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Catholic Caucus: Sunday Mass Readings, 02-07-16, Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
USCCB.org/RNAB ^ | 02-07-16 | Revised New American Bible

Posted on 02/06/2016 8:23:07 PM PST by Salvation

February 7, 2016

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 Is 6:1-2a, 3-8

In the year King Uzziah died,
I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne,
with the train of his garment filling the temple.
Seraphim were stationed above.

They cried one to the other,
"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts!
All the earth is filled with his glory!"
At the sound of that cry, the frame of the door shook
and the house was filled with smoke.

Then I said, "Woe is me, I am doomed!
For I am a man of unclean lips,
living among a people of unclean lips;
yet my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!"
Then one of the seraphim flew to me,
holding an ember that he had taken with tongs from the altar.

He touched my mouth with it, and said,
"See, now that this has touched your lips,
your wickedness is removed, your sin purged."

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying,
"Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?"
"Here I am," I said; "send me!"

Responsorial Psalm Ps 138:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 7-8

R. (1c) In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.
I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,
for you have heard the words of my mouth;
in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;
I will worship at your holy temple
and give thanks to your name.
R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.
Because of your kindness and your truth;
for you have made great above all things
your name and your promise.
When I called, you answered me;
you built up strength within me.
R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.
All the kings of the earth shall give thanks to you, O LORD,
when they hear the words of your mouth;
and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD:
"Great is the glory of the LORD."
R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.
Your right hand saves me.
The LORD will complete what he has done for me;
your kindness, O LORD, endures forever;
forsake not the work of your hands.
R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.

Reading 2 1 Cor 15:1-11

I am reminding you, brothers and sisters,
of the gospel I preached to you,
which you indeed received and in which you also stand.
Through it you are also being saved,
if you hold fast to the word I preached to you,
unless you believed in vain.
For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received:
that Christ died for our sins
in accordance with the Scriptures;
that he was buried;
that he was raised on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures;
that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve.
After that, Christ appeared to more
than five hundred brothers at once,
most of whom are still living,
though some have fallen asleep.
After that he appeared to James,
then to all the apostles.
Last of all, as to one born abnormally,
he appeared to me.
For I am the least of the apostles,
not fit to be called an apostle,
because I persecuted the church of God.
But by the grace of God I am what I am,
and his grace to me has not been ineffective.
Indeed, I have toiled harder than all of them;
not I, however, but the grace of God that is with me.
Therefore, whether it be I or they,
so we preach and so you believed.

or 1 COR 15:3-8, 11

Brothers and sisters,
I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received:
that Christ died for our sins
in accordance with the Scriptures;
that he was buried;
that he was raised on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures;
that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve.
After that, he appeared to more
than five hundred brothers at once,
most of whom are still living,
though some have fallen asleep.
After that he appeared to James,
then to all the apostles.
Last of all, as to one abnormally born,
he appeared to me.
Therefore, whether it be I or they,
so we preach and so you believed.

Alleluia Mt 4:19

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come after me
and I will make you fishers of men.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Lk 5:1-11

While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening
to the word of God,
he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret.
He saw two boats there alongside the lake;
the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets.
Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon,
he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore.
Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.
After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon,
"Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch."
Simon said in reply,
"Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing,
but at your command I will lower the nets."
When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish
and their nets were tearing.
They signaled to their partners in the other boat
to come to help them.
They came and filled both boats
so that the boats were in danger of sinking.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said,
"Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man."
For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him
and all those with him,
and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee,
who were partners of Simon.
Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid;
from now on you will be catching men."
When they brought their boats to the shore,
they left everything and followed him.


TOPICS: Catholic; General Discusssion; Prayer; Worship
KEYWORDS: catholic; lk5; ordinarytime; prayer; saints
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1 posted on 02/06/2016 8:23:07 PM PST by Salvation
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2 posted on 02/06/2016 8:32:16 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All

From: Isaiah 6:1-2a, 3-8

The Lord calls Isaiah


[1] In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high
and lifted up; and his train filled the temple. [2a] Above him stood the seraphim.
[3] And one called to another and said:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory.”

[4] And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called,
and the house was filled with smoke. [5] And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost;
for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean
lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

[6] Then flew one of the seraphim to me, having in his hand a burning coal which
he had taken with tongs from the altar. [7] And he touched my mouth, and said:
“Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin forgi-
ven.” [8] And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who
will go for us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

6:1-13. As an introduction to what is called the “Book of Immanuel” (7:1-12:6)
we get this account of how the Lord called Isaiah to be a prophet, sending him
to his people at the time of the Syrian-Ephraimite coalition to explain to them
what is going on and how they should act.

The account begins with a theophany (vv. 1-4), which is one of the key points
in this book’s message. God manifests himself seated in the manner of eastern
kings, surrounded by his angelic court (the “seraphim”), who extol the holiness
of the Lord: he clearly is Lord of all. In this vision, God is depicted as the thrice
holy (v. 3), the highest form of superlative available in Hebrew. Being holy im-
plies standing apart — standing above everything else. God stands far above all
other beings and he is their creator. In Hebrew “holy includes the idea of “sa-
cred”. It means that God has none of the limitations and imperfections that cre-
ated beings have.

The holiness and majesty of God fill Isaiah with a sense of his own uncleanness
and that of his people (v. 5). Typically, visions of God in biblical history induce
feelings of fear in the seer; we even see this in the angel’s announcement to
Mary (cf. Lk 1:30): “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God.”

“Faced with God’s fascinating and mysterious presence, man discovers his own
insignificance. Before the burning bush, Moses takes off his sandals and veils
his face (cf. Ex 3:5-6) in the presence of God’s holiness. Before the glory of the
thrice-holy God, Isaiah cries out: ‘Woe is me! I am lost; for I am a man of unclean
lips’ (Is 6:5). Before the divine signs wrought by Jesus, Peter exclaims: ‘Depart
from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord’ (Lk 5:8). But because God is holy, he can
forgive the man who realizes that he is a sinner before him: ‘I will not execute my
fierce anger . . . for I am God and not man, the Holy One in your midst (Hos 11:
9)’” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 208).

Isaiah is cleansed and consoled as soon as he humbly acknowledges his un-
worthiness and insignificance before God (vv. 6-7). His instinctive sense of fear is
immediately replaced by a generous and trusting response on the prophet’s part:
he is ready to do what God wants (v. 8). “In their ‘one to one’ encounters with
God the prophets draw light and strength for their mission. Their prayer is not
flight from this unfaithful world, but rather attentiveness to the Word of God. At
times their prayer is an argument or a complaint, but it is always an intercession
that awaits and prepares for the intervention of the Saviour God, the Lord of histo-
ry (cf. Amos 7:2, 5; Is 6:5, 8, 11; Jer 1:6; 15:15-18; 20:7-18)” (Catechism of the
Catholic Church, 2584).

Finally, the Lord entrusts him with his mission. The message he is to deliver is
hard-hitting and full of paradoxes (vv. 9-10). The task given him is not, as one
might at first think, to render the people incapable of hearing and understanding
the word of God that could move their hearts. It is, rather, to tell them that if they
fail to listen to the word of God, their hearts will be blinded: they will not be able
to see things right and, because of that, the sinner will feel no need to take
stock of his position and be converted. The Synoptic Gospels interpret Jesus’
preaching as a fulfillment of what is said here in vv. 9-10 (Mt 13:13-15; Mk 4:11-
12). The Gospel of St John sees these same words as anticipating what will hap-
pen to those who reject Jesus’ message: “Therefore they could not believe. For
Isaiah again said, ‘He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they
should see with their eyes and perceive with their heart, and turn for me to heal
them.’ Isaiah said this because he saw his glory and spoke of him” (Jn 12:27-
41). And St Paul also uses vv. 9-10 to reproach the Jews of Rome for rejecting
the Good News of salvation in Christ which he is proclaiming to them (cf. Acts
28:23-28).

The people’s hardness of heart will merit severe punishment; cities and houses
will he laid waste, but all will not be lost: a holy seed will remain and from it the
tree will grow back again (v. 11-13). These verses carry a message for people in
all ages. Isaiah approaches God in all humility, showing him every reverence,
and at the same time he puts his trust in God. For his part, the Lord cleanses
his chosen ones and sends them out to help in his work of salvation. Origen,
who commented on this passage a number of times, points out: “May burning
coals he brought from the altar of heaven to burn my lips. If the burning coals
of the Lord touch my lips, they will he purified; and when they are purified and
cleansed of all sin, […] my mouth will he opened to the Word of God and I will
not utter another impure word [...]. The seraphim who was sent to purify the pro-
phet’s lips did not purify the lips of the people […]; therefore, they continued to
live in sin, and now they deny the Lord Jesus Christ and curse him from their
unclean mouths. For my part, I pray that the seraphim will come to cleanse my
lips (Homiliae in Isaiam, 1, 4). All we need is the same humble docility that Isai-
ah had: “Having received the grace God, he did not want it to be a gift granted to
him to no avail, without being put to work in everything that needed to be done.
Seeing the seraphim and the Lord of hosts seated on high, on his throne of glory,
he said: ‘Woe me ...’. By speaking thus and making himself ‘unworthy’, he re-
ceived the help of God because He took in account his humility” (ibid., 6:2).
And St John Chrysostom, commenting on Isaiah’s response to God, says that
the prophet shows readiness to carry out his mission to the people because
“since the saints are friends of God, they, too, love all men dearly” (In Isaiam,
6, 5).

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.


3 posted on 02/06/2016 8:33:50 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All

From: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Christ’s Resurrection and His Appearances


[1] Now I would remind you, brethren, in what terms I preached to you the gospel,
which you received, in which you stand, [2] by which you are saved, if you hold it
fast — unless you believed in vain.

[3] For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ
died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, [4] that he was buried, that
he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, [5] and that he
appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. [6] Then he appeared to more than five
hundred brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fal-
len asleep. [7] Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. [8] Last of
all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. [9] For I am the least of
the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of
God. [10] But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was
not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not
I, but the grace of God which is with me. [11] Whether then it was I or they, so
we preach and so you believed.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

1-58. Some of the Corinthian Christians were objecting to the doctrine of the re-
surrection of the dead, because this was a belief with which Greeks were unfami-
liar, even those Greeks who held that the soul was immortal. Given the great im-
portance of this doctrine, St Paul replies at length, pointing first to the historical
fact of Christ’s resurrection (vv. 1-11 ) and how it necessarily connects up with
the resurrection of the dead in general (vv. 12-34). He then goes on to discuss
what form this resurrection will take (vv. 35-58). This epistle, which began with
an exposition on Jesus Christ crucified, the power and wisdom of God (cf. 1:18-
2:5), ends with a development of doctrine on the resurrection of Christ and the
consequent resurrection of the members of his mystical body.

To understand what St Paul is saying it is useful to bear in mind that here he is
referring only to the glorious resurrection of the just. Elsewhere in Sacred Scrip-
ture it is clearly stated that all men will rise from the dead (cf., e.g., Jn 5:28-29;
Acts 24:15).

1-11. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is one of the essential doctrines of the
Catholic faith, explicitly stated in the first creeds or symbols of the faith. It is in
fact the supreme argument in favor of the divinity of Jesus and his divine mission:
our Lord proclaimed it many times (cf., e.g., Mt 16:21-28; 17:22-27; 20:17-19),
and by rising from the dead he provided the sign which he had promised those
who did not believe him (cf. Mt 12:38-40).

This point is so important that the primary role of the Apostles is to bear witness
to Christ’s resurrection (cf. Acts 1:22; 2:32; 3:15; etc.); the proclamation of the
resurrection of the Lord is the very core of apostolic catechesis (cf., e.g., the dis-
courses of St Peter and St Paul reported in the Acts of the Apostles).

3-8. On the verbs “deliver” and “receive” see the note on 1 Cor 11:23-26. St Paul
reminds the Corinthians of certain basic points in his preaching — that Jesus
Christ died for our sins; “that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day
in accordance with the scriptures” (a statement which has passed directly into
the Creed) and was seen by many people.

It should be pointed out that the Greek verb translated as “appeared” refers to
being seen by the eye. This is relevant to studying the nature of the appearances
of the risen Jesus: St Paul is speaking of true, ocular, sight; there seems to be
no way this can be identified with imagination or intellectual vision.

The appearances of the risen Christ are a direct proof of the historical fact of his
resurrection. This argument gains special force when one remembers that at the
time this letter was written many people who had seen the risen Lord were still
alive (v. 6). Some of the appearances referred to by St Paul are also mentioned
in the Gospels and in Acts — that to Peter (cf. Lk 24:34), those to the Apostles
(cf., e.g., Lk 24:36-49; Jn 20:19-29), that to St Paul himself (cf. Acts 9:1-6);
others — that to James and to the five hundred brethren — are mentioned only
here.

The importance of this passage is enhanced by the fact that it is the earliest do-
cumentary record earlier than the Gospels — of our Lord’s resurrection, which had
taken place scarcely twenty years earlier.

4. “Was buried”: in recounting the death of Christ, all four evangelists expressly
mention that his body was buried (cf. Mt 27:57-61 and par.). St Paul also con-
firms the fact in this letter, written very soon after the time, thereby confirming
a tradition which had come down from the beginning (v. 3). The fact that Christ’s
body was buried eliminates any doubt about his death, and underlines the mira-
cle of the Resurrection: Jesus Christ rose by his own power, rejoining his soul
with his body, and leaving the tomb with the same human body (not merely the
appearance of a body) as died and was buried, although now that body was glori-
fied and had certain special properties (cf. note on 15:42-44). The Resurrection,
therefore, is an objective, physical event, witnessed to by the empty tomb (cf.
Mt 28:1ff and par) and by Christ’s appearances.

“He was raised on the third day”: Jesus died and was buried on the evening of
Good Friday; his body lay in the tomb the entire sabbath, and rose on the Sun-
day. It is correct to say that he rose on the third day after his death, even though
it was not a full seventy-two hours later.

“According to the scriptures”: St Paul may be referring to certain passages of the
Old Testament which — “after” the event — were seen to foreshadow the Resurrec-
tion — for example, the episode of Jonah (chaps. 1-2), which Jesus in fact applied
to himself (cf. Mt 12:39-40; cf. also Hos 6:1-2 and Ps 16:9-10).

9-10. St Paul’s humility, which leads him to think that his past faults render him
unworthy of the grace of the apostolate, is precisely what gives God’s grace scope
to work in him. “Admit outright that you are a servant whose duty it is to perform
very many services. Do not pride yourself on being called a son of God: let us re-
cognize grace, yet be mindful of our nature; do not be proud of having rendered
good service, of having done what you were supposed to do. The sun fulfills its
function; the moon obeys, the angels carry out their charge. The Lord’s chosen in-
strument for the Gentiles says, ‘I am unfit to be called an apostle, because I per-
secuted the church of God’ (1 Cor 15:9) [...]. Neither should we seek to be praised
on our own account” (St Ambrose, “Expositio Evangelii sec. Lucam”, VIII, 32).

However, the grace of God is not enough on its own. As in St Paul’s case, man’s
cooperation is needed, because God has chosen to rely on our free response to
grace: “God, who created you without you, will not save you without you” (St Au-
gustine, “Sermon” 169, 13). And, commenting on St Paul’s words — “Not I, but the
grace of God which is with me” — Augustine points out, “that is, not just me, but
God with me; and therefore not the grace of God alone, nor myself alone, but the
grace of God and myself” (”De Gratia Et Libero Arbitrio”, V, l2).

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.


4 posted on 02/06/2016 8:34:29 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All

From: Luke 5:1-11

The Miraculous Catch of Fish and the Calling of the First Disciples


[1] While the people pressed upon Him (Jesus) to hear the word of God, He was
standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. [2] And He saw two boats by the lake, but
the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. [3] Getting into
one of the boats, which was Simon’s, He asked him to put out a little from the
land. And He sat down and taught the people from the boat. [4] And when He
had ceased speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down
your nets for a catch.” [5] And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and
took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” [6] And when they had
done this, they enclosed a great shoal of fish; and as their nets were breaking,
[7] they beckoned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And
they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. [8] But when Si-
mon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am
a sinful man, O Lord.” [9] For he was astonished, and all that were with Him, at
the catch of fish which they had taken; [10] And so also were James and John,
sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do
not be afraid; henceforth you will be catching men.” [11] And when they had
brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

1. “Just as they do today! Can’t you see? They want to hear God’s message,
even though outwardly they may not show it. Some perhaps have forgotten
Christ’s teachings. Others, through no fault of their own, have never known them
and they think that religion is something odd. But of this we can be sure, that in
every man’s life there comes a time sooner or later when his soul draws the line.
He has had enough of the usual explanations. The lies of the false prophets no
longer satisfy. Even though they may not admit it at the time, such people are
longing to quench their thirst with the teachings of our Lord” (St. J. Escriva,
“Friends of God”, 260).

3. The Fathers saw in Simon’s boat a symbol of the pilgrim Church on earth.
“This is the boat which according to St. Matthew was in danger of sinking and
according to St. Luke was filled with fish. Here we can see the difficult begin-
nings of the Church and its later fruitfulness” (St. Ambrose, “Expositio Evangelii
sec. Lucam in loc.”). Christ gets into the boat in order to teach the crowds —
and from the barque of Peter, the Church, He continues to teach the whole world.

Each of us can also see himself as this boat Christ uses for preaching. External-
ly no change is evident: “What has changed? There is a change inside our soul,
now that Christ has come aboard, as He went aboard Peter’s boat. Its horizon
has been expanded. It feels a greater ambition to serve and an irrepressible de-
sire to tell all creation about the “magnalia Dei” (Acts 2:11), the marvellous do-
ings of our Lord, if only we let Him work” (St. J. Escriva, “Friends of God”, 265).

4. “When He had finished His catechizing, He told Simon: ‘Put out into the deep,
and lower your nets for a catch.’ Christ is the master of this boat. He it is who
prepares the fishing. It is for this that He has come into the world, to do all He
can so that His brothers may find the way to glory and to the love of the Father”
(”Friends of God”, 260). To carry this task out, our Lord charges all of them to
cast their nets, but it is only Peter He tells to put out into the deep.

This whole passage refers in some way to the life of the Church. In the Church
the bishop of Rome, Peter’s successor, “is the vicar of Jesus Christ because he
represents Him on earth and acts for Him in the government of the Church” (”St.
Pius X Catechism”, 195). Christ is also addressing each one of us, urging us to
be daring in apostolate: ‘”Duc in altum. Put out into deep water!’ Throw aside the
pessimism that makes a coward of you. ‘Et laxate retia vestra in capturam. And
pay out your nets for a catch.’ Don’t you see that you, like Peter, can say: ‘In no-
mine tuo, laxabo rete’: Jesus, if You say so, I will search for souls?” (St. J. Es-
criva, “The Way”, 792).

“If you were to fall into the temptation of wondering, ‘Who’s telling me to embark
on this?’, we would have reply, ‘Christ Himself is telling you, is begging you.’ ‘The
harvest is plentiful enough, but the laborers are few. You must ask the Lord to
whom the harvest belongs to send laborers out for the harvesting’ (Matthew 9:37-
38). Don’t take the easy way out. Don’t say, ‘I’m no good at this sort of thing;
there are others who can do it; it isn’t my line.’ No, for this sort of thing, there is
no one else: if you could get away with that argument, so could everyone else.
Christ’s plea is addressed to each and every Christian. No one can consider him-
self exempt, for whatever reason—age, health or occupation. There are no excu-
ses whatsoever. Either we carry out a fruitful apostolate, or our faith will prove
barren” (”Friends of God”, 272).

5. When Christ gives him these instructions, Peter states the difficulties involved.
“A reasonable enough reply. The night hours were the normal time for fishing, and
this time the catch had yielded nothing. What was the point of fishing by day?
But Peter has faith: ‘But at Your word I will let down the nets.’ He decides to act
on Christ’s suggestion. He undertakes the work relying entirely on the word of
our Lord” (”Friends of God”, 261).

8. Peter does not want Christ to leave him; aware of his sins, he declares his un-
worthiness to be near Christ. This reminds us of the attitude of the centurion who
confesses his unworthiness to receive Jesus into his house (Matthew 8:8). The
Church requires her children to repeat these exact words of the centurion before
receiving the Blessed Eucharist. She also teaches us to show due external reve-
rence to the Blessed Sacrament when going to Communion: by falling down on
his knees Peter also shows that internal adoration of God should be also be ex-
pressed externally.

11. Perfection is not simply a matter of leaving all things but of doing so in order
to follow Christ—which is what the Apostles did: they gave up everything in order
to be available to do what God’s calling involved.

We should develop this attitude of availability, for “Jesus isn’t satisfied ‘going
halves’: He wants the lot” (St. J. Escriva, “The Way”, 155).

If we don’t give ourselves generously we will find it very difficult to follow Jesus:
“Detach yourself from people and things until you are stripped of them. For, says
Pope St. Gregory, the devil has nothing of his own in this world, and naked he
comes to battle. If you go clothed to fight him, you will soon be pulled to the
ground: for he will have something to catch you by” (”The Way”, 149).

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.


5 posted on 02/06/2016 8:35:10 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible by Darton, Longman & Todd

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: Green.


First reading
Isaiah 6:1-2,3-8 ©
In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord of Hosts seated on a high throne; his train filled the sanctuary; above him stood seraphs, each one with six wings.
  And they cried out to one another in this way,
‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts.
His glory fills the whole earth.’
The foundations of the threshold shook with the voice of the one who cried out, and the Temple was filled with smoke. I said:
‘What a wretched state I am in! I am lost,
for I am a man of unclean lips
and I live among a people of unclean lips,
and my eyes have looked at the King, the Lord of Hosts.’
Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding in his hand a live coal which he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. With this he touched my mouth and said:
‘See now, this has touched your lips,
your sin is taken away,
your iniquity is purged.’
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying:
‘Whom shall I send? Who will be our messenger?’
I answered, ‘Here I am, send me.’

Psalm
Psalm 137:1-5,7-8 ©
Before the angels I will bless you, O Lord.
I thank you, Lord, with all my heart:
  you have heard the words of my mouth.
In the presence of the angels I will bless you.
  I will adore before your holy temple.
Before the angels I will bless you, O Lord.
I thank you for your faithfulness and love,
  which excel all we ever knew of you.
On the day I called, you answered;
  you increased the strength of my soul.
Before the angels I will bless you, O Lord.
All earth’s kings shall thank you
  when they hear the words of your mouth.
They shall sing of the Lord’s ways:
  ‘How great is the glory of the Lord!’
Before the angels I will bless you, O Lord.
You stretch out your hand and save me,
  your hand will do all things for me.
Your love, O Lord, is eternal,
  discard not the work of your hands.
Before the angels I will bless you, O Lord.
EITHER:
Second reading
1 Corinthians 15:1-11 ©
Brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, the gospel that you received and in which you are firmly established; because the gospel will save you only if you keep believing exactly what I preached to you – believing anything else will not lead to anything.
  Well then, in the first place, I taught you what I had been taught myself, namely that Christ died for our sins, in accordance with the scriptures; that he was buried; and that he was raised to life on the third day, in accordance with the scriptures; that he appeared first to Cephas and secondly to the Twelve. Next he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died; then he appeared to James, and then to all the apostles; and last of all he appeared to me too; it was as though I was born when no one expected it.
  I am the least of the apostles; in fact, since I persecuted the Church of God, I hardly deserve the name apostle; but by God’s grace that is what I am, and the grace that he gave me has not been fruitless. On the contrary, I, or rather the grace of God that is with me, have worked harder than any of the others; but what matters is that I preach what they preach, and this is what you all believed.
OR:
Alternative Second reading
1 Corinthians 15:3-8,11 ©
Brothers, in the first place I taught you what I had been taught myself, namely that Christ died for our sins, in accordance with the scriptures; that he was buried; and that he was raised to life on the third day, in accordance with the scriptures; that he appeared first to Cephas and secondly to the Twelve. Next he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died; then he appeared to James, and then to all the apostles; and last of all he appeared to me too; it was as though I was born when no one expected it. But what matters is that I preach what they preach, and this is what you all believed.

Gospel Acclamation Jn15:15
Alleluia, alleluia!
I call you friends, says the Lord,
because I have made known to you
everything I have learnt from my Father.
Alleluia!
Or Mt4:19
Alleluia, alleluia!
Follow me, says the Lord,
and I will make you into fishers of men.
Alleluia!

Gospel Luke 5:1-11 ©
Jesus was standing one day by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the crowd pressing round him listening to the word of God, when he caught sight of two boats close to the bank. The fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats – it was Simon’s – and asked him to put out a little from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.
  When he had finished speaking he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water and pay out your nets for a catch.’ ‘Master,’ Simon replied, ‘we worked hard all night long and caught nothing, but if you say so, I will pay out the nets.’ And when they had done this they netted such a huge number of fish that their nets began to tear, so they signalled to their companions in the other boat to come and help them; when these came, they filled the two boats to sinking point.
  When Simon Peter saw this he fell at the knees of Jesus saying, ‘Leave me, Lord; I am a sinful man.’ For he and all his companions were completely overcome by the catch they had made; so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were Simon’s partners. But Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on it is men you will catch.’ Then, bringing their boats back to land, they left everything and followed him.

6 posted on 02/06/2016 8:38:43 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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Pray for Pope Francis.


7 posted on 02/06/2016 8:39:09 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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It's time to kneel down and pray for our nation (Sacramental Marriage)
8 posted on 02/06/2016 8:39:40 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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Perpetual Novena for the Nation (Ecumenical)
9 posted on 02/06/2016 8:41:21 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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Prayers for The Religion Forum (Ecumenical)
10 posted on 02/06/2016 8:41:45 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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7 Powerful Ways to Pray for Christians Suffering in the Middle East
11 posted on 02/06/2016 8:42:46 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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Why Boko Haram and ISIS Target Women
Report reveals scale of Boko Haram violence inflicted on Nigerian Catholics
Military evacuating girls, women rescued from Boko Haram
Echos of Lepanto Nigerian bishop says rosary will bring down Boko Harm
After vision of Christ, Nigerian bishop says rosary will bring down Boko Haram (Catholic Caucus)
Nigerian Bishop Says Christ Showed Him How to Beat Islamic Terror Group
12 posted on 02/06/2016 8:43:12 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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Jesus, High Priest
 

We thank you, God our Father, for those who have responded to your call to priestly ministry.

Accept this prayer we offer on their behalf: Fill your priests with the sure knowledge of your love.

Open their hearts to the power and consolation of the Holy Spirit.

Lead them to new depths of union with your Son.

Increase in them profound faith in the Sacraments they celebrate as they nourish, strengthen and heal us.

Lord Jesus Christ, grant that these, your priests, may inspire us to strive for holiness by the power of their example, as men of prayer who ponder your word and follow your will.

O Mary, Mother of Christ and our mother, guard with your maternal care these chosen ones, so dear to the Heart of your Son.

Intercede for our priests, that offering the Sacrifice of your Son, they may be conformed more each day to the image of your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Saint John Vianney, universal patron of priests, pray for us and our priests

This icon shows Jesus Christ, our eternal high priest.

The gold pelican over His heart represents self-sacrifice.

The border contains an altar and grapevines, representing the Mass, and icons of Melchizedek and St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney.

Melchizedek: king of righteousness (left icon) was priest and king of Jerusalem.  He blessed Abraham and has been considered an ideal priest-king.

St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney is the patron saint of parish priests.

13 posted on 02/06/2016 8:44:21 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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Jubilee of Mercy, But With the Confessionals Empty
If You Don't Know the Bad News, the Good News is No News -- A Meditation on the Coming Year of Mercy
Letter of His Holiness Pope Francis According to which an Indulgence is Granted...[Catholic Caucus]
POPE FRANCIS FOR YEAR OF MERCY GRANTS THAT SSPX PRIESTS CAN VALIDLY ABSOLVE!
MISERICORDIAE VULTUS: BULL OF INDICTION OF THE EXTRAORDINARY JUBILEE OF MERCY
Pope: Church Must Be 'Oasis of Mercy,' Not Severe Fortress

14 posted on 02/06/2016 8:44:46 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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Pray a Rosary each day for our nation.

1. Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

2. The Apostles Creed: I BELIEVE in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

3. The Lord's Prayer: 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. Amen.

4. (3) Hail Mary: HAIL Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen. (Three times)

5. Glory Be: 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.

6. Fatima Prayer: Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of your mercy.

Announce each mystery, then say 1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, 1 Glory Be and 1 Fatima prayer. Repeat the process with each mystery.

End with the Hail Holy Queen:
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve! To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears! Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus!

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Final step -- The Sign of the Cross

The Mysteries of the Rosary By tradition, Catholics meditate on these Mysteries during prayers of the Rosary. The biblical references follow each of the Mysteries below.

The Glorious Mysteries
(Wednesdays and Sundays)
1.The Resurrection (Matthew 28:1-8, Mark 16:1-18, Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1-29) [Spiritual fruit - Faith]
2. The Ascension (Mark 16:19-20, Luke 24:50-53, Acts 1:6-11) [Spiritual fruit - Christian Hope]
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-13) [Spiritual fruit - Gifts of the Holy Spirit]
4. The Assumption [Spiritual fruit - To Jesus through Mary]
5. The Coronation [Spiritual fruit - Grace of Final Perseverance]

15 posted on 02/06/2016 8:45:17 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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St. Michael the Archangel

~ PRAYER ~

St. Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle
Be our protection against the wickedness
and snares of the devil;
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God,
Cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits
who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen
+

16 posted on 02/06/2016 8:45:50 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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From an Obama bumper sticker on a car:
"Pray for Obama. Psalm 109:8"

PLEASE JOIN US - Evening Prayer
Someone has said that if people really understood the full extent of the power we have available through prayer, we might be speechless.
Did you know that during WWII there was an advisor to Churchill who organized a group of people who dropped what they were doing every day at a prescribed hour for one minute to collectively pray for the safety of England, its people and peace?

There is now a group of people organizing the same thing here in America. If you would like to participate: Every evening at 9:00 PM Eastern Time (8:00 PM Central) (7:00 PM Mountain) (6:00 PM Pacific), stop whatever you are doing and spend one minute praying for the safety of the United States, our troops, our citizens, and for a return to a Godly nation. If you know anyone else who would like to participate, please pass this along. Our prayers are the most powerful asset we have. Please forward this to your praying friends.

17 posted on 02/06/2016 8:46:20 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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February Devotion: The Holy Family

Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. The month of February has been primarily asociated with the Holy Family, probably due to the feast of Our Lord's presentation at the temple, celebrated on February 2. At the very outset of Christ's work on earth, God showed the world a family in which, as Pope Leo XIII teaches, "all men might behold a perfect model of domestic life, and of all virtue and holiness." The harmony, unity, and holiness which characterized this holy Family make it the model for all Christian families.

INVOCATION
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph most kind, Bless us now and in death's agony.

FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE HOLY FAMILY
Grant unto us, Lord Jesus, ever to follow the example of Thy holy Family, that in the hour of our death Thy glorious Virgin Mother together with blessed Joseph may come to meet us and we may be worthily received by Thee into everlasting dwellings: who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.
Roman Missal

CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY FAMILY
O Jesus, our most loving Redeemer, who having come to enlighten the world with Thy teaching and example, didst will to pass the greater part of Thy life in humility and subjection to Mary and Joseph in the poor home of Nazareth, thus sanctifying the Family that was to be an example for all Christian families, graciously receive our family as it dedicates and consecrates itself to Thee this day. Do Thou defend us, guard us and establish amongst us Thy holy fear, true peace, and concord in Christian love: in order that, by conforming ourselves to the divine pattern of Thy family, we may be able, all of us without exception, to attain to eternal happiness.

Mary, dear Mother of Jesus and Mother of us, by thy kindly intercession make this our humble offering acceptable in the sight of Jesus, and obtain for us His graces and blessings.

O Saint Joseph, most holy guardian of Jesus and Mary, assist us by thy prayers in all our spiritual and temporal necessities; that so we may be enabled to praise our divine Savior Jesus, together with Mary and thee, for all eternity.

Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be, three times.

IN HONOR OF THE HOLY FAMILY
O God, heavenly Father, it was part of Thine eternal decree that Thine only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, should form a holy family with Mary, His blessed mother, and His foster father, Saint Joseph. In Nazareth home life was sanctified, and a perfect example was given to every Christian family. Grant, we beseech Thee, that we may fully comprehend and faithfully imitate the virtues of the Holy Family so that we may be united with them one day in their heavenly glory. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954

Holy Family Chaplet

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I give you my heart.
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, be with me in my last hour.
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, may I breathe forth my soul
in peace with you.

Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true man.
Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most holy.
Blessed be St. Joseph, her most chaste spouse. Amen.

Say 3 Our Father's, 3 Hail Mary's, and 3 Glory be's.

The Holy Family Icon by Nicholas Markell

PRAYER TO
THE HOLY FAMILY
===================================================================== ================

GOD our Heavenly Father, You call all peoples to be united as one family in worshipping You as the one and true God. You willed that Your Son become man, giving Him a virgin mother and a foster father to form the Holy Family of Nazareth.

WE pray: may the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, image and model of every human family unit walk in the spirit of Nazareth and grow in the understanding of its particular mission in society and the Church. May our families be living cells of love, faithfulness and unity, thus reflecting God's covenant with humanity and Christ's redeeming love for His Church.

JESUS, Mary and Joseph protect our families from all evil; keep us, who are away from home, one in love with our dear ones.

Parent's Prayer

Jesus, Son of God, Son of Man, and Son of Mary, I thank you for the gift of life you have entrusted to my care. Help me be a parent both tender and wise, both loving and forgiving.

Mary, Holy Mother of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and our Motherly Queen of Heaven, nourish our family with your heavenly grace. Help us to remain faithful to The Most Holy Trinity, in all our sorrows and joys.

Joseph, Earthly father to our Lord God, guardian and spouse of Mary, keep our family safe from harm. Help us in all times of discouragement or anxiety.

Holy Family of Nazareth, help our family to walk in your footsteps. May we be peace-loving and peace-giving.
Amen.
 

Imitating the Holy Family: Four Traits that Make It Possible
[Catholic Caucus] On the Holy Family [Angelus]
Biblical Teachings on Marriage and Family. A Homily for the Feast of the Holy Family
Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph
Recovering God's Plan for Marriage and Family: A Sermon on the Feast of the Holy Family

"Why were you looking for me?" (On the Feast of The Holy Family)
U.S. Postal Service Issues Holy Family Forever Stamp
On Prayer in the Life of the Holy Family
The Holy Family - held together by Love through all their problems [Ecumenical]
Feast of the Holy Family: The Christian Family is a Domestic Church
Chesterton on "The Human Family and the Holy Family"
Joseph, Mary and Jesus: A Model Family
ADVICE TO PARENTS by Saint Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
The Holy Family
St. Joseph as Head of the Holy Family (Catholic/Orthodox Caucus)

Feast of the Holy Family
Feast of the Holy Family (Dom Guéranger OSB)
The Feast of the Holy Family
The Holy Family vs. The Holy Innocents: A Christmas season reflection [Catholic Caucus]
Vatican creche to place Holy Family in Joseph's carpentry workshop
The Redemption and Protection of the Family [Feast of the Holy Family]
Study Backs Tradition of Loreto House - Stones in Altar Match Those in Nazareth, It Says
Unraveling Jesus' mystery years in Egypt
Gaudi's Church of the Holy Family to be ready for worship in 2008
Imitating the Holy Family; Four Traits that Make It Possible
Lots of Graphics: Post your favorite image of the St. Mary and Child, the Holy Family...

18 posted on 02/06/2016 8:46:43 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Salvation

The patron saint of police.

.


19 posted on 02/06/2016 8:47:15 PM PST by Mears
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February 2016

Pope's Intentions

Universal: Care for Creation --That we may take good care of creation -- a gift freely given -- cultivating and protecting it for future generations.

Evangelization: Asia -- That opportunities may increase for dialogue and encounter between the Christian faith and the peoples of Asia.


20 posted on 02/06/2016 8:47:18 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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