June 23, 2011

Thursday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1

Gn 16:1-12, 15-16 or 16:6b-12, 15-16
Abram’s wife Sarai had borne him no children.
She had, however, an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar.
Sarai said to Abram:
“The LORD has kept me from bearing children.
Have intercourse, then, with my maid;
perhaps I shall have sons through her.”
Abram heeded Sarai’s request.
Thus, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan,
his wife Sarai took her maid, Hagar the Egyptian,
and gave her to her husband Abram to be his concubine.
He had intercourse with her, and she became pregnant.
When she became aware of her pregnancy,
she looked on her mistress with disdain.
So Sarai said to Abram:
“You are responsible for this outrage against me.
I myself gave my maid to your embrace;
but ever since she became aware of her pregnancy,
she has been looking on me with disdain.
May the LORD decide between you and me!”
Abram told Sarai: “Your maid is in your power.
Do to her whatever you please.”
Sarai then abused her so much that Hagar ran away from her.

The LORD’s messenger found her by a spring in the wilderness,
the spring on the road to Shur, and he asked,
“Hagar, maid of Sarai, where have you come from
and where are you going?”
She answered, “I am running away from my mistress, Sarai.”
But the LORD’s messenger told her:
“Go back to your mistress and submit to her abusive treatment.
I will make your descendants so numerous,” added the LORD’s messenger,
“that they will be too many to count.
Besides,” the LORD’s messenger said to her:

“You are now pregnant and shall bear a son;
you shall name him Ishmael,
For the LORD has heard you,
God has answered you.

This one shall be a wild ass of a man,
his hand against everyone,
and everyone’s hand against him;
In opposition to all his kin
shall he encamp.”

Hagar bore Abram a son,
and Abram named the son whom Hagar bore him Ishmael.
Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael.

Abram told Sarai: “Your maid is in your power.
Do to her whatever you please.”
Sarai then abused her so much that Hagar ran away from her.

“You are now pregnant and shall bear a son;
you shall name him Ishmael,
For the LORD has heard you,
God has answered you.

This one shall be a wild ass of a man,
his hand against everyone,
and everyone’s hand against him;
In opposition to all his kin
shall he encamp.”

Hagar bore Abram a son,
and Abram named the son whom Hagar bore him Ishmael.
Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael.

106:1b-2, 3-4a, 4b-5

Responsorial Psalm

R. (1b) Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
Who can tell the mighty deeds of the LORD,
or proclaim all his praises?
R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Blessed are they who observe what is right,
who do always what is just.
Remember us, O LORD, as you favor your people.
R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Visit me with your saving help,
that I may see the prosperity of your chosen ones,
rejoice in the joy of your people,
and glory with your inheritance.
R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Mt 7:21-29

Gospel

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’
will enter the Kingdom of heaven,
but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.
Many will say to me on that day,
‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name?
Did we not drive out demons in your name?
Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’
Then I will declare to them solemnly,
‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’

“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them
will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.
And everyone who listens to these words of mine
but does not act on them
will be like a fool who built his house on sand.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”

When Jesus finished these words,
the crowds were astonished at his teaching,
for he taught them as one having authority,
and not as their scribes.

Homily of the Day

Talk Is Cheap. Why Not Do Something?

June 23rd, 2011 by Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.

Gn 16:1-12, 15-16 / Mt 7:21-29

A great deal of cynicism has arisen in our country about politicians, car dealers, advertising executives and the like. The common bond between them, at least according to common perception, is that their talk is cheap and their promises are not to be trusted or taken seriously. Indeed, they’ve all become a standard part of the national repertoire of humor.

Pointing an accusing finger at many of these characters can be amusing recreation and is often justified by the facts, but it does tend to distract us from the exploring the possible presence of the same self-deceptive virus in our own lives. We all talk too much, about our neighbors’ faults, about our leaders’ foolish mistakes, and about our own grand plans as if they were already achievements. We talk about our hopes and aspirations as if they were deeds, while denying others even a hint of the same luxury.

There’s no time like the present to replace all that talk with a humble and thoughtful silence that refrains from judging others and expends its energies on laying the foundations for deeds that will count and whose effects will last. Nothing less will be an adequate return to the Lord for all the gifts with which he has filled us.

One Bread, One Body

<< Thursday, June 23, 2011 >>

Saint of the Day

Genesis 16:1-12, 15-16
View Readings

Psalm 106:1-5

Matthew 7:21-29

PICK ON ME

Jesus said: "None of those who cry out, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of God but only the one who does the will of My Father in heaven." —Matthew 7:21

Why does the Lord "pick on" Spirit-filled people? Billions of people are not doing God's will, but the Lord focuses on those with spiritual gifts of prophecy, deliverance, and miracles (Mt 7:22). He even threatens to declare solemnly to charismatics: "I never knew you. Out of My sight, you evildoers!" (Mt 7:23)

The Lord also picks on Spirit-filled people in the famous passage about love. Many people in this world lack love. In some way, everyone is unloving, but the Lord once again focuses on those with spiritual gifts of tongues, prophecy, knowledge, faith, ministry to the poor, and martyrdom (1 Cor 13:1-3). People with these gifts are extremely blessed, but the Lord calls them "noisy gongs," "clanging cymbals," and even "nothing" unless they have love (see 1 Cor 13:1-3).

The Lord picks on Spirit-filled people because He has given them so much. He expects much from those who have been given much (Lk 12:48). The power of those who have accepted their spiritual gifts is so great that the Lord especially challenges them to repentance, obedience, and love. When the Lord picks on you, that's a sign you're extra special.

Prayer: Father, may I be worthy of being "picked on" by you.

Promise: "Anyone who hears My words and puts them into practice is like the wise man who built his house on rock." —Mt 7:24

Praise: Working in a Catholic school, Miranda is blessed to see Spirit-filled people who rise to the occasion when confronted by adversity.

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 15 (16) The Lord, my inheritance

My body shall rest in safety.

Preserve me, Lord,

I put my hope in you.

I have said to the Lord

“You are my Lord,

in you alone is all my good.”

As for the holy and noble men of the land,

in them is all my delight.

But for those who run to alien gods,

their sorrows are many.

I will not share in their libations of blood.

I will not speak their names.

You, Lord, are my inheritance and my cup.

You control my destiny,

the lot marked out for me is of the best,

my inheritance is all I could ask for.

I will bless the Lord who gave me understanding;

even in the night my heart will teach me wisdom.

I will hold the Lord for ever in my sight:

with him at my side I can never be shaken.

Thus it is that my heart rejoices,

heart and soul together;

while my body rests in calm hope.

You will not leave my soul in the underworld.

You will not let your chosen one see decay.

You will show me the paths of life,

the fullness of joy before your face,

and delights at your right hand until the end of time.

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 body shall rest in safety.

Reading	1 Thessalonians 5:23 ©

May the God of peace make you perfect and holy; and may you all be kept safe and blameless, spirit, soul and body, for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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 our God, we are tired by the work of the day. Refresh us with peaceful sleep and, forever renewed by the help you give, let us always be dedicated to you in body and mind.

Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

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

AMEN

	Salve Regina

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

our life, our happiness, our hope.

Hear us cry out to you,

children of Eve in our exile.

Hear as we sigh, with groaning and weeping

in this life, this valley of tears.

Come then, our Advocate, turn towards us

the gaze of your kind and loving eyes.

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

when at last our exile here is ended.

O gentle, O loving, O sweet virgin Mary.

Salve, Regina, mater misericordiae;

vita, dulcedo et spes nostra, salve.

Ad te clamamus, exsules filii Hevae.

Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes

in hac lacrimarum valle.

Eia ergo, advocata nostra,

illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte.

Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,

nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.

O clemens, o pia, o dulcis Virgo Maria.

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