Reading 1
Is 55:1-3
Thus says the LORD:
All you who are thirsty,
come to the water!
You who have no money,
come, receive grain and eat;
Come, without paying and without cost,
drink wine and milk!
Why spend your money for what is not bread;
your wages for what fails to satisfy?
Heed me, and you shall eat well,
you shall delight in rich fare.
Come to me heedfully,
listen, that you may have life.
I will renew with you the everlasting covenant,
the benefits assured to David.
Ps 145:8-9, 15-16, 17-18
Responsorial PsalmR. (cf. 16)
The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.
The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.
R. The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.
The eyes of all look hopefully to you,
and you give them their food in due season;
you open your hand
and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
R. The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.
The LORD is just in all his ways
and holy in all his works.
The LORD is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth.
R. The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.
Reading II
Rom 8:35, 37-39
Brothers and sisters:
What will separate us from the love of Christ?
Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine,
or nakedness, or peril, or the sword?
No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly
through him who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life,
nor angels, nor principalities,
nor present things, nor future things,
nor powers, nor height, nor depth,
nor any other creature will be able to separate us
from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Gospel
Mt 14:13-21
When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist,
he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself.
The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns.
When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd,
his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick.
When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said,
“This is a deserted place and it is already late;
dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages
and buy food for themselves.”
Jesus said to them, “There is no need for them to go away;
give them some food yourselves.”
But they said to him,
“Five loaves and two fish are all we have here.”
Then he said, “Bring them here to me, ”
and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass.
Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven,
he said the blessing, broke the loaves,
and gave them to the disciples,
who in turn gave them to the crowds.
They all ate and were satisfied,
and they picked up the fragments left over—
twelve wicker baskets full.
Those who ate were about five thousand men,
not counting women and children.
Meditation: Matthew 14:13-21
“They all ate and were satisfied” (Matthew 14:20)
We live under a tremendous economy—God’s economy, that is. Even as the world’s market systems soar and plummet, God’s economy remains stable because it is founded on his word. His economy includes salvation for all who believe, the indwelling Holy Spirit, forgiveness of all our sins, and the hope of heaven, where all pain, suffering, and sadness are wiped away. This is a rich economy indeed!
Today’s Gospel reading demonstrates just how rich our heavenly Father is, and how eager he is to share his riches with all of us. The people Jesus fed with five loaves and two fishes were ordinary folks. They weren’t kings and queens. They weren’t celebrities or sports heroes. They probably weren’t even all that well educated. But it didn’t matter. God was willing to share his choicest blessings with them, simply because they had spent time with Jesus, trying their best to grasp his message of salvation. They did nothing to earn this miracle, and many of them probably left that day thinking about the food they had eaten more than pondering Jesus’ words. But it didn’t matter. God’s people were in need, and he cared for them.
It is humbling to know that we are children of such a generous God. And it is amazing that the covenant this generous God has made with us is founded on two words: “I will” (Hebrews 8:10,12). God will teach and lead. God will forgive. God will provide what we lack. As he did for the hungry crowd in today’s Gospel, he will provide for our needs (Matthew 14:20-21).
We have so many great promises from our God. Are you enjoying them? Or are you still looking forward, waiting, and hoping, but not fully receiving? Today, tell the Lord that you want to live in the economy he has afforded you!
“Father, thank you that I can know you and enjoy your presence today. Help me to trust your promise, ‘I will,’ in every circumstance that I face today.”
30 July 2011
30 Jul 2011, Saturday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Lv 25:1, 8-17
The LORD said to Moses on Mount Sinai,
“Seven weeks of years shall you count–seven times seven years–
so that the seven cycles amount to forty-nine years.
Then, on the tenth day of the seventh month, let the trumpet resound;
on this, the Day of Atonement, the trumpet blast shall re-echo
throughout your land.
This fiftieth year you shall make sacred
by proclaiming liberty in the land for all its inhabitants.
It shall be a jubilee for you,
when every one of you shall return to his own property,
every one to his own family estate.
In this fiftieth year, your year of jubilee,
you shall not sow, nor shall you reap the aftergrowth
or pick the grapes from the untrimmed vines.
Since this is the jubilee, which shall be sacred for you,
you may not eat of its produce,
except as taken directly from the field.
“In this year of jubilee, then,
every one of you shall return to his own property.
Therefore, when you sell any land to your neighbor
or buy any from him, do not deal unfairly.
On the basis of the number of years since the last jubilee
shall you purchase the land from your neighbor;
and so also, on the basis of the number of years for crops,
shall he sell it to you.
When the years are many, the price shall be so much the more;
when the years are few, the price shall be so much the less.
For it is really the number of crops that he sells you.
Do not deal unfairly, then; but stand in fear of your God.
I, the LORD, am your God.”
67:2-3, 5, 7-8
Responsorial PsalmR. (4)
O God, let all the nations praise you!
May God have pity on us and bless us;
may he let his face shine upon us.
So may your way be known upon earth;
among all nations, your salvation.
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
May the nations be glad and exult
because you rule the peoples in equity;
the nations on the earth you guide.
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
The earth has yielded its fruits;
God, our God, has blessed us.
May God bless us,
and may all the ends of the earth fear him!
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
Gospel
Mt 14:1-12
Herod the tetrarch heard of the reputation of Jesus
and said to his servants, “This man is John the Baptist.
He has been raised from the dead;
that is why mighty powers are at work in him.”
Now Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison
on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip,
for John had said to him,
“It is not lawful for you to have her.”
Although he wanted to kill him, he feared the people,
for they regarded him as a prophet.
But at a birthday celebration for Herod,
the daughter of Herodias performed a dance before the guests
and delighted Herod so much
that he swore to give her whatever she might ask for.
Prompted by her mother, she said,
“Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”
The king was distressed,
but because of his oaths and the guests who were present,
he ordered that it be given, and he had John beheaded in the prison.
His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl,
who took it to her mother.
His disciples came and took away the corpse
and buried him; and they went and told Jesus.
Meditation: Matthew 14:1-12
“Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” (Matthew 14:8)
Poor Herodias! In today’s reading we see her spinning an intricate web of deception around her husband Herod, her daughter Salomé, and her outspoken critic John the Baptist. You have to admit she was pretty clever. Because Herod felt cornered, an innocent man was put to death. The guests were in the dark about the whole thing so she didn’t look like the bad guy. Instead, John’s blood appeared to be on her daughter’s hands. In the end, Herodias got what she wanted.
Her web was cleverly woven, but think of the devastation it caused when everyone got tangled up in it. Her family was brought down, and a good man was killed. Could Herod ever trust her again? Surely he suspected that Herodias had some hand in the whole thing, even if it appeared to be Salomé’s idea. Did Salomé ever recover from the guilt over what she had done? And did killing John really soothe Herodias’ conscience? Did it really take care of the problem?
Isn’t the cost of sin always more than we bargain for? In her quest to silence John the Baptist, Herodias alienates her husband and daughter and draws a dark shadow over her own heart. She may have gotten what she wanted, but she paid a stunningly high price for it.
Can you think of a time when you had to pay dearly for a poor decision you made? Maybe you or someone close to you is still paying for it in some way or other. Maybe you see this story as a warning, telling you to think twice before following a scheme of your own.
Whichever is true, remember that no matter what the sin—whether it’s something you’ve done or something you’re contemplating—Jesus’ power is far greater. He can forgive the worst of all transgressions. He can untangle the most complex of webs. He can empower us against the strongest of temptations.
If you are still suffering from guilt over a past sin, take it to the Lord. If you’re struggling with a temptation, take it to the Lord. Don’t imagine for a minute that he won’t help you!
“Father, your grace is always enough for me. Please give me a pure heart today, and strengthen me against temptation.”
Lv 25:1, 8-17
The LORD said to Moses on Mount Sinai,
“Seven weeks of years shall you count–seven times seven years–
so that the seven cycles amount to forty-nine years.
Then, on the tenth day of the seventh month, let the trumpet resound;
on this, the Day of Atonement, the trumpet blast shall re-echo
throughout your land.
This fiftieth year you shall make sacred
by proclaiming liberty in the land for all its inhabitants.
It shall be a jubilee for you,
when every one of you shall return to his own property,
every one to his own family estate.
In this fiftieth year, your year of jubilee,
you shall not sow, nor shall you reap the aftergrowth
or pick the grapes from the untrimmed vines.
Since this is the jubilee, which shall be sacred for you,
you may not eat of its produce,
except as taken directly from the field.
“In this year of jubilee, then,
every one of you shall return to his own property.
Therefore, when you sell any land to your neighbor
or buy any from him, do not deal unfairly.
On the basis of the number of years since the last jubilee
shall you purchase the land from your neighbor;
and so also, on the basis of the number of years for crops,
shall he sell it to you.
When the years are many, the price shall be so much the more;
when the years are few, the price shall be so much the less.
For it is really the number of crops that he sells you.
Do not deal unfairly, then; but stand in fear of your God.
I, the LORD, am your God.”
67:2-3, 5, 7-8
Responsorial PsalmR. (4)
O God, let all the nations praise you!
May God have pity on us and bless us;
may he let his face shine upon us.
So may your way be known upon earth;
among all nations, your salvation.
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
May the nations be glad and exult
because you rule the peoples in equity;
the nations on the earth you guide.
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
The earth has yielded its fruits;
God, our God, has blessed us.
May God bless us,
and may all the ends of the earth fear him!
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
Gospel
Mt 14:1-12
Herod the tetrarch heard of the reputation of Jesus
and said to his servants, “This man is John the Baptist.
He has been raised from the dead;
that is why mighty powers are at work in him.”
Now Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison
on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip,
for John had said to him,
“It is not lawful for you to have her.”
Although he wanted to kill him, he feared the people,
for they regarded him as a prophet.
But at a birthday celebration for Herod,
the daughter of Herodias performed a dance before the guests
and delighted Herod so much
that he swore to give her whatever she might ask for.
Prompted by her mother, she said,
“Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”
The king was distressed,
but because of his oaths and the guests who were present,
he ordered that it be given, and he had John beheaded in the prison.
His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl,
who took it to her mother.
His disciples came and took away the corpse
and buried him; and they went and told Jesus.
Meditation: Matthew 14:1-12
“Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” (Matthew 14:8)
Poor Herodias! In today’s reading we see her spinning an intricate web of deception around her husband Herod, her daughter Salomé, and her outspoken critic John the Baptist. You have to admit she was pretty clever. Because Herod felt cornered, an innocent man was put to death. The guests were in the dark about the whole thing so she didn’t look like the bad guy. Instead, John’s blood appeared to be on her daughter’s hands. In the end, Herodias got what she wanted.
Her web was cleverly woven, but think of the devastation it caused when everyone got tangled up in it. Her family was brought down, and a good man was killed. Could Herod ever trust her again? Surely he suspected that Herodias had some hand in the whole thing, even if it appeared to be Salomé’s idea. Did Salomé ever recover from the guilt over what she had done? And did killing John really soothe Herodias’ conscience? Did it really take care of the problem?
Isn’t the cost of sin always more than we bargain for? In her quest to silence John the Baptist, Herodias alienates her husband and daughter and draws a dark shadow over her own heart. She may have gotten what she wanted, but she paid a stunningly high price for it.
Can you think of a time when you had to pay dearly for a poor decision you made? Maybe you or someone close to you is still paying for it in some way or other. Maybe you see this story as a warning, telling you to think twice before following a scheme of your own.
Whichever is true, remember that no matter what the sin—whether it’s something you’ve done or something you’re contemplating—Jesus’ power is far greater. He can forgive the worst of all transgressions. He can untangle the most complex of webs. He can empower us against the strongest of temptations.
If you are still suffering from guilt over a past sin, take it to the Lord. If you’re struggling with a temptation, take it to the Lord. Don’t imagine for a minute that he won’t help you!
“Father, your grace is always enough for me. Please give me a pure heart today, and strengthen me against temptation.”
29 July 2011
29 Jul 2011, Memorial of Saint Martha
Reading 1
Lv 23:1, 4-11, 15-16, 27, 34b-37
The LORD said to Moses,
“These are the festivals of the LORD which you shall celebrate
at their proper time with a sacred assembly.
The Passover of the LORD falls on the fourteenth day of the first month,
at the evening twilight.
The fifteenth day of this month is the LORD’s feast of Unleavened Bread.
For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread.
On the first of these days you shall hold a sacred assembly
and do no sort of work.
On each of the seven days you shall offer an oblation to the LORD.
Then on the seventh day you shall again hold a sacred assembly
and do no sort of work.”
The LORD said to Moses, “Speak to the children of Israel and tell them:
When you come into the land which I am giving you,
and reap your harvest,
you shall bring a sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest
to the priest, who shall wave the sheaf before the LORD
that it may be acceptable for you.
On the day after the sabbath the priest shall do this.
“Beginning with the day after the sabbath,
the day on which you bring the wave-offering sheaf,
you shall count seven full weeks,
and then on the day after the seventh week, the fiftieth day,
you shall present the new cereal offering to the LORD.
“The tenth of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement,
when you shall hold a sacred assembly and mortify yourselves
and offer an oblation to the LORD.
“The fifteenth day of this seventh month is the LORD’s feast of Booths,
which shall continue for seven days.
On the first day there shall be a sacred assembly,
and you shall do no sort of work.
For seven days you shall offer an oblation to the LORD,
and on the eighth day you shall again hold a sacred assembly
and offer an oblation to the LORD.
On that solemn closing you shall do no sort of work.
“These, therefore, are the festivals of the LORD
on which you shall proclaim a sacred assembly,
and offer as an oblation to the LORD burnt offerings and cereal offerings,
sacrifices and libations, as prescribed for each day.”
81:3-4, 5-6, 10-11ab
Responsorial PsalmR. (2a)
Sing with joy to God our help.
Take up a melody, and sound the timbrel,
the pleasant harp and the lyre.
Blow the trumpet at the new moon,
at the full moon, on our solemn feast.
R. Sing with joy to God our help.
For it is a statute in Israel,
an ordinance of the God of Jacob,
Who made it a decree for Joseph
when he came forth from the land of Egypt.
R. Sing with joy to God our help.
There shall be no strange god among you
nor shall you worship any alien god.
I, the LORD, am your God
who led you forth from the land of Egypt.
R. Sing with joy to God our help.
Gospel
Jn 11:19-27
Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary
to comfort them about their brother [Lazarus, who had died].
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming,
she went to meet him;
but Mary sat at home.
Martha said to Jesus,
“Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died.
But even now I know that whatever you ask of God,
God will give you.”
Jesus said to her,
“Your brother will rise.”
Martha said to him,
“I know he will rise,
in the resurrection on the last day.”
Jesus told her,
“I am the resurrection and the life;
whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live,
and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die.
Do you believe this?”
She said to him, “Yes, Lord.
I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God,
the one who is coming into the world.”
or
Lk 10:38-42
Jesus entered a village
where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.
She had a sister named Mary
who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.
Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said,
“Lord, do you not care
that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?
Tell her to help me.”
The Lord said to her in reply,
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.
There is need of only one thing.
Mary has chosen the better part
and it will not be taken from her.”
Meditation: Luke 10:38-42
St. Martha
Martha, Martha… . There is need of only one thing. (Luke 10:41,42)
Today’s first reading gives us an idea of some of the demands placed on a housewife in ancient Israel. The Jewish calendar, with all of its feasts and religious celebrations, was quite thorough and rigorous. And it often fell to the woman of the house to make all the necessary preparations.
You can just imagine Martha, the perfect hostess, reveling in these sacred feasts. She probably never let herself be caught off-guard by them. She always had the right food and the right décor. And she probably knew the rituals inside and out. And so when Jesus arrives in her town, she hastens to welcome him into her home so that she can show him the hospitality that was expected of a proper Jewish household. It was paramount that her guest be treated right, no matter what the cost.
But Martha’s irritation peeks through, and we get a glimpse of the fault lines around her philosophy. Instead of being the perfect, serene hostess ensuring her guest’s comfort, she erupts at her sister’s apparent laziness and all but commands Jesus to make Mary help her. Something snapped inside of Martha, creating a rift between her and Mary and between her and Jesus.
Unsurprised that Martha would display her feelings so openly, Jesus gently corrects her. He appreciates all her hard work, but in focusing on the meal, she has missed his presence. She has lost sight of the one she is supposed to be ministering to, even as she works herself into a state of agitation trying to do the right thing.
We can all identify with Martha. She has such a good heart, and surely someone has to do all that work! We just need to be careful not to forget the people in our lives—or the Lord of our lives. Surely the chores can wait until later. Surely the “work” of building the kingdom can take a back seat to the people who actually make up that kingdom. Let’s never forget that the greatest and most valuable commandment is to love.
“Jesus, show me anything that threatens to come between me and you, between me and my brother and sister.”
Lv 23:1, 4-11, 15-16, 27, 34b-37
The LORD said to Moses,
“These are the festivals of the LORD which you shall celebrate
at their proper time with a sacred assembly.
The Passover of the LORD falls on the fourteenth day of the first month,
at the evening twilight.
The fifteenth day of this month is the LORD’s feast of Unleavened Bread.
For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread.
On the first of these days you shall hold a sacred assembly
and do no sort of work.
On each of the seven days you shall offer an oblation to the LORD.
Then on the seventh day you shall again hold a sacred assembly
and do no sort of work.”
The LORD said to Moses, “Speak to the children of Israel and tell them:
When you come into the land which I am giving you,
and reap your harvest,
you shall bring a sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest
to the priest, who shall wave the sheaf before the LORD
that it may be acceptable for you.
On the day after the sabbath the priest shall do this.
“Beginning with the day after the sabbath,
the day on which you bring the wave-offering sheaf,
you shall count seven full weeks,
and then on the day after the seventh week, the fiftieth day,
you shall present the new cereal offering to the LORD.
“The tenth of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement,
when you shall hold a sacred assembly and mortify yourselves
and offer an oblation to the LORD.
“The fifteenth day of this seventh month is the LORD’s feast of Booths,
which shall continue for seven days.
On the first day there shall be a sacred assembly,
and you shall do no sort of work.
For seven days you shall offer an oblation to the LORD,
and on the eighth day you shall again hold a sacred assembly
and offer an oblation to the LORD.
On that solemn closing you shall do no sort of work.
“These, therefore, are the festivals of the LORD
on which you shall proclaim a sacred assembly,
and offer as an oblation to the LORD burnt offerings and cereal offerings,
sacrifices and libations, as prescribed for each day.”
81:3-4, 5-6, 10-11ab
Responsorial PsalmR. (2a)
Sing with joy to God our help.
Take up a melody, and sound the timbrel,
the pleasant harp and the lyre.
Blow the trumpet at the new moon,
at the full moon, on our solemn feast.
R. Sing with joy to God our help.
For it is a statute in Israel,
an ordinance of the God of Jacob,
Who made it a decree for Joseph
when he came forth from the land of Egypt.
R. Sing with joy to God our help.
There shall be no strange god among you
nor shall you worship any alien god.
I, the LORD, am your God
who led you forth from the land of Egypt.
R. Sing with joy to God our help.
Gospel
Jn 11:19-27
Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary
to comfort them about their brother [Lazarus, who had died].
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming,
she went to meet him;
but Mary sat at home.
Martha said to Jesus,
“Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died.
But even now I know that whatever you ask of God,
God will give you.”
Jesus said to her,
“Your brother will rise.”
Martha said to him,
“I know he will rise,
in the resurrection on the last day.”
Jesus told her,
“I am the resurrection and the life;
whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live,
and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die.
Do you believe this?”
She said to him, “Yes, Lord.
I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God,
the one who is coming into the world.”
or
Lk 10:38-42
Jesus entered a village
where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.
She had a sister named Mary
who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.
Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said,
“Lord, do you not care
that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?
Tell her to help me.”
The Lord said to her in reply,
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.
There is need of only one thing.
Mary has chosen the better part
and it will not be taken from her.”
Meditation: Luke 10:38-42
St. Martha
Martha, Martha… . There is need of only one thing. (Luke 10:41,42)
Today’s first reading gives us an idea of some of the demands placed on a housewife in ancient Israel. The Jewish calendar, with all of its feasts and religious celebrations, was quite thorough and rigorous. And it often fell to the woman of the house to make all the necessary preparations.
You can just imagine Martha, the perfect hostess, reveling in these sacred feasts. She probably never let herself be caught off-guard by them. She always had the right food and the right décor. And she probably knew the rituals inside and out. And so when Jesus arrives in her town, she hastens to welcome him into her home so that she can show him the hospitality that was expected of a proper Jewish household. It was paramount that her guest be treated right, no matter what the cost.
But Martha’s irritation peeks through, and we get a glimpse of the fault lines around her philosophy. Instead of being the perfect, serene hostess ensuring her guest’s comfort, she erupts at her sister’s apparent laziness and all but commands Jesus to make Mary help her. Something snapped inside of Martha, creating a rift between her and Mary and between her and Jesus.
Unsurprised that Martha would display her feelings so openly, Jesus gently corrects her. He appreciates all her hard work, but in focusing on the meal, she has missed his presence. She has lost sight of the one she is supposed to be ministering to, even as she works herself into a state of agitation trying to do the right thing.
We can all identify with Martha. She has such a good heart, and surely someone has to do all that work! We just need to be careful not to forget the people in our lives—or the Lord of our lives. Surely the chores can wait until later. Surely the “work” of building the kingdom can take a back seat to the people who actually make up that kingdom. Let’s never forget that the greatest and most valuable commandment is to love.
“Jesus, show me anything that threatens to come between me and you, between me and my brother and sister.”
28 July 2011
28 Jul 2011, Thursday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Ex 40:16-21, 34-38
Moses did exactly as the LORD had commanded him.
On the first day of the first month of the second year
the Dwelling was erected.
It was Moses who erected the Dwelling.
He placed its pedestals, set up its boards, put in its bars,
and set up its columns.
He spread the tent over the Dwelling
and put the covering on top of the tent,
as the LORD had commanded him.
He took the commandments and put them in the ark;
he placed poles alongside the ark and set the propitiatory upon it.
He brought the ark into the Dwelling and hung the curtain veil,
thus screening off the ark of the commandments,
as the LORD had commanded him.
Then the cloud covered the meeting tent,
and the glory of the LORD filled the Dwelling.
Moses could not enter the meeting tent,
because the cloud settled down upon it
and the glory of the LORD filled the Dwelling.
Whenever the cloud rose from the Dwelling,
the children of Israel would set out on their journey.
But if the cloud did not lift, they would not go forward;
only when it lifted did they go forward.
In the daytime the cloud of the LORD was seen over the Dwelling;
whereas at night, fire was seen in the cloud
by the whole house of Israel
in all the stages of their journey.
84:3, 4, 5-6a and 8a, 11
Responsorial PsalmR. (2)
How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!
My soul yearns and pines
for the courts of the LORD.
My heart and my flesh
cry out for the living God.
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!
Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest
in which she puts her young–
Your altars, O LORD of hosts,
my king and my God!
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!
Blessed they who dwell in your house!
continually they praise you.
Blessed the men whose strength you are!
They go from strength to strength.
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!
I had rather one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I had rather lie at the threshold of the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!
Gospel
Mt 13:47-53
Jesus said to the disciples:
“The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea,
which collects fish of every kind.
When it is full they haul it ashore
and sit down to put what is good into buckets.
What is bad they throw away.
Thus it will be at the end of the age.
The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous
and throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.”
“Do you understand all these things?”
They answered, “Yes.”
And he replied,
“Then every scribe who has been instructed in the Kingdom of heaven
is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom
both the new and the old.”
When Jesus finished these parables, he went away from there.
Meditation: Matthew 13:47-53
“The kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea.” (Matthew 13:47)
Fishing nets are designed to scoop up everything in their path as they are drawn through the water. So naturally, when a net is hauled into the boat, it contains all sorts of things: edible fish, inedible fish, crustaceans, sea urchins, as well as all manner of debris. The net doesn’t discriminate between the good and the bad, or the useful and the useless. It’s up to the fisherman to decide what to keep and what to discard.
Scripture is filled with stories of Jesus fishing for people, both good and bad: the feeding of the five thousand, the woman caught in adultery, the corrupt tax collector Zacchaeus, the upright Pharisee Nicodemus, and so many others. No matter where he went, Jesus was casting his net, trying to gather people into his kingdom.
When Jesus began his earthly ministry, he called his followers to be “fishers of men,” and sent them out to cast their own nets to all they encountered. Today, God calls us to the same exact task. Just as indiscriminately as the first Christians did—and just as indiscriminately as Jesus himself did—God wants us to share the good news with everyone we meet. Imagine how the world could be changed if every one of us reading this meditation would reach out to just two people today with the gospel. The catch could be huge!
You can make a difference. You can tell people about the love of God. You can even help some of them to become fishers of men, spreading the net of Christianity even farther. There are opportunities everywhere: a family member looking for meaning in his or her life, a neighbor who needs a sympathetic ear, a parishioner looking for a friend. Don’t be afraid of sharing the gospel message with them. All you have to do is tell your story; the Holy Spirit will give you the right words. And don’t be concerned with whether the people you encounter are “good” fish or “bad.” Jesus only asks that you catch them and bring them to him. He will take care of the rest.
“Holy Spirit, fill me with the courage and excitement to share the gospel. Make me into a fisher of all the men and women I will meet today.”
Ex 40:16-21, 34-38
Moses did exactly as the LORD had commanded him.
On the first day of the first month of the second year
the Dwelling was erected.
It was Moses who erected the Dwelling.
He placed its pedestals, set up its boards, put in its bars,
and set up its columns.
He spread the tent over the Dwelling
and put the covering on top of the tent,
as the LORD had commanded him.
He took the commandments and put them in the ark;
he placed poles alongside the ark and set the propitiatory upon it.
He brought the ark into the Dwelling and hung the curtain veil,
thus screening off the ark of the commandments,
as the LORD had commanded him.
Then the cloud covered the meeting tent,
and the glory of the LORD filled the Dwelling.
Moses could not enter the meeting tent,
because the cloud settled down upon it
and the glory of the LORD filled the Dwelling.
Whenever the cloud rose from the Dwelling,
the children of Israel would set out on their journey.
But if the cloud did not lift, they would not go forward;
only when it lifted did they go forward.
In the daytime the cloud of the LORD was seen over the Dwelling;
whereas at night, fire was seen in the cloud
by the whole house of Israel
in all the stages of their journey.
84:3, 4, 5-6a and 8a, 11
Responsorial PsalmR. (2)
How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!
My soul yearns and pines
for the courts of the LORD.
My heart and my flesh
cry out for the living God.
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!
Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest
in which she puts her young–
Your altars, O LORD of hosts,
my king and my God!
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!
Blessed they who dwell in your house!
continually they praise you.
Blessed the men whose strength you are!
They go from strength to strength.
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!
I had rather one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I had rather lie at the threshold of the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!
Gospel
Mt 13:47-53
Jesus said to the disciples:
“The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea,
which collects fish of every kind.
When it is full they haul it ashore
and sit down to put what is good into buckets.
What is bad they throw away.
Thus it will be at the end of the age.
The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous
and throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.”
“Do you understand all these things?”
They answered, “Yes.”
And he replied,
“Then every scribe who has been instructed in the Kingdom of heaven
is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom
both the new and the old.”
When Jesus finished these parables, he went away from there.
Meditation: Matthew 13:47-53
“The kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea.” (Matthew 13:47)
Fishing nets are designed to scoop up everything in their path as they are drawn through the water. So naturally, when a net is hauled into the boat, it contains all sorts of things: edible fish, inedible fish, crustaceans, sea urchins, as well as all manner of debris. The net doesn’t discriminate between the good and the bad, or the useful and the useless. It’s up to the fisherman to decide what to keep and what to discard.
Scripture is filled with stories of Jesus fishing for people, both good and bad: the feeding of the five thousand, the woman caught in adultery, the corrupt tax collector Zacchaeus, the upright Pharisee Nicodemus, and so many others. No matter where he went, Jesus was casting his net, trying to gather people into his kingdom.
When Jesus began his earthly ministry, he called his followers to be “fishers of men,” and sent them out to cast their own nets to all they encountered. Today, God calls us to the same exact task. Just as indiscriminately as the first Christians did—and just as indiscriminately as Jesus himself did—God wants us to share the good news with everyone we meet. Imagine how the world could be changed if every one of us reading this meditation would reach out to just two people today with the gospel. The catch could be huge!
You can make a difference. You can tell people about the love of God. You can even help some of them to become fishers of men, spreading the net of Christianity even farther. There are opportunities everywhere: a family member looking for meaning in his or her life, a neighbor who needs a sympathetic ear, a parishioner looking for a friend. Don’t be afraid of sharing the gospel message with them. All you have to do is tell your story; the Holy Spirit will give you the right words. And don’t be concerned with whether the people you encounter are “good” fish or “bad.” Jesus only asks that you catch them and bring them to him. He will take care of the rest.
“Holy Spirit, fill me with the courage and excitement to share the gospel. Make me into a fisher of all the men and women I will meet today.”
27 July 2011
27 Jul 2011, Wednesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Ex 34:29-35
As Moses came down from Mount Sinai
with the two tablets of the commandments in his hands,
he did not know that the skin of his face had become radiant
while he conversed with the LORD.
When Aaron, then, and the other children of Israel saw Moses
and noticed how radiant the skin of his face had become,
they were afraid to come near him.
Only after Moses called to them did Aaron
and all the rulers of the community come back to him.
Moses then spoke to them.
Later on, all the children of Israel came up to him,
and he enjoined on them all that the LORD
had told him on Mount Sinai.
When he finished speaking with them,
he put a veil over his face.
Whenever Moses entered the presence of the LORD to converse with him,
he removed the veil until he came out again.
On coming out, he would tell the children of Israel
all that had been commanded.
Then the children of Israel would see
that the skin of Moses’ face was radiant;
so he would again put the veil over his face
until he went in to converse with the LORD.
99:5, 6, 7, 9
Responsorial PsalmR. (see 9c)
Holy is the Lord our God.
Extol the LORD, our God,
and worship at his footstool;fa
holy is he!
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
and Samuel, among those who called upon his name;
they called upon the LORD, and he answered them.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
From the pillar of cloud he spoke to them;
they heard his decrees and the law he gave them.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
Extol the LORD, our God,
and worship at his holy mountain;
for holy is the LORD, our God.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
Gospel
Mt 13:44-46
Jesus said to his disciples:
“The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field,
which a person finds and hides again,
and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant
searching for fine pearls.
When he finds a pearl of great price,
he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.”
Meditation: Matthew 13:44-46
“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure.” (Matthew 13:44)
Can you imagine selling everything you own? What could possibly motivate you to make so drastic and radical a trade? Jesus described a treasure buried in a field and a prized pearl. But beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Gems are just pressed rocks. Pearls are just irritants to oysters. In the eyes of some beholders, Jesus was just a Jewish teacher who caused a minor stir in first-century Palestine.
But we know different. Throughout the ages, people have left everything to follow Jesus, the “pearl of great price,” and they have all been rewarded beyond their wildest dreams. We too have seen glimpses of the treasure of Jesus. Think of the different ways in which your heart has been touched and your eyes opened. Let all these moments of grace, all these miracles—both great and small—reassure you that God has a plan for your life and that he wants to give you his wisdom and guidance. Let them prove to you that even in his glory Jesus humbles himself to speak to you. He even wants to give you his body and blood to nourish your spiritual life!
For some, Jesus has been a source of deliverance from patterns of sin with which they struggled for years. For others, he may have healed a marriage or restored a relationship between a parent and child. He may have physically healed someone of illness or depression.
What could possibly be more attractive than Jesus, our Savior, Redeemer, and Deliverer? The unconditional love he lavishes on us, the freedom from sin, the fellowship of his Spirit, the promise of eternal life in heaven with him: All of these promises, all of these gifts are eternal, secure, and totally trustworthy. Every day, he is reaching out to us, offering us his treasures. And for those who have received them— for those who have experienced his touch in their lives—there is no question at all: Jesus really is worth everything!
“Jesus I love you! You are the most precious treasure I could ever have. I surrender my life to you. I let go of everything so that I might have you fully.”
Ex 34:29-35
As Moses came down from Mount Sinai
with the two tablets of the commandments in his hands,
he did not know that the skin of his face had become radiant
while he conversed with the LORD.
When Aaron, then, and the other children of Israel saw Moses
and noticed how radiant the skin of his face had become,
they were afraid to come near him.
Only after Moses called to them did Aaron
and all the rulers of the community come back to him.
Moses then spoke to them.
Later on, all the children of Israel came up to him,
and he enjoined on them all that the LORD
had told him on Mount Sinai.
When he finished speaking with them,
he put a veil over his face.
Whenever Moses entered the presence of the LORD to converse with him,
he removed the veil until he came out again.
On coming out, he would tell the children of Israel
all that had been commanded.
Then the children of Israel would see
that the skin of Moses’ face was radiant;
so he would again put the veil over his face
until he went in to converse with the LORD.
99:5, 6, 7, 9
Responsorial PsalmR. (see 9c)
Holy is the Lord our God.
Extol the LORD, our God,
and worship at his footstool;fa
holy is he!
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
and Samuel, among those who called upon his name;
they called upon the LORD, and he answered them.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
From the pillar of cloud he spoke to them;
they heard his decrees and the law he gave them.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
Extol the LORD, our God,
and worship at his holy mountain;
for holy is the LORD, our God.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
Gospel
Mt 13:44-46
Jesus said to his disciples:
“The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field,
which a person finds and hides again,
and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant
searching for fine pearls.
When he finds a pearl of great price,
he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.”
Meditation: Matthew 13:44-46
“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure.” (Matthew 13:44)
Can you imagine selling everything you own? What could possibly motivate you to make so drastic and radical a trade? Jesus described a treasure buried in a field and a prized pearl. But beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Gems are just pressed rocks. Pearls are just irritants to oysters. In the eyes of some beholders, Jesus was just a Jewish teacher who caused a minor stir in first-century Palestine.
But we know different. Throughout the ages, people have left everything to follow Jesus, the “pearl of great price,” and they have all been rewarded beyond their wildest dreams. We too have seen glimpses of the treasure of Jesus. Think of the different ways in which your heart has been touched and your eyes opened. Let all these moments of grace, all these miracles—both great and small—reassure you that God has a plan for your life and that he wants to give you his wisdom and guidance. Let them prove to you that even in his glory Jesus humbles himself to speak to you. He even wants to give you his body and blood to nourish your spiritual life!
For some, Jesus has been a source of deliverance from patterns of sin with which they struggled for years. For others, he may have healed a marriage or restored a relationship between a parent and child. He may have physically healed someone of illness or depression.
What could possibly be more attractive than Jesus, our Savior, Redeemer, and Deliverer? The unconditional love he lavishes on us, the freedom from sin, the fellowship of his Spirit, the promise of eternal life in heaven with him: All of these promises, all of these gifts are eternal, secure, and totally trustworthy. Every day, he is reaching out to us, offering us his treasures. And for those who have received them— for those who have experienced his touch in their lives—there is no question at all: Jesus really is worth everything!
“Jesus I love you! You are the most precious treasure I could ever have. I surrender my life to you. I let go of everything so that I might have you fully.”
26 July 2011
26 Jul 2011, Memorial of Saint Joachim and Saint Anne, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Reading 1
Ex 33:7-11; 34:5b-9, 28
The tent, which was called the meeting tent,
Moses used to pitch at some distance away, outside the camp.
Anyone who wished to consult the LORD
would go to this meeting tent outside the camp.
Whenever Moses went out to the tent, the people would all rise
and stand at the entrance of their own tents,
watching Moses until he entered the tent.
As Moses entered the tent, the column of cloud would come down
and stand at its entrance while the LORD spoke with Moses.
On seeing the column of cloud stand at the entrance of the tent,
all the people would rise and worship
at the entrance of their own tents.
The LORD used to speak to Moses face to face,
as one man speaks to another.
Moses would then return to the camp,
but his young assistant, Joshua, son of Nun,
would not move out of the tent.
Moses stood there with the LORD and proclaimed his name, “LORD.”
Thus the LORD passed before him and cried out,
“The LORD, the LORD, a merciful and gracious God,
slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity,
continuing his kindness for a thousand generations,
and forgiving wickedness and crime and sin;
yet not declaring the guilty guiltless,
but punishing children and grandchildren
to the third and fourth generation for their fathers’ wickedness!”
Moses at once bowed down to the ground in worship.
Then he said, “If I find favor with you, O LORD,
do come along in our company.
This is indeed a stiff-necked people;
yet pardon our wickedness and sins,
and receive us as your own.”
So Moses stayed there with the LORD for forty days and forty nights,
without eating any food or drinking any water,
and he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant,
the ten commandments.
103:6-7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13
Responsorial PsalmR. (8a)
The Lord is kind and merciful.
The LORD secures justice
and the rights of all the oppressed.
He has made known his ways to Moses,
and his deeds to the children of Israel.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
Merciful and gracious is the LORD,
slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
He will not always chide,
nor does he keep his wrath forever.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
Gospel
Mt 13:36-43
Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house.
His disciples approached him and said,
“Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
He said in reply, “He who sows good seed is the Son of Man,
the field is the world, the good seed the children of the Kingdom.
The weeds are the children of the Evil One,
and the enemy who sows them is the Devil.
The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire,
so will it be at the end of the age.
The Son of Man will send his angels,
and they will collect out of his Kingdom
all who cause others to sin and all evildoers.
They will throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
Then the righteous will shine like the sun
in the Kingdom of their Father.
Whoever has ears ought to hear.”
Meditation: Exodus 33:7-11; 34:5-9, 28
“The Lord, the Lord, a merciful and gracious God.” (Exodus 34:6)
We all know that Moses received the Ten Commandments on stone tablets at Mount Sinai and that he broke these tablets after seeing the Israelites worship a golden calf. But did you know that Moses received the commandments a second time? That’s the context of today’s reading. Moses has been in the “Meeting Tent,” begging the Lord to stay with his people even though they have disobeyed him. Mercifully, God agrees and gives him the words of the covenant again. But before we conclude that Moses changed God’s mind, let’s take a closer look at today’s reading.
In this second encounter, God made it clear that he is “a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity” (Exodus 34:6). Amazing, isn’t it? Of all the ways he could have revealed himself, God chose to use words of compassion and mercy. This is not a description we would normally associate with the commandments and their emphasis on “shalt nots.” But it’s the first thing God wants to tell Moses. He is sticking with the Israelites not because they deserve it but because he loves them. He wants to be with them more than they want to be with him!
Our God really is a God of second chances. When the world was devastated by the flood, God restored it. When David sinned with Bathsheba, God forgave him. When the people were exiled to Babylon for seventy years, God brought them back and helped them rebuild their Temple. But the greatest second chance of all came through Jesus, who redeemed the entire world from sin and death. Over and over again, God shows that his first priority is mercy.
Sometimes we may picture God as a heavenly taskmaster, more likely to punish than to forgive. Whenever you think this way, picture Jesus on the cross and a waterfall of grace pouring out of his pierced side. You don’t have to be Moses to stand under that waterfall. You just have to bare your heart to him and let him cleanse it. From the moment Jesus ascended to the Father to this very day, he has been waiting for you to come!
“Lord, I come to you in grateful adoration. I am amazed that you keep on loving me, no matter how many times I fall! Thank you for your mercy!”
Ex 33:7-11; 34:5b-9, 28
The tent, which was called the meeting tent,
Moses used to pitch at some distance away, outside the camp.
Anyone who wished to consult the LORD
would go to this meeting tent outside the camp.
Whenever Moses went out to the tent, the people would all rise
and stand at the entrance of their own tents,
watching Moses until he entered the tent.
As Moses entered the tent, the column of cloud would come down
and stand at its entrance while the LORD spoke with Moses.
On seeing the column of cloud stand at the entrance of the tent,
all the people would rise and worship
at the entrance of their own tents.
The LORD used to speak to Moses face to face,
as one man speaks to another.
Moses would then return to the camp,
but his young assistant, Joshua, son of Nun,
would not move out of the tent.
Moses stood there with the LORD and proclaimed his name, “LORD.”
Thus the LORD passed before him and cried out,
“The LORD, the LORD, a merciful and gracious God,
slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity,
continuing his kindness for a thousand generations,
and forgiving wickedness and crime and sin;
yet not declaring the guilty guiltless,
but punishing children and grandchildren
to the third and fourth generation for their fathers’ wickedness!”
Moses at once bowed down to the ground in worship.
Then he said, “If I find favor with you, O LORD,
do come along in our company.
This is indeed a stiff-necked people;
yet pardon our wickedness and sins,
and receive us as your own.”
So Moses stayed there with the LORD for forty days and forty nights,
without eating any food or drinking any water,
and he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant,
the ten commandments.
103:6-7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13
Responsorial PsalmR. (8a)
The Lord is kind and merciful.
The LORD secures justice
and the rights of all the oppressed.
He has made known his ways to Moses,
and his deeds to the children of Israel.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
Merciful and gracious is the LORD,
slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
He will not always chide,
nor does he keep his wrath forever.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
Gospel
Mt 13:36-43
Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house.
His disciples approached him and said,
“Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
He said in reply, “He who sows good seed is the Son of Man,
the field is the world, the good seed the children of the Kingdom.
The weeds are the children of the Evil One,
and the enemy who sows them is the Devil.
The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire,
so will it be at the end of the age.
The Son of Man will send his angels,
and they will collect out of his Kingdom
all who cause others to sin and all evildoers.
They will throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
Then the righteous will shine like the sun
in the Kingdom of their Father.
Whoever has ears ought to hear.”
Meditation: Exodus 33:7-11; 34:5-9, 28
“The Lord, the Lord, a merciful and gracious God.” (Exodus 34:6)
We all know that Moses received the Ten Commandments on stone tablets at Mount Sinai and that he broke these tablets after seeing the Israelites worship a golden calf. But did you know that Moses received the commandments a second time? That’s the context of today’s reading. Moses has been in the “Meeting Tent,” begging the Lord to stay with his people even though they have disobeyed him. Mercifully, God agrees and gives him the words of the covenant again. But before we conclude that Moses changed God’s mind, let’s take a closer look at today’s reading.
In this second encounter, God made it clear that he is “a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity” (Exodus 34:6). Amazing, isn’t it? Of all the ways he could have revealed himself, God chose to use words of compassion and mercy. This is not a description we would normally associate with the commandments and their emphasis on “shalt nots.” But it’s the first thing God wants to tell Moses. He is sticking with the Israelites not because they deserve it but because he loves them. He wants to be with them more than they want to be with him!
Our God really is a God of second chances. When the world was devastated by the flood, God restored it. When David sinned with Bathsheba, God forgave him. When the people were exiled to Babylon for seventy years, God brought them back and helped them rebuild their Temple. But the greatest second chance of all came through Jesus, who redeemed the entire world from sin and death. Over and over again, God shows that his first priority is mercy.
Sometimes we may picture God as a heavenly taskmaster, more likely to punish than to forgive. Whenever you think this way, picture Jesus on the cross and a waterfall of grace pouring out of his pierced side. You don’t have to be Moses to stand under that waterfall. You just have to bare your heart to him and let him cleanse it. From the moment Jesus ascended to the Father to this very day, he has been waiting for you to come!
“Lord, I come to you in grateful adoration. I am amazed that you keep on loving me, no matter how many times I fall! Thank you for your mercy!”
25 July 2011
25 Jul 2011, Feast of Saint James, apostle
Reading 1
2 Cor 4:7-15
Brothers and sisters:
We hold this treasure in earthen vessels,
that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us.
We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained;
perplexed, but not driven to despair;
persecuted, but not abandoned;
struck down, but not destroyed;
always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus,
so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body.
For we who live are constantly being given up to death
for the sake of Jesus,
so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
So death is at work in us, but life in you.
Since, then, we have the same spirit of faith,
according to what is written, I believed, therefore I spoke,
we too believe and therefore speak,
knowing that the one who raised the Lord Jesus
will raise us also with Jesus
and place us with you in his presence.
Everything indeed is for you,
so that the grace bestowed in abundance on more and more people
may cause the thanksgiving to overflow for the glory of God.
126:1bc-2ab, 2cd-3, 4-5, 6
Responsorial Psalm R. (5)
Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.
When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,
we were like men dreaming.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with rejoicing.
R. Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.
Then they said among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them.”
The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad indeed.
R. Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.
Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the torrents in the southern desert.
Those that sow in tears
shall reap rejoicing.
R. Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.
Although they go forth weeping,
carrying the seed to be sown,
They shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves.
R. Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.
Gospel
Mt 20:20-28
The mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons
and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something.
He said to her,
“What do you wish?”
She answered him,
“Command that these two sons of mine sit,
one at your right and the other at your left, in your Kingdom.”
Jesus said in reply,
“You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?”
They said to him, “We can.”
He replied,
“My chalice you will indeed drink,
but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give
but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”
When the ten heard this,
they became indignant at the two brothers.
But Jesus summoned them and said,
“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them,
and the great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.
Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served
but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Meditation: Matthew 20:20-28
St. James
Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink? (Matthew 20:22)
We can’t help shaking our heads as we read this story. Prime places in the kingdom indeed! Though James and John brashly assert they can drink the cup Jesus is about to drink, it’s obvious that they have no clue what shame, suffering, and death they would have to embrace before they could even get a glimpse of the glorious reign that awaited them at Jesus’ right and left hand.
The other disciples are no better. They are indignant only because these two beat them to the punch.
But rather than rebuke James and John, Jesus makes this a teaching moment. He describes authority in God’s kingdom: self-sacrificing leadership that always puts others first.
In the days to come, James will have many other moments of misunderstanding and failure. He falls asleep in the garden of Gethsemane in Jesus’ hour of need. He flees when the soldiers seize Jesus. He has a hard time believing the women’s report of an empty tomb. But gradually his faith grows clear and strong, and then he is filled with the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. Eventually, he takes his place at the heart of a vibrant Christian community in Jerusalem.
What hopes are on James’ mind now? Surely not to have a seat of glory! Whatever they are, his earthly plans are short-lived. Luke tells us that he is the first of the apostles to be martyred (Acts 12:2). It’s tempting to think that, given more time, he could have accomplished so much more. But in reality, he simply continued his ministry from the glory of heaven.
In a wonderful prayer, poet Michel Quoist complains that there aren’t enough minutes in his hours, hours in his days, or days in his life, to accomplish all he must do. However, he concludes with a profound but simple insight: “Tonight, Lord, I’m not asking you for time to do this and then that. I’m asking you for grace conscientiously to do what you want me to do in the time you give me.” It’s a lesson James learned, and a lesson we all need to learn.
“Father, you give me exactly the right amount of time and the right amount of grace to do what pleases you today. Help me joyfully to discover what that is.”
2 Cor 4:7-15
Brothers and sisters:
We hold this treasure in earthen vessels,
that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us.
We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained;
perplexed, but not driven to despair;
persecuted, but not abandoned;
struck down, but not destroyed;
always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus,
so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body.
For we who live are constantly being given up to death
for the sake of Jesus,
so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
So death is at work in us, but life in you.
Since, then, we have the same spirit of faith,
according to what is written, I believed, therefore I spoke,
we too believe and therefore speak,
knowing that the one who raised the Lord Jesus
will raise us also with Jesus
and place us with you in his presence.
Everything indeed is for you,
so that the grace bestowed in abundance on more and more people
may cause the thanksgiving to overflow for the glory of God.
126:1bc-2ab, 2cd-3, 4-5, 6
Responsorial Psalm R. (5)
Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.
When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,
we were like men dreaming.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with rejoicing.
R. Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.
Then they said among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them.”
The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad indeed.
R. Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.
Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the torrents in the southern desert.
Those that sow in tears
shall reap rejoicing.
R. Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.
Although they go forth weeping,
carrying the seed to be sown,
They shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves.
R. Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.
Gospel
Mt 20:20-28
The mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons
and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something.
He said to her,
“What do you wish?”
She answered him,
“Command that these two sons of mine sit,
one at your right and the other at your left, in your Kingdom.”
Jesus said in reply,
“You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?”
They said to him, “We can.”
He replied,
“My chalice you will indeed drink,
but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give
but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”
When the ten heard this,
they became indignant at the two brothers.
But Jesus summoned them and said,
“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them,
and the great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.
Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served
but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Meditation: Matthew 20:20-28
St. James
Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink? (Matthew 20:22)
We can’t help shaking our heads as we read this story. Prime places in the kingdom indeed! Though James and John brashly assert they can drink the cup Jesus is about to drink, it’s obvious that they have no clue what shame, suffering, and death they would have to embrace before they could even get a glimpse of the glorious reign that awaited them at Jesus’ right and left hand.
The other disciples are no better. They are indignant only because these two beat them to the punch.
But rather than rebuke James and John, Jesus makes this a teaching moment. He describes authority in God’s kingdom: self-sacrificing leadership that always puts others first.
In the days to come, James will have many other moments of misunderstanding and failure. He falls asleep in the garden of Gethsemane in Jesus’ hour of need. He flees when the soldiers seize Jesus. He has a hard time believing the women’s report of an empty tomb. But gradually his faith grows clear and strong, and then he is filled with the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. Eventually, he takes his place at the heart of a vibrant Christian community in Jerusalem.
What hopes are on James’ mind now? Surely not to have a seat of glory! Whatever they are, his earthly plans are short-lived. Luke tells us that he is the first of the apostles to be martyred (Acts 12:2). It’s tempting to think that, given more time, he could have accomplished so much more. But in reality, he simply continued his ministry from the glory of heaven.
In a wonderful prayer, poet Michel Quoist complains that there aren’t enough minutes in his hours, hours in his days, or days in his life, to accomplish all he must do. However, he concludes with a profound but simple insight: “Tonight, Lord, I’m not asking you for time to do this and then that. I’m asking you for grace conscientiously to do what you want me to do in the time you give me.” It’s a lesson James learned, and a lesson we all need to learn.
“Father, you give me exactly the right amount of time and the right amount of grace to do what pleases you today. Help me joyfully to discover what that is.”
24 July 2011
24 Jul 2011, Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
1 Kgs 3:5, 7-12
The LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night.
God said, “Ask something of me and I will give it to you.”
Solomon answered:
“O LORD, my God, you have made me, your servant, king
to succeed my father David;
but I am a mere youth, not knowing at all how to act.
I serve you in the midst of the people whom you have chosen,
a people so vast that it cannot be numbered or counted.
Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart
to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong.
For who is able to govern this vast people of yours?”
The LORD was pleased that Solomon made this request.
So God said to him:
“Because you have asked for this—
not for a long life for yourself,
nor for riches,
nor for the life of your enemies,
but for understanding so that you may know what is right—
I do as you requested.
I give you a heart so wise and understanding
that there has never been anyone like you up to now,
and after you there will come no one to equal you.”
119:57, 72, 76-77, 127-128, 129-130
Responsorial Psalm R. (97a)
Lord, I love your commands.
I have said, O LORD, that my part
is to keep your words.
The law of your mouth is to me more precious
than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
Let your kindness comfort me
according to your promise to your servants.
Let your compassion come to me that I may live,
for your law is my delight.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
For I love your command
more than gold, however fine.
For in all your precepts I go forward;
every false way I hate.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
Wonderful are your decrees;
therefore I observe them.
The revelation of your words sheds light,
giving understanding to the simple.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
Reading II
Rom 8:28-30
Brothers and sisters:
We know that all things work for good for those who love God,
who are called according to his purpose.
For those he foreknew he also predestined
to be conformed to the image of his Son,
so that he might be the firstborn
among many brothers and sisters.
And those he predestined he also called;
and those he called he also justified;
and those he justified he also glorified.
Gospel
Mt 13:44-52 or 13:44-46
Jesus said to his disciples:
“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field,
which a person finds and hides again,
and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant
searching for fine pearls.
When he finds a pearl of great price,
he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea,
which collects fish of every kind.
When it is full they haul it ashore
and sit down to put what is good into buckets.
What is bad they throw away.
Thus it will be at the end of the age.
The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous
and throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
“Do you understand all these things?”
They answered, “Yes.”
And he replied,
“Then every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven
is like the head of a household
who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.”
or
Jesus said to his disciples:
“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field,
which a person finds and hides again,
and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant
searching for fine pearls.
When he finds a pearl of great price,
he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.”
Meditation: Romans 8:28-30
“All things work for good for those who love God.” (Romans 8:28)
Sheila approached Anne somewhat timidly after Mass one day. “Would you pray for me?” she asked. “My heart races sometimes, and I’m afraid I’ll have a heart attack.” Anne placed her hand gently on Sheila’s shoulder and began to pray. She asked God to heal Sheila’s heart, every ventricle, artery, vein, and valve—anything she could remember from biology class. Sheila didn’t expect much to happen. But as Anne prayed, something did.
Anne’s prayer shifted from concern with the physical aspects of healing Sheila to declarations of God’s love for her. “You are the delight of his heart,” Anne heard herself telling Sheila. “You are a beloved daughter, unique and priceless, and precious in the Father’s eyes.” Her words overflowed with a compassion and kindness that she could feel—compassion and kindness that seemed to flow through her hands into Sheila’s heart. And slowly, Sheila’s face changed. Tears welled up in her eyes.
Finally, as the words subsided, Sheila whispered to Anne: “No one has ever said things like that to me before.” As she turned to walk away, a beautiful smile, and peace, lit her face. Sheila had come to Mass about her physical condition, but God used her concerns to heal something different. He healed her heart all right—the part of her that resonates with his love and life. Perhaps he healed her physical heart right then, too. Or perhaps the physical healing will occur as Sheila continues to experience more of God’s love for her. But as far as Sheila was concerned, the inner healing was worth more than anything else.
God uses everything, even the bad things, to draw us to himself. He does want to heal us physically, but even more so, he wants us to live and move and have our being in him. In the light of eternity, that’s the healing that matters the most.
“Father, fill me with your love today. I give you free rein to do whatever you want in me.”
1 Kgs 3:5, 7-12
The LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night.
God said, “Ask something of me and I will give it to you.”
Solomon answered:
“O LORD, my God, you have made me, your servant, king
to succeed my father David;
but I am a mere youth, not knowing at all how to act.
I serve you in the midst of the people whom you have chosen,
a people so vast that it cannot be numbered or counted.
Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart
to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong.
For who is able to govern this vast people of yours?”
The LORD was pleased that Solomon made this request.
So God said to him:
“Because you have asked for this—
not for a long life for yourself,
nor for riches,
nor for the life of your enemies,
but for understanding so that you may know what is right—
I do as you requested.
I give you a heart so wise and understanding
that there has never been anyone like you up to now,
and after you there will come no one to equal you.”
119:57, 72, 76-77, 127-128, 129-130
Responsorial Psalm R. (97a)
Lord, I love your commands.
I have said, O LORD, that my part
is to keep your words.
The law of your mouth is to me more precious
than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
Let your kindness comfort me
according to your promise to your servants.
Let your compassion come to me that I may live,
for your law is my delight.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
For I love your command
more than gold, however fine.
For in all your precepts I go forward;
every false way I hate.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
Wonderful are your decrees;
therefore I observe them.
The revelation of your words sheds light,
giving understanding to the simple.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
Reading II
Rom 8:28-30
Brothers and sisters:
We know that all things work for good for those who love God,
who are called according to his purpose.
For those he foreknew he also predestined
to be conformed to the image of his Son,
so that he might be the firstborn
among many brothers and sisters.
And those he predestined he also called;
and those he called he also justified;
and those he justified he also glorified.
Gospel
Mt 13:44-52 or 13:44-46
Jesus said to his disciples:
“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field,
which a person finds and hides again,
and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant
searching for fine pearls.
When he finds a pearl of great price,
he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea,
which collects fish of every kind.
When it is full they haul it ashore
and sit down to put what is good into buckets.
What is bad they throw away.
Thus it will be at the end of the age.
The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous
and throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
“Do you understand all these things?”
They answered, “Yes.”
And he replied,
“Then every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven
is like the head of a household
who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.”
or
Jesus said to his disciples:
“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field,
which a person finds and hides again,
and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant
searching for fine pearls.
When he finds a pearl of great price,
he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.”
Meditation: Romans 8:28-30
“All things work for good for those who love God.” (Romans 8:28)
Sheila approached Anne somewhat timidly after Mass one day. “Would you pray for me?” she asked. “My heart races sometimes, and I’m afraid I’ll have a heart attack.” Anne placed her hand gently on Sheila’s shoulder and began to pray. She asked God to heal Sheila’s heart, every ventricle, artery, vein, and valve—anything she could remember from biology class. Sheila didn’t expect much to happen. But as Anne prayed, something did.
Anne’s prayer shifted from concern with the physical aspects of healing Sheila to declarations of God’s love for her. “You are the delight of his heart,” Anne heard herself telling Sheila. “You are a beloved daughter, unique and priceless, and precious in the Father’s eyes.” Her words overflowed with a compassion and kindness that she could feel—compassion and kindness that seemed to flow through her hands into Sheila’s heart. And slowly, Sheila’s face changed. Tears welled up in her eyes.
Finally, as the words subsided, Sheila whispered to Anne: “No one has ever said things like that to me before.” As she turned to walk away, a beautiful smile, and peace, lit her face. Sheila had come to Mass about her physical condition, but God used her concerns to heal something different. He healed her heart all right—the part of her that resonates with his love and life. Perhaps he healed her physical heart right then, too. Or perhaps the physical healing will occur as Sheila continues to experience more of God’s love for her. But as far as Sheila was concerned, the inner healing was worth more than anything else.
God uses everything, even the bad things, to draw us to himself. He does want to heal us physically, but even more so, he wants us to live and move and have our being in him. In the light of eternity, that’s the healing that matters the most.
“Father, fill me with your love today. I give you free rein to do whatever you want in me.”
23 July 2011
23 Jul 2011, Saturday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Ex 24:3-8
When Moses came to the people
and related all the words and ordinances of the LORD,
they all answered with one voice,
“We will do everything that the LORD has told us.”
Moses then wrote down all the words of the LORD and,
rising early the next day,
he erected at the foot of the mountain an altar
and twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel.
Then, having sent certain young men of the children of Israel
to offer burnt offerings and sacrifice young bulls
as peace offerings to the LORD,
Moses took half of the blood and put it in large bowls;
the other half he splashed on the altar.
Taking the book of the covenant, he read it aloud to the people,
who answered, “All that the LORD has said, we will heed and do.”
Then he took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, saying,
“This is the blood of the covenant
that the LORD has made with you
in accordance with all these words of his.”
50:1b-2, 5-6, 14-15
Responsorial Psalm R. (14a)
Offer to God a sacrifice of praise.
God the LORD has spoken and summoned the earth,
from the rising of the sun to its setting.
From Zion, perfect in beauty,
God shines forth.
R. Offer to God a sacrifice of praise.
“Gather my faithful ones before me,
those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”
And the heavens proclaim his justice;
for God himself is the judge.
R. Offer to God a sacrifice of praise.
“Offer to God praise as your sacrifice
and fulfill your vows to the Most High;
Then call upon me in time of distress;
I will rescue you, and you shall glorify me.”
R. Offer to God a sacrifice of praise.
Gospel
Mt 13:24-30
Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds.
“The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man
who sowed good seed in his field.
While everyone was asleep his enemy came
and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off.
When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well.
The slaves of the householder came to him and said,
‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field?
Where have the weeds come from?’
He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’
His slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds
you might uproot the wheat along with them.
Let them grow together until harvest;
then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters,
“First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning;
but gather the wheat into my barn.”
Meditation: Matthew 13:24-30
“Let them grow together until harvest.” (Matthew 13:30)
How tempting it can be after hearing this reading to try to figure out who the “weeds” might be among us! And it can be even more tempting to want to uproot these weeds ourselves. But Jesus counsels us not to do it. And his reason why is rather direct: In our zeal to establish justice as we see it, we might just end up yanking some wheat along with the weeds. It’s better, he says, to wait until the harvest, when God will sort everything out.
Clearly, Jesus is much better than we are at determining wheat from weeds. He alone knows what is inside every person’s heart, and he doesn’t need our help, however well intentioned, to try to sort things out. That’s not our job, anyway. Our job is to share his good news with everyone we can and to learn how to love our neighbor as ourselves. He has called us to bring his light to the world. He hasn’t given us the role of judge—and certainly not executioner!
What does Jesus see that we can’t? Maybe that gruff, short-fused co-worker is stretched to the limit caring for his dying wife. Maybe that neighbor who never waves hello or joins in community gatherings is suffering from a crippling shyness and just needs a little more time or a warm invitation. Maybe that high school kid down the road who got arrested for drug possession is one prayer away from a powerful conversion. The world is filled with stories that only God can see. Our only concern should be to look after the weeds in our own gardens and not worry about someone else’s.
Jesus tells us: “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone” (John 8:7). He also tells us: “Stop judging, that you may not be judged” (Matthew 7:1). Rather than judging, he wants us to look at each other with his own eyes of compassion and mercy. So let’s all try to be a little more like the Lord, who was “quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath” (James 1:19).
“Jesus, I want to see as you see and to love as you love. Help me to give my heart to you more and more, so that I can become a vessel of your mercy and compassion.”
Ex 24:3-8
When Moses came to the people
and related all the words and ordinances of the LORD,
they all answered with one voice,
“We will do everything that the LORD has told us.”
Moses then wrote down all the words of the LORD and,
rising early the next day,
he erected at the foot of the mountain an altar
and twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel.
Then, having sent certain young men of the children of Israel
to offer burnt offerings and sacrifice young bulls
as peace offerings to the LORD,
Moses took half of the blood and put it in large bowls;
the other half he splashed on the altar.
Taking the book of the covenant, he read it aloud to the people,
who answered, “All that the LORD has said, we will heed and do.”
Then he took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, saying,
“This is the blood of the covenant
that the LORD has made with you
in accordance with all these words of his.”
50:1b-2, 5-6, 14-15
Responsorial Psalm R. (14a)
Offer to God a sacrifice of praise.
God the LORD has spoken and summoned the earth,
from the rising of the sun to its setting.
From Zion, perfect in beauty,
God shines forth.
R. Offer to God a sacrifice of praise.
“Gather my faithful ones before me,
those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”
And the heavens proclaim his justice;
for God himself is the judge.
R. Offer to God a sacrifice of praise.
“Offer to God praise as your sacrifice
and fulfill your vows to the Most High;
Then call upon me in time of distress;
I will rescue you, and you shall glorify me.”
R. Offer to God a sacrifice of praise.
Gospel
Mt 13:24-30
Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds.
“The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man
who sowed good seed in his field.
While everyone was asleep his enemy came
and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off.
When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well.
The slaves of the householder came to him and said,
‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field?
Where have the weeds come from?’
He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’
His slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds
you might uproot the wheat along with them.
Let them grow together until harvest;
then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters,
“First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning;
but gather the wheat into my barn.”
Meditation: Matthew 13:24-30
“Let them grow together until harvest.” (Matthew 13:30)
How tempting it can be after hearing this reading to try to figure out who the “weeds” might be among us! And it can be even more tempting to want to uproot these weeds ourselves. But Jesus counsels us not to do it. And his reason why is rather direct: In our zeal to establish justice as we see it, we might just end up yanking some wheat along with the weeds. It’s better, he says, to wait until the harvest, when God will sort everything out.
Clearly, Jesus is much better than we are at determining wheat from weeds. He alone knows what is inside every person’s heart, and he doesn’t need our help, however well intentioned, to try to sort things out. That’s not our job, anyway. Our job is to share his good news with everyone we can and to learn how to love our neighbor as ourselves. He has called us to bring his light to the world. He hasn’t given us the role of judge—and certainly not executioner!
What does Jesus see that we can’t? Maybe that gruff, short-fused co-worker is stretched to the limit caring for his dying wife. Maybe that neighbor who never waves hello or joins in community gatherings is suffering from a crippling shyness and just needs a little more time or a warm invitation. Maybe that high school kid down the road who got arrested for drug possession is one prayer away from a powerful conversion. The world is filled with stories that only God can see. Our only concern should be to look after the weeds in our own gardens and not worry about someone else’s.
Jesus tells us: “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone” (John 8:7). He also tells us: “Stop judging, that you may not be judged” (Matthew 7:1). Rather than judging, he wants us to look at each other with his own eyes of compassion and mercy. So let’s all try to be a little more like the Lord, who was “quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath” (James 1:19).
“Jesus, I want to see as you see and to love as you love. Help me to give my heart to you more and more, so that I can become a vessel of your mercy and compassion.”
22 July 2011
22 Jul 2011, Memorial of Saint Mary Magdalene
Reading 1
Ex 20:1-17
In those days:
God delivered all these commandments:
“I, the LORD, am your God,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery.
You shall not have other gods besides me.
You shall not carve idols for yourselves
in the shape of anything in the sky above
or on the earth below or in the waters beneath the earth;
you shall not bow down before them or worship them.
For I, the LORD, your God, am a jealous God,
inflicting punishment for their fathers’ wickedness
on the children of those who hate me,
down to the third and fourth generation;
but bestowing mercy down to the thousandth generation
on the children of those who love me and keep my commandments.
“You shall not take the name of the LORD, your God, in vain.
For the LORD will not leave unpunished
him who takes his name in vain.
“Remember to keep holy the sabbath day.
Six days you may labor and do all your work,
but the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD, your God.
No work may be done then either by you, or your son or daughter,
or your male or female slave, or your beast,
or by the alien who lives with you.
In six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth,
the sea and all that is in them;
but on the seventh day he rested.
That is why the LORD has blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.
“Honor your father and your mother,
that you may have a long life in the land
which the LORD, your God, is giving you.
“You shall not kill.
“You shall not commit adultery.
“You shall not steal.
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house.
You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife,
nor his male or female slave, nor his ox or ass,
nor anything else that belongs to him.”
19:8, 9, 10, 11
Responsorial Psalm R. (John 6:68c)
Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
The command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
The ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
They are more precious than gold,
than a heap of purest gold;
Sweeter also than syrup
or honey from the comb.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
Gospel
Jn 20:1-2, 11-18
On the first day of the week,
Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early in the morning,
while it was still dark,
and saw the stone removed from the tomb.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,
“They have taken the Lord from the tomb,
and we don’t know where they put him.”
Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping.
And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb
and saw two angels in white sitting there,
one at the head and one at the feet
where the Body of Jesus had been.
And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”
She said to them, “They have taken my Lord,
and I don’t know where they laid him.”
When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there,
but did not know it was Jesus.
Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?
Whom are you looking for?”
She thought it was the gardener and said to him,
“Sir, if you carried him away,
tell me where you laid him,
and I will take him.”
Jesus said to her, “Mary!”
She turned and said to him in Hebrew,
“Rabbouni,” which means Teacher.
Jesus said to her,
“Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father.
But go to my brothers and tell them,
‘I am going to my Father and your Father,
to my God and your God.’”
Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples,
“I have seen the Lord,”
and then reported what he told her.
Meditation: Exodus 20:1-17
St. Mary Magdalene
I, the Lord, am your God. (Exodus 20:2)
By the time of Jesus’ passion, Mary Magdalene had overcome a lot and was probably a good and upright person. She had been delivered of seven demons and was now a devoted disciple, supporting Jesus financially and following him as he traveled from town to town preaching the gospel (Luke 8:1-3). She was even one of the few who stood by Jesus during his passion until the last moments of his humiliating and torturous crucifixion.
And yet, despite all her goodness and generosity—despite the way she had obeyed all the commandments— Mary still panicked and forgot about Jesus’ promise that he would rise again. Although her love remained intact, her faith and hope wavered.
This is an important—and encouraging—lesson for all of us. As upright and faithful as she had become, Mary Magdalene was still part of fallen humanity. All of her law-keeping, good deeds, kindness, and generosity could take her only so far. She still needed to meet the Lord and have a life-changing encounter with him. She still needed to hear the risen Lord speak her name. And when she did, not only was her faith restored, it was transformed, and she became the saint whom we honor today!
This face-to-face encounter changed everything for Mary Magdalene, and it can do the same for us. We too need to meet Jesus and hear him calling our name. We need to keep the commandments, of course, but we need more than that. When we hear Jesus and yield to his Holy Spirit, we come to know him not just as the historical Messiah of Israel but as the Lord of history—of our own personal history! Only through this personal encounter will we experience everything God has in store for us. Only then will we become steadfast in faith.
The best part of this story is that we can meet the Lord every day, not just once. We can know his touch in prayer. We can find our faith strengthened as we eat his body and drink his blood. We can hear his voice as we ponder Scripture. Each and every day, we can echo Mary’s cry of gratitude: “I have seen the Lord!” (John 20:18).
“Jesus, illuminate my faith with the light of your resurrection. Speak to me, for I love to hear your voice!”
Ex 20:1-17
In those days:
God delivered all these commandments:
“I, the LORD, am your God,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery.
You shall not have other gods besides me.
You shall not carve idols for yourselves
in the shape of anything in the sky above
or on the earth below or in the waters beneath the earth;
you shall not bow down before them or worship them.
For I, the LORD, your God, am a jealous God,
inflicting punishment for their fathers’ wickedness
on the children of those who hate me,
down to the third and fourth generation;
but bestowing mercy down to the thousandth generation
on the children of those who love me and keep my commandments.
“You shall not take the name of the LORD, your God, in vain.
For the LORD will not leave unpunished
him who takes his name in vain.
“Remember to keep holy the sabbath day.
Six days you may labor and do all your work,
but the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD, your God.
No work may be done then either by you, or your son or daughter,
or your male or female slave, or your beast,
or by the alien who lives with you.
In six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth,
the sea and all that is in them;
but on the seventh day he rested.
That is why the LORD has blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.
“Honor your father and your mother,
that you may have a long life in the land
which the LORD, your God, is giving you.
“You shall not kill.
“You shall not commit adultery.
“You shall not steal.
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house.
You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife,
nor his male or female slave, nor his ox or ass,
nor anything else that belongs to him.”
19:8, 9, 10, 11
Responsorial Psalm R. (John 6:68c)
Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
The command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
The ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
They are more precious than gold,
than a heap of purest gold;
Sweeter also than syrup
or honey from the comb.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
Gospel
Jn 20:1-2, 11-18
On the first day of the week,
Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early in the morning,
while it was still dark,
and saw the stone removed from the tomb.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,
“They have taken the Lord from the tomb,
and we don’t know where they put him.”
Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping.
And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb
and saw two angels in white sitting there,
one at the head and one at the feet
where the Body of Jesus had been.
And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”
She said to them, “They have taken my Lord,
and I don’t know where they laid him.”
When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there,
but did not know it was Jesus.
Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?
Whom are you looking for?”
She thought it was the gardener and said to him,
“Sir, if you carried him away,
tell me where you laid him,
and I will take him.”
Jesus said to her, “Mary!”
She turned and said to him in Hebrew,
“Rabbouni,” which means Teacher.
Jesus said to her,
“Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father.
But go to my brothers and tell them,
‘I am going to my Father and your Father,
to my God and your God.’”
Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples,
“I have seen the Lord,”
and then reported what he told her.
Meditation: Exodus 20:1-17
St. Mary Magdalene
I, the Lord, am your God. (Exodus 20:2)
By the time of Jesus’ passion, Mary Magdalene had overcome a lot and was probably a good and upright person. She had been delivered of seven demons and was now a devoted disciple, supporting Jesus financially and following him as he traveled from town to town preaching the gospel (Luke 8:1-3). She was even one of the few who stood by Jesus during his passion until the last moments of his humiliating and torturous crucifixion.
And yet, despite all her goodness and generosity—despite the way she had obeyed all the commandments— Mary still panicked and forgot about Jesus’ promise that he would rise again. Although her love remained intact, her faith and hope wavered.
This is an important—and encouraging—lesson for all of us. As upright and faithful as she had become, Mary Magdalene was still part of fallen humanity. All of her law-keeping, good deeds, kindness, and generosity could take her only so far. She still needed to meet the Lord and have a life-changing encounter with him. She still needed to hear the risen Lord speak her name. And when she did, not only was her faith restored, it was transformed, and she became the saint whom we honor today!
This face-to-face encounter changed everything for Mary Magdalene, and it can do the same for us. We too need to meet Jesus and hear him calling our name. We need to keep the commandments, of course, but we need more than that. When we hear Jesus and yield to his Holy Spirit, we come to know him not just as the historical Messiah of Israel but as the Lord of history—of our own personal history! Only through this personal encounter will we experience everything God has in store for us. Only then will we become steadfast in faith.
The best part of this story is that we can meet the Lord every day, not just once. We can know his touch in prayer. We can find our faith strengthened as we eat his body and drink his blood. We can hear his voice as we ponder Scripture. Each and every day, we can echo Mary’s cry of gratitude: “I have seen the Lord!” (John 20:18).
“Jesus, illuminate my faith with the light of your resurrection. Speak to me, for I love to hear your voice!”
21 July 2011
21 Jul 2011, Thursday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Ex 19:1-2, 9-11, 16-20b
In the third month after their departure from the land of Egypt,
on its first day, the children of Israel came to the desert of Sinai.
After the journey from Rephidim to the desert of Sinai,
they pitched camp.
While Israel was encamped here in front of the mountain,
the LORD told Moses,
“I am coming to you in a dense cloud,
so that when the people hear me speaking with you,
they may always have faith in you also.”
When Moses, then, had reported to the LORD the response of the people,
the LORD added, “Go to the people
and have them sanctify themselves today and tomorrow.
Make them wash their garments and be ready for the third day;
for on the third day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai
before the eyes of all the people.”
On the morning of the third day
there were peals of thunder and lightning,
and a heavy cloud over the mountain,
and a very loud trumpet blast,
so that all the people in the camp trembled.
But Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God,
and they stationed themselves at the foot of the mountain.
Mount Sinai was all wrapped in smoke,
for the LORD came down upon it in fire.
The smoke rose from it as though from a furnace,
and the whole mountain trembled violently.
The trumpet blast grew louder and louder, while Moses was speaking
and God answering him with thunder.
When the LORD came down to the top of Mount Sinai,
he summoned Moses to the top of the mountain.
Daniel 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56
Responsorial Psalm R. (52b)
Glory and praise for ever!
“Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever;
And blessed is your holy and glorious name,
praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages.”
R. Glory and praise for ever!
“Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory,
praiseworthy and glorious above all forever.”
R. Glory and praise for ever!
“Blessed are you on the throne of your Kingdom,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.”
R. Glory and praise for ever!
“Blessed are you who look into the depths
from your throne upon the cherubim,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.”
R. Glory and praise for ever!
“Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven,
praiseworthy and glorious forever.”
R. Glory and praise for ever!
Gospel
Mt 13:10-17
The disciples approached Jesus and said,
“Why do you speak to the crowd in parables?”
He said to them in reply,
“Because knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven
has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted.
To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich;
from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
This is why I speak to them in parables, because
they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.
Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says:
You shall indeed hear but not understand,
you shall indeed look but never see.
Gross is the heart of this people,
they will hardly hear with their ears,
they have closed their eyes,
lest they see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their hearts and be converted
and I heal them.
“But blessed are your eyes, because they see,
and your ears, because they hear.
Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people
longed to see what you see but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”
Meditation: Matthew 13:10-17
“Blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear.” (Matthew 13:16)
If everything God wanted to say could be understood by the human mind, if everything about God were easy to grasp, we would not need his Holy Spirit to explain “mysteries” to us! But it’s not, and we do!
As Jesus said farewell to his disciples, he assured them, “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name—he will teach you everything” (John 14:26). This certainty was so important for them to understand that he repeated it: “The Spirit of truth … will guide you to all truth” (16:13).
The disciples didn’t understand everything Jesus told them. Even though he explained parables to them and gave them specific directions, they still got it wrong sometimes! But they didn’t assume it was impossible. They came to him again and again. They asked him questions. They listened to his words. They pondered his answers and tried to understand them. And then they asked more questions. All they wanted was to know Jesus and to learn how to respond to the desires his presence stirred in their hearts.
Knowing Jesus personally, understanding things of God, is not reserved for a privileged few. It’s for everyone who desires it; everyone who looks with eyes open, hoping to see. It’s for everyone who listens with ears tuned, longing to know more of God. God delights in satisfying hearts that hunger and thirst for him. He wants to assure all of us that it is possible to hear from him personally, to experience his presence, and to learn from him.
Start simply by asking for more desire: “Lord, make me want to know you more.” God loves to answer this prayer. In fact, he is more eager to teach us than we are to learn! He loves to pour revelation into our hearts. Remember St. Paul’s words: We have received “the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the things freely given us by God” (1 Corinthians 2:12).
So turn to the Spirit today and ask him your questions. Then spend some time listening quietly for his response.
“Holy Spirit, open my eyes to see you, and my ears to hear you. I want to know and love my God—Father, Son, and Spirit—more intimately than I do now.”
Ex 19:1-2, 9-11, 16-20b
In the third month after their departure from the land of Egypt,
on its first day, the children of Israel came to the desert of Sinai.
After the journey from Rephidim to the desert of Sinai,
they pitched camp.
While Israel was encamped here in front of the mountain,
the LORD told Moses,
“I am coming to you in a dense cloud,
so that when the people hear me speaking with you,
they may always have faith in you also.”
When Moses, then, had reported to the LORD the response of the people,
the LORD added, “Go to the people
and have them sanctify themselves today and tomorrow.
Make them wash their garments and be ready for the third day;
for on the third day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai
before the eyes of all the people.”
On the morning of the third day
there were peals of thunder and lightning,
and a heavy cloud over the mountain,
and a very loud trumpet blast,
so that all the people in the camp trembled.
But Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God,
and they stationed themselves at the foot of the mountain.
Mount Sinai was all wrapped in smoke,
for the LORD came down upon it in fire.
The smoke rose from it as though from a furnace,
and the whole mountain trembled violently.
The trumpet blast grew louder and louder, while Moses was speaking
and God answering him with thunder.
When the LORD came down to the top of Mount Sinai,
he summoned Moses to the top of the mountain.
Daniel 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56
Responsorial Psalm R. (52b)
Glory and praise for ever!
“Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever;
And blessed is your holy and glorious name,
praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages.”
R. Glory and praise for ever!
“Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory,
praiseworthy and glorious above all forever.”
R. Glory and praise for ever!
“Blessed are you on the throne of your Kingdom,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.”
R. Glory and praise for ever!
“Blessed are you who look into the depths
from your throne upon the cherubim,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.”
R. Glory and praise for ever!
“Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven,
praiseworthy and glorious forever.”
R. Glory and praise for ever!
Gospel
Mt 13:10-17
The disciples approached Jesus and said,
“Why do you speak to the crowd in parables?”
He said to them in reply,
“Because knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven
has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted.
To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich;
from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
This is why I speak to them in parables, because
they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.
Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says:
You shall indeed hear but not understand,
you shall indeed look but never see.
Gross is the heart of this people,
they will hardly hear with their ears,
they have closed their eyes,
lest they see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their hearts and be converted
and I heal them.
“But blessed are your eyes, because they see,
and your ears, because they hear.
Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people
longed to see what you see but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”
Meditation: Matthew 13:10-17
“Blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear.” (Matthew 13:16)
If everything God wanted to say could be understood by the human mind, if everything about God were easy to grasp, we would not need his Holy Spirit to explain “mysteries” to us! But it’s not, and we do!
As Jesus said farewell to his disciples, he assured them, “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name—he will teach you everything” (John 14:26). This certainty was so important for them to understand that he repeated it: “The Spirit of truth … will guide you to all truth” (16:13).
The disciples didn’t understand everything Jesus told them. Even though he explained parables to them and gave them specific directions, they still got it wrong sometimes! But they didn’t assume it was impossible. They came to him again and again. They asked him questions. They listened to his words. They pondered his answers and tried to understand them. And then they asked more questions. All they wanted was to know Jesus and to learn how to respond to the desires his presence stirred in their hearts.
Knowing Jesus personally, understanding things of God, is not reserved for a privileged few. It’s for everyone who desires it; everyone who looks with eyes open, hoping to see. It’s for everyone who listens with ears tuned, longing to know more of God. God delights in satisfying hearts that hunger and thirst for him. He wants to assure all of us that it is possible to hear from him personally, to experience his presence, and to learn from him.
Start simply by asking for more desire: “Lord, make me want to know you more.” God loves to answer this prayer. In fact, he is more eager to teach us than we are to learn! He loves to pour revelation into our hearts. Remember St. Paul’s words: We have received “the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the things freely given us by God” (1 Corinthians 2:12).
So turn to the Spirit today and ask him your questions. Then spend some time listening quietly for his response.
“Holy Spirit, open my eyes to see you, and my ears to hear you. I want to know and love my God—Father, Son, and Spirit—more intimately than I do now.”
20 July 2011
20 Jul 2011, Wednesday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Ex 16:1-5, 9-15
The children of Israel set out from Elim,
and came into the desert of Sin,
which is between Elim and Sinai,
on the fifteenth day of the second month
after their departure from the land of Egypt.
Here in the desert the whole assembly of the children of Israel
grumbled against Moses and Aaron.
The children of Israel said to them,
“Would that we had died at the LORD’s hand in the land of Egypt,
as we sat by our fleshpots and ate our fill of bread!
But you had to lead us into this desert
to make the whole community die of famine!”
Then the LORD said to Moses,
“I will now rain down bread from heaven for you.
Each day the people are to go out and gather their daily portion;
thus will I test them,
to see whether they follow my instructions or not.
On the sixth day, however, when they prepare what they bring in,
let it be twice as much as they gather on the other days.”
Then Moses said to Aaron, “Tell the whole congregation
of the children of Israel:
Present yourselves before the LORD,
for he has heard your grumbling.”
When Aaron announced this to the whole assembly of the children of Israel,
they turned toward the desert, and lo,
the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud!
The LORD spoke to Moses and said,
“I have heard the grumbling of the children of Israel.
Tell them: In the evening twilight you shall eat flesh,
and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread,
so that you may know that I, the LORD, am your God.”
In the evening quail came up and covered the camp.
In the morning a dew lay all about the camp,
and when the dew evaporated, there on the surface of the desert
were fine flakes like hoarfrost on the ground.
On seeing it, the children of Israel asked one another, “What is this?”
for they did not know what it was.
But Moses told them,
“This is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat.”
78:18-19, 23-24, 25-26, 27-28
Responsorial Psalm R. (24b)
The Lord gave them bread from heaven.
They tempted God in their hearts
by demanding the food they craved.
Yes, they spoke against God, saying,
“Can God spread a table in the desert?”
R. The Lord gave them bread from heaven.
Yet he commanded the skies above
and the doors of heaven he opened;
He rained manna upon them for food
and gave them heavenly bread.
R. The Lord gave them bread from heaven.
Man ate the bread of angels,
food he sent them in abundance.
He stirred up the east wind in the heavens,
and by his power brought on the south wind.
R. The Lord gave them bread from heaven.
And he rained meat upon them like dust,
and, like the sand of the sea, winged fowl,
Which fell in the midst of their camp
round about their tents.
R. The Lord gave them bread from heaven.
Gospel
Mt 13:1-9
On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea.
Such large crowds gathered around him
that he got into a boat and sat down,
and the whole crowd stood along the shore.
And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying:
“A sower went out to sow.
And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path,
and birds came and ate it up.
Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil.
It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep,
and when the sun rose it was scorched,
and it withered for lack of roots.
Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it.
But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit,
a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.
Whoever has ears ought to hear.”
Meditation: Exodus 16:1-5,9-15
What is this? (Exodus 16:15)
How faithful God is! For forty years he gave the Israelites bread from heaven. Every morning when they woke up, they found a fine covering of manna on the desert ground—just enough to meet the day’s needs. And just to be safe, God gave them a double portion on the day before the Sabbath so that they wouldn’t have to work on the Sabbath. Imagine how moving this must have been for the Israelites. They could trust that God would take care of them—and that he would do it in so dramatic a way!
But over time, the Israelites began to grow tired of the manna (Numbers 11:6). It was the same food, day in and day out, and they lost sight of how wondrous a gift it was. They lost sight, too, of what their lives would look like if God hadn’t been so gracious to them.
How easy it can be for us, as well, to lose sight of the gift that Jesus gives us in the Bread of Life. After all, we believe that at every Mass, no matter what else happens, ordinary bread and wine are transformed into Jesus’ sacred body and blood. Day in and day out, year after year, the same miracle happens on countless altars throughout the world. So on one level, it’s understandable how we might begin to treat the Eucharist as nothing special.
Don’t let it happen! Don’t lose sight of the amazing gift that the Bread of Life is and what it can do for you! Before God gave them the manna, the Israelites faced the very real threat of starving to death in the harsh wilderness of Sinai. But God rescued them. Similarly, if we didn’t have Jesus’ body and blood to nourish and empower us, we too would be lost in the desert of this world. We too would have little hope of reaching the Promised Land.
So treasure this gift. At every Mass, be sure you call to mind what it is that you are receiving. Let the truths behind the Bread of Life bring you to the altar with a new openness to God’s power and grace.
“Lord Jesus, who are we that you should come to us in such a humble way? I worship you, Lord, for your gift of divine life!”
Ex 16:1-5, 9-15
The children of Israel set out from Elim,
and came into the desert of Sin,
which is between Elim and Sinai,
on the fifteenth day of the second month
after their departure from the land of Egypt.
Here in the desert the whole assembly of the children of Israel
grumbled against Moses and Aaron.
The children of Israel said to them,
“Would that we had died at the LORD’s hand in the land of Egypt,
as we sat by our fleshpots and ate our fill of bread!
But you had to lead us into this desert
to make the whole community die of famine!”
Then the LORD said to Moses,
“I will now rain down bread from heaven for you.
Each day the people are to go out and gather their daily portion;
thus will I test them,
to see whether they follow my instructions or not.
On the sixth day, however, when they prepare what they bring in,
let it be twice as much as they gather on the other days.”
Then Moses said to Aaron, “Tell the whole congregation
of the children of Israel:
Present yourselves before the LORD,
for he has heard your grumbling.”
When Aaron announced this to the whole assembly of the children of Israel,
they turned toward the desert, and lo,
the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud!
The LORD spoke to Moses and said,
“I have heard the grumbling of the children of Israel.
Tell them: In the evening twilight you shall eat flesh,
and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread,
so that you may know that I, the LORD, am your God.”
In the evening quail came up and covered the camp.
In the morning a dew lay all about the camp,
and when the dew evaporated, there on the surface of the desert
were fine flakes like hoarfrost on the ground.
On seeing it, the children of Israel asked one another, “What is this?”
for they did not know what it was.
But Moses told them,
“This is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat.”
78:18-19, 23-24, 25-26, 27-28
Responsorial Psalm R. (24b)
The Lord gave them bread from heaven.
They tempted God in their hearts
by demanding the food they craved.
Yes, they spoke against God, saying,
“Can God spread a table in the desert?”
R. The Lord gave them bread from heaven.
Yet he commanded the skies above
and the doors of heaven he opened;
He rained manna upon them for food
and gave them heavenly bread.
R. The Lord gave them bread from heaven.
Man ate the bread of angels,
food he sent them in abundance.
He stirred up the east wind in the heavens,
and by his power brought on the south wind.
R. The Lord gave them bread from heaven.
And he rained meat upon them like dust,
and, like the sand of the sea, winged fowl,
Which fell in the midst of their camp
round about their tents.
R. The Lord gave them bread from heaven.
Gospel
Mt 13:1-9
On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea.
Such large crowds gathered around him
that he got into a boat and sat down,
and the whole crowd stood along the shore.
And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying:
“A sower went out to sow.
And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path,
and birds came and ate it up.
Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil.
It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep,
and when the sun rose it was scorched,
and it withered for lack of roots.
Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it.
But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit,
a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.
Whoever has ears ought to hear.”
Meditation: Exodus 16:1-5,9-15
What is this? (Exodus 16:15)
How faithful God is! For forty years he gave the Israelites bread from heaven. Every morning when they woke up, they found a fine covering of manna on the desert ground—just enough to meet the day’s needs. And just to be safe, God gave them a double portion on the day before the Sabbath so that they wouldn’t have to work on the Sabbath. Imagine how moving this must have been for the Israelites. They could trust that God would take care of them—and that he would do it in so dramatic a way!
But over time, the Israelites began to grow tired of the manna (Numbers 11:6). It was the same food, day in and day out, and they lost sight of how wondrous a gift it was. They lost sight, too, of what their lives would look like if God hadn’t been so gracious to them.
How easy it can be for us, as well, to lose sight of the gift that Jesus gives us in the Bread of Life. After all, we believe that at every Mass, no matter what else happens, ordinary bread and wine are transformed into Jesus’ sacred body and blood. Day in and day out, year after year, the same miracle happens on countless altars throughout the world. So on one level, it’s understandable how we might begin to treat the Eucharist as nothing special.
Don’t let it happen! Don’t lose sight of the amazing gift that the Bread of Life is and what it can do for you! Before God gave them the manna, the Israelites faced the very real threat of starving to death in the harsh wilderness of Sinai. But God rescued them. Similarly, if we didn’t have Jesus’ body and blood to nourish and empower us, we too would be lost in the desert of this world. We too would have little hope of reaching the Promised Land.
So treasure this gift. At every Mass, be sure you call to mind what it is that you are receiving. Let the truths behind the Bread of Life bring you to the altar with a new openness to God’s power and grace.
“Lord Jesus, who are we that you should come to us in such a humble way? I worship you, Lord, for your gift of divine life!”
19 Jul 2011, Tuesday of the Sixteenth Week
Reading 1
Ex 14:21-15:1
Moses stretched out his hand over the sea,
and the LORD swept the sea
with a strong east wind throughout the night
and so turned it into dry land.
When the water was thus divided,
the children of Israel marched into the midst of the sea on dry land,
with the water like a wall to their right and to their left.
The Egyptians followed in pursuit;
all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and charioteers went after them
right into the midst of the sea.
In the night watch just before dawn
the LORD cast through the column of the fiery cloud
upon the Egyptian force a glance that threw it into a panic;
and he so clogged their chariot wheels
that they could hardly drive.
With that the Egyptians sounded the retreat before Israel,
because the LORD was fighting for them against the Egyptians.
Then the LORD told Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea,
that the water may flow back upon the Egyptians,
upon their chariots and their charioteers.”
So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea,
and at dawn the sea flowed back to its normal depth.
The Egyptians were fleeing head on toward the sea,
when the LORD hurled them into its midst.
As the water flowed back,
it covered the chariots and the charioteers of Pharaoh’s whole army
that had followed the children of Israel into the sea.
Not a single one of them escaped.
But the children of Israel had marched on dry land
through the midst of the sea,
with the water like a wall to their right and to their left.
Thus the LORD saved Israel on that day
from the power of the Egyptians.
When Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the seashore
and beheld the great power that the LORD
had shown against the Egyptians,
they feared the LORD and believed in him and in his servant Moses.
Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the LORD:
I will sing to the LORD, for he is gloriously triumphant;
horse and chariot he has cast into the sea.
Exodus 15:8-9, 10 and 12, 17
Responsorial Psalm R. (1b)
Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
At the breath of your anger the waters piled up,
the flowing waters stood like a mound,
the flood waters congealed in the midst of the sea.
The enemy boasted, “I will pursue and overtake them;
I will divide the spoils and have my fill of them;
I will draw my sword; my hand shall despoil them!”
R. Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
When your wind blew, the sea covered them;
like lead they sank in the mighty waters.
When you stretched out your right hand, the earth swallowed them!
R. Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
And you brought them in and planted them on the mountain of your inheritance—
the place where you made your seat, O LORD,
the sanctuary, O LORD, which your hands established.
R. Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
Gospel
Mt 12:46-50
While Jesus was speaking to the crowds,
his mother and his brothers appeared outside,
wishing to speak with him.
Someone told him, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside,
asking to speak with you.”
But he said in reply to the one who told him,
“Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?”
And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said,
“Here are my mother and my brothers.
For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father
is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
Meditation: Exodus 14:21–15:1
“Then Moses and the Israelites sang… “(Exodus 15:1)
Picture yourself with front-row seats at the final game of the World Cup. People are cheering as the underdog team scores the winning goal. The whole stadium erupts, and you can’t contain yourself. Suddenly you are shouting, clapping, giving high-fives to strangers, and waving your banner wildly.
This must have been how the people of Israel felt when they saw the Egyptian army being swallowed up by the sea. The chase was over, and they were now free. They couldn’t help but break into celebration!
This is the kind of excitement that Jesus wants to give us every time we recall the salvation he won for us. He wants us to celebrate our freedom from slavery and the promise of eternal life with him. He wants us to clap our hands and shout praises to him because he has defeated the devil and set us free from sin. He wants us to sing and dance because he has rescued us from death.
If you want some idea of what this kind of worship looks like, read chapters four and five of the Book of Revelation. There, we see how all of heaven is filled with singing and rejoicing, with loud acclamations and shouts of praise to God the Father and to Jesus, his Son.
Does your prayer time look like this? If not, it should. Our God is faithful, powerful, loving, and merciful. We have so much to rejoice over, so much to celebrate. We have challenges and problems, too. But nothing is too big for Jesus. Nothing is beyond his ability to intervene. Nothing is so menacing that it can overshadow God’s goodness and presence.
So try devoting your prayer today to rejoicing and celebrating. Go ahead and speak words of praise and thanksgiving to the Lord. Sing and clap your hands. You may even want to shout for joy or dance like King David! Even if you don’t feel like singing, even if you feel a little silly, try it anyway! Take a few moments to recall all the wondrous things God has done in your life. Think about the ways he has protected you, healed you, or shown you his love, and you’ll find reason enough to open your mouth, raise your hands, and shout praises.
“Jesus, you are Lord and Savior. I rejoice in your love and your provision!”
Ex 14:21-15:1
Moses stretched out his hand over the sea,
and the LORD swept the sea
with a strong east wind throughout the night
and so turned it into dry land.
When the water was thus divided,
the children of Israel marched into the midst of the sea on dry land,
with the water like a wall to their right and to their left.
The Egyptians followed in pursuit;
all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and charioteers went after them
right into the midst of the sea.
In the night watch just before dawn
the LORD cast through the column of the fiery cloud
upon the Egyptian force a glance that threw it into a panic;
and he so clogged their chariot wheels
that they could hardly drive.
With that the Egyptians sounded the retreat before Israel,
because the LORD was fighting for them against the Egyptians.
Then the LORD told Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea,
that the water may flow back upon the Egyptians,
upon their chariots and their charioteers.”
So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea,
and at dawn the sea flowed back to its normal depth.
The Egyptians were fleeing head on toward the sea,
when the LORD hurled them into its midst.
As the water flowed back,
it covered the chariots and the charioteers of Pharaoh’s whole army
that had followed the children of Israel into the sea.
Not a single one of them escaped.
But the children of Israel had marched on dry land
through the midst of the sea,
with the water like a wall to their right and to their left.
Thus the LORD saved Israel on that day
from the power of the Egyptians.
When Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the seashore
and beheld the great power that the LORD
had shown against the Egyptians,
they feared the LORD and believed in him and in his servant Moses.
Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the LORD:
I will sing to the LORD, for he is gloriously triumphant;
horse and chariot he has cast into the sea.
Exodus 15:8-9, 10 and 12, 17
Responsorial Psalm R. (1b)
Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
At the breath of your anger the waters piled up,
the flowing waters stood like a mound,
the flood waters congealed in the midst of the sea.
The enemy boasted, “I will pursue and overtake them;
I will divide the spoils and have my fill of them;
I will draw my sword; my hand shall despoil them!”
R. Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
When your wind blew, the sea covered them;
like lead they sank in the mighty waters.
When you stretched out your right hand, the earth swallowed them!
R. Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
And you brought them in and planted them on the mountain of your inheritance—
the place where you made your seat, O LORD,
the sanctuary, O LORD, which your hands established.
R. Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
Gospel
Mt 12:46-50
While Jesus was speaking to the crowds,
his mother and his brothers appeared outside,
wishing to speak with him.
Someone told him, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside,
asking to speak with you.”
But he said in reply to the one who told him,
“Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?”
And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said,
“Here are my mother and my brothers.
For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father
is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
Meditation: Exodus 14:21–15:1
“Then Moses and the Israelites sang… “(Exodus 15:1)
Picture yourself with front-row seats at the final game of the World Cup. People are cheering as the underdog team scores the winning goal. The whole stadium erupts, and you can’t contain yourself. Suddenly you are shouting, clapping, giving high-fives to strangers, and waving your banner wildly.
This must have been how the people of Israel felt when they saw the Egyptian army being swallowed up by the sea. The chase was over, and they were now free. They couldn’t help but break into celebration!
This is the kind of excitement that Jesus wants to give us every time we recall the salvation he won for us. He wants us to celebrate our freedom from slavery and the promise of eternal life with him. He wants us to clap our hands and shout praises to him because he has defeated the devil and set us free from sin. He wants us to sing and dance because he has rescued us from death.
If you want some idea of what this kind of worship looks like, read chapters four and five of the Book of Revelation. There, we see how all of heaven is filled with singing and rejoicing, with loud acclamations and shouts of praise to God the Father and to Jesus, his Son.
Does your prayer time look like this? If not, it should. Our God is faithful, powerful, loving, and merciful. We have so much to rejoice over, so much to celebrate. We have challenges and problems, too. But nothing is too big for Jesus. Nothing is beyond his ability to intervene. Nothing is so menacing that it can overshadow God’s goodness and presence.
So try devoting your prayer today to rejoicing and celebrating. Go ahead and speak words of praise and thanksgiving to the Lord. Sing and clap your hands. You may even want to shout for joy or dance like King David! Even if you don’t feel like singing, even if you feel a little silly, try it anyway! Take a few moments to recall all the wondrous things God has done in your life. Think about the ways he has protected you, healed you, or shown you his love, and you’ll find reason enough to open your mouth, raise your hands, and shout praises.
“Jesus, you are Lord and Savior. I rejoice in your love and your provision!”
18 July 2011
18 Jul 2011, Monday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Ex 14:5-18
When it was reported to the king of Egypt
that the people had fled,
Pharaoh and his servants changed their minds about them.
They exclaimed, “What have we done!
Why, we have released Israel from our service!”
So Pharaoh made his chariots ready and mustered his soldiersB
six hundred first-class chariots
and all the other chariots of Egypt, with warriors on them all.
So obstinate had the LORD made Pharaoh
that he pursued the children of Israel
even while they were marching away in triumph.
The Egyptians, then, pursued them;
Pharaoh’s whole army, his horses, chariots and charioteers,
caught up with them as they lay encamped by the sea,
at Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.
Pharaoh was already near when the children of Israel looked up
and saw that the Egyptians were on the march in pursuit of them.
In great fright they cried out to the LORD.
And they complained to Moses,
“Were there no burial places in Egypt
that you had to bring us out here to die in the desert?
Why did you do this to us?
Why did you bring us out of Egypt?
Did we not tell you this in Egypt, when we said,
‘Leave us alone. Let us serve the Egyptians’?
Far better for us to be the slaves of the Egyptians
than to die in the desert.”
But Moses answered the people,
“Fear not! Stand your ground,
and you will see the victory the LORD will win for you today.
These Egyptians whom you see today you will never see again.
The LORD himself will fight for you; you have only to keep still.”
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me?
Tell the children of Israel to go forward.
And you, lift up your staff and, with hand outstretched over the sea,
split the sea in two,
that the children of Israel may pass through it on dry land.
But I will make the Egyptians so obstinate
that they will go in after them.
Then I will receive glory through Pharaoh and all his army,
his chariots and charioteers.
The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD,
when I receive glory through Pharaoh
and his chariots and charioteers.”
Exodus 15:1bc-2, 3-4, 5-6
Responsorial PsalmR. (1b)
Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
I will sing to the LORD, for he is gloriously triumphant;
horse and chariot he has cast into the sea.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
He is my God, I praise him;
the God of my father, I extol him.
R. Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
The LORD is a warrior,
LORD is his name!
Pharaoh’s chariots and army he hurled into the sea;
the elite of his officers were submerged in the Red Sea.
R. Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
The flood waters covered them,
they sank into the depths like a stone.
Your right hand, O LORD, magnificent in power,
your right hand, O LORD, has shattered the enemy.
R. Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
Gospel
Mt 12:38-42
Some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus,
“Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.”
He said to them in reply,
“An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign,
but no sign will be given it
except the sign of Jonah the prophet.
Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights,
so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth
three days and three nights.
At the judgment, the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation
and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah;
and there is something greater than Jonah here.
At the judgment the queen of the south will arise with this generation
and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth
to hear the wisdom of Solomon;
and there is something greater than Solomon here.”
Meditation: Matthew 12:38-42
“We wish to see a sign.” (Matthew 12:38)
When you’re in a romantic relationship, certain things will make you think of your beloved. It may be a picture in your wallet. You may drive past the restaurant you went to on your first date, or you may recall a movie that you watched together. You may hear a favorite song you shared that gives you goose bumps every time it’s played. But when it comes right down to it, which would you rather have— those reminders, or the person you love standing beside you?
That’s the nature of the problem that Jesus posed for the scribes and Pharisees here. He could see that they loved the God of the covenant, but he challenged them to go further. All they seemed to be interested in were the signs, or reminders of God’s presence in Israel’s history. They wanted proof of Jesus’ power, something that would show them God was in him just as he was present in the days of Moses and David. But the Son of God was standing right in front of them! Would another miracle really convince them?
What about us? Certainly there are times when God comes through for us in amazing, miraculous ways. But if we were to wait for a miracle before we believed in him, we would be like a traveler who, having seen a sign twenty miles ago, decided to come to a dead stop on the road and wait for another sign to appear before he kept going. Jesus knows that our growth comes as we keep moving forward, relying on the past signs and heading in faith toward our destination. We don’t need to sense God’s presence in a spectacular way every day. We simply have to trust that he’s with us.
In a sense, the biggest and most helpful miracle has already occurred. It’s the sign of the cross, telling us that Jesus has defeated death and sin and opened the gates of heaven to us. If we keep moving forward, letting the message of his cross guide us, we will discover a life-changing relationship with God, and nothing will be able to shake us.
“Lord, your cross I need—all the compassion, all the healing, and all the joy. With my eyes fixed on you, I can handle every situation!”
Ex 14:5-18
When it was reported to the king of Egypt
that the people had fled,
Pharaoh and his servants changed their minds about them.
They exclaimed, “What have we done!
Why, we have released Israel from our service!”
So Pharaoh made his chariots ready and mustered his soldiersB
six hundred first-class chariots
and all the other chariots of Egypt, with warriors on them all.
So obstinate had the LORD made Pharaoh
that he pursued the children of Israel
even while they were marching away in triumph.
The Egyptians, then, pursued them;
Pharaoh’s whole army, his horses, chariots and charioteers,
caught up with them as they lay encamped by the sea,
at Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.
Pharaoh was already near when the children of Israel looked up
and saw that the Egyptians were on the march in pursuit of them.
In great fright they cried out to the LORD.
And they complained to Moses,
“Were there no burial places in Egypt
that you had to bring us out here to die in the desert?
Why did you do this to us?
Why did you bring us out of Egypt?
Did we not tell you this in Egypt, when we said,
‘Leave us alone. Let us serve the Egyptians’?
Far better for us to be the slaves of the Egyptians
than to die in the desert.”
But Moses answered the people,
“Fear not! Stand your ground,
and you will see the victory the LORD will win for you today.
These Egyptians whom you see today you will never see again.
The LORD himself will fight for you; you have only to keep still.”
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me?
Tell the children of Israel to go forward.
And you, lift up your staff and, with hand outstretched over the sea,
split the sea in two,
that the children of Israel may pass through it on dry land.
But I will make the Egyptians so obstinate
that they will go in after them.
Then I will receive glory through Pharaoh and all his army,
his chariots and charioteers.
The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD,
when I receive glory through Pharaoh
and his chariots and charioteers.”
Exodus 15:1bc-2, 3-4, 5-6
Responsorial PsalmR. (1b)
Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
I will sing to the LORD, for he is gloriously triumphant;
horse and chariot he has cast into the sea.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
He is my God, I praise him;
the God of my father, I extol him.
R. Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
The LORD is a warrior,
LORD is his name!
Pharaoh’s chariots and army he hurled into the sea;
the elite of his officers were submerged in the Red Sea.
R. Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
The flood waters covered them,
they sank into the depths like a stone.
Your right hand, O LORD, magnificent in power,
your right hand, O LORD, has shattered the enemy.
R. Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
Gospel
Mt 12:38-42
Some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus,
“Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.”
He said to them in reply,
“An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign,
but no sign will be given it
except the sign of Jonah the prophet.
Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights,
so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth
three days and three nights.
At the judgment, the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation
and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah;
and there is something greater than Jonah here.
At the judgment the queen of the south will arise with this generation
and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth
to hear the wisdom of Solomon;
and there is something greater than Solomon here.”
Meditation: Matthew 12:38-42
“We wish to see a sign.” (Matthew 12:38)
When you’re in a romantic relationship, certain things will make you think of your beloved. It may be a picture in your wallet. You may drive past the restaurant you went to on your first date, or you may recall a movie that you watched together. You may hear a favorite song you shared that gives you goose bumps every time it’s played. But when it comes right down to it, which would you rather have— those reminders, or the person you love standing beside you?
That’s the nature of the problem that Jesus posed for the scribes and Pharisees here. He could see that they loved the God of the covenant, but he challenged them to go further. All they seemed to be interested in were the signs, or reminders of God’s presence in Israel’s history. They wanted proof of Jesus’ power, something that would show them God was in him just as he was present in the days of Moses and David. But the Son of God was standing right in front of them! Would another miracle really convince them?
What about us? Certainly there are times when God comes through for us in amazing, miraculous ways. But if we were to wait for a miracle before we believed in him, we would be like a traveler who, having seen a sign twenty miles ago, decided to come to a dead stop on the road and wait for another sign to appear before he kept going. Jesus knows that our growth comes as we keep moving forward, relying on the past signs and heading in faith toward our destination. We don’t need to sense God’s presence in a spectacular way every day. We simply have to trust that he’s with us.
In a sense, the biggest and most helpful miracle has already occurred. It’s the sign of the cross, telling us that Jesus has defeated death and sin and opened the gates of heaven to us. If we keep moving forward, letting the message of his cross guide us, we will discover a life-changing relationship with God, and nothing will be able to shake us.
“Lord, your cross I need—all the compassion, all the healing, and all the joy. With my eyes fixed on you, I can handle every situation!”
16 July 2011
17 Jul 2011, Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Wis 12:13, 16-19
There is no god besides you who have the care of all,
that you need show you have not unjustly condemned.
For your might is the source of justice;
your mastery over all things makes you lenient to all.
For you show your might when the perfection of your power is disbelieved;
and in those who know you, you rebuke temerity.
But though you are master of might, you judge with clemency,
and with much lenience you govern us;
for power, whenever you will, attends you.
And you taught your people, by these deeds,
that those who are just must be kind;
and you gave your children good ground for hope
that you would permit repentance for their sins.
86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16
Responsorial PsalmR. (5a)
Lord, you are good and forgiving.
You, O LORD, are good and forgiving,
abounding in kindness to all who call upon you.
Hearken, O LORD, to my prayer
and attend to the sound of my pleading.
R. Lord, you are good and forgiving.
All the nations you have made shall come
and worship you, O LORD,
and glorify your name.
For you are great, and you do wondrous deeds;
you alone are God.
R. Lord, you are good and forgiving.
You, O LORD, are a God merciful and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in kindness and fidelity.
Turn toward me, and have pity on me;
give your strength to your servant.
R. Lord, you are good and forgiving.
Reading II
Rom 8:26-27
Brothers and sisters:
The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness;
for we do not know how to pray as we ought,
but the Spirit himself intercedes with inexpressible groanings.
And the one who searches hearts
knows what is the intention of the Spirit,
because he intercedes for the holy ones
according to God’s will.
Gospel
Mt 13:24-43
Jesus proposed another parable to the crowds, saying:
“The kingdom of heaven may be likened
to a man who sowed good seed in his field.
While everyone was asleep his enemy came
and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off.
When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well.
The slaves of the householder came to him and said,
‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field?
Where have the weeds come from?’
He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’
His slaves said to him,
‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds
you might uproot the wheat along with them.
Let them grow together until harvest;
then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters,
“First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning;
but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”
He proposed another parable to them.
“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed
that a person took and sowed in a field.
It is the smallest of all the seeds,
yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants.
It becomes a large bush,
and the ‘birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.’”
He spoke to them another parable.
“The kingdom of heaven is like yeast
that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour
until the whole batch was leavened.”
All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables.
He spoke to them only in parables,
to fulfill what had been said through the prophet:
I will open my mouth in parables,
I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundation
of the world.
Then, dismissing the crowds, he went into the house.
His disciples approached him and said,
“Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
He said in reply, “He who sows good seed is the Son of Man,
the field is the world, the good seed the children of the kingdom.
The weeds are the children of the evil one,
and the enemy who sows them is the devil.
The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire,
so will it be at the end of the age.
The Son of Man will send his angels,
and they will collect out of his kingdom
all who cause others to sin and all evildoers.
They will throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
Then the righteous will shine like the sun
in the kingdom of their Father.
Whoever has ears ought to hear.”
or
Jesus proposed another parable to the crowds, saying:
“The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man
who sowed good seed in his field.
While everyone was asleep his enemy came
and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off.
When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well.
The slaves of the householder came to him and said,
‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field?
Where have the weeds come from?’
He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’
His slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds
you might uproot the wheat along with them.
Let them grow together until harvest;
then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters,
“First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning;
but gather the wheat into my barn.”
Meditation: Romans 8:26-27
Meditation: Romans 8:26-27
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“The Spirit helps us in our weakness.” (Romans 8:26)
Have you ever noticed how ready we are to take up one form of prayer—petition—and how uncomfortable we tend to feel about other forms, especially the kind of prayer mentioned in today’s second reading? We tend to be very good at asking God for his help or healing, for an end to war and abortion, or for grace and protection for family members. There seems to be no end to our needs, and no lack of confi dence that God will hear and answer us.
Of course, this is a very good way to pray, and God loves to pour out his blessings in response to our petitions. But there is another form of prayer that is just as valuable and just as necessary to our spiritual lives: the prayer that listens for God’s wisdom and revelation. In today’s Gospel, Jesus uses parables and analogies to teach the crowd how to understand the kingdom of God. And behind every parable and story Jesus told was his desire to “announce what has lain hidden from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 13:35).
Jesus isn’t done unveiling mysteries to his people. Through his Holy Spirit, he wants to unfold the truths of the gospel to each one of us, just as he has done for countless believers throughout the centuries. He wants to help us understand the things of God so that we can take hold of his kingdom more fully each day and bear fruit in this world.
At Mass today, let the Holy Spirit come to the aid of your spiritual weakness. As you listen to the Scripture readings, ask the Spirit to show you God’s kingdom in a new way. During Communion, tell him that you’re ready to listen to whatever he puts on your heart. Then, watch and see how the Spirit works.
“Come, Holy Spirit, and guide my prayer. You know the mind of God. You know the deepest desires of his heart. By your grace, open my eyes to these mysteries. Help me see Jesus more clearly.”
Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion
(Wisdom 12:13,16-19; Psalm 86:5-6,9-10,15-16; Romans 8:26-27; Matthew 13:24-43)
1. In the first reading, we hear that “those who are just must be kind”. How does the cross reflect God’s justice and kindness toward you? In what way is there a conflict between justice and kindness in your life? What steps can you take to reduce this conflict?
2. In the responsorial psalm, we also read that God is “forgiving” and “merciful”. We know that God forgives us when we confess our sins? How ready are you to forgive those who have wronged you? Why do we have a tendency to demand justice from God for others but mercy for ourselves? Why is this contrary to the Gospel?
3. In the letter to the Romans, St. Paul tells us that the “Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness.” How often during the day do you turn to the Holy Spirit, present in each baptized Catholic, to seek help and guidance? What steps can you take to change that?
4. In the Gospel, we see that the smallest of actions (e.g., the sowing of a “mustard seed” and the mixing of “yeast” with flour) can have a very large effect. What areas of your life would some small steps by you have a major impact? Are you willing to take these steps? Why or why not?
5. The meditation speak of the type of the prayer “that listens for God’s wisdom and revelation.” In your times of prayer or at Mass, how can you open yourself more to hear God speaking to you, through the power of the Holy Spirit that dwells in you?
6. Take some time now to pray for a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit and a heart and mind open to the Lord’s revelation and wisdom. Use the prayer at the end of the meditation as the starting point.
Wis 12:13, 16-19
There is no god besides you who have the care of all,
that you need show you have not unjustly condemned.
For your might is the source of justice;
your mastery over all things makes you lenient to all.
For you show your might when the perfection of your power is disbelieved;
and in those who know you, you rebuke temerity.
But though you are master of might, you judge with clemency,
and with much lenience you govern us;
for power, whenever you will, attends you.
And you taught your people, by these deeds,
that those who are just must be kind;
and you gave your children good ground for hope
that you would permit repentance for their sins.
86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16
Responsorial PsalmR. (5a)
Lord, you are good and forgiving.
You, O LORD, are good and forgiving,
abounding in kindness to all who call upon you.
Hearken, O LORD, to my prayer
and attend to the sound of my pleading.
R. Lord, you are good and forgiving.
All the nations you have made shall come
and worship you, O LORD,
and glorify your name.
For you are great, and you do wondrous deeds;
you alone are God.
R. Lord, you are good and forgiving.
You, O LORD, are a God merciful and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in kindness and fidelity.
Turn toward me, and have pity on me;
give your strength to your servant.
R. Lord, you are good and forgiving.
Reading II
Rom 8:26-27
Brothers and sisters:
The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness;
for we do not know how to pray as we ought,
but the Spirit himself intercedes with inexpressible groanings.
And the one who searches hearts
knows what is the intention of the Spirit,
because he intercedes for the holy ones
according to God’s will.
Gospel
Mt 13:24-43
Jesus proposed another parable to the crowds, saying:
“The kingdom of heaven may be likened
to a man who sowed good seed in his field.
While everyone was asleep his enemy came
and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off.
When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well.
The slaves of the householder came to him and said,
‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field?
Where have the weeds come from?’
He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’
His slaves said to him,
‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds
you might uproot the wheat along with them.
Let them grow together until harvest;
then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters,
“First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning;
but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”
He proposed another parable to them.
“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed
that a person took and sowed in a field.
It is the smallest of all the seeds,
yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants.
It becomes a large bush,
and the ‘birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.’”
He spoke to them another parable.
“The kingdom of heaven is like yeast
that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour
until the whole batch was leavened.”
All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables.
He spoke to them only in parables,
to fulfill what had been said through the prophet:
I will open my mouth in parables,
I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundation
of the world.
Then, dismissing the crowds, he went into the house.
His disciples approached him and said,
“Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
He said in reply, “He who sows good seed is the Son of Man,
the field is the world, the good seed the children of the kingdom.
The weeds are the children of the evil one,
and the enemy who sows them is the devil.
The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire,
so will it be at the end of the age.
The Son of Man will send his angels,
and they will collect out of his kingdom
all who cause others to sin and all evildoers.
They will throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
Then the righteous will shine like the sun
in the kingdom of their Father.
Whoever has ears ought to hear.”
or
Jesus proposed another parable to the crowds, saying:
“The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man
who sowed good seed in his field.
While everyone was asleep his enemy came
and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off.
When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well.
The slaves of the householder came to him and said,
‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field?
Where have the weeds come from?’
He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’
His slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds
you might uproot the wheat along with them.
Let them grow together until harvest;
then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters,
“First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning;
but gather the wheat into my barn.”
Meditation: Romans 8:26-27
Meditation: Romans 8:26-27
View NAB Reading at USCCB.org | Wrong date? Set your time zone.
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“The Spirit helps us in our weakness.” (Romans 8:26)
Have you ever noticed how ready we are to take up one form of prayer—petition—and how uncomfortable we tend to feel about other forms, especially the kind of prayer mentioned in today’s second reading? We tend to be very good at asking God for his help or healing, for an end to war and abortion, or for grace and protection for family members. There seems to be no end to our needs, and no lack of confi dence that God will hear and answer us.
Of course, this is a very good way to pray, and God loves to pour out his blessings in response to our petitions. But there is another form of prayer that is just as valuable and just as necessary to our spiritual lives: the prayer that listens for God’s wisdom and revelation. In today’s Gospel, Jesus uses parables and analogies to teach the crowd how to understand the kingdom of God. And behind every parable and story Jesus told was his desire to “announce what has lain hidden from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 13:35).
Jesus isn’t done unveiling mysteries to his people. Through his Holy Spirit, he wants to unfold the truths of the gospel to each one of us, just as he has done for countless believers throughout the centuries. He wants to help us understand the things of God so that we can take hold of his kingdom more fully each day and bear fruit in this world.
At Mass today, let the Holy Spirit come to the aid of your spiritual weakness. As you listen to the Scripture readings, ask the Spirit to show you God’s kingdom in a new way. During Communion, tell him that you’re ready to listen to whatever he puts on your heart. Then, watch and see how the Spirit works.
“Come, Holy Spirit, and guide my prayer. You know the mind of God. You know the deepest desires of his heart. By your grace, open my eyes to these mysteries. Help me see Jesus more clearly.”
Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion
(Wisdom 12:13,16-19; Psalm 86:5-6,9-10,15-16; Romans 8:26-27; Matthew 13:24-43)
1. In the first reading, we hear that “those who are just must be kind”. How does the cross reflect God’s justice and kindness toward you? In what way is there a conflict between justice and kindness in your life? What steps can you take to reduce this conflict?
2. In the responsorial psalm, we also read that God is “forgiving” and “merciful”. We know that God forgives us when we confess our sins? How ready are you to forgive those who have wronged you? Why do we have a tendency to demand justice from God for others but mercy for ourselves? Why is this contrary to the Gospel?
3. In the letter to the Romans, St. Paul tells us that the “Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness.” How often during the day do you turn to the Holy Spirit, present in each baptized Catholic, to seek help and guidance? What steps can you take to change that?
4. In the Gospel, we see that the smallest of actions (e.g., the sowing of a “mustard seed” and the mixing of “yeast” with flour) can have a very large effect. What areas of your life would some small steps by you have a major impact? Are you willing to take these steps? Why or why not?
5. The meditation speak of the type of the prayer “that listens for God’s wisdom and revelation.” In your times of prayer or at Mass, how can you open yourself more to hear God speaking to you, through the power of the Holy Spirit that dwells in you?
6. Take some time now to pray for a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit and a heart and mind open to the Lord’s revelation and wisdom. Use the prayer at the end of the meditation as the starting point.
16 Jul 2011, Saturday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Ex 12:37-42
The children of Israel set out from Rameses for Succoth,
about six hundred thousand men on foot,
not counting the little ones.
A crowd of mixed ancestry also went up with them,
besides their livestock, very numerous flocks and herds.
Since the dough they had brought out of Egypt was not leavened,
they baked it into unleavened loaves.
They had rushed out of Egypt and had no opportunity
even to prepare food for the journey.
The time the children of Israel had stayed in Egypt
was four hundred and thirty years.
At the end of four hundred and thirty years,
all the hosts of the LORD left the land of Egypt on this very date.
This was a night of vigil for the LORD,
as he led them out of the land of Egypt;
so on this same night
all the children of Israel must keep a vigil for the LORD
throughout their generations.
136:1 and 23-24, 10-12, 13-15
Responsorial PsalmR.
His mercy endures forever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever;
Who remembered us in our abjection,
for his mercy endures forever;
And freed us from our foes,
for his mercy endures forever.
R. His mercy endures forever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Who smote the Egyptians in their first-born,
for his mercy endures forever;
And brought out Israel from their midst,
for his mercy endures forever;
With a mighty hand and an outstretched arm,
for his mercy endures forever.
R. His mercy endures forever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Who split the Red Sea in twain,
for his mercy endures forever;
And led Israel through its midst,
for his mercy endures forever;
But swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea,
for his mercy endures forever.
R. His mercy endures forever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Gospel
Mt 12:14-21
The Pharisees went out and took counsel against Jesus
to put him to death.
When Jesus realized this, he withdrew from that place.
Many people followed him, and he cured them all,
but he warned them not to make him known.
This was to fulfill what had been spoken through Isaiah the prophet:
Behold, my servant whom I have chosen,
my beloved in whom I delight;
I shall place my Spirit upon him,
and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
He will not contend or cry out,
nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed he will not break,
a smoldering wick he will not quench,
until he brings justice to victory.
And in his name the Gentiles will hope.
Meditation: Exodus 12:37-42
“A crowd of mixed ancestry went up with them.” (Exodus 12:38)
So just who made up this “crowd of mixed ancestry” who left Egypt with the Israelites? Some were probably pagans who had married Israelites. Some were probably the offspring of such marriages. Others were likely foreigners who, like the Israelites, had been forced into slavery and now grabbed the opportunity to escape by joining themselves to Moses’ company. Maybe they even shared the Israelites’ belief in a liberating God. Whoever they were, the people who gained freedom in the Exodus transcended the narrow bounds of the Hebrew race.
Just as the crowd that left Egypt in the Exodus was “mixed,” so too is the Christian church today. Not every Christian worships in the same way or holds the same beliefs that we do as Catholics. But whatever differences we may have, God calls us to treat each other with respect and honor. As Vatican II’s Decree on Ecumenism makes clear, “All who have been justified by faith in Baptism are members of Christ’s body, and have a right to be called Christian.” We are all brothers and sisters in Christ! We are all one family. We are all walking away from Egypt and headed toward the Promised Land.
So how can we help each other on this journey? What can we do to help foster Christian unity? One of the best things we can do is to look at people from different traditions with eyes of love and respect. We can avoid the extremes and prejudices that have often marked how Christians from different traditions relate. For example, we should be careful not to disparage other traditions or go so far as to claim that these believers aren’t Christian. Of course, we shouldn’t gloss over our real and crucial differences, but we should never let these differences deter us from the goal of unity.
We can also work together, serving in a local pro-life clinic, soup kitchen, or homeless shelter. These are all wonderful opportunities to grow closer as brothers and sisters and to share our faith with each other. As we get to know each other, we will come to see that much more unites us than divides us. And that can move us to pray all the more deeply for full and real unity among all believers.
“Father, teach us all to grow together in unity and love.”
Ex 12:37-42
The children of Israel set out from Rameses for Succoth,
about six hundred thousand men on foot,
not counting the little ones.
A crowd of mixed ancestry also went up with them,
besides their livestock, very numerous flocks and herds.
Since the dough they had brought out of Egypt was not leavened,
they baked it into unleavened loaves.
They had rushed out of Egypt and had no opportunity
even to prepare food for the journey.
The time the children of Israel had stayed in Egypt
was four hundred and thirty years.
At the end of four hundred and thirty years,
all the hosts of the LORD left the land of Egypt on this very date.
This was a night of vigil for the LORD,
as he led them out of the land of Egypt;
so on this same night
all the children of Israel must keep a vigil for the LORD
throughout their generations.
136:1 and 23-24, 10-12, 13-15
Responsorial PsalmR.
His mercy endures forever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever;
Who remembered us in our abjection,
for his mercy endures forever;
And freed us from our foes,
for his mercy endures forever.
R. His mercy endures forever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Who smote the Egyptians in their first-born,
for his mercy endures forever;
And brought out Israel from their midst,
for his mercy endures forever;
With a mighty hand and an outstretched arm,
for his mercy endures forever.
R. His mercy endures forever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Who split the Red Sea in twain,
for his mercy endures forever;
And led Israel through its midst,
for his mercy endures forever;
But swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea,
for his mercy endures forever.
R. His mercy endures forever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Gospel
Mt 12:14-21
The Pharisees went out and took counsel against Jesus
to put him to death.
When Jesus realized this, he withdrew from that place.
Many people followed him, and he cured them all,
but he warned them not to make him known.
This was to fulfill what had been spoken through Isaiah the prophet:
Behold, my servant whom I have chosen,
my beloved in whom I delight;
I shall place my Spirit upon him,
and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
He will not contend or cry out,
nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed he will not break,
a smoldering wick he will not quench,
until he brings justice to victory.
And in his name the Gentiles will hope.
Meditation: Exodus 12:37-42
“A crowd of mixed ancestry went up with them.” (Exodus 12:38)
So just who made up this “crowd of mixed ancestry” who left Egypt with the Israelites? Some were probably pagans who had married Israelites. Some were probably the offspring of such marriages. Others were likely foreigners who, like the Israelites, had been forced into slavery and now grabbed the opportunity to escape by joining themselves to Moses’ company. Maybe they even shared the Israelites’ belief in a liberating God. Whoever they were, the people who gained freedom in the Exodus transcended the narrow bounds of the Hebrew race.
Just as the crowd that left Egypt in the Exodus was “mixed,” so too is the Christian church today. Not every Christian worships in the same way or holds the same beliefs that we do as Catholics. But whatever differences we may have, God calls us to treat each other with respect and honor. As Vatican II’s Decree on Ecumenism makes clear, “All who have been justified by faith in Baptism are members of Christ’s body, and have a right to be called Christian.” We are all brothers and sisters in Christ! We are all one family. We are all walking away from Egypt and headed toward the Promised Land.
So how can we help each other on this journey? What can we do to help foster Christian unity? One of the best things we can do is to look at people from different traditions with eyes of love and respect. We can avoid the extremes and prejudices that have often marked how Christians from different traditions relate. For example, we should be careful not to disparage other traditions or go so far as to claim that these believers aren’t Christian. Of course, we shouldn’t gloss over our real and crucial differences, but we should never let these differences deter us from the goal of unity.
We can also work together, serving in a local pro-life clinic, soup kitchen, or homeless shelter. These are all wonderful opportunities to grow closer as brothers and sisters and to share our faith with each other. As we get to know each other, we will come to see that much more unites us than divides us. And that can move us to pray all the more deeply for full and real unity among all believers.
“Father, teach us all to grow together in unity and love.”
15 July 2011
15 Jul 2011, Memorial of Saint Bonaventure, bishop and doctor of the Church
Reading 1
Ex 11:10—12:14
Although Moses and Aaron performed various wonders
in Pharaoh’s presence,
the LORD made Pharaoh obstinate,
and he would not let the children of Israel leave his land.
The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,
“This month shall stand at the head of your calendar;
you shall reckon it the first month of the year.
Tell the whole community of Israel: On the tenth of this month
every one of your families must procure for itself a lamb,
one apiece for each household.
If a family is too small for a whole lamb,
it shall join the nearest household in procuring one
and shall share in the lamb
in proportion to the number of persons who partake of it.
The lamb must be a year-old male and without blemish.
You may take it from either the sheep or the goats.
You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, and then,
with the whole assembly of Israel present,
it shall be slaughtered during the evening twilight.
They shall take some of its blood
and apply it to the two doorposts and the lintel
of every house in which they partake of the lamb.
That same night they shall eat its roasted flesh
with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
It shall not be eaten raw or boiled, but roasted whole,
with its head and shanks and inner organs.
None of it must be kept beyond the next morning;
whatever is left over in the morning shall be burned up.
“This is how you are to eat it:
with your loins girt, sandals on your feet and your staff in hand,
you shall eat like those who are in flight.
It is the Passover of the LORD.
For on this same night I will go through Egypt,
striking down every first born of the land, both man and beast,
and executing judgment on all the gods of Egypt—I, the LORD!
But the blood will mark the houses where you are.
Seeing the blood, I will pass over you;
thus, when I strike the land of Egypt,
no destructive blow will come upon you.
“This day shall be a memorial feast for you,
which all your generations shall celebrate
with pilgrimage to the LORD, as a perpetual institution.”
116:12-13, 15 and 16bc, 17-18
Responsorial PsalmR. (13)
I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord.
How shall I make a return to the LORD
for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
R. I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord.
Precious in the eyes of the LORD
is the death of his faithful ones.
I am your servant, the son of your handmaid;
you have loosed my bonds.
R. I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord.
To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
My vows to the LORD I will pay
in the presence of all his people.
R. I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord.
Gospel
Mt 12:1-8
Jesus was going through a field of grain on the sabbath.
His disciples were hungry
and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them.
When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him,
“See, your disciples are doing what is unlawful to do on the sabbath.”
He said to the them, “Have you not read what David did
when he and his companions were hungry,
how he went into the house of God and ate the bread of offering,
which neither he nor his companions
but only the priests could lawfully eat?
Or have you not read in the law that on the sabbath
the priests serving in the temple violate the sabbath
and are innocent?
I say to you, something greater than the temple is here.
If you knew what this meant, I desire mercy, not sacrifice,
you would not have condemned these innocent men.
For the Son of Man is Lord of the sabbath.”
Meditation: Exodus 11:10–12:14
“This month shall stand at the head of your calendar.” (Exodus 12:2)
Imagine how important the Passover must have been (and still is) to the Jewish people. It is so central that they built the event into their calendar, making the anniversary of their delivery from Egypt one of the highest celebrations of their year. God had punished their enemies, freed them from slavery, and led them through the Red Sea. Now everything was different. Now they understood God—and themselves— in a whole new way.
In their annual celebration of the Passover, the Jewish people are careful to keep the events surrounding their deliverance current. They know that God didn’t simply act in the past. He is still acting in their midst, still protecting them, still delivering them. Centuries upon centuries later, each Jew retells the tale as if he himself was present in Egypt, at the edge of the sea, and in the desert. Far from being a dim memory, Passover remains an ongoing, grace-filled event for the children of Abraham.
By giving Passover such a prominent spot in their calendar, the people also see this event as marking a new beginning. Every new year, God calls them farther into the future with him—a future that he has mapped out for them. For example, Jeremiah once promised: “They shall no longer say, ‘As the Lord lives, who brought the Israelites out of the land of Egypt’; but rather, ‘As the Lord lives, who brought the descendants of the house of Israel up from the land of the north’” (Jeremiah 23:7-8). The people’s deliverance from exile would be like a new Passover for them—another new beginning, another step forward into God’s goodness and love.
Just as the Jewish people treasure their traditions and history, so should we. God wants us to remember and retell what he has done for us in the past—especially what he did for us through his Son. He knows that as we recall our salvation, we will experience it more deeply. And that experience will strengthen us as we move forward into the future he has called us to.
“Jesus, you are my Savior. Thank you for all you have already done for me. Help me to place my hand in yours and walk with you into this brand-new day.”
Ex 11:10—12:14
Although Moses and Aaron performed various wonders
in Pharaoh’s presence,
the LORD made Pharaoh obstinate,
and he would not let the children of Israel leave his land.
The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,
“This month shall stand at the head of your calendar;
you shall reckon it the first month of the year.
Tell the whole community of Israel: On the tenth of this month
every one of your families must procure for itself a lamb,
one apiece for each household.
If a family is too small for a whole lamb,
it shall join the nearest household in procuring one
and shall share in the lamb
in proportion to the number of persons who partake of it.
The lamb must be a year-old male and without blemish.
You may take it from either the sheep or the goats.
You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, and then,
with the whole assembly of Israel present,
it shall be slaughtered during the evening twilight.
They shall take some of its blood
and apply it to the two doorposts and the lintel
of every house in which they partake of the lamb.
That same night they shall eat its roasted flesh
with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
It shall not be eaten raw or boiled, but roasted whole,
with its head and shanks and inner organs.
None of it must be kept beyond the next morning;
whatever is left over in the morning shall be burned up.
“This is how you are to eat it:
with your loins girt, sandals on your feet and your staff in hand,
you shall eat like those who are in flight.
It is the Passover of the LORD.
For on this same night I will go through Egypt,
striking down every first born of the land, both man and beast,
and executing judgment on all the gods of Egypt—I, the LORD!
But the blood will mark the houses where you are.
Seeing the blood, I will pass over you;
thus, when I strike the land of Egypt,
no destructive blow will come upon you.
“This day shall be a memorial feast for you,
which all your generations shall celebrate
with pilgrimage to the LORD, as a perpetual institution.”
116:12-13, 15 and 16bc, 17-18
Responsorial PsalmR. (13)
I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord.
How shall I make a return to the LORD
for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
R. I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord.
Precious in the eyes of the LORD
is the death of his faithful ones.
I am your servant, the son of your handmaid;
you have loosed my bonds.
R. I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord.
To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
My vows to the LORD I will pay
in the presence of all his people.
R. I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord.
Gospel
Mt 12:1-8
Jesus was going through a field of grain on the sabbath.
His disciples were hungry
and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them.
When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him,
“See, your disciples are doing what is unlawful to do on the sabbath.”
He said to the them, “Have you not read what David did
when he and his companions were hungry,
how he went into the house of God and ate the bread of offering,
which neither he nor his companions
but only the priests could lawfully eat?
Or have you not read in the law that on the sabbath
the priests serving in the temple violate the sabbath
and are innocent?
I say to you, something greater than the temple is here.
If you knew what this meant, I desire mercy, not sacrifice,
you would not have condemned these innocent men.
For the Son of Man is Lord of the sabbath.”
Meditation: Exodus 11:10–12:14
“This month shall stand at the head of your calendar.” (Exodus 12:2)
Imagine how important the Passover must have been (and still is) to the Jewish people. It is so central that they built the event into their calendar, making the anniversary of their delivery from Egypt one of the highest celebrations of their year. God had punished their enemies, freed them from slavery, and led them through the Red Sea. Now everything was different. Now they understood God—and themselves— in a whole new way.
In their annual celebration of the Passover, the Jewish people are careful to keep the events surrounding their deliverance current. They know that God didn’t simply act in the past. He is still acting in their midst, still protecting them, still delivering them. Centuries upon centuries later, each Jew retells the tale as if he himself was present in Egypt, at the edge of the sea, and in the desert. Far from being a dim memory, Passover remains an ongoing, grace-filled event for the children of Abraham.
By giving Passover such a prominent spot in their calendar, the people also see this event as marking a new beginning. Every new year, God calls them farther into the future with him—a future that he has mapped out for them. For example, Jeremiah once promised: “They shall no longer say, ‘As the Lord lives, who brought the Israelites out of the land of Egypt’; but rather, ‘As the Lord lives, who brought the descendants of the house of Israel up from the land of the north’” (Jeremiah 23:7-8). The people’s deliverance from exile would be like a new Passover for them—another new beginning, another step forward into God’s goodness and love.
Just as the Jewish people treasure their traditions and history, so should we. God wants us to remember and retell what he has done for us in the past—especially what he did for us through his Son. He knows that as we recall our salvation, we will experience it more deeply. And that experience will strengthen us as we move forward into the future he has called us to.
“Jesus, you are my Savior. Thank you for all you have already done for me. Help me to place my hand in yours and walk with you into this brand-new day.”
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