01-JUN-'24, Memorial of Saint Justin, Martyr

Memorial of Saint Justin, Martyr

Lectionary: 352

Reading 1

Jude 17, 20b-25

Beloved, remember the words spoken beforehand

by the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Build yourselves up in your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit.

Keep yourselves in the love of God

and wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ

that leads to eternal life.

On those who waver, have mercy;

save others by snatching them out of the fire;

on others have mercy with fear,

abhorring even the outer garment stained by the flesh.

To the one who is able to keep you from stumbling

and to present you unblemished and exultant,

in the presence of his glory,

to the only God, our savior,

through Jesus Christ our Lord

be glory, majesty, power, and authority

from ages past, now, and for ages to come. Amen.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 63:2, 3-4, 5-6

R. (2b) My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God. 

O God, you are my God whom I seek;

for you my flesh pines and my soul thirsts

like the earth, parched, lifeless and without water.

R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.

Thus have I gazed toward you in the sanctuary

to see your power and your glory,

For your kindness is a greater good than life;

my lips shall glorify you.

R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.

Thus will I bless you while I live;

lifting up my hands, I will call upon your name.

As with the riches of a banquet shall my soul be satisfied,

and with exultant lips my mouth shall praise you.

R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.

Alleluia

See Colossians 3:16a, 17c

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly;

giving thanks to God the Father through him.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Mark 11:27-33

Jesus and his disciples returned once more to Jerusalem.

As he was walking in the temple area,

the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders

approached him and said to him,

"By what authority are you doing these things?

Or who gave you this authority to do them?"

Jesus said to them, "I shall ask you one question.

Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.

Was John's baptism of heavenly or of human origin? Answer me."

They discussed this among themselves and said,

"If we say, 'Of heavenly origin,' he will say,

'Then why did you not believe him?'

But shall we say, 'Of human origin'?"–

they feared the crowd,

for they all thought John really was a prophet.

So they said to Jesus in reply, "We do not know."

Then Jesus said to them,

"Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things."

Reflection 1

Catholic Daily Reflections

The Danger of Obstinacy

“I shall ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was John’s baptism of heavenly or of human origin?  Answer me.” Mark 11:29–30

This is Jesus’ response to the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders when they approached Jesus in the Temple area and asked Him by what authority He did the things He did. And what was it that Jesus did? The day before, Jesus had been in the Temple and drove the money changers out, telling them, “Is it not written: ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples’? But you have made it a den of thieves.” This outraged the religious leaders, and they immediately began to discuss how they could put Jesus to death.

Consider, first, the tension in the air. They literally were plotting to put Jesus, the Son of God, to death. They were filled with hatred and jealousy and refused to believe in Him. Jesus saw their hardness of heart and put them on the spot to first answer His question before He would answer theirs. Why would Jesus do this?

The question Jesus asked them was actually an act of great mercy on His part. He gave them an opportunity to repent. If they had only answered His question with humble faith and honesty, they could have saved their lives. Instead, they discussed among themselves His question and gave the politically correct answer. If they had said John’s baptism was of human origin, and not from God, they were afraid that the people would turn on them. So they simply said, “We do not know.” But imagine if they would have given the right answer. What if they had discussed it among themselves and concluded that John’s baptism truly was from God and that they should have believed in him? If they would have only humbled themselves, admitted that they had gravely erred in regard to John, then Jesus would have answered their question, and their life of true faith could have begun. But they didn’t. They remained obstinate. They could not admit they were wrong.

Obstinacy is among the most dangerous of sins. It’s a sin that cannot be forgiven, because, in essence, it’s a refusal to change. And when a person refuses to admit their sin, and refuses to change, then God cannot help them. They remain lost in their sin and suffer the consequences.

Do you struggle with obstinacy in your life? Do you find it difficult to admit when you are wrong? Do you find it difficult to apologize to another and seek to change?

Reflect, today, upon anything you remain obstinate about. Are there matters of faith that you refuse to believe? Are there broken relationships that you refuse to humbly restore? Do you justify your sin and refuse to admit your guilt and need to change? Pray to our Lord for the gift of a humble heart. Humility, in many ways, is nothing other than being completely honest with yourself and others before God. Do not follow the example of these religious leaders. Humbly seek to remove all obstinacy from your heart so that Our Lord can enter in and bring His mercy into your life.

Reflection 2

One Bread, One Body

I DID IT MY WAY?

“But you, beloved, grow strong in your holy faith through prayer in the Holy Spirit.” —Jude 20

We need to build ourselves up by praying in the Holy Spirit to show mercy to three groups of people in the Church. In this way, we will make great strides in renewing the Church.

The first group to whom we should reach out is composed of those who are doubting and confused (Jude 22). Although St. Jude does not clarify the circumstances of their doubts and how we should help these people, the Holy Spirit will guide us, as we “pray in the Spirit” (Eph 6:18).

The second group we are called to serve are those caught in the fire (Jude 22). This is not the fire of purification but of destruction. The Holy Spirit is giving us a part in the ultimate rescue. Live in the Spirit.

The third group on whom we are to have mercy is described as wearing “flesh-stained clothing” (Jude 23). This mission is not explained, but it clearly is extremely dangerous (Jude 23-24). Come, Holy Spirit!

Jude gives us insight into renewing the Church by telling us to emphasise mercy (see Jude 21-23) and target three groups — those in doubt, those in the destroying fire, and those defiled by the works of the flesh. We may have tried to renew God’s Church with our ideas. Let’s follow the directions of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer:  Father, help me to un-learn some of what I think I know about renewing the Church.

Promise:  “There is One Who can protect you from a fall and make you stand unblemished and exultant in the presence of His glory.” —Jude 24

Praise:  St. Justin believed that people would embrace Christianity if Christian teachings were explained properly. He dedicated his life to teaching non-Christians.

Reflection 3

The Servants of the Word

Who Gave You This Authority?

Do you accept the authority of God's word and submit to it with trust and obedience? Many religious leaders took offense at Jesus because they could not accept his authority as coming from God. After Jesus had dramatically cleansed the temple of the traders and money-changers, the Jewish leaders question Jesus to trap him. If he says his authority is divine they will charge him with blasphemy. If he has done this on his own authority they might well arrest him as a mad zealot before he could do more damage.

Jesus' authority to speak and act in his Father's name

Jesus, seeing through their trap, poses a question to them and makes their answer a condition for his answer. Did they accept the work of John the Baptist as divine or human? If they accepted John's work as divine, they would be compelled to accept Jesus as the Messiah. John, a true prophet of God, had in fact attested to Jesus as the Son of God and Messiah who would redeem his people from their sins. The Jewish authorities dodged the question because they were unwilling to face the truth. They did not accept the Baptist and they would not accept Jesus as their Messiah. Jesus told his followers, "if you continue in my word... you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free" (John 8:31-32).

The truth will make you free

The Lord Jesus poses the same question to us today. Do you accept the claim of Jesus - that the Father in heaven sent his only begotten Son into the world to set us free from slavery to sin and to give us eternal life (John 3:16-18). Many want to mold Jesus to their own way of thinking and preferences and to reject or ignore whatever is disagreeable to them. Jesus came to give us the greatest freedom possible - freedom from ignorance, deception, and sin, and the freedom to live as sons and daughters of God in the power of the Holy Spirit. Do you know the joy and freedom of living according to God's word of truth, joy, and eternal life?

Prayers

Lord God, do not let me harden my heart. Replace my heart of stone with a spirit-filled heart. Show me how to grow in my faith today and imitate your merciful love.

My unwavering Jesus, You confront those who are proud, arrogant and obstinate with much strength and love. You do so to help them overcome their stubbornness of heart. Give me the grace of humility, dear Lord, so that I will always be able to admit my sin and turn to You in love. Jesus, I trust in You.

Lord Jesus, your word is life and truth. Instruct my heart that I may grow in the knowledge of your truth and live according to your word.

Lord Jesus, I give you thanks for the gift of the Liturgy. By your Word of Life, you teach me the path of life and salvation. By your Bread of Life, you nourish me and unite me to yourself, the True Vine, and deepen my communion with my brothers and sisters in the Church. 

Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy

Reflection 152: The Mystery of the Grace of Suffering

Human suffering is one of the greatest mysteries of life.  The Diary of Saint Faustina, as well as the whole spiritual tradition of our faith, reveals much about this profound mystery of suffering.  First, from a purely secular point of view, suffering is far from desirable.  In fact, it is typically avoided at all costs and seen as the greatest of tragedies.  However, from a Christian perspective, suffering itself has been transformed by Christ and made the greatest instrument of grace ever known.  It was through His intense suffering on the Cross that the salvation of the world came about.  And by freely embracing all suffering, He made it the means and source of all grace.  By so doing, Jesus also invites us to see our sufferings as an opportunity for grace.  By embracing it, uniting it to His Cross, and offering it to the Father, our suffering is also able to take on infinite value and become a channel of the Mercy of God.  Suffering, freely embraced by a Christian, must become a sign of one’s closeness to Christ and a path to holiness (See Diary #774).

Suffering can be very difficult and yet unavoidable most often in life.  Rather than run from it, reflect, today, upon the fact that God is able to use your suffering for good.  This is a mysterious calling and requires the greatest of faith and trust.  But when entered into, you will discover that the power of God overshadows and transforms even that which is most painful in life.

Lord, help me to entrust to You all suffering.  Help me to have hope in You and to fix my gaze upon Your Cross during the most troubled times of life.  Use me Lord, and use my suffering as a source of my holiness and for the upbuilding of Your Church in holiness.  Jesus, I trust in You.

31-MAY-'24, Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Lectionary: 572

Reading I

Zepanniah 3:14-18a

Shout for joy, O daughter Zion!

            Sing joyfully, O Israel!

Be glad and exult with all your heart,

            O daughter Jerusalem!

The LORD has removed the judgment against you,

            he has turned away your enemies;

The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst,

            you have no further misfortune to fear.

On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem:

            Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged!

The LORD, your God, is in your midst,

            a mighty savior;

He will rejoice over you with gladness,

            and renew you in his love,

He will sing joyfully because of you,

            as one sings at festivals.

OR     

Romans 12:9-16

Brothers and sisters:

Let love be sincere;

hate what is evil,

hold on to what is good;

love one another with mutual affection;

anticipate one another in showing honor.

Do not grow slack in zeal,

be fervent in spirit,

serve the Lord.

Rejoice in hope,

endure in affliction,

persevere in prayer.

Contribute to the needs of the holy ones,

exercise hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you,

bless and do not curse them.

Rejoice with those who rejoice,

weep with those who weep.

Have the same regard for one another;

do not be haughty but associate with the lowly;

do not be wise in your own estimation.

 

Responsorial Psalm

Isaiah 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6

R.        (6)  Among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.

God indeed is my savior;

            I am confident and unafraid.

My strength and my courage is the LORD,

            and he has been my savior.

With joy you will draw water

            at the fountain of salvation.

R.        Among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.

Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name;

            among the nations make known his deeds,

            proclaim how exalted is his name.

R.        Among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.

Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement;

            let this be known throughout all the earth.

Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,

            for great in your midst

            is the Holy One of Israel!

R.        Among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.

Alleluia

See Luke 1:45

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Blessed are you, O Virgin Mary, who believed

that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

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 with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:

            the Almighty has done great things for me,

            and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him

            in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,

            he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,

            and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,

            and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel

            for he has remembered his promise of mercy,

            the promise he made to our fathers,

            to Abraham and his children for ever.”

Mary remained with her about three months

and then returned to her home.

Reflection 1

Catholic Daily Reflections

Joy at the Presence of the Lord

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.” Luke 1:39–42

The beautiful feast we celebrate today depicts two miraculous pregnancies. One came about by the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit. The other was the miraculous conception in the womb of a woman who was advanced in years. The Scripture passage quoted above presents us with the initial encounter of Mary and Elizabeth as they greeted each other upon Mary’s arrival. Mary had traveled a long distance to be with her cousin for the last few months of Elizabeth’s pregnancy. And upon greeting Elizabeth, another miraculous event occurred. The baby in the womb of Elizabeth, Saint John the Baptist, “leaped for joy.” Thus, even prior to his birth, John began to fulfill his unique mission of preparing the way for the Lord. He did so at that moment by inspiring his own mother, Elizabeth, with a knowledge of the divine presence of the Savior within the womb of Mary.

Consider, especially, the conversations that these two holy women would have shared during their months together. Though we are given only a small insight into their initial conversation from the Scriptures, we can be certain that this was but a small sampling of what they would have discussed in much prayerful detail. In particular, their conversations would have contained a mutual sharing of the spiritual gift of joy.

Joy is much more than an emotion. It is spiritual in nature. It is not only an experience of something fun, it’s the experience of realizing the action of God in your life. Seeing God at work in wonderful ways leads to gratitude and rejoicing. This joy produces a strength and energy that is contagious and uplifting.

We must all strive to see the hand of God at work in our own lives so that our focus upon His divine actions will produce joy also. We need joy. We need to be strengthened by this gift so that we will be encouraged and strengthened as we daily strive to fulfill His will.

Reflect, today, upon the witness of joy that these two holy women give us. Know that you are called to share in the same joy as you humbly turn your attention to the ways in which God has blessed you. If you find that you lack joy in life, then consider where you allow your mind to wander throughout the day. Do you dwell on the past, on hurts, on problems and the like? If so, these thoughts will undoubtedly lead to depression and possibly even despair. Try to turn your mind to the action of God in your life. See the many blessings you have been given and savor those divine actions. Doing so will lead you to rejoice with Saint Elizabeth and our Blessed Mother.

Reflection 2

One Bread, One Body

LATE, GREAT PENTECOSTS

“Mary set out, proceeding in haste into the hill country to a town of Judah, where she entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leapt in her womb. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.” —Luke 1:39-41

About two weeks ago, the Lord gave you the Holy Spirit in a new Pentecost. Was the gift of the Spirit stirred up in you? If so, you are acting as Mary did. You’re probably visiting people to share with them Jesus in you. As you do this, they too are filled with the Spirit.

Pentecost is contagious. It is catalytic. One Pentecost leads to another. 120 people received the Holy Spirit the morning of the first Christian Pentecost, and by evening 3,000 had received the Spirit (Acts 1:15; 2:41). Pentecost is a movement with momentum. This is how the Spirit renews the face of the earth (Ps 104:30).

If you are out of the upper room, moving in the Spirit, and visiting, don’t stop. Witness for Jesus right where you are and eventually “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

If you are still in the upper room, ask Mary to visit you so that you can get into the Acts of the Apostles. Consider this feast day a visitation and an opportunity for late, great Pentecosts. Come, Holy Spirit, again and again!

Prayer:  “My being proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit finds joy in God my Savior” (Lk 1:46-47).

Promise:  “Do not grow slack but be fervent in spirit; He Whom you serve is the Lord.” —Rm 12:11

Praise:  “God Who is mighty has done great things for me, holy is His name” (Lk 1:49).

Reflection 3

The Servants of the Word

Joyful Anticipation of the Messiah

Do you recognize the indwelling presence of the Lord Jesus in your life? Blessed are you if you see and recognize the Lord with the "eyes of faith". The word "blessed" [makarios in Greek] literally means "happiness" or "beatitude". It describes a kind of joy which is serene and untouchable, self-contained, and independent from chance and changing circumstances of life.

God gives us supernatural joy with hope in his promises

There is a certain paradox for those "blessed" by the Lord. Mary was given the "blessedness" of being the mother of the Son of God. That blessedness also would become a sword which pierced her heart as her Son died upon the cross. Anselm, a great teacher and Archbishop of Canterbury (1033-1109), spoke these words in a homily: "Without God's Son nothing could exist; without Mary's son, nothing could be redeemed." To be chosen by God is an awesome privilege and responsibility. Mary received both a crown of joy and a cross of sorrow. Her joy was not diminished by her sorrow because it was fueled by her faith, hope, and trust in God and his promises.

Jesus promised his disciples that "no one will take your joy from you" (John 16:22). The Lord gives us a supernatural joy which enables us to bear any sorrow or pain and which neither life nor death can take away. Do you know the joy of a life given over to God in faith and trust?

They were filled with the Holy Spirit

What is the significance of Mary's visit to her cousin Elizabeth before the birth of Jesus? When Elizabeth greeted Mary and recognized the Messiah in Mary's womb they were filled with the Holy Spirit and with a joyful anticipation of the fulfillment of God's promise to give a Savior. What a marvelous wonder for God to fill not only Elizabeth's heart with his Holy Spirit but the child in her womb as well. John the Baptist, even before the birth of the Messiah, pointed to his coming and leaped for joy in the womb of his mother as the Holy Spirit revealed to him the presence of the King to be born.

The Lord wants to fill each of us with his Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is God's gift to us to enable us to know and experience the indwelling presence of God and the power of his kingdom. The Holy Spirit is the way in which God reigns within each of us. Do you live in the joy and knowledge of God's indwelling presence with you through his Holy Spirit?

Prayers

My holy infant Jesus, as You dwelt in the sacred womb of Your own dear mother, Your presence caused much rejoicing in her heart and in the hearts of Elizabeth and John. Help me to see Your presence in our world and in my life, so that I, too, will be filled with the joy of You constantly coming to me. Jesus, I trust in You.

Lord Jesus, fill me with your Holy Spirit and give me joy in seeking you more earnestly. Increase my faith in all your promises, my hope in the joy of heaven, and my love for You as my All.

Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy

Reflection 151: Spiritual Kinship

In order to be truly close to someone else, and to understand them on a deep level, is it necessary to speak continually and to share every detail of your mind and heart?  Not if both souls are intimately united with God.  In that case, very little has to be said in order for each person to recognize a shared unity and to understand the other.  When God is alive in each person, it is His presence that unites them and enables them to know the other.  This produces the blessing of a spiritual kinship which could never be attained in any other way, not even after years of constant talking and sharing.  The unity that comes from a shared knowledge of God is far superior and far more effective in establishing a beautiful friendship than any other means (See Diary #768).

Think about your friendships.  What is the basis of those relationships?  Hopefully your friendships are grounded in your life of faith and love of God.  Reflect upon how easily you are able to speak about your faith with your friends.  While it’s good to offer friendship and love to all people, it’s also healthy to seek out those with whom you can share a spiritual kinship.  Allow the Holy Spirit to draw you to others with whom you can share this depth of love and spiritual friendship and the Lord will bless you with an abundance of His Mercy through them.

Lord, I thank You for the gift of those people in my life who have a strong faith in You.  Help me to rely upon those friendships and, in them, to discover Your merciful Heart.  Help me also to be an instrument of Mercy to all whom You have placed in my life.  Lord, You are my closest friend and I thank You for this precious gift of Your friendship and Your love for me.  Jesus, I trust in You.