Posted on 02/01/2008 8:10:21 AM PST by Salvation
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Friday of the Third Week
in Ordinary Time
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Reading 1
2 Sm 11:1-4a, 5-10a, 13-17
At the turn of the year, when kings go out on campaign,
David sent out Joab along with his officers
and the army of Israel,
and they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah.
David, however, remained in Jerusalem.
One evening David rose from his siesta
and strolled about on the roof of the palace.
From the roof he saw a woman bathing, who was very beautiful.
David had inquiries made about the woman and was told,
“She is Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam,
and wife of Joab’s armor bearer Uriah the Hittite.”
Then David sent messengers and took her.
When she came to him, he had relations with her.
She then returned to her house.
But the woman had conceived,
and sent the information to David, “I am with child.”
David therefore sent a message to Joab,
“Send me Uriah the Hittite.”
So Joab sent Uriah to David.
When he came, David questioned him about Joab, the soldiers,
and how the war was going, and Uriah answered that all was well.
David then said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and bathe your feet.”
Uriah left the palace,
and a portion was sent out after him from the king’s table.
But Uriah slept at the entrance of the royal palace
with the other officers of his lord, and did not go down
to his own house.
David was told that Uriah had not gone home.
On the day following, David summoned him,
and he ate and drank with David, who made him drunk.
But in the evening Uriah went out to sleep on his bed
among his lord’s servants, and did not go down to his home.
The next morning David wrote a letter to Joab
which he sent by Uriah.
In it he directed:
“Place Uriah up front, where the fighting is fierce.
Then pull back and leave him to be struck down dead.”
So while Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah
to a place where he knew the defenders were strong.
When the men of the city made a sortie against Joab,
some officers of David’s army fell,
and among them Uriah the Hittite died.
Responsorial Psalm
51:3-4, 5-6a, 6bcd-7, 10-11
R. (see 3a) Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
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. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
For I acknowledge my offense,
and my sin is before me always:
“Against you only have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight.”
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
I have done such evil in your sight
that you are just in your sentence,
blameless when you condemn.
True, I was born guilty,
a sinner, even as my mother conceived me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Let me hear the sounds of joy and gladness;
the bones you have crushed shall rejoice.
Turn away your face from my sins,
and blot out all my guilt.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Gospel
Mk 4:26-34
Jesus said to the crowds:
“This is how it is with the Kingdom of God;
it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land
and would sleep and rise night and day
and the seed would sprout and grow,
he knows not how.
Of its own accord the land yields fruit,
first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once,
for the harvest has come.”
He said,
“To what shall we compare the Kingdom of God,
or what parable can we use for it?
It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground,
is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth.
But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants
and puts forth large branches,
so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.”
With many such parables
he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it.
Without parables he did not speak to them,
but to his own disciples he explained everything in private.
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The best, the surest , and the most effective way of establishing everlasting peace on the face of the earth is through the great power of perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament." -- Pope John Paul II
Tomorrow is Candlemas Day. Get your candles ready. They have to be at least 51% beeswax.
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Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. The month of February has been primarily asociated with the holy Family, probably due to the feast of Our Lord's presentation at the temple, celebrated on February 2. At the very outset of Christ's work on earth, God showed the world a family in which, as Pope Leo XIII teaches, "all men might behold a perfect model of domestic life, and of all virtue and holiness." The harmony, unity, and holiness which characterized this holy Family make it the model for all Christian families.
INVOCATION
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph most kind, Bless us now and in death's agony.
FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE HOLY FAMILY
Grant unto us, Lord Jesus, ever to follow the example of Thy holy Family, that in the hour of our death Thy glorious Virgin Mother together with blessed Joseph may come to meet us and we may be worthily received by Thee into everlasting dwellings: who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.
Roman Missal
CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY FAMILY
O Jesus, our most loving Redeemer, who having come to enlighten the world with Thy teaching and example, didst will to pass the greater part of Thy life in humility and subjection to Mary and Joseph in the poor home of Nazareth, thus sanctifying the Family that was to be an example for all Christian families, graciously receive our family as it dedicates and consecrates itself to Thee this day. Do Thou defend us, guard us and establish amongst us Thy holy fear, true peace, and concord in Christian love: in order that, by conforming ourselves to the divine pattern of Thy family, we may be able, all of us without exception, to attain to eternal happiness.
Mary, dear Mother of Jesus and Mother of us, by thy kindly intercession make this our humble offering acceptable in the sight of Jesus, and obtain for us His graces and blessings.
O Saint Joseph, most holy guardian of Jesus and Mary, assist us by thy prayers in all our spiritual and temporal necessities; that so we may be enabled to praise our divine Savior Jesus, together with Mary and thee, for all eternity.
Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be, three times.
IN HONOR OF THE HOLY FAMILY
O God, heavenly Father, it was part of Thine eternal decree that Thine only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, should form a holy family with Mary, His blessed mother, and His foster father, Saint Joseph. In Nazareth home life was sanctified, and a perfect example was given to every Christian family. Grant, we beseech Thee, that we may fully comprehend and faithfully imitate the virtues of the Holy Family so that we may be united with them one day in their heavenly glory. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954
The Redemption and Protection of the Family [Feast of the Holy Family]
Vatican creche to place Holy Family in Joseph's carpentry workshop
Lots of Graphics: Post your favorite image of the St. Mary and Child, the Holy Family...
From: 2 Samuel 11:1-4a, 5-10a, 13-17
David’s Sin
[1] In the spring of the year, the time when kings go forth to battle,
David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they
ravaged the Ammonites, and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at
Jerusalem.
[2] It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch
and was walking upon the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from
the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. [3] And
David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is not this
Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” [4a]
So David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he
lay with her. Then she returned to her house. [5] And the woman
conceived; and she sent and told David, “I am with child.”
[6] So David sent word to Joab, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab
sent Uriah to David. [7] When Uriah came to him, David asked how Joab
was doing, and how the people fared, and how the war prospered. [8]
Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house, and wash your feet.”
And Uriah went out of the king’s house, and there followed him a
present from the king. [9] But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s
house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his
house. [10a] (When) they told David, “Uriah did not go down to his
house.” [13] And David invited him, and he ate in his presence and
drank, so that he made him drunk; and in the evening he went out to
lie on his couch with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down
to his house.
[14] In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the
hand of Uriah. [15] In the letter he wrote, “Set Uriah in the
forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, that
he may be struck down, and die.” [16] And as Joab was besieging the
city, he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew there were valiant
men. [17] And the men of the city came out and fought with Joab; and
some of the servants of David among the people fell. Uriah the Hittite
was slain also.
Commentary:
11-12:25. The birth of Solomon, chosen by God to be the first and
greatest of David’s successors (12:20-25), is preceded by the drama
that results from the gravest sins committed by David. The book of
Chronicles, perhaps in a desire not to tarnish the image of David,
makes no mention of David’s adultery. But the book of Samuel reports
it in detail; by so doing it shows that salvation history is not the
result of the merits and virtues of its protagonists, but of the mercy
of God who forgives sins and always keeps his project of salvation on
track. Here we see David, like Adam, and despite all God has given
him, yielding to temptation and committing the two most grievous sins,
the only sins punishable by death both in Israel and among its
neighbors—murder and adultery. And yet as also happened in the case
of Adam, the mercy of God prevails and David finds his way again. Once
he has repented and been pardoned he will have another son by
Bathsheba, “by the wife of Uriah” (Mt 1:6), but this time within
marriage, thereby fulfilling the prophecy of Nathan. This son, Solomon
called by Nathan “Jedidiah” that is, “beloved of the Lord” (12:25),
will be the first link in the “sons of David” and will mark the start
of hope in a future Messiah.
11:1-27. David’s grave sin involves three actions—adultery (vv. 1-5),
the scheme to cover up evidence of that sin and avoid the penalty
attaching to it (vv. 6-13), and his decision to get rid of Uriah (vv. 14-24).
The adultery is reported very plainly, just enough to identify David
as the father of the child. The text also shows in a veiled way (by
referring to Bathsheba’s imprudence in bathing within sight of the
king) that she herself is not an innocent party. Thus there is a
marked analogy between this sin and that of Adam and Eve. The woman
who will play an important part in the life of Solomon also had an
active role from the very start of her relationship with David. The
image of the idle king, exposed to the onslaught of passion, is used
in Christian tradition as a warning about the need to keep one’s
senses under control in order to avoid falling into other sins. “The
appetites are inflamed by the sensuality of the gaze, and our eyes,
used to looking lustfully at our neighbor because we are so idle,
spark impure desires” (Clement of Alexandria, “Paedagogus”, 3, 77, 1).
And [St] J. Escrivá writes: “The eyes! Through them many iniquities
enter the soul. So many experiences like David’s !—If you guard your
sight you will have assured the guard of your heart” (”The Way”, 183).
The account goes into more detail when describing the malice of the
king as he makes every effort to ensure that his good name is not
sullied: he twice tries to get Uriah to go down to his house (“wash
your feet”: v. 8 is a euphemism for marital relations) and, when he
sees that he cannot make Uriah responsible for Bathsheba’s pregnancy,
he decides to arrange for him to die in battle. It is the worst sort
of cynicism a king could be guilty of. The death of Uriah (vv. 16-17),
one of the best and most loyal soldiers in the army, marks the climax
of David’s sin: the murderer has planned a perfect crime which hides
his own part in that crime and will also cover up his earlier
adultery. His accomplice in this sordid business is Joab, his cold and
unscrupulous lieutenant who is interested only in his personal
advantage (vv. 19-21) and who has nothing to lose.
Everything seemed to go smoothly once Bathsheba was installed in the
palace as the king’s wife and gave birth to her son. But David, as
Adam was in the first days, is unmasked by the Lord: just when the
cover-up seems to have worked, a severe divine sentence is pronounced:
“the thing that David had done displeased the Lord” (v. 27).
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.
From: Mark 4:26-34
Parables of the Seed and of the Mustard Seed
[26] And He (Jesus) said, “The Kingdom of God is as if a man should
scatter seed upon the ground, [27] and should sleep and rise night and
day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he knows not how. [28] The
earth produces of itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full
grain in the ear. [29] But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in
the sickle, because the harvest is come.”
[30] And He said, “With what can we compare the Kingdom of God, or what
parable shall we use for it? [31] It is like a grain of mustard seed,
which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on
earth; [32] yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of
all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air
can make nests in its shade.”
The End of the Parables Discourse
[33] With many such parables He spoke the word to them, as they were
able to hear it; [34] He did not speak to them without a parable, but
privately to His own disciples He explained everything.
Commentary:
26-29. Farmers spare no effort to prepare the ground for the sowing;
but once the grain is sown there is nothing more they can do until the
harvest; the grain develops by itself. Our Lord uses this comparison
to describe the inner strength that causes the Kingdom of God on earth
to grow up to the day of harvest (cf. Joel 3:13 and Revelation 14:15),
that is, the day of the Last Judgment.
Jesus is telling His disciples about the Church: the preaching of the
Gospel, the generously sown seed, will unfailingly yield its fruit,
independently of who sows or who reaps: it is God who gives the growth
(cf. 1 Corinthians 3:5-9). It will all happen “he knows not how”,
without men being fully aware of it.
The Kingdom of God also refers to the action of grace in each soul: God
silently works a transformation in us, whether we sleep or watch,
causing resolutions to take shape in our soul—resolutions to be
faithful, to surrender ourselves, to respond to grace—until we reach
“mature manhood” (cf. Ephesians 4:13). Even though it is necessary for
man to make this effort, the real initiative lies with God, “because it
is the Holy Spirit who, with His inspirations, gives a supernatural
tone to our thoughts, desires and actions. It is He who leads us to
receive Christ’s teaching and to assimilate it in a profound way. It
is He who gives us the light by which we perceive our personal calling
and the strength to carry out all that God expects of us. If we are
docile to the Holy Spirit, the image of Christ will be found more and
more fully in us, and we will be brought closer every day to God the
Father. `For whoever are led by the Spirit of God, they are the
children of God’ (Romans 8:14)” ([St] J. Escriva, “Christ Is Passing By”,
135).
30-32. The main meaning of this parable has to do with the contrast
between the great and the small. The seed of the Kingdom of God on
earth is something very tiny to begin with (Luke 12:32; Acts 1:15); but
it will grow to be a big tree. Thus we see how the small initial group
of disciples grows in the early years of the Church (cf Acts 2:47; 6:7;
12:24), and spreads down the centuries and becomes a great multitude
“which no man could number” (Revelation 7:9). This mysterious growth
which our Lord refers to also occurs in each soul: “the Kingdom of God
is in the midst of you” (Luke 17:21); we can see a prediction of this
in the words of Psalm 92:12: “The righteous grow like a cedar in
Lebanon.” To allow the mercy of God to exalt us, to make us grow, we
must make ourselves small, humble (Ezekiel 17:22-24; Luke 18:9-14).
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.
| First reading | 2 Samuel 11:1 - 17 © |
|---|---|
| At the turn of the year, the time when kings go campaigning, David sent Joab and with him his own guards and the whole of Israel. They massacred the Ammonites and laid siege to Rabbah. David, however, remained in Jerusalem. It happened towards evening when David had risen from his couch and was strolling on the palace roof, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; the woman was very beautiful. David made inquiries about this.woman and was told, ‘Why, that is Bathsheba, Eliam’s daughter, the wife of Uriah the Hittite’. Then David sent messengers and had her brought. She came to him, and he slept with her; now she had just purified herself from her courses. She then went home again. The woman conceived and sent word to David; ‘I am with child’. Then David sent Joab a message, ‘Send me Uriah the Hittite’, whereupon Joab sent Uriah to David. When Uriah came into his presence, David asked after Joab and the army and how the war was going. David then said to Uriah, ‘Go down to your house and enjoy yourself. Uriah left the palace, and was followed by a present from the king’s table. Uriah however slept by the palace door with his master’s bodyguard and did not go down to his house. This was reported to David; ‘Uriah’ they said ‘did not go down to his house’. So David asked Uriah, ‘Have you not just arrived from a journey? Why do you not go to your home?’ The next day David invited him to eat and drink in his presence and made him drunk. In the evening Uriah went out and lay on his couch with his master’s bodyguard, but he did not go down to his house. Next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by Uriah. In the letter he wrote, ‘Station Uriah in the thick of the fight and then fall back behind him so that he may be struck down and die’. Joab, then besieging the town, posted Uriah in a place where he knew there were fierce fighters. The men of the town sallied out and engaged Joab; the army suffered casualties, including some of David’s bodyguard; and Uriah the Hittite was killed too. |
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| Psalm or canticle: Psalm 50 |
| Gospel | Mark 4:26 - 34 © |
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| Jesus said, ‘This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man throws seed on the land. Night and day, while he sleeps, when he is awake, the seed is sprouting and growing; how, he does not know. Of its own accord the land produces first the shoot, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the crop is ready, he loses no time: he starts to reap because the harvest has come.’ He also said, ‘What can we say the kingdom of God is like? What parable can we find for it? It is like a mustard seed which at the time of its sowing in the soil is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet once it is sown it grows into the biggest shrub of them all and puts out big branches so that the birds of the air can shelter in its shade.’ Using many parables like these, he spoke the word to them, so far as they were capable of understanding it. He would not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything to his disciples when they were alone. |
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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 68 (69) |
|---|
| I am consumed with zeal for your house |
| Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. I am stuck in bottomless mud; I am adrift in deep waters and the flood is sweeping me away. I am exhausted with crying out, my throat is parched, my eyes are failing as I look out for my God. Those who hate me for no reason are more than the hairs of my head. They are strong, my persecutors, my lying enemies: they make me give back things I never took. God, you know my weakness: my crimes are not hidden from you. Let my fate not put to shame those who trust in you, Lord, Lord of hosts. Let them not be dismayed on my account, those who seek you, God of Israel. For it is for your sake that I am taunted and covered in confusion: I have become a stranger to my own brothers, a wanderer in the eyes of my mother’s children – because zeal for your house is consuming me, and the taunts of those who hate you fall upon my head. I have humbled my soul with fasting and they reproach me for it. I have made sackcloth my clothing and they make me a byword. The idlers at the gates speak against me; for drinkers of wine, I am the butt of their songs. 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 68 (69) |
|---|
| But I turn my prayer to you, Lord, at the acceptable time, my God. In your great kindness, hear me, and rescue me with your faithful help. Tear me from the mire, before I become stuck; tear me from those who hate me; tear me from the depths of the waters. Do not let the waves overwhelm me; do not let the deep waters swallow me; do not let the well’s mouth engulf me. Hear me, Lord, for you are kind and good. In your abundant mercy, look upon me. Do not turn your face from your servant: I am suffering, so hurry to answer me. Come to my soul and deliver it, rescue me from my enemies’ attacks. You know how I am taunted and ashamed; how I am thrown into confusion. You can see all those who are troubling me. Reproach has shattered my heart – I am sick. I looked for sympathy, but none came; I looked for a consoler but did not find one. They gave me bitterness to eat; when I was thirsty, they gave me vinegar to drink. 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 68 (69) |
|---|
| I am weak and I suffer, but your help, O God, will sustain me. I will praise the name of God in song and proclaim his greatness with praises. This will please the Lord more than oxen, than cattle with their horns and hooves. Let the humble see and rejoice. Seek the Lord, and your heart shall live, for the Lord has heard the needy and has not despised his captive people. Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and all that swims in them. For the Lord will make Sion safe and build up the cities of Judah: there they will live, the land will be theirs. The seed of his servants will inherit the land, and those who love his name will dwell there. 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 | Deuteronomy 31:1 - 23 © |
|---|---|
| The last words of Moses | |
| Moses proceeded to address these words to the whole of Israel, ‘I am one hundred and twenty years old now, and can no longer come and go as I will. The Lord has said to me, “You shall not cross this Jordan”. It is the Lord your God who will cross it at your head to destroy these nations facing you and dispossess them; and Joshua too shall cross at your head, as the Lord has said. The Lord will treat them as he treated Sihon and Og the Amorite kings and their land, destroying them. The Lord will hand them over to you, and you will deal with them in exact accordance with the commandments I have enjoined on you. Be strong, stand firm, have no fear of them, no terror, for the Lord your God is going with you; he will not fail you or desert you.’ Then Moses summoned Joshua and in the presence of all Israel said to him, ‘Be strong, stand firm; you are going with this people into the land the Lord swore to their fathers he would give them; you are to give it into their possession. The Lord himself will lead you; he will be with you; he will not fail you or desert you. Have no fear, do not be disheartened by anything.’ Moses committed this Law to writing and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the Lord’s covenant, and to all the elders of Israel. And Moses gave them this command: ‘At the end of every seven years, at the time fixed for the year of remission, at the feast of Tabernacles, when the whole of Israel comes to look on the face of the Lord your God in the place he chooses, you must proclaim this Law in the hearing of all Israel. Call the people together, men, women, children, and the stranger who lives with you, for them to hear it and learn to fear the Lord your God and keep and observe all the words of this Law. Their children, who as yet do not know it, shall hear it and learn to fear the Lord your God for as long as you live in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess.’ The Lord said to Moses, ‘And now the time draws near when you must die. Summon Joshua and take your stand at the Tent of Meeting, that I may give him his orders.’ And Moses and Joshua came and took their stand at the Tent of Meeting. And the Lord showed himself at the Tent in a pillar of cloud; the pillar of cloud stood at the door of the Tent. He gave Joshua son of Nun this order: ‘Be strong and stand firm, for you are to bring the sons of Israel to the land I swore I would give them, and I myself will be with you.’ |
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A second reading should come here, from the lives of the saints or the writings of the Fathers of the Church, but the reading for today has not yet been added to the Universalis database. Please be patient. One day all readings will be here.
| Concluding Prayer |
|---|
| Almighty and ever-living God, guide our actions and make them pleasing to you, so that in the name of your beloved Son we may overflow with good works. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen. |
| Friday, February 1, 2008 Weekday |
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Sometimes, I wonder how you get the perfect readings posted exactly at the right time.
Good readings and commentary today, thank you.
This was beautiful and perfect as another poster has aleady stated. Thank you.
The readings are planned out according to the three year liturgical calendar. Anyone can access them.
Collect: Lord our God, help us to love you with all our hearts and to love all men as you love them. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Friday of the Fourth Week of Ordinary Time; Feast of St. Brigid, Virgin (Ireland) (NZ, Opt. Mem.)
Old Calendar: St. Ignatius, bishop and martyr;
Surnamed "the Mary of the Gael," St. Brigid was born at Faughart, near Dundalk. She took the veil in her youth and eventually founded the nunnery of Kildare, the first to be erected on Irish soil, thus becoming the spiritual mother of all Irish nuns. Around her name there have been formed hundreds of legends, which could be fittingly described as "the Little Flowers of St. Brigit," the keynote of them all being mercy and pity for the poor.
St. Ignatius' feast, which previously was celebrated today, has been transferred to October 17.
Bridget (Brigid, Bride, Bridey) of Kildare was born around 450 into a Druid family, being the daughter of Dubhthach, court poet to King Loeghaire. At an early age, she decided to become a Christian, and she eventually took vows as a nun. Together with a group of other women, she established a nunnery at Kildare. She was later joined by a community of monks led by Conlaed. Kildare had formerly been a pagan shrine where a sacred fire was kept perpetually burning. Rather than stamping out this pagan flame, Bridget and her nuns kept it burning as a Christian symbol. (This was in keeping with the general process whereby Druidism in Ireland gave way to Christianity with very little opposition, the Druids for the most part saying that their own beliefs were a partial and tentative insight into the nature of God, and that they recognized in Christianity what they had been looking for.) As an abbess, Bridget participated in several Irish councils, and her influence on the policies of the Church in Ireland was considerable. Many stories of her younger days deal with her generosity toward the needy.
Patron: Babies; blacksmiths; boatmen; cattle; chicken farmers; children whose parents are not married; dairymaids; dairy workers; fugitives; infants; Ireland; Leinster; mariners; midwives; milk maids; newborn babies; nuns; poets; poultry farmers; poultry raisers; printing presses; sailors; scholars; travelers; watermen.
Symbols: Abbess; usually holding a lamp or candle; often with a cow nearby.
Things to Do:
Also, I have chosen a variety of sites. By the 4th or 5th post, if the Navarre is available, everyone has received three translations of the readings:
NAB
RSV
and Jerusalem Bibles.
annalex later posts the Douay Rheims and the Latin Vulgare. So everyday you can read five translations and pick the one you like.
In addition I choose reflection sites that are conservative, a little center focused and a couple that are quite liberal. It’s interesting to see the contrast between these interpretations of the liturgical Feast Day and the readings.
The universalis site provides the Daily Office for all. I start with the main one rather than the morining prayer.
Invitatory Psalm
Lauds
Office
Vespers
Compline
It’s interesting to follow along with those too.
annalex has also started posting a new feature — a discussion of the readings by Early Church Fathers. Quite good.
So it’s like a smorgasboard. Pick what you like and walk by the rest.
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Living with Christ Friday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time Mark 4:26-34 Introductory Prayer: Lord, I believe you have called me to strive tirelessly to extend your Kingdom throughout the world. I hope in you because you are the one the Father sent. I love you because you have sent me to be an apostle of your Kingdom. Petition: Lord Jesus, make me an apostle of your Kingdom. 1. Kingdom of God Christ returns to this theme again and again. It was the topic of his first public sermon. He gives us the image of the mustard seed which grows to be the largest of plants, which in turn serves other creatures’ needs. The Kingdom of God is like this. God is king and his Kingdom, like the mustard tree, is a safe haven for us. We can dwell in its shade, rest on its branches, and find protection from evils. All we have to do is be faithful subjects of our King, following his commands and going out to spread the news of his Kingdom to all people. 2. Modest Beginnings We should not get anxious when we do not progress in the spiritual life as fast as we would like. God moves us along little by little. The life of our relationship with Christ does not depend solely on us, but on him. We are like good farmers who do our part to make sure the conditions are good for the seed to grow, but it is the Creator who makes the growth happen. Often we do not perceive the work of God in our souls until much time has passed. However, he is constantly there, pulling out our weeds one at a time, and pushing our virtues to the surface. 3. Called to Greatness Two thousand years ago, Christ’s Church started off like a small mustard seed. It has grown and matured to be a huge plant with many branches. I am one of those branches. Christ brings life to my branch and assigns me a specific task. He calls me to participate in the great mission of his Church. Do I realize and relish how great it is to be a Catholic, how much good the Church does, how I am called to be a link that will bring others to experience the same goodness I have experienced? Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, I am a member of your Mystical Body. I want to partake in your mission of bringing all souls to know and love you. I have found my joy in you, and now I have a burning desire to make it known to all people. Lord, I pray for the courage to keep going, never tiring in the mission. Resolution: I will take a moment in prayer to reflect on how God has worked in my life, making me grow. |
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 50 (51) |
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| God, have mercy on me |
| Take pity on me, Lord, in your mercy; in your abundance of mercy wipe out my guilt. Wash me ever more from my guilt and cleanse me from my sin. For I know how guilty I am: my sin is always before me. Against you, you alone have I sinned, and I have done evil in your sight. Know this, so that you may give just sentence and an unbiased judgement. See, I was conceived in guilt, in sin my mother conceived me; but you love truth in the heart, and deep within me you have shown me your wisdom. You will sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be made clean; you will wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. You will make me hear the sound of joy and gladness; the bones you have crushed will rejoice. Turn your face away from my sins and wipe out all my transgressions; create a pure heart in me, God, put a steadfast spirit into me. Do not send me away from your presence, or withdraw your holy spirit from me; give me again the joy of your salvation, and be ready to strengthen me with your spirit. I will teach the unjust your ways, and the impious will return to you. Free me from the guilt of bloodshed, God, God my saviour, and my voice will glory in your justice. Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will proclaim your praise; for you do not delight in sacrifices: if I offered you a burnt offering, it would not please you. The true sacrifice is a broken spirit: a contrite and humble heart, O God, you will not refuse. Be pleased, Lord, to look kindly on Sion, so that the walls of Jerusalem can be rebuilt, Then indeed you will accept the proper sacrifices, gifts and burnt offerings; then indeed will bullocks be laid upon your altar. 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 | Jeremiah 14 |
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| Lamentation of the people in the time of famine and war | |
| Let my eyes shed tears, night and day, let them never cease, for the daughter of my people is afflicted with a great affliction, with the worst of all wounds. If I go out into the fields – behold, those slain by the sword; if I go into the city – behold, those wasted by famine. Prophet and priest go through the land, they know nothing. Surely you have not rejected Judah, thrust him from you? Surely Sion has not become hateful to your heart? Why have you struck us down beyond all hope of healing? We have looked for peace, but no good came; we have looked for the time of healing, but trouble came instead. We acknowledge, O Lord, our wickedness, and the evil done by our fathers: we acknowledge that we have sinned. Do not make us a reproach, for your name’s sake, and do not make us a disgrace before the throne of your glory. Remember the covenant you made with us: do not bring it to an end. 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 99 (100) |
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| Enter the Temple with joy |
| Rejoice in the Lord, all the earth. Exult in his presence and serve him with joy. Know that the Lord is God. He made us and we are his – his people, the sheep of his flock. Cry out his praises as you enter his gates, fill his courtyards with songs. Proclaim him and bless his name; for the Lord is our delight. His mercy lasts for ever, his faithfulness through all the ages. 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 Corinthians 12:9 - 10 © |
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| I shall be very happy to make my weaknesses my special boast so that the power of Christ may stay over me, and that is why I am quite content with my weaknesses, and with insults, hardships, persecutions, and the agonies I go through for Christ’s sake. For it is when I am weak that I am strong. | |
| Canticle | Benedictus |
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| The Messiah and his forerunner | |
| Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and brought about their redemption. He has raised up the sign of salvation in the house of his servant David, as he promised through the mouth of the holy ones, his prophets through the ages: to rescue us from our enemies and all who hate us, to take pity on our fathers, to remember his holy covenant and the oath he swore to Abraham our father, that he would give himself to us, that we could serve him without fear – freed from the hands of our enemies – in uprightness and holiness before him, for all of our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High: for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his path, to let his people know their salvation, so that their sins may be forgiven. Through the bottomless mercy of our God, one born on high will visit us to give light to those who walk in darkness, who live in the shadow of death; to lead our feet in the path of peace. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
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| Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. |
| Almighty Father, let your light soak deeply into our minds. Stepping forward in the light of your commandments, may we follow you always, our leader and our guide. 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 |
Yes, I know about the liturgical calendar for readings. I’m just amazed,sometimes, about how closely the readings seem to match with just what I need to focus on.
Thanks, Sal, for everything.
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