Tag: bible

Let your “Yes” mean “Yes,” and your “No” mean “No.” | Saturday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

From the responsorial psalm: “I bless the LORD who counsels me; even in the night my heart exhorts me. I set the LORD ever before me; with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed. You are my inheritance, O Lord.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 5:33-37)

Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow. But I say to you, do not swear at all; not by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Do not swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the Evil One.”

Jesus continues instructing the disciples in the ways of God and not man. The teachings extend and transcend Old Testament laws. The law that refers to making a false oath then says “but make good to the Lord all that you vow.” All that we would swear by, whether heaven or earth, is God’s and God’s alone. Jesus suggests that the words of God are as far apart from human words as heaven is from earth. While we are able to talk of heads and the black or white hair on top of them, our words do nothing to change that. While we are able to say the word heaven, it is God’s throne and not ours to swear by. By letting our yes mean yes and our no mean no, we follow Jesus’ teachings as responsible people who recognize our limits and place our intentions parallel to God’s will, grounding them in his truth.

God, with you at the center I have no need of any other vow to support my intentions; there is only your will to be recognized and accomplished. Free from obstructive conditions I am able to follow your Son, free from sin and safe from all distress I am able to participate fully in the sacraments of the Church. Committed to your will, give me the grace to live without fear of how things will turn out. Grant me the fortitude to say yes or no courageously and desire to have you at my right hand. Mary said it first: “Let it be done to me according to your word.” Blessed Virgin Mary, pray for us!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Friday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

From the responsorial psalm: “I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD with courage; be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD. I long to see your face, O Lord.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 5:27-32)

Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna.”

Describing the radical action needed to preserve purity and avoid sin, Jesus goes on to refer to Jewish law in relation to divorce before explaining how to go further and deeper with this issue than external practice. “But I say to you,” Jesus says, “whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” Jesus speaks to the sanctity and permanence of marriage, challenging the accepted Jewish law. He teaches the significance of avoidance of lustful desires and upholding God’s standard of marriage as a lifelong commitment. By saying “unless the marriage is unlawful,” Jesus refers to unions that were determined to be invalid in the first place, the basis for Catholic teaching on annulments. In speaking to the disciples, Jesus teaches them about the need for purity, faithfulness, and the preservation of marriage that God has joined together.

God, thank you for the gift of sacramental marriage. A sacred union before you and before the Church, it is meant to last a lifetime as a covenant between a man and woman and a visible sign of your unconditional love and grace working through them. Instituted by Christ, it is a continuous sign of his presence throughout a couple’s lifelong journey toward holiness as witnesses to your love. The same selfless love Christ offered in his suffering and death models for married couples the gift of self in laying down their lives for each other in his name. Pour out your grace, Lord, on sacramental marriage, and make it a means of glorifying your name.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor of the Church

From the responsorial psalm: “You have crowned the year with your bounty, and your paths overflow with a rich harvest; The untilled meadows overflow with it, and rejoicing clothes the hills. It is right to praise you in Zion, O God.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 5:20-26)

Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, Raqa, will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”

Jesus goes on to tell the disciples the consequences of not settling quickly resulting from the limitations of human righteousness that the Pharisees exhibited. Addressing unforgiveness, Jesus says: “Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison.” In other words, the bars of unforgiveness that you would have enclose another are the very same bars that you find yourself enclosed in. “Amen, I say to you,” Jesus says, “you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.” That is why Jesus tells us first to reconcile with our brothers and sisters before bringing to the altar, to the Eucharistic sacrifice, the gift of self we offer to give glory and praise to God.

God, only you know and have as your being limitless mercy. The day will bring plenty of reconciliations to be worked out, lots of opportunities to work toward forgiveness in some form. Give me the wisdom to know the limits of my ability to forgive; when I stumble, show me the way to become a means of your mercy. Lead me not into the temptation to confine your mercy to my limited understanding but grant me the grace to see your hand at work where it is most needed. Saint Anthony, pray for us!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Wednesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

From the responsorial psalm: “You will show me the path to life, fullness of joys in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 5:17-19)

Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.”

As Jesus speaks to the disciples, he emphasizes continuity with the law and the prophets as the one who comes not to abolish but to fulfill. The words of Jesus do not supersede God’s commandments revealed in the Old Testament, but he opens up to all as the incarnate Word the path to the kingdom of heaven. Until everything the law points to is fulfilled, as Jesus says, “not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law.” Jesus calls us into a genuine commitment to live out God’s commandments daily in our words and actions by following him.

God, help me be attentive today to your commandments. The day has a way of obscuring obedience to your word, or let me be more clear with myself: I tend toward succumbing to the temptation to shut out your will and do things my way and think things my way. I ask you for the grace to identify the threshold of disobedience to your commandments so that with you at my right hand I will not be misled. Let me remember the words of the psalmist today: “You will show me the path to life, fullness of joys in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever.” Teach me your paths, God, and guide me in your truth.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

“Your light must shine before others.” | Memorial of Saint Barnabas, Apostle

From the responsorial psalm: “Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; His right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 5:13-16)

Jesus said to his disciples: “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.”

Jesus uses the analogies of salt and light to teach the disciples about a basic orientation to have while on earth and in this world. Salt of the earth and light of the world, the followers of Jesus have a task to go out to others in that manner. Inviting us to live our faith openly, Jesus calls us to witness to society the singular flavor and preservation of God’s word and to be a light that penetrates the darkness as we share the good news of Christ’s victory over sin and death.

God, help me be salt and light in the world today. When I face uncertainty about how I am to do your will when dealing with difficult people or situations, give me the wisdom to know how much salt is needed to season a relationship or at what angle light should shine in the darkness to give glory to you. Guide me today, Lord; reveal clearly my place today as salt and light. Saint Barnabas, pray for us!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

“Blessed are they . . .” | Monday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

From the responsorial psalm: “The LORD will guard you from all evil; he will guard your life. The LORD will guard your coming and your going, both now and forever. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 5:1-12)

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Every word from today’s readings perfectly express God’s care for his people, guarding their coming and going and blessing us at each way of being in this life. What else is there to do but give thanks to God for the strength and confidence given to the meek, comfort given to those who mourn, and mercy to those who are merciful? And for each place we find ourselves in life, God blesses us abundantly with what we need to receive and in turn give away.

Praise and thanks to you, Lord, for your many blessings

of love, forgiveness, mercy, and peace. Help me strive to live out the beatitudes and trust in the truth of them in word and deed, as Jesus did. Suffering will come; crosses will come every day that obscure vision. Give me purity of heart so I can see you clearly, Lord, and the grace to be merciful because you yourself are mercy. Eternal glory to you, Lord!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

“Who are my mother and my brothers?” | Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

From the responsorial psalm: “Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD; LORD, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to my voice in supplication. With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mk 3:20-35)

His mother and his brothers arrived. Standing outside they sent word to him and called him. A crowd seated around him told him, “Your mother and your brothers and your sisters are outside asking for you.” But he said to them in reply, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking around at those seated in the circle he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”

Today’s Gospel begins and ends with descriptions of family. So great is the crowd that gathers around Jesus, they make it impossible for him to take time to eat. When his relatives hear of this, they go to remove him from the situation, saying, “He is out of his mind.” At the same time, the scribes claim that he is possessed by Beelzebul. Jesus responds to this by pointing out the inconsistency of the argument. He explains that Satan cannot cast out Satan because a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. He tells them that no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his possessions unless he first binds the strong man, Satan. Jesus himself binds the strong man and frees us from him. As his mother and brothers stand outside asking for him, Jesus looks at the crowd circled around him and says, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” Obedience to God’s will—free from the bondage of sin and blame—redefines and expands the meaning of family and is an invitation to unity with brothers and sisters in his undivided kingdom.

God, help me imitate Christ your Son, the New Adam, in recognizing brothers and sisters who do your will as part of my family with Christ as its head. Division is real, and taken in my own hands this is an impossible task. The Gospel passage says that to “those seated in the circle” Jesus said, “Here are my mother and my brothers.” Hear my voice, Lord, when I ask to remain close to Jesus in this earthly existence even as you ready me in it for eternal life. In daily life—in its struggles, its trials—help me see what is unseen for the sake of your glory. “For this momentary light affliction,” Saint Paul says, “is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to what is seen but to what is unseen; for what is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal.” I trust in you, LORD; my soul trusts in your word. Keep me in your care!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary

From the Gospel acclamation: “Blessed is the Virgin Mary who kept the word of God and pondered it in her heart.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 2:41-51)

When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he said to them. He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart.

Mary ponders in her heart the finding of Jesus in the temple and the circumstances surrounding it. In the same way, Mary ponders earlier in Luke’s account of the Gospel. He tells us in the chapter before this one of the announcement of the angel Gabriel that Mary had “found favor with God” and that she would conceive and bear a son named Jesus, Son of the Most high. With faith in the Lord, Mary replies to Gabriel: “May it be done to me according to your word.” Here, as Mary and Joseph find Jesus in the temple, in their astonishment they find Jesus amidst teachers, listening to them and asking questions. Mary asks, trying to understand him, “Son, why have you done this to us?” By the time she visits her cousin Elizabeth, Mary proclaims in her Magnificat “The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.”

Father in heaven, help me see what Mary sees as she keeps in her heart all that you have done for her. In anxiety, she said to Jesus, “Son, why have you done this to us?” Let Mary’s prayer be my prayer when I seek to do your will even when I don’t understand what my part is or where it will lead. Grant me the quiet, contemplative faith to keep your word as Mary did, trusting in a savior whose greatness is in lifting up the lowly and whose “mercy is from age to age.” Help me, Lord, find your Son in the midst of the day so that with Mary as a model of holiness, I find through faith and trust in your mercy a grateful heart that rejoices in all that you have done for me.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Solemnity of Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

From the Gospel acclamation: “God indeed is my savior; I am confident and unafraid. My strength and my courage is the LORD, and he has been my savior. With joy you will draw water at the fountain of salvation. You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (Jn 19:31-37)

But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs, but one soldier thrust his lance into his side, and immediately blood and water flowed out. An eyewitness has testified, and his testimony is true; he knows that he is speaking the truth, so that you also may come to believe.

After Jesus was crucified, it was the day of Preparation for the Sabbath, and the Jewish leaders requested Pilate to have the legs of those crucified broken to ensure they would die quickly and not remain on the crosses during the Sabbath. The soldiers came and broke the legs of the two criminals crucified alongside Jesus. However, when they came to Jesus, they found that he had already died and did not break his legs. The flow of blood and water from Jesus’ side is substantiated by an eyewitness account so that those who read the testimony may believe. The piercing of Jesus’ side confirms his death and the fulfillment of prophecy.

God, help me understand the yoke that Jesus asks me to take upon me. It is impossible for me to comprehend what that means to take on his yoke when considering his horrible crucifixion and death. Yet, the sacred heart of Jesus, through the power of the Holy Spirit, is strength itself to endure suffering even more unimaginable than the cross. As Saint Paul says: “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that he may grant you in accord with the riches of his glory to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner self, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.” Teach me, Lord, to endure the inevitably of suffering for the sake of your glory.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

“The Lord our God is Lord alone!” | Thursday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

From the Gospel acclamation: “Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death and brought life to light through the Gospel.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mk 12:28-34)

One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” Jesus replied, “The first is this: Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.”

In response to Jesus’ words, the scribe recognizes the kind of love that is “worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices” and commends Jesus. “You are not far from the Kingdom of God,” Jesus says to the scribe. With the words that begin “Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone!” Jesus prays a daily prayer of the ancient Israelites, still recited today, the Shema . With God as Lord alone, it is possible to say what Jesus says next. “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The right ordering of God first affirms the inseparability between sincere love for God and love for neighbor. As Sulpician theologian Adolphe Tanquerey said: “Fraternal charity is indeed a theological virtue . . . provided that we love God Himself in our neighbor . . . that we love the neighbor for God’s sake. Should we love the neighbor solely for his own sake, or because of the services he may render us, this would not be charity.” How is God calling us into a genuine, wholehearted love that transforms our relationship with him and our interactions with others?

Father in heaven, you are the source of all love, and you loved us first. For the sake of your glory, Lord, show me how to love you and to love my neighbor. Keep me in your care. The daily trial of loving one another puts into sharp relief the realization that you are God, the source of love, and I am not. In the prayer of the psalmist, I ask for your guidance: “Your ways, O LORD, make known to me; teach me your paths, Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior. Teach me your ways, O Lord.” Saint Norbert, pray for us!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.