St. Peter Claver, Priest (1580-1654) - Memorial
Coloss. 1:24-29.2:1-3.
Brothers and sisters: I rejoice in my sufferings for
your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions
of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church, of which I am a minister
in accordance with God's stewardship given to me to bring to completion for you
the word of God, the mystery hidden from ages and from generations past. But
now it has been manifested to his holy ones, to whom God chose to make known
the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; it is Christ in
you, the hope for glory.
It is he whom we proclaim, admonishing everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.
For this I labour and struggle, in accord with the exercise of his power working within me.
For I want you to know how great a struggle I am having for you and for those in Laodicea and all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged as they are brought together in love, to have all the richness of fully assured understanding, for the knowledge of the mystery of God, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
It is he whom we proclaim, admonishing everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.
For this I labour and struggle, in accord with the exercise of his power working within me.
For I want you to know how great a struggle I am having for you and for those in Laodicea and all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged as they are brought together in love, to have all the richness of fully assured understanding, for the knowledge of the mystery of God, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Ps 62(61):6-7.9.
Only in God be at rest, my soul,
for from him comes my hope.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
my stronghold; I shall not be disturbed.
Trust in him at all times, O my people!
Pour out your hearts before him;
God is our refuge!
for from him comes my hope.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
my stronghold; I shall not be disturbed.
Trust in him at all times, O my people!
Pour out your hearts before him;
God is our refuge!
Lk 6:6-11.
On a certain sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue
and taught, and there was a man there whose right hand was withered.
The scribes and the Pharisees watched him closely to see if he would cure on the Sabbath so that they might discover a reason to accuse him.
But he realized their intentions and said to the man with the withered hand, "Come up and stand before us." And he rose and stood there.
Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?"
Looking around at them all, he then said to him, "Stretch out your hand." He did so and his hand was restored.
But they became enraged and discussed together what they might do to Jesus.
Commentary of the day :
The scribes and the Pharisees watched him closely to see if he would cure on the Sabbath so that they might discover a reason to accuse him.
But he realized their intentions and said to the man with the withered hand, "Come up and stand before us." And he rose and stood there.
Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?"
Looking around at them all, he then said to him, "Stretch out your hand." He did so and his hand was restored.
But they became enraged and discussed together what they might do to Jesus.
Commentary of the day :
John
Michael Talbott sings a very beautiful and moving rendition of the Psalm we
have in today’s Mass.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAiGAyp22JI
A lot of other people agree because it has had close to three hundred thousand views!
A lot of other people agree because it has had close to three hundred thousand views!
I regret every Mass I ever celebrated that did not have a sung Responsorial Psalm. As you know the word psalm means song and the psalms were written as hymns (some of them even carry instructions for the instruments to be used).
As one
comment to the above You Tube video from a non-Catholic says, the song carries
a real anointing from the Holy Spirit. I always advised people who came to me
with unsolvable problems to sing the psalm I selected and feel the Presence of
God comforting and guiding them towards a miraculous discovery. They never once
were disappointed.
St
Paul today says something which always made me wonder what he meant: “I am
making up for what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ” as if Jesus didn’t suffer
enough!
I am
still suffering for the people of my parish in Glenmore Park who are still
feeling like sheep without a shepherd. I continue to provide these daily Mass
readings and reflections for those who want guidance or support in prayer. I
recognise its only about 20 people who view them each day, but you are still
worthy of my concern and prayers. Please know that I am praying with you in
your difficulty.
The
Gospel is quite poignant. Jesus broke the laws of His synagogue to heal a man
on the Sabbath. Similarly I broke a church law to show my desire to heal the
Church and help it overcome its obsession with hanging onto the imposition of
priestly celibacy which has allowed so many paedophiles and sexual deviates to
impersonate priests just so the hierarchy can keep up its façade of holiness.
Be Church people, don’t just go to church!
Saint Athanasius (295-373), Bishop of Alexandria, Doctor of the Church
Against the pagans, 40 ; SC 18
Saint Athanasius (295-373), Bishop of Alexandria, Doctor of the Church
Against the pagans, 40 ; SC 18
Healing on the sabbath day symbolizes
creation's consummation
This
world is very good, as it has been done, and as we see it taking place, since
that is what He wills; and this we can hardly refuse to believe. For if the
movement of creation were irrational and the universe were borne along without
plan, a man might fairly disbelieve what we say. But if it subsist in reason
and wisdom and skill and is perfectly ordered throughout, it follows that he
that is over it and has ordered it is none other than the Reason and Word of
God...
Being the good Word of the Good Father he produced the order of all things, combining one with another things contrary, and reducing them to one harmonious order. He, being “the Power of God and Wisdom of God” (1Cor 1,24), causes the heavens to revolve and has suspended the earth and made it fast, though resting upon nothing, by his own will (cf Heb 1,3). Illumined by him, the sun gives light to the world, and the moon has her measured period of shining. By reason of him the water is suspended in the clouds, the rains shower upon the earth and the sea is kept within bounds, while the earth bears grasses and is clothed with all manner of plants (cf Ps 104[103])...
But the reason why the Word, the Word of God, has united Himself with created things is truly wonderful... For the nature of created things... is of a fleeting sort, and weak and mortal, if composed of itself only. But the God of all is good and exceeding noble by nature,— and therefore is kind... Seeing, then, that all created nature, as far as its own laws were concerned, was fleeting and subject to dissolution, lest it should come to this and... be broken up again into nothingness... he did not leave it to be tossed in a tempest in the course of its own nature. But because God is good he guides and settles the whole Creation by his own Word... lest that should come to it which would have come but for the maintenance of it by the Word — namely, dissolution—for “He is the Image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all Creation, for through him and in him all things consist, things visible and things invisible, and He is the Head of the Church” (Col 1,15-18).
Being the good Word of the Good Father he produced the order of all things, combining one with another things contrary, and reducing them to one harmonious order. He, being “the Power of God and Wisdom of God” (1Cor 1,24), causes the heavens to revolve and has suspended the earth and made it fast, though resting upon nothing, by his own will (cf Heb 1,3). Illumined by him, the sun gives light to the world, and the moon has her measured period of shining. By reason of him the water is suspended in the clouds, the rains shower upon the earth and the sea is kept within bounds, while the earth bears grasses and is clothed with all manner of plants (cf Ps 104[103])...
But the reason why the Word, the Word of God, has united Himself with created things is truly wonderful... For the nature of created things... is of a fleeting sort, and weak and mortal, if composed of itself only. But the God of all is good and exceeding noble by nature,— and therefore is kind... Seeing, then, that all created nature, as far as its own laws were concerned, was fleeting and subject to dissolution, lest it should come to this and... be broken up again into nothingness... he did not leave it to be tossed in a tempest in the course of its own nature. But because God is good he guides and settles the whole Creation by his own Word... lest that should come to it which would have come but for the maintenance of it by the Word — namely, dissolution—for “He is the Image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all Creation, for through him and in him all things consist, things visible and things invisible, and He is the Head of the Church” (Col 1,15-18).
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