Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 09-18-12

USCCB.org/RNAB ^ | 09-18-12 | Revised New American Bible

[Salvation]

September 18, 2012

 

Tuesday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

 

Reading 1 1 Cor 12:12-14, 27-31a

Brothers and sisters:
As a body is one though it has many parts,
and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body,
so also Christ.
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one Body,
whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons,
and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.

Now the body is not a single part, but many.

Now you are Christ's Body, and individually parts of it.
Some people God has designated in the Church
to be, first, Apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers;
then, mighty deeds;
then gifts of healing, assistance, administration,
and varieties of tongues.
Are all Apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers?
Do all work mighty deeds? Do all have gifts of healing?
Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?
Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 100:1b-2, 3, 4, 5

R. (3) We are his people: the sheep of his flock.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
serve the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful song.
R. We are his people: the sheep of his flock.
Know that the LORD is God;
he made us, his we are;
his people, the flock he tends.
R. We are his people: the sheep of his flock.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
his courts with praise;
Give thanks to him; bless his name.
R. We are his people: the sheep of his flock.
For he is good, the LORD,
whose kindness endures forever,
and his faithfulness, to all generations.
R. We are his people: the sheep of his flock.

Gospel Lk 7:11-17

Jesus journeyed to a city called Nain,
and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him.
As he drew near to the gate of the city,
a man who had died was being carried out,
the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.
A large crowd from the city was with her.
When the Lord saw her,
he was moved with pity for her and said to her,
"Do not weep."
He stepped forward and touched the coffin;
at this the bearers halted,
and he said, "Young man, I tell you, arise!"
The dead man sat up and began to speak,
and Jesus gave him to his mother.
Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming,
"A great prophet has arisen in our midst,"
and "God has visited his people."
This report about him spread through the whole of Judea
and in all the surrounding region.

[markomalley]

Sep 18, Morning Prayer for Tuesday of the 24th week of Ordinary Time

Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III:
Ordinary: 654
All from the Psalter: Tuesday, Week IV, 1168

Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV:
Ordinary: 618
All from the Psalter: Tuesday, Week IV, 1132

Christian Prayer (single volume)
Ordinary: 689
All from the Psalter: Tuesday, Week IV, 947

Morning Prayer for Tuesday in Ordinary Time

God, come to my assistance.
– Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

From all that dwell below the skies,
Let the Creator’s Name arise;
Alleluia, alleluia.
Let the Redeemer’s Name be sung,
Through every land, by every tongue.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Eternal are Thy mercies, Lord;
Eternal truth attends Thy Word.
Alleluia, alleluia.
Thy praise shall sound from shore to shore,
Till sunshine rise and set no more.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Your lofty themes, ye mortals, bring,
In songs of praise divinely sing;
Alleluia, alleluia.
The great salvation loud proclaim,
And shout for joy the Savior’s Name.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

In every land begin the song;
To every land the strains belong;
Alleluia, alleluia.
In cheerful sounds all voices raise,
And fill the world with loudest praise.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Words: Isaac Watts, 1719. Music: John Hatton, 1793.
“From All That Dwell Below the Skies” performed by St. Michael’s Singers is available from Amazon.com.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 I will sing to you, O Lord; I will learn from you the way of perfection.

Psalm 101
Avowal of a good ruler
If you love me, keep my commandments (John 14:15).

My song is of mercy and justice;
I sing to you, O Lord.
I will walk in the way of perfection.
O when, Lord, will you come?

I will walk with blameless heart
within my house;
I will not set before my eyes
whatever is base.

I will hate the ways of the crooked;
they shall not be my friends.
The false-hearted must keep far away;
the wicked I disown.

The man who slanders his neighbor in secret
I will bring to silence.
The man of proud looks and haughty heart
I will never endure.

I look to the faithful in the land
that they may dwell with me.
He who walks in the way of perfection
shall be my friend.

No man who practices deceit
shall live within my house.
No man who utters lies shall stand
before my eyes.

Morning by morning I will silence
all the wicked in the land,
uprooting from the city of the Lord
all who do evil.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

So that your people may walk in innocence, you came to us, Lord Jesus, and told us to be holy as your Father is holy. Help your children to love what is truly perfect, so that we may neither speak what is evil nor do what is wrong. Let us stand in your sight and celebrate with you the Father’s love and justice.

Ant. I will sing to you, O Lord; I will learn from you the way of perfection.

Ant. 2 Lord, do not withhold your compassion from us.

Canticle: Daniel 3:26, 27, 29, 34-41
Azariah’s prayer in the furnace.
With your whole hearts turn to God and he will blot out all your sins (Acts 3:19).

Blessed are you, and praiseworthy,
O Lord, the God of our fathers,
and glorious forever is your name.

For you are just in all you have done;
all your deeds are faultless, all your ways right,
and all your judgments proper.

For we have sinned and transgressed
by departing from you,
and we have done every kind of evil.

For your name’s sake, do not deliver us up forever,
or make void your covenant.

Do not take away your mercy from us,
for the sake of Abraham, your beloved,
Isaac your servant, and Israel your holy one,

To whom you promised to multiply their offspring
like the stars of heaven,
or the sand on the shore of the sea.

For we are reduced, O Lord, beyond any other nation,
brought low everywhere in the world this day
because of our sins.

We have in our day no prince, prophet, or leader,
no holocaust, sacrifice, oblation, or incense,
no place to offer first fruits, to find favor with you.

But with contrite heart and humble spirit
let us be received;
as though it were holocausts of rams and bullocks,
or thousands of fat lambs,
so let our sacrifice be in your presence today
as we follow you unreservedly;
for those who trust in you cannot be put to shame.

And now we follow you with our whole heart,
we fear you and we pray to you.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Lord, do not withhold your compassion from us.

Ant. 3 O God, I will sing to you a new song.

Psalm 144
Prayer for victory and peace
I can do all things in him who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13).

Blessed be the Lord, my rock,
who trains my arms for battle,
who prepares my hands for war.

He is my love, my fortress;
he is my stronghold, my savior
my shield, my place of refuge.
He brings peoples under my rule.

Lord, what is man that you care for him,
mortal man, that you keep him in mind;
man, who is merely a breath
whose life fades like a passing shadow?

Lower your heavens and come down;
touch the mountains; wreathe them in smoke.
Flash your lightnings; rout the foe,
shoot your arrows and put them to flight.

Reach down from heaven and save me;
draw me out from the mighty waters,
from the hands of alien foes
whose mouths are filled with lies,
whose hands are raised in perjury.

To you, O God, will I sing a new song;
I will play on the ten-stringed harp
to you who give kings their victory,
who set David your servant free.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Lord, God of strength, you gave your Son victory over death. Direct your Church’s fight against evil in the world. Clothe us with the weapons of light and unite us under the one banner of love, that we may receive our eternal reward after the battle of earthly life.

Ant. O God, I will sing to you a new song.

READING Isaiah 55:1-3

All you who are thirsty,
come to the water!
You who have no money,
come, receive grain and eat;
Come, without paying and without cost,
drink wine and milk!

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

RESPONSORY

Lord, listen to my cry; all my trust is in your promise.
– Lord, listen to my cry; all my trust is in your promise.

Dawn finds me watching, crying out for you,
– all my trust is in your promise.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
– Lord, listen to my cry; all my trust is in your promise.

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

Ant. Lord, save us from the hands of all who hate us.

Luke 1:68 – 79
The Messiah and his forerunner

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Lord, save us from the hands of all who hate us.

INTERCESSIONS

To the God who gives us the joy of praising him this morning, and who strengthens our hope, let us pray:
– Hear us, O Lord, for the glory of your name.

We thank you, God and Father of Jesus our Savior,
for the knowledge and immortality you have given us through him.
– Hear us, O Lord, for the glory of your name.

Make us humble of heart,
help us to serve one another out of reverence for Christ.
– Hear us, O Lord, for the glory of your name.

Pour out your Spirit on us, your servants,
make us sincere in our love for each other.
– Hear us, O Lord, for the glory of your name.

You instructed man to labor and to exercise dominion over the earth,
may our work honor you and sanctify our brothers and sisters.
– Hear us, O Lord, for the glory of your name.

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.

Concluding Prayer

Increase in us, Lord,
the faith you have given us,
and bring to a harvest worthy of heaven
the praise we offer you at the beginning of this new day.
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.

DISMISSAL

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life.
– Amen.

[markomalley]

Sep 18, Midday Prayer for Tuesday of the 24th week of Ordinary Time

Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III:
Ordinary: 659
All from the Psalter: Tuesday, Week IV, 1176 (Midday)

Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV:
Ordinary: 623
All from the Psalter: Tuesday, Week IV, 1140 (Midday)

Midday Prayer for Tuesday in Ordinary Time using Current Psalmody

God, come to my assistance.
– Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy,
Whose trust, ever childlike, no cares could destroy,
Be there at our waking, and give us, we pray,
Your bliss in our hearts, Lord, at the break of the day.

Lord of all eagerness, Lord of all faith,
Whose strong hands were skilled at the plane and the lathe,
Be there at our labors, and give us, we pray,
Your strength in our hearts, Lord, at the noon of the day.

Lord of all kindliness, Lord of all grace,
Your hand swift to welcome, your arms to embrace,
Be there at our homing, and give us we pray,
Your love in our hearts, Lord, at the eve of the day.

Lord of all gentleness, Lord of all calm,
Whose voice is contentment, whose presence is balm,
Be there at our sleeping, and give us, we pray,
Your peace in our hearts, Lord, at the end of the day.

“Lord of All Hopefulness”; Words: Jan Struther (20thC); Music: Slane Irish ballad melody
Lord of All Hopefulness by Saint Clement’s Choir is available from Amazon.com

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Do the things you have learned, and you will be blessed.

Psalm 119
XVIII (Sade)

Lord, you are just indeed;
your decrees are right.
You have imposed your will with justice
and with absolute truth.

I am carried away by anger
for my foes forget your word.
Your promise is tried in fire,
the delight of your servant.

Although I am weak and despised
I remember your precepts.
Your justice is eternal justice
and your law is truth.

Though anguish and distress have seized me,
I delight in your commands.
The justice of your will is eternal:
if you teach me, I shall live.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

You are just indeed, Lord, and your commandments are eternal. Teach us to love you with all our hearts and to love our neighbor as ourselves.

Ant. Do the things you have learned, and you will be blessed.

Ant. 2 Let my prayer rise up before you, O Lord.

Psalm 88
Prayer of a person who is gravely ill
This is your moment — when darkness reigns (Luke 22:53).

I

Lord my God, I call for help by day;
I cry at night before you.
Let my prayer come into your presence.
O turn your ear to my cry.

For my soul is filled with evils;
my life is on the brink of the grave.
I am reckoned as one in the tomb:
I have reached the end of my strength,

like one alone among the dead;
like the slain lying in their graves;
like those you remember no more,
cut off, as they are, from your hand.

You have laid me in the depths of the tomb,
in places that are dark, in the depths.
Your anger weighs down upon me:
I am drowned beneath your waves.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Let my prayer rise up before you, O Lord.

Ant. 3 I cry to you, O Lord; do not hide your face from me.

II

You have taken away my friends
and made me hateful in their sight.
Imprisoned, I cannot escape;
my eyes are sunken with grief.

I call to you, Lord, all the day long;
to you I stretch out my hands.
Will you work your wonders for the dead?
Will the shades stand and praise you?

Will your love be told in the grave
or your faithfulness among the dead?
Will your wonders be known in the dark
or your justice in the land of oblivion?

As for me, Lord, I call to you for help:
in the morning my prayer comes before you.
Lord, why do you reject me?
Why do you hide your face?

Wretched, close to death from my youth,
I have borne your trials; I am numb.
Your fury has swept down upon me;
your terrors have utterly destroyed me.

They surround me all the day like a flood,
they assail me all together.
Friend and neighbor you have taken away:
my one companion is darkness.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Lord Jesus, redeemer of all and author of our salvation, for us you went down to the realm of death and became free of death. Hear the prayers of your family and lift us from our slavery to evil, that we may be redeemed by you and see your Father’s glory.

Ant. I cry to you, O Lord; do not hide your face from me.

READING Deuteronomy 30:11, 14

This command which I enjoin on you today is not too mysterious and remote for you. No, it is something very near to you, already in your mouths and in your hearts; you have only to carry it out.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)
A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

Your word, O Lord, as a lantern guides my steps.
– And lights up my pathway before me.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Lord God,
you made known to Peter
your desire to bring all nations to salvation.
Let all our work give you praise
and carry out your loving plan.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.
– Amen.

ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)

Let us praise the Lord.
– And give him thanks.

[markomalley]

Sep 18, Evening Prayer for Tuesday of the 24th week of Ordinary Time

Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III:
Ordinary: 668
All from the Psalter: Tuesday, Week IV, 1180

Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV:
Ordinary: 632
All from the Psalter: Tuesday, Week IV, 1144

Christian Prayer:
Ordinary: 694
All from the Psalter: Tuesday, Week IV, 953

Evening Prayer for Tuesday in Ordinary Time

God, come to my assistance.
– Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

We plough the fields and scatter
The good seed on the land,
But it is fed and watered
By God’s almighty hand:
He sends the snow in winter,
The warmth to swell the grain,
The breezes and the sunshine,
And soft, refreshing rain.

All good gifts around us
Are sent from heaven above;
Then thank the Lord,
O thank the Lord,
For all his love.

He only is the maker
Of all things near and far;
He paints the wayside flower,
He lights the evening star;
The winds and waves obey him,
By him the birds are fed;
Much more to us, his children,
He gives our daily bread.

All good gifts around us
Are sent from heaven above;
Then thank the Lord,
O thank the Lord,
For all his love.

We thank thee then, O Father,
For all things bright and good,
The seed time and the harvest,
Our life, our health, our food.
Accept the gifts we offer
For all thy love imparts,
And what thou most desirest,
Our humble, thankful hearts.

All good gifts around us
Are sent from heaven above;
Then thank the Lord,
O thank the Lord,
For all his love.

Lyrics: Matthias Claudius (1740-1815); Translated by Jane Montgomery Campbell; Tune: Wir Pflügen; Meter: 76 76 D and Refrain
“We Plough The Fields And Scatter” performed by Norwich Cathedral Choir is available from Amazon.com.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand wither.

Psalm 137
By the rivers of Babylon
The Babylonian captivity is a type of our spiritual captivity. (Saint Hilary)

By the rivers of Babylon
there we sat and wept,
remembering Zion;
on the poplars that grew there
we hung up our harps.

For it was there that they asked us,
our captors, for songs,
our oppressors, for joy.
“Sing to us,” they said,
“one of Zion’s songs.”

O how could we sing
the song of the Lord
on alien soil?
If I forget you, Jerusalem,
let my right hand wither!

O let my tongue
cleave to my mouth
if I remember you not,
if I prize not Jerusalem
above all my joys!

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Lord, remember your pilgrim Church. We sit weeping at the streams of Babylon. Do not let us be drawn into the current of the passing world, but free us from every evil and raise our thoughts to the heavenly Jerusalem.

Ant. If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand wither.

Ant. 2 In the presence of the angels I will sing to you, my God.

Psalm 138
Thanksgiving
The king of the earth will bring his glory and honor into the holy city. (Revelation 21:24)

I thank you, Lord, with all my heart,
you have heard the words of my mouth.
In the presence of the angels I will bless you.
I will adore before your holy temple.

I thank you for your faithfulness and love
which excel all we ever knew of you.
On the day I called, you answered;
you increased the strength of my soul.

All earth’s kings shall thank you
when they hear the words of your mouth.
They shall sing of the Lord’s ways:
“How great is the glory of the Lord!”

The Lord is high yet he looks on the lowly
and the haughty he knows from afar.
Though I walk in the midst of affliction
you give me life and frustrate my foes.

You stretch out your hand and save me,
your hand will do all things for me.
Your love, O Lord, is eternal,
discard not the work of your hands.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Listen to the prayers of your Church, Lord God. In the presence of the angels we praise your name. You keep the proud at a distance and look upon the lowly with favor. Stretch out your hand to us in our suffering. Perfect in us the work of your love and bring us to life.

Ant. In the presence of the angels I will sing to you, my God.

Ant. 3 Adoration and glory belong by right to the Lamb who was slain.

Canticle – Revelation 4:11;5-9,10,12
Redemption hymn

O Lord our God, you are worthy
to receive glory and honor and power.

For you have created all things;
by your will they came to be and were made.

Worthy are you, O Lord,
to receive the scroll and break open its seals.

For you were slain;
with your blood you purchased for God
men of every race and tongue,
of every people and nation.

You made of them a kingdom,
and priests to serve our God,
and they shall reign on the earth.

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain
to receive power and riches,
wisdom and strength,
honor and glory and praise.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Adoration and glory belong by right to the Lamb who was slain.

READING Colossians 3:16

Let the word of Christ, rich as it is, dwell in you. In wisdom made perfect, instruct and admonish one another. Sing gratefully to God from your hearts in psalms, hymns, and inspired songs. Whatever you do, whether in speech or in action, do it in the name of the Lord Jesus. Give thanks to God the Father through him.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

RESPONSORY

I shall know the fullness of joy, when I see your face, O Lord.
– I shall know the fullness of joy, when I see your face, O Lord.

Fulfilment and endless peace in your presence,
– when I see your face, O Lord.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
– I shall know the fullness of joy, when I see your face, O Lord.

CANTICLE OF MARY

Ant. Do great things for us, O Lord, for you are mighty, and holy is your name.

Luke 1:46-55
The soul rejoices in the Lord

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Do great things for us, O Lord, for you are mighty, and holy is your name.

INTERCESSIONS

Let us praise Christ who gives power and strength to his people, and let us entreat him with sincere hearts:
– Hear us, O Lord, and we shall praise you for ever.

Christ, our strength, you called your faithful ones to your truth,
mercifully grant them faith and perseverance.
– Hear us, O Lord, and we shall praise you for ever.

Direct our leaders according to your will,
and help them to keep us in peace.
– Hear us, O Lord, and we shall praise you for ever.

You provided bread for the hungry crowd,
teach us to share our resources with the needy.
– Hear us, O Lord, and we shall praise you for ever.

Do not direct world leaders to give attention only to the needs of their own nations,
but give them, above all, a respect and a deep concern for all peoples.
– Hear us, O Lord, and we shall praise you for ever.

Grant blessed life and resurrection to our brothers who have fallen asleep,
and may all those who have believed in you share in your glory.
– Hear us, O Lord, and we shall praise you for ever.

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.

Concluding Prayer

Lord,
may our evening prayer come before you
and let the faith our lips profess
live in the prayerful thoughts of our hearts.
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.

DISMISSAL

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life.
– Amen.

[markomalley]

Sep 18, Night Prayer for Tuesday of the 24th week of Ordinary Time

Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours:
Vol I, Page 1178
Vol II, Page 1635
Vol III, Page 1278
Vol IV, Page 1242

Christian Prayer:
Page 1044

Night Prayer for Tuesday

God, come to my assistance.
– Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

Examination of conscience:

We are called to have a clear conscience toward God and toward men, in our hearts and in our minds, in our actions and inactions. To do so, it is vital that we examine our conscience daily and to ask for God’s mercy as we fall short and to ask for His strength to do better.

Lord Jesus,
you have shown us the way to the Father:
Lord, have mercy.
– Lord, have mercy.

Lord Jesus,
you have given us the consolation of the truth:
Christ, have mercy.
– Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus,
you are the good shepherd,
leading us into everlasting life:
Lord, have mercy.
– Lord, have mercy.

HYMN

The Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not want;
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters;
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for His name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley
of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil;
for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the
Lord forever.

Psalm 23 by Melinda Kirigin-Voss
“Psalm 23? performed by Melinda Kirigin-Voss is available from Amazon.com

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Do not hide your face from me; in you I put my trust.

Psalm 143
Prayer in distress
Only by faith in Jesus Christ is a man made holy in God’s sight. No observance of the law can achieve this (Galatians 2:16).

Lord, listen to my prayer:
turn your ear to my appeal.
You are faithful, you are just; give answer.
Do not call your servant to judgment
for no one is just in your sight.

The enemy pursues my soul;
he has crushed my life to the ground;
he has made me dwell in darkness
like the dead, long forgotten.
Therefore my spirit fails;
my heart is numb within me.

I remember the days that are past:
I ponder all your works.
I muse on what your hand has wrought
and to you I stretch out my hands.
Like a parched land my soul thirsts for you.

Lord, make haste and answer;
for my spirit fails within me.
Do not hide your face
lest I become like those in the grave.

In the morning let me know your love
for I put my trust in you.
Make me know the way I should walk:
to you I lift up my soul.

Rescue me, Lord, from my enemies;
I have fled to you for refuge.
Teach me to do your will
for you, O Lord, are my God.
Let your good spirit guide me
in ways that are level and smooth.

For your name’s sake, Lord, save my life;
in your justice save my soul from distress.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Do not hide your face from me; in you I put my trust.

READING 1 Peter 5:8-9a

Stay sober and alert. Your opponent the devil is prowling like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, solid in your faith.

RESPONSORY

Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
– Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

You have redeemed us, Lord God of truth.
– I commend my spirit.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
– Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

CANTICLE OF SIMEON

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.

Luke 2:29-32
Christ is the light of the nations and the glory of Israel

Lord, now you let your servant go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled:

my own eyes have seen the salvation
which you have prepared in the sight of every people:

a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.

Concluding Prayer

Lord,
fill this night with your radiance.
May we sleep in peace and rise with joy
to welcome the light of a new day in your name.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
– Amen.

BLESSING

May the all-powerful Lord grant us a restful night and a peaceful death.
– Amen.

Antiphon or song in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary

[Salvation]

Information: St. Joseph of Cupertino

Feast Day:	September 18
Born:	June 17, 1603, Copertino, Puglia, Kingdom of Naples
Died:	September 18, 1663, Osimo, Marche, Papal States
Canonized:	July 16, 1767, Rome by Pope Clement XIII
Patron of:	Aviation, astronauts, mental handicaps, test taking, students

[Salvation]

Interactive Saints for Kids

St. Joseph of Cupertino

Feast Day: September 18
Born: 1603 :: Died: 1663

Joseph was born in a small Italian village to poor parents. He was very unhappy as a boy and a teenager. His mother thought he was a big nuisance so she shouted at him often and was very strict with him.

Joseph soon became very slow and absent-minded. He would wander around as if he were going nowhere. But he had a bad temper, too, and so not many people liked him.

He tried to learn the trade of shoe-making, but failed. He asked if he could become a Franciscan priest, but they did not want him. He then managed to join the Capuchin order, but eight months later he was asked to leave.

He could not seem to do anything right. He dropped piles of dishes and kept forgetting to do what he was told. His mother was not at all pleased to have the eighteen-year-old Joseph back home again.

She finally convinced the Franciscan monastery to take him on as a helper. He was given the Franciscan habit to wear and was assigned to care for the horses.

About this time, Joseph began to change. He grew more humble and gentle. He became more careful and successful at his work. He also began to do more penance.

The Franciscans finally decided to let him become a member of the order and he started studying to become a priest. Although he was very good, he still had a hard time with studies. But Joseph trusted in God's help and he did become a priest.

God began to work miracles through Father Joseph. Over seventy times people saw him rise from the ground while saying Mass or praying. He would balance near the ceiling like a star at the top of a Christmas tree.

Often he went into ecstasy (where you do not see or hear the people around you) and would be completely wrapped up in talking with God. He became very holy. Everything he saw made him think of God.

Father Joseph became so famous for his miracles that he was kept hidden. This made him happy for the chance to be alone with his beloved Jesus who always stayed close to him until he died in 1663.

The life of this saint can help us to understand that to be holy or close to God we do not need people to praise us for our talents and abilities which are a free gift from God.

[annalex]

Luke
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Luke 7
11.	And it came to pass afterwards, that he went into a city that is called Naim; and there went with him his disciples, and a great multitude.	Et factum est : deinceps ibat in civitatem quæ vocatur Naim : et ibant cum eo discipuli ejus et turba copiosa.	και εγενετο εν τω εξης επορευετο εις πολιν καλουμενην ναιν και συνεπορευοντο αυτω οι μαθηται αυτου ικανοι και οχλος πολυς
12.	And when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold a dead man was carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow: and a great multitude of the city was with her.	Cum autem appropinquaret portæ civitatis, ecce defunctus efferebatur filius unicus matris suæ : et hæc vidua erat : et turba civitatis multa cum illa.	ως δε ηγγισεν τη πυλη της πολεως και ιδου εξεκομιζετο τεθνηκως υιος μονογενης τη μητρι αυτου και αυτη [ην] χηρα και οχλος της πολεως ικανος συν αυτη
13.	Whom when the Lord had seen, being moved with mercy towards her, he said to her: Weep not.	Quam cum vidisset Dominus, misericordia motus super eam, dixit illi : Noli flere.	και ιδων αυτην ο κυριος εσπλαγχνισθη επ αυτη και ειπεν αυτη μη κλαιε
14.	And he came near and touched the bier. And they that carried it, stood still. And he said: Young man, I say to thee, arise.	Et accessit, et tetigit loculum. (Hi autem qui portabant, steterunt.) Et ait : Adolescens, tibi dico, surge.	και προσελθων ηψατο της σορου οι δε βασταζοντες εστησαν και ειπεν νεανισκε σοι λεγω εγερθητι
15.	And he that was dead, sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother.	Et resedit qui erat mortuus, et cœpit loqui. Et dedit illum matri suæ.	και ανεκαθισεν ο νεκρος και ηρξατο λαλειν και εδωκεν αυτον τη μητρι αυτου
16.	And there came a fear on them all: and they glorified God, saying: A great prophet is risen up among us: and, God hath visited his people.	Accepit autem omnes timor : et magnificabant Deum, dicentes : Quia propheta magnus surrexit in nobis : et quia Deus visitavit plebem suam.	ελαβεν δε φοβος παντας και εδοξαζον τον θεον λεγοντες οτι προφητης μεγας εγηγερται εν ημιν και οτι επεσκεψατο ο θεος τον λαον αυτου
17.	And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judea, and throughout all the country round about.	Et exiit hic sermo in universam Judæam de eo, et in omnem circa regionem.	και εξηλθεν ο λογος ουτος εν ολη τη ιουδαια περι αυτου και εν παση τη περιχωρω

[annalex]

11. And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people.
12. Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.
13. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said to her, Weep not.
14. And he came and touched the boy: and they that bore him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say to you, Arise.
15. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.
16. And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God has visited his people.
17. And this rumor of him went forth throughout all Judea, and throughout all the region round about.

CYRIL; The Lord joins one miracle upon another. In the former instance He came indeed when called for, but in this He came self-invited; as it is said, And it came to pass the day after that he went into a city called Nain.

THEOPHYL; Nain is a city of Galilee, within two miles of mount Tabor. But by the divine counsel there were large multitudes accompanying the Lord, that there might be many witnesses of so great a miracle. Hence it follows, And his disciples went with him, and much people.

GREG. NYSS. Now the proof of the resurrection we learn not so much from the words as from the works of our Savior, who, beginning His miracles with the less wonderful, reconciled our faith to far greater. First indeed in the grievous sickness of the centurion's servant, He verged upon the power of resurrection; afterwards with a higher power he led men to the belief in a resurrection, when He raised the widow's son, who was carried out to be buried; as it is said, Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother.

TITUS BOST. But some one will say of the centurion's servant, that he was not going to die. That such an one might restrain his rash tongue, the Evangelist explains that the young man whom Christ came upon was already dead, the only son of a widow. For it follows, And she was a widow, and much people of the city was with her.

GREG. NYSS. He has told us the sum of misery in a few words. The mother was a widow, and had no further hope of baring children, she had no one upon whom she might look in the place of him that was dead. To him alone she had given suck, he alone made her home cheerful. All that is sweet and precious to a mother, was he alone to her.

CYRIL; These were sufferings to excite compassion, and which might well affect to mourning and tears, as it follows, And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, saying, Weep not.

THEOPHYL; As if He said, Cease to weep for one as dead, whom you shall soon see rise again alive.

CHRYS. But when He bids us cease from weeping Who consoles the sorrowful, He tells us to receive consolation from those who are now dead, hoping for their resurrection. But life meeting death stops the bier, as it follows, And he came.

CYRIL; He performs the miracle not only in word, but also touches the bier, to the end that you might know that the sacred body of Christ is powerful to the saving of man. For it is the body of Life and the flesh of the Omnipotent Word, whose power it possesses. For as iron applied to fire does the work of fire, so the flesh, when it is united to the Word, which quickens all things, becomes itself also quickening, and the banisher of death.

TITUS BOST. But the Savior is not like to Elias mourning over the son of the widow of Sarepta, nor as Elisha who laid his own body upon the body of the dead, nor as Peter who prayed for Tabitha, but is none other than He who calls those things which be not, as though they were, who can speak to the dead as to the living, as it follows, And he said, Young man.

GREG. NYSS. When He said, Young man, He signified that he was in the flower of his age, just ripening into manhood, who but a little while before was the sight of his mothers eyes, just entering upon the time of marriage, the scion of her race, the branch of succession, the staff of her old age.

TITUS BOST. But straightway he arose to whom the command was made. For the Divine power is irresistible; there is no delay, no urgency of prayer, as it follows, And he that was dead sat up and began to speak, and he gave him to his mother. These are the signs of a true resurrection, for the lifeless body cannot speak, nor would the mother have carried back to her house her dead and lifeless son.

THEOPHYL; But well does the Evangelist testify that the Lord is first moved with compassion for the mother, and then raises her son, that in the one case He might set before us for our imitation an example of piety, in the other He might build up our belief in His wonderful power. Hence it follows, And there came a fear upon all, and they glorified God, &c.

CYRIL; This was a great thing in an insensible and ungrateful people. For in a short time afterward they would neither esteem Him as a prophet, nor allow that He did aught for the public good. But none of those that dwelt in Judea were ignorant of this miracle, as it follows, And this rumor of him went forth throughout all Judea.

MAXIM. But it is worthy of remark, that seven resurrections are related before our Lord's, of which the first was that of the son of the widow of Sarepta, the second of the Shunamite's son, the third which was caused by the remains of Elisha, the fourth which took place at Nain, as is here related, the fifth of the ruler of the Synagogue's daughter, the sixth of Lazarus, the seventh at Christ's passion, for many bodies of the saints arose. The eighth is that of Christ, who being free from death remained beyond for a sign that the general resurrection which is to come in the eighth age shall not be dissolved by death, but shall abide never to pass away.

THEOPHYL; But the dead man who was carried without the gate of the city in the sight of many' signifies a man rendered senseless by the deadening power of mortal sin, and no longer concealing his soul's death within the folds of his heart, but proclaiming it to the knowledge of the world, through the evidence of words or deeds as through the gate of the city. For the gate of the city, I suppose, is some one of the bodily senses. And he is well said to be the only son of his mother, for there is one mother composed of many individuals, the Church, but every soul that remembers that it is redeemed by the death of the Lord, knows the Church to be a widow.

AMBROSE; For this widow surrounded by a great multitude of people seems to be more than the woman who was thought worthy by her tears to obtain the resurrection of her only son, because the Church recalls the younger people from the funeral procession to life by the contemplation of her tears, who is forbid to weep for him to whom resurrection was promised.

THEOPHYL; Or the dogma of Novatus is crushed who ho endeavoring to do away with the purifying of the penitent, denies that the mother Church, weeping for tile spiritual extinction of her sons, ought to be consoled by tile hope of their restoration to life.

AMBROSE; This dead man was borne on the bier by the four material elements to the grave, but there was a hope of his rising again because he was borne on wood, which though before it did not benefit us, yet after Christ had touched it, began to profit to life, that it might be a sign that salvation was to be extended to the people by the wood of the cross. For we lie lifeless on the bier when either the fire of immoderate desire bursts forth, or the cold moisture breaks out, and through the sluggish state of our earthly body the vigor of our minds waxes dull.

THEOPHYL; Or the coffin on which the dead is carried is the ill at ease conscience of a desperate sinner. But they who carry him to be buried are either unclean desires, or the allurements of companions, who stood when our Lord touched the bier, because the conscience, when touched by dread of the judgment from on high, often checking its carnal lusts, and those who unjustly praise, returns to itself, and answers its Savior's call to life.

AMBROSE; If then your sin is so heavy that by your penitential tears you can not yourself wash it out, let the mother Church weep for you, the multitude standing by; soon shall you rise from the dead and begin to spear; the words of life; they all shall fear, (for by the example of one all are corrected;) they shall also praise God who has given us such great remedies for escaping death.

THEOPHYL; But God has visited His people not only by the one incarnation of His Word, but by ever sending It into our hearts.

THEOPHYL. By the widow also you may understand a soul that has lost her husband in the divine word. Her son is the understanding, which is carried out beyond the city of the living. Its coffin is the body, which some indeed have called the tomb. But the Lord touching him raises him up, causing him to become young, and rising from sin he begins to speak and teach others. For before he would not have been believed.

Catena Aurea Luke 7

[annalex]

The Resurrection of the Widow's Son

James Tissot

1886-96

[Salvation]

 

Catholic

Almanac:

Tuesday, September 18
Liturgical Color: Green
Today the Church honors St. Joseph of Cupertino, priest. Because he possessed the gift of levitation, St. Joseph is the patron saint of pilots and air travelers. He is also patron saint of students. He died in 1663.

[Salvation]

Catholic Culture

Daily Readings for: September 18, 2012
(Readings on USCCB website)

Collect: Look upon us, O God, Creator and ruler of all things, and, that we may feel the working of your mercy, grant that we may serve you with all our heart. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

ACTIVITIES

• Patron Saints and Namedays
• Religion in the Home for Elementary School: September
• Religion in the Home for Preschool: September

PRAYERS

• September Devotion: Our Lady of Sorrows
• Collect for St. Joseph of Cupertino

Ordinary Time: September 18th

Tuesday of the Twenty-Fourth Week of Ordinary Time

Old Calendar: St. Joseph of Cupertino, Confessor

St. Joseph of Cupertino (1603-1663) was born at Cupertino, Italy, and died in Osimo. He was of lowly origin and had little formal education. In his youth he was employed as an apprentice to a shoemaker. He joined the Conventual Franciscans as a lay brother but was later ordained a priest. He was noted for his great austerities, his angelic purity, his great devotion to Our Lady and especially for his ardent love of God. According to the 1962 Missal of Bl. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is his feast.

---

St. Joseph of Cupertino
Joseph of Cupertino was such an extraordinary saint that his fellow-Christians could scarcely cope with him. First of all he was forgetful, even as a child, often not turning up for the scanty meals his impoverished widowed mother prepared. He would wander about the village of Cupertino, Italy, where he was born, gazing open-mouthed at everything. He found it hard to learn. And he was clumsy.

When he was seventeen he decided he wanted to become a monk or friar. The Franciscans would not take him because, they said, he was too stupid. The Capuchins threw him out after eight months because he broke everything. Eventually a Franciscan house at La Grotella accepted him as a stableboy.

He prayed and fasted and did his best to perform every task to perfection. Eventually the delighted brothers decided to accept him as one of their equals, and in 1628 he was ordained priest. From that time onwards Joseph of Cupertino was continually passing into ecstatic trances, sometimes even appearing to float above the ground. No meals could be taken in the monastery without some extraordinary interruption because of Joseph's miraculous behaviour. For thirty-five years the community decided that he should be kept out of the choir and refectory.

Naturally enough his miracles and above all the reports of his supernatural levitations attracted countless curious visitors. In 1653 the church authorities transferred him to a Capuchin friary in the hills of Pietarossa and kept him completely out of sight. Finally Saint Joseph was allowed to join his own order at a place called Osima, but he was still kept out of sight until his death in 1663. All this he bore without the remotest complaint. Fittingly the twentieth century has made the saint patron of pilots and airline passengers.

Excerpted from A Calendar of Saints by James Bentley

Patron: air travellers; astronauts; aviators; paratroopers; pilots; students; test takers.

Symbol: airplane.

Things To Do:

• Very few saints have recorded that they levitated during prayer. See if you can find some other saints that have also levitated.

• Read more about St. Joseph of Cupertino.

• St. Joseph suffered severely at the hands of his own ecclesiastical superiors. It is a bitter thing to find no aid or comfort among one's own brethren, and, moreover, to be misunderstood and condemned by them. Even this, however, is permitted by God; and it may serve for the cleansing and perfecting of the soul, as shown in the life of St. Joseph. Pray for the grace to endure misunderstanding and rejection.

[Salvation]

The Word Among Us

Meditation: 1 Corinthians 12:12-14,  27-31

 24th Week in Ordinary Time

“You are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it.” (1 Corinthians 12:27)

We all enjoy receiving presents. It’s even better when what’s inside is carefully picked to suit our person­ality. We especially remember those gifts that we know the giver put some real time, thought, and effort into choosing.

Those are just the sort of gifts that St. Paul is writing about to the Corinthian believers. These gifts are very valuable because God himself has picked them out for us. He had special talents in mind for us before we were even born. Some of us are blessed with teaching, evangelis­tic, or preaching gifts. Others he has inclined to “behind the scenes” work such as hospitality, discernment, or administration. Whatever our gifts are, we can accept them wholeheart­edly, knowing that they come from a loving Father who has great plans for how we can use them.

Besides all that, these gifts are from heaven! They are supernat­ural charisms, and they have the potential of bringing a little bit of heaven down to earth. As we learn to exercise our gifts, we can change the world around us—bringing God’s light and truth into places of darkness and confusion. When endowed with God’s grace, even something as “ordinary” as the abil­ity to prepare a delicious meal can be a powerful instrument of God’s love and presence!

Paul makes it clear that God has given us these gifts with an impor­tant goal in mind. He wants us to use them to build up his Church. He wants us to use them to bring heaven down to earth so that other people can be touched and changed by the gospel message. These gifts are meant to strengthen us. They are also meant to be given away—to young peo­ple in religious-education programs who need good formation, to the poor who have so little and who feel rejected, to the elderly who are crav­ing friendship and compassion, to the next-door neighbor who is longing to hear the good news about Christ.

We are all members of one body. So let’s all use our gifts to build each other up!

“Lord, show me what my gifts are, and give me opportunities to use them. Give me the compassion I need to love your people and the boldness I need to reach out and serve them!”

Psalm 100:1-5; Luke 7:11-17

[Salvation]

 

Marriage = One Man and One Woman

Til' Death Do Us Part

Daily Marriage Tip for September 18, 2012:

(Reader’s Tip) 50% of a marriage is finding the right person. The other 50% is being the right person.

[Salvation]

Regnum Christi

Do Not Weep!

| SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY

Tuesday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

 

 

Luke 7: 11-17

Jesus journeyed to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him. As he drew near to the gate of the city, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the city was with her. When the Lord saw her, he was moved with pity for her and said to her, "Do not weep." He stepped forward and touched the coffin; at this the bearers halted, and he said, "Young man, I tell you, arise!" The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming, "A great prophet has arisen in our midst," and "God has visited his people." This report about him spread through the whole of Judea and in all the surrounding region.

Introductory Prayer: Lord, I believe that my life is in your hands from the moment of my creation until my last day. Lord, I hope in you, because you have created me for a purpose. Lord, I love you, for the great love that you have for me.

Petition: Lord, help me place all of my hope in you!

1. “Do Not Weep.” There are many ‘reasons’ to despair. So many difficulties in life have no human solution. Especially when it comes to life and death, I find myself so powerless to help others.  Jesus, however, offers a different perspective: “Do not weep.” His infinite power frees us from tragic human limitations. Furthermore, “We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). He acts, he intercedes, as Redeemer. “Do not weep,” bears the weight of a command. As apocalyptic as suffering and death might appear, ultimately Jesus reveals a life-giving love: “He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain” (Revelation 21:4). The widow of Nain is about to receive a grace inconceivable to her present sorrow. I, too, should hope in Christ’s kindness towards me and my loved-ones.

2. “Young Man, I Tell You, Arise!” Jesus does not console me simply by removing my emotion or by having me imagine that things are different than they really are. If I lose someone who is dear to me, I am truly sad. Instead, Christ comes to restore what was lost. He acts to remove the cause of pain and sorrow: “for I, the LORD, am your healer” (Exodus 15:26). When Jesus tells the widow of Nain, “Do not weep,” he does not accuse her of being an overly-emotional woman who takes things too seriously. Quite the contrary, Jesus is compassionate towards her because of the loss of her son. Therefore, with all my heart and soul I ought to be obedient to hope. My life is in God’s hands. The lives of my loved ones are in God’s hands. If I live, I live for Christ; if I die, I die for Christ (see Romans 14:8).

3. “God Has Visited His People.” Even at his birth, the Son of God who took on our human nature was named “Emmanuel”: “God-with-us.” Our Savior associates himself with us not only in life and grace, but also taking our sins upon himself and giving his very life in order to redeem us. “God has visited his people” even refers to sinners: those who suffer death as an ultimate consequence of original and personal sin.

I can rejoice because God seeks me out wherever I am, heals me, and restores me for eternal life. If I have received such great love, I should repay love with love. I should bring the love of Christ to others just as I have experienced his visit to me.

Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, I entrust my entire life and the lives of my loved ones to your care. Allow me to grow in your love so that I truly benefit from your grace, which leads to eternal life. Let me hope in your resurrection as I offer you my everyday burdens.

Resolution: In a conversation today, I will speak to someone about life as a journey meant to lead us and prepare us for heaven.

[Salvation]

Christian Compassion

• Homily of the Day
• September 18th, 2012
• Food For Thought

Tuesday, September 18, 2012 by Food for Thought
FirstReading: 1 Cor 12:12-14, 27-31a
Psalm: Ps 100:1b-2, 3, 4, 5
Gospel: Lk 7:11-17

Luke, towards the end of his Sermon on the Plain, has Jesus say, “Be compassionate as your heavenly Father is compassionate.” Matthew towards the end of his Sermon on the Mount has Jesus speak the same words. Compassion is often spoken of as the characteristic virtue of
Christ and of the Christian. Today’s Gospel passage records an extraordinary miracle. In performing this miracle Jesus’ sole motivation was his compassion.

Jesus’ concern throughout today’s Gospel passage is not for the son, but for the mother. Jesus sees the body of a young man being carried out of town for burial. Luke notes that the young man was the only son of a widowed mother. Jesus is moved with pity when he sees the bereft woman. Immediately he consoles her, “Do not cry.” After he restores the man to life, “Jesus gives him back to his mother.” The miracle is about the mother, not about the son. The miracle is about compassion, not about any other motivation.

The Christian, like Jesus, is to reflect in the world the compassion of Jesus’ Father. Fortunately our hearts can fill with compassion for the less fortunate, as did Jesus’ heart for the bereaved widow of Naim. However, we do not have the power of Christ. We cannot give expression to the compassion we feel, as Jesus did through miracles.

Today compassion is best expressed not by being charitable, though charity is still terribly important even essential. Compassion will create miracles when it moves you and me to participate in the struggle to change the sinful political, economic and social structures that
keep the poor poor, and the oppressed oppressed.

So we are to ask ourselves: Am I compassionate when the poor come to me for help? Does my compassion move me to cooperate in changing the sinful structures of our society? Only if we can answer “yes” to both of these questions will we imitate Jesus in making our Father’s compassion alive on earth.

[Salvation]

One Bread, One Body

One Bread, One Body

 

<< Tuesday, September 18, 2012 >>

1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 27-31
View Readings

Psalm 100:1-5

Luke 7:11-17

GRAVE-SINS

 

Jesus "said, 'Young man, I bid you get up.' The dead man sat up and began to speak." —Luke 7:14-15

 

If Jesus had raised you from the dead, wouldn't that inspire you to love Him with all your heart and to serve Him with zeal and total abandon? However, Jesus has raised you from a worse death than physical death. He has raised you from the death of sin.

Our lives before receiving new life in Christ were much more like death than life. God's Word describes our original state thus: "You were dead because of your sins and offenses, as you gave allegiance to the present age and to the prince of the air, that spirit who is even now at work among the rebellious. All of us were once of their company" (Eph 2:1-3; see also Lk 15:32). "Even when you were dead in sin and your flesh was uncircumcised, God gave you new life in company with Christ. He pardoned all our sins" (Col 2:13). "The wages of sin is death" (Rm 6:23). Those who do not repent are "among the living dead" (1 Jn 3:14). Even whole churches, cities, and nations can be dead (see Rv 3:1). So it is not just a figure of speech that all of us were dead. It is a literal, spiritual statement.

By our Baptism into Jesus through faith, Jesus has raised us from death (Col 3:1). We have reason to be grateful — eternally and zealously grateful. Therefore, "offer yourselves to God as men who have come back from the dead to life, and your bodies to God as weapons for justice" (Rm 6:13). We have been raised! It is true!

Love Jesus, "the Resurrection and the Life"! (Jn 11:25)

 

Prayer: Father, may I act like a person who has come out of the grave.

Promise: "Set your hearts on the greater gifts." —1 Cor 12:31

Praise: Tim repented of fornication and expressed it by moving out of his girlfriend's house and giving his life to Jesus.

[Salvation]

Are you still killing your unborn?

-- GOD