Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, Vigil, Solemnity, Nativity of St. John the Baptist

June 23, 2005
Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist
Vigil

Psalm: Thursday 28

Reading I
Jer 1:4-10

In the days of King Josiah, the word of the LORD came to me, saying:

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I dedicated you,
a prophet to the nations I appointed you.

"Ah, Lord GOD!" I said,
"I know not how to speak; I am too young."
But the Lord answered me,
Say not, "I am too young."
To whomever I send you, you shall go;
whatever I command you, you shall speak.
Have no fear before them,
because I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD.

Then the LORD extended his hand and touched my mouth, saying,

See, I place my words in your mouth!
This day I set you
over nations and over kingdoms,
to root up and to tear down,
to destroy and to demolish,
to build and to plant.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 71:1-2, 3-4a, 5-6ab, 15ab and 17

R. (6) Since my mother's womb, you have been my strength.
In you, O LORD, I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
In your justice rescue me, and deliver me;
incline your ear to me, and save me.
R. Since my mother's womb, you have been my strength.
Be my rock of refuge,
a stronghold to give me safety,
for you are my rock and my fortress.
O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked.
R. Since my mother's womb, you have been my strength.
For you are my hope, O LORD;
my trust, O LORD, from my youth.
On you I depend from birth;
from my mother's womb you are my strength.
R. Since my mother's womb, you have been my strength.
My mouth shall declare your justice,
day by day your salvation.
O God, you have taught me from my youth,
and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds.
R. Since my mother's womb, you have been my strength.

Reading II
1 Pt 1:8-12

Beloved:
Although you have not seen Jesus Christ you love him;
even though you do not see him now yet believe in him,
you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy,
as you attain the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Concerning this salvation,
prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours
searched and investigated it,
investigating the time and circumstances
that the Spirit of Christ within them indicated
when he testified in advance
to the sufferings destined for Christ
and the glories to follow them.
It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you
with regard to the things that have now been announced to you
by those who preached the Good News to you
through the Holy Spirit sent from heaven,
things into which angels longed to look.

Gospel
Lk 1:5-17

In the days of Herod, King of Judea,
there was a priest named Zechariah
of the priestly division of Abijah;
his wife was from the daughters of Aaron,
and her name was Elizabeth.
Both were righteous in the eyes of God,
observing all the commandments
and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly.
But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren
and both were advanced in years.
Once when he was serving
as priest in his division's turn before God,
.according to the practice of the priestly service,
he was chosen by lot
to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense.
Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside
at the hour of the incense offering,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him,
standing at the right of the altar of incense.
Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him.
But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah,
because your prayer has been heard.
Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,
and you shall name him John.
And you will have joy and gladness,
and many will rejoice at his birth,
for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.
John will drink neither wine nor strong drink.
He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb,
and he will turn many of the children of Israel
to the Lord their God.
He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah
to turn their hearts toward their children
and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous,
to prepare a people fit for the Lord."

Thursday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

June 23, 2005
Thursday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

Psalm: Thursday 28

Reading I
Gn 16:1-12, 15-16 or 16:6b-12, 15-16

Abram's wife Sarai had borne him no children.
She had, however, an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar.
Sarai said to Abram:
"The LORD has kept me from bearing children.
Have intercourse, then, with my maid;
perhaps I shall have sons through her."
Abram heeded Sarai's request.
Thus, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan,
his wife Sarai took her maid, Hagar the Egyptian,
and gave her to her husband Abram to be his concubine.
He had intercourse with her, and she became pregnant.
When she became aware of her pregnancy,
she looked on her mistress with disdain.
So Sarai said to Abram:
"You are responsible for this outrage against me.
I myself gave my maid to your embrace;
but ever since she became aware of her pregnancy,
she has been looking on me with disdain.
May the LORD decide between you and me!"
Abram told Sarai: "Your maid is in your power.
Do to her whatever you please."
Sarai then abused her so much that Hagar ran away from her.

The LORD's messenger found her by a spring in the wilderness,
the spring on the road to Shur, and he asked,
"Hagar, maid of Sarai, where have you come from
and where are you going?"
She answered, "I am running away from my mistress, Sarai."
But the LORD's messenger told her:
"Go back to your mistress and submit to her abusive treatment.
I will make your descendants so numerous," added the LORD's messenger,
"that they will be too many to count.
Besides," the LORD's messenger said to her:

"You are now pregnant and shall bear a son;
you shall name him Ishmael,
For the LORD has heard you,
God has answered you.

This one shall be a wild ass of a man,
his hand against everyone,
and everyone's hand against him;
In opposition to all his kin
shall he encamp."

Hagar bore Abram a son,
and Abram named the son whom Hagar bore him Ishmael.
Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael.

or

Abram told Sarai: "Your maid is in your power.
Do to her whatever you please."
Sarai then abused her so much that Hagar ran away from her.

The LORD's messenger found her by a spring in the wilderness,
the spring on the road to Shur, and he asked,
"Hagar, maid of Sarai, where have you come from
and where are you going?"
She answered, "I am running away from my mistress, Sarai."
But the LORD's messenger told her:
"Go back to your mistress and submit to her abusive treatment.
I will make your descendants so numerous," added the LORD's messenger,
"that they will be too many to count.
Besides," the LORD's messenger said to her:

"You are now pregnant and shall bear a son;
you shall name him Ishmael,
For the LORD has heard you,
God has answered you.

This one shall be a wild ass of a man,
his hand against everyone,
and everyone's hand against him;
In opposition to all his kin
shall he encamp."

Hagar bore Abram a son,
and Abram named the son whom Hagar bore him Ishmael.
Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 106:1b-2, 3-4a, 4b-5

R. (1b) Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
Who can tell the mighty deeds of the LORD,
or proclaim all his praises?
R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Blessed are they who observe what is right,
who do always what is just.
Remember us, O LORD, as you favor your people.
R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Visit me with your saving help,
that I may see the prosperity of your chosen ones,
rejoice in the joy of your people,
and glory with your inheritance.
R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Gospel
Mt 7:21-29

Jesus said to his disciples:
"Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,'
will enter the Kingdom of heaven,
but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.
Many will say to me on that day,
‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name?
Did we not drive out demons in your name?
Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?'
Then I will declare to them solemnly,
‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.'

"Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them
will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.
And everyone who listens to these words of mine
but does not act on them
will be like a fool who built his house on sand.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
And it collapsed and was completely ruined."

When Jesus finished these words,
the crowds were astonished at his teaching,
for he taught them as one having authority,
and not as their scribes.

From: Genesis 16:1-12, 15-16

The Birth of Ishmael

[1] Now Sarai, Abram's wife, bore him no children. She had an Egyptian maid
whose name was Hagar; [2] and Sarai said to Abram, "Behold now, the Lord has
prevented me from bearing children; go in to my maid; it may be that I shall
obtain children by her." And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. [3] So,
after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai, Abram's wife,
took Hagar the Egyptian, her maid, and gave her to Abram her husband as a
wife. [4] And he went in to Hagar, and she conceived; and when she saw that
she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress. [5] And Sarai
said to Abram, "May the wrong done to me be on you! I gave my maid to your
embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with
contempt. May the Lord judge between you and me!" [6] But Abram said to
Sarai, "Behold, your maid is in your power; do to her as you please." Then
Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her.

[7] The angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the
spring on the way to Shur. [8] And he said, "Hagar, maid of Sarai, where
have you come from and where are you going?" She said, "I am fleeing from my
mistress Sarai." [9] The angel of the Lord said to her, "Return to your
mistress, and submit to her." [10] The angel of the Lord also said to her,
"I will so greatly multiply your descendants that they cannot be numbered
for multitude." "And the angel of the Lord said to her, "Behold, you are
with child, and shall bear a son; you shall call his name Ishmael; because
the Lord has given heed to your affliction. [12] He shall be a wild ass of a
man, his hand against every man everyman's hand against him; and he shall
dwell over against all his kinsmen."

[15] And Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram called the name of his son, whom
Hagar bore, Ishmael. [16] Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore
Ishmael to Abram.

Commentary:

16:1-6. Sarah, too, seems to be impatient about the delay in the fulfillment
of the divine promise to give Abraham descendants. Therefore, she resorts to
a custom of the time designed to increase the number of children. It was not
strictly speaking polygamy but rather a means the lawful wife used in order
to give her husband children. From what we know of Babylonian laws of the
time, if the slave-girl became pregnant and then began to look down on her
mistress, she could be punished and revert to being treated as a slave. That
is what Hagar fears will happen, so she runs away.

The patriarchs follow the customs of their time; some of which (as in this
case) were morally defective. In the light of the teaching of the Bible
taken as a whole, we can see that behavior of this sort was a consequence of
man's original sin, and we can also see that God gradually led man back to a
morality that was fully in keeping with human dignity as reflected in the
Creation accounts. Consider, for example, what Jesus has to say on the
subject of marriage (Mt 5:31-32). However, prior to that, God educates
mankind bit by bit and to do so he tolerates imperfect customs and types of
behavior "in order" to lead mankind towards those higher goals. "The books of
the Old Testament provide an understanding of God and man and make clear to
all men how a just and merciful God deals with mankind. These books, even
though they contain matters imperfect and provisional, nevertheless show us
authentic divine teaching" ("De Verbum", 15).

16:7-16. This is the first appearance in the Bible of the "angel of the
Lord"; here it means God himself coming out to meet man by making himself
visible in some way. Also, the passage includes a tradition which explains
the name of a place in the Negeb desert linked to stories about the
patriarchs. According to 25:11 Beer-Iahai-roi was where Isaac was based.
Both this place-name (Lahai-roi in Hebrew sounds like "the living one who
sees me") and Ishmael's name ("God heard") are given an etymological
explanation.

Ishmael is the ancestor of the desert Arabs who live on the fringes of
cultivated lands. By stressing the link between Abraham and lshmael the text
wants to show the connections (sometimes tense, yet always familial) between
the Jews and these Arabs. The main thing the biblical account shows us is
that God loves and protects this people too and he has compassion towards
anyone who suffers-in this case, the Egyptian slave.

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.

From: Matthew 7:21-29

Doing the Will of God

(Jesus said to His disciples,) [21] "Not every one who says to Me,
`Lord, Lord,' shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the
will of My Father who is in Heaven. [22] On that day many will say to
Me, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and cast out demons
in Your name, and do many mighty works in Your name?' [23] And then I
will declare to them, `I never knew you; depart from Me, you
evildoers.'

Building on Rock

[24] "Every one then who hears these words of Mine and does them will be
like a wise man who built his house upon the rock; [25] and the rain
fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house,
but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. [26] And
every one who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be
like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand; [27] and the rain
fell, and the floods came, and winds blew and beat against that house,
and it fell; and great was the fall of it."

[28] And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished
at His teaching, [29] for He taught them as one who had authority, and
not as their scribes.

Commentary:

21-23. To be genuine, prayer must be accompanied by a persevering
effort to do God's will. Similarly, in order to do His will it is not
enough to speak about the things of God: there must consistency between
what one preaches--what one says--and what one does: "The Kingdom of
God does not consist in talk but in power" (1 Corinthians 4:20); "Be
doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" (James
1:22).

Christians, "holding loyally to the Gospel, enriched by its resources,
and joining forces with all who love and practice justice, have
shouldered a weighty task on earth and they must render an account of
it to Him who will judge all men on the last day. Not every one who
says, `Lord, Lord' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but those who do
the will of the Father, and who manfully put their hands to the work"
(Vatican II, "Gaudium Et Spes", 93).

To enter the Kingdom of Heaven, to be holy, it is not enough, then, to
speak eloquently about holiness. One has to practice what one
preaches, to produce fruit which accords with one's words. Fray Luis
de Leon puts it very graphically: "Notice that to be a good Christian
it is not enough just to pray and fast and hear Mass; God must find you
faithful, like another Job or Abraham, in times of tribulation" ("Guide
for Sinners", Book 1, Part 2, Chapter 21).

Even if a person exercises an ecclesiastical ministry that does not
assure his holiness; he needs to practice the virtues he preaches.
Besides, we know from experience that any Christian (clerical,
religious or lay) who does not strive to act in accordance with the
demands of the faith he professes, begins to weaken in his faith and
eventually parts company also with the teaching of the Church. Anyone
who does not live in accordance with what he says, ends up saying
things which are contrary to faith.

The authority with which Jesus speaks in these verses reveals Him as
sovereign Judge of the living and the dead. No Old Testament prophet
ever spoke with His authority.

22. "That day": a technical formula in biblical language meaning the
day of the Judgment of the Lord or the Last Judgment.

23. This passage refers to the Judgment where Jesus will be the Judge.
The sacred text uses a verb which means the public proclamation of a
truth. Since in this case Jesus Christ is the Judge who makes the
declaration, it takes the form of a judicial sentence.

24-27. These verses constitute the positive side of the previous
passage. A person who tries to put Christ's teaching into practice,
even if he experiences personal difficulties or lives during times of
upheaval in the life of the Church or is surrounded by error, will stay
firm in the faith, like the wise man who builds his house on rock.

Also, if we are to stay strong in times of difficulty, we need, when
things are calm and peaceful, to accept little contradictions with a
good grace, to be very refined in our relationship with God and with
others, and to perform the duties of our state in life in a spirit of
loyalty and abnegation. By acting in this way we are laying down a
good foundation, maintaining the edifice of our spiritual life and
repairing any cracks which make their appearance.

28-29. Jesus' listeners could clearly see the radical difference
between the style of teaching of the scribes and Pharisees, and the
conviction and confidence with which Jesus spoke. There is nothing
tentative about His words; they leave no room for doubt.

Catholic Culture

Collect:
Father, guide and protector of your people, grant us an unfailing respect for your name, and keep us always in your love. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Recipes:

» Chiresaye (Cherry Pudding Decorated with Flowers)

Activities:

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Prayers:

June 23, 2005

Thursday of the Twelfth Week of Ordinary Time

Old Calendar: Vigil of St. John the Baptist

"It is not those who say to me, 'Lord Lord,' who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven" (Matt 7:21).

Before the reform of the General Roman Calendar in 1969, the Church observed the Vigil of St. John the Baptist with a special vigil Mass. The reform removed this vigil Mass from the Calendar. The Birth of St. John the Baptist is a solemnity, and so observance still begins with Evening Prayer I in the Liturgy of the Hours of the preceding day. The liturgical day is from midnight to midnight in the Church's observance, except for Sunday and solemnities which begin with the evening of the preceding day.

Meditation -
There was a man sent from God whose name was John
Whom, my brethren, can we conceive to have such majestic and severe sanctity as the Holy Baptist? He had a privilege which reached near upon the prerogative of the Most Blessed Mother of God; for, if she was conceived without sin, at least without sin he was born. She was all-pure, all-holy, and sin had no part in her: but St. John was in the beginning of his existence a partaker of Adam's curse: he lay under God's wrath, deprived of that grace which Adam had received, and which is the life and strength of human nature. Yet as soon as Christ, his Lord and Savior, came to him, and Mary saluted his own mother, Elizabeth, forthwith the grace of God was given to him, and the original guilt was wiped away from his soul. And therefore it is that we celebrate the nativity of St. John; nothing unholy does the Church celebrate; not St. Peter's nor St. Paul's, nor St. Augustine's, nor St. Gregory's, nor St. Bernard's, nor St. Aloysius's, nor the nativity of any other Saint, however glorious, because they were all born in sin. She celebrates their conversions, their prerogatives, their martyrdoms, their deaths, their translations, but not their birth, because in no case was it holy.

Three nativities alone does she commemorate, our Lord's, His Mother's, and lastly, St. John's. What a special gift was this, my brethren, separating the Baptist off, and distinguishing him from all prophets and preachers, who ever lived, however holy, except perhaps the prophet Jeremiah. And such as was his commencement, was the course of his life. He was carried away by the Spirit into the desert, and there he lived on the simplest fare, in the rudest clothing, in the caves of wild beasts, apart from men, for thirty years, leading a life of mortification and of meditation, till he was called to preach penance, to proclaim the Christ, and to baptize Him; and then having done his work, and having left no act of sin on record, he was laid aside as an instrument which had lost its use, and languished in prison, till he was suddenly cut off by the sword of the executioner. Sanctity is the one idea of him impressed upon us from first to last; a most marvelous Saint, a hermit from his childhood, then a preacher to a fallen people, and then a Martyr. Surely such a life fulfills the expectation, which the salutation of Mary raised concerning him before his birth.

John Henry Newman

Things to Do:

St. John's Birth marks the summer solstice. On the eve of this feast many countries have celebrated with bonfires. This is especially true in Ireland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
See the list of suggested activities to read more about this tradition.

Read from outside sources about St. John's Eve and St. John's Eve particularly in Ireland (note the second link is a secular website).

From the Germanic countries, here is some information on the Summer Solstice / Johannisnacht / Midsummer Night!

Homily of the Day

Homily of the Day

Title:	Talk Is Cheap. Why Not Do Something?
Author:	Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.
Date:	Thursday, June 23, 2005

Gn 16:6-12,15-16 / Mt 7:21-29

A great deal of cynicism has arisen in our country about politicians, car dealers, advertising executives and the like. The common bond between them, at least according to common perception, is that their talk is cheap and their promises are not to be trusted or taken seriously. Indeed, they've all become a standard part of the national repertoire of humor.

Pointing an accusing finger at many of these characters can be amusing recreation and is often justified by the facts, but it does tend to distract us from the exploring the possible presence of the same self-deceptive virus in our own lives. We all talk too much, about our neighbors' faults, about our leaders' foolish mistakes, and about our own grand plans as if they were already achievements. We talk about our hopes and aspirations as if they were deeds, while denying others even a hint of the same luxury.

There's no time like the present to replace all that talk with a humble and thoughtful silence that refrains from judging others and expends its energies on laying the foundations for deeds that will count and whose effects will last. Nothing less will be an adequate return to the Lord for all the gifts with which he has filled us.

A Voice in the Desert

Thursday June 23, 2005 Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

Reading (Genesis 16:1-12, 15-16) Gospel (St. Matthew 7:21-29)

In the Gospel reading today, we are told that when the people heard the Lord’s teaching they were astonished because He taught with authority and not like their scribes. The thing we have to understand as we listen to these words from the Lord’s teaching is that He was not simply speaking them the way that we just read them. They obviously had some pretty strong emphasis. When you listen to the words that He is speaking and then put a strong emphasis on them, you realize that we will be stung to the heart if we really listen to the words.

Again, just listen to what He says: I never knew you. Depart from Me, you evildoers. These are people who said, “Lord, didn’t we do all these things in Your Name? We called on Your holy Name! We cast out demons! We did mighty works! We did all kinds of things in Your Name!” And He says, Get away from Me! I never knew you. What about us, who call upon the Name of the Lord? Are we truly living the life? Otherwise, we are going to be cast away. He goes on to tell us exactly what He means in this manner. If our house is built solidly on rock – and Jesus Himself is the Rock – then we are going to be fine. But if the house is built on sand, then it is going to get blown over.

Anything less than Jesus is sand. We can make a house that looks really nice, but when the day comes we are going to say, “But, Lord, Lord, didn’t I build a house that looked just like the one the person next to me built?” It does not matter what the house looked like; it matters what the foundation of the house was. If what we want is to make it look impressive, then put it on a foundation where it is going to be solid. All the impressive words in the world are not going to impress God. All the impressive deeds in the world, if they are done selfishly or for some sort of illicit gain, are not going to impress God. We have to be doing the Will of God.

Saint Paul condemns those who will use religion for profit. He says, “There is great profit in religion, but it is not about the monetary profit – it is about the profit of the soul.” Our Lord tells us that we are to store up treasure in heaven. If that is the case, we need to be careful that we are not calling upon the Lord for selfish reasons, that we are not giving Him lip service while our hearts are far from Him, that we are not just running around doing all kinds of things trying to make ourselves look good. We truly have to be serving Him, and we have to be seeking to do His Will because He said, Anyone who hears these words of Mine and puts them into practice is the one who builds his house on rock, and anyone who hears these words of Mine but does not put them into practice is the one who builds on sand.

So that really needs to be our examination of conscience. Are we really living what Our Lord told us? Are we being faithful to His words? Are we being faithful to Him? Or are we merely giving Him lip service so that we look good? The words of Our Lord astonished the people because He taught with authority, and the authority of the Lord is the authority of God Himself. When He heard what these people said, He told them, Get away from Me, you evildoers, because I don’t know you. Those are not authoritative words that we want to hear on the Day of Judgment. If we do not want to hear those words on the Day of Judgment, then the Lord makes very clear – with all the authority of His divine power and all the weight of His divinity – what we have to do. We have to hear His words and act upon them.

* This text was transcribed from the audio recording with minimal editing.

Lk 1:5-17
#	Douay-Rheims	Vulgate
5	There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zachary, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name Elizabeth.	fuit in diebus Herodis regis Iudaeae sacerdos quidam nomine Zaccharias de vice Abia et uxor illi de filiabus Aaron et nomen eius Elisabeth
6	And they were both just before God, walking in all the commandments and justifications of the Lord without blame.	erant autem iusti ambo ante Deum incedentes in omnibus mandatis et iustificationibus Domini sine querella
7	And they had no son, for that Elizabeth was barren: and they both were well advanced in years.	et non erat illis filius eo quod esset Elisabeth sterilis et ambo processissent in diebus suis
8	And it came to pass, when he executed the priestly function in the order of his course before God,	factum est autem cum sacerdotio fungeretur in ordine vicis suae ante Deum
9	According to the custom of the priestly office, it was his lot to offer incense, going into the temple of the Lord.	secundum consuetudinem sacerdotii sorte exiit ut incensum poneret ingressus in templum Domini
10	And all the multitude of the people was praying without, at the hour of incense.	et omnis multitudo erat populi orans foris hora incensi
11	And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.	apparuit autem illi angelus Domini stans a dextris altaris incensi
12	And Zachary seeing him, was troubled: and fear fell upon him.	et Zaccharias turbatus est videns et timor inruit super eum
13	But the angel said to him: Fear not, Zachary, for thy prayer is heard: and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son. And thou shalt call his name John.	ait autem ad illum angelus ne timeas Zaccharia quoniam exaudita est deprecatio tua et uxor tua Elisabeth pariet tibi filium et vocabis nomen eius Iohannem
14	And thou shalt have joy and gladness: and many shall rejoice in his nativity.	et erit gaudium tibi et exultatio et multi in nativitate eius gaudebunt
15	For he shall be great before the Lord and shall drink no wine nor strong drink: and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.	erit enim magnus coram Domino et vinum et sicera non bibet et Spiritu Sancto replebitur adhuc ex utero matris suae
16	And he shall convert many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.	et multos filiorum Israhel convertet ad Dominum Deum ipsorum
17	And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias: that he may turn the hearts of the fathers unto the children and the incredulous to the wisdom of the just, to prepare unto the Lord a perfect people.	et ipse praecedet ante illum in spiritu et virtute Heliae ut convertat corda patrum in filios et incredibiles ad prudentiam iustorum parare Domino plebem perfectam

Mt 7:21-29
#	Douay-Rheims	Vulgate
21	Not every one that saith to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that doth the will of my Father who is in heaven, he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.	non omnis qui dicit mihi Domine Domine intrabit in regnum caelorum sed qui facit voluntatem Patris mei qui in caelis est ipse intrabit in regnum caelorum
22	Many will say to me in that day: Lord, Lord, have not we prophesied in thy name, and cast out devils in thy name, and done many miracles in thy name?	multi dicent mihi in illa die Domine Domine nonne in nomine tuo prophetavimus et in tuo nomine daemonia eiecimus et in tuo nomine virtutes multas fecimus
23	And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity.	et tunc confitebor illis quia numquam novi vos discedite a me qui operamini iniquitatem
24	Every one therefore that heareth these my words, and doth them, shall be likened to a wise man that built his house upon a rock,	omnis ergo qui audit verba mea haec et facit ea adsimilabitur viro sapienti qui aedificavit domum suam supra petram
25	And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they beat upon that house, and it fell not, for it was founded on a rock.	et descendit pluvia et venerunt flumina et flaverunt venti et inruerunt in domum illam et non cecidit fundata enim erat super petram
26	And every one that heareth these my words and doth them not, shall be like a foolish man that built his house upon the sand,	et omnis qui audit verba mea haec et non facit ea similis erit viro stulto qui aedificavit domum suam supra harenam
27	And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they beat upon that house, and it fell, and great was the fall thereof.	et descendit pluvia et venerunt flumina et flaverunt venti et inruerunt in domum illam et cecidit et fuit ruina eius magna
28	And it came to pass when Jesus had fully ended these words, the people were in admiration at his doctrine.	et factum est cum consummasset Iesus verba haec admirabantur turbae super doctrinam eius
29	For he was teaching them as one having power, and not as the scribes and Pharisees.	erat enim docens eos sicut potestatem habens non sicut scribae eorum et Pharisaei

The Word Among Us

Thursday, June 23, 2005

Meditation
Matthew 7:21-29

O Lord, you promised that if I build my life on the rock of your word, I will stand fast. And yet, there are times when waves of trouble and anguish seem ready to overwhelm me. In those moments of distress, strengthen me to pick up my tools again and keep building as you command. When I feel alone and afraid, help me hold fast to your promises. When fear and worry threaten to sweep away my house, help me shore up its foundations by not being anxious about tomorrow (Matthew 6:34).Let your words of love sink into my weary heart to renew me and ward off despair and self-pity.

My God, whenever the winds blow, remind me to plead with you, using the very words you inspired. “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I walk about mournfully because the enemy oppresses me?” (Psalm 42:9). Remind me to comfort my soul with the prayer of your psalmist: “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God” (42:5-6).

O Eternal Word, you are with me and in me! I need never feel empty, for you fill my house to overflowing with your presence, your peace, and your love. I need never give in to fear, for you are faithful, and your deeds are marvelous. I need never submit to weakness, for your grace can make me strong.

Lord, I believe that as I walk by the light of your word, all gloom will vanish, and my spirit will be refreshed. So let the rains fall. Let the floods come. Let the winds blow and beat upon my house! It will stand and not crumble, for it is built on you, who are my Rock!

“Come, let us sing to the Lord and shout with joy to the rock who saves us! Let us praise the truthfulness, fidelity, and magnificence of our God! Come, let us lift up our heads and join in the chorus of saints and angels who stand before his throne. Let us make Mary’s words of praise our own: ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!’ (Luke1:46-47), Let us build on and with the living Word of God!”

Genesis 16:1-12,15-16; Psalm 106:1-5

One Bread, One Body

<< Thursday, June 23, 2005 >>

Genesis 16:1-12, 15-16

Psalm 106:1-5

Matthew 7:21-29

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AUTHORITATIVE

“The reason was that He taught with authority and not like their scribes.” —Matthew 7:29

The religious leaders of Jesus’ day did not teach with authority as He did. They informed, educated, and enlightened people, but they didn’t always expect the people to respond and obey. Jesus did. He warned us not to give lip-service to God’s word and nullify the commandments (Mt 15:3-8). Jesus said that if we didn’t hear His words and put them into practice, our lives would collapse (Mt 7:26-27). He clearly expected us to be doers of the word (Jas 1:22). He taught with authority, and He’s the same today (Heb 13:8).

When Jesus does anything, He does it as Lord, and the nature of lordship is to command and call for obedience. Look at the readings in the previous few pages of this book. Did you take Jesus at His word? Did you accept Him as Lord? Did you respond to Jesus’ authority with obedience and submission? It matters not how much of the Bible we know, but how much of it we obey. It’s not those who say “Lord, Lord” but those who obey “Lord, Lord” that will enter God’s kingdom (Mt 7:21).

Prayer: Lord, I submit my life and will to You.

Promise: “The Lord has heard you, God has answered you.” —Gn 16:11

Praise: Dave uses every opportunity to witness to his agnostic boss about Jesus’ love for him.

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