Catholic Caucus: Sunday Mass Readings, 09-06-15, Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

USCCB.org/RNAB ^ | 09-06-15 | Revised New American Bible

[Salvation]

September 6, 2015

 

Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 Is 35:4-7a

Thus says the LORD:
Say to those whose hearts are frightened:
Be strong, fear not!
Here is your God,
he comes with vindication;
with divine recompense
he comes to save you.
Then will the eyes of the blind be opened,
the ears of the deaf be cleared;
then will the lame leap like a stag,
then the tongue of the mute will sing.
Streams will burst forth in the desert,
and rivers in the steppe.
The burning sands will become pools,
and the thirsty ground, springs of water.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 146:7, 8-9, 9-10

R. (1b) Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
The God of Jacob keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD gives sight to the blind;
the LORD raises up those who were bowed down.
The LORD loves the just;
the LORD protects strangers.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
The fatherless and the widow the LORD sustains,
but the way of the wicked he thwarts.
The LORD shall reign forever;
your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.

Reading 2 Jas 2:1-5

My brothers and sisters, show no partiality
as you adhere to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.
For if a man with gold rings and fine clothes
comes into your assembly,
and a poor person in shabby clothes also comes in,
and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes
and say, “Sit here, please, ”
while you say to the poor one, “Stand there, ” or “Sit at my feet, ”
have you not made distinctions among yourselves
and become judges with evil designs?

Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters.
Did not God choose those who are poor in the world
to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom
that he promised to those who love him?

Alleluia cf. Mt 4:23

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of the kingdom
and cured every disease among the people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mk 7:31-37

Again Jesus left the district of Tyre
and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee,
into the district of the Decapolis.
And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment
and begged him to lay his hand on him.
He took him off by himself away from the crowd.
He put his finger into the man’s ears
and, spitting, touched his tongue;
then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him,
“Ephphatha!”— that is, “Be opened!” —
And immediately the man’s ears were opened,
his speech impediment was removed,
and he spoke plainly.
He ordered them not to tell anyone.
But the more he ordered them not to,
the more they proclaimed it.
They were exceedingly astonished and they said,
“He has done all things well.
He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

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For your reading, reflection, faith-sharing, comments, questions, discussion.

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From: Isaiah 35:4-7a

Promise of Redemption

---

[4] Say to those who are of a fearful heart, “Be strong, fear not! Behold, your God
will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save
you.” [5] Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf un-
stopped; [6] then shall the lame man leap like a hart, and the tongue of the dumb
sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the de-
sert; [7a] the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs
of water.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

35:1-10 The focus now changes with this hymn celebrating Zion, the holy city. It
presents a picture of the restored Jerusalem in language reminiscent of that of
chapters 11 and 12. God who manifested his presence and protection during the
exodus, when Israel came up out of Egypt, will do so again in wonderful ways
as the redeemed flock back home to Zion. He will show them the route and give
them a highway and be with them in a sort of solemn procession to where he
dwells (v. 8). Just as in Babylon there was a “Holy Way” lined with statues of
lions and dragons that led to the temple of Marduk, the redeemed will have a tru-
ly “Holy Way” to take them to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem. The joy of the
returnees is compounded by the instant cure of the blind, deaf and lame (cf. 29:
18-19), which is an anticipation of what will happen in the messianic era.

The miracles worked by Jesus demonstrate that the moment of true redemption
foreseen indistinctly by the prophets has come to pass (cf. Mt 11:2-6). St Justin,
showing the Jew Tryphon that this prophecy found fulfillment in Christ, points out:
“Christ is the stream of living water that flows from God; he sprang up in the de-
sert wastes of ignorance of God; that is, in the parched earth of all the nations.
He, who was born among your people, cured those who were blind from birth,
and the deaf and the lame: by his word alone, they leapt and heard and saw
once more. He raised the dead and gave them new life, and by all his good works
prompted men to see Him for who he is. [...] He did all these things to convince
those who were to believe in him, whatever bodily defects they might have, that
if they obeyed the teachings that he gave them, he would raise them up again at
his Second Coming and make them whole and perfect and immortal as He is”
(”Dialogus Cum Tryphone”, 69,6).

The Church uses this passage from Isaiah in the Advent liturgy (3rd Sunday, Cy-
cle A) to encourage the faithful in joyous hope that God will come and bring sal-
vation.

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

[Salvation]

From: James 2:1-5

Respect for the Poor

---

[1] My brethren, show no partiality as you hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Lord of glory. [2] For if a man with gold rings and in fine clothing comes into
your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, [3] and you
pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “Have a seat here,
please,” while you say to the poor man, “Stand there,” or, “Sit at my feet,” [4]
have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil
thoughts? [5] Listen, my beloved brethren. Has not God chosen those who are
poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom which He has pro-
mised to those who love Him?

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

1-13. Apparently some of the Christians to whom this letter was addressed were
guilty of discriminating against people on the grounds of social standing — a clear
instance of inconsistency between faith and actions, a key theme which James
has already touched on (cf. 1:19-27) and will develop later (cf. 2:14-26). He may
well be taking an example from something that actually happened (verses 1-4)
to make the very vigorous point that discrimination is opposed to the Gospel (ver-
ses 5-7) as indeed to the Law (verses 8-11); and he makes it plain that this type
of behavior will be severely punished by God when He comes to judge (verses
12-13).

1-4. God “is not partial and takes no bribe” (Deuteronomy 10:17). Discrimination
among people is often condemned in the Old Testament—in the Law as well as in
the Prophets and the Wisdom books (cf., e.g. Leviticus 19:15; Isaiah 5:23; Micah
3:9-11; Psalm 82:2-4). In the Gospel even our Lord’s enemies admit that He is
impartial and does not make unfair distinctions (cf. Matthew 22:16).

In line with this teaching, the Church takes issue with every form of discrimina-
tion. “All men are endowed with a rational soul and are created in God’s image;
they have the same nature and origin and, being redeemed by Christ, they enjoy
the same divine calling and destiny; there is here a basic equality between men
and it must be given ever greater recognition. Undoubtedly not all men are alike
as regards physical capacity and intellectual and moral powers. But forms of so-
cial or cultural discrimination in basic personal rights on the grounds of sex, race,
color, social conditions, language or religion, must be curbed and eradicated as
incompatible with God’s design” (”Gaudium Et Spes”, 29).

1. “The faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory”: literally “the faith of our
Lord Jesus Christ of glory.” This phrase can be interpreted in slightly different
ways depending on how one understands “of glory”. The most likely interpreta-
tion is that this is an instance of a Semitic genitive used in place of the adjective
“glorious” or “glorified”; in which case St. James is referring to Jesus Christ who,
after His ascension and resurrection, enjoys, also in His capacity as man, the
highest honor and glory.

The RSV takes up the idea found in 1 Corinthians 2:8 where St. Paul calls Christ
“the Lord of glory”: since in the Old Testament “glory” was the splendor of the
majesty of Yahweh (cf. Exodus 24:16), by applying this divine attribute to Christ
His divinity is being explicitly asserted. If this is the correct translation, it may be
a form of words taken from early Christian liturgy.

Some translate it in another way which puts even greater stress on Christ’s divi-
nity: “The faith of the glory (that is, the divinity) of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

All these translations are compatible with one another and complementary to
one another.

5-7. Many of the people to whom the letter was written must have been quite
poor (cf. note on 1:2-4; 1 Corinthians 1:26-29). St. James reminds them that God
wants to make them rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus in
fact had given as a sign of His messiahship the fact that the Gospel is proclaimed
to the poor (cf. Matthew 11:5; Luke 7:22) and He also taught that “Blessed are
the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 5:3). “Christ was
sent by the Father ‘to preach good news to the poor...to heal the contrite of heart’
(Luke 4:18), ‘to seek and to save the lost’ (Luke 19:10). Similarly, the Church en-
compasses with her love all those who are afflicted by human misery and she re-
cognizes in those who are poor and who suffer, the image of her poor and suffe-
ring Founder. She does all in her power to relieve their need and in them she
strives to serve Christ” (Vatican II, “Lumen Gentium”, 8).

Of the rich on the other hand, the Apostle speaks with unusual harshness. As
elsewhere in Sacred Scripture, those who deserve such severe condemnation are
people who are bent on building up their possession as if ownership were the on-
ly purpose in life, not minding what means they used, and oppressing and ill-trea-
ting the poor (cf. note on Luke 6:24).

Behavior of this type is so serious that it amounts to “blaspheming that honora-
ble name by which you are called” (verse 7) — blasphemy by scandalous action
rather than by words. This “name” can mean both the name “Jesus” — called
down on them at Baptism — and that of “Christian”, a name already being given
to those first followers of the Master (cf. Acts 11:26).

What St. James says here can in no sense be used to justify the “class struggle”
which some materialistic doctrines propose. The Magisterium of the Church has
often pointed out that the application of Christian principles should make for har-
mony and concord between the various groups in society (cf. Leo XIII, “Rerum
Novarum”, 14). James’ words certainly do urge everyone to make a real effort to
promote the human dignity of all: “The evil inequities and oppression of every kind
which afflict millions of men and women today openly contradict Christ’s Gospel
and cannot leave the conscience of any Christian indifferent” (SCDF, “Libertatis
Conscientia”, 57).

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

[Salvation]

From: Mark 7:31-37

The Curing of a Deaf Man

---

[31] Then [Jesus] returned from the region of Tyre, and went through Sidon to
the Sea of Galilee, through the region of the Decapolis. [32] And they brought
Him a man who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech; and they be-
sought Him to lay His hand upon him. [33] And taking him aside from the mul-
titude privately, He put His fingers into his ears, and He spat and touched his
tongue; [34] and looking up to Heaven, He sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,”
that is, “Be opened.” [35] And his ears were opened, his tongue was released,
and he spoke plainly. [36] And He charged them to tell no one; but the more
He charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. [37] And they were
astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well; He even
makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak.”

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

32-33. Sacred Scripture quite often shows the laying on of hands as a gesture
indicating the transfer of power or blessing (cf. Genesis 48:14ff; 2 Kings 5:11;
Luke 13:13). Everyone knows that saliva can help heal minor cuts. In the lan-
guage of Revelation fingers symbolized powerful Divine action (cf. Exodus 8:19;
Psalm 8:4; Luke 11:20). So Jesus uses signs which suit in some way the effect
He wants to achieve, though we can see from the text that the effect—the instan-
taneous cure of the deaf and dumb man—far exceeds the sign used.

In the miracle of the deaf and dumb man we can see a symbol of the way God
acts on souls: for us to believe, God must first open our heart so we can listen
to His word. Then, like the Apostles, we too can proclaim the “magnalia Dei”,
the mighty works of God (cf. Acts 2:11). In the Church’s liturgy (cf. the hymn
“Veni Creator”) the Holy Spirit is compared to the finger of the right hand of God
the Father (”Digitus paternae dexterae”). The Consoler produces in our souls,
in the supernatural order, effects comparable to those which Christ produces
in the body of the deaf and dumb man.

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

[Salvation]

Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman &Todd

Readings at Mass

---

First reading	Isaiah 35:4-7 ©

Say to all faint hearts,

‘Courage! Do not be afraid.

Look, your God is coming,

vengeance is coming,

the retribution of God;

he is coming to save you.’

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,

the ears of the deaf unsealed,

then the lame shall leap like a deer

and the tongues of the dumb sing for joy;

for water gushes in the desert,

streams in the wasteland,

the scorched earth becomes a lake,

the parched land springs of water.

---

Psalm	Psalm 145:6-10 ©

My soul, give praise to the Lord.

or

Alleluia!

It is the Lord who keeps faith for ever,

  who is just to those who are oppressed.

It is he who gives bread to the hungry,

  the Lord, who sets prisoners free,

My soul, give praise to the Lord.

or

Alleluia!

It is the Lord who gives sight to the blind,

  who raises up those who are bowed down,

the Lord, who protects the stranger

  and upholds the widow and orphan.

My soul, give praise to the Lord.

or

Alleluia!

It is the Lord who loves the just

  but thwarts the path of the wicked.

The Lord will reign for ever,

  Zion’s God, from age to age.

My soul, give praise to the Lord.

or

Alleluia!

---

Second reading	James 2:1-5 ©

My brothers, do not try to combine faith in Jesus Christ, our glorified Lord, with the making of distinctions between classes of people. Now suppose a man comes into your synagogue, beautifully dressed and with a gold ring on, and at the same time a poor man comes in, in shabby clothes, and you take notice of the well-dressed man, and say, ‘Come this way to the best seats’; then you tell the poor man, ‘Stand over there’ or ‘You can sit on the floor by my foot-rest.’ Can’t you see that you have used two different standards in your mind, and turned yourselves into judges, and corrupt judges at that?

  Listen, my dear brothers: it was those who are poor according to the world that God chose, to be rich in faith and to be the heirs to the kingdom which he promised to those who love him.

---

Gospel Acclamation	1S3:9,Jn6:68

Alleluia, alleluia!

Speak, Lord, your servant is listening:

you have the message of eternal life.

Alleluia!

Or	cf.Mt4:23

Alleluia, alleluia!

Jesus proclaimed the Good News of the kingdom

and cured all kinds of sickness among the people.

Alleluia!

---

Gospel	Mark 7:31-37 ©

Returning from the district of Tyre, Jesus went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, right through the Decapolis region. And they brought him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they asked him to lay his hand on him. He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, put his fingers into the man’s ears and touched his tongue with spittle. Then looking up to heaven he sighed; and he said to him, ‘Ephphatha’, that is, ‘Be opened.’ And his ears were opened, and the ligament of his tongue was loosened and he spoke clearly. And Jesus ordered them to tell no one about it, but the more he insisted, the more widely they published it. Their admiration was unbounded. ‘He has done all things well,’ they said ‘he makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak.’

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It's time to kneel down and pray for our nation (Sacramental Marriage)

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Prayers for The Religion Forum (Ecumenical)

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7 Powerful Ways to Pray for Christians Suffering in the Middle East

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Pray the Rosary for these people.

Why Boko Haram and ISIS Target Women
Report reveals scale of Boko Haram violence inflicted on Nigerian Catholics
Military evacuating girls, women rescued from Boko Haram
Echos of Lepanto Nigerian bishop says rosary will bring down Boko Harm
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Jesus, High Priest

 

We thank you, God our Father, for those who have responded to your call to priestly ministry.

Accept this prayer we offer on their behalf: Fill your priests with the sure knowledge of your love.

Open their hearts to the power and consolation of the Holy Spirit.

Lead them to new depths of union with your Son.

Increase in them profound faith in the Sacraments they celebrate as they nourish, strengthen and heal us.

Lord Jesus Christ, grant that these, your priests, may inspire us to strive for holiness by the power of their example, as men of prayer who ponder your word and follow your will.

O Mary, Mother of Christ and our mother, guard with your maternal care these chosen ones, so dear to the Heart of your Son.

Intercede for our priests, that offering the Sacrifice of your Son, they may be conformed more each day to the image of your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Saint John Vianney, universal patron of priests, pray for us and our priests

This icon shows Jesus Christ, our eternal high priest.

The gold pelican over His heart represents self-sacrifice.

The border contains an altar and grapevines, representing the Mass, and icons of Melchizedek and St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney.

Melchizedek: king of righteousness (left icon) was priest and king of Jerusalem.  He blessed Abraham and has been considered an ideal priest-king.

St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney is the patron saint of parish priests.

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Celebrating the Year of Consecrated Life
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Pray a Rosary each day for our nation.

1. Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

2. The Apostles Creed: I BELIEVE in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

3. The Lord's Prayer: 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. Amen.

4. (3) Hail Mary: HAIL Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen. (Three times)

5. Glory Be: 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.

6. Fatima Prayer: Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of your mercy.

Announce each mystery, then say 1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, 1 Glory Be and 1 Fatima prayer. Repeat the process with each mystery.

End with the Hail Holy Queen:
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve! To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears! Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus!

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Final step -- The Sign of the Cross

The Mysteries of the Rosary By tradition, Catholics meditate on these Mysteries during prayers of the Rosary. The biblical references follow each of the Mysteries below.

The Glorious Mysteries
(Wednesdays and Sundays)
1.The Resurrection (Matthew 28:1-8, Mark 16:1-18, Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1-29) [Spiritual fruit - Faith]
2. The Ascension (Mark 16:19-20, Luke 24:50-53, Acts 1:6-11) [Spiritual fruit - Christian Hope]
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-13) [Spiritual fruit - Gifts of the Holy Spirit]
4. The Assumption [Spiritual fruit - To Jesus through Mary]
5. The Coronation [Spiritual fruit - Grace of Final Perseverance]

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St. Michael the Archangel

~ PRAYER ~

St. Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle
Be our protection against the wickedness
and snares of the devil;
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God,
Cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits
who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen
+

[Salvation]

From an Obama bumper sticker on a car:
"Pray for Obama. Psalm 109:8"

PLEASE JOIN US - Evening Prayer
Someone has said that if people really understood the full extent of the power we have available through prayer, we might be speechless.
Did you know that during WWII there was an advisor to Churchill who organized a group of people who dropped what they were doing every day at a prescribed hour for one minute to collectively pray for the safety of England, its people and peace?

There is now a group of people organizing the same thing here in America. If you would like to participate: Every evening at 9:00 PM Eastern Time (8:00 PM Central) (7:00 PM Mountain) (6:00 PM Pacific), stop whatever you are doing and spend one minute praying for the safety of the United States, our troops, our citizens, and for a return to a Godly nation. If you know anyone else who would like to participate, please pass this along. Our prayers are the most powerful asset we have. Please forward this to your praying friends.

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Our Blessed Lady's Sorrows

Sea of Sorrow

Oh! on what a sea of sorrow
Was the Virgin-Mother cast,
When her eyes with tears o'erflowing
Gazed upon her Son aghast,
From the bloodstained gibbet taken,
Dying in her arms at last.

In her bitter desolation,
His sweet mouth, His bosom too,
Then His riven side beloved,
Then each hand, both wounded through,
Then His feet, with blood encrimsoned,
Her maternal tears bedew.

She, a hundred times and over,
Strains Him closely to her breast
Heart to Heart, arms arms enfolding,
Are His wounds on her impressed:
Thus, in sorrow's very kisses,
Melts her anguished soul to rest.

Oh, dear Mother! we beseech thee,
By the tears thine eyes have shed,
By the cruel death of Jesus
And His wounds' right royal red,
Make our hearts o'erflow with sorrow
From thy heart's deep fountainhead.

To the Father, Son, and Spirit,
Now we bend on equal knee:
Glory, sempiternal glory,
To the Most High Trinity;
Yea! perpetual praise and honor
Now and through all ages be.

Novena Prayer To Our Sorrowful Mother

Most Blessed and afflicted Virgin, Queen of Martyrs, who didst stand generously beneath the cross, beholding the agony of thy dying Son; by the sword of sorrow which then pierced thy soul, by the sufferings of thy sorrowful life, by the unutterable joy which now more than repays thee for them; look down with a mother's pity and tenderness, as I kneel before thee to compassionate thy sorrows, and to lay my petition with childlike confidence in thy wounded heart. I beg of thee, O my Mother, to plead continually for me with thy Son, since He can refuse thee nothing, and through the merits of His most sacred Passion and Death, together with thy own sufferings at the foot of the cross, so to touch His Sacred Heart, that I may obtain my request,
For to whom shall I fly in my wants and miseries, if not to thee, O Mother of mercy, who, having so deeply drunk the chalice of thy Son, canst most pity us poor exiles, still doomed to sigh in this vale of tears? Offer to Jesus but one drop of His Precious Blood, but one pang of His adorable Heart; remind Him that thou art our life, our sweetness, and our hope, and thou wilt obtain what I ask, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Hail Mary
Virgin Most Sorrowful, pray for us
(Seven times each)

Mary, most holy Virgin and Queen of Martyrs, accept the sincere homage of my filial affection. Into thy Heart, pierced by so many swords, do thou welcome my poor soul. Receive it as the companion of thy sorrows at the foot of the Cross, on which Jesus died for the redemption of the world. With thee, O sorrowful Virgin, I will gladly suffer all the trials, contradictions, and infirmities which it shall please Our Lord to send me. I offer them all to thee in memory of thy sorrows, so that: every thought of my mind and every beat of my heart may be an act of compassion and of love for thee. And do thou, sweet Mother, have pity on me, reconcile me to thy Divine Son, Jesus; keep me in His grace and assist me in my last agony, so that I may be able to meet thee in Heaven and sing thy glories.

Most holy Virgin and Mother, whose soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow in the Passion of thy Divine Son, and who in His glorious Resurrection wast filled with never ending joy at His triumph, obtain for us who call upon thee, so to be partakers in the adversities of Holy Church and the Sorrows of the Sovereign Pontiff, as to be found worthy to rejoice with them in the consolations for which we pray, in the charity and peace of the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Litany of the Seven Sorrows

For private use only.

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

God the Father of Heaven,
Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit,
Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God,
Have mercy on us.

Holy Mary,
Pray for us.
Holy Mother of God,
Pray for us.
Holy Virgin of virgins, etc.
Mother crucified,
Mother sorrowful,
Mother tearful,
Mother afflicted,
Mother forsaken,
Mother desolate,
Mother bereft of thy Child,
Mother transfixed with the sword,
Mother consumed with grief,
Mother filled with anguish,
Mother crucified in heart,
Mother most sad,
Fountain of tears,
Abyss of suffering,
Mirror of patience,
Rock of constancy,
Anchor of confidence,
Refuge of the forsaken,
Shield of the oppressed,
Subduer of the unbelieving,
Comfort of the afflicted,
Medicine of the sick,
Strength of the weak,
Harbor of the wrecked,
Allayer of tempests,
Resource of mourners,
Terror of the treacherous,
Treasure of the faithful,
Eye of the Prophets,
Staff of the Apostles,
Crown of Martyrs,
Light of confessors,
Pearl of virgins,
Consolation of widows,
Joy of all Saints,

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us.

Look down upon us, deliver us, and save us from all trouble,
in the power of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Let Us Pray.
Imprint, O Lady, thy wounds upon my heart, that I may read therein sorrow and love
--- sorrow to endure every sorrow for thee, love to despise every love for thee. Amen.

Conclude with the Apostles Creed, Hail Holy Queen, and three Hail Marys,
in honor of the Most Holy Heart of Mary.

Stabat Mater Dolorosa

Stabat mater dolorosa
iuxta Crucem lacrimosa,
dum pendebat Filius.

Cuius animam gementem,
contristatam et dolentem
pertransivit gladius.

O quam tristis et afflicta
fuit illa benedicta,
mater Unigeniti!

Quae maerebat et dolebat,
pia Mater, dum videbat
nati poenas inclyti.

Quis est homo qui non fleret,
matrem Christi si videret
in tanto supplicio?

Quis non posset contristari
Christi Matrem contemplari
dolentem cum Filio?

Pro peccatis suae gentis
vidit Iesum in tormentis,
et flagellis subditum.

Vidit suum dulcem Natum
moriendo desolatum,
dum emisit spiritum.

Eia, Mater, fons amoris
me sentire vim doloris
fac, ut tecum lugeam.

Fac, ut ardeat cor meum
in amando Christum Deum
ut sibi complaceam.

Sancta Mater, istud agas,
crucifixi fige plagas
cordi meo valide.

Tui Nati vulnerati,
tam dignati pro me pati,
poenas mecum divide.

Fac me tecum pie flere,
crucifixo condolere,
donec ego vixero.

Iuxta Crucem tecum stare,
et me tibi sociare
in planctu desidero.

Virgo virginum praeclara,
mihi iam non sis amara,
fac me tecum plangere.

Fac, ut portem Christi mortem,
passionis fac consortem,
et plagas recolere.

Fac me plagis vulnerari,
fac me Cruce inebriari,
et cruore Filii.

Flammis ne urar succensus,
per te, Virgo, sim defensus
in die iudicii.

Christe, cum sit hinc exire,
da per Matrem me venire
ad palmam victoriae.

Quando corpus morietur,
fac, ut animae donetur
paradisi gloria. Amen.

Prayer To Our Lady of Sorrows, by St. Bridget

O Blessed Virgin Mary, Immaculate Mother of God, who didst endure a martyrdom of love and grief beholding the sufferings and sorrows of Jesus! Thou didst cooperate in the benefit of my redemption by thine innumerable afflictions and by offering to the Eternal Father His only begotten Son as a holocaust and victim of propitiation for my sins. I thank thee for the unspeakable love which led thee to deprive thyself of the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus, true God and true Man, to save me, a sinner. Oh, make use of the unfailing intercession of thy sorrows with the Father and the Son, that I may steadfastly amend my life and never again crucify my loving Redeemer by new sins, and that, persevering till death in His grace. I may obtain eternal life through the merits of His Cross and Passion. Amen.

Mother of love, of sorrow and of mercy, pray for us.

Saint Alphonsus Liguori's Prayer To The Mother Of Sorrows

O, my Blessed Mother, it is not one sword only with which I have pierced thy heart, but I have done so with as many as are the sins which I have committed. O, Lady, it is not to thee, who art innocent, that sufferings are due, but to me, who am guilty of so many crimes. But since thou hast been pleased to suffer so much for me, by thy merits, obtain me great sorrow for my sins, and patience under the trials of this life, which will always be light in comparison with my demerits; for I have often deserved Hell.
Amen.

 

Stabet Mater Dolorosa (catholic/orthodox caucus)
[CATHOLIC/ORTHODOX CAUCUS] Spirituality: Our Lady of Sorrows
The Seven Swords Rosary Of Our Lady Of Sorrows [Catholic Caucus] Prayer and Meditation
The Rosary of the Seven Sorrows [Catholic Caucus] Prayer/Devotion
Our Lady of Sorrows, part I: "Her Martyrdom was longer and greater than that of all the martyrs"

Lists Every Catholic Should be Familiar With: The 7 Sorrows (Dolours) and 7 Joys of Our Lady
The Seven Dolors (Sorrows) of Mary [Catholic/Orthodox Devotional]
Apparition in Africa: Our Lady of Sorrows [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
Feast of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary [Catholic Caucus Devotional]
Feast of Our Lady/Mother of Sorrows
Homilies on Our Lady of Sorrows
Starkenburg:Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Sorrows Shrine
Our Mother of Sorrows
ST. ALPHONSUS LIGUORI, OF THE DOLOURS OF MARY, The Glories [Sorrows] of Mary
Our Lady of Sorrows - Sep 15

[Salvation]

September, 2015

Pope’s Intentions

Universal: That opportunities for education and employment may increase for all young people.

Evangelization: That catechists may give witness by living in a way consistent with the faith they proclaim.

[Salvation]

Zenit.org

A Heart to Listen to the Facts

Lectio Divina: 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

France, September 04, 2015 (ZENIT.org) Monsignor Francesco Follo | 756 hits

Roman Rite

Is 35, 4-7a; Ps 146 Jas 2, 1-5; Mk 7, 31-37

 

Ambrosian Rite

Is 29.13 to 21; Ps 84; Heb 12.18 to 25; Jn 3.25 to 36?

Second Sunday after the Martyrdom of St. John the Precursor.

 

 

1) The healing of a deaf and dumb heart 

Today’s Gospel passage speaks of a deaf-mute man healed by Jesus. Let us not forget, however, that the Messiah came not only to cure diseases and physical defects. He is the Word made flesh that wants to heal not only the people of Israel that - as often the Prophets denounced - were people who didn’t listen to the word of God and therefore  was unable to give a real answer. Christ wants to heal and speak to all humanity. The fact that this miracle of the deaf-mute man occurs on the territory of Decapolis indicates that Christ is the Word for all mankind and that not listening to God was (and is) a sin from which humanity needs to be saved. It should also be kept in mind that the story also indicates that the salvation brought by Jesus is not only for each man (geographical universality) but also for the whole man (anthropological universality).

Jesus of Nazareth is the Redeemer of all the "parts" of the world and of each "part" of which we are made, even of that part that is still pagan. He is present in the Decapolis[1] that we have in the heart.

It is true that Jesus operates outside the people of Israel. He makes a gesture that is the opening of the field of revelation to all humanity. It is equally true that he is moving in a pagan land and this fact clearly says that He is present everywhere even where we just imagine him absent. He is present in all "heathen lands", in all the situations ruined by sin.

Jesus of Nazareth, the Redeemer of every man and of the whole man, says a prayer before to save. The Son of God before performing the miracle of the deaf-mute man looks up to the sky - the same gesture he had made before the multiplication of the loaves and fishes (Mk 6:41): the Son of God prays. Sometimes, Jesus did miracles with the authority of his word, we might say in his own name. In this way it proved to be not just a prophet of God, but to be God himself. Other times, as in the case of the deaf-mute man, Jesus uses prayer to teach us that salvation is a pure gift of God's grace, a gift to ask, not to demand.

Christ's miracles never have an end in themselves. They are "signs" that announce and inaugurate his Kingdom of truth and love. Signs that contain what the Lord Jesus would like to do in every brother and sister. What Jesus did a day for a person on the physical level indicates what he wants to do every day for every person on the spiritual one? Christ touches the body to heal the spirit. The man healed by Christ was deaf-mute. He could not communicate with others, listen to their voice and express his feelings and needs. If deafness and dumbness consist in the inability to properly communicate with others and to have easy, clear, good and beautiful relations. We must recognize that, more or less, we are all deaf-mute and therefore it is to everyone that Jesus addresses this cry "Ephphatha, Be opened."

Each of us should let him or herself be brought before the Lord and ask him to open up his or her ears every day to receive His Word of life, even when it is uncomfortable and even when the noise of the people outside and that of passions within us do not let us hear his voice.

 

2) The healed heart speaks the language of love.

The first voice that this healed man could hear was that of Jesus. The first word given to this deaf-mute man was "Ephphatha", "Open". And so he could hear the Word of God and welcome it because the opening of the ears involves dilation of the heart in the joy of not simply being called, but to be really "children".

When in Baptism we became children in the Son, the word "Ephphatha," “Open” was pronounced and we were open to the Word of God and to the dialogue with our God and Father.

Listening to the Son, the Word of God, makes us like him: children. " Love does this, it makes the lover like the beloved" (St. Alphonsus Maria de 'Liguori, Practice of the Love of Jesus Christ). If we persevere in this listening, we can always speak with love. If we listen to Christ, we will be increasingly able to speak like Christ and to say: Jesus. If we are open to the dialogue with the Father, remaining open to his word, we will be increasingly able, by grace, to hear the consolations, suggestions and the loving commands of God and to respond to him with our prayer and our life.

The healed heart listens to God to pray him and ask him to communicate his love to humanity. Jesus teaches us that our Christian life depends on prayer and charity. This is not the place to speak of the relationship between contemplation and action. I just want to remind you that we should not lose ourselves in pure activism. It is necessary that in our activities we let us be penetrated by the light of the Word of God. In this way we learn the true charity and the true service to the other that do not need many things – they certainly need the necessary things- but need above all the affection of our heart and the light of God. The Church always unites the ministry of truth, announcing the word, to the ministry of charity.

All Saints have experienced a profound unity of life between prayer and action, between the total love for God and the generous love for the brothers and the sisters. All Saints show us that it is possible to pray everywhere, even in a concentration camp, as did St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein) and  to do good to others as did Saint Maximilian Kolbe who volunteered to die in place of a another. "There is no charity greater than those who give their life for their friends”.

A more normal but not less true way. I should say a way of ordinary sainthood to live this union between prayer and action, is the one of the consecrated Virgins living in the world.

For them, as for all consecrated persons, the life of prayer is the habit to be consciously and constantly in the presence of God and to live in relationship with Him to whom they have donated without reservation.

Their prayer[2] coincides with their lives and their life is their prayer, lived as a daily sacrifice of praise. If the "great" saints have shown that a person can be prayer and prayer house in the drama of a concentration camp or a serious illness, the consecrated Virgins show in their humility that one can be prayer and praying temple of the "banality" of daily life. In their life (= prayer) can be recognized the five characteristics that a well done prayer must have: that is, to be positive, straight, structured, pious and humble[3].  These are the characteristics identified by St. Thomas Aquinas, who defined prayer "expression of desire that man has of God. “

With chaste spousal attitude the consecrated Virgins are constantly listening to and speak the pure and chaste Word of God. This Word is pure Word of Life who speaks from within our life of sinful people, introduces us into life and preserves it in us. Then, through us, it is made known to the whole world. If we listen to this Word with pure heart, it goes, through all the pollution of our human language,  to our neighbor so that he or she is reached by the Word that transmits life to the full.

 

Golden Chain

On Mark 7,31-37

 

Theophylact: The Lord did not wish to stay in the parts of the Gentiles, lest He should give the Jews occasion to say, that they esteemed Him a transgressor of the law, because He held communion with the Gentiles, and therefore He immediately returns.

Wherefore it is said, "And again departing from the coasts of Tyre, He came through Sidon, to the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the borders of Decapolis."

Bede, in Marc., 2, 31: Decapolis is a region of ten cities, across the Jordan, to the east, over against Galilee (ed. note: It appears, however, from Reland, Pales. v.1, p198, that a portion of Decapolis, including its metropolis, Scythopolis, was on this side Jordan, and therefore this text of St. Mark may be taken literally.) When therefore it is said that the Lord came to the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the borders of Decapolis, it does not mean that He entered the confines of Decapolis themselves; for He is not said to have crossed the sea, but rather to have come to the borders of the sea, and to have reached quite up to the place, which was opposite to the midst of the coasts of Decapolis, which were situated at a distance across the sea.

It goes on, "And they bring Him one that was deaf and dumb, and they besought Him to lay hands upon him."

Theophylact: Which is rightly placed after the deliverance of one possessed with a (p. 143) devil, for such an instance of suffering came from the devil.

There follows, "And He took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers into his ears."

Pseudo-Chrys., Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.: He takes the deaf and dumb man who was brought to Him apart from the crowd, that He might not do His divine miracles openly; teaching us to cast away vain glory and swelling of heart, for no one can work miracles as he can, who loves humility and is lowly in his conduct. But He puts His fingers into his ears, when He might have cured him with a word, to shew that His body, being united to Deity, was consecrated by Divine virtue, with all that He did. For since on account of the transgression of Adam, human nature had incurred much suffering and hurt in its members and senses, Christ coming into the world shewed the perfection of human nature in Himself, and on this account opened ears, with His fingers, and gave the power of speech by His spittle.

Wherefore it goes on, "And spit, and touched his tongue."

Theophylact: That He might shew that all the members of His sacred body are divine and holy, even the spittle which loosed the string of the tongue. For the spittle is only the superflous moisture of the body, but in the Lord, all things are divine.

It goes on, "And looking up to heaven, He groaned, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened."

Bede: He looked up to heaven, that He might teach us that thence is to be procured speech for the dumb, hearing for the deaf, health for all who are sick. And He sighed, not that it was necessary for Him to be any thing from His Father with groaning, for He, together with the Father, gives all things to them who ask, but that He might give us an example of sighing, when for our own errors and those of our neighbours, we invoke the guardianship of the Divine mercy.

Pseudo-Chrys., Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.: He at the same time also groaned, as taking our cause upon Himself and pitying human nature, seeing the misery into which it had fallen.

Bede: But that which He says, "Ephphatha, that is, Be opened," belong properly to the ears, for the ears are to be opened for hearing, but the tongue to be loosed from the bonds of its impediment, that is may be able to speak.

Wherefore it goes on, "And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain."

Where each nature of one and the same Christ (p. 144) is manifestly distinct, looking up indeed into Heaven as man, praying unto God, He groaned, but presently with one word, as being strong in the Divine Majesty, He healed.

It goes on, "And He charged them that they should tell no man."

Pseudo-Chrys., Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.: By which He has taught us not to boast in our powers, but in the cross and humiliation. He also bade them conceal the miracle, lest He should excite the Jews by envy to kill Him before the time.

Pseudo-Jerome: A city, however, placed on a hill cannot be hid, and lowliness always comes before glory.

Wherefore it goes on, "but the more He charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it."

Theophylact: By this we are taught, when we confer benefits on any, by no means to seek for applause and praise; but when we have received benefits, to proclaim and praise our benefactors, even though they be unwilling.

Augustine: If however He, as one Who knew the present and the future wills of men, knew that they would proclaim Him the more in proportion as He forbade them, why did He give them this command? If it were not that He wished to prove to men who are idle, how much more joyfully, with how much greater obedience, they whom He commands to proclaim Him should preach, when they who were forbidden could not hold their peace.

Gloss.: From the preaching however of those who were healed by Christ, the wonder of the multitude, and their praise of the benefits of Christ, increased.

Wherefore it goes on, "And they were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well; he maketh the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak."

Pseudo-Jerome: Mystically, Tyre is interpreted, narrowness, and signifies Judaea, to which the Lord said, "For the bed is grown too narrow," (Is 28,20) and from which He turns Himself to the Gentiles. Sidon means, hunting, for our race is like an untamed beast, and "sea", which means a wavering inconstancy. Again, the Saviour comes to save the Gentiles in the midst of the coasts of Decapolis, which may be interpreted, as the commands of the Decalogue.

Further, the human race throughout its many members is reckoned as one man, eaten up by varying pestilence, in the first created man; it is blinded, that is, its eye is evil; it becomes deaf, when it listens to, and dumb when it speaks, evil. And they prayed Him to lay His hand upon him, because many just men, and (p. 145) patriarchs, wished and longed for the time when the Lord should come in the flesh.

Bede: Or he is deaf and dumb, who neither has ears to hear the words of God, nor opens his mouth to speak them, and such must be presented to the Lord for healing, by men who have already learned to hear and speak the divine oracles.

 

---

[1] Decapolis (from  the Greek: Δὲκα πὸλἰς, ten cities) was the name used for a territory composed of a group of ten cities located at the eastern frontier of the Roman Empire boarded by current Jordan, Syria and Israel. They did not constitute a unified political body, but at the time of the earthly life of Christ were commonly grouped under the name of Decapolis for their affinities in language, culture and policies. They were centers of Greek and Roman culture, therefore pagans.

[2] "It 'must remember that prayer is an interior attitude, rather than a series of practices and formulas, a way of being in front of God before the acts of worship or pronounce words. Prayer has its center and has its roots in the depths of the person. "(Benedict XVI)

[3] 1. Positive, because they have had experience of what God says in Psalm 91.15: "When he calls me I will answer."

2. Straight. Every prayer should be straight. Already St. John of Damascus taught that prayer is "a request to God for things that are good for us."

That's why many times a prayer is not answered because it asked things that are not good for us, as St. James says: "Ask and you shall not receive, because you ask amiss" (James 4.3). If we ask the Lord the things he has taught us to ask, our prayer will be most exact. In this regard, St. Augustine said: "If we want to pray in a way right and convenient, whatever word we use, we have to ask only what is contained in the Lord's Prayer."

3. Structured. Prayer must be structured, as well as the desire has to be structured. Indeed, prayer is an interpreter of desire.

Well, the right order is that in the desired as in asking we must prefer spiritual goods to materials goods and goods of heaven to things on earth. For the Lord warned us: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you" (Mt 6:33).

4. Pious. Prayer must also be pious because the abundance of devotion makes the sacrifice of prayer acceptable to God, as the psalmist says: "In your name I will lift up my hands; I will satisfy me as with a banquet, and with joy my mouth shall praise you "(Ps 63.5 to 6). Devotion, then, arises from the love, namely the love of God and neighbor.

  5. Humble. Prayer must be humble because God "will regard the prayer of the humble and not despise their prayer" (Psalm 102.18). See also the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican (Luke 18:10 14) and the prayer of Judith: "You are the God of the poor, are the helper of the helpless" (Judith 9:11).

[SunLakesJeff]

Not an "Ordinary Time" guy. Thanks for having an RCIA Catholic on FR, though I see the Killing Fields over at the other asphalts...