Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 8-19-03, Optional, St. John Eudes

Reading I
Jdgs 6:11-24a

The angel of the LORD came and sat under the terebinth in Ophrah
that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite.
While his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press
to save it from the Midianites,
the angel of the LORD appeared to him and said,
"The LORD is with you, O champion!"
Gideon said to him, "My Lord, if the LORD is with us,
why has all this happened to us?
Where are his wondrous deeds of which our fathers
told us when they said, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?'
For now the LORD has abandoned us
and has delivered us into the power of Midian."
The LORD turned to him and said, "Go with the strength you have
and save Israel from the power of Midian.
It is I who send you."
But Gideon answered him, "Please, my lord, how can I save Israel?
My family is the lowliest in Manasseh,
and I am the most insignificant in my father's house."
"I shall be with you," the LORD said to him,
"and you will cut down Midian to the last man."
Gideon answered him, "If I find favor with you,
give me a sign that you are speaking with me.
Do not depart from here, I pray you, until I come back to you
and bring out my offering and set it before you."
He answered, "I will await your return."

So Gideon went off and prepared a kid and a measure of flour
in the form of unleavened cakes.
Putting the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot,
he brought them out to him under the terebinth
and presented them.
The angel of God said to him, "Take the meat and unleavened cakes
and lay them on this rock; then pour out the broth."
When he had done so,
the angel of the LORD stretched out the tip of the staff he held,
and touched the meat and unleavened cakes.
Thereupon a fire came up from the rock
that consumed the meat and unleavened cakes,
and the angel of the LORD disappeared from sight.
Gideon, now aware that it had been the angel of the LORD,
said, "Alas, Lord God,
that I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!"
The LORD answered him,
"Be calm, do not fear. You shall not die."
So Gideon built there an altar to the LORD
and called it Yahweh-shalom.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 85:9, 11-12, 13-14

R (see 9b) The Lord speaks of peace to his people.
I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD–for he proclaims peace
To his people, and to his faithful ones,
and to those who put in him their hope.
R The Lord speaks of peace to his people.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
R The Lord speaks of peace to his people.
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and salvation, along the way of his steps.
R The Lord speaks of peace to his people.

Gospel
Mt 19:23-30

Jesus said to his disciples:
"Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich
to enter the Kingdom of heaven.
Again I say to you,
it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle
than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God."
When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and said,
"Who then can be saved?"
Jesus looked at them and said,
"For men this is impossible,
but for God all things are possible."
Then Peter said to him in reply,
"We have given up everything and followed you.
What will there be for us?"
Jesus said to them, "Amen, I say to you
that you who have followed me, in the new age,
when the Son of Man is seated on his throne of glory,
will yourselves sit on twelve thrones,
judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters
or father or mother or children or lands
for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more,
and will inherit eternal life.
But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first."

From Catholic Saints Online

Catholic Online Saints

St. John Eudes

d. 1670 Feastday: August 19

John Eudes was born at Ri, Normandy, France, on November 14, 1601, the son of a farmer. He went to the Jesuit college at Caen when he was 14, and despite his parents' wish that he marry, joined the Congregation of the Oratory of France in 1623. He studied at Paris and at Aubervilliers, was ordained in 1625, and worked as a volunteer, caring for the victims of the plagues that struck Normandy in 1625 and 1631, and spent the next decade giving Missions, building a reputation as an outstanding preacher and confessor and for his opposition to Jansenism. He became interested in helping fallen women, and in 1641, with Madeleine Lamy, founded a refuge for them in Caen under the direction of the Visitandines. He resigned from the Oratorians in 1643 and founded the Congregation of Jesus and Mary (the Eudists) at Caen, composed of secular priests not bound by vows but dedicated to upgrading the clergy by establishing effective seminaries and to preaching missions. His foundation was opposed by the Oratorians and the Jansenists, and he was unable to obtain Papal approval for it, but in 1650, the Bishop of Coutances invited him to establish a seminary in that diocese. The same year the sisters at his refuge in Caen left the Visitandines and were recognized by the Bishop of Bayeux as a new congregation under the name of Sisters of Our Lady of Charity of the Refuge.

John founded seminaries at Lisieux in 1653 and Rouen in 1659 and was unsuccessful in another attempt to secure Papal approval of his congregation, but in 1666 the Refuge sisters received Pope Alexander III's approval as an institute to reclaim and care for penitent wayward women. John continued giving missions and established new seminaries at Evreux in 1666 and Rennes in 1670. He shared with St. Mary Margaret Alacoque the honor of initiating devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus (he composed the Mass for the Sacred Heart in 1668) and the Holy Heart of Mary, popularizing the devotions with his "The Devotion to the Adorable Heart of Jesus" (1670) and "The Admirable Heart of the Most Holy Mother of God", which he finished a month before his death at Caen on August 19th. He was canonized in 1925. His feast day is August 19th.

From: Matthew 19:23-30

Christian Poverty and Renunciation

[23] Jesus said to His disciples, "Truly, I say to you, it will be hard
for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. [24] Again I tell you,
it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a
rich man to enter the Kingdom of God." [25] When the disciples heard
this they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?"
[26] But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is
impossible, but with God all things are possible." [27] Then Peter said in
reply, "Lo, we have left everything and followed You. What
then shall we have?" [28] Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you,
in the new world, when the Son of Man shall sit on His glorious throne,
you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the
twelve tribes of Israel. [29] And every one who has left houses or
brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for My
name's sake, will receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.
[30] But many that are first will be last, and the last first."

Commentary:

24-26. By drawing this comparison Jesus shows that it is simply not
possible for people who put their hearts on worldly things to obtain a
share in the Kingdom of God.

"With God all things are possible": that is, with God's grace man can
be brave and generous enough to use wealth to promote the service of
God and man. This is why St. Matthew, in Chapter 5, specifies that the
poor "in spirit" are blessed (Matthew 5:3).

28. "In the new world", in the "regeneration": a reference to the
renewal of all things which will take place when Jesus Christ comes to
judge the living and the dead. The resurrection of the body will be an
integral part of this renewal.

The ancient people of God, Israel, was made up of twelve tribes. The
new people of God, the Church, to which all men are called, is founded
by Jesus Christ on the Twelve Apostles under the primacy of Peter.

29. These graphic remarks should not be explained away. They mean that
love for Jesus Christ and His Gospel should come before everything
else. What our Lord says here should not be interpreted as conflicting
with the will of God Himself, the creator and sanctifier of family
bonds.

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.

FEAST OF THE DAY

St. John Eudes was born on a farm in northern France in the year
1601. Little is known about his childhood, but it is known that he
joined the Oratorians and was ordained a priest at the age of 24. A
little more than two years after he was ordained, a plague struck. St.
John offered to work with the suffering of the diocese. While he was
doing this work, he lived alone so he could not infect his fellow
religious with the plague.

At the age of 32 John moved from physical care to spiritual care and
became a parish missionary. He soon gained renown as a preacher
and confessor and was much sought after to give parish missions.
John especially promoted devotion to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
Pius XI later named St. John as the father of the liturgical cult of the
Hearts of Jesus and Mary.

While doing work in parish missions, St. John became aware of a
need for seminaries to insure spiritual improvement of the clergy.
Because John was not allowed, in his order, to follow his desire to
help care for the spiritual improvement of the clergy he started a new
order devoted to the formation of the clergy through conducting
diocesan seminaries. This new order was named the Congregation
of Jesus and Mary and later became known as the Eudist order. The
order was reconstituted in 1826 and now focuses more on work in
colleges and missions. Members of this order do not make vows.

John continued his mission work and was made aware of the sad
condition of prostitutes. To help care for the spiritual and physical
needs of these women, he founded the Sisters of the Good
Shepherd.

St. John Eudes died in 1680, and was canonized in 1925.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

The crosses with which our path through life is strewn associate us
with Jesus in the mystery of His crucifixion. -St. John Eudes

TODAY IN HISTORY

440 Death of Pope Sixtus III
1458 Election of Pius II as Pope
1503 Pope Alexander VI dies accidentally of poison
1568 Pope Pius V orders a commission to deal with missionary abuses in America

TODAY'S TIDBIT

Pope is a title for the Bishop of Rome that is derived from the Italian word "papa" or father.

INTENTION FOR THE DAY

Please pray, through the intercession of St. John Eudes, for all who
are studying in seminaries.

Word for the Day

Tuesday, August 19, 2003

Meditation
Judges 6:11-24

Gideon was a second-generation Israelite in the Promised Land who had not grown up under Moses or Joshua. He did not witness God’s power in parting the Red Sea or giving the people manna in the desert. Gideon knew of these works, but they were distant to him. To Gideon, it seemed that God had abandoned his people. His tribe lived under the oppression of the Midianites, who would swoop down upon them every harvest season and steal their produce (Judges 6:3-4).

It’s no wonder that the first time we see Gideon he is hiding his family’s grain in the secret compartment of a wine press. It’s no wonder, also, that when the angel of the Lord met Gideon to call him to battle, Gideon replied bitterly: “If the Lord is with us, why then has all this befallen us? And where are all his wonderful deeds?” (Judges 6:13).

Obviously, God had to begin again with Gideon and his generation. Through this encounter, the Lord brought Gideon peace and enabled him to tear down an altar that was used for pagan sacrifice and build an altar to the Lord in its place (Judges 6:24-26). Through this encounter, Gideon realized how the Israelites had turned from the Lord and sought other gods. From here he would go on to rally his people and overthrow the Midianites. Although Gideon continued to test the Lord along the way, his confidence was slowly built on the knowledge that the Lord was with him. Gideon began as a bitter, fearful man, yet over time he became one of God’s great warriors.

God wants to do the same in us. He will even “hide himself” from us at times in order to allow the hardness in our hearts to come to the surface so we can recognize it and seek his healing and forgiveness. Let us not be afraid of times of darkness, but surrender ourselves to God and ask him to make us into his mighty men and women who do great things for his kingdom. As with Gideon, so with us. This will not occur by our might or valor, but by his Spirit.

“Father, open my eyes to see your presence, even in the times of shadow and darkness. Convince me more and more that you will never leave my side. May I come to put my whole trust in you!”

One Bread, One Body

<< Tuesday, August 19, 2003 >>

St. John Eudes

Judges 6:11-24

Psalm 85

Matthew 19:23-30

View Readings

FROM DEFEATED VICTIM TO WORLD CHAMPION

“The Lord turned to him and said, ‘Go with the strength you have and save Israel from the power of Midian. It is I Who send you.’ ” —Judges 6:14

The Israelites were a defeated people. For years, the Midianites annually ruined the Israelites’ crops and the Israelites were powerless to do anything about it (Jgs 6:5-6). They were reduced to struggling for survival by doing such things as secretly beating out wheat in the wine press (see Jgs 6:11).

The church in the Western world is largely defeated. For years, our secular humanistic culture has repeatedly stolen the faith of our children, priestly and religious vocations, our desire to grow in holiness, the peace of our homes, and the strength and stability of our families. We seem powerless to do anything about it. We are reduced to being survivors, to mere “damage control.”

The Lord sent an angel to Gideon not to tell him what he was but to tell him what he could be. The angel called Gideon “champion.” With us also, the Lord is calling us to rise above our sinful mediocrity and to be His champions. Are you ready to leave behind defeat and sin and live the abundant life the Lord has promised? (see Jn 10:10)

Prayer: Father, by the power of the Holy Spirit make our customary defeats intolerable to me.

Promise: “For man it is impossible, but for God all things are possible.” —Mt 19:26

Praise: St. John was a champion in furthering devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

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