Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 10-08-19

USCCb.org/RNAB ^ | 10-08-19 | Revised New American Bible

[Salvation]

October 8 2019

Tuesday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 Jon 3:1-10

The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time:
"Set out for the great city of Nineveh,
and announce to it the message that I will tell you."
So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh,
according to the LORD's bidding.
Now Nineveh was an enormously large city;
it took three days to go through it.
Jonah began his journey through the city,
and had gone but a single day's walk announcing,
"Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed,"
when the people of Nineveh believed God;
they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small,
put on sackcloth.

When the news reached the king of Nineveh,
he rose from his throne, laid aside his robe,
covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in the ashes.
Then he had this proclaimed throughout Nineveh,
by decree of the king and his nobles:
"Neither man nor beast, neither cattle nor sheep,
shall taste anything;
they shall not eat, nor shall they drink water.
Man and beast shall be covered with sackcloth
and call loudly to God;
every man shall turn from his evil way
and from the violence he has in hand.
Who knows, God may relent and forgive,
and withhold his blazing wrath,
so that we shall not perish."
When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way,
he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them;
he did not carry it out.

Responsorial Psalm PS 130:1b-2, 3-4ab, 7-8

R.(3) If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD
LORD, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to my voice in supplication.
R. If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
If you, O LORD, mark iniquities,
LORD, who can stand?
But with you is forgiveness,
that you may be revered.
R. If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
Let Israel wait for the LORD,
For with the LORD is kindness
and with him is plenteous redemption;
And he will redeem Israel
from all their iniquities.
R. If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?

Alleluia Lk 11:28

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are those who hear the word of God
and observe it.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Lk 10:38-42

Jesus entered a village
where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.
She had a sister named Mary
who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.
Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said,
“Lord, do you not care
that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?
Tell her to help me.”
The Lord said to her in reply,
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.
There is need of only one thing.
Mary has chosen the better part
and it will not be taken from her.”

[Salvation]

This is a serious warning cry: Surrender without reservation to the Lord who has called us. This is required of us so that the face of the earth may be renewed.

Edith Stein

[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. 

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"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]

Catholic Culture

Ordinary Time: October 8th

Tuesday of the Twenty-Seventh Week of Ordinary Time

MASS READINGS

October 08, 2019 (Readings on USCCB website)

COLLECT PRAYER

Almighty ever-living God, who in the abundance of your kindness surpass the merits and the desires of those who entreat you, pour out your mercy upon us to pardon what conscience dreads and to give what prayer does not dare to ask. 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.

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Recipes (1)

• Moussaka

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Activities (2)

• Religion in the Home for Elementary School: October
• Religion in the Home for Preschool: October

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Prayers (1)

• Prayer for Various Types of Christians

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Library (3)

• Saint Bridget of Sweden | Pope Benedict XVI
• St. Bridget Calls Us to Work for Unity | Pope John Paul II
• St. Bridget: A Unique Model Of Feminine Holiness | Pope John Paul II

» Enjoy our Liturgical Seasons series of e-books!

Old Calendar: St. Bridget of Sweden, widow; Sts. Sergius, Bacchus, Marcellus and Apuleius, martyrs; St. Demetrius (Hist)

According to the 1962 Missal of St. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is the feast of St. Bridget of Sweden, widow.

It is also the feast of Sts. Sergius, Bacchus, Marcellus and Apuleius, Roman martyrs. In the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite, these martyrs, plus many others, are honored on June 30 and St. Bridget is celebrated on July 23.

Historically today is the feast of St. Demetrius of Sirmium who was both soldier and martyr; he suffered in the early 4th century under Maximian. He became immensely popular in the East, where he was called ‘The Great Martyr,’ and subsequently in the West.

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Sts. Sergius and Bacchus
Sergius and Bacchus were martyrs under the Diocletian persecution around the year 303 A.D. Legend states that Sergius was an officer in the Roman army and Bacchus an officer under him, and both were friends of Emperor Maximian. When they did not enter a temple of Jupiter with the Emperor, he ordered them to do so. When they further refused his order that they sacrifice to pagan gods, they were humiliated by being led through the streets of Arabissus in women's garb. Maximian then sent them to Rosafa, Mesopotamia, where they were scourged so terribly that Bacchus died of the scourging. Sergius was then tortured further and beheaded.

Symbols: Former with cross; white shield with gold cross fleuree; scourges.

Things to Do:

• Read more about these martyrs from the Catholic Encyclopedia.

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Sts. Marcellus and Apuleius
At Rome, the holy martyrs Marcellus and Apuleius, who at first were followers of Simon Magus, but seeing the wonders performed through the Apostle Peter, they abandoned Simon and embraced the apostolic doctrine. After the death of the apostles, under the proconsul Aurelian, they won the crown of martyrdom and were buried near the City.

— Roman Martyrology

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St. Demetrius
Saint Demetrius was born to a wealthy, noble family and raised Christian. He was a soldier and a Deacon. He was raised to the rank of Duke of Thessaly by the Emperor Maximian. But when he was found to be a Christian he was arrested and imprisoned in a bath-house. He was run through with spears c.306 at Sirmium (in modern Serbia).

St. Demetrius was extremely popular in the Middle Ages and was reported to have appeared during a battle in 586, centuries after his death to help defend Thessalonica.

Over 200 churches in the Balkans are known to have been dedicated to him. His relics were said to emit holy oil.

Excerpted from Evangelizo.org 2001-2014

Demetrius was probably a deacon who was martyred sometime before the fifth century at Sirmium (Mitrovic in former Yugoslavia). During that century two churches were built in his honor, one at Sirmium and the other at Thessalonica. It may be that the cult of the saint migrated from Sirmium when Leontius, the prefect of Illyricum, moved the seat of civil suthority to Thessalonica–he is reputed to have built both churches. Certainly Demetrius was honored as a saint at Sirmium before the church at Thessalonica was built. Sirmium, however, was destroyed by the invading Huns in 441, and it was the second church that became the principal center for the cult of the martyr and attracted very large numbers of pilgrims. The church was destroyed by fire in 1917 but has since been rebuilt; it was obviously meant to hold a great number of people.

In time Demetrius became known as "the Great Martyr," and a legend grew up about his life. According to this he had been a citizen of Thessalonica who had been arrested for preaching the gospel and executed without trial in the local baths.The church was built over the baths and incorporated part of them as a kind of crypt. At a later date relics of the saint were said to exude a miraculous oil, but the arrangements whereby the pilgrims could collect some of this seem to have been quite fraudulent.

The earliest written account we have dates from the ninth century and says that the order for his execution came from the emperor Maximian himself. Later accounts make out that he was a proconsul (this is how the Roman Martyrology described him) or a warrior-saint similar to St. George and second only to him in popularity. He as one of the saints adopted by the Crusaders as their patrons in battle. None of these later accounts can be trusted, though we can be sure of the existence of a martyr of that name. His feastday is kept with great solemnity throughout the Eastern Church on October 26, and he is named in the preparation of the Byzantine liturgy. The popular Slav name, Dmitry, comes from him. His cult was popular also in Ravenna in Italy, where the earliest chapel was dedicated in his honor.

The original basilica, destroyed in 1917, had important mosaics from the sixth to the ninth century; in these Demetrius was portrayed as a deacon. More often he was depicted as a soldier.

Excerpted from Butler's Lives of the Saints, Volume 10

Patron: Thessalonica, Greece; patron of soldiers; patron of the Crusades

[Salvation]

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Jonah 3:1-10

27th Week in Ordinary Time

When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way . . . (Jonah 3:10)

“Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed” (Jonah 3:4). That’s easily imagined, as Nineveh was known for treachery, immorality, and deceitful relations with other nations. It’s easy to believe that God would want to destroy wickedness. Think about Sodom. And Gomorrah. And Egypt and the Pharaohs.

But it’s just as easy to imagine God forgiving everyone who repents, no matter how evil his deeds are. That’s why he says, “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live” (Ezekiel 33:11).

When the Ninevites heard Jonah’s proclamation, they responded exactly as God had hoped they would. Proclaiming a fast, they ate and drank nothing for three days. They humbled themselves outwardly by wearing ashes and rags, and they ceased from violence and fraud and prayed for forgiveness instead. God was so pleased with their response that he wiped out all of their guilt and decided not to carry out his plans to punish them.

This is the kind of God we have—a God who loves to create and nurture, not to rage or destroy. This is the kind of God who loves you. He gives you opportunity after opportunity to turn from evil and turn back to him. He ceaselessly calls you to put aside anything that you know isn’t his way and to take hold of the life he extends to you. Maybe that means asking forgiveness of someone you’ve hurt. Or speaking loving words to your family rather than harsh ones. Or choosing honesty in your workplace instead of deception. Or giving your time to listen to another person instead of ignoring them.

At every Mass, we pray, “Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.” Not because God wants us to constantly feel guilty for our sins, but because he loves to heal and forgive and restore. So whether you consider yourself among the “wicked” or the “only slightly misguided,” today is a good day to take the example of the people of Nineveh and turn back to God.

“Father, I confess that I have sinned. Forgive me and help me to walk in your love once again.”

Psalm 130:1-4, 7-8
Luke 10:38-42

[Salvation]

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

Today's Daily Marriage Tip for October 8, 2019:

Did you know that “Halloween” comes from the tradition of calling the vigil of All Saints Day the “hallowed evening”? Before your kids head out for trick or treating, ask for the saints, particularly their patron saints, to bless and protect them.

[Salvation]

Regnum Christi

October 8, 2019 – Prayer Is the Lifeblood of My Relationship with Jesus

08 Oct 2019

Tuesday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Father James Swanson, LC

Luke 10:38-42

Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary, who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” The Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”

Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus, you are the master of the universe, and yet you wish to listen to me and guide me. You know all things past, present and future, and yet you respect my freedom to choose you. Holy Trinity, you are completely happy and fulfilled on you own, and yet you have generously brought us into existence. You are our fulfillment. Thank you for the gift of yourself. I offer the littleness of myself in return, knowing you are pleased with what I have to give.

Petition: Lord, help me to learn how to pray better.

1. “More Things Are Wrought By Prayer Than This World Dreams of”: Many good people see prayer as a weak thing that really doesn’t help. So, they put their effort into doing great projects, into doing as much as they can to bring about good in the world. This is a good thing. But prayer is essential. Even if I manage to involve thousands of others in my project, I will still not accomplish as much as when I get God involved. Getting God involved through prayer is the first and the most important thing to do if we are going to accomplish anything. As King Arthur says to Sir Bedivere in Tennyson’s Morte d’Arthur, “More things are wrought by prayer/ Than this world dreams of.”

2. Persevere in Prayer with Love: Many critics of prayer complain that they pray a lot, but it doesn’t seem to do any good. Well, there are a couple of things to say about that. First of all, there needs to be love for God in my heart. God needs to be someone familiar to me, a friend. In asking for a favor, I expect to get a greater response from someone I know, someone who is close to me, than from a stranger. Imagine if there was someone I barely knew, and the only time I saw him was when he needed a favor from me. Would I be inclined to give him what he needs? Second, I need to persevere. Like the Canaanite woman who asked Jesus to cure her daughter, I have to persevere in prayer when things are difficult. Her perseverance increased her faith, and in the end, it got her what she wanted. If I persevere in prayer with love, I will get all that I need.

3. Cooperate with God’s Plan Instead of Insisting on Your Own: I need to remember that every prayer has its effect. How often am I disappointed when I don’t get what I’m asking for? Am I open enough in my prayer to let God work as he wants; to follow his plan and not mine? Do I force him to refuse my request by making it so narrow that there is no way to incorporate it into his plan? Even if I don’t see the results of my prayer, that doesn’t mean God is not listening. God always rises to the occasion and will often do something a lot better than what I wanted him to do. He does what is best for me, even if it does not entirely conform to my plan. I may never know or realize – in this life – the specifics of how God listened to my prayers. It takes faith to accept this.

Conversation with Christ: Dear Lord, whatever project I undertake, help me to remember to start it with prayer, pray while I am doing it, and finish it with prayer. I want to be close to you like Mary. I want to serve you like Martha. Help me to find the right order and balance in my life.

Resolution: When I consider the biggest thing I am doing for God today, I will be sure to ask him in prayer to bless it.

[Salvation]

Homily of the Day

October 8, 2019

Tuesday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time

What role do we usually take in life – the one of Mary or that of Martha? We wish to take the one of Mary but often we are attracted to the role of Martha. Martha’s role represents control, discipline, achievements, etc. Mary’s role represents a plain listener and silent worker, not in control, no achievements to boast of, etc. She is one who is not self-centered, one who waits for the Lord to show her/him the way. There are many more traits that can be attributed to Mary. These traits are rare and hard to find in the world. In fact it is the opposite to what the world dictates. Through prayers and guidance of our Lord Jesus Christ we may receive the grace to be like Mary, the little one who stood at the feet of Jesus on the cross and suffered in silence respecting the plans of God no matter how incomprehensible it was to her human mind.

[Salvation]

One Bread, One Body

One Bread, One Body

Language: English | Espanol

All Issues > Volume 35, Issue 6

<< Tuesday, October 8, 2019 >>

Jonah 3:1-10
View Readings

Psalm 130:1-4, 7-8

Luke 10:38-42
Similar Reflections

BETTER YET...

"Mary has chosen the better portion and she shall not be deprived of it." �Luke 10:42

There are so many things in life we can't control. People can't choose their parents, siblings, their nation of birth, height, or skin color. So many things are beyond our control that we may be tempted to feel insignificant and without hope. Yet we have a great reason to rejoice. We have absolute control over having the Best. We are free to choose Jesus!

When we choose Jesus for ourselves, we choose the Best. No other person can take us away from Him (Jn 10:28-29). Nothing can "separate us from" Jesus (Rm 8:39). Jesus promises us that we "shall not be deprived of" Him (Lk 10:42).

However, the one person who can separate you from Jesus is yourself. When you choose the better portion and put your life in His hands, you allow Jesus to wrap you in His loving embrace. As long as you "fix your eyes on Jesus" (Heb 3:1), you will always see He is the "better portion" (Lk 10:42). Satan, who knows he cannot deprive you of Jesus, then attempts to distract you from looking always at Jesus. If he can get you to focus on distractions like TV, handheld electronic devices, pornography, sports, talk shows, gossip, controversies, worldly pleasures, and other "enticements for the eye" (1 Jn 2:16), he knows you might choose them as your "better portion." Then you might consider Jesus' loving embrace as a choke-hold and demand that He take His hands off you. Therefore, every day of your life, choose Jesus anew as your better portion. You shall not be deprived of Him.

Prayer: Jesus, I'd rather have You than anything else. Protect me from myself. Never let me be parted from You.

Promise: "With the Lord is kindness and with Him is plenteous redemption." —Ps 130:7

Praise: Committing to a weekly hour of Eucharistic adoration changed Roberta's life.

[Salvation]