Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 8-21-02, Memorial of St. Pius X

Reading I
Ez 34:1-11

The word of the Lord came to me:
Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel,
in these words prophesy to them to the shepherds:
Thus says the Lord God: Woe to the shepherds of Israel
who have been pasturing themselves!
Should not shepherds, rather, pasture sheep?
You have fed off their milk, worn their wool,
and slaughtered the fatlings,
but the sheep you have not pastured.
You did not strengthen the weak nor heal the sick
nor bind up the injured.
You did not bring back the strayed nor seek the lost,
but you lorded it over them harshly and brutally.
So they were scattered for the lack of a shepherd,
and became food for all the wild beasts.
My sheep were scattered
and wandered over all the mountains and high hills;
my sheep were scattered over the whole earth,
with no one to look after them or to search for them.

Therefore, shepherds, hear the word of the Lord:
As I live, says the Lord God,
because my sheep have been given over to pillage,
and because my sheep have become food for every wild beast,
for lack of a shepherd;
because my shepherds did not look after my sheep,
but pastured themselves and did not pasture my sheep;
because of this, shepherds, hear the word of the Lord:
Thus says the Lord God:
I swear I am coming against these shepherds.
I will claim my sheep from them
and put a stop to their shepherding my sheep
so that they may no longer pasture themselves.
I will save my sheep,
that they may no longer be food for their mouths.

For thus says the Lord God:
I myself will look after and tend my sheep.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6

R (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
He guides me in right paths
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and kindness will follow me
all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
for years to come.
R The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Gospel
Mt 20:1-16

Jesus told his disciples this parable:
"The Kingdom of heaven is like a landowner
who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard.
After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage,
he sent them into his vineyard.
Going out about nine o'clock,
he saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
and he said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard,
and I will give you what is just.'
So they went off.
And he went out again around noon,
and around three o'clock, and did likewise.
Going out about five o'clock,
he found others standing around, and said to them,
‘Why do you stand here idle all day?'
They answered, ‘Because no one has hired us.'
He said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard.'
When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman,
‘Summon the laborers and give them their pay,
beginning with the last and ending with the first.'
When those who had started about five o'clock came,
each received the usual daily wage.
So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more,
but each of them also got the usual wage.
And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying,
‘These last ones worked only one hour,
and you have made them equal to us,
who bore the day's burden and the heat.'
He said to one of them in reply,
‘My friend, I am not cheating you.
Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage?
Take what is yours and go.
What if I wish to give this last one the same as you?
Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money?
Are you envious because I am generous?'
Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last."

You did not strengthen the weak nor heal the sick
nor bind up the injured.
You did not bring back the strayed nor seek the lost,
but you lorded it over them harshly and brutally.
So they were scattered for the lack of a shepherd,
and became food for all the wild beasts.
My sheep were scattered
and wandered over all the mountains and high hills;
my sheep were scattered over the whole earth,
with no one to look after them or to search for them.

Therefore, shepherds, hear the word of the Lord:
As I live, says the Lord God,
because my sheep have been given over to pillage,
and because my sheep have become food for every wild beast,
for lack of a shepherd;
because my shepherds did not look after my sheep,
but pastured themselves and did not pasture my sheep;
because of this, shepherds, hear the word of the Lord:
Thus says the Lord God:
I swear I am coming against these shepherds.
I will claim my sheep from them
and put a stop to their shepherding my sheep
so that they may no longer pasture themselves.
I will save my sheep,
that they may no longer be food for their mouths.

For thus says the Lord God:
I myself will look after and tend my sheep.

This looks like a stern warning for wayward clergy, including Bishops and Cardinals. Any other comments?

From The Word Among Us

Wednesday, August 21, 2002

Meditation
Ezekiel 34:1-11

The Lord’s message to Ezekiel spoke of the sad state of Jerusalem just before the city was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. The leaders of the community—the “shepherds” who were supposed to care for the people—had proved to be unfaithful. Instead of taking care of them, these shepherds brought them suffering and destruction. Out of their self-centeredness, they ruled the people harshly and blocked their way to God. As a result, the chosen people were falling away from God like sheep abandoned on a hillside.

Yet, even as God rebuked Jerusalem’s leaders, he also revealed some amazing news. He himself would shepherd his people: “I will rescue my sheep. . . . I will seek them out” (Ezekiel 34:10-11). Throughout Scripture, God reveals himself as a strong, protective shepherd. King David had proclaimed, “The Lord is my shepherd, I will not want” (Psalm 23:1). Jeremiah prophesied, “He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock” (Jeremiah 31:10). Finally, Jesus himself promised, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11).

The Lord—our shepherd—has a very special plan for each one of us. He wants to seek us out when we are lost and tend our needs. He wants to safeguard us in this world so that he can bring us into the fullness of our inheritance in heaven. As we place our faith in God’s power day after day, we will know the “comfort” of his rod and staff (Psalm 23:4). We will be safeguarded by God’s power, secured for the day when we enter our inheritance.

Let us seek the Lord in all situations and at all times—in sunshine or rain, at work or play, moment by moment. We need only call upon his name to know his presence. In our world today, just as in Ezekiel’s time, it is easy to see how scattered and divided God’s people are. As we pray and read scripture, as we draw nearer to our Father, let us also reach out to others of his flock so that all can be gathered together.

“Lord, I thank you for being my shepherd. I trust you to keep me safe. Your power is awesome; your love is beyond words. I give my life to you.”

The Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard

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 matter 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 laborers of the first hour seem to have a genuine grievance--because they do not realize 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 sunset. This meant that the first and ninth hours varied in length, decreasing in autumn and winter and increasing in spring and summer and the reverse happening 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 codexes add: "For many are called, but few are chosen" (cf. Matthew 22:14).
***********************************************************************
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland.

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 matter 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 laborers of the first hour seem to have a genuine grievance--because they do not realize 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.

Are you being called by God? At what hour did you hear your call? How is God asking you to labor in His vineyard?

Please share if you feel comfortable in doing so. We can learn much from other people's stories and gain confidence that we do not walk our own path in life in isolation.

This looks like a stern warning for wayward clergy, including Bishops and Cardinals.

Like yesterday, the image of Roger Mahony loomed up in my mind. Yes, you are right. This is a stern warning for those who have assumed the responsibility of shepherding the flocks.

On an interesting note. Our pastor had an opportunity to visit the Holy Land a while back. While driving through the hills, he noticed shepherds tending their flocks. As he described it, the shepherd would lead them to a fenced pasture to graze. There was no gate on the fence. The shepherd positions himself in that open area, acting as the gate. He used this to explain that verse where Jesus refers to Himself as the "gatekeeper".

Don't forget!!! Installation mass of Timothy Dolan, today at 3pm!!

St. Pius X

Catholic Online Saints

St. Pius X

Feastday: August 21

On June 2, 1835, Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto saw the light of earth at Riesi, Province of Treviso, in Venice; on August 20, 1914, he saw the light of heaven; and on May 29, 1954, he who had become the two hundred fifty-ninth pope was canonized St. Pius X.

Two of the most outstanding accomplishments of this saintly Pope were the inauguration of the liturgical renewal and the restoration of frequent communion from childhood. He also waged an unwavering war against the heresy and evils of Modernism, gave great impetus to biblical studies, and brought about the codification of Canon Law. His overriding concern was to renew all things in Christ.

Above all, his holiness shown forth conspicuously. From St. Pius X we learn again that "the folly of the Cross", simplicity of life, and humility of heart are still the highest wisdom and the indispensable conditions of a perfect Christian life, for they are the very source of all apostolic fruitfulness.

His last will and testament bears the striking sentence: "I was born poor, I have lived in poverty, and I wish to die poor." His feast day is August 21.

Are you being called by God? At what hour did you hear your call? How is God asking you to labor in His vineyard?

I think that my faith has been a gradual process, a constant conversion. I was baptized Catholic as an infant and went to church as a young child, but didn't go to church except occasion Easters and Christmas's from age 9 until 23, when I got married. Even when I was first married, we didn't go to church often (both Catholic, married in the church, etc), maybe a couple times a year.

It wasn't until I was pregnant with my third child in 2000 that I felt driven to attend mass again. I've missed very few Sunday's since. I went to confession for the first time since my first Holy Communion! I now sometimes go to church during the week when I "don't have to" simply because I want to.

I have found a lot of people coming back to their faith, and I think the Holy Spirit is working overtime to shepherd people back into the flock. I can't say specifically what God wants me to do, though I have turned away from my habitual sins and confessed 20 years of sin and guilt, releasing my heart from pain I didn't even know was there until it was gone.

Now, I am open. I think I have the heart and mind to listen to His calling and direction for my life. I am reading the Bible more, reading history and the Catechism and more about our faith and obligations, and trying hard to live by them. I know that my family is more important to me now than ever before, and I think this is largely because of God's presence in our lives. I still have a hard time forgiving people for past wrongs, but I'm working on it! We all face our daily struggles.

God bless!

And who would ever dream of being called this way? Yet it happened and it will happen in the future.

"JESUS HELP ME" - The Faith of Todd Beamer

"I don't think we're going to get out of this thing. I'm going to have to go out on faith."

It was the voice of Todd Beamer, the passenger -- and Wheaton College graduate -- who said "Let's roll" as he led the charge against the terrorists who had hijacked United Flight 93, the one, you will remember, that crashed in the Pennsylvania countryside.

The whole world knows how brave Beamer and his fellow passengers were on September 11. But we learned more fully what buttressed that bravery: Faith in Jesus Christ. Todd died as he lived, a faithful evangelical believer.

In an article titled "The Real Story of Flight 93," Newsweek reveals gripping new details from the actual transcripts of the now-recovered cockpit voice recorder. "Todd had been afraid," Newsweek relates. "More than once, he cried out for his Savior."

After passengers were herded to the back of the jet, Beamer called the GTE Customer Center in Oakbrook, Illinois. He told supervisor Lisa Jefferson about the hijacking. The passengers were planning to jump the terrorists, he said. And then he asked her to pray with him.

As Newsweek relates, Beamer kept a Lord's Prayer bookmark in his Tom Clancy novel, but he didn't need any prompting. He began to recite the ancient litany, and Jefferson joined him: "Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name."

As they finished, Beamer added, "Jesus, help me." And then, Beamer and his fellow passengers prayed a prayer that has comforted millions down through he centuries -- the prayer that David wrote in a time of great anguish: The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want . . . Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.

And then the famous last words: "Are you guys ready? Let's roll."

We now know from the cockpit voice recorder that Beamer and other passengers wrestled with the hijackers and forced the plane to crash into the ground, killing themselves but foiling what was believed to have been the hijackers' plan to fly Flight 93 into the Capitol or the White House.

As Christians, we know that God can bring good out of evil. In Todd Beamer, the world witnesses a faith that held up in the extremity of fear. A faith that is even now comforting his widow and two young sons.

Lisa Beamer told NBC's Dateline, "You know, in the Lord's Prayer, it asks us to forgive our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." As Todd prayed this prayer in the last moments of his life, in a way, Lisa said, "He was forgiving those people for what they were doing, the most horrible thing you could ever do to someone."

It wasn't Todd Beamer's job to fight terrorists. He was just a passenger who along with several others did what he didn't have to do but foiled a terrible evil that might have been done to his country.

As Flight 93 hurtled towards destruction, Todd Beamer could not have known that his quiet prayers would ultimately be heard by millions -- that the story of his last acts on earth would be a witness to the Lord he loved and served and a lasting example of true heroism.

As Flight 93 hurtled towards destruction, Todd Beamer could not have known that his quiet prayers would ultimately be heard by millions -- that the story of his last acts on earth would be a witness to the Lord he loved and served and a lasting example of true heroism.

The whole article was touching and brought tears to my eyes. What a great and sincere faith of Todd Beamer and the others on this doomed flight. He is most assuredly a saint now, worshiping at the feet of God, in perfect joy and happiness.

May God bless him and all those who perished on September 11th.

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