Catholic Caucus: Sunday Mass Readings 07-12-09, Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

USCCB.org/New American Bible ^ | 07-12-09 | New American Bible

[Salvation]

July 12, 2009

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 Responsorial Psalm Reading 2 Gospel

Reading 1
Am 7:12-15

Amaziah, priest of Bethel, said to Amos,
"Off with you, visionary, flee to the land of Judah!
There earn your bread by prophesying,
but never again prophesy in Bethel;
for it is the king's sanctuary and a royal temple."
Amos answered Amaziah, "I was no prophet,
nor have I belonged to a company of prophets;
I was a shepherd and a dresser of sycamores.
The LORD took me from following the flock, and said to me,
Go, prophesy to my people Israel."

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 85:9-10, 11-12, 13-14

R. (8) Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD —for he proclaims peace.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
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. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and prepare the way of his steps.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

Reading II
Eph 1:3-14 or Eph 1:3-10

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us in Christ
with every spiritual blessing in the heavens,
as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world,
to be holy and without blemish before him.
In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ,
in accord with the favor of his will,
for the praise of the glory of his grace
that he granted us in the beloved.
In him we have redemption by his blood,
the forgiveness of transgressions,
in accord with the riches of his grace that he lavished upon us.
In all wisdom and insight, he has made known to us
the mystery of his will in accord with his favor
that he set forth in him as a plan for the fullness of times,
to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth.

In him we were also chosen,
destined in accord with the purpose of the One
who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will,
so that we might exist for the praise of his glory,
we who first hoped in Christ.
In him you also, who have heard the word of truth,
the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him,
were sealed with the promised holy Spirit,
which is the first installment of our inheritance
toward redemption as God's possession, to the praise of his glory.

or

Eph 1:3-10

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us in Christ
with every spiritual blessing in the heavens,
as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world,
to be holy and without blemish before him.
In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ,
in accord with the favor of his will,
for the praise of the glory of God's grace
that he granted us in the beloved.

In him we have redemption by his blood,
the forgiveness of transgressions,
in accord with the riches of his grace that he lavished upon us.
In all wisdom and insight, he has made known to us
the mystery of his will in accord with his favor
that he set forth in him as a plan for the fullness of times,
to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth.

Gospel
Mk 6:7-13

Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two
and gave them authority over unclean spirits.
He instructed them to take nothing for the journey
but a walking stick—
no food, no sack, no money in their belts.
They were, however, to wear sandals
but not a second tunic.
He said to them,
"Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave.
Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you,
leave there and shake the dust off your feet
in testimony against them."
So they went off and preached repentance.
The Twelve drove out many demons,
and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

[Salvation]

Office of Readings and Invitatory Psalm

Office of Readings

If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.

O God, come to my aid.

– O Lord, make haste to help me.

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. Alleluia.

---

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 144 (145)

The greatness and goodness of God

I will bless you, O God, day after day. Alleluia.

I will praise you to the heights, O God, my king –

  I will bless your name for ever and for all time.

I will bless you, O God, day after day –

  I will praise your name for ever and all time.

The Lord is great, to him all praise is due –

  he is great beyond measuring.

Generation will pass to generation the praise of your deeds,

  and tell the wonders you have done.

They will tell of your overwhelming power,

  and pass on the tale of your greatness.

They will cry out the story of your great kindness,

  they will celebrate your judgements.

The Lord takes pity, his heart is merciful,

  he is patient and endlessly kind.

The Lord is gentle to all –

  he shows his kindness to all his creation.

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.

I will bless you, O God, day after day. Alleluia.

---

Psalm 144 (145)

Lord, your kingdom stands firm for all ages. Alleluia.

Let all your creatures proclaim you, O Lord,

  let your chosen ones bless you.

Let them tell of the glory of your reign,

  let them speak of your power –

so that the children of men may know what you can do,

  see the glory of your kingdom and its greatness.

Your kingdom stands firm for all ages,

  your rule lasts for ever and ever.

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.

Lord, your kingdom stands firm for all ages. Alleluia.

---

Psalm 144 (145)

The Lord is faithful in all his words, he is holy in all his deeds. Alleluia.

The Lord is faithful in all his words,

  the Lord is holy in all his deeds.

The Lord supports all who are falling,

  the Lord lifts up all who are oppressed.

All look to you for help,

  and you give them their food in due season.

In your goodness you open your hand,

  and give every creature its fill.

The Lord is just in all his ways,

  the Lord is kind in all that he does.

The Lord is near to those who call on him,

  to all those who call on him in truth.

For those that honour him,

  he does what they ask,

  he hears all their prayers,

  and he keeps them safe.

The Lord keeps safe all who love him,

  but he dooms all the wicked to destruction.

My mouth shall tell the praises of the Lord.

Let all flesh bless his holy name,

  for ever and ever.

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.

The Lord is faithful in all his words, he is holy in all his deeds. Alleluia.

---

My son, listen to my words.

– Turn your ear to what I am saying.

---

Reading

1 Kings 16:29-17:16 ©

Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned over Israel for twenty-two years in Samaria. Ahab son of Omri did what is displeasing to the Lord, and was worse than all his predecessors. The least that he did was to follow the sinful example of Jeroboam son of Nebat: he married Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and then proceeded to serve Baal and worship him. He erected an altar to him in the temple of Baal which he built in Samaria. Ahab also put up a sacred pole and committed other crimes as well, provoking the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, more than all the kings of Israel who were his predecessors. It was in his time that Kiel of Bethel rebuilt Jericho; he laid its foundations at the price of Abiram, his first-born; its gates he erected at the price of his youngest son Segub, just as the Lord had foretold through Joshua son of Nun.   Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, ‘As the Lord lives, the God of Israel whom I serve, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years except at my order.’   The word of the Lord came to him, ‘Go away from here, go eastwards, and hide yourself in the wadi Cherith which lies east of Jordan. You can drink from the stream, and I have ordered the ravens to bring you food there.’ He did as the Lord had said; he went and stayed in the wadi Cherith which lies east of Jordan. The ravens brought him bread in the morning and meat in the evening, and he quenched his thirst at the stream.   But after a while the stream dried up, for the country had no rain. And then the word of the Lord came to him, ‘Up and go to Zarephath, a Sidonian town, and stay there. I have ordered a widow there to give you food.’ So he went off to Sidon. And when he reached the city gate, there was a widow gathering sticks; addressing her he said, ‘Please bring me a little water in a vessel for me to drink.’ She was setting off to bring it when he called after her. ‘Please’ he said ‘bring me a scrap of bread in your hand.’ ‘As the Lord your God lives,’ she replied ‘I have no baked bread, but only a handful of meal in ajar and a little oil in a jug; I am just gathering a stick or two to go and prepare this for myself and my son to eat, and then we shall die.’ But Elijah said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, go and do as you have said; but first make a little scone of it for me and bring it to me, and then make some for yourself and for your son. For thus the Lord speaks, the God of Israel: “Jar of meal shall not be spent, jug of oil shall not be emptied, before the day when the Lord sends rain on the face of the earth.”’ The woman went and did as Elijah told her and they ate the food, she, himself and her son. The jar of meal was not spent nor the jug of oil emptied, just as the Lord had foretold through Elijah.

---

Reading	From the beginning of the treatise On the Mysteries by Saint Ambrose, bishop
Catechesis on the rites preceding baptism
We gave a daily instruction on right conduct when the readings were taken from the history of the patriarchs or the maxims of Proverbs. These readings were intended to instruct and train you, so that you might grow accustomed to the ways of our forefathers, entering into their paths and walking in their footsteps, in obedience to God’s commands.   Now the season reminds us that we must speak of the mysteries, setting forth the meaning of the sacraments. If we had thought fit to teach these things to those not yet initiated through baptism, we should be considered traitors rather than teachers. Then, too, the light of the mysteries is of itself more effective where people do not know what to expect than where some instruction has been given beforehand.   Open then your ears. Enjoy the fragrance of eternal life, breathed on you by means of the sacraments. We explained this to you as we celebrated the mystery of “the opening” when we said: Effetha, that is, be opened. Everyone who was to come for the grace of baptism had to understand what he was to be asked, and must remember what he was to answer. This mystery was celebrated by Christ when he healed the man who was deaf and dumb, in the Gospel which we proclaimed to you.   After this, the holy of holies was opened up for you; you entered into the sacred place of regeneration. Recall what you were asked; remember what you answered. You renounced the devil and his works, the world and its dissipation and sensuality. Your words are recorded, not on a monument to the dead but in the book of the living.   There you saw the levite, you saw the priest, you saw the high priest. Do not consider their outward form but the grace given by their ministries. You spoke in the presence of angels, as it is written: The lips of a priest guard knowledge, and men seek the law from his mouth, for he is the angel of the Lord almighty. There is no room for deception, no room for denial. He is an angel whose message is the kingdom of Christ and eternal life. You must judge him, not by his appearance but by his office. Remember what he handed on to you, weigh up his value, and so acknowledge his standing.   You entered to confront your enemy, for you intended to renounce him to his face. You turned toward the east, for one who renounces the devil turns toward Christ and fixes his gaze directly on him.

---

Hymn

Te Deum

God, we praise you; Lord, we proclaim you! You, the Father, the eternal – all the earth venerates you. All the angels, all the heavens, every power – The cherubim, the seraphim – unceasingly, they cry: “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts: heaven and earth are full of the majesty of your glory!” The glorious choir of Apostles – The noble ranks of prophets – The shining army of martyrs – all praise you. Throughout the world your holy Church proclaims you. – Father of immeasurable majesty, – True Son, only-begotten, worthy of worship, – Holy Spirit, our Advocate. You, Christ: – You are the king of glory. – You are the Father’s eternal Son. – You, to free mankind, did not disdain a Virgin’s womb. – You defeated the sharp spear of Death, and opened the kingdom of heaven to those who believe in you. – You sit at God’s right hand, in the glory of the Father. – You will come, so we believe, as our Judge. And so we ask of you: give help to your servants, whom you set free at the price of your precious blood. Number them among your chosen ones in eternal glory. Bring your people to safety, Lord, and bless those who are your inheritance. Rule them and lift them high for ever. Day by day we bless you, Lord: we praise you for ever and for ever. Of your goodness, Lord, keep us without sin for today. Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us. Let your pity, Lord, be upon us, as much as we trust in you. In you, Lord, I trust: let me never be put to shame.

---

Concluding Prayer

O God, your light guides those who have strayed and helps them back to the right path.

  Grant to all who are called Christians

  that they may reject whatever contradicts that name

  but hold fast to whatever is right for it.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

  who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

  God for ever and ever.

Amen.

[Salvation]

Catholic Culture

Daily Readings (on USCCB site):
» July 12, 2009
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Collect: God, our Father, your light of truth guides us to the way of Christ. May all who follow him reject what is contrary to the gospel. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

« July 12, 2009 »

Fifteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
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And he called to him the twelve, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics. And he said to them, "Where you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. And if any place will not receive you and they refuse to hear you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet for a testimony against them (Mk 6:7-11)."

---

Sunday Readings
The first reading is taken from the Book of the Prophet Amos 7:12-15. When he foretold the murder of Jeroboan and the exile of Israel Amos was denounced by Amaziah, the priest in charge of the sanctuary of Bethel, and was expelled from Israel.

The second reading is from the Letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians 1:3-14 or 1:3-10. This letter was written from Rome to remind St. Paul's converts to continue to be faithful to the teaching he had given them while in Ephesus.

The Gospel is from St. Mark 6:7-13. That Christ the Son of God could have spread his Gospel of peace and love, his message of eternal salvation, to the whole world without human help need not be proved. He could, for instance, have written the Gospel in the sky-over each country in its own language. He could have gone to every part of the earth, after his resurrection, and taught his doctrine to all peoples, confirming his words with extraordinary miracles. Yet he chose the weaker but the more human way of evangelizing men—he sent their own fellowmen to bring them the message. This choice showed his divine love and understanding of weak human nature, much better and much more effectively than the use of any of the supernatural means which he could have employed.

God, and Christ is God, gave man the gift that we call freewill. Man is able to choose between alternatives. God wants man to choose heaven as his eternal home, but he wants him to choose it without compulsion or coercion. He will have volunteers in heaven not conscripts. The man who chooses heaven must choose the means for going there. If you choose a holiday resort for your summer vacation, you must buy travel tickets, book a hotel and save up the expenses necessary for the holiday. By appointing mortal men to bring the news of salvation, the news of heaven, and the means of getting there to all of us, Christ has given us the chance of exercising our freewill and therefore of meriting heaven. Refusal to accept would hardly be possible if Christ informed us miraculously or taught us in person. If some extraordinary individual could persist in refusing, his refusal would be utterly inexcusable.

God's mercy and love can reach into the darkest corners and produce fruit from the most unlikely and apparently most neglected of orchards.

While we thank God from our hearts today for having been put on the road to heaven, let us remember in our prayers our fellowmen, God's other children, who are trudging along through the fields and hedges. May God continue to show his mercy and divine understanding toward them!

Excerpted from The Sunday Readings by Fr. Kevin O'Sullivan, O.F.M.

[incredulous joe]

Per the reading from Amos; anybody know what a “dresser of sycamores” is?

[Salvation]

shaper?
pruner?

I just looked back at the Navarre commentary and nothing was there.

[Salvation]

Lauds -- Morning Prayer

Morning Prayer (Lauds)

If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.

O God, come to my aid.

– O Lord, make haste to help me.

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. Alleluia.

---

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 92 (93)

The magnificence of the Creator

The Lord is wonderful on high. Alleluia.

The Lord reigns! He is robed in splendour,

  clothed in glory and wrapped round in might.

He set the earth on its foundations:

  it will not be shaken.

Your throne is secure from the beginning;

  from the beginning of time, Lord, you are.

The rivers have raised, O Lord,

  the rivers have raised their voices.

  The rivers have raised their clamour.

Over the voices of many waters,

  over the powerful swell of the sea,

  you are the Lord, powerful on high.

All your promises are to be trusted:

  and holy is your habitation,

  O Lord, to the end of time.

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.

The Lord is wonderful on high. Alleluia.

---

Canticle	Daniel 3
All creatures, bless the Lord
Lord, we praise and exalt you for ever. Alleluia.
Bless the Lord, all his works,   praise and exalt him for ever. Bless the Lord, you heavens;   all his angels, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, you waters above the heavens;   all his powers, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, sun and moon;   all stars of the sky, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, rain and dew;   all you winds, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, fire and heat;   cold and warmth, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, dew and frost;   ice and cold, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, ice and snow;   day and night, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, light and darkness;   lightning and storm-clouds, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, all the earth,   praise and exalt him for ever. Bless the Lord, mountains and hills;   all growing things, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, seas and rivers;   springs and fountains, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, whales and fish;   birds of the air, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, wild beasts and tame;   sons of men, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, O Israel,   praise and exalt him for ever. Bless the Lord, his priests;   all his servants, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, spirits of the just;   all who are holy and humble, bless the Lord. Ananias, Azarias, Mishael, bless the Lord,   praise and exalt him for ever. Let us bless Father, Son and Holy Spirit,   praise and exalt them for ever. Bless the Lord in the firmament of heaven,   praise and glorify him for ever.
Lord, we praise and exalt you for ever. Alleluia.

---

Psalm 148

An anthem to the Lord, the Creator

Praise the Lord from the heavens. Alleluia.

Praise the Lord from the heavens,

  praise him in the highest heavens.

Praise him, all his angels;

  praise him, all his powers.

Praise him, sun and moon,

  praise him, all stars that shine.

Praise him, waters of the heavens,

  and all the waters above the heavens.

Let them praise the name of the Lord,

  for he commanded and they were made.

He set them firm for all ages,

  he made a decree that will last for ever.

Praise the Lord from the earth,

  sea-serpents and depths of the sea,

fire, hail, snow and fog,

  storms and gales that obey his word,

mountains and hills,

  fruit-trees and cedars,

wild beasts and tame,

  serpents and birds.

Kings of the earth, all peoples,

  all leaders and judges of the earth,

young men and women,

  old people with the young –

praise the name of the Lord,

  for his name alone is exalted.

His splendour is above heaven and earth,

  he has raised up the strength of his people.

This song is for all his chosen ones,

  the children of Israel, the people close to him.

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.

Praise the Lord from the heavens. Alleluia.

---

Short reading

Ezekiel 37:12-14 ©

The Lord says this: I am now going to open your graves; I mean to raise you from your graves, my people, and lead you back to the soil of Israel. And you will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and raise you from your graves, my people. And I shall put my spirit in you, and you will live, and I shall resettle you on your own soil; and you will know that I, the Lord, have said and done this – it is the Lord who speaks.

---

Canticle	Benedictus
The Messiah and his forerunner
The disciples set off to preach repentance.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,   for he has come to his people and brought about their redemption. He has raised up the sign of salvation   in the house of his servant David, as he promised through the mouth of the holy ones,   his prophets through the ages: to rescue us from our enemies   and all who hate us, to take pity on our fathers,   to remember his holy covenant and the oath he swore to Abraham our father,   that he would give himself to us, that we could serve him without fear  – freed from the hands of our enemies – in uprightness and holiness before him,   for all of our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High:   for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his path, to let his people know their salvation,   so that their sins may be forgiven. Through the bottomless mercy of our God,   one born on high will visit us to give light to those who walk in darkness,   who live in the shadow of death;   to lead our feet in the path of peace. 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.
The disciples set off to preach repentance.

---

Prayers and Intercessions

?

Let us pray to God, who sent the Holy Spirit to be a light shining in every heart: – Lord, be our light. Blessed are you, God our light:   for the sake of your glory you have brought us to this new day. – Lord, be our light. By the incarnation of your Son you sent light into this world:   through your Church, spread that light to all mankind. – Lord, be our light. You enlightened your Son’s disciples by your Spirit:   send your Spirit into the Church and keep her faithful to you. – Lord, be our light. Light of the nations, remember those who dawdle in the shadows:   open their eyes and their hearts, so that they see you are the one true God. – Lord, be our light.

---

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.

---

O God, your light guides those who have strayed and helps them back to the right path.

  Grant to all who are called Christians

  that they may reject whatever contradicts that name

  but hold fast to whatever is right for it.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

  who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

  God for ever and ever.

Amen.

---

May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life.

A M E N

[Salvation]

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Ephesians 1:3-14

Today, Paul takes us behind the scenes into the mind of God.

Unlike his usual messages, this one focuses on God’s eternal plan. Paul tells us that God’s plan is a “mystery” that cannot be grasped by our human minds alone. That’s why he revealed it to us: We could never have figured it out on our own!

God has been unfolding his plan since the beginning of time. And what is his plan? To draw all men and women to him and to unite us in his Son. He wants every one of us to be with him in heaven.

To help us grasp God’s plan, Paul breaks it down into four different dimensions: First, we are redeemed by the blood of Jesus. Second, God’s grace has been lavished on us. Third, this grace will carry us through to our ultimate destination—heaven. And fourth, God has made this plan known to us so that we can become co-workers with him, giving him praise and glory by our works and our witness.

Today, as this plan continues to unfold, God wants to reassure us that it is working. He also wants us to tell everyone else that God is at work. He wants to send us all out into the world with the good news that our heavenly Father is alive and well. He wants us to assure our friends and families that God has a plan for each of their lives, a plan to bring them to heaven if they believe and trust in him.

God wants all of us to be messengers of his gospel. So as we celebrate Mass today, let’s keep Paul’s words close to our hearts so that we can share it with the people close to us. No one should have to go through his or her life without the hope, peace, and joy that come from knowing that God is in control. Life really does make sense when we know where we are headed!

“Father, thank you for revealing your mind to me. By your Spirit, help me to grasp your wisdom more deeply—and to proclaim it to everyone I meet today!”

Amos 7:12-15; Psalm 85:9-14; Mark 6:7-13

[Salvation]

Vespers -- Evening Prayer

Vespers (Evening Prayer)

O God, come to my aid.

– O Lord, make haste to help me.

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. Alleluia.

---

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 109 (110)

The Messiah, king and priest

The Lord said to my lord: ‘Sit at my right hand.’ Alleluia.

The Lord has said to my lord:

  “Sit at my right hand

  while I make your enemies your footstool.”

From Zion the Lord will give you a sceptre,

  and you will rule in the midst of your foes.

Royal power is yours in the day of your strength,

  among the sacred splendours.

  Before the dawn, I begot you from the womb.

The Lord has sworn, and he will not repent:

  “You are a priest for ever,

  a priest of the priesthood of Melchisedech.”

The Lord is at your right hand,

  and on the day of his anger he will shatter kings.

He will drink from the stream as he goes –

  he will hold his head high.

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.

The Lord said to my lord: ‘Sit at my right hand.’ Alleluia.

---

Psalm 110 (111)

Great are the works of the Lord

The compassionate Lord keeps alive the memory of the wonders he has worked. Alleluia.

I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart

  in the council of the upright and the assembly.

Great are the works of the Lord,

  to be studied by all who delight in them.

His works are splendour and majesty,

  his righteousness lasts for ever and ever.

He gives us a record of the wonders he has worked,

  the Lord, the kind and compassionate.

He gives food to those who fear him:

  for all ages he will remember his covenant.

He has shown to his people the power of his deeds,

  he has given them the inheritance of the nations.

Steadfastness and justice

  are the works of the Lord.

All his precepts are to be trusted,

  they stand firm for ever and ever:

  they were laid down in faithfulness and justice.

He has sent deliverance to his people;

  he has set up his covenant for ever.

Holy is his name, and much to be feared.

  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

To those who fear him comes true understanding,

  and his praise endures for ever and ever.

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.

The compassionate Lord keeps alive the memory of the wonders he has worked. Alleluia.

---

Canticle	(Apocalypse 19)
The wedding of the Lamb
God reigns: our Lord, the Almighty. Alleluia.
Alleluia. Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,   because his judgements are true and just. Alleluia. Alleluia. Praise our God, all his servants,   and you who fear him, small and great. Alleluia. Alleluia. For the Lord reigns, our God, the Almighty:   let us rejoice and exult and give him glory. Alleluia. Alleluia. The marriage of the Lamb has come,   and his spouse has made herself ready. Alleluia. 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.
God reigns: our Lord, the Almighty. Alleluia.

---

Short reading

1 Peter 1:3-5 ©

Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy has given us a new birth as his sons, by raising Jesus Christ from the dead, so that we have a sure hope and the promise of an inheritance that can never be spoilt or soiled and never fade away, because it is being kept for you in the heavens. Through your faith, God’s power will guard you until the salvation which has been prepared is revealed at the end of time.

---

Canticle	Magnificat
My soul rejoices in the Lord
The disciples cast out many devils, and anointed many sick people with oil and cured them.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,   and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation. For he has shown me such favour –   me, his lowly handmaiden. Now all generations will call me blessed,   because the mighty one has done great things for me. His name is holy,   his mercy lasts for generation after generation   for those who revere him. He has put forth his strength:   he has scattered the proud and conceited,   torn princes from their thrones;   but lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things;   the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel,   he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers,   to Abraham and his children for ever. 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.
The disciples cast out many devils, and anointed many sick people with oil and cured them.

---

Prayers and Intercessions

?

God, creator of the world, re-created it through the Redemption and renews it daily through his love. With joy we pray: – Lord, renew the wonders of your love. O God, we thank you for your power, revealed in the whole of your creation;   and for your providence, revealed day by day in the world. – Lord, renew the wonders of your love. Through your Son, proclaimer of peace and victor on the Cross,   free us from pointless fears and from despair. – Lord, renew the wonders of your love. To all who love and work for justice,   give the gift of working together in openness and trust, building up the world in true peace. – Lord, renew the wonders of your love. Support the oppressed, give freedom to captives, console those who mourn:   let the victory of the Cross transform everything. – Lord, renew the wonders of your love. After your Son was dead and buried you miraculously raised him into glory:   grant that all the dead may come to share eternal life with him. – Lord, renew the wonders of your love.

---

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.

---

O God, your light guides those who have strayed and helps them back to the right path.

  Grant to all who are called Christians

  that they may reject whatever contradicts that name

  but hold fast to whatever is right for it.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

  who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

  God for ever and ever.

Amen.

---

May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life.

A M E N

[Salvation]

Regnum Christi

Learning to Follow Directions
Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

| SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY

Father Jason Clark, LC

Mark 6:7-13

Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick-- no food, no sack, no money in their belts. They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic. He said to them, "Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there. Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them." So they went off and preached repentance. The Twelve drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus, I believe in you, and I believe that I must follow your will in all that I do. I hope in you, and I place my hope in what you have planned for me today. Teach me not to place my hope in created things, but only in your will. Lord, I love you, and I desire to love your will with greater fervor. Open my heart to respond to your will with generosity and joy.

Petition: Lord, help me to transmit your message through my words and actions.

1. Two By Two Our Lord didn’t send the apostles out in their mission as isolated individuals, but in pairs. Jesus wanted them to realize that alone they would not be strong enough. Alone they would be vulnerable to attacks. Alone they might succumb to temptation and discouragement. Jesus’ disciples were not alone as they labored to carry out their mission, and neither are we. The mission we have of following Jesus may be difficult at times, but Jesus knows this. He places people in our path to help and support us. We must realize that we need the help of others and that others also need our help. We are not alone!

2. Take Nothing Jesus wanted his apostles to realize that he is in charge of the mission. Jesus tells them to leave at home what we would consider basic items necessary for any trip. This was a radical lesson for the apostles, as it is for us. Jesus doesn’t want us to rely on our personal efforts, the advanced technology of the day, or any other methods or elements that we can invent for our security or success. He is the origin of any success in our lives, and he alone gives true security. Jesus tells the apostles to take nothing on their journey, except him.

3. They Went Off The apostles then went to preach repentance and cure the sick. They trusted in Jesus and in the mission he had entrusted to them. As they began to work, they saw that their efforts were bearing fruit. The people they encountered were responsive. They could see that they were changing lives. In our own lives we don’t often encounter receptive crowds, open and eager to hear about Christ and prepared to amend their lives and start off on a new path. We often find hostility and opposition. In either situation — success or failure — as we try to build Christ’s Kingdom, we must trust in him and remember that we are called to be faithful, not necessarily successful from a human standpoint.

Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, you’ve given me a mission to spread your Gospel among my family members, friends and coworkers — everyone I encounter. Help me to be faithful to this mission and to undertake it in the way you wish, not the way it most pleases me.

Resolution: I will fulfill my prayer commitments today with generosity and fidelity.

[Salvation]

Homily of the Day

Time Will Prove Who Is Right

July 11th, 2009 by Fr. Frank E. Jindra

Am 7:12-15 / Eph 1:3-14 / Mk 6:7-13

“Time will prove who is right and who is not.”

You have heard something like this before, I am sure. Some people even try to use that to urge “patience” on people today.

Amaziah had no patience for Amos in the first reading this weekend, and though we do not read Amos’ response today, Amos had no patience for Amaziah, either.

“Time” proved Amos right. Amaziah, and the shrine at Bethel, and the entire nation for that matter, were dealt with severely by God for their infidelity to what had been handed on to them.

There are any number of people who try to “adjust” what has been handed down to us to make it fit their own interpretations of how God should act today. In their attempts to be relevant to the desires of modern culture, they forget we have a specific inheritance as God’s possession (see the close of St. Paul’s reading today).

By the unmatched mercy of God, we have been possessed by Him. Because of this we are called to be faithful to what we have received. In that faithfulness we go out to the world, commissioned by Jesus Himself to proclaim liberty to captives, and healing to those in need.

Those who want to “adjust” what we have received (let me be bold here) are not living in the feedom of the Gospel, but in the chains of the tyranny of this age. Amaziah told Amos “Off with you…” Sometimes today these people try to say the same to anyone bold enough to stand with the Magisterium and the full Gospel we have received.

I am afraid they too may face the fate of Amaziah. In compassion, may we pray that this not happen to anyone again. May the Lord of time not only prove the Church right, but restore ALL those who think she is wrong.

[Salvation]

One Bread, One Body

One Bread, One Body

 

<< Sunday, July 12, 2009 >>

15th Sunday Ordinary Time Saint of the Day

Amos 7:12-15
Ephesians 1:3-14
View Readings

Psalm 85:9-14
Mark 6:7-13

THE "IN" CROWD

"In Him..." —Ephesians 1:4, 11, 13

 

St. Paul is completely preoccupied with being in Jesus. In today's passage from Ephesians, Paul mentions benefits and blessings that come from being in Jesus numerous times in twelve verses. Paul is underscoring the critical differences of our location: it makes an eternal difference whether we live our life in Jesus or outside of Jesus. Paul proclaims that in Jesus we:

• have "every spiritual blessing in the heavens" (Eph 1:3),
• have been "chosen" before the world began, to be holy and blameless (Eph 1:4, 11, 13),
• have been chosen "to be full of love" (Eph 1:4),
• have "glorious favor...bestowed on us" (Eph 1:6), and
• "have been redeemed and our sins forgiven" (Eph 1:7).

The best way to be in Jesus is to have Jesus in you. Most of you have received the eucharistic Jesus today. Jesus reveals that the person "who feeds on My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me," and He will remain in them (Jn 6:56; see also Jn 17:23).

However, in our God-given free will, we can choose to not be in Jesus, but rather be separated from Him. As the song goes, we can go through life saying, "I did it my way." There's a place for those who have chosen not to be in Jesus. "This state of definitive self-exclusion from communion with God and the blessed is called 'hell' " (Catechism, 1033).

Jesus says: "Live on in Me" (Jn 15:4). What's your choice?

 

Prayer: Jesus, of my own choice, I tell You: the life I live now is not my own. I want You to always live in me (Gal 2:19-20).

Promise: "The Lord Himself will give His benefits." —Ps 85:13

Praise: Praise the risen Jesus, Who freely chose to leave the glory of heaven to suffer on earth for our salvation.

 

[Salvation]

Compline -- Night Prayer

Compline (Night Prayer)

Introduction
O God, come to my aid.   O Lord, make haste to help me. 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. Alleluia.

---

This is an excellent moment for an examination of conscience. In a communal celebration of Compline, one of the penitential acts given in the Missal may be recited.

---

Hymn
Now that the daylight dies away, By all thy grace and love, Thee, Maker of the world, we pray To watch our bed above. Let dreams depart and phantoms fly, The offspring of the night, Keep us, like shrines, beneath thine eye, Pure in our foe’s despite. This grace on thy redeemed confer, Father, co-equal Son, And Holy Ghost, the Comforter, Eternal Three in One.

---

Psalm 90 (91)
The protection of the Most High

He will shade you with his wings; you will not fear the terror of the night.

He who lives under the protection of the Most High

  dwells under the shade of the Almighty.

He will say to the Lord:

  “You are my shelter and my strength,

  my God, in whom I trust.”

For he will free you from the hunter’s snare,

  from the voice of the slanderer.

He will shade you with his wings,

  you will hide underneath his wings.

His faithfulness will be your armour and your shield.

You will not fear the terror of the night,

  nor the arrow that flies by day;

nor the plague that walks in the shadows,

  nor the death that lays waste at noon.

A thousand will fall at your side,

  at your right hand ten thousand will fall,

  but you it will never come near.

You will look with your eyes

  and see the reward of sinners.

For the Lord is your shelter and refuge;

  you have made the Most High your dwelling-place.

Evil will not reach you,

  harm cannot approach your tent;

for he has set his angels to guard you

  and keep you safe in all your ways.

They will carry you in their arms

  in case you hurt your foot on a stone.

You walk on the viper and cobra,

  you will tread on the lion and the serpent.

Because he clung to me, I shall free him:

  I shall lift him up because he knows my name.

He will call upon me and for my part, I will hear him:

  I am with him in his time of trouble.

I shall rescue him and lead him to glory.

I shall fill him with length of days

  and show him my salvation.

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.

He will shade you with his wings; you will not fear the terror of the night.

---

Reading	Apocalypse 22:4-5
They will see the face of the Lord, and his name will be marked on their foreheads. There will be no more night: they will not need sunlight or lamp-light, because the Lord God himself will shine upon them. And they will reign for ever and ever.

---

Short Responsory
Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. – Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. You have redeemed us, Lord, God of faithfulness. – Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. – Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

---

Canticle

Nunc Dimittis

Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace. Now, Master, you let your servant go in peace.   You have fulfilled your promise. My own eyes have seen your salvation,   which you have prepared in the sight of all peoples. A light to bring the Gentiles from darkness;   the glory of your people Israel. 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. Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace.

---

Let us pray.

Today we have celebrated the mystery of the Christ’s resurrection, and so now we humbly ask you, Lord, that we may rest in your peace, far from all harm, and rise rejoicing and giving praise to you.

Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

---

May the almighty Lord grant us a quiet night and a perfect end.

A M E N

	Salve Regina
Hail to you, O Queen, mother of loving kindness,   our life, our happiness, our hope. Hear us cry out to you,   children of Eve in our exile. Hear as we sigh, with groaning and weeping   in this life, this valley of tears. Come then, our Advocate, turn towards us   the gaze of your kind and loving eyes. And show us Jesus, the blessed fruit of your womb,   when at last our exile here is ended.

[incredulous joe]

shaper and pruner sounds good.

the larger point is that AMos was not an educated man, I suppose?

[Salvation]

**the larger point is that AMos was not an educated man**

True,

Another tie-in with the Gospel is that Amos was a shepherd. Who were the first shepherds of The Catholic Church? The Apostles! And Christ sent them out with ONLY a walking stick (shepherd’s staff) a symbol of their authority.

We see it today with all bishops.

[annalex]

Mark
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Mark 6
7.	And he called the twelve; and began to send them two and two, and gave them power over unclean spirits.	Et vocavit duodecim : et cœpit eos mittere binos, et dabat illis potestatem spirituum immundorum.	και προσκαλειται τους δωδεκα και ηρξατο αυτους αποστελλειν δυο δυο και εδιδου αυτοις εξουσιαν των πνευματων των ακαθαρτων
8.	And he commanded them that they should take nothing for the way, but a staff only: no scrip, no bread, nor money in their purse,	Et præcepit eis ne quid tollerent in via, nisi virgam tantum : non peram, non panem, neque in zona æs,	και παρηγγειλεν αυτοις ινα μηδεν αιρωσιν εις οδον ει μη ραβδον μονον μη πηραν μη αρτον μη εις την ζωνην χαλκον
9.	But to be shod with sandals, and that they should not put on two coats.	sed calceatos sandaliis, et ne induerentur duabus tunicis.	αλλ υποδεδεμενους σανδαλια και μη ενδυσησθε δυο χιτωνας
10.	And he said to them: Wheresoever you shall enter into an house, there abide till you depart from that place.	Et dicebat eis : Quocumque introieritis in domum, illic manete donec exeatis inde :	και ελεγεν αυτοις οπου εαν εισελθητε εις οικιαν εκει μενετε εως αν εξελθητε εκειθεν
11.	And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you; going forth from thence, shake off the dust from your feet for a testimony to them.	et quicumque non receperint vos, nec audierint vos, exeuntes inde, excutite pulverem de pedibus vestris in testimonium illis.	και οσοι αν μη δεξωνται υμας μηδε ακουσωσιν υμων εκπορευομενοι εκειθεν εκτιναξατε τον χουν τον υποκατω των ποδων υμων εις μαρτυριον αυτοις αμην λεγω υμιν ανεκτοτερον εσται σοδομοις η γομορροις εν ημερα κρισεως η τη πολει εκεινη
12.	And going forth they preached that men should do penance:	Et exeuntes prædicabant ut pœnitentiam agerent :	και εξελθοντες εκηρυσσον ινα μετανοησωσιν
13.	And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.	et dæmonia multa ejiciebant, et ungebant oleo multos ægros, et sanabant.	και δαιμονια πολλα εξεβαλλον και ηλειφον ελαιω πολλους αρρωστους και εθεραπευον

[annalex]

Note that the Greek in v. 11 also contains “Verily I say to you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city”.

[annalex]

7. And he called to him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;
8. And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse:
9. But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats.
10. And He said to them, In what place soever you enter into an house, there abide till you depart from that place.
11. And whoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when you depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say to you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
12. And they went out, and preached that men should repent.
13. And they cast out many devils, and annointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.

BEDE; Now our kind and merciful Lord and Master did not grudge His servants and their disciples His own virtues, and as He Himself had healed every sickness and every infirmity, so also He gave the same power to His disciples. Wherefore it goes on: And he called to him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits. Great is the difference between giving and receiving. Whatever He does is done in His own power, as Lord; if they do anything, they confess their own weakness and the power of the Lord, saying in the name of Jesus, Arise, and walk.

THEOPHYL. Again He sends the Apostles two and two that they might become more active; for, as say's the Preacher, Two are better than one. But if He had sent more than two, that there would not have been a sufficient number to allow of their being sent to many villages.

GREG. Further, the Lord sent the disciples to preach, two and two, because there are two precepts of charity, namely, the love of God, and of our neighbor, and charity cannot be between less than two; by this therefore He implies to us, that he who has not charity towards his neighbor, ought in no way to take upon himself the office of preaching. There follows, And he commanded them, that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse:

but be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats.

BEDE; For such should be the preacher's trust in God, that, though He takes no thought for supplying his own wants in this present world, yet he should feel most certain that these will not be left unsatisfied lest whilst his mind is taken up with temporal things, he should provide less of eternal things to others.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. The Lord also gives them this command, that they might show by their mode of life, how far removed they were from the desire of riches.

THEOPHYL. Instructing them also by this means not to be fond of receiving gifts, in order too that these, who saw them preach poverty, might be reconciled to it when they saw that the Apostles themselves possessed nothing.

AUG. Or else; according to Matthew, the Lord immediately subjoined, The workman is worthy of his meat, which sufficiently proves why He forbade their carrying or possessing such things, not because they were not necessary, but because he sent them in such a way as to show, that they were due to them from the faithful, to whom they preached the Gospel. From this it is evident, that the Lord did not mean by this precept that the Evangelists ought to live only on the gifts of those to whom they preach the Gospel, else the Apostle transgressed this precept when He procured his livelihood, the labor of his own hands, but He meant that He had given them a power, in virtue of which, they might be assured, these things were due to them.

It is also often asked, how it comes that Matthew and Luke have related that the Lord commanded His disciples no to carry even a staff, whilst Mark says, And he commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only. Which question is solved, by supposing that the word 'staff' has a meaning in Mark, who says that it ought to be carried, different from that which it bears in Matthew and Luke, who affirm the contrary.

For in a concise way one might say, Take none of the necessaries of life with you, nay, not a staff, save a staff only; so that the saying, nay not a staff; may mean, nay not the smallest thing; but that which is added, save a staff only, may mean that, through the power received by them from the Lord, of which a rod is the ensign, nothing, even of those things which they do not carry, will be wanting to them. The Lord therefore said both, but because one Evangelist has not given both, men suppose, that he who has said that the staff, in one sense, should be taken, is contrary to him who again has declared, that, in another sense, it should be left behind: now however that a reason has been given, let no one think so.

So also when Matthew declares that shoes are not to be worn on the journey, he forbids anxiety about them, for the reason why men are anxious about carrying them, is that they may not be without them. This is also to be understood of the two coats, that no man should be troubled about having only that with which He is clad, from anxiety lest He should need another, when he could always obtain one from the power given by the Lord.

In like manner Mark, by saying that they are to be shod with sandals or soles, warns us that this mode of protecting the foot has a mystical signification, that the foot should neither be covered above nor be naked on the ground, that is, that the Gospel should neither be hid, nor rest upon earthly comforts; and in that He forbids their possessing or taking with them, or more expressly their wearing, two coats, He bids them walk simply, not in duplicity. But whoever thinks that the Lord could not in the same discourse say some things figuratively, others in a literal sense, let him look into His other discourses, and he shall see, how rash and ignorant is his judgment.

BEDE; Again, by the two tunics, He seems to me to mean two sets of clothes; not that in places like Scythia, covered with the ice and snow, a man should be content with only one garment, but by coat, I think a suit of clothing is implied, that being clad with one, we should not keep another through anxiety as to what may happen.

PSEUD-CHRYS. Or else, Matthew and Luke neither allow shoes nor staff; which is meant to point out the highest perfection. But Mark bids themselves take a staff and be shod with sandals, which is spoken by permission.

BEDE; Again, allegorically; under the figure of a scrip is pointed out the burdens of this world, by bread is meant temporal delights, by money in the purse, the hiding of wisdom; because he who receives the office of a doctor, should neither be weighed down by the burden of worldly affairs, nor be made soft by carnal desires, nor hide the talent of the word committed to him under the ease of an inactive body. It goes on, And he said unto them, In what place soever you enter into a house, there abide till you depart from that place. Where He gives a general precept of constancy, that they should look to what is due to the tie of hospitality, adding, that it is inconsistent with the preaching of the kingdom of heaven to run about from house to house.

THEOPHYL. That is, lest they should be accused of gluttony in passing from one to another. It goes on, And whoever shall not receive you, &c. This the Lord commands them, that they might show that they had walked a long way for their sakes, and to no purpose. Or, because they received nothing from them, not even dust, which they shake off, that it might be a testimony against them, that is, by way of convicting them.

PSEUD-CHRYS. Or else, that it might be a witness of the toil of the way, which they sustained for them; or as if the dust of the sins of the preachers was turned against themselves. It goes on, And they went and preached that men should repent.

And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them. Mark alone mentions their anointing with oil. James however, in his canonical Epistle, says a thing similar. For oil both refreshes our labors, and gives us light and joy; but again, oil signifies the mercy of the unction of God, the healing of infirmity, and the enlightening of the heart, the whole of which is worked by prayer.

THEOPHYL. It also means, the grace of the Holy Ghost, by which we are eased from our labors, and receive light and spiritual joy.

BEDE; Wherefore it is evident from the Apostles themselves, that it is an ancient custom of the holy Church that persons possessed or afflicted with any disease whatever, should be anointed with oil consecrated by priestly blessing.

Catena Aurea Matthew 10

[annalex]

Christ and the Twelve Apostles

c. 1100
Wood, 103 x 130 cm
Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, Barcelona

[Alas Babylon!]

Amos, as a dresser of sycamores, was basically a gardener. Sycamore figs (not sycamores with the mottled bark we have here in the USA) need to be opened a few days before they ripen. By making a small cut in the end of each fig, the sap flows out, making them sweet and therefore palatable. Sycamore figs not treated this way are bland, and have a latex looking juice in them (yuck).

[Salvation]

Hey, thanks for the information. I learned something today!

[Salvation]

Take Nothing for the Journey

Pastor’s Column

15^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

July 12, 2009

         

          In this Sunday’s gospel (Mark 6:7-13), the disciples have been with Jesus for some time. First they were called and said yes. Then they listened to Jesus. Then, they were sent out on a mission. We too are called by the Lord: we respond and say yes to him; we listen to his words at Mass and are fed by his Body and Blood. Then we too are sent out on a mission: to witness to Jesus by our lives: our words and deeds.

          The disciples are told to take nothing for the journey except a walking staff (a symbol of their authority from Christ). They are going to have to be dependent on God’s providence for everything. Whether we realize it or not, we actually depend on God for everything we have and all that we are. Sometimes our daily mission seems to be too much for us, but God wants us to depend on him and not just rely on our own resources!

          They are sent out two by two: we are meant to support each other. This is why we belong to Saint Edwards, and are not just a church of one. We are called on by God to provide encouragement for each other. Saint Edwards is a Christian community: sometimes the support we offer is by being a face that others expect to see on Sunday. We encourage each other by our presence. 

          Take no traveling bag: Learning to travel light is an art. We often tend to want to have all our bases covered, to have our act together at every moment, when in reality this kind of attitude can block God’s providence for us. Christ is not just talking about acquiring too much “stuff,” but rather to learn, more and more to trust in God’s providence in our lives. He will always provide what is best for us if we trust him. This will take place in the present moment, the here and now where all grace resides. 

          Take no money in your belts. This sounds inconvenient, but anyone who has had a lost or stolen wallet knows how scary it can be to suddenly have nothing. Jesus is counseling us not to have a false sense of security by relying only on our own possessions, wits or wealth. When we find ourselves at our wits end or with insufficient resources, this is the time when the Holy Spirit can often manifest with the greatest power in our lives.

         Wear only one tunic: In other words, don’t show one face to God and another to everyone else. Aim to be a person of integrity, not someone who changes his or her clothes, or morality, to fit the situation!   

                                                                             Father --------