|
|||
|
|||
|
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Free Shipping Ends Tonight!
Monday, July 29, 2013
THE FAITH OF MARTHA
Memorial of St. Martha, disciple of the Lord
1ST READING - 1 John 4:7-16 (or Exodus 32:15-24, 30-34)
P S A L M - Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9, 10-11 (or Psalm 106:19-20, 21-22, 23)
R: I will bless the Lord at all times.
1 [2] I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall be ever in my mouth. 2 [3]Let my soul glory in the Lord; the lowly will hear me and be glad. (R) 3 [4]Glorify the Lord with me, let us together extol his name. 4 [5] I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. (R) 5 [6] Look to him that you may be radiant with joy, and your faces may not blush with shame. 6 [7] When the poor one called out, the Lord heard, and from all his distress he saved him. (R) 7 [8] The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. 8 [9] Taste and see how good the Lord is; blessed the man who takes refuge in him. (R) 9 [10] Fear the Lord, you his holy ones, for nought is lacking to those who fear him. 10 [11] The great grow poor and hungry; but those who seek the Lord want for no good thing. (R)
GOSPEL - John 11:19-27 (or Matthew 13:31-35)
| SABBATH | ||
| The faith of Martha is truly inspiring. She has just lost her beloved brother and yet she is able to speak of her belief in his resurrection from the dead on the Last Day. It is good to reflect on her experience of Lazarus’ death as this will help us find our way through our own experience of the death of our loved ones. Death is always a challenge as it can bring up emotions that we do not experience often. It is because of this that we can find the death of loved ones a difficult path to navigate.
Martha’s faith tells us that she believes there is more to life than our physical existence in the world. She knows that we go beyond this life into another state of existence. Our belief in the resurrection can give us added impetus to live holy and moral lives as preparation for entering into eternal life. The belief in the resurrection of the dead predates Jesus, but it is in the Christian Gospel that it finds its primary advocate. It is also very helpful in alleviating any sense of loss with the death of a loved one as there is always the hope of reuniting with them when we face our own death.
Jesus affirms Martha’s belief and then grants what is obviously Mary’s and her immediate desire — that Lazarus be restored to life. It seems that he must have died young, and so they must have expected Lazarus to live for a good number of years still. We have no control over the length of our lives. It is God’s prerogative to call us to Himself when He so desires. Let us trust that He knows best when the time comes. Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL
REFLECTION QUESTIONS: What brings you comfort when you are faced with the death of a loved one? Do you hope and trust in the resurrection?
Jesus, the Father raised You from the dead. Help me to trust that I will share in that resurrection, as long as I am true to being Your disciple in this life.
|
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Today's Mass Readings - July 28, 2013 with Reflection
1ST READING - Genesis 18:20-32
20 In those days, the Lord said: “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great, and their sin so grave, 21 that I must go down and see whether or not their actions fully correspond to the cry against them that comes to me. I mean to find out.” 22 While Abraham’s visitors walked on farther toward Sodom, the Lord remained standing before Abraham.23 Then Abraham drew nearer to him and said: “Will you sweep away the innocent with the guilty? 24 Suppose there were fifty innocent people in the city; would you wipe out the place, rather than spare it for the sake of the fifty innocent people within it? 25 Far be it from you to do such a thing, to make the innocent die with the guilty, so that the innocent and the guilty would be treated alike! Should not the judge of all the world act with justice?” 26 The Lord replied, “If I find fifty innocent people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” 27 Abraham spoke up again: “See how I am presuming to speak to my Lord, though I am but dust and ashes! 28 What if there are five less than fifty innocent people? Will you destroy the whole city because of those five?” “I will not destroy it,” he answered, “if I find forty-five there.” 29 But Abraham persisted, saying, “What if only forty are found there?” He replied, “I will forebear doing it for the sake of the forty.” 30 Then Abraham said, “Let not my Lord grow impatient if I go on. What if only thirty are found there?” He replied, “I will forebear doing it if I can find but thirty there.” 31 Still Abraham went on, “Since I have thus dared to speak to my Lord, what if there are no more than twenty?” The Lord answered, “I will not destroy it, for the sake of the twenty.” 32 But he still persisted: “Please, let not my Lord grow angry if I speak up this last time. What if there are at least ten there?” He replied, “For the sake of those ten, I will not destroy it.”
P S A L M - Psalm 138:1-2, 2-3, 6-7, 7-8
R: Lord, on the day I called for help, You answered me.
1 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, with all my heart, for you have heard the words of my mouth; in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise; 2 I will worship at your holy temple and give thanks to your name. (R) Because of your kindness and your truth; for you have made great above all things your name and your promise. 3 When I called, you answered me; you built up strength within me. (R) 6 The Lord is exalted, yet the lowly he sees, and the proud he knows from afar. 7 Though I walk amid distress, you preserve me; against the anger of my enemies you raise your hand. (R)Your right hand saves me. 8 The Lord will complete what he has done for me; your kindness, O Lord, endures forever; forsake not the work of your hands. (R)
2ND READING - Colossians 2:12-14
12 Brothers and sisters: You were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And even when you were dead in transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he brought you to life along with him, having forgiven us all our transgressions; 14obliterating the bond against us, with its legal claims, which was opposed to us, he also removed it from our midst, nailing it to the cross.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
You have received a Spirit of adoption, through which we cry, Abba, Father.
Luke 11:1-13
1 Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.” 2 He said to them, “When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread 4 andforgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test.” 5 And he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes atmidnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him,’ 7 and he says in reply from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence. 9And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? 12 Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? 13 If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”Esther A-4
| ||
| SABBATH | ||
A VERY IMPORTANT VIRTUE
It can be very embarrassing to ask someone for forgiveness because you have sinned against them. Why is this so? Forgiveness is at the heart of the Gospel message and it is also a central plank of the Lord’s Prayer. Note that we ask God to forgive us to the degree that we offer forgiveness to those who have sinned against us. It is crucial that we remember this because there is a corollary that applies here, namely that we are telling God to withhold forgiveness from us if we withhold it from others.
The Lord’s Prayer is a good summary of the Christian life as it picks up a lot of the essential elements and puts them together. It tells us that we need to praise and worship God, to intercede for our daily needs, to forgive one another, and to pray for protection. There is more to being a disciple of Jesus than this, but this is a very good starting point.
Furthermore, Jesus teaches us that the Holy Spirit is central to the life of a disciple. We can be sure that, if we ask God for the Holy Spirit, He will give it to us. God desires our salvation and He will always respond to this request. Sometimes we have to really persevere in prayer and intercession for what we need and want, but eventually, it will be given to us if it is necessary for our salvation. If not, then we may not get it.
Jesus also affirms that God is a good Father who provides for the needs of His children. We can be sure that He will not abandon us or be left alone without the Holy Spirit. Could we ask for anything more than this? Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL
REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Do you find it easy to forgive those who sin against you? Or are you always ready to forgive those who ask for Your forgiveness?
Holy Spirit, help me to see how forgiving others is crucial to my own salvation.
St. Leopold Mandic, pray for us.
Do you want to receive this in your email. To get Bo Sanchez to send it to you personally, register and log-on to http://kerygmafamily.com.
Lots of surprises await.
|
Saturday, July 27, 2013
The guide for Catholics seeking salvation
| ||
|
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
