Catholic Caucus: Sunday Mass Readings, 08-30-09, Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

USCCB.org/New American Bible ^ | 08-30-09 | New American Bible

[Salvation]

August 30, 2009

Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 Responsorial Psalm Reading 2 Gospel

Reading 1
Dt 4:1-2, 6-8

Moses said to the people:
“Now, Israel, hear the statutes and decrees
which I am teaching you to observe,
that you may live, and may enter in and take possession of the land
which the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you.
In your observance of the commandments of the LORD, your God,
which I enjoin upon you,
you shall not add to what I command you nor subtract from it.
Observe them carefully,
for thus will you give evidence
of your wisdom and intelligence to the nations,
who will hear of all these statutes and say,
‘This great nation is truly a wise and intelligent people.’
For what great nation is there
that has gods so close to it as the LORD, our God, is to us
whenever we call upon him?
Or what great nation has statutes and decrees
that are as just as this whole law
which I am setting before you today?”

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 15:2-3, 3-4, 4-5

R.  (1a)One who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Whoever walks blamelessly and does justice;
who thinks the truth in his heart
   and slanders not with his tongue.
R.  One who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Who harms not his fellow man,
nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
by whom the reprobate is despised,
while he honors those who fear the LORD.
R.  One who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Who lends not his money at usury
and accepts no bribe against the innocent.
Whoever does these things
shall never be disturbed.
R.  One who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.

Reading II
Jas 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27

Dearest brothers and sisters:
All good giving and every perfect gift is from above,
coming down from the Father of lights,
with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change.
He willed to give us birth by the word of truth
that we may be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you
and is able to save your souls.

Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves.

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this:
to care for orphans and widows in their affliction
and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Gospel
Mk 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem
gathered around Jesus,
they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals
with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands.
—For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews,
do not eat without carefully washing their hands,
keeping the tradition of the elders.
And on coming from the marketplace
they do not eat without purifying themselves.
And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed,
the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds. —
So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him,
“Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders
but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?”
He responded,
“Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written:
This people honors me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines human precepts.
You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.”

He summoned the crowd again and said to them,
“Hear me, all of you, and understand.
Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person;
but the things that come out from within are what defile.

“From within people, from their hearts,
come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder,
adultery, greed, malice, deceit,
licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly.
All these evils come from within and they defile.”

[MIchaelTArchangel]

He responded,
“Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written:
This people honors me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines human precepts.
You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.”

That admonition appears to apply to the display we were forced to witness yesterday in which the allegedly Catholic Archbishop of Boston allowed a Catholic funeral for a pagan who claimed to be Catholic but who taught as doctrine human precepts.

He summoned the crowd again and said to them,
“Hear me, all of you, and understand.
Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person;
but the things that come out from within are what defile.

“From within people, from their hearts
come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder,
adultery, greed, malice, deceit,
licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly.
All these evils come from within and they defile.”

Am I the only one who sees unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, malice, deceit, licentiousness, arrogance, and folly as Kennedy "family values"?

Yes, I know it is impolite to speak ill of the dead. But it is un-Christian to not attempt to teach the living to refrain from committing evil acts.

[Salvation]

We have no idea if Senator Kennedy had a deathbed re-conversion. We cannot judge.

Beginning Catholic: The Anointing of the Sick: Comfort and Healing [Ecumenical]

[Salvation]

Office of Readings and Invitatory Psalm

Office of Readings

If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.

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 103 (104)

Hymn to God the Creator

My Lord God, you are robed in majesty and splendour, wrapped in light as in a cloak. Alleluia.

Bless the Lord, my soul!

  Lord, my God, how great you are!

You are robed in majesty and splendour;

  you are wrapped in light as in a cloak.

You stretch out the sky like an awning,

  you build your palace upon the waters.

You make the clouds your chariot,

  you walk upon the wings of the wind.

You make the breezes your messengers,

  you make burning fire your minister.

You set the earth upon its foundation:

  from age to age it will stand firm.

Deep oceans covered it like a garment,

  and the waters stood high above the mountains;

but you rebuked them and they fled;

  at the sound of your thunder they fled in terror.

They rise to the mountains or sink to the valleys,

  to the places you have decreed for them.

You have given them a boundary they must not cross;

  they will never come back to cover the earth.

You make springs arise to feed the streams,

  that flow in the midst of the mountains.

All the beasts of the field will drink from them

  and the wild asses will quench their thirst.

Above them will nest the birds of the sky,

  from among the branches their voices will sound.

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.

My Lord God, you are robed in majesty and splendour, wrapped in light as in a cloak. Alleluia.

---

Psalm 103 (104)

The Lord brought forth bread from the land, and wine to make man’s heart strong. Alleluia.

From your palace you water the mountains,

  and thus you give plenty to the earth.

You bring forth grass for the cattle,

  and plants for the service of man.

You bring forth bread from the land,

  and wine to make man’s heart rejoice.

Oil, to make the face shine;

  and bread to make man’s heart strong.

The trees of the Lord have all that they need,

  and the cedars of Lebanon, that he planted.

Small birds will nest there,

  and storks at the tops of the trees.

For wild goats there are the high mountains;

  the crags are a refuge for the coneys.

He made the moon so that time could be measured;

  the sun knows the hour of its setting.

You send shadows, and night falls:

  then all the beasts of the woods come out,

lion cubs roaring for their prey,

  asking God for their food.

When the sun rises they come back together

  to lie in their lairs;

man goes out to his labour,

  and works until evening.

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.

The Lord brought forth bread from the land, and wine to make man’s heart strong. Alleluia.

---

Psalm 103 (104)

God saw all that he had made, and indeed it was very good. Alleluia.

How many are your works, O Lord!

  You have made all things in your wisdom,

  and the earth is full of your creatures.

The sea is broad and immense:

  sea-creatures swim there, both small and large,

  too many to count.

Ships sail across it;

  Leviathan lives there, the monster;

  you made him to play with.

All of them look to you

  to give them their food when they need it.

You give it to them, and they gather;

  you open your hand, they are filled with good things.

But turn away, and they are dismayed;

  take away their breath, and they die,

  once more they will turn into dust.

You will send forth your breath, they will come to life;

  you will renew the face of the earth.

Glory be to the Lord, for ever;

  let the Lord rejoice in his works.

He turns his gaze to the earth, and it trembles;

  he touches the mountains, and they smoke.

I will sing to the Lord all my life;

  as long as I exist, I will sing songs to God.

May my praises be pleasing to him;

  truly I will delight in the Lord.

Let sinners perish from the earth,

  let the wicked vanish from existence.

Bless the Lord, my soul!

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.

God saw all that he had made, and indeed it was very good. Alleluia.

---

Happy are your eyes, because they see.

– Happy are your ears, because they hear.

---

Reading

Jeremiah 11:18-20,12:1-13 ©

The Lord revealed it to me; I was warned. O Lord, that was when you opened my eyes to their scheming. I for my part was like a trustful lamb being led to the slaughter-house, not knowing the schemes they were plotting against me, ‘Let us destroy the tree in its strength, let us cut him off from the land of the living, so that his name may be quickly forgotten!’ But you, the Lord of Hosts, who pronounce a just sentence, who probe the loins and heart, let me see the vengeance you will take on them, for I have committed my cause to you. You have right on your side, O Lord, when I complain about you. But I would like to debate a point of justice with you. Why is it that the wicked live so prosperously? Why do scoundrels enjoy peace? You plant them, they take root, and flourish, and even bear fruit. You are always on their lips, yet so far from their hearts. You know me, O Lord, you see me, you probe my heart, it is in your hands. Drag them off like sheep for the slaughter-house, reserve them for the day of butchery. How long will the land be in mourning, and the grass wither all over the countryside? The animals and birds are dying as a result of the wickedness of the inhabitants. For they say, ‘God does not see our behaviour.’ If you find it exhausting to race against men on foot, how will you compete against horses? If you are not secure in a peaceful country, how will you manage in the thickets along the Jordan? Yes, even your own brothers and your own family play you false. Behind your back, they too criticise you openly. Put no reliance on them when they seem to be friendly. I have abandoned my house, left my heritage, I have delivered what I dearly loved into the hands of its enemies. For me my heritage has become a lion in the forest, it roars at me ferociously: so I now hate it. Or is my heritage a speckled bird for the birds to flock on her thus from all directions? Come on, all you wild beasts, gather round, fall on the quarry! Many shepherds have laid my vineyard waste, have trampled down my inheritance, reducing my pleasant inheritance to a deserted wilderness. They have made it a mournful, desolate place, desolate before me. The whole land has been devastated and no one takes it to heart. The devastators have arrived on all the bare heights of the desert (for the Lord wields a sword that devours): from end to end of the land there is no peace for any living thing. Wheat they have sown, thorns they reap: they have worn themselves out, to no profit. They are disappointed in their harvests, through the fury of the Lord.

---

Reading	From a sermon by Saint Augustine, bishop
The Lord has had pity on us
Happy are we if we do the deeds of which we have heard and sung. Our hearing of them means having them planted in us, while our doing them shows that the seed has borne fruit. By saying this, I wish to caution you, dearly beloved, not to enter the Church fruitlessly, satisfied with mere hearing of such mighty blessings and failing to do good works. For we have been saved by his grace, says the Apostle, and not by our works, lest anyone may boast; for it is by his grace that we have been saved. It is not as if a good life of some sort came first, and that thereupon God showed his love and esteem for it from on high, saying: “Let us come to the aid of these men and assist them quickly because they are living a good life.” No, our life was displeasing to him. He will, therefore, condemn what we have done but he will save what he himself has done in us.   We were not good, but God had pity on us and sent his Son to die, not for good men but for bad ones, not for the just but for the wicked. Yes, Christ died for the ungodly. Notice what is written next: One will hardly die for a righteous man, though perhaps for a good man one will dare even to die. Perhaps someone can be found who will dare to die for a good man; but for the unjust man, for the wicked one, the sinner, who would be willing to die except Christ alone who is so just that he justifies even the unjust?   And so, my brothers, we had no good works, for all our works were evil. Yet although men’s actions were such, God in his mercy did not abandon men. He sent his Son to redeem us, not with gold or silver but at the price of his blood poured out for us. Christ, the spotless lamb, became the sacrificial victim, led to the slaughter for the sheep that were blemished – if indeed one can say that they were blemished and not entirely corrupt. Such is the grace we have received! Let us live so as to be worthy of that great grace, and not do injury to it. So mighty is the physician who has come to us that he has healed all our sins! If we choose to be sick once again, we will not only harm ourselves, but show ingratitude to the physician as well.   Let us then follow Christ’s paths which he has revealed to us, above all the path of humility, which he himself became for us. He showed us that path by his precepts, and he himself followed it by his suffering on our behalf. In order to die for us – because as God he could not die – the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. The immortal One took on mortality that he might die for us, and by dying put to death our death. This is what the Lord did, this the gift he granted to us. The mighty one was brought low, the lowly one was slain, and after he was slain, he rose again and was exalted. For he did not intend to leave us dead in hell, but to exalt in himself at the resurrection of the dead those whom he had already exalted and made just by the faith and praise they gave him. Yes, he gave us the path of humility. If we keep to it we shall confess our belief in the Lord and have good reason to sing: We shall praise you, God, we shall praise you and call upon your name.

---

Hymn

Te Deum

God, we praise you; Lord, we proclaim you! You, the Father, the eternal – all the earth venerates you. All the angels, all the heavens, every power – The cherubim, the seraphim – unceasingly, they cry: “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts: heaven and earth are full of the majesty of your glory!” The glorious choir of Apostles – The noble ranks of prophets – The shining army of martyrs – all praise you. Throughout the world your holy Church proclaims you. – Father of immeasurable majesty, – True Son, only-begotten, worthy of worship, – Holy Spirit, our Advocate. You, Christ: – You are the king of glory. – You are the Father’s eternal Son. – You, to free mankind, did not disdain a Virgin’s womb. – You defeated the sharp spear of Death, and opened the kingdom of heaven to those who believe in you. – You sit at God’s right hand, in the glory of the Father. – You will come, so we believe, as our Judge. And so we ask of you: give help to your servants, whom you set free at the price of your precious blood. Number them among your chosen ones in eternal glory. Bring your people to safety, Lord, and bless those who are your inheritance. Rule them and lift them high for ever. Day by day we bless you, Lord: we praise you for ever and for ever. Of your goodness, Lord, keep us without sin for today. Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us. Let your pity, Lord, be upon us, as much as we trust in you. In you, Lord, I trust: let me never be put to shame.

---

Concluding Prayer

God of power and might, all that is perfect belongs to you.

  Fill us with love of your name:

  increase our zeal and nourish what is good in us;

  watch over us and preserve what you have nourished.

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.

[Salvation]

Have they started putting up the text for these? I can’t seem to watch the videos. I have no judgment about them.

[Salvation]

Catholic Culture

Daily Readings (on USCCB site):
» August 30, 2009
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Collect: Almighty God, every good thing comes from you. Fill our hearts with love for you, increase our faith, and by your constant care protect the good you have given us. 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.

« August 30, 2009 »

Twenty-Second Sunday of Ordinary Time
Old Calendar: Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost #cal_links li { padding: 0px; }

 

• ACTIVITIES
  • » Confession Catechesis
    » Examination of Conscience
    » Examination of Conscience for Children
    

And he called the people to him again, and said to them, "Hear me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside a man which by going into him can defile him; but the things which come out of a man are what defile him." For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, fornication, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a man (Mark 7:14-15, 21-23)."

---

Sunday Readings
The first reading is taken from the Book of Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8 in which the chosen people are urged to carry out the laws God gave them. If they do, they will give good example to the pagan peoples among whom they live, and will make these pagans see how good God is to His chosen people.

The second reading is from the Letter of James 1:17-18, 21-22, 27. St. James exhorts us to be Christians in practice, not in theory; to "do", to live according to the law laid down for us.

The Gospel is from St. Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23. When Christ came on earth the Scribes and Pharisees were the religious leaders of the Jews. The Scribes, so called because of their knowledge of the Mosaic Law and the traditions added on to it, were the elite among the Pharisees who prided themselves on their strict, rigorous observance of the Law and the human traditions. The Pharisees had no time or no understanding for their fellow-Jews who often violated the scribal traditions — and even the Law of Moses itself sometimes. For this reason they kept themselves apart from the ordinary people and developed a proud superiority complex. They performed many acts of virtue but their pride and sense of self-sufficiency vitiated their good deeds (see the description of the Pharisee and the tax-gatherer in the temple, in Lk. 18: 10-14). The opposition of the Pharisees and Scribes to Jesus began very early in his public life. It grew in strength daily until, with the help of the Sadducees, their arch-opponents, they finally nailed him to the cross.

The main reason why they opposed him so bitterly was his mercy, kindness and understanding for sinners. He ate with tax-gatherers and made one of them, Levi, an Apostle. He forgave the adultress and many, many others. While he certainly did not approve of sin, he never uttered a hard word against any sinner. He had come, as he said, to call sinners to himself and to repentance. This he did all through his public life. He objected to the Pharisees, not because of their strict observance of the Mosaic Law nor of their insistence on human traditions — although they sometimes carried this to an intolerable extreme. He objected because they despised the lowly people, the uneducated in the law and traditions — those, in other words, who did not belong to their own exclusive class. To the Pharisees all these were "sinners," while they themselves had the worst sin of all — the original sin of mankind, the sin of pride.

In today's encounter with the Pharisees, Jesus tells them that they are hypocrites: "they honor God with their lips but their heart is far from God"; they obey the Law and the traditions, not to please God, but to be seen and admired by men; their motive, self-glorification, vitiates every otherwise good act they perform. Christ then addresses the people — the crowds who most likely had overheard his dialog with the Pharisees — and he tells them that it is not legal or cultic uncleanliness that matters, but cleanliness of the heart before God. Eating with unwashed hands, or using unwashed vessels for drinking, does not defile a man, this does not make him less worthy before God. It is not from things outside him that a man incurs defilement but from his own innermost self. Every serious sin against God and neighbor has its beginning within a man, in his intellect and will; the evil design is the forerunner and instigator of the evil deed.

The Pharisees should have known all this. They did know it. They knew very well that before a man breaks any of the commandments of God he must first plan and decide to break it; it was not their theology that was defective but their practice. They despised their neighbors and called fellowmen "sinners," because through ignorance they violated many of the man-made precepts the Pharisees had added to the Law of Moses. There were also fellow-Jews of theirs who violated the law itself, but it was not their right to judge or condemn much less excommunicate them, as they so often did in practice.

Christ condemned the Pharisees by word and deed. He was merciful, kind and understanding to all sinners. He forgave sin and promised forgiveness to all who would repent of their past misdeeds. Not only that: for he left to his followers for all time his sacrament of mercy and forgiveness, by means of which they could have their sins forgiven by his minister, acting in his name. Should we ever forget all he has done for us and disobey in a serious way any of his commandments, let us remember that we are not excluded from his company as the sinners were excluded by the Pharisees: we have banged the door on ourselves but he has given us the key with which to reopen it. Let us never be so foolish as to fail to use that key.

Excerpted from The Sunday Readings by Fr. Kevin O'Sullivan, O.F.M.

[Salvation]

Lauds -- Morning Prayer

Morning Prayer (Lauds)

If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.

O God, come to my aid.

– O Lord, make haste to help me.

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

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

  world without end.

Amen. Alleluia.

---

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 117 (118)

A cry of rejoicing and triumph

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Alleluia.

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.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Alleluia.

---

Canticle	Daniel 3
Let every creature praise the Lord
Let us sing a hymn to our God. Alleluia.
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.
Let us sing a hymn to our God. Alleluia.

---

Psalm 150

Praise the Lord

Praise the Lord for all his greatness. Alleluia.

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.

Praise the Lord for all his greatness. Alleluia.

---

Short reading	Ezekiel 36:25-27 ©
I shall pour clean water over you and you will be cleansed; I shall cleanse you of all your defilement and all your idols. I shall give you a new heart, and put a new spirit in you; I shall remove the heart of stone from your bodies and give you a heart of flesh instead. I shall put my spirit in you, and make you keep my laws and sincerely respect my observances.

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Canticle	Benedictus
The Messiah and his forerunner
Accept and submit to the word which has been planted in you and can save your souls.
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.
Accept and submit to the word which has been planted in you and can save your souls.

---

Prayers and Intercessions

?

Let us give thanks to our Saviour who came down into this world as God in our midst. Let us cry out to him: – Christ, king of glory, be our light and our joy! Christ our Lord, you are the light dawning from on high, the first-fruits of the resurrection that is to come:   may we not remain in shadow but follow you and walk in the light of true life. – Christ, king of glory, be our light and our joy! Make us perceive your goodness in every created thing,   so that we see your glory wherever we look. – Christ, king of glory, be our light and our joy! Lord, do not let evil defeat us today,   but may we, armed with goodness, defeat evil ourselves. – Christ, king of glory, be our light and our joy! You were baptized in Jordan and anointed with the Holy Spirit:   make us give thanks to that same Spirit today. – Christ, king of glory, be our light and our joy!

---

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 who trespass against us,

and lead us not into temptation,

  but deliver us from evil.

---

God of power and might, all that is perfect belongs to you.

  Fill us with love of your name:

  increase our zeal and nourish what is good in us;

  watch over us and preserve what you have nourished.

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

[Infidel Heather]

Agree.

I have had a re-conversion myself, so I certainly cannot condemn him.

I know people prayed for him, and I hope he saw the error of his ways. If so, I hope he is praying in Heaven that his colleagues will see the error of these ways as well.

We should pray for everyone, especially our enemies. This is what our Lord has told us to do anyways.

[Salvation]

** If so, I hope he is praying in Heaven that his colleagues will see the error of these ways as well.**

I doubt that. I think he is probably suffering in Purgatory for a lllloooooooooooonnnnggg time.

[Salvation]

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Mark 7:1-8,14-15,21-23

More and more people were following Jesus.

After all, he reverenced God, taught with authority, and healed everyone who came to him. And the more the people wanted to make Jesus their king, the more his enemies wanted to trap and destroy him.

Then came the moment when some of the Pharisees caught Jesus’ disciples eating food with unwashed hands. This violation mattered to many Jews because this good human tradition had taken on significant meaning as a symbol of purity and detachment from the world. In fact, many Jews believed that this human law had a binding force equal to that of the Torah, the Law of Moses.

Jesus answered their accusations by telling them that it is what is on the inside of a person that counts, not what is on the outside.

As we celebrate the Eucharist today, we can be like those Pharisees, often without even realizing it. It is easy to go through the motions at Mass: saying the prayers, standing and kneeling at the appropriate times, singing out loud, receiving communion, and staying until the end. But these outward displays may or may not reveal what is on the inside. For instance, we may be distracted, tired, preoccupied, holding on to some sin, or just attending this tradition because it is the right thing to do.

What does Jesus want us to have on the inside? Love. He wants his love to be the fire in our hearts that moves us to kneel in humble adoration, to sing with joy, to listen attentively to his word, and to greet everyone with a true desire for their peace and well-being.

So while you are at Mass today, look up at Jesus and see how he loves you. See how his body was broken so that you might be made whole. See how he was put to death so that you might have new life. See how he was enslaved so that you might be set free. Meditation on Jesus will lead you to love him in return for all he did for you. What other response could there possibly be?

“Jesus, reduce me to love!”

Deuteronomy 4:1-2,6-8; Psalm 15:2-5; James 1:17-18,21-22,27

[Salvation]

Vultus Christi

Entrusting to Mary the Priests of the Whole World

By

Father Mark

 on August 29, 2009 5:25 PM |

Our Lady in the Life of the Priest

Pope Benedict XVI has been using every opportunity to promote a fruitful observance of the Year of the Priesthood. Especially noteworthy is the Holy Father's attention to the place of Our Lady in the life of the priest. At the Angelus on the Solemnity of the Assumption, he spoke of the Immaculate Virgin in the experience of Saint John Mary Vianney.

The Curé of Ars and the Parish Priest of Knock

It struck me, after my recent pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady of Knock, that the Marian devotion of the Curé of Ars (1786-1859) had much in common with that of the Parish Priest of Knock, the Venerable Archdeacon Bartholomew Cavanagh (1821-1897). Both priests were devoted to Our Lady in the mystery of her Immaculate Conception; both priests consecrated their parishes to her.

The memorial tablet erected by the grateful parishioners of Knock in honour of Archdeacon Cavanagh could, in fact, describe the Curé of Ars. It reads:

Pray for the soul of the Venerable Archdeacon Cavanagh, Archdeacon of the Chapter of Tuam, and parish of Knock-Aghamore, whose fame, on account of the extraordinary sanctity of his life and his devotion to the Mother of God, was diffused thus far and wide. Unwearying in the Confessional, assiduous in works of piety, he died, full of years and merits, December 9th, 1897, R.I.P.

There is one mistake on the memorial tablet; the Archdeacon died, not on December 9th, but on December 8th, feast of the Immaculate Conception to whom he was so devoted.

Here is the text of the Holy Father's Angelus message:

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Mary Our Mother

In the heart of the month of August, a holiday period for many families and also for me, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin. This is a privileged opportunity to meditate on the ultimate meaning of our existence, helped by today's Liturgy which invites us to live in this world oriented to eternal happiness in order to share in the same glory as Mary, the same joy as our Mother (cf. Collect).

The Example of the Saints

Let us, therefore, turn our gaze to Our Lady, Star of Hope, who illumines us on our earthly journey, and follow the example of the Saints who turned to her in every circumstance.

Priestly Love and Veneration for the Most Holy Virgin

You know that we are celebrating the Year for Priests in remembrance of the Holy Curé d'Ars, and I would like to draw from the thoughts and testimonies of this holy country parish priest some ideas for reflection that will be able to help all of us especially us priests to strengthen our love and veneration for the Most Holy Virgin.

His biographers claim that St John Mary Vianney spoke to Our Lady with devotion and, at the same time, with trust and spontaneity. "The Blessed Virgin", he used to say, "is immaculate and adorned with all the virtues that make her so beautiful and pleasing to the Blessed Trinity" (B. Nodet, Il pensiero e l'anima del Curato d'Ars, Turin 1967, p. 303).

Never Tired of Speaking of Mary to the Faithful

And further: "The heart of this good Mother is nothing but love and mercy, all she wants is to see us happy. To be heard, it suffices to address oneself to her" (ibid., p. 307). The priest's zeal shines through these words. Motivated by apostolic longing, he rejoiced in speaking to his faithful of Mary and never tired of doing so. He could even present a difficult mystery like today's, that of the Assumption, with effective images, such as, for example: "Man was created for Heaven. The devil broke the ladder that led to it. Our Lord, with his Passion, made another.... The Virgin Most Holy stands at the top of the ladder and holds it steady with both hands" (ibid.).

Mary's Beauty

The Holy Curé d'Ars was attracted above all by Mary's beauty, a beauty that coincides with her being Immaculate, the only creature to have been conceived without a shadow of sin.

"The Blessed Virgin", he said, "is that beautiful Creature who never displeased the good Lord" (ibid. p. 306). As a good and faithful pastor, he first of all set an example also in this filial love for the Mother of Jesus by whom he felt drawn toward Heaven. "Were I not to go to Heaven", he exclaimed, "how sorry I should be! I should never see the Blessed Virgin, this most beautiful creature!" (ibid., p. 309).

Marian Consecration

Moreover, on several occasions he consecrated his parish to Our Lady, recommending that mothers in particular do the same, every morning, with their children.

Turn to Mary

Dear brothers and sisters, let us make our own the sentiments of the Holy Curé d'Ars. And with his same faith let us turn to Mary, taken up into Heaven, in a special way entrusting to her the priests of the whole world.

[Salvation]

Vultus Christi

Soon-to-be-Saint Jeanne Jugan

By

Father Mark

 on August 30, 2009 7:45 AM |

Today is the feast of Blessed (and soon to be Saint) Jeanne Jugan (1792-1879), foundress of the Little Sisters of the Poor. Blessed Jeanne Jugan, in religion Soeur Marie de la Croix, will be canonized in Rome on October 11th together with Blessed Damien of Molokai, Blessed Zygmunt Felinski, Blessed Francisco Coll Guitart, and Blessed Rafael Arnaiz Baron. I take this opportunity to thank her daughters for their faithful loving service of the elderly without resources. The Little Sisters of the Poor are especially attentive to the needs of the aged parents of priests. Un tres grand merci, mes chères petite soeurs!

Blessed Jeanne Jugan's Advice for Moments of Crisis

Go and find Him when your patience and strength give out and you feel alone and helpless. Jesus is waiting for you in the chapel. Say to Him, "Jesus, you know exactly what is going on. You are all I have, and you know all. Come to my help.' And then go, and don't worry about how you are going to manage. That you have told God about it is enough. He has a good memory.

[Salvation]

Vultus Christi

A New Monastery: Our Lady of the Cenacle

By

Father Mark

 on August 30, 2009 8:59 AM |

The foundation of the Benedictine Monastery of Our Lady of the Cenacle in the Diocese of Tulsa, Oklahoma is a timely response to the Year of the Priesthood. The following notes present something of the vision for this new monastery under the Rule of Saint Benedict. Please address all inquiries to Father Mark at the address given below.

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR LIFE IN ABUNDANCE

"I came," says Our Lord Jesus, "that they may have life, and have it abundantly." (John 10:10)

-- A LIFE THAT IS MONASTIC

"One thing is needful." (Luke 10:42)

• under the Holy Rule of Saint Benedict and the guidance of the Father of the monastery.
• in the school of the service of the Lord.
• in obedience, the love of silence, and humility.
• in the joy of the Holy Spirit.

-- A LIFE THAT IS EUCHARISTIC AND SACERDOTAL

"I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer." (Luke 22:15)
"And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be consecrated in truth." (John 17:19)

• the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass: the sun illuminating each day.
• daily prolonged adoration, on behalf of all priests, before the Eucharistic Face of Jesus, close to His Open Heart.
• in reparation for offenses committed against the Most Blessed Sacrament, and for the indifference of those who forsake Him, Who waits for us in the tabernacles of the world.
• in thanksgiving for the mercies that ever flow from the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus.

-- A LIFE THAT IS OFFERED AND CONSECRATED

I appeal to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship." (Romans 12:1)

• for the sanctification of priests and the spiritual renewal of the clergy in the whole Church.
• in reparation for the sins that disfigure the Face of Christ the Priest.
• in the sacrificial love that is inseparable from the gift and mystery of the priesthood.

-- A LITURGICAL LIFE

"I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart; in the presence of the angels I sing your praise." (Psalm 137:1)
"O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." (Psalm 28:2)
"Through Him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God." (Hebrews 13:15)

• Holy Mass and the Divine Office celebrated in Gregorian Chant.
• bringing to the traditional forms of the sacred liturgy a diligence and beauty worthy of the Holy Mysteries.

-- A LIFE WITH OUR LADY, THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

"When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple whom He loved standing near, He said to His mother, 'Woman, behold your son!' Then He said to the disciple, 'Behold your mother!' And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home." (John 19:26-27)

• following in the footsteps of Saint John the Apostle who, obedient to the word of Jesus crucified, took Mary into his home and into the intimacy of his priestly heart.
• communitarian and personal consecration to the Virgin Mary.
• commemoration of the Mother of God at all the liturgical Hours.
• Holy Rosary daily.

-- A LIFE THAT IS ECCLESIAL AND APOSTOLIC

"In the Church and in Christ Jesus to all generations." (Ephesians 3:21)

• heeding the Supreme Pontiff, our Holy Father, the Successor of Peter.
• in filial obedience to the Bishop of the Diocese of Tulsa, Oklahoma.
• in generous service of the clergy by means of hospitality given to priests, deacons, and seminarians for days of silence and adoration, for retreats, and for spiritual direction.
• promoting Eucharistic adoration in the diocese of Tulsa.
• direction of the movement for spiritual motherhood benefiting priests.

-- A LIFE OF WORK

"Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord, and there are varieties of working, but it is the same God who inspires them all in every one." (1 Corinthians 11:4-7)

• hospitality to priests, deacons, and seminarians.
• spiritual care and support of the clergy.
• both manual and intellectual work, according to the abilities and gifts of each one.

-- A LIFE THAT INCORPORATES DIVERSE EXPRESSIONS WITHIN A SINGLE FAMILY

"If all were a single organ, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I have no need of you,' nor again the head to the feet, 'I have no need of you.'" (1 Corinthians 11:19-21).

• choir monks dedicated to the integral service of the liturgy and, normally, destined for the priesthood.
• monks not destined for the priesthood who, imitating Saint Joseph, dedicate themselves to the ceaseless prayer of the heart in the daily tasks entrusted to them.

• diocesan priests, Missionary Adorers of the Eucharistic Face of Jesus, sacerdotal Oblates of the monastery, living its charism and sustained by the monastic community in the midst of their pastoral labors. The Missionary Adorers, while remaining incardinated in their respective dioceses, will live according to the Statutes approved by the Bishop of Tulsa.

• deacons and laymen, single and married: secular Oblates of the monastery.
• women Oblates dedicated as Spiritual Mothers for Priests, following the initiative of the letter of 7 December 2007 of His Eminence, Claudio Cardinal Hummes, Prefect of the Congregation Pro Clericis.
The monastery will provide these women with a suitable initial and ongoing spiritual formation.

-- ADORERS OF THE EUCHARISTIC FACE OF JESUS

"You have said, 'Seek my Face.' My heart says to You, 'Your Face, O Lord, do I seek.' Hide not your Face from me." (Psalm 26:8-9).
"It is the God who said, 'Let light shine out of the darkness,' who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the Face of Christ." (2 Corinthians 4:6).

• all participate daily in adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament in the monastery, or for priest, deacon, and lay oblates, in their parishes

-- MONASTIC FORMATION

For Catholic men between the ages of 18 and 35.
Postulancy: 3-6 months
Novitiate: 2 years
Temporary Vows: 3 years
Monastic Consecration after 5 years

[Salvation]

Vespers -- Evening Prayer

Vespers (Evening Prayer)

O God, come to my aid.

– O Lord, make haste to help me.

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

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

  world without end.

Amen. Alleluia.

---

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 109 (110)

The Messiah, king and priest

Christ the Lord is a priest for ever, a priest of the order of Melchisedech. Alleluia.

The Lord has said to my lord:

  “Sit at my right hand

  while I make your enemies your footstool.”

From Zion 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,

  among the sacred splendours.

  Before the dawn, I begot you from the womb.

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 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.

Christ the Lord is a priest for ever, a priest of the order of Melchisedech. Alleluia.

---

Psalm 113B (115)

Praise of the true God

Our God is in the heavens; and what he wills, he does. Alleluia.

Not to us, Lord, not to us,

  but to your own name give the glory,

  because of your kindness and faithfulness.

Why should the nations say:

  “Where is their God?”

Our God is in the heavens,

  and what he wills, he does.

The idols of the nations are silver and gold,

  the work of human hands.

They have mouths but do not speak,

  they have eyes but do not see.

They have ears but do not hear,

  they have nostrils but do not smell.

They have hands but they do not feel,

  they have feet but they do not walk;

  no voice comes from their throats.

Their makers will be like them,

  and all who put their trust in them.

The house of Israel trusts in the Lord;

  he is their help and their shield.

The house of Aaron trusts in the Lord;

  he is their help and their shield.

All who fear the Lord trust in the Lord;

  he is their help and their shield.

The Lord has remembered us and he will bless us.

He will bless the house of Israel,

  he will bless the house of Aaron –

  he will bless all who fear the Lord.

May the Lord add to your numbers

  and to those of your children.

May the Lord bless you,

  the Lord who made heaven and earth.

The heavens are the Lord’s,

  but the earth he has given to men.

It is not the dead who will praise you, O Lord,

  nor those who go down into the silence;

but we, who live, will bless the Lord,

  now and 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.

Our God is in the heavens; and what he wills, he does. Alleluia.

---

Canticle	(Apocalypse 19)
The wedding of the Lamb
Praise God, all his servants, small and great. Alleluia.
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.
Praise God, all his servants, small and great. Alleluia.

---

Short reading	2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 ©
We feel that we must be continually thanking God for you, brothers whom the Lord loves, because God chose you from the beginning to be saved by the sanctifying Spirit and by faith in the truth. Through the Good News that we brought he called you to this so that you should share the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

---

Canticle	Magnificat
My soul rejoices in the Lord
Hear and understand the laws which God has given you.
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.
Hear and understand the laws which God has given you.

---

Prayers and Intercessions

?

Christ gives eternal salvation to those who come to God through him: he lives and intercedes for us for ever. Filled with this belief we give him praise and honour and humbly beg him: – Lord, remember your people. As the sun is setting we call on you, the Sun of righteousness that never sets:   may all mankind be bathed in your light for ever. – Lord, remember your people. Uphold the Covenant that you sealed with your holy blood:   sanctify your Church and make her pure. – Lord, remember your people. Remember, Lord, your people:   your people, in whom you dwell. – Lord, remember your people. Guide travellers on straight and peaceful paths:   may they arrive safely where they are going. – Lord, remember your people. Accept, Lord, the souls of the deceased:   give them forgiveness and everlasting glory. – Lord, remember your people.

---

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 who trespass against us,

and lead us not into temptation,

  but deliver us from evil.

---

God of power and might, all that is perfect belongs to you.

  Fill us with love of your name:

  increase our zeal and nourish what is good in us;

  watch over us and preserve what you have nourished.

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

[Salvation]

Mass Changes

Pastor’s Column

22^nd Sunday Ordinary Time

August 30. 2009

 

          It is expected that a new translation of the Mass into English from the Latin will be coming in Advent, 2010, according to the Vatican. The United States Catholic Conference of Bishops has just opened a new website dedicated to explaining these changes and giving many examples of the new translations, side-by-side with what we are currently using. Make a note of this website: http://www.usccb.org/romanmissal/examples.shtml. Over the next 14 months we will share all of this with you in the bulletin and at Mass, but it is always good to get a head start!

          Although I was young at the time, I remember very well when English began to be introduced into the mass in the mid-1960s and the priest began to face the people. My parents didn’t seem to understand nor was it adequately explained why these changes came about so suddenly, and, like them, many Catholics were rather ill-prepared for these dramatic changes. By contrast, what we will be experiencing next year will not so much be dramatic as semantic changes; that is, how the Latin is translated into English. 

          These days, Mass is celebrated in virtually every language around the world, but all of these various translations are taken from the foundational Latin text. As a priest who has celebrated Mass in Spanish for the last 12 years, there is quite a difference between what we say in Spanish and what has been rendered into English. In almost every case, the changes we will see in English in 2010 are already in use in Spanish and have been for many years. These fresh translations will bring a new poetry, beauty and accuracy to our prayers. In some cases, the changes will be very subtle; in others, more substantial.

          There is a phrase in Latin that all priests know: lex ordandi, lex credendi, lex vivendi. What it means is that as we pray, so we believe, so we live. How we pray and what we pray form what we believe and how we live. Active Catholics, who attend Mass every Sunday and perhaps even during the week, by being present and praying the parts of the Mass are being formed in the faith by the words we hear and pray. The translations really do matter.

          Just to take one example: In the third Eucharistic Prayer, in the current translation in English we hear, “From age to age you gather a people to yourself, so that from east to west a perfect offering may be made to the glory of your name.”   Now contrast this with the new rendition: “You never cease to gather a people to yourself, so that from the rising of the sun to its setting a pure sacrifice may be offered to your name.” “East to west” implies directions and seems to leave out “north and south,” but “from the rising of the sun to its setting” is not only more poetic, but more accurate: the gospel encompasses the whole world!                                                                                                                                                            Father Gary

[annalex]

Mark
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Mark 7
1.	AND there assembled together unto him the Pharisees and some of the scribes, coming from Jerusalem.	Et conveniunt ad eum pharisæi, et quidam de scribis, venientes ab Jerosolymis.	και συναγονται προς αυτον οι φαρισαιοι και τινες των γραμματεων ελθοντες απο ιεροσολυμων
2.	And when they had seen some of his disciples eat bread with common, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault.	Et cum vidissent quosdam ex discipulis ejus communibus manibus, id est non lotis, manducare panes, vituperaverunt.	και ιδοντες τινας των μαθητων αυτου κοιναις χερσιν τουτ εστιν ανιπτοις εσθιοντας αρτους εμεμψαντο
3.	For the Pharisees, and all the Jews eat not without often washing their hands, holding the tradition of the ancients:	Pharisæi enim, et omnes Judæi, nisi crebro laverint manus, non manducant, tenentes traditionem seniorum :	οι γαρ φαρισαιοι και παντες οι ιουδαιοι εαν μη πυγμη νιψωνται τας χειρας ουκ εσθιουσιν κρατουντες την παραδοσιν των πρεσβυτερων
4.	And when they come from the market, unless they be washed, they eat not: and many other things there are that have been delivered to them to observe, the washings of cups and of pots, and of brazen vessels, and of beds.	et a foro nisi baptizentur, non comedunt : et alia multa sunt, quæ tradita sunt illis servare, baptismata calicum, et urceorum, et æramentorum, et lectorum :	και απο αγορας εαν μη βαπτισωνται ουκ εσθιουσιν και αλλα πολλα εστιν α παρελαβον κρατειν βαπτισμους ποτηριων και ξεστων και χαλκιων και κλινων
5.	And the Pharisees and scribes asked him: Why do not thy disciples walk according to the tradition of the ancients, but they eat bread with common hands?	et interrogabant eum pharisæi et scribæ : Quare discipuli tui non ambulant juxta traditionem seniorum, sed communibus manibus manducant panem ?	επειτα επερωτωσιν αυτον οι φαρισαιοι και οι γραμματεις δια τι οι μαθηται σου ου περιπατουσιν κατα την παραδοσιν των πρεσβυτερων αλλα ανιπτοις χερσιν εσθιουσιν τον αρτον
6.	But he answering, said to them: Well did Isaias prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.	At ille respondens, dixit eis : Bene prophetavit Isaias de vobis hypocritis, sicut scriptum est : Populus hic labiis me honorat, cor autem eorum longe est a me :	ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν αυτοις οτι καλως προεφητευσεν ησαιας περι υμων των υποκριτων ως γεγραπται ουτος ο λαος τοις χειλεσιν με τιμα η δε καρδια αυτων πορρω απεχει απ εμου
7.	And in vain to they worship me, teaching doctrines and precepts of men.	in vanum autem me colunt, docentes doctrinas, et præcepta hominum.	ματην δε σεβονται με διδασκοντες διδασκαλιας ενταλματα ανθρωπων
8.	For leaving the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men, the washing of pots and of cups: and many other things you do like to these.	Relinquentes enim mandatum Dei, tenetis traditionem hominum, baptismata urceorum et calicum : et alia similia his facitis multa.	αφεντες γαρ την εντολην του θεου κρατειτε την παραδοσιν των ανθρωπων βαπτισμους ξεστων και ποτηριων και αλλα παρομοια τοιαυτα πολλα ποιειτε
[...]
14.	And calling again the multitude unto him, he said to them: Hear ye me all, and understand.	Et advocans iterum turbam, dicebat illis : Audite me omnes, et intelligite.	και προσκαλεσαμενος παντα τον οχλον ελεγεν αυτοις ακουετε μου παντες και συνιετε
15.	There is nothing from without a man that entering into him, can defile him. But the things which come from a man, those are they that defile a man.	Nihil est extra hominem introiens in eum, quod possit eum coinquare, sed quæ de homine procedunt illa sunt quæ communicant hominem.	ουδεν εστιν εξωθεν του ανθρωπου εισπορευομενον εις αυτον ο δυναται αυτον κοινωσαι αλλα τα εκπορευομενα απ αυτου εκεινα εστιν τα κοινουντα τον ανθρωπον
[...]
21.	For from within out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,	Ab intus enim de corde hominum malæ cogitationes procedunt, adulteria, fornicationes, homicidia,	εσωθεν γαρ εκ της καρδιας των ανθρωπων οι διαλογισμοι οι κακοι εκπορευονται μοιχειαι πορνειαι φονοι
22.	Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.	furta, avaritiæ, nequitiæ, dolus, impudicitiæ, oculus malus, blasphemia, superbia, stultitia.	κλοπαι πλεονεξιαι πονηριαι δολος ασελγεια οφθαλμος πονηρος βλασφημια υπερηφανια αφροσυνη
23.	All these evil things come from within, and defile a man.	Omnia hæc mala ab intus procedunt, et communicant hominem.	παντα ταυτα τα πονηρα εσωθεν εκπορευεται και κοινοι τον ανθρωπον

[annalex]

1. Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the Scribes, which came from Jerusalem.
2. And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashed, hands, they found fault.
3. For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands off, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.
4. And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables.
5. Then the Pharisees and Scribes asked him, Why walk not you disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?
6. He answered and said unto them, Well has Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
7. However in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
8. For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things you do.

BEDE; The people of the land of Gennesareth, who seem to be unlearned men, not only come themselves, but also bring their sick to the Lord, that they may but succeed in touching the hem of His garment. But the Pharisees and Scribes, who ought to have been the teachers of the people, run together to the Lord, not to seek for healing but to move captions questions; wherefore it ms said, Then there came together to him the Pharisees and certain of the Scribes, coming from Jerusalem; and when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with common, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault.

THEOPHYL. For the disciples of the Lord, who were taught only the practice of virtue, used to eat in a simple way, without washing their hands; but the Pharisees, wishing to find an occasion of blame against them, took it up; they did not indeed, blame them as transgressors of the law, but for transgressing the traditions of the elders.

Wherefore it goes on: For the Pharisees and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.

BEDE; For taking the spiritual words of the Prophets in a carnal sense, they observed, by washing the body alone, commandments which concerned the chastening of the heart and deeds, saying, Wash you, make you clean; and again, Be you clean that bear the vessels of the Lord. It is therefore a superstitious human tradition, that men who are clean already, should wash oftener because they eat bread, and that they should not eat on leaving the market, without washing. But it is necessary for those who desire to partake of the bread which comes down from heaven, often to cleanse their evil deeds by alms, by tears, and the other fruits of righteousness. It is also necessary for a man to wash thoroughly away the pollutions which he has contracted from the cares of temporal business, by being afterwards intent on good thoughts and works. In vain, however, do the Jews wash their hands, and cleanse themselves after the market, so long as they refuse to be washed in the font of the Savior; in vain do they observe the washing of their vessels, who neglect to wash away the filthy sins of their bodies and of their hearts.

It goes on: Then the Scribes and Pharisees asked him, Why walk not your disciples after the tradition of the elder's, but eat bread with common hands?

JEROME; Wonderful is the folly of the Pharisees and Scribes; they accuse the Son of God, because He keeps not the traditions and precepts of men. But common is here put for unclean; for the people of the Jews, boasting that they were the portion of God, called those meats common, which all made use of.

PSEUDO-JEROME; He beats back the vain words of the Pharisees with His arguments, as men drive back dogs with weapons, by interpreting Moses and Isaiah, that we too by the word of Scripture may conquer the heretics, who oppose us; wherefore it goes on: Well has Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites; as it is written, This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

PSEUD-CHRYS. For since they unjustly accused the disciples not of transgressing the law, but the commands of the elders, He sharply confounds them, calling them hypocrites, as looking with reverence upon what was not worthy of it. He adds, however, the words of Isaiah the prophet, as spoken of them; as though He would say, As those men, of whom it is said, that they honor God with their lips, whilst their heart is far from him, in vain pretend to observe the dictates of piety, whilst they honor the doctrines of men, so you also neglect your soul, of which you should take care, and blame those who live justly.

PSEUDO-JEROME; But Pharisaical tradition, as to tables and vessels, is to be cut off, and cast away. For they often make the commands of God yield to the traditions of men; wherefore it continues, For laying aside the commandments of God, you hold to the traditions of men, as the washing of pots and cups.

14. And when he had called all the people to him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand:
15. There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.

PSEUD-CHRYS. The Jews regard and murmur about only the bodily purification of the law; our Lord wishes to bring in the contrary. Wherefore it is said, And when he had called all the people to him, he said to them. Hearken in unto me every one, and understand; there is nothing from without a man, that entering into sin can defile him but the things which come out of a man, those are they which defile a man; that is, which make him unclean. The things of Christ have relation to the inner man but those which are of the law are visible and external, to which, as being bodily, the cross of Christ was shortly to put an end.

THEOPHYL. But the intention of the Lord in saying this was to teach men, that the observing of meats, which the law commands, should not be taken in a carnal sense, and from this He began to unfold to them the intent of the law.

21. For from within, out of time heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
22. Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
23. All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

GLOSS. The meaning of which He points out, when He subjoins, from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts. And thus it appears that evil thoughts belong to the mind, which is lucre called the heart, and according to which a man is called good or bad, clean or unclean.

BEDE; From this passage are condemned those men who suppose that thoughts are put into them by the devil, and do not arise from their own evil will. The devil may excite and help on evil thoughts, he cannot be their author.

GLOSS. From evil thoughts, however, evil actions proceed to greater lengths, concerning which it is added, adulteries, that is acts which consist in the violation of another man's bed; fornications, which are unlawful connections between persons, not bound by marriage; murders, by which hurt is inflicted on the person of one's neighbor; thefts, by which his goods are taken from him; covetousness, by which things are unjustly kept; wickedness, which consists in calumniating others; deceit, in overreaching them; lasciviousness, to which belongs any corruption of mind or body.

THEOPHYL. An evil eye, that is, hatred and flattery, for he who hates turns an evil and envious eye on him who he hates, and a flatterer, looking askance at his neighbor's goods, leads him into evil; blasphemies, that is, faults committed against God; pride, that is, contempt of God, when man ascribes to God, which he does, not to God, for it to his own virtue; foolishness, that is, an injury against one's neighbor.

GLOSS. Or, foolishness consists in wrong thoughts concerning God; for it is opposed to wisdom, which is the knowledge of divine things. It goes on, All these evil things come from within inn, and defile the man. For whatever is in the power of a man, is imputed to him as a fault, because all such things proceed from the interior will, by which man is master of his own actions.

Catena Aurea Mark 7

[annalex]

Christ Mocked

Duccio di Buoninsegna

1308-11
Tempera on wood, 45,5 x 53,5 cm
Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, Siena

[Salvation]

Regnum Christi

What Can Separate Us from the Love of Christ?

| SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY

Sunday, 22th week, OT

Father Andrew Mulcahey, LC

Mark 7:1-8,14-15,21-23

When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus, they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands. For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews, do not eat without carefully washing their hands, keeping the tradition of the elders. And on coming from the marketplace they do not eat without purifying themselves. And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed, the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds. So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him, "Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?" He responded, "Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts. You disregard God´s commandment but cling to human tradition." He summoned the crowd again and said to them, "Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile. From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile."

Introductory Prayer: Lord God, I come from dust and to dust I shall return. You, however, existed before all time, and every creature takes its being from you. You formed me in my mother’s womb with infinite care, and you watch over me tenderly. I hope you will embrace my soul at my death to carry me home to heaven to be with you forever. Thank you for looking upon me and blessing me with your love. Take my love in return. I humbly offer you all that I am.

Petition: Lord, give me confidence in the power of your grace.

1. Look at the Real Dangers Christ feared nothing. He wasn’t afraid of Satan. He wasn’t afraid of public opinion. He wasn’t afraid of the narrow road and hard path. Even though it would cause him to sweat blood, he wasn’t even afraid to fulfill his Father’s plan for him as the Suffering Servant. Through his words and way of life, he was constantly encouraging his followers to watch out for dangers and to pray not to be put to the test. He knows that there are real dangers out there: “If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away” (Matthew 5:29). “Woe to him who scandalizes one of these little ones” (cf. Matthew 18:6). “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees” (Matthew 16:6). “Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat” (Luke 22:31). Christ will always point out for me the real dangers that exist in my life.

2. I Will Not Take Them from You Christ clearly warns us, and our own experience confirms, that God normally will not remove these dangers from our lives. These dangers will usually remain whether they be exterior — “Father, I ask not that you remove them from this world” — or interior. When St. Paul would ask Christ to remove the thorn from his side, Christ simply replies, “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Corinthians 12:9). In the thick of these sufferings, it is hard for us to understand why God would permit them. But maybe we can find some reason in Christ’s words today. May it never be said of a Christian: “This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” Suffering and hardship often keep our heart close to Christ.

3. I Will Give You the Grace to Overcome Them Very much aware of both the internal and external dangers that would await them, Christ was not afraid to send his apostles out into the world. He sends us out as “sheep among wolves” (cf. Matthew 10:16) into a world that will “hate you as it hated me” (cf. Matthew 24:9). He distributes his divine word and precious grace to the world through us, fragile earthen vessels. Through his Vicar on Earth, he tells us, “Be not afraid.” Moreover, he expects us to produce one-hundred fold and give fruits that will last. What is the key to his confidence? The key is the humble person who is ever ready to look inwardly and purify his heart from the smallest attachment, the slightest impurity, making it an acceptable dwelling place for Christ. What…who…can separate us from the love of Christ? What is there to fear but those “evils that come from within and defile?”

Conversation with Christ: Thank you, Lord, for reminding me about the beauty of being your friend, and at the same time about the awesome responsibility that goes along with it. Please give me the generosity to live my role as your ambassador and help me to continually spread your message of love with all that I do.

Resolution: I will set aside some time today and ask Christ to help me identify any attachments to sin in my heart. I will write them down and look for concrete ways to purify my heart from them.

[Salvation]

Homily of the Day

It’s Time to Get Your Insides in Order

August 29th, 2009 by Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.

Dt 4:1-2,6-8 / Jas 1:17-18,21-22,27 / Mk 7:1-8,14-15,21-23

There was a young woman who was recently separated and whose day was going badly. She was hot and tired, stressed and lonely, and she barely had the strength to lift her little boy into his high chair for dinner. She put his food on the tray and began to read the mail — another bill she couldn’t pay — it was the last straw. So she leaned her head against the tray and began to cry.

The little boy looked at his sobbing mother with a sad heart, then took the pacifier out of his mouth and pressed it gently to her lips. He gave what he had! And his gift came from the inside.

+     +     +

Today’s gospel wrestles with a huge question: How do we build a good and happy life? Jesus gives us the answer: "Get your insides in order," he says. "Get your head and heart true and then follow where they lead."

But how do we true our head and heart? We start by looking very hard at what we’ve got and remembering where we got it. We name our gifts out loud and let our hearts be astonished at seeing close up what remarkable gifts we bear. And then we give thanks for being given so much we didn’t earn.

Now thankfulness is an energy that needs an outlet. It says, "I’ve been blessed with so much, I need to carry my gifts to whoever needs them." Like the little boy with the pacifier, it says, "I need to give what I have."

So thankfulness gives us energy and the desire to give. But that leaves us with the question: Who needs us? The answer is: Lots of folks need us in lots of ways and not just the widows and orphans.

Some of us are creative. People need us.

Some of us are wise and clear thinkers. People need us.

Some of us are strong and calm under fire. People need us.

Some of us are great mediators and reconcilers. People need us.

Some of us are visionaries who think great thoughts. People need us.

Some of us are practical folks who know how to make things happen. People need us.

And some of us are good comforters. People need us.

Whatever our gifts, lots of people right here and now need us very much.

So it’s time to look within and get our insides in order. It’s time to see and name our special gifts with glad and thankful hearts. It’s time to carry our gifts to whoever needs them.

It’s time to build a happy life from the inside out. So let us begin!

[Salvation]

One Bread, One Body

One Bread, One Body

 

<< Sunday, August 30, 2009 >>

22nd Sunday Ordinary Time Saint of the Day

Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8
James 1:17-18, 21-22, 27
View Readings

Psalm 15:2-5
Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

A BIG TO-DO

"Act on this word. If all you do is listen to it, you are deceiving yourselves." —James 1:22

 

Some of you have been reading this booklet, One Bread, One Body, for years. You have read hundreds and thousands of Scripture passages. You are greatly blessed. The Lord is not expecting us to remember all these Bible verses or to know how to interpret them all. He does expect us to live them all by His grace.

Knowing God's word demands doing His word. On Judgment Day, the Lord will not ask us what we know of His word, but how we've lived it. "For it is not those who hear the law who are just in the sight of God; it is those who keep it who will be declared just" (Rm 2:13).

So let's not kid ourselves. Let's take every word of the Bible to heart and to life. "Humbly welcome the word that has taken root in you, with its power to save you" (Jas 1:21). The Lord will never give us a commandment without empowering us to do it.

Jesus promised: "Anyone who hears My words and puts them into practice is like the wise man who built his house on rock" (Mt 7:24). "He is no forgetful listener, but one who carries out the law in practice. Blest will this man be in whatever he does" (Jas 1:25). Jesus also promised: "My mother and My brothers are those who hear the word of God and act upon it" (Lk 8:21). Do the word.

 

Prayer: Jesus, by obeying Your word may I be Your mother, brother, and sister (Mk 3:34-35).

Promise: "Now, Israel, hear the statutes and decrees which I am teaching you to observe, that you may live, and may enter in and take possession of the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you." —Dt 4:1

Praise: Praise Jesus, the Word of God, Who is "gentle and humble of heart" (Mt 11:29).