Catholic Caucus: Sunday Mass Readings, 07-02-06, Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

USCCB.org/New American Bible ^ | 07-02-06 | New American Bible

[Salvation]

July 2, 2006

Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Psalm: Sunday 28

Reading 1
Wis 1:13-15; 2:23-24

God did not make death,
nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the living.
For he fashioned all things that they might have being;
and the creatures of the world are wholesome,
and there is not a destructive drug among them
nor any domain of the netherworld on earth,
for justice is undying.
For God formed man to be imperishable;
the image of his own nature he made him.
But by the envy of the devil, death entered the world,
and they who belong to his company experience it.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11, 12, 13

R. (2a) I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
I will extol you, O LORD, for you drew me clear
and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.
O LORD, you brought me up from the netherworld;
you preserved me from among those going down into the pit.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
Sing praise to the LORD, you his faithful ones,
and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger lasts but a moment;
a lifetime, his good will.
At nightfall, weeping enters in,
but with the dawn, rejoicing.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
Hear, O LORD, and have pity on me;
O LORD, be my helper.
You changed my mourning into dancing;
O LORD, my God, forever will I give you thanks.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

Reading II
2 Cor 8:7, 9, 13-15

Brothers and sisters:
As you excel in every respect, in faith, discourse,
knowledge, all earnestness, and in the love we have for you,
may you excel in this gracious act also.

For you know the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that though he was rich, for your sake he became poor,
so that by his poverty you might become rich.
Not that others should have relief while you are burdened,
but that as a matter of equality
your abundance at the present time should supply their needs,
so that their abundance may also supply your needs,
that there may be equality.
As it is written:
Whoever had much did not have more,
and whoever had little did not have less.

Gospel
Mk 5:21-43 or 5:21-24, 35b-43

When Jesus had crossed again in the boat
to the other side,
a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea.
One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward.
Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying,
“My daughter is at the point of death.
Please, come lay your hands on her
that she may get well and live.”
He went off with him,
and a large crowd followed him and pressed upon him.

There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years.
She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors
and had spent all that she had.
Yet she was not helped but only grew worse.
She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd
and touched his cloak.
She said, “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.”
Immediately her flow of blood dried up.
She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.
Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him,
turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who has touched my clothes?”
But his disciples said to Jesus,
“You see how the crowd is pressing upon you,
and yet you ask, ‘Who touched me?’”
And he looked around to see who had done it.
The woman, realizing what had happened to her,
approached in fear and trembling.
She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth.
He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you.
Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.”

While he was still speaking,
people from the synagogue official’s house arrived and said,
“Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?”
Disregarding the message that was reported,
Jesus said to the synagogue official,
“Do not be afraid; just have faith.”
He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside
except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James.
When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official,
he caught sight of a commotion,
people weeping and wailing loudly.
So he went in and said to them,
“Why this commotion and weeping?
The child is not dead but asleep.”
And they ridiculed him.
Then he put them all out.
He took along the child’s father and mother
and those who were with him
and entered the room where the child was.
He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum,”
which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!”
The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around.
At that they were utterly astounded.
He gave strict orders that no one should know this
and said that she should be given something to eat.

or

When Jesus had crossed again in the boat
to the other side,
a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea.
One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward.
Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying,
“My daughter is at the point of death.
Please, come lay your hands on her
that she may get well and live.”
He went off with him,
and a large crowd followed him and pressed upon him.

While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official’s house arrived and said,
“Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?”
Disregarding the message that was reported,
Jesus said to the synagogue official,
“Do not be afraid; just have faith.”
He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside
except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James.
When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official,
he caught sight of a commotion,
people weeping and wailing loudly.
So he went in and said to them,
“Why this commotion and weeping?
The child is not dead but asleep.”
And they ridiculed him.
Then he put them all out.
He took along the child’s father and mother
and those who were with him
and entered the room where the child was.
He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum,”
which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!”
The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around.
At that they were utterly astounded.
He gave strict orders that no one should know this
and said that she should be given something to eat.

[Salvation]

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[Salvation]

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[Salvation]

From: 2 Corinthians 8:7, 9, 13-15

Appeal for Generosity

---

[7] Now as you excel in everything--in faith, in utterance, in
knowledge, in all earnestness, and in your love for us see that you
excel in this gracious work also.

[9] For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he
was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you
might become rich. [13] I do not mean that others should be eased and
you burdened, [14] but that as a matter of equality your abundance at
the present time should supply their want, so that their abundance may
supply your want, that there may be equality. [15] As it is written,
"He who gathered much had nothing over, and he who gathered little had
no lack."

---

Commentary:

8:1-9:15. Now, taking for granted that the Corinthians trust him once
more, the Apostle begins the second part of his letter (chaps. 8-9),
which has to do with the collection for the faithful in Jerusalem, a
collection which he organized not only in Corinth but also in the other
churches he had founded (cf. Rom 15:26; 1 Cor 16:1). This was indeed
one of the points about which the apostolic council at Jerusalem (cf.
Gal 2:10; Acts 15) reminded the churches to remember the poor,
something St Paul always tried to do, as we can see clearly from these
pages.

In addition to alleviating the material needs of the "saints"--that is,
the Christians (cf. 1:1)--of the mother church, the Apostle sees this
collection as a way of showing the fraternal unity Gentile converts
have with that church (cf. 9:12-14).

He had already taken this matter up in 1 Corinthians 16:1-4; in fact,
even before that, a year earlier, the Corinthians had indicated that
they wanted to help Jerusalem and had begun to collect funds (cf. 8:10;
9:2). He must be bringing it up again--and at length--because the
fervor of the Corinthians' first charity must have cooled somewhat due
to the crisis in the Corinthian church.

It is interesting to note how delicately the Apostle broaches this
subject: in the original text there is no mention of "money" or "alms".
Instead, he uses more a spiritual vocabulary--"grace", "willing gift",
"love", "relief of the saints".

St Paul begins by citing the generosity of the Macedonians (8:1- 6),
and he then goes on to appeal to the Corinthians (8:7-15). After
recommending those whom he is sending to organize the collection
(8:16-24), he asks that it be done without delay (9:1- 5) and reminds
them of the blessings that almsgiving brings (9:6-15).

1-15. St Paul wants to get the Corinthians to be generous. First, he
points to the example given by the Macedonians (vv. 1-6). Macedonia was
one of the two provinces into which the Romans had divided Greece;
Achaia, the other, had Corinth as its capital (cf. note on 1:1-2). In
Macedonia, from where the Apostle is writing, there were Christian
communities at Philippi, Thessalonica, and Beroea, which he had founded
during his second missionary journey (cf. Acts 16:17:15). He plays on
the natural rivalry between the two provinces, raising it onto a
supernatural plane. He also mentions our Lord (v. 9), who, in his
Incarnation and throughout his life, gave us a wonderful example of
generosity and detachment.

The Apostle also appeals directly to the Corinthians, reminding them of
their earlier readiness to contribute and encouraging them to complete
what they started to do so eagerly.

7-15. The Apostle now appeals directly to the generosity of the
Corinthians and reminds them of our Lord's example (v. 9). They are
already noted for other charisms--"in faith, in utterance, in
knowledge" (cf. 1 Cor 1:5; 12:8f); now they should be seen to be
outstanding in charity. He tells them this is not a command but rather
advice (vv. 8, 10) and then encourages them to complete the collection
they have begun; it is not designed to impoverish them but to have them
help those in need.

7. "In your love for us": the New Vulgate, which relies on the best
Greek manuscripts, translates this as "in the love that we have given
you". St Paul is referring to Christian charity towards others, in
which he formed them during the years when he preached to them. The
variant, found in RSV and other versions, is not in our opinion as
suitable to the context.

9. Jesus Christ is the example of detachment and generosity. Our Lord,
because he is God, was in need of nothing; but by becoming man he
voluntarily despoiled himself of the splendor of his divinity (cf. Phil
2:6f) and lived on earth as a poor man--from his birth in poverty in
Bethlehem to his death on the cross; sometimes he did not even have the
bare necessities of life (cf. Lk 9:58).

"If you do not believe that poverty is enriching," St John Chrysostom
comments, "picture your Lord and you will doubt me no longer. For had
he not become poor, you could not have become rich. By a miracle which
men cannot understand, poverty has produced these riches--the knowledge
of God and godliness, liberation from sin, justification,
sanctification, the countless good things which he has bestowed on us
and will bestow on us in the future. All those things have accrued to
us through his poverty--through his taking our flesh and becoming man
and suffering what he suffered. And yet, unlike us, he did not deserve
punishment and suffering" ("Hom. on 2 Cor.", 17).

14. The spiritual abundance of the Christians of the church of
Jerusalem can relieve the spiritual indigence of the new Christians of
Corinth (cf. 9:12-14). St Paul also says in his Letter to the Romans
in connection with this collection: "for if the Gentiles have come to
share in their spiritual blessings, they agree also to be of service to
them in material blessings" (15:27).

15. St Paul supports with the authority of Sacred Scripture what he has
just been saying about equity (v. 14), by referring to the manna which
God miraculously nourished the people of Israel in the wilderness.
Everyone was gathering the manna--some more, other less--"when they
measured it with an omer, he who gathered much had nothing over, and
he who gathered little had no lack; each gathered according to what he
could eat" (Ex 16:18). St Paul is saying something similar: every
Christian should have what he needs, and should be helped by his
brothers in the faith wherever necessary.

---

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.

[Salvation]

From: Mark 5:21-43


Jairus' Daughter is Restored to Life.
The Curing of the Woman With a Hemorrhage

---

[21] And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a
great crowd gathered about Him; and He was beside the sea. [22] Then
came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing
Him, he fell at His feet, [23] and besought Him, saying, "My little
daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, so
that she may be made well, and live." [24] And He went with him.


And a great crowd followed Him and thronged about Him. [25] And there
was a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years, [26] and who had
suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had,
and was no better but rather grew worse. [27] She had heard the
reports about Jesus, and came up behind Him in the crowd and touched
His garment. [28] For she said, "If I touch even His garments, I shall
be made well." [29] And immediately the hemorrhage ceased; and she
felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. [30] And Jesus,
perceiving in Himself that power had gone forth from Him, immediately
turned about in the crowd, and said, "Who touched My garments?" [31]
And His disciples said to Him, "You see the crowd pressing around You,
and yet You say, `Who touched Me?'" [32] And He looked around to see
who had done it. [33] But the woman, knowing what had been done to
her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before Him, and told Him
the whole truth. [34] and He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has
made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease."


[35] While He was speaking, there came from the ruler's house some who
said, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?"
[36] But ignoring what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the
synagogue, "Do not fear, only believe." [37] And He allowed no one to
follow Him except Peter and James and John the brother of James.
[38] When they came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, He saw a
tumult, and people weeping and wailing loudly. [39] And when He had
entered, He said to them, "Why do you make a tumult and weep? The child
is not dead but sleeping." [40] And they laughed at Him. But He put
them all outside, and took the child's father and mother and those who
were with Him, and went in where the child was. [41] Taking her by the
hand He said to her, "Talitha cumi"; which means, "Little girl, I say to
you arise." [42] And immediately the girl got up and walked; for she was
twelve years old. And immediately they were overcome with amazement.
[43] And He strictly charged them that no one should know this, and
told them to give her something to eat.

---

Commentary:


21-43. Both Jairus and the woman with the flow of blood give us an
example of faith in Christ's omnipotence, for only a miracle can cure
Jairus' daughter, who is on her death-bed, and heal this lady, who has
done everything humanly possible to get better. Similarly, the
Christian should always expect God to help him overcome the obstacles
in the way of his sanctification. Normally, God's help comes to us in
an unspectacular way, but we should not doubt that, if it is necessary
for our salvation, God will again work miracles. However, we should
bear in mind that what the Lord expects of us is that we should every
day fulfill His will.


22. At the head of each synagogue was the archisynagogist, whose
function it was to organize the meetings of the synagogue on Sabbaths
and holy days, to lead the prayer and hymns and to indicate who should
explain the Sacred Scripture. He was assisted in his task by a council
and also had an aide who looked after the material side of things.


25. This woman suffered from an illness which implied legal impurity
(Leviticus 14:25ff). Medical attention had failed to cure her; on the
contrary, as the Gospel puts it so realistically, she was worse than
ever. In addition to her physical suffering--which had gone on for
twelve years--she suffered the shame of feeling unclean according to
the Law. The Jews not only regarded a woman in this position as being
impure: everything she touched became unclean as well. Therefore, in
order not to be noticed by the people, the woman came up to Jesus from
behind and, out of delicacy, touched only His garment. Her faith is
enriched by her _expression of humility: she is conscious of being
unworthy to touch our Lord. "She touched the hem of His garment, she
approached Him in a spirit of faith, she believed, and she realized
that she was cured [...]. So we too, if we wish to be saved, should
reach out in faith to touch the garment of Christ" (St. Ambrose,
"Expositio Evangelii Sec. Lucam", VI, 56 and 58).


30. In all that crowd pressing around Him only this woman actually
touched Jesus--and she touched Him not only with her hand but with the
faith she bore in her heart. St. Augustine comments: "She touches Him,
the people crowd Him. Is her touching not a sign of her belief?" ("In
Ioann. Evang.", 26, 3). We need contact with Jesus. We have been given
no other means under Heaven by which to be saved (cf. Acts 4:12). When
we receive Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, we obtain this physical contact
through the sacramental species. We too need to enliven our faith if
these encounters with our Lord are to redound to our salvation (cf.
Matthew 13:58).


37. Jesus did not want more than these three Apostles to be present:
three was the number of witnesses laid down by the Law (Deuteronomy
19:15). "For Jesus, being humble, never acted in an ostentatious way
(Theophilactus, "Enarratio In Evangelium Marci, in loc."). Besides
these were the three disciples closest to Jesus: later, only they will
be with Him at the Transfiguration (cf. 9:2) and at His agony in the
Garden of Gethsemane (cf. 14:33).


39. Jesus' words are in contrast with those of the ruler's servants;
they say: "Your daughter is dead"; whereas He says: "She is not dead
but sleeping". "To men's eyes she was dead, she could not be awoken;
in God's eyes she was sleeping, for her soul was alive and was subject
to God's power, and her body was resting, awaiting the Resurrection.
Hence the custom which arose among Christians of referring to the dead,
whom we know will rise again, as those who are asleep" (St. Bede, "In
Marci Evangelium Expositio, in loc."). What Jesus says shows us that,
for God, death is only a kind of sleep, for He can awaken anyone from
the dead whenever He wishes. The same happens with the death and
resurrection of Lazarus. Jesus says: "Our friend Lazarus has fallen
asleep, but I go to awaken him out of sleep." And, when the disciples
think that it is ordinary sleep He is referring to, our Lord tells them
plainly: "Lazarus is dead" (cf. John 11:11ff).


40-42. Like all the Gospel miracles the raising of the daughter of
Jairus demonstrates Christ's divinity. Only God can work miracles;
sometimes He does them in a direct way, sometimes by using created
things as a medium. The exclusively divine character of
miracles--especially the miracle of raising the dead--is noticed in the
Old Testament: "The Lord wills and brings to life; He brings down to
Sheol and raises up" (1 Samuel 2:6), because He has "power over life
and death" (Wisdom 16:13). And also in the Old Testament God uses men
to raise the dead to life: the prophet Elijah revives the son of the
widow of Sarepta by "crying to the Lord" (cf. 1 Kings 17:21), and
Elisha prevails on Him to raise the son of the Shunammite (2 Kings
4:33).


In the same way, in the New Testament the Apostles do not act by their
own power but by that of Jesus to whom they first offer fervent prayer:
Peter restores to life a Christian woman of Joppa named Tabitha (Acts
9:36ff); and Paul, in Troas, brings Eutychus back to life after he
falls from a high window (Acts 20:7ff). Jesus does not refer to any
superior power; His authority is sovereign: all He has to do is give
the order and the daughter of Jairus is brought back to life; this
shows that He is God.

---

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.

[Salvation]

Scripture readings taken from the Jerusalem Bible, published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd

Mass Readings

First reading

Wisdom 1:13 - 2:24 ©

Death was not God’s doing, he takes no pleasure in the extinction of the living. To be – for this he created all; the world’s created things have health in them, in them no fatal poison can be found, and Hades holds no power on earth; for virtue is undying. Yet God did make man imperishable, he made him in the image of his own nature; it was the devil’s envy that brought death into the world, as those who are his partners will discover.

Psalm or canticle: Psalm 29

Second reading

2 Corinthians 8:7 - 15 ©

You always have the most of everything – of faith, of eloquence, of understanding, of keenness for any cause, and the biggest share of our affection – so we expect you to put the most into this work of mercy too. Remember how generous the Lord Jesus was: he was rich, but he became poor for your sake, to make you rich out of his poverty. This does not mean that to give relief to others you ought to make things difficult for yourselves: it is a question of balancing what happens to be your surplus now against their present need, and one day they may have something to spare that will supply your own need. That is how we strike a balance: as scripture says: The man who gathered much had none too much, the man who gathered little did not go short.

Gospel

Mark 5:21 - 43 ©

When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered round him and he stayed by the lakeside. Then one of the synagogue officials came up, Jairus by name, and seeing him, fell at his feet and pleaded with him earnestly, saying, ‘My little daughter is desperately sick. Do come and lay your hands on her to make her better and save her life.’ Jesus went with him and a large crowd followed him; they were pressing all round him. Now there was a woman who had suffered from a haemorrhage for twelve years; after long and painful treatment under various doctors, she spent all she had without being any the better for it, in fact, she was getting worse. She had heard about Jesus, and she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his cloak. ‘If I can touch even his clothes,’ she had told herself ‘I shall be well again.’ And the source of the bleeding dried up instantly, and she felt in herself that she was cured of her complaint. Immediately aware that power had gone out from him, Jesus turned round in the crowd and said, ‘Who touched my clothes?’ His disciples said to him, ‘You see how the crowd is pressing round you and yet you say, “Who touched me?”’ But he continued to look all round to see who had done it. Then the woman came forward, frightened and trembling because she knew what had happened to her, and she fell at his feet and told him the whole truth. ‘My daughter,’ he said ‘your faith has restored you to health; go in peace and be free from your complaint.’ While he was still speaking some people arrived from the house of the synagogue official to say, ‘Your daughter is dead: why put the Master to any further trouble?’ But Jesus had overheard this remark of theirs and he said to the official, ‘Do not be afraid; only have faith’. And he allowed no one to go with him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. So they came to the official’s house and Jesus noticed all the commotion, with people weeping and wailing unrestrainedly. He went in and said to them, ‘Why all this commotion and crying? The child is not dead, but asleep.’ But they laughed at him. So he turned them all out and, taking with him the child’s father and mother and his own companions, he went into the place where the child lay. And taking the child by the hand he said to her, ‘Talitha, kum!’ which means, ‘Little girl, I tell you to get up’. The little girl got up at once and began to walk about, for she was twelve years old. At this they were overcome with astonishment, and he ordered them strictly not to let anyone know about it, and told them to give her something to eat.

[Salvation]

Office of Readings -- Awakening Prayer

Office of Readings

If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.

O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
 as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
 world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.

---

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 1

The two paths

Blessed the one who does not follow the counsels of the wicked,
or stand in the paths that sinners use,
or sit in the gatherings of those who mock:
his delight is the law of the Lord,
he ponders his law day and night.

He is like a tree planted by flowing waters,
that will give its fruit in due time,
whose leaves will not fade.
All that he does will prosper.

Not thus are the wicked, not thus.
They are like the dust blown by the wind.
At the time of judgement the wicked will not stand,
nor sinners in the council of the just.

For the Lord knows the path of the just;
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
 as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
 world without end.
Amen.

---

Psalm 2

The Messiah, king and victor

Why are the nations in a ferment? Why do the people make their vain plans?

The kings of the earth have risen up; the leaders have united against the Lord, against his anointed.
“Let us break their chains, that bind us; let us throw off their yoke from our shoulders!”

The Lord laughs at them, he who lives in the heavens derides them.
Then he speaks to them in his anger; in his fury he throws them into confusion:
“But I – I have set up my king on Sion, my holy mountain”.

I will proclaim the Lord’s decrees.
The Lord has said to me: “You are my son: today I have begotten you.
Ask me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance, the ends of the earth for you to possess.
You will rule them with a rod of iron, break them in pieces like an earthen pot”.

So now, kings, listen: understand, you who rule the land.
Serve the Lord in fear, tremble even as you praise him.
Learn his teaching, lest he take anger, lest you perish when his anger bursts into flame.

Blessed are all who put their trust in the Lord.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
 as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
 world without end.
Amen.

---

Psalm 3

The Lord is my protector

Lord, how many they are, my attackers!
So many rise up against me, so many of them say:
“He can hope for no help from the Lord”.

But you, Lord, are my protector, my glory: you raise up my head.
I called to the Lord, and from his holy mountain he heard my voice.

I fell asleep, and slept; but I rose, for the Lord raised me up.
I will not fear when the people surround me in their thousands.
Rise up, Lord; bring me to safety, my God.

Those who attacked me – you struck them on the jaw, you shattered their teeth.
Salvation comes from the Lord: Lord, your blessing is upon your people.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
 as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
 world without end.
Amen.

---

Reading

1 Samuel 28:3 - 25 ©

Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned him and buried him at Ramah, his own town. Saul had expelled the necromancers and wizards from the country. Meanwhile the Philistines had mustered and pitched camp at Shunem. Saul mustered all Israel and they encamped at Gilboa. When Saul saw the Philistine camp he was afraid and there was a great trembling in his heart. Saul consulted the Lord, but the Lord gave him no answer, either by dream or oracle or prophet. ‘Then Saul said to his servants, ‘Find a woman who is a necromancer for me to go and consult her’. His servants replied, There is a necromancer at En-dor’. And so Saul, disguising himself and changing his clothes, set out accompanied by two men; their visit to the woman took place at night. ‘Disclose the future to me’ he said ‘by means of a ghost. Conjure up the one I shall name to you.’ The woman answered, ‘Look, you know what Saul has done, how he has swept the necromancers and wizards out of the country; why are you setting a trap for my life, then, to have me killed?’ But Saul swore to her by the Lord, ‘As the Lord lives,’ he said ‘no blame shall attach to you for this business.’ Then the woman asked, ‘Whom shall I conjure up for you?’ He replied, ‘Conjure up Samuel’. Then the woman saw Samuel and, giving a great cry, she said to Saul, ‘Why have you deceived me? You are Saul.’ The king said, ‘Do not be afraid! What do you see?’ The woman answered Saul, ‘I see a ghost rising up from the earth’. ‘What is he like?’ he asked. She answered, ‘It is an old man coming up; he is wrapped in a cloak’. Then Saul knew it was Samuel and he bowed down his face to the ground and did homage. Then Samuel said to Saul, ‘Why have you disturbed my rest, conjuring me up?’ Saul replied, ‘I am in great distress; the Philistines are waging war against me, and God has abandoned me and no longer answers me either by prophet or dream; and so I have summoned you to tell me what I must do’. Samuel said, ‘And why do you consult me, when the Lord has abandoned you and is with your neighbour?” the Lord has done to you as he foretold through me; he has snatched the sovereignty from your hand and given it to your neighbour, David, because you disobeyed the voice of the Lord and did not execute his fierce anger against Amalek. That is why the Lord treats you like this now. What is more, the Lord will deliver Israel and you, too, into the power of the Philistines. Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me; and Israel’s army, too, for the Lord will deliver it into the power of the Philistines.’ Saul was overcome and fell full-length on the ground. He was terrified by what Samuel had said and, besides this, he was weakened by having eaten nothing at all that day and all that night. The woman then came to Saul, and seeing his terror said, ‘Look, your servant has obeyed your voice; I have taken my life in my hands, and have obeyed the command you gave me. So now you in your turn listen to what your servant says. Let me set a little food before you for you to eat and get some strength for your journey.’ But he refused. ‘I will not eat’ he said. His servants however pressed him, and so did the woman. Allowing himself to be persuaded by them, he rose from the ground and sat on the divan. The woman owned a fattened calf which she quickly slaughtered, and she took some flour and kneaded it and with it baked cakes of unleavened bread; she put these before Saul and his servants; and after they had eaten they set off and left the same night.

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Reading	From a homily by Pope Paul VI
We proclaim Christ to the whole world
Not to preach the Gospel would be my undoing, for Christ himself sent me as his apostle and witness. The more remote, the more difficult the assignment, the more my love of God spurs me on. I am bound to proclaim that Jesus is Christ, the Son of the living God. Because of him we come to know the God we cannot see. He is the firstborn of all creation; in him all things find their being. Man’s teacher and redeemer, he was born for us, died for us, and for us he rose from the dead. All things, all history converges in Christ. A man of sorrow and hope, he knows us and loves us. As our friend he stays by us throughout our lives; at the end of time he will come to be our judge; but we also know that he will be the complete fulfilment of our lives and our great happiness for all eternity. I can never cease to speak of Christ for he is our truth and our light; he is the way, the truth and the life. He is our bread, our source of living water who allays our hunger and satisfies our thirst. He is our shepherd, our leader, our ideal, our comforter and our brother. He is like us but more perfectly human, simple, poor, humble, and yet, while burdened with work, he is more patient. He spoke on our behalf; he worked miracles; and he founded a new kingdom: in it the poor are happy; peace is the foundation of a life in common; where the pure of heart and those who mourn are uplifted and comforted; the hungry find justice; sinners are forgiven; and all discover that they are brothers. The image I present to you is the image of Jesus Christ. As Christians you share his name; he has already made most of you his own. So once again I repeat his name to you Christians and I proclaim to all men: Jesus Christ is the beginning and the end, the alpha and the omega, Lord of the new universe, the great hidden key to human history and the part we play in it. He is the mediator – the bridge, if you will – between heaven and earth. Above all he is the Son of man, more perfect than any man, being also the Son of God, eternal and infinite. He is the son of Mary his mother on earth, more blessed than any woman. She is also our mother in the spiritual communion of the mystical body. Remember: [it] is Jesus Christ I preach day in and day out. His name I would see echo and re-echo for all time even to the ends of the earth.

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Canticle

Te Deum

God, we praise you; Lord, we proclaim you! You, the Father, the eternal – all the earth venerates you. All the angels, all the heavens, every power – The cherubim, the seraphim – unceasingly, they cry: “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts: heaven and earth are full of the majesty of your glory!” The glorious choir of Apostles – The noble ranks of prophets – The shining army of martyrs – all praise you. Throughout the world your holy Church proclaims you. – Father of immeasurable majesty, – True Son, only-begotten, worthy of worship, – Holy Spirit, our Advocate. You, Christ: – You are the king of glory. – You are the Father’s eternal Son. – You, to free mankind, did not disdain a Virgin’s womb. – You defeated the sharp spear of Death, and opened the kingdom of heaven to those who believe in you. – You sit at God’s right hand, in the glory of the Father. – You will come, so we believe, as our Judge. And so we ask of you: give help to your servants, whom you set free at the price of your precious blood. Number them among your chosen ones in eternal glory. Bring your people to safety, Lord, and bless those who are your inheritance. Rule them and lift them high for ever. Day by day we bless you, Lord: we praise you for ever and for ever. Of your goodness, Lord, keep us without sin for today. Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us. Let your pity, Lord, be upon us, as much as we trust in you. In you, Lord, I trust: let me never be put to shame. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,  as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,  world without end. Amen.

A concluding prayer may follow here.

[Salvation]

Sunday, July 2, 2006
Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary time

First Reading: Psalm: Second Reading: Gospel:

Wisdom 1:13-15; 2:23-24 Psalm 30:2, 4-6, 11-13 2 Corinthians 8:7, 9, 13-15 Mark 5:21-43 or 5:21-24, 35-43 The faith of those who live their faith is a serene faith. What you long for will be given you; what you love will be yours for ever. Since it is by giving alms that everything is pure for you, you will also receive that blessing which is promised next by the Lord: the Godhead that no man has been able to see. In the inexpressible joy of this eternal vision, human nature will possess what eye has not seen or ear heard, what man's heart has never conceived. -- Pope St. Leo the Great

[Salvation]

Catholic Culture

Collect: Father, you call your children to walk in the light of Christ. Free us from darkness and keep us in the radiance of your truth. We ask 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: » Beef with Peppers Activities: » Why Celebrate the Liturgical Year? Prayers: » Blessing of Travelers

July 02, 2006 Thirteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time Taking her by the hand he said to her, "Tal'itha cu'mi"; which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise." And immediately the girl got up and walked (she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement. And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat (Mk 5:41-42). Sunday Readings The first reading is taken from the Book of Wisdom 1:13-15; 2:23-24 and references a truth which is clearly stated for the first time in the whole Old Testament — man's real destiny is an unending life with God. The second reading is from the Second Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians 8:7, 9, 13-15. St. Paul urges the Corinthians to give generously toward the collection he is organizing for the poor Jewish converts in Palestine. The Gospel is from St. Mark 5:21-43 or 5:21-24, 35-43. Today's gospel gives us two further proofs of the divine power and the infinite mercy of our Savior. Apart from the primary purpose of proving his claim to be the promised Messiah, all his miracles had as their aim and end — the benefit of suffering human beings. He worked no miracle for the sake of astonishing people or to satisfy idle gossip. Each one was performed in order to help someone in distress. All who were helped by his miracles of mercy had one thing in common — they were motivated by trust in his mercy and power. The leper in Matthew (8:2) expressed the sentiments of them all: "Lord, if only you will you can cleanse me (of my leprosy)." In many cases, as for instance that of Jarius above, it was a relative or friends who showed this faith and confidence. It was always present either in the fortunate person or in the relative or friend who asked for the miracle. The Gospels give us only some of the many miracles our Lord worked. They give them to prove that he was what he claimed to be — the Son of God and the long-expected Savior; and also to prove his compassionate understanding and sympathy for suffering humanity. We must not forget, however, that the meaning of his miracles and his mission was lost on thousands of his contemporaries in Palestine, small though the country was. While great throngs followed our Lord and listened to his message and were interested in his mission, still great throngs remained at home, stolidly immersed in their worldly tasks and thoughts. They heard rumors about the man from Nazareth who was said to be the Messiah, and was supposed to be able to work miracles, but they were too practical, too sensible to listen to such rumors. Anyway they had no interest in the Messiah, or in silly spiritual things, they were fully occupied with their financial and worldly interests. Has the world changed much in nineteen centuries? How many millions of nominal Christians ignore Christ and his Gospel today, millions who are too practical, too down-to-earth to waste time on such a silly thing as their eternal salvation! How many millions are spiritually sick and dying but who have not the faith, humility and confidence of Jairus, to cast themselves at the feet of Jesus and ask him to cure them? How fortunate would not people be if they would repeat the leper's prayer: "Lord, if only you will you can make me clean"; if they could, like the suffering woman in today's Gospel, break through the throng of worldly pride, worldly interests and worldly associates and touch the hem of his garment; if they had the faith of Jairus; if only they could say to our Lord "come and lay your hands upon me so that I may be made well and live."? Today, let us say a fervent prayer of thanksgiving to God for the gift of active faith which he has given us and beg of him to keep that faith ever alive in our breasts. Let us think, too, of our fellowmen, our brothers in Christ, who are so busy with their worldly occupations and pleasures that they cannot find time to listen to his message. They are spiritually anemic and almost spiritually dead, but cannot push their way toward Christ through the throngs of earthly, worldly barricades which they have built about themselves. Our sincere prayers can help them to overcome these obstacles; frequently and fervently let us ask God to send them his efficacious grace so that these brothers in Christ will also be with him in heaven. Excerpted from The Sunday Readings by Fr. Kevin O'Sullivan, O.F.M.

[Salvation]

July Devotion -- The Precious Blood

 

Prayer Categories: » Devotion Feasts: » Bl. Junipero Serra (USA) » Thomas the Apostle » Elizabeth of Portugal; Independence Day (USA) more » Anthony Mary of Zaccaria » Maria Goretti » Thursday of the Thirteenth Week of Ordinary Time » Bl. Peter Vigne » Augustine Zhao Rong and companions » Monday of the Fourteenth Week of Ordinary Time » Benedict » Wednesday of the Fourteenth Week of Ordinary Time » Henry » Bl. Kateri Tekakwitha (USA) » Bonaventure » Our Lady of Mount Carmel » Monday of the Fifteenth Week of Ordinary Time » Camillus de Lellis (USA) » Wednesday of the Fifteenth Week of Ordinary Time » Apollinaris » Lawrence of Brindisi » Mary Magdalene » Bridget » Sharbel (Charbel) Makhloof » Joachim and Anne » Thursday of the Sixteenth Week of Ordinary Time » Friday of the Sixteenth Week of Ordinary Time » Martha » Peter Chrysologus » Ignatius of Loyola less

July Devotion: The Precious Blood Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. Like the Sacred Wounds of Jesus, His Precious Blood deserves special honor because of its close relation to the Sacred Passion. That honor was given to it from the beginning by the Apostles who praised its redeeming power. (Rom. 5:9 "we are justified by His blood"; Heb. 13:12 "and so Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people by His blood, suffered outside the gate"; 1 John 1:7 "and the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin.") In recent times the devotion has been encouraged by Blessed Gaspar Buffalo, founder of the Congregation of the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. When Pope Pius IX was in exile from Rome in 1849, he had as his companion Don Giovanni Merlini, the third general of that Congregation. This saintly priest suggested to the pope that he make a vow to give the feast of the Precious Blood to the entire church, if he should regain the papal territory. Without binding himself by the vow, the pope immediately extended the feast to the whole Church. On the old calendar it was celebrated on July 1, but Catholics may still continue this tradition by increasing their devotion to the most precious Blood throughout the entire month of July. See this article from the Catholic Culture library, Apostle of Devotion to His Most Precious Blood: St. Gaspar del Bufalo.

Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago

[Salvation]

Lauds -- Morning Prayer

Morning Prayer (Lauds)

If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.

O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
 as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
 world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.

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A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 62 (63)

Thirsting for God

O God, you are my God, I wait for you from the dawn.
My soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you.
I came to your sanctuary,
 as one in a parched and waterless land,
 so that I could see your might and your glory.
My lips will praise you, for your mercy is better than life itself.

Thus I will bless you throughout my life,
 and raise my hands in prayer to your name;
my soul will be filled as if by rich food,
 and my mouth will sing your praises and rejoice.
I will remember you as I lie in bed,
 I will think of you in the morning,
for you have been my helper,
 and I will take joy in the protection of your wings.

My soul clings to you; your right hand raises me up.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
 as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
 world without end.
Amen.

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Canticle	Daniel 3
All creatures, bless the Lord
Bless the Lord, all his works, praise and exalt him for ever. Bless the Lord, you heavens; all his angels, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, you waters above the heavens; all his powers, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, sun and moon; all stars of the sky, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, rain and dew; all you winds, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, fire and heat; cold and warmth, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, dew and frost; ice and cold, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, ice and snow; day and night, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, light and darkness; lightning and storm-clouds, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, all the earth, praise and exalt him for ever. Bless the Lord, mountains and hills; all growing things, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, seas and rivers; springs and fountains, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, whales and fish; birds of the air, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, wild beasts and tame; sons of men, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, O Israel, praise and exalt him for ever. Bless the Lord, his priests; all his servants, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, spirits of the just; all who are holy and humble, bless the Lord. Ananias, Azarias, Mishael, bless the Lord, praise and exalt him for ever. Let us bless Father, Son and Holy Spirit, praise and exalt them for ever. Bless the Lord in the firmament of heaven, praise and glorify him for ever.

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Psalm 149

The saints rejoice

Sing a new song to the Lord, his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel rejoice in its maker, and the sons of Sion delight in their king.
Let them praise his name with dancing, sing to him with timbrel and lyre,
for the Lord’s favour is upon his people, and he will honour the humble with victory.

Let the faithful celebrate his glory, rejoice even in their beds,
the praise of God in their throats; and swords ready in their hands,
to exact vengeance upon the nations, impose punishment on the peoples,
to bind their kings in fetters and their nobles in manacles of iron,
to carry out the sentence that has been passed: this is the glory prepared for all his faithful.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
 as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
 world without end.
Amen.

A short Bible reading and responsory may follow here.

Canticle	Benedictus
The Messiah and his forerunner
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and brought about their redemption. He has raised up the sign of salvation in the house of his servant David, as he promised through the mouth of the holy ones, his prophets through the ages: to rescue us from our enemies and all who hate us, to take pity on our fathers, to remember his holy covenant and the oath he swore to Abraham our father, that he would give himself to us, that we could serve him without fear – freed from the hands of our enemies – in uprightness and holiness before him, for all of our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High: for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his path, to let his people know their salvation, so that their sins may be forgiven. Through the bottomless mercy of our God, one born on high will visit us to give light to those who walk in darkness, who live in the shadow of death; to lead our feet in the path of peace. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,  as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,  world without end. Amen.

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Some short prayers may follow here, to offer up the day's work to God.

Our Father, who art in Heaven,
 hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
 thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
 and forgive us our trespasses
 as we forgive those that trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
 but deliver us from evil.

A concluding prayer may follow here.

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May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life.

A M E N

[Salvation]

The Accidental Catholic

by Fr. Paul Scalia

Other Articles by Fr. Paul Scalia

The Accidental Catholic

07/01/06

During His earthly life and in His small area of the world, our Lord was what we moderns would call a celebrity. Scripture tells us that crowds came to Him from all over — crowds so great that they blocked the streets and doorways (Mk 2:2) and so demanding that He and His Apostles could not even eat (Mk 3:20).

Knowing how insistent and unruly crowds can be, we can easily imagine that people must have pushed in upon our Lord, bumping and jostling one another and Him. Some surely came for reasons of faith of devotion. But human nature being what it is, others probably came only to see the local celebrity, to marvel at His miracles or just to follow the crowd.

So when on one occasion our Lord in the midst of a crowd asks, “Who has touched my clothes?” His disciples reasonably respond, “You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and yet you ask, ‘Who touched me?’” (Mk 5:30-31). With all the people pushing, elbowing and shoving, it could have been anyone. Yet our Lord asks the question for a reason. Most people in the crowd touched Him and His clothes because they could not help it — that’s the way crowds are.

They bumped up against him accidentally, or perhaps touched Him just out of curiosity. But someone in the crowd touched Him for a different reason: the woman “afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years” (Mk 5:25), who thought, “If I but touch His clothes, I shall be cured” (Mk 5:28). She “came up behind Him in the crowd and touched His cloak” (Mk 5:27). Unlike the rest of the crowd, she touched Him not accidentally, in the jostling of people, but deliberately, in faith.

We do well to keep in mind the distinction between the crowd and the woman — between accidentally bumping into our Lord and deliberately touching Him in faith. It is the difference between knowing about our Lord and knowing Him personally; between proximity to Christ and intimacy with Him; between going through the motions and striving for holiness. And either one is possible for us.

Just as then there were some who accidentally brushed up against our Lord in all the commotion, so today there is the “Accidental Catholic.” He might know all about our Lord, about His life and miracles. He might be familiar with the Mass and Catholic devotions — the prayers, responses, hymns, gestures, etc. But he never deliberately invests himself in them. He recites the Creed and goes to Communion, but without reflection or thought — simply because the rest of the crowd does and because it happens every Sunday. He only bumps into our Lord. They happen to be in the same place at the same time. He confuses proximity to our Lord for intimacy with Him, and Catholic “things” for Catholic faith. Each of us — and especially we “cradle Catholics” — is in danger of becoming an “Accidental Catholic.” We should examine ourselves often on this point, asking whether we are in fact reaching out to Christ or just running into Him.

The solution, of course, is not to stop this contact with the Lord — to end our prayers, devotions, Communions, etc. Rather, it is to do and make them deliberately, as acts of faith. Outwardly, the woman with hemorrhages may have touched our Lord in much the same way as anyone else. The difference was that, unlike the crowd, she invested herself in that action. She placed all her hope, her entire future — indeed, her very self — in that one touch. So also our practice of the Faith, although routine, should never be rote. Every prayer we utter, every sign of the Cross we make, every Communion we receive, should be as a hand reaching out to Christ — seeking the power that goes out from Him (cf. Mk 5:30).


Fr. Scalia is parochial vicar of St. Rita parish in Alexandria, Virginia.

(This article courtesy of the Arlington Catholic Herald.)

[Salvation]

The Work of God

Year B

 -  13th Sunday in ordinary time

Little girl, I tell you: get up.

Mark 5:21-43

21 And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him; and he was beside the sea.
22 Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Ja'irus by name; and seeing him, he fell at his feet,
23 and besought him, saying, "My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live."
24 And he went with him. And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him.
25 And there was a woman who had had a flow of blood for twelve years,
26 and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse.
27 She had heard the reports about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment.
28 For she said, "If I touch even his garments, I shall be made well."
29 And immediately the hemorrhage ceased; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.
30 And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone forth from him, immediately turned about in the crowd, and said, "Who touched my garments?"
31 And his disciples said to him, "You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, `Who touched me?'"
32 And he looked around to see who had done it.
33 But the woman, knowing what had been done to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him, and told him the whole truth.
34 And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease."
35 While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler's house some who said, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?"
36 But ignoring what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, "Do not fear, only believe."
37 And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James.
38 When they came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, he saw a tumult, and people weeping and wailing loudly.
39 And when he had entered, he said to them, "Why do you make a tumult and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping."
40 And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside, and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was.
41 Taking her by the hand he said to her, "Tal'itha cu'mi"; which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise."
42 And immediately the girl got up and walked (she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement.
43 And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

Inspiration of the Holy Spirit - From the Sacred Heart of Jesus

I am the resurrection and the life. All power has been given to me by my Heavenly Father, to be the source of life, health and eternal life.

I am compassionate, generous and loving. I desire to extend my riches to any one who has faith in me and loves me. I promised that I would be with you until the end of time and indeed I am with you now, because I am faithful to my word.

Those who had faith in me received the benefit of my miracles during my time on earth, and those who believe in the power of my name and acknowledge the holiness of my spirit will see miracles and wonders happening before their eyes. I am the Word of God; therefore what I say is true.

That woman, who had a constant hemorrhage for twelve years and had spent all her money on doctors and medicines, heard about me. She decided to put all her trust in me. “If I just touch his garments, I shall be healed." And I rewarded her faith by granting her a miracle.

Jairus, a ruler of the Synagogue came to me in desperation because his daughter was dying, he knelt before me and asked me to lay my hands on her so that she could live. I agreed to come with him. But while we were on the way, he received a message that his daughter had died already. I reassured him saying, “do not fear, but believe.” This man believed, others even laughed at me when I told them that she would awake.

At my command, the little girl woke up and started moving around, to the amazement of the group of unbelievers.

Is there anything too wonderful for God? Is there anything impossible for me who am life? Is there anything impossible for me, Jesus Christ, the Word of God that created everything that exists?

I tell you solemnly, I am life, I have the power to heal and restore anyone who has faith. I did wonderful things when I was in the flesh, and I still do them now in the spirit. I gave the power to heal to my apostles and I still give it to those who truly believe in me.

Ask with faith and you shall be given. Believe firmly in me and you shall obtain what you ask in prayer, provided that is in accordance to the will of God.

Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in your prayers. Your prayers must not be just requests of healing. Before you ask for anything, remember what I have asked of you in my word. Like the faithful and humble people who received my miracles in the past; come before me with a humble and contrite heart, enter my courts with thanksgiving and praise, worship the Lord your God and you will receive blessings and graces every time.

Author: Joseph of Jesus and Mary

Catholic homilies - gospel inspirations - list

[Salvation]

Regnum Christi

Touching the Lord
July 2, 2006

Many times my life seems to go by so fast that I do not even seek that.

Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Father Robert DeCesare, LC

Mark 5:21-43
When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea. One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward. Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying, "My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live." He went off with him, and a large crowd followed him and pressed upon him. There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse. She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. She said, "If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured." Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who has touched my clothes?" But his disciples said to him, "You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and yet you ask, ´Who touched me?´" And he looked around to see who had done it. The woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth. He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction." While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official´s house arrived and said, "Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?" Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, "Do not be afraid; just have faith." He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official, he caught sight of a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. So he went in and said to them, "Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep." And they ridiculed him. Then he put them all out. He took along the child´s father and mother and those who were with him and entered the room where the child was. He took the child by the hand and said to her, Talitha koum, which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise!" The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. At that they were utterly astounded. He gave strict orders that no one should know this and said that she should be given something to eat.

Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus, you taught: “Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you” (Matthew 7:7). You invite me to place my petition here before you. I believe Lord, that you will hear my prayer if I earnestly ask you with a sincere heart -- as I do now.

Petition: Lord, let me experience your mercy and love.

1. “If I But Touch His Clothes.”  Lord, many times you can seem so distant, so far from us. I believe that you are God, all-powerful and almighty. Yet, Lord, I believe that you want me to come to you. As great and as mighty as you are, you invite me to come to you as a little child. How seldom do I seek to reach out to you like the woman suffering a hemorrhage! What great faith she has. All she wants to do is have contact with you. She doesn’t seek much, just a brief moment. Many times my life seems to go by so fast that I do not even seek that. I worry about my own things, and I get so caught up in my own problems that I do not think about bringing them to you as she does. It seems so simple, yet how frequently do I hold the same attitude she does?

2. “Who Touched Me?”  Lord, it must please you to recognize someone has reached out to you. So many times you marvel at our faith, even if it be just for a moment. You were amazed at the faith of the centurion when he said: “Only speak the word, and let my servant be healed” (Luke 7:7). You promised the “Good Thief” that he would be with you in paradise. Someone believed that you could do something to make a difference in her life, and she sought you out. How often do we touch you? How often do we bring you to look for us, to seek us out because we seek you out? 

3. “Your Faith Has Saved You.”  Faith in you, Lord, is what inspired her to touch your cloak. She believed that you would make her well. Her reaching out to you was her prayer. She knows who she is: a creature whom the Father has made, a poor soul in need of help. She may have tried to do it alone, seeking cures in medicine. Perhaps they only worsened her condition. Now she asks for your help. Not only do you help her, Lord, but you save her. You are waiting to do the same for me if I simply come to you and make my petition. Lord, I believe that by making my petition known to you, I am being the person you made me to be. I am one who is totally dependent on you. I need you for everything. By myself I can do nothing, but with you I can do all things (Cf. Galatians 2: 20).

Dialogue with Christ: Lord, I recognize that you want me to touch you like the woman with a hemorrhage did. I believe, Lord, that you are waiting for me to come to you as she did. All I have to do is reach out and touch you. You will be there to answer my prayer.

Resolution: I shall make two acts of faith during the day so as to reach out to my Lord who is waiting for me to come to him for support.

[Salvation]

Homily of the Day

Homily of the Day

Title:	Jesus Triumphs
Author:	Fr. Frank Jindra
Date:	Sunday, July 2, 2006

Wis 1:13-15; 2:23-24 / 2 Cor 8:7,9,13-15 / Mk 5:21-43

...no destructive drug among them...? What happened? What was God’s intention if there had been no domain of the netherworld on earth?

We get the answer later in this reading from Wisdom: by the envy of the devil, death entered the world...

Yet Jesus triumphs over death, destruction, and the devil.

Who caused the woman’s hemorrhage in the Gospel? Only God knows for sure. How did Jairus’ little girl die? Only God knows for sure. Why did these and all the other destructions happen? Only God knows for sure.

Yet Jesus triumphs over death, destruction, and the devil.

Why did Job endure all he did? God told him: only He knows and understands for sure.

Yet Jesus triumphs over death, destruction, and the devil.

Why is there such war in our world, such fighting supposedly in the name of God? Only God knows for sure. We cannot set ourselves up to judge. Only God judges for sure. We can fight in our understanding for righteousness and against injustice. But only God knows which is which for sure.

Yet Jesus triumphs over death, destruction, and the devil.

We stand with Him. Triumphing over sickness. Triumphing over addictions. Triumphing over abuse of any sort — for it is all a destructive tactic of the devil, whether the abuse is against the unborn, or families, or nations.

We do know what is true — no — what is True. Truth is not something but Someone.

Knowing that Truth, we triumph over death, destruction, and the devil along with Him who is the way, the truth, and the life. As He raised Jairus’ little girl, so He raises us — even as the devil tries to raze us.

As St. Paul says to the Corinthians today: you know the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ — you know His triumph over death, destruction, and the devil.

May His triumph reign in and through us despite the destructions planned against us.

 

[Barnacle]

Thanks for the "preview". Have a nice Sunday.

[Salvation]

I will have a blessed Sunday. And may God bless you too!

[OpusatFR]

" And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone forth from him, immediately turned about in the crowd, and said, "Who touched my garments?"
31 And his disciples said to him, "You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, `Who touched me?'"
32 And he looked around to see who had done it.
33 But the woman, knowing what had been done to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him, and told him the whole truth."


"And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat."

This struck me this morning as such truth of the Gospel. It is a faithful rendition by Mark of his observation. The woman did not proclaim that she was healed and this is God to the crowd. She was frightened by what occurred.

The parents did not proclaim Christ's divinity, but were told to feed the child who had been through an ordeal and was famished.

The details just ring so true. The facts are there for those who can hear them.

[annalex]

Mk 5:21-43
#	Douay-Rheims	Vulgate
21	And when Jesus had passed again in the ship over the strait, a great multitude assembled together unto him, and he was nigh unto the sea.	et cum transcendisset Iesus in navi rursus trans fretum convenit turba multa ad illum et erat circa mare
22	And there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue named Jairus: and seeing him, falleth down at his feet.	et venit quidam de archisynagogis nomine Iairus et videns eum procidit ad pedes eius
23	And he besought him much, saying: My daughter is at the point of death, come, lay thy hand upon her, that she may be safe, and may live.	et deprecabatur eum multum dicens quoniam filia mea in extremis est veni inpone manus super eam ut salva sit et vivat
24	And he went with him, and a great multitude followed him, and they thronged him.	et abiit cum illo et sequebatur eum turba multa et conprimebant illum
25	And a woman who was under an issue of blood twelve years,	et mulier quae erat in profluvio sanguinis annis duodecim
26	And had suffered many things from many physicians; and had spent all that she had, and was nothing the better, but rather worse,	et fuerat multa perpessa a conpluribus medicis et erogaverat omnia sua nec quicquam profecerat sed magis deterius habebat
27	When she had heard of Jesus, came in the crowd behind him, and touched his garment.	cum audisset de Iesu venit in turba retro et tetigit vestimentum eius
28	For she said: If I shall touch but his garment, I shall be whole.	dicebat enim quia si vel vestimentum eius tetigero salva ero
29	And forthwith the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the evil.	et confestim siccatus est fons sanguinis eius et sensit corpore quod sanata esset a plaga
30	And immediately Jesus knowing in himself the virtue that had proceeded from him, turning to the multitude, said: Who hath touched my garments?	et statim Iesus cognoscens in semet ipso virtutem quae exierat de eo conversus ad turbam aiebat quis tetigit vestimenta mea
31	And his disciples said to him: Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou who hath touched me?	et dicebant ei discipuli sui vides turbam conprimentem te et dicis quis me tetigit
32	And he looked about to see her who had done this.	et circumspiciebat videre eam quae hoc fecerat
33	But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.	mulier autem timens et tremens sciens quod factum esset in se venit et procidit ante eum et dixit ei omnem veritatem
34	And he said to her: Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole: go in peace, and be thou whole of thy disease.	ille autem dixit ei filia fides tua te salvam fecit vade in pace et esto sana a plaga tua
35	While he was yet speaking, some come from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying: Thy daughter is dead: why dost thou trouble the master any further?	adhuc eo loquente veniunt ab archisynagogo dicentes quia filia tua mortua est quid ultra vexas magistrum
36	But Jesus having heard the word that was spoken, saith to the ruler of the synagogue: Fear not, only believe.	Iesus autem verbo quod dicebatur audito ait archisynagogo noli timere tantummodo crede
37	And he admitted not any man to follow him, but Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.	et non admisit quemquam sequi se nisi Petrum et Iacobum et Iohannem fratrem Iacobi
38	And they cone to the house of the ruler of the synagogue; and he seeth a tumult, and people weeping and wailing much.	et veniunt in domum archisynagogi et videt tumultum et flentes et heiulantes multum
39	And going in, he saith to them Why make you this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.	et ingressus ait eis quid turbamini et ploratis puella non est mortua sed dormit
40	And they laughed him to scorn. But he having put them all out, taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.	et inridebant eum ipse vero eiectis omnibus adsumit patrem et matrem puellae et qui secum erant et ingreditur ubi erat puella iacens
41	And taking the damsel by the hand, he saith to her: Talitha cumi, which is, being interpreted: Damsel (I say to thee) arise.	et tenens manum puellae ait illi talitha cumi quod est interpretatum puella tibi dico surge
42	And immediately the damsel rose up, and walked: and she was twelve years old: and they were astonished with a great astonishment.	et confestim surrexit puella et ambulabat erat autem annorum duodecim et obstipuerunt stupore maximo
43	And he charged them strictly that no man should know it: and commanded that something should be given her to eat.	et praecepit illis vehementer ut nemo id sciret et dixit dari illi manducare

[annalex]

Raising of Jairus' Daughter

Vasiliy Polenov

1871
Oil on canvas
The Museum of the Academy of Arts, St. Petersburg, Russia.

[Salvation]

Beautiful picture. If people are getting a little red square like I did, click on the little red square, copy the properties and put them in the browser address window. The picture should then appear there and on this page for awhile.