[Salvation]

Catholic Culture

Daily Readings for: August 17, 2011
(Readings on USCCB website)

Collect: God our Father, may we love you in all things and above all things and reach the joy you have prepared for us beyond all our imagining. 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.

ACTIVITIES

• Religion in the Home for Elementary School: August
• Religion in the Home for Preschool: August

PRAYERS

• The Immaculate Heart

17th 

  Wednesday of the Twentieth Week of Ordinary Time Old Calendar: St. Hyacinth

According to the 1962 Missal of Bl. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is the feast of St. Hyacinth, a canon of Krakow, who joined the Dominican Order in Rome during the lifetime of the founder, in about the year 1217. He returned to Krakow with the first band of Dominican missionaries. The newcomers spread over all the northern countries into Russia, the Balkans, Prussia and Lithuania. St. Hyacinth preached the crusade against the Prussians. He died on the feast of the Assumption, 1257.

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St. Hyacinth
While a canon at the cathedral of Cracow, Hyacinth journeyed to Rome, was impressed by the preaching and miracles of St. Dominic, and from the hand of Dominic himself received the habit of the newly-founded Order. Upon returning to his native land (1219), he established monasteries of his Order beyond the Alps at Friesach, Prague, Olmiitz, and Cracow.

From the Breviary we have this miracle. With three companions Hyacinth had arrived at the banks of the river Weichsel during their journey to Vischegrad, where they were expected to preach. But the waters had risen so high and had become so violent that no ferryman dared to cross. The saint took his mantle, spread it out before him, and with his companions rode across the raging waters. After saying his Office for the day, he died in 1257 with these words on his lips: "Into Your hands, Lord, I rest my spirit!"

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

Patron: Poland

Symbols: Pyx; staff; cloak; scorpion.

Things to Do:

• The Church's night prayer, Compline, especially the closing invocations, serves as a fitting preparation for death. The two death scenes strike home with telling impact. Christ, hanging on the Cross, is uttering His last word: "Father, into Your hands I rest My spirit." Meditatively we repeat the words and entrust our souls to the care of Christ in sleep, and if need be, in death. For Hyacinth it actually was his dying invocation. The second scene. The aged Simeon is singing: "Now You may dismiss Your servant in peace." How appropriate as one's last day approaches!
  
• See the Dominican Interactive Site for an excerpt from the Life of Saint Hyacinth.

[Salvation]

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Matthew 20:1-16

“Are you envious because I am generous?” (Matthew 20:15)

The parable of the laborers in the vineyard can seem like a paradox, can’t it? Why would the owner hire people at different times of the day, yet pay everyone the same amount of money? In the world’s eyes this might be considered an unjust labor practice or at the very least employee favoritism.

But Jesus had a different economic model in mind. He was asking his disciples to think the way God thinks. As owner of the “vineyard” that is his kingdom, God is not concerned with pay equity as much as he is with mercy. In the parable, everyone who worked a full day received a just compensation for their labors. But the owner’s heart broke to see others go without enough to feed their families, and so he gave them what they needed as well. The early-morning hires began to complain only when they saw his generosity. They knew deep down that they were being treated fairly; they just weren’t used to seeing someone be as merciful and generous as this man!

God indeed is great in his mercy! Consider how many times in the course of a day you fall short of the calling God has for you. Consider how often you fail to reach the ideal not just in terms of your behavior but your thoughts, your desires, and your attitudes. And still, all you need is one good Confession, and it’s all wiped away. Heaven is still yours, just as it is for those who have lived more perfect, nearly sinless lives.

God overlooks so much in our lives. At the same time, he smiles on every small act of kindness; he rewards every little sign of love; and he rejoices in every godly decision. He can’t bear the thought of our living apart from him, and so he is extremely generous with us!

So celebrate God’s generosity today. Rejoice in his kindness toward you. While you were lost in sin, he gave up his only Son to bring you back. And even today, should you lose your way, he will take you back in a heartbeat. He knows your weaknesses. He knows your needs. He sees into the darkest places that even you can’t see—and still he loves you. Still he pours his blessings upon you. Still he welcomes you!

“Lord, may I never lose sight of your great mercy!”

Judges 9:6-15; Psalm 21:2-7