Reading | Hosea 11:1 - 11 © |
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| When Israel was a child I loved him, and I called my son out of Egypt. But the more I called to them, the further they went from me; they have offered sacrifice to the Baals and set their offerings smoking before the idols. I myself taught Ephraim to walk, I took them in my arms; yet they have not understood that I was the one looking after them. I led them with reins of kindness, with leading-strings of love. I was like someone who lifts an infant close against his cheek; stooping down to him I gave him his food. They will have to go back to Egypt, Assyria must be their king, because they have refused to return to me. The sword will rage through their towns, wiping out their children, glutting itself inside their fortresses. My people are diseased through their disloyalty; they call on Baal, but he does not cure them. Ephraim, how could I part with you? Israel, how could I give you up? How could I treat you like Admah, or deal with you like Zeboiim? My heart recoils from it, my whole being trembles at the thought. I will not give rein to my fierce anger, I will not destroy Ephraim again, for I am God, not man: I am the Holy One in your midst and have no wish to destroy. They will follow behind the Lord; he will be roaring like a lion – how he will roar! – and his sons will come speeding from the west; they will come speeding from Egypt like a bird, speeding from the land of Assyria like a dove, and I will settle them in their homes – it is the Lord who speaks. |
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| Reading | From a dialogue On Divine Providence by Saint Catherine of Siena, virgin |
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| The bonds of love | |
| My sweet Lord, look with mercy upon your people and especially upon the mystical body of your Church. Greater glory is given to your name for pardoning a multitude of your creatures than if I alone were pardoned for my great sins against your majesty. It would be no consolation for me to enjoy your life if your holy people stood in death. For I see that sin darkens the life of your bride the Church – my sin and the sins of others. It is a special grace I ask for, this pardon for the creatures you have made in your image and likeness. When you created man, you were moved by love to make him in your own image. Surely only love could so dignify your creatures. But I know very well that man lost the dignity you gave him; he deserved to lose it, since he had committed sin. Moved by love and wishing to reconcile the human race to yourself, you gave us your only-begotten Son. He became our mediator and our justice by taking on all our injustice and sin out of obedience to your will, eternal Father, just as you willed that he take on our human nature. What an immeasurably profound love! Your Son went down from the heights of his divinity to the depths of our humanity. Can anyone’s heart remain closed and hardened after this? We image your divinity, but you image our humanity in that union of the two which you have worked in a man. You have veiled the Godhead in a cloud, in the clay of our humanity. Only your love could so dignify the flesh of Adam. And so by reason of this immeasurable love I beg, with all the strength of my soul, that you freely extend your mercy to all your lowly creatures. |
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| Hymn | Te Deum |
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| 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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| Almighty and eternal God, we presumptuously call you our father. Make us in our hearts truly your adopted children, so that we deserve the inheritance you have promised us. 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. |
Collect: Almighty and ever-living God, your Spirit made us your children, confident to call you Father. Increase your Spirit within us and bring us to our promised inheritance. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Nineteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
Jesus said to his disciples: "Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be."
The first reading is taken from the Book of Wisdom 18:6-9 and refers to the events of the Exodus, in which God showed his mighty power to save his chosen ones from their cruel enemies.
The second reading is from St. Paul to the Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-11 and gives a definition of the virtue of faith, and an example of true faith as it can be seen to be active in Abraham and Sarah.
The Gospel is from St. Luke 12:32-48 and in a few vivid and expressive similes, our Lord tells the disciples and through them, all his followers, how they should conduct their lives on earth so that they would always be found in God's friendship when their call to judgment comes. In answer to a question put to him by Peter, our Lord says that more will be expected of those who have received greater gifts from God than of those who received lesser gifts.
This teaching of our Lord should make us all sit up and take serious notice. He has taken us into his household. He has made us his "little flock." We are invited guests in his home, his Church, rather than mere servants. He warns us today that we must always be busy about our vocation, about the reason why he invited us into his home. If we grasped clearly what that call of Christ means, what our Christian vocation is, we would hardly need today's warning. We are Christians, we are members of his Church, for our own eternal good. God, through Christ's Incarnation, has put us on the road to heaven. He is ever helping us on the way. Could we be so blind to our own welfare that we would risk losing the eternal life that God has in store for us, and for which He went to the extreme lengths of love? In our saner moments we would give an emphatic no to this question. Yet, we must look the real facts of life in the face. There are many Christians who are destined for heaven but who, in their folly, have left the only road which leads there, and are now traveling in the opposite direction.
Some of us here present may be among these foolish ones. We may have let this world get such a grip on us that we have no time or thought for the world that is to come. For such foolish people, and indeed for all of us, today's warning is that our call to judgment will come on each one of us like a thief in the night, at a moment when we least expect it. This need not be a sudden death. Of every thousand who die after long illnesses in our hospitals, there rarely is one who knows and admits he is about to die, so actually all deaths are sudden, that is, unexpected.
However the unexpected death, which we are sure to get, need not worry the ordinary good Christian. It is the unprepared, the unprovided death which must cause us anxiety. It need not, if, when it comes, it finds us living in God's grace, living the ordinary Christian life, doing our daily tasks but doing them as part of our duty to God. We have to take an interest in the affairs of this world, but the interest must never exclude our eternal interest. Instead it can and must help us toward the one real interest that man has in this life, that is, to earn his eternal life.
Take a serious look at your way of living today. Is your behavior in the home, in your place of work, in your recreation, in your relations with God—prayers and church attendance—and with your neighbor, it is such that you would change nothing in it, if you were told by God that you were to die tonight? If it is, thank God for it and keep on going; you are on the right road. If it is not, don't wait for God to tell you when or where you will die; he will not tell you. Put things right today, and then you need not worry when your call to judgment comes. Death will be graduation day for the good Christian—not examination day.
— Excerpted from The Sunday Readings Cycle C, Fr. Kevin O' Sullivan, O.F.M.
O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
| Psalm 92 (93) |
|---|
| The magnificence of the Creator |
| The Lord reigns! He is robed in splendour, clothed in glory and wrapped round in might. He set the earth on its foundations: it will not be shaken. Your throne is secure from the beginning; from the beginning of time, Lord, you are. The rivers have raised, O Lord, the rivers have raised their voices. The rivers have raised their clamour. Over the voices of many waters, over the powerful swell of the sea, you are the Lord, powerful on high. All your promises are to be trusted: and holy is your habitation, O Lord, to the end of time. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Canticle | Daniel 3 |
|---|---|
| All creatures, bless the Lord | |
| Bless the Lord, all his works, praise and exalt him for ever. Bless the Lord, you heavens; all his angels, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, you waters above the heavens; all his powers, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, sun and moon; all stars of the sky, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, rain and dew; all you winds, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, fire and heat; cold and warmth, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, dew and frost; ice and cold, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, ice and snow; day and night, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, light and darkness; lightning and storm-clouds, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, all the earth, praise and exalt him for ever. Bless the Lord, mountains and hills; all growing things, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, seas and rivers; springs and fountains, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, whales and fish; birds of the air, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, wild beasts and tame; sons of men, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, O Israel, praise and exalt him for ever. Bless the Lord, his priests; all his servants, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, spirits of the just; all who are holy and humble, bless the Lord. Ananias, Azarias, Mishael, bless the Lord, praise and exalt him for ever. Let us bless Father, Son and Holy Spirit, praise and exalt them for ever. Bless the Lord in the firmament of heaven, praise and glorify him for ever. |
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| Psalm 148 |
|---|
| An anthem to the Lord, the Creator |
| Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise him in the highest heavens. Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his powers. Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all stars that shine. Praise him, waters of the heavens, and all the waters above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded and they were made. He set them firm for all ages, he made a decree that will last for ever. Praise the Lord from the earth, sea-serpents and depths of the sea, fire, hail, snow and fog, storms and gales that obey his word, mountains and hills, fruit-trees and cedars, wild beasts and tame, serpents and birds. Kings of the earth, all peoples, all leaders and judges of the earth, young men and women, old people with the young – praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted. His splendour is above heaven and earth, he has raised up the strength of his people. This song is for all his chosen ones, the children of Israel, the people close to him. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Short reading | Ezekiel 37:12 - 14 © |
|---|---|
| The Lord says this: I am now going to open your graves; I mean to raise you from your graves, my people, and lead you back to the soil of Israel. And you will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and raise you from your graves, my people. And I shall put my spirit in you, and you will live, and I shall resettle you on your own soil; and you will know that I, the Lord, have said and done this – it is the Lord who speaks. | |
| 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. |
| Almighty and eternal God, we presumptuously call you our father. Make us in our hearts truly your adopted children, so that we deserve the inheritance you have promised us. 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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Prepare for the Unexpected Hour
Luke 12: 32-48
1. Occupations and Preoccupations We are often so preoccupied and anxious about the things of this world that we forget about pursuing the treasure of the next, “an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy.” In working so hard, we fall into another trap of pursuing every little entertainment and escapism to compensate such dedication. All the while, we easily forget about our real purpose and the real relationship we ought to be fostering each day with God our Father who loves us and “is pleased to give you the kingdom.” What are the best excuses I use that prevent myself from having a deeper committed relationship with God? Do I give as much dedication, money and time to loving God and serving my neighbor as I do to pursuing entertainments? 2. Pleased to Give You the Kingdom Am I convinced God is truly “pleased to give you the kingdom” that he loves me and is interested in me? Why don’t I always want what God wants for me? What things and activities in my life are emptying me and distracting me from developing a better relationship with Christ? We must realize that in order to maintain a healthy spiritual life we must often reassess our attitudes and change our priorities in order to safeguard our hearts from being swindled and robbed of our true treasure, which is God. Do my priorities and decisions reflect to those around me that Christ is the true love of my heart, my true treasure? 3. The Devil’s Strategy Revealed Once upon a time, Satan called an end of the fiscal year meeting to go over the year’s results. He was not pleased, and demanded to know what new strategies they could employ to guarantee success in moving men’s hearts away from their Creator. Sending men distractions in prayer and contemplation, came just ahead of temptations to greed and lust. Infiltrating and corrupting the music industry increased their numbers. The development of a multibillion-dollar pornography industry brought in great results as well. Yet, Satan was still not satisfied until one suggestion was brought to his attention. “We must convince the men of earth that they have a lot of time!” We all tend to think we will continue in this earthly life for many years to come. This may not be the case; we know not the day or the hour. We must awake from our slumber, for “blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.”
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From Vultus Christi:
http://vultus.stblogs.org/2007/08/et_lucernae_ardentes.html
Et vos estote parati
Nineteenth Sunday of the Year C
Wisdom 18:6-9
Psalm 32: 1 & 12, 18-19, 20 & 22 (R. 12b)
Hebrews 11: 1-2, 8-19
Luke 12: 32-28 or 35-40
The Liturgy Begins With What is Given
For every Sunday Throughout the Year of Years A, B, and C, the Liturgy of the Hours gives us three antiphons taken from the Gospel: one for the Magnificat at First Vespers, one for the Benedictus, and one for the Magnificat at Second Vespers. Some see in the variety of antiphons given an embarrassment of riches: more than any one choir can master, more than one heart can take in. These subjective appreciations are beside the point; the liturgy begins with what is given. Wisdom begins with our acceptance of the objective givenness of the liturgy; with that acceptance comes the taste of the things of the God, foretaste of the Kingdom.
Note: Nine Gospel antiphons are given for each Sunday of the Time Throughout the Year: three each, destined to be sung at the Magnificat I, the Benedictus, and the Magnificat II for Years A, B, and C. The editors of the American version of the Liturgy of the Hours reduced the nine antiphons to three, thereby deconstructing the magnificent biblical and liturgical harmonics intended by the Church.
The Manifold Mystery of Christ
The Gospel Antiphons of the Divine Office are carefully selected and crafted. Their Gregorian musical expression unlocks for us the hidden meaning of the texts. Like all sacramentals — for that is what the antiphons are — they are a way into the manifold mystery of Christ, mystical portals opening onto the light. Let us then enter today’s Gospel by passing, in succession, through each of this Sunday’s three Gospel Antiphons.
Treasure and Heart
At First Vespers, the Magnificat antiphon was: “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also, says the Lord” (Lk 12:34). Immediately, we are obliged to ask ourselves hard questions, incisive questions. Where is my treasure? There is my heart. What do I want above all else? There is my heart. What do I cherish? There is my heart. What things do I protect? There is my heart. For what thing or things am I willing to suffer? There is my heart. In what thing or things have I invested myself, my energy, my talents, and my time . . . especially my time? There is my heart.
Thou Alone
At some level, sin, all sin, has to do with investing our heart in things not worthy of it. This can only bring unhappiness. Sin makes us miserable; virtue makes us happy. God created the human heart to be satisfied by nothing less than Himself. If we cannot say to God, “Thou art my treasure., my happiness lies in Thee alone” (cf. Ps 15;2), we can at least begin by saying, “Be Thou alone, Lord Jesus, the treasure of my heart. Be Thou alone my happiness.” Such a prayer is pleasing to God and, if we risk praying it and persevere in doing so, God will lead us by a path of stripping and poverty of spirit to the fullness of joy, to that perfect joy celebrated by Saint Francis of Assisi.
Watching and Waiting
At the Benedictus, the antiphon was, “Blessed are those servants whom the Lord, when He comes and knocks at the door, shall find watching” (cf. Lk 12:36-37). I said last Tuesday that, with the feast of the Transfiguration, the Church has entered into her harvest season, into a focus on the final things and the gathering-in of the Kingdom. This antiphon, with its eschatological accent, might well serve for the last Sundays of the year or even for Advent. It evokes an image from the Apocalypse: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man shall hear my voice, and open to me the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Ap 3:20). We are called to vigilance. For what or for whom does your heart keep vigil? For whom are you willing to wait? For whom are you willing to unlock the door of your heart?
Girded Loins and Burning Lamps
Finally, at Second Vespers, the Magnificat antiphon will be: “Let your loins be girt, and lamps burning in your hands” (Lk 12:35). The Sunday liturgy will close at Second Vespers, but not before having given us this watchword. We gird our loins, tighten our cinctures, and lift up our garments in order to be able to move more freely, in order to be able to run. This is a very Benedictine way of understanding the Christian life. Holy Father Benedict says, “Let us therefore make for ourselves a girdle out of faith and perseverance in good works, and under the guidance of the Gospel let us pursue our way in his paths, so that we may deserve to see him who has called us to his Kingdom. For if we wish to make our home in the dwelling-place of his Kingdom, there will be no getting there unless we run towards it by good deeds” (RB Pro: 21-22). Saint Clare of Assisi, whom we celebrated yesterday, reveals a similar vision of the Christian life when, writing to Saint Agnes of Prague, she says: “With swift pace, light step, unswerving feet, so that even your steps stir up no dust, may you go forward securely, joyfully, and swiftly.”
The Bridegroom
The burning lamps of the antiphon evoke the parable of the wise and foolish virgins (Mt 25:1-13) and oblige us to ask more questions. Is there oil in my lamp, and have I oil in reserve? Am I waiting for the Bridegroom? Am I ready to run to meet him when he comes? Will the things with which I have surrounded myself prevent me from running quickly? Will I have at the ready a lamp to guide my feet, or will I stumble in the darkness?
Fulfilled in the Eucharist
These three gospel antiphons, the first sung at the Magnificat of First Vespers, the second at the Benedictus of Sunday Lauds, and the third at the Magnificat of Second Vespers of Sunday, form the context for today’s Holy Mass. Each one points to the Eucharist and reflects it. Saturday evening’s antiphon sings that in the Eucharist is the abiding, imperishable treasure of our hearts. Sunday morning’s antiphon reveals the Eucharist as the mystery of Christ knocking at the door, entering, and serving at table those whom he finds watching. Sunday evening’s antiphon recalls that the Eucharist is the Passover banquet of those who eat “standing, with girded loins and shoes on their feet” (cf. Ex 12:11).
Come, Lord Jesus!
Christ calls us to set our hearts upon Him. He waits for us to claim His pierced Heart as the treasure of our hearts. Coming in the adorable mystery of the Eucharist, He waits for us to open to Him. It is time to hasten forward with girded loins and lighted lamps, for “the Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come’” (Rev 22:17). Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
Posted by Father Mark on August 13, 2007 2:34 AM
Thanks.
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 109 (110) |
|---|
| The Messiah, king and priest |
| The Lord has said to my lord: “Sit at my right hand while I make your enemies into your footstool”. From Sion the Lord will give you a sceptre, and you will rule in the midst of your foes. Royal power is yours in the day of your strength, glorious and holy; from the time of your birth, before the dawn. The Lord has sworn, and he will not repent: “You are a priest for ever, a priest of the priesthood of Melchisedech”. The Lord is at your right hand, and on the day of his anger he will shatter kings. He will judge the nations, he will pile high their skulls; he will drink from the stream as he goes – he will hold his head high. 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 110 (111) |
|---|
| Great are the works of the Lord |
| I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart in the council of the upright and the assembly. Great are the works of the Lord, to be studied by all who delight in them. His works are splendour and majesty, his righteousness lasts for ever and ever. He gives us a record of the wonders he has worked, the Lord, the kind and compassionate. He gives food to those who fear him: for all ages he will remember his covenant. He has shown to his people the power of his deeds, he has given them the inheritance of the nations. Steadfastness and justice are the works of the Lord. All his precepts are to be trusted, they stand firm for ever and ever: they were laid down in faithfulness and justice. He has sent deliverance to his people; he has set up his covenant for ever. Holy is his name, and much to be feared. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. To those who fear him comes true understanding, and his praise endures for ever and 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 | (Apocalypse 19) |
|---|---|
| The wedding of the Lamb | |
| Alleluia. Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, because his judgements are true and just. Alleluia. Alleluia. Praise our God, all his servants, and you who fear him, small and great. Alleluia. Alleluia. For the Lord reigns, our God, the Almighty: let us rejoice and exult and give him glory. Alleluia. Alleluia. The marriage of the Lamb has come, and his spouse has made herself ready. Alleluia. 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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| Short reading | 1 Peter 1:3 - 5 © |
|---|---|
| Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy has given us a new birth as his sons, by raising Jesus Christ from the dead, so that we have a sure hope and the promise of an inheritance that can never be spoilt or soiled and never fade away, because it is being kept for you in the heavens. Through your faith, God’s power will guard you until the salvation which has been prepared is revealed at the end of time. | |
| Canticle | Magnificat |
|---|---|
| My soul rejoices in the Lord | |
| My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation. For he has shown me such favour – me, his lowly handmaiden. Now all generations will call me blessed, because the mighty one has done great things for me. His name is holy, his mercy lasts for generation after generation for those who revere him. He has put forth his strength: he has scattered the proud and conceited, torn princes from their thrones; but lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel, he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his children 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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| Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. |
| Almighty and eternal God, we presumptuously call you our father. Make us in our hearts truly your adopted children, so that we deserve the inheritance you have promised us. 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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Sunday, August 12, 2007 Meditation Hebrews 11:1-2,8-19 What is faith, anyway? Some say it means believing something that you want to be true, yet cannot prove. Others say that it means believing only in what you can see and trust. Still others say that faith is like living in the unknown. There is no explanation, nor can there be. It is a mystery that simply needs to be accepted. Sadly, too many of us live with weak or inadequate views of faith like these. And the wrong definition of faith leads to a weak experience of faith, which leads to a weak sense of trust and abandonment to the Lord. Faith is not about believing in some unknown mystery. It’s not about a blind leap. Neither does it have to do with trusting in something we can touch and feel—something that is limited to this world only. The right definition of faith is found in today’s second reading: “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). The reading goes on: It means believing that God exists “and that he rewards those who seek him” (11:6). The Greek word pistis, which we translate as “faith,” more accurately means being trustworthy. Can a person be trustworthy if they do not exist? Can a person be trustworthy if we cannot believe that what they are saying is true? Our faith does not make God real. Our faith is our response to a real and living God who has made himself known to us through his Son. The church has never said, “Take a leap of faith into the dark.” Rather, the invitation is always to “come into the light.” In the Book of Isaiah, God tells us: “I am the Lord and there is no other . . . so that toward the rising and the setting of the sun men may know that there is none besides me” (Isaiah 45:5,6). Be certain that God exists. Believe that he reigns on high. Put your hope in him, and he will reward you with strength, wisdom, and love. “Lord, we ask you to reveal yourself to us. Jesus, we believe in you; help our unbelief.” Wisdom 18:6-9; Psalm 33:1,12,18-22; Luke 12:32-48 |
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My prayer is that you readers of One Bread, One Body will constantly be "faithful, farsighted" servants of God (Lk 12:42), busy sowing His word in season and out of season (Lk 12:42; 2 Tm 4:2). If you are faithful in doing this, Jesus "will put you in charge of larger affairs" (Mt 25:21). In fact, He promises He will put you "in charge of all His property" (Lk 12:44). What is God's property? Of what will He put you in charge?
If I, a mere human, find joy in visualizing you readers in charge of Jesus' property, consider the greater joy of Jesus in putting you in charge! Therefore, be busy about His work now, be put in charge (Lk 12:42-44), and "share your Master's joy!" (Mt 25:21)One Bread, One Body
<< Sunday, August 12, 2007 >>
19th Sunday Ordinary Time
Wisdom 18:6-9
Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19Psalm 33
Luke 12:32-48
View Readings
INCREASING GOD'S PROPERTY VALUE
"That servant is fortunate whom his Master finds busy when He returns. Assuredly, his Master will put him in charge of all His property." —Luke 12:43-44
Life (Ez 18:4). I would rejoice to see you readers in charge of all governmental decisions on right-to-life matters.
Food. Jesus will use you as other Josephs, feeding the starving of the world (Gn 41:57; Jn 21:15; Lk 12:42) and making sure human greed does not deprive anyone of meals.
Money (see Hg 2:8). The world has used money to enslave poor nations under impossible debt loads. Jesus came to set captives free through you (Lk 4:18; Is 58:6-7).
Power (Mt 28:18, RNAB). "You will receive power" from the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). Many use power unjustly. Jesus will use your power for justice (Rm 6:13).
Prayer: Jesus, "here I am...Send me!" (Is 6:8)
Promise: "Be on guard, therefore. The Son of Man will come when you least expect Him." —Lk 12:40
Praise: Praise the Risen Jesus in Whom our joy is complete! Alleluia!
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.
| This is an excellent moment for an examination of conscience. In a communal celebration of Compline, one of the penitential acts given in the Missal may be recited. |
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
| Psalm 90 (91) |
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| The protection of the Most High |
| He will shade you with his wings; you will not fear the terror of the night. |
| He who lives under the protection of the Most High dwells under the shade of the Almighty. He will say to the Lord: “You are my shelter and my strength, my God, in whom I trust”. For he will free you from the hunter’s snare, from the voice of the slanderer. He will shade you with his wings, you will hide underneath his wings. His faithfulness will be your armour and your shield. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day; nor the plague that walks in the shadows, nor the death that lays waste at noon. A thousand will fall at your side, at your right hand ten thousand will fall, but you it will never come near. You will look with your eyes and see the reward of sinners. For the Lord is your shelter and refuge; you have made the Most High your dwelling-place. Evil will not reach you, harm cannot approach your tent; for he has set his angels to guard you and keep you safe in all your ways. They will carry you in their arms in case you hurt your foot on a stone. You walk on the viper and cobra, you will tread on the lion and the serpent. Because he clung to me, I shall free him: I shall lift him up because he knows my name. He will call upon me and for my part, I will hear him: I am with him in his time of trouble. I shall rescue him and lead him to glory. I shall fill him with length of days and show him my salvation. 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. |
| He will shade you with his wings; you will not fear the terror of the night. |
| Reading | Apocalypse 22:4-5 |
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| They will see the face of the Lord, and his name will be marked on their foreheads. There will be no more night: they will not need sunlight or lamp-light, because the Lord God himself will shine upon them. And they will reign for ever and ever. | |
| Short Responsory | ? |
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| Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. You have redeemed us, Lord, God of faithfulness. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. |
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| Canticle | Nunc Dimittis |
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| Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace. | |
| Now, Master, you let your servant go in peace. You have fulfilled your promise. My own eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all peoples. A light to bring the Gentiles from darkness; the glory of your people Israel. 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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| Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace. | |
| Prayer | |
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| Let us pray. Today we have celebrated the mystery of the Christ’s resurrection, and so now we humbly ask you, Lord, that we may rest in your peace, far from all harm, and rise rejoicing and giving praise to you. Through Christ our Lord, Amen. |
|
| May the almighty Lord grant us a quiet night and a perfect end. |
| A M E N |
| Lk 12:32-48 | ||
|---|---|---|
| # | Douay-Rheims | Vulgate |
| 32 | Fear not, little flock, for it hath pleased your Father to give you a kingdom. | nolite timere pusillus grex quia conplacuit Patri vestro dare vobis regnum |
| 33 | Sell what you possess and give alms. Make to yourselves bags which grow not old, a treasure in heaven which faileth not: where no thief approacheth, nor moth corrupteth. | vendite quae possidetis et date elemosynam facite vobis sacculos qui non veterescunt thesaurum non deficientem in caelis quo fur non adpropiat neque tinea corrumpit |
| 34 | For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. | ubi enim thesaurus vester est ibi et cor vestrum erit |
| 35 | Let your loins be girt, and lamps burning in your hands. | sint lumbi vestri praecincti et lucernae ardentes |
| 36 | And you yourselves like to men who wait for their lord, when he shall return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open to him immediately. | et vos similes hominibus expectantibus dominum suum quando revertatur a nuptiis ut cum venerit et pulsaverit confestim aperiant ei |
| 37 | Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when he cometh, shall find watching. Amen I say to you, that he will gird himself, and make them sit down to meat, and passing will minister unto them. | beati servi illi quos cum venerit dominus invenerit vigilantes amen dico vobis quod praecinget se et faciet illos discumbere et transiens ministrabit illis |
| 38 | And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. | et si venerit in secunda vigilia et si in tertia vigilia venerit et ita invenerit beati sunt servi illi |
| 39 | But this know ye, that if the householder did know at what hour the thief would come, he would surely watch and would not suffer his house to be broken open. | hoc autem scitote quia si sciret pater familias qua hora fur veniret vigilaret utique et non sineret perfodiri domum suam |
| 40 | Be you then also ready: for at what hour you think not the Son of man will come. | et vos estote parati quia qua hora non putatis Filius hominis venit |
| 41 | And Peter said to him: Lord, dost thou speak this parable to us, or likewise to all? | ait autem ei Petrus Domine ad nos dicis hanc parabolam an et ad omnes |
| 42 | And the Lord said: Who thinkest thou is the faithful and wise steward, whom his lord setteth over his family, to give them their measure of wheat in due season? | dixit autem Dominus quis putas est fidelis dispensator et prudens quem constituet dominus super familiam suam ut det illis in tempore tritici mensuram |
| 43 | Blessed is that servant whom, when his lord shall come, he shall find so doing. | beatus ille servus quem cum venerit dominus invenerit ita facientem |
| 44 | Verily I say to you, he will set him over all that he possesseth. | vere dico vobis quia supra omnia quae possidet constituet illum |
| 45 | But if that servant shall say in his heart: My Lord is long a coming; and shall begin to strike the men-servants and maid-servants, and to eat and to drink and be drunk: | quod si dixerit servus ille in corde suo moram facit dominus meus venire et coeperit percutere pueros et ancillas et edere et bibere et inebriari |
| 46 | The lord of that servant will come in the day that he hopeth not, and at the hour that he knoweth not: and shall separate him and shall appoint him his portion with unbelievers. | veniet dominus servi illius in die qua non sperat et hora qua nescit et dividet eum partemque eius cum infidelibus ponet |
| 47 | And that servant, who knew the will of his lord and prepared not himself and did not according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. | ille autem servus qui cognovit voluntatem domini sui et non praeparavit et non fecit secundum voluntatem eius vapulabit multas |
| 48 | But he that knew not and did things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with few stripes. And unto whomsoever much is given, of him much shall be required: and to whom they have committed much, of him they will demand the more. | qui autem non cognovit et fecit digna plagis vapulabit paucis omni autem cui multum datum est multum quaeretur ab eo et cui commendaverunt multum plus petent ab eo |
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