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

KEYWORDS: catholic; mt20; ordinarytime; prayer; saints;

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From: Isaiah 55:6-9

Epilogue: Invitation to Partake of the Banquet of the Lord’s Covenant

[6] “Seek the Lord while he may be found,
call upon him while he is near;
[7] let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on him,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
[8] for my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, says the Lord.
[9] For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

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

55:6-9. The Israelites are called to conversion. In order to return to their home-
land, they must return to God, must “seek” him (vv. 6-7). And the Lord, who
allows himself to be found and who does not judge in the way that men do, is
willing and able to grant forgiveness (vv. 8-9). In other words, the call to repen-
tance is grounded on the goodness of God who “will abundantly pardon” (v. 7).
Man, for his part, should grasp this opportunity that God offers him. So, the
words in this passage are a constant encouragement to begin and begin again
in the pursuit of virtue: “To be converted means to ask for forgiveness and to
seek out the strength of God in the Sacrament of reconciliation, and thus begin
again, advancing step by step every day, learning to overcome ourselves, to win
the spiritual battles that we face, and to give of ourselves joyfully, ‘for God loves
a cheerful giver’ (2 Cor 9:7)” (Bl. John Paul II, “Novo incipiente”, 8 April 1979).
And St Augustine, apropos of conversion, wrote: “Do not say: ‘Tomorrow, I will
he converted; tomorrow, I will give thanks to God; and all my sins, today’s and
yesterday’s, will be forgiven’. It is true that God promises forgiveness for your
conversion; but He does not promise tomorrow for your delays” (”Enarrationes
in Psalmos”, 144, 11).

The words of v. 8 are echoed by St Paul in Romans 11:33, and are a reminder
to us of just how narrow-minded we can be and how we can fail even to imagine
the great things that God has in store for us.

*********************************************************************************************
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.

From: Philippians 1:20-24, 27

St. Paul’s Own Circumstances (Continuation)

[20] It is my eager expectation and hope that I shall not be at all ashamed, but
that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether
by life or by death. [21] For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. [22] If it is
to be life in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I
cannot tell. [23] I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and
be with Christ, for that is far better. [24] But to remain in the flesh is more neces-
sary on your account. [25] Convinced of this, I know that I shall remain and con-
tinue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, [26] so that in me you
may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you
again.

Fight for the Faith

[27] Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether
I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you stand firm in one
spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.

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

20. “Christ will be honored in my body”: whether he lives (because that will allow
him to keep up his apostolic work) or whether he has to face martyrdom: in either
case he is able to bear witness to Christ.

Every Christian is linked to Christ through Baptism (cf. Rom 6:5) and this union is
strengthened by the Eucharist (cf. 1 Cor 10:16-17). A believer, therefore, should
aspire to identify with Jesus to such an extent that he can say with the Apostle,
“it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Gal 2:20). Everything any-
one has is a gift from God; and a Christian’s life in the body, with any suffering he
experiences, and even death, identifies him in some way with Christ’s own life:
this identification is the goal of every Christian.

21-26. St Paul expresses a desire to “depart” and be with Christ: the Greek verb
he uses has the sense of casting off (like a boat before it leaves harbor) or upping
stakes (like an army decamping): he sees death as a liberation from earthly ties,
which allows him immediately to “be with Christ”. These words indicate that those
who die in grace do not have to wait until the Last Judgment to enjoy God in hea-
ven. This was the teaching of the Church, based on Sacred Scripture, at the Se-
cond Council of Lyons: “the souls of those who after holy Baptism have acquired
no stain of sin at all, and those who having incurred the stain of sin are cleansed
. . . are received immediately into heaven” (”Profession of Faith of Michael Paleo-
logue”).

The Apostle is in two minds. But his desire to be with Christ does not inhibit his
generous work for the good of souls: he wants to stay in the world, in order to
continue working for the conversion of the Gentiles and to look after the Christian
communities which he has founded, which are going from strength to strength.

In spite of his uncertainty about his future, St Paul is inclined to think that he will
be allowed to continue his work to the spiritual advantage of the Philippians and
the other churches.

21. Death is “gain”, because, for a person who dies in the grace of God, it means
entering into the joy of the Lord, seeing him face to face (cf. 1 Cor 13:12) and en-
joying “what no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived,
what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Cor 2:9). This desire to enjoy
God in heaven caused St Teresa of Avila to say: “I am living and yet I am not real-
ly living, for I place my hopes on such a higher life that I am dying because I do
not die” (”Poems”, 2).

“Christ himself, our teacher of salvation, shows us how useful it is to leave this life;
when his disciples became sad because he told them that he was going away, he
said to them, ‘If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I go to the Father’
(Jn 14:28), thereby teaching them that, when those we love leave this world, we
should rejoice rather than be sad” (St Cyprian, “De Mortalitate”, 7). Faith shows us
that death is the definitive step into eternal life. However, to have a well-grounded
hope of attaining that goal we need to remember that for us, “to live is Christ” here
on earth also. For one thing, supernatural life is the life of grace, and this has been
won for us by Christ; also, knowing and loving Christ should be our life-purpose. A
Christian has to try to see that his life is fruitful in terms of holiness, and that he
uses all ordinary events and all his activities to draw others towards Christ.

“So, if you have encountered Christ,” Bl. John Paul II exhorts, “live for Christ, live
with Christ, and bear witness to him; proclaim this in the first person singular: ‘For
me to live is Christ.’ That is what true liberation also consists of—proclaiming Je-
sus Christ freed from attachments and present in men who are transformed and
become a new creation” (”Homily, Santo Domingo Cathedral”, October 1984).

27. The Greek term translated here as “let your manner of life be” has a more spe-
cific meaning “Live like good citizens.” The inhabitants of Philippi enjoyed Roman
citizenship and were very proud of this (cf. p. 101 above). However, in addition to
whichever positions they have in society, Christians are citizens of heaven (cf. Phil
3:20), and therefore they should lead a life “worthy of the gospel of Christ”, like
good citizens of the Kingdom of God where Christ reigns as king (cf. Jn 18:37), by
loyally obeying his laws—the new law of grace contained in the Gospel.

However, being a citizen of heaven is quite compatible with being a citizen of hu-
man society: “to acknowledge God is in no way to oppose the dignity of man,
since such dignity is grounded and brought to perfection in God. Man has in fact
been placed in society by God, who created him as an intelligent and free being;
but over and above this he is called as a son to intimacy with God and to share in
his happiness. (The Church) further teaches that hope in a life to come does not
take away from the importance of the duties of this life on earth but rather adds to
it by giving new motives for fulfilling those duties” (Vatican II, “Gaudium Et Spes”,
21).

A truly Christian life in the middle of the world speaks to all, Christians or no, of the
presence of God and of his plans for the salvation of all mankind. Moreover, “what
does much to show God’s presence clearly is the brotherly love of the faithful who,
being all of one mind and spirit work together for the faith of the Gospel (cf. Phil 1:
18) and stand out as a sign of unity” (ibid.). This is essential to the effort to spread
the Kingdom of God, for “every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste” (Lk 11:
17). The early Christians really did put this teaching into practice: they were “of
one heart and soul” (Acts 4:32).

*********************************************************************************************
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.

From: Matthew 20:1-16

The Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard

[1] “For the Kingdom of Heaven is like a householder who went out early in the
morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. [2] After agreeing with the laborers for
a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. [3] And going out about the
third hour he saw others standing idle in the market place; [4] and to them he
said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they
went. [5] Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the
same. [6] And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing;
and he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ [7] They said to him,
‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’
[8] And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call
the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’

[9] And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received
a denarius. [10] Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more;
but each of them also received a denarius. [11] And on receiving it they grumbled
at the householder, [12] saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have
made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching
heat.’ [13] But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did
you not agree with me for a denarius? [14] Take what belongs to you, and go; I
choose to give to this last as I give to you. [15] Am I not allowed to do what I
choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity? [16] So
the last will be first, and the first last.”

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

1-16. This parable is addressed to the Jewish people, whom God called at an
early hour, centuries ago. Now the Gentiles are also being called — with an equal
right to form part of the new people of God, the Church. In both cases it is a mat-
ter of a gratuitous, unmerited, invitation; therefore, those who were the “first” to
receive the call have no grounds for complaining when God calls the “last” and
gives them the same reward — membership of His people. At first sight the labo-
rers of the first hour seem to have a genuine grievance—because they do not rea-
lize that to have a job in the Lord’s vineyard is a divine gift. Jesus leaves us in
no doubt that although He calls us to follow different ways, all receive the same
reward — Heaven.

2. “Denarius”: a silver coin bearing an image of Caesar Augustus (Matthew 22:
19-21).

3. The Jewish method of calculating time was different from ours. They divided
the whole day into eight parts, four night parts (called “watches”) and four day
parts (called “hours”)—the first, third, sixth and ninth hour.

The first hour began at sunrise and ended around nine o’clock; the third ran to
twelve noon; the sixth to three in the afternoon; and the ninth from three to sun-
set. This meant that the first and ninth hours varied in length, decreasing in au-
tumn and winter and increasing in spring and summer and the reverse happe-
ning with the first and fourth watches.

Sometimes intermediate hours were counted—as for example in verse 6 which
refers to the eleventh hour, the short period just before sunset, the end of the
working day.

16. The Vulgate, other translations and a good many Greek codices add: “For
many are called, but few are chosen” (cf. Matthew 22:14).

*********************************************************************************************
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.

Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible by Darton, Longman & Todd

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: Green.

First reading	Isaiah 55:6-9 ©

Seek the Lord while he is still to be found,

call to him while he is still near.

Let the wicked man abandon his way,

the evil man his thoughts.

Let him turn back to the Lord who will take pity on him,

to our God who is rich in forgiving;

for my thoughts are not your thoughts,

my ways not your ways – it is the Lord who speaks.

Yes, the heavens are as high above earth

as my ways are above your ways,

my thoughts above your thoughts.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 144(145):2-3,8-9,17-18 ©

The Lord is close to all who call him.

I will bless you day after day

and praise your name for ever.

The Lord is great, highly to be praised,

his greatness cannot be measured.

The Lord is close to all who call him.

The Lord is kind and full of compassion,

slow to anger, abounding in love.

How good is the Lord to all,

compassionate to all his creatures.

The Lord is close to all who call him.

The Lord is just in all his ways

and loving in all his deeds.

He is close to all who call him,

who call on him from their hearts.

The Lord is close to all who call him.

Second reading
Philippians 1:20-24,27 ©

Christ will be glorified in my body, whether by my life or by my death. Life to me, of course, is Christ, but then death would bring me something more; but then again, if living in this body means doing work which is having good results – I do not know what I should choose. I am caught in this dilemma: I want to be gone and be with Christ, which would be very much the better, but for me to stay alive in this body is a more urgent need for your sake.

Avoid anything in your everyday lives that would be unworthy of the gospel of Christ.

Gospel Acclamation	cf.Lk19:38,2:14

Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessings on the King who comes,

in the name of the Lord!

Peace in heaven

and glory in the highest heavens!

Alleluia!

Or	cf.Ac16:14

Alleluia, alleluia!

Open our heart, O Lord,

to accept the words of your Son.

Alleluia!

Gospel	Matthew 20:1-16 ©

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner going out at daybreak to hire workers for his vineyard. He made an agreement with the workers for one denarius a day, and sent them to his vineyard. Going out at about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the market place and said to them, “You go to my vineyard too and I will give you a fair wage.” So they went. At about the sixth hour and again at about the ninth hour, he went out and did the same. Then at about the eleventh hour he went out and found more men standing round, and he said to them, “Why have you been standing here idle all day?” “Because no one has hired us” they answered. He said to them, “You go into my vineyard too.” In the evening, the owner of the vineyard said to his bailiff, “Call the workers and pay them their wages, starting with the last arrivals and ending with the first.” So those who were hired at about the eleventh hour came forward and received one denarius each. When the first came, they expected to get more, but they too received one denarius each. They took it, but grumbled at the landowner. “The men who came last” they said “have done only one hour, and you have treated them the same as us, though we have done a heavy day’s work in all the heat.” He answered one of them and said, “My friend, I am not being unjust to you; did we not agree on one denarius? Take your earnings and go. I choose to pay the last comer as much as I pay you. Have I no right to do what I like with my own? Why be envious because I am generous?” Thus the last will be first, and the first, last.’

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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.

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]

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
+

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

Litany of Seven Sorrows

Lord, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. God, the Father of heaven, God the Son, Redeemer of the world, . God the Holy Ghost, Holy Mary, Mother of God, Holy Virgin of virgins, Mother of the Crucified, Sorrowful Mother, Mournful Mother, Sighing Mother, Afflicted Mother, Foresaken Mother, . Desolate Mother, Mother most sad, Mother set around with anguish, Mother overwhelmed by grief, Mother transfixed by a sword, Mother crucified in thy heart, Mother bereaved of thy Son, Sighing Dove, Mother of Dolors, Fount of tears, Sea of bitterness, Field of tribulation, Mass of suffering, Mirror of patience, Rock of constancy, Remedy in perplexity, Joy of the afflicted, Ark of the desolate, Refuge of the abandoned,. Shiled of the oppressed, Conqueror of the incredulous, Solace of the wretched, Medicine of the sick, Help of the faint, Strength of the weak, Protectress of those who fight, Haven of the shipwrecked, Calmer of tempests, Companion of the sorrowful, Retreat of those who groan, Terror of the treacherous, Standard-bearer of the Martyrs, Treasure of the Faithful, Light of Confessors, Pearl of Virgins, . Comfort of Widows, . Joy of all Saints, Queen of thy Servants, Holy Mary, who alone art unexampled, Pray for us, most Sorrowful Virgin,	Christ, have mercy on us. Christ, graciously hear us. Have mercy on us. Have mercy on us. Have mercy on us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray, --- O God, in whose Passion, according to the prophecy of Simeon, a sword of grief pierced through the most sweet soul of Thy glorious Blessed Virgin Mother Mary: grant that we, who celebrate the memory of her Seven Sorrows, may obtain the happy effect of Thy Passion, Who lives and reigns world without end, Amen.
The Seven Sorrows of Our Lady 1. The Prophecy of Simeon 2. The Flight into Egypt . 3. The Loss of Jesus in the Temple 4. Mary meets Jesus Carrying the Cross 5. The Crucifixion 6. Mary Receives the Dead Body of Her Son 7. The Burial of Her Son and Closing of the Tomb.

Consecration to Our Lady of Sorrows Most holy Virgin and Queen of Martyrs, Mary, would that I could be in Heaven, there to contemplate the honors rendered to thee by the Most Holy Trinity and by the whole Heavenly Court! But since I am still a pilgrim in this vale of tears, receive from me, thy unworthy servant and a poor sinner, the most sincere homage and the most perfect act of vassalage a human creature can offer thee. In thy Immaculate Heart, pierced with so many swords of sorrow, I place today my poor soul forever; receive me as a partaker in thy dolors, and never suffer that I should depart from that Cross on which thy only begotten Son expired for me. With thee, O Mary, I will endure all the sufferings, contradictions, infirmities, with which it will please thy Divine Son to visit me in this life. All of them I offer to thee, in memory of the Dolors which thou didst suffer during thy life, that every thought of my mind, every beating of my heart may henceforward be an act of compassion to thy Sorrows, and of complacency for the glory thou now enjoyest in Heaven. Since then, O Dear Mother, I now compassionate thy Dolors, and rejoice in seeing thee glorified, do thou also have compassion on me, and reconcile me to thy Son Jesus, that I may become thy true and loyal son (daughter); come on my last day and assist me in my last agony, even as thou wert present at the Agony of thy Divine Son Jesus, that from this painful exile I may go to Heaven, there to be made partaker of thy glory. Amen.		Litany of Sorrows

Stabat Mater dolorosa
At the Cross Her Station Keeping

Stabat Mater Dolorosa is considered one of the seven greatest Latin hymns of all time. It is based upon the prophecy of Simeon that a sword was to pierce the heart of His mother, Mary (Lk 2:35). The hymn originated in the 13th century during the peak of Franciscan devotion to the crucified Jesus and has been attributed to Pope Innocent III (d. 1216), St. Bonaventure, or more commonly, Jacopone da Todi (1230-1306), who is considered by most to be the real author.

The hymn is often associated with the Stations of the Cross. In 1727 it was prescribed as a Sequence for the Mass of the Seven Sorrows of Mary (September 15) where it is still used today. In addition to this Mass, the hymn is also used for the Office of the Readings, Lauds, and Vespers for this memorial. There is a mirror image to this hymn, which echoes the joy of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the birth of Jesus.

STABAT Mater dolorosa iuxta Crucem lacrimosa, dum pendebat Filius.	AT, the Cross her station keeping, stood the mournful Mother weeping, close to Jesus to the last.
Cuius animam gementem, contristatam et dolentem pertransivit gladius.	Through her heart, His sorrow sharing, all His bitter anguish bearing, now at length the sword has passed.
O quam tristis et afflicta fuit illa benedicta, mater Unigeniti!	O how sad and sore distressed was that Mother, highly blest, of the sole-begotten One.
Quae maerebat et dolebat, pia Mater, dum videbat nati poenas inclyti.	Christ above in torment hangs, she beneath beholds the pangs of her dying glorious Son.
Quis est homo qui non fleret, matrem Christi si videret in tanto supplicio?	Is there one who would not weep, whelmed in miseries so deep, Christ's dear Mother to behold?
Quis non posset contristari Christi Matrem contemplari dolentem cum Filio?	Can the human heart refrain from partaking in her pain, in that Mother's pain untold?
Pro peccatis suae gentis vidit Iesum in tormentis, et flagellis subditum.	Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled, she beheld her tender Child All with bloody scourges rent:
Vidit suum dulcem Natum moriendo desolatum, dum emisit spiritum.	For the sins of His own nation, saw Him hang in desolation, Till His spirit forth He sent.
Eia, Mater, fons amoris me sentire vim doloris fac, ut tecum lugeam.	O thou Mother! fount of love! Touch my spirit from above, make my heart with thine accord:
Fac, ut ardeat cor meum in amando Christum Deum ut sibi complaceam.	Make me feel as thou hast felt; make my soul to glow and melt with the love of Christ my Lord.
Sancta Mater, istud agas, crucifixi fige plagas cordi meo valide.	Holy Mother! pierce me through, in my heart each wound renew of my Savior crucified:
Tui Nati vulnerati, tam dignati pro me pati, poenas mecum divide.	Let me share with thee His pain, who for all my sins was slain, who for me in torments died.
Fac me tecum pie flere, crucifixo condolere, donec ego vixero.	Let me mingle tears with thee, mourning Him who mourned for me, all the days that I may live:
Iuxta Crucem tecum stare, et me tibi sociare in planctu desidero.	By the Cross with thee to stay, there with thee to weep and pray, is all I ask of thee to give.
Virgo virginum praeclara, mihi iam non sis amara, fac me tecum plangere.	Virgin of all virgins blest!, Listen to my fond request: let me share thy grief divine;
Fac, ut portem Christi mortem, passionis fac consortem, et plagas recolere.	Let me, to my latest breath, in my body bear the death of that dying Son of thine.
Fac me plagis vulnerari, fac me Cruce inebriari, et cruore Filii.	Wounded with His every wound, steep my soul till it hath swooned, in His very Blood away;
Flammis ne urar succensus, per te, Virgo, sim defensus in die iudicii.	Be to me, O Virgin, nigh, lest in flames I burn and die, in His awful Judgment Day.
Christe, cum sit hinc exire, da per Matrem me venire ad palmam victoriae.	Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence, by Thy Mother my defense, by Thy Cross my victory;
Quando corpus morietur, fac, ut animae donetur paradisi gloria. Amen.	While my body here decays, may my soul Thy goodness praise, safe in paradise with Thee. Amen.

From the Liturgia Horarum. Translation by Fr. Edward Caswall (1814-1878)

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)
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Lists Every Catholic Should be Familiar With: The 7 Sorrows (Dolours) and 7 Joys of Our Lady
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Feast of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary [Catholic Caucus Devotional]
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ST. ALPHONSUS LIGUORI, OF THE DOLOURS OF MARY, The Glories [Sorrows] of Mary
Our Lady of Sorrows - Sep 15

September, 2017

Pope's Prayer Intention

Parishes, That our parishes, animated by a missionary spirit, may be places where faith is communicated and charity is seen.

Daily Gospel Commentary

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Commentary of the day
Anonymous 9th century author in present-day Italy
Homily for Septuagesima, 4-7

“You too go along to my vineyard”

My beloved, persevere in the good works you have begun… Unfortunate people serve an earthly king, thus putting their life in danger and facing enormous difficulties for a benefit that passes and disappears very quickly. Why would you not serve the king of heaven so as to obtain the happiness of the Kingdom? Since by faith the Lord has already called you to his vineyard, that is to the unity of the holy Church, live, behave in such a way that, thanks to God’s generosity, you might receive the coin, that is to say, the happiness of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Let no one despair because of the greatness of his sins and say: “The sins in which I persevered until old age and even extreme old age are many; now I will no longer be able to obtain forgiveness, above all since it is the sins that have left me, not I who have rejected them.” May that person absolutely not despair of divine mercy, for some are called to God’s vineyard at the first hour, others at the third, others at the sixth, others at the ninth, others at the eleventh. That is to say that some are led to God’s service when they are children, others when they are adolescents, others in their youth, others in old age, others in extreme old age.

Thus let no one despair, regardless of how old he is, if he wants to turn back to God… Work faithfully in the Church’s vineyard to receive the salary of eternal happiness and to reign with Christ forever and ever.

Zenit.org

Archbishop Follo: The 11th hour, God also loves the last ones

God’s reasons: in him justice and charity coincide

September 22, 2017Francesco FolloSpirituality and Prayer

Archbishop Francesco Follo, courtesy of the Holy See Mission , UNESCO

The eleventh hour: God also loves the last ones

Roman Rite

XXV Sunday of Ordinary Time – September 24, 2017

Is 55, 6-9; Ps 145; Phil 1, 20-24.27; Mt 20.1-16?

1) God is not unjust. He is generous.

The first reading of today’s Mass are is taken from verses 6 to 9 of the last chapter of the book of Isaiah, the 55th. In these verses, the prophet is inspired by God who says: “As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts.”(Is 55, 6-9). Today, Christ, to make us understand the thought of God, tells a magnificent parable that describes a humanly paradoxical way of thinking and acting.

In fact, the parable ends in this way “When it was evening, the master of the vineyard told his farmer “Call the workers and pay them, starting from the last to the first.” When those of the five o’clock in the afternoon came, they received one dinar each. When those of the first hour arrived, they thought that they would have received more but they too received one dinar each. Into receiving it, however, they murmured against the master. ”

This master has upset them because the last ones were paid first and for one hour work they received the full day pay. The generosity of the master towards the workers of the last hour had raised in the workers of the early hour the unjustified expectation of receiving a pay higher than the agreed amount. They complain, but the boss underlines to them that he has respected justice toward them. If he wants to be generous with others, it is his right to give what he wants.

God is not unjust, he is generous. He takes nothing away from the first ones. He generously gives to the others. He launches everyone into an unknown adventure: that of goodness. Goodness is not right, it is more, a lot of more. Human justice is to give each one his own, God’s justice is to give each one the best.

God is not only generous, he is loving and infinite goodness. He does not pay, he gives with free abundance. He is the God of goodness without limit, dizziness in normal thinking that transgresses all the rules of the economy and knows how to surprise us. No boss would do so. But God is not a master, not even the best of the masters. God is not the accountant of humanity and does not pay according to what is right in the distributive sense of the term. He is the Father who gives to his children according to what it is best for them. “Distributive justice” does not give to the human being all that is “his”. Man needs God as and more than bread,. Saint Augustine writes: “If justice is the virtue that distributes to everyone what is his … it is not human justice the one which steals man from the true God. (The City of God, 19, 21)

If he, the divine Master, acts as he does, it is not because he neglects those who have worked more, but because he likes the last ones too. It is not justice that is violated (the master gives to the first called the amount they had together agreed), but distributional proportionality. The space of God’s action is the wide one of goodness, not the narrow one of the “as much as”. The God of the Gospel is not without justice, but does not let himself be imprisoned in the restricted space of proportionality. To man distributional proportionality seems to be the most just possible application of a law, but this does not apply to God. If we want to enter God’s loving mystery, we must free ourselves from the method of rigid proportionality in our relationships.

This way of thinking and acting must be learned and practiced by us “for loyalty to the One who is never tired to go and go again into the squares of men until the eleventh hour to propose his invitation to love “(Pope Francis) and receive Christ as” money ” as reward for our work in the Father’s vineyard.

2) Justice and grace.

God’s righteousness comes from grace, because we are not the ones who heal us and who heal others. The fact that the “atonement” takes place in the “blood” of Jesus means that our sacrifices are not the ones that free us from the burden of guilt. In fact, it is the gesture of God’s love that opens itself up to the utmost, to the point to let enter into it the “the curse” that belongs to us, poor human beings, to send us, in exchange, the “blessing” that belongs to God (cf. Gal 3: 13-14).

The work we do in the Lord’s vineyard “earns” for us the reward not in the sense that God has to pay us, but in the sense that, with this humble and happy work, our mind and our hearts open to the grace that recreates itself in mercy.

If we would say that God is right if he pays us the agreed money, how could we say that justice is where the righteous dies for the guilty and the culprit receives in return the blessing that is for the just? Does not everyone get the opposite of what is right for him? In reality, divine justice is profoundly different from the human one. God in his Son paid for us the price of the ransom, a really disproportionate price.

The Justice of the Cross highlights that we are self-sufficient and autarchic, and that to be fully self we need Another.

This Other is the Father coming home at various times of the day to call us to work in his vineyard and give us happiness. These hours of the day – as St. Gregory the Great writes – are the different ages of human life “The first hours are the childhood of our intelligence. The third hour can be compared to adolescence, as the sun begins to rise, so to speak, in the sense that the ardor of youth begins to warm up. The sixth hour is the age of the maturity: the sun sets itself as a point of balance, since man has come to the fullness of strength. The ninth hour indicates seniority, where the sun goes down somehow from the heavens, because the passions of the ages cool down. Finally, the eleventh hour is the age defined old age … Since some lead an honest life from childhood, others do it in adolescence, others in mature age, others in seniority, and others in the old age, it is as if they were called to the vineyard at different times of the day. ”

Therefore, we have to look at our way of life and see if we started to act as the workers of God. Let us examine our conscience to see if we are working in the vineyard of the Lord happy to be his collaborators. And then, the Holy Pope continues: “The one who did not want to live for God until the last moment of life is like the worker remained idle up to the eleventh hour … “Why are you here idle all day?” It is as if to say clearly “If you did not want to live for God in youth and in the age of maturity, at least repent at the last time … Come at least on the ways of life “… Did the thief not come at the last hour? (Lk 23,39s) Not for old age, but for his condemnation he found himself in the evening of life. He has confessed God on the cross, and gave his last breath as the Lord gave him his judgment. And the Lord of the place, admitting the thief before Peter in the rest of paradise, has well distributed the wages beginning with the last “(St. Gregory the Great, Homilies on the Gospel, number 19).

An example of how to respond to the various moments of life to the summons of the Lord calling to work in his vineyard is given by the consecrated virgins. It is true that the specific of the “work” or ministry or service to which the Consecration Rite enables them, is to live virginity as the prophetic sign of Parousia, of Christ who comes definitely as bridegroom. But it is equally true that their service is to manifest the love of the bridal church towards “Christ”, “working” with prayer (let us not forget that liturgy means people for God and that the liturgy is also called Opus Dei, the work of God). But it must be kept in mind that “the consecrated virgins in the Church are those women who, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, vow to chastity in order to love Christ more earnestly and to serve their brothers with more devotion… their job is to do works of penance and of mercy, apostolic activity and prayer “(RCV 2) as it is also indicated in the proposed homily for the Consecration Rite”…

Imitate the Mother of God; desire to be called and to be handmaids of the Lord. Preserve the fullness of your faith, the steadfastness of your hope, and the singleheartedness of your love. Be prudent and watch: keep the glory of your virginity uncorrupted by pride. Nourish your love of God by feeding on the body of Christ; strengthen it by self-denial; build it up by study of the Scriptures, by untiring prayer, by works of mercy. Let your thoughts be on the things of God. Let your life be hidden with Christ in God. Make it your concern to pray fervently for the spread of the Christian faith and for the unity of all Christians. Pray earnestly to God for the welfare of the married. Remember also those who have forgotten their Father’s goodness and have abandoned his love, so that God’s mercy may forgive where his justice must condemn. Never forget that you are given over entirely to the service of the Church and of all your brothers and sisters. You are apostles in the Church and in the world, in the things of the Spirit and in the things of the world. Let your light then shine before men and women, that your Father in heaven may be glorified, and his plan of making all things one in Christ come to perfection. Love everyone, especially those in need. Help the poor, care for the weak, teach the ignorant, protect the young, minister to the old, and bring strength and comfort to widows and all in adversity. You have renounced marriage for the sake of Christ. Your motherhood will be a motherhood of the spirit, as you do the will of your Father and work with others in a spirit of charity, so that a great family of children may be born, or reborn, to the life of grace. (CONSECRATION TO A LIFE OF VIRGINITY FOR WOMEN LIVING IN THE WORLD)

September 24, 2017

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 Is 55:6-9

Responsorial Psalm Ps 145:2-3, 8-9, 17-18

Reading 2 Phil 1:20c-24, 27a

Alleluia Cf. Acts 16:14b

Gospel Mt 20:1-16a

Readings at Mass

September, 2017

Pope's Prayer Intention

Parishes, That our parishes, animated by a missionary spirit, may be places where faith is communicated and charity is seen.

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time