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Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 07-04-08, Opt. Mem. St. Elizabeth/Portugal, Independence Day
USCCB.org/New American Bible ^ | 07-04-08 | New American Bible

Posted on 07/03/2008 8:27:23 PM PDT by Salvation

July 4, 2008

                              Friday of the Thirteenth Week
                                    in Ordinary Time
 
 
 
Reading 1
Responsorial Psalm
Gospel

Reading 1
Am 8:4-6, 9-12

Hear this, you who trample upon the needy
and destroy the poor of the land!
“When will the new moon be over,” you ask,
“that we may sell our grain,
and the sabbath, that we may display the wheat?”
We will diminish the containers for measuring,
add to the weights,
and fix our scales for cheating!
We will buy the lowly man for silver,
and the poor man for a pair of sandals;
even the refuse of the wheat we will sell!”

On that day, says the Lord GOD,
I will make the sun set at midday
and cover the earth with darkness in broad daylight.
I will turn your feasts into mourning
and all your songs into lamentations.
I will cover the loins of all with sackcloth
and make every head bald.
I will make them mourn as for an only son,
and bring their day to a bitter end.

Yes, days are coming, says the Lord GOD,
when I will send famine upon the land:
Not a famine of bread, or thirst for water,
but for hearing the word of the LORD.
Then shall they wander from sea to sea
and rove from the north to the east
In search of the word of the LORD,
but they shall not find it.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 119:2, 10, 20, 30, 40, 131

R. (Matthew 4:4) One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Blessed are they who observe his decrees,
who seek him with all their heart.
R. One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
With all my heart I seek you;
let me not stray from your commands.
R. One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
My soul is consumed with longing
for your ordinances at all times.
R. One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
The way of truth I have chosen;
I have set your ordinances before me.
R. One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Behold, I long for your precepts;
in your justice give me life.
R. One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
I gasp with open mouth
in my yearning for your commands.
R. One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.

Gospel
Mt 9:9-13

As Jesus passed by,
he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post.
He said to him, “Follow me.”
And he got up and followed him.
While he was at table in his house,
many tax collectors and sinners came
and sat with Jesus and his disciples.
The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples,
“Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
He heard this and said,
“Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.
Go and learn the meaning of the words,
I desire mercy, not sacrifice.
I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”




TOPICS: Catholic; General Discusssion; Prayer; Worship
KEYWORDS: catholic; catholiclist; ordinarytime; saints
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21 posted on 07/04/2008 4:24:32 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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St. Elizabeth of Portugal

St. Elizabeth of Portugal, Religious
Optional Memorial
July 4th




Petrus Christus
Isabel of Portugal with St Elizabeth
1457-60
Oak panel, 59 x 33 cm
Groeninge Museum, Bruges

 

Saint Elizabeth of Portugal was the daughter of King Peter III of Aragon. She was named for her great-aunt, St. Elizabeth of Hungary, whose virtues she also shared. In her married life with King Denis of Portugal, she endured trails with heroism. On more than one occasion she went to considerable pains to bring about peace between her children and their father. She also showed unfailing charity toward the poor and founded convents, hospitals, foundling homes, and shelters for young women. After her husband's death in 1325 she became a Franscisan tertiary.

Source: Daily Roman Missal, Edited by Rev. James Socías, Midwest Theological Forum, Chicago, Illinois ©2003

Collect:
Father of peace and love,
you gave St. Elizabeth the gift of reconciling enemies.
By the help of her prayers
give us the courage to work for peace among men,
that we may be called the sons of God.

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.

First Reading: 1 John 3: 14-18
We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. Any one who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But if any one has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or speech but in deed and in truth.


Gospel Reading: Matthew 25:31-46 [short reading 31-40]
"When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. Then the King will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee? And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?' And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.' [Then he will say to those at his left hand, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?' Then he will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.' And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."


22 posted on 07/04/2008 4:52:44 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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Independence Day

Independence Day (USA)
[In the dioceses of the United States]
Optional Memorial
July 4th


The National Hymn | Pledge of Allegiance

On this day Americans commemorate the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, which took place on July 4, 1776. The church in the U.S. incorporated this observance into the liturgy with a special mass asking for peace, justice, and truth. (Source: Daily Roman Missal, Edited by Rev. James Socías, Midwest Theological Forum, Chicago, Illinois ©2003)

Collect:
God of love, Father of us all
in wisdom and goodness you guide creation
to fulfillment in Christ your Son.
Open our hearts to the truth of His gospel,
that your peace may rule in our hearts
and your justice guide our lives.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Readings: from Masses for Various Occasions & Needs (For Public Needs)


23 posted on 07/04/2008 4:54:09 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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First Fridays

First Friday Devotions

Paragraph 171 DIRECTORY ON POPULAR PIETY AND THE LITURGY

the pious practice of the first Fridays of the month which derives from the "great promises" made by Jesus to Saint Margaret Mary. At a time when sacramental communion was very rare among the faithful, the first Friday devotion contributed significantly to a renewed use of the Sacraments of Penance and of the Holy Eucharist. In our own times, the devotion to the first Fridays, even if practiced correctly, may not always lead to the desired spiritual fruits. Hence, the faithful require constant instruction so that any reduction of the practice to mere credulity, is avoided and an active faith encouraged so that the faithful may undertake their commitment to the Gospel correctly in their lives. They should also be reminded of the absolute preeminence of Sunday, the "primordial feast"(188), which should be marked by the full participation of the faithful at the celebration of the Holy Mass.

FOOTNOTE
(188) -- SC 106.




excerpt from the DIRECTORY ON POPULAR PIETY AND THE LITURGY

PRINCIPLES AND GUIDELINES Vatican City December 2001

Chapter IV. THE LITURGICAL YEAR AND POPULAR PIETY (94-182)

The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (166-173)


The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus devotion was greatly increased by the visions Sister Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690), a French Visitandine nun at the convent of Paray-le-Monial. She had a vision of Christ's Heart on the feast of Saint John that was similiar to that of Saint Gertrude. Jesus permitted her to rest her head upon His Heart, and then disclosed to her the wonders of His love, telling her that He desired to make this known to mankind and to diffuse the treasures of His goodness, and that He had chosen her for this work, (probably 1673, Dec. 27). In June or July o f 1674, Sister Margaret Mary said, Jesus asked to be honored under the figure of His Heart of Flesh and asked for a devotion of expiatory love -- frequent Communion, Communion on the first Friday of each month and the observance of Holy Hours.


24 posted on 07/04/2008 4:57:43 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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Catholic Culture

Daily Readings (on USCCB site):
» July 04, 2008
(will open a new window)

Collect: Father of peace and love, you gave St. Elizabeth the gift of reconciling enemies. By the help of her prayers give us the courage to work for peace among men, that we may be called the sons of God. 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.

Month Year Season
« July 04, 2008 »

Optional Memorial of St. Elizabeth of Portugal: Independence Day (USA)

St. Elizabeth of Portugal was the daughter of Peter III of Aragon and was named after her great-aunt, St. Elizabeth of Hungary, whose virtues she also inherited. In her married life with King Denis of Portugal she had to undergo a series of heavy trials which she endured with heroism. On more than one occasion she went to considerable pains to bring about peace between her children and their father. After her husband's death she became a Franciscan Tertiary and showed unfailing charity towards the poor. She died in 1336; her body has remained incorrupt.

Today is the national celebration of our Nation's independence. As we celebrate let us remember to pray that God will strengthen and bless America and make our nation a haven of liberty and justice for all — born and unborn.

Before the reform of the General Roman Calendar St. Elizabeth's feast was celebrated on July 8.


St. Elizabeth of Portugal
Elizabeth of Portugal was married young: she was only twelve years old when she became the wife of King Denis of Portugal. She was the daughter of King Peter III of Aragon and at her baptism in 1271 received the name of her great-aunt, St. Elizabeth of Hungary. Even at that early age, she had a well-disciplined character and, like her namesake, looked after the poor and pilgrims, with the consent of her husband.

She inaugurated what today we would call social works in her kingdom, set up hostels for pilgrims and travelers, provided for the poor, established dowries for poor girls, founded a hospital and a house for penitent women at Torres Novas, and built an orphanage. Her husband was notoriously unfaithful to her, but she bore all this with patience and her sweetness of disposition was her greatest asset. She even looked after his illegitimate children as if they were her own and made provision for their proper education.

She had two children of her own, Alfonso and Constance, the son later rebelling against his father. St. Elizabeth of Portugal became the peacemaker and several times reconciled the son to the father. Through her efforts, war was averted between Castile and Aragon.

In 1324, her husband became ill and she devoted all of her attention to him, never leaving his room except to go to church. His illness was long and tedious, but he sincerely repented of his disordered life and died at Santarem in 1325. After his burial, she made a pilgrimage to Compostela and decided to enter the Poor Clare convent at Coimbra. Persuaded not to do this, she became a Franciscan tertiary and lived in a house close to the convent.

Elizabeth died at Estremoz at the age of sixty-six, en route there to bring about peace between her son and her nephew, Alfonso XI, of Castile. She was canonized by Urban VIII in 1625.

Excerpted from The One Year Book of Saints by Rev. Clifford Stevens

Patron: Against jealousy; brides; charitable societies; charitable workers; charities; Coimbra, Portugal; difficult marriages; falsely accused people; invoked in time of war; peace; queens; tertiaries; victims of adultery; victims of jealousy; victims of unfaithfulness; widows.

Symbols: Franciscan nun with a rose in her hand; Franciscan nun with a beggar nearby; Franciscan nun with a jug in her hand; Franciscan tertiary nun; woman carrying roses in her lap in winter; woman crowned with roses.

Things to Do:

  • Our own circle of personal influence is usually where we can do the most good. It is useless to dream of going to faraway places to accomplish great deeds, when there is much to be done in our own backyard. We can influence those around us and, like St. Elizabeth of Portugal, we can accomplish wonders.


Independence Day
On April 19, 1775, American minutemen faced English soldiers on the village green in Lexington, Massachusetts. Someone — no one to this day knows who — fired a shot, and a battle followed which marked the beginning of the American Revolution.

After the Battle of Lexington, the desire of Americans for complete independence from England grew stronger. Less than a month after that battle, the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia. On July 4, 1776, the Congress issued a Declaration of Independence, announcing "that these united colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states."

For a time it seemed to some that the fight for independence was a hopeless struggle, but an important American victory at Saratoga marked a turning point in the war. After that victory the Americans gained a strong ally, France. With the help of France, the Americans went on to win a final victory over the English at Yorktown. The English Parliament then decided to make peace and accept American independence.

With independence won, the thirteen states set out to form a new nation. There were strong differences among the states, but Americans came to understand the need for unity, and devised a new plan for government—the Constitution.

The new government, under the Constitution, was faced with many problems, both at home and abroad. However it found ways to solve these problems, and the United States began to grow rapidly.

Excerpted from American History, published by Laidlaw Brothers.

Things to Do:

  • Read the Declaration of Independence and see what grievances our Founding Fathers had with England. This same site offers links to learn more about the founding of our nation.

Catholic Culture Library Related Articles

On Being Catholic American

First Centenary of First American Bishops

How Birth Control Changed America — For The Worse

The Philosophy of American Patriotism In the Present Crisis

The Jefferson Bible

The Relevance of Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson and Freedom of Religion

What Is Patriotism?

Sapientiae Christianae—On Christians as Citizens


25 posted on 07/04/2008 5:01:35 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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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 50 (51)
God, have mercy on me
Take pity on me, Lord, in your mercy; in your abundance of mercy wipe out my guilt.
Wash me ever more from my guilt and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know how guilty I am: my sin is always before me.

Against you, you alone have I sinned, and I have done evil in your sight.
Know this, so that you may give just sentence and an unbiased judgement.

See, I was conceived in guilt, in sin my mother conceived me;
but you love truth in the heart, and deep within me you have shown me your wisdom.

You will sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be made clean; you will wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
You will make me hear the sound of joy and gladness; the bones you have crushed will rejoice.

Turn your face away from my sins and wipe out all my transgressions;
create a pure heart in me, God, put a steadfast spirit into me.

Do not send me away from your presence, or withdraw your holy spirit from me;
give me again the joy of your salvation, and be ready to strengthen me with your spirit.

I will teach the unjust your ways, and the impious will return to you.
Free me from the guilt of bloodshed, God, God my saviour, and my voice will glory in your justice.

Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will proclaim your praise;
for you do not delight in sacrifices: if I offered you a burnt offering, it would not please you.
The true sacrifice is a broken spirit: a contrite and humble heart, O God, you will not refuse.

Be pleased, Lord, to look kindly on Sion, so that the walls of Jerusalem can be rebuilt,
Then indeed you will accept the proper sacrifices, gifts and burnt offerings; then indeed will bullocks be laid upon your altar.

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.

Canticle Isaiah 45
All peoples, turn to the Lord
In truth you are a hidden God, the God and Saviour of Israel.

They were dismayed and ashamed, all the makers of idols, all of them fled in dismay.
Israel has been saved by the Lord, saved for ever; you will not be dismayed or ashamed, to the end of time.

For thus says the Lord, the God who made the heavens, who made the earth, shaped it, set it firm – he did not make it to be empty, but to be full of life – “I am the Lord, there is no other.

“I have not spoken secretly, in some dark corner of the earth. I have not said to the children of Jacob, ‘seek me in vain’. I am the Lord who speaks justice, who proclaims uprightness.

“Gather together, come, approach me all of you who have been rescued from the Gentiles.
They were ignorant, who raised up wooden idols and begged favours of a god without power.
Announce it – come, ponder it together – who was saying this from the beginning, who foretold this from the start?
Am I not the Lord? Is there any other God but me?
Do you seek a just God who will save you? There is no other.

“Turn to me and you will be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, there is no other.

“I have sworn by my own being, I have decreed a judgement that will not be revoked; for every knee will bend to me, every tongue swear by my name.”

“Only in the Lord,” they will say, “are there justice and strength!”
All who resisted him will come to him, and be dismayed; but in the Lord all descendants of Israel will receive justice and glory.

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.

Psalm 99 (100)
Enter the Temple with joy
Rejoice in the Lord, all the earth. Exult in his presence and serve him with joy.

Know that the Lord is God. He made us and we are his – his people, the sheep of his flock.

Cry out his praises as you enter his gates, fill his courtyards with songs. Proclaim him and bless his name;
for the Lord is our delight. His mercy lasts for ever, his faithfulness through all the ages.

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.

Short reading Ephesians 4:29 - 32 ©
Guard against foul talk; let your words be for the improvement of others, as occasion offers, and do good to your listeners, otherwise you will only be grieving the Holy Spirit of God who has marked you with his seal for you to be set free when the day comes. Never have grudges against others, or lose your temper, or raise your voice to anybody, or call each other names, or allow any sort of spitefulness. Be friends with one another, and kind, forgiving each other as readily as God forgave you in Christ.

Canticle Benedictus
The Messiah and his forerunner
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.

Prayers and Intercessions ?
We worship Christ, who by his cross brought salvation to the human race, and we pray to him:
Lord, show us your compassion.
Christ, you are our daylight: shine on us this morning,
and cleanse us of every evil inclination.
Watch over what we think, what we say, and what we do,
so that today we may be pleasing in your sight.
Turn your face away from our sins,
and wipe out all our transgressions.
Through your cross and resurrection
give us the strength of the Holy Spirit.
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 that trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
 but deliver us from evil.

O God, your light dispels the darkness of ignorance of your word, morning, noon and night:
 Increase in our hearts the faith that you have given us:
 may no trials extinguish the fire lit by your grace.

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

26 posted on 07/04/2008 5:08:01 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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God Loves the Sinner
July 4, 2008
U. S. A. | SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY
I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.

Friday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Father Steven Liscinsky, LC

Matthew 9: 9-13
As Jesus passed by, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, "Follow me." And he got up and followed him. While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat with Jesus and his disciples. The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" He heard this and said, "Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ I did not come to call the righteous but sinners."

Introductory Prayer: Lord, I believe that you are present within me. Let me feel your presence in my heart and soul. I want to live this day close to you and see everything through the prism of faith. I want to put my trust and confidence in you. You will grant me all the graces I need today. All I have to do is ask. I want to love you with all my heart, especially in charity, by giving myself to all I meet today so that I can communicate your love to them. Mary, accompany me in this meditation and intercede for me, so that God will grant me what I need to be a better follower of Christ and an apostle of his Kingdom.

Petition: Lord, let me see that you love me despite my sinfulness.

1. God Loves the Sinner
Matthew was of that loathed profession of tax collectors, which made him a sinner ex officio. He collaborated with the Roman occupiers in the oppression of the Jewish people, and for this reason he was condemned, at least by men. But God sees the heart and finds the goodness in each one. After all, there is some good in everyone, since we are all created in the image and likeness of God. We should be thankful to God that he distinguishes between sin and sinner, unlike us judgmental humans who equate them and condemn the sinner with the sin. Am I quick to condemn others, or do I mercifully pray for their conversion?

2. God Rejects the Proud
There is one group of sinners that God has a hard time dealing with, and it is not any fault of his: the proud and self-righteous. They don’t feel any need for God. Even though in appearance they meticulously fulfill the Law to the letter, their hearts are cold and turned away from God. All their perfection is for their own personal self-satisfaction. If any sin is diametrically opposed to God, it is selfishness, for God is love and charity and self-giving. The self-righteous are utterly selfish. The only escape from this spiritual black hole is the practice of charity, for only he who loves his neighbor can say that he truly loves God.

3. I Am a Sinner in Need
How often do I recognize my weakness and sinfulness? Like St. Paul, I find myself doing the sinful things that I utterly reject. The experience of our frailty and sinfulness is healthy for our spiritual life, since it reminds us that we need God’s grace. Many books have been written on self-help and self-esteem, leading us to think we can be self-sufficient. But in the spiritual life, there is nothing more beneficial than acknowledging our indigence and dire need for God’s grace.

Conversation with Christ: Lord, I need your help and grace. I can’t get through this day without you, because I am a poor, wretched sinner that you have raised up in your mercy. Thank you for what you have done for me. Teach me how to be merciful with my brothers and sisters and to pardon their sinfulness. Let me see all of them through your merciful eyes and forgive them as I ask you to forgive me. Help me with your grace, and protect me from evil and temptation. Don’t let me rely on my own frail strength, but trust only in you.

Resolution: When I see someone do something wrong, I will pray for that person.

 

27 posted on 07/04/2008 5:13:55 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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July 4, 2008

Between My Bed and the Wall: Saint Paul

paoloditarso.JPG

But do thou continue in the things that thou hast learned and that have been entrusted to thee, knowing of whom thou hast learned them. For from thy infancy thou hast known the Sacred Writings, which are able to instruct thee unto salvation by the faith which is in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 3:14-15)

Lectio Divina?

Growing up, my younger brother Danny and I shared the same bedroom without sharing quite the same interests. We had twin beds. Mine was the second one in; between my bed and the outside windowed wall of the room was a narrow space, perhaps twenty inches wide. It became my little hermitage.

How I used to love going to my room when my brother was out. I would close the door and, crouching in that little space between the bed and the wall, I would read Saint Paul from a New Testament belonging to my father. Dad must have given it to me at some point because, when I came across it while packing the other day, I remarked that I had stamped my name inside the front cover when I was probably ten or eleven years old.

How I Met Saint Paul

I'm attached to that particular New Testament. It represents a bond between my father and me. I think Dad bought it during a parish mission. It is the 1941 revision of the Challoner-Rheims version, published by St. Anthony Guild Press in Paterson, New Jersey. There is a prayer to the Holy Spirit on the same page as the Nihil Obstat and the Imprimatur. I'm digressing. My point is that I met Saint Paul at a relatively early age by reading his Epistles in the solitude between my bed and the wall. I remember the sweetness I experienced, and the peace that came from reading the Apostle.

Caves and Deserts

Children need spaces of solitude as much as they need playgrounds and baseball diamonds. Children are capable of silence. Nothing is more intriguing to a small boy than stories of hermits living in caves or braving the desert. Improvised and imaginary hermitages can be places of grace for a child. God has been known to speak between a little boy's bed and the wall.


28 posted on 07/04/2008 5:17:19 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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Homily of the Day

Have You Put Yourself Outside the Circle of Fools and Sinners?

July 4th, 2008 by Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D. ·Print · ShareThis

Amos 8:4-6, 9-12 / Mt 9:9-13

Self-knowledge is a hard-won treasure, and even the best of us are blind to much of what our friends see clearly. Too often we blithely give convoluted explanations of our actions and intentions which convince no one but ourselves. Fictions like “I was just resting my eyes during the third act,” make us feel fine, but fool no one.

The self-deception may reach far deeper. We may well end up like the pharisees in today’s gospel, who clearly thought they were sinless and needful of no forgiveness, and therefore seemed apt critics of Jesus’ decision to consort with sinners. What they said sounds foolish and the height of arrogance, and indeed it was. But we do the same thing whenever we put ourselves outside the circle of the world’s fools and sinners by ridiculing or denouncing them.

If we were forced to depend solely on our lifetime record, unamended and uncleansed by any unearned forgiveness, we would all be doomed — without exception. We are all in trouble if left to our own devices. God gives His forgiveness freely; but there is no earning it. He asks but one thing in return, that we extend forgiveness with equal abandon to one another.

If you want to be forgiven, learn first to forgive.


29 posted on 07/04/2008 5:20:41 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All
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 40 (41)
Prayer in time of sickness
Blessed is he who takes thought for the helpless, for the Lord will keep him safe in time of trouble.
The Lord will guard him and give him life. He will give him good fortune on the earth, and not betray him into the power of his enemies.
The Lord will lend him strength on his bed of pain; you will transform all his sickness into health.

I said, “Lord, have mercy, heal my soul, for I have sinned against you”.
My enemies spoke against me, saying: “When will he die? When will his name perish?”
When one of them came to visit me, he talked of nothing, but stored up wickedness in his heart. He went out, and told tales against me.

All my enemies whispered together against me, imagined the worst:
“A plague has taken hold of him: he has lain down and will not rise”.
Even my dearest friend, in whom I put my trust, who had eaten my bread – even he trampled me down.

But you, Lord – have mercy on me, revive me, and I will pay them back.
This is how I know that I have your favour, when my enemy cannot triumph over me,
when you raise me up because of my innocence, and put me in your presence for all eternity.

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, from the beginning to the end of time. Amen! Amen!

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.

Psalm 45 (46)
God, our refuge and our strength
The Lord is our refuge and our strength, a true help in our troubles.
Therefore we do not fear, even when the earth is shaken and mountains fall into the depths of the sea,
the waves roar and foam and rise up to shake the mountains.

The streams of the river give joy to the city of God, the holy dwelling-place of the Most High.
God is within it, it will not be shaken; God will give help as the day dawns.
The nations are in turmoil and kingdoms totter: at the sound of his voice, the earth flows like water.

The Lord of strength is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge.
Come and see the works of the Lord, who has done wonders on the earth.
He puts an end to wars over all the world: he tramples the bow, shatters weapons, and burns the shields with fire.
Stop and see that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations, exalted on the earth.

The Lord of strength is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge.

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.

Canticle Apocalypse 15
A hymn of adoration
Great and wonderful are your works, Lord God Almighty;
just and true are your ways, King of all nations!

Who, Lord, will not revere and glorify your name? For you alone are holy.
All nations will come and worship in your presence, for your judgements have been seen by all.

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.

Short reading Romans 15:1 - 3 ©
We who are strong have a duty to put up with the qualms of the weak without thinking of ourselves. Each of us should think of his neighbours and help them to become stronger Christians. Christ did not think of himself: the words of scripture apply to him – the insults of those who insult you fall on me.

Canticle Magnificat
My soul rejoices in the Lord
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.

Prayers and Intercessions ?
Blessed be God. In his kindness he answers the prayers of those in need and fills the hungry full of good things. Let us put our trust in him and pray:
Lord, show us your compassion.
Lord and gentle Father, we pray for the suffering limbs of the Church:
whose Head, your Son, suffered on the cross, and completed his sacrifice as day was ending.
Free those who are in bondage, give sight to the blind,
look after widows and orphans.
Clothe the faithful in your armour
to resist the snares of the Devil.
Be close to us, Lord, in our last hours:
in your compassion, judge us to be faithful and let us leave this world at peace with you.
Lead the dead into your light:
may they enjoy the sight of you for ever.
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 that trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
 but deliver us from evil.

To your servants, O Lord, grant this:
 that we may learn from the example of your Son’s passion
 to be ready always to bear his gentle burden.

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

30 posted on 07/04/2008 5:22:25 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All
The Word Among Us


Friday, July 04, 2008

Meditation
Matthew 9:9-13



Go and learn the meaning of the words, I desire mercy, not sacrifice. (Matthew 9:13)

Put yourself in the place of these Pharisees for a moment. They were probably confused and maybe a little angry when Jesus made this statement. Why should they listen to him? They had devoted their whole lives to the Mosaic law, and here was Jesus eating with tax collectors and sinners! Who was he to tell them that they didn't understand God's ways?

But in spite of their exasperation, some of them must have thought that Jesus was right. His words did come from Scripture, after all. It was Hosea who said, "For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts" (Hosea 6:6). Perhaps in their zeal to follow the law they had missed its point: It was meant to help them know God better, and it was all about love and mercy, not ritual observance. Perhaps those tax collectors and sinners deserved as much compassion as anyone else!

What can we take from this teaching? As believers, we shouldn't measure our faith by how rigidly we are upholding the law but by our relationship to Jesus. It is, after all, through intimacy with him that we receive the grace to remain faithful and stay clear of sin. However, we all can use a little review at times. For example, like these Pharisees, we may want to feel secure in knowing that we are in the right group. It's great to belong to something—to a parish, prayer group, ministry, or faith community. But what about those who don't share our background or our views? Are we able to love them and accept them as our brothers and sisters?

When we meet those who don't fit in with us, we should remember Jesus' question: "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?" (Luke 6:32). He promises to bless us when we reach out to the strangers in our midst. Why? Because when we do, we are becoming more like him. For when we were "far off," he saved us and made us "no longer strangers and sojourners" (Ephesians 2:17-19). Those who challenge us the most may end up being our best friends!

"Lord, teach me to accept those who are different from me. May we all be united in your love."

Amos 8:4-6,9-12; Psalm 9:2,10,20,30,40,131



31 posted on 07/04/2008 7:06:11 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All
One Bread, One Body

One Bread, One Body

 

<< Friday, July 4, 2008 >> St. Elizabeth of Portugal
Saint of the Day
 
Amos 8:4-6, 9-12
View Readings
Psalm 119:2, 10, 20, 30, 40, 131 Matthew 9:9-13
 

VIVE LA DIFFERENCE!

 
"When will the new moon be over?" —Amos 8:5
 

Like worshippers in Amos' time, many of today's worshippers think: "When will church be over? Then I can:

  • watch the ball games,
  • go see a movie,
  • tell my neighbor how much I dislike my priest's homilies,
  • get something to eat,
  • do my own thing, or
  • remind God what a sacrifice it is to be at church today."

After we heed the call of Jesus to "go and learn the meaning of the words: 'It is mercy I desire and not sacrifice' " (Mt 9:13), then our worship changes. During Mass, we think: "When church is over, I can:

  • tell my family that I love them,
  • share Jesus with my neighbors, even with the outcast (Mt 9:10),
  • thank and encourage my priest (see Heb 13:17),
  • follow Jesus (Mt 9:9),
  • show mercy to someone who has hurt me (Mt 9:13), and
  • let God know how grateful I am for His mercy to me."

Do you see what Jesus means when He points out the difference between heartfelt mercy and sacrifice?

 
Prayer: "Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thine."
Promise: "Happy are they who observe His decrees, who seek Him with all their heart." —Ps 119:2
Praise: St. Elizabeth didn't wait until her husband treated her well to love him. She loved him as he was with all his faults and sinfulness.
 

32 posted on 07/04/2008 7:10:16 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All
Compline -- Night Prayer

Compline (Night 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.


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.

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.


Psalm 87 (88)
The prayer of one gravely ill
I cry out to you, Lord, by day and by night.
Lord God, my saviour,
 I have cried out to you by day and by night.
Let my prayer come before you:
 turn your ear to my request.

For my soul is full of evils,
 my life has come close to its end.
I am counted with those who go down to the pit:
 I am left without help.
I am one of the dead,
 like the murdered who sleep in their tombs,
who lie there forgotten,
 cut off from your care.

You have thrust me down into the pit,
 to the gloom and the shadow of death.
Your anger weighs heavy upon me;
 you have drowned me under your waves.

You have taken my friends away from me:
 you have made me hateful in their sight,
 I am shut in, I may not go out.
My eyes are weak from my sufferings.
I have called to you, Lord, all the day;
 I have stretched out my hands to you.
Is it for the dead that you perform your wonders?
 Will the ghosts rise up and proclaim you?
In the tomb, will they tell of your kindness?
 Will they tell of your faithfulness in the place of the lost?
Will your wonders be known in the darkness,
 or your righteousness in the land of oblivion?

And so I have called out to you, Lord,
 and in the morning my prayer will come before you.
With what purpose, Lord, do you reject my soul?
 Why do you hide your face from me?
I am poor; from my youth I have been dying;
 I have borne the terrors you sent, I am lost in confusion.
Your anger has overrun me, your terrors have broken me:
 they have flowed round me like water,
 they have besieged me all the day long.
You have taken my friends and those close to me:
 all I have left is shadows.

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 cry out to you, Lord, by day and by night.

Reading (Jeremiah 14:9)
You, Lord, are in our midst, and we are called by your name; therefore do not abandon us, Lord, our God.

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.

Prayer
Let us pray.
Lord, let us be so united with your only Son that we become worthy to rise with him into new life, who lives and reigns for ever and ever, Amen.

May the almighty Lord grant us a quiet night and a perfect end.
A M E N
An antiphon to Our Lady should be recited here.

33 posted on 07/04/2008 7:19:39 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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