Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 05-15-08, Opt. Mem. St. Isidore the Farmer

USCCB.org/New American Bible ^ | 05-15-08 | New American Bible

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May 15, 2008

Thursday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 Responsorial Psalm Gospel

Reading 1
Jas 2:1-9

My brothers and sisters, show no partiality
as you adhere to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.
For if a man with gold rings and fine clothes comes into your assembly,
and a poor person with shabby clothes also comes in,
and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes
and say, “Sit here, please,”
while you say to the poor one, “Stand there,” or “Sit at my feet,”
have you not made distinctions among yourselves
and become judges with evil designs?

Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters.
Did not God choose those who are poor in the world
to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom that he promised to those who love him?
But you dishonored the poor.
Are not the rich oppressing you?
And do they themselves not haul you off to court?
Is it not they who blaspheme the noble name that was invoked over you?
However, if you fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture,
You shall love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well.
But if you show partiality, you commit sin,
and are convicted by the law as
transgressors.

Responsorial Psalm
34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7

R. (7a) The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
Glorify the LORD with me,
let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor. Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

Gospel
Mk 8:27-33

Jesus and his disciples set out
for the villages of Caesarea Philippi.
Along the way he asked his disciples,
“Who do people say that I am?”
They said in reply,
“John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others one of the prophets.”
And he asked them,
“But who do you say that I am?”
Peter said to him in reply,
“You are the Christ.”
Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him.

He began to teach them
that the Son of Man must suffer greatly
and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed, and rise after three days.
He spoke this openly.
Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
At this he turned around and, looking at his disciples, rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan.
You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”

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St. Isidore of Madrid, [Farmer,] Laborer, Patron of Madrid

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May Devotion: Blessed Virgin Mary

Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. Toward the end of the eighteenth century a zealous Jesuit priest, Father Lalomia, started among the students of the Roman college of his Society the practice of dedicating May to Our Lady. The devotion, which others had promoted in a small way, soon spread to other Jesuit Colleges and to the entire Latin church and since that time it has been a regular feature of Catholic life.

INVOCATIONS

Thou who wast a virgin before thy delivery, pray for us. Hail Mary, etc.
Thou who wast a virgin in thy delivery, pray for us. Hail Mary, etc.
Thou who wast a virgin after thy delivery, pray for us. Hail Mary, etc.

My Mother, deliver me from mortal sin.
Hail Mary (three times).

Mother of love, of sorrow and of mercy, pray for us.

Remember, O Virgin Mother of God, when thou shalt stand before the face of the Lord, that thou speak favorable things in our behalf and that He may turn away His indignation from us.
Roman Missal

Thou art my Mother, O Virgin Mary: keep me safe lest I ever offend thy dear Son, and obtain for me the grace to please Him always and in all things.

FOR THE HELP OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

May we be assisted, we beseech Thee, 0 Lord, by the worshipful intercession of Thy glorious Mother, the ever-Virgin Mary; that we, who have been enriched by her perpetual blessings, may be delivered from all dangers, and through her loving kindness made to be of one heart and mind: who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.
Roman Missal

THE SALVE REGINA

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy, hail, our life, our sweetness, and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve! To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears! Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus! O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!
Roman Breviary

PRAYER TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

O blessed Virgin Mary, who can worthily repay thee thy just dues of praise and thanksgiving, thou who by the wondrous assent of thy will didst rescue a fallen world? What songs of praise can our weak human nature recite in thy honor, since it is by thy intervention alone that it has found
the way to restoration? Accept, then, such poor thanks as we have here to offer, though they be unequal to thy merits; and, receiving our vows, obtain by thy prayers the remission of our offenses. Carry thou our prayers within the sanctuary of the heavenly audience, and bring forth from it the antidote of our reconciliation. May the sins we bring before Almighty God through thee, become pardonable through thee; may what we ask for with sure confidence, through thee be granted. Take our offering, grant us our requests, obtain pardon for what we fear, for thou art the sole hope of sinners. Through thee we hope for the remission of our sins, and in thee, 0 blessed Lady, is our hope of reward. Holy Mary, succour the miserable, help the fainthearted, comfort the sorrowful, pray for thy people, plead for the clergy, intercede for all women consecrated to God; may all who keep thy holy commemoration feel now thy help and protection. Be thou ever ready to assist us when we pray, and bring back to us the answers to our prayers. Make it thy continual care to pray for the people of God, thou who, blessed by God, didst merit to bear the Redeemer of the world, who liveth and reigneth, world without end. Amen.
Saint Augustine

PETITION TO MARY

Most holy Virgin Immaculate, my Mother Mary, to thee who art the Mother of my Lord, the queen of the universe, the advocate, the hope, the refuge of sinners, I who am the most miserable of all sinners, have recourse this day. I venerate thee, great queen, and I thank thee for the many graces thou hast bestowed upon me even unto this day; in particular for having delivered me from the hell which I have so often deserved by my sins. I love thee, most dear Lady; and for the love I bear thee, I promise to serve thee willingly for ever and to do what I can to make thee loved by others also. I place in thee all my hopes for salvation; accept me as thy servant and shelter me under thy mantle, thou who art the Mother of mercy. And since thou art so powerful with God, deliver me from all temptations, or at least obtain for me the strength to overcome them until death. From thee I implore a true love for Jesus Christ. Through thee I hope to die a holy death. My dear Mother, by the love thou bearest to Almighty God, I pray thee to assist me always, but most of all at the last moment of my life. Forsake me not then, until thou shalt see me safe in heaven, there to bless thee and sing of thy mercies through all eternity. Such is my hope. Amen.
Saint Alphonsus Liguori

Magnificat Prayer My being proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit finds joy in God my savior, For he has looked upon his servant in her lowliness; all ages to come shall call me blessed. God who is mighty has done great things for me, holy is his name; His mercy is from age to age on those who fear him. He has shown might with his arm; he has confused the proud in their inmost thoughts. He has deposed the mighty from their thrones and raised the lowly to high places. The hungry he has given every good thing, while the rich he has sent empty away. He has upheld Israel his servant, ever mindful of his mercy; Even as he promised our fathers, promised Abraham and his descendants forever. (Lk 1:46-55)

Seen above is the Blessed Virgin Mary, portrayed as Our Lady of Perpetual Help.
It was she who was chosen by God, to provide His Son with His Sacred Humanity.
She did so in humble and total cooperation with the Holy Spirit and the Divine will of the Holy Trinity; providing God's Son with the Blood He shed for us on the Cross.

TO MARY, REFUGE OF SINNERS
Hail, most gracious Mother of mercy, hail, Mary, for whom we fondly yearn, through whom we obtain forgiveness! Who would not love thee? Thou art our light in uncertainty, our comfort in sorrow, our solace in the time of trial, our refuge from every peril and temptation. Thou art our sure hope of salvation, second only to thy only-begotten Son; blessed are they who love thee, our Lady! Incline, I beseech thee, thy ears of pity to the entreaties of this thy servant, a miserable sinner; dissipate the darkness of my sins by the bright beams of thy holiness, in order that I may be acceptable in thy sight.

FOR THE GRACE OF LOVE
O Mary, my dear Mother, how much I love thee! And yet in reality how little! Thou dost teach me what I ought to know, for thou teachest me what Jesus is to me and what I ought to be for Jesus. Dearly beloved Mother, how close to God thou art, and how utterly filled with Him! In the measure that we know God, we remind ourselves of thee. Mother of God, obtain for me the grace of loving my Jesus; obtain for me the grace of loving thee!
Cardinal Merry del Val

TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY FOR MAY

O most august and blessed Virgin Mary! Holy Mother of God! glorious Queen of heaven and earth! powerful protectress of those who love thee, and unfailing advocate of all who invoke thee! look down, I beseech thee, from thy throne of glory on thy devoted child; accept the solemn offering I present thee of this month, specially dedicated to thee, and receive my ardent, humble desire, that by my love and fervor I could worthily honor thee, who, next to God, art deserving of all honor. Receive me, 0 Mother of Mercy, among thy best beloved children; extend to me thy maternal tenderness and solicitude; obtain for me a place in the Heart of Jesus, and a special share in the gifts of His grace. 0 deign, I beseech thee, to recognize my claims on thy protection, to watch over my spiritual and temporal interests, as well as those of all who are dear to me; to infuse into my soul the spirit of Christ, and to teach me thyself to become meek, humble, charitable, patient, and submissive to the will of God.

May my heart bum with the love of thy Divine Son, and of thee, His blessed Mother, not for a month alone, but for time and eternity; may I thirst for the promotion of His honor and thine, and contribute, as far as I can, to its extension. Receive me, 0 Mary, the refuge of sinners! Grant me a Mother's blessing and a Mother's care, now, and at the hour of my death. Amen.

TO OUR LADY

Saint John Vianney, better known as the Cure of Ars, when asked how long he had loved Mary, said: "I loved her almost before I could know her." In this prayer he expresses that love.
O thou most holy virgin Mary, who dost evermore stand before the most holy Trinity, and to whom it is granted at all times to pray for us to thy most beloved Son; pray for me in all my necessities; help me, combat for me, and obtain for me the pardon of all my sins. Help me especially at my last hour; and when I can no longer give any sign of the use of reason, then do thou encourage me, make the sign of the cross for me, and fight for me against the enemy. Make in my name a profession of faith; favor me with a testimony of my salvation, and never let me despair of the mercy of God. Help me to overthrow the wicked enemy. When I can no longer say: "Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I place my soul in your hands," do thou say it for me; when I can no longer hear human words of consolation, do thou comfort me. Leave me not before I have been judged; and if I have to expiate my sins in purgatory, oh! pray for me earnestly; and admonish my friends to procure for me a speedy enjoyment of the blessed sight of God. Lessen my sufferings, deliver me speedily, and lead my soul into heaven with thee: that, united with all the elect, I may there bless and praise my God and thee for all eternity. Amen.
Saint John Vianney

ACT OF REPARATION

O blessed Virgin, Mother of God, look down in mercy from heaven, where thou art enthroned as Queen, upon me, a miserable sinner, thine unworthy servant. Although I know full well my own unworthiness, yet in order to atone for the offenses that are done to thee by impious and blasphemous
tongues, from the depths of my heart I praise and extol thee as the purest, the fairest, the holiest creature of all God's handiwork. I bless thy holy name, I praise thine exalted privilege of being truly Mother of God, ever virgin, conceived without stain of sin, co-redemptrix of the human race. I bless the Eternal Father who chose thee in an especial way for His daughter; I bless the Word Incarnate who took upon Himself our nature in thy bosom and so made thee His Mother; I bless the Holy Spirit who took thee as His bride. All honor, praise and thanksgiving to the ever-blessed Trinity, who predestined thee and loved thee so exceedingly from all eternity as to exalt thee above all creatures to the most sublime heights. 0 Virgin, holy and merciful, obtain for all who offend thee the grace of repentance, and graciously accept this poor act of homage from me thy servant, obtaining likewise for me from thy divine Son the pardon and remission of all my sins. Amen.

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, Illinois, 1954

 

Memorare of the Blessed Virgin Mary

 

Remember O Most Gracious Virgin Mary!

That never was it known
That anyone who fled to thy protection,
Implored thy help or sought thy intercession
Was left unaided.

Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto Thee!
O Virgin of virgins, My Mother!

To Thee I come before Thee I stand,
Sinful and Sorrowful,
Oh Mother of the Word Incarnate,
Despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy,
Hear and answer me.

Amen

May Devotion: Blessed Virgin Mary

[Salvation]

Prayer Intentions of the Holy Father for May.

 

MAY 2008
General:
That Christians may use literature, art and the media to greater advantage to favour a culture which defends and promotes the values of the human person
Mission:
That just as she accompanied the Apostles in the early stages of the Church, may the Blessed Virgin Mary, Star of Evangelization and Queen of Apostles, continue to guide missionaries throughout the world with maternal affection.

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Faith sharing bump.

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btt

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Mk 8:27-33
#	Douay-Rheims	Vulgate
27	And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi. And in the way, he asked his disciples, saying to them: Whom do men say that I am?	et egressus est Iesus et discipuli eius in castella Caesareae Philippi et in via interrogabat discipulos suos dicens eis quem me dicunt esse homines
28	Who answered him, saying: John the Baptist; but some Elias, and others as one of the prophets.	qui responderunt illi dicentes Iohannem Baptistam alii Heliam alii vero quasi unum de prophetis
29	Then he saith to them: But whom do you say that I am? Peter answering said to him: Thou art the Christ.	tunc dicit illis vos vero quem me dicitis esse respondens Petrus ait ei tu es Christus
30	And he strictly charged them that they should not tell any man of him.	et comminatus est eis ne cui dicerent de illo
31	And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the ancients and by the high priests, and the scribes, and be killed: and after three days rise again.	et coepit docere illos quoniam oportet Filium hominis multa pati et reprobari a senioribus et a summis sacerdotibus et scribis et occidi et post tres dies resurgere
32	And he spoke the word openly. And Peter taking him, began to rebuke him.	et palam verbum loquebatur et adprehendens eum Petrus coepit increpare eum
33	Who turning about and seeing his disciples, threatened Peter, saying: Go behind me, Satan, because thou savorest not the things that are of God, but that are of men.	qui conversus et videns discipulos suos comminatus est Petro dicens vade retro me Satana quoniam non sapis quae Dei sunt sed quae sunt hominum

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27. And Jesus went out, arid his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying to them, Whom do men say that I am?
28. And they answered, John the Baptist: but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets.
29. And he said to them, But whom say you that I am? And Peter answered and said to him, You are the Christ.
30. And he charged them that they should tell no man of him.
31. And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
32. And he spoke that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.
33. But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for you savor not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.

THEOPHYL. After taking His disciples afar from the Jews He then asks them concerning himself, that they might speak the truth without fear of the Jews; wherefore it is said, And Jesus entered, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi.

BEDE; Philip was that brother of Herod, of whom we spoke above, who in honor of Tiberius Caesar called that town, which is now called Paneas, Caesarea Philippi. It goes on, And by the way he asked his disciples, saying to them, Whom do men say that I am?

PSEUDO-CHRYS. He asks the question with a purpose, for it was right that His disciples should praise Him better than the crowd.

BEDE; Wherefore He first asks what is the opinion of men, in order to try the faith of the disciples, lest their confession should appear to be founded on the common opinion. It goes on, And they answered, saying, Some say John the Baptist, some Elias, and others, One of the prophets.

THEOPHYL. For many thought that John had risen from the dead, as even Herod believed, and that he had performed miracles after his resurrection. After how ever having inquired into the opinion of others, He asks them what was the belief of their own minds on this point; wherefore it continues, And he said to them, But whom say you that I am?

CHRYS. From the manner, however, itself, of the question, He heads them to a higher feeling, and to higher thoughts, concerning Him, that they might not agree with the multitude. But the next words show what the head of the disciples, the mouth of the Apostles, answered; when all were asked, Peter answers and said to to him, You are the Christ.

THEOPHYL. He confesses indeed that He is the Christ announced by the Prophets; but the Evangelist Mark passes over what the Lord answered to his confession, and how He blessed him, lest by this way of relating it, he should seem, to be favoring his Master Peter; Matthew plainly goes through the whole of it.

ORIGEN; Or else, Mark and Luke, as they wrote that Peter answered, You are the Christ, without adding what is put down in Matthew, the Son of the living God, so they omitted to relate the blessing which was conferred on this confession. It goes on, And he charged them that they should tell no man of him.

THEOPHYL. For He wished in the mean time to hide His glory, lest many should be offended because of Him, and so earn a worse punishment.

CHRYS. Or else, that He might wait to fix the pure faith in their minds, till the Crucifixion, which was an offense to them, was over for after it was once perfected, about the time of His ascension, He said unto the Apostles, Go you and teach all nations.

THEOPHYL. But after the Lord had accepted the confession of the disciples, who called Him the true God, He then reveals to them the mystery of the Cross. Wherefore it goes on, And he began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and of the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again; and he spoke that saying openly, that is, concerning His future passion. But His disciples did not understand the order of the truth, neither could they comprehend His resurrection, but thought it better that He should not suffer.

CHRYS. The reason, however, why the Lord told them this, was to show, that after His cross and resurrection, Christ must be preached by His witnesses. Again, Peter alone, from the fervor of his disposition had the boldness to dispute about these things. Wherefore it goes on, And Peter took him up, and began to rebuke him.

BEDE; This, however, he speaks with the feelings of a man who loves and desires; as if he said, Thus cannot he, neither can my ears receive that the Son of God us to be slain.

CHRYS. But how is this, that Peter, gifted with a revelation from the Father, has so soon fallen, and become unstable? Surely, however, it was not wonderful that one who had received no revelation concerning the Passion should be ignorant of this. For that He was the Christ the Son of the living God, he had learnt by revelation, but the mystery of His cross and resurrection had not yet been revealed to him. He Himself, however, showing that He must come to His Passion, rebuked Peter; wherefore there follows, And when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, &c.

THEOPHYL. For the Lord, wishing to show that His Passion was to take place on account of the salvation of men, and that Satan alone was unwilling that Christ should suffer, and the race of man be saved, called Peter Satan, because he savored the things that were of Satan, and, from unwillingness that Christ should suffer, became His adversary; for Satan is interpreted 'the adversary.'

PSEUDO-CHRYS. But He said not to the devil, when tempting Him, Get you behind me, but to Peter He said, Get you behind me, that is, follow Me, and resist not the design of My voluntary Passion. There follows, For you savour not the things which be of God, but which be of men.

THEOPHYL. He says that Peter savors the things which be of men, in that he in some way savored carnal affections, for Peter wished that Christ should spare Himself and riot be crucified.

Catena Aurea Mark 8

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St Peter Preaching

Masolino da Panicale

1426-27
Fresco, 255 x 162 cm
Cappella Brancacci, Santa Maria del Carmine, Florence

[Salvation]

From: James 2:1-9

Respect for the Poor

---

[1] My brethren, show no partiality as you hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Lord of glory. [2] For if a man with gold rings and in fine clothing comes into
your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, [3] and you
pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “Have a seat here,
please,” while you say to the poor man, “Stand there,” or, “Sit at my feet,” [4]
have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil
thoughts? [5] Listen, my beloved brethren. Has not God chosen those who are
poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom which He has pro-
mised to those who love Him? [6] But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it
not the rich who oppress you, is it not they who drag you into court? [7] Is it not
they who blaspheme that honorable name by which you are called?

[8] If you really fulfill the royal law, according to the Scripture, “You shall love your
neighbor as yourself,” you do well. [9] But if you show partiality, you commit sin,
and are convicted by the law as transgressors.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

1-13. Apparently some of the Christians to whom this letter was addressed were
guilty of discriminating against people on the grounds of social standing—a clear
instance of inconsistency between faith and actions, a key theme which James
has already touched on (cf. 1:19-27) and will develop later (cf. 2:14-26). He may
well be taking an example from something that actually happened (verses 1-4)
to make the very vigorous point that discrimination is opposed to the Gospel
(verses 5-7) as indeed to the Law (verses 8-11); and he makes it plain that this
type of behavior will be severely punished by God when He comes to judge
(verses 12-13).

1-4. God “is not partial and takes no bribe” (Deuteronomy 10:17). Discrimination
among people is often condemned in the Old Testament—in the Law as well as in
the Prophets and the Wisdom books (cf., e.g. Leviticus 19:15; Isaiah 5:23; Micah
3:9-11; Psalm 82:2-4). In the Gospel even our Lord’s enemies admit that He is
impartial and does not make unfair distinctions (cf. Matthew 22:16).

In line with this teaching, the Church takes issue with every form of discrimination.
“All men are endowed with a rational soul and are created in God’s image; they
have the same nature and origin and, being redeemed by Christ, they enjoy the
same divine calling and destiny; there is here a basic equality between men and
it must be given ever greater recognition. Undoubtedly not all men are alike as
regards physical capacity and intellectual and moral powers. But forms of social
or cultural discrimination in basic personal rights on the grounds of sex, race,
color, social conditions, language or religion, must be curbed and eradicated as
incompatible with God’s design” (”Gaudium Et Spes”, 29).

1. “The faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory”: literally “the faith of our
Lord Jesus Christ of glory.” This phrase can be interpreted in slightly different
ways depending on how one understands “of glory”. The most likely interpreta-
tion is that this is an instance of a Semitic genitive used in place of the adjective
“glorious” or “glorified”; in which case St. James is referring to Jesus Christ who,
after His ascension and resurrection, enjoys, also in His capacity as man, the
highest honor and glory.

The RSV takes up the idea found in 1 Corinthians 2:8 where St. Paul calls Christ
“the Lord of glory”: since in the Old Testament “glory” was the splendor of the
majesty of Yahweh (cf. Exodus 24:16), by applying this divine attribute to Christ
His divinity is being explicitly asserted. If this is the correct translation, it may
be a form of words taken from early Christian liturgy.

Some translate it in another way which puts even greater stress on Christ’s divi-
nity: “The faith of the glory (that is, the divinity) of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

All these translations are compatible with one another and complementary to
one another.

5-7. Many of the people to whom the letter was written must have been quite
poor (cf. note on 1:2-4; 1 Corinthians 1:26-29). St. James reminds them that
God wants to make them rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Jesus in fact had given as a sign of His messiahship the fact that the Gospel
is proclaimed to the poor (cf. Matthew 11:5; Luke 7:22) and He also taught that
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew
5:3). “Christ was sent by the Father ‘to preach good news to the poor...to heal
the contrite of heart’ (Luke 4:18), ‘to seek and to save the lost’ (Luke 19:10).
Similarly, the Church encompasses with her love all those who are afflicted by
human misery and she recognizes in those who are poor and who suffer, the
image of her poor and suffering Founder. She does all in her power to relieve
their need and in them she strives to serve Christ” (Vatican II, “Lumen Gentium”,
8).

Of the rich on the other hand, the Apostle speaks with unusual harshness. As
elsewhere in Sacred Scripture, those who deserve such severe condemnation are
people who are bent on building up their possession as if ownership were the only
purpose in life, not minding what means they used, and oppressing and ill-treating
the poor (cf. note on Luke 6:24).

Behavior of this type is so serious that it amounts to “blaspheming that hono-
rable name by which you are called” (verse 7)—blasphemy by scandalous action
rather than by words. This “name” can mean both the name “Jesus”—called down
on them at Baptism—and that of “Christian”, a name already being given to those
first followers of the Master (cf. Acts 11:26).

What St. James says here can in no sense be used to justify the “class struggle”
which some materialistic doctrines propose. The Magisterium of the Church has
often pointed out that the application of Christian principles should make for har-
mony and concord between the various groups in society (cf. Leo XIII, “Rerum
Novarum”, 14). James’ words certainly do urge everyone to make a real effort to
promote the human dignity of all: “The evil inequities and oppression of every kind
which afflict millions of men and women today openly contradict Christ’s Gospel
and cannot leave the conscience of any Christian indifferent” (SCDF, “Libertatis
Conscientia”, 57).

8-11. The Apostle extends his argument against discrimination, recalling what is
said in the Old Testament (with which his original readers would have been fami-
liar, since many of them were Jewish converts to Christianity). As we have
pointed out previously (cf. note on 2:1-4) all unjust discrimination is condemned
in the Old estament

8. “The royal law” is spelled out in the Book of Leviticus (19:18). St. James calls
it this perhaps because, in addition to commanding love of God above all things,
it is the basis and root of all the other commandments (cf. Matthew 22:34-40).

Jesus corrected narrow interpretations of that law of charity (cf. Matthew 5:43-48;
Luke 10:25-37) and formulated the “new commandment” at the Last Supper:
“that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love another”
(John 13:34). In proposing this new standard (”as I have loved you”) our Lord
gives new content and meaning to the precept of brotherly love. This command-
ment is the law of the new people of God, the Church (cf. “Lumen Gentium”, 9).

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

[Salvation]

From: Mark 8:27-33

Peter’s Profession of Faith

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[27] And Jesus went on with His disciples, to the villages of Caesarea Philippi;
and on the way He asked His disciples, “Who do men say that I am?” [28]
And they told Him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others one
of the prophets.” [29] And He asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Peter
answered Him, “You are the Christ.” [30] And He charged them to tell no one
about Him.

Jesus Foretells His Passion and Resurrection. Christian Renunciation

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[31] And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things,
and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed,
and after three days rise again. [32] And He said this plainly. And Peter took
Him, and began to rebuke Him. [33] But turning and seeing His disciples, He
rebuked Peter, and said, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not on the side
of God, but of men.”

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Commentary:

29. Peter’s profession of faith is reported here in a shorter form than in Matthew
16:18-19. Peter seems to go no further than say that Jesus is the Christ, the
Messiah. Eusebius of Caesarea, in the fourth century, explains the Evangelist’s
reserve by the fact that he was the interpreter of St. Peter, who omitted from his
preaching anything which might appear to be self-praise. The Holy Spirit, when
inspiring St. Mark, wanted the Gospel to reflect the preaching of the prince of the
Apostles, leaving it to other evangelists to fill out certain important details to do
with the episode of the confession of Peter.

The sketchiness of the narrative still show Peter’s role quite clearly: he is the first
to come forward affirming the messiahship of Jesus. Our Lord’s question, “But
who do you say that I am?”, shows what Jesus is asking the Apostles for—not an
opinion, more or less favorable, but firm faith. It is St. Peter who expresses this
faith (cf. note on Matthew 16:13-20).

31-33. This is the first occasion when Jesus tells His disciples about the suf-
ferings and death He must undergo. He does it twice more, later on (cf. Mark
9:31 and 10:32). The Apostles are surprised, because they cannot and do not
want to understand why the Master should have to suffer and die, much less that
He should be so treated “by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes.”
But Peter, with his usual spontaneity, immediately begins to protest. And Jesus
replies to him using the same words as He addressed the devil when he tempted
Him (cf. Matthew 4:10); He wants to affirm, once again, that His mission is spiri-
tual, not earthly, and that therefore it cannot be understood by using mere human
criteria: it is governed by God’s designs, which were that Jesus should redeem
us through His passion and death. So too, for a Christian, suffering, united with
Christ, is also a means of salvation.

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

[Salvation]

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

Mass Readings

First reading

James 2:1 - 9 ©

My brothers, do not try to combine faith in Jesus Christ, our glorified Lord, with the making of distinctions between classes of people. Now suppose a man comes into your synagogue, beautifully dressed and with a gold ring on, and at the same time a poor man comes in, in shabby clothes, and you take notice of the well-dressed man, and say, ‘Come this way to the best seats’; then you tell the poor man, ‘Stand over there’ or ‘You can sit on the floor by my foot-rest.’ Can’t you see that you have used two different standards in your mind, and turned yourselves into judges, and corrupt judges at that? Listen, my dear brothers: it was those who are poor according to the world that God chose, to be rich in faith and to be the heirs to the kingdom which he promised to those who love him. In spite of this, you have no respect for anybody who is poor. Isn’t it always the rich who are against you? Isn’t it always their doing when you are dragged before the court? Aren’t they the ones who insult the honourable name to which you have been dedicated? Well, the right thing to do is to keep the supreme law of scripture: you must love your neighbour as yourself; but as soon as you make distinctions between classes of people, you are committing sin, and under condemnation for breaking the Law.

Psalm or canticle: Psalm 33

Gospel

Mark 8:27 - 33 ©

Jesus and his disciples left for the villages round Caesarea Philippi. On the way he put this question to his disciples, ‘Who do people say I am?’ And they told him. ‘John the Baptist,’ they said ‘others Elijah; others again, one of the prophets.’ ‘But you,’ he asked ‘who do you say I am?’ Peter spoke up and said to him, ‘You are the Christ.’ And he gave them strict orders not to tell anyone about him. And he began to teach them that the Son of Man was destined to suffer grievously, to be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and to be put to death, and after three days to rise again; and he said all this quite openly. Then, taking him aside, Peter started to remonstrate with him. But, turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said to him, ‘Get behind me, Satan! Because the way you think is not God’s way but man’s.’

[Salvation]

Office of Readings and Invitatory Psalm

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 43 (44)

In time of defeat

Our own ears have heard, O God,
 and our fathers have proclaimed it to us,
 what you did in their days, the days of old:
how with your own hand you swept aside the nations
 and put us in their place,
 struck them down to make room for us.

It was not by their own swords that our fathers took over the land,
 it was not their own strength that gave them victory;
but your hand and your strength,
 the light of your face,
 for you were pleased in them.

You are my God and my king,
 who take care for the safety of Jacob.
Through you we cast down your enemies;
 in your name we crushed those who rose against us.

I will not put my hopes in my bow,
 my sword will not bring me to safety;
for it was you who saved us from our afflictions,
 you who set confusion among those who hated us.
We will glory in the Lord all the day,
 and proclaim your name for all ages.

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 43 (44)

But now, God, you have spurned us and confounded us,
 so that we must go into battle without you.
You have put us to flight in the sight of our enemies,
 and those who hate us plunder us at will.
You have handed us over like sheep sold for food,
 you have scattered us among the nations.

You have sold your people for no money,
 not even profiting by the exchange.
You have made us the laughing-stock of our neighbours,
 mocked and derided by those who surround us.
The nations have made us a by-word,
 the peoples toss their heads in scorn.

All the day I am ashamed,
 I blush with shame
as they reproach me and revile me,
 my enemies and my persecutors.

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 43 (44)

All this happened to us,
 but not because we had forgotten you.
We were not disloyal to your covenant;
 our hearts did not turn away;
 our steps did not wander from your path;
and yet you brought us low,
 with horrors all about us:
 you overwhelmed us in the shadows of death.

If we had forgotten the name of our God,
 if we had spread out our hands before an alien god —
would God not have known? He knows what is hidden in our hearts.
It is for your sake that we face death all the day,
 that we are reckoned as sheep to be slaughtered.

Awake, Lord, why do you sleep?
 Rise up, do not always reject us.
Why do you turn away your face?
 How can you forget our poverty and our tribulation?

Our souls are crushed into the dust,
 our bodies dragged down to the earth.
Rise up, Lord, and help us.
 In your mercy, redeem us.

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

Proverbs 10:6 - 32 ©

The blessings of the Lord are on the head of the virtuous man,  premature mourning stops the mouths of the wicked. The virtuous man is remembered with blessings,  the wicked man’s name rots away. The heart that is wise is obedient to instruction,  the gabbling fool is heading for ruin. He walks secure whose ways are honourable,  but he who follows crooked ways is soon discovered. A wink of the eye, and a man makes trouble,  a bold rebuke, and a man makes peace. The mouth of the virtuous man is a life-giving fountain,  violence lurks in the mouth of the wicked. Hatred provokes disputes,  love covers over all offences. On the lips of a discerning man is wisdom found,  on the back of a fool, the stick. Wise men store up knowledge,  but the mouth of a fool makes ruin imminent. The rich man’s wealth is his stronghold,  poverty is the poor man’s undoing. The virtuous man’s wage affords him life,  but destruction is all the wicked man earns. The path of life is to abide by discipline,  and he who ignores correction goes astray. The lips of just men silence hatred,  he who voices slander is a fool. A flood of words is never without its fault,  he who has his lips controlled is a prudent man. The virtuous man’s tongue is purest silver,  the heart of the wicked is of trumpery value. The lips of the virtuous man nourish a multitude,  but fools die in poverty. The blessing of the Lord is what brings riches,  to this hard toil has nothing to add. The joy of the fool lies in doing wrong,  but the joy of the man of discernment in acquiring wisdom. What the wicked man fears overtakes him,  what the virtuous desires comes to him as a present. When the storm is over, the wicked man is no more,  but the virtuous stands firm for ever. As vinegar to the teeth, smoke to the eyes,  so the sluggard to the one who sends him. The fear of the Lord adds length to life,  the years of the wicked will be cut short. The hope of virtuous men is all joy,  the expectations of the wicked are frustrated. The Lord is a stronghold for the man of honest life,  for evildoers nothing but ruin. The virtuous man will never be moved from his own place,  but the land will offer no home for the wicked. The mouth of the virtuous man utters wisdom,  the deceitful tongue shall be torn out. The lips of the virtuous man drip with kindness,  the mouth of the wicked with deceit.

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Reading	From the Explanations of the Psalms by Saint Ambrose, bishop
Open your lips, and let God's word be heard
We must always meditate on God’s wisdom, keeping it in our hearts and on our lips. Your tongue must speak justice, the law of God must be in your heart. Hence Scripture tells you: You shall speak of these commandments when you sit in your house, and when you walk along the way, and when you lie down, and when you get up. Let us then speak of the Lord Jesus, for he is wisdom, he is the word, the Word indeed of God. It is also written: Open your lips, and let God’s word be heard. God’s word is uttered by those who repeat Christ’s teaching and meditate on his sayings. Let us always speak this word. When we speak about wisdom, we are speaking of Christ. When we speak about virtue, we are speaking of Christ. When we speak about justice, we are speaking of Christ. When we speak about peace, we are speaking of Christ. When we speak about truth and life and redemption, we are speaking of Christ. Open your lips, says Scripture, and let God’s word be heard. It is for you to open, it is for him to be heard. So David said: I shall hear what the Lord says in me. The very Son of God says: Open your lips, and I will fill them. Not all can attain to the perfection of wisdom as Solomon or Daniel did, but the spirit of wisdom is poured out on all according to their capacity, that is, on all the faithful. If you believe, you have the spirit of wisdom. Meditate, then, at all times on the things of God, and speak the things of God, when you sit in your house. By house we can understand the Church, or the secret place within us, so that we are to speak within ourselves. Speak with prudence, so as to avoid falling into sin, as by excess of talking. When you sit in your house, speak to yourself as if you were a judge. When you walk along the way, speak, so as never to be idle. You speak along the way if you speak in Christ, for Christ is the way. When you walk along the way, speak to yourself, speak to Christ. Hear him say to you: I desire that in every place men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarrelling. When you lie down, speak so that the sleep of death may not steal upon you. Listen and learn how you are to speak as you lie down; I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids until I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. When you get up or rise again, speak of Christ, so as to fulfil what you are commanded. Listen and learn how Christ is to awaken you from sleep. Your soul says: I hear my brother knocking at the door. Then Christ says to you: Open the door to me, my sister, my spouse. Listen and learn how you are to awaken Christ. Your soul says: I charge you, daughters of Jerusalem, awaken or reawaken the love of my heart. Christ is that love.

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Concluding Prayer

Lord, it is your desire to dwell in humble and sincere hearts.
 Give us your grace and make us
 a fit habitation for you.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
 who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
 God for ever and ever.
Amen.

[Salvation]

St. Isidore the Farmer

Isidore the Farmer

Born: 1070

Died: May 15, 1172

Canonized: 1622

Feast Day: May 15

Patron Saint of: laborers, farmers

Also known as St. Isidore the Husbandman and St. Isidore the Farm-Labourer.

St. Isidore the Farmer, born of a poor family near Madrid, Spain, was raised devoted to the faith; in fact, Isidore was named after his parent's patron saint, Isidore of Seville. As a young boy, Isidore was sent off to work in Madrid for John de Vargas to plow the fields. While working for John de Vargas, Isidore fell in love with a young woman that shared his devotion and faith. After the loss of their only child, the young couple decided to live the rest of their lives in continence. Isidore was widely known for his generosity. On several occasions, he was reported to have shared what little food he had with those less fortunate; and it is reported that these meager offerings miraculously doubled and redoubled until all were fed. Those jealous of Isidore informed de Vargas that his charitable activity was keeping Isidore from his responsibilities. When de Vargas investigated the allegations for himself, he did indeed find that Isidore was reporting to work late but his work was not suffering… what John de Vargas saw for himself was that unseen powers (which he surmised were in fact angels) were leading snow-white oxen on their plowing chores. In another miracle, Isidore shared some of his grain with hungry birds, but when the grain that remained was turned into flour, the amount was more than double what should have been produced by a full sack.

[Salvation]

The Angelus 

The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary: 
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit. 

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of
our death. Amen. 

Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word. 

Hail Mary . . . 

And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us. 

Hail Mary . . . 

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. 

Let us pray: 

Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord.

Amen. 

[Salvation]

Thursday, May 15, 2008
St. Isidore the Farmer (Optional Memorial)

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

James 2:1-9 Psalm 34:2-7 Mark 8:27-33 To harbor no envy, no anger, no resentment against an offender is still not to have charity for him. It is possible, without any charity, to avoid rendering evil for evil. But to render, spontaneously, good for evil -- such belongs to a perfect spiritual love. -- St Maximus the Confessor

[Salvation]

Catholic Culture

Daily Readings (on USCCB site):
» May 15, 2008
(will open a new window)

Collect: Lord God, all creation is yours, and you call us to serve you by caring for the gifts that surround us. May the example of St. Isidore urge us to share our food with the hungry and to work for the salvation of mankind. 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. Amen.

« May 15, 2008 »

Optional Memorial of St. Isidore
Old Calendar: St. John Baptist de la Salle, confessor

• RECIPES
  • » Paella I
    » Paella II
    
• ACTIVITIES
  • » Ave Maria Dear
    » Beautiful, Glorious
    » Mary Garden
    » May, the Month of Mary
    
  • more
  • » Namedays
    » Salve Regina
    » Stella Matutina
    » The Man of the House
    » 'Tis Said of Our Dear Lady
    » What is a Nameday?
    
• PRAYERS
  • » Seed Planting: Prayer to St. Isidore
    » Regina Coeli (Queen of Heaven)
    » May Pilgrimages
    » Roman Ritual Blessing Before and After Meals: Easter Season (2nd Plan)
    
  • more
  • » May Devotion: Blessed Virgin Mary
    » Novena to St. Isidore the Farmer
    » Prayer of the Christian Farmer
    » Prayer of a Rural Family
    » Prayer for Rain
    » Prayer Against Pests
    » Prayer Against Storms and Floods
    » Prayer of Thanksgiving
    » Litany of St. Isidore
    » Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Litany of Loretto)
    » Prayer Cards for Easter Grace at Meals
    » Prayers for the Easter Season
    » Roman Ritual Blessing Before and After Meals: Easter (1st Plan)
    » Prayer of the Christian Farmer and Gardener
    » Novena to St. Rita
    » Prayer to Saint Isidore the Farmer, Patron of Countrymen
    » Prayer in Honor of Saint Isidore the Farmer
    

Isidore was a Spanish laborer who worked most of his life as a ploughman for a nobleman who lived near Madrid, Spain. Although working many hours a day, he never failed to attend daily Mass, and spend time praying before the Holy Eucharist. He married a maid-servant, Maria de la Cabeza, who was also canonized a saint. They were always willing to help their neighbors and worked with the poor in the city slums. In 1947, he was proclaimed the Patron of the National Rural Life Conference in the United States.

According to the 1962 Missal of Bl. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is the feast of St. John Baptist de la Salle. He was inspired by God to give a Christian education to the poor, he founded the Brothers of the Christan Schools which soon spread throughout the world. In private life he treated himself with extreme rigor. He died in 1719. His feast in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite is celebrated on April 7.

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St. Isidore the Farmer
When he was barely old enough to wield a hoe, Isidore entered the service of John de Vergas, a wealthy landowner from Madrid, and worked faithfully on his estate outside the city for the rest of his life. He married a young woman as simple and upright as himself who also became a saint-Maria de la Cabeza. They had one son, who died as a child.

Isidore had deep religious instincts. He rose early in the morning to go to church and spent many a holiday devoutly visiting the churches of Madrid and surrounding areas. All day long, as he walked behind the plow, he communed with God. His devotion, one might say, became a problem, for his fellow workers sometimes complained that he often showed up late because of lingering in church too long.

He was known for his love of the poor, and there are accounts of Isidore's supplying them miraculously with food. He had a great concern for the proper treatment of animals.

He died May 15, 1130, and was declared a saint in 1622 with Ignatius of Loyola, Francis Xavier, Teresa of Avila and Philip Neri. Together, the group is known in Spain as "the five saints."

Patron: Farmers; farm workers; ranchers; rural communities; Madrid, Spain; United States National Catholic Rural Life Conference; death of children; for rain; livestock.

Symbols: White oxen; spade; hoe or rake; plough.

Things to Do:

• Learn more about St. Isidore the farmer.

• Since it's the feast of St. Isidore and the month of May, today would be a good time to start or to work on a Mary garden.

• You could also visit this site to learn more about Mary Gardens.

• There is also a lovely book on Mary gardens printed by St. Anthony Messenger Press called Mary's Flowers: Gardens, Legends and Meditations by Vincenzina Krymow. This page is by the same author, and this is a review of Mary's Flowers.

• Another book by Vincenzina Krymow is Healing Plants of the Bible which explains Biblical gardens and plants. Gardens in the Bible essay gives a taste of her book.

• You also might like to visit the National Catholic Rural Life Conference website. They have a special section for St. Isidore, their patron. Two titles we recommend: Cooking for Christ by Florence Berger (EXCELLENT!), and Rural Life Prayers, Blessings and Liturgies.

[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.

---

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 79 (80)

Lord, tend your vine

Shepherd of Israel, listen –
 you who take Joseph as your flock.
Shine out before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh –
 you who are enthroned upon the cherubim.
Awaken your power and come to us,
 come to us and save us.

Bring us back, O God:
 let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.

Lord God of hosts –
 how long will your anger endure
 against the prayers of your people?
You have given us tears for our bread,
 abundance of tears for us to drink.
You have made us a mockery among our neighbours,
 and our enemies laugh at us.

Bring us back, O God of hosts:
 let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.

You brought a vine out of Egypt;
 planted it, and drove out the nations.
You cleared the ground all about it,
 made firm its roots; and it filled the land.
Its shade covered mountains,
 its boughs shaded the cedars of God;
its leaves spread as far as the sea,
 its shoots as far as the River.

So why did you destroy its wall,
 so that anyone could pluck its fruit,
 whoever was passing by?
The wild boar of the forest broke it,
 every wild beast could graze off it.

Turn back, O God of hosts,
 look down from heaven and tend this vine.

Protect the vine, for your right hand planted it;
 and the son of man, whom you made strong.
The vine is burnt and dug up;
 and they too will perish when they see you rebuke them.
Stretch out your hand over your chosen one
 over the son of man, whom you made strong –
and we will not forsake you, and you will give us life;
 and we will call on your name.

Bring us back, Lord God of hosts:
 let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.

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.

---

Canticle	Isaiah 12
The rejoicing of a redeemed people
I will praise you, Lord, for when you were angry with me  you calmed your rage and turned again to console me. Behold, God is my salvation:  I will be confident, I will not fear; for the Lord is my strength and my joy,  he has become my saviour. And you will rejoice as you draw water  from the springs of salvation. And then you will say:  “Praise the Lord and call upon his name. Tell the peoples what he has done,  remember always the greatness of his name. Sing to the Lord, for he has done great things:  let this be known throughout the world”. 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 80 (81)

Solemn renewal of the covenant

Shout with joy to God our helper,
 rejoice in the God of Jacob.
Take up the song, sound the timbrel,
 play on the lyre and the harp.
At the start of the month, sound the trumpet,
 at the full moon, at our festival.

For this is the law for Israel,
 the decree of the God of Jacob.
He gave it to Joseph, for a witness,
 when he went out of the land of Egypt;
 with words that had never been heard:

“I freed his back from burdens;
 his hands were freed from heavy loads.
In your tribulation you called on me and I freed you,
 I heard you from the heart of the storm,
 I tested you at the waters of Meribah.

Listen, my people, and I will put my case –
 Israel, if you would only hear me!
You shall not have any strange god,
 you shall not worship the gods of foreigners.
For I am the Lord, your God,
 who led you out of the land of Egypt.
 Open wide your mouth and I shall fill it.

But my people did not hear my voice:
 Israel did not turn to me.
So I let them go on in the hardness of their hearts,
 and follow their own counsels.

If my people had heard me,
 if only they had walked in my ways –
I would swiftly have crushed their enemies,
 stretched my hand over those who persecuted them.

The enemies of the Lord would be overcome with weakness,
 Israel’s would be the good fortune, for ever:
 I would feed them full of richest wheat
and give them honey from the rock,
 to their heart’s content.

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.

---

Short reading	Romans 14:17 - 19 ©
The kingdom of God does not mean eating or drinking this or that, it means righteousness and peace and joy brought by the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ in this way you will please God and be respected by men. So let us adopt any custom that leads to peace and our mutual improvement.

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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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Prayers and Intercessions

?

Blessed be God our Father, who protects his children and does not spurn their prayers. Let us all humbly pray to him: - Lord, give us light to see by. We thank you, Lord, for sending us your only Son to enlighten us: may his light fill us all day long. Lord, send your wisdom to lead us through the day: let us walk in the purity of a new life. Give us the strength to endure adversity for your sake: with courage let us serve you unceasingly. Guide our thoughts, our feelings and our actions today, so that we may serve you and follow you.

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.

We pray to you, Lord, the true Light and the creator of light.
 May we keep our minds on what is holy
 and live always in the brightness of your presence.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
 who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
 God for ever and ever.
Amen.

---

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

A M E N

[Salvation]

Vultus Christ

May 15, 2008

In Illuminatione Vultus Tui

Posuisti iniquitates nostras in conspectu tuo,
occulta nostra in illuminatione vultus tui.

So jealous thy scrutiny of our wrongoing,
so clear our lives show in the light of thy countenance.

(Psalm 89:8: sung every Thursday morning at Lauds in the Monastic Office)

Every Thursday I am mindful of the readers of Vultus Christi who have committed themselves to participate in the Thursdays of Adoration and Reparation for Priests by spending one hour before the Eucharistic Face of Christ. One priest-adorer prays:

Lord Jesus Christ,
I thank Thee with all my heart for having allotted me this time
in the light of Thy Eucharistic Face.

Into the light of Thy Countenance veiled in this adorable Sacrament
I lift up all those for whom I have promised to intercede
and, in particular, those priests, known to Thy Heart,
who are most in need of graces of repentance, healing, and deliverance.
Thou knowest them, O Lord,
and Thou seest clearly and compassionately
the wounds inflicted upon their souls by their own sins
and by the sins of others.

Have mercy on us all.
Let not one of Thy priests remain untouched by Thy gracious mercy.
Draw them irrestistibly into the light of Thy Eucharistic Face
and into the Wound in Thy Side,
there to be washed and healed in Thy Blood
and in the Living Water of the Holy Spirit.

Mary, Mother of all priests,
stretch forth thy pure hand to those priest-sons of thine
who are most in need of thy maternal interventions in their lives.
Amen.

[Salvation]

Regnum Christi

Can Christ Count on Me?
May 15, 2008

But who do you say that I am?

Thursday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Father Jeffrey Bowker, LC

Mark 8:27-33
Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" And they answered him, "John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets." He asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Messiah." And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him. Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things."

Introductory Prayer: Lord, reveal to me the awesome mystery of your person. In you is hidden my beginning; in you is hidden the mission for my life; in you is hidden my future happiness. Let me not measure the future by what I think I can do for you, but rather by what your power can do with my generosity. May this prayer convince me of the necessity of receiving you daily through prayer, contemplation, and a sacramental life of grace and conversion.

Petition: Lord, grant me an experience of you strong enough to overcome all spiritual laziness and tepidity so that I faithfully fulfill all of my spiritual commitments.

1. Who Has Christ Been for You?
Our prayer must lead us to respond to Christ’s question, “Who do you say that I am?” This is the only test, the only examination question we need to pass in life. We must reflect and respond to the question from this perspective: “Who has Christ been for you?” This question does not so much define Christ, but the one who answers it. What experiences have we had of him? What have we been learning about Christ personally, through experiences that we cannot have known by solemn definitions, by routine external piety, or by what others say? Christ’s history and our personal history must intertwine to become a single chapter which we both share.

2. Who Have You Been for Christ?
If I have little to say as far as my firsthand knowledge of Jesus, if my interior experiences have been eclipsed by a mundane and materialistic spirit, I must take Christ’s question to the next level: “Who have I been for Christ?” Who I have been for Christ will be determined largely by who I have been for him in prayer. The “inner Christ” is known only by those to whom it is revealed. It will not happen by a merely flesh-and-blood approach, nor by just going with the flow of human events. Peter’s interior life was fertile ground for the Father: His testimony was not luck, but was a divine intervention in his soul from which his faith drew its strength. “For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven” (Matthew 16:17). May I seek in a special way the grace of greater sensitivity to let my interior life of prayer define me and shape my character.

3. Can Christ Count on Me?
Poor Peter! In one moment he is revealing the thoughts of the Father, in the next, Satan’s. Peter’s living experience of Christ is the target of Satan’s attempts to break his faith. Christ’s suffering will be the pledge that the faith of the apostle will not fail: “I have prayed for you…” (Luke 22:32). Ultimately Christ’s prayer would prevail: Peter is reborn on Pentecost, fearlessly accepting and launching the mission of the Church. A strong interior foundation in Christ ultimately leads to one last reality check of the spiritual life: Can Christ build on me because I am built on him? Christ’s fidelity will uphold me if I stay in the battle, if I hold firm and not let the reality of my falls keep me from advancing. Satan cannot break my faith if I keep fighting, and for this I always have to have new goals, to begin fresher, better, and more generously than before.

Dialogue with Christ: Adapting the words of St. Paul from Ephesians 3:16-20, I make his prayer my own: . I pray that, according to the riches of your glory, you may grant that I may be strengthened in my inner being with power through your Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in my heart through faith, as I am being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that I may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that I may be filled with all the fullness of You. Now to you who by the power at work within me is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all I can ask or imagine, be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Resolution: I will spend some time before our Lord in the Eucharist today, asking that he deepen my experience of him.

[Salvation]

Homily of the Day

Homily of the Day

Look Inward, Be Still and Listen!

April 30th, 2008 by Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph. D. ·Print · ShareThis

Acts 17:15,22-18:1 / Jn 16:12-15

As we listen to St. Paul speaking to the citizens of Athens, we can recognize something of ourselves mirrored in them. They were groping for God, trying to discover not only where he was and but what were his plans and desires for them. But they were missing a lot of cues that were right under their noses. We certainly know about that!

Part of their mistake, and ours as well, was to look for God far away in the skies or near at hand in things of their own making. What they missed was God’s abiding presence within every human being, giving us life and breath, and whispering to us all that is good and true.

The first Soviet cosmonaut to orbit the earth returned with the triumphant announcement that he had looked most carefully around the skies and could verify that God was not there! Don’t let your quest for God get derailed in so foolish a way. Look inward, be still, and listen. He is there, and if you give him your full attention, he will speak.

[Salvation]

Vespers -- Evening Prayer

Vespers (Evening Prayer)

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 71 (72)

The Messiah's royal power

Give the king your judgement, O God,
 give the king’s son your righteousness.
Let him judge your people with justice
 and your poor ones with wisdom.

Let the mountains bring peace to your people,
 let the hills bring righteousness.
He will give his judgement to the poor among the people,
 he will rescue the children of the destitute,
 he will lay low the false accuser.
He will endure with the sun, beneath the moon,
 from generation to generation.

He will come down like rain on the pasture,
 like a shower that waters the earth.
In his time, righteousness will flourish
 and abundance of peace,
 until the moon itself is no more.
He will rule from coast to coast,
 from the world’s centre to its farthest edge.

The desert-dwellers will cast themselves down before him;
 his enemies will eat dust at his feet.
The kings of Tharsis and the islands will bring tribute,
 the kings of Arabia and Sheba will bring gifts.
All the kings will worship him,
 all nations will serve him.

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 71 (72)

Because he has given freedom to the destitute who called to him,
 to the poor, whom no-one will hear.
He will spare the poor and the needy,
 he will keep their lives safe.
He will rescue their lives from oppression and violence,
 their blood will be precious in his sight.

He will live long, and receive gifts of gold from Arabia;
 they will pray for him always,
 bless him all through the day.
There will be abundance of grain in the land,
 it will wave even from the tops of the mountains;
its fruit will be richer than Lebanon.
 The people will flourish as easily as grass.

Let his name be blessed for ever,
 let his name endure beneath the sun.
All the nations of the earth will be blessed in him,
 all nations will acclaim his greatness.

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
 who alone works wonders.
Let his majesty be blessed for ever;
 let it fill all the earth. Amen, amen.

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.

---

Canticle	Apocalypse 11
The Judgement
We thank you, Lord God Almighty, who are and who were, that you have taken up your great power and begun to reign. The nations were angered, but your anger came, the time for the dead to be judged, the time to reward the prophets and saints, your servants, and those who feared your name, both great and small. Now have come the salvation and might and kingdom of our God, and the power of his Anointed, for the accuser of our brethren has been brought down, who accused them day and night in the sight of God. But they vanquished him through the blood of the Lamb and through their own witness. They did not cling to life, even in the face of death. Therefore rejoice, heavens, and you who dwell in them. 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.

---

Short reading	1 Peter 1:22 - 23 ©
You have been obedient to the truth and purified your souls until you can love like brothers, in sincerity; let your love for each other be real and from the heart – your new birth was not from any mortal seed but from the everlasting word of the living and eternal God.

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Canticle	Magnificat
My soul rejoices in the Lord
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,  and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation. For he has shown me such favour –  me, his lowly handmaiden. Now all generations will call me blessed,  because the mighty one has done great things for me. His name is holy,  his mercy lasts for generation after generation  for those who revere him. He has put forth his strength:  he has scattered the proud and conceited,  torn princes from their thrones;  but lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things;  the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel,  he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers,  to Abraham and his children for ever. 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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Prayers and Intercessions

?

Full of gratitude, let us lift up our souls to our Lord and Saviour, who has blessed his people with every spiritual blessing. Let us ask him for his help: - Lord, bless your people. O God, look with compassion on our Pope N. and our bishop N., and keep them safe in your church. Lord, in your kindness protect this land we live in, and keep us free from all evil. Call your children to join you at your table: make them follow you more closely, poor, chaste and obedient. Care for your maidservants who have embraced the vocation of virginity: let them follow you, Lamb of God, wherever you may go. Give the dead rest in your eternal peace, by the sharing of spiritual blessings, keep our bonds with them secure.

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.

As we offer our evening praises we ask you, gentle Lord:
 do not let our hearts fall away from contemplation of your Law;
 and give us, at the end, the bright reward of eternal life.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
 who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
 God for ever and ever.
Amen.

---

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 Word Among Us

Thursday, May 15, 2008 Meditation James 2:1-9 "Show no partiality as you adhere to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ." (James 2:1) She had trained herself to meet and greet newcomers at church. Every energetic new family or bright young student was welcomed with a smile and warm words. But when an ill-dressed woman with poor hygiene and a strange gaze caught her eye, her first instinct was to flee. After Mass, she maneuvered herself so as to prevent contact with the woman. She did not want to get herself or her family involved with this troubled person. Yet “getting involved” with the needy is exactly what James is teaching here. We are taught to engage the successful and affluent—even if we know very little about them—and to treat the poor with greater caution. We may give money, but that’s as far as we go. It is a lot more challenging to think about spending time with them or putting ourselves in their shoes. Contrast this approach with the gospel call to “give alms.” At its heart, almsgiving means caring for the poor from a heart of compassion, from a heart linked with Jesus’ desire to bless everyone. It means being united to Christ first, and from that union, pouring ourselves out for the needy around us. In fact, Scripture tells us that this kind of almsgiving is so powerful that it can even atone for our sins (Sirach 3:29)! We may shun the poor because they reflect our own lowliness before God—something we don’t like being reminded of. But this is exactly why Jesus loves them so much. Since they reflect his neediness before his Father, he sees them as brothers and sisters worthy of special consideration. How can we care for the poor around us? Some people are broken and simply cannot pull it together. Our job is not to fix them but to treat them with the utmost dignity and to care for their human needs. Others may need a helping hand during a setback. And still others may need nothing more than a word of encouragement. May all of us let fear and caution fall away as we step out in love. “Holy Spirit, bring every needy person close to Jesus’ heart. Help me to be Christ’s hands as I reach out to the beloved poor around me.” Psalm 34:2-7; Mark 8:27-33

One Bread, One Body

One Bread, One Body

 

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St. Isidore the Farmer Saint of the Day