August 23, 2012

Thursday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 Ez 36:23-28

Thus says the LORD:
I will prove the holiness of my great name,
profaned among the nations,
in whose midst you have profaned it.
Thus the nations shall know that I am the LORD, says the Lord GOD,
when in their sight I prove my holiness through you.
For I will take you away from among the nations,
gather you from all the foreign lands,
and bring you back to your own land.
I will sprinkle clean water upon you
to cleanse you from all your impurities,
and from all your idols I will cleanse you.
I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you,
taking from your bodies your stony hearts
and giving you natural hearts.
I will put my spirit within you and make you live by my statutes,
careful to observe my decrees.
You shall live in the land I gave your ancestors;
you shall be my people, and I will be your God.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 51:12-13, 14-15, 18-19

R. (Ezekiel 36:25) I will pour clean water on you and wash away all your sins.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. I will pour clean water on you and wash away all your sins.
Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners shall return to you.
R. I will pour clean water on you and wash away all your sins.
For you are not pleased with sacrifices;
should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
R. I will pour clean water on you and wash away all your sins.

Gospel Mt 22:1-14

Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and the elders of the people in parables saying,
"The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king
who gave a wedding feast for his son.
He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast,
but they refused to come.
A second time he sent other servants, saying,
'Tell those invited: "Behold, I have prepared my banquet,
my calves and fattened cattle are killed,
and everything is ready; come to the feast."'
Some ignored the invitation and went away,
one to his farm, another to his business.
The rest laid hold of his servants,
mistreated them, and killed them.
The king was enraged and sent his troops,
destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.
Then the king said to his servants, 'The feast is ready,
but those who were invited were not worthy to come.
Go out, therefore, into the main roads
and invite to the feast whomever you find.'
The servants went out into the streets
and gathered all they found, bad and good alike,
and the hall was filled with guests.
But when the king came in to meet the guests
he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment.
He said to him, 'My friend, how is it
that you came in here without a wedding garment?'
But he was reduced to silence.
Then the king said to his attendants, 'Bind his hands and feet,
and cast him into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.'
Many are invited, but few are chosen."

One Bread, One Body

<< Thursday, August 23, 2012 >>

St. Rose of Lima

Ezekiel 36:23-28
View Readings

Psalm 51:12-15, 18-19

Matthew 22:1-14

CLEAN AT LAST

"I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall return to You." —Psalm 51:15

Do you regret having committed certain sins? Have you let your past sins make you feel "dirty"? The Lord has promised "to cleanse you from all your impurities" (Ez 36:25). "Though your sins be like scarlet, they may become white as snow; though they be crimson red, they may become white as wool" (Is 1:18).

The Lord will tread underfoot our guilt and cast all our sins into the depths of the sea (Mi 7:19). "As far as the east is from the west, so far has He put our transgressions from us" (Ps 103:12). He will thoroughly wash us from our guilt (Ps 51:4) and create a clean and new heart for us (see Ps 51:12; Ez 36:26). The Lord will simply forget all our sins (Ez 18:22), if we only repent and ask His forgiveness.

"I tell you, there will likewise be more joy in heaven over one repentant sinner than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need to repent" (Lk 15:7). The Lord wants to run out to sinners, throw His arms around them, kiss them, give them gifts, and have a special dinner in their honor (see Lk 15:21ff).

However, the Lord does not force His love, affection, and forgiveness on us. We must open the door by repenting. Go to Confession as soon as possible and let the Lord love and cleanse you.

Prayer: Father, forgive me for I know not what I do (see Lk 23:34).

Promise: "The invited are many, the elect are few." —Mt 22:14

Praise: St. Rose had a special heart for doing penance as a reparation for sin. She offered her body to God as a living sacrifice (Rm 12:1).

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