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GOSPEL OF MATTHEW CHAPTER 25

SCRIPTURE

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

The kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them, but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps. Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

At midnight, there was a cry, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him! Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise ones replied, ‘No, for there may not be enough for us and you. Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’

While they went off to buy it, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him. Then the door was locked. Afterwards the other virgins came and said, ‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’ But he said in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

REFLECTION

Therefore stay awake! No one knows when the Lord will come for them….Are we ready….are we putting anything off….are we working now each day to live the kingdom that we hope to occupy in the next world?

There are many parables Jesus has shared with us on our foolishness of placing our trust in things that decay and go away…Jesus has promised us that His word will never go away…Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life we all hope to enjoy for all eternity…Welcome good and faithful servant into my kingdom.

Jesus reminds us that while the kingdom is offered to all, some are foolish and shut themselves out of the wedding feast. What were those five foolish virgins thinking…what were their priorities…were they busy doing something else so they passed on picking up the “oil” they needed or did the “oil” just cost too much and they were not up for the sacrifice… or was greeting the bridegroom no big deal!

The foolish virgins begged the wise virgins for some of their oil. I thought of someone hanging onto the coattails of another sneaking into heaven. It doesn’t happen like this. I can pray for other people and I should but I can save no one, not even myself. That is between them and Jesus the Savior. Pray for those loved ones that they will wake up in time before they hear, “Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.”

SCRIPTURE

The Parable of the Talents

It will be as when a man who was going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one—to each according to his ability. Then he went away. Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them, and made another five. Likewise, the one who received two made another two. But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and buried his master’s money.

After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them. The one who had received five talents came forward bringing the additional five…..His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.’

Then the one who had received two talents also came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two talents. See, I have made two more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.’

Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a demanding person, harvesting where you did not plant, gathering where you did not scatter; so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground. Here it is back.’

His master said to him in reply, ‘You wicked, lazy servant!^* So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant and gather where I did not scatter? Should you not then have put my money in the bank so that I could have got it back with interest on my return?

Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten. For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’

‘Well done, my good and faithful servant

REFLECTION

In Jesus time a talent was a silver coin or something comparable. But all Scripture applies to me and you. As I read this Scripture passage, I am reminded of the many times I have buried my gifts out of selfishness or laziness for that matter. Throughout our lives God sends graces our way…do we accept and nourish them or ignore them, maybe reject them outright to choose my will. For some, the journey home is a sprint, for others, a marathon. We must pay attention at all the time to nudges of the Spirit.

To me, the part about the Master taking away the “talent” from the servant who buried it is not so much God punishing the hoarder but about the axiom, “if we don’t use it we lose it.” We can become lukewarm, lazy indifferent towards God and His gifts.

“so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground. Fear of God in Scripture refers to reverence and respect, not that God may hit you with lightning bolt. God loves us! John 3:16 In fact, fear of a wrathful God can make one deny Him, deny sin, and deny need for mercy and forgiveness at our own peril!

SCRIPTURE

The Judgment of the Nations

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’

Then the righteous^* will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’

Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’

Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs? He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me. And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.

Come, you who are blessed by my Father.

Inherit the kingdom prepared for you

from the foundation of the world.

REFLECTION

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne”

In this Scripture passage we get a glimpse of the last judgment in Jesus’ parable. Now don’t think Jesus prefers sheep to goats. It is figurative langrage for separating the righteous and the wicked. We know Jesus has told us not to pull up the weeds as we living our lives on earth less we pull up the wheat by mistake. Jesus is really the only one that can judge what can be saved and what can be disposed of.

…. just as the weeds are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send forth His angels; they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Matthew 13:40-43

We may be very disturbed by what we perceive as wicked and evil thriving and winning but the story isn’t over yet. There will be a final reckoning. There is a final judgment. The one that really counts! Jesus has told us so!

“I tell you, on the day of judgment people will render an account for every careless word they speak. By your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” Matthew 12:36

The two greatest commandments are to love God and love our neighbor. It is sometimes hard for us to know if we are loving God as we should, unless we see Him in our neighbor. So we should not be surprised by Jesus, judge of the nations, rendering His decision, “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.”

POSTSCRIPT: THIS IS LAST POST IN THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW CATEGORY. THE REMAINING CHAPTERS OF MATTHEW MAY BE FOUND IN LENTEN REFLECTIONS AND HOLY WEEK

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O Sublime Humility! – Echoes in Eternity

IN THE IMAGE AND LIKENESS OF GOD IMAGO DEI

1 Comment / CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACHING, CATHOLIC COMMENTARY

WHO SEES ME SEES GOD

Jesus is not made in image and likeness of God. Jesus is God! “Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantialof one Being with the Father.” (Nicene Creed)

“God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” Genesis 1:27 The image of God (Latin: imago dei) refers to the immaterial part of humanity. It sets human beings apart from the animal world, fits them for the dominion God intended them to have over the earth (Genesis 1:28), and enables them to commune with their Maker.

Adam was like God not in his outward appearance but internally. We must remember that God is spirit (John 4:24). Adam was made “in” the image of God. We are like God in many ways, but we are not God in any way. This is only true of Jesus.

It is the spiritual qualities of God that we humans image. We reflect God’s intellect and free will. Anytime someone invents a machine, writes a book, paints a landscape, or names a pet, he or she is proclaiming the fact that we are made in God’s image.

Socially, humanity was created for fellowship, God made the first woman because “it is not good for the man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). Fellowship is a reflection of God’s triune nature in relationship with the Son (the beloved) and the Holy Spirit (the love between them.) Every time someone marries, makes a friend, or hugs a child, he or she is demonstrating the fact that we are made in the likeness of God. made for relationships.

Part of being made in God’s image is that Adam had the capacity to make free choices. Adam and Eve made an evil choice to rebel against their Creator. In so doing, they marred the image of God within themselves, and passed that damaged likeness on to all of their descendants, a clouding of the intellect and weakness of the will. “Therefore, just as through one person sin entered the world, and through sin, death, and thus death came to all” (Romans 5:12).

Today, we still bear the image of God James 3:9, but we also bear the scars of sin. Mentally, morally, socially, and physically, we show the effects of sin.

But God was not going to abandon His work that He declared was good. He sent us a most Holy Redeemer, His only begotten Son, Jesus, who begins to restore God’s image as willed by God in the first place. “Through Christ, we are made new creations in the likeness of God”2 Corinthians 5:17

“We have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.” Now with our redemption in Christ, we have put on the new man. We have put on Christ, and this now becomes a process of shaping us, making us again into the image of our Creator.” Colossians 3:10

.It is in Christ, Redeemer that the divine image, disfigured in man by the first sin, has been restored to its original beauty and ennobled by the grace of God. CATECHISM OF CATHOLIC CHURCH 1701

REFLECTIONS

Man, enticed by the Evil One, abused his freedom at the very beginning of history. He succumbed to temptation and did what was evil. He is now inclined to evil and subject to error and to an eternal punishment unless he or she repents of his or her sins. His mercy endures forever! Psalm 118

It is true that as we look at humanity today, we see a great difference between the holiness of God’s character and human character. We have distorted the very nature of God’s character in humanity because of our rejection of God’s holiness and rule in our lives. To sin is to reject holiness. God made us to be holy, a people set apart, a witness to all nations, to worship God and reject Satan and all his works.

RITE OF BAPTISM

Here a few questions the celebrant ask the parents/adult at their Baptism:

Celebrant: Do you reject Satan?

Parents/Adults: I do.

Celebrant: And all his works?

Parents/Adult: I do.

Celebrant: Do you reject sin, so as to live in the freedom of God’s children?

Parents/Adult: I do.

Celebrant: Do you reject the glamor of evil, and refuse to be mastered by sin?

Parents/Adult: I do.

Celebrant: Do you reject Satan, father of sin and prince of darkness?

Parents/Adult: I do.

God hates sin. To make infinite reparation for infinite offense of sin, it took a human and divine nature in the person of Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son, consubstantial with the Father to make amends and save us from our sins and eternal death separated from God. Thank our Savior, Jesus Christ every day.

By his reason, man recognizes the voice of God which urges him “to do what is good and avoid what is evil.” Everyone is obliged to follow this law, which makes itself heard in our conscience and is fulfilled in the love of God and of neighbor. Do not repress or ignore our conscience. It is God’s gift to us.

What does being made in image and likeness of God mean to you? What steps are you taking to help Jesus restore that image? In union with his Savior, a disciple, which we are, attains the perfection of charity which is holiness. God is love. As we mature in grace, the moral life blossoms into eternal life in the glory of heaven.

IN THE IMAGE OF GOD HE CREATED HIM;

MALE AND FEMALE HE CREATED THEM” GENESIS 1:27

PRAYING THE PSALMS 5

PRAYER

I WILL BLESS THE LORD AT ALL TIMES!

KING DAVID, SONG WRITER, MUSICIAN, SINGER,

AUTHOR OF PSALMS

INTRODUCTION

The book of the Psalms is not a single book but a collection of many poems and other similar works composed mostly by King David but include many other authors such as Moses and Solomon. In the Psalms, joy, suffering, the desire and fear of death are all interwoven and expressed.

Psalms were the most common prayer of Jesus in the New Testament who loved singing them with his disciples. As they left the Last Supper they sang psalms on their way to Gethsemane. “Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” Matthew 26:30

On the cross Jesus prayed from Psalm 22, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me” (Matthew 27:46) “Into thine hands I commend my spirit.” Psalm 31:5 (Luke 23:46)

God is the true author of the Bible including the Psalms. Since Psalms are the Word of God, the pray-er who prays the Psalms speaks to God with the very words that God has given to us. Psalms are a school of prayer. When I pray the words of the Psalms, I don’t just think about how this is my prayer, I think about how it is the prayer of Jesus Christ. It is his prayer for his church and for the world. Excerpts of Psalms are copied below.

PSALM 19

The heavens declare the glory of God; the firmament proclaims the works of his hands. Day unto day pours forth speech; night unto night whispers knowledge…. A report goes forth through all the earth, their messages, to the ends of the world….

From one end of the heavens it comes forth; its course runs through to the other; nothing escapes its heat. The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul. The decree of the LORD is trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart. The command of the LORD is clear, enlightening the eye….

The statutes of the LORD are true, all of them just More desirable than gold, than a hoard of purest gold, Sweeter also than honey or drippings from the comb. By them your servant is warned; obeying them brings much reward….Cleanse me from my inadvertent sins. Also from arrogant ones restrain your servant; let them never control me. Then shall I be blameless, innocent of grave sin. Let the words of my mouth be acceptable, the thoughts of my heart before you, LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

REFLECTION

This hymn of praise directs us to the utter goodness of God. God is good. Follow Him and His statutes and our life will be full of sweetness and serenity. Sin is the only disrupter. Cleanse me from my sins that I may be blameless in your sight. Send your light into my darkness, that illuminated, I may grasp the light and be saved.

PSALM 140

Deliver me, LORD, from the wicked; preserve me from the violent, From those who plan evil in their hearts, who stir up conflicts every day, Who sharpen their tongue like a serpent, venom of asps upon their lips.

Keep me, LORD, from the clutches of the wicked; preserve me from the violent, who plot to trip me up. The arrogant have set a trap for me; they have spread out ropes for a net, laid snares for me by the wayside.

I say to the LORD: You are my God; listen, LORD, to the words of my pleas. LORD, my master, my strong deliverer, you cover my head on the day of armed conflict…..

I know the LORD will take up the cause of the needy, justice for the poor. Then the righteous will give thanks to your name; the upright will dwell in your presence.

REFLECTION

A prayer of deliverance from all evil, all occasions of sins. If we walk with the Lord, He will lead us along the path of righteousness and hold us up less we fall into a pit. He will help in our discernment. Lord grant me wisdom to know right from wrong and the fortitude to deny my will full choices. Thy will be done!

PSALM 145

I will extol you, my God and king; I will bless your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless you; I will praise your name forever and ever. Great is the LORD and worthy of much praise, whose grandeur is beyond understanding…

The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in mercy. The LORD is good to all, compassionate toward all your works. All your works give you thanks, LORD and your faithful bless you. They speak of the glory of your reign and tell of your mighty works. The LORD is just in all his ways, merciful in all his works. The LORD is near to all who call upon him…

REFLECTION

The Lord is near to those who call upon Him. So why not call upon Him. His mercy endures forever to all of us no matter what state we find ourselves. We are not alone. Why pretend we are? God awaits our call. “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

JESUS PRAYING THE PSALMS

SAINT (MOTHER) TERESA OF CALCUTTA

1 Comment / CATHOLIC FEAST DAYS

FEAST DAY SEPTEMBER 5

INTRODUCTION

Saints are models for us. The saints are not only models for us, they are intercessors on our behalf. Mother Teresa is one of my favorite saints. Years ago she inspired our whole family, teenage girls included, to spend time in the poorest of poor nations, Haiti to work with the poor and dying. One of the places was a hospice run by the Missionaries of Charity the order Mother Teresa founded.

We have never been the same since. It is true when you give your life for another, you save your life and that life becomes more abundant. God keeps His promises. “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” Matthew 16:25

BACKGROUND

Born in Skopje in 1910, MOTHER TERESA joined the Sisters of Loreto in Dublin in 1928 and was sent to India, where she began her novitiate. She taught at St. Mary’s High School in Calcutta from 1931 to 1948, until leaving the Loreto order to begin the Missionaries of Charity.

Through her sisters, brothers, and priests, her service of the poorest of the poor spread all around the world. She won many awards, including the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize. After her death in 1997, the process for sainthood quickly began and she was beatified in 2003 and canonized by Pope Francis in 2016.

In 1946, Mother Teresa had a mystical encounter with Christ on a train to Darjeeling September 26, 1946 in which He asked her to take her love for Him a large step further. He asked her to leave the convent of Loreto and begin an order which would serve the poorest of the poor in the slums of Calcutta.

During the time of her mystical experiences leading to the founding of the new order, she experienced deep spiritual union and the sensible awareness of God’s Presence in her life.

Here is a small sample of Jesus’ words to her: “My little one – come – carry Me into the holes of the poor. – Come be My light – I cannot go alone – they don’t know Me – How I long to enter their holes – in your love for Me – they will see Me, know Me, want Me…. For them I long –Wilt thou refuse?”

During her lifelong service to the poorest of the poor, Mother Teresa became an icon of compassion to people of all religions; her extraordinary contributions to the care of the sick, the dying, and thousands of others nobody else was prepared to look after, has been recognized and acclaimed throughout the world.

Mother Teresa’s passionate love for God motivated her throughout her life: “I want to love Him as He has never been loved before—with a tender, personal, intimate love.” With the permission of my confessor, I made a vow to God – binding under Mortal Sin – to give to God anything that He may ask, ‘Not to refuse Him anything.’”

As Mother Teresa’s life as a Missionary of Charity began, her mystical experiences and deep awareness of God’s Presence within her soul ended. With the help of her confessors she gradually began to see this darkness as a dark night of the soul that enabled her to identify more completely with the darkness and alienation of the people to whom she ministered.

There were indeed times when she thought the darkness was more than she could bear, times when she prayed desperately for healing and relief. But she learned to accept the darkness without allowing it to impede her work. Her determination is expressed beautifully in these words: “The greater the pain and darker the darkness the sweeter will be my smile at God” (“Come Be My Light” p.222)

QUOTES OF MOTHER TERESA

If you judge people, you have no time to love them.

Each person is Jesus in disguise.

I see Jesus in every human being. I say to myself, this is hungry Jesus, I must feed him. This is sick Jesus. This one has leprosy. I must wash him and tend to him. I serve because I love Jesus..

It is easy to love the people far away. It is not always easy to love those close to us. It is easier to give a cup of rice to relieve hunger than to relieve the loneliness and pain of someone unloved in our own home. Bring love into your home for this is where our love for each other must start.

People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway. If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.

The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.

At the hour of death when we come face-to-face with God, we are going to be judged on love; not how much we have done, but how much love we put into the doing.

CONCLUSION

We are each called and equipped by God to not only survive our personal Calcutta, but to contribute to those around us whose individual Calcutta intersects our own. There is no need, then, to travel to far-off lands to contribute… Wherever we are, with whatever talents and relationships God has entrusted us, we are each called not to do what Mother Teresa did, but– to love as she loved in the Calcuttas of our own life.

Made in the very image and likeness of God, We on earth, are God’s love, God’s compassion, God’s will, God’s caregivers, His smile, His tears. We must show the presence of God in this world because He is not coming again until the end of time.

So many have forgotten what saints of the Old Testament knew that God is one, Lord of all and there is no other. So many floods, fires. earthquakes pestilence, wars so many man-made disasters. Why aren’t our churches filled with a call for repentance and mercy from a God that loves us.

Mother Teresa’s 1979 Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech

Lord, make me a channel of Thy peace that,

where there is hatred, I may bring love;
that where there is wrong, I may bring the spirit of forgiveness; that, where there is discord, I may bring harmony; that, where there is error, I may bring truth; that, where there is doubt, I may bring faith; that, where there is despair, I may bring hope; that, where there are shadows, I may bring light; that, where there is sadness, I may bring joy. Lord, grant that I may seek rather to comfort than to be comforted, to love than to be loved; for it is by forgetting self that one finds; it is forgiving that one is forgiven; it is by dying that one awakens to eternal life.

CALL TO HOLINESS

CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACHING, CATHOLIC COMMENTARY

Thus you are to be Holy to Me, for I the Lord am Holy;
and I have set you apart from the peoples to be Mine.
Leviticus 20:26

VATICAN II

The Second Vatican Council (Vatican II 1962-65) was called to address the Church in the Modern World. Perhaps, it’s largest theme was the Universal Call to Holiness. addressed directly in the document, Lumen Gentium

To quote Lumen Gentium, Every Christian must seek God’s will in all matters and devote themselves to love of God and service to their neighbor by utilizing their own personal gifts in the duties, circumstances and conditions of their life. To be holy, then, is to be about God’s business above all else. In holiness each person comes to realize that one’s life is not about her/his self but about following God’s projects and plans.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE HOLY AS GOD IS HOLY?

We are people set apart by God. We are not of this world but created in the eternal image of God. We grow in holiness as we grow in our image of the Creator. God did not have to create us. He needs nothing, but He wanted to share with us His divine life, perfect, unsoiled, shining in grandeur of the Almighty. At our Baptisms, we become a new creation, free of original sin and adopted children of God.

We are gods not by nature but by adoption. We begin the Our Father with the first petition, Hallowed be thy name. We call God Our Father with good reason and acknowledge He is holy, above all other gods. For us to be holy is to be like God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, One God, three Persons in relationship of Love. The Lover (Father), the Beloved (Son), and Love itself (Holy Spirit)

Holiness is not a human project but a response to God’s initiative. You are to be holy! Holiness is a separation from the unholy. God’s holiness is sheer goodness and light without any hint of evil or darkness. To confront God’s holiness is also to confront our sin.

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Matthew 5:48 The command “Be ye perfect” is not a command to do the impossible. God does not ask the impossible of us. All things are possible with God. God is going to make good His words, if we let Him. Our free will can stand in the way, though.

We can choose our self or God. Sin can stand in the way and it does have consequences. Just a quick look into the Old Testament from Genesis on…. Exile from Garden of Eden, The Great Flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, Babylonian Exile, Destruction of Jerusalem etc.

Holiness makes it necessary for us to separate from what is not holy. As our Creator, God knows best what is best for His creation. God gives his laws to make his people a people set apart: “You shall keep all my statutes and all my ordinances, and observe them. . . . You shall be holy to me; for I the Lord am holy, and I have separated you from the other peoples to be mine” Leviticus 20:22-26

Jesus assumed our nature in order that by becoming man he might make us gods. Jesus shed his blood for our ransom and purification, so that we might be redeemed from our wretched state of bondage of sin.

The Word became flesh to make us “partakers of the divine nature”: this is why the Word became man…so that man, by entering into communion with the Word and thus receiving divine son-ship, might become a son of God.” Catholic Catechism #460

In the middle of the Mass there is a very significant gesture that summarizes the entire Christian story. After the priest offers the bread upward in preparation for consecration, he next turns to the chalice and after pouring in the wine, he takes the cruet of water and places just a drop, praying, “Through the Mystery of this water and wine, may we come to share in Your Divinity, as you humbled Yourself to participate in our humanity.”

I will conclude with Psalm 23 a prayer I would suggest to say often and reflect at those times we feel the storm is too great, the waves too high, the depths too low and our hearts lashed by every demon we can possibly imagine. Psalm 23 gives me great consolation and encouragement to stay the course as I am reminded that Jesus is my Good Shepherd, seeking me, carrying me home.

PSALM 23

The LORD is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall lack.
In green pastures he makes me lie down; to still waters he leads me;
He restores my soul. He guides me along right paths for the sake of his name.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil,
for you are with me; your rod and your staff comfort me. You set a table before me in front of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows. indeed, goodness and mercy will pursue me all the days of my life; I will dwell in the house of the LORD for endless days.

PRAYING THE PSALMS 4

PRAYER

I WILL BLESS THE LORD AT ALL TIMES!

KING DAVID, SONG WRITER, MUSICIAN,

SINGER, AUTHOR OF PSALMS

INTRODUCTION

On the cross Jesus prayed from Psalm 22, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me” (Matthew 27:46) “Into thine hands I commend my spirit.” Psalm 31:5 (Luke 23:46)

PSALM 118

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, his mercy endures forever… In danger I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me free. The LORD is with me; I am not afraid; what can mortals do against me?

The LORD is with me as my helper…Better to take refuge in the LORD than to put one’s trust in mortals. Better to take refuge in the LORD than to put one’s trust in princes. Let Israel say: his mercy endures forever… Let those who fear the LORD say, his mercy endures forever.

The LORD, my strength and might has become my savior…This is the day the LORD has made; Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD…. You are my God, I give you thanks; my God, I offer you praise. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,

REFLECTION

We are filled with gratefulness for the mercy of God which provides us refuge from the storms of life, and slavery to sin here on earth. Embrace an attitude of gratitude! Give thanks always for God’s providential care. Give thanks to the Lord for He is good.

PSALM 124

Let Israel say, Had not the LORD been with us, when people rose against us, Then they would have swallowed us alive, for their fury blazed against us. Then the waters would have engulfed us, the torrent overwhelmed us then seething water would have drowned us.

Blessed is the LORD, who did not leave us to be torn by their teeth. We escaped with our lives like a bird from the fowler’s snare; the snare was broken, and we escaped. Our help is in the name of the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth

REFLECTION

God is our refuge, more powerful than any other god we may be serving. We are truly blessed that our God is all powerful, Almighty. Our help is in the name of the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth.

God loves us and will rescue us from any threat to our bodies or souls. With God all things are possible!

PSALM 130

Out of the depth I call to you, LORD; Lord, hear my cry! May your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. .If you, LORD, keep account of sins, Lord, who can stand? But with you is forgiveness…I wait for the LORD, my soul waits and I hope for his word. My soul looks for the Lord more than sentinels for daybreak… let Israel hope in the LORD, For with the LORD is mercy, with him is plenteous redemption. And he will redeem Israel from all its sins.

REFLECTION

The Lord not only freed Israel from physical slavery but more importantly freedom from slavery of sin.

People, captivated by habitual sin cry out of the depths of their hearts for relief. The Lord hears those cries. with him is plenteous redemption God wills the salvation of all. Stay the course!

PSALM 139

LORD, you have probed me, you know me: you know when I sit and stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. You sift through my travels and my rest; with all my ways you are familiar. Even before a word is on my tongue, LORD, you know it all. Behind and before you encircle me and rest your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, far too lofty for me to reach.

Where can I go from your spirit? From your presence, where can I flee? If I ascend to the heavens, you are there; I lie down in Sheol, there you are. If I take the wings of dawn^* and dwell beyond the sea. ,Even there your hand guides me, your right hand holds me fast. If I say, “Surely darkness shall hide me, and night shall be my light”^*Darkness is not dark for you, and night shines as the day. Darkness and light are but one.

You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb I praise you, because I am wonderfully made; wonderful are your works! My very self you know. My bones are not hidden from you, When I was being made in secret, fashioned in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw me unformed; in your book all are written down my days were shaped, before one came to be. How precious to me are your designs, O God….

REFLECTION

Oh my God, continue to probe me, prod me, turn me around in the right direction. Let me realize in the deepest part of my heart that I was made by you with a specific design in mind, a share in your divine life.

Let me begin to share in this divine life here on earth through the Sacraments, corporal and spiritual works of mercy, and adherence to the Gospel. Lead me home to the fullness of my being with you forever and ever!

JESUS PRAYING THE PSALMS

FEAST OF TRANSFIGURATION AUGUST 6

CATHOLIC FEAST DAYS

COMMENTARY

A GLIMPSE OF GLORY

On August 6th, we celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord on Mount Tabor. In this extraordinary event, found in the Synoptic Gospels and the 2nd Letter of St. Peter, Jesus is transfigured in the presence of Peter, James, and John. The evangelists record that our Lord’s face shone like the sun and that his clothes became white as light. Then, Moses and Elijah appears to them and conversed with Christ.

THIS IS MY BELOVED SON

WITH WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED
MATTHEW 17:5
A bright cloud then casts a shadow over the group and a voice speaks saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” The disciples fall prostrate and are very much afraid. Jesus, however, tells them to rise and not to be afraid.

The voice of God the Father from the cloud hearkens back to the cloud that guided the Israelites during their journey to the Promised Land. Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law. Jesus is the New Moses. Elijah paved the way for Christ, announcing His coming, the true God among the pagans of his time. Christ fulfills what the prophets foretold of Him.

Both before and after the transfiguration, Jesus told the disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and die at the hands of the elders, saying, “The Son of Man is to be handed over to men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.” Matthew 17:22-23. The three disciples who saw the glorified Lord were given a vision meant to strengthen them for the difficult days ahead when Jesus would be arrested and crucified.

CONCLUSION

Jesus shows plainly that He is the King of Glory, the One sent by God to redeem Israel. St. Peter noted, Lord, it is good that we are here. Matthew 17:4 We too must cherish every moment we are in the presence of God.

Let us reflect back on the times in which we have caught subtle, or not so subtle, glimpses of the glory of our Lord. Perhaps while reading Scripture where we have encountered the majesty of God. Or perhaps moments that occurred at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass or in our adoration of the Blessed Sacrament during Holy Hour.

In our prayer, ask Jesus to reveal himself more deeply to us. Simply enjoy His presence and peace. Let the Glory of God wash over you and fill you with fortitude to endure present difficulties in order to share in that Glory one day.

“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” Matthew 17:5. These words of the Father affirm Jesus’ mission. Ask yourself, “Am I confident in the mission God has for me?” If you are unsure of God’s will for your life, spend extra time in prayer asking that he reveal it to you.

Thank Him at the beginning and the end of each day. Praise His Name always! Jesus’ transfiguration gives us a glimpse of the transformation we will experience at the resurrection. On the last day, we too will be raised from the dead. Like Jesus on Mount Tabor, our bodies will be transfigured and glorified.

JESUS WELCOMES US INTO HIS GLORY

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth…. a holy city, a New Jerusalem, coming down from God…,
I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with the human race.
He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will always be with them as their God..
He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain…
REVELATION 21:1-4

WE PREACH CHRIST CRUCIFIED A SIGN OF CONTRADICTION

1 Comment / CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACHING, CATHOLIC COMMENTARY

CHRIST CRUCIFIED a stumbling block to Jews, foolishness to Greeks 1 CORINTHIANS 1:23

COMMENTARY

We need a Savior and what a great one we have, God himself. God emptied himself even to death, death on the cross that we might have life. Our first parents in Eden were told by God if they chose their will over God’s will, they would surely die, “but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” Genesis 2:17

The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 Let us join the prophet Isaiah in proclaiming that Jesus, our Savior and Lord, “was pierced for our offences, crushed for our sins; and upon him was the chastisement that makes us whole. By his stripes we were healed” Isaiah 53:5

St. Paul tells it like it is for us Christians “WE PREACH CHRIST CRUCIFIED” 1 Corinthians 1;23. Paul was bold. Are we bold when it comes to preaching the Good News, Jesus died, was buried, and is risen for our sake.I used to have a problem when gazing upon the cross because like so many, all I saw was suffering and death.

Then my perspective changed The Cross is a sign of contradiction. I saw the love of Christ with His open arms embracing the whole world. For just as through the disobedience of one person the many were made sinners, so through the obedience of one the many will be made righteous. Romans 5:19

God’s love for us is beyond all our understanding. But we believe any how in God’s infinite love for us because God told us who He is to Moses on Mt. Sinai after delivering the tablets, “the LORD passed before Moses and proclaimed: the LORD, a God gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in love and fidelity, continuing his love for a thousand generations, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin…. Ex. 34:5-7

This is indeed a stiff-necked people; yet pardon our wickedness and sins, and claim us as your own.” Exodus 34:9

We, too, are stiff necked people, stubborn in our ways of looking at things. Some cry out I don’t want any restrictions on my FREEDOM. Hmm, how is that going in your ordinary lives in this world? God is not restricting our freedoms. We are not FREE to sin. Sinning does not make us free but a slave to sin and its consequences, addiction, dysfunctional families, hate envy, greed…”Our hearts are restless until they rest in God. St. Augustine

What Commandments of God take away anything we need? They are not restrictions on our freedom but a self-help list to live our lives to the fullest. A man fully alive is the glory of God. St. Iraenseus. We are made in the image and likeness of God who is all good. “Whoever wants to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” Matthew 16:25

God gives his laws to make his people a people set apart, a sign to other nations. “You shall keep all my statutes and all my ordinances, and observe them. . . . You shall be holy to me; for I the Lord am holy, and I have separated you from the other peoples to be mine” Leviticus. 20:22, 26 Holiness thus necessitates a separation from that which is unholy.

After giving the Beatitudes, Jesus said to his disciples, “So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect Matthew 5:48 How can that be? For man it is impossible but with God anything is possible.” Matt. 19:26

Holiness is not a human project but a response to God’s initiative, an imitation of who God is. To confront God’s holiness is also to confront our sin. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Rom. 3:23

CONCLUSION

We must radiate holiness to renew the church. Men and women saints have always been the instrument and sign of renewal. The answer to a world in need of transformation is for us to be the sign. We must ask the Lord Jesus Christ for the strength and courage to be true disciples and not hearers only.

Is the Cross, a sign of life or of death? Does it speak of sin or forgiveness? Despair or hope? Is it gruesome or consoling? It is all of these, The Cross of Christ, fully embraces every dimension of our lives. But as blood and water gush from Jesus’ side, life prevails over death; mercy over sin; hope over despair; consolation over misery? Thus, we call the Friday on which Christ died “Good Friday.”

The Cross, for believers, is not so much a symbol of pain, but rather of the Love God has for us. Jesus said at the Last Supper, “No one has any greater love than to lay down his life for his friends” and that’s precisely what Jesus, our Good Shepherd did when he gave his own life on the Cross so that we, might live. The Cross is not a symbol, principally, of agonizing suffering, but of the mind-blowing love God has for us.

CHRIST VICTORIOUS

PRAYING THE PSALMS (3)

PRAYER

I WILL BLESS THE LORD AT ALL TIMES!

KING DAVID, SONG WRITER, MUSICIAN, SINGER,

AUTHOR OF PSALMS

INTRODUCTION

On the cross Jesus prayed from Psalm 22, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me” (Matthew 27:46) “Into thine hands I commend my spirit.” Psalm 31:5 (Luke 23:46)

PSALM 101

I sing of mercy and justice; to you, LORD, I sing praise. I study the way of integrity; when will you come to me? I act with integrity of heart within my household. I do not allow into my presence anything base. I hate wrongdoing; I will have no part of it. May the devious heart keep far from me; the wicked I will not acknowledge….

Haughty eyes and arrogant hearts I cannot endure. Whoever follows the way of integrity, is the one to enter my house… No one who speaks falsely can last in my presence. Morning after morning, I clear the wicked from the land, to rid the city of the LORD of all doers of evil.

REFLECTION

In this Psalm, the Psalmist prays that he will remain holy and not be subject to the enticements of the world. We live in this world but we are not to be part of this world. John 17:15-17 Our standards are much higher. There is a heavenly world, a holy world, alongside this earthly world, seek it, grasp it. By example build the reign of God in this world that we may persevere into the heavenly kingdom.

PSALM 103

Bless the LORD, my soul; all my being, bless his holy name! Bless the LORD, my soul; and do not forget all his gifts, Who pardons all your sins, and heals all your ills, Who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with mercy and compassion, Who fills your days with good things.

Merciful and gracious is the LORD, slow to anger, abounding in mercy. He will not always accuse, and nurses no lasting anger; He has not dealt with us as our sins merit, nor requited us as our wrongs deserve….

As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him. For he knows how we are formed, remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like the grass; he blossoms like a flower in the field. A wind sweeps over it and it is gone; its place knows it no more. But the LORD’s mercy is from age to age toward those who fear him….

REFLECTION

We acknowledge God’s infinite mercy and beg that His mercy continues as we are fallible, a fallen people. We are mere dust formed Creator God who loves us even to death on the cross and intends us to live in His holy image with Him for all eternity.

We may wander away for a bit but His mercy and forgiveness calls us back. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26 We know God in our very being now, some call it a conscience but God calls it our hearts.

PSALM 111

Hallelujah! I will praise the LORD with all my heart in the assembled congregation of the upright. Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them. Majestic and glorious is his work, his righteousness endures forever…He gives food to those who fear him, he remembers his covenant forever…The works of his hands are true and just, reliable all his decrees, Established forever and ever…holy and fearsome is his name. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; prudent are all who practice it. His praise endures forever.

REFLECTION

Here we acknowledge the great works of the Lord that may be found by those who study and read Scripture

God gives us food for the soul. The fear of the Lord is beginning of wisdom. Here fear is not so much about God’s final judgment on us as a profound awe of who God is and who we are. Our good lies in humble acceptance and trust in self-abandonment into His hands. Trust in God who wills the salvation of all.

PSALM 115

Not to us, LORD, not to us but to your name give glory because of your mercy and faithfulness. Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Our God is in heaven and does whatever he wills. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths but do not speak, eyes but do not see. They have ears but do not hear, noses but do not smell. They have hands but do not feel, feet but do not walk; they produce no sound from their throats.

Their makers will be like them, and anyone who trusts in them. ^*The house of Israel trusts in the LORD, who is their help and shield…. Those who fear the LORD trust in the LORD, who is their help and shield. The LORD remembers us and will bless us…

REFLECTION

Here we are instructed about false idols. Our ancestors, the Hebrews, fell in and out of God’s blessings throughout the Old Testament. Even when Moses was receiving God’s Law on Sinai, the Jews below were making a golden calf.

Even today, we build golden calves. Where is your treasure? What do you follow? Idols today, you know will result in the same thing as it did in the Hebrew Scriptures. Separation from the one true God will result in disaster in our lives and risk our eternal life. Are our idols worth it? And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. 1 John 2:17

JESUS PRAYING THE PSALMS

IS GOD’S LAW A BURDEN OR A DELIGHT?

CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACHING, CATHOLIC COMMENTARY

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 may be complete.

JOHN 15:9-11

INTRODUCTION

According to John 15:9-11,Christ’s joy in us will be complete if we obey the commandments? Wait a minute, how is that possible? Won’t that meaning following rules. That may cause me suffering. What is the cost involved here to have this joy of Christ? Jesus can not tell a lie so it must be true. Whether we follow the Commandments of God or not, we still follow rules, we suffer, and we pay the cost in our every day lives.

So what is this complete joy of Christ. It can’t be filet mignon every night, a Tesla car, and a summer home on the Mediteranean Sea. These things are not available to everyone and God does not discriminate among his children. This joy must be possible to all God’s children. Jesus’ joy was that He and the Father are one. Union with God must be the answer.

When I sin, I separate myself from God. And it is not just separating from God but I mess up my life here on earth with all the consequences of sin. We were created to share in the Divne Life of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for all eternity. Perfect union. Perfect Beatitude. How can we begin this eternity while here on earth. Well, God has given us a plan, the best self-help book ever written.

God knows who He has created and what will make us happy and safe on our journey home. Of curse there was a temporaty glich in Adam and Eve our first parents. They messed themselves and us up with Original Sin, darkness of intellect, weakened will, and death. We needed a Savior, a great one in Jesus Christ, Son of God, conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary.

As God and man, Jesus could atone for the infinite offense against God and as human He could offer sacrifice on the part of our human race. Just as our first parents smeared the image and likeness of God in human nature, Jesus redeemed human nature and made possible union with God once more. He who sees me sees the Father John 12:45

The biblical story of the origin of the Ten Commandments suggests that Moses received them directly from God on Mt. Sinai around 1280 B.C. The Bible offers different accounts of the full text of the Ten Commandments; one in the book of Exodus and the other in Deuteronomy. The Catholic Church ascribes to the version in Deuteronomy and follows the division and enumeration provided in the Septuagint, the Old Testament translated from Hebrew into Greek that the early Christians followed.

“I AM THE LORD THY GOD, THOU SHALT NOT HAVE ANY STRANGE GODS BEFORE ME.”

This commandment forbids idolatry, the worship of false gods and goddesses. It asserts there is only One God. False gods can be anything that man puts before this One True God including people, fame, fortune and material things.

“THOU SHALT NOT TAKE THE NAME OF THE LORD THY GOD IN VAIN.” The faithful are required to honor the name of God. It makes sense that if you’re to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, then you’re naturally to respect the name of God with equal passion and vigor. You do not curse someone with the name of God, mock God, or dismiss God as irrelevant.

“REMEMBER TO KEEP HOLY THE SABBATH DAY.”

The Jewish celebration of Sabbath (Shabbat) begins at sundown on Friday evening and lasts until sundown on Saturday. Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox Christians go to church on Sunday, treating it as the Lord’s Day instead of Saturday to honor the day Christ rose from the dead. We take at least one day of the week to give thanks to God who cares for us 24/7. It is not about us it is about paying respect to the God of all. God has given us the means of worship. The Eucharist is the source and summit of Christian life.

One does not exuse themselves lightly from Sunday Mass.

The Sacraments of the Catholic Church, including attendance at Holy Mass as a Sunday Obligation, must be done in person. Watching Holy Mass on television does not fulfill one’s Sunday Obligation. Section # 2180 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church states that the Sunday Obligation is satisfied by “attendance” at Mass.

“HONOR THY FATHER AND MOTHER.”

This commandment obliges the faithful to show respect for their parents. Children must obey their parents, and adults must respect and see to the care of their parents, when they become old and infirm. You do not abandon your parents nor support euthanasia.

“THOU SHALT NOT KILL.”

Killing an innocent person is considered murder. Killing an unjust aggressor to preserve your own life isn’t considered murder or immoral. Abortion is the killing of an innocent child. That child is growing in the womb of the mother but is not the property of the mother any more than the live born child.

“THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTERY.”

This commandment asks us to honor human sexuality according to natural law and Divine Law. Not only adultery of a married person having relations with someone other than their spouse but includes prohibition of other misuse of our gift of sexuality, fornication which is sex between unmarried people, prostitution, pornography, masturbation, homosexual activity, rape, incest, and pedophilia.

“THOU SHALT NOT STEAL.”

This commandment focuses on respecting and honoring the possessions of others. This commandment forbids the act of taking someone else’s property. The Catholic Church believes this commandment includes cheating people of their money, depriving people of fair wages, tax evasion and damage to other people’s property including random vandalism.

“THOU SHALT NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS AGAINST THY NEIGHBOR.

The Eighth Commandment condemns lying. Because God is regarded as the author of all truth, the Church believes that humans are obligated to honor the truth. To lie about your neighbor may not be killing his/her body but you are killing their reputation and dignity owe to everyone made in image and likeness of God. As the old saying goes, a like goes around the world before the truth catches it. Before lying, think consequences it may make you bite your tongue.

“THOU SHALT NOT COVET THY NEIGHBOR’S WIFE.”

This Commandment forbids the intentional desire and longing for immoral sexuality. To sin in the heart, Jesus says, is to lust after a woman or a man in your heart with the desire and will to have immoral sex with them. Lusting in the heart is a heartbeat from lustfull immoral actions.

“THOU SHALT NOT COVET THY NEIGHBOR’S GOODS.”

The Tenth Commandment forbids the wanting to or taking someone else’s property. This commandment condemns theft along with feelings of envy, greed, and jealousy in reaction to what other people have.

One can easily assume the consequences of sinning against God’s Commandments, the disastrous results when these commandments are not followed….Abusive relationships, dysfunctional families, the weak and vulnerable oppressed and bullied, no moral compass outside themselves, abandoned, ignored and diminished people who we deem not worthy of our respect and care.

CONCLUSION

The prevalent despair, obsessive behavior, and anxiety in our culture arise not from being moral, but from the abandonment of the moral law. Of course, happiness is mixed with sorrow and the inevitable tragedies of life. There are no perfect families, perfect marriages, perfect parishes—nothing human is perfect. Part of our moral quest and journey home to God and all the saints includes carrying our cross. God’s Laws are a delight!

CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

1704 The human person participates in the light and power of the divine Spirit. By his reason, he is capable of understanding the order of things established by the Creator. By free will, he is capable of directing himself toward his true good. He finds his perfection “in seeking and loving what is true and good.”

I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD