Catholic Caucus: Sunday Msss Readings, 09-06-09, Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

USCCB.org/New American Bible ^ | 09-06-09 | New American Bible

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September 6, 2009

Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 Responsorial Psalm Reading 2 Gospel

Reading 1
Is 35:4-7a

Thus says the LORD:
Say to those whose hearts are frightened:
Be strong, fear not!
Here is your God,
he comes with vindication;
with divine recompense
he comes to save you.
Then will the eyes of the blind be opened,
the ears of the deaf be cleared;
then will the lame leap like a stag,
then the tongue of the mute will sing.
Streams will burst forth in the desert,
and rivers in the steppe.
The burning sands will become pools,
and the thirsty ground, springs of water.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 146:7, 8-9, 9-10

R. (1b) Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
Alleluia.
The God of Jacob keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
   gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
Alleluia.
The LORD gives sight to the blind;
   the LORD raises up those who were bowed down.
The LORD loves the just;
   the LORD protects strangers.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
Alleluia.
The fatherless and the widow the LORD sustains,
   but the way of the wicked he thwarts.
The LORD shall reign forever;
   your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
Alleluia.

Reading II
Jas 2:1-5

My brothers and sisters, show no partiality
as you adhere to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.
For if a man with gold rings and fine clothes
comes into your assembly,
and a poor person in shabby clothes also comes in,
and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes
and say, “Sit here, please, ”
while you say to the poor one, “Stand there, ” or “Sit at my feet, ”
have you not made distinctions among yourselves
and become judges with evil designs?

Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters.
Did not God choose those who are poor in the world
to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom
that he promised to those who love him?

Gospel
Mk 7:31-37

Again Jesus left the district of Tyre
and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee,
into the district of the Decapolis.
And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment
and begged him to lay his hand on him.
He took him off by himself away from the crowd.
He put his finger into the man’s ears
and, spitting, touched his tongue;
then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him,
“Ephphatha!”— that is, “Be opened!” —
And immediately the man’s ears were opened,
his speech impediment was removed,
and he spoke plainly.
He ordered them not to tell anyone.
But the more he ordered them not to,
the more they proclaimed it.
They were exceedingly astonished and they said,
“He has done all things well.
He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

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For your reading, reflection, faith-sharing, comments, questions, discussion.

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Alleluia Ping!

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Eucharistic Season in the Year of the Priesthood

Pope's Address at Audience With New Archbishops: "Carry Deeply in Your Hearts Your Priests"
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Year of the Priest Letter (Media immediately scrutinize its contents for controversy)
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Year of the Priest Begins Friday
U.S. bishops launch website for Year for Priests

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Jesus. High Priest

 

The Year of the Priest

We thank you, God our Father, for those who have responded to your call to priestly ministry.

Accept this prayer we offer on their behalf: Fill your priests with the sure knowledge of your love.

Open their hearts to the power and consolation of the Holy Spirit.

Lead them to new depths of union with your Son.

Increase in them profound faith in the Sacraments they celebrate as they nourish, strengthen and heal us.

Lord Jesus Christ, grant that these, your priests, may inspire us to strive for holiness by the power of their example, as men of prayer who ponder your word and follow your will.

O Mary, Mother of Christ and our mother, guard with your maternal care these chosen ones, so dear to the Heart of your Son.

Intercede for our priests, that offering the Sacrifice of your Son, they may be conformed more each day to the image of your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Saint John Vianney, universal patron of priests, pray for us and our priests

[Salvation]

Pray a Rosary each day for our nation.

1.  Sign of the Cross:  In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

2.  The Apostles Creed:  I BELIEVE in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day He rose again. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty. From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

3.  The Lord's Prayer:  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. Amen.

4. (3) Hail Mary:  HAIL Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen. (Three times)

5. Glory Be:  GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Fatima Prayer: Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of your mercy.

Announce each mystery, then say 1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, 1 Glory Be and 1 Fatima prayer.  Repeat the process with each mystery.

End with the Hail Holy Queen:

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve! To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears! Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus!

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Final step -- The Sign of the Cross

 

The Mysteries of the Rosary

By tradition, Catholics meditate on these Mysteries during prayers of the Rosary.
The biblical references follow each of the Mysteries below.

The Glorious Mysteries
(Wednesdays and Sundays)
1.The Resurrection (Matthew 28:1-8, Mark 16:1-18, Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1-29) [Spiritual fruit - Faith]
2. The Ascension (Mark 16:19-20, Luke 24:50-53, Acts 1:6-11) [Spiritual fruit - Christian Hope]
3. The Descent of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:1-13) [Spiritual fruit - Gifts of the Holy Spirit]
4. The Assumption [Spiritual fruit - To Jesus through Mary]
5. The Coronation [Spiritual fruit - Grace of Final Perseverance]

[Salvation]

~ PRAYER ~

St. Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle
 Be our protection against the wickedness
and snares of the devil;
May God rebuke him, we  humbly pray,
 and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
 by the power of God,
 Cast into hell Satan and all evil spirits
who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls.
 Amen
+

[Salvation]

Prayer Campaign Started to Convert Pro-Abortion Catholic Politicians to Pro-Life

Change Worth Praying For

[Catholic Caucus] One Million Rosaries

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September Devotion: Our Lady of Sorrows

Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. Due to her feast day on September 15, the month of September has traditionally been set aside to honor Our Lady of Sorrows. All the sorrows of Mary (the prophecy of Simeon, the three days' loss, etc.) are merged in the supreme suffering at the Passion. In the Passion, Mary suffered a martyrdom of the heart because of Our Lord's torments and the greatness of her love for Him. "She it was," says Pope Pius XII, "who immune from all sin, personal or inherited, and ever more closely united with her Son, offered Him on Golgotha to the Eternal Father together with the holocaust of her maternal rights and motherly love. As a new Eve, she made this offering for all the children of Adam contaminated through his unhappy fall. Thus she, who was the mother of our Head according to the flesh, became by a new title of sorrow and glory the spiritual mother of all His members."

INVOCATIONS
Mary most sorrowful, Mother of Christians, pray for us.
Virgin most sorrowful, pray for us.

TO THE QUEEN OF MARTYRS
Mary, most holy Virgin and Queen of Martyrs, accept the sincere homage of my filial affection. Into thy heart, pierced by so many swords, do thou welcome my poor soul. Receive it as the companion of thy sorrows at the foot of the Cross, on which Jesus died for the redemption of the world. With thee, O sorrowful Virgin, I will gladly suffer all the trials, contradictions, and infirmities which it shall please our Lord to send me. I offer them all to thee in memory of thy sorrows, so that every thought of my mind, and every beat of my heart may be an act of compassion and of love for thee. And do thou, sweet Mother, have pity on me, reconcile me to thy divine Son Jesus, keep me in His grace, and assist me in my last agony, so that I may be able to meet thee in heaven and sing thy glories. Amen.

TO THE MOTHER OF SORROWS
Most holy Virgin. and Mother, whose soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow in the Passion of thy divine Son, and who in His glorious Resurrection wast filled with never-ending joy at His triumph; obtain for us who call upon thee, so to be partakers in the adversities of Holy Church and the sorrows of the Sovereign Pontiff, as to be found worthy to rejoice with them in the consolations for which we pray, in the charity and peace of the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

IN HONOR OF THE SORROWS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
O most holy and afflicted Virgin! Queen of Martyrs! thou who didst stand motionless beneath the Cross, witnessing the agony of thy expiring Son--through the unceasing sufferings of thy life of sorrow, and the bliss which now more than amply repays thee for thy past trials, look down with a mother's tenderness and pity on me, who kneel before thee to venerate thy dolors, and place my requests, with filial confidence, in the sanctuary of thy wounded heart; present them, I beseech thee, on my behalf, to Jesus Christ, through the merits of His own most sacred death and passion, together with thy sufferings at the foot of the cross, and through the united efficacy of both obtain the grant of my present petition. To whom shall I resort in my wants and miseries if not to thee, O Mother of Mercy, who, having so deeply drunk of the chalice of thy Son, canst compassionate the woes of those who still sigh in the land of exile? Offer for me to my Savior one drop of the Blood which flowed from His sacred veins, one of the tears which trickled from His divine eyes, one of the sighs which rent His adorable Heart. O refuge of the universe and hope of the whole world, do not reject my humble prayer, but graciously obtain the grant of my petition.

TO OUR LADY OF SORROWS
O most holy Virgin, Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ: by the overwhelming grief you experienced when you witnessed the martyrdom, the crucifixion, and the death of your divine Son, look upon me with eyes of compassion, and awaken in my heart a tender commiseration for those sufferings, as well as a sincere detestation of my sins, in order that, being disengaged from all undue affection for the passing joys of this earth, I may sigh after the eternal Jerusalem, and that henceforward all my thoughts and all my actions may be directed towards this one most desirable object. Honor, glory, and love to our divine Lord Jesus, and to the holy and immaculate Mother of God. Amen.    --Saint Bonaventure

Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954
The Seven Sorrows of Our Lady 1. The Prophecy of Simeon  2. The Flight into Egypt . 3. The Loss of Jesus in the Temple  4. Mary meets Jesus Carrying the Cross  5. The Crucifixion 6. Mary Receives the Dead Body of Her Son 7. The Burial of Her Son and Closing of the Tomb.
Consecration to Our Lady of Sorrows Most holy Virgin and Queen of Martyrs, Mary, would that I could be in Heaven, there to contemplate the honors rendered to thee by the Most Holy Trinity and by the whole Heavenly Court! But since I am still a pilgrim in this vale of tears, receive from me, thy unworthy servant and a poor sinner, the most sincere homage and the most perfect act of vassalage a human creature can offer thee.  In thy Immaculate Heart, pierced with so many swords of sorrow, I place today my poor soul forever; receive me as a partaker in thy dolors, and never suffer that I should depart from that Cross on which thy only begotten Son expired for me.  With thee, O Mary, I will endure all the sufferings, contradictions, infirmities, with which it will please thy Divine Son to visit me in this life. All of them I offer to thee, in memory of the Dolors which thou didst suffer during thy life, that every thought of my mind, every beating of my heart may henceforward be an act of compassion to thy Sorrows, and of complacency for the glory thou now enjoyest in Heaven.  Since then, O Dear Mother, I now compassionate thy Dolors, and rejoice in seeing thee glorified, do thou also have compassion on me, and reconcile me to thy Son Jesus, that I may become thy true and loyal son (daughter); come on my last day and assist me in my last agony, even as thou wert present at the Agony of thy Divine Son Jesus, that from this painful exile I may go to Heaven, there to be made partaker of thy glory. Amen.

 

Our Lady of Sorrows: Sorrowful Mother

to At the Cross Her Station Keeping

The Rosary of the Seven Sorrows

The Rosary of the Seven Sorrows consists of 7 groups of 7 beads, with 3 additional beads and a Crucifix.  Say each of the sorrow below followed by 7 Hail Mary's. The 7 groups of 7 Hail Mary's are recited in remembrance of
the 7 Sorrows of Mary:

1. The prophecy of Simeon.
2. The flight into Egypt.
3. The loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple.
4. Mary meets Jesus carrying His cross.
5. The Crucifixion
6. Mary received the Body of Jesus from the cross
7. The Body of Jesus is placed in a tomb.

3 Hail Mary's are added in remembrance of the tears Mary shed because of the suffering of her Divine Son. These are said to obtain true sorrow for our sins.
The concluding prayer follows:

V/. Pray for us, O most sorrowful Virgin.
R/. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:
Lord Jesus, we now implore, both for the present and for the hour of our death, the intercession of the most Blessed Virgin Mary, Thy Mother, whose holy soul was pierced at the time of Thy passion by a sword of grief.  Grant us this favor, O Saviour of the world, Who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.

The Blessed Virgin Mary grants 7 special graces to the souls who honor her daily by saying 7 Hail Mary's
and meditating on her tears and dolors. This devotion was passed on by St. Bridget of Sweden.

Here are the 7 special graces:

1. I will grant peace to their families.
2. They will be enlightened about the divine mysteries.
3. I will console them in their pains, and I will accompany them in their work.
4. I will give them as much as they ask for as long as it does not oppose the adorable will of my divine Son or the sanctification of their souls.
5. I will defend them in their spiritual battles with the infernal enemy, and I will protect them at every instant of their lives.
6. I will visibly help them at the moment of their death; they will see the face of their mother.
7. I have obtained (this grace) from my divine Son, that those who propagate this devotion to my tears and dolors, will be taken directly from this earthly life to eternal happiness since all their sins will be forgiven and my Son and I will be their eternal consolation and joy.

The Chaplet to Our Lady of Sorrows

(Jesus said, "The Chaplet is to be a Devotion for the Time of Darkness, and is being given
as a spiritual weapon against the Seven deadly sins.")

First Sorrow of Mary, the Prophecy of Simeon:
"This was My Mother's 'Agony in the Garden' in which She said yes to the coming pain that acceptance of the Divine Will of God would bring."

PRAYER: "I pray for the gift of surrender to the will of God to overcome the temptation to envy."
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be and the following Litany:

Litany

Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows, pray for us.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help, pray for us.
Mother of the Sorrowful Heart, pray for us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.
Maria, Rosa Mystica, pray for us.
House of God, pray for us.
Queen of Peace, pray for us.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us.
Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.
Our Lady of the Roses, pray for us.
Queen of Mercy, pray for us.
Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, pray for us.

Second Sorrow of Mary, The Flight Into Egypt:
"The hatred and fear which led to the slaughter of the innocents was on of the most painful aspects of this sorrow. My Mother and I continue to weep today over the slaughter of innocents in the womb caused by the hatred and fear which still fills the hearts of mankind."

PRAYER: "I pray for the gift of respect for life to overcome the temptation to anger."
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be, and the Litany

Third Sorrow of Mary, The Loss of Jesus in the Temple:
"My Mother did not look in the Temple for Me, and so lost Me for three days (like My three days in the tomb). My Priests are failing today to look for Me in the 'Temple,' in obedience to My Pope and to the authority I have placed in My Church. My Church is in its THREE DAYS OF DARKNESS and has much to suffer for its disobedience. Offer the pain in My Mother's Hearts that My priests might return to MY TEMPLE and find me again." (There was an interior Knowledge that Jesus was Not saying this was true of all His priests, but rather He was mourning over those priests who were doing this, plus asking for prayer for them.)

PRAYER: "I pray for the gift of obedience to overcome the temptation to Pride."
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be, and the Litany

Fourth Sorrow of Mary, Mary Meets Jesus on the Road to Calvary:
"My priests will no longer accept the pain of the WAY OF THE CROSS. They no longer walk with Me as My Mother did. They especially refuse the pain and sacrifice of their vow of celibacy. Sexual sins are destroying My Church." (Again, as above, Jesus was not saying this was true of all priests, but was grieving over those who were doing this.)

PRAYER: "I pray for the gift of chastity to overcome the temptation to lust."
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be, and the Litany

Fifth Sorrow of Mary,Jesus is Nailed to the Cross:
"Offer your pain as Mary did, in union with My Cross. All pain, united to My Pasion, has power to redeem. My Church, more than ever, has need of sacrificial offerings."

PRAYER: "I pray for the gift of sacrifice to overcome the temptation to gluttony."
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be, and the Litany

Sixth Sorrow of Mary, Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross and Laid in His Mother's Arms:
"My priests and My people are no longer willing to hold My broken body. They will not minister to the brokenness they see around them. They will not help Me bring salvation to those in need. They will not let Me put in their hearts the gift I would give them of a thirst for souls. Pray that they will return to a willingness to do penance and offer sacrifices for their brothers and sisters in need, who still constitute My broken body."

PRAYER: "I pray for the gift of compassion to overcome the temptation to sloth.
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be, and the Litany

Seventh Sorrow of Mary, Jesus is Laid in the Tomb:
"My Church, My chosen ones, must lay all attachments in the TOMB, especially the attachment to their own way, their will, their plans. They must die and accept the death of al lthey would hold dear to allow God's Will and His Plan to replace their own."

PRAYER: "I pray for the gift of detachment to overcome the temptation to greed."
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be, and the Litany

Prayer To Our Lady of Sorrows

I compassionate thee, O most sorrowful Mother! Thy heart was pierced with a sword of grief when Simeon foretold to thee in the Temple the ignominious death and the desolation of thy divine and most dear Son, which thou west destined one day to witness. By the great anguish of thy suffering heart, O gracious Queen of the universe, impress upon my mind, in life and in death, the sacred Passion of Jesus and shine own sorrows. Amen.

~~ by Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori

Most holy and afflicted Virgin, Queen of Martyrs, you stood beneath the cross, witnessing the agony of your dying Son. Look with a mother's tenderness and pity on me, who kneel before you. I venerate your sorrows and I place my requests with filial confidence in the sanctuary of your wounded heart.

Present them, I beseech you, on my behalf to Jesus Christ, through the merits of His own most sacred passion and death, together with your sufferings at the foot of the cross. Through the united efficacy of both, obtain the granting of my petition. To whom shall I have recourse in my wants and miseries if not to you, Mother of Mercy? You have drunk so deeply of the chalice of your Son, you can compassionate our sorrows.

Holy Mary, your soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow at the sight of the passion of your divine Son. Intercede for me and obtain for me from Jesus (mention your petition) if it be for His honor and glory and for my good. Amen.

Lenten Prayer to the Sorrowful Mother

Remember, O Virgin Mother of God, when you stand in the sight of the Lord, to speak good things for us and to turn away His indignation from us.

Holy Mother, pierce me through,
In my heart each wound renew,
Of my Savior crucified.
Let me to my latest breath,
In my body bear the death,
Of that dying Son of thine.
Be to me, O Virgin, nigh
Lest in flames I burn and die.
In that awful judgment day.
Christ, when Thou shall call me hence,
Be Thy Mother my defense.
Be Thy Cross my victory.
While my body here decays,
May my soul Thy goodness praise,
Safe in paradise with Thee. Amen.

V. Pray for us, O most sorrowful Virgin,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray: Let intercession be made for us, we beseech You, O Lord Jesus Christ, now and at the hour of our death, before the throne of Your mercy, by the Blessed Virgin Mary, Your Mother, whose most holy soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow, in the hour of Your bitter Passion. Through You, Jesus Christ, Savior of the world, Who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, world without end. Amen.

Our Lady of a happy Death, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, pray for us.

Most holy Mother of Sorrows, by that soul-piercing martyrdom that you experienced at the foot of the Cross during the three hours of agony of your Son, Jesus, assist me in my time of need. I am a a child of sorrows and when I am faced with my agony, intercede on my behalf so that I may be found worthy to pass from my deathbed to the blessed paradise of the Kingdom of God. Amen.

V. >From a sudden and unprovided death,
R. Deliver me, O Lord.
V. >From the snares of the devil,
R. Deliver me, O Lord.
V. From everlasting death,
R. Deliver me, O Lord.

The Sorrowful Hail Mary

Hail Mary, full of sorrows, the Crucified is with thee; thou art pitiable amongst women, and pitiable is the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of the Crucified, implore for us, the crucifiers of thy Son, tears of contrition, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

~~approved by Pope Pius IX in 1847

Stabat Mater

At the cross her station keeping, stood the mournful Mother weeping, close to Jesus to the last.
Through her heart, His sorrow sharing, all His bitter anguish bearing, now at length the sword had passed.
Oh, how sad and sore distressed was that Mother highly blest, of the sole begotten One!
Christ above in torment hangs; she beneath beholds the pangs of her dying, glorious Son.
Is there one who would not weep, 'whelmed in miseries so deep Christ's dear Mother to behold?
Can the human heart refrain from partaking in her pain, in that Mother's pain untold?
Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled, she beheld her tender Child all with bloody scourges rent;
For the sins of His own nation saw Him hang in desolation, till His Spirit forth He sent.
O thou Mother, fount of love! Touch my spirit from above, make my heart with thine accord;
Make me feel as thou hast felt; make my soul to glow and melt with the love of Christ, my Lord.
Holy Mother! Pierce me through, in my heart each wound renew of my Saviour Crucified;
Let me share with thee His pain, Who for all my sins was slain, Who for me in torments died.
Let me mingle tears with thee, mourning Him Who mourned for me, all the days that I may live.
By the Cross with thee to stay, there with thee to weep and pray, is all I ask of thee to give.
Virgin of all virgins blest! Listen to my fond request: Let me share thy grief divine;
Let me to my latest breath, in my body bear the death of that dying Son of thine.
Be to me, O Virgin, nigh, lest in flames I burn and die, in His awful Judgment Day.
Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence, be Thy Mother my defense, be Thy Cross my victory;
While my body here decays, may my soul Thy goodness praise, safe in paradise with Thee. Amen.

~(Cf Raccolta, No. 378)  

Offering

Eternal Father, we offer Thee the Blood, the Passion, and the Death of Jesus Christ, the sorrows of Mary most holy, and of St. Joseph, in satisfaction for our sins, in aid of the holy souls in Purgatory, for the needs of holy Mother Church, and for the conversion of sinners.

Virgin most sorrowful, pray for us!

Prayer Before an Image of the Mother of Sorrows

O most compassionate Mother, what bitterness filled thy heart when thou didst embrace the lacerated Body of thy Son with thy virginal arms, press Him lovingly to thy maternal heart, and cover Him with tenderest kisses. I remind thee of this inexpressible bitterness, in virtue of which I beseech thee to obtain for me forgiveness of my sins.

O Mary, pray for me, a poor sinner, to thy Jesus Whom thou didst hold in thy arms. Take the wounded Body of thy Son into thy maternal arms, and offer Him in this condition to the Heavenly Father for me. Offer His pierced Heart, His Passion and Death, and all thy own immeasurable sorrows to obtain grace and mercy for me, particularly (mention the favor you desire here). Amen.

Holy Mother, pierce me though; in my heart each wound renew of my Saviour Crucified.

O Mary, our hope, have pity on us!

A Precious Offering

O Mary, Mother of Sorrows, I beseech thee, by the inexpressible tortures thou didst endure at the death of thy Son, offer to the Eternal Father, in my stead, thy beloved Son all covered with Blood and Wounds, for the grace of (mention your intention). Amen.

~ St. John Vianney, the Curé of Ars

Prayer to Our Lady, Comforter of the Afflicted

Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God and our most compassionate Mother, we present ourselves in thy sight in all humility, and with full confidence we implore thee for thy maternal patronage.

Thou hast been proclaimed by Holy Church the Comforter of the Afflicted, and to thee constant recourse is had by the sorrowful in their afflictions, the sick in their maladies, the dying in their agony, the poor in their straitened circumstances, those who stand in all manner of need in both public and private calamities; and from thee they all receive consolation and strength.

Our dearest Mother, turn upon us also, wretched sinners that we are, thy merciful eyes, and graciously accept our humble and confident prayers. Aid us in all our spiritual and temporal necessities; deliver us from all evil, and especially from sin, which is the greatest evil, and from all danger of falling into it; obtain for us from thy Son Jesus every blessing of which thou seest we stand in need, both in soul and in body, and especially the greatest blessing of all, which is Divine grace. Comfort our spirits, troubled and afflicted in the midst of the many dangers that threaten us and in the countless miseries and misfortunes that beset us on every side. This we ask through that immense joy which filled thy pure soul in the glorious Resurrection of thy Divine Son.

Obtain tranquility for Holy Church, help and comfort for her visible Head, the Roman Pontiff, peace for Christian princes, refreshment in their pains for the Holy Souls in Purgatory; for sinners, the forgiveness of their sins, and for the just, perseverance in well-doing. Receive us all, our most tender Mother, under thy loving and mighty protection, that we may be enabled to live virtuously, die holily and attain to everlasting happiness in heaven. Amen.

~~ (Rac., No. 419)

Prayer to the Mother of Sorrow

O Mother of Sorrows, by the anguish and love with which thou didst stand at the cross of Jesus, stand by me in my last agony. To thy maternal heart I commend the last three hours of my life. Offer these hours to the Eternal Father in union with the agony of our dearest Lord in atonement for my sins. Offer to the Eternal Father the most Precious Blood of Jesus, mingled with your tears on Calvary, that I may obtain the grace of receiving Holy Communion with the most perfect love and contrition before my death, and that I may breathe forth my soul in the adorable Presence of Jesus.

Dearest Mother, when the moment of my death has at length come, present me as your child to Jesus. Ask Him to forgive me for having offended Him for I know not what I did. Beg Him to receive me into His kingdom of glory to be united with Him forever. Amen.

Prayer to Our Lady of Sorrows, by St. Bridget

O Blessed Virgin Mary, Immaculate Mother of God, who didst endure a martyrdom of love and grief beholding the sufferings and sorrows of Jesus! Thou didst cooperate in the benefit of my redemption by thine innumerable afflictions and by offering to the Eternal Father His only begotten Son as a holocaust and victim of propitiation for my sins. I thank thee for the unspeakable love which led thee to deprive thyself of the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus, true God and true Man, to save me, a sinner. Oh, make use of the unfailing intercession of thy sorrows with the Father and the Son, that I may steadfastly amend my life and never again crucify my loving Redeemer by new sins, and that, persevering till death in His grace. I may obtain eternal life through the merits of His Cross and Passion. Amen.

Mother of love, of sorrow and of mercy, pray for us.  

PRAYER TO OUR SORROWFUL MOTHER

O Mother of Sorrows, thou, who beneath the Cross of Jesus were given to us as our Mother, look down with pity on us, thy children, who weep and mourn in this valley of tears. By that sword of sorrow which pierced thy Heart when thou looked upon the Face of thy dead Son, obtain for us that comfort we so sorely need in our sufferings.

Thou were given to us our Mother in the hour of thy greatest grief that thou might be mindful of our frailty and the evils that press upon us. Without thy aid, O Sorrowful Mother, we cannot gain the victory in this struggle against flesh and blood. Therefore, we seek thy help, O Queen of Sorrows, lest we fall prey to the wiles of the enemy. We are orphans in need of the guiding hand of our Mother amid the dangers that threaten our destruction. Thou whose grief was boundless as the sea, grant us by the memory of those sorrows the strength to be victorious.

Intercede further, O Mother of Sorrows, for us and all who are near and dear to us, that we may ever do the Will of thy Son, and may direct all our actions to His honor, and to the furtherance of devotion to thy sorrows. Amen.

Virgin Most Sorrowful, pray for us.

Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be....

Mary, most holy Virgin and Queen of Martyrs, accept the sincere homage of my filial affection. Into thy Heart, pierced by so many swords, do thou welcome my poor soul. Receive it as the companion of thy sorrows at the foot of the Cross, on which Jesus died for the redemption of the world. With thee, O sorrowful Virgin, I will gladly suffer all the trials, contradictions, and infirmities which it shall please Our Lord to send me. I offer them all to thee in memory of thy sorrows, so that: every thought of my mind and every beat of my heart may be an act of compassion and of love for thee. And do thou, sweet Mother, have pity on me, reconcile me to thy Divine Son, Jesus; keep me in His grace and assist me in my last agony, so that I may be able to meet thee in Heaven and sing thy glories.

Most holy Virgin and Mother, whose soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow in the Passion of thy Divine Son, and who in His glorious Resurrection wast filled with never ending joy at His triumph, obtain for us who call upon thee, so to be partakers in the adversities of Holy Church and the Sorrows of the Sovereign Pontiff, as to be found worthy to rejoice with them in the consolations for which we pray, in the charity and peace of the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Daily Recommendation:

Pray 1 Hail Mary for each of the 7 Sorrows Our Lady experienced. This is easy and can be done anywhere, anytime, without having to have your prayerbook with you. You just have to memorize the 7 Sorrows, and you're set! This will at least show Our Lady that you acknowledge her sorrows, and remember them in appreciation. I'm sure she will be happy with you, and shower you with her special blessings.

Apparition in Africa: Our Lady of Sorrows [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
Feast of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary [Catholic Caucus Devotional]
Feast of Our Lady/Mother of Sorrows

Homilies on Our Lady of Sorrows
Starkenburg:Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Sorrows Shrine
Our Mother of Sorrows
ST. ALPHONSUS LIGUORI, OF THE DOLOURS OF MARY, The Glories [Sorrows] of Mary
Our Lady of Sorrows - Sep 15

 

[Salvation]

Holy Father's Prayer Intentions For September 2009

General: That the word of God may be better known, welcomed and lived as the source of freedom and joy.

Mission: That Christians in Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar, who often meet with great difficulties, may not be discouraged from announcing the Gospel to their brothers, trusting in the strength of the Holy Spirit.

[Salvation]

From: Isaiah 35:4-7a

Promise of Redemption
----------------------------------
[4] Say to those who are of a fearful heart, "Be strong, fear not! Behold, your
God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and
save you." [5] Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the
deaf unstopped; [6] then shall the lame man leap like a hart, and the tongue of
the dumb sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and
streams in the desert; [7a] the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thir-
sty ground springs of water.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

35:1-10 The focus now changes with this hymn celebrating Zion, the holy city.
It presents a picture of the restored Jerusalem in language reminiscent of that
of chapters 11 and 12. God who manifested his presence and protection during
the exodus, when Israel came up out of Egypt, will do so again in wonderful ways
as the redeemed flock back home to Zion. He will show them the route and give
them a highway and be with them in a sort of solemn procession to where he
dwells (v. 8). Just as in Babylon there was a "Holy Way" lined with statues of
lions and dragons that led to the temple of Marduk, the redeemed will have a tru-
ly "Holy Way" to take them to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem. The joy of the
returnees is compounded by the instant cure of the blind, deaf and lame (cf. 29:
18-19), which is an anticipation of what will happen in the messianic era.

The miracles worked by Jesus demonstrate that the moment of true redemption
foreseen indistinctly by the prophets has come to pass (cf. Mt 11:2-6). St Justin,
showing the Jew Tryphon that this prophecy found fulfillment in Christ, points out:
"Christ is the stream of living water that flows from God; he sprang up in the de-
sert wastes of igno- rance of God; that is, in the parched earth of all the nations.
He, who was born among your people, cured those who were blind from birth,
and the deaf and the lame: by his word alone, they leapt and heard and saw once
more. He raised the dead and gave them new life, and by all his good works
prompted men to see Him for who he is. [...] He did all these things to convince
those who were to believe in him, whatever bodily defects they might have, that
if they obeyed the teachings that he gave them, he would raise them up again at
his Second Coming and make them whole and perfect and immortal as He is"
("Dialogus Cum Tryphone", 69,6).

The Church uses this passage from Isaiah in the Advent liturgy (3rd Sunday,
Cycle A) to encourage the faithful in joyous hope that God will come and bring
salvation.

*********************************************************************************************
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries".  Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

[Salvation]

From: James 2:1-5

Respect for the Poor
------------------------------
[1] My brethren, show no partiality as you hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Lord of glory. [2] For if a man with gold rings and in fine clothing comes into
your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, [3] and you
pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, "Have a seat here,
please," while you say to the poor man, "Stand there," or, "Sit at my feet," [4]
have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil
thoughts? [5] Listen, my beloved brethren. Has not God chosen those who are
poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom which He has pro-
mised to those who love Him?

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

1-13. Apparently some of the Christians to whom this letter was addressed were
guilty of discriminating against people on the grounds of social standing--a clear
instance of inconsistency between faith and actions, a key theme which James
has already touched on (cf. 1:19-27) and will develop later (cf. 2:14-26). He may
well be taking an example from something that actually happened (verses 1-4)
to make the very vigorous point that discrimination is opposed to the Gospel
(verses 5-7) as indeed to the Law (verses 8-11); and he makes it plain that this
type of behavior will be severely punished by God when He comes to judge
(verses 12-13).

1-4. God "is not partial and takes no bribe" (Deuteronomy 10:17). Discrimination
among people is often condemned in the Old Testament--in the Law as well as in
the Prophets and the Wisdom books (cf., e.g. Leviticus 19:15; Isaiah 5:23; Micah
3:9-11; Psalm 82:2-4). In the Gospel even our Lord's enemies admit that He is
impartial and does not make unfair distinctions (cf. Matthew 22:16).

In line with this teaching, the Church takes issue with every form of discrimination.
"All men are endowed with a rational soul and are created in God's image; they
have the same nature and origin and, being redeemed by Christ, they enjoy the
same divine calling and destiny; there is here a basic equality between men and
it must be given ever greater recognition. Undoubtedly not all men are alike as
regards physical capacity and intellectual and moral powers. But forms of social
or cultural discrimination in basic personal rights on the grounds of sex, race,
color, social conditions, language or religion, must be curbed and eradicated as
incompatible with God's design" ("Gaudium Et Spes", 29).

1. "The faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory": literally "the faith of our
Lord Jesus Christ of glory." This phrase can be interpreted in slightly different
ways depending on how one understands "of glory". The most likely interpreta-
tion is that this is an instance of a Semitic genitive used in place of the adjective
"glorious" or "glorified"; in which case St. James is referring to Jesus Christ who,
after His ascension and resurrection, enjoys, also in His capacity as man, the
highest honor and glory.

The RSV takes up the idea found in 1 Corinthians 2:8 where St. Paul calls Christ
"the Lord of glory": since in the Old Testament "glory" was the splendor of the
majesty of Yahweh (cf. Exodus 24:16), by applying this divine attribute to Christ
His divinity is being explicitly asserted. If this is the correct translation, it may
be a form of words taken from early Christian liturgy.

Some translate it in another way which puts even greater stress on Christ's divi-
nity: "The faith of the glory (that is, the divinity) of our Lord Jesus Christ."

All these translations are compatible with one another and complementary to
one another.

5-7. Many of the people to whom the letter was written must have been quite
poor (cf. note on 1:2-4; 1 Corinthians 1:26-29). St. James reminds them that
God wants to make them rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Jesus in fact had given as a sign of His messiahship the fact that the Gospel
is proclaimed to the poor (cf. Matthew 11:5; Luke 7:22) and He also taught that
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven" (Matthew
5:3). "Christ was sent by the Father 'to preach good news to the poor...to heal
the contrite of heart' (Luke 4:18), 'to seek and to save the lost' (Luke 19:10).
Similarly, the Church encompasses with her love all those who are afflicted by
human misery and she recognizes in those who are poor and who suffer, the
image of her poor and suffering Founder. She does all in her power to relieve
their need and in them she strives to serve Christ" (Vatican II, "Lumen Gentium",
8).

Of the rich on the other hand, the Apostle speaks with unusual harshness. As
elsewhere in Sacred Scripture, those who deserve such severe condemnation are
people who are bent on building up their possession as if ownership were the only
purpose in life, not minding what means they used, and oppressing and ill-treating
the poor (cf. note on Luke 6:24).

Behavior of this type is so serious that it amounts to "blaspheming that hono-
rable name by which you are called" (verse 7)--blasphemy by scandalous action
rather than by words. This "name" can mean both the name "Jesus"--called down
on them at Baptism--and that of "Christian", a name already being given to those
first followers of the Master (cf. Acts 11:26).

What St. James says here can in no sense be used to justify the "class struggle"
which some materialistic doctrines propose. The Magisterium of the Church has
often pointed out that the application of Christian principles should make for har-
mony and concord between the various groups in society (cf. Leo XIII, "Rerum
Novarum", 14). James' words certainly do urge everyone to make a real effort to
promote the human dignity of all: "The evil inequities and oppression of every kind
which afflict millions of men and women today openly contradict Christ's Gospel
and cannot leave the conscience of any Christian indifferent" (SCDF, "Libertatis
Conscientia", 57).

*********************************************************************************************
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries".  Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States. 

[Salvation]

From: Mark 7:31-37

The Curing of a Deaf Man
-------------------------------------
[31] Then [Jesus] returned from the region of Tyre, and went through Sidon to
the Sea of Galilee, through the region of the Decapolis. [32] And they brought
Him a man who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech; and they be-
sought Him to lay His hand upon him. [33] And taking him aside from the mul-
titude privately, He put His fingers into his ears, and He spat and touched his
tongue; [34] and looking up to Heaven, He sighed and said to him, "Ephphatha,"
that is, "Be opened." [35] And his ears were opened, his tongue was released,
and he spoke plainly. [36] And He charged them to tell no one; but the more
He charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. [37] And they were
astonished beyond measure, saying, "He has done all things well; He even
makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak."

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

32-33. Sacred Scripture quite often shows the laying on of hands as a gesture
indicating the transfer of power or blessing (cf. Genesis 48:14ff; 2 Kings 5:11;
Luke 13:13). Everyone knows that saliva can help heal minor cuts. In the lan-
guage of Revelation fingers symbolized powerful Divine action (cf. Exodus 8:19;
Psalm 8:4; Luke 11:20). So Jesus uses signs which suit in some way the effect
He wants to achieve, though we can see from the text that the effect--the instan-
taneous cure of the deaf and dumb man--far exceeds the sign used.

In the miracle of the deaf and dumb man we can see a symbol of the way God
acts on souls: for us to believe, God must first open our heart so we can listen
to His word. Then, like the Apostles, we too can proclaim the "magnalia Dei",
the mighty works of God (cf. Acts 2:11). In the Church's liturgy (cf. the hymn
"Veni Creator") the Holy Spirit is compared to the finger of the right hand of God
the Father ("Digitus paternae dexterae"). The Consoler produces in our souls,
in the supernatural order, effects comparable to those which Christ produces
in the body of the deaf and dumb man.

*********************************************************************************************
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries".  Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States. 

[Salvation]

Scripture readings taken from the Jerusalem Bible, published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd

Mass Readings

First reading

Isaiah 35:4-7 ©

Say to all faint hearts, ‘Courage! Do not be afraid. Look, your God is coming, vengeance is coming, the retribution of God; he is coming to save you.’ Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, the ears of the deaf unsealed, then the lame shall leap like a deer and the tongues of the dumb sing for joy; for water gushes in the desert, streams in the wasteland, the scorched earth becomes a lake, the parched land springs of water.

Psalm or canticle: Psalm 145:6-10

Second reading

James 2:1-5 ©

My brothers, do not try to combine faith in Jesus Christ, our glorified Lord, with the making of distinctions between classes of people. Now suppose a man comes into your synagogue, beautifully dressed and with a gold ring on, and at the same time a poor man comes in, in shabby clothes, and you take notice of the well-dressed man, and say, ‘Come this way to the best seats’; then you tell the poor man, ‘Stand over there’ or ‘You can sit on the floor by my foot-rest.’ Can’t you see that you have used two different standards in your mind, and turned yourselves into judges, and corrupt judges at that?   Listen, my dear brothers: it was those who are poor according to the world that God chose, to be rich in faith and to be the heirs to the kingdom which he promised to those who love him.

Gospel

Mark 7:31-37 ©

Returning from the district of Tyre, Jesus went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, right through the Decapolis region. And they brought him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they asked him to lay his hand on him. He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, put his fingers into the man’s ears and touched his tongue with spittle. Then looking up to heaven he sighed; and he said to him, ‘Ephphatha’, that is, ‘Be opened.’ And his ears were opened, and the ligament of his tongue was loosened and he spoke clearly. And Jesus ordered them to tell no one about it, but the more he insisted, the more widely they published it. Their admiration was unbounded. ‘He has done all things well,’ they said ‘he makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak.’

[Salvation]

Zenit -- Quality Communication

Quality Communication

Biblical Reflection for 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time B

By Father Thomas Rosica, CSB

TORONTO, SEPT. 2, 2009 (Zenit.org).- In the magnificent piece of biblical poetry in Isaiah 35:4-7 (today's first reading) the prophet Isaiah announces the end of the Babylonian captivity.

The Exodus of God's people from bondage in Egypt became a model for thinking about salvation and a symbol of the great pilgrimage of the human family towards God. The prophet Isaiah encountered a dispirited community of exiles. Isaiah responded by recalling the joyous memories of the Exodus from Egypt.

A second Exodus is in store, symbolized by the healing granted to the blind, the lame, and the mute, and new life to the dead. Delivered and saved by God, all peoples shall return to their own land by way of the desert, in a new exodus. Isaiah prophecies that there shall be one, pure road, and it will be called the way of holiness upon which the redeemed shall walk.

In the midst of the desert, streams will break forth. God's saving power also embraces afflicted humans, healing every ill that comes upon people. Isaiah addressed specific afflictions that God would heal: "then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy."

Isaiah's prediction of this abundant, new life underlies Mark's understanding of Jesus' cure of "a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech" (Mark 7:31-37]). Mark's story of the healing of this hearing and speech impaired man invites us to consider some important points about sickness and suffering in the New Testament.

Sick people in the Bible are those who have fallen from an appropriate human state or condition of human integrity or wholeness. Jesus heals people by restoring them to a proper state: Those who are leprous are made clean, blind people see, mute persons speak, etc.

We have little information about how Jesus' healings episodes were accomplished. Jesus did not perform miracles as someone waving a magic wand or clicking his fingers. The man cured by Jesus was deaf and dumb; he could not communicate with others, hear his voice and express his feelings and needs. The sigh uttered by Jesus at the moment of touching the ears of the deaf man tells us that he identified with people's suffering; he participated deeply in their misfortune and made it his own burden.

"Ephphatha, Be opened!"

The early Church was so impressed by the healing miracle of the deaf man that it attached deep significance to it, incorporating the Lord's action into the Baptismal Rite of new Christians. To this day, the minister of baptism puts his fingers into our ears and touches the tip of our tongue, repeating Jesus' word: "Ephphatha, Be opened!" He has made both the deaf hear and the dumb speak.

We learn by hearing and listening

Sight deals with things, while hearing deals with human beings. Sight has to do with science, with observation, with objectivity. Hearing has to do with personal relationships, with subjectivity. When I use my eyes to look at people or things, I am in complete control of the information that comes to me, for I can shut my eyes when I wish. When I am reading the words of scripture by myself, I can close my eyes and stop reading. But the ear is unlike the eye. I cannot shut my ear. The only way I can stop the sound is to leave the room!

We learn about other people by hearing and listening to what they have to say. Language reveals the inside of another person, something sight can never do. If we want to learn about God, we must listen to His Word with all our heart, all our soul and all our mind.

Looking at Him, if it were possible, would not tell us anything. After all, Satan appeared as an angel of light, while God appeared as the broken, mangled body of a young man dying on a cross. Who would have believed this without eyes and ears of faith?

When we read the Bible, do we "hear" what it says? The Bible does not tell us to read the Word of God but to hear it, to listen to it. That is the great Jewish prayer: "Shema, Israel," "Hear, O Israel." Someone else must read the Word so that I may hear it and truly understand it.

Biblical faith cannot be individualistic but must be communal. Speaking and hearing involve mutual submission. Mutual respect and submission is the essence of community, and the only way I can get away from hearing is to leave the room, to leave the community and go off by myself. Sadly this is the case for many who have left the Church community and claim to have found freedom, autonomy, and truth in solitude, away from the community of faith!

What they have found is not solitude, but loneliness, selfishness and rugged individualism. Authentic hearing and listening involve submission to authority and membership in community.

Physical and spiritual deafness

The healing stories reflect Jesus' intimate, powerful relationship with God and his great compassion. He healed with words, touch and physical means. Physical deafness and spiritual deafness are alike; Jesus confronted one type in the man born deaf, the other type in the Pharisees and others who were unreceptive of his message. Jesus was concerned not only with physical infirmity but also spiritual impairment and moral deafness.

Our contemporary world has grown deaf to the words of Jesus, but it is not a physical deafness, it is a spiritual deafness caused by sin. We have become so used to sin that we take it as normal and we have become deafened and blinded to Jesus and his daily call to us.

If deafness and dumbness consist in the inability to communicate plainly with one's neighbor or to have good relationships, then we must acknowledge that each of us is in some way impaired in our hearing and speech. What decides the quality of our communication, hearing and speech is not simply to speak or not to speak or hear, but to do so or not to do so out of love.
 
We are blind and deaf when we show favoritism or discrimination because of the status and wealth of other people (see James 2:1-5). We fail to recall that divine favor consists in God's election and promises (James 2:5).

We are deaf when we do not hear the cry for help raised to us and we prefer to put indifference between our neighbor and ourselves. In doing so we oppress the poor and blaspheme the name of Christ (James 2:6-7).

Parents are deaf when they do not understand that certain dysfunctional behaviors of their children betray deep-seated cries for attention and love.

We are deaf when turn inward and close ourselves to the world because of selfishness, pride, resentment, anger, jealousy and our inability to forgive others.

We are deaf when we refuse to recognize those who suffer in the world around us, and do not acknowledge glaring situations of inequality, injustice, poverty and the devastation of war.

We are deaf when we refuse to hear the cry of the unborn, of those whose lives are in danger because they are elderly, handicapped, and chronically ill, while others wish to end their lives out of misguided mercy.

Beethoven's deafness

The German composer and virtuoso pianist Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) was one of the most loved composers of all time. What I never knew until recently was that Beethoven started losing his hearing at the age of 28. The deafness gave Beethoven insights into that which existed beyond that which could be seen and heard.

Beethoven was aware of the oneness of music with God from a very early age. And he was conscious of this while composing his music. "Ever since my childhood my heart and soul have been imbued with the tender feeling of goodwill. And I have always been inclined to accomplish great things." In many of his letters Beethoven expresses his desire to serve God and humanity with his music. "Almighty God, you see into my heart ... and you know it's filled with loved for humanity and a desire to do good."

Beethoven's life is a paradox. On one hand, his solitary life was burdened by his deafness and on the other his spiritual insights flashed through his music. Many a times his deafness drove him to the edge and he cursed it. Yet, he also accepted it. It may have been out of frustration, but there was an acceptance of the divine will.

Today may the words Jesus spoke over the deaf man be addressed once again to each of us: "Ephphatha, be opened!" May our ears, eyes and hearts be opened to the Gospel!

[The readings for the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time B are Isaiah 35:4-7a; James 2:1-5; and Mark 7:31-37]

* * *

Basilian Father Thomas Rosica, chief executive officer of the Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation and Television Network in Canada, is a consultor to the Pontifical Council for Social Communications.

[Salvation]

The Work of God

Year B

 -  23rd Sunday in ordinary time

And looking up to heaven, he groaned, and said to him: Ephpheta, which is, Be opened.

Mark 7:31-37

31 And again going out of the coasts of Tyre, he came by Sidon to the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis.
32 And they bring to him one deaf and dumb; and they besought him that he would lay his hand upon him.
33 And taking him from the multitude apart, he put his fingers into his ears, and spitting, he touched his tongue:
34 And looking up to heaven, he groaned, and said to him: Ephpheta, which is, Be opened.
35 And immediately his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke right.
36 And he asked them that they should tell no man. But the more he asked them, so much the more a great deal did they publish it.
37 And so much the more did they wonder, saying: He has done all things well; he has made both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

Inspiration of the Holy Spirit - From the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Everyone marveled at my miracles when they realized the power of God manifested in such a supernatural manner. But miracles were not the reason for my coming to the world; they were just an indication to confirm the Word of God made flesh. How many went totally unaware before the heavenly portents that were taking place before them, because, as in all generations, many people preferred to live according to the laws of the flesh and despised the call of God.

My signs demonstrated clearly that I was someone special, the Messiah who was awaited for thousands of years by the Israelites for their liberation. My words were always backed by my power, since I am the Word of God, He who said “Let there be light, and the light was made.”

The divine powers continue to manifest daily, since my word sustains creation by the work of my Holy Spirit. The Divine Mercy is patient and allows human beings to experience God through the triple testimony: of the Father, through creation; of the Son through redemption and of the Holy Spirit though the continuous manifestation of God in each heart.

My Word does not go unaware by any human being, I speak constantly in each heart through my Spirit, I knock on the door inviting the soul to awake spiritually so that it will prepare through my commandments to know me, love me and serve me.

God does not need anybody, however everybody needs God. He who wishes to know me comes close to me and begins the spiritual life. He who loves me receives my love and grows spiritually in holiness. He who serves me receives a reward infinitely greater than his effort.

Nothing exists without the divine consent, and nothing occurs without the permission of the Divine Providence. The offering that I make is for the good of the soul, for the temporal human benefit and for the eternal heavenly reward. My glory is the humility and obedience of all the souls who upon hearing my Word understand the value of my call and follow me.

The miracle of the deaf mute is very significant spiritually, since the majority of human beings suffer spiritual deafness when they reject my voice and spiritual muteness when they don’t speak to me, when they don’t react before the divine greatness expressing their thanksgiving, fidelity and praise.

You, who receive these words, “If today you hear my word, harden not your heart”.

 

Author: Joseph of Jesus and Mary

[Salvation]

Road to Emmaus

Twenty-Third Sunday of Ordinary Time

 

By Brian Pizzalato *

   First Reading – Is. 35:4-7a

Responsorial Psalm – Ps. 146:7, 8-9, 9-10

Second Reading – Jam. 2:1-5

Gospel Reading – Mk. 7:31-37

 

In this Sunday’s Gospel reading from Mark, Jesus journeys to the Decapolis, a district of ten Gentile cities. Right away we know that the mercy of God is being extended not to the Jews alone, but also to the Gentiles.

In Mark 5 we also heard about the Decapolis when Jesus met a man possessed by Legion.  Jesus cast out the demons from this man and then instructed him to “go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you” (Mark 5:19). The man then “went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him; and all men marveled” (Mark 5:20).

Now Jesus is in the Decapolis and is immediately greeted by people bringing to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment. The Greek word for speech impediment, “mogilalos,” automatically links us to the Old Testament reading for this Sunday from Isaiah 35. This Greek word is only used in these two places in all of Sacred Scripture. Therefore, we are seeing at least a partial fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah in this episode in the Decapolis.

Isaiah is speaking to those from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin who will be taken into Babylonian captivity. However, this prophecy tells of the time when they will be delivered. In Isaiah 35:2 we are told that they will “see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God.” This is being fulfilled by Jesus. In Jesus the people of the Decapolis are seeing the glory of God and his majesty. But, there is more to the story.

The prophecy goes on to say, “Behold, your God will come with vengeance…He will come and save you” (Isaiah 35:4). In Isaiah it is God who will come and save. Mark is telling us once again that Jesus is God. This is confirmed by what Isaiah, and Mark go on to say. When God comes, “then…the ears of the deaf unstopped…and the tongue of the mute sing for joy” (Isaiah 35:5b, 6b). When Jesus comes the deaf man’s “ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly” (Mark 7:35).

Mary Healy in her book, The Gospel of Mark, also draws the conclusion that Mark is again showing us that Jesus is God. However, she brings into the picture another passage from Scripture. Healy says, “Once again Jesus has performed a role that Scripture ascribes to God alone: ‘Who gives one man speech and makes another deaf and dumb? Or who gives sight to one and makes another blind? Is it not I, the Lord?’” (p. 148; Exodus 4:11).

[Salvation]

Sunday, September 6, 2009
Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading: Psalm: Second Reading: Gospel:

Isaiah 35:4-7 Psalm 146:7-10 James 2:1-5 Mark 7:31-37 Our own evil inclinations are far more dangerous than any external enemies. -- St Ambrose

[Salvation]

The Angelus 

The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary: 
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit. 

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of
our death. Amen. 

Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word. 

Hail Mary . . . 

And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us. 

Hail Mary . . . 

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. 

Let us pray: 

Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord.

Amen. 

[Salvation]

A Pro-Life Prayer For Our President And Public Officials

Lord God, Author of Life and Source of Eternal Life,

Move the hearts of all our public officials and especially our President, to fulfill their responsibilities worthily and well to all those entrusted to their care.

Help them in their special leadership roles, to extend the mantle of protection to the most vulnerable, especially the defenseless unborn, whose lives are threatened with extermination by an indifferent society.

Guide all public officials by your wisdom and grace to cease supporting any law that fails to protect the fundamental good that is human life itself, which is a gift from God and parents.

You are the Protector and Defender of the lives of the innocent unborn. Change the hearts of those who compromise the call to protect and defend life. Bring our nation to the values that have made us a great nation, a society that upholds the values of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all.

Mary, the Mother of the living, help us to bear witness to the Gospel of Life with our lives and our laws, through Christ, Our Lord.

Amen.

 

• Imprimatur:
• January 22, 2009
• Most Reverend Robert J. Baker
• Bishop of Birmingham in Alabama

[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 144 (145)

The greatness and goodness of God

I will bless you, O God, day after day. Alleluia.

I will praise you to the heights, O God, my king –

  I will bless your name for ever and for all time.

I will bless you, O God, day after day –

  I will praise your name for ever and all time.

The Lord is great, to him all praise is due –

  he is great beyond measuring.

Generation will pass to generation the praise of your deeds,

  and tell the wonders you have done.

They will tell of your overwhelming power,

  and pass on the tale of your greatness.

They will cry out the story of your great kindness,

  they will celebrate your judgements.

The Lord takes pity, his heart is merciful,

  he is patient and endlessly kind.

The Lord is gentle to all –

  he shows his kindness to all his creation.

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

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

  world without end.

Amen.

I will bless you, O God, day after day. Alleluia.

---

Psalm 144 (145)

Lord, your kingdom stands firm for all ages. Alleluia.

Let all your creatures proclaim you, O Lord,

  let your chosen ones bless you.

Let them tell of the glory of your reign,

  let them speak of your power –

so that the children of men may know what you can do,

  see the glory of your kingdom and its greatness.

Your kingdom stands firm for all ages,

  your rule lasts for ever and ever.

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

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

  world without end.

Amen.

Lord, your kingdom stands firm for all ages. Alleluia.

---

Psalm 144 (145)

The Lord is faithful in all his words, he is holy in all his deeds. Alleluia.

The Lord is faithful in all his words,

  the Lord is holy in all his deeds.

The Lord supports all who are falling,

  the Lord lifts up all who are oppressed.

All look to you for help,

  and you give them their food in due season.

In your goodness you open your hand,

  and give every creature its fill.

The Lord is just in all his ways,

  the Lord is kind in all that he does.

The Lord is near to those who call on him,

  to all those who call on him in truth.

For those that honour him,

  he does what they ask,

  he hears all their prayers,

  and he keeps them safe.

The Lord keeps safe all who love him,

  but he dooms all the wicked to destruction.

My mouth shall tell the praises of the Lord.

Let all flesh bless his holy name,

  for ever and ever.

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

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

  world without end.

Amen.

The Lord is faithful in all his words, he is holy in all his deeds. Alleluia.

---

My son, listen to my words.

– Turn your ear to what I am saying.

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Reading

Jeremiah 37:21,38:14-28 ©

King Zedekiah then gave an order, and Jeremiah was confined in the Court of the Guard and given a loaf of bread a day from the Street of the Bakers as long as there was bread left in the city. So Jeremiah stayed in the Court of the Guard.   King Zedekiah had the prophet Jeremiah summoned to him at the third entrance to the Temple of the Lord. ‘I want to ask you for a word,’ the king said to Jeremiah ‘keep nothing back from me.’ Jeremiah answered Zedekiah, ‘If I tell you, surely you will have me put to death? And if I give you advice, you will not listen to me.’ King Zedekiah then swore this oath in secret to Jeremiah, ‘As the Lord lives, giver of this life of ours, I will neither have you put to death nor handed over into the power of these men who are determined to kill you.’ Jeremiah then said to Zedekiah, ‘The Lord, the God of Sabaoth, the God of Israel, says this, “If you go out and surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, your life will be safe and this city will not be burnt down; you and your family will survive. But if you do not go out and surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, this city will be handed over into the power of the king of the Chaldaeans who will burn it down; and you yourself will not escape their hands.”’ King Zedekiah then said to Jeremiah, ‘I am afraid of the Jews who have already gone over to the Chaldaeans: I might be handed over to them and they would ill-treat me.’ ‘You will not be handed over to them,’ Jeremiah replied ‘just listen to the voice of the Lord, in obedience to which I have spoken, and all will go well with you and your life will be safe. But if you refuse to go, this is what the Lord has shown me: a vision of all the women left in the palace of the king of Judah being led off to the officers of the king of Babylon and singing: ‘“They have misled you, they have overreached you, your fine friends! Are your feet sinking in the mud? They are up and away!” ‘Yes, all your wives and children will be led off to the Chaldaeans, and you yourself will not escape their hands, but will be a prisoner in the clutches of the king of Babylon. And as for this city, it will be burnt down.’   Zedekiah then said to Jeremiah, ‘Do not let anyone else hear these words or you will die. If the officials hear that I have been talking to you, and come to you and say, “Tell us what you said to the king and what the king said to you; keep nothing back from us, or we will put you to death,” you must reply, “I presented this request to the king: that he would not have me sent back to the house of Jonathan to die there.”’   All the officials did in fact come to Jeremiah to question him. He told them exactly what the king had ordered him to say. They then left him in peace, since no part of the conversation had been overheard. Jeremiah stayed in the Court of the Guard until the day Jerusalem was captured.

---

Reading	A sermon of Pope St Leo the Great
Christian wisdom
The Lord then goes on to say: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. This hunger is not for bodily food, this thirst is not for any earthly drink: it is a longing to be blessed with righteousness, and, by penetrating the secret of all mysteries, to be filled with the Lord himself.   Happy is the soul that longs for the food of righteousness and thirsts for this kind of drink; it would not seek such things if it had not already savoured their delight. When the soul hears the voice of the Spirit saying to it through the prophet: Taste and see that the Lord is good, it has already received a portion of God’s goodness, and is on fire with love, the love that gives joy of the utmost purity. It counts as nothing all that belongs to time; it is entirely consumed with desire to eat and drink the food of righteousness. The soul lays hold of the true meaning of the first and great commandment: You shall love the Lord God with your whole heart, and your whole mind and your whole strength, for to love God is nothing else than to love righteousness.   Finally, just as concern for one’s neighbour is added to love of God, so the virtue of mercy is added to the desire for righteousness, as it is said: Blessed are the merciful, for God will be merciful to them.   Remember, Christian, the surpassing worth of the wisdom that is yours. Bear in mind the kind of school in which you are to learn your skills, the rewards to which you are called. Mercy itself wishes you to be merciful, righteousness itself wishes you to be righteous, so that the Creator may shine forth in his creature, and the image of God be reflected in the mirror of the human heart as it imitates his qualities. The faith of those who live their faith is a serene faith. What you long for will be given you; what you love will be yours for ever.   Since it is by giving alms that everything is pure for you, you will also receive that blessing which is promised next by the Lord: Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God. Dear friends, great is the happiness of those for whom such a reward is prepared. Who are the clean of heart if not those who strive for those virtues we have mentioned above? What mind can conceive, what words can express the great happiness of seeing God? Yet human nature will achieve this when it has been transformed so that it sees the Godhead no longer in a mirror or obscurely but face to face – the Godhead that no man has been able to see. In the inexpressible joy of this eternal vision, human nature will possess what eye has not seen or ear heard, what man’s heart has never conceived.

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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.

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Concluding Prayer

O God, you have redeemed us and adopted us.

Grant to your beloved children

  that their belief in Christ

  may bring them true liberty and an eternal inheritance.

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.