05.31.12~A Prayer for my Late Father... 39 Years Ago Today.. May 31, 1973

A Prayer for a Deceased Father O God, who hast commanded us to honor our father and our mother; in Thy mercy have pity on the soul of my father, and forgive his his trespasses; and make me to see him again in the joy of everlasting brightness. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. For my dear departed father, Dr. N. James Anarumo: I still miss you! And love you so much!!!

05.31.12~Readings for Sunday, June 3, 2012

Saint Max Bible Study will resume on Friday, September 7th-2012 after its summer hiatus… Please join us! The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity Lectionary: 165 READING 1 DT 4:32-34, 39-40 Moses said to the people: "Ask now of the days of old, before your time, ever since God created man upon the earth; ask from one end of the sky to the other: Did anything so great ever happen before? Was it ever heard of? Did a people ever hear the voice of God speaking from the midst of fire, as you did, and live? Or did any god venture to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by testings, by signs and wonders, by war, with strong hand and outstretched arm, and by great terrors, all of which the LORD, your God, did for you in Egypt before your very eyes? This is why you must now know, and fix in your heart, that the LORD is God in the heavens above and on earth below, and that there is no other. You must keep his statutes and commandments that I enjoin on you today, that you and your children after you may prosper, and that you may have long life on the land which the LORD, your God, is giving you forever." RESPONSORIAL PSALM PS 33:4-5, 6, 9, 18-19, 20, 22 R. (12b) Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own. Upright is the word of the LORD, and all his works are trustworthy. He loves justice and right; of the kindness of the Lord the earth is full. R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own. By the word of the LORD the heavens were made; by the breath of his mouth all their host. For he spoke, and it was made; he commanded, and it stood forth. R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own. 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. May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us who have put our hope in you. R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own. READING 2 ROM 8:14-17 Brothers and sisters: For those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a Spirit of adoption, through whom we cry, "Abba, Father!" The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. GOSPEL MT 28:16-20 The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. When they all saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted. Then Jesus approached and said to them, "All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age."

05.31.12~Catholic Matter June 3, 2012

SUNDAY READINGS - Trinity Sunday FIRST READING: Deuteronomy 4:32-34; 39-40. Moses said to the people: "Ask now of the days that are past, which were before you, since the day that God created man upon the earth, and ask from one end of heaven to the other, whether such a great thing has ever happened or was ever heard of. Did any people ever hear the voice of a god speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and still live? Or has any god ever attempted to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, and by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?" "Know therefore this day, and lay it to your heart, that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other. Therefore you shall keep his statutes and his commandments which I command you this day, that it may go well with you, and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which the Lord your God gives you for ever." EXPLANATION: On the Book of Deuteronomy see the Fourth Sunday of the Year. According to the author of this book, Moses has led the Chosen People from Egypt to the Transjordan and now addresses his last instructions to them before they cross over into the Promised Land. Today's reading is taken from the first of the three long discourses which the author puts into the mouth of Moses. The Chosen People have been privileged beyond all nations that ever were; the true God led them out from slavery by signs and by wonders in order to make them his own people. He is about to give them a homeland of their own. As Lord of the universe, he has every right to demand obedience of them. Yet, if they obey his commandments they and their children after them will be rewarded by being happy in their homeland forever. ask...past: Moses challenges the people to search the history of man on earth to see if they can find anything to compare with the privileged experience they had with God in the Exodus from Egypt and the revelation on Mount Sinai. hear...live: It was the common opinion then that any mortal who saw or heard God would die immediately. The Chosen People had heard God's voice on Mount Sinai and did not die (see Exodus 19: 1-20: 21). any...attempted: God took the Chosen People out of the midst of powerful Egypt. The conviction among the pagans was that the god of one nation had no power in another nation. The God of the Chosen People proved that he was God of all nations by displaying his power in Egypt. signs...terrors: Moses is referring to the great power he used to free the Israelites from the slavery of Egypt. He is referring to all that is described in the book of Exodus (1-14). before your eyes: The Chosen People, or Israelites, were witnesses to this great power and the loving benevolence of Yahweh their God. know...your heart: He warns them never to forget that Yahweh their God is the one supreme God. "There is no other." keep...commandments: These are the moral and liturgical laws God had given them on Mount Sinai, which Moses is now going to repeat once more to them in the following chapters. it may...you: If they keep his commandments God will provide for them in their needs. land...forever: They and their children after them, down through the generations ("forever") will continue to possess the country (Canaan) that he is giving over to them. APPLICATION: The mystery of the Blessed Trinity was not revealed in the Old Testament because God saw that his Chosen People were not yet ready to accept such a mystery. Living, as they were, surrounded by adorers of many gods, any knowledge of the Trinity of persons in the one God, might have weakened their monotheism. It was only when Christ came on earth claiming (and proving his claim) that he was the divine Son of God, and promising to send the Consoler, a third Person in God, to strengthen and guide his disciples that this doctrine was fully revealed. It was accepted without question from the very first days of the Christian Church, first of all because it was Christ who revealed it, and, secondly, because it was felt that the Church had proof of the existence of three distinct Persons in the one God in that each of them played a part in the founding and spreading of Christianity. The Father sent his Son on earth in human form, and raised him from the dead when he had carried out his Father's will. The Father and the Son sent the Holy Spirit to direct and govern the Church founded by the Son. While we admit the fact that there are three distinct Persons in the one God and have valid reasons for doing so, we still do not understand how this is. Of course, if God could be fully understood by our finite minds, he would not be God, but a limited being like ourselves. Let us be content today to say how privileged we are to know of this doctrine and even more so to know that each of the three divine Persons has played a part in giving us a share in their life. When we get to heaven we shall see and understand it all more clearly with the added light of the Beatific Vision, which will be given to our glorified bodies. In today's reading from the book of Deuteronomy we see how privileged the Chosen People of Israel were, how wonderful God had been in his dealings with them, and how all he asked for in return was that they should keep his commandments. These were for their own good. Sad to relate, they did not keep his laws! They quickly forgot all that he had done for them and turned to adore lifeless idols, pagan "gods" who could not help either themselves or anyone else. This was ingratitude and meanness of a high order, but let us remember that everything that God did for the Jews, he did for us too. Through his dealings with them he was preparing the way for the incarnation. Do we return due thanks to God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit for this immensely greater love? Before we criticize or judge the Jews of old, let us see if our own consciences are in order before God. We owe him obedience for far weightier reasons than the Jews had. He set them free from the slavery of Egypt; he has set us free from Satan's power. He gave them Canaan as their homeland; he has prepared heaven, the place of unending life, for us. He made Moses, one of themselves, the mediator between himself and the Israelites; he has given his own Son to be our mediator. In return for it all and as a token repayment, we are asked to keep his commandments! God is surely not asking too much of us. Any generous Christian would not only do this, he would look for further means of showing his gratitude to the Blessed Trinity. All the saints did so and earned the honor of God and the respect of man. We all want to be saints. Let us begin today not merely to keep the commandments but also to do some extra bit each day to show our sincere gratitude to God. God will never be outdone in generosity. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SECOND READING: Romans 8: 14-17. All who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of sonship. When we cry, "Abba! Father!" it is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. EXPLANATION: On the Epistle to the Romans, see the second Sunday of Lent. In today's four verses, St. Paul stresses the change which Christianity has brought to Jew and Gentile. Man is no longer a slave of sin or of the world: he has been made a son of God through Christ's life, death and resurrection and is therefore a freeman. This image of slave and freeman was much more telling when St. Paul wrote, for real slavery was then practiced. If we can---and we can and should---call God our Father, Abba, it is because the Holy Spirit moves us to do so and the Holy Spirit does this because we have indeed been made sons of God by the incarnation of his Son. Because we are adopted into God's household, heaven is our inheritance provided we obey Christ's commands. led...God: Anyone moved by the Spirit of God, anyone, that is, who has received the Holy Spirit in baptism has now a new life in him, a supernatural life. He has been made a son of God. not...but sonship: The Christian is not a slave of God but an adopted son and heir. It is the Spirit that unites men to Christ and thus puts them in a special relationship with the Father. They have now the status of "sons." Abba (my) Father: Christ used this familiar name when calling on Father in his moment of extreme agony (Mk. 14: 36). It became the Christian invocation for the Father among the Jewish Christians. Even among the Gentiles Paul uses it. The Christian, because of his adoption, can speak of God and to God in the very terms used by Christ, his real Son. fellow heirs with Christ: If Christians are children of God then they are heirs and will share heaven with Christ, who made them his brothers. we...him: As Christ suffered in order to enter into his glory in heaven, and as the servant is not above the master, we too must earn our reward by carrying whatever cross God sends us. Only if we do this, can we expect to share his inheritance with Christ in the hereafter. APPLICATION: About the year 57-58 that is to say, less than thirty years after the resurrection, St. Paul wrote this letter to the Christians in Rome. It was a church he was very anxious to visit (he had had nothing to do with the spread of the faith there). The Roman Christian community was made up of Jew and Gentile converts. It is evident from St. Paul's words that they were quite familiar with the doctrine of the three divine Persons in one God. We know, of course, that they had received baptism in the name of the Blessed Trinity. Therefore, they had accepted the fact about the true God before becoming Christians. To do this was not, humanly speaking, easy for a Jew or a Gentile, but we must remember that the early Christians did not rely on human logic or human thinking. The grace and the power of God was with them in generous measure. For a Jew, the very essence of whose religion was strict monotheism, there was one God and one God only. The three Persons must at first mention have sounded like many gods, something abhorrent to his nature. Yet, thousands of Jews accepted this doctrine from the very first days of the Church (all the first Christians were Jewish converts). They were convinced that God, although he was strictly one God, had revealed that there were three Persons in that one divine nature. If God revealed this knowledge of his innermost nature and if it did not contradict the unity, the oneness of God, how could they refuse to accept this revelation? For the Gentiles also, this doctrine must at first sight have seemed a stumbling block. They were sick and tired of their own pagan gods. Was Christianity offering them three instead of many gods? Again, aided by God's grace, they realized that Christianity was not preaching three Gods but three Persons who in some mysterious way are in the one and only God. We Christians of today are no more advanced than the early Jew and Gentile converts were as regards the mysteries of faith. We cannot examine the Godhead scientifically, and prove to ourselves from cold logic that there are three Persons in God. But like them, we too know that we have the word of God for it and God is the God of truth. His word is stronger and more convincing than any human proof or logic can ever be. Like the early Christians, we also have had the experience of the three Persons, each performing a distinct role in the work of our salvation. The Father created us and planned an eternal life for us. He sent the Son to enable us to fill the role his Father had planned for us. After the Son's ascension, both the Father and the Son sent the Holy Spirit to sanctify, give courage and strength to the Apostles and those who would join them. This threefold activity is still going on in the life of each one of us---the three Persons of the Blessed Trinity are cooperating to bring us to heaven. Why? We may well ask. The Blessed Trinity is infinitely perfect, infinitely happy in heaven. God needs nothing from us. Here again is where our small, finite intelligence fails us. We can understand human love and human generosity which at their greatest are but temporary, passing things and of necessity very limited in quality and quantity. But God's love for us is infinite. It is completely and entirely without self-interest. God does not act out of need but out of nature. His very nature is goodness and so he is moved by that nature to share his goodness, his happiness with those who are able to appreciate it, that is, with us men. It has been very clearly and very definitely revealed to us that God loves us with an infinite love. This is the basic message of the New Testament. The three Persons of the Blessed Trinity are still proving this fact to us. In this life we cannot understand why, but we can and we must show our gratitude for this fact of divine generosity and love. Today, on this special feastday of the Blessed Trinity, let us resolve to make ourselves less unworthy of their divine love: by doing what is asked of us, by living our faith in charity, and by keeping ever before our minds the eternal future that awaits us. The day is not far off when, please God, we shall meet the Blessed Trinity face to face. Then we shall understand a lot more about the three divine Persons in God, and the infinite love and mercy shown to us by these three Persons. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GOSPEL: Matthew 28:16-20. The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to him, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age." EXPLANATION: Omitting the other appearances of the risen Savior to the Apostles, and others which are described in Mark, Luke, John and St. Paul (1 Cor. 15), St. Matthew mentions only the appearance to the women in Jerusalem and this last appearance to the eleven Apostles somewhere in Galilee. On this occasion, Christ commissions his Apostles to bring his gospel, "to make disciples of" all men. He adds that they were to be made disciples of Jesus by being baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They were to keep his commandments and he promised to be with them always, to the close of the age. went to Galilee: After a week of appearances by the risen Savior in Jerusalem (Jn. 20: 19-21 and 21: 1), the Apostles went to Galilee, as Christ had told them to do (Mt. 28: 10). to the mountain: Evidently he had specified the place where they were to meet him. some doubted: In all of the resurrection stories there is the candid admission that some did not recognize him. The fact is that the risen Christ, in his glorified body, could not be visible to human eyes on earth, so he assumed a visible human form on each occasion. Twice in the supper room (Jn. 20: 19-28), he evidently had a body similar to the body he had on earth together with the marks of the nails and the spear on it. But on the other occasions it was a different type of body. This doubting on the part of some, as well as the fact that not one of them expected the resurrection, is a greater proof of its reality. All did eventually recognize him as the risen Christ. all authority...earth: The Father has given Christ, the God-man, power over all creation and all created beings, in heaven and on earth. Go therefore: With this power he commissions them to preach his gospel, his good news, to all people. baptizing them: This was to be the sacrament of introduction of the new Chosen People into the kingdom of God on earth. in the name of...Spirit: Those who accepted the Apostles' preaching of Christ, were to be given the possession of the Blessed Trinity. They were to be dedicated, given to the service and honor of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. to observe all: If the initiated, by baptism, are to honor the Blessed Trinity they must do so by obeying all that Christ had laid down, during his public life, as necessary to salvation. with you always: His final word is one of encouragement and strength. In all their doings he will be with them with his power, and not only with them but with their successors until the end of this world. APPLICATION: The reason why these five verses, that conclude the final chapter of St. Matthew's gospel, were chosen for today's Mass is evident. The three Persons of the Blessed Trinity are mentioned by name in this Gospel. All those who would enter the new kingdom of God, the Church, were to be dedicated in the ceremony of baptism to the Blessed Trinity; they were to enter into a fellowship with the three divine Persons. Whether Christ himself gave the exact words for the form of baptism does not concern us here, but from 2 Cor. 2: 21, it would appear that this form was in use from the earliest days of the Church. We are aware that we ourselves were dedicated to God in our baptism and destined to have an eternal fellowship with the Trinity in heaven. We are aware, too, of the part played by the three divine Persons in making that eternal happiness and friendship with the Trinity available to us. While the essence of the Trinity, or the way in which there can be three Persons in the one God, is a mystery which our limited minds cannot even begin to solve, we have no hesitation in accepting the existence of this deepest mystery of our religion. It was no less an authority than Jesus Christ himself who revealed it to us. With his guarantee for its truth, we are left in no doubt as to the existence of this mystery. We can safely wait for a greater, if not a complete understanding in heaven. Today, as we honor the Blessed Trinity, our predominant thought must be one of gratitude to each of the three Persons for all they have done and are still doing for us. First, to God the Father, who in his love planned not only our creation as intelligent human beings, the highest and noblest of his creatures on earth, but planned to give us adopted sonship as well. Secondly, let us show our deepest gratitude to the all-obedient, all-loving Son of God, who carried out to the letter the divine Father's plan for our adoption, by sharing with us our humanity so that we could share in his divinity. Thirdly, let us be eternally grateful to the Holy Spirit---the fruit of the love of Father and Son---who has come to dwell in the Church and in each member of the Church, in order to fill our hearts with a true love of God, and to direct our faltering steps toward the everlasting happiness which awaits us beyond the grave. We know only too well how unworthy we are of this love of the Blessed Trinity which has been poured out on us. The greatest saints were unworthy of this infinite love. Our unworthiness should not, and must not, stop us from availing ourselves of this divine love and from doing what we can to prove how we value and sincerely appreciate the love and goodness of the Blessed Trinity for us. In return for this love, Christ asked us, his followers, to keep his commandments. This is the one genuine proof we can give of our gratitude for all that these three Persons have done for us. We are so weak that we often let the passing things of this world turn our thoughts and actions away from God and from our own eternal interests. We forget Christ and his commandments at times and let the world rule our hearts and minds. However, even for sinners like us there is hope and encouragement in the infinity of God's love. Let us not forget it: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit know all our weaknesses, they knew them before they arranged to make us sharers in their own eternal happiness. They know, also, that those of us who try and try again to rise above our human weakness will finally share with them their heaven. This possibility is open to all of us. The Blessed Trinity will exclude nobody from heaven. If some fail, the fault will be entirely and completely their own. May God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit grant us the courage and strength to overcome our human weaknesses! May they give us the grace to live and die in their love so that we may share their eternal kingdom of happiness!b225 Click to return to our Home page

RE: 05.24.12~Readings During The Day May 27, 2012

USCCB » Bible » Daily Readings May 27, 2012 | Mass during the Day « May 26 | May 28 » Pentecost Sunday Lectionary: 63 Reading 1 Acts 2:1-11When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim. Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem. At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd, but they were confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. They were astounded, and in amazement they asked, "Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans? Then how does each of us hear them in his native language? We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers from Rome, both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs, yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God." Responsorial Psalm Ps 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34R. (cf. 30) Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth. or: R. Alleluia. Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD, my God, you are great indeed! How manifold are your works, O LORD! the earth is full of your creatures; R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth. or: R. Alleluia. May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD be glad in his works! Pleasing to him be my theme; I will be glad in the LORD. R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth. or: R. Alleluia. If you take away their breath, they perish and return to their dust. When you send forth your spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth. R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth. or: R. Alleluia. Reading 2 1 Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13Brothers and sisters: No one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit. There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit. As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit. or Gal 5:16-25Brothers and sisters, live by the Spirit and you will certainly not gratify the desire of the flesh. For the flesh has desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you may not do what you want. But if you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are obvious: immorality, impurity, lust, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions, occasions of envy, drinking bouts, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit. Gospel Jn 20:19-23On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you." When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained." or Jn 15:26-27; 16:12-15Jesus said to his disciples: "When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me. And you also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning. "I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you." Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

05.24.12~Readings for Sunday May 27, 2012

USCCB » Bible » Daily Readings May 27, 2012 | Vigil Mass « May 26 | May 28 » Pentecost Sunday Lectionary: 62 Reading 1 Gn 11:1-9 The whole world spoke the same language, using the same words. While the people were migrating in the east, they came upon a valley in the land of Shinar and settled there. They said to one another, "Come, let us mold bricks and harden them with fire." They used bricks for stone, and bitumen for mortar. Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the sky, and so make a name for ourselves; otherwise we shall be scattered all over the earth." The LORD came down to see the city and the tower that the people had built. Then the LORD said: "If now, while they are one people, all speaking the same language, they have started to do this, nothing will later stop them from doing whatever they presume to do. Let us then go down there and confuse their language, so that one will not understand what another says." Thus the LORD scattered them from there all over the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the speech of all the world. It was from that place that he scattered them all over the earth. or Ex 19:3-8a, 16-20bMoses went up the mountain to God. Then the LORD called to him and said, "Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob; tell the Israelites: You have seen for yourselves how I treated the Egyptians and how I bore you up on eagle wings and brought you here to myself. Therefore, if you hearken to my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my special possession, dearer to me than all other people, though all the earth is mine. You shall be to me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation. That is what you must tell the Israelites." So Moses went and summoned the elders of the people. When he set before them all that the LORD had ordered him to tell them, the people all answered together, "Everything the LORD has said, we will do." On the morning of the third day there were peals of thunder and lightning, and a heavy cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled. But Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stationed themselves at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was all wrapped in smoke, for the LORD came down upon it in fire. The smoke rose from it as though from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently. The trumpet blast grew louder and louder, while Moses was speaking, and God answering him with thunder. When the LORD came down to the top of Mount Sinai, he summoned Moses to the top of the mountain. or Ez 37:1-14The hand of the LORD came upon me, and he led me out in the spirit of the LORD and set me in the center of the plain, which was now filled with bones. He made me walk among the bones in every direction so that I saw how many they were on the surface of the plain. How dry they were! He asked me: Son of man, can these bones come to life? I answered, "Lord GOD, you alone know that." Then he said to me: Prophesy over these bones, and say to them: Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: See! I will bring spirit into you, that you may come to life. I will put sinews upon you, make flesh grow over you, cover you with skin, and put spirit in you so that you may come to life and know that I am the LORD. I, Ezekiel, prophesied as I had been told, and even as I was prophesying I heard a noise; it was a rattling as the bones came together, bone joining bone. I saw the sinews and the flesh come upon them, and the skin cover them, but there was no spirit in them. Then the LORD said to me: Prophesy to the spirit, prophesy, son of man, and say to the spirit: Thus says the Lord GOD: From the four winds come, O spirit, and breathe into these slain that they may come to life. I prophesied as he told me, and the spirit came into them; they came alive and stood upright, a vast army. Then he said to me: Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They have been saying, "Our bones are dried up, our hope is lost, and we are cut off." Therefore, prophesy and say to them: Thus says the Lord GOD: O my people, I will open your graves and have you rise from them, and bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and have you rise from them, O my people! I will put my spirit in you that you may live, and I will settle you upon your land; thus you shall know that I am the LORD. I have promised, and I will do it, says the LORD. or Jl 3:1-5Thus says the LORD: I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh. Your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions; even upon the servants and the handmaids, in those days, I will pour out my spirit. And I will work wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood, fire, and columns of smoke; the sun will be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, at the coming of the day of the LORD, the great and terrible day. Then everyone shall be rescued who calls on the name of the LORD; for on Mount Zion there shall be a remnant, as the LORD has said, and in Jerusalem survivors whom the LORD shall call. Responsorial Psalm Ps 104:1-2, 24, 35, 27-28, 30R. (cf. 30) Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth. or: R. Alleluia. Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD, my God, you are great indeed! You are clothed with majesty and glory, robed in light as with a cloak. R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth. or: R. Alleluia. How manifold are your works, O LORD! In wisdom you have wrought them allC the earth is full of your creatures; bless the LORD, O my soul! Alleluia. R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth. or: R. Alleluia. Creatures all look to you to give them food in due time. When you give it to them, they gather it; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things. R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth. or: R. Alleluia. If you take away their breath, they perish and return to their dust. When you send forth your spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth. R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth. or: R. Alleluia. Reading 2 Rom 8:22-27Brothers and sisters: We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now; and not only that, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, we also groan within ourselves as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that sees is not hope. For who hopes for what one sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait with endurance. In the same way, the Spirit too comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes with inexpressible groanings. And the one who searches hearts knows what is the intention of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the holy ones according to God's will. Gospel Jn 7:37-39On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and exclaimed, "Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink. As Scripture says: Rivers of living water will flow from within him who believes in me." He said this in reference to the Spirit that those who came to believe in him were to receive. There was, of course, no Spirit yet, because Jesus had not yet been glorified. Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner. Privacy Policy | Site Map | Contact Us © 2012 United States Conference of Catholic

Catholic Matters for Sunday, May 27th-2012

SUNDAY READINGS - Pentecost Sunday FIRST READING: Acts 2: 1-11. When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. And they were amazed and wondered, saying, "are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians, we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God." EXPLANATION: "Pentecost" which means "fiftieth" was the second of the three most important of the annual feasts in the Jewish calendar. It occurred seven weeks after Passover and was primarily a feast of thanksgiving for the harvest: the first-fruits of the wheat crop were offered to God on that day. Later on the giving of the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai was also commemorated on this feast day. All Jewish men, not legitimately impeded, were expected to come to Jerusalem, to the temple, for the feast. Hundreds of Jews from outside of Palestine also came, and the city was usually full to overflowing. It was very fitting therefore that this feast day was chosen for the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles. The Christian religion was to be universal, and the gift of tongues showed its universality. The law given by God to Moses was for the Jews only; the new law, given by Christ, and confirmed by the power of the Holy Spirit, was for all men. The vast gathering of Jews from Palestine and from all nations was a very suitable occasion on which to proclaim publicly the message of Christ given through the mouth of Peter. Suddenly...a sound came: The Apostles had been told by our Lord to wait in Jerusalem (Lk. 24:49), until the Holy Spirit came on them. They were all in one place, probably the room of the Last Supper where Jesus had appeared to them twice after his resurrection. like the rush of a mighty...: Spirit means breath or wind, so it was fitting the Holy Spirit made his presence felt by the noise of a strong driving wind. Tongues as of fire appeared: Something that looked like a flame rested on each of them. When God gave the law to Moses, peals of thunder and lightning flashes signified God's presence and made the people tremble (see Ex. 19: 18ff). The loud noise and the flames signified the presence of the Holy Spirit. to speak in other tongues...: The first signs of the power of the Spirit. They were given foreign languages and a new superhuman courage to proclaim their faith. Hitherto they had sheltered from the Jews. and at this sound: This sound "like a driving wind" was heard all over the city, and by devout Jews from "every nation under heaven," a pious exaggeration and a way of saying that they came from most of the known nations of the Roman empire, which was the whole world then known to the Jews. each one heard: Each foreigner who spoke the language of the country he came from heard one or other of the Apostles speaking his language. amased...wondered: Little wonder they were amazed. They had enquired of the local Jews, and knew that the Apostles were simple men, with little education, from Galilee. Where did they learn all these foreign languages? Parthians...: These foreigners say they are from Mesopotamia, Greece, Asia Minor, Egypt and North Africa, Crete and Arabia. There are even Romans present, most of them Jews, but Gentile proselytes also among them. we hear...tongues: This was the cause of their amazement, these simple folk from Galilee speaking all kinds of languages. the mighty works of God: The Apostles were speaking of Christ, his teaching, and his resurrection. St. Peter develops this theme later (2: 14ff). APPLICATION: Pentecost day is called the "birth-day" of the Church. The Apostles had already received the Holy Spirit on Christ's first appearance to them after his resurrection (Jn. 20: 22). But on Pentecost day the descent of the Holy Spirit was a public manifestation intended to impress and amaze the crowds of local and foreign Jews who thronged Jerusalem on that great festive occasion. The signs and wonders that manifested his coming brought these Jews in huge crowds to the place where the Apostles were staying, and immediately the gift of tongues was used by the Apostles to explain the occurrence. It was a marvel wrought by God, a necessary consequence of the sojourn of Christ among them. He was the Christ whom the Jews had crucified but whom God had raised from the dead, thus proving he was the promised Messiah and his own beloved Son. Christ had chosen the Apostles to bring his good news to all nations---the good news that all men were once more reconciled to God their Creator, and were now adopted sons of God and heirs to heaven. Today was the day chosen for the opening of this mission of the Apostles. That they were backed by the divine power of the Holy Spirit was proved not only by the gift of tongues but more especially by the change his coming wrought on the Apostles. From this day forward they were men dedicated to one purpose and to one purpose only, to bring the good news, the Gospel of Christ, to the world. When Peter, representing the eleven, preached Christ, crucified, raised from the tomb by the power of the Father, and now seated at his right hand in heaven, he raised the Christian standard aloft. He and his fellow-Apostles (including Matthias and Paul later) gave their lives gladly to plant it throughout the Roman empire. The remaining twenty six chapters of the book of Acts and the inspired letters of the Apostles tell the story of the growth of the infant Church. It was brought about by frail and mortal men, turned into spiritual heroes by the power of the Holy Spirit. Twenty centuries separate us from those heroic men of God, but the truth of their labors is with us still thanks to the same Holy Spirit who has remained with the Church down through the years. From generation to generation the message and the means of salvation have been handed down, sometimes through periods of peace and evident progress, but more often through years of persecution and apparent near-extermination. The Church survived because men of God valued eternal life, and the Church as the means of reaching it, more than their own comfort or personal safety. Our own generation too needs men of principle, men of generosity, men who will put the eternal values before personal conveniences or earthly gain. The Church today has her enemies. They shout loud and long---the same centuries-old themes are put to some of the present-day pop music. But we need not fear. The voice of the Holy Spirit is still as strong as it was on that first Pentecost day in Jerusalem. His powers are divine and will never diminish. He is still at the helm of the barque of Peter and will continue to bring millions to the shores of the eternal kingdom as he has done during the past two thousand years. "Come, Holy Spirit, enkindle in the hearts of the faithful the fire of divine love." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SECOND READING: 1 Cor. 12:2-7; 12-13. No one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says "Jesus be cursed!" and no one can say "Jesus is Lord" except by the Holy Spirit. Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of working, but it is the same God inspires them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. But just as, the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body---Jews or Greeks, slaves or free---and all were made to drink of one Spirit. EXPLANATION: The gifts of the Holy Spirit were very evident in the infant Church. This was necessary to prove to the pagans that the Christian religion was from the real God who controlled all things. As pagans they had their local god or gods to whom supernatural powers were often falsely attributed. But the God of the Christians had real powers and they were distributed freely by the Holy Spirit when occasion demanded. St. Paul in this part of his first letter to the Corinthians is emphasizing that these gifts are not given to an individual for his honor or glory but to help to build up the Church. No one...the Spirit: One of the first tests of the genuineness of a gift from the Holy Spirit was conformity with the Christian faith. If any man claimed he was moved by the Holy Spirit to blaspheme Jesus, he was evidently a liar and a fraud. On the other hand he who sincerely professed that Christ was God was moved by the Holy Spirit. Faith is a gift from God. varieties...same Spirit: All the gifts given to the early Christian converts were from the same Holy Spirit and each had its special purpose. It is possible that Paul wished to prevent any temptation for one to boast that he had a better gift than his neighbor. All were from the same source. varieties...service: The ability to help in administering the affairs of the early Christian communities was a gift of God---each one receiving the gift necessary for his particular task. Helping the sick, feeding the poor, calling the assemblies together, explaining the faith, powers of healing, are all examples of these different ministries, but they all came from the same God. given for the common good: These gifts were given for the good of the whole community---to help build up the Church, and so that no one should refuse to use the gift he got or claim it as his own. The body is one: St. Paul now introduces the simile of the human body made up of many members, to describe the Church of Christ. From this we get the title of "Mystical Body of Christ" to describe the Church. for by one Spirit: It was the Holy Spirit, sent by Christ on his ascension to heaven to direct and inspire his newly-founded Church, who gave us the grace to become members of Christ's Body. Jews or Greeks: Meaning all men. Greek stood for Gentile, that was the rest of the world apart from the Jews. were baptized: The sacrament instituted by Christ to make men members of his Church, his body. APPLICATION: These verses of St. Paul are very suitable on this the feast day of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles. Not only did he make his presence felt by the external exercise of his powers, on that first Pentecost day, but he continued to do so for some years until the Church had laid solid foundations in the Gentile world. These gifts of the Spirit were foretold in the Old Testament as signs of the Messiah's arrival (see Joel 3: 1ff; Acts 2: 16ff), and were manifested in the early Church in Jerusalem (Acts 2: 4), Samaria (8: 17), Ephesus (19: 6), Rome (Rom. 12: 6), Galatia (Gal. 3 : 5), and in Corinth. St. Paul has much to say of the gifts given in Corinth because there was evidently some abuse of them or some dissensions because of them in that city. But for us the important point to bear in mind today on this, the anniversary of the public manifestation of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, is the infinite love of God for us, his Chosen People of the new covenant. Through the Incarnation men are empowered to become adopted sons of God; through baptism we become members of Christ's body, his Church. Through the direct reception of the Holy Spirit in the Sacrament of Confirmation, we are made active members of the Christian Church, with all the strength and powers necessary to be effective members, on active service daily, true soldiers of Christ. Let each one of us take an honest look at himself today, and ask himself: Am I really an active member of the body of Christ? Am I spiritually healthy, living in God's grace and thus helping the whole body to be healthy? Or am I a diseased member, and not only sickly and weak through my personal sins, but spreading that sickness and weakness to my neighboring members by my bad example? But perhaps I can claim I have no very big sins and give no grave scandal, but I am lukewarm in the practice of my religion. I haven't much time for things of that sort. If I am one of these two types---a diseased member or a lukewarm one, I could hardly call myself a soldier of Christ on active service. Deserters and dishonest draft-dodgers are not at the front. Thank God, a large percentage of Christians do strive to remain healthy members of his mystical body---they may weaken now and then but they call on their divine physician and put things right again. This is as it should be, but is it all that is expected of us? The Holy Spirit came to us in confirmation with his gifts and graces to enable us to work for the whole Church, for the whole body of Christ. We are made soldiers to form an army that will work together for the protection of our nation and our freedom. No man is put into military uniform in order to look after his own interests. We too are not made soldiers of Christ in order to save our own souls only---we are soldiers in order to help our fellow-Christians and all men in their common fight against sin and Godlessness. We must then take an active part in the battles of the Church, against everything that impedes the practice of the Christian virtues. There is a place for everyone in the Church's line of battle. We need not search far to find it. We need not be physical or intellectual giants in order to fulfill the role destined for us. What we need is sincerity and a bit of moral courage; sincerity in our belief that it is the future life that counts---the present is only a few years of training; moral courage to face opposition and criticism from enemies and often from false friends. When God and the Holy Spirit are on our side, we need not worry about the opinions or sneers of worldly-minded men. If we are true soldiers of Christ we shall win our battles, not by crushing our enemies but by making them too children of God and our brothers for all eternity. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GOSPEL: John 20:19-23. On the evening of the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." EXPLANATION: For the explanation of these five verses of St. John, see the second Sunday of Easter. They are repeated here today, the feast of the Holy Spirit, because on that first appearance of the risen Lord he conferred the Holy Spirit on the Apostles. Today's feast commemorates the solemn public and publicized conferral of the same Holy Spirit. evening of...first day: The evening of the Sunday. the doors being shut...: He came through the closed door, which shows the spiritual qualities of the resurrected body (see 1 Cor. 15: 44-48). came and stood among them: To prove that he was the Christ who had been crucified and who was now alive once more. Peace be with you: Jews saluted one another by wishing peace, that is, health and prosperity both in the material and spiritual sense. Here Christ is not only wishing "well-being," especially the spiritual well-being, but he is giving it (see 14: 27). so I send you: He is now conferring on them the mission he had promised them before his death (see Mt. 4: 19; Jn. 17: 18 etc.), which was the continuation of the work of divine salvation inaugurated by himself. Receive the Holy Spirit: He breathed on them and said these words---the sacramental action. He had promised them the Holy Spirit when he had returned to his Father in glory (7: 39; 16: 7). This condition had been fulfilled that Easter morning. If you forgive...sins: Catholic tradition has rightly seen in this act the institution of the Sacrament of Penance. APPLICATION: The liturgical cycle, which each year represents to us God's mercy and kindness in our regard, closes today with this great feast of Pentecost the public solemn descent of the Holy Spirit, the Sanctifier, on the Christian Church. During Advent we try to prepare ourselves for the coming of the Son of God to dwell as man among us. Christmas recalls to our minds and hearts the great act of divine love. Lent prepares us for the sufferings endured by Christ during Holy Week on our behalf. Easter is the feast of triumph, Christ's triumph over death, the guarantee of our final triumph and union with him in his eternal glory. Pentecost crowns Christ's work among us. The Holy Spirit comes to abide with the Church, directing and effectively aiding its leaders to preserve, explain and spread the gospel of hope and love which Christ had brought on earth. This same spirit helps and aids each member of the Church to live a life of holiness by following the teaching of Christ and by helping his fellowman to do likewise. Briefly, this annual series of Church feast days recalls to our minds the infinite love of the Blessed Trinity for us finite, mortal men. At the same time it shows us the part played by each of the divine Persons in the eternal plan to share with us the perfect peace and the unending happiness which they enjoy in their heavenly kingdom. God the Father created us with the intention and plan to raise us up to adopted sonship with him. God the Son took human nature so that we might share in the divinity. Representing all men he gave perfect obedience and reverence to the Creator "even unto death on a cross," and thus merited sonship for us. The Holy Spirit, the "fruit of divine love," came from the Father and the Son to bring to perfection the work of our sanctification. Thus the three divine Persons of the Blessed Trinity have cooperated in the great work of infinite love and condescension which opens for us a future of unending happiness, if only we have the common sense to appreciate what has been done for us, and the simple common decency to do in return the few relatively easy little tasks asked of us. May the Holy Spirit today fill us with gratitude for all that God has done for us.-b219 Click to return to our Home page

RE: 05.10.12~Readings for Vigil Mass Sunday May 27th-2012

USCCB » Bible » Daily Readings May 27, 2012 | Vigil Mass « May 26 | May 28 » Pentecost Sunday Lectionary: 62 Reading 1 Gn 11:1-9The whole world spoke the same language, using the same words. While the people were migrating in the east, they came upon a valley in the land of Shinar and settled there. They said to one another, "Come, let us mold bricks and harden them with fire." They used bricks for stone, and bitumen for mortar. Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the sky, and so make a name for ourselves; otherwise we shall be scattered all over the earth." The LORD came down to see the city and the tower that the people had built. Then the LORD said: "If now, while they are one people, all speaking the same language, they have started to do this, nothing will later stop them from doing whatever they presume to do. Let us then go down there and confuse their language, so that one will not understand what another says." Thus the LORD scattered them from there all over the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the speech of all the world. It was from that place that he scattered them all over the earth. or Ex 19:3-8a, 16-20bMoses went up the mountain to God. Then the LORD called to him and said, "Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob; tell the Israelites: You have seen for yourselves how I treated the Egyptians and how I bore you up on eagle wings and brought you here to myself. Therefore, if you hearken to my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my special possession, dearer to me than all other people, though all the earth is mine. You shall be to me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation. That is what you must tell the Israelites." So Moses went and summoned the elders of the people. When he set before them all that the LORD had ordered him to tell them, the people all answered together, "Everything the LORD has said, we will do." On the morning of the third day there were peals of thunder and lightning, and a heavy cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled. But Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stationed themselves at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was all wrapped in smoke, for the LORD came down upon it in fire. The smoke rose from it as though from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently. The trumpet blast grew louder and louder, while Moses was speaking, and God answering him with thunder. When the LORD came down to the top of Mount Sinai, he summoned Moses to the top of the mountain. or Ez 37:1-14The hand of the LORD came upon me, and he led me out in the spirit of the LORD and set me in the center of the plain, which was now filled with bones. He made me walk among the bones in every direction so that I saw how many they were on the surface of the plain. How dry they were! He asked me: Son of man, can these bones come to life? I answered, "Lord GOD, you alone know that." Then he said to me: Prophesy over these bones, and say to them: Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: See! I will bring spirit into you, that you may come to life. I will put sinews upon you, make flesh grow over you, cover you with skin, and put spirit in you so that you may come to life and know that I am the LORD. I, Ezekiel, prophesied as I had been told, and even as I was prophesying I heard a noise; it was a rattling as the bones came together, bone joining bone. I saw the sinews and the flesh come upon them, and the skin cover them, but there was no spirit in them. Then the LORD said to me: Prophesy to the spirit, prophesy, son of man, and say to the spirit: Thus says the Lord GOD: From the four winds come, O spirit, and breathe into these slain that they may come to life. I prophesied as he told me, and the spirit came into them; they came alive and stood upright, a vast army. Then he said to me: Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They have been saying, "Our bones are dried up, our hope is lost, and we are cut off." Therefore, prophesy and say to them: Thus says the Lord GOD: O my people, I will open your graves and have you rise from them, and bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and have you rise from them, O my people! I will put my spirit in you that you may live, and I will settle you upon your land; thus you shall know that I am the LORD. I have promised, and I will do it, says the LORD. or Jl 3:1-5Thus says the LORD: I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh. Your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions; even upon the servants and the handmaids, in those days, I will pour out my spirit. And I will work wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood, fire, and columns of smoke; the sun will be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, at the coming of the day of the LORD, the great and terrible day. Then everyone shall be rescued who calls on the name of the LORD; for on Mount Zion there shall be a remnant, as the LORD has said, and in Jerusalem survivors whom the LORD shall call. Responsorial Psalm Ps 104:1-2, 24, 35, 27-28, 30R. (cf. 30) Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth. or: R. Alleluia. Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD, my God, you are great indeed! You are clothed with majesty and glory, robed in light as with a cloak. R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth. or: R. Alleluia. How manifold are your works, O LORD! In wisdom you have wrought them allC the earth is full of your creatures; bless the LORD, O my soul! Alleluia. R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth. or: R. Alleluia. Creatures all look to you to give them food in due time. When you give it to them, they gather it; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things. R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth. or: R. Alleluia. If you take away their breath, they perish and return to their dust. When you send forth your spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth. R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth. or: R. Alleluia. Reading 2 Rom 8:22-27Brothers and sisters: We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now; and not only that, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, we also groan within ourselves as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that sees is not hope. For who hopes for what one sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait with endurance. In the same way, the Spirit too comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes with inexpressible groanings. And the one who searches hearts knows what is the intention of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the holy ones according to God's will. Gospel Jn 7:37-39On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and exclaimed, "Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink. As Scripture says: Rivers of living water will flow from within him who believes in me." He said this in reference to the Spirit that those who came to believe in him were to receive. There was, of course, no Spirit yet, because Jesus had not yet been glorified. Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Readings for May 20th-2012 Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord

C http://facilitator-stmaxbiblestudy.blogspot.com USCCB » Bible » Daily Readings MAY 20, 2012 | ASCENSION OF THE LORD « May 19 | May 21 » Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord Lectionary: 58 READING 1 ACTS 1:1-11 In the first book, Theophilus, I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught until the day he was taken up, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them by many proofs after he had suffered, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While meeting with them, he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for "the promise of the Father about which you have heard me speak; for John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." When they had gathered together they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" He answered them, "It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight. While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going, suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them. They said, "Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven." RESPONSORIAL PSALM PS 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9 R. (6) God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord. or: R. Alleluia. All you peoples, clap your hands, shout to God with cries of gladness, For the LORD, the Most High, the awesome, is the great king over all the earth. R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord. or: R. Alleluia. God mounts his throne amid shouts of joy; the LORD, amid trumpet blasts. Sing praise to God, sing praise; sing praise to our king, sing praise. R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord. or: R. Alleluia. For king of all the earth is God; sing hymns of praise. God reigns over the nations, God sits upon his holy throne. R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord. or: R. Alleluia. READING 2 EPH 1:17-23 Brothers and sisters: May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a Spirit of wisdom and revelation resulting in knowledge of him. May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call, what are the riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy ones, and what is the surpassing greatness of his power for us who believe, in accord with the exercise of his great might, which he worked in Christ, raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens, far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion, and every name that is named not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things beneath his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way. OR EPH 4:1-13 Brothers and sisters, I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace: one body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore, it says: He ascended on high and took prisoners captive; he gave gifts to men. What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended into the lower regions of the earth? The one who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things. And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature to manhood, to the extent of the full stature of Christ. OR EPH 4:1-7, 11-13 Brothers and sisters, I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the calling you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace: one body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature to manhood, to the extent of the full stature of Christ. GOSPEL MK 16:15-20 Jesus said to his disciples: "Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs. Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Readings for Sunday, May 20th-2012 + Catholic Matters

B-Saint Max Bible Study meets at the back of the church in the Mother Cabrini Room Fridays 9AM to 10AM…Please join us! http://facilitator-stmaxbiblestudy.blogspot.com MAY 20, 2012 | SEVENTH SUNDAY OF EASTER « May 19 | May 21 » Seventh Sunday of Easter Lectionary: 60 READING 1 ACTS 1:15-17, 20A, 20C-26 Peter stood up in the midst of the brothers --there was a group of about one hundred and twenty persons in the one place --. He said, "My brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand through the mouth of David, concerning Judas, who was the guide for those who arrested Jesus. He was numbered among us and was allotted a share in this ministry. "For it is written in the Book of Psalms: May another take his office. "Therefore, it is necessary that one of the men who accompanied us the whole time the Lord Jesus came and went among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day on which he was taken up from us, become with us a witness to his resurrection." So they proposed two, Judas called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. Then they prayed, "You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this apostolic ministry from which Judas turned away to go to his own place." Then they gave lots to them, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was counted with the eleven apostles. RESPONSORIAL PSALM PS 103:1-2, 11-12, 19-20 R.(19a) The Lord has set his throne in heaven. or: R. Alleluia. Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all my being, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. R. The Lord has set his throne in heaven. or: R. Alleluia. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he put our transgressions from us. R. The Lord has set his throne in heaven. or: R. Alleluia. The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all. Bless the LORD, all you his angels, you mighty in strength, who do his bidding. R. The Lord has set his throne in heaven. or: R. Alleluia. READING 2 1 JN 4:11-16 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one another. No one has ever seen God. Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is brought to perfection in us. This is how we know that we remain in him and he in us, that he has given us of his Spirit. Moreover, we have seen and testify that the Father sent his Son as savior of the world. Whoever acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him and he in God. We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us. God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him. GOSPEL JN 17:11B-19 Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed saying: "Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are one. When I was with them I protected them in your name that you gave me, and I guarded them, and none of them was lost except the son of destruction, in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you. I speak this in the world so that they may share my joy completely. I gave them your word, and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world. And I consecrate myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth." Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses FIRST READING: Acts 1:15-17; 20-26. Peter stood up among the brethren (the company of persons was in all about a hundred and twenty), and said, "Brethren, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David, concerning Judas who was guide to those who arrested Jesus. For he was numbered among us, and was allotted his share in this ministry. For it is written in the book of Psalms, 'His office let another take.' So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us---one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection." And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed and said, "Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, show which one of these two thou hast chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside, to go to his own place." And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was enrolled with the eleven apostles. EXPLANATION: According to the account of the Ascension given in Acts, Christ told his Apostles to wait in Jerusalem for the descent of the Holy Spirit before beginning their missionary activity. The eleven Apostles, together with a large number of disciples as well as Mary the Mother of Jesus and some of his cousins and some other women, met frequently for prayer. During the ten days that they awaited the coming of the Holy Spirit, Peter, the recognized head of the group, decided it was necessary to elect a man who had been with Christ during his public life, to fill the apostleship vacated by Judas. Peter...brethren: Brothers or brethren was a title for Christians; it was in use at the time Acts was written, and perhaps from the very beginning (see Acts 11: 1; 12: 17-18). about one hundred and twenty: Most, if not all, of the seventy-two disciples who had followed our Lord were still faithful to him and some others had evidently joined since. scripture...fulfilled: The verses from two psalms quoted by St. Peter refer to the treatment an enemy deserves, and God is invoked to see that this punishment is carried out. Holy Spirit spoke: Peter accepts these psalms as Davidic and as inspired by the Holy Spirit. Judas guide: Peter sees Judas as the enemy who deserves God's punishment. His office...take: Psalm 69: 25 is omitted in the reading here, but psalm 109: 8 is given. It is interpreted by Peter as requiring to be fulfilled, for Judas lost his position as a member of Christ's Apostles. That place must be filled. beginning...John: The man to be chosen to take the place of Judas must be one who has been with Christ from the very beginning of his public life. witness to his resurrection: This was to be the central and basic point of the apostolic preaching, as it was the crowning point in the Christian event. If Christ had not risen there would have been no apostolic ministry and no Christian Church. The candidate to be chosen then must be able to testify to the resurrection and also to the preaching and miracles of Jesus. put forward two: Those present presented two men who fulfilled the qualities demanded by Peter. prayed and said: They now request the Lord (Christ) to decide for them which of the two men: "thou hast chosen" as Apostle. Judas...place: The reference is to the desertion of Judas, who turned aside from the ministry and went his own way. they cast lots: This would be in accordance with ancient Jewish custom. When an answer was wanted from God, the high priest cast lots for a "yes" or "no" with the Urim and Thumim. It was firmly believed that God would bring out the right answer. Here the Apostles and disciples had no hesitation in attributing the choice to Christ. The lot fell on Matthias and he was immediately enrolled with the eleven Apostles. APPLICATION: The only activity (apart from prayer) taken by the Apostles and disciples between the Ascension and the descent of the Holy Spirit was, according to Acts, this election of a successor to Judas. It was an important step, for the Apostles saw themselves as chosen by Christ to be the twelve Patriarchs of the New Israel. Christ had for this reason (so they understood) chosen twelve and it was necessary that that number should be complete. Secondly, what was very important in this action taken by Peter as head of the Apostles was the question of who should replace Judas. It was necessary that he should have been an eye-witness of Christ's public ministry from the baptism by John until his Ascension. The reason for this was that this new Apostle should, like the other eleven, be able to teach all that Christ had said and done, be an eye-witness, in other words, to the Christian faith, the basic truth and proof of which was the resurrection. Here we have the solid basis for teaching by Tradition, a doctrine always held by the Church, laid down from the very beginning of Christianity. There were not as yet, nor for years afterwards, any written accounts of the teaching and the doings of Jesus. But the facts and the truths of the Christian faith were preached by men who had been eye-witnesses of what they preached---the first and second generation converts accepted their word without questioning, and rightly so. These Apostles had nothing to gain, but everything to lose, by preaching this gospel. They brought on themselves hardships, imprisonment, tortures because they preached Christ. No sane men would take on such a campaign unless absolutely convinced of the truth of what they preached and the necessity of its acceptance by all who heard them. One by one, the Apostles gave their lives gladly for their faith in Christ, but before their departure the torch had been handed on to others who in turn devoted their lives to carrying it further. At least thirty-five years later the first gospel, and almost seventy later St. John's gospel, incorporated this teaching of the Apostles. It was but a faithful account of what Jesus said and did, put in abbreviated form into our four gospels under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and so we got the double stream that flows from the same source---Sacred Scripture and Tradition. In order to fulfill their commission of preaching the true Christian message to all nations the Apostles had, of necessity, the power and authority to interpret and explain what they preached, as well as the compelling duty to correct or condemn any false meaning attributed to what they preached. This power, essential in the Church of Christ for all ages, was handed on by them to their successors and so we have the living teaching authority of the Christian Church stemming from Christ himself. Such an authority was necessary during the first two generations---the age of oral tradition alone when at least some of the Apostles were alive. However, it was even more necessary when the written word came into common use. By then the authoritative voices of the Apostles themselves were silenced. But Christ had provided for the safe-keeping of his doctrine in his Church. In itself the election of Matthias to replace the traitor Judas, may not be of great interest to us. There is not a single mention of this Matthias after that. But the providence of God which, working through Peter, assured us and the Church of Christ for all time that the true faith would be handed down to the Church and preserved in all its purity, is of the greatest importance to us and is a convincing proof that while we follow the definite teaching of the Church we are on the right road laid down for us by our Savior. In an age like ours, an age of doubt, vacillation, agnosticism in matters of faith and morals, it is surely a consolation and a security to know that while we believe and act with the Church, we are believing and acting with Christ. We are living our lives as Christ wants us to live them, in a way, that is, which leads eventually but securely to heaven. ________________________________________ SECOND READING: 1 John 4:11-16. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No man has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his own Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we know and believe the love God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. EXPLANATION: These verses read today are a continuation of those from the same Epistle read on the Sixth Sunday of Easter. If God...us: John has described how God's love for us went to the extreme of sending his beloved Son on earth as man. He concludes from this that surely we should give our little bit of finite love to God in return, but the way to prove this gift of ours is to love our fellowman. has...God: God is a pure Spirit not visible to human eyes. We shall be able to see him in our glorified bodies, after our resurrection, with the aid of the grace of the beatific vision. if we...another: Even though we cannot see God on this earth, we can experience his presence and feel the true love for him expand in our hearts if we love one another. God...us: God is in our wills and intellects, urging us on to live according to the truth and to choose what is good always. He is thus proving his loving interest in us and moving us to love him more and more. given...Spirit: On the first Pentecost day the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles and made his presence manifest not only to them but to all the Jews who gathered around the Cenacle. He came (visibly by his powers) on all the early Christian converts (see Acts passim; 1 Cor. 12). He is still present to every Christian who is in the state of grace, urging him to what is right and good. Son...world: This is the highest imaginable act of love for us. The Father asked his divine Son to endure the humiliation of the incarnation and the torture of crucifixion so that we, his creatures, could have everlasting life. Jesus...God: To confess this, the central doctrine of the Christian faith, requires the gift of faith which God alone gives. He who makes this confession of faith does so because he is moved to do so by the special gift of God---faith. God is love: His very nature is to love with an infinite, an unlimited love. who...love: The Christian, or he who through no fault of his own has not heard of Christ and his message, who loves his neighbor out of unselfish love, or because he is a fellow-child of God on the road to heaven, is in close intimacy with God. APPLICATION: This teaching of St. John on the necessity of loving our fellowman is well known to all of us but how many of us really and truly practice this kind of unselfish love? Is there one among us who really loves his neighbor as he loves himself? Yet, this is the criterion by which our love is judged. Far too many Christians are so preoccupied with their own difficulties in life that they have little or no time to stop and help a fellowman who is lying idly or helplessly by the roadside. Yet it is exactly by helping our fellowman in need that we successfully overcome our own difficulties. For when we practice charity toward our neighbor "we abide in God and God abides in us," as St. John tells us, and if God is with us it matters not who is against us? Yes, it is God's plan that we travel to heaven in groups, in pre-arranged parties. God wants the whole group there, and in his plan some are less capable of making the journey so that the able-bodied members and the more qualified ones, should have an opportunity of paying for their own passage by helping their needy fellow-travelers. This is part of God's love for us; he puts in our way the opportunity to prove our love for him by bestowing loving help on our neighbor. Let us look around us and see who are those that God in his mercy has put in our particular traveling party. First comes our own family. Not only are we bound by ties of flesh and blood to help them in this life, we are also bound by the commandment of charity to cherish them as we do ourselves. If we ourselves want to be saved---and that is why we are Christians---we must also want to have our families reunited with us later on. Husband and wife must help one another to live according to the Christian standards every day of their lives. Both parents must work in close and fervent cooperation to prepare their children not only to make a living in this world but especially and above all to make them good citizens of heaven. After the family come relatives, nearest neighbors, those we meet at work or casually. They have next claim on our sincere Christian love. We cannot exempt ourselves from carrying out the spiritual works of mercy on the ground that we cannot go on the mission fields. If we are truly charitable, occasions can be found for exercising these good works without ever leaving our own home-town, or maybe our own street. Generous souls will, while carrying out their duties of charity nearer home, also find ways of helping the spread of the faith in foreign lands. We all want to be saved; we shall, if we help our fellow-travelers on the way. These are not only the people who need bodily help, but also and especially those in need of spiritual light and encouragement---the sinners, the lax, the careless and the lapsed Christians. These need our help. It is with these that our Lord would associate if he were among us today, as he did in Palestine. Mary Magdalene. Zachaeus and the thousands of other sinners of that day, are now in heaven because Christ had an encouraging word, a word of love and hope, for them. They reacted to his sincere love. Let us try to imitate that love of Christ, if only from afar, and our sinner neighbors too will react to the little ray of divine love which our charity sheds on them. ________________________________________ GOSPEL: John 17:11-19. Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, "Holy Father, keep them in thy name, which thou hast given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in thy name, which thou hast given me; I have guarded them, and none of them is lost but the son of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them thy word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not pray that thou should take them out of the world, but that thou should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; thy word is truth. As thou did send me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be consecrated in truth." EXPLANATION: Our Lord's long discourse at the Last Supper ends with the priestly prayer of Christ for his Apostles and for all those who through the preaching of the Apostles would believe in him---the Christians of all ages. Today's verses deal with the Apostles. Jesus, who knows he is about to finish the work given him on earth and return to his Father in heaven, prays that the disciples the Father has given him will remain united in true faith and love in order to carry out the mission he has given them. Their task will be hard, for though living in this world their activities will be directed to the other world, and the worldly-minded opponents of things spiritual will hate them as they hated him before them. keep...name: Christ appeals to his heavenly Father to protect and keep true to their vocation the disciples he had given Christ. one...one: God the Father and Son were one by nature and divine perfection. The disciples could only imitate this unity from afar, but they could have perfect human unity among themselves. none...but: All his Apostles had remained faithful to him, and continued to remain so in spite of the shock his crucifixion and death caused them. One, however, had defected; this was foreseen, "that the scripture might be fulfilled," but not pre-ordained. Judas acted with full freedom. The fact that God foresaw what he did in no way impeded Judas' freedom of action. God sees now where I shall end up on my judgement day, but I shall end up there because of my own free decision. It is the sum-total of these free decisions that God already sees. I am...thee: As Jesus is very soon to return to his Father, the disciples will be left alone in the world, but Christ prays the Father to let them also share in the joy of his reunion with his Father. given...word: He has revealed God to them, and his own intimate connection with God in as far as they were, as yet, able to grasp all this. world...them: As nearly always in St. John, the term "world" is used in the sense of the evil that is in this world. This evil wanted to have nothing to do with Christ or his talk of a future spiritual life. This same hatred included his Apostles, especially after his departure. out...world: To carry out their mission the Apostles must remain and work in the midst of this evil world and, therefore, Christ's request to the Father is not to let them be overcome by this evil. sanctify...truth: The Apostles are the priests of the New Law, and as priests of the temple were consecrated before beginning their functions, Christ now asks the Father to consecrate his disciples to the ministry of preaching the word of God which is "truth" itself. did send me: The Father had sent Christ in the incarnation into this world; so now Christ sends his Apostles to preach the truths about God and men, which he had given them. In Jn. 20: 21 their mission is given to the Apostles, but Christ's prayer, as given here, foresees the future as already accomplished. I consecrate myself: Jesus' sacrificial act on Calvary next day was the culmination of his sacerdotal ministry among men on earth. The Apostles are now to begin where Christ left off in his visible activity. APPLICATION: Our divine Lord closed his discourse at the Last Supper with his priestly prayer for the unity of his Apostles in the bond of Christian charity, and for the true Christian brotherhood of all who would accept from them the message of Christ's gospel. During the first six centuries of the Church's history the Father answered this prayer of Christ; a few heresies raised their heads now and then, but the successors of the Apostles, with Peter's representative at their head, condemned these errors and the Church went on in peace and fraternal unity. Later on there were more widespread breaks with the successor of Peter in both the East and the West, and most of these divisions have continued down to our own day. Where was the efficacy of Christ's prayer then; why did God not answer him? Christ's prayer was efficacious and God did answer, but, like God's answer to all prayer, it is given as and when it is of the greatest value. God could not prevent men from exercising the gift of free-will which he himself had given them. When creating man he foresaw that that gift would often be misused to man's own disadvantage, but without it man would not be man; he would be incapable of any single act of merit and of enjoying the future eternal life. So God could not prevent Christians from separating from one another, nor could he force them to return to Christian unity against their free-will. But he is ever ready to assist them by his grace and encouragement to cooperate once more in giving glory to God and in spreading the message of the gospel of love to all men. We are fortunate to be living in an age when the complete reunification of the Christian Church is the aim of all Christians, and has the evident assistance of our heavenly Father. It was not by accident that Pope John XXIII ascended the throne of Peter; it was not by chance that he called a Council---a Council which took its own share of the blame for the divisions in the Church and spoke of those outside it not as "schismatics" and "heretics" but as "separated brethren." All this did not happen by accident. God saw the opportune moment and inspired the parties concerned with feelings of regret for past errors and with resolutions to do all in their power to put right the past. Our leaders and theologians are doing this. Theirs is no easy task, it is not the work of a few months, or even of a few years, but a beginning has been made and with God's grace and goodwill on the part of our leaders it is a task that will have a successful and blessed ending. However, the ordinary Christians in the various churches are not to be idle onlookers; we too have a part, and a big part, to play in bringing about this desired and most desirable unity of all Christians. First of all, we can assist in this noble work, and in a very effective way, by sincere and constant prayer. The grace of God, through our fervent prayers for our leaders and theologians, can and will open their eyes to see ways and means to unification without sacrificing any of the revealed truths of Christianity. There are some human accretions to the basic doctrines of faith in all the various churches which can be jettisoned without loss to the faith, but the revealed dogmas cannot and will not be bartered for any temporary gain. No church can sacrifice the truth, and no church will be asked to do so, for truth is God's gift to us and is necessary for the whole Church. Let us pray frequently, and fervently, that God will show our superiors the way, the one and only way, the way of truth to unity. After prayer, each one of us will in his neighborhood or place of employment, meet members of the other Christian churches. It is our duty to show them by word and deed that we are their brothers in Christ. Some of them may show no interest at first in any kind of brotherhood of Christ or of man, but constant charitable contact will wear down this barrier. We can, if we are unity-minded, that is, Christian-minded, find topics for discussion that involve the Christian faith, and through these discussions our desire and our hope for a united Christian Church can be introduced. Charity will open the best-locked door; true Christian charity will soften the hardest heart. If we have the welfare of all our neighbors, Christian and non-Christian, at heart, we will gladly do everything in our power to bring about the existence of one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church which will have the true light of Christ to illumine its members and lead those fellow-sons of God who are still outside it, to enter it and share in its faith, its hope, and its charity.b211 Click to return to our Home page

Readings for Sunday, May 13th, 2012

A-St Max Bible Study meets at the back of the church in the Mother Cabrini Room Fridays 9AM to 10AM… Please join us! http://facilitator-stmaxbiblestudy.blogspot.com Please click on link for access to more content… Please follow this page! MAY 13, 2012 Sixth Sunday of Easter READING 1 ACTS 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and, falling at his feet, paid him homage. Peter, however, raised him up, saying, "Get up. I myself am also a human being." Then Peter proceeded to speak and said, "In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him." While Peter was still speaking these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the word. The circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit should have been poured out on the Gentiles also, for they could hear them speaking in tongues and glorifying God. Then Peter responded, "Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit even as we have?" He ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. RESPONSORIAL PSALM PS 98:1, 2-3, 3-4 R. (cf. 2b) The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power. or: R. Alleluia. Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; His right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm. R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power. or: R. Alleluia. The LORD has made his salvation known: in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice. He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel. R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power. or: R. Alleluia. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God. Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands; break into song; sing praise. R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power. or: R. Alleluia. READING 2 1 JN 4:7-10 Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love. In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him. In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins. GOSPEL JN 15:9-17 Jesus said to his disciples: "As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father"s commandments and remain in his love." "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy might be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. This I command you: love one another." FIRST READING: Acts 10: 25-26; 34-35; 44-48. When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. But Peter lifted him up, saying, "Stand up; I too am a man." And Peter opened his mouth and said: "Truly I perceive that God shows no partiality, but in every nation any one who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him." While Peter was still saying this the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, "Can any one forbid water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days. EXPLANATION: Today's text from the Acts of the Apostles describes the reception of the first Gentiles into the Christian Church. Cornelius, a Roman centurion stationed in Caesarea, had been an admirer of the God of the Jews. He gave alms generously and prayed much. God told him through an angel to send for Simon Peter who was in Jaffa. Peter, already prepared by a vision of clean and unclean animals (10: 8-16) in which he was taught that what God had made clean must not be called unclean, came to Caesarea. The vision given him in Jaffa became clear on seeing the religious faith of Cornelius. He had no hesitation in entering a pagan household, something strictly forbidden to a Jew. He preached Christ's life, death and resurrection to the assembled Gentiles and while he was preaching the Holy Spirit descended on them and they began to praise God in various languages, just as the Apostles and disciples had done on Pentecost day in Jerusalem. What greater proof was needed to convince Peter and his companions that God wanted the Gentiles, as well as the Jews, in his Church? Thus Cornelius and his household were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ and became the first Gentiles to enter the Church. Cornelius...feet: The Roman centurion wanted to honor Peter as a God, but Peter made him stand up telling him that he, Peter, was a mere man and should not be honored thus. Peter said: Having learned from Cornelius about the vision of the angel and the command to send for Peter, the Apostle declares that be now under stands that all men, Gentiles as well as Jews, are acceptable to God, if they turn to him. His own vision in Jaffa had prepared him for this. still...this: While Peter was explaining Christ and his teaching (10: 36-43), the Holy Spirit came upon all the Gentiles present. believers...circumcised: The converted Jews "brothers from Jaffa" (10: 23) who had accompanied Peter "were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles," for they still had the idea that Christ was the Messiah of the Jews only. Although Peter had no hesitation in accepting Cornelius and his household into the Church, the Council of Jerusalem had to be called to correct this wrong Jewish idea (Acts 15: 1-29). Can...baptizing: With the incontrovertible evidence that the Holy Spirit had descended on these Gentiles, Peter rightly declared that no man-made opinion could or should prevent them from full membership of the Church. They were then baptized with Christian baptism. APPLICATION: "God shows no partiality but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him." These inspired and inspiring words of Peter, the head of the Apostles, removed any doubts which his fellow-Jewish-Christians from Jaffa had as to the right of Cornelius and his household to be baptized and become Christians like themselves. They should also have opened the minds of all Jewish converts to the mission of Christ as a mission of salvation for all nations and not for Jews only. Unfortunately, there were some who exaggerated their own claims on God and who still looked down on the Gentiles. There were among the Jewish-Christians those who grudgingly admitted that Gentiles could be received into the Christian Church, but only if they became Jews first by accepting circumcision. These people were a serious embarrassment to St. Paul in his missionary activity among the Gentiles. They followed him through Asia Minor telling the converted Gentiles that they were not really members of the Christian Church for they had not first become Jews. These "Judaizers" as they were called, were causing such upsets among the Gentile converts that Paul and Barnabas were forced to ask the Apostles, assembled in the first Council of the Church in Jerusalem, to give a definitive answer to this question (Acts 15: 1-2). They did, and the false teaching of the Judaizers was condemned. Gentiles could and should be received directly into the Church, without passing through any form of Judaism or without accepting any of the Jewish ritualistic practices. God, through the Holy Spirit, has been with his Church right down through the ages and from its very beginning. The case of conversion of Cornelius, narrated in today's reading, happened in order that Peter, the head of the Apostles and the principal speaker at the Council of Jerusalem, should have visible proof from God that he wished Gentiles to be taken directly into his Church without any of the Jewish ritual observances. Peter's address to the Council, describing what happened at Caesarea, silenced all opposition and settled this question for all time. But before the vision of the clean and unclean animals shown him in Jaffa, and the proofs of the presence of the Holy Spirit which he witnessed in Caesarea, Peter too had his narrow judaizing tendencies. The lesson for all Christians is that God has been, and will be, always with his Church. Christ has committed it to the care of mortal and fallible men but he has given them (and us) the assurance that he will be with them always even unto the end of time (Mt. 28: 20). Today, many devout and sincere Christians are worried because of evident dissension between theologians on moral and dogmatic questions. Since the second Vatican Council there has been a flood of writings from the pens of reputable theologians and sometimes from men with less depth of knowledge and less balanced judgement. This is but a natural consequence of the winds of change to which the saintly Pope John opened the windows of the Church. Ever since Trent (1546), when the cold-war with the Reformers began, the Catholic Church had remained rather static in its exposition of faith and morals. While the world around us had made giant strides in the study of man and the world in which he lived, and also in the study of ancient literature and culture, our seminary text-books were faithfully copying the sixteenth century expositions of the theologians of that day. This in itself was right as far as it went, since the defined dogmas of the Church remain fixed for all time. However, it did not go far enough; it paid little or no heed to the immense growth in secular knowledge, or to the change in terminology and linguistics which the new philosophies had introduced. Scripture especially which, with Tradition, is the basis of all theology, was very much neglected, to the detriment of our people's knowledge of the revealed world of God. Thanks to the Holy Spirit, who worked through Pope John and Vatican II, that has all been changed, or rather is being gradually changed. As in all change, there must be upsets and a disturbance of the status quo ante. There will be naturally men who oppose change, and on the other hand there are likely to be men who want to change too much. We are going through this period of change at present, and some people are surprised, if not shocked, at some of the moral and dogmatic pronouncements of present-day writers. Knowing, as we do, that the Holy Spirit is with the Church we need have no fear. She has had similar experiences in the past---nearly all her great General Councils were preceded by disputes between theologians and would-be theologizers. The Councils, guided by the Holy Spirit, defined and expounded the true faith. Truth will prevail; we can look forward confidently to the day when present disputes will end. Our Christian faith and morals will continue to be expounded authoritatively with the backing of the Holy Spirit, by the successors of the Apostles whom he sent to teach all nations. ________________________________________ SECOND READING: 1 John 4: 7-10. Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God, and he who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God; for God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins. EXPLANATION: On this Epistle see, the second Sunday of Easter. In today's four verses, St. John is urging us to love one another, for we are sons of God whose very essence is love. He proved this when out of the infinity of his love he sent his own divine Son to give us eternal life and make expiation for the sins of the world. let...another: The love St. John urges us to have for our fellowman is not the natural attraction which has its basis in family bonds, or sex, or some qualities we hold in common. It is that supernatural respect, interest and esteem which we have for all men. It is, based on our knowledge of God as our common Father. love is of God: This supernatural love of neighbor derives from God, whose very nature is love, and it is a free gift which he has instilled into us together with faith and hope in our baptism. born...God: The man who has this supernatural love is a son of God by adoption, it was in his adoption ceremony that he was given this gift. He therefore knows God, not in the sense of the Gnostics but in the true sense; he is intimately associated with God through participation in the very nature of God which has been given him in baptism, in the divine gift of love. God...Son: This is the manifestation of God's love for us: he sent his only Son to live and die among us. might...him: Through the incarnation, the coming of God the Son as man among us, we have been made sons of God and heirs of eternal life. not that we loved God: John is stressing the gratuitousness of God's love for us. He loved us when we were incapable of loving him; even before we existed. His Son died for us while we were still sinners. As St. Paul says: "for someone really worthy a man might be prepared to die---but what proves that God loves us is that Christ died for us while we were still sinners" (Rom. 5: 7-8). APPLICATION: It is told that when St. John was too old and feeble to say Mass, he insisted on being carried to the Church on Sundays to preach to the congregation. Sunday after Sunday his sermon consisted of one short sentence: "Little children, love one another." After some weeks of this repetition, the presiding priest had the courage to say to the Apostle: "Father, could you not say something more?" The answer that he got was: "No, for if they do this they are doing everything." Undoubtedly the Beloved Disciple was the Apostle of love. His gospel and Epistles are dominated by the thought of "the Word made flesh," the mystery of God's love for us which brought about the incarnation. Having been made children of God, we must, of course, love God for this gratuitious gift; but the real proof of our love of God is our love for our neighbor. "He who does not love (his neighbor) does not know God." This hardly needs proof. If we do know God we know the marvelous thing he has done for us in making us his children and heirs to heaven through the incarnation, and the natural and supernatural reaction to such knowledge should be the, desire to do something for God in return. And God himself through Christ has told us what we can do for him---we can be charitable toward his little ones, our fellow-children of God on earth. Everything kind and good we do for them, we are doing it for himself, he tells us (Mt. 25: 40). Therefore, we are expected, and what is more, we are commanded to love all God's children. This is the way in which the good God allows us to make some little return for all he has done for us. Generous souls would not need a commandment, they would rejoice at the opportunity of doing something for God, but most of us are not too given to generosity, and so God has given us a commandment to do our duty. On the fulfilling of that commandment our own eternal welfare will depend. "I was hungry and you fed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick, I was in prison, and you visited me; well done good and faithful servant enter into the joy of the Lord." These are words we all would like to hear when called to judgement. We shall hear them if we keep our part of the contract. If we carry out the spiritual and corporal works of mercy, whenever and wherever we can, we need have no fear about God doing his part. We may not have much of this world's goods, and we may not be able therefore to help our neighbor much in his bodily needs, but we can help him with our prayers, with words of consolation and encouragement. There is a little poem on kindness written by Father Faber which brings out what a help even the poorest of us can be to his neighbor, if only true charity inspires us. It runs like this: "It was but a sunny smile and little it cost in the giving, But it scattered the night like the morning light, And made the day worth living. It was only a kindly word, a word that was easily spoken, But it was not in vain for it chilled the pain, Of a heart that was nearly broken. It was but a helping hand and it seemed of little availing, But its clasp was warm and it saved from harm, A brother whose strength was failing." Which of us is so poor in spirit, so weak in charity, that he cannot give a sunny smile to his neighbor whenever he meets him, or speak a kind word to someone in need of consoling, or give a helping hand, be it ever so little, to one in greater need than himself? ________________________________________ GOSPEL: John 15: 9-17. Jesus said to his disciples, "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide; so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. This I command you, to love one another." EXPLANATION: Today's verses are a continuation of last Sunday's quotation from our Lord's Last Supper discourse to his disciples on Holy Thursday night. In last Sunday's gospel, our Lord used the image of the vine and the branches to describe the intimate association between himself and his followers that was necessary if his disciples were to produce fruit for eternal life. Today, our Lord urges his followers to abide in his love and to love one another. This love for neighbor must have as its model and exemplar Christ's love for his disciples, which made him lay down his life for them. The disciples are not Christ's servants but his intimate associates: they will bear lasting fruit in their life-work if they trust in God and are motivated by true love of God and neighbor. As the Father has loved me: The Father loves the Son with an infinite love. As God, Christ's love for his followers (represented by the disciples) is infinite; as man, it is as complete as human love can be. if...commandments: God's commandments were Christ's also. Keeping the commandment's is man's way of proving his love for Christ. I have...commandments: As man, he obeyed every wish and command of the Father in every detail, "not my will but thine be done." greater...friends: There is nothing greater that a man can do for those he loves, than to give his life for them. Christ did this. servant...know: His relationship with his disciples was not that of master and servant, for he had brought them into the intimacy of the divine family. He had revealed the Father to them during his years with them; he had made them adopted sons of the Father. I chose you: Their vocation was Christ's free gift to them. He chose them, not they him. bear fruit: That fruit for heaven was the number of their brothers who would be brought to eternal life. This fruit will last forever. ask...name: He is their (and our) mediator with God. All our petitions to the Father, made through him, will be answered because by his life, death and resurrection he has earned for us all spiritual and where necessary for the spiritual, temporal rewards. This I command you: Christ ends by repeating the second of the greatest commandments: love of neighbor. APPLICATION: It is only a few weeks since Good Friday when we commemorated the agonizing death of Christ on Mount Calvary. This was an excruciating, shameful death even for hardened criminals who deserved it. But for our loving Savior, the innocent lamb of God, one who had never offended God or neighbor, it was something of which the whole human race should be ashamed forever. What caused Christ that torment and death on the cross was our sins, the sins of all mankind and not the spite and hatred of his Jewish opponents, who were only instruments in the tragedy. Atonement had to be made to God for the sins of the world, so that men could reach the eternal inheritance which the incarnation made available to them. However, not all the acts of the entire human race could make a sufficient atonement to God. A sacrifice, an expiation of infinite value was needed. The death of the Son of God in his human nature was alone capable of making such an expiation. That Christ willingly accepted crucifixion for our sakes, that he gave the greatest proof of love which the world has ever known, by laying down his life for his friends, did not make his sufferings any less, did not ease any of the pains of Calvary. His agony in the Garden before his arrest shows this: he foresaw all the tortures and pains which he was to undergo and sweated blood at the thought of what awaited him. But he was to keep his Father's commandment: "not my will but thine be done." We Christians must have hearts of stone, hearts devoid of all sense of gratitude, when we forget what Christ has done for us and deliberately offend him! Alas, this is what all of us do sometimes, and many of us do all the time. Christ died to bring us to heaven but we tell him, by our sins, that he was wasting his time. We do not want to go to heaven, we are making our happiness here! How far can human ingratitude and thanklessness go? Christ told us, through the disciples on Holy Thursday night, that he had made us his friends, his intimates. We are no longer servants in the household, who merely earn their daily wage and have no intimacy with the family and no hope of ever sharing in the family possessions. Instead, we have been adopted into the family by Christ becoming man, we have been guaranteed all the rights of children: intimacy with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and the future sharing in the eternal happiness of that divine household. Christ's incarnation made us God's children; Christ's death on the cross removed sin. Sin is the one obstacle that could prevent us reaching our eternal inheritance. Because God gave us a free will we can in a moment of folly, a moment of madness really, deprive ourselves of the privileges and possessions which Christ has made available to us. We can choose to exchange an eternity of happiness for a few fleeting years of self-indulgence on earth. We can fling Christ's gift of love back in his face and tell him we don't want it. God forbid that we should ever act like this, that we should ever forget God's purpose in creating us. It is a marvelous thing to be alive, if we have hope in a future life. If nothing awaited us but the grave, then to live on this earth, which is a valley of sorrow and tears for the vast majority, would be the cruelest of jests. But of this we need have no fear. Life on earth is but a short prelude to our real existence. If we use this brief period as Christ has told us how to use it, death for us will be the passage into the eternal mansions. Be grateful to God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, love the Blessed Trinity; prove your love by loving your fellowman. By doing this you are fulfilling the whole law and the prophets; and you are assuring yourself of the place in heaven which Christ has won for you.b196 ________________________________________ Click to return to our Home page