<< Sunday, July 12, 2009 >>

15th Sunday Ordinary Time
Saint of the Day

Amos 7:12-15
Ephesians 1:3-14
View Readings

Psalm 85:9-14
Mark 6:7-13

THE "IN" CROWD

"In Him..." —Ephesians 1:4, 11, 13

St. Paul is completely preoccupied with being in Jesus. In today's passage from Ephesians, Paul mentions benefits and blessings that come from being in Jesus numerous times in twelve verses. Paul is underscoring the critical differences of our location: it makes an eternal difference whether we live our life in Jesus or outside of Jesus. Paul proclaims that in Jesus we:

have "every spiritual blessing in the heavens" (Eph 1:3),
have been "chosen" before the world began, to be holy and blameless (Eph 1:4, 11, 13),
have been chosen "to be full of love" (Eph 1:4),
have "glorious favor...bestowed on us" (Eph 1:6), and
"have been redeemed and our sins forgiven" (Eph 1:7).

The best way to be in Jesus is to have Jesus in you. Most of you have received the eucharistic Jesus today. Jesus reveals that the person "who feeds on My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me," and He will remain in them (Jn 6:56; see also Jn 17:23).

However, in our God-given free will, we can choose to not be in Jesus, but rather be separated from Him. As the song goes, we can go through life saying, "I did it my way." There's a place for those who have chosen not to be in Jesus. "This state of definitive self-exclusion from communion with God and the blessed is called 'hell' " (Catechism, 1033).

Jesus says: "Live on in Me" (Jn 15:4). What's your choice?

Prayer: Jesus, of my own choice, I tell You: the life I live now is not my own. I want You to always live in me (Gal 2:19-20).

Promise: "The Lord Himself will give His benefits." —Ps 85:13

Praise: Praise the risen Jesus, Who freely chose to leave the glory of heaven to suffer on earth for our salvation.

Compline -- Night Prayer

Compline (Night Prayer)

Introduction
O God, come to my aid. O Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Alleluia.

This is an excellent moment for an examination of conscience. In a communal celebration of Compline, one of the penitential acts given in the Missal may be recited.

Hymn
Now that the daylight dies away, By all thy grace and love, Thee, Maker of the world, we pray To watch our bed above. Let dreams depart and phantoms fly, The offspring of the night, Keep us, like shrines, beneath thine eye, Pure in our foe’s despite. This grace on thy redeemed confer, Father, co-equal Son, And Holy Ghost, the Comforter, Eternal Three in One.

Psalm 90 (91) The protection of the Most High
He will shade you with his wings; you will not fear the terror of the night. He who lives under the protection of the Most High dwells under the shade of the Almighty. He will say to the Lord: “You are my shelter and my strength, my God, in whom I trust.” For he will free you from the hunter’s snare, from the voice of the slanderer. He will shade you with his wings, you will hide underneath his wings. His faithfulness will be your armour and your shield. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day; nor the plague that walks in the shadows, nor the death that lays waste at noon. A thousand will fall at your side, at your right hand ten thousand will fall, but you it will never come near. You will look with your eyes and see the reward of sinners. For the Lord is your shelter and refuge; you have made the Most High your dwelling-place. Evil will not reach you, harm cannot approach your tent; for he has set his angels to guard you and keep you safe in all your ways. They will carry you in their arms in case you hurt your foot on a stone. You walk on the viper and cobra, you will tread on the lion and the serpent. Because he clung to me, I shall free him: I shall lift him up because he knows my name. He will call upon me and for my part, I will hear him: I am with him in his time of trouble. I shall rescue him and lead him to glory. I shall fill him with length of days and show him my salvation. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. He will shade you with his wings; you will not fear the terror of the night.

Psalm 90 (91)
The protection of the Most High

He will shade you with his wings; you will not fear the terror of the night.

He who lives under the protection of the Most High

dwells under the shade of the Almighty.

He will say to the Lord:

“You are my shelter and my strength,

my God, in whom I trust.”

For he will free you from the hunter’s snare,

from the voice of the slanderer.

He will shade you with his wings,

you will hide underneath his wings.

His faithfulness will be your armour and your shield.

You will not fear the terror of the night,

nor the arrow that flies by day;

nor the plague that walks in the shadows,

nor the death that lays waste at noon.

A thousand will fall at your side,

at your right hand ten thousand will fall,

but you it will never come near.

You will look with your eyes

and see the reward of sinners.

For the Lord is your shelter and refuge;

you have made the Most High your dwelling-place.

Evil will not reach you,

harm cannot approach your tent;

for he has set his angels to guard you

and keep you safe in all your ways.

They will carry you in their arms

in case you hurt your foot on a stone.

You walk on the viper and cobra,

you will tread on the lion and the serpent.

Because he clung to me, I shall free him:

I shall lift him up because he knows my name.

He will call upon me and for my part, I will hear him:

I am with him in his time of trouble.

I shall rescue him and lead him to glory.

I shall fill him with length of days

and show him my salvation.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

He will shade you with his wings; you will not fear the terror of the night.

Reading	Apocalypse 22:4-5
They will see the face of the Lord, and his name will be marked on their foreheads. There will be no more night: they will not need sunlight or lamp-light, because the Lord God himself will shine upon them. And they will reign for ever and ever.

Short Responsory
Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. – Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. You have redeemed us, Lord, God of faithfulness. – Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. – Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

Canticle	Nunc Dimittis
Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace. Now, Master, you let your servant go in peace. You have fulfilled your promise. My own eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all peoples. A light to bring the Gentiles from darkness; the glory of your people Israel. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace.

Canticle

Nunc Dimittis

Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace.

Now, Master, you let your servant go in peace.

You have fulfilled your promise.

My own eyes have seen your salvation,

which you have prepared in the sight of all peoples.

A light to bring the Gentiles from darkness;

the glory of your people Israel.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace.

Let us pray.

Today we have celebrated the mystery of the Christ’s resurrection, and so now we humbly ask you, Lord, that we may rest in your peace, far from all harm, and rise rejoicing and giving praise to you.

Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

May the almighty Lord grant us a quiet night and a perfect end.

A M E N

	Salve Regina
Hail to you, O Queen, mother of loving kindness, our life, our happiness, our hope. Hear us cry out to you, children of Eve in our exile. Hear as we sigh, with groaning and weeping in this life, this valley of tears. Come then, our Advocate, turn towards us the gaze of your kind and loving eyes. And show us Jesus, the blessed fruit of your womb, when at last our exile here is ended.

Salve Regina

Hail to you, O Queen, mother of loving kindness,

our life, our happiness, our hope.

Hear us cry out to you,

children of Eve in our exile.

Hear as we sigh, with groaning and weeping

in this life, this valley of tears.

Come then, our Advocate, turn towards us

the gaze of your kind and loving eyes.

And show us Jesus, the blessed fruit of your womb,

when at last our exile here is ended.

One Bread, One Body

THE "IN" CROWD

Compline (Night Prayer)

A M E N