Posted on 09/15/2007 9:01:50 PM PDT by Salvation
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Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
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Reading 1
Ex 32:7-11, 13-14
The LORD said to Moses,
“Go down at once to your people,
whom you brought out of the land of Egypt,
for they have become depraved.
They have soon turned aside from the way I pointed out to them,
making for themselves a molten calf and worshiping it,
sacrificing to it and crying out,
‘This is your God, O Israel,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt!’
“I see how stiff-necked this people is, ” continued the LORD to Moses.
Let me alone, then,
that my wrath may blaze up against them to consume them.
Then I will make of you a great nation.”
But Moses implored the LORD, his God, saying,
“Why, O LORD, should your wrath blaze up against your own people,
whom you brought out of the land of Egypt
with such great power and with so strong a hand?
Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel,
and how you swore to them by your own self, saying,
‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky;
and all this land that I promised,
I will give your descendants as their perpetual heritage.’”
So the LORD relented in the punishment
he had threatened to inflict on his people.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 51:3-4, 12-13, 17, 19
R. (Lk 15:18) I will rise and go to my father.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. I will rise and go to my father.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. I will rise and go to my father.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
R. I will rise and go to my father.
Reading II
1 Tm 1:12-17
Beloved:
I am grateful to him who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord,
because he considered me trustworthy
in appointing me to the ministry.
I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and arrogant,
but I have been mercifully treated
because I acted out of ignorance in my unbelief.
Indeed, the grace of our Lord has been abundant,
along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance:
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
Of these I am the foremost.
But for that reason I was mercifully treated,
so that in me, as the foremost,
Christ Jesus might display all his patience as an example
for those who would come to believe in him for everlasting life.
To the king of ages, incorruptible, invisible, the only God,
honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Gospel
Lk 15:1-32 or 15:1-10
Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus,
but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying,
“This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
So to them he addressed this parable.
“What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them
would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert
and go after the lost one until he finds it?
And when he does find it,
he sets it on his shoulders with great joy
and, upon his arrival home,
he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them,
‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’
I tell you, in just the same way
there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents
than over ninety-nine righteous people
who have no need of repentance.
“Or what woman having ten coins and losing one
would not light a lamp and sweep the house,
searching carefully until she finds it?
And when she does find it,
she calls together her friends and neighbors
and says to them,
‘Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.’
In just the same way, I tell you,
there will be rejoicing among the angels of God
over one sinner who repents.”
Then he said,
“A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father,
‘Father give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’
So the father divided the property between them.
After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings
and set off to a distant country
where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation.
When he had freely spent everything,
a severe famine struck that country,
and he found himself in dire need.
So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens
who sent him to his farm to tend the swine.
And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed,
but nobody gave him any.
Coming to his senses he thought,
‘How many of my father’s hired workers
have more than enough food to eat,
but here am I, dying from hunger.
I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him,
“Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
I no longer deserve to be called your son;
treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”’
So he got up and went back to his father.
While he was still a long way off,
his father caught sight of him,
and was filled with compassion.
He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.
His son said to him,
‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you;
I no longer deserve to be called your son.’
But his father ordered his servants,
‘Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him;
put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
Take the fattened calf and slaughter it.
Then let us celebrate with a feast,
because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again;
he was lost, and has been found.’
Then the celebration began.
Now the older son had been out in the field
and, on his way back, as he neared the house,
he heard the sound of music and dancing.
He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean.
The servant said to him,
‘Your brother has returned
and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf
because he has him back safe and sound.’
He became angry,
and when he refused to enter the house,
his father came out and pleaded with him.
He said to his father in reply,
‘Look, all these years I served you
and not once did I disobey your orders;
yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when your son returns,
who swallowed up your property with prostitutes,
for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’
He said to him,
‘My son, you are here with me always;
everything I have is yours.
But now we must celebrate and rejoice,
because your brother was dead and has come to life again;
he was lost and has been found.’”
or
Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus,
but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying,
“This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
So to them he addressed this parable.
“What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them
would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert
and go after the lost one until he finds it?
And when he does find it,
he sets it on his shoulders with great joy
and, upon his arrival home,
he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them,
‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’
I tell you, in just the same way
there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents
than over ninety-nine righteous people
who have no need of repentance.
“Or what woman having ten coins and losing one
would not light a lamp and sweep the house,
searching carefully until she finds it?
And when she does find it,
she calls together her friends and neighbors
and says to them,
‘Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.’
In just the same way, I tell you,
there will be rejoicing among the angels of God
over one sinner who repents.”
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Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. Due to her feast day on September 15, the month of September has traditionally been set aside to honor Our Lady of Sorrows. All the sorrows of Mary (the prophecy of Simeon, the three days' loss, etc.) are merged in the supreme suffering at the Passion. In the Passion, Mary suffered a martyrdom of the heart because of Our Lord's torments and the greatness of her love for Him. "She it was," says Pope Pius XII, "who immune from all sin, personal or inherited, and ever more closely united with her Son, offered Him on Golgotha to the Eternal Father together with the holocaust of her maternal rights and motherly love. As a new Eve, she made this offering for all the children of Adam contaminated through his unhappy fall. Thus she, who was the mother of our Head according to the flesh, became by a new title of sorrow and glory the spiritual mother of all His members."
INVOCATIONS
Mary most sorrowful, Mother of Christians, pray for us.
Virgin most sorrowful, pray for us.
TO THE QUEEN OF MARTYRS
Mary, most holy Virgin and Queen of Martyrs, accept the sincere homage of my filial affection. Into thy heart, pierced by so many swords, do thou welcome my poor soul. Receive it as the companion of thy sorrows at the foot of the Cross, on which Jesus died for the redemption of the world. With thee, O sorrowful Virgin, I will gladly suffer all the trials, contradictions, and infirmities which it shall please our Lord to send me. I offer them all to thee in memory of thy sorrows, so that every thought of my mind, and every beat of my heart may be an act of compassion and of love for thee. And do thou, sweet Mother, have pity on me, reconcile me to thy divine Son Jesus, keep me in His grace, and assist me in my last agony, so that I may be able to meet thee in heaven and sing thy glories. Amen.
TO THE MOTHER OF SORROWS
Most holy Virgin. and Mother, whose soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow in the Passion of thy divine Son, and who in His glorious Resurrection wast filled with never-ending joy at His triumph; obtain for us who call upon thee, so to be partakers in the adversities of Holy Church and the sorrows of the Sovereign Pontiff, as to be found worthy to rejoice with them in the consolations for which we pray, in the charity and peace of the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
IN HONOR OF THE SORROWS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
O most holy and afflicted Virgin! Queen of Martyrs! thou who didst stand motionless beneath the Cross, witnessing the agony of thy expiring Son--through the unceasing sufferings of thy life of sorrow, and the bliss which now more than amply repays thee for thy past trials, look down with a mother's tenderness and pity on me, who kneel before thee to venerate thy dolors, and place my requests, with filial confidence, in the sanctuary of thy wounded heart; present them, I beseech thee, on my behalf, to Jesus Christ, through the merits of His own most sacred death and passion, together with thy sufferings at the foot of the cross, and through the united efficacy of both obtain the grant of my present petition. To whom shall I resort in my wants and miseries if not to thee, O Mother of Mercy, who, having so deeply drunk of the chalice of thy Son, canst compassionate the woes of those who still sigh in the land of exile? Offer for me to my Savior one drop of the Blood which flowed from His sacred veins, one of the tears which trickled from His divine eyes, one of the sighs which rent His adorable Heart. O refuge of the universe and hope of the whole world, do not reject my humble prayer, but graciously obtain the grant of my petition.
TO OUR LADY OF SORROWS
O most holy Virgin, Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ: by the overwhelming grief you experienced when you witnessed the martyrdom, the crucifixion, and the death of your divine Son, look upon me with eyes of compassion, and awaken in my heart a tender commiseration for those sufferings, as well as a sincere detestation of my sins, in order that, being disengaged from all undue affection for the passing joys of this earth, I may sigh after the eternal Jerusalem, and that henceforward all my thoughts and all my actions may be directed towards this one most desirable object. Honor, glory, and love to our divine Lord Jesus, and to the holy and immaculate Mother of God. Amen. --Saint Bonaventure
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
| Lord, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. God, the Father of heaven, God the Son, Redeemer of the world, . God the Holy Ghost, Holy Mary, Mother of God, Holy Virgin of virgins, Mother of the Crucified, Sorrowful Mother, Mournful Mother, Sighing Mother, Afflicted Mother, Foresaken Mother, . Desolate Mother, Mother most sad, Mother set around with anguish, Mother overwhelmed by grief, Mother transfixed by a sword, Mother crucified in thy heart, Mother bereaved of thy Son, Sighing Dove, Mother of Dolors, Fount of tears, Sea of bitterness, Field of tribulation, Mass of suffering, Mirror of patience, Rock of constancy, Remedy in perplexity, Joy of the afflicted, Ark of the desolate, Refuge of the abandoned,. Shiled of the oppressed, Conqueror of the incredulous, Solace of the wretched, Medicine of the sick, Help of the faint, Strength of the weak, Protectress of those who fight, Haven of the shipwrecked, Calmer of tempests, Companion of the sorrowful, Retreat of those who groan, Terror of the treacherous, Standard-bearer of the Martyrs, Treasure of the Faithful, Light of Confessors, Pearl of Virgins, . Comfort of Widows, . Joy of all Saints, Queen of thy Servants, Holy Mary, who alone art unexampled, Pray for us, most Sorrowful Virgin, |
Christ, have mercy on us. Christ, graciously hear us. |
| Let us pray, --- O God, in whose Passion, according to the prophecy of Simeon, a sword of grief pierced through the most sweet soul of Thy glorious Blessed Virgin Mother Mary: grant that we, who celebrate the memory of her Seven Sorrows, may obtain the happy effect of Thy Passion, Who lives and reigns world without end, Amen. |
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| The Seven Sorrows of Our Lady 1. The Prophecy of Simeon 2. The Flight into Egypt . 3. The Loss of Jesus in the Temple 4. Mary meets Jesus Carrying the Cross 5. The Crucifixion 6. Mary Receives the Dead Body of Her Son 7. The Burial of Her Son and Closing of the Tomb. |
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| Consecration to Our Lady of Sorrows Most holy Virgin and Queen of Martyrs, Mary, would that I could be in Heaven, there to contemplate the honors rendered to thee by the Most Holy Trinity and by the whole Heavenly Court! But since I am still a pilgrim in this vale of tears, receive from me, thy unworthy servant and a poor sinner, the most sincere homage and the most perfect act of vassalage a human creature can offer thee. In thy Immaculate Heart, pierced with so many swords of sorrow, I place today my poor soul forever; receive me as a partaker in thy dolors, and never suffer that I should depart from that Cross on which thy only begotten Son expired for me. With thee, O Mary, I will endure all the sufferings, contradictions, infirmities, with which it will please thy Divine Son to visit me in this life. All of them I offer to thee, in memory of the Dolors which thou didst suffer during thy life, that every thought of my mind, every beating of my heart may henceforward be an act of compassion to thy Sorrows, and of complacency for the glory thou now enjoyest in Heaven. Since then, O Dear Mother, I now compassionate thy Dolors, and rejoice in seeing thee glorified, do thou also have compassion on me, and reconcile me to thy Son Jesus, that I may become thy true and loyal son (daughter); come on my last day and assist me in my last agony, even as thou wert present at the Agony of thy Divine Son Jesus, that from this painful exile I may go to Heaven, there to be made partaker of thy glory. Amen. |
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Homilies on Our Lady of Sorrows
Starkenburg:Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Sorrows Shrine
ST. ALPHONSUS LIGUORI, OF THE DOLOURS OF MARY, The Glories [Sorrows] of Mary
From: Exodus 32:7-11, 13-14
The Lord’s Ire
Moses’ Prayer for Israel
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Commentary:
32:7-14. The Lord’s dialogue with Moses contains the doctrinal bases of
salvation history—Covenant, sin, mercy. Only the Lord knows just how serious
this sin is: by adoring the golden calf the people have taken the wrong road and
have vitiated the whole meaning of the Exodus; but most of all, they have
rebelled against God and turned their backs on him, breaking the Covenant (cf.
Deut 9:7-14). God no longer calls them my people” (cf lbs 2:8) but “your people”
(Moses’) (v. 7). That is, he shows him that they have acted like anyone else,
guided by human leaders.
The punishment that the sin deserves is their destruction (v. 10), for this is a
stiff-necked nation (cf. 33:3; 34:9; Deut 9:13). The sin deserves death, as the
first sin did (Gen 3:19) and the sin which gave rise to the flood (cf. Gen 6:6-7).
However, mercy always prevails over the offense.
As Abraham did in another time on behalf of Sodom (Gen 18:22-23), Moses
intercedes with the Lord. But this time intercession proves successful, because
Israel is the people that God has made his own; he chose it, bringing it out of
Egypt in a mighty way; so. he cannot turn back now; in fact, he chose it ever
since he swore his oath to Abraham (cf. Gen 15:5; 22:16-17; 35:11-12). He
established the Covenant with Israel, as Moses reminds him when he refers
to “thy people, whom thou has brought forth out of the land of Egypt” (v. 11).
Thus, promise, election and Covenant form the foundation which guarantees
that God’s forgiveness will be forthcoming, even if they commit the gravest of
sins.
God forgives his people (v. 14) not because they deserve to be forgiven, but
out of pure mercy and moved by Moses’ intercession. Thus God’s forgiveness
and the people’s conversion are, both of them, a divine initiative.
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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: 1 Timothy 1:12-17
Greeting
[2] To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from
God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Paul Recalls His Own Conversion
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Commentary:
12-13. This clearly autobiographical passage, which shows the
Apostle’s humility (cf., e.g., 1 Cor 15:9-10), is evidence of the
letter’s Pauline authorship: it is difficult to believe that a later
disciple would have dared to call St Paul a “blasphemer”,
“persecutor” or “insulter” or made him describe himself as “the
foremost of sinners”.
St Paul’s conversion is an example of a miracle of grace; only by the
mercy of God could he have been changed and become the Apostle of
the Gentiles and such a faithful minister of the Gospel. This change
which grace worked in Paul can also help all who approach the Church
to have great confidence in God’s mercy and forgiveness; like a good
father, God is always ready to receive the repentant sinner.
The sacred text shows quite clearly that the initiative lies with God
when it comes to calling people to Church office. The call to the
priesthood is a grace from God; it is God who makes the choice
and then he gives the person he has chosen the strength to fulfill
his office worthily. In this connection Bishop Alvaro del Portillo
has written: “Christian priesthood is not, then, in the line of ethical
relationships among men nor on the level of a merely human attempt
to approach God: it is a gift from God and it is irreversibly located on
the vertical line of the search for man by his Creator and Sanctifier
and on the sacramental line of the gratuitous opening up to man
of God’s intimate life. In other words, Christian priesthood is
essentially (this is the only possible way it can be understood) an
eminently sacred mission, both in its origin (Christ) and in its
content (the divine mystery) and by the very manner in which it is
conferred—a sacrament” (”On Priesthood”, pp. 59f).
14. “In Christ Jesus”: this expression is being used with a special
technical meaning: it refers to the position of the new man who,
after the “washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit”
(Titus 3:5) which takes place at Baptism, is now united to Christ,
made a Christian. At Baptism the mercy of God not only justifies
the sinner but causes him to share profoundly in God’s own life by
means of grace, faith and love. These three gifts are a sign that the
Christian has truly been built into the body of Christ (cf. 2 Tim
1:13).
15. “The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance”: or, more
literally, “Word of honor, which you can totally rely on”. This form
of words is used a number of times in the Pastoral Epistles to focus
attention on some important doctrinal point (cf. 1 Tim 3:1; 4:9; 2 Tim
2:11; Tit 3-8).
The point being emphasized here is that “Christ Jesus came into the
world to save sinners”. The Apostle has condensed into very few words
God’s plan for the redemption of mankind, which he will go on to say
more about later (cf. 1 Tim 2:3-7; Tit 2:11-14; 3:3-7). “The mercy of
God is infinite,” says St Francis of Assisi, “and, according to the
Gospel, even if our sins were infinite, his mercy is yet greater than
our sins. And the Apostle St Paul has said that Christ the blessed
came into the world to save sinners” (”The Little Flowers of St Francis”,
chap. 26).
This is in fact one of the basic truths of faith and appears in the Creed:
“For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven”. He
came to save us from the only evil, that which can separate us from
God—sin.
By his victory over sin Christ gave men and women the honor of being
sons and daughters of God; this new character and status equips them
o light up the world around them with the brightness of their Christian
lives (cf. Phil 2:15). They can have this effect on others if they really
commit themselves to have the same mind as “was in Christ Jesus”
(Phil 2:5), for “it is impossible to live according to the heart of Jesus
Christ and not to know that we are sent, as he was, ‘to save all
sinners’ (1 Tim 1:15), with the clear realization that we ourselves
need to trust in the mercy of God more and more every day. As a result,
we will foster in ourselves a vehement desire to be co-redeemers with
Christ, to save all souls with him” ([St] J. Escriva, “Christ Is Passing
By”, 121).
17. This section (vv. 12-17) closes with a solemn doxology. Similar
exclamatory passages in praise of God appear elsewhere in the Apostle’s
writings (Rom 2:36; 16:27; Phil 4:20; etc.). This was probably an early
formula used in the liturgy of Ephesus and other Asia Minor churches.
The fact that it ends with an “Amen” seems to confirm this. In contrast
to the energetic attempts of the civil authorities at the time to foster
emperor-worship, Christians proclaimed that God is lord of the universe
and will reign forever.
It is true, of course, that because God’s glory is infinite, it cannot be
enhanced by man extolling God’s attributes. However, once one knows
the greatness of God, creator and ruler of the universe, and knows that
all things are dependent on him, one has a duty to show God due honor
both internally and externally. Actions of that kind are expressions of
the virtue of religion, whose “actions are directly and immediately
ordered to the honor of God” (”Summa Theologiae” II-II, q. 81, a. 61).
“Of all the duties which man has to fulfill that, without doubt, is the
chiefest and holiest which commands him to worship God with devotion
and piety. This follows of necessity from the truth that we are ever in
the power of God, are ever guided by his will and providence, and,
having come forth from him, must return to him” (Leo XIII, “Libertas
Praestantissimum”, 25).
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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 15:1-32
Parable’s of God’s Mercy
The Lost Sheep
The Lost Coin
The Prodigal Son
[25] “Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near
to the house, he heard music and dancing. [26] And he called one of
the servants and asked what this meant. [27] And he said to him, `Your
brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because
he has received him safe and sound.’ [28] But he was angry and refused
to go in. His father came out and entreated him, [29] but he answered
his father, `Lo, these many years I have served you, and I never
disobeyed your command; yet you never gave me a kid, that I might
make merry with my friends. [30] But when this son of yours came,
who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted
calf!’ [31] And he said to him, `Son, you are always with me, and all
that is mine is yours. [32] It was fitting to make merry and be glad,
for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is
found.’”
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Commentary:
1-32. Jesus’ actions manifest God’s mercy: He receives sinners in order
to convert them. The scribes and Pharisees, who despised sinners, just
cannot understand why Jesus acts like this; they grumble about Him; and
Jesus uses the opportunity to tell these Mercy parables. “The Gospel
writer who particularly treats of these themes in Christ’s teaching is
Luke, whose Gospel has earned the title of `the Gospel of mercy’” (John
Paul II, “Dives In Misericordia”, 3).
In this chapter St. Luke reports three of these parables in which Jesus
describes the infinite, fatherly mercy of God and His joy at the conversion
of the sinner.
The Gospel teaches that no one is excluded from forgiveness and that
sinners can become beloved children of God if they repent and are
converted. So much does God desire the conversion of sinners that each
of these parables ends with a refrain, as it were, telling of the great
joy in Heaven over sinner who repents.
1-2. This is not the first time that publicans and sinners approach
Jesus (cf. Matthew 9:10). They are attracted by the directness of the
Lord’s preaching and by His call to self-giving and love. The
Pharisees in general were jealous of His influence over the people
(cf. Matthew 26:2-5; John 11:47) a jealousy which can also beset
Christians; a severity of outlook which does not accept that, no matter
how great his sins may have been, a sinner can change and become
a saint; a blindness which prevents a person from recognizing and
rejoicing over the good done by others. Our Lord criticized this
attitude when He replied to His disciples’ complaints about others
casting out devils in His name: “Do not forbid him; for no one who does
a mighty work in My name will be able soon after to speak evil of Me”
(Mark 9:39). And St. Paul rejoiced that others proclaimed Christ and
even overlooked the fact they did so out of self-interest, provided
Christ was preached (cf. Philippians 1:17-18).
5-6. Christian tradition, on the basis of this and other Gospel passages
(cf. John 10:11), applies this parable to Christ, the Good Shepherd, who
misses and then seeks out the lost sheep: the Word, by becoming man,
seeks out mankind, which has strayed through sinning. Here is St.
Gregory the Great’s commentary: “He put the sheep on His shoulders
because, on taking on human nature, He burdened Himself with our
sins” (”In Evangelia Homiliae”, II, 14).
The Second Vatican Council applies these verses of St. Luke to the way
priests should approach their pastoral work: “They should be mindful
that by their daily conduct and solicitude they display the reality of
a truly priestly and pastoral ministry both to believers and unbelievers
alike, to Catholics and non-Catholics; that they are bound to bear
witness before all men of the truth and of the life, and as good
shepherds seek after those too who, whilst having been baptized in
the Catholic Church, have given up the practice of the Sacraments, or
even fallen away from the faith” (”Lumen Gentium”, 28). However, every
member of the faithful should show this same kind of concern—expressed
in a fraternal way—towards his brothers and sisters, towards everyone
on the road to sanctification and salvation.
7. This does not mean that our Lord does not value the perseverance
of the just: He is simply emphasizing the joy of God and the saints
over the conversion of a sinner. This is clearly a call to repentance,
to never doubt God’s readiness to forgive. “Another fall, and what a
fall!... Must you give up hope? No. Humble yourself and, through
Mary, your Mother, have recourse to the merciful Love of Jesus. A
“miserere”, and lift up your heart! And now begin again” ([St] J.
Escriva, “The Way”, 711).
8. This silver coin was a “drachma”, of about the same value as a
denarius, that is, approximately a day’s wage for an agricultural
worker (cf. Matthew 20:2).
11. This is one of Jesus’ most beautiful parables, which teaches us
once more that God is a kind and understanding Father (cf. Matthew
6:8; Romans 8:15; 2 Corinthians 1:3). The son who asks for his part
of the inheritance is a symbol of the person who cuts himself off from
God through sin. “Although the word `mercy’ does not appear, this
parable nevertheless expresses the essence of the divine mercy in
a particularly clear way” (John Paul II, “Dives In Misericordia”, 5).
12. “That son, who receives from the father the portion of the
inheritance that is due him and leaves home to squander it in a far
country `in loose living’, in a certain sense is the man of every
period, beginning with the one who was the first to lose the
inheritance of grace and original justice. The analogy at this point
is very wide-ranging. The parable indirectly touches upon every breach
of the covenant of love, every loss of grace, every sin” (”Dives In
Misericordia”, 5).
14-15. At this point in the parable we are shown the unhappy effects
of sin. The young man’s hunger evokes the anxiety and emptiness a
person feels when he is far from God. The prodigal son’s predicament
describes the enslavement which sin involves (cf. Romans 1:25; 6:6;
Galatians 5:1): by sinning one loses the freedom of the children of God
(cf. Romans 8:21; Galatians 4:31; 5:13) and hands oneself over the
power of Satan.
17-21. His memory of home and his conviction that his father loves him
cause the prodigal son to reflect and to decide to set out on the right
road. “Human life is in some way a constant returning to our Father’s
house. We return through contrition, through the conversion of heart
which means a desire to change, a firm decision to improve our life and
which, therefore, is expressed in sacrifice and self-giving. We return to
our Father’s house by means of that sacrament of pardon in which, by
confessing our sins, we put on Jesus Christ again and become His
brothers, members of God’s family” ([St] J. Escriva, “Christ Is Passing
By”, 64).
20-24. God always hopes for the return of the sinner; He wants him to
repent. When the young man arrives home his father does not greet him
with reproaches but with immense compassion, which causes him to
embrace his son and cover him with kisses.
20. “There is no doubt that in this simple but penetrating analogy to
the figure of the father reveals to us God as Father. The conduct of
the father in the parable and his whole behavior, which manifests his
internal attitude, enables us to rediscover the individual threads of
the Old Testament vision of mercy in a synthesis which is totally new,
full of simplicity and depth. The father of the prodigal son is faithful to
this fatherhood, faithful to the love that he had always lavished on his
son. This fidelity is expressed in the parable not only by his immediate
readiness to welcome him home when he returns after having
squandered his inheritance; it is expressed even more fully by that
joy, that merrymaking for the squanderer after his return, merrymaking
which is so generous that it provokes the opposition and hatred of the
elder brother, who had never gone far away from his father and had
never abandoned the home.
“The father’s fidelity to himself [...] is at the same time expressed in a
manner particularly charged with affection. We read, in fact, that when
the father saw the prodigal son returning home `he had COMPASSION,
ran to meet him, threw his arms around his neck and kissed him.’ He
certainly does this under the influence of a deep affection, and this
also explains his generosity towards his son, that generosity which
so angers the elder son” (”Dives In Misericordia”, 6).
“When God runs towards us, we cannot keep silent, but with St. Paul
we exclaim, “ABBA PATER”: `Father, my Father!’ (Romans 8:15), for,
though He is the creator of the universe, He doesn’t mind our not using
high-sounding titles, nor worry about our not acknowledging His
greatness. He wants us to call Him Father; He wants us to savor that
word, our souls filling with joy [...].
“God is waiting for us, like the father in the parable, with open arms,
even though we don’t deserve it. It doesn’t matter how great our debt
is. Just like the prodigal son, all we have to do is open our heart,
to be homesick for our Father’s house, to wonder at and rejoice in the
gift which God makes us of being able to call ourselves His children,
of really being His children, even though our response to Him has been
so poor” ([St] J. Escriva, “Christ Is Passing By”, 64).
25-30. God’s mercy is so great that man cannot grasp it: as we can
see in the case of the elder son, who thinks his father loves the younger
son excessively, his jealousy prevents him from understanding how his
father can do so much to celebrate the recovery of the prodigal; it
cuts him off from the joy that the whole family feels. “It’s true that
he was a sinner. But don’t pass so final a judgment on him. Have pity
in your heart, and don’t forget that he may yet be an Augustine, while
you remain just another mediocrity” ([St J. Escriva, “The Way”, 675).
We should also consider that if God has compassion towards sinners,
He must have much much more towards those who strive to be faithful
to Him. St. Therese of Lisieux understood this very well: “What joy to
remember that our Lord is just; that He makes allowances for all our
shortcomings, and knows full well how weak we are. What have I to fear
then? Surely the God of infinite justice who pardons the prodigal son
with such mercy will be just with me `who am always with Him’?” (”The
Story of a Soul”, Chapter 8).
32. “Mercy, as Christ has presented it in the parable of the prodigal son,
has THE INTERIOR FORM OF THE LOVE that in the New Testament is
called AGAPE. This love is able to reach down to every prodigal son,
to every human misery, and above all to every form of moral misery, to
sin. When this happens, the person who is the object of mercy does not
feel humiliated, but rather found again and `restored to value’. The father
first and foremost expresses to him his joy, that he has been `found
again’ and that he has `returned to life’. This joy indicates a good that
has remained intact: even if he is a prodigal, a son does not cease to
be truly his father’s son; it also indicates a good that has been found
again, which in the case of the prodigal son was his return to the truth
about himself” (”Dives In Misericordia”, 6).
*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
| First reading | Exodus 32:7 - 14 © |
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| Then the Lord spoke to Moses, ‘Go down now, because your people whom you brought out of Egypt have apostatised. They have been quick to leave the way I marked out for them; they have made themselves a calf of molten metal and have worshipped it and offered it sacrifice. “Here is your God, Israel,” they have cried “who brought you up from the land of Egypt!”’ the Lord said to Moses, ‘I can see how headstrong these people are! Leave me, now, my wrath shall blaze out against them and devour them; of you, however, I will make a great nation.’ But Moses pleaded with the Lord his God. ‘the Lord,’ he said ‘why should your wrath blaze out against this people of yours whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with arm outstretched and mighty hand? Remember Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, your servants to whom by your own self you swore and made this promise: I will make your offspring as many as the stars of heaven, and all this land which I promised I will give to your descendants, and it shall be their heritage for ever.’ So the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened. |
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| Psalm or canticle: Psalm 50 |
| Second reading | 1 Timothy 1:12 - 17 © |
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| I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, and who judged me faithful enough to call me into his service even though I used to be a blasphemer and did all I could to injure and discredit the faith. Mercy, however, was shown me, because until I became a believer I had been acting in ignorance; and the grace of our Lord filled me with faith and with the love that is in Christ Jesus. Here is a saying that you can rely on and nobody should doubt: that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. I myself am the greatest of them; and if mercy has been shown to me, it is because Jesus Christ meant to make me the greatest evidence of his inexhaustible patience for all the other people who would later have to trust in him to come to eternal life. To the eternal King, the undying, invisible and only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. | |
| Gospel | Luke 15:1 - 32 © |
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| The tax collectors and the sinners, meanwhile, were all seeking his company to hear what he had to say, and the Pharisees and the scribes complained. ‘This man’ they said ‘welcomes sinners and eats with them.’ So he spoke this parable to them: ‘What man among you with a hundred sheep, losing one, would not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the missing one till he found it? And when he found it, would he not joyfully take it on his shoulders and then, when he got home, call together his friends and neighbours? “Rejoice with me,” he would say “I have found my sheep that was lost.” In the same way, I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner than over ninety-nine virtuous men who have no need of repentance. ‘Or again, what woman with ten drachmas would not, if she lost one, light a lamp and sweep out the house and search thoroughly till she found it? And then, when she had found it, call together her friends and neighbours? “Rejoice with me,” she would say “I have found the drachma I lost.” In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing among the angels of God over one repentant sinner.’ He also said, ‘A man had two sons. The younger said to his father, “Father, let me have the share of the estate that would come to me”. So the father divided the property between them. A few days later, the younger son got together everything he had and left for a distant country where he squandered his money on a life of debauchery. ‘When he had spent it all, that country experienced a severe famine, and now he began to feel the pinch, so he hired himself out to one of the local inhabitants who put him on his farm to feed the pigs. And he would willingly have filled his belly with the husks the pigs were eating but no one offered him anything. Then he came to his senses and said, “How many of my father’s paid servants have more food than they want, and here am I dying of hunger! I will leave is this place and go to my father and say: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as one of your paid servants.” So he left the place and went back to his father. ‘While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity. He ran to the boy, clasped him in his arms and kissed him tenderly. Then his son said, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son.” But the father said to his servants, “Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the calf we have been fattening, and kill it; we are going to have a feast, a celebration, because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life; he was lost and is found.” And they began to celebrate. ‘Now the elder son was out in the fields, and on his way back, as he drew near the house, he could hear music and dancing. Calling one of the servants he asked what it was all about. “Your brother has come” replied the servant “and your father has killed the calf we had fattened because he has got him back safe and sound.” He was angry then and refused to go in, and his father came out to plead with him; but he answered his father, “Look, all these years I have slaved for you and never once disobeyed your orders, yet you never offered me so much as a kid for me to celebrate with my friends. But, for this son of yours, when he comes back after swallowing up your property – he and his women – you kill the calf we had been fattening.” ‘The father said, “My son, you are with me always and all I have is yours. But it was only right we should celebrate and rejoice, because your brother here was dead and has come to life; he was lost and is found.”’ |
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| Sunday, September 16, 2007 Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time |
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| Other Articles by Fr. Paul Grankauskas Printer Friendly Version |
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| The Challenge of the Prodigal Son | ||
The parable of the prodigal son is probably one of the most familiar and beautiful stories found in the Gospels. If we are willing to look a little deeper, though, we might also find it a little challenging.
It is a beautiful parable because here Jesus reveals the great and infinite depth of His Father's love and mercy. How can we not be moved by the scene of the prodigal son's reunion with his father? When he left home, he was a cocky and arrogant young pup, demanding his share of the inheritance. Now he comes home poor, broken and humbled. He has fallen from grace and is all too aware of that loss of his dignity: "I am no longer worthy to be called your son."
In justice, the father could have torn into the kid, agreeing wholeheartedly. His son squandered his share of the inheritance for which the father probably worked hard yet gave so freely. The father could have simply said the son was getting no more than he deserved for his behavior.
But that is not what he does.
He welcomes his son home and rejoices that the one who was lost has now returned. He has his son back, and that is all that matters to him. In showing forth such love and mercy, he restores the dignity and worth of his son. He gives him new life.
Such is how God seems to deal with us in our own sinfulness. We have been given the gift of the Spirit, who enables us to call God our Father. We have been given the grace of sonship. Sin is an abuse of our freedom as children of God, a rejection and rebellion against our Father. Sin, an offense against God's love and goodness, alienates us from Him and is deserving of punishment. But when, by the grace of God, we become aware of how deeply we have offended and hurt God by our sins, He is there to welcome us home again. He does not desire that we perish in our sins.
We are humbled by having to acknowledge and confess our sins, but God restores the dignity we have lost through those sins. It is not without reason that I often ask those who have been away from the sacrament of penance for a long time to read this passage. It is important that we know that our heavenly Father does not desire to condemn us, but that there is great rejoicing in heaven when we turn away from sin and back to Him.
So where is the challenge of the parable? First, there is still the older son to consider. The younger brother's actions were certainly a slap in the face to him. How dare his little sibling demand the inheritance? He is resentful of his father's mercy toward the miscreant. Our Lord tells us that God rejoices at the conversion of sinners. We ought to share that joy. The conversion of a hardened sinner, who runs the danger of eternal punishment, is not a cause for resentment, but great joy.
Second, we can only wonder what the prodigal son was like when he got home. If he did the same thing all over again, willingly hurting the father who has shown him great kindness and mercy, we would consider him an ungrateful wretch. One would like to think that the son resolved not to cause his father such pain ever again.
We, too, can be confident of God's forgiveness in the sacrament of penance, but mercy does not necessarily let us off the hook. We need to have a firm purpose of amendment. We need to work at rooting out sins and their causes. That does not mean we may not fall again. Despite our resolution not to sin again, we may still find ourselves overrun by temptations. But, we ought to be doing everything in our power to set our will against sins.
In other words, we have to make a decision about what we are going to do when we come home. That is the unwritten sequel of the parable of the prodigal son.
Note that the son asks the “Father” for forgiveness — not God directly.
Hence, Confession!!!!
**We, too, can be confident of God’s forgiveness in the sacrament of penance, but mercy does not necessarily let us off the hook. We need to have a firm purpose of amendment. We need to work at rooting out sins and their causes. That does not mean we may not fall again. Despite our resolution not to sin again, we may still find ourselves overrun by temptations. But, we ought to be doing everything in our power to set our will against sins.**
And if we sin again, we can confess to the priest again. Thank you, God for the wonderful gift of the Sacrament of Reconciliation!
Year C- 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Rejoice with me. Luke 15:1-321 NOW the publicans and sinners drew near him to listen to him. |
The message to repent is my strongest message; to see a sinner coming back to grace gives me the greatest joy. Repentance is the result of my word, and the benefit of that new life is salvation. I was very happy amidst sinners because my conversation brought them to repentance. I was highly criticized for doing that, but let me assure you that my joy was great when someone gave up his or her sinful ways to follow me. Author: Joseph of Jesus and Mary
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) |
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| 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) |
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| 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 | Ezekiel 1:3 - 28 © |
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| The word of the Lord was addressed to the priest Ezekiel son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldaeans, on the bank of the river Chebar. There the hand of the Lord came on me. I looked; a stormy wind blew from the north, a great cloud with light around it, a fire from which flashes of lightning darted, and in the centre a sheen like bronze at the heart of the fire. In the centre I saw what seemed four animals. They looked like this. They were of human form. Each had four faces, each had four wings. Their legs were straight; they had hooves like oxen, glittering like polished brass. Human hands showed under their wings; the faces of all four were turned to the four quarters. Their wings touched each other; they did not turn as they moved; each one went straight forward. As to what they looked like, they had human faces, and all four had a lion’s face to the right, and all four had a bull’s face to the left, and all four had an eagle’s face. Their wings were spread upwards; each had two wings that touched, and two wings that covered his body; and they all went straight forward; they went where the spirit urged them; they did not turn as they moved. Between these animals something could be seen like flaming brands or torches, darting between the animals; the fire flashed light, and lightning streaked from the fire. And the creatures ran to and fro like thunderbolts. Over the heads of the animals a sort of vault, gleaming like crystal, arched above their heads; under this vault their wings stretched out to one another, and each had two covering his body. I heard the noise of their wings as they moved; it sounded like rushing water, like the voice of Shaddai, a noise like a storm, like the noise of a camp; when they halted, they folded their wings, and there was a noise. Above the vault over their heads was something that looked like a sapphire; it was shaped like a throne and high up on this throne was a being that looked like a man. I saw him shine like bronze, and close to and all around him from what seemed his loins upwards was what looked like fire; and from what seemed his loins downwards I saw what looked like fire, and a light all round like a bow in the clouds on rainy days; that is how the surrounding light appeared. It was something that looked like the glory of the Lord. |
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| Reading | St Augustine's sermon On Pastors |
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| We are Christians as well as leaders | |
| You have often learned that all our hope is in Christ and that he is our true glory and our salvation. You are members of the flock of the Good Shepherd, who watches over Israel and nourishes his people. Yet there are shepherds who want to have the title of shepherd without wanting to fulfil a pastor’s duties; let us then recall what God says to his shepherds through the prophet. You must listen attentively; I must listen with fear and trembling. The word of the Lord came to me and said: Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel and speak to the shepherds of Israel. We just heard this reading a moment ago, my brothers, and I have decided to speak to you on this passage. The Lord will help me to speak the truth if I do not speak on my own authority. For if I speak on my own authority, I will be a shepherd nourishing myself and not the sheep. However, if my words are the Lord’s, then he is nourishing you no matter who speaks. Thus says the Lord God: Shepherds of Israel, who have been nourishing only themselves! Should not the shepherds nourish the sheep? In other words, true shepherds take care of their sheep, not themselves. This is the principle reason why God condemns those shepherds: they took care of themselves rather than their sheep. Who are they who nourish themselves? They are the shepherds the Apostle described when he said: They all seek what is theirs and not what is Christ’s. I must distinguish carefully between two aspects of the role the lord has given me, a role that demands a rigorous accountability, a role based on the Lord’s greatness rather than on my own merit. The first aspect is that I am a Christian; the second, that I am a leader. I am a Christian for my own sake, whereas I am a leader for your sake; the fact that I am a Christian is to my own advantage, but I am a leader for your advantage. Many persons come to God as Christians but not as leaders. Perhaps they travel by an easier road and are less hindered since they bear a lighter burden. In addition to the fact that I am a Christian and must give God an account of my life, I as a leader must give him an account of my stewardship as well. |
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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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| O God, creator and ruler, look down lovingly upon us. Grant that we may serve you wholeheartedly so as to receive the blessings of your goodwill. 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 God, our creator and guide, may we serve you with all our heart and know your forgiveness in our lives. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Twenty-Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time
"Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son." But his father ordered his servants, "Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found."
The second reading is from the first letter of St. Paul to Timothy 1:12-17. The Apostle wrote two letters to Timothy, advising and encouraging him to continue his great work for Christ. This First Epistle was written in 65 or 66 A.D. from Macedonia. St. Paul spent his Christian life regretting his sinful past and wondering at the infinite mercy of Christ, the Son of God, who not only forgave all his past sins but showered His graces on him so abundantly. He realized that his past crimes against Christ, whom he judged as an imposter who was perverting the Chosen People of God, and also his persecution of the Jewish converts to Christ, were caused by his own pride. Yet he blames himself for the ignorance which caused this pharisaical pride in him, while Christ on the other hand excused him because of this ignorance. The conclusion he rightly draws from this is that there is no sinner so wicked but can be forgiven, and will be forgiven, if only he listens to the call of Christ.
The Gospel is from St. Luke 15:1-32. The lesson that these stories, made up by our Lord himself, has for us is clearly a lesson of hope and confidence in the infinite mercy of God in His dealings with us. We are all sinners in one way or another. We have all gone astray, got lost like the sheep and the coin in those stories, sometime or other. What is worse, we are all capable of going astray from God again at any moment. If we had only the justice of God to deal with we might well despair, our chances of reaching heaven would be slight indeed.
We are dealing, however, with a God of infinite mercy, who loves us with a love we cannot grasp or understand. All this infinite mercy of God is there for our benefit as long as we have the breath of life in us in this world. The whole of the Old Testament is full of examples and proofs of this mercy of God for man. It is in the New Testament, however, which begins with that almost incredible act of divine mercy, the Incarnation, that the infinite mercy of God for all mankind is seen in its fullness. The coming of the Son of God on earth in our human nature, His teaching, His sufferings and death, His resurrection were all accomplished for us, so that we could rise glorious from the dead and share the joys of heaven, to which we have no claim whatever, except the merciful goodness and generosity of God.
God does not need us to make his existence happy. He is all-powerful, all-perfect, all-happy in himself. Because He is a God of love, a God of infinite generosity, He wants to give us a share in His happiness. At times one must wonder how any man who knows of God's generosity and of what that generosity has led Him to do for us, could ever think of abandoning that loving God, or get lost in futile earthly folly. Yet that does happen when we sin grievously.
God does not cast us out forever as sinners unworthy of His gifts. Instead, He foresees such folly on our part, and has left us lessons of encouragement, as in today's parables, and set up in the Church ways and means to carry on His work of mercy for weak, mortal men. During His life on earth, Christ dealt mostly with sinners—he said he came to save the lost sheep of the house of Israel. He told the Pharisees that it was the sick who needed a doctor, not those who were well. The Pharisees in their pride thought they were not sick but they were, and He was only too ready to heal them too if only they would let Him.
He spent his days then among sinners, the tax-gatherers, the robbers, the adulterers, the usurers. The twelve special friends He chose from amongst His followers had more than their share of human failings.
We are all sinners to a greater or lesser degree. With this knowledge and conviction, which any true Christian must have, of the infinite mercy of God, no sinner need ever, and should never, despair. No sinner was ever lost and no sinner will ever be lost, because of his sins. Sinners are lost only because they will not trust and believe in God's mercy and turn to Him to ask for pardon.
Not a day passes but our merciful Father sends out and calls to us His erring children to return to our Father's household. Today, one of those calls is in the very words of the parables you have heard. There may be another call for the sinners amongst us. There may not. Heed this one and the other call will not be necessary. Turn to God today with a truly contrite heart. God will do the rest.
— Excerpted from The Sunday Readings Cycle C, Fr. Kevin O' Sullivan, O.F.M.
Imitation of Christ -- Foreword [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ, 1,1 - Imitating Jesus Christ and Despising All Vanities on Earth [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1,2, Having A Humble Opinion of Self [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 3, The Doctrine of Truth [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 4, Prudence in Action [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ, 1, 5, Reading the Holy Scripture [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 6, Unbridled Affections [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 7, Avoiding False Hope and Pride [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 8, Shunning Over- Familiarity [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 9, Obedience and Subjection [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 10, Avoiding Idle Talk [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 11, Acquiring Peace and Zeal for Perfection [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 12, The Value of Adversity [Devotional]
Prayer Prayer To Our Lady of Sorrows
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) |
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| A cry of rejoicing and triumph |
| Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, and his kindness is for ever. Now let Israel say, he is good and his kindness is for ever. Now let the house of Aaron say it too: that his kindness is for ever. Now let all who fear the Lord say it too: that his kindness is for ever. In my time of trial I called out to the Lord: he listened, and led me to freedom. The Lord is with me, I will fear nothing that man can do. The Lord, my help, is with me, and I shall look down upon my enemies. It is good to seek shelter in the Lord, better than to trust in men. It is good to seek shelter in the Lord, better than to trust in the leaders of men. All the nations surrounded me, and in the Lord’s name I slew them. They crowded in and besieged me, and in the Lord’s name I slew them. They surrounded me like swarms of bees, they burned like a fire of dry thorns, and in the Lord’s name I slew them. They chased and pursued me, to make me fall, and the Lord came to my help. The Lord is my strength and my rejoicing: he has become my saviour. A cry of joy and salvation in the dwellings of the righteous: “The Lord’s right hand has triumphed! The Lord’s right hand has raised me up; the Lord’s right hand has triumphed”. I shall not die, but live, and tell of the works of the Lord. The Lord chastised me severely but did not let me die. Open the gates of righteousness: I will go in, and thank the Lord. This is the gate of the Lord; it is the upright who enter here. I will thank you, for you listened to me, and became my saviour. The stone that the builders rejected has become the corner-stone. It was the Lord who did this – it is marvellous to behold. This is the day that was made by the Lord: let us rejoice today, and be glad. Lord, keep me safe; O Lord, let me prosper! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord. The Lord is God, he shines upon us! Arrange the procession, with close-packed branches, up to the horns of the altar. You are my God, I will give thanks to you; my God, I will give you praise. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, and his kindness is for ever. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Canticle | Daniel 3 |
|---|---|
| Let every creature praise the Lord | |
| Blessed are you, Lord God of our fathers, praised and exalted for ever. Blessed is the holy name of your glory praised above all things and exalted for ever. Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory praised and glorious above all things for ever. Blessed are you who gaze on the depths, seated on the cherubim, praised and exalted for ever. Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven praised and glorious for ever. Bless the Lord, all his works, praise and exalt him for ever. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
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| Psalm 150 |
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| 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 God, creator and ruler, look down lovingly upon us. Grant that we may serve you wholeheartedly so as to receive the blessings of your goodwill. 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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Lost and Found
Luke 15: 1-10
Petition:Lord, save me from my sinful habits; teach me virtue so that I may live in communion with you and the saints of the Church. 1. “This Man Welcomes Sinners and Eats with Them.” Jesus is willing to sit down and share a meal with me. “The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus.” In other words, my Lord and Redeemer overlooks my unworthiness – at least in order to speak with me. This attracts my attention – I know my guilt, yet I do not feel judged –, so I draw near and listen to him. In so many of my misguided actions, I have sought personal benefits which I do not deserve. I accept, or even demand favors from those around me, while hypocritically not respecting their individual needs, or the common good. Often there is no difference between my lifestyle and that of a “tax collector” or “sinner.” Yet, Jesus is willing to lower himself and share a meal at my table, despite the criticism and rebuke he subjects himself to on my account. I can connect with him at his level, since he has lowered himself to mine, in order to lift me up. “The Paschal mystery has two aspects: by his death, Christ liberates us from sin; by his Resurrection, he opens for us the way to a new life. This new life is above all justification that reinstates us in God´s grace, ‘so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life’” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 654). 2. “Rejoice with Me Because I Have Found My Lost Sheep.” For Christ, every soul has value. Every soul has been created through him, in God’s image and likeness. No sin, while this time of mercy lasts, can escape the reach of the Redeemer’s infinite love. Christ has shed his blood and passed through death in order to save those souls who have died in their sins, and he restores them to life. All that I have to do is hear his shepherd’s voice that calls out to me and finds me where I am. I only need to let myself be found, let him take me up in his arms, let him dispel my darkness and fear by the warmth of his love, let him return me to the fold. “Justification consists in both victory over the death caused by sin and a new participation in grace” (CCC, 654). Every sin confessed, and every new virtue acquired, is a triumph of God’s grace in my soul. 3. “Rejoice with Me Because I Have Found The Coin That I Lost.” In Christ, there is communion. No Christian is left to stand alone. God’s grace in a soul radiates out to others. This is one of the most beautiful fruits wrought by Christ’s redemption: A soul is brought into union with his Mystical Body. Communion between the members of Christ’s Body produces joy, and I am meant to proclaim it. In the same way that others rejoice whenever the light of God’s grace shines in my soul through good works (Cf. Matthew 5:16), so too, I should lift praise to God whenever I discover his goodness in others. “[Justification] brings about filial adoption so that men become Christ´s brethren, as Jesus himself called his disciples after his Resurrection: ‘Go and tell my brethren.’ We are brethren not by nature, but by the gift of grace, because that adoptive filiation gains us a real share in the life of the only Son, which was fully revealed in his Resurrection” (CCC, 654) Conversation with Christ: Lord, you do not judge and discriminate against me, so long as I am willing to listen to your voice and respond to your promptings. Please continue to grant me your merciful grace so that your call to holiness will triumph in the life of my soul. Let me rejoice with others. Resolution: Today I will consciously choose to exercise a virtue that will help me break one of my sinful habits. |
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) |
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| 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 111 (112) |
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| How blessed are the just |
| Blessed is the man who fears the Lord and loves his commands above all things. His seed will be powerful on earth: the descendants of the just will be blessed. Glory and riches will fill his house, and his righteousness will stand firm for ever. He rises up in the darkness, a light for the upright, compassionate, generous, and just. Happy the man who takes pity and lends, who directs his affairs with wisdom – he will never be shaken. The just man will be remembered for ever, no slander will he fear. His heart is ready, hoping in the Lord; his heart is strong, it will not fear, until he looks down on his defeated enemies. He gives alms and helps the poor: his righteousness will endure for ever, his future will be glorious. The transgressor will see, and be enraged: he will grind his teeth and fade away. The desires of the wicked will perish. 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 | Hebrews 12:22 - 24 © |
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| What you have come to is Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem where the millions of angels have gathered for the festival, with the whole Church in which everyone is a ’first-born son’ and a citizen of heaven. You have come to God himself, the supreme Judge, and been placed with spirits of the saints who have been made perfect; and to Jesus, the mediator who brings a new covenant and a blood for purification which pleads more insistently than Abel’s. | |
| Canticle | Magnificat |
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| 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. |
| O God, creator and ruler, look down lovingly upon us. Grant that we may serve you wholeheartedly so as to receive the blessings of your goodwill. 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 |
Our Lady of Sorrows: Sorrowful Mother
to At the Cross Her Station Keeping
The Rosary of the Seven Sorrows consists of 7 groups of 7 beads, with 3 additional beads and a Crucifix. Say each of the sorrow below followed by 7 Hail Mary's. The 7 groups of 7 Hail Mary's are recited in remembrance of
the 7 Sorrows of Mary:
1. The prophecy of Simeon.
2. The flight into Egypt.
3. The loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple.
4. Mary meets Jesus carrying His cross.
5. The Crucifixion
6. Mary received the Body of Jesus from the cross
7. The Body of Jesus is placed in a tomb.
3 Hail Mary's are added in remembrance of the tears Mary shed because of the suffering of her Divine Son. These are said to obtain true sorrow for our sins.
The concluding prayer follows:
V/. Pray for us, O most sorrowful Virgin.
R/. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray:
Lord Jesus, we now implore, both for the present and for the hour of our death, the intercession of the most Blessed Virgin Mary, Thy Mother, whose holy soul was pierced at the time of Thy passion by a sword of grief. Grant us this favor, O Saviour of the world, Who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.
The Blessed Virgin Mary grants 7 special graces to the souls who honor her daily by saying 7 Hail Mary's
and meditating on her tears and dolors. This devotion was passed on by St. Bridget of Sweden.
Here are the 7 special graces:
1. I will grant peace to their families.
2. They will be enlightened about the divine mysteries.
3. I will console them in their pains, and I will accompany them in their work.
4. I will give them as much as they ask for as long as it does not oppose the adorable will of my divine Son or the sanctification of their souls.
5. I will defend them in their spiritual battles with the infernal enemy, and I will protect them at every instant of their lives.
6. I will visibly help them at the moment of their death; they will see the face of their mother.
7. I have obtained (this grace) from my divine Son, that those who propagate this devotion to my tears and dolors, will be taken directly from this earthly life to eternal happiness since all their sins will be forgiven and my Son and I will be their eternal consolation and joy.
The Chaplet to Our Lady of Sorrows
(Jesus said, "The Chaplet is to be a Devotion for the Time of Darkness, and is being given
as a spiritual weapon against the Seven deadly sins.")
First Sorrow of Mary, the Prophecy of Simeon:
"This was My Mother's 'Agony in the Garden' in which She said yes to the coming pain that acceptance of the Divine Will of God would bring."
PRAYER: "I pray for the gift of surrender to the will of God to overcome the temptation to envy."
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be and the following Litany:
Litany
Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows, pray for us.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help, pray for us.
Mother of the Sorrowful Heart, pray for us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.
Maria, Rosa Mystica, pray for us.
House of God, pray for us.
Queen of Peace, pray for us.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us.
Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.
Our Lady of the Roses, pray for us.
Queen of Mercy, pray for us.
Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, pray for us.
Second Sorrow of Mary, The Flight Into Egypt:
"The hatred and fear which led to the slaughter of the innocents was on of the most painful aspects of this sorrow. My Mother and I continue to weep today over the slaughter of innocents in the womb caused by the hatred and fear which still fills the hearts of mankind."
PRAYER: "I pray for the gift of respect for life to overcome the temptation to anger."
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be, and the Litany
Third Sorrow of Mary, The Loss of Jesus in the Temple:
"My Mother did not look in the Temple for Me, and so lost Me for three days (like My three days in the tomb). My Priests are failing today to look for Me in the 'Temple,' in obedience to My Pope and to the authority I have placed in My Church. My Church is in its THREE DAYS OF DARKNESS and has much to suffer for its disobedience. Offer the pain in My Mother's Hearts that My priests might return to MY TEMPLE and find me again." (There was an interior Knowledge that Jesus was Not saying this was true of all His priests, but rather He was mourning over those priests who were doing this, plus asking for prayer for them.)
PRAYER: "I pray for the gift of obedience to overcome the temptation to Pride."
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be, and the Litany
Fourth Sorrow of Mary, Mary Meets Jesus on the Road to Calvary:
"My priests will no longer accept the pain of the WAY OF THE CROSS. They no longer walk with Me as My Mother did. They especially refuse the pain and sacrifice of their vow of celibacy. Sexual sins are destroying My Church." (Again, as above, Jesus was not saying this was true of all priests, but was grieving over those who were doing this.)
PRAYER: "I pray for the gift of chastity to overcome the temptation to lust."
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be, and the Litany
Fifth Sorrow of Mary,Jesus is Nailed to the Cross:
"Offer your pain as Mary did, in union with My Cross. All pain, united to My Pasion, has power to redeem. My Church, more than ever, has need of sacrificial offerings."
PRAYER: "I pray for the gift of sacrifice to overcome the temptation to gluttony."
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be, and the Litany
Sixth Sorrow of Mary, Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross and Laid in His Mother's Arms:
"My priests and My people are no longer willing to hold My broken body. They will not minister to the brokenness they see around them. They will not help Me bring salvation to those in need. They will not let Me put in their hearts the gift I would give them of a thirst for souls. Pray that they will return to a willingness to do penance and offer sacrifices for their brothers and sisters in need, who still constitute My broken body."
PRAYER: "I pray for the gift of compassion to overcome the temptation to sloth.
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be, and the Litany
Seventh Sorrow of Mary, Jesus is Laid in the Tomb:
"My Church, My chosen ones, must lay all attachments in the TOMB, especially the attachment to their own way, their will, their plans. They must die and accept the death of al lthey would hold dear to allow God's Will and His Plan to replace their own."
PRAYER: "I pray for the gift of detachment to overcome the temptation to greed."
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be, and the Litany
Prayer To Our Lady of Sorrows
I compassionate thee, O most sorrowful Mother! Thy heart was pierced with a sword of grief when Simeon foretold to thee in the Temple the ignominious death and the desolation of thy divine and most dear Son, which thou west destined one day to witness. By the great anguish of thy suffering heart, O gracious Queen of the universe, impress upon my mind, in life and in death, the sacred Passion of Jesus and shine own sorrows. Amen.
~~ by Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori
Father, as Your Son was raised on the cross, His Mother Mary stood by Him, sharing His suffering. May she, who is also our spiritual Mother and Patroness in heaven, help us to find renewed strength at the cross of Christ and so to come to share in His rising to new life, where He lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever. Amen.
Most holy and afflicted Virgin, Queen of Martyrs, you stood beneath the cross, witnessing the agony of your dying Son. Look with a mother's tenderness and pity on me, who kneel before you. I venerate your sorrows and I place my requests with filial confidence in the sanctuary of your wounded heart.
Present them, I beseech you, on my behalf to Jesus Christ, through the merits of His own most sacred passion and death, together with your sufferings at the foot of the cross. Through the united efficacy of both, obtain the granting of my petition. To whom shall I have recourse in my wants and miseries if not to you, Mother of Mercy? You have drunk so deeply of the chalice of your Son, you can compassionate our sorrows.
Holy Mary, your soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow at the sight of the passion of your divine Son. Intercede for me and obtain for me from Jesus (mention your petition) if it be for His honor and glory and for my good. Amen.
Lenten Prayer to the Sorrowful Mother
Remember, O Virgin Mother of God, when you stand in the sight of the Lord, to speak good things for us and to turn away His indignation from us.
Holy Mother, pierce me through,
In my heart each wound renew,
Of my Savior crucified.
Let me to my latest breath,
In my body bear the death,
Of that dying Son of thine.
Be to me, O Virgin, nigh
Lest in flames I burn and die.
In that awful judgment day.
Christ, when Thou shall call me hence,
Be Thy Mother my defense.
Be Thy Cross my victory.
While my body here decays,
May my soul Thy goodness praise,
Safe in paradise with Thee. Amen.
V. Pray for us, O most sorrowful Virgin,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray: Let intercession be made for us, we beseech You, O Lord Jesus Christ, now and at the hour of our death, before the throne of Your mercy, by the Blessed Virgin Mary, Your Mother, whose most holy soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow, in the hour of Your bitter Passion. Through You, Jesus Christ, Savior of the world, Who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, world without end. Amen.
Our Lady of a happy Death, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Most holy Mother of Sorrows, by that soul-piercing martyrdom that you experienced at the foot of the Cross during the three hours of agony of your Son, Jesus, assist me in my time of need. I am a a child of sorrows and when I am faced with my agony, intercede on my behalf so that I may be found worthy to pass from my deathbed to the blessed paradise of the Kingdom of God. Amen.
V. From a sudden and unprovided death,
R. Deliver me, O Lord.
V. From the snares of the devil,
R. Deliver me, O Lord.
V. From everlasting death,
R. Deliver me, O Lord.
The Sorrowful Hail Mary
Hail Mary, full of sorrows, the Crucified is with thee; thou art pitiable amongst women, and pitiable is the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of the Crucified, implore for us, the crucifiers of thy Son, tears of contrition, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
~~approved by Pope Pius IX in 1847
Stabat Mater
At the cross her station keeping, stood the mournful Mother weeping, close to Jesus to the last.
Through her heart, His sorrow sharing, all His bitter anguish bearing, now at length the sword had passed.
Oh, how sad and sore distressed was that Mother highly blest, of the sole begotten One!
Christ above in torment hangs; she beneath beholds the pangs of her dying, glorious Son.
Is there one who would not weep, 'whelmed in miseries so deep Christ's dear Mother to behold?
Can the human heart refrain from partaking in her pain, in that Mother's pain untold?
Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled, she beheld her tender Child all with bloody scourges rent;
For the sins of His own nation saw Him hang in desolation, till His Spirit forth He sent.
O thou Mother, fount of love! Touch my spirit from above, make my heart with thine accord;
Make me feel as thou hast felt; make my soul to glow and melt with the love of Christ, my Lord.
Holy Mother! Pierce me through, in my heart each wound renew of my Saviour Crucified;
Let me share with thee His pain, Who for all my sins was slain, Who for me in torments died.
Let me mingle tears with thee, mourning Him Who mourned for me, all the days that I may live.
By the Cross with thee to stay, there with thee to weep and pray, is all I ask of thee to give.
Virgin of all virgins blest! Listen to my fond request: Let me share thy grief divine;
Let me to my latest breath, in my body bear the death of that dying Son of thine.
Be to me, O Virgin, nigh, lest in flames I burn and die, in His awful Judgment Day.
Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence, be Thy Mother my defense, be Thy Cross my victory;
While my body here decays, may my soul Thy goodness praise, safe in paradise with Thee. Amen.
~(Cf Raccolta, No. 378)
Offering
Eternal Father, we offer Thee the Blood, the Passion, and the Death of Jesus Christ, the sorrows of Mary most holy, and of St. Joseph, in satisfaction for our sins, in aid of the holy souls in Purgatory, for the needs of holy Mother Church, and for the conversion of sinners.
Virgin most sorrowful, pray for us!
Prayer Before an Image of the Mother of Sorrows
O most compassionate Mother, what bitterness filled thy heart when thou didst embrace the lacerated Body of thy Son with thy virginal arms, press Him lovingly to thy maternal heart, and cover Him with tenderest kisses. I remind thee of this inexpressible bitterness, in virtue of which I beseech thee to obtain for me forgiveness of my sins.
O Mary, pray for me, a poor sinner, to thy Jesus Whom thou didst hold in thy arms. Take the wounded Body of thy Son into thy maternal arms, and offer Him in this condition to the Heavenly Father for me. Offer His pierced Heart, His Passion and Death, and all thy own immeasurable sorrows to obtain grace and mercy for me, particularly (mention the favor you desire here). Amen.
Holy Mother, pierce me though; in my heart each wound renew of my Saviour Crucified.
O Mary, our hope, have pity on us!
A Precious Offering
O Mary, Mother of Sorrows, I beseech thee, by the inexpressible tortures thou didst endure at the death of thy Son, offer to the Eternal Father, in my stead, thy beloved Son all covered with Blood and Wounds, for the grace of (mention your intention). Amen.
~ St. John Vianney, the Curé of Ars
Prayer to Our Lady, Comforter of the Afflicted
Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God and our most compassionate Mother, we present ourselves in thy sight in all humility, and with full confidence we implore thee for thy maternal patronage.
Thou hast been proclaimed by Holy Church the Comforter of the Afflicted, and to thee constant recourse is had by the sorrowful in their afflictions, the sick in their maladies, the dying in their agony, the poor in their straitened circumstances, those who stand in all manner of need in both public and private calamities; and from thee they all receive consolation and strength.
Our dearest Mother, turn upon us also, wretched sinners that we are, thy merciful eyes, and graciously accept our humble and confident prayers. Aid us in all our spiritual and temporal necessities; deliver us from all evil, and especially from sin, which is the greatest evil, and from all danger of falling into it; obtain for us from thy Son Jesus every blessing of which thou seest we stand in need, both in soul and in body, and especially the greatest blessing of all, which is Divine grace. Comfort our spirits, troubled and afflicted in the midst of the many dangers that threaten us and in the countless miseries and misfortunes that beset us on every side. This we ask through that immense joy which filled thy pure soul in the glorious Resurrection of thy Divine Son.
Obtain tranquility for Holy Church, help and comfort for her visible Head, the Roman Pontiff, peace for Christian princes, refreshment in their pains for the Holy Souls in Purgatory; for sinners, the forgiveness of their sins, and for the just, perseverance in well-doing. Receive us all, our most tender Mother, under thy loving and mighty protection, that we may be enabled to live virtuously, die holily and attain to everlasting happiness in heaven. Amen.
~~ (Rac., No. 419)
Prayer to the Mother of Sorrow
O Mother of Sorrows, by the anguish and love with which thou didst stand at the cross of Jesus, stand by me in my last agony. To thy maternal heart I commend the last three hours of my life. Offer these hours to the Eternal Father in union with the agony of our dearest Lord in atonement for my sins. Offer to the Eternal Father the most Precious Blood of Jesus, mingled with your tears on Calvary, that I may obtain the grace of receiving Holy Communion with the most perfect love and contrition before my death, and that I may breathe forth my soul in the adorable Presence of Jesus.
Dearest Mother, when the moment of my death has at length come, present me as your child to Jesus. Ask Him to forgive me for having offended Him for I know not what I did. Beg Him to receive me into His kingdom of glory to be united with Him forever. Amen.
Prayer to Our Lady of Sorrows, by St. Bridget
O Blessed Virgin Mary, Immaculate Mother of God, who didst endure a martyrdom of love and grief beholding the sufferings and sorrows of Jesus! Thou didst cooperate in the benefit of my redemption by thine innumerable afflictions and by offering to the Eternal Father His only begotten Son as a holocaust and victim of propitiation for my sins. I thank thee for the unspeakable love which led thee to deprive thyself of the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus, true God and true Man, to save me, a sinner. Oh, make use of the unfailing intercession of thy sorrows with the Father and the Son, that I may steadfastly amend my life and never again crucify my loving Redeemer by new sins, and that, persevering till death in His grace. I may obtain eternal life through the merits of His Cross and Passion. Amen.
Mother of love, of sorrow and of mercy, pray for us.
PRAYER TO THE MOTHER OF SORROWS
Ah, my Blessed Mother, it is not one sword only with which I have pierced thy heart, but I have done so with as many as are the sins which I have committed. Ah, Lady, it is not to thee, who art innocent, that sufferings are due, but to me, who am guilty of so many crimes. But since thou hast been pleased tosuffer so much for me, ah, by thy merits, obtain me great sorrow for my sins, and patience under the trials of this life, which will always be light in comparison with my demerits; for I have often deserved Hell. Amen.
PRAYER TO OUR SORROWFUL MOTHER
O Mother of Sorrows, thou, who beneath the Cross of Jesus were given to us as our Mother, look down with pity on us, thy children, who weep and mourn in this valley of tears. By that sword of sorrow which pierced thy Heart when thou looked upon the Face of thy dead Son, obtain for us that comfort we so sorely need in our sufferings.
Thou were given to us our Mother in the hour of thy greatest grief that thou might be mindful of our frailty and the evils that press upon us. Without thy aid, O Sorrowful Mother, we cannot gain the victory in this struggle against flesh and blood. Therefore, we seek thy help, O Queen of Sorrows, lest we fall prey to the wiles of the enemy. We are orphans in need of the guiding hand of our Mother amid the dangers that threaten our destruction. Thou whose grief was boundless as the sea, grant us by the memory of those sorrows the strength to be victorious.
Intercede further, O Mother of Sorrows, for us and all who are near and dear to us, that we may ever do the Will of thy Son, and may direct all our actions to His honor, and to the furtherance of devotion to thy sorrows. Amen.
Virgin Most Sorrowful, pray for us.
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be....
Mary, most holy Virgin and Queen of Martyrs, accept the sincere homage of my filial affection. Into thy Heart, pierced by so many swords, do thou welcome my poor soul. Receive it as the companion of thy sorrows at the foot of the Cross, on which Jesus died for the redemption of the world. With thee, O sorrowful Virgin, I will gladly suffer all the trials, contradictions, and infirmities which it shall please Our Lord to send me. I offer them all to thee in memory of thy sorrows, so that: every thought of my mind and every beat of my heart may be an act of compassion and of love for thee. And do thou, sweet Mother, have pity on me, reconcile me to thy Divine Son, Jesus; keep me in His grace and assist me in my last agony, so that I may be able to meet thee in Heaven and sing thy glories.
Most holy Virgin and Mother, whose soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow in the Passion of thy Divine Son, and who in His glorious Resurrection wast filled with never ending joy at His triumph, obtain for us who call upon thee, so to be partakers in the adversities of Holy Church and the Sorrows of the Sovereign Pontiff, as to be found worthy to rejoice with them in the consolations for which we pray, in the charity and peace of the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Litany of the Seven Sorrows
Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven, Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, Have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, Pray for us.
Holy Mother of God, Pray for us.
Holy Virgin of virgins, Pray for us.
Mother crucified, Pray for us.
Mother sorrowful, Pray for us.
Mother tearful, Pray for us.
Mother afflicted, Pray for us.
Mother forsaken, Pray for us.
Mother desolate, Pray for us.
Mother bereft of thy Child, Pray for us.
Mother transfixed with the sword, Pray for us.
Mother consumed with grief, Pray for us.
Mother filled with anguish, Pray for us.
Mother crucified in heart, Pray for us.
Mother most sad, Pray for us.
Fountain of tears, Pray for us.
Abyss of suffering, Pray for us.
Mirror of patience, Pray for us.
Rock of constancy, Pray for us.
Anchor of confidence, Pray for us.
Refuge of the forsaken, Pray for us.
Shield of the oppressed, Pray for us.
Subduer of the unbelieving, Pray for us.
Comfort of the afflicted, Pray for us.
Medicine of the sick, Pray for us.
Strength of the weak, Pray for us.
Harbor of the wrecked, Pray for us.
Allayer of tempests, Pray for us.
Resource of mourners, Pray for us.
Terror of the treacherous, Pray for us.
Treasure of the faithful, Pray for us.
Eye of the Prophets, Pray for us.
Staff of the Apostles, Pray for us.
Crown of Martyrs, Pray for us.
Light of confessors, Pray for us.
Pearl of virgins, Pray for us.
Consolation of widows, Pray for us.
Joy of all Saints, Pray for us.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us.
Look down upon us, deliver us, and save us from all trouble, in the power of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Let us pray: Imprint, O Lady, thy wounds upon my heart, that I may read therein sorrow and love--- sorrow to endure every sorrow for thee, love to despise every love for thee. Amen.
Pray 1 Apostles Creed, 1 Hail Holy Queen, and 3 Hail Mary's,
in honor of the Most Holy Heart of Mary.
~~ originally written in Latin by Pope Pius VII in 1809
Daily Recommendation:
Pray 1 Hail Mary for each of the 7 Sorrows Our Lady experienced. This is easy and can be done anywhere, anytime, without having to have your prayerbook with you. You just have to memorize the 7 Sorrows, and you're set! This will at least show Our Lady that you acknowledge her sorrows, and remember them in appreciation. I'm sure she will be happy with you, and shower you with her special blessings.
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Sunday, September 16, 2007 Meditation Luke 15:1-32 In his haunting painting, The Return of the Prodigal Son, the Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn brilliantly captures the deep love that the father in this parable had for his son. Rembrandt’s painting is so effective, in fact, that many who have seen it have been brought to repentance and reconciliation with God. The priest and author Henri Nouwen had just such an experience. “When I first saw Rembrandt’s painting,” he wrote, “my intense response to the father’s embrace of his son told me that I was desperately searching for that inner place where I too could be held as safely as the young man in the painting. When I saw the tender way in which the father touched the shoulders of his young son and held him close to his heart, I felt very deeply that I was the lost son and wanted to return.” But Nouwen’s reflections did not stop there. He also began to identify with the elder son. For even though Nouwen had never run away from home or wasted himself on sensual pursuits, he did see his jealousy, anger, and self-righteousness. He saw that his dilemma was the same as this older son: Was he willing to let himself be embraced by the same hands that had touched and healed his brother? Going even further, Nouwen began to understand that no matter which “son” he was, he was still a son of the Father: “Here is a God I want to believe in: a Father who from the beginning of creation has stretched out his arms in merciful blessing, never forcing himself on anyone, but always waiting; never letting his arms drop down in despair, but always hoping that his children return so he can speak words of love to them.” This is how God looks at each of us. He delights in forgiving us and only asks that we desire to receive his mercy. “Father, I stand in awe of your love. Come, Lord, and embrace every wayward child on this earth. Bring us all back to you!” Exodus 32:7-11,13-14; Psalm 51:3-4,12-13,17,19; 1 Timothy 1:12-17 |
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