The man who had too many things - Pope Francis' reflections on Monday's Mass Readings

Monday of the Twentieth week in Ordinary Time         19 August 2013

Judges 2:11-19.

The children of Israel offended the LORD by serving the Baals.
Abandoning the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had led them out of the land of Egypt, they followed the other gods of the various nations around them, and by their worship of these gods provoked the LORD.
Because they had thus abandoned him and served Baal and the Ashtaroth,
the anger of the LORD flared up against Israel, and he delivered them over to plunderers who despoiled them. He allowed them to fall into the power of their enemies round about whom they were no longer able to withstand.
Whatever they undertook, the LORD turned into disaster for them, as in his warning he had sworn he would do, till they were in great distress.
Even when the LORD raised up judges to deliver them from the power of their despoilers,
they did not listen to their judges, but abandoned themselves to the worship of other gods. They were quick to stray from the way their fathers had taken, and did not follow their example of obedience to the commandments of the LORD.
Whenever the LORD raised up judges for them, he would be with the judge and save them from the power of their enemies as long as the judge lived; it was thus the LORD took pity on their distressful cries of affliction under their oppressors.
But when the judge died, they would relapse and do worse than their fathers, following other gods in service and worship, relinquishing none of their evil practices or stubborn conduct.

Ps 106(105):34-35.36-37.39-40.43ab.44.

They did not exterminate the peoples,
as the LORD had commanded them,
But mingled with the nations
and learned their works.
They served their idols,
which became a snare for them.

They sacrificed their sons
and their daughters to demons.
They became defiled by their works,
and wanton in their crimes.
And the LORD grew angry with his people,
and abhorred his inheritance.

Many times did he rescue them,
but they embittered him with their counsels.
Yet he had regard for their affliction
when he heard their cry.

Mt 19:16-22.

A young man approached Jesus and said, "Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?"
He answered him, "Why do you ask me about the good? There is only One who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments."
He asked him, "Which ones?" And Jesus replied, " 'You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness;
honor your father and your mother'; and 'you shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"
The young man said to him, "All of these 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.

Commentary of the day :

I read somewhere that we don’t possess things they possess us. We are bound to them. People who have expensive things have to have alarms and locks to stop thieves attempting to remove them. They never have peace because they worry about their things. Jesus tried to teach those who have wealth that it doesn’t assure us peace or happiness..

Pope Francis Homily of 14/04/2013

"The young man went away sad, for he had many possessions"

Do we worship the Lord? Do we turn to God only to ask him for things, to thank him, or do we also turn to him to worship him? What does it mean, then, to worship God? It means learning to be with him, it means that we stop trying to dialogue with him, and it means sensing that his presence is the most true, the most good, the most important thing of all. All of us, in our own lives, consciously and perhaps sometimes unconsciously, have a very clear order of priority concerning the things we consider important. Worshiping the Lord means giving him the place that he must have; worshiping the Lord means stating, believing – not only by our words – that he alone truly guides our lives; worshiping the Lord means that we are convinced before him that he is the only God, the God of our lives, the God of our history.This has a consequence in our lives: we have to empty ourselves of the many small or great idols that we have and in which we take refuge, on which we often seek to base our security. They are idols that we sometimes keep well hidden; they can be ambition, careerism, a taste for success, placing ourselves at the center, the tendency to dominate others, the claim to be the sole masters of our lives, some sins to which we are bound, and many others. This evening I would like a question to resound in the heart of each one of you, and I would like you to answer it honestly: Have I considered which idol lies hidden in my life that prevents me from worshiping the Lord? Worshiping is stripping ourselves of our idols, even the most hidden ones, and choosing the Lord as the center, as the highway of our lives.

 

Readings and Reflection for Mass

Saturday of the Nineteenth week in Ordinary Time   17 August 2013

Joshua 24:14-29.

Joshua gathered together all the tribes of Israel at Shechem, and addressed them, saying: "Fear the LORD and serve him completely and sincerely. Cast out the gods your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.
If it does not please you to serve the LORD, decide today whom you will serve, the gods your fathers served beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose country you are dwelling. As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."
But the people answered, "Far be it from us to forsake the LORD for the service of other gods. For it was the LORD, our God, who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, out of a state of slavery. He performed those great miracles before our very eyes and protected us along our entire journey and among all the peoples through whom we passed. At our approach the LORD drove out (all the peoples, including) the Amorites who dwelt in the land. Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God."
Joshua in turn said to the people, "You may not be able to serve the LORD, for he is a holy God; he is a jealous God who will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. If, after the good he has done for you, you forsake the LORD and serve strange gods, he will do evil to you and destroy you."
But the people answered Joshua, "We will still serve the LORD."
Joshua therefore said to the people, "You are your own witnesses that you have chosen to serve the LORD." They replied, "We are, indeed!"
"Now, therefore, put away the strange gods that are among you and turn your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel."
Then the people promised Joshua, "We will serve the LORD, our God, and obey his voice."
So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day and made statutes and ordinances for them at Shechem, which he recorded in the book of the law of God. Then he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak that was in the sanctuary of the LORD.
And Joshua said to all the people, "This stone shall be our witness, for it has heard all the words which the LORD spoke to us. It shall be a witness against you, should you wish to deny your God."
Then Joshua dismissed the people, each to his own heritage.
After these events, Joshua, son of Nun, servant of the LORD, died at the age of a hundred and ten.

Ps 16(15):1-2a.5.7-8.11.

Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge;
I say to the LORD, "My Lord are you."
O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,
you it is who hold fast my lot.

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 will show me the path to life,
Fullness of joys in your presence,
The delights at your right hand forever.

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.

Commentary of the day :

I am so tempted to comment on this passage but you already know what I want to say, so I will leave you to read a commentary from Saint Maximus of Turin (?-c.420), Bishop, Homily 58, for Easter ; PL 57, 363

"Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these"

What a great and wonderful gift God has given us, my brethren! On this, the day of Easter, day of salvation, the Lord rises again and gives resurrection to the world... We are his body (1Cor 12,27)..., and his members rise with him; he makes us rise from death to life. In Hebrew the word “passover” means a passing over...: and what a passing! From sin to righteousness, from vice to virtue, from age to infancy. Yesterday, sins' decay set us on a decline but Christ's resurrection gives us rebirth in newborn innocence. Christian simplicity makes childhood its own. Children are without rancor, ignorant of deceit, not daring to strike. So this child that the christian has become does not fall into a rage if someone insults it, does not resist if something is taken from it, does not return blows if someone strikes it. Our Lord even demands us to pray for our enemies, give up our tunic and cloak to anyone who would steal it, turn the other cheek to those who would hit it (Mt 5,39). The childhood of Christ surpasses the childhood of men...To the apostles, who were already mature, adult men, the Lord said: “Unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 18,3). He returns them to the origin of their lives, encourages them to rediscover their childhood, so that these men, whose vigor is declining, may be born again to innocence of heart.

 

Reflections on this Sunday's Gospel from Fr Munachi

Homily for 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Holy War According to Jesus

Jeremiah 38:1-2,4-6,8-10

Hebrews 12:1-4

Luke 12:49-53

 Today’s Homily is from Fr. E. Munachi:

Mrs. Thompson, the church gossip and self-appointed supervisor of the church's morals, kept sticking her nose into other people's business. Several residents were unappreciative of her activities, but feared her enough to maintain their silence.
She made a mistake, however, when she accused George, a new member, of being an alcoholic after she saw his pickup truck parked in front of the town's only bar one afternoon.
She commented to George and others that everyone seeing it there would know that he was an alcoholic. George, a man of few words, stared at her for a moment and just walked away. He said nothing. Later that evening, George, quietly parked his pickup in front of Mrs. Thompson's house ... AND he left it there all night.

The new millennium has witnessed and continues to witness much violence. Hardly any day passes that we do not hear the sad news of violent aggression and brutality unleashed against innocent people somewhere around the world. To make matters worse, perpetrators of these acts of violence often try to justify these atrocities by claiming that they are fighting a holy war in God’s name. Think of the crusades, the Taliban in Afghanistan, Al Qaeda in Iraq, and the Lord’s Resistance Army in Uganda. Today’s readings are indeed a call to war: not a war against other people but a war against sin and corruption; not a war against people we perceive as evil, but a war against the evil one, the devil. Let us listen to these words of Jesus:

Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; they will be divided: father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law. (Luke 12:51-53)

Scholars tell us that Jesus is speaking here not about the purpose of his coming but about the inevitable consequence of his coming. Jesus came to reveal the true sons and daughters of God who listen to God’s word, and the children of this world who oppose God design. This divides all humankind into two camps, the camp of the godly and the camp of the ungodly. There is perpetual conflict, a state of war, between these two groups as one group strives to raise the world up to God and the other to pull it down to hell. These two groups do not live in two different parts of the world, they live side by side in the same neighbourhood, they live together under the same roof, and in fact the forces of good and evil often exist together in the same person.

The holy war to which Christ calls us, therefore, is not a war against people of certain nationalities or cultures, creeds or ideologies, but a war in which we first have to identify the forces for evil in our own persons and in the persons of those who are dear to us (father, son, mother, daughter, mother-in-law, daughter-in-law) and then declare an uncompromising war against these forces.

What are some of these evil forces that we are asked to war against? Well, why don’t we start with the Seven Deadly Sins: Pride (superiority complex), Covetousness (greed, seeking material prosperity at the expense of one’s soul), Lust (sexual abuse of minors, pornography, treating women as objects of pleasure), Anger (bitterness, hate, bearing grudges), Gluttony (excessive eating and drinking), Envy (self hate, rivalry), Sloth (seeking success without working for it). To these we can add the mother of all evils, injustice. If we declare war against these then we are fighting a holy war.

If we are at war then we should be prepared for some roughness. The enemy is also fighting against us and we may have to suffer some harm or hardship. Jeremiah in the first reading was fighting a holy war against the false prophets who prophesied only what the king and his officials wanted to hear. But Jeremiah stuck to the truth. And where did he end up? In a well of mud. But God sent a foreigner, an Ethiopian to come and save him. God never abandons His people. Jesus, our leader in God’s holy war did not escape the suffering and death on the cross. But on the third day God raised him to life victorious. God never abandons his people. He will not abandon us if we fight His holy war — the war against evil in ourselves and in the world.

With this thought that God never abandons his own, the author of Hebrews encourages us in the second reading to not grow weary or lose heart. We shall close with his words of advice:

Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. (Hebrews 12:3-4)

 

Reflection on Readings for today Friday 16th August

Friday of the Nineteenth week in Ordinary Time - 16 August 2013

Joshua 24:1-13.

Joshua gathered together all the tribes of Israel at Shechem, summoning their elders, their leaders, their judges and their officers. When they stood in ranks before God,
Joshua addressed all the people: "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: In times past your fathers, down to Terah, father of Abraham and Nahor, dwelt beyond the River and served other gods.
But I brought your father Abraham from the region beyond the River and led him through the entire land of Canaan. I made his descendants numerous, and gave him Isaac.
To Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. To Esau I assigned the mountain region of Seir in which to settle, while Jacob and his children went down to Egypt.
"Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and smote Egypt with the prodigies which I wrought in her midst.
Afterward I led you out of Egypt, and when you reached the sea, the Egyptians pursued your fathers to the Red Sea with chariots and horsemen.
Because they cried out to the LORD, he put darkness between your people and the Egyptians, upon whom he brought the sea so that it engulfed them. After you witnessed what I did to Egypt, and dwelt a long time in the desert,
I brought you into the land of the Amorites who lived east of the Jordan. They fought against you, but I delivered them into your power. You took possession of their land, and I destroyed them (the two kings of the Amorites) before you.
Then Balak, son of Zippor, king of Moab, prepared to war against Israel. He summoned Balaam, son of Beor, to curse you;
but I would not listen to Balaam. On the contrary, he had to bless you, and I saved you from him.
Once you crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho, the men of Jericho fought against you, but I delivered them also into your power.
And I sent the hornets ahead of you which drove them (the Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites and Jebusites) out of your way; it was not your sword or your bow.
"I gave you a land which you had not tilled and cities which you had not built, to dwell in; you have eaten of vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant.

Psalm 136

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good,
for his mercy endures forever;
Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his mercy endures forever;
Give thanks to the LORD of lords,
for his mercy endures forever.

Who led his people through the wilderness,
for his mercy endures forever;
Who smote great kings,
for his mercy endures forever;
And slew powerful kings,
for his mercy endures forever.

And made their land a heritage,
for his mercy endures forever;
The heritage of Israel his servant,
for his mercy endures forever;
And freed us from our foes,
for his mercy endures forever.

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, no human being must separate."
They said to him, "Then why did Moses command that the man give the woman a bill of divorce and dismiss her?"
He said to them, "Because of the hardness of your hearts Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.
I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) and marries another commits adultery."
His disciples said to him, "If that is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry."
He answered, "Not all can accept these words, but only those to whom that is granted. Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others; some, because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it."

Commentary of the day :

Saint Peter Chrysologus (c.406-450), Bishop of Ravenna, Doctor of the Church - Sermon 99 ; PL 52,477 “This is a great mystery”

“Woman is not independent of man or man of woman in the Lord” (1Cor 11,11)... Man and woman walk hand in hand to the Kingdom. Christ calls both man and woman at one and the same time without distinction, united by God and joined together by nature, giving them a share in the same actions and tasks in wonderful harmony. Through the marriage bond God makes two, one, and one, two in such a way that another self is discovered without loss of individuality or mingling in duality.But why does God appeal thus to man and and to woman through the images he gives of his Kingdom? (cf Lk 13,18-21). Why does he suggest such greatness by means of seemingly weak and inadequate examples? Oh my brethren! an priceless mystery is hidden underneath this poverty. As the apostle Paul says: “This is a great mystery: but I speak in reference to Christ and his Church” (Eph 5,32). These parables suggest humanity's greatest goal: man and woman have brought an end to the lawsuit against the world, a lawsuit that dragged on for centuries. The first man, Adam, and first woman, Eve, are led from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil to the fire... of the Gospel... Mouths sickened by the fruit of the poisoned tree are healed by the fiery taste of the tree of salvation, of that tree tasting of fire which inflames consciences frozen by the former tree. Here nakedness makes no difference and no longer inspires shame, for man and woman are fully clothed in forgiveness.

Assumption of Mary, Mother of Jesus

The Assumption of Mary into Heaven - Thursday, 15 August 2013

First reading: The Book of the Apocalpyse (Revelations) 11:19a.12:1-6a.10ab.

Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder, an earthquake, and a violent hailstorm.
A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.
She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth.
Then another sign appeared in the sky; it was a huge red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on its heads were seven diadems.
Its tail swept away a third of the stars in the sky and hurled them down to the earth. Then the dragon stood before the woman about to give birth, to devour her child when she gave birth.
She gave birth to a son, a male child, destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was caught up to God and his throne.
The woman herself fled into the desert where she had a place prepared by God, that there she might be taken care of for twelve hundred and sixty days.
Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have salvation and power come, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Anointed. For the accuser of our brothers is cast out, who accuses them before our God day and night.

Ps 45(44):10.11.12.16.

The queen takes her place at your right hand in gold of Ophir.
Hear, O daughter, and see; turn your ear,
Forget your people and your father's house.
So shall the king desire your beauty;
For he is your lord.

They are borne in with gladness and joy;
They enter the palace of the king.

1 Cor. 15:20-27.

Brothers and sisters: Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead came also through a human being.
For just as in Adam all die, so too in Christ shall all be brought to life,
but each one in proper order: Christ the firstfruits; then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ;
then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to his God and Father, when he has destroyed every sovereignty and every authority and power.
For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
The last enemy to be destroyed is death,
for "he subjected everything under his feet."

Gospel of St. Luke 1:39-56.

Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled."
And Mary said: "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
For he has looked upon his handmaid's lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed.
The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
His mercy is from age to age to those who fear him.
He has shown might with his arm, dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart. He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly. The hungry he has filled with good things; the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped Israel his servant, remembering his mercy,
according to his promise to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever."
Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.

Commentary of the day:

 There is an old story about a workman on a scaffolding high above the nave of a cathedral who looked down and saw a woman praying before a statue of Mary. As a joke, the workman whispered, "Woman, this is Jesus." The woman ignored him. The workman whispered again, more loudly: "Woman, this is Jesus." Again, the woman ignored him. Finally, he said aloud, "Woman, don't you hear me? This is Jesus." At this point the woman looked up at the crucifix and said, "Be still now, Jesus, I'm talking to your mother."

Why do Catholics treasure Marian devotions and doctrines that their non-Catholic brothers and sisters do not? It is because, I think, the Catholic Church is trying to tell the full story, to proclaim the full gospel.

Jesus was born of a woman. That’s a fact. Jesus was a good Jew and He loved His mother and honoured her as He was bound to by the Fourth Commandment. But He was a human too and He naturally loved Mary who cared for Him, fed Him and probably taught Him a lot about life. Would you, if you were Jesus allow the mother who had to experience death, after loving you and caring for you all your life, would you let her body rot in the grave or take her to Heaven to be with you eternally. Easy answer! So that’s what we believe Jesus did. No, it’s not in the Bible. Neither is the fact He probably had roast dinners and went to the toilet. Jesus never told His apostles to “write it down”. They only recorded the events they believed people would dispute or necessarily NEED to know.

Mary’s assumption was part of Catholic tradition since, forever… And every version of Christianity comes from Catholicism and is based on OUR Bible versions. So Catholics believe not just everything in the Bible but in our Sacred Tradition. They are described as being the two pillars on which our faith is based.

But isn't the gospel all about Christ and what he did and taught? Yes and no. The gospel is about Christ in the same way that the story of the Fall is about Adam. "For as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:22). That is why we call Christ the new Adam. But as soon as we say that, we become aware of a missing link. The story of the Fall is not only the story of Adam but the story of Adam and Eve. If Jesus is the new Adam, who then is the new Eve? Mary is the new Eve. Just as the full story of our Fall cannot be told without Eve, so also the full story of our Redemption cannot be told without Mary. There are many revealing parallels between the old Adam and Eve on the one hand and the new Adam and Eve, Jesus and Mary, on the other. Here are some of them.

·         In the old order, the woman (Eve) came from the body of the man (Adam), but in the new order the man (Jesus) comes from the body of the woman (Mary).

·         In the old order, the woman (Eve) first disobeyed God and led the man (Adam) to do the same, in the new order the woman (Mary) first said "Yes" to God (Luke 1:38) and raised her son Jesus to do likewise.

·         Adam and Eve had a good time together disobeying God, Jesus and Mary suffered together doing God's will. The sword of sorrow pierced their hearts equally (John 19:34; Luke 2:35b).

·         In the old order Adam and Eve shared immediately in the resulting consequences and punishments of the Fall. In the new order, similarly, both Jesus and Mary share immediately in the resulting consequences and blessings of the Redemption, the fullness of life with God; Jesus through the Ascension and Mary through the Assumption.

The doctrine of the Assumption teaches that at the end of her earthly existence, the Blessed Virgin Mary was taken up (assumed), body and soul, into heaven. That means, therefore, that there are two human bodies we know to be in heaven with God at this time: the human body of Jesus and that of Mary. In this doctrine we see the collaboration of man and woman in the work of our salvation all the way from the Fall to the Redemption to sharing in the fruit of Redemption in heaven. Without the Assumption to balance the Ascension, the man Jesus alone without the woman Mary would be enjoying the fullness of salvation with God and we would be telling only a part of the story. The Assumption is the ultimate proof of the equality of man and woman before God. It also shows the sacredness and eternal destiny of the human body, including the woman’s body which is desecrated by pornography and the sex trade. The Assumption enables us to tell the full story, the full gospel that salvation is for all Men, male and female, and for the whole Man, body and soul.

Marian doctrine and devotion, properly understood and practised, does not lead believers away from, but rather more deeply into, the mystery of Christ. The woman in prayer who thinks that Jesus should keep still because she is talking with his mother has lost sight of the perfect harmony of wills and hearts between Mary and Jesus which we see most clearly in the Wedding Feast at Cana where Mary commands us: "Do whatever he (Jesus) tells you" (John 2:5).

Vatican Council II
Constitution on the Church « Lumen gentium », § 68-69

Mary, sign of certain hope and consolation for the Pilgrim People of God

The immaculate Virgin Mary, preserved from all stain of original sin, was raised up to the glory of heaven, body and soul, at the close of her life on earth and was exalted by the Lord as Queen of the universe so that she might resemble her Son, the Lord of Lords and Victor over sin and death, more perfectly,...Just as the Mother of Jesus, glorified in body and soul in heaven, is the image and beginning of the Church as it is to be perfected is the world to come, so too does she shine forth on earth, until the day of the Lord shall come (2Pt 3,10), as a sign of sure hope and solace to the people of God during its sojourn on earth.It gives great joy and comfort to this holy and general Synod that even among the separated brethren there are some who give due honor to the Mother of our Lord and Savior, especially among the Orientals, who with devout mind and fervent impulse give honor to the Mother of God, ever virgin. The entire body of the faithful pours forth instant supplications to the Mother of God and Mother of men that she, who aided the beginnings of the Church by her prayers (Acts 1,14), may now, exalted as she is above all the angels and saints, intercede before her Son in the fellowship of all the saints, until all families of people, whether they are honored with the title of Christian or whether they still do not know the Savior, may be happily gathered together in peace and harmony into one people of God, for the glory of the Most Holy and Undivided Trinity.

 Happy Birthday to my beautiful niece Gabrielle (son of Terry & Monica) who was born on this day. May Mary our Mother in Heaven be continually guiding you in your life too!

 

Maximillian Kolbe and trying to help those who do wrong

Wednesday of the Nineteenth week in Ordinary Time - 14 August 2013
St Maximilian Kolbe, Priest and Martyr (1894-1941)
To find out about this amazing man who gave his life in Auschwitz go to http://auschwitz.dk/Kolbe.htm

First reading: Deut 34:1-12.

Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, the headland of Pisgah which faces Jericho, and the LORD showed him all the land-Gilead, and as far as Dan, all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea, the Negeb, the circuit of the Jordan with the lowlands at Jericho, city of palms, and as far as Zoar.
The LORD then said to him, "This is the land which I swore to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that I would give to their descendants. I have let you feast your eyes upon it, but you shall not cross over."
So there, in the land of Moab, Moses, the servant of the LORD, died as the LORD had said; and he was buried in the ravine opposite Beth-peor in the land of Moab, but to this day no one knows the place of his burial.
Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were undimmed and his vigor unabated.
For thirty days the Israelites wept for Moses in the plains of Moab, till they had completed the period of grief and mourning for Moses.
Now Joshua, son of Nun, was filled with the spirit of wisdom, since Moses had laid his hands upon him; and so the Israelites gave him their obedience, thus carrying out the LORD'S command to Moses.
Since then no prophet has arisen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face.
He had no equal in all the signs and wonders the LORD sent him to perform in the land of Egypt against Pharaoh and all his servants and against all his land, and for the might and the terrifying power that Moses exhibited in the sight of all Israel.

Ps 66(65):1-3.5.8.16-17.

Shout joyfully to God, all the earth,
sing praise to the glory of his name;
proclaim his glorious praise.
Say to God, “How tremendous are your deeds!”

Come and see the works of God,
his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam.
Bless our God, you peoples;
loudly sound his praise,

Hear now, all you who fear God, while I declare
what he has done for me.
When I appealed to him in words,
praise was on the tip of my tongue.

Gospel of St Matthew 18:15-20.

Jesus said to His disciples: "If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother.
If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that 'every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.'
If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.
Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
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."

Commentary of the day :

There is so much I could comment on about this extract from chapter 18 of St. Matthew’s Gospel, but in a desire for brevity in these commentaries I want to focus in on only one point. Jesus taught us not to gossip or criticise another without first having the desire to ‘win back your brother’.

Our aim as Christians should be to win souls for Jesus and when we know people who used to be His followers but have wandered off the path, we should try to get them back. Not seek to condemn or destroy them. I have heard many who profess to be Christians, wishing me to be damned for what I have done. I am not much better.

In most of the cases of the errant brother priests I have spoken of in my book Unholy Silence – Covering Up the Sins of the Fathers, I have neglected to have that’s desire of winning back my brother.
I should have brought his sins to the culprit’s attention rather than seeking to expose to shame, the men who have sought to sexually abuse children and vulnerable people.

I have been hesitant to do that, for fear he would know I was onto him and perhaps hindered ongoing police investigations that were initiated by my information.

But in my case, many who knew of my sins have also neglected to bring their displeasure to my attention but instead have chosen to gossip or speak behind my back. If they did tell me, maybe I would have been alerted to my wrong and maybe, just maybe, I would have been stopped from falling into further sinfulness.
Its hypothetical now, but Jesus was always wanting us to “win back our brother” rather than seek to condemn him to hell.

If I had my time over, I may have done things differently and many scandalous situations might have been avoided.
Please pray for me.  And pray for the soul of Stuart Watkinson, he was a great supporter and believer in interceding to St Maximillian.

With blessings!

Why don't you believe in Angels?

Tuesday of the Nineteenth week in Ordinary Time, 13 August 2013

Deut 31:1-8.

When Moses had finished speaking these words to all Israel,
he said to them, "I am now one hundred and twenty years old and am no longer able to move about freely; besides, the LORD has told me that I shall not cross this Jordan.
It is the LORD, your God, who will cross before you; he will destroy these nations before you, that you may supplant them. (It is Joshua who will cross before you, as the LORD promised.)
The LORD will deal with them just as he dealt with Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites whom he destroyed, and with their country.
When, therefore, the LORD delivers them up to you, you must deal with them exactly as I have ordered you.
Be brave and steadfast; have no fear or dread of them, for it is the LORD, your God, who marches with you; he will never fail you or forsake you."
Then Moses summoned Joshua and in the presence of all Israel said to him, "Be brave and steadfast, for you must being this people into the land which the LORD swore to their fathers he would give them; you must put them in possession of their heritage.
It is the LORD who marches before you; he will be with you and will never fail you or forsake you. So do not fear or be dismayed."

Deut 32:3-4a.7.8.9.12.

For I will sing the LORD’s renown.
Oh, proclaim the greatness of our God!
The Rock–how faultless are his deeds,
how right all his ways!

Think back on the days of old,
reflect on the years of age upon age.
Ask your father and he will inform you,
ask your elders and they will tell you.

When the Most High assigned the nations their heritage,
when he parceled out the descendants of Adam,
He set up the boundaries of the peoples
after the number of the sons of Israel.

While the LORD’s own portion was Jacob,
his hereditary share was Israel.
The LORD alone was their leader,
no strange god was with him.

Mt 18:1-5.10.12-14.

The disciples approached Jesus and said, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"
He called a child over, placed it in their midst,
and said, "Amen, I say to you, unless you change and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.
See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their Angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.
What is your opinion? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray?
And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray.
In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost.”

Commentary of the day :

Proof for the existence of Guardian Angel for each person? Jesus said they exist. So why doesn’t anyone ever ask their Guardian Angel to help them when things get difficult? I do. I know my Angel is beside me as I type these words for you to read, pleased that I am acknowledging its presence. (Yes they have no gender so that’s why I say “its”)

Padre Pio had a lot to say about his Guardian Angel. He often scolded it for not doing its job.

If you need more convincing you can read below from a friend's blog:

Padre Pio on Guardian Angels

Padre Pio and the Guardian Angel by Guido Reni

Padre Pio had the privilege of having his Guardian Angel visibly beside him all his life. He played with him when he was a child, and the Guardian Angel sang for him when he was sad.

"My Guardian Angel has been my friend since my infancy." 

Padre Pio said about his Guardian Angel: "Little companion of my infancy, angiolino, angioletto, my secretary, inseparable companion, celestial person, celestial messenger, brother, friend, prevents danger, one of the family, translates for me the letters in other languages, I send him to console people suffering, prevents from stumbling, never lives us alone for an instant, from the cradle to the grave, even when we are sinning." 

Padre Pio said about the Angels: "The Angels envy us for one thing only: they cannot suffer for God."

When Padre Pio was a young friar, he wrote a letter to his confessor in which he said: "When I close my eyes and the night comes, I can see the Heaven that appears in front of me. I am encouraged by this vision so I can sleep with a sweet smile on the lips and with a perfect calm on the forehead waiting my small companion of my infancy came to wake up me and start praying together prayers to the beloved of our hearts." 

Padre Pio often recommended that if people wanted to send him a message or a petition they could send him their guardian angel. Fr. Dominic, who handled the American mail for Padre Pio, asked him: "Padre . . . a woman wants to know if she sends her Guardian Angel to you, does he come?" Padre Pio replied, "Tell her that her Angel is not like she is. Her Angel is very obedient, and when she sends him, he comes!"

"It will be a great joy when at the moment of death we will be able to see our Guardian Angel. 

"Padre Pio once said to a person: "We will pray for your mother, so that the Guardian Angel will be with her in company." 

"If the mission of our Guardian Angel is a great mission, the mission of mine is for sure greater than the others, because he has to be a teacher and explain to me other languages." 

"The mission of my Guardian Angel includes explaining me other languages." 

Padre Pio lived in close contact with his Guardian Angel, who taught him to translate letters in French and Greek. The Angel would keep Padre Pio up at night so that they could both chant God’s praises. Padre Pio’s Angel would also ease the pain that he suffered from beatings that he received from demons. 

Padre Pio wrote the following to his spiritual director on November 5, 1912: "I cannot tell you the way these scoundrels [the demons] beat me. Sometimes I feel I am about to die. On Saturday, it seemed to me that they intended to put an end to me and I did not know what saint to invoke. I turned to my angel and after he had kept me waiting a while, there he was hovering close to me, singing hymns to the divine Majesty in his angelic voice. . . I rebuked him bitterly for having kept me waiting so long when I had not failed to call him to my assistance. To punish him, I did not want to look him in the face; I wanted to get away, to escape from him. But he, poor creature, caught up with me almost in tears and held me until I raised my eyes to his face and found him all upset. Then he said: "I am always close to you, my beloved young man . . ." 

"Send the Guardian Angel. He doesn't pay a train ticket and doesn't consume shoes." 

One winter, a spiritual daughter of Padre Pio was walking along a country road heavily covered with snow in which it was even difficult to walk to the Convent where the good Padre was waiting for her but was uncertain she would reach the Convent in time for the appointment. Full of faith, she prayed to her Guardian Angel to tell Padre Pio she would have arrived at the convent late because of the snow. When she finally reached the convent, she saw Padre Pio smiling, waiting for her behind a window.  

"For whomever is alone, there is his Guardian Angel." 

"Your Guardian Angel prays for you; offers to God all the good works you accomplish; your holy and pure desires." 

A man narrated: "Padre Pio often stopped in the sacristy greeting his spiritual children and friends by kissing them. I looked with holy envy on those so fortunate and I thought: 'Blessed him! If I were him! Blessed! Blessed him!' On Christmas 1958, I knelt, in front of Padre Pio for confession. Afterwards, I looked at him and while full of emotion I asked him: 'Father, today is the Christmas day, can I wish you Merry Christmas by giving you a kiss?' And he, with a sweetness that I am not able to describe with the pen, smile at me and said: 'Hurry up, my child, don't make me waste time!' He also embraced me. I kissed him and as a bird, joyful, I went toward the exit full of celestial delights. And what can I say about some slaps on the head? Every time, before leaving from St. Giovanni Rotondo, I desired father Pio gave me a sign of particular predilection. In fact, I also wanted two small slaps on the head as two fatherly caresses. I have to underline that he never refused me anything I wanted to receive from him. One day, there were a lot of people in the sacristy of the small church and father Vincenzo exhorted, with his usual severity: 'don’t push, don’t shake Padre Pio’s hands go back'! I sadly thought: 'This time I will leave without having the blows on the head.' I didn’t want to resign me and I begged my Guardian Angel to become a messenger and to repeat these words to Padre Pio: 'Father, I desire the benediction and the two blows on the head, as usual, one for me and the other for my wife.' Padre Vincenzo was still repeating: 'don’t push Padre Pio . . . stay far from him!' Then Padre Pio started walking. I was in anxiety. I looked at him but I was sad. Suddenly Padre Pio came to me, he smiled and he gave me two taps and it made me also kiss his hand, 'I would like to give you a lot of slaps . . . a lot of slaps,' he told me the first time that I asked him for the small slaps."

"Oh, if all men could understand this great gift that God, assigned to us; this celestial spirit." 

"May the desire to see this inseparable companion incite you to leave this body quickly." 

"When you seem to be alone, here a friendly soul to whom you can unburden yourself and in whom you can confide your sorrows." 

A woman was sitting in the square of the church of the Capuchins. The Church was closed. It was late and she prayed with the thought, and repeated with the heart: "Padre Pio, help me! Guardian Angel, please, go to tell Padre Pio to help me, otherwise my sister will die!" From the window above her, Padre Pio’s voice came: "Who is calling me at this time? What is the problem?" The woman told him about her sister’s illness. Padre Pio went in bilocation to the sick woman and healed her.

"Do not forget this invisible companion, always present to listen to you; always ready to console you." 

"For people that live alone there is the Guardian Angel." 

"Invoke your Guardian Angel that he will illuminate you and will guide you. God has given him to you for this reason. Therefore use him!" 

Padre Pio, Letter, April 20, 1915: "Often repeat the beautiful prayer: 'Angel of God, my guardian to whom the goodness of the heavenly Father entrusts me, enlighten, protect and guide me now and forever.' "

"Invoke often this Guardian Angel, and repeat the beautiful prayer: 'Oh, Angel of God . . .' "

Guardian Angel by Pietro da Cortona, 1656

Below is the traditional Catholic prayer to one's Guardian Angel:

Angel of God, my guardian dear
to whom His love commits me here.
Ever this day be at my side
to light, and guard, to rule and guide.
Amen.

In Latin:

Angele Dei,
qui custos es mei,
me, tibi commissum pietate superna,
illumina, custodi,
rege et guberna.
Amen.

"What consolation when, at the moment of death, you will see this Angel, who accompanied you through life and was so liberal in maternal care." 

"Often remember his presence; thank him; pray to him; respect him; be in constant fear of offending the purity of his gaze." 

"Don’t write to me because I cannot answer you. Send me your Guardian Angel and I will do everything." 

"Your Guardian Angel has reported to me some sentences that have made me understand your mistrust."

When asked, "How do you take care of the so many letters you receive?" The good Padre replied,  "The Angel does his job." 

One time, Padre Pio was asked: "All those Angels around you, don't they bother You?" He answered, "No. They are so obedient." 

A person asked Padre Pio, "Father, are you able to hear what the Guardian Angels tell you?" And Padre Pio answered, "Of course! Do you think Angels are disobedient as you? Send me your Guardian Angel!" 

An Italian-American from California used to pray to his Guardian Angel to tell his needs to Padre Pio. One day, after confession he asked Padre Pio if he really heard his Guardian Angel. "Do you think I am deaf?" And he repeated what he had told recently his Guardian Angel to tell Padre Pio. 

Padre Lino Barbati sent his Guardian Angel to ask Padre Pio for the healing of a person. That person was not getting better. He asked Padre Pio: "Could it be that at times the Guardian Angel doesn't do what we ask him to do?" Padre Pio: "What? Are you thinking that he is disobedient like me and you?" 

One of the spiritual children of Padre Pio said: "It seems that Padre Pio always listens to everybody who calls him." One evening, a group of friends arrived at San Giovanni Rotondo. They summarized the graces that they would have asked of Padre Pio, and they asked their Guardian Angels to bring their request to Padre Pio as soon as possible. The next day, after the Holy Mass, Padre Pio reproached them: "You do not leave me in peace even at night!" Watching Padre Pio’s smile they understood their prayer had been accepted.

Padre Eusebio Notte was with Padre Pio from 1960 to 1965

Padre Eusebio said: "I was going to London by plane, against Padre Pio’s suggestion not to use this mean of transport. When we were flying over the Channel, a violent storm put the aeroplane in danger. Amid the general terror I prayed and, without knowing what to do, I sent my Guardian Angel to Padre Pio. When I went back to St. Giovanni Rotondo I met Padre Pio who said to me, 'Are you well? Is everything OK?' I answered, 'I thought I’d die,' the saintly padre responded, 'then why don't you obey?' I responded 'But I have sent you my Guardian Angel . . . ' Padre Pio then said, 'Fortunately, he arrived just in time!' " 

An Italian Lawyer named Attilio De Sanctis from Fano was driving back home to Bologna with his wife and two children. During the trip he fell asleep at the wheel. He woke up a few miles from home. He said, "Who drove my car?" The wife said, "You were still, and didn't answer to us, and you avoided several collisions at last second. Your driving was different from usual." Two months later he visited Padre Pio, who told him from afar: "You were asleep and the Guardian Angel drove your car." The mystery was solved. 

"Father, my income doesn't allow me to come to see you as often as I'd like." "Who told you to come here? Don't you have your Guardian Angel? Tell him what you want, send him here, and you will have an answer right away." 

Padre Alessio Parente

Padre Alessio approached Padre Pio with some letters in his hand in order to ask him something but Padre Pio told him abruptly, "Boy, leave me alone, don't you see that I am busy?" Padre Alessio went away mortified. Later, Padre Pio apologized and explained: "Didn't you see all those Angels who were with me? They are the Guardian Angels of my spiritual children who brought me their messages. I had to report to them the answers they needed." 

Joe Peterson and Joe Peluso in 1988 visiting Padre Pio's birthplace

Joe Peterson was stationed in Foggia, Italy during WWII and met Padre Pio several times. When he returned to the States in Yonkers, N.Y., he lectured about Padre Pio throughout the Northeast for 40 years to more than 4,000 parishes, religious classes, and Catholic high schools. He was a member of the Padre Pio Foundation's Board of Directors. 

Joe Peluso, from a very small town in Pennsylvania, was stationed in Foggia, Italy during WWII and met Padre Pio on October 6, 1944. He visited with him several times for the next ten months, until his Army unit was transferred to France on July 15, 1945. He met also Padre Pio's father Grazio, his brother Michael, and Michael's daughter Pia, and her fiance Mario. He returned to Italy in 1988 as member of the Padre Pio Foundation of America in Cromwell, CT, for a documentary on Padre Pio's birthplace. 

"Joe, when the war is over and you return to the United States, tell the American people that for those who would like me to be their spiritual father, my answer is yes. I accept all Americans as my spiritual children. I only have two requirements - that they lead very good Catholic lives and that they regularly receive the sacraments. And please, tell them never to embarrass me in front of Jesus and Mary. You must tell them, Joe." Joe made a slide show presentation of Padre Pio's life and over the years he showed it to thousands of people. Joe died in 1996 after having spent 50 years sharing the message of Padre Pio with more people than he could have imagined. 

"Joe, pick a name for your Guardian Angel and call him by the name always. When you send him to me, he will come instantly." 

"All of Paradise is close to the altar when I say Mass." 

"The angels attend my Mass In legions." 

"The angels around the altar adore and love." 

"The Holy Virgin assists me."