Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 09-18-19

USCCB/org/RNAB ^ | 09-18-19 | Revised New American Bible

[Salvation]

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
+

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]

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)
[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]

Pope’s Intention for September

The Protection of the Oceans

That politicians, scientists and economists work together to protect the world's seas and oceans."

[Salvation]

The Angelus

The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary: 
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit. 

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of
our death. Amen. 

Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word. 

Hail Mary . . . 

And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us. 

Hail Mary . . . 

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. 

Let us pray: 

Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord.

Amen. 

---

"Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you" (Lk 1:28) 

 "Blessed are you among women,
 and blessed is the fruit of your womb"
(Lk 1:42). 

[Salvation]

You will find something more in woods than in books. Trees and stones will teach you that which you can never learn from masters.

Saint Bernard

[Salvation]

Catholic Culture

Ordinary Time: September 18th

Wednesday of the Twenty-Fourth Week of Ordinary Time

MASS READINGS

September 18, 2019 (Readings on USCCB website)

COLLECT PRAYER

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

show

Recipes (1)

• Mostaccioli I (Little Mustache Almond Cookies)

show

Activities (3)

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

show

Prayers (2)

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

Library (0)

» Enjoy our Liturgical Seasons series of e-books!

Old Calendar: St. Joseph of Cupertino, Confessor

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

---

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

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

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

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

Excerpted from A Calendar of Saints by James Bentley

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

Symbol: airplane.

Things To Do:

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

• Read more about St. Joseph of Cupertino.

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

[Salvation]

The Word Among Us

Meditation: 1 Timothy 3:14-16

24th Week in Ordinary Time

. . . taken up in glory. (1 Timothy 3:16)

If you were reading an e-mail or letter from a good friend and that person wrote, “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,” you would almost immediately know that she was referencing the hymn. We have all probably sung this song at church and heard it on the radio.

What might surprise you is that today’s first reading is also a hymn, one that may be unfamiliar to us but was very familiar to Paul’s readers. Just like many of today’s hymns, it outlines some of the key aspects of the Christian faith. It proclaims that there is only one God (in contrast to many pagan gods). It describes how Jesus became Messiah, not only for Israel but for all peoples, and how he was “taken up in glory” to sit at the right hand of God (1 Timothy 3:16).

These few lines from an ancient hymn give us a glimpse into how the early Christians worshipped. The interesting part is how similar it is to how we worship two thousand years later. Our liturgy at Mass contains many similar statements. Just think about the Creed, for example, or the Gloria. Many Christian songs contain proclamations about what Jesus did on the cross and how he rose again.

These similarities are not just a coincidence. They reveal the faithfulness of God over all these centuries. Despite historical and political changes, wars and persecution, and the rise and fall of countless nations, the basic core of our faith has remained the same. God’s light has continued to shine, and his praise continues to resound in the hearts of his people.

This can give us great comfort. As we look at the dramatic changes unfolding in the world, we can know that the beauty and the truth of the gospel message will continue to shine. God has always been faithful to his people, and he will continue to be faithful right up to the very end.

Let’s take today to thank the Lord for his faithfulness. Let’s thank him for touching those early Christians who passed on their faith and for touching our lives too. And the next time you sing a hymn at church or recite the Creed with your parish community, remember that God will keep his light shining, no matter what.

“Thank you, Lord, for your faithfulness to all generations.”

Psalm 111:1-6
Luke 7:31-35

[Salvation]

Marriage = One Man and One Woman Until Death Do Us Part

Daily Marriage Tip for September 18, 2019:

Pope Francis encourages parents to “waste time” with their children. The same could apply to spouses, too! “Waste time” today with your family.

[Salvation]

Regnum Christi

September 18, 2019 -Perpetually Dissatisfied

18 Sep 2019

Wednesday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Father Robert Presutti

Luke 7:31-35

“Then to what shall I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? They are like children who sit in the marketplace and call to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance. We sang a dirge, but you did not weep.’ For John the Baptist came neither eating food nor drinking wine, and you said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking and you said, ‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”

Introductory Prayer: Eternal God, prayer is your gift to me. I believe that you give me complete and unlimited access to your power and mercy. I want to value this gift of prayer above all things. As I begin this meditation, I renew my faith, my hope and my love for you.

Petition: Lord, give me discernment and constancy in my efforts to follow you.

1. Endless Excuses: Some very good and religious people in Jesus’ day complained about John the Baptist, precursor of the Messiah, because of his austere lifestyle. “He must be crazy,” they said. They also complained about Jesus’ apparently excessive liberality with sinners and nonbelievers. The habit of constantly sifting reality through our own preconceptions can lead us to reject the things of God. This is the opposite of faith. It is even the opposite of the healthy exercise of reason and has become a limiting rationalism. Rather than seeking to place God neatly in our own self-created and prearranged world, we need to let ourselves be shaped by God’s criteria.

2. Fickleness: Spiritual fickleness inevitable leads us to reject God. The inability to follow through on a particular spiritual path necessarily leaves us midcourse, far from the goal. It does not matter whether we follow the austerity of the disciple John or the apparently liberality of the disciples of Jesus. What matters is that we follow through to completion whatever particular path God has given us. As long as we move, God can guide our steps. If we don’t move, there is nothing to guide. Waiting around for some mythical “perfect conditions” is in reality capriciousness and unwillingness to commit.

3. Wisdom: Wisdom is a gift of the Holy Spirit by which we are able to see and comprehend the divine and human realities from God’s perspective. Wisdom leads to equilibrium and balance in our judgments and assessments. We prepare for this gift by our effort to make good decisions and live by them. The supernatural gifts build upon the human virtues.

Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, I am indebted to you for your teaching and for your example. Help me to learn from your life and your example and keep me from ever dismissing them as irrelevant. Help me to be constant in my resolutions so that I will continue to grow closer to you and serve you better.

Resolution: I will avoid making excuses today.

[Salvation]

Homily of the Day

September 18, 2019

Wednesday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

In the gospel, Jesus says that people nowadays are like children. Either they are too worldly, too selfish or too stubborn. He says that his detractors would not accept John the Baptist’s call for repentance and self-denial. When Jesus proclaimed the Good News to them, they neither listened. They called John possessed, and branded Jesus as a glutton and a drunkard because he ate with tax collectors and sinners. Why were these people so unbelieving?

But that is precisely how our Christian way of life goes. God’s love for each and everyone of us is boundless, but He does not force us to follow Him and love Him in return. God gave us the freedom to follow His path or to go the other way. William Barclay considers this as love’s greatest tragedy – “to look at some loved one who has taken the wrong way and to see what might have been, what could have been and what was meant to have been. That is life life’s greatest heartbreak.”

At this point in my life, have I been using my freedom to follow the straight path, or have I been turning a deaf ear to God’s call which continues to come to me through my friends in my community?

[Salvation]

One Bread, One Body

One Bread, One Body

Language: English | Español

All Issues > Volume 35, Issue 5

<< Wednesday, September 18, 2019 >>

1 Timothy 3:14-16
View Readings

Psalm 111:1-6

Luke 7:31-35
Similar Reflections

TRUTH OR THE CONSEQUENCES OF UNBRIDLED SELFISHNESS

"God's wisdom is vindicated by all who accept it." —Luke 7:35

In our secular humanistic society, some people promote tolerance to the point of permissiveness. To do this, they must contradict themselves and be intolerant of those believing in objective, absolute truth, who in charity must oppose permissiveness. So secular humanists have problems with our statement that Jesus is the only Savior (see Acts 4:12) and the only Way to the Father (see Jn 14:6). Secular humanists get nervous when we say that not all religions are the same and that the Church is "the pillar and bulwark of truth" (1 Tm 3:15).

However, absolute truth is not a threat to freedom. Rather, selfishness and pride unrestrained by objective truth are contrary to freedom. Truth is bigger than we are and it protects us from ourselves. If we do not stand for truth, we are like the people of Jesus' times whom Jesus described as "children squatting in the city squares" selfishly trying to manipulate their playmates (Lk 7:32). Without submission to the truth, power, popularity, or deception will inevitably trample on human rights. Submission to the truth is the necessary basis for exercising and protecting freedom. "The truth will set you free" (Jn 8:32) from the oppression of unbridled selfishness.

Prayer: Father, inspire me to lay down my life for truth so as to safeguard freedom.

Promise: "Know what kind of conduct befits a member of God's household, the church of the living God." —1 Tm 3:15

Praise: Tom pays attention to the messages and writings of the Holy Father so that he will live his life in truth.

[Salvation]