01-SEP-'24, 21st Sun in OT

Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 125

Reading 1

Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8

Moses said to the people:

"Now, Israel, hear the statutes and decrees

which I am teaching you to observe,

that you may live, and may enter in and take possession of the land

which the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you.

In your observance of the commandments of the LORD, your God,

which I enjoin upon you,

you shall not add to what I command you nor subtract from it.

Observe them carefully,

for thus will you give evidence

of your wisdom and intelligence to the nations,

who will hear of all these statutes and say,

'This great nation is truly a wise and intelligent people.'

For what great nation is there

that has gods so close to it as the LORD, our God, is to us

whenever we call upon him?

Or what great nation has statutes and decrees

that are as just as this whole law

which I am setting before you today?"

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 15:2-3, 3-4, 4-5

R. (1a) The one who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.

Whoever walks blamelessly and does justice;

who thinks the truth in his heart

and slanders not with his tongue.

R. The one who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.

Who harms not his fellow man,

nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;

by whom the reprobate is despised,

while he honors those who fear the LORD.

R. The one who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.

Who lends not his money at usury

and accepts no bribe against the innocent.

Whoever does these things

shall never be disturbed.

R. The one who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.

Reading 2

James 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27

Dearest brothers and sisters:

All good giving and every perfect gift is from above,

coming down from the Father of lights,

with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change.

He willed to give us birth by the word of truth

that we may be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you

and is able to save your souls.

Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves.

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this:

to care for orphans and widows in their affliction

and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Alleluia

James 1:18

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

The Father willed to give us birth by the word of truth

that we may be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem

gathered around Jesus,

they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals

with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands.

—For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews,

do not eat without carefully washing their hands,

keeping the tradition of the elders.

And on coming from the marketplace

they do not eat without purifying themselves.

And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed,

the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds. —

So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him,

"Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders

but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?"

He responded,

"Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written:

This people honours me with their lips,

but their hearts are far from me;

in vain do they worship me,

teaching as doctrines human precepts.

You disregard God's commandment but cling to human tradition."

He summoned the crowd again and said to them,

"Hear me, all of you, and understand.

Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person;

but the things that come out from within are what defile.

"From within people, from their hearts,

come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder,

adultery, greed, malice, deceit,

licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly.

All these evils come from within and they defile."

Reflection 1

Catholic Daily Reflections

Rejecting False Accusations

When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus, they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands. Mark 7:1–2

What a foolish thing for these Pharisees and scribes to be concerned about! They were in the presence of the Son of God, the Savior of the World, a man of perfect virtue and pure goodness, and all they could do was to observe that some of Jesus’ disciples failed to follow the scrupulous teaching on how they should wash their hands before a meal. The reason for this was their pride. These teachers of Israel had devised a large body of detailed, unwritten, human laws that they treated with the same binding force as the Law of Moses that they received from God. But the scribes’ and Pharisees’ human traditions were not from God; they were a body of regulations flowing from their own self-righteous need to act as interpreters of the Law. Therefore, whenever someone failed to follow the traditions the Pharisees and scribes taught as binding, they took it personally and reacted with judgment.

One lesson we can learn from these religious leaders is that we should never take things personally. Allowing ourselves to become personally offended at anything at all is, in fact, an act of our own pride. We do need to have sorrow for the sin we see, but that is different than allowing ourselves to become personally offended. For example, even if we were to teach the very Law of God and someone rejects that teaching, our response must be sorrow for them as we reject their error.

Jesus went on to respond to the Pharisees and scribes by quoting to them the Prophet Isaiah: “This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts” (See Isaiah 29:13). What’s interesting is that Jesus didn’t really engage them in conversation about this, defending Himself or His disciples in their eyes. Instead, He rebuked the Pharisees and scribes in a general way so as to dismiss their criticism as false, and then turned away from them and addressed the crowds.

We will all experience unjust condemnation at times. If we are in the wrong, then we must receive the condemnation as if it were from God and repent. But if the condemnation flows from someone’s wounded pride or error, then Jesus set the example on how we ought to respond. The best response is to reject their error and then refuse to become engaged in the conversation further. Too often when we are criticized unjustly, we also take it personally. We tend to fight back and justify ourselves, trying to prove that the other person is wrong. But when we do that, we are most likely acting out of our own wounded pride. This will result in angry sulking feelings and the experience of oppression that the evil one inflicts upon us. Jesus’ model is to reject the lie and then refuse to engage it further. The reason for this is that the unjust condemnation is actually the seed of the evil one. The person delivering it is only the instrument. So we rebuke the lie of the evil one and refuse to get into a personal battle with the person delivering the lie. Doing so brings freedom from oppression and allows our hearts to remain at peace, no matter what we endure.

Reflect, today, upon any ways that you have taken some conversation personally, allowing it to oppress you with anger, becoming defensive or argumentative. Know that whenever that happens, this is an attack from the evil one as he seeks to oppress you. Do not accept that abuse. The guide for each of us is the peace and joy that comes from the Holy Spirit. Even the greatest martyrs remained at peace and felt joy in the midst of their persecution. Reflect upon any ways that you have allowed the evil one to agitate you and leave you upset with your wounded pride. Do not fall into his trap. Hold on to the truth and remain at peace, and that will be all the defense you need to make.

Reflection 2

One Bread, One Body

near and far

“Their heart is far from Me.” —Mark 7:6

I’m sitting ten feet from Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration, very near to Him. “You, O Lord, are near” (Ps 119:151). In Old Testament times, the Lord said to Moses, “Come no nearer” (Ex 3:5). To draw near God was to risk death (see Ex 24:2; Nm 1:51). Yet even in pre-Christian days, God was drawing His people close. “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him” (Ps 145:18). The psalmist could say: “To be near God is my good” (Ps 73:28).

Jesus came to earth and people could touch, see, and hear Him (1 Jn 1:1). He came to dwell among His people, to live among us (Jn 1:14). Yet even that proximity was not near enough for the Lord. He came even nearer to us in the Eucharist, to dwell within us (Jn 6:56; 17:23).

Perhaps we have grown accustomed to God’s nearness. We have a great need for the fear of the Lord (Is 11:2), so we can learn how to be close to the Lord without losing the awe of being in His presence. The prophet Isaiah warned: “This people draws near with words only and honors Me with their lips alone, though their hearts are far from Me” (Is 29:13; Mk 7:6).

Some may say that they feel God is far from them and does not care. However, if anyone has moved, it was not God (see Ps 139:7-10). Possibly those thoughts arise because the person has moved away from God. If we draw near to God, He will draw near to us (Jas 4:8, RNAB). “Draw near to God” (Heb 7:19).

Prayer:  Jesus, You came to call those near and far (Eph 2:17). Bring me near to You through Your blood (Eph 2:13). “Draw me!” (Sg 1:4)

Promise:  “Hear the statutes and decrees...that you may live.” —Dt 4:1

Praise:  Praise Jesus, “the Resurrection and the Life” (Jn 11:25)!

Reflection 3

Shared from God's Word

The fruits and vegetables that we buy from the markets are known to be injected with hormones and chemicals, and consumers are advised to consume the same only after washing, peeling, and cooking!  Ritual cleansing is observed in temples and mosques.  Jesus, being a good law-abiding Jew, was not against such cleansing.  But what Jesus emphasises more is spiritual and internal cleanliness.   Jesus says categorically: “there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile.”  It is imperative, therefore, that we not merely observe the rubrics of religion, because religion that is pure and undefiled is “to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” (Jas 1:27).    Rather, we need to observe all the Laws in letter and spirit, as the First Reading from Deuteronomy invites us, not forgetting the “weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness” (Mt 23:23).

Prayers

My persecuted Lord, You endured much criticism in life, but You never allowed it to steal Your peace. You remained perfectly strong, rejecting the lies and turning from them. Please give me the grace I need to always turn away from the lies of the evil one and to listen only to Your clear and gentle voice. Jesus, I trust in You.

Lord Jesus, fill me with your Holy Spirit and make my heart like yours - on fire with love and holiness. Strengthen my will that I may always choose to love what is good and to reject what is evil.

Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy

Reflection 244: Working Until the End of the World

If you labour, day and night, spreading the works of God, this is good.  Good fruit will come from your commitment to serve the Will of God and to spread His Divine Mercy.  But we should also realise that God is able to use us to spread His Mercy until the end of the world.  How?  Only God knows.  But He does desire to use you for this purpose.  Some, like Saint Faustina, were used to set in motion devotion to Divine Mercy and that devotion will continue until Jesus returns.  Others, and perhaps most of us, are called to contribute to the perpetual work of Mercy in various other ways.  For example, one act of charity will bring about a good in another’s life that could change them in such a way that it will set in motion an eternal work of Mercy.  Or consider your prayer for those entrusted with special responsibility such as praying for the Pope, bishops or priests.  Or consider the fact that your holiness achieved here and now will be magnified in Heaven and will enable you to intercede for the Church for all time.  Be diligent now in your work of spreading the Mercy of God but also be aware that this work must continue on into eternity.  Focus on this as your goal and God will use your present labours in unimaginable ways throughout time (See Diary #1256).

When you think about the work that God has entrusted to you, do you see it as something that can have eternal consequences?  Do you see yourself as a “link in a chain” by which God desires to strengthen the Church throughout time?  Be open to this goal and allow the Lord to use you in ways you could never dream up yourself.

Lord, my life is Yours.  I give myself to You for the purpose of spreading Your Mercy now and for eternity.  Use me as You will, dear Lord. I offer myself as a willing instrument of Your Mercy in our world.  Jesus, I trust in You.

31-AUG-'24, Sat of the 21st Wk in OT

Saturday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 430

Reading 1

1 Corinthians 1:26-31

Consider your own calling, brothers and sisters.

Not many of you were wise by human standards,

not many were powerful,

not many were of noble birth.

Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise,

and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong,

and God chose the lowly and despised of the world,

those who count for nothing,

to reduce to nothing those who are something,

so that no human being might boast before God.

It is due to him that you are in Christ Jesus,

who became for us wisdom from God,

as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption,

so that, as it is written,

Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 33:12-13, 18-19, 20-21

R. (12) Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD,

the people he has chosen for his own inheritance.

From heaven the LORD looks down;

he sees all mankind.

R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

But see, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,

upon those who hope for his kindness,

To deliver them from death

and preserve them in spite of famine.

R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

Our soul waits for the LORD,

who is our help and our shield,

For in him our hearts rejoice;

in his holy name we trust.

R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

Alleluia

John 13:34

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

I give you a new commandment:

love one another as I have loved you.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Matthew 25:14-30

Jesus told his disciples this parable:

"A man going on a journey

called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them.

To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one–

to each according to his ability.

Then he went away.

Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them,

and made another five.

Likewise, the one who received two made another two.

But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground

and buried his master's money.

After a long time

the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them.

The one who had received five talents

came forward bringing the additional five.

He said, 'Master, you gave me five talents.

See, I have made five more.'

His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant.

Since you were faithful in small matters,

I will give you great responsibilities.

Come, share your master's joy.'

Then the one who had received two talents also came forward and said,

'Master, you gave me two talents.

See, I have made two more.'

His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant.

Since you were faithful in small matters,

I will give you great responsibilities.

Come, share your master's joy.'

Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said,

'Master, I knew you were a demanding person,

harvesting where you did not plant

and gathering where you did not scatter;

so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground.

Here it is back.'

His master said to him in reply, 'You wicked, lazy servant!

So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant

and gather where I did not scatter?

Should you not then have put my money in the bank

so that I could have got it back with interest on my return?

Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten.

For to everyone who has,

more will be given and he will grow rich;

but from the one who has not,

even what he has will be taken away.

And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside,

where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.'”

Reflection 1

Catholic Daily Reflections 

Gifts of the Holy Spirit in Superabundance

“The one who had received five talents came forward bringing the additional five. He said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. See, I have made five more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities.’” Matthew 25:20–21

Oftentimes, when we are presented with a story of success versus tragedy, our attention goes to the tragedy first. The parable we are given today, the Parable of the Talents, presents us with three persons. Two of the people display stories of great success. One, however, offers a story that is more tragic. The tragic story ends by the master telling the servant who buried his money that he is a “wicked, lazy servant!” But both of the success stories end with the master saying, “Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities.” Let’s focus upon these success stories.

Both of the servants who were successful doubled the master’s money. Even from a secular point of view, that is very impressive. If you were investing money with a financial advisor and shortly after investing you were told that your money had doubled, you’d be quite pleased. Such a rate of return is rare. This is the first message we should take from this parable. Doubling the gifts and graces God gives us is very doable. The reason for this is not primarily because of us; rather, it’s because of God. By their very nature, God’s gifts to us are meant to grow. By its very nature, grace flows in superabundance; and, when we cooperate with God’s grace, then it grows in an exponential way.

When you consider your own life, what gifts has God given to you that He wants you to use for His glory? Are there gifts buried away that remain stagnant or, even worse, are used for purposes that are contrary to the divine plan for your life? Some of the more obvious gifts you were given within your very nature are your intellect and will. Additionally, you may be extra-talented in one way or another. These are all gifts given on a natural level. In addition to these, God often bestows supernatural gifts in abundance when we begin to use what we have for His glory and for the salvation of others. For example, if you work to share the truths of our faith with others, God will begin to deepen your supernatural gifts of Counsel, Wisdom, Knowledge and Understanding so that you will be able to speak about God and His will. All seven of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit are among the clearest examples of supernatural gifts given by God as follows: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, Fear of the Lord. The prayer that concludes this reflection comes from a traditional novena to the Holy Spirit and not only asks for these gifts but also gives a short description of them for a better understanding. 

Reflect, today, upon the fact that what God has given to you, both on a natural and supernatural level, must be devoted to the service of God and others. Do you do this? Do you try to use every talent, every gift, every part of who you are for God’s glory and the eternal good of others? If you don’t, then those gifts dwindle away. If you do, you will see those gifts of God’s grace grow in manifold ways. Strive to understand the gifts you have received and firmly resolve to use them for God’s glory and the salvation of souls. If you do, you will also hear our Lord say to you one day, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

Reflection 2

One Bread, One Body 

“OUT OF FEAR” (MT 25:25)

“ ‘My lord,’ he said, ‘you let me have five thousand.’ ”—Matthew 25:20

The servant who received the five thousand silver pieces feared his master the right way. This healthy fear is evident because upon receiving what his master entrusted to him, he “immediately” went to work on his master’s behalf (Mt 25:16). This servant had a spirit of the “fear of the Lord” and this fear caused him to “delight” (Is 11:2, 3) to receive the master’s gifts and respond with “industrious and reliable” service (Mt 25:21).

The servant who received the one thousand silver pieces feared his master the wrong way. This fear is evident because upon receiving what his master entrusted to him, he was afraid to make a mistake “out of fear” of being punished (Mt 25:25). This servant had a fear that was self-centered, not master-centered.

If God calls us to a task, He provides the grace to perform the task. Because of challenging Scriptures like these, we may be tempted to fear to succeed in God’s work since He has made it clear that success leads to even greater responsibilities (Mt 25:21). This “fear is useless. What is needed is trust” (Mk 5:36). Jesus makes it absolutely clear that greater responsibilities are first accompanied by greater grace (e.g. Mt 25:29). The Lord never sends anyone out without first empowering and equipping them for His service. Jesus entrusts us with great tasks and great gifts. We can respond to the Lord by joyfully and fearfully exclaiming, “You entrusted me” (Mt 25:22), or by sullenly and fearfully saying, “You burdened me” (see Mal 1:13). Choose the right fear.

Prayer:  Father, may I make “even greater progress” in serving and pleasing You (1 Thes 4:10).

Promise:  “Come, share your Master’s joy!” —Mt 25:21

Praise:  James owns a television, but only watches programs that edify or educate.

Reflection 3

Shared from God's Word

The servant who received one talent buried it in the ground. He fails to be faithful in little things because of three reasons: a) He criticises and evaluates the master who gave him the talent. Often in our life we tend to evaluate the events and persons instead of living and accepting them; b) He has prejudices and fears about the master; and, c) He is afraid of losing the only talent that he has. What do we do with our God-given talents?  Do we use them whereby they get multiplied, or bury them and make them redundant?

Prayers

Oh, Lord Jesus Christ, grant me the Spirit of Wisdom, that I may despise the perishable things of this world and aspire only after the things that are eternal; the Spirit of Understanding, to enlighten my mind with the light of Your divine truth; the Spirit of Counsel, that I may choose the surest way of pleasing God and gaining Heaven; the Spirit of Fortitude, that I may bear my cross with Thee and that I may overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose my salvation; the Spirit of Knowledge, that I may know God and know myself and grow perfect in the science of the Saints; the Spirit of Piety, that I may find the service of God sweet and amiable; the Spirit of Fear of the Lord, that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and may dread in any way to displease Him. Jesus, I trust in You.

Lord Jesus, be the ruler of my heart and thoughts, be the king of my home and relationships, and be the master of my work and service. Help me to make good use of the gifts, talents, time, and resources you give me for your glory and your kingdom.

Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy

Reflection 243: Jesus’ Special Gift to Those He Loves

How would you treat someone you love?  Typically, with family or very close friends we desire that which is best for them and that which makes them happy.  God desires the same for each one of us, but we may be surprised at what God sees as the source of our happiness and what He deems to be best for us.  Furthermore, though God’s love is perfect for every soul, it’s also accurate to say that God’s love deepens for those who draw close to Him.  It’s not that His love changes, it’s that His love is received and encountered on a deeper level.  When this happens, God is able to manifest His love in a profound way.  And when God’s love is received by a soul on the deepest level, it’s often a love that calls that soul into suffering.  If that surprises you just think about the Father’s perfect love for Jesus.  The Father, in His perfect love for the Son, called Him to the Cross.  But in that Cross, Jesus’ human soul was able to manifest the love of the Father in the most profound way.  This is a mystery hard to understand, so if it’s difficult to immediately grasp do not worry.  Just know that God often allows great spiritual suffering in the lives of those who have been drawn into a deep intimacy with Him (See Diary #1253).

Reflect upon the perfect love of the Father calling His Son to the Cross.  Sit with that and seek to penetrate its meaning.  If you can understand how the love of the Father could call the Son to this sacrifice, then you will begin to understand God’s perfect love for you as He calls you to a life of sacrifice.  Do not think that God’s love will make your life “easy.”  His love will make your life glorious, but most likely through suffering.

Father, the mystery of the sufferings of Jesus, Your Son, is beyond my comprehension.  Help me to understand Your mysterious Will more fully and to see that suffering in this life is often a sign of Your love.  Keep my eyes on the Cross in all things, dear Lord.  Jesus, I trust in You.