Tag: evangelio del dia

Memorial of Saint Pius X, Pope

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 19:16-22)

“All of these [commandments] I have observed. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

A young man approaches Jesus and asks him, “Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?” Jesus replies, “Why do you ask me about the good? There is only One who is good.” By saying this, Jesus teaches the young man that the good to be sought is not a value or a precept or human fabrication but God himself, the only One who is good. Having observed all of God’s commandments, the young man asks what else is missing in order for him to gain eternal life. Hearing this, the young man left Jesus in sadness because he had many possessions. Jesus invites us still to be perfect by giving to the poor and by following him. The treasure of eternal life in heaven is in our response to his call.

God, just as Jesus invited the young man to be perfect, you invite me to follow you perfectly. To follow your commandments and sell what I have and give to the poor is a high standard, which on my own I am certain not to attain. Yet, you are the one good I must strive for; I have nowhere else to go, no other way of life that assures me of eternal life. So I come to you, Lord, to ask you for your grace and hear you say, “Follow me.”

From the Gospel acclamation: “Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.” God, you alone are good; help me keep to the path of perfection.

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.

Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 15:21-28)

Jesus said to the Canaanite woman, “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.” Then Jesus said to her in reply, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And the woman’s daughter was healed from that hour.

The Canaanite woman in today’s Gospel is an example of faith and persistence through prayer and petition. This statement may appear harsh, referring to Gentiles as “dogs,” people who were considered outside the Jewish covenant. But despite initial rejection and apparently discouraging responses from Jesus and the disciples, the Canaanite woman perseveres, displaying unwavering trust in Jesus’ ability to help her. And Jesus commends her for it. From that hour, Matthew tells us, the woman’s daughter was healed. Jesus’ response to the woman demonstrates that salvation is not limited to a particular group or ethnicity but is universal. Salvation is for all people.

God, help me come to you with the same perseverance and trust as the Canaanite woman. By calling Jesus the Son of David, the woman acknowledged your Son’s lineage and was aware of the ideological and religious differences between them. But she persisted despite that for the sake of her daughter. For those times when I feel that there is a great gulf between us—when I have doubts or am skeptical of your ability to reach me or others—give me the grace to persist until you bridge the chasm between us. Help me see your activity in my life through prayer, through your word, in the sacraments, and in the Blessed Sacrament as your way of making yourself always available.

From the responsorial psalm: “May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you! May God bless us, and may all the ends of the earth fear him!” Lord, let your face shine upon 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.

Saturday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 19:13-15)

Children were brought to Jesus that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked them, but Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” After he placed his hands on them, he went away.

The commitment of the Israelites to the LORD in the first reading echoes in the Gospel passage as the children come willingly to Jesus to be blessed. Just as Joshua and his household commit to serving the LORD, Jesus suggests that the Kingdom of heaven belongs to “such as these,” the ones who come willingly to be blessed by him. Jesus lays his hands on the children and blesses them before he departs. This act of blessing signifies his love and care for children and his his desire for them to experience God’s welcoming embrace and goodness.

God, help me understand today’s Gospel. To remain childlike in faith means to be unafraid of the experiences that life teaches. If Jesus had sent away the children, would they have grown up to be cynical in the presence of holiness and learned to scoff at the alleged goodness of persons? Help me put aside any experiences I have had that prevent me from approaching you with the same complete trust that a child approaches you. Doing this is not to return to a former state of life, an abandonment of an adult understanding of the world and its responsibilities, but to put aside anything that would prevent me from coming to you for every need and to receive your blessing.

From the responsorial psalm: “Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.” Lord, let me come to you.

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 Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 19:3-12)

Some Pharisees approached Jesus, and tested him, saying, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?” He said in reply, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator made them male and female and said, For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, man must not separate.”

In today’s readings, God’s mercy throughout the ages is pronounced first by God himself and then by Jesus in the Gospel passage. Speaking through Joshua, God said to the Israelites: “I gave you a land that you had not tilled and cities that you had not built, to dwell in; you have eaten of vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant.” Like the land the Israelites had not tilled and the vineyards they did not plant, the sacrament of marriage is a gift of God to spouses. In the Gospel, Jesus responds to the question posed by the Pharisees by saying that because God made us male and female, a man leaves his mother to be joined to his wife, and the two are made into one flesh. In responding to their question about Mosaic Law, which allowed for divorce, Jesus directs the Pharisees to the original intention of God for marriage, a sacramental gift of his mercy, a sacred bond that reflects the union of Christ and the Church.

God, help me understand the fullness of the gift of the sacrament of marriage. In that covenant is a reflection of the love and unity between Christ and the Church. No human law or authority can dissolve the marriage bond, which you yourself have established. Help me trust in your mercy for the tragedy of marriages that end in divorce. Help me be a witness of hope to those whose marriage has been compromised or debilitated or brought to an end through divorce. Just as you gave the Israelites all they needed as they journeyed to the land of milk and honey, give me what I need for this day to be a witness to your love and mercy.

From the responsorial psalm: “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever.” Stay with me, Lord; rouse me when I forget you.

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.

Thursday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 18:21–19:1)

At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, “Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.” Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan. When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a much smaller amount. He seized him and started to choke him, demanding, “Pay back what you owe.” Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him, “Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.” But he refused.

After Peter approaches Jesus and asks him how often he must forgive others, Jesus tells him not seven times but seventy-seven times. Then Jesus tells Peter the parable of the king settling accounts with his servants. The king, pitying his servant forgives him his debt, but that same servant encounters a fellow servant who owes him, and he refuses to forgive him. In today’s Gospel, Matthew conveys several teachings of Christ relating to forgiveness and mercy. Like the king, God forgives us our debt. By contrast, the threatening demand of the wicked servant—“Pay back what you owe.”—brings to mind grudges that are easily held onto for months and years. What does Jesus say to Peter about this except to forgive your brother from your heart?

God, help me learn at all times to love your merciful heart. Give me the grace I need to let go of grudges, which always result in separation from you. The burden of unforgiveness never fails to prevent me from conforming my heart perfectly to Jesus your Son. But your mercy, Lord, is boundless, and you invite me again and again to imitate you. “Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant,” the king asks, “as I had pity on you?” Teach me to have mercy on others without counting the cost; never let it separate me from you.

From the Gospel acclamation: “Let your countenance shine upon your servant and teach me your statutes.” Make me a means of your mercy to others.

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 Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 18:15-20)

Jesus said to his disciples: “Again, amen, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

Jesus teaches his disciples about the need for unity with the Father and reconciliation among one another among members of the Church and within the community. What he teaches speaks to relationships on earth as well as one’s relationship with God. “Amen, I say to you,” Jesus says, “whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” His words guide us toward seeking resolution, forgiveness, and oneness with the Father.

God, help me understand and take in what you share with the disciples about resolving conflict and restoring unity. Whenever I am wronged by someone, help me remember first to address it privately with the person. “If he listens to you,” Jesus says, “you have won over your brother.” If conflict persists, in the witness and reflection of others, help me be willing to acknowledge any wrongdoing on my part and forgive as you forgive me. Give me the grace, Lord, to see as you see and free myself of anything that would bind me from belonging to you.

From the Gospel acclamation: “God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, And entreating to us the message of reconciliation.” Reconcile me to you, Lord of heaven and earth.

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 the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary | 8.15.23

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (LK 1:39-56)

And Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me and holy is his Name.”

In her response to Elizabeth, Mary gives personal witness to the great things God has done for her. She identifies herself as “his lowly servant” and then goes on to proclaim the good God has done for those who fear him, for those who are lowly in the eyes of the world, and for those who are hungry in body and spirit for his goodness. In her Magnificat, Mary confirms the strength of God’s arm and his promise of mercy.

God, help me call to mind today all that you do for me. Holy is your name. Let me take courage in your promise of mercy, even to the point of your Son’s death and resurrection, which destroyed death and brought all who believe and follow him the hope of the resurrection. Help me recall today the words of Saint Paul from the second reading: “Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” Mary, Queen of Heaven, sees your Son sitting at your right hand in eternal glory. Animate in me the desire and hope to one day see them face to face in their joyful reunion.

From the Canticle of Zechariah: “Who is this that comes forth like the dawn, as beautiful as the moon, as resplendent as the sun?” Mary, Queen of Heaven, pray for us! Show us the way to your Son!

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 Maximilian Kolbe, Priest and Martyr

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 17:22-27)

Jesus said to Peter: “But that we may not offend them, go to the sea, drop in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up. Open its mouth and you will find a coin worth twice the temple tax. Give that to them for me and for you.”

In today’s Gospel, Matthew recounts Jesus’ prediction of his own death and resurrection. Following that, Jesus also provides instruction regarding the payment of the temple tax. Jesus asks Peter whether the kings of the earth collect taxes from their own sons or from foreigners. “From foreigners,” Peter says. Jesus then tells him that the sons are free from paying the tax but to avoid giving offense, they will pay it. He instructs Peter to go to the sea, drop in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up. In the fish’s mouth, Peter finds a coin to pay the temple tax for both Jesus and himself. The reading for today shows that Jesus is aware of the mission he must fulfill and also demonstrates his humility in paying the temple tax to avoid unnecessary conflict.

God, help me understand today’s readings in light of my own life. Let me consider the words of Moses to the people of Israel: “What does the LORD, your God, ask of you but to fear the LORD, your God, and follow his ways exactly, to love and serve the LORD, your God, with all your heart and all your soul, to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD which I enjoin on you today for your own good?” At the Auschwitz concentration camp, Saint Maximilian Kolbe offered his own life in place of a fellow prisoner, a husband and father, so that the man could live. How far am I willing to love and serve you, Lord? Give me love and understanding to serve you, God, and the courage to follow you whatever the cost.

From the Gospel acclamation: “God has called you through the Gospel to possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Saint Maximilian Kolbe, 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.

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 14:22-33)

Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore, was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it. During the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them walking on the sea. When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified. “It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear. At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”

It is the fourth watch of the night, a dark hour. In the boat alone, the disciples have left Jesus to pray on the mountain after he had fed the five thousand. Then, in the midst of a storm that tosses about their boat, the disciples see a figure approach them on the water. They are terrified. Elijah, who took shelter in a cave also experienced the presence of God in a storm, in a landslide, in an earthquake, and in fire. But it was in none of these that the LORD was present. After the storms passed, Elijah heard a tiny whispering sound, and there the LORD was. In the same way, Jesus reveals his divine identity to the disciples in quiet, calming words: “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” The disciples come to know Jesus by his words, and they proclaim: “Truly, you are the Son of God.”

God, just as Jesus reveals his identity to the disciples, I stand in disbelief of your presence. Unlike them, my response to you is not terror, not primordial fear; instead, subject to the modern age, I express conscious or unconscious skepticism each day as I consider how things come to be, how you are at work in the world. Still, you are present to me in the same way you were to Elijah and the disciples. Lord, you have authority over all of nature; you who calms the storms, give me the grace to put aside any frame of mind that prevents me from recognizing that you alone are God. “I wait for the Lord; my soul waits for his word,” says the Gospel acclamation. God, quiet my heart today so I can hear your voice.

From the responsorial psalm: “I will hear what God proclaims; the LORD — for he proclaims peace. Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him, glory dwelling in our land.” Lord, give me courage to love and serve you.

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.

Saturday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 17:14-20)

A man came up to Jesus, knelt down before him, and said, “Lord, have pity on my son, who is a lunatic and suffers severely; often he falls into fire, and often into water. I brought him to your disciples, but they could not cure him.” Jesus said in reply, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long will I be with you? How long will I endure you? Bring the boy here to me.” Jesus rebuked him and the demon came out of him, and from that hour the boy was cured.

Jesus demonstrates to the father and son his power to heal where the disciples failed. Jesus, who has complete faith in the strength of his Father, cures the boy immediately. His disciples ask him why they could not drive out the demon, and he tells them: “Because of your little faith. Amen, I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” What might seem a swift dismissal of the disciples is instead Jesus’ invitation into that same relationship of faith with Our Father in heaven.

God, help me understand the significance of the Gospel as it relates to this day. Give me strength to accomplish your will, and help me turn to you for my needs. Along with hope and love, faith is one of the three theological virtues infused by you, and I ask to exercise that today with you beside me. As Jesus did with his faith in you, as your adopted son show me how to turn to you always to strengthen my relationship with you and receive your grace.

From the responsorial psalm: “I love you, O LORD, my strength, O LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer.”

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.