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Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 02-18-11
USCCB.org/New American Bible ^ | 02-18-11 | New American Bible

Posted on 02/17/2011 11:12:03 PM PST by Salvation

February 18, 2011


Friday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

 

Reading 1
Responsorial Psalm
Gospel


Reading 1

Gn 11:1-9

The whole world spoke the same language, using the same words.
While the people were migrating in the east,
they came upon a valley in the land of Shinar and settled there.
They said to one another,
“Come, let us mold bricks and harden them with fire.”
They used bricks for stone, and bitumen for mortar.
Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city
and a tower with its top in the sky,
and so make a name for ourselves;
otherwise we shall be scattered all over the earth.”

The LORD came down to see the city and the tower
that they had built.
Then the LORD said: “If now, while they are one people,
all speaking the same language,
they have started to do this,
nothing will later stop them from doing whatever they presume to do.
Let us then go down and there confuse their language,
so that one will not understand what another says.”
Thus the LORD scattered them from there all over the earth,
and they stopped building the city.
That is why it was called Babel,
because there the LORD confused the speech of all the world.
It was from that place that he scattered them all over the earth.

 
Responsorial Psalm

R. (12) Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
The LORD brings to nought the plans of nations;
he foils the designs of peoples.
But the plan of the LORD stands forever;
the design of his heart, through all generations.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he has chosen for his own inheritance.
From heaven the LORD looks down;
he sees all mankind.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
From his fixed throne he beholds
all who dwell on the earth,
He who fashioned the heart of each,
he who knows all their works.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

 
Gospel

Jesus summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them,
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake
and that of the Gospel will save it.
What profit is there for one to gain the whole world
and forfeit his life?
What could one give in exchange for his life?
Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words
in this faithless and sinful generation,
the Son of Man will be ashamed of
when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

He also said to them,
“Amen, I say to you,
there are some standing here who will not taste death
until they see that the Kingdom of God has come in power.”



TOPICS: Catholic; General Discusssion; Prayer; Worship
KEYWORDS: catholiclist; catholicprayer; ordinarytime
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To: All
Catholic
Almanac:

Friday, February 18

Liturgical Color: Green


Bl. John Pibush died on this day in 1601. He was a missionary priest in England during a time of great persecution. Entering the priesthood was considered an act of treason. John was imprisoned and killed for his faith.


21 posted on 02/18/2011 7:29:15 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All

Spiritual Bouquet - Meditations by Pade Pio

Spiritual Bouquet
A different meditation each time you click.

 
Meditations by Padre Pio

Continue to receive Communion, and don't worry about not being able to receive the Sacrament of Penance. Jesus will prize your good will. Remember what I have told you so often: as long as we are not certain of being in serious sin, we need not abstain from Communion.


22 posted on 02/18/2011 7:31:04 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
Catholic Culture

Daily Readings for: February 18, 2011
(Readings on USCCB website)

Collect: God our Father, you have promised to remain for ever with those who do what is just and right. Help us to live in your presence. 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.

 Ordinary Time: February 18th 

  Friday of the Sixth Week of Ordinary Time Old Calendar: St. Simeon, bishop and martyr; St. Bernadette Soubirous, virgin; St. Flavian, bishop and martyr (Hist)

According to the 1962 Missal of Bl. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is the feast of St. Simeon, bishop and martyr. He was successor to the apostle St. James in the See of Jerusalem and was arrested and probably crucified in about A.D. 110, under the emperor Trajan. He ruled over the Church of Jerusalem for forty years.

Historically today is also the feast of St. Flavian of Constantinople, Patriarch of Constaninople and martyr of the 5th century.


St. Simeon
A blood relative of Christ, he was martyred in early apostolic times. Succeeding the apostle James, Simeon, the son of Cleophas, was, it may be said, the first bishop of Jerusalem. Under the Emperor Trajan he was arraigned before Atticus, the governor, on charges of being a Christian and a relative of Jesus. For at a certain period, all descendants of David were apprehended. After enduring all types of torture, he was affixed to a cross, even as His Savior. Those present marveled how a man of such advanced age (he was 120 years old) could so steadfastly and joyously bear the excruciating pains of crucifixion. He died on the 18th of February, 106 A.D.

The siege and the destruction of Jerusalem took place during his episcopacy. He accompanied the Christian community to Pella.

Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch

Things to Do:

  • In the spirit of the blind man in today's Gospel and mindful of St. Simeon's joy upon his martyrdom, pray for vision to see the Crucified Christ in all your struggles.

  • Saint Josemaria Escriva recommends that the serious Christian carry with him a small crucifix, which he may keep before himself at all times. In your case, this may be the kitchen, the office, the classroom, or any place in which you are fulfilling your duties. When it becomes difficult to persevere, look upon Christ and be reminded of the value of your small trials.

  • Read this account of the martyrdom of St. Simeon by St. Eusebius of Caesarea.

  • If you are interested in genealogy you might like to read about the genealogy of Christ at New Advent.

St. Flavian
St. Flavian was patriarch of Constantinople, and he was hated by the Emperor Theodosius II's chancellor, partly because he would not give Church money to the Emperor. In 448, St. Flavian held a synod that condemned the abbot Eutyches for denying that Jesus Christ had two distinct natures, a denial that was the beginning of the Monophysite heresy. Eutyches then appealed to Pope St. Leo I, but the Pope sustained the decision and wrote his famous "Leo's Tome" to St. Flavian, a letter expounding the orthodox position on the matter. The Emperor called another council at Ephesus in 449, which St. Leo later called a "robber synod." Conducted in open violence, it unjustly deposed St. Flavian and Eusebius, Eutyches' accuser in 448. St. Flavian was beaten so severely that he died days later in his place of exile. In 451 the Council of Chalcedon vindicated St. Flavian, reinstated Eusebius and exiled the Bishop of Alexandria, who had supported the heresy. St. Pulcheria had St. Flavian's body brought back to Constantinople and buried with those of his predecessors.

Excerpted from Saints Calendar & Daily Planner by Tan Books

Things to Do:

  • Read more about St. Flavian at EWTN.

23 posted on 02/18/2011 8:33:11 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
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.


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

Hymn
Eternal glory of the sky,
Blest hope of frail humanity,
The Father’s Sole-begotten One,
Yet born a spotless Virgin’s Son.
Uplift us with thine arm of might,
And let our hearts rise pure and bright,
And, ardent in God’s praises, pay
The thanks we owe him every day.
The day-star’s rays are glittering clear,
And tell that day itself is near:
The shadows of the night depart;
Thou, holy Light, illume the heart.
Within our senses ever dwell,
And worldly darkness thence expel:
Long as the days of life endure,
Preserve our souls devout and pure.
The Faith that first must be possessed,
Root deep within our inmost breast:
And joyous Hope in second place,
Then Charity, thy greatest grace.
All laud to God the Father be;
All praise, eternal Son, to thee;
All glory, as is ever meet,
To God the Holy Paraclete.

Psalm 50 (51)
God, have mercy on me
O God, you will not spurn a humbled, contrite heart.
Take pity on me, Lord, in your mercy;
  in your abundance of mercy wipe out my guilt.
Wash me ever more from my guilt
  and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know how guilty I am:
  my sin is always before me.
Against you, you alone have I sinned,
  and I have done evil in your sight.
Know this, so that you may give just sentence
  and an unbiased judgement.
See, I was conceived in guilt,
  in sin my mother conceived me;
but you love truth in the heart,
  and deep within me you have shown me your wisdom.
You will sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be made clean;
  you will wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
You will make me hear the sound of joy and gladness;
  the bones you have crushed will rejoice.
Turn your face away from my sins
  and wipe out all my transgressions;
create a pure heart in me, God,
  put a steadfast spirit into me.
Do not send me away from your presence,
  or withdraw your holy spirit from me;
give me again the joy of your salvation,
  and be ready to strengthen me with your spirit.
I will teach the unjust your ways,
  and the impious will return to you.
Free me from the guilt of bloodshed, God, God my saviour,
  and my voice will glory in your justice.
Open my lips, Lord,
  and my mouth will proclaim your praise;
for you do not delight in sacrifices:
  if I offered you a burnt offering, it would not please you.
The true sacrifice is a broken spirit:
  a contrite and humble heart, O God, you will not refuse.
Be pleased, Lord, to look kindly on Zion,
  so that the walls of Jerusalem can be rebuilt,
Then indeed you will accept the proper sacrifices, gifts and burnt offerings;
  then indeed will bullocks be laid upon your altar.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
  as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
  world without end.
Amen.
O God, you will not spurn a humbled, contrite heart.

Canticle Habakkuk 3
The Lord will appear in judgement
In spite of your anger, Lord, have compassion.
Lord, I heard what you gave me to hear,
  and I was struck with awe of your work.
In the midst of the years, bring it to life;
  in the midst of the years you will make it known.
When you are angry, you will remember your mercy.
God will come from Theman,
  the holy one from the mountain of Pharan.
His glory has covered the heavens
  and the earth is full of his praise.
His brightness shall be like light itself,
  rays shining from his hands –
  there is his strength hidden.
You went forth for the salvation of the people,
  for salvation with your anointed one.
You made a way through the sea for your horses,
  in the silt of many waters.
I have heard you, Lord,
  and my stomach churns within me;
  at the sound of your voice my lips tremble.
My bones rot away, my steps stumble.
I will rest and be quiet on the day of tribulation
  and let it overtake those who have invaded us.
For the fig will not flower,
  the vines will not fruit,
  the work of the olive will be lost.
The fields will yield no food,
  the flocks will be cut off from the sheepfold,
  there will be no cattle in the stalls.
But I will rejoice in the Lord, take joy in God my saviour.
The Lord God is my strength.
  He will make me as sure-footed as the deer.
  He will lead me up to the heights.
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.
In spite of your anger, Lord, have compassion.

Psalm 147 (147B)
God, the foundation of Jerusalem
O praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
Praise the Lord, Jerusalem
 — Zion, praise your God.
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates,
  he has blessed your children.
He keeps your borders in peace,
  he fills you with the richest wheat.
He sends out his command over the earth,
  and swiftly runs his word.
He sends down snow that is like wool,
  frost that is like ashes.
He sends hailstones like crumbs
 — who can withstand his cold?
He will send out his word, and all will be melted;
  his spirit will breathe, and the waters will flow.
He proclaims his word to Jacob,
  his laws and judgements to Israel.
He has not done this for other nations:
  he has not shown them his judgements.
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.
O praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

Short reading Ephesians 2:13-16 ©
Now in Christ Jesus, you that used to be so far apart from us have been brought very close, by the blood of Christ. For he is the peace between us, and has made the two into one and broken down the barrier which used to keep them apart, actually destroying in his own person the hostility caused by the rules and decrees of the Law. This was to create one single New Man in himself out of the two of them and by restoring peace through the cross, to unite them both in a single Body and reconcile them with God: in his own person he killed the hostility.

Short Responsory
I will call upon the Lord, the Most High, because of his kindness to me.
I will call upon the Lord, the Most High, because of his kindness to me.
He will send help from heaven and set me free.
I will call upon the Lord, the Most High, because of his kindness to me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
I will call upon the Lord, the Most High, because of his kindness to me.

Canticle Benedictus
The Messiah and his forerunner
Because of the deep tenderness that God has for us, the Rising Son has come to us from on high.
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.
Because of the deep tenderness that God has for us, the Rising Son has come to us from on high.

Prayers and Intercessions
By his blood and through the Holy Spirit, Christ offered his own self to the Father to purify us from the works of death. Let us worship him in all sincerity:
Lord, in your will is our peace.
Your goodness has given us the beginning of a new day:
  give us also the beginning of a new life.
Lord, in your will is our peace.
You created everything and by your providence you keep it in being:
  may we discern your handiwork in every created thing.
Lord, in your will is our peace.
With your blood you sealed the new and everlasting covenant:
  may we keep our side of the bargain by following your precepts.
Lord, in your will is our peace.
As you hung on the cross, water poured out mixed with blood:
  may that saving stream wash away our sins and make the city of God rejoice.
Lord, in your will is our peace.

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.

Almighty God,
  as in this morning prayer we offer you our praise,
grant that in your kingdom,
  together with your saints,
  we may praise you with even greater joy.
[We make our prayer] 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.

AMEN


24 posted on 02/18/2011 8:41:35 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Salvation
The Word Among Us

Meditation: Genesis 11:1-9

“Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower … otherwise we shall be scattered all over the earth.” (Genesis 11:4)

The tower of Babel is one of the best-known Old Testament stories. We all remember the people who tried to build a tower as tall as the heavens, only to have God confuse their languages and scatter them throughout the world. But there’s one detail that often gets left out when we recall this story: their motivation for building that tower. Essentially, they wanted to make themselves great—and they all wanted to stay together.

We can understand why the first reason provoked God to intervene. From the very beginning, our greatest temptation has been to set our-selves up as rivals to God. But why would God object to their desire to be together?

For the answer, we have to go back to the story of creation. There, God told the first man and woman to be fruitful and multiply, and to conquer the earth and subdue it (Genesis 1:28). He wanted his people to be co-creators with him, spreading out to all the earth and bringing it under his dominion. But rather than take to the road in service of God, the builders in this story chose to stay put and establish a comfortable little enclave for themselves. They also sought to erect a monument to their ingenuity rather than spread the beauty and majesty of Yahweh throughout the world. So God took it upon himself to send them out. And he confused their languages to make sure they couldn’t come back together again.

The moral of this story still applies to us today. God is asking us to bring the power of his love and the grace of his Spirit to all the earth. He wants us to go out into the world and share his gospel, to work for peace and justice in our communities, and to reach out to the lonely and the hurting. It is tempting to content ourselves with the comforts of home and parish life. But the harvest is ready, and God is asking us to join him in the fields. How can you do that today?

“Father, give me a heart of service. Help me see how rewarding it is to be your disciple—so much more rewarding than building a world for myself.”

Psalm 33:10-15; Mark 8:34–9:1


25 posted on 02/18/2011 8:43:06 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
 
Marriage = One Man and One Woman

Daily Marriage Tip for February 18, 2011:

(Weekly Date Idea) Visit a pet store that has rescue animals up for adoption. This is usually good for stirring up warm fuzzy feelings. Restrain yourself from adopting, however, unless you’re really ready for a new family member. Talk about any pets you had as a child.

26 posted on 02/18/2011 9:55:57 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
Secret Harbor ~ Portus Secretioris

18 February 2011

Hearts Must Be Detached and Turned Towards God

Creatures -- and the devil who uses them -- do not let themselves be ousted without a struggle. The life of prayer calls for continuous battles: it is the most important and the longest effort in a life dedicated to God. This effort has been given a beautiful name: it is called The Guard of the Heart. The human heart is a city: it was meant to be a stronghold. Sin surrendered it.


Henceforth it is an open city, the walls of which have to be built up again (cf. Psalm 50:20). The enemy never ceases to do all he can to prevent this. He does this with his accustomed cleverness and strength, with stratagem and fury. He puts before us such happy thoughts, and occasionally useful ones, pictures so attractive or frightening, and he clothes it all with reasons so impressive that he succeeds all along the line to distract us, and entice us away from the divine Presence.

We have always to be starting again. These continual recoveries, this endless beginning again, tires and disheartens us far more than the actual fighting. We would much prefer a real battle, fierce and decisive. But God, as a rule, thinks otherwise. He would rather we were in a constant state of war. He prefers these ambuscades and snares; these precautions and the need for constant vigilance. He is Love, and this continuous warfare calls for more love and develops that love still further. Besides, He is there: He conducts the fight Himself. He holds the enemy in check, watches his every movement and out-maneuvers him. He plays with him, allows him to advance in order the better to attack and overcome him. He prefers striking victories, in spite of temporary setbacks, and sometimes even real disasters.

We must detach ourselves from this world. The simple, mechanical repetition of words is not enough. Distractions voluntarily entertained paralyze it; occupations become preoccupations and are an obstacle. We do not give God His due. We give Him nothing unless we give Him all the attention of which we are capable. To what tasks, what cares, what useless preoccupations do we not attach undue importance, and what a place they take up in our prayers. We think we are seeking only the Kingdom of God and His glory, and all the while we are seeking ourselves. Such things are not inspired by the Holy Spirit but by nature. The devil is at hand to tell us how extremely profitable they are. Indeed, he encourages and helps us, and actually makes them with us, for they weaken the divine union and the heart's sweet contact.

For a heart that is calm and free: that keeps itself detached and turned towards God, all occupation is prayer. For the heart that gives itself up completely to its tasks and thus forgets God, even prayer is sterile and a waste of time.

~ Dom Augustine Guillerand ~
 

27 posted on 02/18/2011 9:59:00 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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Vespers -- Evening Prayer

Vespers (Evening Prayer)


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

Hymn
O gladsome light, O grace
Of God the Father’s face,
  The eternal splendour wearing;
Celestial, holy, blest,
Our Saviour Jesus Christ,
  Joyful in thine appearing.
Now, ere day fadeth quite,
We see the evening light,
  Our wonted hymn outpouring;
Father of might unknown,
Thee, his incarnate Son,
  And Holy Ghost adoring.
To thee of right belongs
All praise of holy songs,
  O Son of God, Life-giver:
Thee therefore, O most High,
The world doth glorify,
  And shall exalt for ever.

Psalm 114 (116A)
Thanksgiving
Lord, keep my soul from death, my feet from stumbling.
I love the Lord, for he has heard
  the cry of my appeal;
because he has turned his ear to me as I call on him,
  day by day.
The ropes of death surrounded me,
  Hell held me tight,
I had found pain and tribulation –
  but I called on the Lord’s name:
  “O Lord, free my soul.”
The Lord is compassionate and just;
  our God takes pity on us.
The Lord cares for the simple –
  I was brought low, but he saved me.
Return, my soul, to your rest,
  for the Lord has looked after you;
he has rescued my spirit from death, my eyes from tears,
  he has saved my feet from stumbling.
I shall walk in the presence of the Lord
  in the land of the living.
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, keep my soul from death, my feet from stumbling.

Psalm 120 (121)
The guardian of the people
My help shall come from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
I shall lift my eyes to the hills:
  where is my help to come from?
My help will come from the Lord,
  who made heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip:
  he will not doze, your guardian.
Behold, he will not doze or sleep,
  the guardian of Israel.
The Lord is your guardian, the Lord is your shade;
  he is at your right hand.
By day the sun will not strike you;
  nor the moon by night.
The Lord will guard you from all harm;
  the Lord will guard your life.
The Lord will guard your coming and your going
  both 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.
My help shall come from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

Canticle Apocalypse 15
A hymn of adoration
Your ways are just and true, King of all the ages.
Great and wonderful are your deeds,
  O Lord God the Almighty!
Just and true are your ways,
  O King of the ages!
Who shall not fear and glorify your name, O Lord?
  For you alone are holy.
All nations shall come and worship you,
  for your judgements have been revealed.
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.
Your ways are just and true, King of all the ages.

Short reading 1 Corinthians 2:7-10 ©
The hidden wisdom of God which we teach in our mysteries is the wisdom that God predestined to be for our glory before the ages began. It is a wisdom that none of the masters of this age have ever known, or they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory; we teach what scripture calls: the things that no eye has seen and no ear has heard, things beyond the mind of man, all that God has prepared for those who love him. These are the very things that God has revealed to us through the Spirit.

Short Responsory
Christ died for our sins, to offer us to God.
Christ died for our sins, to offer us to God.
He died in the flesh but came to life in the Spirit.
Christ died for our sins, to offer us to God.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Christ died for our sins, to offer us to God.

Canticle Magnificat
My soul rejoices in the Lord
Remember, Lord, your mercies, as you promised to our ancestors.
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.
Remember, Lord, your mercies, as you promised to our ancestors.

Prayers and Intercessions
Let us bless Christ the Lord, whose compassion wipes away the tears of those who weep. In loving supplication let us call on him:
Lord, take pity on your people.
Christ and Lord, consoler of the lowly,
  take notice of the tears of the poor.
Lord, take pity on your people.
Compassionate God, hear the sighs of the dying:
  send your angel to comfort them.
Lord, take pity on your people.
May all exiles receive your loving care, and return to their earthly homes;
  and may they one day gain admittance to their eternal home in heaven.
Lord, take pity on your people.
May those sunk in the misery of sin be conquered by your love,
  and reconciled to you and your Church.
Lord, take pity on your people.
Give salvation to our deceased brethren,
  and give them a full share in the blessings of your redemption.
Lord, take pity on 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.

Lord God,
  the Cross reveals the mystery of your love:
  a stumbling-block indeed for unbelief,
  but the sign of your power and wisdom to us who believe.
Teach us so to contemplate your Son’s glorious Passion
  that we may always believe and glory in his Cross.
He 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.

AMEN


28 posted on 02/18/2011 10:23:12 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
Regnum Christi

The Transforming Power of the Cross
INTERNATIONAL | SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY
Friday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time (Feb. 18, 2011)

February 18, 2011
Friday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

Mark 8: 34-9: 1
He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. And he said to them, "Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see that the kingdom of God has come with power."

Introductory Prayer:  O Lord, this day you wish to take away from me any false ideas about what it means to be your friend. I believe that by attending to the sacred message of your cross,  I can learn authentic love of you and your Kingdom. In your cross is an example of every virtue I need and every goal I wish to attain. In the cross there is hope, an all-powerful hope that transcends every human disappointment. I wish to carry my cross with joy as a token of my love and gratitude to you.

Petition:  Lord, make the cross a singular place of friendship with you in my life.

1. Becoming Through Suffering  Most people move through the day with self-preservation and self-interest influencing their decision-making. Choosing a harder road can still be a self-interested affair, if people seek their own advancement in life. Christ’s message is not simply about a work ethic—sweating, toiling and sacrificing to be successful. The self-denial that is asked of a Christian goes deeper than that. It must reach into that place where we try to preserve ourselves and our most cherished desires. Nothing teaches Christ’s lesson better than the crosses that have surprised us, the crosses that were not planned or wanted. Every step with these crosses on our backs is true following, true loving, true salvation without delusion or bitterness.

2. Following or Leading?  One day Mother Teresa saw one of her sisters headed out into the streets with a long face. She called her over and said, “What did Jesus say, to carry the cross in front of Him or to follow Him?” The sister responded, smiling, “To follow Him.” Mother then asked, “Why are you trying to go ahead of Him?” (Mother Teresa: Come be My Light, p.221) “The cross of Christ” is not just the rightful assumption of the weight of a holy life, it is also an attitude. The wrong attitude can crush our spirits and make us suffer like a pagan: alone. Humble faith reveals the One we follow, who shows us the way, who sustains our hope, and who leads us to profound Christian joy.

3. Sacrificial Love and Life Are Inseparable  Seeing the Kingdom in power is a consequence for those who suffer for Christ. Our Lord guarantees this: Love will never be defeated in this life or the next. Although they might seem to have suffered in vain, many saints saw the glory of the Lord in special moments during their life and in abundance after they passed to heaven. The incorrupt, the documented miracles of intercession, the great movement of spirituality in the Church—all these attest that God will never let love for him be separated from the coming of his Kingdom in power.

Conversation with Christ:  Lord, bring my soul to the cross without fear, trusting in its mysterious power to change me and the world around me. I should not withdraw from life when it wounds me. May I resolve in every low moment, when Christ asks for more from me, to live the resolution of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta: “A hearty ‘Yes’ to God, and a big smile for all” (Mother Teresa: Come be My Light, p.217).

Resolution:  At night I will examine well my attitudes towards difficulties and ensure that they reflect the spirit of a true disciple.


29 posted on 02/18/2011 10:24:53 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All

The Great Delusion: I am God!

February 18th, 2011 by Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.

Gen 11:1-9 / Mk 8:34-9:1

The first eleven chapters of Genesis develop a grand theme, namely, our need for God which is hidden under our illusion that we ourselves can be God. That was the issue in the story of Adam and Eve’s fall, it was the issue in the tower of Babel story, and it’s the issue that keeps resurfacing in our own lives: Pretending and even believing that we can be God.

It’s the ultimate delusion, bordering on madness, but it recurs reliably in every generation in every human being. For some reason, ego irrationally whispers to each of us, just as the snake did to Adam and Eve, ‘You can be god.’ And fools that we are, we believe it. We put ourselves at the center of our own little universe, and we forget whence we came and where we are going.  It’s a heady delusion for a while, till reality begins to sink in with our arrival at some crossroad where events are beyond our control. The awakening is inevitably painful and denial almost always persists beyond all reason.

Eventually, the reckoning is too clear to be denied: I am not God! I need the real God! Without him I will perish! It’s the beginning of wisdom and the beginning of our great pilgrimage homeward to that place where we truly belong, in God’s embrace. Why waste another day in the land of fiction. Step into reality and start your trip home now.


30 posted on 02/18/2011 10:26:01 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
One Bread, One Body

One Bread, One Body

 


<< Friday, February 18, 2011 >> Saint of the Day
 
Genesis 11:1-9
View Readings
Psalm 33:10-15 Mark 8:34—9:1
 

SKY-DIVING

 
"It was from that place that He scattered them all over the earth." —Genesis 11:9
 

We are divided, fragmented, even shattered. Even our divisions are divided and sub-divided. Our different languages, nationalities, and denominations have cut the human race and even the body of Christ into hundreds of thousands of pieces.

Pride is the cause of our divisions and divisiveness. Like the builders of the tower of Babel, we want to make a name for ourselves and make monuments to ourselves reaching high into the sky (see Gn 11:4). We want to be better, superior to others, to stand apart, that is, be divided (see Lk 18:9ff).

Jesus contradicts human pride. He made a name for Himself by dying on Calvary, and His monument in the sky was a cross. By the blood flowing from His crucified body, Jesus reconciles us and makes the two of us one (Col 1:20; Eph 2:14). As we deny ourselves and take up the cross (Mk 8:34), we possess "the one love, united in spirit and ideals" (Phil 2:2). In Jesus, we "never act out of rivalry or conceit" (Phil 2:3). "Let all parties think humbly of others as superior to themselves, each of you looking to others' interests rather than to his own. Your attitude must be that of Christ" (Phil 2:3-5).

 
Prayer: Father, may I die to self to bring about unity within the Church (see Jn 11:51-52).
Promise: "Whoever would preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will preserve it." —Mk 8:35
Praise: Robert now considers losing his job and his pension a blessing since it forced him to seek "higher things." He came to know Jesus as his Provider (Phil 4:19).

31 posted on 02/18/2011 10:27:29 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
Compline -- Night Prayer

Compline (Night Prayer)


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

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


Hymn
Christ, thou who art the light and day,
Who chasest nightly shades away,
Thyself the Light of Light confessed,
And promiser of radiance blest:
O holy Lord, we pray to thee,
Throughout the night our guardian be;
In thee vouchsafe us to repose,
All peaceful till the night shall close.
O let our eyes due slumber take,
Our hearts to thee forever wake:
And let thy right hand from above
Shield us who turn to thee in love.
O strong defender, hear our prayers,
Repel our foes and break their snares,
And govern thou thy servants here,
Those ransomed with thy life-blood dear.
Almighty Father, this accord
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord,
Who with the Holy Ghost and thee
Doth reign through all eternity.

Psalm 87 (88)
The prayer of one gravely ill
Lord my God, I call for help by day, I cry at night before you.
Lord God, my saviour,
  I have cried out to you by day and by night.
Let my prayer come before you:
  turn your ear to my request.
For my soul is full of evils,
  my life has come close to its end.
I am counted with those who go down to the pit:
  I am left without help.
I am one of the dead,
  like the murdered who sleep in their tombs,
who lie there forgotten,
  cut off from your care.
You have thrust me down into the pit,
  to the gloom and the shadow of death.
Your anger weighs heavy upon me;
  you have drowned me under your waves.
You have taken my friends away from me:
  you have made me hateful in their sight,
  I am shut in, I may not go out.
My eyes are weak from my sufferings.
I have called to you, Lord, all the day;
  I have stretched out my hands to you.
Is it for the dead that you perform your wonders?
  Will the ghosts rise up and proclaim you?
In the tomb, will they tell of your kindness?
  Will they tell of your faithfulness in the place of the lost?
Will your wonders be known in the darkness,
  or your righteousness in the land of oblivion?
And so I have called out to you, Lord,
  and in the morning my prayer will come before you.
With what purpose, Lord, do you reject my soul?
  Why do you hide your face from me?
I am poor; from my youth I have been dying;
  I have borne the terrors you sent, I am lost in confusion.
Your anger has overrun me, your terrors have broken me:
  they have flowed round me like water,
  they have besieged me all the day long.
You have taken my friends and those close to me:
  all I have left is shadows.
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 my God, I call for help by day, I cry at night before you.

Reading (Jeremiah 14:9) ©
Lord, you are in our midst, we are called by your name. Do not desert us, O Lord our God!

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

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

Let us pray.
Lord, let us be so united with your only Son that we become worthy to rise with him into new life, who lives and reigns for ever and ever, Amen.

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

AMEN


Ave Regina Caelorum
Hail, Queen of the heavens,
  hail, Lady of the angels.
Root of our salvation
  and our gateway to heaven,
  the light of the world was born to you.
Be joyful, Virgin of glory,
  most beautiful of all in heaven.
We greet you now, true beauty –
  pray for us to Christ.
Ave, Regina caelorum,
ave, Domina angelorum,
salve, radix, salve, porta,
ex qua mundo lux est orta.
Gaude, Virgo gloriosa,
super omnes speciosa;
vale, o valde decora,
et pro nobis Christum exora.

32 posted on 02/18/2011 10:29:46 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Salvation
Mark
  English: Douay-Rheims Latin: Vulgata Clementina Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
  Mark 8
34 And calling the multitude together with his disciples, he said to them: If any man will follow me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. Et convocata turba cum discipulis suis, dixit eis : Si quis vult me sequi, deneget semetipsum : et tollat crucem suam, et sequatur me. και προσκαλεσαμενος τον οχλον συν τοις μαθηταις αυτου ειπεν αυτοις οστις θελει οπισω μου ακολουθειν απαρνησασθω εαυτον και αρατω τον σταυρον αυτου και ακολουθειτω μοι
35 For whosoever will save his life, shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel, shall save it. Qui enim voluerit animam suam salvam facere, perdet eam : qui autem perdiderit animam suam propter me, et Evangelium, salvam faciet eam. ος γαρ αν θελη την ψυχην αυτου σωσαι απολεσει αυτην ος δ αν απολεση την εαυτου ψυχην ενεκεν εμου και του ευαγγελιου ουτος σωσει αυτην
36 For what shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and suffer the loss of his soul? Quid enim proderit homini, si lucretur mundum totum et detrimentum animæ suæ faciat ? τι γαρ ωφελησει ανθρωπον εαν κερδηση τον κοσμον ολον και ζημιωθη την ψυχην αυτου
37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Aut quid dabit homo commutationis pro anima sua ? η τι δωσει ανθρωπος ανταλλαγμα της ψυχης αυτου
38 For he that shall be ashamed of me, and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation: the Son of man also will be ashamed of him, when he shall come in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. Qui enim me confusus fuerit, et verba mea in generatione ista adultera et peccatrice, et Filius hominis confundetur eum, cum venerit in gloria Patris sui cum angelis sanctis. ος γαρ εαν επαισχυνθη με και τους εμους λογους εν τη γενεα ταυτη τη μοιχαλιδι και αμαρτωλω και ο υιος του ανθρωπου επαισχυνθησεται αυτον οταν ελθη εν τη δοξη του πατρος αυτου μετα των αγγελων των αγιων
  Mark 9
1 8:39 And he said to them: Amen I say to you, that there are some of them that stand here, who shall not taste death, till they see the kingdom of God coming in power. 8:39 Et dicebat illis : Amen dico vobis, quia sunt quidam de hic stantibus, qui non gustabunt mortem donec videant regnum Dei veniens in virtute. και ελεγεν αυτοις αμην λεγω υμιν οτι εισιν τινες των ωδε εστηκοτων οιτινες ου μη γευσωνται θανατου εως αν ιδωσιν την βασιλειαν του θεου εληλυθυιαν εν δυναμει

33 posted on 02/19/2011 5:37:11 PM PST by annalex (http://www.catecheticsonline.com/CatenaAurea.php)
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To: annalex
34. And when he had called the people to him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
35. For whoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the Gospel's, the same shall save it.
36. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
37. Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
38. Whoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

BEDE; After showing to His disciples the mystery of His passion and resurrection, He exhorts them, as well as the multitude, to follow the example of His passion. Wherefore it goes on; And when he had called the people to him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whoever wishes to come after me, let him deny himself.

CHRYS. As if He would in say to Peter, You indeed do rebuke Me, who am willing to undergo My passion, but I tell you, that not only is it wrong to prevent Me from suffering, but neither can you be saved unless you yourself die. Again He says, Whoever wished to come after me; as if He said, I call you to those good things which a man should wish for, I do not force you to evil and burdensome things; for he who does violence to his hearer, often stands in his way; but he who leaves him free, rather draws him to himself. And a man denies himself when He cares not for his body, so that whether it be scourged, or whatever of like nature it may suffer, he bears it patiently.

THEOPHYL. For a man who denies another, be it brother or father, does not sympathize with him, nor grieve at his fate, though He be wounded and die; thus we ought to despise our body, so that if it should be wounded or hurt in any way, we should not mind its suffering.

CHRYS. But He says not, a man should not spare himself, but what is more, that He should deny himself, as if He had nothing in common with himself, but face danger, and look upon such things as if another were suffering; and this is really to spare himself; for parents then most truly act kindly to their children, when they give them up to their masters, with an injunction not to spare them. Again, He shows the degree to which a man should deny himself, when He says, And take up his cross, by which He means, even to the most shameful death.

THEOPHYL. For at that time the cross appeared shameful, because malefactors were fixed to it.

PSEUDO-JEROME; Or else, as a skillful pilot, foreseeing a storm in a calm, wishes his sailors to be prepared; so also the Lord says, If any one will follow me, &c.

BEDE; For we deny r ourselves, when we avoid what we were of old, and strive to reach that point, whither we are newly called. And the cross is taken up by us, when either our body is pained by abstinence, or our soul afflicted by fellow-feeling for our neighbor.

THEOPHYL. But because after the cross we must have a new strength, He adds, and follow me.

CHRYS. And this He says, because it may happen that a man may suffer and yet not follow Christ, that is, when he does not suffer for Christ's sake; for he follows Christ who walks after Him, and conforms himself to His death, despising those principalities and powers under whose power before the coming of Christ, he committed sin. Then there follows For whosoever will save his life shall lose it, but whoever shall lose his life for my sake and the Gospel's, the same shall save it. I give you these commands, as it were to spare you; for whoever spares his son, brings him to destruction, but whoever does not spare him, saves him. It is therefore right to be always prepared for death; for if in the battles of this world, he who is prepared for death fights better than others, though none can restore him to life after death, much more is this the case in spiritual battle, when so great a hope of resurrection is set before him, since he who gives up his soul unto death saves it.

REMIG. And life is to he taken in this place for the present life, and not for the substance itself of the soul.

CHRYS. As therefore He had said, For whoever will save his life shall lose it, lest any one should suppose this loss to be equivalent to that salvation, He adds, For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul, &c As if He said, Think not that he has saved his soul, who has shunned the perils of the cross; for when a man , at the cost of his soul, that is, His life, gains the whole world, what has He besides, now that his soul is perishing? Has no another soil to give for His soil? For a man can give the price of his house in exchange for the house, but in losing his soul he has not another soul to give.

And it is with a purpose that He says, Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? for God, in exchange for our salvation, has given the precious blood of Jesus Christ.

BEDE; Or else He says this, because in the of persecution, our life is to be laid aside, but in time of peace, our earthly desires are to be broken, which He implies when He says, For what shall it profit a man, &c. But we are often hindered by a habit of shamefacedness from expressing with our voice the rectitude which we preserve in our hearts; and therefore it is added, For whoever shall confess me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, him also shall the Son of man confess, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

THEOPHYL. For that faith which only remains in the mind is not sufficient, but the Lord requires also the confession of the mouth; for when the soul is sanctified by faith, the body ought also to be sanctified by confession.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. He then who has learned this, is bound zealously to confess Christ without shame. And this generation is called adulterous, because it has left God the true Bridegroom of the soul, and has refused to follow the doctrine of Christ, but has prostrated itself to the devil and taken up the seeds of impiety, for which reason also it is called sinful. Whoever therefore amongst them has denied the kingdom of Christ, and the words of God revealed in the Gospel, shall receive a reward befitting His impiety, when He hears in the second ,advent, I know you not.

THEOPHYL. Him then who shall have confessed that his God was crucified, Christ Himself also shall confess, not here, where He is esteemed poor and wretched, but in His glory and with a multitude of Angels.

GREG. There are however some, who confess Christ, because they see that all men are Christian; for if the name of Christ were not at this day in such great glory, the Holy Church would not have so many professors. The voice of profession therefore is not sufficient for a trial of faith whilst the profession of the generality defends it from shame. In the time of peace therefore there is another way, by which we may be known to ourselves. We are ever fearful of being despised by our neighbors, we think it shame to bear injurious words; if perchance we have quarreled with our neighbor, we blush to be the first to give satisfaction; for our carnal heart, in seeking the glory of this life, disdains humility.

THEOPHYL. But because He had spoken of His glory, in order to show that His promises were not vain, He subjoins, Verily I say to you, That there be some of them that stand here who shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power. As if He said, Some, that is, Peter, James, and John, shall not taste of death, until I show them, in my transfiguration, with what glory I am to come in my second advent; for the transfiguration was nothing else, but an announcement of the second coming of Christ, in which also Christ Himself and the Saints will shine.

BEDE; Truly it was done with a loving foresight, in order that they, having tasted for a brief moment the contemplation of everlasting joy, might with the greater strength bear up under adversity.

CHRYS. And He did not declare the names of those who were about to go up, lest the other disciples should feel some touch of human frailty, and He tells it to them beforehand, that they might come with minds better prepared to be taught all that concerned that vision.

BEDE; Or else the present Church is called the kingdom of God; and some of the disciples were to live in the body until they should see the Church built up, and raised against the glory of the world; for it was right to make some promises concerning this life to the disciples who were uninstructed, that they might be built up with greater strength for the time to come.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. But in a mystical sense, Christ is life, and the devil is death, and he tastes of death, who dwells in sin; even now every one, according as he has good or evil doctrines, tastes the bread either of life or of death. And indeed, it is a less evil to see death, a greater to taste of it, still worse to follow it, worst of all to be subject to it.

1. And he said to them, Verily I say unto you, that there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.

PSEUDO-JEROME; After the consummation of the cross, the glory of the resurrection is shown, that they, who were to see with their own eyes the glory of the resurrection to come, might not fear the shame of the cross;

wherefore it is said, And after six days Jesus takes with him Peter, and James, and John, and led them up into an high mountain apart by themselves, and he was transfigured before them.

Catena Aurea Mark 8
Catena Aurea Mark 9
34 posted on 02/19/2011 5:37:42 PM PST by annalex (http://www.catecheticsonline.com/CatenaAurea.php)
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To: annalex


Christ Carrying the Cross

Luis de Morales

1566
Oil on wood
Museo del Pariarca, Valencia

35 posted on 02/19/2011 5:38:09 PM PST by annalex (http://www.catecheticsonline.com/CatenaAurea.php)
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