22 Sunday in Ordinary Time Readings

22 Sunday in Ordinary Time Readings

Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 126

Reading 1

SIR 3:17-18, 20, 28-29

My child, conduct your affairs with humility,

and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts.

Humble yourself the more, the greater you are,

and you will find favor with God.

What is too sublime for you, seek not,

into things beyond your strength search not.

The mind of a sage appreciates proverbs,

and an attentive ear is the joy of the wise.

Water quenches a flaming fire,

and alms atone for sins.

Responsorial Psalm

PS 68:4-5, 6-7, 10-11

R. (cf. 11b) God, in your goodness, you have made a home for the poor.

The just rejoice and exult before God;

they are glad and rejoice.

Sing to God, chant praise to his name;

whose name is the LORD.

R. God, in your goodness, you have made a home for the poor.

The father of orphans and the defender of widows

is God in his holy dwelling.

God gives a home to the forsaken;

he leads forth prisoners to prosperity.

R. God, in your goodness, you have made a home for the poor.

A bountiful rain you showered down, O God, upon your inheritance;

you restored the land when it languished;

your flock settled in it;

in your goodness, O God, you provided it for the needy.

R. God, in your goodness, you have made a home for the poor.

Reading 2

HEB 12:18-19, 22-24A

Brothers and sisters:

You have not approached that which could be touched

and a blazing fire and gloomy darkness

and storm and a trumpet blast

and a voice speaking words such that those who heard

begged that no message be further addressed to them.

No, you have approached Mount Zion

and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem,

and countless angels in festal gathering,

and the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven,

and God the judge of all,

and the spirits of the just made perfect,

and Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant,

and the sprinkled blood that speaks more eloquently than that of Abel.

Gospel

LK 14:1, 7-14

On a sabbath Jesus went to dine

at the home of one of the leading Pharisees,

and the people there were observing him carefully.

He told a parable to those who had been invited,

noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table.

“When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet,

do not recline at table in the place of honor. 

A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him,

and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say,

‘Give your place to this man,’

and then you would proceed with embarrassment

to take the lowest place. 

Rather, when you are invited,

go and take the lowest place

so that when the host comes to you he may say,

‘My friend, move up to a higher position.’

Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table. 

For every one who exalts himself will be humbled,

but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” 

Then he said to the host who invited him,

“When you hold a lunch or a dinner,

do not invite your friends or your brothers

or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors,

in case they may invite you back and you have repayment.

Rather, when you hold a banquet,

invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind;

blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you.

For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Here Goes - Bebo Norman

Here Goes - Bebo Norman

   Heard this song today and it sums up how I have been feeling lately. Hope you like it as well.

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and may you find your way in the world. 

I never got anywhere
By running away
I never learned anything
Without a mistake

I never loved anyone
By playing it safe
It's a long way down
But I'm here right now, so

Here goes nothing
Here goes everything
Gotta reach for something
Or you'll fall for anything

Take a breath, take a step
What comes next
God only knows
But here goes

I don't wanna turn around
And wonder what happened
Never lost and never found
Are one and the same

I wanna run across the battle lines
And take my chances
Not the long way 'round
When I'm here right now, so

Here goes nothing
Here goes everything
Gotta reach for something
Or you'll fall for anything

Take a breath, take a step
What comes next
God only knows
But here goes

And what good is chance not taken?
And what good is life not living?
And what good is love not given?

Here goes nothing
Here goes everything
Gotta reach for something
Or you'll fall for anything

Here goes nothing
Here goes everything
Gotta reach for something
Or you'll fall for anything

Take a breath, take a step
What comes next
God only knows
But here goes

And God only knows
But here goes

" I am a Catholic Christian"

"I am a Catholic Christian" 

Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the evil one.

 ~Matthew 5:37~

     Have you ever been asked “ Are you a Christian” ? How did you respond? It is a very simple question with what many will say is a simple “yes” or “no” response. Yet, I want to take that simple answer and challenge you to make it more complex. Of course we are christians, so yes, but what I am asking is to say more then that. I say “ Yes, I am Catholic”. I want to distinguish my self from just the “Grouping of Christian”. Being Catholic does set things apart just as being Lutheran, Baptist, Methodist, etc. does. 

      Yes, I am a Christian, a Catholic Christian. I am proud of being a Catholic. That is why I say that answer to that question. It is part of who I am and who I want to be. Being Catholic effects decisions and actions in my life. It is a guiding force for me. So, why would I not want to be more specific in my response. If I was to just answer yes and nothing more then for me I am hiding something that is deep at the core of who I am. 

      I understand some people may say “ What is the big deal? We are all Christians aren’t we after all?” The big deal is this : Being Catholic stands for more then just believing in Jesus and the Bible. We stand for a Church that can trace its roots back to the early church, where Peter was the First Pope. We believe in the most holy Eucharist  that Jesus gave to us at the Last Supper and has come down through the ages from Peter to Francis to our local Priests. We believe in the Blessed Mother Mary who is the mother of the church and is there for us to turn to as our most gracious advocate. We believe in the communion of the Saints and for intercessory prayer. We believe in confession and absolution of our sins.  People have died for this Faith. People have been cast out for this Faith. People have had to stand alone for this Faith. People risked their lives to practice and continue the Faith. This Faith has stood against many adversaries who have wanted to bring down and condemn, not only the faith but those who practiced it. All of these things and more makes us Catholic.

      By saying that simple yes to that question we are denying everything I just said. So, then why don’t more of us say we are Catholic? Sometimes it may be easier because we don’t want to answer those hard questions about scandals that happened in the church or afraid we may be asked to explain why we believe what we believe? I understand that it is not easy in todays world to answer these question but to be honest, it never was easy. Well, to even be more honest, it is easier today because we have so much at our hands to learn and gain information from. We are able to “Google” anything and everything from just about anywhere we are. If is okay to say “ You know, I don’t know that or how to really explain it but let me get back to you and I will have an answer.” We are not a perfect Church by any means and we have made terrible mistakes but we can not allow those few who have made those terrible mistakes be the spokes people of the Catholic Church. We need to be the spokes people for the Catholic Church just as Religious. We need to showcase the good and Holy of the Catholic Faith. By not saying a word, we allow others to define our Catholic Faith. 

     The next time you are asked “ Are you a Christian” respond with “ Yes, I am, I am Catholic”. Do not be afraid or nervous about giving that reply. Just remember all those who stood for the Faith, Died for the Faith and all the beauty, beliefs, and traditions that stand behind you supporting you. “Let your “Yes” mean“Yes” and “No” mean “No”. (Matthew 5:37).

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and may you be the spokes person for the Faith. 

Saint Augustine

Saint Augustine

Feastday: August 28

Patron of brewers

Died: 430

St. Augustine of Hippo is the patron of brewers because of his conversion from a former life of loose living, which included parties, entertainment, and worldly ambitions. His complete turnaround and conversion has been an inspiration to many who struggle with a particular vice or habit they long to break. 

This famous son of St. Monica was born in Africa and spent many years of his life in wicked living and in false beliefs. Though he was one of the most intelligent men who ever lived and though he had been brought up a Christian, his sins of impurity and his pride darkened his mind so much, that he could not see or understand the Divine Truth anymore. Through the prayers of his holy mother and the marvelous preaching of St. Ambrose, Augustine finally became convinced that Christianity was the one true religion. Yet he did not become a Christian then, because he thought he could never live a pure life. One day, however, he heard about two men who had suddenly been converted on reading the life of St. Antony, and he felt terrible ashamed of himself. "What are we doing?" he cried to his friend Alipius. "Unlearned people are taking Heaven by force, while we, with all our knowledge, are so cowardly that we keep rolling around in the mud of our sins!"

Full of bitter sorrow, Augustine flung himself out into the garden and cried out to God, "How long more, O Lord? Why does not this hour put an end to my sins?" Just then he heard a child singing, "Take up and read!" Thinking that God intended him to hear those words, he picked up the book of the Letters of St. Paul, and read the first passage his gaze fell on. It was just what Augustine needed, for in it, St. Paul says to put away all impurity and to live in imitation of Jesus. That did it! From then on, Augustine began a new life.

He was baptized, became a priest, a bishop, a famous Catholic writer, Founder of religious priests, and one of the greatest saints that ever lived. He became very devout and charitable, too. On the wall of his room he had the following sentence written in large letters: "Here we do not speak evil of anyone." St. Augustine overcame strong heresies, practiced great poverty and supported the poor, preached very often and prayed with great fervor right up until his death. "Too late have I loved You!" he once cried to God, but with his holy life he certainly made up for the sins he committed before his conversion. His feast day is August 28th.

Saint Monica

Saint Monica

Feast Day : August 27

     The circumstances of St. Monica’s life could have made her a nagging wife, a bitter daughter-in-law and a despairing parent, yet she did not give way to any of these temptations. Although she was a Christian, her parents gave her in marriage to a pagan, Patricius, who lived in her hometown of Tagaste in North Africa. Patricius had some redeeming features, but he had a violent temper and was licentious. Monica also had to bear with a cantankerous mother-in-law who lived in her home. Patricius criticized his wife because of her charity and piety, but always respected her. Monica’s prayers and example finally won her husband and mother-in-law to Christianity. Her husband died in 371, one year after his baptism.

Monica had at least three children who survived infancy. The oldest, Augustine (August 28) , is the most famous. At the time of his father’s death, Augustine was 17 and a rhetoric student in Carthage. Monica was distressed to learn that her son had accepted the Manichean heresy (all flesh is evil)  and was living an immoral life. For a while, she refused to let him eat or sleep in her house. Then one night she had a vision that assured her Augustine would return to the faith. From that time on, she stayed close to her son, praying and fasting for him. In fact, she often stayed much closer than Augustine wanted.

When he was 29, Augustine decided to go to Rome to teach rhetoric. Monica was determined to go along. One night he told his mother that he was going to the dock to say goodbye to a friend. Instead, he set sail for Rome. Monica was heartbroken when she learned of Augustine’s trick, but she still followed him. She arrived in Rome only to find that he had left for Milan. Although travel was difficult, Monica pursued him to Milan.

In Milan, Augustine came under the influence of the bishop, St. Ambrose, who also became Monica’s spiritual director. She accepted his advice in everything and had the humility to give up some practices that had become second nature to her (see Quote, below). Monica became a leader of the devout women in Milan as she had been in Tagaste.

She continued her prayers for Augustine during his years of instruction. At Easter, 387, St. Ambrose baptized Augustine and several of his friends. Soon after, his party left for Africa. Although no one else was aware of it, Monica knew her life was near the end. She told Augustine, “Son, nothing in this world now affords me delight. I do not know what there is now left for me to do or why I am still here, all my hopes in this world being now fulfilled.” She became ill shortly after and suffered severely for nine days before her death.

Almost all we know about St. Monica is in the writings of St. Augustine, especially his Confessions.

Apologetics Talk

Apologetics Talk

 I will be giving a talk tomorrow (Tuesday Aug 27th) on Apologetics and I am asking for prayers. I am asking that I speak the words that I am to and  to remember that it is not by my words but the spirit lead.  Thank You.

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and may we always be prepared to give an answer. 

Rise Up

Rise Up

   This song speaks about how when life gets us down we need to rise up and continue on. Life can get us down but it is after we pray that we then need to Rise Up and put those prayers into action. I have included the lyrics under the video. 

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and Rise Up.

"Rise Up"

When you see the road ahead

That you've been down before

When you're halfway to nowhere

And you can't pay the toll

You're hanging onto mercy

Withered on the vine

With your feet on the ground, your head in the clouds

And your heart on the line

Open up your eyes…

You've got to rise up, rise up

When this life has got you down

You've got to look up, look up

When you search and nothing's found

My eyes have seen the glory of the love that's here and now

It's coming down

So rise up now.

When you're told that day is over

Long after the sun goes down

And your mind it keeps on racing

At the dreams that don't come 'round

When you don't know how to surrender

Cause your whole life's been a fight

When the dark holds you and you can't break through

Cause you haven't seen the light.

Open up your eyes…

You've got to rise up, rise up

When this life has got you down

You've got to look up, look up

When you search and nothing's found

My eyes have seen the glory of the love that's here and now

It's coming down

So rise up now.

Yeah rise up now,

Oh rise up now.

And all the lambs roar like lions

And all the prisoners breaking their chains

And all the poor find their treasure

Cause heaven is coming this way.

[x2]

Rise up, rise up

When this life has got you down

You've got to look up, look up

When you search and nothing's found

My eyes have seen the glory of the love that's here and now

It's coming down

So rise up now.

Yeah rise up now,

Oh rise up now.

Sundays Mass Readings

Sundays Mass Readings

   Each Sunday the blog will for now on include the Readings for the Sunday Mass. I think this will be helpful to those who would like to read the readings before mass to prepare themselves or ready after mass and reflect on them. 

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and may the mass grant you sanctifing graces. 

Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 123

Reading 1

IS 66:18-21

Thus says the LORD:

I know their works and their thoughts,

and I come to gather nations of every language;

they shall come and see my glory. 

I will set a sign among them;

from them I will send fugitives to the nations:

to Tarshish, Put and Lud, Mosoch, Tubal and Javan,

to the distant coastlands

that have never heard of my fame, or seen my glory;

and they shall proclaim my glory among the nations. 

They shall bring all your brothers and sisters from all the nations

as an offering to the LORD,

on horses and in chariots, in carts, upon mules and dromedaries,

to Jerusalem, my holy mountain, says the LORD,

just as the Israelites bring their offering

to the house of the LORD in clean vessels. 

Some of these I will take as priests and Levites, says the LORD.

Responsorial Psalm

PS 117:1, 2

R. (Mk 16:15) Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Praise the LORD all you nations;

glorify him, all you peoples!

R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.

or:

R. Alleluia.

For steadfast is his kindness toward us,

and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever.

R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Reading 2

HEB 12:5-7, 11-13

Brothers and sisters,

You have forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as children:

“My son, do not disdain the discipline of the Lord

or lose heart when reproved by him;

for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines;

he scourges every son he acknowledges.”

Endure your trials as “discipline”;

God treats you as sons. 

For what “son” is there whom his father does not discipline?

At the time,

all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain,

yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness

to those who are trained by it.

So strengthen your drooping hands and your weak knees. 

Make straight paths for your feet,

that what is lame may not be disjointed but healed.

Gospel

LK 13:22-30

Jesus passed through towns and villages,

teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem. 

Someone asked him,

“Lord, will only a few people be saved?” 

He answered them,

“Strive to enter through the narrow gate,

for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter

but will not be strong enough. 

After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door,

then will you stand outside knocking and saying,

‘Lord, open the door for us.’

He will say to you in reply,

‘I do not know where you are from.

And you will say,

‘We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.’

Then he will say to you,

‘I do not know where you are from. 

Depart from me, all you evildoers!’

And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth

when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

and all the prophets in the kingdom of God

and you yourselves cast out.

And people will come from the east and the west

and from the north and the south

and will recline at table in the kingdom of God. 

For behold, some are last who will be first,

and some are first who will be last.”

Guide to the Catholic Mass

Guide to the Catholic Mass

 I came across this video today and felt that this gives a great explanation to the mass from start to finish. It speaks of how the mass is the summit in our Faith. That as the Body of the Church comes together to form the Body of Christ so that we can go out into the world and bring Jesus to those who either do not believe or do not practice the faith. It is 20 minutes but well worth viewing. To view this video please click Guide to the Catholic Mass. 

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and may the mass bring us to spiritual completion. 

Be Still and Know

Be Still and Know

  Last week when I was away on Vacation, I was up in the mountains / country and each night saw the greatest sunsets. The picture was taken looking down to the setting sun. As the sun set I got that full sense of the passage that says “ Be still and know I am God” ~ Psalms 46:11. I could not see all that was before, all the beauty, majesty, and power and not feel God before me. 

    My life is one that is on the go. It is rare that I am not doing something or looking for something to do. I have no problems going to work, then to meetings or events everyday of the week. I was able to put all that aside last week and just took that time to appreciate all things around me. As I watched the sun set, so did my anxieties and stress over some decisions in my life. A calm feeling came over me as I felt that things were out of my control and that God was in charge. 

     It is hard to “Let Go” and “Let God” at times. I like to hold on to that control but once you see the big picture before you, you see things in perspective. Turning things over to God makes for a less stress of a life. It does not mean its stress free but that He can help you stop and take a deep breath and lower that stress. God wants us to turn to Him and turn over our problems and decisions. 

      Look around you and see all that God has created. Take that time to see God in everything. Then stop and be still and know He is God. God that created all and that you are part of His creation. Each of those things are to Glorify God and as His greatest creation we are to honor and glorify Him in our days. 

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and “Be still and know”. 

Saint Robert Bellarmine

Saint Robert Bellarmine

Feast Day: September 17th

 When Robert Bellarmine was ordained in 1570, the study of Church history and the fathers of the Church was in a sad state of neglect. A promising scholar from his youth in Tuscany, he devoted his energy to these two subjects, as well as to Scripture, in order to systematize Church doctrine against the attacks of the Protestant Reformers. He was the first Jesuit to become a professor at Louvain.His most famous work is his three-volume Disputations on the Controversies of the Christian Faith. Particularly noteworthy are the sections on the temporal power of the pope and the role of the laity. He incurred the anger of monarchists in England and France by showing the divine-right-of-kings theory untenable. He developed the theory of the indirect power of the pope in temporal affairs; although he was defending the pope against the Scottish philosopher Barclay, he also incurred the ire of Pope Sixtus V.
Bellarmine was made a cardinal by Pope Clement VIII on the grounds that "he had not his equal for learning." While he occupied apartments in the Vatican, Bellarmine relaxed none of his former austerities. He limited his household expenses to what was barely essential, eating only the food available to the poor. He was known to have ransomed a soldier who had deserted from the army and he used the hangings of his rooms to clothe poor people, remarking, "The walls won't catch cold."
Among many activities, he became theologian to Pope Clement VIII, preparing two catechisms which have had great influence in the Church.
The last major controversy of Bellarmine's life came in 1616 when he had to admonish his friend Galileo, whom he admired. Bellarmine delivered the admonition on behalf of the Holy Office, which had decided that the heliocentric theory of Copernicus (the sun as stationary) was contrary to Scripture. The admonition amounted to a caution against putting forward—other than as a hypothesis—theories not yet fully proved. This shows that saints are not infallible.
Bellarmine died on September 17, 1621. The process for his canonization was begun in 1627 but was delayed until 1930 for political reasons, stemming from his writings. In 1930, Pope Pius XI canonized him and the next year declared him a doctor of the Church.

Comment:

The renewal in the Church sought by Vatican II was difficult for many Catholics. In the course of change, many felt a lack of firm guidance from those in authority. They yearned for the stone columns of orthodoxy and an iron command with clearly defined lines of authority.Vatican II assures us in The Church in the Modern World, "There are many realities which do not change and which have their ultimate foundation in Christ, who is the same yesterday and today, yes, and forever" (#10, quoting Hebrews 13:8).
Robert Bellarmine devoted his life to the study of Scripture and Catholic doctrine. His writings help us understand that not only is the content of our faith important, it is Jesus' living person—as revealed by his life, death and resurrection—that is the source of revelation.
The real source of our faith is not merely a set of doctrines but rather the person of Christ still living in the Church today.
When he left his apostles, Jesus assured them of his living presence: "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will lead you to the complete truth" (John 16:30).

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and may we seek the truth and show others the way.

Options

Options

    While being away this past week I learned how lucky I am when it comes to being able to attend mass. The reason is that there are many options in my area to attend mass at different times at different churches. Yet, where I was those options were very limited. Most of the churches had one option and one option alone. 

     I sat there at mass on Sunday and thought how much harder it is for someone to get to mass. If I decided to sleep in back home and not attended my normal mass time, I had other ones to go to. Yet, here if I missed that mass I would have to drive at least 1/2 hour or more and hope they had a later mass.  I am not saying there is then an excuse to miss mass then for them but saying it is more of a conscious choice they have to make each day. Where I make that choice to attend and then pick when I want to go. 

     We are all to attend mass, no matter what obstacles that stand before us. Some of use do have it easier to get to mass then others. Yet the fact remains that each week on Sunday through out the world Catholics gather in communion at mass. Think of others who risk their lives to attend mass, when we decide to sleep in because we have those options. 

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and think what others have to do that we take advantage for the faith.

Assumption Of Mary

Assumption Of Mary

This week is the Assumption of Mary into Heaven. Since I will be away this week I wanted to remind everyone that the Feast Day falls on Thursday, August 15th and is a Holy Day of Obligation. I will not be able to post while I am away but I plan on visiting a shrine while I am away and will be praying for all of you while I am there. I will be back to posting on a regular basis when I return and will also be reviewing the past year since the blog has started.  

Until Next week, God Bless. 

Eroding

Eroding 

   Last week, when I was away for my first night my water pipe burst from the main line into my home. Lucky enough there was no damage inside the house but it got me thinking. There was no way for me to prepare for this or prevent this from happening because the pipe is out of sight and below ground about three feet. So, unless I dig all around the pipe there is no way to tell what is going on. The same can be said for sin in our lives. Sometimes sins run deep in our souls and we do not know all the damage is going on until something major happens. 

    Sin erodes deep in our souls and does damage everyday. If we do not fully examine and dig deep we may not even know there is a problem at all. There is no way I could tell how long there was a problem with the pipe or even if it just burst or it was a slow leak that got worse. Sin can also take that slow turn at eroding our souls or a great attack on the soul that causes our spiritual life to burst. When the sin starts to erode the soul and the spiritual life, the chance for a burst can happen with the slightest force of pressure.  While at other times that same force would do nothing to the soul because it is intact and not compromised. 

    A way to know what is going on deep within your soul, is to pray. Ask God to reveal those things that bind your soul. Those things that take away from your spiritual world. Ask to see any anger or hate that lies deep in you. Stay consistent in this prayer. Make it part of your daily prayers by asking for that spiritual sight. Also a way to see is to be honest with yourself. Sin is in everyones life in one form or another and by denying it, will cause that erosion. It is not always easy to identify sin because the Devil masks sin with things like pleasure, joy, self gratitude, accomplishments, justification, etc.... This is why sin can last as long as it does. Satan uses those things to confuse you and allow you to think all is fine. It is only through prayer and being honest with yourself that all those things can come to light and help stop that erosion process. 

    It is very easy to go through this world without checking on your spiritual soul because at the surface all seem fine. You go to mass, you read scripture, you attend adoration, etc... but even with all that at the surface there can be sin that has found its way to your soul and starts to slowly erode and cause damage. We are able to react when something comes full force at us but the most danger comes from those things that slowly work and fools us. Do not let the life of complacency fool you. Challenge your soul and be honest when you examine your conscience. Just because it seems fine does not always mean it is. Dig deep and be honest.

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and may you always search for honesty within your soul. 

Saint Vianney Quote

   I could not agree more with this quote. It has become a very important part of my day and have missed the time as of late and also doing the blog because of things going on in my life. Life gets crazy and things start to turn upside down and you slowly start to change your routine and at times that causes things to slip. I am looking forward to things settling this week and getting back to my normal life. With that normal life comes spending time before Jesus. It calms and centers me.  When life gets crazy turn to Jesus and settle your thoughts and refocus on life.

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and try to spend some time before the Blessed Sacrament.